Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation of a Streamer Beside a Realistic Coronal Hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suess, S. T.; Wu, S. T.; Wang, A. H.; Poletto, G.

1994-01-01

Existing models of coronal streamers establish their credibility and act as the initial state for transients. The models have produced satisfactory streamer simulations, but unsatisfactory coronal hole simulations. This is a consequence of the character of the models and the boundary conditions. The models all have higher densities in the magnetically open regions than occur in coronal holes (Noci, et al., 1993).

Ca-Pri a Cellular Automata Phenomenological Research Investigation: Simulation Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iannone, G.; Troisi, A.

2013-05-01

Following the introduction of a phenomenological cellular automata (CA) model capable to reproduce city growth and urban sprawl, we develop a toy model simulation considering a realistic framework. The main characteristic of our approach is an evolution algorithm based on inhabitants preferences. The control of grown cells is obtained by means of suitable functions which depend on the initial condition of the simulation. New born urban settlements are achieved by means of a logistic evolution of the urban pattern while urban sprawl is controlled by means of the population evolution function. In order to compare model results with a realistic urban framework we have considered, as the area of study, the island of Capri (Italy) in the Mediterranean Sea. Two different phases of the urban evolution on the island have been taken into account: a new born initial growth as induced by geographic suitability and the simulation of urban spread after 1943 induced by the population evolution after this date.

Reliability of Tin Silver Copper and mixed solders under variable loading conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaradat, Younis

Industry use of lead free solder joints necessitates accurate modeling in predicting life in service. Yet, current extrapolations of accelerated test results do not actuate realistic conditions. This research focuses on joint properties of Pb-mixed and Pb-free solder alloys in order to explain material behavior subject to certain test conditions, i.e., varying cycling amplitudes. Additionally, this research will begin with extensive studies on backward compatible solder joints from the material's behavior to its reliability under displacement and load controlled fatigue tests. We address the evolution of the joint's microstructure ergo its properties and performance (mixed solder joints). The present work reports results of reflowing 30 mil SAC305 balls onto Cu, and ENIG coated BGA pads with different amounts of SnPb paste, aging and/or cycling the joints and inspecting the microstructure by cross polarizer microscopy and SEM. We found that the addition of small amounts of Pb had significant effects on solidification during cool-down from reflow, and consequently the initial microstructure. In terms of the varying cycling amplitude study, we note how realistic service conditions are almost never well approximated by cycling with fixed amplitudes. Recent results have demonstrated the consistent breakdown of common damage accumulation rules. In isothermal cycling tests the remaining life, after a step-down in amplitude, was invariably shorter than predicted by such a rule, while a step-up tended to have the opposite effect. The present work offers a mechanistic explanation for this and the basis for a practical approach to the assessment of life under service conditions. Realistic BGA joints were cycled individually in a micromechanical tester, monitoring the solder stiffness and the inelastic energy deposition. Cycling was seen to first cause rapid hardening, followed by leveling off in a 'cyclic saturation' stage and eventually the initiation and growth of a crack until failure. A temporary increase in amplitude during cycling caused a lasting reduction in hardness, and thus enhanced inelastic energy deposition and damage evolution, after the fact. This factor dominates during repeated increases and decreases, eventually shortening the remaining life dramatically

Role of Ocean Initial Conditions to Diminish Dry Bias in the Seasonal Prediction of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall: A Case Study Using Climate Forecast System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koul, Vimal; Parekh, Anant; Srinivas, G.; Kakatkar, Rashmi; Chowdary, Jasti S.; Gnanaseelan, C.

2018-03-01

Coupled models tend to underestimate Indian summer monsoon (ISM) rainfall over most of the Indian subcontinent. Present study demonstrates that a part of dry bias is arising from the discrepancies in Oceanic Initial Conditions (OICs). Two hindcast experiments are carried out using Climate Forecast System (CFSv2) for summer monsoons of 2012-2014 in which two different OICs are utilized. With respect to first experiment (CTRL), second experiment (AcSAL) differs by two aspects: usage of high-resolution atmospheric forcing and assimilation of only ARGO observed temperature and salinity profiles for OICs. Assessment of OICs indicates that the quality of OICs is enhanced due to assimilation of actual salinity profiles. Analysis reveals that AcSAL experiment showed 10% reduction in the dry bias over the Indian land region during the ISM compared to CTRL. This improvement is consistently apparent in each month and is highest for June. The better representation of upper ocean thermal structure of tropical oceans at initial stage supports realistic upper ocean stability and mixing. Which in fact reduced the dominant cold bias over the ocean, feedback to air-sea interactions and land sea thermal contrast resulting better representation of monsoon circulation and moisture transport. This reduced bias of tropospheric moisture and temperature over the Indian land mass and also produced better tropospheric temperature gradient over land as well as ocean. These feedback processes reduced the dry bias in the ISM rainfall. Study concludes that initializing the coupled models with realistic OICs can reduce the underestimation of ISM rainfall prediction.

Quantitative, steady-state properties of Catania's computational model of the operant reserve.

PubMed

Berg, John P; McDowell, J J

2011-05-01

Catania (2005) found that a computational model of the operant reserve (Skinner, 1938) produced realistic behavior in initial, exploratory analyses. Although Catania's operant reserve computational model demonstrated potential to simulate varied behavioral phenomena, the model was not systematically tested. The current project replicated and extended the Catania model, clarified its capabilities through systematic testing, and determined the extent to which it produces behavior corresponding to matching theory. Significant departures from both classic and modern matching theory were found in behavior generated by the model across all conditions. The results suggest that a simple, dynamic operant model of the reflex reserve does not simulate realistic steady state behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Historical Forcing Ice Sheet Model Validation Framework for Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, S. F.; Hoffman, M. J.; Howat, I. M.; Bonin, J. A.; Chambers, D. P.; Kalashnikova, I.; Neumann, T.; Nowicki, S.; Perego, M.; Salinger, A.

2014-12-01

We propose an ice sheet model testing and validation framework for Greenland for the years 2000 to the present. Following Perego et al. (2014), we start with a realistic ice sheet initial condition that is in quasi-equilibrium with climate forcing from the late 1990's. This initial condition is integrated forward in time while simultaneously applying (1) surface mass balance forcing (van Angelen et al., 2013) and (2) outlet glacier flux anomalies, defined using a new dataset of Greenland outlet glacier flux for the past decade (Enderlin et al., 2014). Modeled rates of mass and elevation change are compared directly to remote sensing observations obtained from GRACE and ICESat. Here, we present a detailed description of the proposed validation framework including the ice sheet model and model forcing approach, the model-to-observation comparison process, and initial results comparing model output and observations for the time period 2000-2013.

Segregation effects during solidification in weightless melts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, C.; Gershinsky, M.

1974-01-01

The generalized problem of determining the temperature and solute concentration profiles during directional solidification of binary alloys with surface evaporation was mathematically formulated. Realistic initial and boundary conditions were defined, and a computer program was developed and checked out. The programs computes the positions of two moving boundaries, evaporation and solidification, and their velocities. Temperature and solute concentration profiles in the semiinfinite material body at selected instances of time are also computed.

Deriving realistic source boundary conditions for a CFD simulation of concentrations in workroom air.

PubMed

Feigley, Charles E; Do, Thanh H; Khan, Jamil; Lee, Emily; Schnaufer, Nicholas D; Salzberg, Deborah C

2011-05-01

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used increasingly to simulate the distribution of airborne contaminants in enclosed spaces for exposure assessment and control, but the importance of realistic boundary conditions is often not fully appreciated. In a workroom for manufacturing capacitors, full-shift samples for isoamyl acetate (IAA) were collected for 3 days at 16 locations, and velocities were measured at supply grills and at various points near the source. Then, velocity and concentration fields were simulated by 3-dimensional steady-state CFD using 295K tetrahedral cells, the k-ε turbulence model, standard wall function, and convergence criteria of 10(-6) for all scalars. Here, we demonstrate the need to represent boundary conditions accurately, especially emission characteristics at the contaminant source, and to obtain good agreement between observations and CFD results. Emission rates for each day were determined from six concentrations measured in the near field and one upwind using an IAA mass balance. The emission was initially represented as undiluted IAA vapor, but the concentrations estimated using CFD differed greatly from the measured concentrations. A second set of simulations was performed using the same IAA emission rates but a more realistic representation of the source. This yielded good agreement with measured values. Paying particular attention to the region with highest worker exposure potential-within 1.3 m of the source center-the air speed and IAA concentrations estimated by CFD were not significantly different from the measured values (P = 0.92 and P = 0.67, respectively). Thus, careful consideration of source boundary conditions greatly improved agreement with the measured values.

Relativistic tidal interaction of a white dwarf with a massive black hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frolov, V. P.; Khokhlov, A. M.; Novikov, I. D.; Pethick, C. J.

1994-01-01

We compute encounters of a realistic white dwarf model with a massive black hole in the regime where relativistic effects are important, using a three-dimensional, finite-difference, Eulerian, piecewise parabolic method (PPM) hydrodynamical code. Both disruptive and nondisruptive encounters are considered. We identify and discuss relativistic effects important for the problem: relativistic shift of the pericenter distance, time delay, relativistic precession, and the tensorial structure of the tidal forces. In the nondisruptive case, stripping of matter takes place. In the surface layers of the surviving core, complicated hydrodynamical phenomena are revealed. In both disruptive and nondispruptive encounters, material flows out in the form of two thin, S-shaped, supersonic jets. Our results provide realistic initial conditions for the subsequent investigation of the dynamics of the debris in the field of the black hole. We evaluate the critical conditions for complete disruption of the white dwarf, and compare our results with the corresponding results for nonrelativistic encounters.

A new equilibrium torus solution and GRMHD initial conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penna, Robert F.; Kulkarni, Akshay; Narayan, Ramesh

2013-11-01

Context. General relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations are providing influential models for black hole spin measurements, gamma ray bursts, and supermassive black hole feedback. Many of these simulations use the same initial condition: a rotating torus of fluid in hydrostatic equilibrium. A persistent concern is that simulation results sometimes depend on arbitrary features of the initial torus. For example, the Bernoulli parameter (which is related to outflows), appears to be controlled by the Bernoulli parameter of the initial torus. Aims: In this paper, we give a new equilibrium torus solution and describe two applications for the future. First, it can be used as a more physical initial condition for GRMHD simulations than earlier torus solutions. Second, it can be used in conjunction with earlier torus solutions to isolate the simulation results that depend on initial conditions. Methods: We assume axisymmetry, an ideal gas equation of state, constant entropy, and ignore self-gravity. We fix an angular momentum distribution and solve the relativistic Euler equations in the Kerr metric. Results: The Bernoulli parameter, rotation rate, and geometrical thickness of the torus can be adjusted independently. Our torus tends to be more bound and have a larger radial extent than earlier torus solutions. Conclusions: While this paper was in preparation, several GRMHD simulations appeared based on our equilibrium torus. We believe it will continue to provide a more realistic starting point for future simulations.

ParaExp Using Leapfrog as Integrator for High-Frequency Electromagnetic Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merkel, M.; Niyonzima, I.; Schöps, S.

2017-12-01

Recently, ParaExp was proposed for the time integration of linear hyperbolic problems. It splits the time interval of interest into subintervals and computes the solution on each subinterval in parallel. The overall solution is decomposed into a particular solution defined on each subinterval with zero initial conditions and a homogeneous solution propagated by the matrix exponential applied to the initial conditions. The efficiency of the method depends on fast approximations of this matrix exponential based on recent results from numerical linear algebra. This paper deals with the application of ParaExp in combination with Leapfrog to electromagnetic wave problems in time domain. Numerical tests are carried out for a simple toy problem and a realistic spiral inductor model discretized by the Finite Integration Technique.

A Madden-Julian oscillation event realistically simulated by a global cloud-resolving model.

PubMed

Miura, Hiroaki; Satoh, Masaki; Nasuno, Tomoe; Noda, Akira T; Oouchi, Kazuyoshi

2007-12-14

A Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a massive weather event consisting of deep convection coupled with atmospheric circulation, moving slowly eastward over the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Despite its enormous influence on many weather and climate systems worldwide, it has proven very difficult to simulate an MJO because of assumptions about cumulus clouds in global meteorological models. Using a model that allows direct coupling of the atmospheric circulation and clouds, we successfully simulated the slow eastward migration of an MJO event. Topography, the zonal sea surface temperature gradient, and interplay between eastward- and westward-propagating signals controlled the timing of the eastward transition of the convective center. Our results demonstrate the potential making of month-long MJO predictions when global cloud-resolving models with realistic initial conditions are used.

Early dynamical evolution of young substructured clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorval, Julien; Boily, Christian

2017-03-01

Stellar clusters form with a high level of substructure, inherited from the molecular cloud and the star formation process. Evidence from observations and simulations also indicate the stars in such young clusters form a subvirial system. The subsequent dynamical evolution can cause important mass loss, ejecting a large part of the birth population in the field. It can also imprint the stellar population and still be inferred from observations of evolved clusters. Nbody simulations allow a better understanding of these early twists and turns, given realistic initial conditions. Nowadays, substructured, clumpy young clusters are usually obtained through pseudo-fractal growth and velocity inheritance. We introduce a new way to create clumpy initial conditions through a ''Hubble expansion'' which naturally produces self consistent clumps, velocity-wise. In depth analysis of the resulting clumps shows consistency with hydrodynamical simulations of young star clusters. We use these initial conditions to investigate the dynamical evolution of young subvirial clusters. We find the collapse to be soft, with hierarchical merging leading to a high level of mass segregation. The subsequent evolution is less pronounced than the equilibrium achieved from a cold collapse formation scenario.

Real-world visual search is dominated by top-down guidance.

PubMed

Chen, Xin; Zelinsky, Gregory J

2006-11-01

How do bottom-up and top-down guidance signals combine to guide search behavior? Observers searched for a target either with or without a preview (top-down manipulation) or a color singleton (bottom-up manipulation) among the display objects. With a preview, reaction times were faster and more initial eye movements were guided to the target; the singleton failed to attract initial saccades under these conditions. Only in the absence of a preview did subjects preferentially fixate the color singleton. We conclude that the search for realistic objects is guided primarily by top-down control. Implications for saliency map models of visual search are discussed.

Structure resonances due to space charge in periodic focusing channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chao; Jameson, R. A.

2018-02-01

The Vlasov-Poisson model is one of the most effective methods to study the space charge dominated beam evolution self-consistently in a periodic focusing channel. Since the approach to get the solution with this model is not trivial, previous studies are limited in degenerated conditions, either in smoothed channel (constant focusing) [I. Hofmann, Phys. Rev. E 57, 4713 (1998)] or in alternating gradient focusing channel with equal initial beam emittance condition in the degrees of freedom [I. Hofmann et al., Part. Accel. 13, 145 (1983); Chao Li et al., THOBA02, IPAC2016]. To establish a basis, we intentionally limit this article to the study of the pure transverse periodic focusing lattice with arbitrary initial beam condition, and the same lattice structure in both degrees of freedom, but with possibility of different focusing strengths. This will show the extension of the existing work. The full Hamiltonian is invoked for a pure transverse focusing lattice in various initial beam conditions, revealing different mode structure and additional modes beyond those of the degenerated cases. Application of the extended method to realistic lattices (including longitudinal accelerating elements) and further details will then reveal many new insights, and will be presented in later work.

Should tsunami models use a nonzero initial condition for horizontal velocity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nava, G.; Lotto, G. C.; Dunham, E. M.

2017-12-01

Tsunami propagation in the open ocean is most commonly modeled by solving the shallow water wave equations. These equations require two initial conditions: one on sea surface height and another on depth-averaged horizontal particle velocity or, equivalently, horizontal momentum. While most modelers assume that initial velocity is zero, Y.T. Song and collaborators have argued for nonzero initial velocity, claiming that horizontal displacement of a sloping seafloor imparts significant horizontal momentum to the ocean. They show examples in which this effect increases the resulting tsunami height by a factor of two or more relative to models in which initial velocity is zero. We test this claim with a "full-physics" integrated dynamic rupture and tsunami model that couples the elastic response of the Earth to the linearized acoustic-gravitational response of a compressible ocean with gravity; the model self-consistently accounts for seismic waves in the solid Earth, acoustic waves in the ocean, and tsunamis (with dispersion at short wavelengths). We run several full-physics simulations of subduction zone megathrust ruptures and tsunamis in geometries with a sloping seafloor, using both idealized structures and a more realistic Tohoku structure. Substantial horizontal momentum is imparted to the ocean, but almost all momentum is carried away in the form of ocean acoustic waves. We compare tsunami propagation in each full-physics simulation to that predicted by an equivalent shallow water wave simulation with varying assumptions regarding initial conditions. We find that the initial horizontal velocity conditions proposed by Song and collaborators consistently overestimate the tsunami amplitude and predict an inconsistent wave profile. Finally, we determine tsunami initial conditions that are rigorously consistent with our full-physics simulations by isolating the tsunami waves (from ocean acoustic and seismic waves) at some final time, and backpropagating the tsunami waves to their initial state by solving the adjoint problem. The resulting initial conditions have negligible horizontal velocity.

Longitudinal hydrodynamics from event-by-event Landau initial conditions

DOE PAGES

Sen, Abhisek; Gerhard, Jochen; Torrieri, Giorgio; ...

2015-02-02

Here we investigate three-dimensional ideal hydrodynamic evolution, with Landau initial conditions, incorporating event-by-event variation with many events and transverse density inhomogeneities. We show that the transition to boost-invariant flow occurs too late for realistic setups, with corrections of θ (20%-30%) expected at freeze-out for most scenarios. Moreover, the deviation from boost invariance is correlated with both transverse flow and elliptic flow, with the more highly transversely flowing regions also showing the most violation of boost invariance. Therefore, if longitudinal flow is not fully developed at the early stages of heavy ion collisions, hydrodynamics where boost invariance holds at midrapidity ismore » inadequate to extract transport coefficients of the quark-gluon plasma. We conclude by arguing that developing experimental probes of boost invariance is necessary, and suggest some promising directions in this regard.« less

Modeling landslide runout dynamics and hazards: crucial effects of initial conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iverson, R. M.; George, D. L.

2016-12-01

Physically based numerical models can provide useful tools for forecasting landslide runout and associated hazards, but only if the models employ initial conditions and parameter values that faithfully represent the states of geological materials on slopes. Many models assume that a landslide begins from a heap of granular material poised on a slope and held in check by an imaginary dam. A computer instruction instantaneously removes the dam, unleashing a modeled landslide that accelerates under the influence of a large force imbalance. Thus, an unrealistically large initial acceleration influences all subsequent modeled motion. By contrast, most natural landslides are triggered by small perturbations of statically balanced effective stress states, which are commonly caused by rainfall, snowmelt, or earthquakes. Landslide motion begins with an infinitesimal force imbalance and commensurately small acceleration. However, a small initial force imbalance can evolve into a much larger imbalance if feedback causes a reduction in resisting forces. A well-documented source of such feedback involves dilatancy coupled to pore-pressure evolution, which may either increase or decrease effective Coulomb friction—contingent on initial conditions. Landslide dynamics models that account for this feedback include our D-Claw model (Proc. Roy. Soc. Lon., Ser. A, 2014, doi: 10.1098/rspa.2013.0819 and doi:10.1098/rspa.2013.0820) and a similar model presented by Bouchut et al. (J. Fluid Mech., 2016, doi:10.1017/jfm.2016.417). We illustrate the crucial effects of initial conditions and dilatancy coupled to pore-pressure feedback by using D-Claw to perform simple test calculations and also by computing alternative behaviors of the well-documented Oso, Washington, and West Salt Creek, Colorado, landslides of 2014. We conclude that realistic initial conditions and feedbacks are essential elements in numerical models used to forecast landslide runout dynamics and hazards.

Testing Installed Propulsion For Shielded Exhaust Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, James; Podboy, Gary G.; Brown, Clifford A.

2016-01-01

Jet-surface interaction (JSI) can be a significant factor in the exhaust noise of installed propulsion. Tests to further understanding and prediction of the acoustic impacts of JSI have been described. While there were many objectives for the NASA JSI1044 test, the overall objective was to prepare for a 2016 test validating the design of a low-noise, low-boom supersonic commercial airliner. In this paper we explore design requirements for a partial aircraft model to be used in subscale acoustic testing, especially focusing on the amount of shielding surface that must be provided to simulate the acoustic environment between propulsion exhaust system and observer. We document the dual-stream jets, both nozzle and flow conditions, which were tested to extend JSI acoustic modeling from simple single-stream jets to realistic dual-stream exhaust nozzles. Examples of observations found as surface geometry and flow conditions were varied were provided. And we have presented initial measurements of the installation impacts of integrating the propulsion on the airframe for a supersonic airliner with realistic airframe geometries and nozzles.

A First Look at Decadal Hydrological Predictability by Land Surface Ensemble Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Xing; Zhu, Enda

2018-03-01

The prediction of terrestrial hydrology at the decadal scale is critical for managing water resources in the face of climate change. Here we conducted an assessment by global land model simulations following the design of the fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) decadal hindcast experiments, specifically testing for the sensitivity to perfect initial or boundary conditions. The memory for terrestrial water storage (TWS) is longer than 6 years over 11% of global land areas where the deep soil moisture and aquifer water have a long memory and a nonnegligible variability. Ensemble decadal predictions based on realistic initial conditions are skillful over 31%, 43%, and 59% of global land areas for TWS, deep soil moisture, and aquifer water, respectively. The fraction of skillful predictions for TWS increases by 10%-16% when conditioned on Pacific Decadal Oscillation and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation indices. This study provides a first look at decadal hydrological predictability, with an improved skill when incorporating low-frequency climate information.

Failure Mechanisms and Life Prediction of Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings under Thermal Gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zju, Dongming; Ghosn, Louis J.; Miller, Robert A.

2008-01-01

Ceramic thermal and environmental barrier coatings (TEBCs) will play an increasingly important role in gas turbine engines because of their ability to further raise engine temperatures. However, the issue of coating durability is of major concern under high-heat-flux conditions. In particular, the accelerated coating delamination crack growth under the engine high heat-flux conditions is not well understood. In this paper, a laser heat flux technique is used to investigate the coating delamination crack propagation under realistic temperature-stress gradients and thermal cyclic conditions. The coating delamination mechanisms are investigated under various thermal loading conditions, and are correlated with coating dynamic fatigue, sintering and interfacial adhesion test results. A coating life prediction framework may be realized by examining the crack initiation and propagation driving forces for coating failure under high-heat-flux test conditions.

Soil Moisture and Snow Cover: Active or Passive Elements of Climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oglesby, Robert J.; Marshall, Susan; Erickson, David J., III; Robertson, Franklin R.; Roads, John O.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A key question is the extent to which surface effects such as soil moisture and snow cover are simply passive elements or whether they can affect the evolution of climate on seasonal and longer time scales. We have constructed ensembles of predictability studies using the NCAR CCM3 in which we compared the relative roles of initial surface and atmospheric conditions over the central and western U.S. in determining the subsequent evolution of soil moisture and of snow cover. Results from simulations with realistic soil moisture anomalies indicate that internal climate variability may be the strongest factor, with some indication that the initial atmospheric state is also important. Model runs with exaggerated soil moisture reductions (near-desert conditions) showed a much larger effect, with warmer surface temperatures, reduced precipitation, and lower surface pressures; the latter indicating a response of the atmospheric circulation. These results suggest the possibility of a threshold effect in soil moisture, whereby an anomaly must be of a sufficient size before it can have a significant impact on the atmospheric circulation and climate. Results from simulations with realistic snow cover anomalies indicate that the time of year can be crucial. When introduced in late winter, these anomalies strongly affected the subsequent evolution of snow cover. When introduced in early winter, however, little or no effect is seen on the subsequent snow cover. Runs with greatly exaggerated initial snow cover indicate that the high reflectivity of snow is the most important process by which snow cover can impact climate, through lower surface temperatures and increased surface pressures. The results to date were obtained for model runs with present-day conditions. We are currently analyzing runs made with projected forcings for the 21st century to see if these results are modified in any way under likely scenarios of future climate change. An intriguing new statistical technique involving 'clustering' is developed to assist in this analysis.

Probability distributions of continuous measurement results for conditioned quantum evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franquet, A.; Nazarov, Yuli V.

2017-02-01

We address the statistics of continuous weak linear measurement on a few-state quantum system that is subject to a conditioned quantum evolution. For a conditioned evolution, both the initial and final states of the system are fixed: the latter is achieved by the postselection in the end of the evolution. The statistics may drastically differ from the nonconditioned case, and the interference between initial and final states can be observed in the probability distributions of measurement outcomes as well as in the average values exceeding the conventional range of nonconditioned averages. We develop a proper formalism to compute the distributions of measurement outcomes, and evaluate and discuss the distributions in experimentally relevant setups. We demonstrate the manifestations of the interference between initial and final states in various regimes. We consider analytically simple examples of nontrivial probability distributions. We reveal peaks (or dips) at half-quantized values of the measurement outputs. We discuss in detail the case of zero overlap between initial and final states demonstrating anomalously big average outputs and sudden jump in time-integrated output. We present and discuss the numerical evaluation of the probability distribution aiming at extending the analytical results and describing a realistic experimental situation of a qubit in the regime of resonant fluorescence.

Committed sea-level rise for the next century from Greenland ice sheet dynamics during the past decade

PubMed Central

Price, Stephen F.; Payne, Antony J.; Howat, Ian M.; Smith, Benjamin E.

2011-01-01

We use a three-dimensional, higher-order ice flow model and a realistic initial condition to simulate dynamic perturbations to the Greenland ice sheet during the last decade and to assess their contribution to sea level by 2100. Starting from our initial condition, we apply a time series of observationally constrained dynamic perturbations at the marine termini of Greenland’s three largest outlet glaciers, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Helheim Glacier, and Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier. The initial and long-term diffusive thinning within each glacier catchment is then integrated spatially and temporally to calculate a minimum sea-level contribution of approximately 1 ± 0.4 mm from these three glaciers by 2100. Based on scaling arguments, we extend our modeling to all of Greenland and estimate a minimum dynamic sea-level contribution of approximately 6 ± 2 mm by 2100. This estimate of committed sea-level rise is a minimum because it ignores mass loss due to future changes in ice sheet dynamics or surface mass balance. Importantly, > 75% of this value is from the long-term, diffusive response of the ice sheet, suggesting that the majority of sea-level rise from Greenland dynamics during the past decade is yet to come. Assuming similar and recurring forcing in future decades and a self-similar ice dynamical response, we estimate an upper bound of 45 mm of sea-level rise from Greenland dynamics by 2100. These estimates are constrained by recent observations of dynamic mass loss in Greenland and by realistic model behavior that accounts for both the long-term cumulative mass loss and its decay following episodic boundary forcing. PMID:21576500

Committed sea-level rise for the next century from Greenland ice sheet dynamics during the past decade.

PubMed

Price, Stephen F; Payne, Antony J; Howat, Ian M; Smith, Benjamin E

2011-05-31

We use a three-dimensional, higher-order ice flow model and a realistic initial condition to simulate dynamic perturbations to the Greenland ice sheet during the last decade and to assess their contribution to sea level by 2100. Starting from our initial condition, we apply a time series of observationally constrained dynamic perturbations at the marine termini of Greenland's three largest outlet glaciers, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Helheim Glacier, and Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier. The initial and long-term diffusive thinning within each glacier catchment is then integrated spatially and temporally to calculate a minimum sea-level contribution of approximately 1 ± 0.4 mm from these three glaciers by 2100. Based on scaling arguments, we extend our modeling to all of Greenland and estimate a minimum dynamic sea-level contribution of approximately 6 ± 2 mm by 2100. This estimate of committed sea-level rise is a minimum because it ignores mass loss due to future changes in ice sheet dynamics or surface mass balance. Importantly, > 75% of this value is from the long-term, diffusive response of the ice sheet, suggesting that the majority of sea-level rise from Greenland dynamics during the past decade is yet to come. Assuming similar and recurring forcing in future decades and a self-similar ice dynamical response, we estimate an upper bound of 45 mm of sea-level rise from Greenland dynamics by 2100. These estimates are constrained by recent observations of dynamic mass loss in Greenland and by realistic model behavior that accounts for both the long-term cumulative mass loss and its decay following episodic boundary forcing.

NASA Electric Aircraft Test Bed (NEAT) Development Plan - Design, Fabrication, Installation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dyson, Rodger W.

2016-01-01

As large airline companies compete to reduce emissions, fuel, noise, and maintenance costs, it is expected that more of their aircraft systems will shift from using turbofan propulsion, pneumatic bleed power, and hydraulic actuation, to instead using electrical motor propulsion, generator power, and electrical actuation. This requires new flight-weight and flight-efficient powertrain components, fault tolerant power management, and electromagnetic interference mitigation technologies. Moreover, initial studies indicate some combination of ambient and cryogenic thermal management and relatively high bus voltages when compared to state of practice will be required to achieve a net system benefit. Developing all these powertrain technologies within a realistic aircraft architectural geometry and under realistic operational conditions requires a unique electric aircraft testbed. This report will summarize existing testbed capabilities located in the U.S. and details the development of a unique complementary testbed that industry and government can utilize to further mature electric aircraft technologies.

Sensitivity of equatorial Pacific and Indian Ocean watermasses to the position of the Indonesian Throughflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodgers, Keith B.; Latif, Mojib; Legutke, Stephanie

2000-09-01

The sensitivity of the thermal structure of the equatorial Pacific and Indian Ocean pycnoclines to a model's representation of the Indonesian Straits connecting the two basins is investigated. Two integrations are performed using the global HOPE ocean model. The initial conditions and surface forcing for both cases are identical; the only difference between the runs is that one has an opening for the Indonesian Straits which spans the equator on the Pacific side, and the other has an opening which lies fully north of the equator. The resulting sensitivity throughout much of the upper ocean is greater than 0.5°C for both the equatorial Indian and Pacific. A realistic simulation of net Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) transport (measured in Sverdrups) is not sufficient for an adequate simulation of equatorial watermasses. The ITF must also contain a realistic admixture of northern and southern Pacific source water.

Fundamental Investigations and Rational Design of Durable High-Performance SOFC Cathodes

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

Chen, Yu; Ding, Dong; Wei, Tao

The main objective of this project is to unravel the degradation mechanism of LSCF cathodes under realistic operating conditions with different types of contaminants, aiming towards the rational design of cathodes with high-performance and enhanced durability by combining a porous backbone (such as LSCF) with a thin catalyst coating. The mechanistic understanding will help us to optimize the composition and morphology of the catalyst layer and microstructure of the LSCF backbone for better performance and durability. More specifically, the technical objectives include: (1) to unravel the degradation mechanism of LSCF cathodes under realistic operating conditions with different types of contaminantsmore » using in situ and ex situ measurements performed on specially-designed cathodes; (2) to examine the microstructural and compositional evolution of LSCF cathodes as well as the cathode/electrolyte interfaces under realistic operating conditions; (3) to correlate the fuel cell performance instability and degradation with the microstructural and morphological evolution and surface chemistry change of the cathode under realistic operating conditions; (4) to explore new catalyst materials and electrode structures to enhance the stability of the LSCF cathode under realistic operating conditions; and (5) to validate the long term stability of the modified LSCF cathode in commercially available cells under realistic operating conditions. We have systematically evaluated LSCF cathodes in symmetrical cells and anode supported cells under realistic conditions with different types of contaminants such as humidity, CO 2, and Cr. Electrochemical models for the design of test cells and understanding of mechanisms have been developed for the exploration of fundamental properties of electrode materials. It is demonstrated that the activity and stability of LSCF cathodes can be degraded by the introduction of contaminants. The microstructural and compositional evolution of LSCF cathodes as well as the cathode/electrolyte interfaces under realistic operating conditions has been studied. It is found that SrO readily segregated/enriched on the LSCF surface. More severe contamination conditions cause more SrO on surface. Novel catalyst coatings through particle depositions (PrOx) or continuous thin films (PNM) were successfully developed to improve the activity and stability of LSCF cathodes. Finally, we have demonstrated enhanced activity and stability of LSCF cathodes over longer periods of time in homemade and commercially available cells by an optimized PNM (dense film and particles) infiltration process, under clean air and realistic operating conditions (3% H 2O, 5% CO 2 and direct Crofer contact). Both performance and durability of single cells with PNM coating has been enhanced compared with those without coating. Raman analysis of cathodes surface indicated that the intensity of SrCrO 4 was significantly decreased.« less

Modeling the Performance Limitations and Prospects of Perovskite/Si Tandem Solar Cells under Realistic Operating Conditions

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Perovskite/Si tandem solar cells have the potential to considerably out-perform conventional solar cells. Under standard test conditions, perovskite/Si tandem solar cells already outperform the Si single junction. Under realistic conditions, however, as we show, tandem solar cells made from current record cells are hardly more efficient than the Si cell alone. We model the performance of realistic perovskite/Si tandem solar cells under real-world climate conditions, by incorporating parasitic cell resistances, nonradiative recombination, and optical losses into the detailed-balance limit. We show quantitatively that when optimizing these parameters in the perovskite top cell, perovskite/Si tandem solar cells could reach efficiencies above 38% under realistic conditions, even while leaving the Si cell untouched. Despite the rapid efficiency increase of perovskite solar cells, our results emphasize the need for further material development, careful device design, and light management strategies, all necessary for highly efficient perovskite/Si tandem solar cells. PMID:28920081

Modeling the Performance Limitations and Prospects of Perovskite/Si Tandem Solar Cells under Realistic Operating Conditions.

PubMed

Futscher, Moritz H; Ehrler, Bruno

2017-09-08

Perovskite/Si tandem solar cells have the potential to considerably out-perform conventional solar cells. Under standard test conditions, perovskite/Si tandem solar cells already outperform the Si single junction. Under realistic conditions, however, as we show, tandem solar cells made from current record cells are hardly more efficient than the Si cell alone. We model the performance of realistic perovskite/Si tandem solar cells under real-world climate conditions, by incorporating parasitic cell resistances, nonradiative recombination, and optical losses into the detailed-balance limit. We show quantitatively that when optimizing these parameters in the perovskite top cell, perovskite/Si tandem solar cells could reach efficiencies above 38% under realistic conditions, even while leaving the Si cell untouched. Despite the rapid efficiency increase of perovskite solar cells, our results emphasize the need for further material development, careful device design, and light management strategies, all necessary for highly efficient perovskite/Si tandem solar cells.

Rapid and accurate prediction of degradant formation rates in pharmaceutical formulations using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Darrington, Richard T; Jiao, Jim

2004-04-01

Rapid and accurate stability prediction is essential to pharmaceutical formulation development. Commonly used stability prediction methods include monitoring parent drug loss at intended storage conditions or initial rate determination of degradants under accelerated conditions. Monitoring parent drug loss at the intended storage condition does not provide a rapid and accurate stability assessment because often <0.5% drug loss is all that can be observed in a realistic time frame, while the accelerated initial rate method in conjunction with extrapolation of rate constants using the Arrhenius or Eyring equations often introduces large errors in shelf-life prediction. In this study, the shelf life prediction of a model pharmaceutical preparation utilizing sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) to directly quantitate degradant formation rates at the intended storage condition is proposed. This method was compared to traditional shelf life prediction approaches in terms of time required to predict shelf life and associated error in shelf life estimation. Results demonstrated that the proposed LC/MS method using initial rates analysis provided significantly improved confidence intervals for the predicted shelf life and required less overall time and effort to obtain the stability estimation compared to the other methods evaluated. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Synoptic analysis and hindcast of an intense bow echo in Western Europe: The 09 June 2014 storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathias, Luca; Ermert, Volker; Kelemen, Fanni D.; Ludwig, Patrick; Pinto, Joaquim G.

2017-04-01

On Pentecost Monday of 09 June 2014, a severe mesoscale convective system (MCS) hit Belgium and Western Germany. This storm was one of the most severe thunderstorms in Germany for decades. The synoptic-scale and mesoscale characteristics of this storm are analyzed based on remote sensing data and in-situ measurements. Moreover, the forecast potential of the storm is evaluated using sensitivity experiments with a regional climate model. The key ingredients for the development of the Pentecost storm were the concurrent presence of low-level moisture, atmospheric conditional instability and wind shear. The synoptic and mesoscale analysis shows that the outflow of a decaying MCS above northern France triggered the storm, which exhibited the typical features of a bow echo like a mesovortex and rear inflow jet. This resulted in hurricane-force wind gusts (reaching 40 m/s) along a narrow swath in the Rhine-Ruhr region leading to substantial damage. Operational numerical weather predictions models mostly failed to forecast the storm, but high-resolution regional model hindcasts enable a realistic simulation of the storm. The model experiments reveal that the development of the bow echo is particularly sensitive to the initial wind field and the lower tropospheric moisture content. Correct initial and boundary conditions are therefore necessary for realistic numerical forecasts of such a bow echo event. We conclude that the Pentecost storm exhibited a comparable structure and a similar intensity to the observed bow echo systems in the United States.

Black hole formation from the gravitational collapse of a nonspherical network of structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delgado Gaspar, Ismael; Hidalgo, Juan Carlos; Sussman, Roberto A.; Quiros, Israel

2018-05-01

We examine the gravitational collapse and black hole formation of multiple nonspherical configurations constructed from Szekeres dust models with positive spatial curvature that smoothly match to a Schwarzschild exterior. These configurations are made of an almost spherical central core region surrounded by a network of "pancake-like" overdensities and voids with spatial positions prescribed through standard initial conditions. We show that a full collapse into a focusing singularity, without shell crossings appearing before the formation of an apparent horizon, is not possible unless the full configuration becomes exactly or almost spherical. Seeking for black hole formation, we demand that shell crossings are covered by the apparent horizon. This requires very special fine-tuned initial conditions that impose very strong and unrealistic constraints on the total black hole mass and full collapse time. As a consequence, nonspherical nonrotating dust sources cannot furnish even minimally realistic toy models of black hole formation at astrophysical scales: demanding realistic collapse time scales yields huge unrealistic black hole masses, while simulations of typical astrophysical black hole masses collapse in unrealistically small times. We note, however, that the resulting time-mass constraint is compatible with early Universe models of primordial black hole formation, suitable in early dust-like environments. Finally, we argue that the shell crossings appearing when nonspherical dust structures collapse are an indicator that such structures do not form galactic mass black holes but virialize into stable stationary objects.

Generation of a Realistic Soil Moisture Initialization System and its Potential Impact on Short-to-Seasonal Forecasting of Near Surface Variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boisserie, M.; Cocke, S.; O'Brien, J. J.

2009-12-01

Although the amount of water contained in the soil seems insignificant when compared to the total amount of water on a global-scale, soil moisture is widely recognized as a crucial variable for climate studies. It plays a key role in regulating the interaction between the atmosphere and the land-surface by controlling the repartition between the surface latent and sensible heat fluxes. In addition, the persistence of soil moisture anomalies provides one of the most important components of memory for the climate system. Several studies have shown that, during the boreal summer in mid-latitudes, the soil moisture role in controlling the continental precipitation variability may be more important than that of the sea surface temperature (Koster et al. 2000, Hong and Kalnay 2000, Koster et al. 2000, Kumar and Hoerling 1995, Trenberth et al. 1998, Shukla 1998). Although all of the above studies have demonstrated the strong sensitivity of seasonal forecasts to the soil moisture initial conditions, they relied on extreme or idealized soil moisture levels. The question of whether realistic soil moisture initial conditions lead to improved seasonal predictions has not been adequately addressed. Progress in addressing this question has been hampered by the lack of long-term reliable observation-based global soil moisture data sets. Since precipitation strongly affects the soil moisture characteristics at the surface and in depth, an alternative to this issue is to assimilate precipitation. Because precipitation is a diagnostic variable, most of the current reanalyses do not directly assimilate it into their models (M. Bosilovitch, 2008). In this study, an effective technique that directly assimilates the precipitation is used. We examine two experiments. In the first experiment, the model is initialized by directly assimilating a global, 3-hourly, 1.0° precipitation dataset, provided by Sheffield et al. (2006), in a continuous assimilation period of a couple of months. For this, we use a technique named the Precipitation Assimilation Reanalysis (PAR) described in Nunes and Cocke (2004). This technique consists of modifying the vertical profile of humidity as a function of the observed and predicted model rain rates. In the second experiment, the model is initialized without precipitation assimilation. For each experiment, ten sets of seasonal forecasts of the coupled land-atmosphere Florida State University/Center for Ocean and Atmosphere Predictions Studies (FSU/COAPS) model were generated, starting from the boreal summer of each year between 1986 and 1995. For each forecast, ten ensembles are produced by starting the forecast from the 1st and the 15th of each month from April to August. The results of these experiments show, first, that the PAR technique greatly improves the temporal and spatial variability of out model soil moisture estimate. Second, using these realistic soil moisture initial conditions, we found a significant increase in the air temperature seasonal forecasting skills. However, not significant increase has been found in the precipitation seasonal forecasting skills. The results of this study are involved in the GLACE-2 international multi-model experiment.

A feasibility study of a 3-D finite element solution scheme for aeroengine duct acoustics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abrahamson, A. L.

1980-01-01

The advantage from development of a 3-D model of aeroengine duct acoustics is the ability to analyze axial and circumferential liner segmentation simultaneously. The feasibility of a 3-D duct acoustics model was investigated using Galerkin or least squares element formulations combined with Gaussian elimination, successive over-relaxation, or conjugate gradient solution algorithms on conventional scalar computers and on a vector machine. A least squares element formulation combined with a conjugate gradient solver on a CDC Star vector computer initially appeared to have great promise, but severe difficulties were encountered with matrix ill-conditioning. These difficulties in conditioning rendered this technique impractical for realistic problems.

Sensitivity of Land Surface Parameters on Thunderstorm Simulation through HRLDAS-WRF Coupling Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Dinesh; Kumar, Krishan; Mohanty, U. C.; Kisore Osuri, Krishna

2016-07-01

Land surface characteristics play an important role in large scale, regional and mesoscale atmospheric process. Representation of land surface characteristics can be improved through coupling of mesoscale atmospheric models with land surface models. Mesoscale atmospheric models depend on Land Surface Models (LSM) to provide land surface variables such as fluxes of heat, moisture, and momentum for lower boundary layer evolution. Studies have shown that land surface properties such as soil moisture, soil temperature, soil roughness, vegetation cover, have considerable effect on lower boundary layer. Although, the necessity to initialize soil moisture accurately in NWP models is widely acknowledged, monitoring soil moisture at regional and global scale is a very tough task due to high spatial and temporal variability. As a result, the available observation network is unable to provide the required spatial and temporal data for the most part of the globe. Therefore, model for land surface initializations rely on updated land surface properties from LSM. The solution for NWP land-state initialization can be found by combining data assimilation techniques, satellite-derived soil data, and land surface models. Further, it requires an intermediate step to use observed rainfall, satellite derived surface insolation, and meteorological analyses to run an uncoupled (offline) integration of LSM, so that the evolution of modeled soil moisture can be forced by observed forcing conditions. Therefore, for accurate land-state initialization, high resolution land data assimilation system (HRLDAS) is used to provide the essential land surface parameters. Offline-coupling of HRLDAS-WRF has shown much improved results over Delhi, India for four thunder storm events. The evolution of land surface variables particularly soil moisture, soil temperature and surface fluxes have provided more realistic condition. Results have shown that most of domain part became wetter and warmer after assimilation of soil moisture and soil temperature at the initial condition which helped to improve the exchange fluxes at lower atmospheric level. Mixing ratio were increased along with elevated theta-e at lower level giving a signature of improvement in LDAS experiment leading to a suitable condition for convection. In the analysis, moisture convergence, mixing ratio and vertical velocities have improved significantly in terms of intensity and time lag. Surface variables like soil moisture, soil temperature, sensible heat flux and latent heat flux have progressed in a possible realistic pattern. Above discussion suggests that assimilation of soil moisture and soil temperature improves the overall simulations significantly.

A Transient Initialization Routine of the Community Ice Sheet Model for the Greenland Ice Sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Laan, Larissa; van den Broeke, Michiel; Noël, Brice; van de Wal, Roderik

2017-04-01

The Community Ice Sheet Model (CISM) is to be applied in future simulations of the Greenland Ice Sheet under a range of climate change scenarios, determining the sensitivity of the ice sheet to individual climatic forcings. In order to achieve reliable results regarding ice sheet stability and assess the probability of future occurrence of tipping points, a realistic initial ice sheet geometry is essential. The current work describes and evaluates the development of a transient initialization routine, using NGRIP 18O isotope data to create a temperature anomaly field. Based on the latter, surface mass balance components runoff and precipitation are perturbed for the past 125k years. The precipitation and runoff fields originate from a downscaled 1 km resolution version of the regional climate model RACMO2.3 for the period 1961-1990. The result of the initialization routine is a present-day ice sheet with a transient memory of the last glacial-interglacial cycle, which will serve as the future runs' initial condition.

Realists, Radicals, and Rainbows. The Twenty-Eighth Amy Morris Homans Lecture 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Roberta S.

1995-01-01

Challenges physical education professionals to be realists who name the conditions around them that divide according to group identity and thus perpetuate injustice; to be radicals who work to change conditions; and to build and follow a rainbow path to a future where social justice, human rights, and the human condition are first priorities. (JB)

Initial closed operation of the CELSS Test Facility Engineering Development Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kliss, M.; Blackwell, C.; Zografos, A.; Drews, M.; MacElroy, R.; McKenna, R.; Heyenga, A. G.

2003-01-01

As part of the NASA Advanced Life Support Flight Program, a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Test Facility Engineering Development Unit has been constructed and is undergoing initial operational testing at NASA Ames Research Center. The Engineering Development Unit (EDU) is a tightly closed, stringently controlled, ground-based testbed which provides a broad range of environmental conditions under which a variety of CELSS higher plant crops can be grown. Although the EDU was developed primarily to provide near-term engineering data and a realistic determination of the subsystem and system requirements necessary for the fabrication of a comparable flight unit, the EDU has also provided a means to evaluate plant crop productivity and physiology under controlled conditions. This paper describes the initial closed operational testing of the EDU, with emphasis on the hardware performance capabilities. Measured performance data during a 28-day closed operation period are compared with the specified functional requirements, and an example of inferring crop growth parameters from the test data is presented. Plans for future science and technology testing are also discussed. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Stability and self-organization of planetary systems.

PubMed

Pakter, Renato; Levin, Yan

2018-04-01

We show that stability of planetary systems is intimately connected with their internal order. An arbitrary initial distribution of planets is susceptible to catastrophic events in which planets either collide or are ejected from the planetary system. These instabilities are a fundamental consequence of chaotic dynamics and of Arnold diffusion characteristic of many body gravitational interactions. To ensure stability over astronomical time scale of a realistic planetary system-in which planets have masses comparable to those of planets in the solar system-the motion must be quasiperiodic. A dynamical mechanism is proposed which naturally evolves a planetary system to a quasiperiodic state from an arbitrary initial condition. A planetary self-organization predicted by the theory is similar to the one found in our solar system.

Stability and self-organization of planetary systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakter, Renato; Levin, Yan

2018-04-01

We show that stability of planetary systems is intimately connected with their internal order. An arbitrary initial distribution of planets is susceptible to catastrophic events in which planets either collide or are ejected from the planetary system. These instabilities are a fundamental consequence of chaotic dynamics and of Arnold diffusion characteristic of many body gravitational interactions. To ensure stability over astronomical time scale of a realistic planetary system—in which planets have masses comparable to those of planets in the solar system—the motion must be quasiperiodic. A dynamical mechanism is proposed which naturally evolves a planetary system to a quasiperiodic state from an arbitrary initial condition. A planetary self-organization predicted by the theory is similar to the one found in our solar system.

Black Hole Paradoxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Pankaj S.; Narayan, Ramesh

2016-10-01

We propose here that the well-known black hole paradoxes such as the information loss and teleological nature of the event horizon are restricted to a particular idealized case, which is the homogeneous dust collapse model. In this case, the event horizon, which defines the boundary of the black hole, forms initially, and the singularity in the interior of the black hole at a later time. We show that, in contrast, gravitational collapse from physically more realistic initial conditions typically leads to the scenario in which the event horizon and space-time singularity form simultaneously. We point out that this apparently simple modification can mitigate the causality and teleological paradoxes, and also lends support to two recently suggested solutions to the information paradox, namely, the ‘firewall’ and ‘classical chaos’ proposals.

Corrosion Prediction with Parallel Finite Element Modeling for Coupled Hygro-Chemo Transport into Concrete under Chloride-Rich Environment

PubMed Central

Na, Okpin; Cai, Xiao-Chuan; Xi, Yunping

2017-01-01

The prediction of the chloride-induced corrosion is very important because of the durable life of concrete structure. To simulate more realistic durability performance of concrete structures, complex scientific methods and more accurate material models are needed. In order to predict the robust results of corrosion initiation time and to describe the thin layer from concrete surface to reinforcement, a large number of fine meshes are also used. The purpose of this study is to suggest more realistic physical model regarding coupled hygro-chemo transport and to implement the model with parallel finite element algorithm. Furthermore, microclimate model with environmental humidity and seasonal temperature is adopted. As a result, the prediction model of chloride diffusion under unsaturated condition was developed with parallel algorithms and was applied to the existing bridge to validate the model with multi-boundary condition. As the number of processors increased, the computational time decreased until the number of processors became optimized. Then, the computational time increased because the communication time between the processors increased. The framework of present model can be extended to simulate the multi-species de-icing salts ingress into non-saturated concrete structures in future work. PMID:28772714

Evaluation of new in vitro efficacy test for antimicrobial surface activity reflecting UK hospital conditions.

PubMed

Ojeil, M; Jermann, C; Holah, J; Denyer, S P; Maillard, J-Y

2013-12-01

Antimicrobial surfaces aim to reduce microbial bioburden and improve hygiene. The current antimicrobial surface efficacy test (ISO22196) is an initial screening test but its conditions, high temperature (37°C) and relative humidity (RH) (100%) bear little relationship to in-use conditions. To develop an antimicrobial surface efficacy test providing a realistic second-tier test, simulating in-use conditions. Surface relative humidity, temperature and soiling were measured over one year at a UK hospital, enabling realistic parameters to be set for our surface efficacy test. A nebulizer, connected to a cascade impactor, aerosolized and uniformly deposited a Staphylococcus aureus suspension over test copper alloys and control stainless steel surfaces. Bacteria were enumerated following nebulization, and after a range of contact times, under [20°C, 50% RH] and [20°C, 40% RH] parameters reflecting in-use conditions; [37°C, 100% RH] was employed to reflect conditions used in ISO22196. All copper alloys produced a >4 log10 reduction after 24h under all conditions tested. Copper alloys were more effective at [37°C, 100% RH] showing a >4 log10 reduction after 30 min than at in-use conditions [20°C, 50% RH and 20°C, 40% RH], for which 60 min was required to achieve the same level of kill, for most but not all alloys. The use of the nebulizer to deposit bacterial inocula on surfaces showed little variability in results. Our method was more discriminatory than the ISO22196 enabling distinction between the bactericidal surface activity, which allows for a more rigorous selection of antimicrobial surfaces for potential use in healthcare settings. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceived realism moderates the relation between sexualized media consumption and permissive sexual attitudes in Dutch adolescents.

PubMed

Baams, Laura; Overbeek, Geertjan; Dubas, Judith Semon; Doornwaard, Suzan M; Rommes, Els; van Aken, Marcel A G

2015-04-01

This study examined whether the development of sexualized media consumption and permissive sexual attitudes would be more strongly interrelated when adolescents perceived sexualized media images as highly realistic. We used data from a three-wave longitudinal sample of 444 Dutch adolescents aged 13-16 years at baseline. Results from parallel process latent growth modeling multigroup analyses showed that higher initial levels of sexualized media consumption were associated with higher initial level of permissive sexual attitudes. Moreover, increases of sexualized media consumption over time were associated with increases of permissive sexual attitudes over time. Considering the moderation by perceived realism, we found these effects only for those who perceived sexualized media as more realistic. Findings for male and female adolescents were similar except for the relations between initial levels and subsequent development. Among male adolescents who perceived sexualized media images to be realistic, higher initial levels of permissive sexual attitudes were related to subsequent less rapid development of sexualized media consumption. For male adolescents who perceived sexualized media to be less realistic, higher initial levels of sexualized media consumption were related to a subsequent less rapid development of permissive sexual attitudes. These relations were not found for female adolescents. Overall, our results suggest that, in male and female adolescents, those with a high level of perceived realism showed a correlated development of sexualized media consumption and permissive sexual attitudes. These findings point to a need for extended information on how to guide adolescents in interpreting and handling sexualized media in everyday life.

Episodic thermal perturbations associated with groundwater flow: An example from Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hurwitz, S.; Ingebritsen, S.E.; Sorey, M.L.

2002-01-01

Temperature measurements in deep drill holes on volcano summits or upper flanks allow a quantitative analysis of groundwater induced heat transport within the edifice. We present a new temperature-depth profile from a deep well on the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, and analyze it in conjunction with a temperature profile measured 26 years earlier. We propose two groundwater flow models to interpret the complex temperature profiles. The first is a modified confined lateral flow model (CLFM) with a continuous flux of hydrothermal fluid. In the second, transient flow model (TFM), slow conductive cooling follows a brief, advective heating event. We carry out numerical simulations to examine the timescales associated with each of the models. Results for both models are sensitive to the initial conditions, and with realistic initial conditions it takes between 750 and 1000 simulation years for either model to match the measured temperature profiles. With somewhat hotter initial conditions, results are consistent with onset of a hydrothermal plume ???550 years ago, coincident with initiation of caldera subsidence. We show that the TFM is consistent with other data from hydrothermal systems and laboratory experiments and perhaps is more appropriate for this highly dynamic environment. The TFM implies that volcano-hydrothermal systems may be dominated by episodic events and that thermal perturbations may persist for several thousand years after hydrothermal flow has ceased.

Updated global soil map for the Weather Research and Forecasting model and soil moisture initialization for the Noah land surface model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DY, C. Y.; Fung, J. C. H.

2016-08-01

A meteorological model requires accurate initial conditions and boundary conditions to obtain realistic numerical weather predictions. The land surface controls the surface heat and moisture exchanges, which can be determined by the physical properties of the soil and soil state variables, subsequently exerting an effect on the boundary layer meteorology. The initial and boundary conditions of soil moisture are currently obtained via National Centers for Environmental Prediction FNL (Final) Operational Global Analysis data, which are collected operationally in 1° by 1° resolutions every 6 h. Another input to the model is the soil map generated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (FAO-UNESCO) soil database, which combines several soil surveys from around the world. Both soil moisture from the FNL analysis data and the default soil map lack accuracy and feature coarse resolutions, particularly for certain areas of China. In this study, we update the global soil map with data from Beijing Normal University in 1 km by 1 km grids and propose an alternative method of soil moisture initialization. Simulations of the Weather Research and Forecasting model show that spinning-up the soil moisture improves near-surface temperature and relative humidity prediction using different types of soil moisture initialization. Explanations of that improvement and improvement of the planetary boundary layer height in performing process analysis are provided.

A realist evaluation of social prescribing: an exploration into the context and mechanisms underpinning a pathway linking primary care with the voluntary sector.

PubMed

Bertotti, Marcello; Frostick, Caroline; Hutt, Patrick; Sohanpal, Ratna; Carnes, Dawn

2018-05-01

This article adopts a realist approach to evaluate a social prescribing pilot in the areas of Hackney and City in London (United Kingdom). It unpacks the contextual factors and mechanisms that influenced the development of this pilot for the benefits of GPs, commissioners and practitioners, and reflects on the realist approach to evaluation as a tool for the evaluation of health interventions. Primary care faces considerable challenges including the increase in long-term conditions, GP consultation rates, and widening health inequalities. With its emphasis on linking primary care to non-clinical community services via a social prescribing coordinator (SPC), some models of social prescribing could contribute to reduce the burden on primary care, tackle health inequalities and encourage people to make greater use of non-clinical forms of support. This realist analysis was based on qualitative interviews with users, commissioners, a GP survey, focus groups and learning events to explore stakeholders' experience. To enable a detailed analysis, we adapted the realist approach by subdividing the social prescribing pathway into stages, each with contextual factors, mechanisms and outcomes. SPCs were pivotal to the effective functioning of the social prescribing service and responsible for the activation and initial beneficial impact on users. Although social prescribing shows significant potential for the benefit of patients and primary care, several challenges need to be considered and overcome, including 'buy in' from some GPs, branding, and funding for the third sector in a context where social care cuts are severely affecting the delivery of health care. With its emphasis on context and mechanisms, the realist evaluation approach is useful in understanding how to identify and improve health interventions, and analyse in greater detail the contribution of different stakeholders. As the SPC is central to social prescribing, more needs to be done to understand their role conceptually and practically.

Multi-model assessment of the impact of soil moisture initialization on mid-latitude summer predictability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardilouze, Constantin; Batté, L.; Bunzel, F.; Decremer, D.; Déqué, M.; Doblas-Reyes, F. J.; Douville, H.; Fereday, D.; Guemas, V.; MacLachlan, C.; Müller, W.; Prodhomme, C.

2017-12-01

Land surface initial conditions have been recognized as a potential source of predictability in sub-seasonal to seasonal forecast systems, at least for near-surface air temperature prediction over the mid-latitude continents. Yet, few studies have systematically explored such an influence over a sufficient hindcast period and in a multi-model framework to produce a robust quantitative assessment. Here, a dedicated set of twin experiments has been carried out with boreal summer retrospective forecasts over the 1992-2010 period performed by five different global coupled ocean-atmosphere models. The impact of a realistic versus climatological soil moisture initialization is assessed in two regions with high potential previously identified as hotspots of land-atmosphere coupling, namely the North American Great Plains and South-Eastern Europe. Over the latter region, temperature predictions show a significant improvement, especially over the Balkans. Forecast systems better simulate the warmest summers if they follow pronounced dry initial anomalies. It is hypothesized that models manage to capture a positive feedback between high temperature and low soil moisture content prone to dominate over other processes during the warmest summers in this region. Over the Great Plains, however, improving the soil moisture initialization does not lead to any robust gain of forecast quality for near-surface temperature. It is suggested that models biases prevent the forecast systems from making the most of the improved initial conditions.

Turbulence generation through intense kinetic energy sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maqui, Agustin F.; Donzis, Diego A.

2016-06-01

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) are used to systematically study the development and establishment of turbulence when the flow is initialized with concentrated regions of intense kinetic energy. This resembles both active and passive grids which have been extensively used to generate and study turbulence in laboratories at different Reynolds numbers and with different characteristics, such as the degree of isotropy and homogeneity. A large DNS database was generated covering a wide range of initial conditions with a focus on perturbations with some directional preference, a condition found in active jet grids and passive grids passed through a contraction as well as a new type of active grid inspired by the experimental use of lasers to photo-excite the molecules that comprise the fluid. The DNS database is used to assert under what conditions the flow becomes turbulent and if so, the time required for this to occur. We identify a natural time scale of the problem which indicates the onset of turbulence and a single Reynolds number based exclusively on initial conditions which controls the evolution of the flow. It is found that a minimum Reynolds number is needed for the flow to evolve towards fully developed turbulence. An extensive analysis of single and two point statistics, velocity as well as spectral dynamics and anisotropy measures is presented to characterize the evolution of the flow towards realistic turbulence.

On the apparent power law in CDM halo pseudo-phase space density profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadler, Ethan O.; Oh, S. Peng; Ji, Suoqing

2017-09-01

We investigate the apparent power-law scaling of the pseudo-phase space density (PPSD) in cold dark matter (CDM) haloes. We study fluid collapse, using the close analogy between the gas entropy and the PPSD in the fluid approximation. Our hydrodynamic calculations allow for a precise evaluation of logarithmic derivatives. For scale-free initial conditions, entropy is a power law in Lagrangian (mass) coordinates, but not in Eulerian (radial) coordinates. The deviation from a radial power law arises from incomplete hydrostatic equilibrium (HSE), linked to bulk inflow and mass accretion, and the convergence to the asymptotic central power-law slope is very slow. For more realistic collapse, entropy is not a power law with either radius or mass due to deviations from HSE and scale-dependent initial conditions. Instead, it is a slowly rolling power law that appears approximately linear on a log-log plot. Our fluid calculations recover PPSD power-law slopes and residual amplitudes similar to N-body simulations, indicating that deviations from a power law are not numerical artefacts. In addition, we find that realistic collapse is not self-similar; scalelengths such as the shock radius and the turnaround radius are not power-law functions of time. We therefore argue that the apparent power-law PPSD cannot be used to make detailed dynamical inferences or extrapolate halo profiles inwards, and that it does not indicate any hidden integrals of motion. We also suggest that the apparent agreement between the PPSD and the asymptotic Bertschinger slope is purely coincidental.

Multi-scale gyrokinetic simulations: Comparison with experiment and implications for predicting turbulence and transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, N. T.; Holland, C.; White, A. E.; Greenwald, M.; Candy, J.; Creely, A. J.

2016-05-01

To better understand the role of cross-scale coupling in experimental conditions, a series of multi-scale gyrokinetic simulations were performed on Alcator C-Mod, L-mode plasmas. These simulations, performed using all experimental inputs and realistic ion to electron mass ratio ((mi/me)1/2 = 60.0), simultaneously capture turbulence at the ion ( kθρs˜O (1.0 ) ) and electron-scales ( kθρe˜O (1.0 ) ). Direct comparison with experimental heat fluxes and electron profile stiffness indicates that Electron Temperature Gradient (ETG) streamers and strong cross-scale turbulence coupling likely exist in both of the experimental conditions studied. The coupling between ion and electron-scales exists in the form of energy cascades, modification of zonal flow dynamics, and the effective shearing of ETG turbulence by long wavelength, Ion Temperature Gradient (ITG) turbulence. The tightly coupled nature of ITG and ETG turbulence in these realistic plasma conditions is shown to have significant implications for the interpretation of experimental transport and fluctuations. Initial attempts are made to develop a "rule of thumb" based on linear physics, to help predict when cross-scale coupling plays an important role and to inform future modeling of experimental discharges. The details of the simulations, comparisons with experimental measurements, and implications for both modeling and experimental interpretation are discussed.

Importance of convective parameterization in ENSO predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jieshun; Kumar, Arun; Wang, Wanqiu; Hu, Zeng-Zhen; Huang, Bohua; Balmaseda, Magdalena A.

2017-06-01

This letter explored the influence of atmospheric convection scheme on El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) predictions using a set of hindcast experiments. Specifically, a low-resolution version of the Climate Forecast System version 2 is used for 12 month hindcasts starting from each April during 1982-2011. The hindcast experiments are repeated with three atmospheric convection schemes. All three hindcasts apply the identical initialization with ocean initial conditions taken from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and atmosphere/land initial states from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Assessments indicate a substantial sensitivity of the sea surface temperature prediction skill to the different convection schemes, particularly over the eastern tropical Pacific. For the Niño 3.4 index, the anomaly correlation skill can differ by 0.1-0.2 at lead times longer than 2 months. Long-term simulations are further conducted with the three convection schemes to understand the differences in prediction skill. By conducting heat budget analyses for the mixed-layer temperature anomalies, it is suggested that the convection scheme having the highest skill simulates stronger and more realistic coupled feedbacks related to ENSO. Particularly, the strength of the Ekman pumping feedback is better represented, which is traced to more realistic simulation of surface wind stress. Our results imply that improving the mean state simulations in coupled (ocean-atmosphere) general circulation model (e.g., ameliorating the Intertropical Convergence Zone simulation) might further improve our ENSO prediction capability.

Modeling of the Bosphorus exchange flow dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sözer, Adil; Özsoy, Emin

2017-04-01

The fundamental hydrodynamic behavior of the Bosphorus Strait is investigated through a numerical modeling study using alternative configurations of idealized or realistic geometry. Strait geometry and basin stratification conditions allow for hydraulic controls and are ideally suited to support the maximal-exchange regime, which determines the rate of exchange of waters originating from the adjacent Black and Mediterranean Seas for a given net transport. Steady-state hydraulic controls are demonstrated by densimetric Froude number calculations under layered flow approximations when corrections are applied to account for high velocity shears typically observed in the Bosphorus. Analyses of the model results reveal many observed features of the strait, including critical transitions at hydraulic controls and dissipation by turbulence and hydraulic jumps. It is found that the solution depends on initialization, especially with respect to the basin initial conditions. Significant differences between the controlled maximal-exchange and drowned solutions suggest that a detailed modeling implementation involving coupling with adjacent basins needs to take full account of the Bosphorus Strait in terms of the physical processes to be resolved.

On coarse projective integration for atomic deposition in amorphous systems

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

Chuang, Claire Y., E-mail: yungc@seas.upenn.edu, E-mail: meister@unm.edu, E-mail: zepedaruiz1@llnl.gov; Sinno, Talid, E-mail: talid@seas.upenn.edu; Han, Sang M., E-mail: yungc@seas.upenn.edu, E-mail: meister@unm.edu, E-mail: zepedaruiz1@llnl.gov

2015-10-07

Direct molecular dynamics simulation of atomic deposition under realistic conditions is notoriously challenging because of the wide range of time scales that must be captured. Numerous simulation approaches have been proposed to address the problem, often requiring a compromise between model fidelity, algorithmic complexity, and computational efficiency. Coarse projective integration, an example application of the “equation-free” framework, offers an attractive balance between these constraints. Here, periodically applied, short atomistic simulations are employed to compute time derivatives of slowly evolving coarse variables that are then used to numerically integrate differential equations over relatively large time intervals. A key obstacle to themore » application of this technique in realistic settings is the “lifting” operation in which a valid atomistic configuration is recreated from knowledge of the coarse variables. Using Ge deposition on amorphous SiO{sub 2} substrates as an example application, we present a scheme for lifting realistic atomistic configurations comprised of collections of Ge islands on amorphous SiO{sub 2} using only a few measures of the island size distribution. The approach is shown to provide accurate initial configurations to restart molecular dynamics simulations at arbitrary points in time, enabling the application of coarse projective integration for this morphologically complex system.« less

Spontaneous emission in the presence of a realistically sized cylindrical waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dung, Ho Trung

2016-02-01

Various quantities characterizing the spontaneous emission process of a dipole emitter including the emission rate and the emission pattern can be expressed in terms of the Green tensor of the surrounding environment. By expanding the Green tensor around some analytically known background one as a Born series, and truncating it under appropriate conditions, complicated boundaries can be tackled with ease. However, when the emitter is embedded in the medium, even the calculation of the first-order term in the Born series is problematic because of the presence of a singularity. We show how to eliminate this singularity for a medium of arbitrary size and shape by expanding around the bulk medium rather than vacuum. In the highly symmetric configuration of an emitter located on the axis of a realistically sized cylinder, it is shown that the singularity can be removed by changing the integral variables and then the order of integration. Using both methods, we investigate the spontaneous emission rate of an initially excited two-level dipole emitter, embedded in a realistically sized cylinder, which can be a common optical fiber in the long-length limit and a disk in the short-length limit. The spatial distribution of the emitted light is calculated using the Born-expansion approach, and local-field corrections to the spontaneous emission rate are briefly discussed.

On Coarse Projective Integration for Atomic Deposition in Amorphous Systems

DOE PAGES

Chuang, Claire Y.; Han, Sang M.; Zepeda-Ruiz, Luis A.; ...

2015-10-02

Direct molecular dynamics simulation of atomic deposition under realistic conditions is notoriously challenging because of the wide range of timescales that must be captured. Numerous simulation approaches have been proposed to address the problem, often requiring a compromise between model fidelity, algorithmic complexity and computational efficiency. Coarse projective integration, an example application of the ‘equation-free’ framework, offers an attractive balance between these constraints. Here, periodically applied, short atomistic simulations are employed to compute gradients of slowly-evolving coarse variables that are then used to numerically integrate differential equations over relatively large time intervals. A key obstacle to the application of thismore » technique in realistic settings is the ‘lifting’ operation in which a valid atomistic configuration is recreated from knowledge of the coarse variables. Using Ge deposition on amorphous SiO 2 substrates as an example application, we present a scheme for lifting realistic atomistic configurations comprised of collections of Ge islands on amorphous SiO 2 using only a few measures of the island size distribution. In conclusion, the approach is shown to provide accurate initial configurations to restart molecular dynamics simulations at arbitrary points in time, enabling the application of coarse projective integration for this morphologically complex system.« less

Lean and leadership practices: development of an initial realist program theory.

PubMed

Goodridge, Donna; Westhorp, Gill; Rotter, Thomas; Dobson, Roy; Bath, Brenna

2015-09-07

Lean as a management system has been increasingly adopted in health care settings in an effort to enhance quality, capacity and safety, while simultaneously containing or reducing costs. The Ministry of Health in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada has made a multi-million dollar investment in Lean initiatives to create "better health, better value, better care, and better teams", affording a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of the way in which Lean philosophy, principles and tools work in health care. In order to address the questions, "What changes in leadership practices are associated with the implementation of Lean?" and "When leadership practices change, how do the changed practices contribute to subsequent outcomes?", we used a qualitative, multi-stage approach to work towards developing an initial realist program theory. We describe the implications of realist assumptions for evaluation of this Lean initiative. Formal theories including Normalization Process Theory, Theories of Double Loop and Organization Leaning and the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance help understand this initial rough program theory. Data collection included: key informant consultation; a stakeholder workshop; documentary review; 26 audiotaped and transcribed interviews with health region personnel; and team discussions. A set of seven initial hypotheses regarding the manner in which Lean changes leadership practices were developed from our data. We hypothesized that Lean, as implemented in this particular setting, changes leadership practices in the following ways. Lean: a) aligns the aims and objectives of health regions; b) authorizes attention and resources to quality improvement and change management c) provides an integrated set of tools for particular tasks; d) changes leaders' attitudes or beliefs about appropriate leadership and management styles and behaviors; e) demands increased levels of expertise, accountability and commitment from leaders; f) measures and uses data effectively to identify actual and relevant local problems and the root causes of those problems; and g) creates or supports a 'learning organization' culture. This study has generated initial hypotheses and realist program theory that can form the basis for future evaluation of Lean initiatives. Developing leadership capacity and culture is theorized to be a necessary precursor to other systemic and observable changes arising from Lean initiatives.

Technical Note: Artificial coral reef mesocosms for ocean acidification investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leblud, J.; Moulin, L.; Batigny, A.; Dubois, P.; Grosjean, P.

2014-11-01

The design and evaluation of replicated artificial mesocosms are presented in the context of a thirteen month experiment on the effects of ocean acidification on tropical coral reefs. They are defined here as (semi)-closed (i.e. with or without water change from the reef) mesocosms in the laboratory with a more realistic physico-chemical environment than microcosms. Important physico-chemical parameters (i.e. pH, pO2, pCO2, total alkalinity, temperature, salinity, total alkaline earth metals and nutrients availability) were successfully monitored and controlled. Daily variations of irradiance and pH were applied to approach field conditions. Results highlighted that it was possible to maintain realistic physico-chemical parameters, including daily changes, into artificial mesocosms. On the other hand, the two identical artificial mesocosms evolved differently in terms of global community oxygen budgets although the initial biological communities and physico-chemical parameters were comparable. Artificial reef mesocosms seem to leave enough degrees of freedom to the enclosed community of living organisms to organize and change along possibly diverging pathways.

Mechanical stabilization of the Levitron's realistic model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olvera, Arturo; De la Rosa, Abraham; Giordano, Claudia M.

2016-11-01

The stability of the magnetic levitation showed by the Levitron was studied by M.V. Berry as a six degrees of freedom Hamiltonian system using an adiabatic approximation. Further, H.R. Dullin found critical spin rate bounds where the levitation persists and R.F. Gans et al. offered numerical results regarding the initial conditions' manifold where this occurs. In the line of this series of works, first, we extend the equations of motion to include dissipation for a more realistic model, and then introduce a mechanical forcing to inject energy into the system in order to prevent the Levitron from falling. A systematic study of the flying time as a function of the forcing parameters is carried out which yields detailed bifurcation diagrams showing an Arnold's tongues structure. The stability of these solutions were studied with the help of a novel method to compute the maximum Lyapunov exponent called MEGNO. The bifurcation diagrams for MEGNO reproduce the same Arnold's tongue structure.

Inter-annual variability of the Mediterranean thermohaline circulation in Med-CORDEX simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vittoria Struglia, Maria; Adani, Mario; Carillo, Adriana; Pisacane, Giovanna; Sannino, Gianmaria; Beuvier, Jonathan; Lovato, Tomas; Sevault, Florence; Vervatis, Vassilios

2016-04-01

Recent atmospheric reanalysis products, such as ERA40 and ERA-interim, and their regional dynamical downscaling prompted the HyMeX/Med-CORDEX community to perform hind-cast simulations of the Mediterranean Sea, giving the opportunity to evaluate the response of different ocean models to a realistic inter-annual atmospheric forcing. Ocean numerical modeling studies have been steadily improving over the last decade through hind-cast processing, and are complementary to observations in studying the relative importance of the mechanisms playing a role in ocean variability, either external forcing or internal ocean variability. This work presents a review and an inter-comparison of the most recent hind-cast simulations of the Mediterranean Sea Circulation, produced in the framework of the Med-CORDEX initiative, at resolutions spanning from 1/8° to 1/16°. The richness of the simulations available for this study is exploited to address the effects of increasing resolution, both of models and forcing, the initialization procedure, and the prescription of the atmospheric boundary conditions, which are particularly relevant in order to model a realistic THC, in the perspective of fully coupled regional ocean-atmosphere models. The mean circulation is well reproduced by all the simulations. However, it can be observed that the horizontal resolution of both atmospheric forcing and ocean model plays a fundamental role in the reproduction of some specific features of both sub-basins and important differences can be observed among low and high resolution atmosphere forcing. We analyze the mean circulation on both the long-term and decadal time scale, and the represented inter-annual variability of intermediate and deep water mass formation processes in both the Eastern and Western sub-basins, finding that models agree with observations in correspondence of specific events, such as the 1992-1993 Eastern Mediterranean Transient, and the 2005-2006 event in the Gulf of Lion. Long-term trends of the hydrological properties have been investigated at sub-basin scale and have been interpreted in terms of response to forcing and boundary conditions, detectable differences resulting mainly due either to the different initialization and spin up procedure or to the different prescription of Atlantic boundary conditions.

Educational Change in Singapore and Its "Tinkering" around the Edges: A Critical Realist Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Souza, Denise E.

2018-01-01

This article re-examines the contents of Singapore's Thinking Schools Learning Nation (TSLN) and Teach Less Learn More (TLLM) educational initiatives, introduced and implemented to promote change and to prepare Singaporeans for a twenty-first century knowledge-based economy. Adopting a critical realist perspective that enables investigations into…

Mathematics and Didactic Contract in Swedish Preschools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delacour, Laurence

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to study and analyse how a teacher implements an outdoor realistic problem situation for children aged 4-5 in a Swedish preschool. By an "outdoor realistic problem situation", I mean a situation initiated by a teacher in which children come into contact with mathematical concepts and in which the outside…

Searching for the mechanisms of change: a protocol for a realist review of batterer treatment programmes

PubMed Central

Cheff, Rebecca; Finn, Debbie; Davloor, Whitney; O'Campo, Patricia

2016-01-01

Introduction Conflicting results reported by evaluations of typical batterer intervention programmes leave many judicial officials and policymakers uncertain about the best way to respond to domestic violence, and whether to recommend and fund these programmes. Traditional evaluations and systematic reviews tend to focus predominantly on whether the programmes ‘worked’ (eg, reduced recidivism) often at the exclusion of understanding for whom they may or may not have worked, under what circumstances, and why. Methods and analysis We are undertaking a realist review of the batterer treatment programme literature with the aim of addressing this gap. Keeping with the goals of realist review, our primary aims are to identify the theory that underlies these programmes, highlight the mechanisms that trigger changes in participant behaviour and finally explain why these programmes help some individuals reduce their use of violence and under what conditions they are effective or not effective. We begin by describing the process of perpetrator treatment, and by proposing an initial theoretical model of behaviour change that will be tested by our review. We then describe the criteria for inclusion of an evaluation into the review, the search strategy we will use to identify the studies, and the plan for data extraction and analysis. Ethics and dissemination The results of this review will be written up using the RAMESES Guidelines for Realist Synthesis, and disseminated through peer-reviewed publications aimed at the practitioner community as well as presented at community forums, and at violence against women conferences. Ethics approval was not needed. PMID:27053268

Soil Moisture and Snow Cover: Active or Passive Elements of Climate?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oglesby, Robert J.; Marshall, Susan; Erickson, David J., III; Robertson, Franklin R.; Roads, John O.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A key question in the study of the hydrologic cycle is the extent to which surface effects such as soil moisture and snow cover are simply passive elements or whether they can affect the evolution of climate on seasonal and longer time scales. We have constructed ensembles of predictability studies using the NCAR CCM3 in which we compared the relative roles of initial surface and atmospheric conditions over the central and western U.S. in determining the subsequent evolution of soil moisture and of snow cover. We have also made sensitivity studies with exaggerated soil moisture and snow cover anomalies in order to determine the physical processes that may be important. Results from simulations with realistic soil moisture anomalies indicate that internal climate variability may be the strongest factor, with some indication that the initial atmospheric state is also important. The initial state of soil moisture does not appear important, a result that held whether simulations were started in late winter or late spring. Model runs with exaggerated soil moisture reductions (near-desert conditions) showed a much larger effect, with warmer surface temperatures, reduced precipitation, and lower surface pressures; the latter indicating a response of the atmospheric circulation. These results suggest the possibility of a threshold effect in soil moisture, whereby an anomaly must be of a sufficient size before it can have a significant impact on the atmospheric circulation and hence climate. Results from simulations with realistic snow cover anomalies indicate that the time of year can be crucial. When introduced in late winter, these anomalies strongly affected the subsequent evolution of snow cover. When introduced in early winter, however, little or no effect is seen on the subsequent snow cover. Runs with greatly exaggerated initial snow cover indicate that the high reflectively of snow is the most important process by which snow cover cart impact climate, through lower surface temperatures and increased surface pressures. In early winter, the amount of solar radiation is very small and so this albedo effect is inconsequential while in late winter, with the sun higher in the sky and period of daylight longer, the effect is much stronger.

Developing a framework for a novel multi-disciplinary, multi-agency intervention(s), to improve medication management in community-dwelling older people on complex medication regimens (MEMORABLE)--a realist synthesis.

PubMed

Maidment, Ian; Booth, Andrew; Mullan, Judy; McKeown, Jane; Bailey, Sylvia; Wong, Geoffrey

2017-07-03

Medication-related adverse events have been estimated to be responsible for 5700 deaths and cost the UK £750 million annually. This burden falls disproportionately on older people. Outcomes from interventions to optimise medication management are caused by multiple context-sensitive mechanisms. The MEdication Management in Older people: REalist Approaches BAsed on Literature and Evaluation (MEMORABLE) project uses realist synthesis to understand how, why, for whom and in what context interventions, to improve medication management in older people on complex medication regimes residing in the community, work. This realist synthesis uses secondary data and primary data from interviews to develop the programme theory. A realist logic of analysis will synthesise data both within and across the two data sources to inform the design of a complex intervention(s) to help improve medication management in older people. 1. Literature review The review (using realist synthesis) contains five stages to develop an initial programme theory to understand why processes are more or less successful and under which situations: focussing of the research question; developing the initial programme theory; developing the search strategy; selection and appraisal based on relevance and rigour; and data analysis/synthesis to develop and refine the programme theory and context, intervention and mechanism configurations. 2. Realist interviews Realist interviews will explore and refine our understanding of the programme theory developed from the realist synthesis. Up to 30 older people and their informal carers (15 older people with multi-morbidity, 10 informal carers and 5 older people with dementia), and 20 care staff will be interviewed. 3. Developing framework for the intervention(s) Data from the realist synthesis and interviews will be used to refine the programme theory for the intervention(s) to identify: the mechanisms that need to be 'triggered', and the contexts related to these mechanisms. Intervention strategies that change the contexts so the mechanisms are triggered to produce desired outcomes will be developed. Feedback on these strategies will be obtained. This realist synthesis aims to develop a framework (underpinned by our programme theory) for a novel multi-disciplinary, multi-agency intervention(s), to improve medication management in community-dwelling older people on complex medication regimens. PROSPERO CRD42016043506.

The Formation of Teacher Work Teams under Adverse Conditions: Towards a More Realistic Scenario for Schools in Distress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mintrop, Rick; Charles, Jessica

2017-01-01

Group formation studies are rare in the literature on teacher professional learning communities (PLCs). But they are needed to render realistic scenarios and design interventions for practitioners who work in schools where teachers encounter distress and social adversity. Under these conditions, we may need approaches to PLC development that are…

Small vulnerable sets determine large network cascades in power grids

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

Yang, Yang; Nishikawa, Takashi; Motter, Adilson E.

The understanding of cascading failures in complex systems has been hindered by the lack of realistic large-scale modeling and analysis that can account for variable system conditions. By using the North American power grid, we identified, quantified, and analyzed the set of network components that are vulnerable to cascading failures under any out of multiple conditions. We show that the vulnerable set consists of a small but topologically central portion of the network and that large cascades are disproportionately more likely to be triggered by initial failures close to this set. These results elucidate aspects of the origins and causesmore » of cascading failures relevant for grid design and operation and demonstrate vulnerability analysis methods that are applicable to a wider class of cascade-prone networks.« less

Small vulnerable sets determine large network cascades in power grids

DOE PAGES

Yang, Yang; Nishikawa, Takashi; Motter, Adilson E.

2017-11-17

The understanding of cascading failures in complex systems has been hindered by the lack of realistic large-scale modeling and analysis that can account for variable system conditions. By using the North American power grid, we identified, quantified, and analyzed the set of network components that are vulnerable to cascading failures under any out of multiple conditions. We show that the vulnerable set consists of a small but topologically central portion of the network and that large cascades are disproportionately more likely to be triggered by initial failures close to this set. These results elucidate aspects of the origins and causesmore » of cascading failures relevant for grid design and operation and demonstrate vulnerability analysis methods that are applicable to a wider class of cascade-prone networks.« less

Spiral-wave dynamics in ionically realistic mathematical models for human ventricular tissue: the effects of periodic deformation.

PubMed

Nayak, Alok R; Pandit, Rahul

2014-01-01

We carry out an extensive numerical study of the dynamics of spiral waves of electrical activation, in the presence of periodic deformation (PD) in two-dimensional simulation domains, in the biophysically realistic mathematical models of human ventricular tissue due to (a) ten-Tusscher and Panfilov (the TP06 model) and (b) ten-Tusscher, Noble, Noble, and Panfilov (the TNNP04 model). We first consider simulations in cable-type domains, in which we calculate the conduction velocity θ and the wavelength λ of a plane wave; we show that PD leads to a periodic, spatial modulation of θ and a temporally periodic modulation of λ; both these modulations depend on the amplitude and frequency of the PD. We then examine three types of initial conditions for both TP06 and TNNP04 models and show that the imposition of PD leads to a rich variety of spatiotemporal patterns in the transmembrane potential including states with a single rotating spiral (RS) wave, a spiral-turbulence (ST) state with a single meandering spiral, an ST state with multiple broken spirals, and a state SA in which all spirals are absorbed at the boundaries of our simulation domain. We find, for both TP06 and TNNP04 models, that spiral-wave dynamics depends sensitively on the amplitude and frequency of PD and the initial condition. We examine how these different types of spiral-wave states can be eliminated in the presence of PD by the application of low-amplitude pulses by square- and rectangular-mesh suppression techniques. We suggest specific experiments that can test the results of our simulations.

Spiral-wave dynamics in ionically realistic mathematical models for human ventricular tissue: the effects of periodic deformation

PubMed Central

Nayak, Alok R.; Pandit, Rahul

2014-01-01

We carry out an extensive numerical study of the dynamics of spiral waves of electrical activation, in the presence of periodic deformation (PD) in two-dimensional simulation domains, in the biophysically realistic mathematical models of human ventricular tissue due to (a) ten-Tusscher and Panfilov (the TP06 model) and (b) ten-Tusscher, Noble, Noble, and Panfilov (the TNNP04 model). We first consider simulations in cable-type domains, in which we calculate the conduction velocity θ and the wavelength λ of a plane wave; we show that PD leads to a periodic, spatial modulation of θ and a temporally periodic modulation of λ; both these modulations depend on the amplitude and frequency of the PD. We then examine three types of initial conditions for both TP06 and TNNP04 models and show that the imposition of PD leads to a rich variety of spatiotemporal patterns in the transmembrane potential including states with a single rotating spiral (RS) wave, a spiral-turbulence (ST) state with a single meandering spiral, an ST state with multiple broken spirals, and a state SA in which all spirals are absorbed at the boundaries of our simulation domain. We find, for both TP06 and TNNP04 models, that spiral-wave dynamics depends sensitively on the amplitude and frequency of PD and the initial condition. We examine how these different types of spiral-wave states can be eliminated in the presence of PD by the application of low-amplitude pulses by square- and rectangular-mesh suppression techniques. We suggest specific experiments that can test the results of our simulations. PMID:24959148

Rogue waves and large deviations in deep sea.

PubMed

Dematteis, Giovanni; Grafke, Tobias; Vanden-Eijnden, Eric

2018-01-30

The appearance of rogue waves in deep sea is investigated by using the modified nonlinear Schrödinger (MNLS) equation in one spatial dimension with random initial conditions that are assumed to be normally distributed, with a spectrum approximating realistic conditions of a unidirectional sea state. It is shown that one can use the incomplete information contained in this spectrum as prior and supplement this information with the MNLS dynamics to reliably estimate the probability distribution of the sea surface elevation far in the tail at later times. Our results indicate that rogue waves occur when the system hits unlikely pockets of wave configurations that trigger large disturbances of the surface height. The rogue wave precursors in these pockets are wave patterns of regular height, but with a very specific shape that is identified explicitly, thereby allowing for early detection. The method proposed here combines Monte Carlo sampling with tools from large deviations theory that reduce the calculation of the most likely rogue wave precursors to an optimization problem that can be solved efficiently. This approach is transferable to other problems in which the system's governing equations contain random initial conditions and/or parameters.

An analytical investigation of transient effects on rewetting of heated thin flat plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Platt, J. A.

1993-01-01

The rewetting of a hot surface is a problem of prime importance in the microgravity application of heat pipe technology, where rewetting controls the time before operations can be re-established following depriming of a heat pipe. Rewetting is also important in the nuclear industry (in predicting behavior during loss-of-coolant accidents), as well as in the chemical and petrochemical industries. Recently Chan and Zhang have presented a closed-form solution for the determination of the rewetting speed of a liquid film flowing over a finite (but long) hot plate subject to uniform heating. Unfortunately, their physically unreasonable initial conditions preclude a meaningful analysis of start-up transient behavior. A new nondimensionalization and closed-form solution for an infinitely-long, uniformly-heated plate is presented. Realistic initial conditions (step change in temperature across the wetting front) and boundary conditions (no spatial temperature gradients infinitely far from the wetting front) are employed. The effects of parametric variation on the resulting simpler closed-form solution are presented and compared with the predictions of a 'quasi-steady' model. The time to reach steady-state rewetting is found to be a strong function of the initial dry-region plate temperature. For heated plates it is found that in most cases the effect of the transient response terms cannot be neglected, even for large times.

Application and Evaluation of MODIS LAI, FPAR, and Albedo ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

MODIS vegetation and albedo products provide a more realistic representation of surface conditions for input to the WRF/CMAQ modeling system. However, the initial evaluation of ingesting MODIS data into the system showed mixed results, with increased bias and error for 2-m temperature and reduced bias and error for 2-m mixing ratio. Recently, the WRF/CMAQ land surface and boundary laywer processes have been updated. In this study, MODIS vegetation and albedo data are input to the updated WRF/CMAQ meteorology and air quality simulations for 2006 over a North American (NA) 12-km domain. The evaluation of the simulation results shows that the updated WRF/CMAQ system improves 2-m temperature estimates over the pre-update base modeling system estimates. The MODIS vegetation input produces a realistic spring green-up that progresses through time from the south to north. Overall, MODIS input reduces 2-m mixing ration bias during the growing season. The NA west shows larger positive O3 bias during the growing season because of reduced gas phase deposition resulting from lower O3 deposition velocities driven by reduced vegetation cover. The O3 bias increase associated with the realistic vegetation representation indicates that further improvement may be needed in the WRF/CMAQ system. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s Atmospheric Modeling Division (AMAD) conducts research in support of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. AMAD’s rese

A realistic evaluation: the case of protocol-based care

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background 'Protocol based care' was envisioned by policy makers as a mechanism for delivering on the service improvement agenda in England. Realistic evaluation is an increasingly popular approach, but few published examples exist, particularly in implementation research. To fill this gap, within this paper we describe the application of a realistic evaluation approach to the study of protocol-based care, whilst sharing findings of relevance about standardising care through the use of protocols, guidelines, and pathways. Methods Situated between positivism and relativism, realistic evaluation is concerned with the identification of underlying causal mechanisms, how they work, and under what conditions. Fundamentally it focuses attention on finding out what works, for whom, how, and in what circumstances. Results In this research, we were interested in understanding the relationships between the type and nature of particular approaches to protocol-based care (mechanisms), within different clinical settings (context), and what impacts this resulted in (outcomes). An evidence review using the principles of realist synthesis resulted in a number of propositions, i.e., context, mechanism, and outcome threads (CMOs). These propositions were then 'tested' through multiple case studies, using multiple methods including non-participant observation, interviews, and document analysis through an iterative analysis process. The initial propositions (conjectured CMOs) only partially corresponded to the findings that emerged during analysis. From the iterative analysis process of scrutinising mechanisms, context, and outcomes we were able to draw out some theoretically generalisable features about what works, for whom, how, and what circumstances in relation to the use of standardised care approaches (refined CMOs). Conclusions As one of the first studies to apply realistic evaluation in implementation research, it was a good fit, particularly given the growing emphasis on understanding how context influences evidence-based practice. The strengths and limitations of the approach are considered, including how to operationalise it and some of the challenges. This approach provided a useful interpretive framework with which to make sense of the multiple factors that were simultaneously at play and being observed through various data sources, and for developing explanatory theory about using standardised care approaches in practice. PMID:20504293

Helping With All Your Heart: Realistic Heart Stimulus and Compliance With an Organ Donation Request.

PubMed

Jacob, Céline; Guéguen, Nicolas

2015-01-01

Pictures and images are important aspects in fundraising advertising and could generate more donations. In two experimental studies, we examined the effect of various pictures of hearts on compliance with a request for organ donations. The solicitor wore a white tee shirt where various forms of hearts were printed: symbolic versus realistic (first experiment), none versus symbolic versus realistic (second experiment). Results showed that more compliance was found in the realistic heart experimental condition whereas the symbolic heart form had no significant effect.

Three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite-element analysis of fatigue crack propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goglia, G. L.; Chermahini, R. G.

1985-01-01

Fatigue cracks are a major problem in designing structures subjected to cyclic loading. Cracks frequently occur in structures such as aircraft and spacecraft. The inspection intervals of many aircraft structures are based on crack-propagation lives. Therefore, improved prediction of propagation lives under flight-load conditions (variable-amplitude loading) are needed to provide more realistic design criteria for these structures. The main thrust was to develop a three-dimensional, nonlinear, elastic-plastic, finite element program capable of extending a crack and changing boundary conditions for the model under consideration. The finite-element model is composed of 8-noded (linear-strain) isoparametric elements. In the analysis, the material is assumed to be elastic-perfectly plastic. The cycle stress-strain curve for the material is shown Zienkiewicz's initial-stress method, von Mises's yield criterion, and Drucker's normality condition under small-strain assumptions are used to account for plasticity. The three-dimensional analysis is capable of extending the crack and changing boundary conditions under cyclic loading.

Physical Modeling of Shear Behavior of Infilled Rock Joints Under CNL and CNS Boundary Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrivastava, Amit Kumar; Rao, K. Seshagiri

2018-01-01

Despite their frequent natural occurrence, filled discontinuities under constant normal stiffness (CNS) boundary conditions have been studied much less systematically, perhaps because of the difficulties arising from the increased number of variable parameters. Because of the lack of reliable and realistic theoretical or empirical relations and the difficulties in obtaining and testing representative samples, engineers rely on judgment and often consider the shear strength of the infilled material itself as shear strength of rock joints. This assumption leads to uneconomical and also sometimes the unsafe design of underground structures, slopes, rock-socketed piles and foundations. To study the effect of infill on the shear behavior of rock joints, tests were performed on the modeled infilled rock joint having different joint roughness under constant normal load (CNL) and CNS boundary conditions at various initial normal stress and varying thickness of the infilled material. The test results indicate that shear strength decreases with an increase in t/ a ratio for both CNL and CNS conditions, but the reduction in shear strength is more for CNL than for CNS condition for a given initial normal stress. The detailed account of the effect of thickness of infilled material on shear and deformation behavior of infilled rock joint is discussed in this paper, and a model is proposed to predict shear strength of infilled rock joint.

Ideal hydrodynamics and elliptic flow at CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) energies: Importance of the initial conditions

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

Petersen, Hannah; Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitaet, Max-von-Laue-Str. 1, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main; Bleicher, Marcus

2009-05-15

The elliptic flow excitation function calculated in a full (3+1) dimensional hybrid Boltzmann approach with an intermediate hydrodynamic stage for heavy ion reactions from GSI Schwerionen Synchrotron to the highest CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) energies is discussed in the context of the experimental data. In this study, we employ a hadron gas equation of state to investigate the differences in the dynamics and viscosity effects. The specific event-by-event setup with initial conditions and freeze-out from a nonequilibrium transport model allows for a direct comparison between ideal fluid dynamics and transport simulations. At higher SPS energies, where the pure transportmore » calculation cannot account for the high elliptic flow values, the smaller mean free path in the hydrodynamic evolution leads to higher elliptic flow values. In contrast to previous studies within pure hydrodynamics, the more realistic initial conditions employed here and the inclusion of a sequential final state hadronic decoupling provides results that are in line with the experimental data almost over the whole energy range from E{sub lab}=2-160A GeV. Thus, this new approach leads to a substantially different shape of the v{sub 2}/{epsilon} scaling curve as a function of (1/SdN{sub ch}/dy) in line with the experimental data compared to previous ideal hydrodynamic calculations. This hints at a strong influence of the initial conditions for the hydrodynamic evolution on the finally observed v{sub 2} values, thus questioning the standard interpretation that the hydrodynamic limit is only reached at BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider energies.« less

Numerical study of the current sheet and PSBL in a magnetotail model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doxas, I.; Horton, W.; Sandusky, K.; Tajima, T.; Steinolfson, R.

1989-01-01

The current sheet and plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) in a magnetotail model are discussed. A test particle code is used to study the response of ensembles of particles to a two-dimensional, time-dependent model of the geomagnetic tail, and test the proposition (Coroniti, 1985a, b; Buchner and Zelenyi, 1986; Chen and Palmadesso, 1986; Martin, 1986) that the stochasticity of the particle orbits in these fields is an important part of the physical mechanism for magnetospheric substorms. The realistic results obtained for the fluid moments of the particle distribution with this simple model, and their insensitivity to initial conditions, is consistent with this hypothesis.

Optical filter highlighting spectral features part II: quantitative measurements of cosmetic foundation and assessment of their spatial distributions under realistic facial conditions.

PubMed

Nishino, Ken; Nakamura, Mutsuko; Matsumoto, Masayuki; Tanno, Osamu; Nakauchi, Shigeki

2011-03-28

We previously proposed a filter that could detect cosmetic foundations with high discrimination accuracy [Opt. Express 19, 6020 (2011)]. This study extends the filter's functionality to the quantification of the amount of foundation and applies the filter for the assessment of spatial distributions of foundation under realistic facial conditions. Human faces that are applied with quantitatively controlled amounts of cosmetic foundations were measured using the filter. A calibration curve between pixel values of the image and the amount of foundation was created. The optical filter was applied to visualize spatial foundation distributions under realistic facial conditions, which clearly indicated areas on the face where foundation remained even after cleansing. Results confirm that the proposed filter could visualize and nondestructively inspect the foundation distributions.

Searching for the mechanisms of change: a protocol for a realist review of batterer treatment programmes.

PubMed

Velonis, Alisa J; Cheff, Rebecca; Finn, Debbie; Davloor, Whitney; O'Campo, Patricia

2016-04-06

Conflicting results reported by evaluations of typical batterer intervention programmes leave many judicial officials and policymakers uncertain about the best way to respond to domestic violence, and whether to recommend and fund these programmes. Traditional evaluations and systematic reviews tend to focus predominantly on whether the programmes 'worked' (eg, reduced recidivism) often at the exclusion of understanding for whom they may or may not have worked, under what circumstances, and why. We are undertaking a realist review of the batterer treatment programme literature with the aim of addressing this gap. Keeping with the goals of realist review, our primary aims are to identify the theory that underlies these programmes, highlight the mechanisms that trigger changes in participant behaviour and finally explain why these programmes help some individuals reduce their use of violence and under what conditions they are effective or not effective. We begin by describing the process of perpetrator treatment, and by proposing an initial theoretical model of behaviour change that will be tested by our review. We then describe the criteria for inclusion of an evaluation into the review, the search strategy we will use to identify the studies, and the plan for data extraction and analysis. The results of this review will be written up using the RAMESES Guidelines for Realist Synthesis, and disseminated through peer-reviewed publications aimed at the practitioner community as well as presented at community forums, and at violence against women conferences. Ethics approval was not needed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A conformally flat realistic anisotropic model for a compact star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, B. V.

2018-04-01

A physically realistic stellar model with a simple expression for the energy density and conformally flat interior is found. The relations between the different conditions are used without graphic proofs. It may represent a real pulsar.

Evaluating Cloud Initialization in a Convection-permit NWP Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jia; Chen, Baode

2015-04-01

In general, to avoid "double counting precipitation" problem, in convection permit NWP models, it was a common practice to turn off convective parameterization. However, if there were not any cloud information in the initial conditions, the occurrence of precipitation could be delayed due to spin-up of cloud field or microphysical variables. In this study, we utilized the complex cloud analysis package from the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) to adjust the initial states of the model on water substance, such as cloud water, cloud ice, rain water, et al., that is, to initialize the microphysical variables (i.e., hydrometers), mainly based on radar reflectivity observations. Using the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) model, numerical experiments with/without cloud initialization and convective parameterization were carried out at grey-zone resolutions (i.e. 1, 3, and 9 km). The results from the experiments without convective parameterization indicate that model ignition with radar reflectivity can significantly reduce spin-up time and accurately simulate precipitation at the initial time. In addition, it helps to improve location and intensity of predicted precipitation. With grey-zone resolutions (i.e. 1, 3, and 9 km), using the cumulus convective parameterization scheme (without radar data) cannot produce realistic precipitation at the early time. The issues related to microphysical parametrization associated with cloud initialization were also discussed.

Soil Moisture and Snow Cover: Active or Passive Elements of Climate?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oglesby, Robert J.; Marshall, Susan; Robertson, Franklin R.; Roads, John O.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A key question in the study of the hydrologic cycle is the extent to which surface effects such as soil moisture and snow cover are simply passive elements or whether they can affect the evolution of climate on seasonal and longer time scales. We have constructed ensembles of predictability studies using the NCAR CCM3 in which we compared the relative roles of initial surface and atmospheric conditions over the central and western U.S. GAPP region in determining the subsequent evolution of soil moisture and of snow cover. We have also made sensitivity studies with exaggerated soil moisture and snow cover anomalies in order to determine the physical processes that may be important. Results from simulations with realistic soil moisture anomalies indicate that internal climate variability may be the strongest factor, with some indication that the initial atmospheric state is also important. The initial state of soil moisture does not appear important, a result that held whether simulations were started in late winter or late spring. Model runs with exaggerated soil moisture reductions (near-desert conditions) showed a much larger effect, with warmer surface temperatures, reduced precipitation, and lower surface pressures; the latter indicating a response of the atmospheric circulation. These results suggest the possibility of a threshold effect in soil moisture, whereby an anomaly must be of a sufficient size before it can have a significant impact on the atmospheric circulation and hence climate. Results from simulations with realistic snow cover anomalies indicate that the time of year can be crucial. When introduced in late winter, these anomalies strongly affected the subsequent evolution of snow cover. When introduced in early winter, however, little or no effect is seen on the subsequent snow cover. Runs with greatly exaggerated initial snow cover indicate that the high reflectivity of snow is the most important process by which snow cover can impact climate, through lower surface temperatures and increased surface pressures. In early winter, the amount of solar radiation is very small and so this albedo, effect is inconsequential while in late winter, with the sun higher in the sky and period of daylight longer, the effect is much stronger. The results to date were obtained for model runs with present-day conditions. We are currently analyzing runs made with projected forcings for the 21st century to see if these results are modified in any way under likely scenarios of future climate change.

A Regional Model Study of Synoptic Features Over West Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Druyan, Leonard M.; Fulakeza, Matthew; Lonergan, Patrick; Saloum, Mahaman; Hansen, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Synoptic weather features over West Africa were studied in simulations by the regional simulation model (RM) at the NASA/Goddard Institute for Space Studies. These pioneering simulations represent the beginning of an effort to adapt regional models for weather and climate prediction over West Africa. The RM uses a cartesian grid with 50 km horizontal resolution and fifteen vertical levels. An ensemble of four simulations was forced with lateral boundary conditions from ECMWF global analyses for the period 8-22 August 1988. The simulated mid-tropospheric circulation includes the skillful development and movement of several African wave disturbances. Wavelet analysis of mid-tropospheric winds detected a dominant periodicity of about 4 days and a secondary periodicity of 5-8 days. Spatial distributions of RM precipitation and precipitation time series were validated against daily rain gauge measurements and ISCCP satellite infrared cloud imagery. The time-space distribution of simulated precipitation was made more realistic by combining the ECMWR initial conditions with a 24-hr spin-up of the moisture field and also by damping high frequency gravity waves by dynamic initialization. Model precipitation "forecasts" over the Central Sahel were correlated with observations for about three days, but reinitializing with observed data on day 5 resulted in a dramatic improvement in the precipitation validation over the remaining 9 days. Results imply that information via the lateral boundary conditions is not always sufficient to minimize departures between simulated and actual precipitation patterns for more than several days. In addition, there was some evidence that the new initialization may increase the simulations' sensitivity to the quality of lateral boundary conditions.

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of shared care: protocol for a realist review.

PubMed

Hardwick, Rebecca; Pearson, Mark; Byng, Richard; Anderson, Rob

2013-02-12

Shared care (an enhanced information exchange over and above routine outpatient letters) is commonly used to improve care coordination and communication between a specialist and primary care services for people with long-term conditions. Evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of shared care is mixed. Informed decision-making for targeting shared care requires a greater understanding of how it works, for whom it works, in what contexts and why. This protocol outlines how realist review methods can be used to synthesise evidence on shared care for long-term conditions.A further aim of the review is to explore economic evaluations of shared care. Economic evaluations are difficult to synthesise due to problems in accounting for contextual differences that impact on resource use and opportunity costs. Realist review methods have been suggested as a way to overcome some of these issues, so this review will also assess whether realist review methods are amenable to synthesising economic evidence. Database and web searching will be carried out in order to find relevant evidence to develop and test programme theories about how shared care works. The review will have two phases. Phase 1 will concentrate on the contextual conditions and mechanisms that influence how shared care works, in order to develop programme theories, which partially explain how it works. Phase 2 will focus on testing these programme theories. A Project Reference Group made up of health service professionals and people with actual experience of long-term conditions will be used to ground the study in real-life experience. Review findings will be disseminated through local and sub-national networks for integrated care and long-term conditions. This realist review will explore why and for whom shared care works, in order to support decision-makers working to improve the effectiveness of care for people outside hospital. The development of realist review methods to take into account cost and cost-effectiveness evidence is particularly innovative and challenging, and if successful will offer a new approach to synthesising economic evidence. This systematic review protocol is registered on the PROSPERO database (registration number: CRD42012002842).

Improving the performance of community health workers in humanitarian emergencies: a realist evaluation protocol for the PIECES programme.

PubMed

Gilmore, Brynne; Adams, Ben Jack; Bartoloni, Alex; Alhaydar, Bana; McAuliffe, Eilish; Raven, Joanna; Taegtmeyer, Miriam; Vallières, Frédérique

2016-08-16

Understanding what enhances the motivation and performance of community health workers (CHWs) in humanitarian emergencies represents a key research gap within the field of human resources for health. This paper presents the research protocol for the Performance ImprovEment of CHWs in Emergency Settings (PIECES) research programme. Enhancing Learning and Research in Humanitarian Action (ELRHA) funded the development of this protocol as part of their Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) call (No.19839). PIECES aims to understand what factors improve the performance of CHWs in level III humanitarian emergencies. The suggested protocol uses a realist evaluation with multiple cases across the 3 country sites: Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon. Working with International Medical Corps (IMC), an initial programme theory was elicited through literature and document reviews, semistructured interviews and focus groups with IMC programme managers and CHWs. Based on this initial theory, this protocol proposes a combination of semistructured interviews, life histories and critical incident narratives, surveys and latent variable modelling of key constructs to explain how contextual factors work to trigger mechanisms for specific outcomes relating to IMC's 300+ CHWs' performance. Participants will also include programme staff, CHWs and programme beneficiaries. Realist approaches will be used to better understand 'what works, for whom and under what conditions' for improving CHW performance within humanitarian contexts. Trinity College Dublin's Health Policy and Management/Centre for Global Health Research Ethics Committee gave ethical approval for the protocol development phase. For the full research project, additional ethical approval will be sought from: Université St. Joseph (Lebanon), the Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health in Baghdad (Iraq) and the Middle East Technical University (Turkey). Dissemination activities will involve a mixture of research feedback, policy briefs, guidelines and recommendations, as well as open source academic articles. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The Multiscale Robin Coupled Method for flows in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guiraldello, Rafael T.; Ausas, Roberto F.; Sousa, Fabricio S.; Pereira, Felipe; Buscaglia, Gustavo C.

2018-02-01

A multiscale mixed method aiming at the accurate approximation of velocity and pressure fields in heterogeneous porous media is proposed. The procedure is based on a new domain decomposition method in which the local problems are subject to Robin boundary conditions. The domain decomposition procedure is defined in terms of two independent spaces on the skeleton of the decomposition, corresponding to interface pressures and fluxes, that can be chosen with great flexibility to accommodate local features of the underlying permeability fields. The well-posedness of the new domain decomposition procedure is established and its connection with the method of Douglas et al. (1993) [12], is identified, also allowing us to reinterpret the known procedure as an optimized Schwarz (or Two-Lagrange-Multiplier) method. The multiscale property of the new domain decomposition method is indicated, and its relation with the Multiscale Mortar Mixed Finite Element Method (MMMFEM) and the Multiscale Hybrid-Mixed (MHM) Finite Element Method is discussed. Numerical simulations are presented aiming at illustrating several features of the new method. Initially we illustrate the possibility of switching from MMMFEM to MHM by suitably varying the Robin condition parameter in the new multiscale method. Then we turn our attention to realistic flows in high-contrast, channelized porous formations. We show that for a range of values of the Robin condition parameter our method provides better approximations for pressure and velocity than those computed with either the MMMFEM and the MHM. This is an indication that our method has the potential to produce more accurate velocity fields in the presence of rough, realistic permeability fields of petroleum reservoirs.

The Role of Model and Initial Condition Error in Numerical Weather Forecasting Investigated with an Observing System Simulation Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prive, Nikki C.; Errico, Ronald M.

2013-01-01

A series of experiments that explore the roles of model and initial condition error in numerical weather prediction are performed using an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) framework developed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (NASA/GMAO). The use of an OSSE allows the analysis and forecast errors to be explicitly calculated, and different hypothetical observing networks can be tested with ease. In these experiments, both a full global OSSE framework and an 'identical twin' OSSE setup are utilized to compare the behavior of the data assimilation system and evolution of forecast skill with and without model error. The initial condition error is manipulated by varying the distribution and quality of the observing network and the magnitude of observation errors. The results show that model error has a strong impact on both the quality of the analysis field and the evolution of forecast skill, including both systematic and unsystematic model error components. With a realistic observing network, the analysis state retains a significant quantity of error due to systematic model error. If errors of the analysis state are minimized, model error acts to rapidly degrade forecast skill during the first 24-48 hours of forward integration. In the presence of model error, the impact of observation errors on forecast skill is small, but in the absence of model error, observation errors cause a substantial degradation of the skill of medium range forecasts.

ANALYSIS OF TERRESTRIAL PLANET FORMATION BY THE GRAND TACK MODEL: SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE AND TACK LOCATION

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

Brasser, R.; Ida, S.; Matsumura, S.

2016-04-20

The Grand Tack model of terrestrial planet formation has emerged in recent years as the premier scenario used to account for several observed features of the inner solar system. It relies on the early migration of the giant planets to gravitationally sculpt and mix the planetesimal disk down to ∼1 au, after which the terrestrial planets accrete from material remaining in a narrow circumsolar annulus. Here, we investigate how the model fares under a range of initial conditions and migration course-change (“tack”) locations. We run a large number of N-body simulations with tack locations of 1.5 and 2 au andmore » test initial conditions using equal-mass planetary embryos and a semi-analytical approach to oligarchic growth. We make use of a recent model of the protosolar disk that takes into account viscous heating, includes the full effect of type 1 migration, and employs a realistic mass–radius relation for the growing terrestrial planets. Our results show that the canonical tack location of Jupiter at 1.5 au is inconsistent with the most massive planet residing at 1 au at greater than 95% confidence. This favors a tack farther out at 2 au for the disk model and parameters employed. Of the different initial conditions, we find that the oligarchic case is capable of statistically reproducing the orbital architecture and mass distribution of the terrestrial planets, while the equal-mass embryo case is not.« less

Realist complex intervention science: Applying realist principles across all phases of the Medical Research Council framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions

PubMed Central

Fletcher, Adam; Jamal, Farah; Moore, Graham; Evans, Rhiannon E.; Murphy, Simon; Bonell, Chris

2016-01-01

The integration of realist evaluation principles within randomised controlled trials (‘realist RCTs’) enables evaluations of complex interventions to answer questions about what works, for whom and under what circumstances. This allows evaluators to better develop and refine mid-level programme theories. However, this is only one phase in the process of developing and evaluating complex interventions. We describe and exemplify how social scientists can integrate realist principles across all phases of the Medical Research Council framework. Intervention development, modelling, and feasibility and pilot studies need to theorise the contextual conditions necessary for intervention mechanisms to be activated. Where interventions are scaled up and translated into routine practice, realist principles also have much to offer in facilitating knowledge about longer-term sustainability, benefits and harms. Integrating a realist approach across all phases of complex intervention science is vital for considering the feasibility and likely effects of interventions for different localities and population subgroups. PMID:27478401

Numerical simulation of a low-lying barrier island's morphological response to Hurricane Katrina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindemer, C.A.; Plant, N.G.; Puleo, J.A.; Thompson, D.M.; Wamsley, T.V.

2010-01-01

Tropical cyclones that enter or form in the Gulf of Mexico generate storm surge and large waves that impact low-lying coastlines along the Gulf Coast. The Chandeleur Islands, located 161. km east of New Orleans, Louisiana, have endured numerous hurricanes that have passed nearby. Hurricane Katrina (landfall near Waveland MS, 29 Aug 2005) caused dramatic changes to the island elevation and shape. In this paper the predictability of hurricane-induced barrier island erosion and accretion is evaluated using a coupled hydrodynamic and morphodynamic model known as XBeach. Pre- and post-storm island topography was surveyed with an airborne lidar system. Numerical simulations utilized realistic surge and wave conditions determined from larger-scale hydrodynamic models. Simulations included model sensitivity tests with varying grid size and temporal resolutions. Model-predicted bathymetry/topography and post-storm survey data both showed similar patterns of island erosion, such as increased dissection by channels. However, the model under predicted the magnitude of erosion. Potential causes for under prediction include (1) errors in the initial conditions (the initial bathymetry/topography was measured three years prior to Katrina), (2) errors in the forcing conditions (a result of our omission of storms prior to Katrina and/or errors in Katrina storm conditions), and/or (3) physical processes that were omitted from the model (e.g., inclusion of sediment variations and bio-physical processes). ?? 2010.

Constraining the inferred paleohydrologic evolution of a deep unsaturated zone in the Amargosa Desert

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walvoord, Michelle Ann; Stonestrom, David A.; Andraski, Brian J.; Striegl, Robert G.

2004-01-01

Natural flow regimes in deep unsaturated zones of arid interfluvial environments are rarely in hydraulic equilibrium with near-surface boundary conditions imposed by present-day plant–soil–atmosphere dynamics. Nevertheless, assessments of water resources and contaminant transport require realistic estimates of gas, water, and solute fluxes under past, present, and projected conditions. Multimillennial transients that are captured in current hydraulic, chemical, and isotopic profiles can be interpreted to constrain alternative scenarios of paleohydrologic evolution following climatic and vegetational shifts from pluvial to arid conditions. However, interpreting profile data with numerical models presents formidable challenges in that boundary conditions must be prescribed throughout the entire Holocene, when we have at most a few decades of actual records. Models of profile development at the Amargosa Desert Research Site include substantial uncertainties from imperfectly known initial and boundary conditions when simulating flow and solute transport over millennial timescales. We show how multiple types of profile data, including matric potentials and porewater concentrations of Cl−, δD, δ18O, can be used in multiphase heat, flow, and transport models to expose and reduce uncertainty in paleohydrologic reconstructions. Results indicate that a dramatic shift in the near-surface water balance occurred approximately 16000 yr ago, but that transitions in precipitation, temperature, and vegetation were not necessarily synchronous. The timing of the hydraulic transition imparts the largest uncertainty to model-predicted contemporary fluxes. In contrast, the uncertainties associated with initial (late Pleistocene) conditions and boundary conditions during the Holocene impart only small uncertainties to model-predicted contemporaneous fluxes.

The effects of mixed layer dynamics on ice growth in the central Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitchen, Bruce R.

1992-09-01

The thermodynamic model of Thorndike (1992) is coupled to a one dimensional, two layer ocean entrainment model to study the effect of mixed layer dynamics on ice growth and the variation in the ocean heat flux into the ice due to mixed layer entrainment. Model simulations show the existence of a negative feedback between the ice growth and the mixed layer entrainment, and that the underlying ocean salinity has a greater effect on the ocean beat flux than does variations in the underlying ocean temperature. Model simulations for a variety of surface forcings and initial conditions demonstrate the need to include mixed layer dynamics for realistic ice prediction in the arctic.

Stress studies in EFG

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

A program to study stress generation mechanisms in silicon sheet growth was started. The purpose of the research is to define post-growth temperature profiles for the sheet that can minimize its stress during growth at high speeds, e.g., greater than 3 cm/min. The initial tasks described concern work in progress toward the development of computing capabilities to (1) model stress-temperature relationships in steady-state ribbon growth, and (2) provide a means to calculate realistic temperature fields in ribbon, given growth system component temperatures as boundary conditions. If it is determined that low stress configurations can be achieved, the modeling is to be tested experimentally by constructing low-stress growth systems for EFG silicon ribbon.

A realistic chemical system presenting a self-organized critical behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaveau, Bernard; Latrémolière, Daniel; Moreau, Michel

2003-04-01

We consider a realistic example of chemical system which presents self-organized criticality. We can study the kinetic equations analytically, and show that the conditions for self-organized criticality are satisfied. We find power relaxation laws for certain variables near the critical state, confirming the self-organized critical behavior.

SEM stereo-section fractography observations. Final report

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

Zhang, X.J.; Tregoning, R.L.; Armstrong, R.W.

1998-05-01

Cleavage initiation in engineering materials is governed by local microstructural inhomogeneities. These features are often the principal reason for the large scatter evident in fracture toughness measurements which, in extreme cases, can mask the fundamental relationship between cracking resistance and global material properties. The SEM stereo-section fractography (SSF) technique can be used to carefully evaluate these local inhomogeneities through simultaneous observation of both the fracture surface and the underlying microstructure. By sectioning the fracture surface close to the cleavage initiation site (within 10 microns), and perpendicular to both the fracture surface and the pre crack front, a direct correspondence betweenmore » initiation and the local microstructure can be established. Information obtained from this technique can provide quantitative input about important, local microstructural features which can then be used to calibrate or create realistic micromechanical models. A compendium of SSF results is presented herein for cleavage cracking in disparate materials (A533B steel plates, MIL-70S multi-pass weldments, and Ti6A14V forgings), under various testing conditions. In each case, the SSF technique was able to unambiguously identify the dominant, local features which triggered cleavage initiation.« less

Ehrenfest dynamics is purity non-preserving: A necessary ingredient for decoherence

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

Alonso, J. L.; Instituto de Biocomputacion y Fisica de Sistemas Complejos; Unidad Asociada IQFR-BIFI, Universidad de Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, E-50018 Zaragoza

2012-08-07

We discuss the evolution of purity in mixed quantum/classical approaches to electronic nonadiabatic dynamics in the context of the Ehrenfest model. As it is impossible to exactly determine initial conditions for a realistic system, we choose to work in the statistical Ehrenfest formalism that we introduced in Alonso et al. [J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 44, 396004 (2011)]. From it, we develop a new framework to determine exactly the change in the purity of the quantum subsystem along with the evolution of a statistical Ehrenfest system. In a simple case, we verify how and to which extent Ehrenfest statistical dynamicsmore » makes a system with more than one classical trajectory, and an initial quantum pure state become a quantum mixed one. We prove this numerically showing how the evolution of purity depends on time, on the dimension of the quantum state space D, and on the number of classical trajectories N of the initial distribution. The results in this work open new perspectives for studying decoherence with Ehrenfest dynamics.« less

Battery state-of-charge estimation using approximate least squares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unterrieder, C.; Zhang, C.; Lunglmayr, M.; Priewasser, R.; Marsili, S.; Huemer, M.

2015-03-01

In recent years, much effort has been spent to extend the runtime of battery-powered electronic applications. In order to improve the utilization of the available cell capacity, high precision estimation approaches for battery-specific parameters are needed. In this work, an approximate least squares estimation scheme is proposed for the estimation of the battery state-of-charge (SoC). The SoC is determined based on the prediction of the battery's electromotive force. The proposed approach allows for an improved re-initialization of the Coulomb counting (CC) based SoC estimation method. Experimental results for an implementation of the estimation scheme on a fuel gauge system on chip are illustrated. Implementation details and design guidelines are presented. The performance of the presented concept is evaluated for realistic operating conditions (temperature effects, aging, standby current, etc.). For the considered test case of a GSM/UMTS load current pattern of a mobile phone, the proposed method is able to re-initialize the CC-method with a high accuracy, while state-of-the-art methods fail to perform a re-initialization.

Soil Moisture Initialization Error and Subgrid Variability of Precipitation in Seasonal Streamflow Forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Walker, Gregory K.; Mahanama, Sarith P.; Reichle, Rolf H.

2013-01-01

Offline simulations over the conterminous United States (CONUS) with a land surface model are used to address two issues relevant to the forecasting of large-scale seasonal streamflow: (i) the extent to which errors in soil moisture initialization degrade streamflow forecasts, and (ii) the extent to which a realistic increase in the spatial resolution of forecasted precipitation would improve streamflow forecasts. The addition of error to a soil moisture initialization field is found to lead to a nearly proportional reduction in streamflow forecast skill. The linearity of the response allows the determination of a lower bound for the increase in streamflow forecast skill achievable through improved soil moisture estimation, e.g., through satellite-based soil moisture measurements. An increase in the resolution of precipitation is found to have an impact on large-scale streamflow forecasts only when evaporation variance is significant relative to the precipitation variance. This condition is met only in the western half of the CONUS domain. Taken together, the two studies demonstrate the utility of a continental-scale land surface modeling system as a tool for addressing the science of hydrological prediction.

Effect of angular momentum alignment and strong magnetic fields on the formation of protostellar discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, William J.; McKee, Christopher F.; Klein, Richard I.

2018-01-01

Star-forming molecular clouds are observed to be both highly magnetized and turbulent. Consequently, the formation of protostellar discs is largely dependent on the complex interaction between gravity, magnetic fields, and turbulence. Studies of non-turbulent protostellar disc formation with realistic magnetic fields have shown that these fields are efficient in removing angular momentum from the forming discs, preventing their formation. However, once turbulence is included, discs can form in even highly magnetized clouds, although the precise mechanism remains uncertain. Here, we present several high-resolution simulations of turbulent, realistically magnetized, high-mass molecular clouds with both aligned and random turbulence to study the role that turbulence, misalignment, and magnetic fields have on the formation of protostellar discs. We find that when the turbulence is artificially aligned so that the angular momentum is parallel to the initial uniform field, no rotationally supported discs are formed, regardless of the initial turbulent energy. We conclude that turbulence and the associated misalignment between the angular momentum and the magnetic field are crucial in the formation of protostellar discs in the presence of realistic magnetic fields.

The temporal patterns of disease severity and prevalence in schistosomiasis

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

Ciddio, Manuela; Gatto, Marino, E-mail: marino.gatto@polimi.it; Casagrandi, Renato, E-mail: renato.casagrandi@polimi.it

2015-03-15

Schistosomiasis is one of the most widespread public health problems in the world. In this work, we introduce an eco-epidemiological model for its transmission and dynamics with the purpose of explaining both intra- and inter-annual fluctuations of disease severity and prevalence. The model takes the form of a system of nonlinear differential equations that incorporate biological complexity associated with schistosome's life cycle, including a prepatent period in snails (i.e., the time between initial infection and onset of infectiousness). Nonlinear analysis is used to explore the parametric conditions that produce different temporal patterns (stationary, endemic, periodic, and chaotic). For the time-invariantmore » model, we identify a transcritical and a Hopf bifurcation in the space of the human and snail infection parameters. The first corresponds to the occurrence of an endemic equilibrium, while the latter marks the transition to interannual periodic oscillations. We then investigate a more realistic time-varying model in which fertility of the intermediate host population is assumed to seasonally vary. We show that seasonality can give rise to a cascade of period-doubling bifurcations leading to chaos for larger, though realistic, values of the amplitude of the seasonal variation of fertility.« less

Effects of convection electric field on upwelling and escape of ionospheric O(+)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cladis, J. B.; Chiu, Yam T.; Peterson, William K.

1992-01-01

A Monte Carlo code is used to explore the full effects of the convection electric field on distributions of upflowing O(+) ions from the cusp/cleft ionosphere. Trajectories of individual ions/neutrals are computed as they undergo multiple charge-exchange collisions. In the ion state, the trajectories are computed in realistic models of the magnetic field and the convection, corotation, and ambipolar electric fields. The effects of ion-ion collisions are included, and the trajectories are computed with and without simultaneous stochastic heating perpendicular to the magnetic field by a realistic model of broadband, low frequency waves. In the neutral state, ballistic trajectories in the gravitational field are computed. The initial conditions of the ions, in addition to ambipolar electric field and the number densities and temperatures of O(+), H(+), and electrons as a function of height in the cusp/cleft region were obtained from the results of Gombosi and Killeen (1987), who used a hydrodynamic code to simulate the time-dependent frictional-heating effects in a magnetic tube during its motion though the convection throat. The distribution of the ion fluxes as a function of height are constructed from the case histories.

The temporal patterns of disease severity and prevalence in schistosomiasis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciddio, Manuela; Mari, Lorenzo; Gatto, Marino; Rinaldo, Andrea; Casagrandi, Renato

2015-03-01

Schistosomiasis is one of the most widespread public health problems in the world. In this work, we introduce an eco-epidemiological model for its transmission and dynamics with the purpose of explaining both intra- and inter-annual fluctuations of disease severity and prevalence. The model takes the form of a system of nonlinear differential equations that incorporate biological complexity associated with schistosome's life cycle, including a prepatent period in snails (i.e., the time between initial infection and onset of infectiousness). Nonlinear analysis is used to explore the parametric conditions that produce different temporal patterns (stationary, endemic, periodic, and chaotic). For the time-invariant model, we identify a transcritical and a Hopf bifurcation in the space of the human and snail infection parameters. The first corresponds to the occurrence of an endemic equilibrium, while the latter marks the transition to interannual periodic oscillations. We then investigate a more realistic time-varying model in which fertility of the intermediate host population is assumed to seasonally vary. We show that seasonality can give rise to a cascade of period-doubling bifurcations leading to chaos for larger, though realistic, values of the amplitude of the seasonal variation of fertility.

Forming disk galaxies in major mergers. II. The central mass concentration problem and a comparison of GADGET3 with GIZMO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodionov, S. A.; Athanassoula, E.; Peschken, N.

2017-04-01

Context. In a series of papers, we study the major merger of two disk galaxies in order to establish whether or not such a merger can produce a disk galaxy. Aims: Our aim here is to describe in detail the technical aspects of our numerical experiments. Methods: We discuss the initial conditions of our major merger, which consist of two protogalaxies on a collision orbit. We show that such merger simulations can produce a non-realistic central mass concentration, and we propose simple, parametric, active galactic nuclei (AGN)-like feedback as a solution to this problem. Our AGN-like feedback algorithm is very simple: at each time-step we take all particles whose local volume density is above a given threshold value and increase their temperature to a preset value. We also compare the GADGET3 and GIZMO codes, by applying both of them to the same initial conditions. Results: We show that the evolution of isolated protogalaxies resembles the evolution of disk galaxies, thus arguing that our protogalaxies are well suited for our merger simulations. We demonstrate that the problem with the unphysical central mass concentration in our merger simulations is further aggravated when we increase the resolution. We show that our AGN-like feedback removes this non-physical central mass concentration, and thus allows the formation of realistic bars. Note that our AGN-like feedback mainly affects the central region of a model, without significantly modifying the rest of the galaxy. We demonstrate that, in the context of our kind of simulation, GADGET3 gives results which are very similar to those obtained with the PSPH (density independent SPH) flavor of GIZMO. Moreover, in the examples we tried, the differences between the results of the two flavors of GIZMO - namely PSPH, and MFM (mesh-less algorithm) - are similar to and, in some comparisons, larger than the differences between the results of GADGET3 and PSPH.

A Modeling Study of the Causes and Predictability of the Spring 2011 Extreme U.S. Weather Activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, Siegfried D.; Chang, Yehui; Wang, Hailan; Koster, Randal; Suarez, Max

2016-01-01

This study examines the causes and predictability of the spring 2011 U.S. extreme weather using the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) and Goddard Earth Observing System Model, version 5, (GEOS-5) atmospheric general circulation model simulations. The focus is on assessing the impact on precipitation of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, land conditions, and large-scale atmospheric modes of variability. A key result is that the April record-breaking precipitation in the Ohio River valley was primarily the result of the unforced development of a positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)-like mode of variability with unusually large amplitude, limiting the predictability of the precipitation in that region at 1-month leads. SST forcing (La Nia conditions) contributed to the broader continental-scale pattern of precipitation anomalies, producing drying in the southern plains and weak wet anomalies in the northeast, while the impact of realistic initial North American land conditions was to enhance precipitation in the upper Midwest and produce deficits in the Southeast. It was further found that 1) the 1 March atmospheric initial condition was the primary source of the ensemble mean precipitation response over the eastern United States in April (well beyond the limit of weather predictability), suggesting an influence on the initial state of the previous SST forcing and/or tropospheric/stratospheric coupling linked to an unusually persistent and cold polar vortex; and 2) stationary wave model experiments suggest that the SST-forced base state for April enhanced the amplitude of the NAO response compared to that of the climatological state, though the impact is modest and can be of either sign.

What did we do and what can we do with our global soil resources?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoorvogel, Jetse

2017-04-01

Our global soil resources increasingly meet the headlines: soil degradation leads to irreversible changes and a loss of the global production potential, soil resources play a key role to reach the sustainable development goals, and soils are seen as a potential solution to some of the climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. However, global assessments of soil degradation, soil resources, and the potential of soils to provide ecosystem services are not very consistent. This study aims to contribute to the discussion by providing a realistic opportunity space on the options for our soil resources. First, the natural and current soil conditions are estimated using the S-World methodology. S-World has been developed to provide global maps of soil properties at a 30 arc-second resolution for environmental modelling. By running the S-world methodology for current but also for natural land cover, natural and current soil conditions are estimated. This analysis tells us what we did to our global soil resources. Subsequently, the same methodology is used to analyse a range of different scenarios for the future to explore the potential for soil restoration and carbon sequestration. Although the actual management interventions required are not analysed, the analysis does provide the opportunity space and thus what we can do with our soil resources in terms of realistic ranges. The results are interpreted in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and the recent 4‰-initiative for climate change mitigation.

Predicting Tropical Cyclogenesis with a Global Mesoscale Model: Preliminary Results with Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Nargis (2008)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, B.; Tao, W.; Atlas, R.

2008-12-01

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Nargis, the deadliest named tropical cyclone (TC) in the North Indian Ocean Basin, devastated Burma (Myanmar) in May 2008, causing tremendous damage and numerous fatalities. An increased lead time in the prediction of TC Nargis would have increased the warning time and may therefore have saved lives and reduced economic damage. Recent advances in high-resolution global models and supercomputers have shown the potential for improving TC track and intensity forecasts, presumably by improving multi-scale simulations. The key but challenging questions to be answered include: (1) if and how realistic, in terms of timing, location and TC general structure, the global mesoscale model (GMM) can simulate TC genesis and (2) under what conditions can the model extend the lead time of TC genesis forecasts. In this study, we focus on genesis prediction for TCs in the Indian Ocean with the GMM. Preliminary real-data simulations show that the initial formation and intensity variations of TC Nargis can be realistically predicted at a lead time of up to 5 days. These simulations also suggest that the accurate representations of a westerly wind burst (WWB) and an equatorial trough, associated with monsoon circulations and/or a Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), are important for predicting the formation of this kind of TC. In addition to the WWB and equatorial trough, other favorable environmental conditions will be examined, which include enhanced monsoonal circulation, upper-level outflow, low- and middle-level moistening, and surface fluxes.

SPH simulations of WBC adhesion to the endothelium: the role of haemodynamics and endothelial binding kinetics.

PubMed

Gholami, Babak; Comerford, Andrew; Ellero, Marco

2015-11-01

A multiscale Lagrangian particle solver introduced in our previous work is extended to model physiologically realistic near-wall cell dynamics. Three-dimensional simulation of particle trajectories is combined with realistic receptor-ligand adhesion behaviour to cover full cell interactions in the vicinity of the endothelium. The selected stochastic adhesion model, which is based on a Monte Carlo acceptance-rejection method, fits in our Lagrangian framework and does not compromise performance. Additionally, appropriate inflow/outflow boundary conditions are implemented for our SPH solver to enable realistic pulsatile flow simulation. The model is tested against in-vitro data from a 3D geometry with a stenosis and sudden expansion. In both steady and pulsatile flow conditions, results show close agreement with the experimental ones. Furthermore we demonstrate, in agreement with experimental observations, that haemodynamics alone does not account for adhesion of white blood cells, in this case U937 monocytic human cells. Our findings suggest that the current framework is fully capable of modelling cell dynamics in large arteries in a realistic and efficient manner.

What is needed to make low-density lipoprotein transport in human aorta computational models suitable to explore links to atherosclerosis? Impact of initial and inflow boundary conditions.

PubMed

De Nisco, Giuseppe; Zhang, Peng; Calò, Karol; Liu, Xiao; Ponzini, Raffaele; Bignardi, Cristina; Rizzo, Giovanna; Deng, Xiaoyan; Gallo, Diego; Morbiducci, Umberto

2018-02-08

Personalized computational hemodynamics (CH) is a promising tool to clarify/predict the link between low density lipoproteins (LDL) transport in aorta, disturbed shear and atherogenesis. However, CH uses simplifying assumptions that represent sources of uncertainty. In particular, modelling blood-side to wall LDL transfer is challenged by the cumbersomeness of protocols needed to obtain reliable LDL concentration profile estimations. This paucity of data is limiting the establishment of rigorous CH protocols able to balance the trade-offs among the variety of in vivo data to be acquired, and the accuracy required by biological/clinical applications. In this study, we analyze the impact of LDL concentration initialization (initial conditions, ICs) and inflow boundary conditions (BCs) on CH models of LDL blood-to-wall transfer in aorta. Technically, in an image-based model of human aorta, two different inflow BCs are generated imposing subject-specific inflow 3D PC-MRI measured or idealized (flat) velocity profiles. For each simulated BC, four different ICs for LDL concentration are applied, imposing as IC the LDL distribution resulting from steady-state simulations with average conditions, or constant LDL concentration values. Based on CH results, we conclude that: (1) the imposition of realistic 3D velocity profiles as inflow BC reduces the uncertainty affecting the representation of LDL transfer; (2) different LDL concentration ICs lead to markedly different patterns of LDL transfer. Given that it is not possible to verify in vivo the proper LDL concentration initialization to be applied, we suggest to carefully set and unambiguously declare the imposed BCs and LDL concentration IC when modelling LDL transfer in aorta, in order to obtain reproducible and ultimately comparable results among different laboratories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulating the UV Environment For the Synthesis of Prebiotic Molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranjan, S.; Sasselov, D.

2014-03-01

UV radiation plays a key role in the era of biogenesis. The young Sun was more UV-active than the modern Sun (Ribas et al. 2010), and the Earth lacked an ozone layer, implying a larger UV flux both on Earth, as well as on asteroids/comets. Ultraviolet radiation can help drive prebiotic molecule synthesis (e.g., Chyba et al. 1992; Powner et al. 2009) or destroy biologically important molecules (e.g., Johns et al. 1967). These effects are wavelength dependent: they are sensitive to ionzation, bond, and ro-vibrational transition energies of biologically relevant molecules and their precursors. When simulating the environment at biogenesis it is therefore important to ensure realistic levels of UV input, in both magnitude and spectral shape. Many laboratory simulations of biomolecule synthesis under prebiotic conditions to date have been done with atomic lamps (e.g., Powner et al. 2007). These lamps are safe, stable, and affordable UV sources, well-suited for initial studies. However, their emission spectra are a poor match to prebiotic conditions: low-pressure lamps are characterized by line emission, while higher-pressure lamps do not well-reproduce the spectrum of the young Sun. In this paper, we present spectra that are more realistic approximations to prebiotic conditions. Using published opacity lists and atmospheric models, we compute the attenuation of the flux from a young Sunanalog due to water, and from the present-day Sun due to a planetary atmosphere. We compare these spectra to those emitted by lamps used in studies today, and explore the potential biological implications of the differences. We conclude by discussing possibilities for better simulating the prebiotic UV environment in lab setups.

Numerical Simulation of Intense Precipitation Events South of the Alps: Sensitivity to Initial Conditions and Horizontal Resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cacciamani, C.; Cesari, D.; Grazzini, F.; Paccagnella, T.; Pantone, M.

In this paper we describe the results of several numerical experiments performed with the limited area model LAMBO, based on a 1989 version of the NCEP (National Center for Environmental Prediction) ETA model, operational at ARPA-SMR since 1993. The experiments have been designed to assess the impact of different horizontal resolutions and initial conditions on the quality and detail of the forecast, especially as regards the precipitation field in the case of severe flood events. For initial conditions we developed a mesoscale data assimilation scheme, based on the nudging technique. The scheme makes use of upper air and surface meteorological observations to modify ECMWF (European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast) operational analyses, used as first-guess fields, in order to better describe smaller scales features, mainly in the lower troposphere. Three flood cases in the Alpine and Mediterranean regions have been simulated with LAMBO, using a horizontal grid spacing of 15 and 5km and starting either from ECMWF initialised analysis or from the result of our mesoscale analysis procedure. The results show that increasing the resolution generally improves the forecast, bringing the precipitation peaks in the flooded areas close to the observed values without producing many spurious precipitation patterns. The use of mesoscale analysis produces a more realistic representation of precipitation patterns giving a further improvement to the forecast of precipitation. Furthermore, when simulations are started from mesoscale analysis, some model-simulated thermodynamic indices show greater vertical instability just in the regions where strongest precipitation occurred.

Subjective study of preferred listening conditions in Italian Catholic churches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martellotta, Francesco

2008-10-01

The paper describes the results of research aimed at investigating the preferred subjective listening conditions inside churches. The effect of different musical motifs (spanning Gregorian chants to symphonic music) was investigated and regression analysis was performed in order to point out the relationship between subjective ratings and acoustical parameters. In order to present realistic listening conditions to the subjects a small subset of nine churches was selected among a larger set of acoustic data collected in several Italian churches during a widespread on-site survey. The subset represented different architectural styles and shapes, and was characterized by average listening conditions. For each church a single source-receiver combination with fixed relative positions was chosen. Measured binaural impulse responses were cross-talk cancelled and then convolved with five anechoic motifs. Paired comparisons were finally performed, asking a trained panel of subjects their preference. Factor analysis pointed out a substantially common underlying pattern characterizing subjective responses. The results show that preferred listening conditions vary as a function of the musical motif, depending on early decay time for choral music and on a combination of initial time delay and lateral energy for instrumental music.

Responding to University Policies and Initiatives: The Role of Reflexivity in the Mid-Career Academic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brew, Angela; Boud, David; Lucas, Lisa; Crawford, Karin

2017-01-01

How do academics make sense of university policies and strategic initiatives and act on them? Interviews were conducted with 27 mid-career academics in different disciplines, different research-intensive university environments and two countries (England and Australia). Data were analysed iteratively utilising a critical realist perspective,…

An Integrated Decision-Making Framework for Sustainability Assessment: A Case Study of Memorial University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waheed, Bushra; Khan, Faisal; Veitch, Brian; Hawboldt, Kelly

2011-01-01

This article presents an overview of the sustainability initiatives at the St. John's campus of Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada). The key initiatives include setting a realistic goal for energy efficiency, becoming carbon neutral, and conducting various research and outreach projects related to sustainability. As…

Potential of dynamic spectrum allocation in LTE macro networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, H.; Ramachandra, P.; Kovács, I. Z.; Jorguseski, L.; Gunnarsson, F.; Kürner, T.

2015-11-01

In recent years Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) worldwide are extensively deploying LTE networks in different spectrum bands and utilising different bandwidth configurations. Initially, the deployment is coverage oriented with macro cells using the lower LTE spectrum bands. As the offered traffic (i.e. the requested traffic from the users) increases the LTE deployment evolves with macro cells expanded with additional capacity boosting LTE carriers in higher frequency bands complemented with micro or small cells in traffic hotspot areas. For MNOs it is crucial to use the LTE spectrum assets, as well as the installed network infrastructure, in the most cost efficient way. The dynamic spectrum allocation (DSA) aims at (de)activating the available LTE frequency carriers according to the temporal and spatial traffic variations in order to increase the overall LTE system performance in terms of total network capacity by reducing the interference. This paper evaluates the DSA potential of achieving the envisaged performance improvement and identifying in which system and traffic conditions the DSA should be deployed. A self-optimised network (SON) DSA algorithm is also proposed and evaluated. The evaluations have been carried out in a hexagonal and a realistic site-specific urban macro layout assuming a central traffic hotspot area surrounded with an area of lower traffic with a total size of approximately 8 × 8 km2. The results show that up to 47 % and up to 40 % possible DSA gains are achievable with regards to the carried system load (i.e. used resources) for homogenous traffic distribution with hexagonal layout and for realistic site-specific urban macro layout, respectively. The SON DSA algorithm evaluation in a realistic site-specific urban macro cell deployment scenario including realistic non-uniform spatial traffic distribution shows insignificant cell throughput (i.e. served traffic) performance gains. Nevertheless, in the SON DSA investigations, a gain of up to 25 % has been observed when analysing the resource utilisation in the non-hotspot cells.

Effect of Anatomically Realistic Full-Head Model on Activation of Cortical Neurons in Subdural Cortical Stimulation—A Computational Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Hyeon; Kim, Donghyeon; Jun, Sung Chan

2016-06-01

Electrical brain stimulation (EBS) is an emerging therapy for the treatment of neurological disorders, and computational modeling studies of EBS have been used to determine the optimal parameters for highly cost-effective electrotherapy. Recent notable growth in computing capability has enabled researchers to consider an anatomically realistic head model that represents the full head and complex geometry of the brain rather than the previous simplified partial head model (extruded slab) that represents only the precentral gyrus. In this work, subdural cortical stimulation (SuCS) was found to offer a better understanding of the differential activation of cortical neurons in the anatomically realistic full-head model than in the simplified partial-head models. We observed that layer 3 pyramidal neurons had comparable stimulation thresholds in both head models, while layer 5 pyramidal neurons showed a notable discrepancy between the models; in particular, layer 5 pyramidal neurons demonstrated asymmetry in the thresholds and action potential initiation sites in the anatomically realistic full-head model. Overall, the anatomically realistic full-head model may offer a better understanding of layer 5 pyramidal neuronal responses. Accordingly, the effects of using the realistic full-head model in SuCS are compelling in computational modeling studies, even though this modeling requires substantially more effort.

Impact of Soil Moisture Initialization on Seasonal Weather Prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Suarez, Max J.; Houser, Paul (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The potential role of soil moisture initialization in seasonal forecasting is illustrated through ensembles of simulations with the NASA Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project (NSIPP) model. For each boreal summer during 1997-2001, we generated two 16-member ensembles of 3-month simulations. The first, "AMIP-style" ensemble establishes the degree to which a perfect prediction of SSTs would contribute to the seasonal prediction of precipitation and temperature over continents. The second ensemble is identical to the first, except that the land surface is also initialized with "realistic" soil moisture contents through the continuous prior application (within GCM simulations leading up to the start of the forecast period) of a daily observational precipitation data set and the associated avoidance of model drift through the scaling of all surface prognostic variables. A comparison of the two ensembles shows that soil moisture initialization has a statistically significant impact on summertime precipitation and temperature over only a handful of continental regions. These regions agree, to first order, with regions that satisfy three conditions: (1) a tendency toward large initial soil moisture anomalies, (2) a strong sensitivity of evaporation to soil moisture, and (3) a strong sensitivity of precipitation to evaporation. The degree to which the initialization improves forecasts relative to observations is mixed, reflecting a critical need for the continued development of model parameterizations and data analysis strategies.

What do patients with epilepsy tell us about language dynamics? A review of fMRI studies.

PubMed

Baciu, Monica; Perrone-Bertolotti, Marcela

2015-01-01

The objective of this review is to resume major neuroimaging findings on language organization and plasticity in patients with focal and refractory epilepsy, to discuss the effect of modulatory variables that should be considered alongside patterns of reorganization, and to propose possible models of language reorganization. The focal and refractory epilepsy provides a real opportunity to investigate various types of language reorganization in different conditions. The 'chronic' condition (induced by the epileptogenic zone or EZ) is associated with either recruitment of homologous regions of the opposite hemisphere or recruitment of intrahemispheric, nonlinguistic regions. In the 'acute' condition (neurosurgery and EZ resection), the initial interhemispheric shift (induced by the chronic EZ) could follow a reverse direction, back to the initial hemisphere. These different patterns depend on several modulatory factors and are associated with various levels of language performance. As a neuroimaging tool, functional magnetic resonance imaging enables the detailed investigation of both hemispheres simultaneously and allows for comparison with healthy controls, potentially creating a more comprehensive and more realistic picture of brain-language relations. Importantly, functional neuroimaging approaches demonstrate a good degree of concordance on a theoretical level, but also a considerable degree of individual variability, attesting to the clinical importance with these methods to establish, empirically, language localization in individual patients. Overall, the unique features of epilepsy, combined with ongoing advances in technology, promise further improvement in understanding of language substrate.

Coherent optimal control of photosynthetic molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caruso, F.; Montangero, S.; Calarco, T.; Huelga, S. F.; Plenio, M. B.

2012-04-01

We demonstrate theoretically that open-loop quantum optimal control techniques can provide efficient tools for the verification of various quantum coherent transport mechanisms in natural and artificial light-harvesting complexes under realistic experimental conditions. To assess the feasibility of possible biocontrol experiments, we introduce the main settings and derive optimally shaped and robust laser pulses that allow for the faithful preparation of specified initial states (such as localized excitation or coherent superposition, i.e., propagating and nonpropagating states) of the photosystem and probe efficiently the subsequent dynamics. With these tools, different transport pathways can be discriminated, which should facilitate the elucidation of genuine quantum dynamical features of photosystems and therefore enhance our understanding of the role that coherent processes may play in actual biological complexes.

Instabilities of Current Carrying Torus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wenjuan; Qiu, J.

2010-05-01

We investigate the initial equilibrium and stability conditions for an uniform current-carrying plasma ring with a non-trivial toroidal magnetic field Bt. Realistic parameters comparable to observations are used to describe the magnetic field inside and outside the torus. The external poloidal magnetic field is assumed to fall off as a power function with decay index n (n = - d log (Bex) /d log(h)). The parameter space is explored to find all initial equilibrium solutions, at which perturbation is introduced. It is shown that with non-trivial toroidal field, the current ring attains equilibrium with a weaker external field. It is also shown that the torus attains equilibrium at higher altitude when the external field decays more rapidly (greater n) or the ratio of the toroidal flux in the torus to the external field increases. We further study stabilities of the torus at equilibrium by defining a critical decay index ncr (Kliem and Török 2006). A sufficiently strong toroidal field can completely suppress the torus instability due to the current hoop force. With a weak toroidal field, similar to the case of Bt=0, the instability occurs when the external magnetic field declines rapidly with height when the field decay index n>ncr. For realistic sets of parameters, the equilibrium height is within 10 solar radii, and the effective ncr is in the range of 1.0-1.6. The critical decay index increases when the ratio of the toroidal flux to the external field decreases. This work is supported by NSF CAREER grant ATM-0748428.

Predicting metabolic adaptation, body weight change, and energy intake in humans

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Complex interactions between carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism underlie the body's remarkable ability to adapt to a variety of diets. But any imbalances between the intake and utilization rates of these macronutrients will result in changes in body weight and composition. Here, I present the first computational model that simulates how diet perturbations result in adaptations of fuel selection and energy expenditure that predict body weight and composition changes in both obese and nonobese men and women. No model parameters were adjusted to fit these data other than the initial conditions for each subject group (e.g., initial body weight and body fat mass). The model provides the first realistic simulations of how diet perturbations result in adaptations of whole body energy expenditure, fuel selection, and various metabolic fluxes that ultimately give rise to body weight change. The validated model was used to estimate free-living energy intake during a long-term weight loss intervention, a variable that has never previously been measured accurately. PMID:19934407

Application of remote sensing for prediction and detection of thermal pollution, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veziroglu, T. N.; Lee, S. S.

1975-01-01

The development of a predictive mathematical model for thermal pollution in connection with remote sensing measurements was continued. A rigid-lid model has been developed and its application to far-field study has been completed. The velocity and temperature fields have been computed for different atmospheric conditions and for different boundary currents produced by tidal effects. In connection with the theoretical work, six experimental studies of the two sites in question (Biscayne Bay site and Hutchinson Island site) have been carried out. The temperature fields obtained during the tests at the Biscayne Bay site have been compared with the predictions of the rigid-lid model and these results are encouraging. The rigid-lid model is also being applied to near-field study. Preliminary results for a simple case have been obtained and execution of more realistic cases has been initiated. The development of a free-surface model also been initiated. The governing equations have been formulated and the computer programs have been written.

Realistic full wave modeling of focal plane array pixels

DOE PAGES

Campione, Salvatore; Warne, Larry K.; Jorgenson, Roy E.; ...

2017-11-01

Here, we investigate full-wave simulations of realistic implementations of multifunctional nanoantenna enabled detectors (NEDs). We focus on a 2x2 pixelated array structure that supports two wavelengths of operation. We design each resonating structure independently using full-wave simulations with periodic boundary conditions mimicking the whole infinite array. We then construct a supercell made of a 2x2 pixelated array with periodic boundary conditions mimicking the full NED; in this case, however, each pixel comprises 10-20 antennas per side. In this way, the cross-talk between contiguous pixels is accounted for in our simulations. We observe that, even though there are finite extent effects,more » the pixels work as designed, each responding at the respective wavelength of operation. This allows us to stress that realistic simulations of multifunctional NEDs need to be performed to verify the design functionality by taking into account finite extent and cross-talk effects.« less

Realistic Many-Body Quantum Systems vs. Full Random Matrices: Static and Dynamical Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karp, Jonathan; Torres-Herrera, Jonathan; TáVora, Marco; Santos, Lea

We study the static and dynamical properties of isolated spin 1/2 systems as prototypes of many-body quantum systems and compare the results to those of full random matrices from a Gaussian orthogonal ensemble. Full random matrices do not represent realistic systems, because they imply that all particles interact at the same time, as opposed to realistic Hamiltonians, which are sparse and have only few-body interactions. Nevertheless, with full random matrices we can derive analytical results that can be used as references and bounds for the corresponding properties of realistic systems. In particular, we show that the results for the Shannon information entropy are very similar to those for the von Neumann entanglement entropy, with the former being computationally less expensive. We also discuss the behavior of the survival probability of the initial state at different time scales and show that it contains more information about the system than the entropies. Support from the NSF Grant No. DMR-1147430.

The Aggregate Representation of Terrestrial Land Covers Within Global Climate Models (GCM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuttleworth, W. James; Sorooshian, Soroosh

1996-01-01

This project had four initial objectives: (1) to create a realistic coupled surface-atmosphere model to investigate the aggregate description of heterogeneous surfaces; (2) to develop a simple heuristic model of surface-atmosphere interactions; (3) using the above models, to test aggregation rules for a variety of realistic cover and meteorological conditions; and (4) to reconcile biosphere-atmosphere transfer scheme (BATS) land covers with those that can be recognized from space; Our progress in meeting these objectives can be summarized as follows. Objective 1: The first objective was achieved in the first year of the project by coupling the Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) with a proven two-dimensional model of the atmospheric boundary layer. The resulting model, BATS-ABL, is described in detail in a Masters thesis and reported in a paper in the Journal of Hydrology Objective 2: The potential value of the heuristic model was re-evaluated early in the project and a decision was made to focus subsequent research around modeling studies with the BATS-ABL model. The value of using such coupled surface-atmosphere models in this research area was further confirmed by the success of the Tucson Aggregation Workshop. Objective 3: There was excellent progress in using the BATS-ABL model to test aggregation rules for a variety of realistic covers. The foci of attention have been the site of the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project Field Experiment (FIFE) in Kansas and one of the study sites of the Anglo-Brazilian Amazonian Climate Observational Study (ABRACOS) near the city of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. These two sites were selected because of the ready availability of relevant field data to validate and initiate the BATS-ABL model. The results of these tests are given in a Masters thesis, and reported in two papers. Objective 4: Progress far exceeded original expectations not only in reconciling BATS land covers with those that can be recognized from space, but also in then applying remotely-sensed land cover data to map aggregate values of BATS parameters for heterogeneous covers and interpreting these parameters in terms of surface-atmosphere exchanges.

Case management in primary care among frequent users of healthcare services with chronic conditions: protocol of a realist synthesis.

PubMed

Hudon, Catherine; Chouinard, Maud-Christine; Aubrey-Bassler, Kris; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Burge, Fred; Pluye, Pierre; Bush, Paula L; Ramsden, Vivian R; Legare, France; Guenette, Line; Morin, Paul; Lambert, Mireille; Groulx, Antoine; Couture, Martine; Campbell, Cameron; Baker, Margaret; Edwards, Lynn; Sabourin, Véronique; Spence, Claude; Gauthier, Gilles; Warren, Mike; Godbout, Julie; Davis, Breanna; Rabbitskin, Norma

2017-09-03

A common reason for frequent use of healthcare services is the complex healthcare needs of individuals suffering from multiple chronic conditions, especially in combination with mental health comorbidities and/or social vulnerability. Frequent users (FUs) of healthcare services are more at risk for disability, loss of quality of life and mortality. Case management (CM) is a promising intervention to improve care integration for FU and to reduce healthcare costs. This review aims to develop a middle-range theory explaining how CM in primary care improves outcomes among FU with chronic conditions, for what types of FU and in what circumstances. A realist synthesis (RS) will be conducted between March 2017 and March 2018 to explore the causal mechanisms that underlie CM and how contextual factors influence the link between these causal mechanisms and outcomes. According to RS methodology, five steps will be followed: (1) focusing the scope of the RS; (2) searching for the evidence; (3) appraising the quality of evidence; (4) extracting the data; and (5) synthesising the evidence. Patterns in context-mechanism-outcomes (CMOs) configurations will be identified, within and across identified studies. Analysis of CMO configurations will help confirm, refute, modify or add to the components of our initial rough theory and ultimately produce a refined theory explaining how and why CM interventions in primary care works, in which contexts and for which FU with chronic conditions. Research ethics is not required for this review, but publication guidelines on RS will be followed. Based on the review findings, we will develop and disseminate messages tailored to various relevant stakeholder groups. These messages will allow the development of material that provides guidance on the design and the implementation of CM in health organisations. Prospero CRD42017057753. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Altered vocal fold kinematics in synthetic self-oscillating models that employ adipose tissue as a lateral boundary condition.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saidi, Hiba; Erath, Byron D.

2015-11-01

The vocal folds play a major role in human communication by initiating voiced sound production. During voiced speech, the vocal folds are set into sustained vibrations. Synthetic self-oscillating vocal fold models are regularly employed to gain insight into flow-structure interactions governing the phonation process. Commonly, a fixed boundary condition is applied to the lateral, anterior, and posterior sides of the synthetic vocal fold models. However, physiological observations reveal the presence of adipose tissue on the lateral surface between the thyroid cartilage and the vocal folds. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of including this substrate layer of adipose tissue on the dynamics of phonation. For a more realistic representation of the human vocal folds, synthetic multi-layer vocal fold models have been fabricated and tested while including a soft lateral layer representative of adipose tissue. Phonation parameters have been collected and are compared to those of the standard vocal fold models. Results show that vocal fold kinematics are affected by adding the adipose tissue layer as a new boundary condition.

Can Regional Climate Models Improve Warm Season Forecasts in the North American Monsoon Region?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dominguez, F.; Castro, C. L.

2009-12-01

The goal of this work is to improve warm season forecasts in the North American Monsoon Region. To do this, we are dynamically downscaling warm season CFS (Climate Forecast System) reforecasts from 1982-2005 for the contiguous U.S. using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) regional climate model. CFS is the global coupled ocean-atmosphere model used by the Climate Prediction Center (CPC), a branch of the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), to provide official U.S. seasonal climate forecasts. Recently, NCEP has produced a comprehensive long-term retrospective ensemble CFS reforecasts for the years 1980-2005. These reforecasts show that CFS model 1) has an ability to forecast tropical Pacific SSTs and large-scale teleconnection patterns, at least as evaluated for the winter season; 2) has greater skill in forecasting winter than summer climate; and 3) demonstrates an increase in skill when a greater number of ensembles members are used. The decrease in CFS skill during the warm season is due to the fact that the physical mechanisms of rainfall at this time are more related to mesoscale processes, such as the diurnal cycle of convection, low-level moisture transport, propagation and organization of convection, and surface moisture recycling. In general, these are poorly represented in global atmospheric models. Preliminary simulations for years with extreme summer climate conditions in the western and central U.S. (specifically 1988 and 1993) show that CFS-WRF simulations can provide a more realistic representation of convective rainfall processes. Thus a RCM can potentially add significant value in climate forecasting of the warm season provided the downscaling methodology incorporates the following: 1) spectral nudging to preserve the variability in the large scale circulation while still permitting the development of smaller-scale variability in the RCM; and 2) use of realistic soil moisture initial condition, in this case provided by the North American Regional Reanalysis. With these conditions, downscaled CFS-WRF reforecast simulations can produce realistic continental-scale patterns of warm season precipitation. This includes a reasonable representation of the North American monsoon in the southwest U.S. and northwest Mexico, which is notoriously difficult to represent in a global atmospheric model. We anticipate that this research will help lead the way toward substantially improved real time operational forecasts of North American summer climate with a RCM.

Realist evaluation of intersectoral oral health promotion interventions for schoolchildren living in rural Andean communities: a research protocol

PubMed Central

Talbot, Lise R; Gaboury, Isabelle

2017-01-01

Background Intersectoral collaboration, known to promote more sustainable change within communities, will be examined in an oral health promotion program (OHPP). In Peru, an OHPP was implemented by the Ministry of Health, to reduce the incidence of caries in schoolchildren. In rural Andean communities, however, these initiatives achieved limited success. The objectives of this project are: (1) to understand the context and the underlying mechanisms associated with Peruvian OHPP's current effects among school children living in rural Andean communities and (2) to validate a theory explaining how and under which circumstances OHP intersectoral interventions on schoolchildren living in rural Andean communities produce their effects. Methods and analysis Through a realist evaluation, the context, underlying mechanisms and programme outcomes will be identified. This process will involve five different steps. In the first and second steps, a logic model and an initial theory are developed. In the third step, data collection will permit measurement of the OHHP's outcomes with quantitative data, and exploration of the elements of context and the mechanisms with qualitative data. In the fourth and fifth steps, iterative data analysis and a validation process will allow the identification of Context-Mechanism-Outcome configuration, and validate or refine the initial theory. Ethics and dissemination This research project has received approval from the Comité d’éthique de la recherche en santé chez l'humain du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke. The initial theory and research results will be published in relevant journals in public health and oral health. They will also be presented at realist evaluation and health promotion international conferences. PMID:28237962

Realist evaluation of intersectoral oral health promotion interventions for schoolchildren living in rural Andean communities: a research protocol.

PubMed

Bergeron, Dave A; Talbot, Lise R; Gaboury, Isabelle

2017-02-24

Intersectoral collaboration, known to promote more sustainable change within communities, will be examined in an oral health promotion program (OHPP). In Peru, an OHPP was implemented by the Ministry of Health, to reduce the incidence of caries in schoolchildren. In rural Andean communities, however, these initiatives achieved limited success. The objectives of this project are: (1) to understand the context and the underlying mechanisms associated with Peruvian OHPP's current effects among school children living in rural Andean communities and (2) to validate a theory explaining how and under which circumstances OHP intersectoral interventions on schoolchildren living in rural Andean communities produce their effects. Through a realist evaluation, the context, underlying mechanisms and programme outcomes will be identified. This process will involve five different steps. In the first and second steps, a logic model and an initial theory are developed. In the third step, data collection will permit measurement of the OHHP's outcomes with quantitative data, and exploration of the elements of context and the mechanisms with qualitative data. In the fourth and fifth steps, iterative data analysis and a validation process will allow the identification of Context-Mechanism-Outcome configuration, and validate or refine the initial theory. This research project has received approval from the Comité d'éthique de la recherche en santé chez l'humain du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke. The initial theory and research results will be published in relevant journals in public health and oral health. They will also be presented at realist evaluation and health promotion international conferences. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Infrequent identity mismatches are frequently undetected

PubMed Central

Goldinger, Stephen D.

2014-01-01

The ability to quickly and accurately match faces to photographs bears critically on many domains, from controlling purchase of age-restricted goods to law enforcement and airport security. Despite its pervasiveness and importance, research has shown that face matching is surprisingly error prone. The majority of face-matching research is conducted under idealized conditions (e.g., using photographs of individuals taken on the same day) and with equal proportions of match and mismatch trials, a rate that is likely not observed in everyday face matching. In four experiments, we presented observers with photographs of faces taken an average of 1.5 years apart and tested whether face-matching performance is affected by the prevalence of identity mismatches, comparing conditions of low (10 %) and high (50 %) mismatch prevalence. Like the low-prevalence effect in visual search, we observed inflated miss rates under low-prevalence conditions. This effect persisted when participants were allowed to correct their initial responses (Experiment 2), when they had to verify every decision with a certainty judgment (Experiment 3) and when they were permitted “second looks” at face pairs (Experiment 4). These results suggest that, under realistic viewing conditions, the low-prevalence effect in face matching is a large, persistent source of errors. PMID:24500751

A seat cushion to provide realistic acceleration cues for aircraft simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashworth, B. R.

1976-01-01

A seat cushion to provide acceleration cues for aircraft simulator pilots was built, performance tested, and evaluated. The four cell seat, using a thin air cushion with highly responsive pressure control, attempts to reproduce the same events which occur in an aircraft seat under acceleration loading. The pressure controller provides seat cushion responses which are considered adequate for current high performance aircraft simulations. The initial tests of the seat cushions have resulted in excellent pilot opinion of the cushion's ability to provide realistic and useful cues to the simulator pilot.

Long-Time Asymptotics of a Box-Type Initial Condition in a Viscous Fluid Conduit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franco, Nevil; Webb, Emily; Maiden, Michelle; Hoefer, Mark; El, Gennady

2017-11-01

The initial value problem for a localized hump disturbance is fundamental to dispersive nonlinear waves, beginning with studies of the celebrated, completely integrable Korteweg-de Vries equation. However, understanding responses to similar disturbances in many realistic dispersive wave systems is more complicated because they lack the mathematical property of complete integrability. This project applies Whitham nonlinear wave modulation theory to estimate how a viscous fluid conduit evolves this classic initial value problem. Comparisons between theory, numerical simulations, and experiments are presented. The conduit system consists of a viscous fluid column (glycerol) and a diluted, dyed version of the same fluid introduced to the column through a nozzle at the bottom. Steady injection and the buoyancy of the injected fluid leads to the eventual formation of a stable fluid conduit. Within this structure, a one hump disturbance is introduced and is observed to break up into a quantifiable number of solitons. This structure's experimental evolution is to Whitham theory and numerical simulations of a long-wave interfacial model equation. The method presented is general and can be applied to other dispersive nonlinear wave systems. Please email me, as I am the submitter.

SEM stereo-section fractography (SSF) observations

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

Zhang, X.J.; Tregoning, R.L.; Armstrong, R.W.

1997-12-31

Cleavage initiation in engineering materials is governed by local microstructural inhomogeneities. These features are often the principal reason for the large scatter evident in fracture toughness measurements which, in extreme cases, can mask the fundamental relationship between cracking resistance and global material properties. The SEM stereo-section fractography (SSF) technique can be used to carefully evaluate these local inhomogeneities through simultaneous observation of both the fracture surface and the underlying microstructure. By sectioning the fracture surface close to the cleavage initiation site (within 10 {micro}m), and perpendicular to both the fracture surface and the precrack front, a direct correspondence between initiationmore » and the local microstructure can be established. Information obtained from this technique can provide quantitative input about important, local microstructural features which can then be used to calibrate or create realistic micromechanical models. A compendium of SSF results is presented herein for cleavage cracking in disparate materials (A533B steel plates, MIL-70S multi-pass weldments, and Ti6A14V forgings), under various testing conditions. In each case, the SSF technique was able to unambiguously identify the dominant, local features which triggered cleavage initiation.« less

A realist evaluation of the management of a well- performing regional hospital in Ghana

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Realist evaluation offers an interesting approach to evaluation of interventions in complex settings, but has been little applied in health care. We report on a realist case study of a well performing hospital in Ghana and show how such a realist evaluation design can help to overcome the limited external validity of a traditional case study. Methods We developed a realist evaluation framework for hypothesis formulation, data collection, data analysis and synthesis of the findings. Focusing on the role of human resource management in hospital performance, we formulated our hypothesis around the high commitment management concept. Mixed methods were used in data collection, including individual and group interviews, observations and document reviews. Results We found that the human resource management approach (the actual intervention) included induction of new staff, training and personal development, good communication and information sharing, and decentralised decision-making. We identified 3 additional practices: ensuring optimal physical working conditions, access to top managers and managers' involvement on the work floor. Teamwork, recognition and trust emerged as key elements of the organisational climate. Interviewees reported high levels of organisational commitment. The analysis unearthed perceived organisational support and reciprocity as underlying mechanisms that link the management practices with commitment. Methodologically, we found that realist evaluation can be fruitfully used to develop detailed case studies that analyse how management interventions work and in which conditions. Analysing the links between intervention, mechanism and outcome increases the explaining power, while identification of essential context elements improves the usefulness of the findings for decision-makers in other settings (external validity). We also identified a number of practical difficulties and priorities for further methodological development. Conclusion This case suggests that a well-balanced HRM bundle can stimulate organisational commitment of health workers. Such practices can be implemented even with narrow decision spaces. Realist evaluation provides an appropriate approach to increase the usefulness of case studies to managers and policymakers. PMID:20100330

A realist evaluation of the management of a well-performing regional hospital in Ghana.

PubMed

Marchal, Bruno; Dedzo, McDamien; Kegels, Guy

2010-01-25

Realist evaluation offers an interesting approach to evaluation of interventions in complex settings, but has been little applied in health care. We report on a realist case study of a well performing hospital in Ghana and show how such a realist evaluation design can help to overcome the limited external validity of a traditional case study. We developed a realist evaluation framework for hypothesis formulation, data collection, data analysis and synthesis of the findings. Focusing on the role of human resource management in hospital performance, we formulated our hypothesis around the high commitment management concept. Mixed methods were used in data collection, including individual and group interviews, observations and document reviews. We found that the human resource management approach (the actual intervention) included induction of new staff, training and personal development, good communication and information sharing, and decentralised decision-making. We identified 3 additional practices: ensuring optimal physical working conditions, access to top managers and managers' involvement on the work floor. Teamwork, recognition and trust emerged as key elements of the organisational climate. Interviewees reported high levels of organisational commitment. The analysis unearthed perceived organisational support and reciprocity as underlying mechanisms that link the management practices with commitment. Methodologically, we found that realist evaluation can be fruitfully used to develop detailed case studies that analyse how management interventions work and in which conditions. Analysing the links between intervention, mechanism and outcome increases the explaining power, while identification of essential context elements improves the usefulness of the findings for decision-makers in other settings (external validity). We also identified a number of practical difficulties and priorities for further methodological development. This case suggests that a well-balanced HRM bundle can stimulate organisational commitment of health workers. Such practices can be implemented even with narrow decision spaces. Realist evaluation provides an appropriate approach to increase the usefulness of case studies to managers and policymakers.

A comparison between molten carbonate fuel cells based hybrid systems using air and supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycles with state of the art technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez, D.; Muñoz de Escalona, J. M.; Chacartegui, R.; Muñoz, A.; Sánchez, T.

A proposal for high efficiency hybrid systems based on molten carbonate fuel cells is presented in this paper. This proposal is based on adopting a closed cycle bottoming gas turbine using supercritical carbon dioxide as working fluid as opposed to open cycle hot air turbines typically used in this type of power generators. First, both bottoming cycles are compared for the same operating conditions, showing that their performances do not differ as much as initially expected, even if the initial objective of reducing compression work is accomplished satisfactorily. In view of these results, a profound review of research and industrial literature is carried out in order to determine realistic specifications for the principal components of the bottoming systems. From this analysis, it is concluded that an appropriate set of specifications must be developed for each bottoming cycle as the performances of compressor, turbine and recuperator differ significantly from one working fluid to another. Thus, when the operating conditions are updated, the performances of the resulting systems show a remarkable advantage of carbon dioxide based systems over conventional air units. Actually, the proposed hybrid system shows its capability to achieve 60% net efficiency, what represents a 10% increase with respect to the reference system.

Large-System Transformation in Health Care: A Realist Review

PubMed Central

Best, Allan; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Lewis, Steven; Saul, Jessie E; Carroll, Simon; Bitz, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Context An evidence base that addresses issues of complexity and context is urgently needed for large-system transformation (LST) and health care reform. Fundamental conceptual and methodological challenges also must be addressed. The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health in Canada requested a six-month synthesis project to guide four major policy development and strategy initiatives focused on patient- and family-centered care, primary health care renewal, quality improvement, and surgical wait lists. The aims of the review were to analyze examples of successful and less successful transformation initiatives, to synthesize knowledge of the underlying mechanisms, to clarify the role of government, and to outline options for evaluation. Methods We used realist review, whose working assumption is that a particular intervention triggers particular mechanisms of change. Mechanisms may be more or less effective in producing their intended outcomes, depending on their interaction with various contextual factors. We explain the variations in outcome as the interplay between context and mechanisms. We nested this analytic approach in a macro framing of complex adaptive systems (CAS). Findings Our rapid realist review identified five “simple rules” of LST that were likely to enhance the success of the target initiatives: (1) blend designated leadership with distributed leadership; (2) establish feedback loops; (3) attend to history; (4) engage physicians; and (5) include patients and families. These principles play out differently in different contexts affecting human behavior (and thereby contributing to change) through a wide range of different mechanisms. Conclusions Realist review methodology can be applied in combination with a complex system lens on published literature to produce a knowledge synthesis that informs a prospective change effort in large-system transformation. A collaborative process engaging both research producers and research users contributes to local applications of universal principles and mid-range theories, as well as to a more robust knowledge base for applied research. We conclude with suggestions for the future development of synthesis and evaluation methods. PMID:22985277

Magnetic Fields in Population III Star Formation

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

Turk, Matthew J.; Oishi, Jeffrey S.; Abel, Tom

2012-02-22

We study the buildup of magnetic fields during the formation of Population III star-forming regions, by conducting cosmological simulations from realistic initial conditions and varying the Jeans resolution. To investigate this in detail, we start simulations from identical initial conditions, mandating 16, 32 and 64 zones per Jeans length, and studied the variation in their magnetic field amplification. We find that, while compression results in some amplification, turbulent velocity fluctuations driven by the collapse can further amplify an initially weak seed field via dynamo action, provided there is sufficient numerical resolution to capture vortical motions (we find this requirement tomore » be 64 zones per Jeans length, slightly larger than, but consistent with previous work run with more idealized collapse scenarios). We explore saturation of amplification of the magnetic field, which could potentially become dynamically important in subsequent, fully-resolved calculations. We have also identified a relatively surprising phenomena that is purely hydrodynamic: the higher-resolved simulations possess substantially different characteristics, including higher infall-velocity, increased temperatures inside 1000 AU, and decreased molecular hydrogen content in the innermost region. Furthermore, we find that disk formation is suppressed in higher-resolution calculations, at least at the times that we can follow the calculation. We discuss the effect this may have on the buildup of disks over the accretion history of the first clump to form as well as the potential for gravitational instabilities to develop and induce fragmentation.« less

A Study of Large Droplet Ice Accretions in the NASA-Lewis IRT at Near-Freezing Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Dean R.; Addy, Harold E. , Jr.; Ide, Robert F.

1996-01-01

This report documents the results of an experimental study on large droplet ice accretions which was conducted in the NASA-Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) with a full-scale 77.25 inch chord Twin-Otter wing section. This study was intended to: (1) document the existing capability of the IRT to produce a large droplet icing cloud, and (2) study the effect of various parameters on large droplet ice accretions. Results are presented from a study of the IRT's capability to produce large droplets with MVD of 99 and 160 microns. The effect of the initial water droplet temperature on the resultant ice accretion was studied for different initial spray bar air and water temperatures. The initial spray bar water temperature was found to have no discernible effect upon the large droplet ice accretions. Also, analytical and experimental results suggest that the water droplet temperature is very nearly the same as the tunnel ambient temperature, thus providing a realistic simulation of the large droplet natural icing condition. The effect of temperature, droplet size, airspeed, angle-of attack, flap setting and de-icer boot cycling time on ice accretion was studied, and will be discussed in this report. It was found that, in almost all of the cases studied, an ice ridge formed immediately aft of the active portion of the de-icer boot. This ridge was irregular in shape, varied in location, and was in some cases discontinuous due to aerodynamic shedding.

Observing Convective Aggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holloway, Christopher E.; Wing, Allison A.; Bony, Sandrine; Muller, Caroline; Masunaga, Hirohiko; L'Ecuyer, Tristan S.; Turner, David D.; Zuidema, Paquita

2017-11-01

Convective self-aggregation, the spontaneous organization of initially scattered convection into isolated convective clusters despite spatially homogeneous boundary conditions and forcing, was first recognized and studied in idealized numerical simulations. While there is a rich history of observational work on convective clustering and organization, there have been only a few studies that have analyzed observations to look specifically for processes related to self-aggregation in models. Here we review observational work in both of these categories and motivate the need for more of this work. We acknowledge that self-aggregation may appear to be far-removed from observed convective organization in terms of time scales, initial conditions, initiation processes, and mean state extremes, but we argue that these differences vary greatly across the diverse range of model simulations in the literature and that these comparisons are already offering important insights into real tropical phenomena. Some preliminary new findings are presented, including results showing that a self-aggregation simulation with square geometry has too broad distribution of humidity and is too dry in the driest regions when compared with radiosonde records from Nauru, while an elongated channel simulation has realistic representations of atmospheric humidity and its variability. We discuss recent work increasing our understanding of how organized convection and climate change may interact, and how model discrepancies related to this question are prompting interest in observational comparisons. We also propose possible future directions for observational work related to convective aggregation, including novel satellite approaches and a ground-based observational network.

Violent Relaxation, Dynamical Instabilities and the Formation of Elliptical Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar, L. A.

1990-11-01

RESUMEN: El problema de la formaci6n de galaxias elfpticas por medjo de colapso gravitacional sin disipaci6n de energfa es estudiado usando un gran numero de simulaciones numericas. Se muestra que este tipo de colapsos, partiendo de condiciones iniciales frfas donde la energfa cinetica inicial representa s6lo un 5%, 0 , de a potencial inicial, produce sistemas relajados de forma triaxial muy similares a las galaxias elfpticas reales en sus formas y perfiles de densidad en proyecci6i . La forina triaxial resulta de la acci6n de una inestabilidad dinamica que aparece en sistemas 'inicos dominados por movimientos radiales, mientras que el perfil de densidad final Cs debido al llamado relajamiento violento que tiende a producir una distribuci6n en espacio fase unica. Estos dos fen6menos tienden a borrar los detalles particulares sobre las condiciones iniciales y dan lugar a una evoluci6n convergente hacia sistemas realistas, esto innecesario el uso de condiciones iniciales especiales (excepto por Ia condici6i de que estas deben ser frfas). Las condiciones iniciales frfas producen los movimientos radiales y fluctuaciones de la energfa potencial requeridos por ambos fen6menos. ABSTRACT: The problem of formation of elliptical galaxies via dissipationless collapse is studied using a large set of numerical simulations. It is shown that dissipationless collapses from cold initial conditions, where the total initial kinetic energy is less than 5% ofthe initial potential energy, lead to relaxed triaxial systems ery similar to real elliptical galaxies ii projected shape and density profiles. The triaxial shape is due to the of a dynamical instability that appears on systems dominated by radial orbits, while final density profile is due to violent relaxation that tends to produce a unique distribution iii space. These two phenomena erase memory of the initial prodtice a convergent evolution toward realistic systems, thus making unnecessary use o[special initial conditions (other than the condition ofbeing cold). Cold initial the radial orbits and large potential energy fluctuations necessary for both and are thus sufficient. KQ words: GALAXIES-DYNAMICS - GALAXIES-ELLIPTICAL - GALAXIES-FORMATION

Flow processes on the catchment scale - modeling of initial structural states and hydrological behavior in an artificial exemplary catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurer, Thomas; Caviedes-Voullième, Daniel; Hinz, Christoph; Gerke, Horst H.

2017-04-01

Landscapes that are heavily disturbed or newly formed by either natural processes or human activity are in a state of disequilibrium. Their initial development is thus characterized by highly dynamic processes under all climatic conditions. The primary distribution and structure of the solid phase (i.e. mineral particles forming the pore space) is one of the decisive factors for the development of hydrological behavior of the eco-hydrological system and therefore (co-) determining for its - more or less - stable final state. The artificially constructed ‚Hühnerwasser' catchment (a 6 ha area located in the open-cast lignite mine Welzow-Süd, southern Brandenburg, Germany) is a landscape laboratory where the initial eco-hydrological development is observed since 2005. The specific formation (or construction) processes generated characteristic sediment structures and distributions, resulting in a spatially heterogeneous initial state of the catchment. We developed a structure generator that simulates the characteristic distribution of the solid phase for such constructed landscapes. The program is able to generate quasi-realistic structures and sediment compositions on multiple spatial levels (1 cm up to 100 m scale). The generated structures can be i) conditioned to actual measurement values (e.g., soil texture and bulk distribution); ii) stochastically generated, and iii) calculated deterministically according to the geology and technical processes at the excavation site. Results are visualized using the GOCAD software package and the free software Paraview. Based on the 3D-spatial sediment distributions, effective hydraulic van-Genuchten parameters are calculated using pedotransfer functions. The hydraulic behavior of different sediment distribution (i.e. versions or variations of the catchment's porous body) is calculated using a numerical model developed by one of us (Caviedes-Voullième). Observation data are available from catchment monitoring are available for i) determining the boundary conditions (e.g., precipitation), and ii) the calibration / validation of the model (catchment discharge, ground water). The analysis of multiple sediment distribution scenarios should allow to approximately determine the influx of starting conditions on initial development of hydrological behavior. We present first flow modeling results for a reference (conditioned) catchment model and variations thereof. We will also give an outlook on further methodical development of our approach.

Improving stamping simulation accuracy by accounting for realistic friction and lubrication conditions: Application to the door-outer of the Mercedes-Benz C-class Coupé

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hol, J.; Wiebenga, J. H.; Stock, J.; Wied, J.; Wiegand, K.; Carleer, B.

2016-08-01

In the stamping of automotive parts, friction and lubrication play a key role in achieving high quality products. In the development process of new automotive parts, it is therefore crucial to accurately account for these effects in sheet metal forming simulations. Only then, one can obtain reliable and realistic simulation results that correspond to the actual try-out and mass production conditions. In this work, the TriboForm software is used to accurately account for tribology-, friction-, and lubrication conditions in stamping simulations. The enhanced stamping simulations are applied and validated for the door-outer of the Mercedes- Benz C-Class Coupe. The project results demonstrate the improved prediction accuracy of stamping simulations with respect to both part quality and actual stamping process conditions.

Engaging GPs in commissioning: realist evaluation of the early experiences of Clinical Commissioning Groups in the English NHS.

PubMed

McDermott, Imelda; Checkland, Kath; Coleman, Anna; Osipovič, Dorota; Petsoulas, Christina; Perkins, Neil

2017-01-01

Objectives To explore the 'added value' that general practitioners (GPs) bring to commissioning in the English NHS. We describe the experience of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in the context of previous clinically led commissioning policy initiatives. Methods Realist evaluation. We identified the programme theories underlying the claims made about GP 'added value' in commissioning from interviews with key informants. We tested these theories against observational data from four case study sites to explore whether and how these claims were borne out in practice. Results The complexity of CCG structures means CCGs are quite different from one another with different distributions of responsibilities between the various committees. This makes it difficult to compare CCGs with one another. Greater GP involvement was important but it was not clear where and how GPs could add most value. We identified some of the mechanisms and conditions which enable CCGs to maximize the 'added value' that GPs bring to commissioning. Conclusion To maximize the value of clinical input, CCGs need to invest time and effort in preparing those involved, ensuring that they systematically gather evidence about service gaps and problems from their members, and engaging members in debate about the future shape of services.

Engaging GPs in commissioning: realist evaluation of the early experiences of Clinical Commissioning Groups in the English NHS

PubMed Central

Checkland, Kath; Coleman, Anna; Osipovič, Dorota; Petsoulas, Christina; Perkins, Neil

2016-01-01

Objectives To explore the ‘added value’ that general practitioners (GPs) bring to commissioning in the English NHS. We describe the experience of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in the context of previous clinically led commissioning policy initiatives. Methods Realist evaluation. We identified the programme theories underlying the claims made about GP ‘added value’ in commissioning from interviews with key informants. We tested these theories against observational data from four case study sites to explore whether and how these claims were borne out in practice. Results The complexity of CCG structures means CCGs are quite different from one another with different distributions of responsibilities between the various committees. This makes it difficult to compare CCGs with one another. Greater GP involvement was important but it was not clear where and how GPs could add most value. We identified some of the mechanisms and conditions which enable CCGs to maximize the ‘added value’ that GPs bring to commissioning. Conclusion To maximize the value of clinical input, CCGs need to invest time and effort in preparing those involved, ensuring that they systematically gather evidence about service gaps and problems from their members, and engaging members in debate about the future shape of services. PMID:27151153

The thermal impact of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) systems: a case study in the Netherlands, combining monitoring and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visser, Philip W.; Kooi, Henk; Stuyfzand, Pieter J.

2015-05-01

Results are presented of a comprehensive thermal impact study on an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. The study involved monitoring of the thermal impact and modeling of the three-dimensional temperature evolution of the storage aquifer and over- and underlying units. Special attention was paid to non-uniformity of the background temperature, which varies laterally and vertically in the aquifer. Two models were applied with different levels of detail regarding initial conditions and heterogeneity of hydraulic and thermal properties: a fine-scale heterogeneity model which construed the lateral and vertical temperature distribution more realistically, and a simplified model which represented the aquifer system with only a limited number of homogeneous layers. Fine-scale heterogeneity was shown to be important to accurately model the ATES-impacted vertical temperature distribution and the maximum and minimum temperatures in the storage aquifer, and the spatial extent of the thermal plumes. The fine-scale heterogeneity model resulted in larger thermally impacted areas and larger temperature anomalies than the simplified model. The models showed that scattered and scarce monitoring data of ATES-induced temperatures can be interpreted in a useful way by groundwater and heat transport modeling, resulting in a realistic assessment of the thermal impact.

Empirical phylogenies and species abundance distributions are consistent with preequilibrium dynamics of neutral community models with gene flow.

PubMed

Bonnet-Lebrun, Anne-Sophie; Manica, Andrea; Eriksson, Anders; Rodrigues, Ana S L

2017-05-01

Community characteristics reflect past ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Here, we investigate whether it is possible to obtain realistically shaped modeled communities-that is with phylogenetic trees and species abundance distributions shaped similarly to typical empirical bird and mammal communities-from neutral community models. To test the effect of gene flow, we contrasted two spatially explicit individual-based neutral models: one with protracted speciation, delayed by gene flow, and one with point mutation speciation, unaffected by gene flow. The former produced more realistic communities (shape of phylogenetic tree and species-abundance distribution), consistent with gene flow being a key process in macro-evolutionary dynamics. Earlier models struggled to capture the empirically observed branching tempo in phylogenetic trees, as measured by the gamma statistic. We show that the low gamma values typical of empirical trees can be obtained in models with protracted speciation, in preequilibrium communities developing from an initially abundant and widespread species. This was even more so in communities sampled incompletely, particularly if the unknown species are the youngest. Overall, our results demonstrate that the characteristics of empirical communities that we have studied can, to a large extent, be explained through a purely neutral model under preequilibrium conditions. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

A dynamic model of some malaria-transmitting anopheline mosquitoes of the Afrotropical region. I. Model description and sensitivity analysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Most of the current biophysical models designed to address the large-scale distribution of malaria assume that transmission of the disease is independent of the vector involved. Another common assumption in these type of model is that the mortality rate of mosquitoes is constant over their life span and that their dispersion is negligible. Mosquito models are important in the prediction of malaria and hence there is a need for a realistic representation of the vectors involved. Results We construct a biophysical model including two competing species, Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anopheles arabiensis. Sensitivity analysis highlight the importance of relative humidity and mosquito size, the initial conditions and dispersion, and a rarely used parameter, the probability of finding blood. We also show that the assumption of exponential mortality of adult mosquitoes does not match the observed data, and suggest that an age dimension can overcome this problem. Conclusions This study highlights some of the assumptions commonly used when constructing mosquito-malaria models and presents a realistic model of An. gambiae s.s. and An. arabiensis and their interaction. This new mosquito model, OMaWa, can improve our understanding of the dynamics of these vectors, which in turn can be used to understand the dynamics of malaria. PMID:23342980

Largescale Long-term particle Simulations of Runaway electrons in Tokamaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jian; Qin, Hong; Wang, Yulei

2016-10-01

To understand runaway dynamical behavior is crucial to assess the safety of tokamaks. Though many important analytical and numerical results have been achieved, the overall dynamic behaviors of runaway electrons in a realistic tokamak configuration is still rather vague. In this work, the secular full-orbit simulations of runaway electrons are carried out based on a relativistic volume-preserving algorithm. Detailed phase-space behaviors of runaway electrons are investigated in different timescales spanning 11 orders. A detailed analysis of the collisionless neoclassical scattering is provided when considering the coupling between the rotation of momentum vector and the background field. In large timescale, the initial condition of runaway electrons in phase space globally influences the runaway distribution. It is discovered that parameters and field configuration of tokamaks can modify the runaway electron dynamics significantly. Simulations on 10 million cores of supercomputer using the APT code have been completed. A resolution of 107 in phase space is used, and simulations are performed for 1011 time steps. Largescale simulations show that in a realistic fusion reactor, the concern of runaway electrons is not as serious as previously thought. This research was supported by National Magnetic Connement Fusion Energy Research Project (2015GB111003, 2014GB124005), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC-11575185, 11575186) and the GeoAlgorithmic Plasma Simulator (GAPS) Project.

The melting and solidification of nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florio, B. J.; Myers, T. G.

2016-06-01

A mathematical model is developed to describe the melting of nanowires. The first section of the paper deals with a standard theoretical situation, where the wire melts due to a fixed boundary temperature. This analysis allows us to compare with existing results for the phase change of nanospheres. The equivalent solidification problem is also examined. This shows that solidification is a faster process than melting; this is because the energy transfer occurs primarily through the solid rather than the liquid which is a poorer conductor of heat. This effect competes with the energy required to create new solid surface which acts to slow down the process, but overall conduction dominates. In the second section, we consider a more physically realistic boundary condition, where the phase change occurs due to a heat flux from surrounding material. This removes the singularity in initial melt velocity predicted in previous models of nanoparticle melting. It is shown that even with the highest possible flux the melting time is significantly slower than with a fixed boundary temperature condition.

A new test method for the assessment of the arc tracking properties of wire insulation in air, oxygen enriched atmospheres and vacuum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, Dieter

1994-01-01

Development of a new test method suitable for the assessment of the resistance of aerospace cables to arc tracking for different specific environmental and network conditions of spacecraft is given in view-graph format. The equipment can be easily adapted for tests at different realistic electrical network conditions incorporating circuit protection and the test system works equally well whatever the test atmosphere. Test results confirm that pure Kapton insulated wire has bad arcing characteristics and ETFE insulated wire is considerably better in air. For certain wires, arc tracking effects are increased at higher oxygen concentrations and significantly increased under vacuum. All tests on different cable insulation materials and in different environments, including enriched oxygen atmospheres, resulted in a more or less rapid extinguishing of all high temperature effects at the beginning of the post-test phase. In no case was a self-maintained fire initiated by the arc.

A mathematical problem and a Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment (SCOLE) used to evaluate control laws for flexible spacecraft. NASA/IEEE design challenge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Lawrence W., Jr.; Balakrishnan, A. V.

1988-01-01

The problen of controlling large, flexible space systems has been evaluated using computer simulation. In several cases, ground experiments have also been used to validate system performance under more realistic conditions. There remains a need, however, to test additional control laws for flexible spacecraft and to directly compare competing design techniques. A program is discussed which has been initiated to make direct comparisons of control laws for, first, a mathematical problem, then and experimental test article being assembled under the cognizance of the Spacecraft Control Branch at the NASA Langley Research Center with the advice and counsel of the IEEE Subcommittee on Large Space Structures. The physical apparatus will consist of a softly supported dynamic model of an antenna attached to the Shuttle by a flexible beam. The control objective will include the task of directing the line-of-sight of the Shuttle antenna configuration toward a fixed target, under conditions of noisy data, control authority and random disturbances.

Uneven-aged management of old-growth spruce-fir forests: Cutting methods and stand structure goals for the initial entry

Treesearch

Robert R. Alexander; Carleton B. Edminster

1977-01-01

Topics discussed include: (1) cutting methods, (2) stand structure goals, which involve choosing a residual stocking level, selecting a maximum tree size, and establishing a diameter distribution using the "q" technique, and (3) harvesting and removal of trees. Examples illustrate how to determine realistic stand structures for the initial entry for...

Health provider responsiveness to social accountability initiatives in low- and middle-income countries: a realist review.

PubMed

Lodenstein, Elsbet; Dieleman, Marjolein; Gerretsen, Barend; Broerse, Jacqueline E W

2017-02-01

Social accountability in the health sector has been promoted as a strategy to improve the quality and performance of health providers in low- and middle-income countries. Whether improvements occur, however, depends on the willingness and ability of health providers to respond to societal pressure for better care. This article uses a realist approach to review cases of collective citizen action and advocacy with the aim to identify key mechanisms of provider responsiveness. Purposeful searches for cases were combined with a systematic search in four databases. To be included in the review, the initiatives needed to describe at least one outcome at the level of frontline service provision. Some 37 social accountability initiatives in 15 countries met these criteria. Using a realist approach, retroductive analysis and triangulation of methods and sources were performed to construct Context-Mechanism-Outcome configurations that explain potential pathways to provider responsiveness. The findings suggest that health provider receptivity to citizens' demands for better health care is mediated by health providers' perceptions of the legitimacy of citizen groups and by the extent to which citizen groups provide personal and professional support to health providers. Some citizen groups activated political or formal bureaucratic accountability channels but the effect on provider responsiveness of such strategies was more mixed. Favourable contexts for health provider responsiveness comprise socio-political contexts in which providers self-identify as activists, health system contexts in which health providers depend on citizens' expertise and capacities, and health system contexts where providers have the self-perceived ability to change the system in which they operate. Rather than providing recipes for successful social accountability initiatives, the synthesis proposes a programme theory that can support reflections on the theories of change underpinning social accountability initiatives and interventions to improve the quality of primary health care in different settings. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The Measurement of Hot-Spots in Granulated Ammonium Nitrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proud, W. G.

2002-07-01

Ammonium Nitrate (AN) is one of the components of the most widely used explosive in the world namely, ammonium nitrate: fuel oil mixtures (ANFO). By itself, it is an oxygen positive explosive with a large critical diameter. Hot-spots are produced in explosives by various means including gas space collapse, localised shear or friction. If these hot-spots reach critical conditions of size, temperature and duration reaction can grow. This deflagration stage may eventually transition to detonation. This paper describes high-speed image-intensified photography study in which the number and growth of hot spots in granular AN are monitored for a range of different impact pressures. The results can be used in detonation codes to provide a more accurate and realistic description of the initiation process.

The Measurement of Hot-spots in Granulated Ammonium Nitrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proud, William; Field, John

2001-06-01

Ammonium Nitrate (AN) is one of the components of the most widely used explosive in the world ammonium nitrate: fuel oil mixtures (ANFO). By itself, it is an oxygen negative explosive with a large critical diameter. Hot-spots are produced in explosives by various means including gas space collapse, localised shear or friction. If these hot-spots reach critical conditions of size, temperature and duration size reaction can grow. This deflagration stage may eventually transition to detonation. This paper describes a system and presents results where high-speed image intensified photography is used to monitor the number and growth of hot spots in granular AN under a range of different impact pressures. The results can be used in detonation codes to provide a more accurate and realistic description of the initiation process.

An improved PID switching control strategy for type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Marchetti, Gianni; Barolo, Massimiliano; Jovanovic, Lois; Zisser, Howard; Seborg, Dale E

2006-01-01

In order for an "artificial pancreas" to become a reality for ambulatory use, a practical closed-loop control strategy must be developed and critically evaluated. In this paper, an improved PID control strategy for blood glucose control is proposed and evaluated in silico using a physiologic model of Hovorka et al. The key features of the proposed control strategy are: (i) a switching strategy for initiating PID control after a meal and insulin bolus; (ii) a novel time-varying setpoint trajectory, (iii) noise and derivative filters to reduce sensitivity to sensor noise, and (iv) a systematic controller tuning strategy. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy compares favorably to alternatives for realistic conditions that include meal challenges, incorrect carbohydrate meal estimates, changes in insulin sensitivity, and measurement noise.

Methodology for determination and use of the no-escape envelope of an air-to-air-missile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neuman, Frank

1988-01-01

A large gap exists between optimal control and differential-game theory and their applications. The purpose of this paper is to show how this gap may be bridged. Missile-avoidance of realistically simulated infrared heat-seeking, fire-and-forget missile is studied. In detailed simulations, sweeping out the discretized initial condition space, avoidance methods based on pilot experience are combined with those based on simplified optimal control analysis to derive an approximation to the no-escape missile envelopes. The detailed missile equations and no-escape envelopes were then incorporated into an existing piloted simulation of air-to-air combat to generate missile firing decisions as well as missile avoidance commands. The use of these envelopes was found to be effective in both functions.

Supersymmetric Sneutrino-Higgs inflation

DOE PAGES

Deen, Rehan; Ovrut, Burt A.; Purves, Austin

2016-10-04

It is shown that in the phenomenologically realistic supersymmetric MSSM theory, a linear combination of the neutral, up Higgs field with the third family left- and right-handed sneutrinos can play the role of the cosmological inflaton. Assuming that supersymmetry is softly broken at a mass scale of order , the potential energy associated with this field allows for 60 e-foldings of inflation with the cosmological parameters being consistent with all Planck2015 data. The theory does not require any non-standard coupling to gravity and the physical fields are all sub-Planckian during the inflationary epoch. It will be shown that there ismore » a “robust” set of initial conditions which, in addition to satisfying the Planck data, simultaneously are consistent with all present LHC phenomenological requirements.« less

Life Cycle Costing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCraley, Thomas L.

1985-01-01

Life cycle costing establishes a realistic comparison of the cost of owning and operating products. The formula of initial cost plus maintenance plus operation divided by useful life identifies the best price over the lifetime of the product purchased. (MLF)

Towards a realistic population of simulated galaxy groups and clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Brun, Amandine M. C.; McCarthy, Ian G.; Schaye, Joop; Ponman, Trevor J.

2014-06-01

We present a new suite of large-volume cosmological hydrodynamical simulations called cosmo-OWLS. They form an extension to the OverWhelmingly Large Simulations (OWLS) project, and have been designed to help improve our understanding of cluster astrophysics and non-linear structure formation, which are now the limiting systematic errors when using clusters as cosmological probes. Starting from identical initial conditions in either the Planck or WMAP7 cosmologies, we systematically vary the most important `sub-grid' physics, including feedback from supernovae and active galactic nuclei (AGN). We compare the properties of the simulated galaxy groups and clusters to a wide range of observational data, such as X-ray luminosity and temperature, gas mass fractions, entropy and density profiles, Sunyaev-Zel'dovich flux, I-band mass-to-light ratio, dominance of the brightest cluster galaxy and central massive black hole (BH) masses, by producing synthetic observations and mimicking observational analysis techniques. These comparisons demonstrate that some AGN feedback models can produce a realistic population of galaxy groups and clusters, broadly reproducing both the median trend and, for the first time, the scatter in physical properties over approximately two decades in mass (1013 M⊙ ≲ M500 ≲ 1015 M⊙) and 1.5 decades in radius (0.05 ≲ r/r500 ≲ 1.5). However, in other models, the AGN feedback is too violent (even though they reproduce the observed BH scaling relations), implying that calibration of the models is required. The production of realistic populations of simulated groups and clusters, as well as models that bracket the observations, opens the door to the creation of synthetic surveys for assisting the astrophysical and cosmological interpretation of cluster surveys, as well as quantifying the impact of selection effects.

Evaluation Of Risk And Possible Mitigation Schemes For Previously Unidentified Hazards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linzey, William; McCutchan, Micah; Traskos, Michael; Gilbrech, Richard; Cherney, Robert; Slenski, George; Thomas, Walter, III

2006-01-01

This report presents the results of arc track testing conducted to determine if such a transfer of power to un-energized wires is possible and/or likely during an arcing event, and to evaluate an array of protection schemes that may significantly reduce the possibility of such a transfer. The results of these experiments may be useful for determining the level of protection necessary to guard against spurious voltage and current being applied to safety critical circuits. It was not the purpose of these experiments to determine the probability of the initiation of an arc track event only if an initiation did occur could it cause the undesired event: an inadvertent thruster firing. The primary wire insulation used in the Orbiter is aromatic polyimide, or Kapton , a construction known to arc track under certain conditions [3]. Previous Boeing testing has shown that arc tracks can initiate in aromatic polyimide insulated 28 volts direct current (VDC) power circuits using more realistic techniques such as chafing with an aluminum blade (simulating the corner of an avionics box or lip of a wire tray), or vibration of an aluminum plate against a wire bundle [4]. Therefore, an arc initiation technique was chosen that provided a reliable and consistent technique of starting the arc and not a realistic simulation of a scenario on the vehicle. Once an arc is initiated, the current, power and propagation characteristics of the arc depend on the power source, wire gauge and insulation type, circuit protection and series resistance rather than type of initiation. The initiation method employed for these tests was applying an oil and graphite mixture to the ends of a powered twisted pair wire. The flight configuration of the heater circuits, the fuel/oxider (or ox) wire, and the RCS jet solenoid were modeled in the test configuration so that the behavior of these components during an arcing event could be studied. To determine if coil activation would occur with various protection wire schemes, 145 tests were conducted using various fuel/ox wire alternatives (shielded and unshielded) and/or different combinations of polytetrafuloroethylene (PTFE), Mystik tape and convoluted wraps to prevent unwanted coil activation. Test results were evaluated along with other pertinent data and information to develop a mitigation strategy for an inadvertent RCS firing. The SSP evaluated civilian aircraft wiring failures to search for aging trends in assessing the wire-short hazard. Appendix 2 applies Weibull statistical methods to the same data with a similar purpose.

Effects of damping on mode shapes, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gates, R. M.

1977-01-01

Displacement, velocity, and acceleration admittances were calculated for a realistic NASTRAN structural model of space shuttle for three conditions: liftoff, maximum dynamic pressure and end of solid rocket booster burn. The realistic model of the orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket motors included the representation of structural joint transmissibilities by finite stiffness and damping elements. Methods developed to incorporate structural joints and their damping characteristics into a finite element model of the space shuttle, to determine the point damping parameters required to produce realistic damping in the primary modes, and to calculate the effect of distributed damping on structural resonances through the calculation of admittances.

Active and realistic passive marijuana exposure tested by three immunoassays and GC/MS in urine

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

Mule, S.J.; Lomax, P.; Gross, S.J.

Human urine samples obtained before and after active and passive exposure to marijuana were analyzed by immune kits (Roche, Amersham, and Syva) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Seven of eight subjects were positive for the entire five-day test period with one immune kit. The latter correlated with GC/MS in 98% of the samples. Passive inhalation experiments under conditions likely to reflect realistic exposure resulted consistently in less than 10 ng/mL of cannabinoids. The 10-100-ng/mL cannabinoid concentration range essential for detection of occasional and moderate marijuana users is thus unaffected by realistic passive inhalation.

Regional Model Nesting Within GFS Daily Forecasts Over West Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Druyan, Leonard M.; Fulakeza, Matthew; Lonergan, Patrick; Worrell, Ruben

2010-01-01

The study uses the RM3, the regional climate model at the Center for Climate Systems Research of Columbia University and the NASA/Goddard Institute for Space Studies (CCSR/GISS). The paper evaluates 30 48-hour RM3 weather forecasts over West Africa during September 2006 made on a 0.5 grid nested within 1 Global Forecast System (GFS) global forecasts. September 2006 was the Special Observing Period #3 of the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA). Archived GFS initial conditions and lateral boundary conditions for the simulations from the US National Weather Service, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration were interpolated four times daily. Results for precipitation forecasts are validated against Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) satellite estimates and data from the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS), which includes rain gauge measurements, and forecasts of circulation are compared to reanalysis 2. Performance statistics for the precipitation forecasts include bias, root-mean-square errors and spatial correlation coefficients. The nested regional model forecasts are compared to GFS forecasts to gauge whether nesting provides additional realistic information. They are also compared to RM3 simulations driven by reanalysis 2, representing high potential skill forecasts, to gauge the sensitivity of results to lateral boundary conditions. Nested RM3/GFS forecasts generate excessive moisture advection toward West Africa, which in turn causes prodigious amounts of model precipitation. This problem is corrected by empirical adjustments in the preparation of lateral boundary conditions and initial conditions. The resulting modified simulations improve on the GFS precipitation forecasts, achieving time-space correlations with TRMM of 0.77 on the first day and 0.63 on the second day. One realtime RM3/GFS precipitation forecast made at and posted by the African Centre of Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD) in Niamey, Niger is shown.

Dynamic statistical optimization of GNSS radio occultation bending angles: advanced algorithm and performance analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y.; Kirchengast, G.; Scherllin-Pirscher, B.; Norman, R.; Yuan, Y. B.; Fritzer, J.; Schwaerz, M.; Zhang, K.

2015-08-01

We introduce a new dynamic statistical optimization algorithm to initialize ionosphere-corrected bending angles of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based radio occultation (RO) measurements. The new algorithm estimates background and observation error covariance matrices with geographically varying uncertainty profiles and realistic global-mean correlation matrices. The error covariance matrices estimated by the new approach are more accurate and realistic than in simplified existing approaches and can therefore be used in statistical optimization to provide optimal bending angle profiles for high-altitude initialization of the subsequent Abel transform retrieval of refractivity. The new algorithm is evaluated against the existing Wegener Center Occultation Processing System version 5.6 (OPSv5.6) algorithm, using simulated data on two test days from January and July 2008 and real observed CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) measurements from the complete months of January and July 2008. The following is achieved for the new method's performance compared to OPSv5.6: (1) significant reduction of random errors (standard deviations) of optimized bending angles down to about half of their size or more; (2) reduction of the systematic differences in optimized bending angles for simulated MetOp data; (3) improved retrieval of refractivity and temperature profiles; and (4) realistically estimated global-mean correlation matrices and realistic uncertainty fields for the background and observations. Overall the results indicate high suitability for employing the new dynamic approach in the processing of long-term RO data into a reference climate record, leading to well-characterized and high-quality atmospheric profiles over the entire stratosphere.

Understanding how and why audits work: protocol for a realist review of audit programmes to improve hospital care.

PubMed

Hut-Mossel, Lisanne; Welker, Gera; Ahaus, Kees; Gans, Rijk

2017-06-14

Many types of audits are commonly used in hospital care to promote quality improvements. However, the evidence on the effectiveness of audits is mixed. The objectives of this proposed realist review are (1) to understand how and why audits might, or might not, work in terms of delivering the intended outcome of improved quality of hospital care and (2) to examine under what circumstances audits could potentially be effective. This protocol will provide the rationale for using a realist review approach and outline the method. This review will be conducted using an iterative four-stage approach. The first and second steps have already been executed. The first step was to develop an initial programme theory based on the literature that explains how audits are supposed to work. Second, a systematic literature search was conducted using relevant databases. Third, data will be extracted and coded for concepts relating to context, outcomes and their interrelatedness. Finally, the data will be synthesised in a five-step process: (1) organising the extracted data into evidence tables, (2) theming, (3) formulating chains of inference from the identified themes, (4) linking the chains of inference and formulating CMO configurations and (5) refining the initial programme theory. The reporting of the review will follow the 'Realist and Meta-Review Evidence Synthesis: Evolving Standards' (RAMESES) publication standards. This review does not require formal ethical approval. A better understanding of how and why these audits work, and how context impacts their effectiveness, will inform stakeholders in deciding how to tailor and implement audits within their local context. We will use a range of dissemination strategies to ensure that findings from this realist review are broadly disseminated to academic and non-academic audiences. CRD42016039882. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Effects of damping on mode shapes, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gates, R. M.; Merchant, D. H.; Arnquist, J. L.

1977-01-01

Displacement, velocity, and acceleration admittances were calculated for a realistic NASTRAN structural model of space shuttle for three conditions: liftoff, maximum dynamic pressure and end of solid rocket booster burn. The realistic model of the orbiter, external tank, and solid rocket motors included the representation of structural joint transmissibilities by finite stiffness and damping elements. Data values for the finite damping elements were assigned to duplicate overall low-frequency modal damping values taken from tests of similar vehicles. For comparison with the calculated admittances, position and rate gains were computed for a conventional shuttle model for the liftoff condition. Dynamic characteristics and admittances for the space shuttle model are presented.

Low cost digester monitoring under realistic conditions: Rural use of biogas and digestate quality.

PubMed

Castro, L; Escalante, H; Jaimes-Estévez, J; Díaz, L J; Vecino, K; Rojas, G; Mantilla, L

2017-09-01

The purpose of this work was to assess the behaviour of anaerobic digestion of cattle manure in a rural digester under realistic conditions, and estimate the quality and properties of the digestate. The data obtained during monitoring indicated that the digester operation was stable without risk of inhibition. It produced an average of 0.85Nm 3 biogas/d at 65.6% methane, providing an energy savings of 76%. In addition, the digestate contained high nutrient concentrations, which is an important feature of fertilizers. However, this method requires post-treatment due to the presence of pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between ambient illumination and psychological factors in viewing of display Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwanami, Takuya; Kikuchi, Ayano; Kaneko, Takashi; Hirai, Keita; Yano, Natsumi; Nakaguchi, Toshiya; Tsumura, Norimichi; Yoshida, Yasuhiro; Miyake, Yoichi

2009-01-01

In this paper, we have clarified the relationship between ambient illumination and psychological factors in viewing of display images. Psychological factors were obtained by the factor analysis with the results of the semantic differential (SD) method. In the psychological experiments, subjects evaluated the impressions of displayed images with changing ambient illuminating conditions. The illumination conditions were controlled by a fluorescent ceiling light and a color LED illumination which was located behind the display. We experimented under two kinds of conditions. One was the experiment with changing brightness of the ambient illumination. The other was the experiment with changing the colors of the background illumination. In the results of the experiment, two factors "realistic sensation, dynamism" and "comfortable," were extracted under different brightness of the ambient illumination of the display surroundings. It was shown that the "comfortable" was improved by the brightness of display surroundings. On the other hand, when the illumination color of surroundings was changed, three factors "comfortable," "realistic sensation, dynamism" and "activity" were extracted. It was also shown that the value of "comfortable" and "realistic sensation, dynamism" increased when the display surroundings were illuminated by the average color of the image contents.

Shipbuilding Docks as Experimental Systems for Realistic Assessments of Anthropogenic Stressors on Marine Organisms

PubMed Central

Harding, Harry R.; Bunce, Tom; Birch, Fiona; Lister, Jessica; Spiga, Ilaria; Benson, Tom; Rossington, Kate; Jones, Diane; Tyler, Charles R.; Simpson, Stephen D.

2017-01-01

Abstract Empirical investigations of the impacts of anthropogenic stressors on marine organisms are typically performed under controlled laboratory conditions, onshore mesocosms, or via offshore experiments with realistic (but uncontrolled) environmental variation. These approaches have merits, but onshore setups are generally small sized and fail to recreate natural stressor fields, whereas offshore studies are often compromised by confounding factors. We suggest the use of flooded shipbuilding docks to allow studying realistic exposure to stressors and their impacts on the intra- and interspecific responses of animals. Shipbuilding docks permit the careful study of groups of known animals, including the evaluation of their behavioral interactions, while enabling full control of the stressor and many environmental conditions. We propose that this approach could be used for assessing the impacts of prominent anthropogenic stressors, including chemicals, ocean warming, and sound. Results from shipbuilding-dock studies could allow improved parameterization of predictive models relating to the environmental risks and population consequences of anthropogenic stressors. PMID:29599545

Shipbuilding Docks as Experimental Systems for Realistic Assessments of Anthropogenic Stressors on Marine Organisms.

PubMed

Bruintjes, Rick; Harding, Harry R; Bunce, Tom; Birch, Fiona; Lister, Jessica; Spiga, Ilaria; Benson, Tom; Rossington, Kate; Jones, Diane; Tyler, Charles R; Radford, Andrew N; Simpson, Stephen D

2017-09-01

Empirical investigations of the impacts of anthropogenic stressors on marine organisms are typically performed under controlled laboratory conditions, onshore mesocosms, or via offshore experiments with realistic (but uncontrolled) environmental variation. These approaches have merits, but onshore setups are generally small sized and fail to recreate natural stressor fields, whereas offshore studies are often compromised by confounding factors. We suggest the use of flooded shipbuilding docks to allow studying realistic exposure to stressors and their impacts on the intra- and interspecific responses of animals. Shipbuilding docks permit the careful study of groups of known animals, including the evaluation of their behavioral interactions, while enabling full control of the stressor and many environmental conditions. We propose that this approach could be used for assessing the impacts of prominent anthropogenic stressors, including chemicals, ocean warming, and sound. Results from shipbuilding-dock studies could allow improved parameterization of predictive models relating to the environmental risks and population consequences of anthropogenic stressors.

Nonmonotonic velocity dependence of atomic friction.

PubMed

Reimann, Peter; Evstigneev, Mykhaylo

2004-12-03

We propose a theoretical model for friction force microscopy experiments with special emphasis on the realistic description of dissipation and inertia effects. Its main prediction is a nonmonotonic dependence of the friction force upon the sliding velocity of the atomic force microscope tip relative to an atomically flat surface. The region around the force maximum can be approximately described by a universal scaling law and should be observable under experimentally realistic conditions.

Time-dependent MHD simulations of the solar wind outflow using interplanetary scintillation observations

DOE PAGES

Kim, Tae K.; Pogorelov, Nikolai V.; Borovikov, Sergey N.; ...

2012-11-20

Numerical modeling of the heliosphere is a critical component of space weather forecasting. The accuracy of heliospheric models can be improved by using realistic boundary conditions and confirming the results with in situ spacecraft measurements. To accurately reproduce the solar wind (SW) plasma flow near Earth, we need realistic, time-dependent boundary conditions at a fixed distance from the Sun. We may prepare such boundary conditions using SW speed and density determined from interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observations, magnetic field derived from photospheric magnetograms, and temperature estimated from its correlation with SW speed. In conclusion, we present here the time-dependent MHD simulationmore » results obtained by using the 2011 IPS data from the Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory as time-varying inner boundary conditions and compare the simulated data at Earth with OMNI data (spacecraft-interspersed, near-Earth solar wind data).« less

Reinforcements, ammunition limits, and termination of neutralization engagements in ASSESS

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

Paulus, W.K.; Mondragon, J.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on the ASSESS Neutralization Analysis module (Neutralization) which is part of Analytic system and Software for Evaluation of Safeguards and Security, ASSESS, a vulnerability assessment tool. Neutralization models a fire fight engagement between security inspectors (SIs) and adversaries. The model has been improved to represent more realistically the addition of reinforcements to an engagement, the criteria for declaring an engagement terminated, and the amount of ammunition which security forces can use. SI reinforcements must prevent adversaries from achieving their purpose even if an initial security force has been overcome. The reinforcements must be timely. A variety ofmore » reinforcement timeliness cases can be modeled. Reinforcements that are not timely are shown to be ineffective in the calculated results. Engagements may terminate before all combatants on one side are neutralized if they recognize that they are losing. A winner is declared when the number of survivors on one side is reduced to a user specified level. Realistically, the amount of ammunition that can be carried into an engagement is limited. Neutralization now permits the analyst to specify the number of rounds available to the security forces initially and the quantity of resupply that is introduced with reinforcements. These new capabilities all contribute toward more realistic modeling of neutralization engagements.« less

Novel high-fidelity realistic explosion damage simulation for urban environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaoqing; Yadegar, Jacob; Zhu, Youding; Raju, Chaitanya; Bhagavathula, Jaya

2010-04-01

Realistic building damage simulation has a significant impact in modern modeling and simulation systems especially in diverse panoply of military and civil applications where these simulation systems are widely used for personnel training, critical mission planning, disaster management, etc. Realistic building damage simulation should incorporate accurate physics-based explosion models, rubble generation, rubble flyout, and interactions between flying rubble and their surrounding entities. However, none of the existing building damage simulation systems sufficiently faithfully realize the criteria of realism required for effective military applications. In this paper, we present a novel physics-based high-fidelity and runtime efficient explosion simulation system to realistically simulate destruction to buildings. In the proposed system, a family of novel blast models is applied to accurately and realistically simulate explosions based on static and/or dynamic detonation conditions. The system also takes account of rubble pile formation and applies a generic and scalable multi-component based object representation to describe scene entities and highly scalable agent-subsumption architecture and scheduler to schedule clusters of sequential and parallel events. The proposed system utilizes a highly efficient and scalable tetrahedral decomposition approach to realistically simulate rubble formation. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system has the capability to realistically simulate rubble generation, rubble flyout and their primary and secondary impacts on surrounding objects including buildings, constructions, vehicles and pedestrians in clusters of sequential and parallel damage events.

Realism and resources: Towards more explanatory economic evaluation

PubMed Central

Anderson, Rob; Hardwick, Rebecca

2016-01-01

To be successfully and sustainably adopted, policy-makers, service managers and practitioners want public programmes to be affordable and cost-effective, as well as effective. While the realist evaluation question is often summarised as what works for whom, under what circumstances, we believe the approach can be as salient to answering questions about resource use, costs and cost-effectiveness – the traditional domain of economic evaluation methods. This paper first describes the key similarities and differences between economic evaluation and realist evaluation. It summarises what health economists see as the challenges of evaluating complex interventions, and their suggested solutions. We then use examples of programme theory from a recent realist review of shared care for chronic conditions to illustrate two ways in which realist evaluations might better capture the resource requirements and resource consequences of programmes, and thereby produce explanations of how they are linked to outcomes (i.e. explanations of cost-effectiveness). PMID:27478402

ELUCID—Exploring the Local Universe with the reConstructed Initial Density Field. II. Reconstruction Diagnostics, Applied to Numerical Halo Catalogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tweed, Dylan; Yang, Xiaohu; Wang, Huiyuan; Cui, Weiguang; Zhang, Youcai; Li, Shijie; Jing, Y. P.; Mo, H. J.

2017-05-01

The ELUCID project aims to build a series of realistic cosmological simulations that reproduce the spatial and mass distributions of the galaxies as observed in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This requires powerful reconstruction techniques to create constrained initial conditions (ICs). We test the reconstruction method by applying it to several N-body simulations. We use two medium-resolution simulations, which each produced three additional constrained N-body simulations. We compare the resulting friend-of-friend catalogs by using the particle indexes as tracers, and quantify the quality of the reconstruction by varying the main smoothing parameter. The cross-identification method we use proves to be efficient, and the results suggest that the most massive reconstructed halos are effectively traced from the same Lagrangian regions in the ICs. A preliminary time-dependence analysis indicates that high-mass-end halos converge only at a redshift close to the reconstruction redshift. This suggests that, for earlier snapshots, only collections of progenitors may be effectively cross-identified.

A novel approach on accelerated ageing towards reliability optimization of high concentration photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsanakas, John A.; Jaffre, Damien; Sicre, Mathieu; Elouamari, Rachid; Vossier, Alexis; de Salins, Jean-Edouard; Bechou, Laurent; Levrier, Bruno; Perona, Arnaud; Dollet, Alain

2014-09-01

This paper presents a preliminary study upon a novel approach proposed for highly accelerated ageing and reliability optimization of high concentrating photovoltaic (HCPV) cells and assemblies. The intended approach aims to overcome several limitations of some current accelerated ageing tests (AAT) adopted up today, proposing the use of an alternative experimental set-up for performing faster and more realistic thermal cycles, under real sun, without the involvement of environmental chamber. The study also includes specific characterization techniques, before and after each AAT sequence, which respectively provide the initial and final diagnosis on the condition of the tested sample. The acquired data from these diagnostic/characterization methods are then used as indices to determine both quantitatively and qualitatively the severity of degradation and, thus, the ageing level for each tested HCPV assembly or cell sample. Ultimate goal of such "initial diagnosis - AAT - final diagnosis" sequences is to provide the basis for a future work on the reliability analysis of the main degradation mechanisms and confident prediction of failure propagation in HCPV cells, by means of acceleration factor (AF) and mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) estimations.

Pneumatic tyres interacting with deformable terrains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekakos, C. A.; Papazafeiropoulos, G.; O'Boy, D. J.; Prins, J.

2016-09-01

In this study, a numerical model of a deformable tyre interacting with a deformable road has been developed with the use of the finite element code ABAQUS (v. 6.13). Two tyre models with different widths, not necessarily identical to any real industry tyres, have been created purely for research use. The behaviour of these tyres under various vertical loads and different inflation pressures is studied, initially in contact with a rigid surface and then with a deformable terrain. After ensuring that the tyre model gives realistic results in terms of the interaction with a rigid surface, the rolling process of the tyre on a deformable road was studied. The effects of friction coefficient, inflation pressure, rebar orientation and vertical load on the overall performance are reported. Regarding the modelling procedure, a sequence of models were analysed, using the coupling implicit - explicit method. The numerical results reveal that not only there is significant dependence of the final tyre response on the various initial driving parameters, but also special conditions emerge, where the desired response of the tyre results from specific optimum combination of these parameters.

High Order Accurate Finite Difference Modeling of Seismo-Acoustic Wave Propagation in a Moving Atmosphere and a Heterogeneous Earth Model Coupled Across a Realistic Topography

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

Petersson, N. Anders; Sjogreen, Bjorn

Here, we develop a numerical method for simultaneously simulating acoustic waves in a realistic moving atmosphere and seismic waves in a heterogeneous earth model, where the motions are coupled across a realistic topography. We model acoustic wave propagation by solving the linearized Euler equations of compressible fluid mechanics. The seismic waves are modeled by the elastic wave equation in a heterogeneous anisotropic material. The motion is coupled by imposing continuity of normal velocity and normal stresses across the topographic interface. Realistic topography is resolved on a curvilinear grid that follows the interface. The governing equations are discretized using high ordermore » accurate finite difference methods that satisfy the principle of summation by parts. We apply the energy method to derive the discrete interface conditions and to show that the coupled discretization is stable. The implementation is verified by numerical experiments, and we demonstrate a simulation of coupled wave propagation in a windy atmosphere and a realistic earth model with non-planar topography.« less

High Order Accurate Finite Difference Modeling of Seismo-Acoustic Wave Propagation in a Moving Atmosphere and a Heterogeneous Earth Model Coupled Across a Realistic Topography

DOE PAGES

Petersson, N. Anders; Sjogreen, Bjorn

2017-04-18

Here, we develop a numerical method for simultaneously simulating acoustic waves in a realistic moving atmosphere and seismic waves in a heterogeneous earth model, where the motions are coupled across a realistic topography. We model acoustic wave propagation by solving the linearized Euler equations of compressible fluid mechanics. The seismic waves are modeled by the elastic wave equation in a heterogeneous anisotropic material. The motion is coupled by imposing continuity of normal velocity and normal stresses across the topographic interface. Realistic topography is resolved on a curvilinear grid that follows the interface. The governing equations are discretized using high ordermore » accurate finite difference methods that satisfy the principle of summation by parts. We apply the energy method to derive the discrete interface conditions and to show that the coupled discretization is stable. The implementation is verified by numerical experiments, and we demonstrate a simulation of coupled wave propagation in a windy atmosphere and a realistic earth model with non-planar topography.« less

Using technology to engage hospitalised patients in their care: a realist review.

PubMed

Roberts, Shelley; Chaboyer, Wendy; Gonzalez, Ruben; Marshall, Andrea

2017-06-06

Patient participation in health care is associated with improved outcomes for patients and hospitals. New technologies are creating vast potential for patients to participate in care at the bedside. Several studies have explored patient use, satisfaction and perceptions of health information technology (HIT) interventions in hospital. Understanding what works for whom, under what conditions, is important when considering interventions successfully engaging patients in care. This realist review aimed to determine key features of interventions using bedside technology to engage hospital patients in their care and analyse these in terms of context, mechanisms and outcomes. A realist review was chosen to explain how and why complex HIT interventions work or fail within certain contexts. The review was guided by Pawson's realist review methodology, involving: clarifying review scope; searching for evidence; data extraction and evidence appraisal; synthesising evidence and drawing conclusions. Author experience and an initial literature scope provided insight and review questions and theories (propositions) around why interventions worked were developed and iteratively refined. A purposive search was conducted to find evidence to support, refute or identify further propositions, which formed an explanatory model. Each study was 'mined' for evidence to further develop the propositions and model. Interactive learning was the overarching theme of studies using technology to engage patients in their care. Several propositions underpinned this, which were labelled: information sharing; self-assessment and feedback; tailored education; user-centred design; and support in use of HIT. As studies were mostly feasibility or usability studies, they reported patient-centred outcomes including patient acceptability, satisfaction and actual use of HIT interventions. For each proposition, outcomes were proposed to come about by mechanisms including improved communication, shared decision-making, empowerment and self-efficacy; which acted as facilitators to patient participation in care. Overall, there was a stronger representation of health than IT disciplines in studies reviewed, with a lack of IT input in terms of theoretical underpinning, methodological design and reporting of outcomes. HIT interventions have great potential for engaging hospitalised patients in their care. However, stronger interdisciplinary collaboration between health and IT researchers is needed for effective design and evaluation of HIT interventions.

Initial Closed Operation of the CELSS Test Facility Engineering Development Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kliss, Mark

1995-01-01

As part of the NASA Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Program, a CELSS Test Facility (CTF) is being planned for installation on the Space Station. The CTF will be used to provide data on the productivity and efficiency of a variety of CELSS higher plant crops grown sequentially from seed to harvest in the microgravity environment of the Space Station. Stringent environmental control will be maintained while fundamental crop productivity issues, such as carbon dioxide uptake and oxygen production rates, water transpiration rates, and biomass accumulation rates are obtained for comparison with ground-based data. In order to obtain an early realistic determination of the subsystem and system requirements necessary to provide the appropriate environmental conditions specified for CTF crop productivity experiments, an Engineering Development Unit (EDU) has been constructed and is undergoing initial operational testing at NASA Ames Research Center. The EDU is a ground-based testbed which will be used to characterize the integrated performance of major subsystem technologies, to evaluate hardware candidates and control strategies required for the CTF, and to further define the ability to meet CTF requirements within present Space Station constraints. This paper describes the initial closed operational testing of the EDU. Measured performance data are compared with the specified functional requirements and results from initial closed testing are presented. Plans for future science and technology testing are discussed.

Modeling regional initiation of rainfall-induced shallow landslides in the eastern Umbria Region of central Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Salciarini, D.; Godt, J.W.; Savage, W.Z.; Conversini, P.; Baum, R.L.; Michael, J.A.

2006-01-01

We model the rainfall-induced initiation of shallow landslides over a broad region using a deterministic approach, the Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Slope-stability (TRIGRS) model that couples an infinite-slope stability analysis with a one-dimensional analytical solution for transient pore pressure response to rainfall infiltration. This model permits the evaluation of regional shallow landslide susceptibility in a Geographic Information System framework, and we use it to analyze susceptibility to shallow landslides in an area in the eastern Umbria Region of central Italy. As shown on a landslide inventory map produced by the Italian National Research Council, the area has been affected in the past by shallow landslides, many of which have transformed into debris flows. Input data for the TRIGRS model include time-varying rainfall, topographic slope, colluvial thickness, initial water table depth, and material strength and hydraulic properties. Because of a paucity of input data, we focus on parametric analyses to calibrate and test the model and show the effect of variation in material properties and initial water table conditions on the distribution of simulated instability in the study area in response to realistic rainfall. Comparing the results with the shallow landslide inventory map, we find more than 80% agreement between predicted shallow landslide susceptibility and the inventory, despite the paucity of input data.

Control of hyper-extended passive margin architecture on subduction initiation with application to the Alps and present-day North Atlantic ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Candioti, Lorenzo; Bauville, Arthur; Picazo, Suzanne; Mohn, Geoffroy; Kaus, Boris

2016-04-01

Hyper-extended magma-poor margins are characterized by extremely thinned crust and partially serpentinized mantle exhumation. As this can act as a zone of weakness during a subsequent compression event, a hyper-extended margin can thus potentially facilitate subduction initiation. Hyper-extended margins are also found today as passive margins fringing the Atlantic and North Atlantic ocean, e.g. Iberia and New Foundland margins [1] and Porcupine, Rockwall and Hatton basins. It has been proposed in the literature that hyper-extension in the Alpine Tethys does not exceed ~600 km in width [2]. The geodynamical evolution of the Alpine and Atlantic passive margins are distinct: no subduction is yet initiated in the North Atlantic, whereas the Alpine Tethys basin has undergone subduction. Here, we investigate the control of the presence of a hyper-extended margin on subduction initiation. We perform high resolution 2D simulations considering realistic rheologies and temperature profiles for these locations. We systematically vary the length and thickness of the hyper-extended crust and serpentinized mantle, to better understand the conditions for subduction initiation. References: [1] G. Manatschal. New models for evolution of magma-poor rifted margins based on a review of data and concepts from West Iberia and the Alps. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) (2004); 432-466. [2] G. Mohn, G. Manatschal, M. Beltrando, I. Haupert. The role of rift-inherited hyper-extension in alpine-type orogens. Terra Nova (2014); 347-353.

Simulation Evaluation of Controller-Managed Spacing Tools under Realistic Operational Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callantine, Todd J.; Hunt, Sarah M.; Prevot, Thomas

2014-01-01

Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) tools have been developed to aid air traffic controllers in managing high volumes of arriving aircraft according to a schedule while enabling them to fly efficient descent profiles. The CMS tools are undergoing refinement in preparation for field demonstration as part of NASA's Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration-1 (ATD-1). System-level ATD-1 simulations have been conducted to quantify expected efficiency and capacity gains under realistic operational conditions. This paper presents simulation results with a focus on CMS-tool human factors. The results suggest experienced controllers new to the tools find them acceptable and can use them effectively in ATD-1 operations.

A Lagrangian particle model to predict the airborne spread of foot-and-mouth disease virus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, D.; Reiczigel, J.; Rubel, F.

Airborne spread of bioaerosols in the boundary layer over a complex terrain is simulated using a Lagrangian particle model, and applied to modelling the airborne spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus. Two case studies are made with study domains located in a hilly region in the northwest of the Styrian capital Graz, the second largest town in Austria. Mountainous terrain as well as inhomogeneous and time varying meteorological conditions prevent from application of so far used Gaussian dispersion models, while the proposed model can handle these realistically. In the model, trajectories of several thousands of particles are computed and the distribution of virus concentration near the ground is calculated. This allows to assess risk of infection areas with respect to animal species of interest, such as cattle, swine or sheep. Meteorological input data like wind field and other variables necessary to compute turbulence were taken from the new pre-operational version of the non-hydrostatic numerical weather prediction model LMK ( Lokal-Modell-Kürzestfrist) running at the German weather service DWD ( Deutscher Wetterdienst). The LMK model provides meteorological parameters with a spatial resolution of about 2.8 km. To account for the spatial resolution of 400 m used by the Lagrangian particle model, the initial wind field is interpolated upon the finer grid by a mass consistent interpolation method. Case studies depict a significant influence of local wind systems on the spread of virus. Higher virus concentrations at the upwind side of the hills and marginal concentrations in the lee are well observable, as well as canalization effects by valleys. The study demonstrates that the Lagrangian particle model is an appropriate tool for risk assessment of airborne spread of virus by taking into account the realistic orographic and meteorological conditions.

Preventive and Abortive Strategies for Stimulation Based Control of Epilepsy: A Computational Model Study.

PubMed

Koppert, Marc; Kalitzin, Stiliyan; Velis, Demetrios; Lopes Da Silva, Fernando; Viergever, Max A

2016-12-01

Epilepsy is a condition in which periods of ongoing normal EEG activity alternate with periods of oscillatory behavior characteristic of epileptic seizures. The dynamics of the transitions between the two states are still unclear. Computational models provide a powerful tool to explore the underlying mechanisms of such transitions, with the purpose of eventually finding therapeutic interventions for this debilitating condition. In this study, the possibility to postpone seizures elicited by a decrease of inhibition is investigated by using external stimulation in a realistic bistable neuronal model consisting of two interconnected neuronal populations representing pyramidal cells and interneurons. In the simulations, seizures are induced by slowly decreasing the conductivity of GABA[Formula: see text] synaptic channels over time. Since the model is bistable, the system will change state from the initial steady state (SS) to the limit cycle (LS) state because of internal noise, when the inhibition falls below a certain threshold. Several state-independent stimulations paradigms are simulated. Their effectiveness is analyzed for various stimulation frequencies and intensities in combination with periodic and random stimulation sequences. The distributions of the time to first seizure in the presence of stimulation are compared with the situation without stimulation. In addition, stimulation protocols targeted to specific subsystems are applied with the objective of counteracting the baseline shift due to decreased inhibition in the system. Furthermore, an analytical model is used to investigate the effects of random noise. The relation between the strength of random noise stimulation, the control parameter of the system and the transitions between steady state and limit cycle are investigated. The study shows that it is possible to postpone epileptic activity by targeted stimulation in a realistic neuronal model featuring bistability and that it is possible to stop seizures by random noise in an analytical model.

Realistic and efficient 2D crack simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadegar, Jacob; Liu, Xiaoqing; Singh, Abhishek

2010-04-01

Although numerical algorithms for 2D crack simulation have been studied in Modeling and Simulation (M&S) and computer graphics for decades, realism and computational efficiency are still major challenges. In this paper, we introduce a high-fidelity, scalable, adaptive and efficient/runtime 2D crack/fracture simulation system by applying the mathematically elegant Peano-Cesaro triangular meshing/remeshing technique to model the generation of shards/fragments. The recursive fractal sweep associated with the Peano-Cesaro triangulation provides efficient local multi-resolution refinement to any level-of-detail. The generated binary decomposition tree also provides efficient neighbor retrieval mechanism used for mesh element splitting and merging with minimal memory requirements essential for realistic 2D fragment formation. Upon load impact/contact/penetration, a number of factors including impact angle, impact energy, and material properties are all taken into account to produce the criteria of crack initialization, propagation, and termination leading to realistic fractal-like rubble/fragments formation. The aforementioned parameters are used as variables of probabilistic models of cracks/shards formation, making the proposed solution highly adaptive by allowing machine learning mechanisms learn the optimal values for the variables/parameters based on prior benchmark data generated by off-line physics based simulation solutions that produce accurate fractures/shards though at highly non-real time paste. Crack/fracture simulation has been conducted on various load impacts with different initial locations at various impulse scales. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed system has the capability to realistically and efficiently simulate 2D crack phenomena (such as window shattering and shards generation) with diverse potentials in military and civil M&S applications such as training and mission planning.

Nested large-eddy simulations of nighttime shear-instability waves and transient warming in a steep valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Bowen; Chow, Fotini

2012-11-01

This numerical study investigates the nighttime flow dynamics in a steep valley. The Owens Valley in California is highly complex, and represents a challenging terrain for large-eddy simulations (LES). To ensure a faithful representation of the nighttime atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), realistic external boundary conditions are provided through grid nesting. The model obtains initial and lateral boundary conditions from reanalysis data, and bottom boundary conditions from a land-surface model. We demonstrate the ability to extend a mesoscale model to LES resolutions through a systematic grid-nesting framework, achieving accurate simulations of the stable ABL over complex terrain. Nighttime cold-air flow was channeled through a gap on the valley sidewall. The resulting katabatic current induced a cross-valley flow. Directional shear against the down-valley flow in the lower layers of the valley led to breaking Kelvin-Helmholtz waves at the interface, which is captured only on the LES grid. Later that night, the flow transitioned from down-slope to down-valley near the western sidewall, leading to a transient warming episode. Simulation results are verified against field observations and reveal good spatial and temporal precision. Supported by NSF grant ATM-0645784.

Simulation of atmospheric and terrestrial background signatures for detection and tracking scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, Caroline; Stein, Karin

2015-10-01

In the fields of early warning, one is depending on reliable image exploitation: Only if the applied detection and tracking algorithms work efficiently, the threat approach alert can be given fast enough to ensure an automatic initiation of the countermeasure. In order to evaluate the performance of those algorithms for a certain electro-optical (EO) sensor system, test sequences need to be created as realistic and comprehensive as possible. Since both, background and target signature, depend on the environmental conditions, a detailed knowledge of the meteorology and climatology is necessary. Trials for measuring these environmental characteristics serve as a solid basis, but might only constitute the conditions during a rather short period of time. To represent the entire variation of meteorology and climatology that the future system will be exposed to, the application of comprehensive atmospheric modelling tools is essential. This paper gives an introduction of the atmospheric modelling tools that are currently used at Fraunhofer IOSB to simulate spectral background signatures in the infrared (IR) range. It is also demonstrated, how those signatures are affected by changing atmospheric and climatic conditions. In conclusion - and with a special focus on the modelling of different cloud types - sources of error and limits are discussed.

On energy harvesting from a vibro-impact oscillator with dielectric membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Z. H.; Thomson, G.; Yurchenko, D.; Val, D. V.; Rodgers, E.

2018-07-01

A vibro-impact mechanical system comprising of a ball moving freely between two dielectric membranes located at a certain distance from each other is studied. The system generates electricity when the ball moving due ambient vibrations impacts one of the membranes. The energy harvesting principle of the proposed system is explained and then used to formulate a numerical model for estimating the system output voltage. The dynamic behavior and output performance of the system are thoroughly studied under a harmonic excitation, as well as different initial conditions and various values of the restitution coefficient of the membranes. The delivered research results are useful for selecting the system parameters to achieve its optimal output performance in a realistic vibrational environment. Potential application of the proposed system for energy harvesting from car engine vibrations is presented.

MSSM-inspired multifield inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubinin, M. N.; Petrova, E. Yu.; Pozdeeva, E. O.; Sumin, M. V.; Vernov, S. Yu.

2017-12-01

Despite the fact that experimentally with a high degree of statistical significance only a single Standard Model-like Higgs boson is discovered at the LHC, extended Higgs sectors with multiple scalar fields not excluded by combined fits of the data are more preferable theoretically for internally consistent realistic models of particle physics. We analyze the inflationary scenarios which could be induced by the two-Higgs-doublet potential of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) where five scalar fields have non-minimal couplings to gravity. Observables following from such MSSM-inspired multifield inflation are calculated and a number of consistent inflationary scenarios are constructed. Cosmological evolution with different initial conditions for the multifield system leads to consequences fully compatible with observational data on the spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar ratio. It is demonstrated that the strong coupling approximation is precise enough to describe such inflationary scenarios.

Mass Transport and Turbulence in Gravitationally Unstable Disk Galaxies. I. The Case of Pure Self-gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldbaum, Nathan J.; Krumholz, Mark R.; Forbes, John C.

2015-12-01

The role of gravitational instability-driven turbulence in determining the structure and evolution of disk galaxies, and the extent to which gravity rather than feedback can explain galaxy properties, remains an open question. To address it, we present high-resolution adaptive mesh refinement simulations of Milky Way-like isolated disk galaxies, including realistic heating and cooling rates and a physically motivated prescription for star formation, but no form of star formation feedback. After an initial transient, our galaxies reach a state of fully nonlinear gravitational instability. In this state, gravity drives turbulence and radial inflow. Despite the lack of feedback, the gas in our galaxy models shows substantial turbulent velocity dispersions, indicating that gravitational instability alone may be able to power the velocity dispersions observed in nearby disk galaxies on 100 pc scales. Moreover, the rate of mass transport produced by this turbulence approaches ˜ 1 {M}⊙ yr-1 for Milky Way-like conditions, sufficient to fully fuel star formation in the inner disks of galaxies. In a companion paper, we add feedback to our models, and use the comparison between the two cases to understand which galaxy properties depend sensitively on feedback and which can be understood as the product of gravity alone. All of the code, initial conditions, and simulation data for our model are publicly available.

Acidic deposition, plant pests, and the fate of forest ecosystems.

PubMed

Gragnani, A; Gatto, M; Rinaldi, S

1998-12-01

We present and analyze a nonlinear dynamical system modelling forest-pests interactions and the way they are affected by acidic deposition. The model includes mechanisms of carbon and nitrogen exchange between soil and vegetation, biomass decomposition and microbial mineralization, and defoliation by pest grazers, which are partially controlled by avian or mammalian predators. Acidic deposition is assumed to directly damage vegetation, to decrease soil pH, which in turn damages roots and inhibits microbial activity, and to predispose trees to increased pest attack. All the model parameters are set to realistic values except the inflow of protons to soil and the predation mortality inflicted to the pest which are allowed to vary inside reasonable ranges. A numerical bifurcation analysis with respect to these two parameters is carried out. Five functioning modes are uncovered: (i) pest-free equilibrium; (ii) pest persisting at endemic equilibrium; (iii) forest-pest permanent oscillations; (iv) bistable behavior with the system converging either to pest-free equilibrium or endemic pest presence in accordance with initial conditions; (v) bistable behavior with convergence to endemic pest presence or permanent oscillations depending on initial conditions. Catastrophic bifurcations between the different behavior modes are possible, provided the abundance of predators is not too small. Numerical simulation shows that increasing acidic load can lead the forest to collapse in a short time period without important warning signals. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Salinity anomaly as a trigger for ENSO events

PubMed Central

Zhu, Jieshun; Huang, Bohua; Zhang, Rong-Hua; Hu, Zeng-Zhen; Kumar, Arun; Balmaseda, Magdalena A.; Marx, Lawrence; Kinter III, James L.

2014-01-01

According to the classical theories of ENSO, subsurface anomalies in ocean thermal structure are precursors for ENSO events and their initial specification is essential for skillful ENSO forecast. Although ocean salinity in the tropical Pacific (particularly in the western Pacific warm pool) can vary in response to El Niño events, its effect on ENSO evolution and forecasts of ENSO has been less explored. Here we present evidence that, in addition to the passive response, salinity variability may also play an active role in ENSO evolution, and thus important in forecasting El Niño events. By comparing two forecast experiments in which the interannually variability of salinity in the ocean initial states is either included or excluded, the salinity variability is shown to be essential to correctly forecast the 2007/08 La Niña starting from April 2007. With realistic salinity initial states, the tendency to decay of the subsurface cold condition during the spring and early summer 2007 was interrupted by positive salinity anomalies in the upper central Pacific, which working together with the Bjerknes positive feedback, contributed to the development of the La Niña event. Our study suggests that ENSO forecasts will benefit from more accurate salinity observations with large-scale spatial coverage. PMID:25352285

Salinity anomaly as a trigger for ENSO events.

PubMed

Zhu, Jieshun; Huang, Bohua; Zhang, Rong-Hua; Hu, Zeng-Zhen; Kumar, Arun; Balmaseda, Magdalena A; Marx, Lawrence; Kinter, James L

2014-10-29

According to the classical theories of ENSO, subsurface anomalies in ocean thermal structure are precursors for ENSO events and their initial specification is essential for skillful ENSO forecast. Although ocean salinity in the tropical Pacific (particularly in the western Pacific warm pool) can vary in response to El Niño events, its effect on ENSO evolution and forecasts of ENSO has been less explored. Here we present evidence that, in addition to the passive response, salinity variability may also play an active role in ENSO evolution, and thus important in forecasting El Niño events. By comparing two forecast experiments in which the interannually variability of salinity in the ocean initial states is either included or excluded, the salinity variability is shown to be essential to correctly forecast the 2007/08 La Niña starting from April 2007. With realistic salinity initial states, the tendency to decay of the subsurface cold condition during the spring and early summer 2007 was interrupted by positive salinity anomalies in the upper central Pacific, which working together with the Bjerknes positive feedback, contributed to the development of the La Niña event. Our study suggests that ENSO forecasts will benefit from more accurate salinity observations with large-scale spatial coverage.

Analysis of plant Pb tolerance at realistic submicromolar concentrations demonstrates the role of phytochelatin synthesis for Pb detoxification.

PubMed

Fischer, Sina; Kühnlenz, Tanja; Thieme, Michael; Schmidt, Holger; Clemens, Stephan

2014-07-01

Lead (Pb) ranks first among metals with respect to tonnage produced and released into the environment. It is highly toxic and therefore an important pollutant of worldwide concern. Plant Pb uptake, accumulation, and detoxification mobilize Pb into food webs. Still, knowledge about the underlying mechanisms is very limited. This is largely due to serious experimental challenges with respect to Pb availability. In most studies, Pb(II) concentrations in the millimolar range have been used even though the toxicity threshold is in the nanomolar range. We therefore developed a low-phosphate, low-pH assay system that is more realistic with respect to soil solution conditions. In this system the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings was significantly affected by the addition of only 0.1 μM Pb(NO3)2. Involvement of phytochelatins in the detoxification of Pb(II) could be demonstrated by investigating phytochelatin synthase mutants. They showed a stronger inhibition of root growth and a lack of Pb-activated phytochelatin synthesis. In contrast, other putative Pb hypersensitive mutants were unaffected under these conditions, further supporting the essential role of phytochelatins for Pb detoxification. Our findings demonstrate the need to monitor plant Pb responses at realistic concentrations under controlled conditions and provide a strategy to achieve this.

Effects of in situ dual ion beam (He+ and D+) irradiation with simultaneous pulsed heat loading on surface morphology evolution of tungsten-tantalum alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonderman, S.; Tripathi, J. K.; Sinclair, G.; Novakowski, T. J.; Sizyuk, T.; Hassanein, A.

2018-02-01

The strong thermal and mechanical properties of tungsten (W) are well suited for the harsh fusion environment. However, increasing interest in using tungsten as plasma-facing components (PFCs) has revealed several key issues. These potential roadblocks necessitate more investigation of W and other alternative W based materials exposed to realistic fusion conditions. In this work, W and tungsten-tantalum (W-Ta) alloys were exposed to single (He+) and dual (He+  +  D+) ion irradiations with simultaneous pulsed heat loading to elucidate PFCs response under more realistic conditions. Laser only exposer revealed significantly more damage in W-Ta samples as compared to pure W samples. This was due to the difference in the mechanical properties of the two different materials. Further erosion studies were conducted to evaluate the material degradation due to transient heat loading in both the presence and absence of He+ and/or D+ ions. We concluded that erosion of PFC materials was significantly enhanced due to the presence of ion irradiation. This is important as it demonstrates that there are key synergistic effects resulting from more realistic fusion loading conditions that need to be considered when evaluating the response of plasma facing materials.

Interactions Between Energetic Electrons and Realistic Whistler Mode Waves in the Jovian Magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Soria-Santacruz Pich, M.; Drozdov, A.; Menietti, J. D.; Garrett, H. B.; Kellerman, A. C.; Shprits, Y. Y.

2016-12-01

The radiation belts of Jupiter are the most intense of all the planets in the solar system. Their source is not well understood but they are believed to be the result of inward radial transport beyond the orbit of Io. In the case of Earth, the radiation belts are the result of local acceleration and radial diffusion from whistler waves, and it has been suggested that this type of acceleration may also be significant in the magnetosphere of Jupiter. Multiple diffusion codes have been developed to study the dynamics of the Earth's magnetosphere and characterize the interaction between relativistic electrons and whistler waves; in the present paper we adapt one of these codes, the two-dimensional version of the Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB) computer code, to the case of the Jovian magnetosphere. We use realistic parameters to determine the importance of whistler emissions in the acceleration and loss of electrons in the Jovian magnetosphere. More specifically, we use an extensive wave survey from the Galileo spacecraft and initial conditions derived from the Galileo Interim Radiation Electron Model version 2 (GIRE2) to estimate the pitch angle and energy diffusion of the electron population due to lower and upper band whistlers as a function of latitude and radial distance from the planet, and we calculate the decay rates that result from this interaction.

Protostellar Disk Instabilities and the Formation of Substellar Companions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pickett, Brian K.; Durisen, Richard H.; Cassen, Patrick; Mejia, Annie C.

2000-09-01

Recent numerical simulations of self-gravitating protostellar disks have suggested that gravitational instabilities can lead to the production of substellar companions. In these simulations, the disk is typically assumed to be locally isothermal; i.e., the initial, axisymmetric temperature in the disk remains everywhere unchanged. Such an idealized condition implies extremely efficient cooling for outwardly moving parcels of gas. While we have seen disk disruption in our own locally isothermal simulations of a small, massive protostellar disk, no long-lived companions formed as a result of the instabilities. Instead, thermal and tidal effects and the complex interactions of the disk material prevented permanent condensations from forming, despite the vigorous growth of spiral instabilities. In order to compare our results more directly with those of other authors, we here present three-dimensional evolutions of an older, larger, but less massive protostellar disk. We show that potentially long-lived condensations form only for the extreme of local isothermality, and then only when severe restrictions are placed on the natural tendency of the protostellar disk to expand in response to gravitational instabilities. A more realistic adiabatic evolution leads to vertical and radial expansion of the disk but no clump formation. We conclude that isothermal disk calculations cannot demonstrate companion formation by disk fragmentation but only suggest it at best. It will be necessary in future numerical work on this problem to treat the disk thermodynamics more realistically.

Landslides and tsunamis predicted by incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) with application to the 1958 Lituya Bay event and idealized experiment.

PubMed

Xenakis, A M; Lind, S J; Stansby, P K; Rogers, B D

2017-03-01

Tsunamis caused by landslides may result in significant destruction of the surroundings with both societal and industrial impact. The 1958 Lituya Bay landslide and tsunami is a recent and well-documented terrestrial landslide generating a tsunami with a run-up of 524 m. Although recent computational techniques have shown good performance in the estimation of the run-up height, they fail to capture all the physical processes, in particular, the landslide-entry profile and interaction with the water. Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is a versatile numerical technique for describing free-surface and multi-phase flows, particularly those that exhibit highly nonlinear deformation in landslide-generated tsunamis. In the current work, the novel multi-phase incompressible SPH method with shifting is applied to the Lituya Bay tsunami and landslide and is the first methodology able to reproduce realistically both the run-up and landslide-entry as documented in a benchmark experiment. The method is the first paper to develop a realistic implementation of the physics that in addition to the non-Newtonian rheology of the landslide includes turbulence in the water phase and soil saturation. Sensitivity to the experimental initial conditions is also considered. This work demonstrates the ability of the proposed method in modelling challenging environmental multi-phase, non-Newtonian and turbulent flows.

Landslides and tsunamis predicted by incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) with application to the 1958 Lituya Bay event and idealized experiment

PubMed Central

Lind, S. J.; Stansby, P. K.; Rogers, B. D.

2017-01-01

Tsunamis caused by landslides may result in significant destruction of the surroundings with both societal and industrial impact. The 1958 Lituya Bay landslide and tsunami is a recent and well-documented terrestrial landslide generating a tsunami with a run-up of 524 m. Although recent computational techniques have shown good performance in the estimation of the run-up height, they fail to capture all the physical processes, in particular, the landslide-entry profile and interaction with the water. Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is a versatile numerical technique for describing free-surface and multi-phase flows, particularly those that exhibit highly nonlinear deformation in landslide-generated tsunamis. In the current work, the novel multi-phase incompressible SPH method with shifting is applied to the Lituya Bay tsunami and landslide and is the first methodology able to reproduce realistically both the run-up and landslide-entry as documented in a benchmark experiment. The method is the first paper to develop a realistic implementation of the physics that in addition to the non-Newtonian rheology of the landslide includes turbulence in the water phase and soil saturation. Sensitivity to the experimental initial conditions is also considered. This work demonstrates the ability of the proposed method in modelling challenging environmental multi-phase, non-Newtonian and turbulent flows. PMID:28413334

Evaluating average and atypical response in radiation effects simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weller, R. A.; Sternberg, A. L.; Massengill, L. W.; Schrimpf, R. D.; Fleetwood, D. M.

2003-12-01

We examine the limits of performing single-event simulations using pre-averaged radiation events. Geant4 simulations show the necessity, for future devices, to supplement current methods with ensemble averaging of device-level responses to physically realistic radiation events. Initial Monte Carlo simulations have generated a significant number of extremal events in local energy deposition. These simulations strongly suggest that proton strikes of sufficient energy, even those that initiate purely electronic interactions, can initiate device response capable in principle of producing single event upset or microdose damage in highly scaled devices.

3D MR flow analysis in realistic rapid-prototyping model systems of the thoracic aorta: comparison with in vivo data and computational fluid dynamics in identical vessel geometries.

PubMed

Canstein, C; Cachot, P; Faust, A; Stalder, A F; Bock, J; Frydrychowicz, A; Küffer, J; Hennig, J; Markl, M

2008-03-01

The knowledge of local vascular anatomy and function in the human body is of high interest for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. A comprehensive analysis of the hemodynamics in the thoracic aorta is presented based on the integration of flow-sensitive 4D MRI with state-of-the-art rapid prototyping technology and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Rapid prototyping was used to transform aortic geometries as measured by contrast-enhanced MR angiography into realistic vascular models with large anatomical coverage. Integration into a flow circuit with patient-specific pulsatile in-flow conditions and application of flow-sensitive 4D MRI permitted detailed analysis of local and global 3D flow dynamics in a realistic vascular geometry. Visualization of characteristic 3D flow patterns and quantitative comparisons of the in vitro experiments with in vivo data and CFD simulations in identical vascular geometries were performed to evaluate the accuracy of vascular model systems. The results indicate the potential of such patient-specific model systems for detailed experimental simulation of realistic vascular hemodynamics. Further studies are warranted to examine the influence of refined boundary conditions of the human circulatory system such as fluid-wall interaction and their effect on normal and pathological blood flow characteristics associated with vascular geometry. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Inter-comparison of precipitable water among reanalyses and its effect on downscaling in the tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, H. G.; Fujita, M.; Hara, M.

2012-12-01

This paper compared precipitable water (PW) among four major reanalyses. In addition, we also investigated the effect of the boundary conditions on downscaling in the tropics, using a regional climate model. The spatial pattern of PW in the reanalyses agreed closely with observations. However, the absolute amounts of PW in some reanalyses were very small compared to observations. The discrepancies of the 12-year mean PW in July over the Southeast Asian monsoon region exceeded the inter-annual standard deviation of the PW. There was also a discrepancy in tropical PWs throughout the year, an indication that the problem is not regional, but global. The downscaling experiments were conducted, which were forced by the different four reanalyses. The atmospheric circulation, including monsoon westerlies and various disturbances, was very small among the reanalyses. However, simulated precipitation was only 60 % of observed precipitation, although the dry bias in the boundary conditions was only 6 %. This result indicates that dry bias has large effects on precipitation in downscaling over the tropics. This suggests that a simulated regional climate downscaled from ensemble-mean boundary conditions is quite different from an ensemble-mean regional climate averaged over the several regional ones downscaled from boundary conditions of the ensemble members in the tropics. Downscaled models can provide realistic simulations of regional tropical climates only if the boundary conditions include realistic absolute amounts of PW. Use of boundary conditions that include realistic absolute amounts of PW in downscaling in the tropics is imperative at the present time. This work was partly supported by the Global Environment Research Fund (RFa-1101) of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan.

Virtual Reality as Innovative Approach to the Interior Designing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaleja, Pavol; Kozlovská, Mária

2017-06-01

We can observe significant potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) in interior designing field, by development of software and hardware virtual reality tools. Using ICT tools offer realistic perception of proposal in its initial idea (the study). A group of real-time visualization, supported by hardware tools like Oculus Rift HTC Vive, provides free walkthrough and movement in virtual interior with the possibility of virtual designing. By improving of ICT software tools for designing in virtual reality we can achieve still more realistic virtual environment. The contribution presented proposal of an innovative approach of interior designing in virtual reality, using the latest software and hardware ICT virtual reality technologies

Mantle convection with plates and mobile, faulted plate margins.

PubMed

Zhong, S; Gurnis, M

1995-02-10

A finite-element formulation of faults has been incorporated into time-dependent models of mantle convection with realistic rheology, continents, and phase changes. Realistic tectonic plates naturally form with self-consistent coupling between plate and mantle dynamics. After the initiation of subduction, trenches rapidly roll back with subducted slabs temporarily laid out along the base of the transition zone. After the slabs have penetrated into the lower mantle, the velocity of trench migration decreases markedly. The inhibition of slab penetration into the lower mantle by the 670-kilometer phase change is greatly reduced in these models as compared to models without tectonic plates.

Convective dynamics and chemical disequilibrium in the atmospheres of substellar objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordwell, Baylee; Brown, Benjamin P.; Oishi, Jeffrey S.

2017-11-01

The thousands of substellar objects now known provide a unique opportunity to test our understanding of atmospheric dynamics across a range of environments. The chemical timescales of certain species transition from being much shorter than the dynamical timescales to being much longer than them at a point in the atmosphere known as the quench point. This transition leads to a state of dynamical disequilibrium, the effects of which can be used to probe the atmospheric dynamics of these objects. Unfortunately, due to computational constraints, models that inform the interpretation of these observations are run at dynamical parameters which are far from realistic values. In this study, we explore the behavior of a disequilibrium chemical process with increasingly realistic planetary conditions, to quantify the effects of the approximations used in current models. We simulate convection in 2-D, plane-parallel, polytropically-stratified atmospheres, into which we add reactive passive tracers that explore disequilibrium behavior. We find that as we increase the Rayleigh number, and thus achieve more realistic planetary conditions, the behavior of these tracers does not conform to the classical predictions of disequilibrium chemistry.

An Investigation of the Impact of Guessing on Coefficient α and Reliability

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Guessing is known to influence the test reliability of multiple-choice tests. Although there are many studies that have examined the impact of guessing, they used rather restrictive assumptions (e.g., parallel test assumptions, homogeneous inter-item correlations, homogeneous item difficulty, and homogeneous guessing levels across items) to evaluate the relation between guessing and test reliability. Based on the item response theory (IRT) framework, this study investigated the extent of the impact of guessing on reliability under more realistic conditions where item difficulty, item discrimination, and guessing levels actually vary across items with three different test lengths (TL). By accommodating multiple item characteristics simultaneously, this study also focused on examining interaction effects between guessing and other variables entered in the simulation to be more realistic. The simulation of the more realistic conditions and calculations of reliability and classical test theory (CTT) item statistics were facilitated by expressing CTT item statistics, coefficient α, and reliability in terms of IRT model parameters. In addition to the general negative impact of guessing on reliability, results showed interaction effects between TL and guessing and between guessing and test difficulty.

Major Effects of Nonmetallic Inclusions on the Fatigue Life of Disk Superalloy Demonstrated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gabb, Timothy P.; Telesman, Jack; Kantzos, Peter T.; Bonacuse, Peter J.; Barrie, Robert L.

2002-01-01

The fatigue properties of modern powder metallurgy disk alloys can vary because of the different steps of materials and component processing and machining. Among these variables, the effects of nonmetallic inclusions introduced during the powder atomization and handling processes have been shown to significantly degrade low-cycle fatigue life. The levels of inclusion contamination have, therefore, been reduced to less than 1 part per million in state-of-the-art nickel disk powder-processing facilities. Yet the large quantities of compressor and turbine disks weighing from 100 to over 1000 lb have enough total volume and surface area for these rare inclusions to still be present and limit fatigue life. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects on fatigue life of these inclusions, as part of the Crack Resistant Disk Materials task within the Ultra Safe Propulsion Project. Inclusions were carefully introduced at elevated levels in a nickel-base disk superalloy, U720, produced using powder metallurgy processing. Multiple strain-controlled fatigue tests were then performed on extracted test specimens at 650 C. Analyses were performed to compare the low-cycle fatigue lives and failure initiation sites as functions of inclusion content and fatigue conditions. Powder of the nickel-base superalloy U720 was atomized in argon at Special Metals Corporation, Inc., using production-scale high-cleanliness powder-processing facilities and handling practices. The powder was then passed through a 270-mesh screen. One portion of this powder was set aside for subsequent consolidation without introduced inclusions. Two other portions of this powder were seeded with alumina inclusions. Small, polycrystalline soft (Type 2) inclusions of about 50 mm diameter were carefully prepared and blended into one powder lot, and larger hard (Type 1) inclusions of about 150 mm mean diameter were introduced into the other seeded portion of powder. All three portions of powder were then sealed in separate containers, hot isostatically pressurized, extruded, forged into subscale disks, and heat treated. Low-cycle-fatigue specimens were then extracted, machined, and tested. Fatigue tests were performed at 650 C in closed-loop servohydraulic testing machines using induction heating and axial extensometers. All tests were continued to failure, and fractographic evaluations were performed on all specimens to determine the crack initiation sites. A large majority of the failures in specimens with introduced inclusions occurred at cracks initiating from inclusions at the specimen surface, as shown for each type of inclusion in the following bar chart. The inclusions significantly reduced fatigue life from unseeded material levels, as shown in the bar chart. These effects were found to depend on the strain range, strain ratio, and inclusion size. Tests at lower strain ranges and higher strain ratios resulted in larger effects of inclusions on life. Inclusion effects on life were thereby maximized in tests at the lowest strain range of 0.6 percent and the most positive strain ratio of 0.5. Under these conditions, small Type 2 inclusions reduced life substantially-- about 20 times, whereas large Type 1 inclusions dramatically reduced life 100 times. These results clearly demonstrate that it is essential to include the effects of inclusions for realistic predictions of disk fatigue life. Important issues, including temperature dependence, crack initiation versus propagation, surface treatments, realistic disk features and machining, and realistic disk spin testing will be addressed to accurately model inclusion effects on disk fatigue life. Fatigue life varied from well over 105 cycles for no inclusions to a little over 103 cycles for 100-micrometer inclusions. A single crack initiating at a surface-connected seeded inclusion caused failure in each case.

High Performance Computing Application: Solar Dynamo Model Project II, Corona and Heliosphere Component Initialization, Integration and Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-24

physically . While not distinct from IH models, they require inner boundary magnetic field and plasma property values, the latter not currently measured...initialization for the computational grid. Model integration continues until a physically consistent steady-state is attained. Because of the more... physical basis and greater likelihood of realistic solutions, only MHD-type coronal models were considered in the review. There are two major types of

Contract for Manpower and Personnel Research and Studies II (COMPRS-II) Annual Report - Year Four

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-10-01

Wonderlic and the Prueba de Aptitud Academica (PAA) will be evaluated in the pilot "Foreign Language Recruiting Initiative" project. Starting in October...Spanish Wonderlic and the Prueba de Aptitud Academica (PAA) will be evaluated in the pilot "Foreign Language Recruiting Initiative" project. Starting...implemented by linear programming software , which optimizes the Army’s enlisted personnel classification system, while accounting for realistic

The work is never ending: uncovering teamwork sustainability using realistic evaluation.

PubMed

Frykman, Mandus; von Thiele Schwarz, Ulrica; Muntlin Athlin, Åsa; Hasson, Henna; Mazzocato, Pamela

2017-03-20

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to uncover the mechanisms influencing the sustainability of behavior changes following the implementation of teamwork. Design/methodology/approach Realistic evaluation was combined with a framework (DCOM®) based on applied behavior analysis to study the sustainability of behavior changes two and a half years after the initial implementation of teamwork at an emergency department. The DCOM® framework was used to categorize the mechanisms of behavior change interventions (BCIs) into the four categories of direction, competence, opportunity, and motivation. Non-participant observation and interview data were used. Findings The teamwork behaviors were not sustained. A substantial fallback in managerial activities in combination with a complex context contributed to reduced direction, opportunity, and motivation. Reduced direction made staff members unclear about how and why they should work in teams. Deterioration of opportunity was evident from the lack of problem-solving resources resulting in accumulated barriers to teamwork. Motivation in terms of management support and feedback was reduced. Practical implications The implementation of complex organizational changes in complex healthcare contexts requires continuous adaption and managerial activities well beyond the initial implementation period. Originality/value By integrating the DCOM® framework with realistic evaluation, this study responds to the call for theoretically based research on behavioral mechanisms that can explain how BCIs interact with context and how this interaction influences sustainability.

Bivalves: From individual to population modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saraiva, S.; van der Meer, J.; Kooijman, S. A. L. M.; Ruardij, P.

2014-11-01

An individual based population model for bivalves was designed, built and tested in a 0D approach, to simulate the population dynamics of a mussel bed located in an intertidal area. The processes at the individual level were simulated following the dynamic energy budget theory, whereas initial egg mortality, background mortality, food competition, and predation (including cannibalism) were additional population processes. Model properties were studied through the analysis of theoretical scenarios and by simulation of different mortality parameter combinations in a realistic setup, imposing environmental measurements. Realistic criteria were applied to narrow down the possible combination of parameter values. Field observations obtained in the long-term and multi-station monitoring program were compared with the model scenarios. The realistically selected modeling scenarios were able to reproduce reasonably the timing of some peaks in the individual abundances in the mussel bed and its size distribution but the number of individuals was not well predicted. The results suggest that the mortality in the early life stages (egg and larvae) plays an important role in population dynamics, either by initial egg mortality, larvae dispersion, settlement failure or shrimp predation. Future steps include the coupling of the population model with a hydrodynamic and biogeochemical model to improve the simulation of egg/larvae dispersion, settlement probability, food transport and also to simulate the feedback of the organisms' activity on the water column properties, which will result in an improvement of the food quantity and quality characterization.

Skeleton-based region competition for automated gray matter and white matter segmentation of human brain MR images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Yong; Chen, Ya-Fang; Su, Min-Ying; Nalcioglu, Orhan

2005-04-01

Image segmentation is an essential process for quantitative analysis. Segmentation of brain tissues in magnetic resonance (MR) images is very important for understanding the structural-functional relationship for various pathological conditions, such as dementia vs. normal brain aging. Different brain regions are responsible for certain functions and may have specific implication for diagnosis. Segmentation may facilitate the analysis of different brain regions to aid in early diagnosis. Region competition has been recently proposed as an effective method for image segmentation by minimizing a generalized Bayes/MDL criterion. However, it is sensitive to initial conditions - the "seeds", therefore an optimal choice of "seeds" is necessary for accurate segmentation. In this paper, we present a new skeleton-based region competition algorithm for automated gray and white matter segmentation. Skeletons can be considered as good "seed regions" since they provide the morphological a priori information, thus guarantee a correct initial condition. Intensity gradient information is also added to the global energy function to achieve a precise boundary localization. This algorithm was applied to perform gray and white matter segmentation using simulated MRI images from a realistic digital brain phantom. Nine different brain regions were manually outlined for evaluation of the performance in these separate regions. The results were compared to the gold-standard measure to calculate the true positive and true negative percentages. In general, this method worked well with a 96% accuracy, although the performance varied in different regions. We conclude that the skeleton-based region competition is an effective method for gray and white matter segmentation.

Revisiting the false alarm in the 2014 El Niño prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, C. S.; Huang, B.

2016-12-01

In early 2014, most dynamic forecast models predicted a developing strong El Niño in the following winter. However, this forecast turned out to be a representative case of the false alarms since 2000. In this study, a set of CFSv2 ensemble seasonal reforecast is conducted to examine some possible causes of the unrealistic El Niño prediction in 2014. Zooming in on the NINO3.4 index, the ensemble-mean reforecast initialized in April 2014 predicted a very strong El Niño as the 1997-98 one with most ensemble members warmer than the observations. In contrast, the ensemble-mean reforecast initialized in January (July) 2014 predicted a slower growth (a decline) of the NINO3.4 index for 12-month lead (from November to the spring in 2015), with the spreads of the ensemble members enveloping the observations. Since the observed SST anomalies in equatorial eastern Pacific changed its polarity in late March from the coldest SST anomalies in February accompanied by strong easterly wind to warmer SST in mid April, the atmospheric and oceanic instantaneous initial states in early April 2014 may misrepresent these intra-seasonal variations, possibly resulting in warm bias in equatorial Pacific even at 0-month lead. Our experiments show that colder ocean surface initial conditions in tropical eastern Pacific tend to hinder developing warm SST anomalies in equatorial eastern Pacific and weaken the Bjerknes-type air-sea feedback in the summer of 2014, which reduce excessive westerly wind (warm SST anomalies) in equatorial western Pacific (near the Dateline) and decrease the air-sea feedback. As a result, the predicted amplitude of NINO3.4 at the peak phase is comparable to the observed one, suggesting that the initial condition errors are partially responsible for the false alarm in the 2014 El Niño prediction issued in the spring. Nonetheless, the initial condition errors could not account for easterly wind burst observed in mid June associated with enhanced extratropical anti-cyclonic atmospheric circulation anomalies in the Southern Hemisphere, which is regarded as another major factor to stall the El Niño occurrence in 2014. What drives this anomalous atmospheric forcing in mid June and how much it contributes to a more realistic prediction of the 2014 El Niño will also be discussed.

Boundary Conditions of Radiative Cooling in Gravitationally Unstable Protoplanetary Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, K.; Durisen, R. H.; Mejía, A. C.

2004-05-01

In order to create 3D hydrodynamic disk simulations which reproduce the observable properties of young stellar disks and which realistically probe the possibility of planet formation by gravitational instabilities, it is crucial to include a proper treatment of the radiative energy transport within the disk. Our recent simulations (Mejía 2004, Ph.D. dissertation) suggest that the boundary conditions between optically thin and thick regions are important in treating radiative cooling in protoplanetary disks. Although the initial cooling times are shorter than one rotation period, these disks adjust their structures over a few rotations to much longer cooling times, at which Gammie's (2001) criterion predicts they are stable against fragmentation into dense clumps. In fact, the disks do not fragment in Mejía's calculations. Boss (2001, 2002), on the other hand, using different boundary conditions, finds rapid cooling and fragmentation in his own disk simulations with radiative cooling. He attributes the rapid cooling to convection, which does not occur in Mejía's calculations. This apparent disagreement is critical because disk fragmentation has been proposed as a gas giant planet formation mechanism. To test the importance of boundary conditions, we are running simulations which compare a Boss-like treatment of boundary conditions with Mejía's for the case of a disk heated from above by a hot envelope. Preliminary results will be presented.

Multimedia psychoeducational interventions to support patient self-care in degenerative conditions: A realist review.

PubMed

O'Halloran, Peter; Scott, David; Reid, Joanne; Porter, Sam

2015-10-01

Multimedia interventions are increasingly used to deliver information in order to promote self-care among patients with degenerative conditions. We carried out a realist review of the literature to investigate how the characteristics of multimedia psychoeducational interventions combine with the contexts in which they are introduced to help or hinder their effectiveness in supporting self-care for patients with degenerative conditions. Electronic databases (Medline, Science Direct, PSYCHinfo, EBSCO, and Embase) were searched in order to identify papers containing information on multimedia psychoeducational interventions. Using a realist review approach, we reviewed all relevant studies to identify theories that explained how the interventions work. Ten papers were included in the review. All interventions sought to promote self-care behaviors among participants. We examined the development and content of the multimedia interventions and the impact of patient motivation and of the organizational context of implementation. We judged seven studies to be methodologically weak. All completed studies showed small effects in favor of the intervention. Multimedia interventions may provide high-quality information in an accessible format, with the potential to promote self-care among patients with degenerative conditions, if the patient perceives the information as important and develops confidence about self-care. The evidence base is weak, so that research is needed to investigate effective modes of delivery at different resource levels. We recommend that developers consider how an intervention will reduce uncertainty and increase confidence in self-care, as well as the impact of the context in which it will be employed.

Children’s Picture Interpretation: Appearance or Intention?

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Pictures are defined by their creator’s intentions and resemblance to their real world referents. Here we examine whether young children follow a realist route (e.g., focusing on how closely pictures resemble their referents) or intentional route (e.g., focusing on what a picture is intended to represent by its artist) when identifying a picture’s referent. In 3 experiments, we contrasted an artist’s intention with her picture’s appearance to investigate children’s use of appearance and intentional cues. In Experiment 1, children aged 3–4 and 5–6 years (N = 151) were presented with 4 trials of 3-object arrays (e.g., a pink duck, a blue duck, and a teddy). The experimenter photographed or drew 1 of the objects (e.g., blue duck), however, the subsequent picture depicted the referent in grayscale (black and white condition) or the color of its shape-matched object, for example, a pink duck (color change condition). Children were asked 3 questions regarding the identity of the pictures; responses were guided by intentional cues in the black and white condition, but appearance in the color change condition. Experiment 2 confirmed that appearance responses were not due to the artist’s changing knowledge state. Experiment 3 replicated the results of Experiment 1 with adult participants. Together, these studies show that children and adults are neither strictly realist nor intentional route followers. They are realists until resemblance cues fail, at which point they defer to intentional cues. PMID:26192043

Testing Installed Propulsion for Shielded Exhaust Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, James E.; Podboy, Gary G.; Brown, Clifford A.

2016-01-01

Jet-surface interaction (JSI) can be a significant factor in the exhaust noise of installed propulsion systems. Tests to further the understanding and prediction of the acoustic impacts of JSI have been described. While there were many objectives for the test, the overall objective was to prepare for a future test validating the design of a low-noise, lowboom supersonic commercial airliner. In this paper we explore design requirements for a partial aircraft model to be used in subscale acoustic testing, especially focusing on the amount of aircraft body that must be included to produce the acoustic environment between propulsion exhaust system and observer. We document the dual-stream jets, both nozzle and flow conditions, which were tested to extend JSI acoustic modeling from simple singlestream jets to realistic dual-stream exhaust nozzles. Sample observations are provided of changes to far-field sound as surface geometry and flow conditions were varied. Initial measurements are presented for integrating the propulsion on the airframe for a supersonic airliner with simulated airframe geometries and nozzles. Acoustic impacts of installation were modest, resulting in variations of less than 3 EPNdB in most configurations.

Local tsunamis and earthquake source parameters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Geist, Eric L.; Dmowska, Renata; Saltzman, Barry

1999-01-01

This chapter establishes the relationship among earthquake source parameters and the generation, propagation, and run-up of local tsunamis. In general terms, displacement of the seafloor during the earthquake rupture is modeled using the elastic dislocation theory for which the displacement field is dependent on the slip distribution, fault geometry, and the elastic response and properties of the medium. Specifically, nonlinear long-wave theory governs the propagation and run-up of tsunamis. A parametric study is devised to examine the relative importance of individual earthquake source parameters on local tsunamis, because the physics that describes tsunamis from generation through run-up is complex. Analysis of the source parameters of various tsunamigenic earthquakes have indicated that the details of the earthquake source, namely, nonuniform distribution of slip along the fault plane, have a significant effect on the local tsunami run-up. Numerical methods have been developed to address the realistic bathymetric and shoreline conditions. The accuracy of determining the run-up on shore is directly dependent on the source parameters of the earthquake, which provide the initial conditions used for the hydrodynamic models.

Convergent chaos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradas, Marc; Pumir, Alain; Huber, Greg; Wilkinson, Michael

2017-07-01

Chaos is widely understood as being a consequence of sensitive dependence upon initial conditions. This is the result of an instability in phase space, which separates trajectories exponentially. Here, we demonstrate that this criterion should be refined. Despite their overall intrinsic instability, trajectories may be very strongly convergent in phase space over extremely long periods, as revealed by our investigation of a simple chaotic system (a realistic model for small bodies in a turbulent flow). We establish that this strong convergence is a multi-facetted phenomenon, in which the clustering is intense, widespread and balanced by lacunarity of other regions. Power laws, indicative of scale-free features, characterize the distribution of particles in the system. We use large-deviation and extreme-value statistics to explain the effect. Our results show that the interpretation of the ‘butterfly effect’ needs to be carefully qualified. We argue that the combination of mixing and clustering processes makes our specific model relevant to understanding the evolution of simple organisms. Lastly, this notion of convergent chaos, which implies the existence of conditions for which uncertainties are unexpectedly small, may also be relevant to the valuation of insurance and futures contracts.

Bumblebee learning and memory is impaired by chronic exposure to a neonicotinoid pesticide

PubMed Central

Stanley, Dara A.; Smith, Karen E.; Raine, Nigel E.

2015-01-01

Bumblebees are exposed to pesticides applied for crop protection while foraging on treated plants, with increasing evidence suggesting that this sublethal exposure has implications for pollinator declines. The challenges of navigating and learning to manipulate many different flowers underline the critical role learning plays for the foraging success and survival of bees. We assessed the impacts of both acute and chronic exposure to field-realistic levels of a widely applied neonicotinoid insecticide, thiamethoxam, on bumblebee odour learning and memory. Although bees exposed to acute doses showed conditioned responses less frequently than controls, we found no difference in the number of individuals able to learn at field-realistic exposure levels. However, following chronic pesticide exposure, bees exposed to field-realistic levels learnt more slowly and their short-term memory was significantly impaired following exposure to 2.4 ppb pesticide. These results indicate that field-realistic pesticide exposure can have appreciable impacts on learning and memory, with potential implications for essential individual behaviour and colony fitness. PMID:26568480

Genesis of Hurricane Sandy (2012) Simulated with a Global Mesoscale Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Bo-Wen; DeMaria, Mark; Li, J.-L. F.; Cheung, S.

2013-01-01

In this study, we investigate the formation predictability of Hurricane Sandy (2012) with a global mesoscale model. We first present five track and intensity forecasts of Sandy initialized at 00Z 22-26 October 2012, realistically producing its movement with a northwestward turn prior to its landfall. We then show that three experiments initialized at 00Z 16-18 October captured the genesis of Sandy with a lead time of up to 6 days and simulated reasonable evolution of Sandy's track and intensity in the next 2 day period of 18Z 21-23 October. Results suggest that the extended lead time of formation prediction is achieved by realistic simulations of multiscale processes, including (1) the interaction between an easterly wave and a low-level westerly wind belt (WWB) and (2) the appearance of the upper-level trough at 200 hPa to Sandy's northwest. The low-level WWB and upper-level trough are likely associated with a Madden-Julian Oscillation.

Social welfare matters: a realist review of when, how, and why unemployment insurance impacts poverty and health.

PubMed

O'Campo, Patricia; Molnar, Agnes; Ng, Edwin; Renahy, Emilie; Mitchell, Christiane; Shankardass, Ketan; St John, Alexander; Bambra, Clare; Muntaner, Carles

2015-05-01

The recent global recession and concurrent rise in job loss makes unemployment insurance (UI) increasingly important to smooth patterns of consumption and keep households from experiencing extreme material poverty. In this paper, we undertake a realist review to produce a critical understanding of how and why UI policies impact on poverty and health in different welfare state contexts between 2000 and 2013. We relied on literature and expert interviews to generate an initial theory and set of propositions about how UI might alleviate poverty and mental distress. We then systematically located and synthesized peer-review studies to glean supportive or contradictory evidence for our initial propositions. Poverty and psychological distress, among unemployed and even the employed, are impacted by generosity of UI in terms of eligibility, duration and wage replacement levels. Though unemployment benefits are not intended to compensate fully for a loss of earnings, generous UI programs can moderate harmful consequences of unemployment. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Speech Processing in Realistic Battlefield Environments (Le Traitement de la Parole en Environnement de Combat Realiste)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

Available Military Speech Databases 2-2 2.3.1 FELIN Database 2-2 2.3.1.1 Overview 2-2 2.3.1.2 Technical Specifications 2-3 2.3.1.3 Limitations...emotion, confusion due to conflicting information, psychological tension, pain , and other typical conditions encountered in the modern battlefield...too, the number of possible language combinations scale with N3. It is clear that in a field of research that has only recently started and with so

Existence of equilibria in quantum Bertrand-Edgeworth duopoly game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiguchi, Yohei; Sakahara, Kiri; Sato, Takashi

2012-12-01

Both classical and quantum version of two models of price competition in duopoly market, the one is realistic and the other is idealized, are investigated. The pure strategy Nash equilibria of the realistic model exists under stricter condition than that of the idealized one in the classical form game. This is the problem known as Edgeworth paradox in economics. In the quantum form game, however, the former converges to the latter as the measure of entanglement goes to infinity.

Impact of realistic soil moisture initialization on the representation of extreme events in the western Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helgert, Sebastian; Khodayar, Samiro

2017-04-01

In a warmer Mediterranean climate an increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme events like floods, droughts and extreme heat is expected. The ability to predict such events is still a great challenge and exhibits many uncertainties in the weather forecast and climate predictions. Thereby the missing knowledge about soil moisture-atmosphere interactions and their representation in models is identified as one of the main sources of uncertainty. In this context the soil moisture(SM) plays an important role in the partitioning of sensible and latent heat fluxes on the surface and consequently influences the boundary-layer stability and the precipitation formation. The aim of this research work is to assess the influence of soil moisture-atmosphere interactions on the initiation and development of extreme events in the western Mediterranean (WMED). In this respect the impact of realistic SM initialization on the model representation of extreme events is investigated. High-resolution simulations of different regions in the WMED, including various climate zones from moderate to arid climate, are conducted with the atmospheric COSMO (Consortium for Small-scale Modeling) model in the numerical weather prediction and climate mode. A multiscale temporal and spatial approach is used (days to years, 7km to 2.8km grid spacing). Observational data provided by the framework of the HYdrological cycle in the Mediterranean EXperiment (HyMeX) as well as satellite data such as precipitation from CMORPH (CPC MORPHing technique), evapotranspiration from Land Surface Analysis Satellite Applications Facility (LSA-SAF) and atmospheric moisture from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) are used for process understanding and model validation. To select extreme dry and wet periods the Effective Drought Index (EDI) is calculated. In these periods sensitivity studies of extreme SM initialization scenarios are performed to prove a possible impact of soil moisture on precipitation in the WMED. For the realistic SM initialization different state-of-art high-resolution SM products (25km up to 1km grid spacing) of the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity mission (SMOS) are examined. A CDF-matching method is applied to reduce the bias between model and SMOS-satellite observation. Moreover, techniques to estimate the initial soil moisture profile from satellite data are tested.

Realistic Bomber Training Initiative. Environmental Impact Statement. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

spreading, atmospheric absorption, and lateral attenuation. Spherical spreading is, in essence , the reduction in noise due to the spreading of sound...Sanders Jasmine 008301 626 Saunders Gordon 008205/8253 581/601 Schiller Arthur 008226 590 Schinlund Gus 008096 531 Scudday Jim 008132 549 Sforza Tony

Mexican American Televison: Applied Anthropology and Public Television

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eiselein, E. B.; Marshall, Wes

1976-01-01

Fiesta Project provides a classic example of action anthropology in broadcasting. The project involved the research and production of a Spanish language public television series designed to attract, retain, and realistically help a Mexican American audience in southern Arizona. The project used anthropological research in initial program…

Supersonic gas streams enhance the formation of massive black holes in the early universe.

PubMed

Hirano, Shingo; Hosokawa, Takashi; Yoshida, Naoki; Kuiper, Rolf

2017-09-29

The origin of super-massive black holes in the early universe remains poorly understood. Gravitational collapse of a massive primordial gas cloud is a promising initial process, but theoretical studies have difficulty growing the black hole fast enough. We report numerical simulations of early black hole formation starting from realistic cosmological conditions. Supersonic gas motions left over from the Big Bang prevent early gas cloud formation until rapid gas condensation is triggered in a protogalactic halo. A protostar is formed in the dense, turbulent gas cloud, and it grows by sporadic mass accretion until it acquires 34,000 solar masses. The massive star ends its life with a catastrophic collapse to leave a black hole-a promising seed for the formation of a monstrous black hole. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Spatio-temporal propagation of cascading overload failures in spatially embedded networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jichang; Li, Daqing; Sanhedrai, Hillel; Cohen, Reuven; Havlin, Shlomo

2016-01-01

Different from the direct contact in epidemics spread, overload failures propagate through hidden functional dependencies. Many studies focused on the critical conditions and catastrophic consequences of cascading failures. However, to understand the network vulnerability and mitigate the cascading overload failures, the knowledge of how the failures propagate in time and space is essential but still missing. Here we study the spatio-temporal propagation behaviour of cascading overload failures analytically and numerically on spatially embedded networks. The cascading overload failures are found to spread radially from the centre of the initial failure with an approximately constant velocity. The propagation velocity decreases with increasing tolerance, and can be well predicted by our theoretical framework with one single correction for all the tolerance values. This propagation velocity is found similar in various model networks and real network structures. Our findings may help to predict the dynamics of cascading overload failures in realistic systems.

Integrating Multiple Approaches to Solving Solar Wind Turbulence Problems (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimabadi, H.; Roytershteyn, V.

2013-12-01

The ultimate understanding of the solar wind turbulence must explain the physical process and their connection at all scales ranging from the largest down to electron kinetic scales. This is a daunting task and as a result a more piecemeal approach to the problem has been followed. For example, the role of each wave has been explored in isolation and in simulations with scales limited to those of the underlying waves. In this talk, we present several issues with this approach and offer an alternative with an eye towards more realistic simulations of solar wind turbulence. The main simulation techniques used have been MHD, Hall MHD, hybrid, fully kinetic, and gyrokinetic. We examine the limitations of each approach and their viability for studies of solar wind turbulence. Finally, the effect of initial conditions on the resulting turbulence and their comparison with solar wind are demonstrated through several kinetic simulations.

Collaborative field research and training in occupational health and ergonomics.

PubMed

Kogi, K

1998-01-01

Networking collaborative research and training in Asian developing countries includes three types of joint activities: field studies of workplace potentials for better safety and health, intensive action training for improvement of working conditions in small enterprises, and action-oriented workshops on low-cost improvements for managers, workers, and farmers. These activities were aimed at identifying workable strategies for making locally adjusted improvements in occupational health and ergonomics. Many improvements have resulted as direct outcomes. Most these improvements were multifaceted, low-cost, and practicable using local skills. Three common features of these interactive processes seem important in facilitating realistic improvements: 1) voluntary approaches building on local achievements; 2) the use of practical methods for identifying multiple improvements; and 3) participatory steps for achieving low-cost results first. The effective use of group work tools is crucial. Stepwise training packages have thus proven useful for promoting local problem-solving interventions based on voluntary initiatives.

The Weakly Nonlinear Magnetorotational Instability in a Global, Cylindrical Taylor–Couette Flow

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

Clark, S. E.; Oishi, Jeffrey S., E-mail: seclark@astro.columbia.edu

We conduct a global, weakly nonlinear analysis of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in a Taylor–Couette flow. This is a multiscale, perturbative treatment of the nonideal, axisymmetric MRI near threshold, subject to realistic radial boundary conditions and cylindrical geometry. We analyze both the standard MRI, initialized by a constant vertical background magnetic field, and the helical MRI, with an azimuthal background field component. This is the first weakly nonlinear analysis of the MRI in a global Taylor–Couette geometry, as well as the first weakly nonlinear analysis of the helical MRI. We find that the evolution of the amplitude of the standardmore » MRI is described by a real Ginzburg–Landau equation (GLE), whereas the amplitude of the helical MRI takes the form of a complex GLE. This suggests that the saturated state of the helical MRI may itself be unstable on long spatial and temporal scales.« less

Oil spill contamination probability in the southeastern Levantine basin.

PubMed

Goldman, Ron; Biton, Eli; Brokovich, Eran; Kark, Salit; Levin, Noam

2015-02-15

Recent gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean Sea led to multiple operations with substantial economic interest, and with them there is a risk of oil spills and their potential environmental impacts. To examine the potential spatial distribution of this threat, we created seasonal maps of the probability of oil spill pollution reaching an area in the Israeli coastal and exclusive economic zones, given knowledge of its initial sources. We performed simulations of virtual oil spills using realistic atmospheric and oceanic conditions. The resulting maps show dominance of the alongshore northerly current, which causes the high probability areas to be stretched parallel to the coast, increasing contamination probability downstream of source points. The seasonal westerly wind forcing determines how wide the high probability areas are, and may also restrict these to a small coastal region near source points. Seasonal variability in probability distribution, oil state, and pollution time is also discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modelling of photodegradation in solar cell modules of substrate and superstrate design made with ethylene-vinyl acetate as pottant material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somersall, A. C.; Guillet, J. E.

1983-01-01

A computer model was developed which can generate realistic concentration versus time profiles of the chemical species formed during photooxidation of hydrocarbon polymers using as input data a set of elementary reactions with corresponding rate constants and initial conditions. The results of computer simulation have been shown to be consistent with the general experimental observations of the photooxidation of polyethylene exposed to sunlight at ambient temperatures. The useful lifetime (5% oxidation) of the unstabilized polyethylene is predicted to vary from a few months in hot weather (100 F) to almost two years in cool weather (45 F) with an apparent net activation energy of 10 kcal/mol. Modelling studies of alternate mechanisms for stabilization of clear, amorphous, linear polyethylene suggest that the optimum stabilizer would be a molecularly dispensed additive in very low concentration which can trap peroxy radicals and also decompose hydroperoxides.

Computer simulations of phase field drops on super-hydrophobic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedeli, Livio

2017-09-01

We present a novel quasi-Newton continuation procedure that efficiently solves the system of nonlinear equations arising from the discretization of a phase field model for wetting phenomena. We perform a comparative numerical analysis that shows the improved speed of convergence gained with respect to other numerical schemes. Moreover, we discuss the conditions that, on a theoretical level, guarantee the convergence of this method. At each iterative step, a suitable continuation procedure develops and passes to the nonlinear solver an accurate initial guess. Discretization performs through cell-centered finite differences. The resulting system of equations is solved on a composite grid that uses dynamic mesh refinement and multi-grid techniques. The final code achieves three-dimensional, realistic computer experiments comparable to those produced in laboratory settings. This code offers not only new insights into the phenomenology of super-hydrophobicity, but also serves as a reliable predictive tool for the study of hydrophobic surfaces.

Modeling and simulation for space medicine operations: preliminary requirements considered

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, D. L.; Billica, R. D.; McDonald, P. V.

2001-01-01

The NASA Space Medicine program is now developing plans for more extensive use of high-fidelity medical simulation systems. The use of simulation is seen as means to more effectively use the limited time available for astronaut medical training. Training systems should be adaptable for use in a variety of training environments, including classrooms or laboratories, space vehicle mockups, analog environments, and in microgravity. Modeling and simulation can also provide the space medicine development program a mechanism for evaluation of other medical technologies under operationally realistic conditions. Systems and procedures need preflight verification with ground-based testing. Traditionally, component testing has been accomplished, but practical means for "human in the loop" verification of patient care systems have been lacking. Medical modeling and simulation technology offer potential means to accomplish such validation work. Initial considerations in the development of functional requirements and design standards for simulation systems for space medicine are discussed.

Collapse for the higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation

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

Achilleos, V.; Diamantidis, S.; Frantzeskakis, D. J.

We examine conditions for finite-time collapse of the solutions of the higher-order nonlinear Schr odinger (NLS) equation incorporating third-order dispersion, self-steepening, linear and nonlinear gain and loss, and Raman scattering; this is a system that appears in many physical contexts as a more realistic generalization of the integrable NLS. By using energy arguments, it is found that the collapse dynamics is chiefly controlled by the linear/nonlinear gain/loss strengths. We identify a critical value of the linear gain, separating the possible decay of solutions to the trivial zero-state, from collapse. The numerical simulations, performed for a wide class of initial data,more » are found to be in very good agreement with the analytical results, and reveal long-time stability properties of localized solutions. The role of the higher-order effects to the transient dynamics is also revealed in these simulations.« less

Collapse for the higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation

DOE PAGES

Achilleos, V.; Diamantidis, S.; Frantzeskakis, D. J.; ...

2016-02-01

We examine conditions for finite-time collapse of the solutions of the higher-order nonlinear Schr odinger (NLS) equation incorporating third-order dispersion, self-steepening, linear and nonlinear gain and loss, and Raman scattering; this is a system that appears in many physical contexts as a more realistic generalization of the integrable NLS. By using energy arguments, it is found that the collapse dynamics is chiefly controlled by the linear/nonlinear gain/loss strengths. We identify a critical value of the linear gain, separating the possible decay of solutions to the trivial zero-state, from collapse. The numerical simulations, performed for a wide class of initial data,more » are found to be in very good agreement with the analytical results, and reveal long-time stability properties of localized solutions. The role of the higher-order effects to the transient dynamics is also revealed in these simulations.« less

Monthly mean forecast experiments with the GISS model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spar, J.; Atlas, R. M.; Kuo, E.

1976-01-01

The GISS general circulation model was used to compute global monthly mean forecasts for January 1973, 1974, and 1975 from initial conditions on the first day of each month and constant sea surface temperatures. Forecasts were evaluated in terms of global and hemispheric energetics, zonally averaged meridional and vertical profiles, forecast error statistics, and monthly mean synoptic fields. Although it generated a realistic mean meridional structure, the model did not adequately reproduce the observed interannual variations in the large scale monthly mean energetics and zonally averaged circulation. The monthly mean sea level pressure field was not predicted satisfactorily, but annual changes in the Icelandic low were simulated. The impact of temporal sea surface temperature variations on the forecasts was investigated by comparing two parallel forecasts for January 1974, one using climatological ocean temperatures and the other observed daily ocean temperatures. The use of daily updated sea surface temperatures produced no discernible beneficial effect.

Jet-conversion photons from an anisotropic quark-gluon plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Lusaka; Roy, Pradip

2010-10-01

We calculate the pT distributions of jet-conversion photons from a quark-gluon plasma with pre-equilibrium momentum-space anisotropy. A phenomenological model has been used for the time evolution of the hard momentum scale phard(τ) and anisotropy parameter ξ(τ). As a result of pre-equilibrium momentum-space anisotropy, we find significant modification of the jet-conversion photon pT distribution. For example, with fixed initial condition pre-equilibrium anisotropy, we predict a significant enhancement of the jet-photon pT distribution in the entire region, whereas for pre-equilibrium anisotropy with fixed final multiplicity (FFM), suppression of the jet-conversion photon pT distribution is observed. The results with FFM (as it is the most realistic situation) have been compared with high pT PHENIX photon data. It is found that the data are reproduced well if the isotropization time lies within 1.5 fm/c.

Requirements for Modeling and Simulation for Space Medicine Operations: Preliminary Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, David L.; Billica, Roger D.; Logan, James; McDonald, P. Vernon

2001-01-01

The NASA Space Medicine program is now developing plans for more extensive use of high-fidelity medical Simulation systems. The use of simulation is seen as means to more effectively use the limited time available for astronaut medical training. Training systems should be adaptable for use in a variety of training environments, including classrooms or laboratories, space vehicle mockups, analog environments, and in microgravity. Modeling and simulation can also provide the space medicine development program a mechanism for evaluation of other medical technologies under operationally realistic conditions. Systems and procedures need preflight verification with ground-based testing. Traditionally, component testing has been accomplished, but practical means for "human in the loop" verification of patient care systems have been lacking. Medical modeling and simulation technology offer potential means to accomplish such validation work. Initial considerations in the development of functional requirements and design standards for simulation systems for space medicine are discussed.

The scientific challenges to forecasting the propagation of space weather through the heliosphere (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Holst, B.; Manchester, W.; Sokolov, I.; Toth, G.; Gombosi, T. I.

2013-12-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are a major source of potentially destructive space weather conditions. Understanding and forecasting these events are of utmost importance. In this presentation we discuss the progress towards a physics-based predictive capability within the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF). We demonstrate our latest development in the AWSoM (Alfven Wave Solar Model) global model of the solar corona and inner heliosphere. This model accounts for the coupled thermodynamics of the electrons and protons via single fluid magnetohydrodynamics. The coronal heating and solar wind acceleration are addressed with Alfvén wave turbulence. The realistic 3D magnetic field is simulated using data from the photospheric magnetic field measurements. The AWSoM model serves as a workhorse for modeling CMEs from initial eruption to prediction at 1AU. With selected events we will demonstrate the complexity and challenges associated with CME propagation.

Survivability of Deterministic Dynamical Systems

PubMed Central

Hellmann, Frank; Schultz, Paul; Grabow, Carsten; Heitzig, Jobst; Kurths, Jürgen

2016-01-01

The notion of a part of phase space containing desired (or allowed) states of a dynamical system is important in a wide range of complex systems research. It has been called the safe operating space, the viability kernel or the sunny region. In this paper we define the notion of survivability: Given a random initial condition, what is the likelihood that the transient behaviour of a deterministic system does not leave a region of desirable states. We demonstrate the utility of this novel stability measure by considering models from climate science, neuronal networks and power grids. We also show that a semi-analytic lower bound for the survivability of linear systems allows a numerically very efficient survivability analysis in realistic models of power grids. Our numerical and semi-analytic work underlines that the type of stability measured by survivability is not captured by common asymptotic stability measures. PMID:27405955

ONR Ocean Wave Dynamics Workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

In anticipation of the start (in Fiscal Year 1988) of a new Office of Naval Research (ONR) Accelerated Research Initiative (ARI) on Ocean Surface Wave Dynamics, a workshop was held August 5-7, 1986, at Woods Hole, Mass., to discuss new ideas and directions of research. This new ARI on Ocean Surface Wave Dynamics is a 5-year effort that is organized by the ONR Physical Oceanography Program in cooperation with the ONR Fluid Mechanics Program and the Physical Oceanography Branch at the Naval Ocean Research and Development Activity (NORDA). The central theme is improvement of our understanding of the basic physics and dynamics of surface wave phenomena, with emphasis on the following areas: precise air-sea coupling mechanisms,dynamics of nonlinear wave-wave interaction under realistic environmental conditions,wave breaking and dissipation of energy,interaction between surface waves and upper ocean boundary layer dynamics, andsurface statistical and boundary layer coherent structures.

Strain rate effects in stress corrosion cracking

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

Parkins, R.N.

Slow strain rate testing (SSRT) was initially developed as a rapid, ad hoc laboratory method for assessing the propensity for metals an environments to promote stress corrosion cracking. It is now clear, however, that there are good theoretical reasons why strain rate, as opposed to stress per se, will often be the controlling parameter in determining whether or not cracks are nucleated and, if so, are propagated. The synergistic effects of the time dependence of corrosion-related reactions and microplastic strain provide the basis for mechanistic understanding of stress corrosion cracking in high-pressure pipelines and other structures. However, while this maymore » be readily comprehended in the context of laboratory slow strain tests, its extension to service situations may be less apparent. Laboratory work involving realistic stressing conditions, including low-frequency cyclic loading, shows that strain or creep rates give good correlation with thresholds for cracking and with crack growth kinetics.« less

Spatio-temporal propagation of cascading overload failures in spatially embedded networks

PubMed Central

Zhao, Jichang; Li, Daqing; Sanhedrai, Hillel; Cohen, Reuven; Havlin, Shlomo

2016-01-01

Different from the direct contact in epidemics spread, overload failures propagate through hidden functional dependencies. Many studies focused on the critical conditions and catastrophic consequences of cascading failures. However, to understand the network vulnerability and mitigate the cascading overload failures, the knowledge of how the failures propagate in time and space is essential but still missing. Here we study the spatio-temporal propagation behaviour of cascading overload failures analytically and numerically on spatially embedded networks. The cascading overload failures are found to spread radially from the centre of the initial failure with an approximately constant velocity. The propagation velocity decreases with increasing tolerance, and can be well predicted by our theoretical framework with one single correction for all the tolerance values. This propagation velocity is found similar in various model networks and real network structures. Our findings may help to predict the dynamics of cascading overload failures in realistic systems. PMID:26754065

Large-eddy simulations of a Salt Lake Valley cold-air pool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crosman, Erik T.; Horel, John D.

2017-09-01

Persistent cold-air pools are often poorly forecast by mesoscale numerical weather prediction models, in part due to inadequate parameterization of planetary boundary-layer physics in stable atmospheric conditions, and also because of errors in the initialization and treatment of the model surface state. In this study, an improved numerical simulation of the 27-30 January 2011 cold-air pool in Utah's Great Salt Lake Basin is obtained using a large-eddy simulation with more realistic surface state characterization. Compared to a Weather Research and Forecasting model configuration run as a mesoscale model with a planetary boundary-layer scheme where turbulence is highly parameterized, the large-eddy simulation more accurately captured turbulent interactions between the stable boundary-layer and flow aloft. The simulations were also found to be sensitive to variations in the Great Salt Lake temperature and Salt Lake Valley snow cover, illustrating the importance of land surface state in modelling cold-air pools.

Transport of spin qubits with donor chains under realistic experimental conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohiyaddin, Fahd A.; Kalra, Rachpon; Laucht, Arne; Rahman, Rajib; Klimeck, Gerhard; Morello, Andrea

2016-07-01

The ability to transport quantum information across some distance can facilitate the design and operation of a quantum processor. One-dimensional spin chains provide a compact platform to realize scalable spin transport for a solid-state quantum computer. Here, we model odd-sized donor chains in silicon under a range of experimental nonidealities, including variability of donor position within the chain. We show that the tolerance against donor placement inaccuracies is greatly improved by operating the spin chain in a mode where the electrons are confined at the Si-SiO2 interface. We then estimate the required time scales and exchange couplings, and the level of noise that can be tolerated to achieve high-fidelity transport. We also propose a protocol to calibrate and initialize the chain, thereby providing a complete guideline for realizing a functional donor chain and utilizing it for spin transport.

Transport of spin qubits with donor chains under realistic experimental conditions

DOE PAGES

Mohiyaddin, Fahd A.; Kalra, Rachpon; Laucht, Arne; ...

2016-07-25

The ability to transport quantum information across some distance can facilitate the design and operation of a quantum processor. One-dimensional spin chains provide a compact platform to realize scalable spin transport for a solid-state quantum computer. Here, we model odd-sized donor chains in silicon under a range of experimental nonidealities, including variability of donor position within the chain. We show that the tolerance against donor placement inaccuracies is greatly improved by operating the spin chain in a mode where the electrons are confined at the Si-SiO 2 interface. We then estimate the required time scales and exchange couplings, and themore » level of noise that can be tolerated to achieve high-fidelity transport. As a result, we also propose a protocol to calibrate and initialize the chain, thereby providing a complete guideline for realizing a functional donor chain and utilizing it for spin transport.« less

Neuronize: a tool for building realistic neuronal cell morphologies

PubMed Central

Brito, Juan P.; Mata, Susana; Bayona, Sofia; Pastor, Luis; DeFelipe, Javier; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth

2013-01-01

This study presents a tool, Neuronize, for building realistic three-dimensional models of neuronal cells from the morphological information extracted through computer-aided tracing applications. Neuronize consists of a set of methods designed to build 3D neural meshes that approximate the cell membrane at different resolution levels, allowing a balance to be reached between the complexity and the quality of the final model. The main contribution of the present study is the proposal of a novel approach to build a realistic and accurate 3D shape of the soma from the incomplete information stored in the digitally traced neuron, which usually consists of a 2D cell body contour. This technique is based on the deformation of an initial shape driven by the position and thickness of the first order dendrites. The addition of a set of spines along the dendrites completes the model, building a final 3D neuronal cell suitable for its visualization in a wide range of 3D environments. PMID:23761740

Neuronize: a tool for building realistic neuronal cell morphologies.

PubMed

Brito, Juan P; Mata, Susana; Bayona, Sofia; Pastor, Luis; Defelipe, Javier; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth

2013-01-01

This study presents a tool, Neuronize, for building realistic three-dimensional models of neuronal cells from the morphological information extracted through computer-aided tracing applications. Neuronize consists of a set of methods designed to build 3D neural meshes that approximate the cell membrane at different resolution levels, allowing a balance to be reached between the complexity and the quality of the final model. The main contribution of the present study is the proposal of a novel approach to build a realistic and accurate 3D shape of the soma from the incomplete information stored in the digitally traced neuron, which usually consists of a 2D cell body contour. This technique is based on the deformation of an initial shape driven by the position and thickness of the first order dendrites. The addition of a set of spines along the dendrites completes the model, building a final 3D neuronal cell suitable for its visualization in a wide range of 3D environments.

No energy equipartition in globular clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trenti, Michele; van der Marel, Roeland

2013-11-01

It is widely believed that globular clusters evolve over many two-body relaxation times towards a state of energy equipartition, so that velocity dispersion scales with stellar mass as σ ∝ m-η with η = 0.5. We show here that this is incorrect, using a suite of direct N-body simulations with a variety of realistic initial mass functions and initial conditions. No simulated system ever reaches a state close to equipartition. Near the centre, the luminous main-sequence stars reach a maximum ηmax ≈ 0.15 ± 0.03. At large times, all radial bins convergence on an asymptotic value η∞ ≈ 0.08 ± 0.02. The development of this `partial equipartition' is strikingly similar across our simulations, despite the range of different initial conditions employed. Compact remnants tend to have higher η than main-sequence stars (but still η < 0.5), due to their steeper (evolved) mass function. The presence of an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) decreases η, consistent with our previous findings of a quenching of mass segregation under these conditions. All these results can be understood as a consequence of the Spitzer instability for two-component systems, extended by Vishniac to a continuous mass spectrum. Mass segregation (the tendency of heavier stars to sink towards the core) has often been studied observationally, but energy equipartition has not. Due to the advent of high-quality proper motion data sets from the Hubble Space Telescope, it is now possible to measure η for real clusters. Detailed data-model comparisons open up a new observational window on globular cluster dynamics and evolution. A first comparison of our simulations to observations of Omega Cen yields good agreement, supporting the view that globular clusters are not generally in energy equipartition. Modelling techniques that assume equipartition by construction (e.g. multi-mass Michie-King models) are approximate at best.

Convective aggregation in realistic convective-scale simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holloway, Christopher E.

2017-06-01

To investigate the real-world relevance of idealized-model convective self-aggregation, five 15 day cases of real organized convection in the tropics are simulated. These include multiple simulations of each case to test sensitivities of the convective organization and mean states to interactive radiation, interactive surface fluxes, and evaporation of rain. These simulations are compared to self-aggregation seen in the same model configured to run in idealized radiative-convective equilibrium. Analysis of the budget of the spatial variance of column-integrated frozen moist static energy shows that control runs have significant positive contributions to organization from radiation and negative contributions from surface fluxes and transport, similar to idealized runs once they become aggregated. Despite identical lateral boundary conditions for all experiments in each case, systematic differences in mean column water vapor (CWV), CWV distribution shape, and CWV autocorrelation length scale are found between the different sensitivity runs, particularly for those without interactive radiation, showing that there are at least some similarities in sensitivities to these feedbacks in both idealized and realistic simulations (although the organization of precipitation shows less sensitivity to interactive radiation). The magnitudes and signs of these systematic differences are consistent with a rough equilibrium between (1) equalization due to advection from the lateral boundaries and (2) disaggregation due to the absence of interactive radiation, implying disaggregation rates comparable to those in idealized runs with aggregated initial conditions and noninteractive radiation. This points to a plausible similarity in the way that radiation feedbacks maintain aggregated convection in both idealized simulations and the real world.