Childhood lead poisoning - United States: report to the Congress by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

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

Not Available

The long-term consequences of unabated exposures to environmental lead sources can be serious, particularly for children. Recent scientific studies have shown a progressive decline in the lowest exposure levels of lead at which adverse effects can be reliably detected in children. In recognition of this, Congress directed the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to examine the nature and extent of childhood lead poisoning in the United States. The study was to address such areas as the long-term health implications of environmental lead exposure in children, the extent of leadmore » intoxication of children in terms of geographic areas and sources of lead in the United States, and methods and strategies for removing lead from the environment of US children. This article summarizes the key findings of the report.« less

Evaluation of the source area of rooftop scalar measurements in London, UK using wind tunnel and modelling approaches.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brocklehurst, Aidan; Boon, Alex; Barlow, Janet; Hayden, Paul; Robins, Alan

2014-05-01

The source area of an instrument is an estimate of the area of ground over which the measurement is generated. Quantification of the source area of a measurement site provides crucial context for analysis and interpretation of the data. A range of computational models exists to calculate the source area of an instrument, but these are usually based on assumptions which do not hold for instruments positioned very close to the surface, particularly those surrounded by heterogeneous terrain i.e. urban areas. Although positioning instrumentation at higher elevation (i.e. on masts) is ideal in urban areas, this can be costly in terms of installation and maintenance costs and logistically difficult to position instruments in the ideal geographical location. Therefore, in many studies, experimentalists turn to rooftops to position instrumentation. Experimental validations of source area models for these situations are very limited. In this study, a controlled tracer gas experiment was conducted in a wind tunnel based on a 1:200 scale model of a measurement site used in previous experimental work in central London. The detector was set at the location of the rooftop site as the tracer was released at a range of locations within the surrounding streets and rooftops. Concentration measurements are presented for a range of wind angles, with the spread of concentration measurements indicative of the source area distribution. Clear evidence of wind channeling by streets is seen with the shape of the source area strongly influenced by buildings upwind of the measurement point. The results of the wind tunnel study are compared to scalar concentration source areas generated by modelling approaches based on meteorological data from the central London experimental site and used in the interpretation of continuous carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration data. Initial conclusions will be drawn as to how to apply scalar concentration source area models to rooftop measurement sites and suggestions for their improvement to incorporate effects such as channeling.

Fermi Large Area Telescope Second Source Catalog

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nolan, P. L.; Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M; Allafort, A.; Antolini, E; Bonnell, J.; Cannon, A.; Celik O.; Corbet, R.;

Bayesian source term estimation of atmospheric releases in urban areas using LES approach.

PubMed

Xue, Fei; Kikumoto, Hideki; Li, Xiaofeng; Ooka, Ryozo

2018-05-05

The estimation of source information from limited measurements of a sensor network is a challenging inverse problem, which can be viewed as an assimilation process of the observed concentration data and the predicted concentration data. When dealing with releases in built-up areas, the predicted data are generally obtained by the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations, which yields building-resolving results; however, RANS-based models are outperformed by large-eddy simulation (LES) in the predictions of both airflow and dispersion. Therefore, it is important to explore the possibility of improving the estimation of the source parameters by using the LES approach. In this paper, a novel source term estimation method is proposed based on LES approach using Bayesian inference. The source-receptor relationship is obtained by solving the adjoint equations constructed using the time-averaged flow field simulated by the LES approach based on the gradient diffusion hypothesis. A wind tunnel experiment with a constant point source downwind of a single building model is used to evaluate the performance of the proposed method, which is compared with that of the existing method using a RANS model. The results show that the proposed method reduces the errors of source location and releasing strength by 77% and 28%, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phenomenological Modeling of Infrared Sources: Recent Advances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leung, Chun Ming; Kwok, Sun (Editor)

1993-01-01

Infrared observations from planned space facilities (e.g., ISO (Infrared Space Observatory), SIRTF (Space Infrared Telescope Facility)) will yield a large and uniform sample of high-quality data from both photometric and spectroscopic measurements. To maximize the scientific returns of these space missions, complementary theoretical studies must be undertaken to interpret these observations. A crucial step in such studies is the construction of phenomenological models in which we parameterize the observed radiation characteristics in terms of the physical source properties. In the last decade, models with increasing degree of physical realism (in terms of grain properties, physical processes, and source geometry) have been constructed for infrared sources. Here we review current capabilities available in the phenomenological modeling of infrared sources and discuss briefly directions for future research in this area.

The influence of convective activity on the vorticity budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, T. L.; Scoggins, J. R.

1983-01-01

The influence of convective activity on the vorticity budget was determined during the AVE VII and AVE-SESAME I periods. This was accomplished by evaluating each term in the expanded vorticity equation with twisting and tilting and friction representing the residual of all other terms. Convective areas were delineated by use of radar summary charts. The influence of convective activity was established by analyzing contoured fields of each term as well as numerical values and profiles of the various terms in convective and nonconvective areas. Vertical motion was computed by the kinematic method, and all computations were performed over the central United States using a grid spacing of 158 km. The results show that, in convective areas in particular, the residual is of comparable magnitude to the horizontal advection and divergence terms, and therefore, cannot be neglected. In convective areas, the residual term represents a sink of vorticity below 500 mb and a strong source near 300 mb. In nonconvective areas, the residual was small in magnitude at all levels, but tended to be negative (vorticity sink) at 300 mb. The local change term, over convective areas, tended to be balanced by the residual term, and appeared to be a good indicator of development (vorticity becoming more cyclonic). Finally, the shape of the vertical profiles of the term in the budget equation agreed with those found by other investigators for easterly waves, but the terms were one order of magnitude larger than those for easterly waves.

Genetic Structure, Diversity and Long Term Viability of a Medicinal Plant, Nothapodytes nimmoniana Graham. (Icacinaceae), in Protected and Non-Protected Areas in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot

PubMed Central

Shivaprakash, K. Nagaraju; Ramesha, B. Thimmappa; Uma Shaanker, Ramanan; Dayanandan, Selvadurai; Ravikanth, Gudasalamani

2014-01-01

Background and Question The harvesting of medicinal plants from wild sources is escalating in many parts of the world, compromising the long-term survival of natural populations of medicinally important plants and sustainability of sources of raw material to meet pharmaceutical industry needs. Although protected areas are considered to play a central role in conservation of plant genetic resources, the effectiveness of protected areas for maintaining medicinal plant populations subject to intense harvesting pressure remain largely unknown. We conducted genetic and demographic studies of Nothapodytes nimmoniana Graham, one of the extensively harvested medicinal plant species in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India to assess the effectiveness of protected areas in long-term maintenance of economically important plant species. Methodology/Principal Findings The analysis of adults and seedlings of N. nimmoniana in four protected and four non-protected areas using 7 nuclear microsatellite loci revealed that populations that are distributed within protected areas are subject to lower levels of harvesting and maintain higher genetic diversity (He = 0.816, Ho = 0.607, A = 18.857) than populations in adjoining non-protected areas (He = 0.781, Ho = 0.511, A = 15.571). Furthermore, seedlings in protected areas had significantly higher observed heterozygosity (Ho = 0.630) and private alleles as compared to seedlings in adjoining non-protected areas (Ho = 0.426). Most populations revealed signatures of recent genetic bottleneck. The prediction of long-term maintenance of genetic diversity using BOTTLESIM indicated that current population sizes of the species are not sufficient to maintain 90% of present genetic diversity for next 100 years. Conclusions/Significance Overall, these results highlight the need for establishing more protected areas encompassing a large number of adult plants in the Western Ghats to conserve genetic diversity of economically and medicinally important plant species. PMID:25493426

78 FR 29292 - Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval of Air Quality State Implementation Plans; Arizona...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-20

... Technology (BART) controls for four sources. These sources are Freeport-McMoRan Incorporated (FMMI) Miami... Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) Apache Generating Station. However, we are proposing to disapprove other...) The initials BART mean or refer to Best Available Retrofit Technology. (5) The term Class I area...

REMEDIATION FLUID RECYCLING - APPLICATION OF PERVAPORATION TECHNOLOGY TO MATERIAL RECOVERY AND REUSE

EPA Science Inventory

In an effort to aggressively remove NAPL source areas, agents such as surfactants and alcohols have been added to in situ flusing systems to enhance the solubility of the NAPL components. Such an approach has the potential to reduce the risk posed by a long term source of ground...

IDENTIFYING THE COGNITIVE AND VASCULAR EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION SOURCES AND MIXTURES IN THE FRAMINGHARN OFFSPRING AND THIRD GENERATION COHORTS

EPA Science Inventory

We will estimate health risks associated with short- and long-term exposure to individual air pollutants, sources and air pollution mixtures within the Framingham Offspring and Third Generation populations. We will address which individual and area-level factors, measuring vul...

REMEDIATION FLUID RECYCLING: APPLICATION OF PERVAPORATION TECHNOLOGY TO MATERIAL RECOVERY AND REUSE

EPA Science Inventory

In an effort to aggressively remove NAPL source areas, agents such as surfactants and alcohols have been added to in situ flushing systems to enhance the solubility of the NAPL components. Such an approach has the potential to reduce the risk posed by a long term source of groun...

REMEDIATION FLUID RECYCLING - APPLICATION OF PERVAPORATION TECHNOLOGY TO MATERIAL RECOVERY AND REUSEI

EPA Science Inventory

In an effort to aggressively remove NAPL source areas, agents such as surfactants and alcohols have been added to in situ flusing systems to enhance the solubility of the NAPL components. Such an approach has the potential to reduce the risk posed by a long term source of ground...

Non-Point Source Pollutant Load Variation in Rapid Urbanization Areas by Remote Sensing, Gis and the L-THIA Model: A Case in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China.

PubMed

Li, Tianhong; Bai, Fengjiao; Han, Peng; Zhang, Yuanyan

2016-11-01

Urban sprawl is a major driving force that alters local and regional hydrology and increases non-point source pollution. Using the Bao'an District in Shenzhen, China, a typical rapid urbanization area, as the study area and land-use change maps from 1988 to 2014 that were obtained by remote sensing, the contributions of different land-use types to NPS pollutant production were assessed with a localized long-term hydrologic impact assessment (L-THIA) model. The results show that the non-point source pollution load changed significantly both in terms of magnitude and spatial distribution. The loads of chemical oxygen demand, total suspended substances, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were affected by the interactions between event mean concentration and the magnitude of changes in land-use acreages and the spatial distribution. From 1988 to 2014, the loads of chemical oxygen demand, suspended substances and total phosphorus showed clearly increasing trends with rates of 132.48 %, 32.52 % and 38.76 %, respectively, while the load of total nitrogen decreased by 71.52 %. The immigrant population ratio was selected as an indicator to represent the level of rapid urbanization and industrialization in the study area, and a comparison analysis of the indicator with the four non-point source loads demonstrated that the chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus and total nitrogen loads are linearly related to the immigrant population ratio. The results provide useful information for environmental improvement and city management in the study area.

Non-Point Source Pollutant Load Variation in Rapid Urbanization Areas by Remote Sensing, Gis and the L-THIA Model: A Case in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tianhong; Bai, Fengjiao; Han, Peng; Zhang, Yuanyan

2016-11-01

Urban sprawl is a major driving force that alters local and regional hydrology and increases non-point source pollution. Using the Bao'an District in Shenzhen, China, a typical rapid urbanization area, as the study area and land-use change maps from 1988 to 2014 that were obtained by remote sensing, the contributions of different land-use types to NPS pollutant production were assessed with a localized long-term hydrologic impact assessment (L-THIA) model. The results show that the non-point source pollution load changed significantly both in terms of magnitude and spatial distribution. The loads of chemical oxygen demand, total suspended substances, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were affected by the interactions between event mean concentration and the magnitude of changes in land-use acreages and the spatial distribution. From 1988 to 2014, the loads of chemical oxygen demand, suspended substances and total phosphorus showed clearly increasing trends with rates of 132.48 %, 32.52 % and 38.76 %, respectively, while the load of total nitrogen decreased by 71.52 %. The immigrant population ratio was selected as an indicator to represent the level of rapid urbanization and industrialization in the study area, and a comparison analysis of the indicator with the four non-point source loads demonstrated that the chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus and total nitrogen loads are linearly related to the immigrant population ratio. The results provide useful information for environmental improvement and city management in the study area.

Hydrologic Source Term Processes and Models for the Clearwater and Wineskin Tests, Rainier Mesa, Nevada National Security Site

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

Carle, Steven F.

2011-05-04

This report describes the development, processes, and results of a hydrologic source term (HST) model for the CLEARWATER (U12q) and WINESKIN (U12r) tests located on Rainier Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada (Figure 1.1). Of the 61 underground tests (involving 62 unique detonations) conducted on Rainier Mesa (Area 12) between 1957 and 1992 (USDOE, 2015), the CLEARWATER and WINESKIN tests present many unique features that warrant a separate HST modeling effort from other Rainier Mesa tests.

25 CFR 700.53 - Dwelling, replacement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Policies and Instructions Definitions § 700.53 Dwelling, replacement. The term replacement dwelling means a... unreasonable adverse environmental conditions from either natural or man-made sources and in an area not...

Fermi large area telescope second source catalog

DOE PAGES

Nolan, P. L.; Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; ...

2012-03-28

Here, we present the second catalog of high-energy γ-ray sources detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT), the primary science instrument on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi), derived from data taken during the first 24 months of the science phase of the mission, which began on 2008 August 4. Source detection is based on the average flux over the 24 month period. The second Fermi-LAT catalog (2FGL) includes source location regions, defined in terms of elliptical fits to the 95% confidence regions and spectral fits in terms of power-law, exponentially cutoff power-law, or log-normal forms. Also included are fluxmore » measurements in five energy bands and light curves on monthly intervals for each source. Twelve sources in the catalog are modeled as spatially extended. Furthermore, we provide a detailed comparison of the results from this catalog with those from the first Fermi-LAT catalog (1FGL). Although the diffuse Galactic and isotropic models used in the 2FGL analysis are improved compared to the 1FGL catalog, we attach caution flags to 162 of the sources to indicate possible confusion with residual imperfections in the diffuse model. Finally, the 2FGL catalog contains 1873 sources detected and characterized in the 100 MeV to 100 GeV range of which we consider 127 as being firmly identified and 1171 as being reliably associated with counterparts of known or likely γ-ray-producing source classes.« less

FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE SECOND SOURCE CATALOG

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

Nolan, P. L.; Ajello, M.; Allafort, A.

We present the second catalog of high-energy {gamma}-ray sources detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT), the primary science instrument on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi), derived from data taken during the first 24 months of the science phase of the mission, which began on 2008 August 4. Source detection is based on the average flux over the 24 month period. The second Fermi-LAT catalog (2FGL) includes source location regions, defined in terms of elliptical fits to the 95% confidence regions and spectral fits in terms of power-law, exponentially cutoff power-law, or log-normal forms. Also included are flux measurementsmore » in five energy bands and light curves on monthly intervals for each source. Twelve sources in the catalog are modeled as spatially extended. We provide a detailed comparison of the results from this catalog with those from the first Fermi-LAT catalog (1FGL). Although the diffuse Galactic and isotropic models used in the 2FGL analysis are improved compared to the 1FGL catalog, we attach caution flags to 162 of the sources to indicate possible confusion with residual imperfections in the diffuse model. The 2FGL catalog contains 1873 sources detected and characterized in the 100 MeV to 100 GeV range of which we consider 127 as being firmly identified and 1171 as being reliably associated with counterparts of known or likely {gamma}-ray-producing source classes.« less

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water...

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water...

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water...

Numerical simulation of hydrothermal circulation in the Cascade Range, north-central Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingebritsen, S.E.; Paulson, K.M.

1990-01-01

Alternate conceptual models to explain near-surface heat-flow observations in the central Oregon Cascade Range involve (1) an extensive mid-crustal magmatic heat source underlying both the Quaternary arc and adjacent older rocks or (2) a narrower deep heat source which is flanked by a relatively shallow conductive heat-flow anomaly caused by regional ground-water flow (the lateral-flow model). Relative to the mid-crustal heat source model, the lateral-flow model suggests a more limited geothermal resource base, but a better-defined exploration target. We simulated ground-water flow and heat transport through two cross sections trending west from the Cascade range crest in order to explore the implications of the two models. The thermal input for the alternate conceptual models was simulated by varying the width and intensity of a basal heat-flow anomaly and, in some cases, by introducing shallower heat sources beneath the Quaternary arc. Near-surface observations in the Breitenbush Hot Springs area are most readily explained in terms of lateral heat transport by regional ground-water flow; however, the deep thermal structure still cannot be uniquely inferred. The sparser thermal data set from the McKenzie River area can be explained either in terms of deep regional ground-water flow or in terms of a conduction-dominated system, with ground-water flow essentially confined to Quaternary rocks and fault zones.

A framework for emissions source apportionment in industrial areas: MM5/CALPUFF in a near-field application.

PubMed

Ghannam, K; El-Fadel, M

2013-02-01

This paper examines the relative source contribution to ground-level concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 10 microm) in a coastal urban area due to emissions from an industrial complex with multiple stacks, quarrying activities, and a nearby highway. For this purpose, an inventory of CO, oxide of nitrogen (NO(x)), and PM10 emissions was coupled with the non-steady-state Mesoscale Model 5/California Puff Dispersion Modeling system to simulate individual source contributions under several spatial and temporal scales. As the contribution of a particular source to ground-level concentrations can be evaluated by simulating this single-source emissions or otherwise total emissions except that source, a set of emission sensitivity simulations was designed to examine if CALPUFF maintains a linear relationship between emission rates and predicted concentrations in cases where emitted plumes overlap and chemical transformations are simulated. Source apportionment revealed that ground-level releases (i.e., highway and quarries) extended over large areas dominated the contribution to exposure levels over elevated point sources, despite the fact that cumulative emissions from point sources are higher. Sensitivity analysis indicated that chemical transformations of NO(x) are insignificant, possibly due to short-range plume transport, with CALPUFF exhibiting a linear response to changes in emission rate. The current paper points to the significance of ground-level emissions in contributing to urban air pollution exposure and questions the viability of the prevailing paradigm of point-source emission reduction, especially that the incremental improvement in air quality associated with this common abatement strategy may not accomplish the desirable benefit in terms of lower exposure with costly emissions capping. The application of atmospheric dispersion models for source apportionment helps in identifying major contributors to regional air pollution. In industrial urban areas where multiple sources with different geometry contribute to emissions, ground-level releases extended over large areas such as roads and quarries often dominate the contribution to ground-level air pollution. Industrial emissions released at elevated stack heights may experience significant dilution, resulting in minor contribution to exposure at ground level. In such contexts, emission reduction, which is invariably the abatement strategy targeting industries at a significant investment in control equipment or process change, may result in minimal return on investment in terms of improvement in air quality at sensitive receptors.

Use of chemistry and stable sulfur isotopes to determine sources of trends in sulfate of Colorado lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turk, J.T.; Campbell, D.H.; Spahr, N.E.

1993-01-01

The chemistry of lakes in the Mt. Zukel Wilderness Area (MZWA) and the Weminuche Wilderness Area (WWA) of Colorado has been monitored since 1985. The initial results indicate that changes have occurred in the chemistry of some lakes in both areas. Increased concentration of sulfate in lakes may be related to increased atmospheric deposition of sulfate or to changes of sulfate released by weathering and to changing dilution of sulfate by snowmelt. Stable S isotopes seem to be capable of separating the fraction of change in sulfate that is related to atmospheric and watershed sources. Because of the short period of record, it is not possible to determine whether the changes are part of a long-term trend or are merely natural fluctuations about some baseline.The chemistry of lakes in th Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Area (MZWA) and Weminche Wilderness Area (WWA) of Colorado has been monitored since 1985. The initial results indicate that changes have occured in the chemistry of some lakes in both areas. Increased concentration of sulfate in lakes may be related to increased atmospheric deposition of sulfateor to changes of sulfate released by weathering and to changing dilution of sulfate by snowmelt. Stable S isotopes seem to be capable of separating the fraction of change in sulfate that is related to atmospheric and watershed sources. Because of the short period of record, it is not possible to determine whether the changes are part of long-term or are merely natural fluctuations about some baseline.

Recent changes in the oxidized to reduced nitrogen ratio in atmospheric precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurzyca, Iwona; Frankowski, Marcin

2017-10-01

In this study, the characteristics of precipitation in terms of various nitrogen forms (NO3-, NO2-, NH4+, Norganic, Ntotal) is presented. The samples were collected in the areas of different anthropogenic pressure (urban area vs. ecologically protected woodland area, ∼30 km distant from each other; Wielkopolska region, Poland). Based on the Nox and Nred emission profiles (Nox/Nred ratio), temporal and spatial comparison was carried out. For both sites, during a decade of observation, more than 60% of samples had higher contribution of N-NH4+ than N-NO3-, the amount of N-NO2- was negligible, and organic nitrogen amounted to 30% of total nitrogen content which varied up to 16 mg/l. The precipitation events w ith high concentration of nitrogen species were investigated in terms of possible local and remote sources of nitrogen (synoptic meteorology), to indicate the areas which can act as potential sources of N-compounds. Based on the chemometric analysis, it was found that Nred implies Nox and vice versa, due to interactions between them in the atmosphere. Taking into account the analysis of precipitation occurring simultaneously in both locations (about 50% of all rainfall episodes), it was observed that such factor as anthropogenic pressure differentiates but does not determine the chemical composition of precipitation in the investigated areas (urban vs. woodland area; distance of ∼30 km). Thermodynamics of the atmosphere had a significant impact on concentrations of N-NO3- and N-NH4+ in precipitation, as well as the circulation of air masses and remote N sources responsible for transboundary inflow of pollutants.

Fermi Large Area Telescope Second Source Catalog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nolan, P. L.; Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Allafort, A.; Antolini, E.; Atwood, W. B.; Axelsson, M.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bechtol, K.; Belfiore, A.; Bellazzini, R.; Berenji, B.; Bignami, G. F.; Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.; Bonamente, E.; Bonnell, J.; Borgland, A. W.; Bottacini, E.; Bouvier, A.; Brandt, T. J.; Bregeon, J.; Brigida, M.; Bruel, P.; Buehler, R.; Burnett, T. H.; Buson, S.; Caliandro, G. A.; Cameron, R. A.; Campana, R.; Cañadas, B.; Cannon, A.; Caraveo, P. A.; Casandjian, J. M.; Cavazzuti, E.; Ceccanti, M.; Cecchi, C.; Çelik, Ö.; Charles, E.; Chekhtman, A.; Cheung, C. C.; Chiang, J.; Chipaux, R.; Ciprini, S.; Claus, R.; Cohen-Tanugi, J.; Cominsky, L. R.; Conrad, J.; Corbet, R.; Cutini, S.; D'Ammando, F.; Davis, D. S.; de Angelis, A.; DeCesar, M. E.; DeKlotz, M.; De Luca, A.; den Hartog, P. R.; de Palma, F.; Dermer, C. D.; Digel, S. W.; Silva, E. do Couto e.; Drell, P. S.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Dubois, R.; Dumora, D.; Enoto, T.; Escande, L.; Fabiani, D.; Falletti, L.; Favuzzi, C.; Fegan, S. J.; Ferrara, E. C.; Focke, W. B.; Fortin, P.; Frailis, M.; Fukazawa, Y.; Funk, S.; Fusco, P.; Gargano, F.; Gasparrini, D.; Gehrels, N.; Germani, S.; Giebels, B.; Giglietto, N.; Giommi, P.; Giordano, F.; Giroletti, M.; Glanzman, T.; Godfrey, G.; Grenier, I. A.; Grondin, M.-H.; Grove, J. E.; Guillemot, L.; Guiriec, S.; Gustafsson, M.; Hadasch, D.; Hanabata, Y.; Harding, A. K.; Hayashida, M.; Hays, E.; Hill, A. B.; Horan, D.; Hou, X.; Hughes, R. E.; Iafrate, G.; Itoh, R.; Jóhannesson, G.; Johnson, R. P.; Johnson, T. E.; Johnson, A. S.; Johnson, T. J.; Kamae, T.; Katagiri, H.; Kataoka, J.; Katsuta, J.; Kawai, N.; Kerr, M.; Knödlseder, J.; Kocevski, D.; Kuss, M.; Lande, J.; Landriu, D.; Latronico, L.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lionetto, A. M.; Llena Garde, M.; Longo, F.; Loparco, F.; Lott, B.; Lovellette, M. N.; Lubrano, P.; Madejski, G. M.; Marelli, M.; Massaro, E.; Mazziotta, M. N.; McConville, W.; McEnery, J. E.; Mehault, J.; Michelson, P. F.; Minuti, M.; Mitthumsiri, W.; Mizuno, T.; Moiseev, A. A.; Mongelli, M.; Monte, C.; Monzani, M. E.; Morselli, A.; Moskalenko, I. V.; Murgia, S.; Nakamori, T.; Naumann-Godo, M.; Norris, J. P.; Nuss, E.; Nymark, T.; Ohno, M.; Ohsugi, T.; Okumura, A.; Omodei, N.; Orlando, E.; Ormes, J. F.; Ozaki, M.; Paneque, D.; Panetta, J. H.; Parent, D.; Perkins, J. S.; Pesce-Rollins, M.; Pierbattista, M.; Pinchera, M.; Piron, F.; Pivato, G.; Porter, T. A.; Racusin, J. L.; Rainò, S.; Rando, R.; Razzano, M.; Razzaque, S.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Reposeur, T.; Ritz, S.; Rochester, L. S.; Romani, R. W.; Roth, M.; Rousseau, R.; Ryde, F.; Sadrozinski, H. F.-W.; Salvetti, D.; Sanchez, D. A.; Saz Parkinson, P. M.; Sbarra, C.; Scargle, J. D.; Schalk, T. L.; Sgrò, C.; Shaw, M. S.; Shrader, C.; Siskind, E. J.; Smith, D. A.; Spandre, G.; Spinelli, P.; Stephens, T. E.; Strickman, M. S.; Suson, D. J.; Tajima, H.; Takahashi, H.; Takahashi, T.; Tanaka, T.; Thayer, J. G.; Thayer, J. B.; Thompson, D. J.; Tibaldo, L.; Tibolla, O.; Tinebra, F.; Tinivella, M.; Torres, D. F.; Tosti, G.; Troja, E.; Uchiyama, Y.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Van Etten, A.; Van Klaveren, B.; Vasileiou, V.; Vianello, G.; Vitale, V.; Waite, A. P.; Wallace, E.; Wang, P.; Werner, M.; Winer, B. L.; Wood, D. L.; Wood, K. S.; Wood, M.; Yang, Z.; Zimmer, S.

2012-04-01

We present the second catalog of high-energy γ-ray sources detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT), the primary science instrument on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi), derived from data taken during the first 24 months of the science phase of the mission, which began on 2008 August 4. Source detection is based on the average flux over the 24 month period. The second Fermi-LAT catalog (2FGL) includes source location regions, defined in terms of elliptical fits to the 95% confidence regions and spectral fits in terms of power-law, exponentially cutoff power-law, or log-normal forms. Also included are flux measurements in five energy bands and light curves on monthly intervals for each source. Twelve sources in the catalog are modeled as spatially extended. We provide a detailed comparison of the results from this catalog with those from the first Fermi-LAT catalog (1FGL). Although the diffuse Galactic and isotropic models used in the 2FGL analysis are improved compared to the 1FGL catalog, we attach caution flags to 162 of the sources to indicate possible confusion with residual imperfections in the diffuse model. The 2FGL catalog contains 1873 sources detected and characterized in the 100 MeV to 100 GeV range of which we consider 127 as being firmly identified and 1171 as being reliably associated with counterparts of known or likely γ-ray-producing source classes. We dedicate this paper to the memory of our colleague Patrick Nolan, who died on 2011 November 6. His career spanned much of the history of high-energy astronomy from space and his work on the Large Area Telescope (LAT) began nearly 20 years ago when it was just a concept. Pat was a central member in the operation of the LAT collaboration and he is greatly missed.

Self-Esteem, Creativity, and Music: Implications and Directions for Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanderArk, Sherman

1989-01-01

This paper seeks to give potentially pertinent information and ideas for the development of a model and of hypotheses that are relevant in terms of combining the areas of self-concept and creativity. Selected sources from the areas of psychology, education, and music education are presented as the basis for ideas and thoughts for further research.…

US Army battery needs -- Present and future

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

Hamlen, R.P.; Christopher, H.A.; Gilman, S.

1995-07-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the needs of the US Army for silent portable power sources, both in the near and longer term future. As a means of doing this, the programs of the Power Sources Division of the Army Research Laboratory will be discussed. The six program areas in which the Power Sources Division is engaged are: primary batteries, rechargeable batteries, reserve/fuze batteries, pulse batteries and capacitors, fuel cells, and thermophotovoltaic power generation.

Use of dust storm observations on satellite images to identify areas vulnerable to severe wind erosion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breed, C.S.; McCauley, J.F.

1986-01-01

Blowing dust is symptomatic of severe wind erosion and deterioration of soils in areas undergoing dessication and/or devegetation. Dust plumes on satellite images can commonly be traced to sources in marginally arable semiarid areas where protective lag gravels or vegetation have been removed and soils are dry, as demonstrated for the Portales Valley, New Mexico. Images from Landsat and manned orbiters such as Skylab and the Space Shuttle are useful for illustrating the regional relations of airborne dust plumes to source areas. Geostationary satellites such as GOES are useful in tracking the time-histories of episodic dust storms. These events sometimes go unrecognized by weather observers and are the precursors of long-term land degradation trends. In areas where soil maps and meteorological data are inadequate, satellite images provide a means for identifying problem areas where measures are needed to control or mitigate wind erosion. ?? 1986 D. Reidel Publishing Company.

Evolution of air pollution source contributions over one decade, derived by PM10 and PM2.5 source apportionment in two metropolitan urban areas in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diapouli, E.; Manousakas, M.; Vratolis, S.; Vasilatou, V.; Maggos, Th; Saraga, D.; Grigoratos, Th; Argyropoulos, G.; Voutsa, D.; Samara, C.; Eleftheriadis, K.

2017-09-01

Metropolitan Urban areas in Greece have been known to suffer from poor air quality, due to variety of emission sources, topography and climatic conditions favouring the accumulation of pollution. While a number of control measures have been implemented since the 1990s, resulting in reductions of atmospheric pollution and changes in emission source contributions, the financial crisis which started in 2009 has significantly altered this picture. The present study is the first effort to assess the contribution of emission sources to PM10 and PM2.5 concentration levels and their long-term variability (over 5-10 years), in the two largest metropolitan urban areas in Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki). Intensive measurement campaigns were conducted during 2011-2012 at suburban, urban background and urban traffic sites in these two cities. In addition, available datasets from previous measurements in Athens and Thessaloniki were used in order to assess the long-term variability of concentrations and sources. Chemical composition analysis of the 2011-2012 samples showed that carbonaceous matter was the most abundant component for both PM size fractions. Significant increase of carbonaceous particle concentrations and of OC/EC ratio during the cold period, especially in the residential urban background sites, pointed towards domestic heating and more particularly wood (biomass) burning as a significant source. PMF analysis further supported this finding. Biomass burning was the largest contributing source at the two urban background sites (with mean contributions for the two size fractions in the range of 24-46%). Secondary aerosol formation (sulphate, nitrate & organics) was also a major contributing source for both size fractions at the suburban and urban background sites. At the urban traffic site, vehicular traffic (exhaust and non-exhaust emissions) was the source with the highest contributions, accounting for 44% of PM10 and 37% of PM2.5, respectively. The long-term variability of emission sources in the two cities (over 5-10 years), assessed through a harmonized application of the PMF technique on recent and past year data, clearly demonstrates the effective reduction in emissions during the last decade due to control measures and technological development; however, it also reflects the effects of the financial crisis in Greece during these years, which has led to decreased economic activities and the adoption of more polluting practices by the local population in an effort to reduce living costs.

Effect of mass housing settlement type on the comfortable open areas in terms of noise.

PubMed

Akdağ, Neşe Yüğrük; Gedik, Gülay Zorer; Kiraz, Fatih; Şener, Bekir

2017-09-12

The layout of the structures according to the noise source is an important parameter in terms of the level of noise reaching to both open usage areas and the structure surfaces. In this paper, it is aimed to reveal the effect of mass housing settlement type on the size of suitable open usage areas in terms of noise. Comfortable open usage areas in 25 mass housing alternatives are determined for the case of being affected by three different road noises. The reliability of the simulation results is validated by on-site noise level measurements. As a result, it is seen that better results are obtained in linear, L, C, and U type alternatives than point-type blocks. Especially in alternatives consisting of point-and linear-type blocks, if the noise level is above 75 Leq (dBA), the percentage of comfortable open usage areas is very low. It is determined that the percentage of comfortable open areas increases between 50 and 100% by means of appropriately designed noise barriers.

Sources, transport, and trends for selected trace metals and nutrients in the Coeur d'Alene and Spokane River Basins, Idaho, 1990-2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Gregory M.; Mebane, Christopher A.

2014-01-01

Results from this study indicate that remedial activities conducted since the 1990s have been successful in reducing the concentrations and loads of trace metals in streams and rivers in the Coeur d’Alene and Spokane River Basins. Soils, sediment, surface water, and groundwater in areas of the Coeur d’Alene and Spokane River Basins are contaminated, and the hydrological relations between these media are complex and difficult to characterize. Trace metals have variable source areas, are transported differently depending on hydrologic conditions, and behave differently in response to remedial activities in upstream basins. Based on these findings, no single remedial action would be completely effective in reducing all trace metals to nontoxic concentrations throughout the Coeur d’Alene and Spokane River Basins. Instead, unique cleanup activities targeted at specific media and specific source areas may be necessary to achieve long-term water-quality goals.

Milan Army Ammunition Plant remedial investigation report: Volume 1. Final report 89-91

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

Okusu, N.; Hall, H.; Orndorff, A.

1991-12-09

A Remedial Investigation at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant, TN, was conducted for the US Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency, under the terms of an Interagency Agreement with the State of Tennessee and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The study focused on the CERCLA site and selected RCRA regulated units identified by previous studies as potential sources of contamination. A broad range of chemicals including metals, explosives, and other organic compounds were found in source areas and in groundwater. The results of a risk assessment indicate that unacceptable levels of human health risks potentially exist. Conceptual models of sitemore » and unit characteristics were formulated to explain major findings, and areas not contributing to the problem were identified. For many source areas, major unknowns exist regarding hydrology, extent of contamination, and current and future impacts to groundwater quality.« less

A Study of Regional Waveform Calibration in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Luccio, F.; Pino, A.; Thio, H.

2002-12-01

We modeled Pnl phases from several moderate magnitude events in the eastern Mediterranean to test methods and to develop path calibrations for source determination. The study region spanning from the eastern part of the Hellenic arc to the eastern Anatolian fault is mostly interested by moderate earthquakes, that can produce relevant damages. The selected area consists of several tectonic environment, which produces increased level of difficulty in waveform modeling. The results of this study are useful for the analysis of regional seismicity and for seismic hazard as well, in particular because very few broadband seismic stations are available in the selected area. The obtained velocity model gives a 30 km crustal tickness and low upper mantle velocities. The applied inversion procedure to determine the source mechanism has been successful, also in terms of discrimination of depth, for the entire range of selected paths. We conclude that using the true calibration of the seismic structure and high quality broadband data, it is possible to determine the seismic source in terms of mechanism, even with a single station.

Taste and odor occurrence in Lake William C. Bowen and Municipal Reservoir #1, Spartanburg County, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Journey, Celeste; Arrington, Jane M.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and Spartanburg Water are working cooperatively on an ongoing study of Lake Bowen and Reservoir #1 to identify environmental factors that enhance or influence the production of geosmin in the source-water reservoirs. Spartanburg Water is using information from this study to develop management strategies to reduce (short-term solution) and prevent (long-term solution) geosmin occurrence. Spartanburg Water utility treats and distributes drinking water to the Spartanburg area of South Carolina. The drinking water sources for the area are Lake William C. Bowen (Lake Bowen) and Municipal Reservoir #1 (Reservoir #1), located north of Spartanburg. These reservoirs, which were formed by the impoundment of the South Pacolet River, were assessed in 2006 by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) as being fully supportive of all uses based on established criteria. Nonetheless, Spartanburg Water had noted periodic taste and odor problems due to the presence of geosmin, a naturally occurring compound in the source water. Geosmin is not harmful, but its presence in drinking water is aesthetically unpleasant.

Ice Damage in a Georgia Planting of Loblolly Pine from Different Seed Sources

Treesearch

Earle P. Jones; Osborn O. Wells

1969-01-01

After a severe ice storm in south-central Georgia, the degree of ice damage in a provenance test planting of 11-year-old loblolly pines varied considerably among the nine widely seperated seed sources represented. Damage was less among tress from the colder, more inland locations than among tress from coastal areas where the climate is more moderate. In terms of...

Evaluation of the Hydrologic Source Term from Underground Nuclear Tests on Pahute Mesa at the Nevada Test Site: The CHESHIRE Test

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

Pawloski, G A; Tompson, A F B; Carle, S F

The objectives of this report are to develop, summarize, and interpret a series of detailed unclassified simulations that forecast the nature and extent of radionuclide release and near-field migration in groundwater away from the CHESHIRE underground nuclear test at Pahute Mesa at the NTS over 1000 yrs. Collectively, these results are called the CHESHIRE Hydrologic Source Term (HST). The CHESHIRE underground nuclear test was one of 76 underground nuclear tests that were fired below or within 100 m of the water table between 1965 and 1992 in Areas 19 and 20 of the NTS. These areas now comprise the Pahutemore » Mesa Corrective Action Unit (CAU) for which a separate subregional scale flow and transport model is being developed by the UGTA Project to forecast the larger-scale migration of radionuclides from underground tests on Pahute Mesa. The current simulations are being developed, on one hand, to more fully understand the complex coupled processes involved in radionuclide migration, with a specific focus on the CHESHIRE test. While remaining unclassified, they are as site specific as possible and involve a level of modeling detail that is commensurate with the most fundamental processes, conservative assumptions, and representative data sets available. However, the simulation results are also being developed so that they may be simplified and interpreted for use as a source term boundary condition at the CHESHIRE location in the Pahute Mesa CAU model. In addition, the processes of simplification and interpretation will provide generalized insight as to how the source term behavior at other tests may be considered or otherwise represented in the Pahute Mesa CAU model.« less

Real time wide area radiation surveillance system (REWARD) based on 3d silicon and (CD,ZN)Te for neutron and gamma-ray detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Disch, C.

2014-09-01

Mobile surveillance systems are used to find lost radioactive sources and possible nuclear threats in urban areas. The REWARD collaboration [1] aims to develop such a complete radiation monitoring system that can be installed in mobile or stationary setups across a wide area. The scenarios include nuclear terrorism threats, lost radioactive sources, radioactive contamination and nuclear accidents. This paper will show the performance capabilities of the REWARD system in different scnarios. The results include both Monte Carlo simulations as well as neutron and gamma-ray detection performances in terms of efficiency and nuclide identification. The outcomes of several radiation mapping survey with the entire REWARD system will also be presented.

Source and long-term behavior of transuranic aerosols in the WIPP environment.

PubMed

Thakur, P; Lemons, B G

2016-10-01

Source and long-term behavior transuranic aerosols ((239+240)Pu, (238)Pu, and (241)Am) in the ambient air samples collected at and near the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) deep geologic repository site were investigated using historical data from an independent monitoring program conducted by the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center and an oversight monitoring program conducted by the management and operating contractor for WIPP at and near the facility. An analysis of historical data indicates frequent detections of (239+240)Pu and (241)Am, whereas (238)Pu is detected infrequently. Peaks in (239+240)Pu and (241)Am concentrations in ambient air generally occur from March to June timeframe, which is when strong and gusty winds in the area frequently give rise to blowing dust. Long-term measurements of plutonium isotopes (1985-2015) in the WIPP environment suggest that the resuspension of previously contaminated soils is likely the primary source of plutonium in the ambient air samples from WIPP and its vicinity. There is no evidence that WIPP is a source of environmental contamination that can be considered significant by any health-based standard.

Understanding Hydrological Processes in Variable Source Areas in the Glaciated Northeastern US Watersheds under Variable Climate Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steenhuis, T. S.; Azzaino, Z.; Hoang, L.; Pacenka, S.; Worqlul, A. W.; Mukundan, R.; Stoof, C.; Owens, E. M.; Richards, B. K.

2017-12-01

The New York City source watersheds in the Catskill Mountains' humid, temperate climate has long-term hydrological and water quality monitoring data It is one of the few catchments where implementation of source and landscape management practices has led to decreased phosphorus concentration in the receiving surface waters. One of the reasons is that landscape measures correctly targeted the saturated variable source runoff areas (VSA) in the valley bottoms as the location where most of the runoff and other nonpoint pollutants originated. Measures targeting these areas were instrumental in lowering phosphorus concentration. Further improvements in water quality can be made based on a better understanding of the flow processes and water table fluctuations in the VSA. For that reason, we instrumented a self-contained upland variable source watershed with a landscape characteristic of a soil underlain by glacial till at shallow depth similar to the Catskill watersheds. In this presentation, we will discuss our experimental findings and present a mathematical model. Variable source areas have a small slope making gravity the driving force for the flow, greatly simplifying the simulation of the flow processes. The experimental data and the model simulations agreed for both outflow and water table fluctuations. We found that while the flows to the outlet were similar throughout the year, the discharge of the VSA varies greatly. This was due to transpiration by the plants which became active when soil temperatures were above 10oC. We found that shortly after the temperature increased above 10oC the baseflow stopped and only surface runoff occurred when rainstorms exceeded the storage capacity of the soil in at least a portion of the variable source area. Since plant growth in the variable source area was a major variable determining the base flow behavior, changes in temperature in the future - affecting the duration of the growing season - will affect baseflow and related transport of nutrient and other chemicals many times more than small temperature related increases in potential evaporation rate. This in turn will directly change the water availability and pollutant transport in the many surface source watersheds with variable source area hydrology.

Attenuation Tomography of Northern California and the Yellow Sea / Korean Peninsula from Coda-source Normalized and Direct Lg Amplitudes

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

Ford, S R; Dreger, D S; Phillips, W S

2008-07-16

Inversions for regional attenuation (1/Q) of Lg are performed in two different regions. The path attenuation component of the Lg spectrum is isolated using the coda-source normalization method, which corrects the Lg spectral amplitude for the source using the stable, coda-derived source spectra. Tomographic images of Northern California agree well with one-dimensional (1-D) Lg Q estimated from five different methods. We note there is some tendency for tomographic smoothing to increase Q relative to targeted 1-D methods. For example in the San Francisco Bay Area, which contains high attenuation relative to the rest of it's region, Q is over-estimated bymore » {approx}30. Coda-source normalized attenuation tomography is also carried out for the Yellow Sea/Korean Peninsula (YSKP) where output parameters (site, source, and path terms) are compared with those from the amplitude tomography method of Phillips et al. (2005) as well as a new method that ties the source term to the MDAC formulation (Walter and Taylor, 2001). The source terms show similar scatter between coda-source corrected and MDAC source perturbation methods, whereas the amplitude method has the greatest correlation with estimated true source magnitude. The coda-source better represents the source spectra compared to the estimated magnitude and could be the cause of the scatter. The similarity in the source terms between the coda-source and MDAC-linked methods shows that the latter method may approximate the effect of the former, and therefore could be useful in regions without coda-derived sources. The site terms from the MDAC-linked method correlate slightly with global Vs30 measurements. While the coda-source and amplitude ratio methods do not correlate with Vs30 measurements, they do correlate with one another, which provides confidence that the two methods are consistent. The path Q{sup -1} values are very similar between the coda-source and amplitude ratio methods except for small differences in the Da-xin-anling Mountains, in the northern YSKP. However there is one large difference between the MDAC-linked method and the others in the region near stations TJN and INCN, which point to site-effect as the cause for the difference.« less

Report of the Plasma Physics and Environmental Perturbation Laboratory (PPEPL) working groups. Volume 2: Wave experiments working group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The area of wave experiments for the PPEPL is considered in broad terms. It was found that most experiments in this area can be classified typically by a few generalized experiments. These experiment possibilities are discussed in terms of advantages, disadvantages, and probable areas for future investigation. It was concluded that the areas where wave experiments have the most promise are wave sources, wave propagation, and nonlinear interactions and should be implemented in that order. It was recommended that the PPEPL facility remain sufficiently flexible to handle new ideas as they appear, and a continuing effort should be made to solicit new ideas and approaches. It was also felt that detailed investigations should begin as soon as possible in the areas of antennas, both conventional and particle types, and wave-particle interaction experiments. For Vol. 1, see N74-28169; for Vol. 3, see N74-28171.

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

Barry, Kenneth

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Licensing Task Force (TF) has been evaluating licensing issues unique and important to iPWRs, ranking these issues, and developing NEI position papers for submittal to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) during the past three years. Papers have been developed and submitted to the NRC in a range of areas including: Price-Anderson Act, NRC annual fees, security, modularity, and staffing. In December, 2012, NEI completed a draft position paper on SMR source terms and participated in an NRC public meeting presenting a summary of this paper, which was subsequently submitted tomore » the NRC. One important conclusion of the source term paper was the evaluation and selection of high importance areas where additional research would have a significant impact on source terms. The highest ranked research area was iPWR containment aerosol natural deposition. The NRC accepts the use of existing aerosol deposition correlations in Regulatory Guide 1.183, but these were developed for large light water reactor (LWR) containments. Application of these correlations to an iPWR design has resulted in greater than a ten-fold reduction of containment airborne aerosol inventory as compared to large LWRs. Development and experimental justification of containment aerosol natural deposition correlations specifically for the unique iPWR containments is expected to result in a large reduction of design basis and beyond-design-basis accident source terms with concomitantly smaller dose to workers and the public. Therefore, NRC acceptance of iPWR containment aerosol natural deposition correlations will directly support the industry’s goal of reducing the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) for SMRs. Based on the results in this work, it is clear that thermophoresis is relatively unimportant for iPWRs. Gravitational settling is well understood, and may be the dominant process for a dry environment. Diffusiophoresis and enhanced settling by particle growth are the dominant processes for determining DFs for expected conditions in an iPWR containment. These processes are dependent on the areato-volume (A/V) ratio, which should benefit iPWR designs because these reactors have higher A/Vs compared to existing LWRs.« less

Prevalence of microbiological contaminants in groundwater sources and risk factor assessment in Juba, South Sudan.

PubMed

Engström, Emma; Balfors, Berit; Mörtberg, Ulla; Thunvik, Roger; Gaily, Tarig; Mangold, Mikael

2015-05-15

In low-income regions, drinking water is often derived from groundwater sources, which might spread diarrheal disease if they are microbiologically polluted. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of fecal contamination in 147 improved groundwater sources in Juba, South Sudan and to assess potential contributing risk factors, based on bivariate statistical analysis. Thermotolerant coliforms (TTCs) were detected in 66% of the investigated sources, including 95 boreholes, breaching the health-based recommendations for drinking water. A significant association (p<0.05) was determined between the presence of TTCs and the depth of cumulative, long-term prior precipitation (both within the previous five days and within the past month). No such link was found to short-term rainfall, the presence of latrines or damages in the borehole apron. However, the risk factor analysis further suggested, to a lesser degree, that the local topography and on-site hygiene were additionally significant. In summary, the analysis indicated that an important contamination mechanism was fecal pollution of the contributing groundwater, which was unlikely due to the presence of latrines; instead, infiltration from contaminated surface water was more probable. The reduction in fecal sources in the environment in Juba is thus recommended, for example, through constructing latrines or designating protection areas near water sources. The study results contribute to the understanding of microbiological contamination of groundwater sources in areas with low incomes and high population densities, tropical climates and weathered basement complex environments, which are common in urban sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geologic map of Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento Valleys and surrounding areas, northwest Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beard, L. Sue; Kennedy, Jeffrey; Truini, Margot; Felger, Tracey

2011-01-01

A 1:250,000-scale geologic map and report covering the Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento valleys in northwest Arizona is presented for the purpose of improving understanding of the geology and geohydrology of the basins beneath those valleys. The map was compiled from existing geologic mapping, augmented by digital photogeologic reconnaissance mapping. The most recent geologic map for the area, and the only digital one, is the 1:1,000,000-scale Geologic Map of Arizona. The larger scale map presented here includes significantly more detailed geology than the Geologic Map of Arizona in terms of accuracy of geologic unit contacts, number of faults, fault type, fault location, and details of Neogene and Quaternary deposits. Many sources were used to compile the geology; the accompanying geodatabase includes a source field in the polygon feature class that lists source references for polygon features. The citations for the source field are included in the reference section.

MANAGING TROUBLED DATA: COASTAL DATA PARTNERSHIPS SMOOTH DATA INTEGRATION

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding the ecology, condition, and changes of coastal areas requires data from many sources. Broad-scale and long-term ecological questions, such as global climate change, biodiversity, and cumulative impacts of human activities, must be addressed with databases that integ...

A two-dimensional transient analytical solution for a ponded ditch drainage system under the influence of source/sink

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarmah, Ratan; Tiwari, Shubham

2018-03-01

An analytical solution is developed for predicting two-dimensional transient seepage into ditch drainage network receiving water from a non-uniform steady ponding field from the surface of the soil under the influence of source/sink in the flow domain. The flow domain is assumed to be saturated, homogeneous and anisotropic in nature and have finite extends in horizontal and vertical directions. The drains are assumed to be standing vertical and penetrating up to impervious layer. The water levels in the drains are unequal and invariant with time. The flow field is also assumed to be under the continuous influence of time-space dependent arbitrary source/sink term. The correctness of the proposed model is checked by developing a numerical code and also with the existing analytical solution for the simplified case. The study highlights the significance of source/sink influence in the subsurface flow. With the imposition of the source and sink term in the flow domain, the pathline and travel time of water particles started deviating from their original position and above that the side and top discharge to the drains were also observed to have a strong influence of the source/sink terms. The travel time and pathline of water particles are also observed to have a dependency on the height of water in the ditches and on the location of source/sink activation area.

Modeling Vortex Generators in the Wind-US Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudek, Julianne C.

2010-01-01

A source term model which simulates the effects of vortex generators was implemented into the Wind-US Navier Stokes code. The source term added to the Navier-Stokes equations simulates the lift force which would result from a vane-type vortex generator in the flowfield. The implementation is user-friendly, requiring the user to specify only three quantities for each desired vortex generator: the range of grid points over which the force is to be applied and the planform area and angle of incidence of the physical vane. The model behavior was evaluated for subsonic flow in a rectangular duct with a single vane vortex generator, supersonic flow in a rectangular duct with a counterrotating vortex generator pair, and subsonic flow in an S-duct with 22 co-rotating vortex generators. The validation results indicate that the source term vortex generator model provides a useful tool for screening vortex generator configurations and gives comparable results to solutions computed using a gridded vane.

Open source posturography.

PubMed

Rey-Martinez, Jorge; Pérez-Fernández, Nicolás

2016-12-01

The proposed validation goal of 0.9 in intra-class correlation coefficient was reached with the results of this study. With the obtained results we consider that the developed software (RombergLab) is a validated balance assessment software. The reliability of this software is dependent of the used force platform technical specifications. Develop and validate a posturography software and share its source code in open source terms. Prospective non-randomized validation study: 20 consecutive adults underwent two balance assessment tests, six condition posturography was performed using a clinical approved software and force platform and the same conditions were measured using the new developed open source software using a low cost force platform. Intra-class correlation index of the sway area obtained from the center of pressure variations in both devices for the six conditions was the main variable used for validation. Excellent concordance between RombergLab and clinical approved force platform was obtained (intra-class correlation coefficient =0.94). A Bland and Altman graphic concordance plot was also obtained. The source code used to develop RombergLab was published in open source terms.

Source contributions of fine particulate matter during one winter haze episodes in Xi'an, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, X.; Wu, Q.

2017-12-01

Long-term exposure to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is found to be associated with adverse effects on human health, ecological environment and climate change. Identification the major source regions of fine particulate matter are essential to proposing proper joint prevention and control strategies for heavy haze mitigation. In this work, the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions (CAMx) together with the Particulate Source Apportionment Technology (PSAT) and the Weather Research and Forecast Model (WRF), have been applied to analyze the major source regions of PM2.5 in Xi'an during the heavy haze episodes in winter (29, December, 2016 - 5 January 2017), and the framework of the model system is shown in Fig. 1. Firstly, according to the model evaluation of the daily PM2.5 concentrations for the two months, the model has well performance, and the fraction of predictions within a factor of 2 of the observations (FAC2) is 84%, while the correlation coefficient (R) is 0.80 in Xi'an. By using the PSAT in CAMx model, a detailed source region contribution matrix is derived for all points within the Xi'an region and its six surrounding areas, and long-range regional transport. The results show that the local emission in Xi'an is the mainly sources at downtown area, which contributing 72.9% as shown in Fig.2, and the contribution rate of transportations between adjacent areas depends on wind direction. Meanwhile, three different suburban areas selected for detailed analysis in fine particles sources. Comparing to downtown area, the sources of suburban areas are more multiply, and the transportations make the contribution 40%-82%. In the suburban areas, regional inflows play an important role in the fine particles concentrations, indicating a strong need for regional joint emission control efforts. The results enhance the quantitative understanding of the PM2.5 source regions and provide a basis for policymaking to advance the control of pollution in Xi'an, China.

Next Generation Air Measurements for Fugitive, Area Source, and Fence Line Applications

EPA Science Inventory

Next generation air measurements (NGAM) is an EPA term for the advancing field of air pollutant sensor technologies, data integration concepts, and geospatial modeling strategies. Ranging from personal sensors to satellite remote sensing, NGAM systems may provide revolutionary n...

[Classification of Priority Area for Soil Environmental Protection Around Water Sources: Method Proposed and Case Demonstration].

PubMed

Li, Lei; Wang, Tie-yu; Wang, Xiaojun; Xiao, Rong-bo; Li, Qi-feng; Peng, Chi; Han, Cun-liang

2016-04-15

Based on comprehensive consideration of soil environmental quality, pollution status of river, environmental vulnerability and the stress of pollution sources, a technical method was established for classification of priority area of soil environmental protection around the river-style water sources. Shunde channel as an important drinking water sources of Foshan City, Guangdong province, was studied as a case, of which the classification evaluation system was set up. In detail, several evaluation factors were selected according to the local conditions of nature, society and economy, including the pollution degree of heavy metals in soil and sediment, soil characteristics, groundwater sensitivity, vegetation coverage, the type and location of pollution sources. Data information was mainly obtained by means of field survey, sampling analysis, and remote sensing interpretation. Afterwards, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was adopted to decide the weight of each factor. The basic spatial data layers were set up respectively and overlaid based on the weighted summation assessment model in Geographical Information System (GIS), resulting in a classification map of soil environmental protection level in priority area of Shunde channel. Accordingly, the area was classified to three levels named as polluted zone, risky zone and safe zone, which respectively accounted for 6.37%, 60.90% and 32.73% of the whole study area. Polluted zone and risky zone were mainly distributed in Lecong, Longjiang and Leliu towns, with pollutants mainly resulted from the long-term development of aquaculture and the industries containing furniture, plastic constructional materials and textile and clothing. In accordance with the main pollution sources of soil, targeted and differentiated strategies were put forward. The newly established evaluation method could be referenced for the protection and sustainable utilization of soil environment around the water sources.

Risks to global biodiversity from fossil-fuel production exceed those from biofuel production

DOE PAGES

Dale, Virginia H.; Parish, Esther S.; Kline, Keith L.

2014-12-02

Potential global biodiversity impacts from near-term gasoline production are compared to biofuel, a renewable liquid transportation fuel expected to substitute for gasoline in the near term (i.e., from now until c. 2030). Petroleum exploration activities are projected to extend across more than 5.8 billion ha of land and ocean worldwide (of which 3.1 billion is on land), much of which is in remote, fragile terrestrial ecosystems or off-shore oil fields that would remain relatively undisturbed if not for interest in fossil fuel production. Future biomass production for biofuels is projected to fall within 2.0 billion ha of land, most ofmore » which is located in areas already impacted by human activities. A comparison of likely fuel-source areas to the geospatial distribution of species reveals that both energy sources overlap with areas with high species richness and large numbers of threatened species. At the global scale, future petroleum production areas intersect more than double the area and higher total number of threatened species than future biofuel production. Energy options should be developed to optimize provisioning of ecosystem services while minimizing negative effects, which requires information about potential impacts on critical resources. Furthermore, energy conservation and identifying and effectively protecting habitats with high-conservation value are critical first steps toward protecting biodiversity under any fuel production scenario.« less

Risks to global biodiversity from fossil-fuel production exceed those from biofuel production

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

Dale, Virginia H.; Parish, Esther S.; Kline, Keith L.

Potential global biodiversity impacts from near-term gasoline production are compared to biofuel, a renewable liquid transportation fuel expected to substitute for gasoline in the near term (i.e., from now until c. 2030). Petroleum exploration activities are projected to extend across more than 5.8 billion ha of land and ocean worldwide (of which 3.1 billion is on land), much of which is in remote, fragile terrestrial ecosystems or off-shore oil fields that would remain relatively undisturbed if not for interest in fossil fuel production. Future biomass production for biofuels is projected to fall within 2.0 billion ha of land, most ofmore » which is located in areas already impacted by human activities. A comparison of likely fuel-source areas to the geospatial distribution of species reveals that both energy sources overlap with areas with high species richness and large numbers of threatened species. At the global scale, future petroleum production areas intersect more than double the area and higher total number of threatened species than future biofuel production. Energy options should be developed to optimize provisioning of ecosystem services while minimizing negative effects, which requires information about potential impacts on critical resources. Furthermore, energy conservation and identifying and effectively protecting habitats with high-conservation value are critical first steps toward protecting biodiversity under any fuel production scenario.« less

Fluoride concentration level in rural area in Poldasht city and daily fluoride intake based on drinking water consumption with temperature.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Ali Akbar; Yousefi, Mahmood; Mahvi, Amir Hossein

2017-08-01

Long-term exposure to high level of fluoride can caused several adverse effects on human health including dental and skeletal fluorosis. We investigated all the drinking water source located in rural areas of Poldasht city, west Azerbaijan Province, North West Iran between 2014 and 2015. Fluoride concentration of water samples was measured by SPADNS method. We found that in the villages of Poldasht the average of fluoride concentration in drinking water sources (well, and the river) was in the range mg/l 0.28-10.23. The average daily received per 2 l of drinking water is in the range mg/l 0.7-16.6 per day per person. Drinking water demands cause fluorosis in the villages around the area residents and based on the findings of this study writers are announced suggestions below in order to take care of the health of area residents.

Spatial Variability of Sources and Mixing State of Atmospheric Particles in a Metropolitan Area.

PubMed

Ye, Qing; Gu, Peishi; Li, Hugh Z; Robinson, Ellis S; Lipsky, Eric; Kaltsonoudis, Christos; Lee, Alex K Y; Apte, Joshua S; Robinson, Allen L; Sullivan, Ryan C; Presto, Albert A; Donahue, Neil M

2018-05-30

Characterizing intracity variations of atmospheric particulate matter has mostly relied on fixed-site monitoring and quantifying variability in terms of different bulk aerosol species. In this study, we performed ground-based mobile measurements using a single-particle mass spectrometer to study spatial patterns of source-specific particles and the evolution of particle mixing state in 21 areas in the metropolitan area of Pittsburgh, PA. We selected sampling areas based on traffic density and restaurant density with each area ranging from 0.2 to 2 km 2 . Organics dominate particle composition in all of the areas we sampled while the sources of organics differ. The contribution of particles from traffic and restaurant cooking varies greatly on the neighborhood scale. We also investigate how primary and aged components in particles mix across the urban scale. Lastly we quantify and map the particle mixing state for all areas we sampled and discuss the overall pattern of mixing state evolution and its implications. We find that in the upwind and downwind of the urban areas, particles are more internally mixed while in the city center, particle mixing state shows large spatial heterogeneity that is mostly driven by emissions. This study is to our knowledge, the first study to perform fine spatial scale mapping of particle mixing state using ground-based mobile measurement and single-particle mass spectrometry.

Relationship of oil seep in Kudat Peninsula with surrounding rocks based on geochemical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izzati Azman, Nurul; Nur Fathiyah Jamaludin, Siti

2017-10-01

This study aims to investigate the relation of oil seepage at Sikuati area with the structural and petroleum system of Kudat Peninsula. The abundance of highly carbonaceous rocks with presence of lamination in the Sikuati Member outcrop at Kudat Peninsula may give an idea on the presence of oil seepage in this area. A detailed geochemical analysis of source rock sample and oil seepage from Sikuati area was carried out for their characterization and correlation. Hydrocarbon propectivity of Sikuati Member source rock is poor to good with Total Organic Carbon (TOC) value of 0.11% to 1.48%. and also categorized as immature to early mature oil window with Vitrinite Reflectance (VRo) value of 0.43% to 0.50 %Ro. Based on biomarker distribution, from Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, source rock sample shows Pr/Ph, CPI and WI of 2.22 to 2.68, 2.17 to 2.19 and 2.46 to 2.74 respectively indicates the source rock is immature and coming from terrestrial environment. The source rock might be rich in carbonaceous material organic matter resulting from planktonic/bacterial activity which occurs at fluvial to fluvio-deltaic environment. Overall, the source rock from outcrop level of Kudat Peninsula is moderately prolific in term of prospectivity and maturity. However, as go far deeper beneath the surface, we can expect more activity of mature source rock that generate and expulse hydrocarbon from the subsurface then migrating through deep-seated fault beneath the Sikuati area.

Isotopic Recorders of Pollution in Heterogeneous Urban Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pataki, D. E.; Cobley, L.; Smith, R. M.; Ehleringer, J. R.; Chritz, K.

2017-12-01

A significant difficulty in quantifying urban pollution lies in the extreme spatial and temporal heterogeneity of cities. Dense sources of both point and non-point source pollution as well as the dynamic role of human activities, which vary over very short time scales and small spatial scales, complicate efforts to establish long-term urban monitoring networks that are relevant at neighborhood, municipal, and regional scales. Fortunately, the natural abundance of isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements provides a wealth of information about the sources and fate of urban atmospheric pollution. In particular, soils and plant material integrate pollution sources and cycling over space and time, and have the potential to provide long-term records of pollution dynamics that extend back before atmospheric monitoring data are available. Similarly, sampling organic material at high spatial resolution can provide "isoscapes" that shed light on the spatial heterogeneity of pollutants in different urban parcels and neighborhoods, along roads of varying traffic density, and across neighborhoods of varying affluence and sociodemographic composition. We have compiled numerous datasets of the isotopic composition of urban organic matter that illustrate the potential for isotopic monitoring of urban areas as a means of understanding hot spots and hot moments in urban atmospheric biogeochemistry. Findings to date already reveal the critical role of affluence, economic activity, demographic change, and land management practices in influencing urban pollution sources and sinks, and suggest an important role of stable isotope and radioisotope measurements in urban atmospheric and biogeochemical monitoring.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in residential and agricultural soils from an electronic waste polluted region in South China: distribution, compositional profile, and sources.

PubMed

Zhang, Shaohui; Xu, Xijin; Wu, Yousheng; Ge, Jingjing; Li, Weiqiu; Huo, Xia

2014-05-01

A detailed investigation was conducted to understand the concentration, distribution, profile and possible source of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in residential and agricultural soils from Guiyu, Shantou, China, one of the largest electronic waste (e-waste) recycling and dismantling areas in the world. Ten PBDEs were analyzed in 46 surface soil samples in terms of individual and total concentrations, together with soil organic matter concentrations. Much higher concentrations of the total PBDEs were predicted in the residential areas (more than 2000 ng g(-1)), exhibiting a clear urban source, while in the agricultural areas, concentrations were lower than 1500 ng g(-1). PBDE-209 was the most dominant congener among the study sites, indicating the prevalence of commercial deca-PBDE. However signature congeners from commercial octa-PBDE were also found. The total PBDE concentrations were significantly correlated with each individual PBDE. Principal component analysis indicated that PBDEs were mainly distributed in three groups according to the number of bromine atoms on the phenyl rings, and potential source. This study showed that the informal e-waste recycling has already introduced PBDEs into surrounding areas as pollutant which thus warrants an urgent investigation into the transport of PBDEs in the soil-plant system of agricultural areas. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tracking Nitrogen Sources, Transformation, and Transport at a Basin Scale with Complex Plain River Networks.

PubMed

Yi, Qitao; Chen, Qiuwen; Hu, Liuming; Shi, Wenqing

2017-05-16

This research developed an innovative approach to reveal nitrogen sources, transformation, and transport in large and complex river networks in the Taihu Lake basin using measurement of dual stable isotopes of nitrate. The spatial patterns of δ 15 N corresponded to the urbanization level, and the nitrogen cycle was associated with the hydrological regime at the basin level. During the high flow season of summer, nonpoint sources from fertilizer/soils and atmospheric deposition constituted the highest proportion of the total nitrogen load. The point sources from sewage/manure, with high ammonium concentrations and high δ 15 N and δ 18 O contents in the form of nitrate, accounted for the largest inputs among all sources during the low flow season of winter. Hot spot areas with heavy point source pollution were identified, and the pollutant transport routes were revealed. Nitrification occurred widely during the warm seasons, with decreased δ 18 O values; whereas great potential for denitrification existed during the low flow seasons of autumn and spring. The study showed that point source reduction could have effects over the short-term; however, long-term efforts to substantially control agriculture nonpoint sources are essential to eutrophication alleviation for the receiving lake, which clarifies the relationship between point and nonpoint source control.

Groundwater vulnerability and risk mapping using GIS, modeling and a fuzzy logic tool.

PubMed

Nobre, R C M; Rotunno Filho, O C; Mansur, W J; Nobre, M M M; Cosenza, C A N

2007-12-07

A groundwater vulnerability and risk mapping assessment, based on a source-pathway-receptor approach, is presented for an urban coastal aquifer in northeastern Brazil. A modified version of the DRASTIC methodology was used to map the intrinsic and specific groundwater vulnerability of a 292 km(2) study area. A fuzzy hierarchy methodology was adopted to evaluate the potential contaminant source index, including diffuse and point sources. Numerical modeling was performed for delineation of well capture zones, using MODFLOW and MODPATH. The integration of these elements provided the mechanism to assess groundwater pollution risks and identify areas that must be prioritized in terms of groundwater monitoring and restriction on use. A groundwater quality index based on nitrate and chloride concentrations was calculated, which had a positive correlation with the specific vulnerability index.

Access to safe water in rural Artibonite, Haiti 16 months after the onset of the cholera epidemic.

PubMed

Patrick, Molly; Berendes, David; Murphy, Jennifer; Bertrand, Fabienne; Husain, Farah; Handzel, Thomas

2013-10-01

Haiti has the lowest improved water and sanitation coverage in the Western Hemisphere and is suffering from the largest cholera epidemic on record. In May of 2012, an assessment was conducted in rural areas of the Artibonite Department to describe the type and quality of water sources and determine knowledge, access, and use of household water treatment products to inform future programs. It was conducted after emergency response was scaled back but before longer-term water, sanitation, and hygiene activities were initiated. The household survey and source water quality analysis documented low access to safe water, with only 42.3% of households using an improved drinking water source. One-half (50.9%) of the improved water sources tested positive for Escherichia coli. Of households with water to test, 12.7% had positive chlorine residual. The assessment reinforces the identified need for major investments in safe water and sanitation infrastructure and the importance of household water treatment to improve access to safe water in the near term.

Aerosols in the Atmosphere: Sources, Transport, and Multi-decadal Trends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, M.; Diehl, T.; Bian, H.; Kucsera, T.

2016-01-01

We present our recent studies with global modeling and analysis of atmospheric aerosols. We have used the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model and satellite and in situ data to investigate (1) long-term variations of aerosols over polluted and dust source regions and downwind ocean areas in the past three decades and the cause of the changes and (2) anthropogenic and volcanic contributions to the sulfate aerosol in the upper tropospherelower stratosphere.

Systematically biological prioritizing remediation sites based on datasets of biological investigations and heavy metals in soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Wei-Chih; Lin, Yu-Pin; Anthony, Johnathen

2015-04-01

Heavy metal pollution has adverse effects on not only the focal invertebrate species of this study, such as reduction in pupa weight and increased larval mortality, but also on the higher trophic level organisms which feed on them, either directly or indirectly, through the process of biomagnification. Despite this, few studies regarding remediation prioritization take species distribution or biological conservation priorities into consideration. This study develops a novel approach for delineating sites which are both contaminated by any of 5 readily bioaccumulated heavy metal soil contaminants and are of high ecological importance for the highly mobile, low trophic level focal species. The conservation priority of each site was based on the projected distributions of 6 moth species simulated via the presence-only maximum entropy species distribution model followed by the subsequent application of a systematic conservation tool. In order to increase the number of available samples, we also integrated crowd-sourced data with professionally-collected data via a novel optimization procedure based on a simulated annealing algorithm. This integration procedure was important since while crowd-sourced data can drastically increase the number of data samples available to ecologists, still the quality or reliability of crowd-sourced data can be called into question, adding yet another source of uncertainty in projecting species distributions. The optimization method screens crowd-sourced data in terms of the environmental variables which correspond to professionally-collected data. The sample distribution data was derived from two different sources, including the EnjoyMoths project in Taiwan (crowd-sourced data) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) ?eld data (professional data). The distributions of heavy metal concentrations were generated via 1000 iterations of a geostatistical co-simulation approach. The uncertainties in distributions of the heavy metals were then quantified based on the overall consistency between realizations. Finally, Information-Gap Decision Theory (IGDT) was applied to rank the remediation priorities of contaminated sites in terms of both spatial consensus of multiple heavy metal realizations and the priority of specific conservation areas. Our results show that the crowd-sourced optimization algorithm developed in this study is effective at selecting suitable data from crowd-sourced data. By using this technique the available sample data increased to a total number of 96, 162, 72, 62, 69 and 62 or, that is, 2.6, 1.6, 2.5, 1.6, 1.2 and 1.8 times that originally available through the GBIF professionally-assembled database. Additionally, for all species considered the performance of models, in terms of test-AUC values, based on the combination of both data sources exceeded those models which were based on a single data source. Furthermore, the additional optimization-selected data lowered the overall variability, and therefore uncertainty, of model outputs. Based on the projected species distributions, our results revealed that around 30% of high species hotspot areas were also identified as contaminated. The decision-making tool, IGDT, successfully yielded remediation plans in terms of specific ecological value requirements, false positive tolerance rates of contaminated areas, and expected decision robustness. The proposed approach can be applied both to identify high conservation priority sites contaminated by heavy metals, based on the combination of screened crowd-sourced and professionally-collected data, and in making robust remediation decisions.

Management of Ultimate Risk of Nuclear Power Plants by Source Terms - Lessons Learned from the Chernobyl Accident

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

Genn Saji

2006-07-01

The term 'ultimate risk' is used here to describe the probabilities and radiological consequences that should be incorporated in siting, containment design and accident management of nuclear power plants for hypothetical accidents. It is closely related with the source terms specified in siting criteria which assures an adequate separation of radioactive inventories of the plants from the public, in the event of a hypothetical and severe accident situation. The author would like to point out that current source terms which are based on the information from the Windscale accident (1957) through TID-14844 are very outdated and do not incorporate lessonsmore » learned from either the Three Miles Island (TMI, 1979) nor Chernobyl accident (1986), two of the most severe accidents ever experienced. As a result of the observations of benign radionuclides released at TMI, the technical community in the US felt that a more realistic evaluation of severe reactor accident source terms was necessary. In this background, the 'source term research project' was organized in 1984 to respond to these challenges. Unfortunately, soon after the time of the final report from this project was released, the Chernobyl accident occurred. Due to the enormous consequences induced by then accident, the one time optimistic perspectives in establishing a more realistic source term were completely shattered. The Chernobyl accident, with its human death toll and dispersion of a large part of the fission fragments inventories into the environment, created a significant degradation in the public's acceptance of nuclear energy throughout the world. In spite of this, nuclear communities have been prudent in responding to the public's anxiety towards the ultimate safety of nuclear plants, since there still remained many unknown points revolving around the mechanism of the Chernobyl accident. In order to resolve some of these mysteries, the author has performed a scoping study of the dispersion and deposition mechanisms of fuel particles and fission fragments during the initial phase of the Chernobyl accident. Through this study, it is now possible to generally reconstruct the radiological consequences by using a dispersion calculation technique, combined with the meteorological data at the time of the accident and land contamination densities of {sup 137}Cs measured and reported around the Chernobyl area. Although it is challenging to incorporate lessons learned from the Chernobyl accident into the source term issues, the author has already developed an example of safety goals by incorporating the radiological consequences of the accident. The example provides safety goals by specifying source term releases in a graded approach in combination with probabilities, i.e. risks. The author believes that the future source term specification should be directly linked with safety goals. (author)« less

REVIEW OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND SOURCE APPORTIONMENT BY CHEMICAL MASS BALANCE. (R826237)

EPA Science Inventory

The chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model has apportioned volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in more than 20 urban areas, mostly in the United States. These applications differ in terms of the total fraction apportioned, the calculation method, the chemical compounds used ...

Tracking the 10Be-26Al source-area signal in sediment-routing systems of arid central Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Struck, Martin; Jansen, John D.; Fujioka, Toshiyuki; Codilean, Alexandru T.; Fink, David; Fülöp, Réka-Hajnalka; Wilcken, Klaus M.; Price, David M.; Kotevski, Steven; Fifield, L. Keith; Chappell, John

2018-05-01

Sediment-routing systems continuously transfer information and mass from eroding source areas to depositional sinks. Understanding how these systems alter environmental signals is critical when it comes to inferring source-area properties from the sedimentary record. We measure cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al along three large sediment-routing systems ( ˜ 100 000 km2) in central Australia with the aim of tracking downstream variations in 10Be-26Al inventories and identifying the factors responsible for these variations. By comparing 56 new cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al measurements in stream sediments with matching data (n = 55) from source areas, we show that 10Be-26Al inventories in hillslope bedrock and soils set the benchmark for relative downstream modifications. Lithology is the primary determinant of erosion-rate variations in source areas and despite sediment mixing over hundreds of kilometres downstream, a distinct lithological signal is retained. Post-orogenic ranges yield catchment erosion rates of ˜ 6-11 m Myr-1 and silcrete-dominant areas erode as slow as ˜ 0.2 m Myr-1. 10Be-26Al inventories in stream sediments indicate that cumulative-burial terms increase downstream to mostly ˜ 400-800 kyr and up to ˜ 1.1 Myr. The magnitude of the burial signal correlates with increasing sediment cover downstream and reflects assimilation from storages with long exposure histories, such as alluvial fans, desert pavements, alluvial plains, and aeolian dunes. We propose that the tendency for large alluvial rivers to mask their 10Be-26Al source-area signal differs according to geomorphic setting. Signal preservation is favoured by (i) high sediment supply rates, (ii) high mean runoff, and (iii) a thick sedimentary basin pile. Conversely, signal masking prevails in landscapes of (i) low sediment supply and (ii) juxtaposition of sediment storages with notably different exposure histories.

Ragweed (Ambrosia) pollen source inventory for Austria.

PubMed

Karrer, G; Skjøth, C A; Šikoparija, B; Smith, M; Berger, U; Essl, F

2015-08-01

This study improves the spatial coverage of top-down Ambrosia pollen source inventories for Europe by expanding the methodology to Austria, a country that is challenging in terms of topography and the distribution of ragweed plants. The inventory combines annual ragweed pollen counts from 19 pollen-monitoring stations in Austria (2004-2013), 657 geographical observations of Ambrosia plants, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), local knowledge of ragweed ecology and CORINE land cover information from the source area. The highest mean annual ragweed pollen concentrations were generally recorded in the East of Austria where the highest densities of possible growth habitats for Ambrosia were situated. Approximately 99% of all observations of Ambrosia populations were below 745m. The European infection level varies from 0.1% at Freistadt in Northern Austria to 12.8% at Rosalia in Eastern Austria. More top-down Ambrosia pollen source inventories are required for other parts of Europe. A method for constructing top-down pollen source inventories for invasive ragweed plants in Austria, a country that is challenging in terms of topography and ragweed distribution. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards an operational high-resolution air quality forecasting system at ECCC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munoz-Alpizar, Rodrigo; Stroud, Craig; Ren, Shuzhan; Belair, Stephane; Leroyer, Sylvie; Souvanlasy, Vanh; Spacek, Lubos; Pavlovic, Radenko; Davignon, Didier; Moran, Moran

2017-04-01

Urban environments are particularly sensitive to weather, air quality (AQ), and climatic conditions. Despite the efforts made in Canada to reduce pollution in urban areas, AQ continues to be a concern for the population, especially during short-term episodes that could lead to exceedances of daily air quality standards. Furthermore, urban air pollution has long been associated with significant adverse health effects. In Canada, the large percentage of the population living in urban areas ( 81%, according to the Canada's 2011 census) is exposed to elevated air pollution due to local emissions sources. Thus, in order to improve the services offered to the Canadian public, Environment and Climate Change Canada has launched an initiative to develop a high-resolution air quality prediction capacity for urban areas in Canada. This presentation will show observed pollution trends (2010-2016) for Canadian mega-cities along with some preliminary high-resolution air quality modelling results. Short-term and long-term plans for urban AQ forecasting in Canada will also be described.

Assessment Methods of Groundwater Overdraft Area and Its Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Yanan; Xing, Liting; Zhang, Xinhui; Cao, Qianqian; Lan, Xiaoxun

2018-05-01

Groundwater is an important source of water, and long-term large demand make groundwater over-exploited. Over-exploitation cause a lot of environmental and geological problems. This paper explores the concept of over-exploitation area, summarizes the natural and social attributes of over-exploitation area, as well as expounds its evaluation methods, including single factor evaluation, multi-factor system analysis and numerical method. At the same time, the different methods are compared and analyzed. And then taking Northern Weifang as an example, this paper introduces the practicality of appraisal method.

Nonaqueous Phase Liquid Dissolution in Porous Media: Multi-Scale Effects of Multi-Component Dissolution Kinetics on Cleanup Time

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

McNab, W; Ezzedine, S; Detwiler, R

2007-02-26

Industrial organic solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) constitute a principal class of groundwater contaminants. Cleanup of groundwater plume source areas associated with these compounds is problematic, in part, because the compounds often exist in the subsurface as dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs). Ganglia (or 'blobs') of DNAPL serve as persistent sources of contaminants that are difficult to locate and remediate (e.g. Fenwick and Blunt, 1998). Current understanding of the physical and chemical processes associated with dissolution of DNAPLs in the subsurface is incomplete and yet is critical for evaluating long-term behavior of contaminant migration, groundwater cleanup, andmore » the efficacy of source area cleanup technologies. As such, a goal of this project has been to contribute to this critical understanding by investigating the multi-phase, multi-component physics of DNAPL dissolution using state-of-the-art experimental and computational techniques. Through this research, we have explored efficient and accurate conceptual and numerical models for source area contaminant transport that can be used to better inform the modeling of source area contaminants, including those at the LLNL Superfund sites, to re-evaluate existing remediation technologies, and to inspire or develop new remediation strategies. The problem of DNAPL dissolution in natural porous media must be viewed in the context of several scales (Khachikian and Harmon, 2000), including the microscopic level at which capillary forces, viscous forces, and gravity/buoyancy forces are manifested at the scale of individual pores (Wilson and Conrad, 1984; Chatzis et al., 1988), the mesoscale where dissolution rates are strongly influenced by the local hydrodynamics, and the field-scale. Historically, the physico-chemical processes associated with DNAPL dissolution have been addressed through the use of lumped mass transfer coefficients which attempt to quantify the dissolution rate in response to local dissolved-phase concentrations distributed across the source area using a volume-averaging approach (Figure 1). The fundamental problem with the lumped mass transfer parameter is that its value is typically derived empirically through column-scale experiments that combine the effects of pore-scale flow, diffusion, and pore-scale geometry in a manner that does not provide a robust theoretical basis for upscaling. In our view, upscaling processes from the pore-scale to the field-scale requires new computational approaches (Held and Celia, 2001) that are directly linked to experimental studies of dissolution at the pore scale. As such, our investigation has been multi-pronged, combining theory, experiments, numerical modeling, new data analysis approaches, and a synthesis of previous studies (e.g. Glass et al, 2001; Keller et al., 2002) aimed at quantifying how the mechanisms controlling dissolution at the pore-scale control the long-term dissolution of source areas at larger scales.« less

Contribution of Fugitive Emissions for PM10 Concentrations in an Industrial Area of Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marta Almeida, Susana; Viana Silva, Alexandra; Garcia, Silvia; Miranda, Ana Isabel

2013-04-01

Significant atmospheric dust arises from the mechanical disturbance of granular material exposed to the air. Dust generated from these open sources is termed "fugitive" because it is not discharged to the atmosphere in a confined flow stream. Common sources of fugitive dust include unpaved roads, agricultural tilling operations, aggregate storage piles, heavy construction and harbor operations. The objective of this work was to identify the likeliness and extend of the PM10 limit value exceedences due to fugitive emissions in a particularly zone where PM fugitive emissions are a core of environmental concerns - Mitrena, Portugal. Mitrena, is an industrial area that coexists with a high-density urban region (Setúbal) and areas with an important environmental concern (Sado Estuary and Arrábida which belongs to the protected area Natura 2000 Network). Due to the typology of industry sited in Mitrena (e.g. power plant, paper mill, cement, pesticides and fertilized productions), there are a large uncontrolled PM fugitive emissions, providing from heavy traffic and handling and storage of raw material on uncover stockyards in the harbor and industries. Dispersion modeling was performed with the software TAPM (The Air Pollution Model) and results were mapped over the study area, using GIS (Geographic Information Systems). Results showed that managing local particles concentrations can be a frustrating affair because the weight of fugitive sources is very high comparing with the local anthropogenic stationary sources. In order to ensure that the industry can continue to meet its commitments in protecting air quality, it is essential to warrant that the characteristics of releases from all fugitive sources are fully understood in order to target future investments in those areas where maximum benefit will be achieved.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the urban atmosphere of Nepal: Distribution, sources, seasonal trends, and cancer risk.

PubMed

Pokhrel, Balram; Gong, Ping; Wang, Xiaoping; Wang, Chuanfei; Gao, Shaoping

2018-03-15

Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban areas have always been a global concern, as these areas are considered to be the source region. Despite studies on the concentrations of PAHs in water, soils and sediments, knowledge of the distribution patterns, seasonality and sources of PAHs in urban areas of Nepal remains limited. In this study, polyurethane foam passive air samplers were used to measure gas-phase PAH concentrations over different land types in three major cities of Nepal-namely, Kathmandu (the capital) and Pokhara (both densely populated cities), and Hetauda (an agricultural city). The average concentrations of ∑15PAHs in ng/m 3 were 16.1±7.0 (6.4-28.6), 14.1±6.2 (6.8-29.4) and 11.1±9.0 (4.1-38.0) in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Hetauda, respectively. Molecular diagnostic ratio analysis suggested that fossil fuel combustion was a common PAH source for all three cities. In addition to this, coal combustion in Kathmandu, vehicle emissions in Pokhara, and grass/wood combustion in Hetauda were also possible sources of PAHs. In terms of cancer risk from PAH inhalation, a religious site with intense incense burning, a brick production area where extensive coal combustion is common, and a market place with heavy traffic emission, were associated with a higher risk than other areas. There were no clear seasonal trends in atmospheric PAHs. The estimated cancer risk due to inhalation of gas-phase PAHs exceeded the USEPA standard at >90% of the sites. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of WRF-chem predictions to dust source function specification in West Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabavi, Seyed Omid; Haimberger, Leopold; Samimi, Cyrus

2017-02-01

Dust storms tend to form in sparsely populated areas covered by only few observations. Dust source maps, known as source functions, are used in dust models to allocate a certain potential of dust release to each place. Recent research showed that the well known Ginoux source function (GSF), currently used in Weather Research and Forecasting Model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-chem), exhibits large errors over some regions in West Asia, particularly near the IRAQ/Syrian border. This study aims to improve the specification of this critical part of dust forecasts. A new source function based on multi-year analysis of satellite observations, called West Asia source function (WASF), is therefore proposed to raise the quality of WRF-chem predictions in the region. WASF has been implemented in three dust schemes of WRF-chem. Remotely sensed and ground-based observations have been used to verify the horizontal and vertical extent and location of simulated dust clouds. Results indicate that WRF-chem performance is significantly improved in many areas after the implementation of WASF. The modified runs (long term simulations over the summers 2008-2012, using nudging) have yielded an average increase of Spearman correlation between observed and forecast aerosol optical thickness by 12-16 percent points compared to control runs with standard source functions. They even outperform MACC and DREAM dust simulations over many dust source regions. However, the quality of the forecasts decreased with distance from sources, probably due to deficiencies in the transport and deposition characteristics of the forecast model in these areas.

Modeling Vortex Generators in a Navier-Stokes Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudek, Julianne C.

2011-01-01

A source-term model that simulates the effects of vortex generators was implemented into the Wind-US Navier-Stokes code. The source term added to the Navier-Stokes equations simulates the lift force that would result from a vane-type vortex generator in the flowfield. The implementation is user-friendly, requiring the user to specify only three quantities for each desired vortex generator: the range of grid points over which the force is to be applied and the planform area and angle of incidence of the physical vane. The model behavior was evaluated for subsonic flow in a rectangular duct with a single vane vortex generator, subsonic flow in an S-duct with 22 corotating vortex generators, and supersonic flow in a rectangular duct with a counter-rotating vortex-generator pair. The model was also used to successfully simulate microramps in supersonic flow by treating each microramp as a pair of vanes with opposite angles of incidence. The validation results indicate that the source-term vortex-generator model provides a useful tool for screening vortex-generator configurations and gives comparable results to solutions computed using gridded vanes.

Neural correlates of confidence during item recognition and source memory retrieval: evidence for both dual-process and strength memory theories.

PubMed

Hayes, Scott M; Buchler, Norbou; Stokes, Jared; Kragel, James; Cabeza, Roberto

2011-12-01

Although the medial-temporal lobes (MTL), PFC, and parietal cortex are considered primary nodes in the episodic memory network, there is much debate regarding the contributions of MTL, PFC, and parietal subregions to recollection versus familiarity (dual-process theory) and the feasibility of accounts on the basis of a single memory strength process (strength theory). To investigate these issues, the current fMRI study measured activity during retrieval of memories that differed quantitatively in terms of strength (high vs. low-confidence trials) and qualitatively in terms of recollection versus familiarity (source vs. item memory tasks). Support for each theory varied depending on which node of the episodic memory network was considered. Results from MTL best fit a dual-process account, as a dissociation was found between a right hippocampal region showing high-confidence activity during the source memory task and bilateral rhinal regions showing high-confidence activity during the item memory task. Within PFC, several left-lateralized regions showed greater activity for source than item memory, consistent with recollective orienting, whereas a right-lateralized ventrolateral area showed low-confidence activity in both tasks, consistent with monitoring processes. Parietal findings were generally consistent with strength theory, with dorsal areas showing low-confidence activity and ventral areas showing high-confidence activity in both tasks. This dissociation fits with an attentional account of parietal functions during episodic retrieval. The results suggest that both dual-process and strength theories are partly correct, highlighting the need for an integrated model that links to more general cognitive theories to account for observed neural activity during episodic memory retrieval.

Neural Correlates of Confidence during Item Recognition and Source Memory Retrieval: Evidence for Both Dual-process and Strength Memory Theories

PubMed Central

Hayes, Scott M.; Buchler, Norbou; Stokes, Jared; Kragel, James; Cabeza, Roberto

2012-01-01

Although the medial-temporal lobes (MTL), PFC, and parietal cortex are considered primary nodes in the episodic memory network, there is much debate regarding the contributions of MTL, PFC, and parietal subregions to recollection versus familiarity (dual-process theory) and the feasibility of accounts on the basis of a single memory strength process (strength theory). To investigate these issues, the current fMRI study measured activity during retrieval of memories that differed quantitatively in terms of strength (high vs. low-confidence trials) and qualitatively in terms of recollection versus familiarity (source vs. item memory tasks). Support for each theory varied depending on which node of the episodic memory network was considered. Results from MTL best fit a dual-process account, as a dissociation was found between a right hippocampal region showing high-confidence activity during the source memory task and bilateral rhinal regions showing high-confidence activity during the item memory task. Within PFC, several left-lateralized regions showed greater activity for source than item memory, consistent with recollective orienting, whereas a right-lateralized ventrolateral area showed low-confidence activity in both tasks, consistent with monitoring processes. Parietal findings were generally consistent with strength theory, with dorsal areas showing low-confidence activity and ventral areas showing high-confidence activity in both tasks. This dissociation fits with an attentional account of parietal functions during episodic retrieval. The results suggest that both dual-process and strength theories are partly correct, highlighting the need for an integrated model that links to more general cognitive theories to account for observed neural activity during episodic memory retrieval. PMID:21736454

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water quality plan is eligible to enter into an RCWP contract. (b) This program will be conducted in compliance..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21...

7 CFR 634.21 - Eligible participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... contributing to the area's agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems and who has an approved water quality plan is eligible to enter into an RCWP contract. (b) This program will be conducted in compliance..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LONG TERM CONTRACTING RURAL CLEAN WATER PROGRAM Participant RCWP Contracts § 634.21...

Development of a wireless air pollution sensor package for aerial-sampling of emissions

EPA Science Inventory

A new sensor system for mobile and aerial emission sampling was developed for open area pollutant sources, such as prescribed forest burns. The sensor system, termed “Kolibri”, consists of multiple low-cost air quality sensors measuring CO2, CO, samplers for particulate matter wi...

CONSIDERATIONS IN THE DESIGN OF TREATMENT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

Today, many municipalities are implementing low-cost best management practices (BMPs). The lowest cost BMPs, termed non-structural or source control BMPs, include practices such as limiting pesticide use in agricultural areas. There are a set of higher cost BMPs, which in...

CONSIDERATION IN THE DESIGN OF TREATMENT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

Today, many municipalities are implementing low-cost best management practices (BMPs). The lowest cost BMPs, termed non-structural or source control BMPs, include practices such as limiting pesticide use in agricultural areas. There are a set of higher cost BMPs, which involve ...

Decadal-scale changes in dissolved-solids concentrations in groundwater used for public supply, Salt Lake Valley, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thiros, Susan A.; Spangler, Larry

2010-01-01

Basin-fill aquifers are a major source of good-quality water for public supply in many areas of the southwestern United States and have undergone increasing development as populations have grown over time. During 2005, the basin-fill aquifer in Salt Lake Valley, Utah, provided approximately 75,000 acre-feet, or about 29 percent of the total amount of water used by a population of 967,000. Groundwater in the unconsolidated basin-fill deposits that make up the aquifer occurs under unconfined and confined conditions. Water in the shallow unconfined part of the groundwater system is susceptible to near-surface contamination and generally is not used as a source of drinking water. Groundwater for public supply is withdrawn from the deeper unconfined and confined parts of the system, termed the principal aquifer, because yields generally are greater and water quality is better (including lower dissolved-solids concentrations) than in the shallower parts of the system. Much of the water in the principal aquifer is derived from recharge in the adjacent Wasatch Range (mountain-block recharge). In many areas, the principal aquifer is separated from the overlying shallow aquifer by confining layers of less permeable, fine-grained sediment that inhibit the downward movement of water and any potential contaminants from the surface. Nonetheless, under certain hydrologic conditions, human-related activities can increase dissolved-solids concentrations in the principal aquifer and result in groundwater becoming unsuitable for consumption without treatment or mixing with water having lower dissolved-solids concentrations. Dissolved-solids concentrations in areas of the principal aquifer used for public supply typically are less than 500 milligrams per liter (mg/L), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) secondary (nonenforceable) drinking-water standard. However, substantial increases in dissolved-solids concentrations in the principal aquifer have been documented in some areas used for public supply, raising concerns as to the source(s) and cause(s) of the higher concentrations and the potential long-term effects on groundwater quality.

Mapping landslide source and transport areas in VHR images with Object-Based Analysis and Support Vector Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heleno, Sandra; Matias, Magda; Pina, Pedro

2015-04-01

Visual interpretation of satellite imagery remains extremely demanding in terms of resources and time, especially when dealing with numerous multi-scale landslides affecting wide areas, such as is the case of rainfall-induced shallow landslides. Applying automated methods can contribute to more efficient landslide mapping and updating of existing inventories, and in recent years the number and variety of approaches is rapidly increasing. Very High Resolution (VHR) images, acquired by space-borne sensors with sub-metric precision, such as Ikonos, Quickbird, Geoeye and Worldview, are increasingly being considered as the best option for landslide mapping, but these new levels of spatial detail also present new challenges to state of the art image analysis tools, asking for automated methods specifically suited to map landslide events on VHR optical images. In this work we develop and test a methodology for semi-automatic landslide recognition and mapping of landslide source and transport areas. The method combines object-based image analysis and a Support Vector Machine supervised learning algorithm, and was tested using a GeoEye-1 multispectral image, sensed 3 days after a damaging landslide event in Madeira Island, together with a pre-event LiDAR DEM. Our approach has proved successful in the recognition of landslides on a 15 Km2-wide study area, with 81 out of 85 landslides detected in its validation regions. The classifier also showed reasonable performance (false positive rate 60% and false positive rate below 36% in both validation regions) in the internal mapping of landslide source and transport areas, in particular in the sunnier east-facing slopes. In the less illuminated areas the classifier is still able to accurately map the source areas, but performs poorly in the mapping of landslide transport areas.

Toward a Mechanistic Source Term in Advanced Reactors: Characterization of Radionuclide Transport and Retention in a Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor

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

Brunett, Acacia J.; Bucknor, Matthew; Grabaskas, David

A vital component of the U.S. reactor licensing process is an integrated safety analysis in which a source term representing the release of radionuclides during normal operation and accident sequences is analyzed. Historically, source term analyses have utilized bounding, deterministic assumptions regarding radionuclide release. However, advancements in technical capabilities and the knowledge state have enabled the development of more realistic and best-estimate retention and release models such that a mechanistic source term assessment can be expected to be a required component of future licensing of advanced reactors. Recently, as part of a Regulatory Technology Development Plan effort for sodium cooledmore » fast reactors (SFRs), Argonne National Laboratory has investigated the current state of knowledge of potential source terms in an SFR via an extensive review of previous domestic experiments, accidents, and operation. As part of this work, the significant sources and transport processes of radionuclides in an SFR have been identified and characterized. This effort examines all stages of release and source term evolution, beginning with release from the fuel pin and ending with retention in containment. Radionuclide sources considered in this effort include releases originating both in-vessel (e.g. in-core fuel, primary sodium, cover gas cleanup system, etc.) and ex-vessel (e.g. spent fuel storage, handling, and movement). Releases resulting from a primary sodium fire are also considered as a potential source. For each release group, dominant transport phenomena are identified and qualitatively discussed. The key product of this effort was the development of concise, inclusive diagrams that illustrate the release and retention mechanisms at a high level, where unique schematics have been developed for in-vessel, ex-vessel and sodium fire releases. This review effort has also found that despite the substantial range of phenomena affecting radionuclide release, the current state of knowledge is extensive, and in most areas may be sufficient. Several knowledge gaps were identified, such as uncertainty in release from molten fuel and availability of thermodynamic data for lanthanides and actinides in liquid sodium. However, the overall findings suggest that high retention rates can be expected within the fuel and primary sodium for all radionuclides other than noble gases.« less

Methods Used to Assess the Susceptibility to Contamination of Transient, Non-Community Public Ground-Water Supplies in Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arihood, Leslie D.; Cohen, David A.

2006-01-01

The Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974 as amended in 1996 gave each State the responsibility of developing a Source-Water Assessment Plan (SWAP) that is designed to protect public-water supplies from contamination. Each SWAP must include three elements: (1) a delineation of the source-water protection area, (2) an inventory of potential sources of contaminants within the area, and (3) a determination of the susceptibility of the public-water supply to contamination from the inventoried sources. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) was responsible for preparing a SWAP for all public-water supplies in Indiana, including about 2,400 small public ground-water supplies that are designated transient, non-community (TNC) supplies. In cooperation with IDEM, the U.S. Geological Survey compiled information on conditions near the TNC supplies and helped IDEM complete source-water assessments for each TNC supply. The delineation of a source-water protection area (called the assessment area) for each TNC ground-water supply was defined by IDEM as a circular area enclosed by a 300-foot radius centered at the TNC supply well. Contaminants of concern (COCs) were defined by IDEM as any of the 90 contaminants for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established primary drinking-water standards. Two of these, nitrate as nitrogen and total coliform bacteria, are Indiana State-regulated contaminants for TNC water supplies. IDEM representatives identified potential point and nonpoint sources of COCs within the assessment area, and computer database retrievals were used to identify potential point sources of COCs in the area outside the assessment area. Two types of methods-subjective and subjective hybrid-were used in the SWAP to determine susceptibility to contamination. Subjective methods involve decisions based upon professional judgment, prior experience, and (or) the application of a fundamental understanding of processes without the collection and analysis of data for a specific condition. Subjective hybrid methods combine subjective methods with quantitative hydrologic analyses. The subjective methods included an inventory of potential sources and associated contaminants, and a qualitative description of the inherent susceptibility of the area around the TNC supply. The description relies on a classification of the hydrogeologic and geomorphic characteristics of the general area around the TNC supply in terms of its surficial geology, regional aquifer system, the occurrence of fine- and coarse-grained geologic materials above the screen of the TNC well, and the potential for infiltration of contaminants. The subjective hybrid method combined the results of a logistic regression analysis with a subjective analysis of susceptibility and a subjective set of definitions that classify the thickness of fine-grained geologic materials above the screen of a TNC well in terms of impedance to vertical flow. The logistic regression determined the probability of elevated concentrations of nitrate as nitrogen (greater than or equal to 3 milligrams per liter) in ground water associated with specific thicknesses of fine-grained geologic materials above the screen of a TNC well. In this report, fine-grained geologic materials are referred to as a geologic barrier that generally impedes vertical flow through an aquifer. A geologic barrier was defined to be thin for fine-grained materials between 0 and 45 feet thick, moderate for materials between 45 and 75 feet thick, and thick if the fine-grained materials were greater than 75 feet thick. A flow chart was used to determine the susceptibility rating for each TNC supply. The flow chart indicated a susceptibility rating using (1) concentrations of nitrate as nitrogen and total coliform bacteria reported from routine compliance monitoring of the TNC supply, (2) the presence or absence of potential sources of regulated contaminants (nitrate as nitrogen and coliform bac

Determining the contribution of long-range transport, regional and local source areas, to PM10 mass loading in Hessen, Germany using a novel multi-receptor based statistical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garg, Saryu; Sinha, Baerbel

2017-10-01

This study uses two newly developed statistical source apportionment models, MuSAM and MuReSAM, to perform quantitative statistical source apportionment of PM10 at multiple receptor sites in South Hessen. MuSAM uses multi-site back trajectory data to quantify the contribution of long-range transport, while MuReSAM uses wind speed and direction as proxy for regional transport and quantifies the contribution of regional source areas. On average, between 7.8 and 9.1 μg/m3 of PM10 (∼50%) at receptor sites in South Hessen is contributed by long-range transport. The dominant source regions are Eastern, South Eastern, and Southern Europe. 32% of the PM10 at receptor sites in South Hessen is contributed by regional source areas (2.8-9.41 μg/m3). This fraction varies from <20% at remote sites to >40% for urban stations. Sources located within a 2 km radius around the receptor site are responsible for 7%-20% of the total PM10 mass (0.7-4.4 μg/m3). The perturbation study of the traffic flow due to the closing and reopening of the Schiersteiner Brücke revealed that the contribution of the bridge to PM10 mass loadings at two nearby receptor sites increased by approximately 120% after it reopened and became a bottleneck, although in absolute terms, the increase is small.

Dispersion modeling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from combustion of biomass and fossil fuels and production of coke in Tianjin, China.

PubMed

Tao, Shu; Li, Xinrong; Yang, Yu; Coveney, Raymond M; Lu, Xiaoxia; Chen, Haitao; Shen, Weiran

2006-08-01

A USEPA, procedure, ISCLT3 (Industrial Source Complex Long-Term), was applied to model the spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from various sources including coal, petroleum, natural gas, and biomass into the atmosphere of Tianjin, China. Benzo[a]pyrene equivalent concentrations (BaPeq) were calculated for risk assessment. Model results were provisionally validated for concentrations and profiles based on the observed data at two monitoring stations. The dominant emission sources in the area were domestic coal combustion, coke production, and biomass burning. Mainly because of the difference in the emission heights, the contributions of various sources to the average concentrations at receptors differ from proportions emitted. The shares of domestic coal increased from approximately 43% at the sources to 56% at the receptors, while the contributions of coking industry decreased from approximately 23% at the sources to 7% at the receptors. The spatial distributions of gaseous and particulate PAHs were similar, with higher concentrations occurring within urban districts because of domestic coal combustion. With relatively smaller contributions, the other minor sources had limited influences on the overall spatial distribution. The calculated average BaPeq value in air was 2.54 +/- 2.87 ng/m3 on an annual basis. Although only 2.3% of the area in Tianjin exceeded the national standard of 10 ng/m3, 41% of the entire population lives within this area.

The pyroelectric properties of TGS for application in infrared detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroes, R. L.; Reiss, D.

1981-01-01

The pyroelectric property of triglycine sulfate and its application in the detection of infrared radiation are described. The detectivities of pyroelectric detectors and other types of infrared detectors are compared. The thermal response of a pyroelectric detector element and the resulting electrical response are derived in terms of the material parameters. The noise sources which limit the sensitivity of pyroelectric detectors are described, and the noise equivalent power for each noise source is given as a function of frequency and detector area.

Ambient ultrafine particle levels at residential and reference sites in urban and rural Switzerland.

PubMed

Meier, Reto; Eeftens, Marloes; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Phuleria, Harish C; Ineichen, Alex; Davey, Mark; Ragettli, Martina S; Fierz, Martin; Schindler, Christian; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Tsai, Ming-Yi; Künzli, Nino

2015-03-03

Although there is evidence that ultrafine particles (UFP) do affect human health there are currently no legal ambient standards. The main reasons are the absence of spatially resolved exposure data to investigate long-term health effects and the challenge of defining representative reference sites for monitoring given the high dependence of UFP on proximity to sources. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the spatial distribution of UFP in four areas of the Swiss Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults (SAPALDIA) and to investigate the representativeness of routine air monitoring stations for residential sites in these areas. Repeated UFP measurements during three seasons have been conducted at a total of 80 residential sites and four area specific reference sites over a median duration of 7 days. Arithmetic mean residential PNC scattered around the median of 10,800 particles/cm(3) (interquartile range [IQR] = 7800 particles/cm(3)). Spatial within area contrasts (90th/10th percentile ratios) were around two; increased contrasts were observed during weekday rush-hours. Temporal UFP patterns were comparable at reference and residential sites in all areas. Our data show that central monitoring sites can represent residential conditions when locations are well chosen with respect to the local sources--namely traffic. For epidemiological research, locally resolved spatial models are needed to estimate individuals' long-term exposures to UFP of outdoor origin at home, during commute and at work.

Identifing Atmospheric Pollutant Sources Using Artificial Neural Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paes, F. F.; Campos, H. F.; Luz, E. P.; Carvalho, A. R.

2008-05-01

The estimation of the area source pollutant strength is a relevant issue for atmospheric environment. This characterizes an inverse problem in the atmospheric pollution dispersion. In the inverse analysis, an area source domain is considered, where the strength of such area source term is assumed unknown. The inverse problem is solved by using a supervised artificial neural network: multi-layer perceptron. The conection weights of the neural network are computed from delta rule - learning process. The neural network inversion is compared with results from standard inverse analysis (regularized inverse solution). In the regularization method, the inverse problem is formulated as a non-linear optimization approach, whose the objective function is given by the square difference between the measured pollutant concentration and the mathematical models, associated with a regularization operator. In our numerical experiments, the forward problem is addressed by a source-receptor scheme, where a regressive Lagrangian model is applied to compute the transition matrix. The second order maximum entropy regularization is used, and the regularization parameter is calculated by the L-curve technique. The objective function is minimized employing a deterministic scheme (a quasi-Newton algorithm) [1] and a stochastic technique (PSO: particle swarm optimization) [2]. The inverse problem methodology is tested with synthetic observational data, from six measurement points in the physical domain. The best inverse solutions were obtained with neural networks. References: [1] D. R. Roberti, D. Anfossi, H. F. Campos Velho, G. A. Degrazia (2005): Estimating Emission Rate and Pollutant Source Location, Ciencia e Natura, p. 131-134. [2] E.F.P. da Luz, H.F. de Campos Velho, J.C. Becceneri, D.R. Roberti (2007): Estimating Atmospheric Area Source Strength Through Particle Swarm Optimization. Inverse Problems, Desing and Optimization Symposium IPDO-2007, April 16-18, Miami (FL), USA, vol 1, p. 354-359.

Investigation of organic light emitting diodes for interferometric purposes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakula, Anna; Zimak, Marzena; Sałbut, Leszek

2011-05-01

Recently the new type of light source has been introduced to the market. Organic light emitting diode (OLED) is not only interesting because of the low applying voltage, wide light emitting areas and emission efficiency. It gives the possibility to create a light source of a various shape, various color and in the near future very likely even the one that will change shape and spectrum in time in controlled way. Those opportunities have not been in our reach until now. In the paper authors try to give an answer to the question if the new light source -OLED - is suitable for interferometric purposes. Tests cover the short and long term spectrum stability, spectrum changes due to the emission area selection. In the paper the results of two OLEDs (red and white) are shown together with the result of an attempt to use them in an interferometric setup.

Design and realization of disaster assessment algorithm after forest fire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Aijun; Wang, Danfeng; Tang, Lihua

2008-10-01

Based on GIS technology, this paper mainly focuses on the application of disaster assessment algorithm after forest fire and studies on the design and realization of disaster assessment based on GIS. After forest fire through the analysis and processing of multi-sources and heterogeneous data, this paper integrates the foundation that the domestic and foreign scholars laid of the research on assessment for forest fire loss with the related knowledge of assessment, accounting and forest resources appraisal so as to study and approach the theory framework and assessment index of the research on assessment for forest fire loss. The technologies of extracting boundary, overlay analysis, and division processing of multi-sources spatial data are available to realize the application of the investigation method of the burnt forest area and the computation of the fire area. The assessment provides evidence for fire cleaning in burnt areas and new policy making on restoration in terms of the direct and the indirect economic loss and ecological and environmental damage caused by forest fire under the condition of different fire danger classes and different amounts of forest accumulation, thus makes forest resources protection operated in a faster, more efficient and more economical way. Finally, this paper takes Lin'an city of Zhejiang province as a test area to confirm the method mentioned in the paper in terms of key technologies.

Photovoltaic highway applications: Assessment of the near-term market

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenblum, L.; Scudder, L. R.; Bifano, W. J.; Poley, W. A.

1977-01-01

A preliminary assessment of the near-term market for photovoltaic highway applications is presented. Among the potential users, two market sectors are considered: government and commercial. Within these sectors, two possible application areas, signs and motorist aids, are discussed. Based on judgemental information, obtained by a brief survey of representatives of the two user sectors, the government sector appears more amenable to the introduction of photovoltaic power sources for highway applications in the near-term. However, considerable interest and potential opportunities were also found to exist in the commercial sector. Further studies to quantify the market for highway applications appear warranted.

Isotropic source terms of San Jacinto fault zone earthquakes based on waveform inversions with a generalized CAP method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, Z. E.; Ben-Zion, Y.; Zhu, L.

2015-02-01

We analyse source tensor properties of seven Mw > 4.2 earthquakes in the complex trifurcation area of the San Jacinto Fault Zone, CA, with a focus on isotropic radiation that may be produced by rock damage in the source volumes. The earthquake mechanisms are derived with generalized `Cut and Paste' (gCAP) inversions of three-component waveforms typically recorded by >70 stations at regional distances. The gCAP method includes parameters ζ and χ representing, respectively, the relative strength of the isotropic and CLVD source terms. The possible errors in the isotropic and CLVD components due to station variability is quantified with bootstrap resampling for each event. The results indicate statistically significant explosive isotropic components for at least six of the events, corresponding to ˜0.4-8 per cent of the total potency/moment of the sources. In contrast, the CLVD components for most events are not found to be statistically significant. Trade-off and correlation between the isotropic and CLVD components are studied using synthetic tests with realistic station configurations. The associated uncertainties are found to be generally smaller than the observed isotropic components. Two different tests with velocity model perturbation are conducted to quantify the uncertainty due to inaccuracies in the Green's functions. Applications of the Mann-Whitney U test indicate statistically significant explosive isotropic terms for most events consistent with brittle damage production at the source.

Effect of seasonal and long-term changes in stress on sources of water to wells

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reilly, Thomas E.; Pollock, David W.

1995-01-01

The source of water to wells is ultimately the location where the water flowing to a well enters the boundary surface of the ground-water system . In ground-water systems that receive most of their water from areal recharge, the location of the water entering the system is at the water table . The area contributing recharge to a discharging well is the surface area that defines the location of the water entering the groundwater system. Water entering the system at the water table flows to the well and is eventually discharged from the well. Many State agencies are currently (1994) developing wellhead-protection programs. The thrust of some of these programs is to protect water supplies by determining the areas contributing recharge to water-supply wells and by specifying regulations to minimize the opportunity for contamination of the recharge water by activities at the land surface. In the analyses of ground-water flow systems, steady-state average conditions are frequently used to simplify the problem and make a solution tractable. Recharge is usually cyclic in nature, however, having seasonal cycles and longer term climatic cycles. A hypothetical system is quantitatively analyzed to show that, in many cases, these cyclic changes in the recharge rates apparently do not significantly affect the location and size of the areas contributing recharge to wells. The ratio of the mean travel time to the length of the cyclic stress period appears to indicate whether the transient effects of the cyclic stress must be explicitly represented in the analysis of contributing areas to wells. For the cases examined, if the ratio of the mean travel time to the period of the cyclic stress was much greater than one, then the transient area contributing recharge to wells was similar to the area calculated using an average steady-state condition. Noncyclic long-term transient changes in water use, however, and cyclic stresses on systems with ratios less than 1 can and do affect the location and size of the areas contributing recharge to wells.

Quantifying sediment source contributions in coastal catchments impacted by the Fukushima nuclear accident with carbon and nitrogen elemental concentrations and stable isotope ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laceby, J. Patrick; Huon Huon, Sylvain; Onda, Yuichi; Evrard, Olivier

2016-04-01

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accidental release of radioactive contaminants resulted in the significant fallout of radiocesium over several coastal catchments in the Fukushima Prefecture. Radiocesium, considered to be the greatest risk to the short and long term health of the local community, is rapidly bound to fine soil particles and thus is mobilized and transported during soil erosion and runoff processes. As there has been a broad-scale decontamination of rice paddy fields and rural residential areas in the contaminated region, one important long term question is whether there is, or may be, a downstream transfer of radiocesium from forests that covered over 65% of the most contaminated region. Accordingly, carbon and nitrogen elemental concentrations and stable isotope ratios are used to determine the relative contributions of forests and rice paddies to transported sediment in three contaminated coastal catchments. Samples were taken from the three main identified sources: cultivated soils (rice paddies and fields, n=30), forest soils (n=45), and subsoils (channel bank and decontaminated soils, n = 25). Lag deposit sediment samples were obtained from five sampling campaigns that targeted the main hydrological events from October 2011 to October 2014. In total, 86 samples of deposited sediment were analyzed for particulate organic matter elemental concentrations and isotope ratios, 24 from the Mano catchment, 44 from the Niida catchment, and 18 from the Ota catchment. Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to examine the source discrimination potential of this tracing suite and select the appropriate tracers for modelling. The discriminant tracers were modelled with a concentration-dependent distribution mixing model. Preliminary results indicate that cultivated sources (predominantly rice paddies) contribute disproportionately more sediment per unit area than forested regions in these contaminated catchments. Future research will examine if there are areas in particular where forest sources have elevated concentrations and may require some attention in the decontamination and monitoring of potential radiocesium downstream transfers.

Evaluating sources and processing of nonpoint source nitrate in a small suburban watershed in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Li; Huang, Minsheng; Ma, Minghai; Wei, Jinbao; Hu, Wei; Chouhan, Seema

2018-04-01

Identifying nonpoint sources of nitrate has been a long-term challenge in mixed land-use watershed. In the present study, we combine dual nitrate isotope, runoff and stream water monitoring to elucidate the nonpoint nitrate sources across land use, and determine the relative importance of biogeochemical processes for nitrate export in a small suburban watershed, Longhongjian watershed, China. Our study suggested that NH4+ fertilizer, soil NH4+, litter fall and groundwater were the main nitrate sources in Longhongjian Stream. There were large changes in nitrate sources in response to season and land use. Runoff analysis illustrated that the tea plantation and forest areas contributed to a dominated proportion of the TN export. Spatial analysis illustrated that NO3- concentration was high in the tea plantation and forest areas, and δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 were enriched in the step ponds. Temporal analysis showed high NO3- level in spring, and nitrate isotopes were enriched in summer. Study as well showed that the step ponds played an important role in mitigating nitrate pollution. Nitrification and plant uptake were the significant biogeochemical processes contributing to the nitrogen transformation, and denitrification hardly occurred in the stream.

Short-Term Energy Outlook Model Documentation: Electricity Generation and Fuel Consumption Models

EIA Publications

2014-01-01

The electricity generation and fuel consumption models of the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) model provide forecasts of electricity generation from various types of energy sources and forecasts of the quantities of fossil fuels consumed for power generation. The structure of the electricity industry and the behavior of power generators varies between different areas of the United States. In order to capture these differences, the STEO electricity supply and fuel consumption models are designed to provide forecasts for the four primary Census regions.

Absolute Effective Area of the Chandra High-Resolution Mirror Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwartz, D. A.; David, L. P.; Donnelly, R. H.; Edgar, R. J.; Gaetz, T. J.; Jerius, D.; Juda, M.; Kellogg, E. M.; McNamara, B. R.; Dewey, D.

2000-01-01

The Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched in July 1999, and is returning exquisite sub-arcsecond x-ray images of star groups, supernova remnants, galaxies, quasars, and clusters of galaxies. In addition to being the premier X-ray observatory in terms of angular and spectral resolution, Chandra is the best calibrated X-ray facility ever flown. We discuss here the calibration of the effective area of the High Resolution Mirror Assembly. Because we do not know the absolute X-ray flux density of any celestial source, this must be based primarily on ground measurements and on modeling. In particular, we must remove the calibrated modeled responses of the detectors and gratings to obtain the mirror area. For celestial sources which may be assumed to have smoothly varying spectra, such as the Crab Nebula, we may verify the continuity of the area calibration as a function of energy. This is of significance in energy regions such as the Ir M-edges, or near the critical grazing angle cutoff of the various mirror shells.

Impacts on groundwater recharge areas of megacity pumping: analysis of potential contamination of Kolkata, India, water supply

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sahu, Paulami; Michael, Holly A.; Voss, Clifford I.; Sikdar, Pradip K.

2013-01-01

Water supply to the world's megacities is a problem of quantity and quality that will be a priority in the coming decades. Heavy pumping of groundwater beneath these urban centres, particularly in regions with low natural topographic gradients, such as deltas and floodplains, can fundamentally alter the hydrological system. These changes affect recharge area locations, which may shift closer to the city centre than before development, thereby increasing the potential for contamination. Hydrogeological simulation analysis allows evaluation of the impact on past, present and future pumping for the region of Kolkata, India, on recharge area locations in an aquifer that supplies water to over 13 million people. Relocated recharge areas are compared with known surface contamination sources, with a focus on sustainable management of this urban groundwater resource. The study highlights the impacts of pumping on water sources for long-term development of stressed city aquifers and for future water supply in deltaic and floodplain regions of the world.

Hydrogeochemistry of the drinking water sources of Derebogazi Village (Kahramanmaras) and their effects on human health.

PubMed

Uras, Yusuf; Uysal, Yagmur; Arikan, Tugba Atilan; Kop, Alican; Caliskan, Mustafa

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the sources of drinking water for Derebogazi Village, Kahramanmaras Province, Turkey, in terms of hydrogeochemistry, isotope geochemistry, and medical geology. Water samples were obtained from seven different water sources in the area, all of which are located within quartzite units of Paleozoic age, and isotopic analyses of (18)O and (2)H (deuterium) were conducted on the samples. Samples were collected from the region for 1 year. Water quality of the samples was assessed in terms of various water quality parameters, such as temperature, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, trace element concentrations, anion-cation measurements, and metal concentrations, using ion chromatography, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry, ICP-optical emission spectrometry techniques. Regional health surveys had revealed that the heights of local people are significantly below the average for the country. In terms of medical geology, the sampled drinking water from the seven sources was deficient in calcium and magnesium ions, which promote bone development. Bone mineral density screening tests were conducted on ten females using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to investigate possible developmental disorder(s) and potential for mineral loss in the region. Of these ten women, three had T-scores close to the osteoporosis range (T-score < -2.5).

Allometric Trajectories and "Stress": A Quantitative Approach.

PubMed

Anfodillo, Tommaso; Petit, Giai; Sterck, Frank; Lechthaler, Silvia; Olson, Mark E

2016-01-01

The term "stress" is an important but vague term in plant biology. We show situations in which thinking in terms of "stress" is profitably replaced by quantifying distance from functionally optimal scaling relationships between plant parts. These relationships include, for example, the often-cited one between leaf area and sapwood area, which presumably reflects mutual dependence between sources and sink tissues and which scales positively within individuals and across species. These relationships seem to be so basic to plant functioning that they are favored by selection across nearly all plant lineages. Within a species or population, individuals that are far from the common scaling patterns are thus expected to perform negatively. For instance, "too little" leaf area (e.g., due to herbivory or disease) per unit of active stem mass would be expected to incur to low carbon income per respiratory cost and thus lead to lower growth. We present a framework that allows quantitative study of phenomena traditionally assigned to "stress," without need for recourse to this term. Our approach contrasts with traditional approaches for studying "stress," e.g., revealing that small "stressed" plants likely are in fact well suited to local conditions. We thus offer a quantitative perspective to the study of phenomena often referred to under such terms as "stress," plasticity, adaptation, and acclimation.

A Curriculum for Teaching Human Sexuality to Mentally Impaired Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rinckey, David Jason

Presented is a developmentally sequenced curriculum designed for teaching human sexuality to mentally impaired adolescents. A brief objective is presented, teaching methods are listed, and materials needed are described (in terms of author, title, source, and price) for each of the following topic areas: vocabulary of sexuality; fact vs. myths;…

Construction and Validation of Textbook Analysis Grids for Ecology and Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caravita, Silvia; Valente, Adriana; Luzi, Daniela; Pace, Paul; Valanides, Nicos; Khalil, Iman; Berthou, Guillemette; Kozan-Naumescu, Adrienne; Clement, Pierre

2008-01-01

Knowledge about ecology and environmental education (EE) constitutes a basic tool for promoting a sustainable future, and was a target area of the BIOHEAD-Citizen Project. School textbooks were considered as representative sources of evidence in terms of ecology and environmental education, and were used for comparison among the countries…

Role of Universities in the National Innovation System. Discussion Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Group of Eight (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

Over recent years governments have been placing more emphasis on innovation as a source of national competitiveness. Governments now assess their investments across many areas in terms of the contribution that such investments make to increasing innovation. This has been especially significant for education and in particular for the development of…

76 FR 12715 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-08

... and marketing evaluation and strategies; and outreach and implementation of the project results. The... devise strategies and means to efficiently harvest the redfish resource in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) while... in terms of their potential effects on results. Sources of variability include: Area fished; seasonal...

40 CFR 63.11651 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...? 63.11651 Section 63.11651 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Area Source Category Other Requirements and Information § 63.11651 What definitions apply to this subpart? Terms used in this subpart are defined in the Clean Air Act, in § 63.2, and in this section as...

40 CFR 63.11651 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...? 63.11651 Section 63.11651 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Area Source Category Other Requirements and Information § 63.11651 What definitions apply to this subpart? Terms used in this subpart are defined in the Clean Air Act, in § 63.2, and in this section as...

40 CFR 63.11651 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...? 63.11651 Section 63.11651 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Area Source Category Other Requirements and Information § 63.11651 What definitions apply to this subpart? Terms used in this subpart are defined in the Clean Air Act, in § 63.2, and in this section as...

Applied research opportunities in developed campgrounds

Treesearch

Carl P. Wiedemann

2002-01-01

Developed area camping is an important recreational activity in terms of both participation and as a source of revenue for public agencies. A major challenge for administrators in the public sector is how to increase revenues on limited budgets without sacrificing customer satisfaction. Applied research could make a valuable contribution to decision making, but not...

Peer Assisted Learning in Clinical Education: Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henning, Jolene M.; Weidner, Thomas G.; Marty, Melissa C.

2008-01-01

Objective: To examine the occurrence, benefits, and preferences for peer assisted learning (PAL) in medical and allied health clinical education, and to identify areas in athletic training which need further research. Data Sources: Using relevant terms, five databases were searched for the period 1980-2006 regarding literature on the use of PAL in…

Instructing Students in Academic Integrity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Paul A.; Federici, Elizabeth; Buehler, Marianne A.

2010-01-01

Plagiarism is a great temptation to students in this digital age, in areas ranging from the purchase of term papers on the internet to improper citing of sources in reports to the inappropriate use of clickers in the classroom. The authors have explored attitudes about academic integrity among college science students using a survey that was…

Know Your Enemy - Implementation of Bioremediation within a Suspected DNAPL Source Zone Following High-Resolution Site Characterization at Contractors Road Heavy Equipment Area, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chrest, Anne; Daprato, Rebecca; Burcham, Michael; Johnson, Jill

2018-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Kennedy Space Center (KSC), has adopted high-resolution site characterization (HRSC) sampling techniques during baseline sampling prior to implementation of remedies to confirm and refine the conceptual site model (CSM). HRSC sampling was performed at Contractors Road Heavy Equipment Area (CRHE) prior to bioremediation implementation to verify the extent of the trichloroethene (TCE) dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source area (defined as the area with TCE concentrations above 1% solubility) and its daughter product dissolved plume that had been identified during previous HRSC events. The results of HRSC pre-bioremediation implementation sampling suggested that the TCE source area was larger than originally identified during initial site characterization activities, leading to a design refinement to improve electron donor distribution and increase the likelihood of achieving remedial objectives. Approach/Activities: HRSC was conducted from 2009 through 2014 to delineate the vertical and horizontal extent of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) in the groundwater. Approximately 2,340 samples were collected from 363 locations using direct push technology (DPT) groundwater sampling techniques. Samples were collected from up to 14 depth intervals at each location using a 4-foot sampling screen. This HRSC approach identified a narrow (approx. 5 to 30 feet wide), approximately 3,000 square foot TCE DNAPL source area (maximum detected TCE concentration of 160,000 micrograms per liter [micro-g/L] at DPT sampling location DPT0225). Prior to implementation of a bioremediation interim measure, HRSC baseline sampling was conducted using DPT groundwater sampling techniques. Concentrations of TCE were an order of magnitude lower than previous reported (12,000 micro-g/L maximum at DPT sampling location DPT0225) at locations sampled adjacent to previous sampling locations. To further evaluate the variability in concentrations observed additional sampling was conducted in 2016. The results identified higher concentrations than originally detected within the previously defined source area and the presence of source zone concentrations upgradient of the previously defined source area (maximum concentration observed 570,000 micro-g/L). The HRSC baseline sampling data allowed for a revision of the bioremediation design prior to implementation. Bioremediation was implemented within the eastern portion of the source area in November and December 2016 and quarterly performance monitoring was completed in March and June 2017. Reductions in CVOC concentrations from baseline were observed at all performance monitoring wells in the treatment area, and by June 2017, an approximate 95% CVOC mass reduction was observed based on monitoring well sampling results. Results/Lessons Learned: The results of this project suggest that, due to the complexity of DNAPL source zones, HRSC during pre-implementation baseline sampling in the TCE source zone was an essential strategy for verifying the treatment area and depth prior to remedy implementation. If the upgradient source zone mass was not identified prior to bioremediation implementation, the mass would have served as a long-term source for the dissolved plume.

Tsunami: a history of the term and of scientific understanding of the phenomenon in Japanese and Western culture.

PubMed

Cartwright, Julyan H E; Nakamura, Hisami

2008-06-20

In the past few years we have unfortunately had several reminders of the ability of a particular type of ocean wave--a tsunami--to devastate coastal areas. The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, in particular, was one of the largest natural disasters of past decades in terms of the number of people killed. The name of this phenomenon, tsunami, is possibly the only term that has entered the physics lexicon from Japanese. We use Japanese and Western sources to document historical tsunami in Europe and Japan, the birth of the scientific understanding of tsunami, and how the Japanese term came to be adopted in English.

Critical Source Area Delineation: The representation of hydrology in effective erosion modeling.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowler, A.; Boll, J.; Brooks, E. S.; Boylan, R. D.

2017-12-01

Despite decades of conservation and millions of conservation dollars, nonpoint source sediment loading associated with agricultural disturbance continues to be a significant problem in many parts of the world. Local and national conservation organizations are interested in targeting critical source areas for control strategy implementation. Currently, conservation practices are selected and located based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) hillslope erosion modeling, and the National Resource Conservation Service will soon be transiting to the Watershed Erosion Predict Project (WEPP) model for the same purpose. We present an assessment of critical source areas targeted with RUSLE, WEPP and a regionally validated hydrology model, the Soil Moisture Routing (SMR) model, to compare the location of critical areas for sediment loading and the effectiveness of control strategies. The three models are compared for the Palouse dryland cropping region of the inland northwest, with un-calibrated analyses of the Kamiache watershed using publicly available soils, land-use and long-term simulated climate data. Critical source areas were mapped and the side-by-side comparison exposes the differences in the location and timing of runoff and erosion predictions. RUSLE results appear most sensitive to slope driving processes associated with infiltration excess. SMR captured saturation excess driven runoff events located at the toe slope position, while WEPP was able to capture both infiltration excess and saturation excess processes depending on soil type and management. A methodology is presented for down-scaling basin level screening to the hillslope management scale for local control strategies. Information on the location of runoff and erosion, driven by the runoff mechanism, is critical for effective treatment and conservation.

A Promising Tool to Assess Long Term Public Health Effects of Natural Disasters: Combining Routine Health Survey Data and Geographic Information Systems to Assess Stunting after the 2001 Earthquake in Peru

PubMed Central

Rydberg, Henny; Marrone, Gaetano; Strömdahl, Susanne; von Schreeb, Johan

2015-01-01

Background Research on long-term health effects of earthquakes is scarce, especially in low- and middle-income countries, which are disproportionately affected by disasters. To date, progress in this area has been hampered by the lack of tools to accurately measure these effects. Here, we explored whether long-term public health effects of earthquakes can be assessed using a combination of readily available data sources on public health and geographic distribution of seismic activity. Methods We used childhood stunting as a proxy for public health effects. Data on stunting were attained from Demographic and Health Surveys. Earthquake data were obtained from U.S. Geological Survey’s ShakeMaps, geographic information system-based maps that divide earthquake affected areas into different shaking intensity zones. We combined these two data sources to categorize the surveyed children into different earthquake exposure groups, based on how much their area of residence was affected by the earthquake. We assessed the feasibility of the approach using a real earthquake case – an 8.4 magnitude earthquake that hit southern Peru in 2001. Results and conclusions Our results indicate that the combination of health survey data and disaster data may offer a readily accessible and accurate method for determining the long-term public health consequences of a natural disaster. Our work allowed us to make pre- and post- earthquake comparisons of stunting, an important indicator of the well-being of a society, as well as comparisons between populations with different levels of exposure to the earthquake. Furthermore, the detailed GIS based data provided a precise and objective definition of earthquake exposure. Our approach should be considered in future public health and disaster research exploring the long-term effects of earthquakes and potentially other natural disasters. PMID:26090999

A Promising Tool to Assess Long Term Public Health Effects of Natural Disasters: Combining Routine Health Survey Data and Geographic Information Systems to Assess Stunting after the 2001 Earthquake in Peru.

PubMed

Rydberg, Henny; Marrone, Gaetano; Strömdahl, Susanne; von Schreeb, Johan

2015-01-01

Research on long-term health effects of earthquakes is scarce, especially in low- and middle-income countries, which are disproportionately affected by disasters. To date, progress in this area has been hampered by the lack of tools to accurately measure these effects. Here, we explored whether long-term public health effects of earthquakes can be assessed using a combination of readily available data sources on public health and geographic distribution of seismic activity. We used childhood stunting as a proxy for public health effects. Data on stunting were attained from Demographic and Health Surveys. Earthquake data were obtained from U.S. Geological Survey's ShakeMaps, geographic information system-based maps that divide earthquake affected areas into different shaking intensity zones. We combined these two data sources to categorize the surveyed children into different earthquake exposure groups, based on how much their area of residence was affected by the earthquake. We assessed the feasibility of the approach using a real earthquake case--an 8.4 magnitude earthquake that hit southern Peru in 2001. Our results indicate that the combination of health survey data and disaster data may offer a readily accessible and accurate method for determining the long-term public health consequences of a natural disaster. Our work allowed us to make pre- and post-earthquake comparisons of stunting, an important indicator of the well-being of a society, as well as comparisons between populations with different levels of exposure to the earthquake. Furthermore, the detailed GIS based data provided a precise and objective definition of earthquake exposure. Our approach should be considered in future public health and disaster research exploring the long-term effects of earthquakes and potentially other natural disasters.

Source terms, shielding calculations and soil activation for a medical cyclotron.

PubMed

Konheiser, J; Naumann, B; Ferrari, A; Brachem, C; Müller, S E

2016-12-01

Calculations of the shielding and estimates of soil activation for a medical cyclotron are presented in this work. Based on the neutron source term from the 18 O(p,n) 18 F reaction produced by a 28 MeV proton beam, neutron and gamma dose rates outside the building were estimated with the Monte Carlo code MCNP6 (Goorley et al 2012 Nucl. Technol. 180 298-315). The neutron source term was calculated with the MCNP6 code and FLUKA (Ferrari et al 2005 INFN/TC_05/11, SLAC-R-773) code as well as with supplied data by the manufacturer. MCNP and FLUKA calculations yielded comparable results, while the neutron yield obtained using the manufacturer-supplied information is about a factor of 5 smaller. The difference is attributed to the missing channels in the manufacturer-supplied neutron source terms which considers only the 18 O(p,n) 18 F reaction, whereas the MCNP and FLUKA calculations include additional neutron reaction channels. Soil activation was performed using the FLUKA code. The estimated dose rate based on MCNP6 calculations in the public area is about 0.035 µSv h -1 and thus significantly below the reference value of 0.5 µSv h -1 (2011 Strahlenschutzverordnung, 9 Auflage vom 01.11.2011, Bundesanzeiger Verlag). After 5 years of continuous beam operation and a subsequent decay time of 30 d, the activity concentration of the soil is about 0.34 Bq g -1 .

The use of mud as an alternative source for bioelectricity using microbial fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darmawan, Raden; Widjaja, Arief; Juliastuti, Sri Rachmania; Hendrianie, Nuniek; Hidaya, Chanifah; Sari, Dessy Rosita; Suwito, Morimura, Shigeru; Tominaga, Masato

2017-05-01

Alternative energy sources to substitute fossil-based energy is expected, as the fossil energy reserves decreasing every day. Mud is considered to be economical as the material sources for generating the electricity where it could be found easily and abundantly in Indonesia. The existence of a lot of mud that contains organic material has great potential as a source of electrical energy using microbial fuel cells (MFCs). It provides a promising technology by degrading organic compounds to yield the sustainable energy. The different sampling sites were determined to find out the electricity production, i.e. mud from soil water, brackish water and sea water using an anode immersed of 10 cm2. The results suggest that the electricity generation of the three areas are 0.331, 0.327 and 0.398 V (in terms of voltage); 0.221, 0.050 and 0.325 mA (in terms of electric current), respectively. It is investigated that the mud obtained the sea water exhibits the highest power potential compared to that obtained from the brackish and soil water.

Access to Safe Water in Rural Artibonite, Haiti 16 Months after the Onset of the Cholera Epidemic

PubMed Central

Patrick, Molly; Berendes, David; Murphy, Jennifer; Bertrand, Fabienne; Husain, Farah; Handzel, Thomas

2013-01-01

Haiti has the lowest improved water and sanitation coverage in the Western Hemisphere and is suffering from the largest cholera epidemic on record. In May of 2012, an assessment was conducted in rural areas of the Artibonite Department to describe the type and quality of water sources and determine knowledge, access, and use of household water treatment products to inform future programs. It was conducted after emergency response was scaled back but before longer-term water, sanitation, and hygiene activities were initiated. The household survey and source water quality analysis documented low access to safe water, with only 42.3% of households using an improved drinking water source. One-half (50.9%) of the improved water sources tested positive for Escherichia coli. Of households with water to test, 12.7% had positive chlorine residual. The assessment reinforces the identified need for major investments in safe water and sanitation infrastructure and the importance of household water treatment to improve access to safe water in the near term. PMID:24106191

Geochemistry and carbon isotopic ratio for assessment of PM10 composition, source and seasonal trends in urban environment.

PubMed

Di Palma, A; Capozzi, F; Agrelli, D; Amalfitano, C; Giordano, S; Spagnuolo, V; Adamo, P

2018-08-01

Investigating the nature of PM 10 is crucial to differentiate sources and their relative contributions. In this study we compared the levels, and the chemical and mineralogical properties of PM 10 particles sampled in different seasons at monitoring stations representative of urban background, urban traffic and suburban traffic areas of Naples city. The aims were to relate the PM 10 load and characteristics to the location of the monitoring stations, to investigate the different sources contributing to PM 10 and to highlight PM 10 seasonal variability. Bulk analyses of chemical species in the PM 10 fraction included total carbon and nitrogen, δ 13 C and other 20 elements. Both natural and anthropogenic sources were found to contribute to the exceedances of the EU PM 10 limit values. The natural contribution was mainly related to marine aerosols and soil dust, as highlighted by X-ray diffractometry and SEM-EDS microscopy. The percentage of total carbon suggested a higher contribution of biogenic components to PM 10 in spring. However, this result was not supported by the δ 13 C values which were seasonally homogeneous and not sufficient to extract single emission sources. No significant differences, in terms of PM 10 load and chemistry, were observed between monitoring stations with different locations, suggesting a homogeneous distribution of PM 10 on the studied area in all seasons. The anthropogenic contribution to PM 10 seemed to dominate in all sites and seasons with vehicular traffic acting as a main source mostly by generation of non-exhaust emissions Our findings reinforce the need to focus more on the analysis of PM 10 in terms of quality than of load, to reconsider the criteria for the classification and the spatial distribution of the monitoring stations within urban and suburban areas, with a special attention to the background location, and to emphasize all the policies promoting sustainable mobility and reduction of both exhaust and not-exhaust traffic-related emissions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spectra of cosmic X-ray sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holt, S. S.; Mccray, R.

1982-01-01

X-ray measurements provide the most direct probes of astrophysical environments with temperatures exceeding one million K. Progress in experimental research utilizing dispersive techniques (e.g., Bragg and grating spectroscopy) is considerably slower than that in areas utilizing photometric techniques, because of the relative inefficiency of the former for the weak X-ray signals from celestial sources. As a result, the term "spectroscopy" as applied to X-ray astronomy has traditionally satisfied a much less restrictive definition (in terms of resolving power) than it has in other wavebands. Until quite recently, resolving powers of order unity were perfectly respectable, and still provide (in most cases) the most useful spectroscopic data. In the broadest sense, X-ray photometric measurements are spectroscopic, insofar as they represent samples of the overall electromagnetic continua of celestial objects.

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessments of Sabah, east Malaysia: accounting for local earthquake activity near Ranau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalil, Amin E.; Abir, Ismail A.; Ginsos, Hanteh; Abdel Hafiez, Hesham E.; Khan, Sohail

2018-02-01

Sabah state in eastern Malaysia, unlike most of the other Malaysian states, is characterized by common seismological activity; generally an earthquake of moderate magnitude is experienced at an interval of roughly every 20 years, originating mainly from two major sources, either a local source (e.g. Ranau and Lahad Dato) or a regional source (e.g. Kalimantan and South Philippines subductions). The seismicity map of Sabah shows the presence of two zones of distinctive seismicity, these zones are near Ranau (near Kota Kinabalu) and Lahad Datu in the southeast of Sabah. The seismicity record of Ranau begins in 1991, according to the international seismicity bulletins (e.g. United States Geological Survey and the International Seismological Center), and this short record is not sufficient for seismic source characterization. Fortunately, active Quaternary fault systems are delineated in the area. Henceforth, the seismicity of the area is thus determined as line sources referring to these faults. Two main fault systems are believed to be the source of such activities; namely, the Mensaban fault zone and the Crocker fault zone in addition to some other faults in their vicinity. Seismic hazard assessments became a very important and needed study for the extensive developing projects in Sabah especially with the presence of earthquake activities. Probabilistic seismic hazard assessments are adopted for the present work since it can provide the probability of various ground motion levels during expected from future large earthquakes. The output results are presented in terms of spectral acceleration curves and uniform hazard curves for periods of 500, 1000 and 2500 years. Since this is the first time that a complete hazard study has been done for the area, the output will be a base and standard for any future strategic plans in the area.

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

J.C. Ryman

This calculation is a revision of a previous calculation (Ref. 7.5) that bears the same title and has the document identifier BBAC00000-01717-0210-00006 REV 01. The purpose of this revision is to remove TBV (to-be-verified) -41 10 associated with the output files of the previous version (Ref. 7.30). The purpose of this and the previous calculation is to generate source terms for a representative boiling water reactor (BWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assembly for the first one million years after the SNF is discharged from the reactors. This calculation includes an examination of several ways to represent BWR assemblies and operatingmore » conditions in SAS2H in order to quantify the effects these representations may have on source terms. These source terms provide information characterizing the neutron and gamma spectra in particles per second, the decay heat in watts, and radionuclide inventories in curies. Source terms are generated for a range of burnups and enrichments (see Table 2) that are representative of the waste stream and stainless steel (SS) clad assemblies. During this revision, it was determined that the burnups used for the computer runs of the previous revision were actually about 1.7% less than the stated, or nominal, burnups. See Section 6.6 for a discussion of how to account for this effect before using any source terms from this calculation. The source term due to the activation of corrosion products deposited on the surfaces of the assembly from the coolant is also calculated. The results of this calculation support many areas of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR), which include thermal evaluation, radiation dose determination, radiological safety analyses, surface and subsurface facility designs, and total system performance assessment. This includes MGR items classified as Quality Level 1, for example, the Uncanistered Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Container (Ref. 7.27, page 7). Therefore, this calculation is subject to the requirements of the Quality Assurance Requirements and Description (Ref. 7.28). The performance of the calculation and development of this document are carried out in accordance with AP-3.124, ''Design Calculation and Analyses'' (Ref. 7.29).« less

Health, safety, and environmental risk assessment of steel production complex in central Iran using TOPSIS.

PubMed

Jozi, S A; Majd, N Moradi

2014-10-01

This research was carried out with the aim of presenting an environmental management plan for steel production complex (SPC) in central Iran. Following precise identification of the plant activities as well as the study area, possible sources of environmental pollution and adverse impacts on the air quality, water, soil, biological environment, socioeconomic and cultural environment, and health and safety of the employees were determined considering the work processes of the steel complex. Afterwards, noise, wastewater, and air pollution sources were measured. Subsequently, factors polluting the steel complex were identified by TOPSIS and then prioritized using Excel Software. Based on the obtained results, the operation of the furnaces in hot rolling process with the score 1, effluent derived from hot rolling process with the score 0.565, nonprincipal disposal and dumping of waste at the plant enclosure with the score 0.335, walking beam process with the score 1.483 respectively allocated themselves the highest priority in terms of air, water, soil and noise pollution. In terms of habitats, land cover and socioeconomic and cultural environment, closeness to the forest area and the existence of four groups of wildlife with the score 1.106 and proximity of villages and residential areas to the plant with the score 3.771 respectively enjoyed the highest priorities while impressibility and occupational accidents with the score 2.725 and cutting and welding operations with score 2.134 had the highest priority among health and safety criteria. Finally, strategies for the control of pollution sources were identified and Training, Monitoring and environmental management plan of the SPC was prepared.

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

None, None

Operations of Sandia National Laboratories, Nevada (SNL/NV) at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) resulted in no planned point radiological releases during 1996. Other releases from SNL/NV included diffuse transuranic sources consisting of the three Clean Slate sites. Air emissions from these sources result from wind resuspension of near-surface transuranic contaminated soil particulates. The total area of contamination has been estimated to exceed 20 million square meters. Soil contamination was documented in an aerial survey program in 1977 (EG&G 1979). Surface contamination levels were generally found to be below 400 pCi/g of combined plutonium-238, plutonium-239, plutonium-240, and americium-241 (i.e., transuranic) activity.more » Hot spot areas contain up to 43,000 pCi/g of transuranic activity. Recent measurements confirm the presence of significant levels of transuranic activity in the surface soil. An annual diffuse source term of 0.39 Ci of transuranic material was calculated for the cumulative release from all three Clean Slate sites. A maximally exposed individual dose of 1.1 mrem/yr at the TTR airport area was estimated based on the 1996 diffuse source release amounts and site-specific meteorological data. A population dose of 0.86 person-rem/yr was calculated for the local residents. Both dose values were attributable to inhalation of transuranic contaminated dust.« less

Effects of variable regolith depth, hydraulic properties, and rainfall on debris-flow initiation during the September 2013 northern Colorado Front Range rainstorm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baum, R. L.; Coe, J. A.; Kean, J. W.; Jones, E. S.; Godt, J.

2015-12-01

Heavy rainfall during 9 - 13 September 2013 induced about 1100 debris flows in the foothills and mountains of the northern Colorado Front Range. Weathered bedrock was partially exposed in the basal surfaces of many of the shallow source areas at depths ranging from 0.2 to 5 m. Typical values of saturated hydraulic conductivity of soils and regolith units mapped in the source areas range from about 10-4 - 10-6 m/s, with a median value of 2.8 x 10-5 m/s based on number of source areas in each map unit. Rainfall intensities varied spatially and temporally, from 0 to 2.5 x 10-5 m/s (90 mm/hour), with two periods of relatively heavy rainfall on September 12 - 13. The distribution of debris flows appears to correlate with total storm rainfall, and reported times of greatest landslide activity coincide with times of heaviest rainfall. Process-based models of rainfall infiltration and slope stability (TRIGRS) representing the observed ranges of regolith depth, hydraulic conductivity, and rainfall intensity, provide additional insights about the timing and distribution of debris flows from this storm. For example, small debris flows from shallower source areas (<2 m) occurred late on September 11 and in the early morning of September 12, whereas large debris flows from deeper (3 - 5 m) source areas in the western part of the affected area occurred late on September 12. Timing of these flows can be understood in terms of the time required for pore pressure rise depending on regolith depth and rainfall intensity. The variable hydraulic properties combined with variable regolith depth and slope angles account for much of the observed range in timing in areas of similar rainfall intensity and duration. Modeling indicates that the greatest and most rapid pore pressure rise likely occurred in areas of highest rainfall intensity and amount. This is consistent with the largest numbers of debris flows occurring on steep canyon walls in areas of high total storm rainfall.

Recent Advances in Laplace Transform Analytic Element Method (LT-AEM) Theory and Application to Transient Groundwater Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhlman, K. L.; Neuman, S. P.

2006-12-01

Furman and Neuman (2003) proposed a Laplace Transform Analytic Element Method (LT-AEM) for transient groundwater flow. LT-AEM applies the traditionally steady-state AEM to the Laplace transformed groundwater flow equation, and back-transforms the resulting solution to the time domain using a Fourier Series numerical inverse Laplace transform method (de Hoog, et.al., 1982). We have extended the method so it can compute hydraulic head and flow velocity distributions due to any two-dimensional combination and arrangement of point, line, circular and elliptical area sinks and sources, nested circular or elliptical regions having different hydraulic properties, and areas of specified head, flux or initial condition. The strengths of all sinks and sources, and the specified head and flux values, can all vary in both space and time in an independent and arbitrary fashion. Initial conditions may vary from one area element to another. A solution is obtained by matching heads and normal fluxes along the boundary of each element. The effect which each element has on the total flow is expressed in terms of generalized Fourier series which converge rapidly (<20 terms) in most cases. As there are more matching points than unknown Fourier terms, the matching is accomplished in Laplace space using least-squares. The method is illustrated by calculating the resulting transient head and flow velocities due to an arrangement of elements in both finite and infinite domains. The 2D LT-AEM elements already developed and implemented are currently being extended to solve the 3D groundwater flow equation.

Occurrence and risk assessment of potentially toxic elements and typical organic pollutants in contaminated rural soils.

PubMed

Xu, Yongfeng; Dai, Shixiang; Meng, Ke; Wang, Yuting; Ren, Wenjie; Zhao, Ling; Christie, Peter; Teng, Ying

2018-07-15

The residual levels and risk assessment of several potentially toxic elements (PTEs), phthalate esters (PAEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in rural soils near different types of pollution sources in Tianjin, China, were studied. The soils were found to be polluted to different extents with PTEs, PAEs and PAHs from different pollution sources. The soil concentrations of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), acenaphthylene (Any) and acenaphthene (Ane) were higher than their corresponding regulatory reference limits. The health risk assessment model used to calculate human exposure indicates that both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from selected pollutants were generally acceptable or close to acceptable. Different types of pollution sources and soil physicochemical properties substantially affected the soil residual concentrations of and risks from these pollutants. PTEs in soils collected from agricultural lands around industrial and residential areas and organic pollutants (PAEs and PAHs) in soils collected from agricultural areas around livestock breeding were higher than those from other types of pollution sources and merit long-term monitoring. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of field of view limited by a multi-line X-ray source and its improvement for grating interferometry.

PubMed

Du, Yang; Huang, Jianheng; Lin, Danying; Niu, Hanben

2012-08-01

X-ray phase-contrast imaging based on grating interferometry is a technique with the potential to provide absorption, differential phase contrast, and dark-field signals simultaneously. The multi-line X-ray source used recently in grating interferometry has the advantage of high-energy X-rays for imaging of thick samples for most clinical and industrial investigations. However, it has a drawback of limited field of view (FOV), because of the axial extension of the X-ray emission area. In this paper, we analyze the effects of axial extension of the multi-line X-ray source on the FOV and its improvement in terms of Fresnel diffraction theory. Computer simulation results show that the FOV limitation can be overcome by use of an alternative X-ray tube with a specially designed multi-step anode. The FOV of this newly designed X-ray source can be approximately four times larger than that of the multi-line X-ray source in the same emission area. This might be beneficial for the applications of X-ray phase contrast imaging in materials science, biology, medicine, and industry.

A point-source outbreak of Coccidioidomycosis among a highway construction crew.

PubMed

Nicas, Mark

2018-01-01

Coccidioidomycosis is an infection caused by inhaling spores of the soil fungus Coccidioides immitis (hereafter termed Cocci). Cocci is endemic in certain areas of California. When soil containing the fungus is disturbed, as during earth-moving activities, respirable Cocci spores can become airborne and be inhaled by persons in the vicinity. This article describes a cluster of seven Cocciodioidomycosis cases among a highway construction crew that occurred in June/July 2008 in Kern County, CA, which is among the most highly endemic regions for Cocci in California. The exposures spanned no more than seven work days, and illness developed within two to three weeks of the exposures. Given the common source of exposure (soil dust generated at the work site) and the multiple cases occurring close in time, the cluster can also be termed a "point-source outbreak." The contractor was not informed of the infection risk and did not take adequate precautions against dust exposure. Appropriate engineering/administrative controls and respiratory protection are discussed.

Using the example of Istanbul to outline general aspects of protecting reservoirs, rivers and lakes used for drinking water abstraction.

PubMed

Tanik, A

2000-01-01

The six main drinking water reservoirs of Istanbul are under the threat of pollution due to rapid population increase, unplanned urbanisation and insufficient infrastructure. In contrast to the present land use profile, the environmental evaluation of the catchment areas reveals that point sources of pollutants, especially of domestic origin, dominate over those from diffuse sources. The water quality studies also support these findings, emphasising that if no substantial precautions are taken, there will be no possibility of obtaining drinking water from them. In this paper, under the light of the present status of the reservoirs, possible and probable short- and long-term protective measures are outlined for reducing the impact of point sources. Immediate precautions mostly depend on reducing the pollution arising from the existing settlements. Long-term measures mainly emphasise the preparation of new land use plans taking into consideration the protection of unoccupied lands. Recommendations on protection and control of the reservoirs are stated.

Mantle heterogeneity and crustal recycling in Archean granite-greenstone belts - Evidence from Nd isotopes and trace elements in the Rainy Lake area, Superior Province, Ontario, Canada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shirey, Steven B.; Hanson, Gilbert N.

1986-01-01

Crustal evolution in the Rainy Lake area, Ontario is studied in terms of geochemical characteristics. The Nd isotope data are examined for heterogeneity of the Archean mantle, and the Sm/Nd depletion of the mantle is analyzed. The Nd isotope systematics of individual rock suites is investigated in order to understand the difference between crust and mantle sources; the precursors and petrogenetic processes are discussed. The correlation between SiO2 content and Nd values is considered. Rapid recycling of crustal components, which were previously derived from depleted mantle sources, is suggested based on the similarity of the initial Nd isotopic composition for both mantle-derived and crustally-derived rocks.

Area estimation of environmental phenomena from NOAA-n satellite data. [TIROS N satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tappan, G. (Principal Investigator); Miller, G. E.

1982-01-01

A technique for documenting changes in size of NOAA-n pixels in order to calibrate the data for use in performing area calculations is described. Based on Earth-satellite geometry, a function for calculating the effective pixel size, measured in terms of ground area, on any given pixel was derived. The equation is an application of the law of sines plus an arclength formula. Effective pixel dimensions for NOAA 6 and 7 satellites for all pixels between nadir and the extreme view angles are presented. The NOAA 6 data were used to estimate the areas of several lakes, with an accuracy within 5%. Sources of error are discussed.

NASA Cold Land Processes Experiment (CLPX 2002/03): Ground-based and near-surface meteorological observations

Treesearch

Kelly Elder; Don Cline; Angus Goodbody; Paul Houser; Glen E. Liston; Larry Mahrt; Nick Rutter

2009-01-01

A short-term meteorological database has been developed for the Cold Land Processes Experiment (CLPX). This database includes meteorological observations from stations designed and deployed exclusively for CLPXas well as observations available from other sources located in the small regional study area (SRSA) in north-central Colorado. The measured weather parameters...

Renewable Electricity Policy in Germany, 1974 to 2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauber, Volkmar; Mez, Lutz

2006-01-01

Of the large industrial countries, Germany is clearly leading with regard to new renewable energy sources, occupying first rank in terms of installed capacity for wind energy and second for photovoltaics. This is not because of an exceptional natural resource base but because of public policy in this area, despite the fact that this policy was…

Ohm's Law and Solar Energy. Courseware Evaluation for Vocational and Technical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gates, Earl; And Others

This courseware evaluation rates the Ohm's Law and Solar Energy program developed by the Iowa Department of Public Instruction. (The program--not contained in this document--covers Ohm's law and resistance problems, passive solar energy, and project ideas and sources.) Part A describes the program in terms of subject area (construction and…

International Bibliography of Computer-Assisted Terminology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krommer-Benz, Magdalena, Comp.

Because of the need for adequate reference tools in the new area of data banks for the field of terminology (there are currently 25 term banks in existence and more are planned), this bibliography lists some 350 references selected from a large number of both primary and secondary sources. It includes some entries selected from a list of…

A review of methods for predicting air pollution dispersion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathis, J. J., Jr.; Grose, W. L.

1973-01-01

Air pollution modeling, and problem areas in air pollution dispersion modeling were surveyed. Emission source inventory, meteorological data, and turbulent diffusion are discussed in terms of developing a dispersion model. Existing mathematical models of urban air pollution, and highway and airport models are discussed along with their limitations. Recommendations for improving modeling capabilities are included.

Climatology of dust distribution over West Asia from homogenized remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabavi, Seyed Omid; Haimberger, Leopold; Samimi, Cyrus

2016-06-01

In the past decade, West Asia has witnessed more frequent and intensified dust storms affecting Iran and Persian Gulf countries. Employing a varying threshold that takes into account systematic differences between TOMS and OMI data, TOMS-OMI Aerosol Index data are used to identify long-term changes in the horizontal distribution of dust storms in West Asia from 1980 to present. The northwest of Iraq and east of Syria are identified as emerging dusty areas, whereas east of Saudi Arabia and southeast of Iraq are identified as permanent dusty areas, including both dust sources and affected areas. Whereas the frequency of dust events increased slightly in the permanent dusty areas, it increased markedly in the emerging dusty areas. As expected, the frequency of dust events is highest in June and July. The dust source areas are identified as the Iraq-Saudi Arabia boundary region and (recently) the northwest of Iraq, using MODIS deep blue aerosol optical depth data. Subsequently, a lagged correlation was implemented between identified dust sources and whole West Asia to determine the main paths and receptors of intense dust storms. Accordingly, southwest of Iran and Persian Gulf countries were determined as main receptors of summertime dust storms in West Asia. During spring, dust storms mostly hit the northern half of the region and reach to the Caspian Sea. Analyzing atmospheric patterns, Shamal and Frontal patterns were found as dominant atmospheric circulations simultaneous with summertime and springtime dust storms, respectively.

Multi-Decadal Change of Atmospheric Aerosols and Their Effect on Surface Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Mian; Diehl, Thomas; Tan, Qian; Wild, Martin; Qian, Yun; Yu, Hongbin; Bian, Huisheng; Wang, Weiguo

2012-01-01

We present an investigation on multi-decadal changes of atmospheric aerosols and their effects on surface radiation using a global chemistry transport model along with the near-term to long-term data records. We focus on a 28-year time period of satellite era from 1980 to 2007, during which a suite of aerosol data from satellite observations and ground-based remote sensing and in-situ measurements have become available. We analyze the long-term global and regional aerosol optical depth and concentration trends and their relationship to the changes of emissions" and assess the role aerosols play in the multi-decadal change of solar radiation reaching the surface (known as "dimming" or "brightening") at different regions of the world, including the major anthropogenic source regions (North America, Europe, Asia) that have been experiencing considerable changes of emissions, dust and biomass burning regions that have large interannual variabilities, downwind regions that are directly affected by the changes in the source area, and remote regions that are considered to representing "background" conditions.

Comparison of the landslide susceptibility models in Taipei Water Source Domain, Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

WU, C. Y.; Yeh, Y. C.; Chou, T. H.

2017-12-01

Taipei Water Source Domain, locating at the southeast of Taipei Metropolis, is the main source of water resource in this region. Recently, the downstream turbidity often soared significantly during the typhoon period because of the upstream landslides. The landslide susceptibilities should be analysed to assess the influence zones caused by different rainfall events, and to ensure the abilities of this domain to serve enough and quality water resource. Generally, the landslide susceptibility models can be established based on either a long-term landslide inventory or a specified landslide event. Sometimes, there is no long-term landslide inventory in some areas. Thus, the event-based landslide susceptibility models are established widely. However, the inventory-based and event-based landslide susceptibility models may result in dissimilar susceptibility maps in the same area. So the purposes of this study were to compare the landslide susceptibility maps derived from the inventory-based and event-based models, and to interpret how to select a representative event to be included in the susceptibility model. The landslide inventory from Typhoon Tim in July, 1994 and Typhoon Soudelor in August, 2015 was collected, and used to establish the inventory-based landslide susceptibility model. The landslides caused by Typhoon Nari and rainfall data were used to establish the event-based model. The results indicated the high susceptibility slope-units were located at middle upstream Nan-Shih Stream basin.

An imaging-based photometric and colorimetric measurement method for characterizing OLED panels for lighting applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yiting; Narendran, Nadarajah; Tan, Jianchuan; Mou, Xi

2014-09-01

The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) has demonstrated its novelty in displays and certain lighting applications. Similar to white light-emitting diode (LED) technology, it also holds the promise of saving energy. Even though the luminous efficacy values of OLED products have been steadily growing, their longevity is still not well understood. Furthermore, currently there is no industry standard for photometric and colorimetric testing, short and long term, of OLEDs. Each OLED manufacturer tests its OLED panels under different electrical and thermal conditions using different measurement methods. In this study, an imaging-based photometric and colorimetric measurement method for OLED panels was investigated. Unlike an LED that can be considered as a point source, the OLED is a large form area source. Therefore, for an area source to satisfy lighting application needs, it is important that it maintains uniform light level and color properties across the emitting surface of the panel over a long period. This study intended to develop a measurement procedure that can be used to test long-term photometric and colorimetric properties of OLED panels. The objective was to better understand how test parameters such as drive current or luminance and temperature affect the degradation rate. In addition, this study investigated whether data interpolation could allow for determination of degradation and lifetime, L70, at application conditions based on the degradation rates measured at different operating conditions.

3D reconstruction software comparison for short sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strupczewski, Adam; Czupryński, BłaŻej

2014-11-01

Large scale multiview reconstruction is recently a very popular area of research. There are many open source tools that can be downloaded and run on a personal computer. However, there are few, if any, comparisons between all the available software in terms of accuracy on small datasets that a single user can create. The typical datasets for testing of the software are archeological sites or cities, comprising thousands of images. This paper presents a comparison of currently available open source multiview reconstruction software for small datasets. It also compares the open source solutions with a simple structure from motion pipeline developed by the authors from scratch with the use of OpenCV and Eigen libraries.

Immunocompetence analysis of the aquatic snail Lymnaea stagnalis exposed to urban wastewaters.

PubMed

Boisseaux, Paul; Noury, Patrice; Delorme, Nicolas; Perrier, Lucile; Thomas-Guyon, Helene; Garric, Jeanne

2018-04-02

Wastewater treatment plant effluents from urban area are a well-known source of chronic multiple micropollution to the downstream living organisms. In this study, ecologically relevant laboratory-bred freshwater gastropods, Lymnaea stagnalis, were exposed for 29 days to raw effluents of a wastewater treatment plant in Lyon area (France). A time-course analysis of individual markers of immunocompetence (hemocyte density and viability, hemocyte NADPH activity, phenol oxidase activity, and capacity of phagocytosis) has shown slight trends of inflammatory-like responses induced by the 100% effluents. So far, no short-term hazard for L. stagnalis can be revealed. However, over the long term, such environmental stress-stimulating immune responses could provoke deleterious life history trade-offs because the immune system is known to be highly energy-consuming.

Low latitude ice core evidence for dust deposition on high altitude glaciers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabrielli, P.; Thompson, L. G.

2017-12-01

Polar ice cores from Antarctica and Greenland have provided a wealth of information on dust emission, transport and deposition over glacial to interglacial timescales. These ice cores mainly entrap dust transported long distances from source areas such as Asia for Greenland and South America for Antarctica. Thus, these dust records provide paleo-information about the environmental conditions at the source and the strength/pathways of atmospheric circulation at continental scales. Ice cores have also been extracted from high altitude glaciers in the mid- and low-latitudes and provide dust records generally extending back several centuries and in a few cases back to the last glacial period. For these glaciers the potential sources of dust emission include areas that are close or adjacent to the drilling site which facilitates the potential for a strong imprinting of local dust in the records. In addition, only a few high altitude glaciers allow the reconstruction of past snow accumulation and hence the expression of the dust records in terms of fluxes. Due to their extreme elevation, a few of these high altitude ice cores offer dust histories with the potential to record environmental conditions at remote sources. Dust records (in terms of dust concentration/size, crustal trace elements and terrigenous cations) from Africa, the European Alps, South America and the Himalayas are examined over the last millennium. The interplay of the seasonal atmospheric circulation (e.g. westerlies, monsoons and vertical convection) is shown to play a major role in determining the intensity and origin of dust fallout to the high altitude glaciers around the world.

Megabenthic Community Structure Within and Surrounding the DISCOL Experimental Area 26 Years After Simulated Manganese Nodule Mining Disturbance.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purser, A.; Marcon, Y.; Boetius, A.

2016-02-01

The current supplies of many high technology elements from land-based sources are at capacity, such as copper, nickel and yttrium. Potential future sources of some of these elements include the deep sea manganese nodule fields of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Large swathes of deep-sea seafloor are covered with high densities of 5 - 25 cm diameter nodules - agglomerations of manganese, iron and trace metals. In the 1980's these manganese fields were first seriously considered as mining targets, and the ''DISturbance and reCOLonization (DISCOL) experiment was started in the South Pacific, to simulate the likely environmental impacts of mining. In September 1989, 'RV Sonne', deploying a custom-built plough device, removed manganese nodules from the seafloor surface by ploughing them down into the sediment. This removal of nodules (and therefore hard substrate) was considered to likely be the most significant environmental impact of any future mining efforts. 78 plough tracks of 8 - 16m width were made across a 10.8 km diameter circular area centered on 7°04.4´S 88°27.6´W. Megafauna abundances were assessed prior and post ploughing, both within the disturbed area and at reference stations 6 km from the disturbed area. Research cruises in the 1990s investigated the short-term temporal impact ploughing had on the faunal community in the DISCOL area. Cruises conducted 3 and 7 years after disturbance showed that megafaunal communities within ploughed areas remained quite distinct from those observed pre-disturbance or in the reference areas. In 2016 the 'RV Sonne' revisited the DISCOL site with two research cruises, as part of the 'JPI-Oceans' programme. Here we report the current megafaunal community structures observed by SO242-2 within the DISCOL area, and the slow recovery rates of many taxa 26 years after the initial experimental disturbance, and provide images of the long term impact of experimental disturbances at the seafloor.

Quantum connectivity optimization algorithms for entanglement source deployment in a quantum multi-hop network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Zhen-Zhen; Yu, Xu-Tao; Zhang, Zai-Chen

2018-04-01

At first, the entanglement source deployment problem is studied in a quantum multi-hop network, which has a significant influence on quantum connectivity. Two optimization algorithms are introduced with limited entanglement sources in this paper. A deployment algorithm based on node position (DNP) improves connectivity by guaranteeing that all overlapping areas of the distribution ranges of the entanglement sources contain nodes. In addition, a deployment algorithm based on an improved genetic algorithm (DIGA) is implemented by dividing the region into grids. From the simulation results, DNP and DIGA improve quantum connectivity by 213.73% and 248.83% compared to random deployment, respectively, and the latter performs better in terms of connectivity. However, DNP is more flexible and adaptive to change, as it stops running when all nodes are covered.

The SPES surface ionization source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzolaro, M.; D'Agostini, F.; Monetti, A.; Andrighetto, A.

2017-09-01

Ion sources and target systems play a crucial role in isotope separation on line facilities, determining the main characteristics of the radioactive ion beams available for experiments. In the context of the selective production of exotic species (SPES) facility, a 40 MeV, 200 μA proton beam directly impinges a uranium carbide target, generating approximately 1013 fissions per second. The radioactive isotopes produced by the 238U fissions are delivered to the 1+ ion source by means of a tubular transfer line. Here they can be ionized and subsequently accelerated toward the experimental areas. In this work, the characterization of the surface ionization source currently adopted for the SPES facility is presented, taking as a reference ionization efficiency and transversal emittance measurements. The effects of long term operation at high temperature are also illustrated and discussed.

Possible source term of high concentrations of mecoprop-p in leachate and water quality: impact of climate change, public use and disposal.

PubMed

Idowu, I A; Alkhaddar, R M; Atherton, W

2014-08-01

Mecoprop-p herbicide is often found in wells and water abstractions in many areas around Europe, the UK inclusive. There is a growing environmental and public health concern about mecoprop-p herbicide pollution in ground and surface water in England. Reviews suggest that extensive work has been carried out on the contribution of mecoprop-p herbicides from agricultural use whilst more work needs to be carried out on the contribution of mecoprop-p herbicide from non-agricultural use. The study covers two landfill sites in Weaver/Gowy Catchment. Mecoprop-p herbicide concentrations in the leachate quality range between 0.06 and 290 microg l1 in cells. High concentration ofmecoprop-p herbicide in the leachate quality suggests that there is a possible source term in the waste stream. This paper addresses the gap by exploring possible source terms of mecoprop-p herbicide contamination on landfill sites and evaluates the impact of public purchase, use and disposal alongside climate change on seasonal variations in mecoprop-p concentrations. Mecoprop-p herbicide was found to exceed the EU drinking water quality standards at the unsaturated zone/aquifer with observed average concentrations ranging between 0.005 and 7.96 microg l1. A route map for mecoprop-p herbicide source term contamination is essential for mitigation and pollution management with emphasis on both consumer and producer responsibility towards use of mecoprop-p product. In addition, improvement in data collection on mecoprop-p concentrations and detailed seasonal herbicide sales for non-agricultural purposes are needed to inform the analysis and decision process.

PM sources in a highly industrialised area in the process of implementing PM abatement technology. Quantification and evolution.

PubMed

Cruz Minguillón, María; Querol, Xavier; Alastuey, Andrés; Monfort, Eliseo; Vicente Miró, José

2007-10-01

Principal component analysis (PCA) coupled with a multilinear regression analysis (MLRA) was applied to PM(10) speciation data series (2002-2005) from four sampling sites in a highly industrialised area (ceramic production) in the process of implementing emission abatement technology. Five common factors with similar chemical profiles were identified at all the sites: mineral, regional background (influenced by the industrial estate located on the coast: an oil refinery and a power plant), sea spray, industrial 1 (manufacture and use of glaze components, including frit fusion) and road traffic. The contribution of the regional background differs slightly from site to site. The mineral factor, attributed to the sum of several sources (mainly the ceramic industry, but also with minor contributions from soil resuspension and African dust outbreaks) contributes between 9 and 11 microg m(-3) at all the sites. Source industrial 1 entails an increase in PM(10) levels between 4 and 5 microg m(-3) at the urban sites and 2 microg m(-3) at the suburban background site. However, after 2004, this source contributed less than 2 microg m(-3) at most sites, whereas the remaining sources did not show an upward or downward trend along the study period. This gradual decrease in the contribution of source industrial 1 coincides with the implementation of PM abatement technology in the frit fusion kilns of the area. This relationship enables us to assess the efficiency of the implementation of environmental technologies in terms of their impact on air quality.

Policy Guidance From a Multi-scale Suite of Natural Field and Digital Laboratories of Change: Hydrological Catchment Studies of Nutrient and Pollutant Source Releases, Waterborne Transport-Transformations and Mass Flows in Water Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Destouni, G.

2008-12-01

Continental fresh water transports and loads excess nutrients and pollutants from various land surface sources, through the landscape, into downstream inland and coastal water environments. Our ability to understand, predict and control the eutrophication and the pollution pressures on inland, coastal and marine water ecosystems relies on our ability to quantify these mass flows. This paper synthesizes a series of hydro- biogeochemical studies of nutrient and pollutant sources, transport-transformations and mass flows in catchment areas across a range of scales, from continental, through regional and national, to individual drainage basin scales. Main findings on continental scales include correlations between country/catchment area, population and GDP and associated pollutant and nutrient loading, which differ significantly between world regions with different development levels. On regional scales, essential systematic near-coastal gaps are identified in the national monitoring of nutrient and pollutant loads from land to the sea. Combination of the unmonitored near-coastal area characteristics with the relevant regional nutrient and pollutant load correlations with these characteristics shows that the unmonitored nutrient and pollutant mass loads to the sea may often be as large as, or greater than the monitored river loads. Process studies on individual basin- scales show long-term nutrient and pollutant memories in the soil-groundwater systems of the basins, which may continue to uphold large mass loading to inland and coastal waters long time after mitigation of the sources. Linked hydro-biogeochemical-economic model studies finally demonstrate significant comparative advantages of policies that demand explicit quantitative account of the uncertainties implied by these monitoring gaps and long-term nutrient-pollution memories and time lags, and other knowledge, data and model limitations, instead of the now common neglect or subjective implicit handling of such uncertainties in strategies and practices for combating water pollution and eutrophication.

Remediation and its effect represented on long term monitoring data at a chlorinated ethenes contaminated site, Wonju, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seong-Sun; Lee, Seung Hyun; Lee, Kang-Kun

2016-04-01

A research for the contamination of chlorinated ethenes such as trichloroethylene (TCE) at an industrial complex, Wonju, Korea, was carried out based on 17 rounds of groundwater quality data collection from 2009 to 2015. Remediation technologies such as soil vapor extraction, soil flushing, biostimulation, and pump-and-treat have been applied to eliminate the contaminant sources of trichloroethylene (TCE) and to prevent the migration of TCE plume from remediation target zones to groundwater discharge area like a stream. The remediation efficiency according to the remedial actions was evaluated by tracing a time-series of plume evaluation and temporal mass discharge at three transects (Source, Transect-1, Transect-2) which was assigned along the groundwater flow path. Also, based on long term monitoring data, dissolved TCE concentration and mass of residual TCE in the initial stage of disposal were estimated to evaluate the efficiency of in situ remediation. The results of temporal and spatial monitoring before remedial actions showed that a TCE plume originating from main and local source zones continues to be discharged to a stream. However, from the end of intensive remedial actions from 2012 to 2013, the aqueous concentrations of TCE plume present at and around the main source areas decreased significantly. Especially, during the intensive remediation period, the early average mass discharge (26.58 g/day) at source transect was decreased to average 4.99 g/day. Estimated initial dissolved concentration and residual mass of TCE in the initial stage of disposal decreased rapidly after an intensive remedial action in 2013 and it is expected to be continuously decreased from the end of remedial actions to 2020. This study demonstrates that long term monitoring data are useful in assessing the effectiveness of remedial actions at chlorinated ethenes contaminated site. Acknowledgements This project is supported by the Korea Ministry of Environment under "The GAIA Project (173-092-009)"and "R&D Project on Environmental Management of Geologic CO2 storage" from the KEITI (Project number:2014001810003).

Long-term airborne contamination studied by attic dust in an industrial area: Ajka, Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Völgyesi, P.; Jordan, G.; Szabo, Cs.

2012-04-01

Heavy industrial activities such as mining, metal industry, coal fired power plants have produced large amount of by-products and wide-spread pollution, particularly in the period of centrally dictated economy after WWII, in Hungary. Several studies suggest that significant amount of these pollutants have been deposited in the urban environment. Nowadays, more than half of the world's population is living in urban areas and people spend almost 80% of their lives indoors in developed countries increasing human health risk due to contamination present in urban dwellings. Attic dust sampling was applied to determine the long-term airborne contamination load in the industrial town of Ajka (Hungary). There has been a high industrial activity in Ajka since the end of the 19th century. In addition to aluminum and alumina industry, coal mining, coal fired power plant and glass industry sites, generated numerous waste heaps which act as multi-contamination sources in the area. In October 2010 the Ajka red mud tailings pond failed and caused an accidental regional contamination of international significance. The major objective of this research was to study and map the spatial distribution of heavy metal contamination in airborne attic dust samples. At 27 sampling sites 30 attic dust samples were collected. Sampling strategy followed a grid-based stratified random sampling design. In each cell a house for attic dust sample collection was selected that was located the closest to a randomly generated point in the grid cell. The project area covers a 8x8 grid of 1x1 km cells with a total area of 64 km2. In order to represent long-term industrial pollution, houses with attics kept intact for at least 30-40 years were selected for sampling. Sampling included the collection of background samples remotely placed from the industrialized urban area. The concentration of the major and toxic elements (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, and As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn) were measured with ICP-OES and the mercury content was measured with atom absorption spectrometry. Our results show a good spatial correlation of contamination sources and attic dust sampling locations reveal spatial trends as well. Attic dust seems to be an efficient and cheep sampling medium to study long-term airborne contamination and possibly associated human health risk in an industrial area.

Source-receptor probability of atmospheric long-distance dispersal of viruses to Israel from the eastern Mediterranean area.

PubMed

Klausner, Z; Klement, E; Fattal, E

2018-02-01

Viruses that affect the health of humans and farm animals can spread over long distances via atmospheric mechanisms. The phenomenon of atmospheric long-distance dispersal (LDD) is associated with severe consequences because it may introduce pathogens into new areas. The introduction of new pathogens to Israel was attributed to LDD events numerous times. This provided the motivation for this study which is aimed to identify all the locations in the eastern Mediterranean that may serve as sources for pathogen incursion into Israel via LDD. This aim was achieved by calculating source-receptor relationship probability maps. These maps describe the probability that an infected vector or viral aerosol, once airborne, will have an atmospheric route that can transport it to a distant location. The resultant probability maps demonstrate a seasonal tendency in the probability of specific areas to serve as sources for pathogen LDD into Israel. Specifically, Cyprus' season is the summer; southern Turkey and the Greek islands of Crete, Karpathos and Rhodes are associated with spring and summer; lower Egypt and Jordan may serve as sources all year round, except the summer months. The method used in this study can easily be implemented to any other geographic region. The importance of this study is the ability to provide a climatologically valid and accurate risk assessment tool to support long-term decisions regarding preparatory actions for future outbreaks long before a specific outbreak occurs. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Energy exchanges in a Central Business District - Interpretation of Eddy Covariance and radiation flux measurements (London UK)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotthaus, S.; Grimmond, S.

2013-12-01

Global urbanisation brings increasingly dense and complex urban structures. To manage cities sustainably and smartly, currently and into the future under changing climates, urban climate research needs to advance in areas such as Central Business Districts (CBD) where human interactions with the environment are particularly concentrated. Measurement and modelling approaches may be pushed to their limits in dense urban settings, but if urban climate research is to contribute to the challenges of real cities those limits have to be addressed. The climate of cities is strongly governed by surface-atmosphere exchanges of energy, moisture and momentum. Observations of the relevant fluxes provide important information for improvement and evaluation of modelling approaches. Due to the CBD's heterogeneity, a very careful analysis of observations is required to understand the relevant processes. Current approaches used to interpret observations and set them in a wider context may need to be adapted for use in these more complex areas. Here, we present long-term observations of the radiation balance components and turbulent fluxes of latent heat, sensible heat and momentum in the city centre of London. This is one of the first measurement studies in a CBD covering multiple years with analysis at temporal scales from days to seasons. Data gathered at two sites in close vicinity, but with different measurement heights, are analysed to investigate the influence of source area characteristics on long-term radiation and turbulent fluxes. Challenges of source area modelling and the critical aspect of siting in such a complex environment are considered. Outgoing long- and short-wave radiation are impacted by the anisotropic nature of the urban surface and the high reflectance materials increasingly being used as building materials. Results highlight the need to consider the source area of radiometers in terms of diffuse and direct irradiance. Sensible heat fluxes (QH) are positive all year round, even at night. QH systematically exceeds input from net all-wave radiation (Q*), probably sustained by a both storage and anthropogenic heat fluxes (QF). Model estimates suggest QF can exceed the Q* nearly all year round. The positive QH inhibits stable conditions, but the stability classification is determined predominantly by the pattern of friction velocity over the rough urban surface. Turbulent latent heat flux variations are controlled (beyond the available energy) by rainfall due to the small vegetation cover. The Bowen ratio is mostly larger than one. Analysis of the eddy covariance footprint surface controls for the different land cover types by flow patterns for measurements at the two heights suggests the spatial variations of the sensible heat flux observed are partly related to changes in surface roughness, even at the local scale. Where the source areas are most homogeneous, flow conditions are vertically consistent - even if initial morphometric parameters suggested the measurements may be below the blending height. Turbulence statistics and momentum flux patterns prove useful for the interpretation of turbulent heat exchanges observed.

Research on Geo-information Data Model for Preselected Areas of Geological Disposal of High-level Radioactive Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, M.; Huang, S. T.; Wang, P.; Zhao, Y. A.; Wang, H. B.

2016-11-01

The geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (hereinafter referred to "geological disposal") is a long-term, complex, and systematic scientific project, whose data and information resources in the research and development ((hereinafter referred to ”R&D”) process provide the significant support for R&D of geological disposal system, and lay a foundation for the long-term stability and safety assessment of repository site. However, the data related to the research and engineering in the sitting of the geological disposal repositories is more complicated (including multi-source, multi-dimension and changeable), the requirements for the data accuracy and comprehensive application has become much higher than before, which lead to the fact that the data model design of geo-information database for the disposal repository are facing more serious challenges. In the essay, data resources of the pre-selected areas of the repository has been comprehensive controlled and systematic analyzed. According to deeply understanding of the application requirements, the research work has made a solution for the key technical problems including reasonable classification system of multi-source data entity, complex logic relations and effective physical storage structures. The new solution has broken through data classification and conventional spatial data the organization model applied in the traditional industry, realized the data organization and integration with the unit of data entities and spatial relationship, which were independent, holonomic and with application significant features in HLW geological disposal. The reasonable, feasible and flexible data conceptual models, logical models and physical models have been established so as to ensure the effective integration and facilitate application development of multi-source data in pre-selected areas for geological disposal.

Department of Defense Partners in Flight Strategic Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-07-28

forests are private industrial timberlands and often are heavily fragmented. Reconciliation of the need for long· term, sustainable timber production...habitats have been set aside as protected areas or incorporated into the existing Parque Nacional Soberania. In addition, the upper Panama Bay...lines present another source of potential mortality, especially for raptors in western states. Several raptor conservation organizations and industry

77 FR 20893 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; North Dakota; Regional Haze State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-06

... I areas caused by emissions of air pollutants from numerous sources located over a wide geographic...-OAR-2010-0406. All documents in the docket are listed on the www.regulations.gov Web site. Although... burners. The initials LTS mean or refer to Long-Term Strategy. The initials MRYS mean or refer to Milton R...

A summary of the results from the DOE advanced gas reactor (AGR) fuel development and qualification program

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

Petti, David Andrew

2017-04-01

Modular high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) designs were developed to provide natural safety, which prevents core damage under all licensing basis events. The principle that guides their design concepts is to passively maintain core temperatures below fission product release thresholds under all accident scenarios. The required level of fuel performance and fission product retention reduces the radioactive source term by many orders of magnitude relative to source terms for other reactor types and allows a graded approach to emergency planning and the potential elimination of the need for evacuation and sheltering beyond a small exclusion area. Achieving this level, however,more » is predicated on exceptionally high coated-particle fuel fabrication quality and excellent performance under normal operation and accident conditions. The design goal of modular HTGRs is to meet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Protective Action Guides (PAGs) for offsite dose at the Exclusion Area Boundary (EAB). To achieve this, the reactor design concepts require a level of fuel integrity that is far better than that achieved for all prior U.S.-manufactured tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel.« less

Long-term enrichment of the stable isotopic composition of stream water due to the release of groundwater recharge from extreme precipitation events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutt, D. F.

2017-12-01

The isotopic composition of surface and groundwater is impacted by a multitude of hydrologic processes. The long-term response of these systems to hydrologic change is critical for appropriately interpreting isotopic information for streamflow generation, stream-aquifer-coupling, sources of water to wells, and understanding recharge processes. To evaluate the response time of stream-aquifer systems to extreme precipitation events we use a long-term isotope dataset from Western Massachusetts with drainage areas ranging from 0.1 to > 800 km2. The year of 2011 was the wettest calendar year on record and the months of August and September of 2011 were the wettest consecutive two-month period in the 123 year record. Stable isotopic composition of surface waters of catchments ranging from 1 - 1000 km2 show an enrichment due to summertime and Tropical Storm precipitation. Enrichment in potential recharge water is shown to have a significant long-term impact (> 3 hydrologic years) on the isotopic composition of both surface and groundwater. This highlights the importance of groundwater sources of baseflow to streams and the transient storage and release mechanisms of shallow groundwater storage. The length of isotopic recession of stream water are also a strong function of watershed area. It is concluded that the stream water isotopes are consistent with a large pulse of water being stored and released from enriched groundwater emplaced during this period of above-average precipitation. Ultimately the results point to the importance of considering hydrological processes of streamflow generation and their role in hydrologic processes beyond traditional catchment response analysis.

Related Studies in Long Term Lithium Battery Stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horning, R. J.; Chua, D. L.

1984-01-01

The continuing growth of the use of lithium electrochemical systems in a wide variety of both military and industrial applications is primarily a result of the significant benefits associated with the technology such as high energy density, wide temperature operation and long term stability. The stability or long term storage capability of a battery is a function of several factors, each important to the overall storage life and, therefore, each potentially a problem area if not addressed during the design, development and evaluation phases of the product cycle. Design (e.g., reserve vs active), inherent material thermal stability, material compatibility and self-discharge characteristics are examples of factors key to the storability of a power source.

The use of Banyumas traditional art as analog sources of elementary school science materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handayani, L.; Nugroho, S. E.; Rohidi, T. R.; Wiyanto

2018-03-01

All various traditional arts of Banyumas area support this area to be one famous region located in the periphery of West and Central Java with its unique cultural identity. In science learning, these traditional arts are very important aspect which can be implemented as a source of analog by students thinking a science concept analogically. This paper discusses a kind of Banyumas traditional art: the ebeg, and its cultural characteristics which can play a significant role in supporting elementary school students’ analogical thinking of a science material. The method used were literature and documentary studies. It is concluded that the ebeg provides many cultural characteristics which can be used as analog of elementary school science material, in terms of its music player’s motion, kinds of musical instruments played and its dancer motion.

A boundary element approach to optimization of active noise control sources on three-dimensional structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunefare, K. A.; Koopmann, G. H.

1991-01-01

This paper presents the theoretical development of an approach to active noise control (ANC) applicable to three-dimensional radiators. The active noise control technique, termed ANC Optimization Analysis, is based on minimizing the total radiated power by adding secondary acoustic sources on the primary noise source. ANC Optimization Analysis determines the optimum magnitude and phase at which to drive the secondary control sources in order to achieve the best possible reduction in the total radiated power from the noise source/control source combination. For example, ANC Optimization Analysis predicts a 20 dB reduction in the total power radiated from a sphere of radius at a dimensionless wavenumber ka of 0.125, for a single control source representing 2.5 percent of the total area of the sphere. ANC Optimization Analysis is based on a boundary element formulation of the Helmholtz Integral Equation, and thus, the optimization analysis applies to a single frequency, while multiple frequencies can be treated through repeated analyses.

Performance evaluation of the Champagne source reconstruction algorithm on simulated and real M/EEG data.

PubMed

Owen, Julia P; Wipf, David P; Attias, Hagai T; Sekihara, Kensuke; Nagarajan, Srikantan S

2012-03-01

In this paper, we present an extensive performance evaluation of a novel source localization algorithm, Champagne. It is derived in an empirical Bayesian framework that yields sparse solutions to the inverse problem. It is robust to correlated sources and learns the statistics of non-stimulus-evoked activity to suppress the effect of noise and interfering brain activity. We tested Champagne on both simulated and real M/EEG data. The source locations used for the simulated data were chosen to test the performance on challenging source configurations. In simulations, we found that Champagne outperforms the benchmark algorithms in terms of both the accuracy of the source localizations and the correct estimation of source time courses. We also demonstrate that Champagne is more robust to correlated brain activity present in real MEG data and is able to resolve many distinct and functionally relevant brain areas with real MEG and EEG data. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coast Guard exposure to gasoline, MTBE, and benzene vapors during inspection of tank barges.

PubMed

Davenport, A C; Glynn, T J; Rhambarose, H

2000-01-01

A field study was conducted June through August 1996 in an attempt to quantify short-term exposure levels to Coast Guard personnel performing routine inspection activities aboard commercial tank barges carrying gasoline. Transfer and fleeting operations were monitored in the ports of Pittsburgh, Pa., Huntington, W.Va., Baton Rouge, La., and Galveston, Tex. A total of 43 personal and 68 area samples were analyzed for benzene and total hydrocarbons as gasoline ("gasoline"). Results can be summarized as follows: Personal exposure to benzene gave 15-min time-weighted-average (TWA) results ranging from <0.10 to 0.50 ppm. Area benzene levels ranged from <0.04 to 170 ppm. Personal monitoring for gasoline revealed a range of <2.0 to 590 mg/m3 with a GM of 23 mg/m3. Area sample results for gasoline ranged from 1.7 to 90,000 mg/m3. Twelve personal samples were collected for methyl-tert butyl ether (MTBE). Only two of these were above the limit of detection and had 15-min time-weighted averages of 22 ppm and 1.3 ppm. Eighteen MTBE area samples ranged in value from <3.0 to 38 ppm. Although none of the personal samples met or exceeded proposed or established short-term exposure standards, many of the area sampling results indicated that a significant risk of acute exposure exists in the vicinity of valves, pressure lines, and connections. This includes anticipated sources such as pressure vent valves as well as unexpected sources resulting from structural deficiencies onboard the vessels. These results further emphasize the value of safe work practices and proper vessel maintenance in controlling exposure to harmful chemicals.

Solar Radiation Pressure Estimation and Analysis of a GEO Class of High Area-to-Mass Ratio Debris Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelecy, Tom; Payne, Tim; Thurston, Robin; Stansbery, Gene

2007-01-01

A population of deep space objects is thought to be high area-to-mass ratio (AMR) debris having origins from sources in the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) belt. The typical AMR values have been observed to range anywhere from 1's to 10's of m(sup 2)/kg, and hence, higher than average solar radiation pressure effects result in long-term migration of eccentricity (0.1-0.6) and inclination over time. However, the nature of the debris orientation-dependent dynamics also results time-varying solar radiation forces about the average which complicate the short-term orbit determination processing. The orbit determination results are presented for several of these debris objects, and highlight their unique and varied dynamic attributes. Estimation or the solar pressure dynamics over time scales suitable for resolving the shorter term dynamics improves the orbit estimation, and hence, the orbit predictions needed to conduct follow-up observations.

A network model for the propagation of Hepatitis C with HIV co-infection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nucit, Arnaud; Randon-Furling, Julien

2017-05-01

We define and examine a model of epidemic propagation for a virus such as Hepatitis C (with HIV co-infection) on a network of networks, namely the network of French urban areas. One network level is that of the individual interactions inside each urban area. The second level is that of the areas themselves, linked by individuals travelling between these areas and potentially helping the epidemic spread from one city to another. We choose to encode the second level of the network as extra, special nodes in the first level. We observe that such an encoding leads to sensible results in terms of the extent and speed of propagation of an epidemic, depending on its source point.

Application of a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to the Himmerfjärden, Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, Alexander

2014-05-01

Himmerfjärden is a coastal fjord-like bay situated in the north-western part of the Baltic Sea. The fjord has a mean depth of 17 m and a maximum depth of 52 m. The water is brackish (6 psu) with small salinity fluctuation (±2 psu). A sewage treatment plant, which serves about 300 000 people, discharges into the inner part of Himmerfjärden. This area is the subject of a long-term monitoring program. We are planning to develop a publicly available modelling system for this area, which will perform short-term forecast predictions of pertinent parameters (e.g., water-levels, currents, salinity, temperature) and disseminate them to users. A key component of the system is a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The open source Delft3D Flow system (http://www.deltaressystems.com/hydro) has been applied to model the Himmerfjärden area. Two different curvilinear grids were used to approximate the modelling domain (25 km × 50 km × 60 m). One grid has low horizontal resolution (cell size varies from 250 to 450 m) to perform long-term numerical experiments (modelling period of several months), while another grid has higher resolution (cell size varies from 120 to 250 m) to model short-term situations. In vertical direction both z-level (50 layers) and sigma coordinate (20 layers) were used. Modelling results obtained with different horizontal resolution and vertical discretisation will be presented. This model will be a part of the operational system which provides automated integration of data streams from several information sources: meteorological forecast based on the HIRLAM model from the Finnish Meteorological Institute (https://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/open-data), oceanographic forecast based on the HIROMB-BOOS Model developed within the Baltic community and provided by the MyOcean Project (http://www.myocean.eu), riverine discharge from the HYPE model provided by the Swedish Meteorological Hydrological Institute (http://vattenwebb.smhi.se/modelarea/).

Daily trends and source apportionment of ultrafine particulate mass (PM0.1) over an annual cycle in a typical California city.

PubMed

Kuwayama, Toshihiro; Ruehl, Chris R; Kleeman, Michael J

2013-12-17

Toxicology studies indicate that inhalation of ultrafine particles (Dp < 0.1 μm) causes adverse health effects, presumably due to their large surface area-to-volume ratio that can drive heterogeneous reactions. Epidemiological associations between ultrafine particles and health effects, however, have been difficult to identify due to the lack of appropriate long-term monitoring and exposure data. The majority of the existing ultrafine particle epidemiology studies are based on exposure to particle number, although an independent analysis suggests that ultrafine particle mass (PM0.1) correlates better with particle surface area. More information is needed to characterize PM0.1 exposure to fully evaluate the health effects of ultrafine particles using epidemiology. The present study summarizes 1 year of daily PM0.1 chemistry and source apportionment at Sacramento, CA, USA. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was used to resolve PM0.1 source contributions from old-technology diesel engines, residential wood burning, rail, regional traffic, and brake wear/road dust. Diesel PM0.1 and total PM0.1 concentrations were reduced by 97 and 26%, respectively, as a result of the adoption of cleaner diesel technology. The strong linear correlation between PM0.1 and particle surface area in central California suggests that the adoption of clean diesel engines reduced particle surface area by similar amounts. PM0.1 sulfate reduction occurred as a result of reduced primary particle surface area available for sulfate condensation. The current study demonstrates the capability of measuring PM0.1 source contributions over a 12 month period and identifies the extended benefits of emissions reduction efforts for diesel engines on ambient concentrations of primary and secondary PM0.1.

Factors influencing atmospheric composition over subarctic North America during summer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wofsy, Steven C.; Fan, S. -M.; Blake, D. R.; Bradshaw, J. D.; Sandholm, S. T.; Singh, H. B.; Sachse, G. W.; Harriss, R. C.

1994-01-01

Elevated concentrations of hydrocarbons, CO, and nitrogen oxides were observed in extensive haze layers over northeastern Canada in the summer of 1990, during ABLE 3B. Halocarbon concentrations remained near background in most layers, indicating a source from biomass wildfires. Elevated concentrations of C2Cl4 provided a sensitive indicator for pollution from urban/industrial sources. Detailed analysis of regional budgets for CO and hydrocarbons indicates that biomass fires accounted for approximately equal to 70% of the input to the subarctic for most hydrocarbons and for acetone and more than 50% for CO. Regional sources for many species (including CO) exceeded chemical sinks during summer, and the boreal region provided a net source to midlatitudes. Interannual variations and long-term trends in atmospheric composition are sensitive to climatic change; a shift to warmer, drier conditions could increase the areas burned and thus the sources of many trace gases.

SNL Five-Year Facilities & Infrastructure Plan FY2015-2019

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

Cipriani, Ralph J.

2014-12-01

Sandia’s development vision is to provide an agile, flexible, safer, more secure, and efficient enterprise that leverages the scientific and technical capabilities of the workforce and supports national security requirements in multiple areas. Sandia’s Five-Year Facilities & Infrastructure Planning program represents a tool to budget and prioritize immediate and short-term actions from indirect funding sources in light of the bigger picture of proposed investments from direct-funded, Work for Others and other funding sources. As a complementary F&I investment program, Sandia’s indirect investment program supports incremental achievement of the development vision within a constrained resource environment.

Overview of seismic potential in the central and eastern United States

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

Schweig, E.S.

1995-12-31

The seismic potential of any region can be framed in terms the locations of source zones, the frequency of earthquake occurrence for each source, and the maximum size earthquake that can be expect from each source. As delineated by modern and historical seismicity, the most important seismic source zones affecting the eastern United States include the New Madrid and Wabash Valley seismic zones of the central U.S., the southern Appalachians and Charleston, South Carolina, areas in the southeast, and the northern Appalachians and Adirondacks in the northeast. The most prominant of these in terms of current seismicity and historical seismicmore » moment release in the New Madrid seismic zone, which produced three earthquakes of moment magnitude {ge} 8 in 1811 and 1812. The frequency of earthquake recurrence can be examined using the instrumental record, the historical record, and the geological record. Each record covers a unique time period and has a different scale of temporal resolution and completeness of the data set. The Wabash Valley is an example where the long-term geological record indicates a greater potential than the instrumental and historical records. This points to the need to examine all of the evidence in any region in order to obtain a credible estimates of earthquake hazards. Although earthquake hazards may be dominated by mid-magnitude 6 earthquakes within the mapped seismic source zones, the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake is just the most recent example of the danger of assuming future events will occur on faults known to have had past events and how destructive such an earthquake can be.« less

Two whisker motor areas in the rat cortex: evidence from thalamocortical connections.

PubMed

Mohammed, Hisham; Jain, Neeraj

2014-02-15

In primates, the motor cortex consists of at least seven different areas, which are involved in movement planning, coordination, initiation, and execution. However, for rats, only the primary motor cortex has been well described. A rostrally located second motor area has been proposed, but its extent, organization, and even definitive existence remain uncertain. Only a rostral forelimb area (RFA) has been definitively described, besides few reports of a rostral hindlimb area. We have previously proposed existence of a second whisker area, which we termed the rostral whisker area (RWA), based on its differential response to intracortical microstimulation compared with the caudal whisker area (CWA) in animals under deep anesthesia (Tandon et al. [2008] Eur J Neurosci 27:228). To establish that RWA is distinct from the caudally contiguous CWA, we determined sources of thalamic inputs to the two proposed whisker areas. Sources of inputs to RFA, caudal forelimb area (CFA), and caudal hindlimb region were determined for comparison. The results show that RWA and CWA can be distinguished based on differences in their thalamic inputs. RWA receives major projections from mediodorsal and ventromedial nuclei, whereas the major projections to CWA are from the ventral anterior, ventrolateral, and posterior nuclei. Moreover, the thalamic nuclei that provide major inputs to RWA are the same as for RFA, and the nuclei projecting to CWA are same as for CFA. The results suggest that rats have a second rostrally located motor area with RWA and RFA as its constituents. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long-term effectiveness of the integrated schistosomiasis control strategy with emphasis on infectious source control in China: a 10-year evaluation from 2005 to 2014.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoli; Wang, Wei; Wang, Peng

2017-02-01

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical parasitic disease of great public health significance worldwide. Currently, mass drug administration with praziquantel remains the major strategy for global schistosomiasis control programs. Since 2005, an integrated strategy with emphasis on infectious source control was implemented for the control of schistosomiasis japonica, a major public health concern in China, and pilot studies have demonstrated that such a strategy is effective to reduce the prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infection in both humans and bovines. However, there is little knowledge on the long-term effectiveness of this integrated strategy for controlling schistosomiasis japonica. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the integrated strategy for schistosomiasis control following the 10-year implementation, based on the data from the national schistosomiasis control program released by the Ministry of Health, People's Republic of China. In 2014, there were 5 counties in which the transmission of schistosomiasis japonica had not been interrupted, which reduced by 95.2% as compared to that in 2005 (105 counties). The number of schistosomiasis patients and acute cases reduced by 85.5 and 99.7% in 2014 (115,614 cases and 2 cases) as compared to that in 2005 (798,762 cases and 564 cases), and the number of bovines and S. japonicum-infected bovines reduced by 47.9 and 98% in 2014 (919,579 bovines and 666 infected bovines) as compared to that in 2005 (1,764,472 bovines and 33,736 infected bovines), respectively. During the 10-year implementation of the integrated strategy, however, there was a minor fluctuation in the area of Oncomelania hupensis snail habitats, and there was only a 5.6% reduction in the area of snail habitats in 2014 relative to in 2005. The results of the current study demonstrate that the 10-year implementation of the integrated strategy with emphasis on infectious source has greatly reduced schistosomiasis-related morbidity in humans and bovines. It is concluded that the new integrated strategy has remarkable long-term effectiveness on the transmission of schistosomiasis japonica in China, which facilitates the shift of the national schistosomiasis control program from transmission control to transmission interruption and elimination. However, such a strategy seems to have little effect on the shrinking of areas of snail habitats.

Mechanisms of motivation–cognition interaction: challenges and opportunities

PubMed Central

Krug, Marie K.; Chiew, Kimberly S.; Kool, Wouter; Westbrook, J. Andrew; Clement, Nathan J.; Adcock, R. Alison; Barch, Deanna M.; Botvinick, Matthew M.; Carver, Charles S.; Cools, Roshan; Custers, Ruud; Dickinson, Anthony; Dweck, Carol S.; Fishbach, Ayelet; Gollwitzer, Peter M.; Hess, Thomas M.; Isaacowitz, Derek M.; Mather, Mara; Murayama, Kou; Pessoa, Luiz; Samanez-Larkin, Gregory R.; Somerville, Leah H.

2016-01-01

Recent years have seen a rejuvenation of interest in studies of motivation–cognition interactions arising from many different areas of psychology and neuroscience. The present issue of Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience provides a sampling of some of the latest research from a number of these different areas. In this introductory article, we provide an overview of the current state of the field, in terms of key research developments and candidate neural mechanisms receiving focused investigation as potential sources of motivation–cognition interaction. However, our primary goal is conceptual: to highlight the distinct perspectives taken by different research areas, in terms of how motivation is defined, the relevant dimensions and dissociations that are emphasized, and the theoretical questions being targeted. Together, these distinctions present both challenges and opportunities for efforts aiming toward a more unified and cross-disciplinary approach. We identify a set of pressing research questions calling for this sort of cross-disciplinary approach, with the explicit goal of encouraging integrative and collaborative investigations directed toward them. PMID:24920442

Detailed source term estimation of the atmospheric release for the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident by coupling simulations of atmospheric dispersion model with improved deposition scheme and oceanic dispersion model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katata, G.; Chino, M.; Kobayashi, T.; Terada, H.; Ota, M.; Nagai, H.; Kajino, M.; Draxler, R.; Hort, M. C.; Malo, A.; Torii, T.; Sanada, Y.

2014-06-01

Temporal variations in the amount of radionuclides released into the atmosphere during the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (FNPS1) accident and their atmospheric and marine dispersion are essential to evaluate the environmental impacts and resultant radiological doses to the public. In this paper, we estimate a detailed time trend of atmospheric releases during the accident by combining environmental monitoring data with atmospheric model simulations from WSPEEDI-II (Worldwide version of System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information), and simulations from the oceanic dispersion model SEA-GEARN-FDM, both developed by the authors. A sophisticated deposition scheme, which deals with dry and fogwater depositions, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation and subsequent wet scavenging due to mixed-phase cloud microphysics (in-cloud scavenging) for radioactive iodine gas (I2 and CH3I) and other particles (CsI, Cs, and Te), was incorporated into WSPEEDI-II to improve the surface deposition calculations. The fallout to the ocean surface calculated by WSPEEDI-II was used as input data for the SEA-GEARN-FDM calculations. Reverse and inverse source-term estimation methods based on coupling the simulations from both models was adopted using air dose rates and concentrations, and sea surface concentrations. The results revealed that the major releases of radionuclides due to FNPS1 accident occurred in the following periods during March 2011: the afternoon of 12 March due to the wet venting and hydrogen explosion at Unit 1, the morning of 13 March after the venting event at Unit 3, midnight of 14 March when the SRV (Safely Relief Valve) at Unit 2 was opened three times, the morning and night of 15 March, and the morning of 16 March. According to the simulation results, the highest radioactive contamination areas around FNPS1 were created from 15 to 16 March by complicated interactions among rainfall, plume movements, and the temporal variation of release rates associated with reactor pressure changes in Units 2 and 3. The modified WSPEEDI-II simulation using the new source term reproduced local and regional patterns of cumulative surface deposition of total 131I and 137Cs and air dose rate obtained by airborne surveys. The new source term was also tested using three atmospheric dispersion models (MLDP0, HYSPLIT, and NAME) for regional and global calculations and showed good agreement between calculated and observed air concentration and surface deposition of 137Cs in East Japan. Moreover, HYSPLIT model using the new source term also reproduced the plume arrivals at several countries abroad showing a good correlation with measured air concentration data. A large part of deposition pattern of total 131I and 137Cs in East Japan was explained by in-cloud particulate scavenging. However, for the regional scale contaminated areas, there were large uncertainties due to the overestimation of rainfall amounts and the underestimation of fogwater and drizzle depositions. The computations showed that approximately 27% of 137Cs discharged from FNPS1 deposited to the land in East Japan, mostly in forest areas.

Glacial lakes in Austria - Distribution and formation since the Little Ice Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckel, J.; Otto, J. C.; Prasicek, G.; Keuschnig, M.

2018-05-01

Glacial lakes constitute a substantial part of the legacy of vanishing mountain glaciation and act as water storage, sediment traps and sources of both natural hazards and leisure activities. For these reasons, they receive growing attention by scientists and society. However, while the evolution of glacial lakes has been studied intensively over timescales tied to remote sensing-based approaches, the longer-term perspective has been omitted due a lack of suitable data sources. We mapped and analyzed the spatial distribution of glacial lakes in the Austrian Alps. We trace the development of number and area of glacial lakes in the Austrian Alps since the Little Ice Age (LIA) based on a unique combination of a lake inventory and an extensive record of glacier retreat. We find that bedrock-dammed lakes are the dominant lake type in the inventory. Bedrock- and moraine-dammed lakes populate the highest landscape domains located in cirques and hanging valleys. We observe lakes embedded in glacial deposits at lower locations on average below 2000 m a.s.l. In general, the distribution of glacial lakes over elevation reflects glacier erosional and depositional dynamics rather than the distribution of total area. The rate of formation of new glacial lakes (number, area) has continuously accelerated over time with present rates showing an eight-fold increase since LIA. At the same time the total glacier area decreased by two-thirds. This development coincides with a long-term trend of rising temperatures and a significant stepping up of this trend within the last 20 years in the Austrian Alps.

Short-term microbial release during rain events from on-site sewers and cattle in a surface water source.

PubMed

Aström, Johan; Pettersson, Thomas J R; Reischer, Georg H; Hermansson, Malte

2013-09-01

The protection of drinking water from pathogens such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia requires an understanding of the short-term microbial release from faecal contamination sources in the catchment. Flow-weighted samples were collected during two rainfall events in a stream draining an area with on-site sewers and during two rainfall events in surface runoff from a bovine cattle pasture. Samples were analysed for human (BacH) and ruminant (BacR) Bacteroidales genetic markers through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and for sorbitol-fermenting bifidobacteria through culturing as a complement to traditional faecal indicator bacteria, somatic coliphages and the parasitic protozoa Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. analysed by standard methods. Significant positive correlations were observed between BacH, Escherichia coli, intestinal enterococci, sulphite-reducing Clostridia, turbidity, conductivity and UV254 in the stream contaminated by on-site sewers. For the cattle pasture, no correlation was found between any of the genetic markers and the other parameters. Although parasitic protozoa were not detected, the analysis for genetic markers provided baseline data on the short-term faecal contamination due to these potential sources of parasites. Background levels of BacH and BacR makers in soil emphasise the need to including soil reference samples in qPCR-based analyses for Bacteroidales genetic markers.

Air quality modeling of selected aromatic and non-aromatic air toxics in the Houston urban and industrial airshed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coarfa, Violeta Florentina

2007-12-01

Air toxics, also called hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Their study is important in the Houston area, where point sources, mostly located along the Ship Channel, mobile and area sources contribute to large emissions of such toxic pollutants. Previous studies carried out in this area found dangerous levels of different HAPs in the atmosphere. This thesis presents several studies that were performed for the aromatic and non-aromatic air toxics in the HGA. For these studies we developed several tools: (1) a refined chemical mechanism, which explicitly represents 18 aromatic air toxics that were lumped under two model species by the previous version, based on their reactivity with the hydroxyl radical; (2) an engineering version of an existing air toxics photochemical model that enables us to perform much faster long-term simulations compared to the original model, that leads to a 8--9 times improvement in the running time across different computing platforms; (3) a combined emission inventory based on the available emission databases. Using the developed tools, we quantified the mobile source impact on a few selected air toxics, and analyzed the temporal and spatial variation of selected aromatic and non-aromatic air toxics in a few regions within the Houston area; these regions were characterized by different emissions and environmental conditions.

Fermi Large Area Telescope First Source Catalog

DOE PAGES

Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; ...

2010-05-25

Here, we present a catalog of high-energy gamma-ray sources detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT), the primary science instrument on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi), during the first 11 months of the science phase of the mission, which began on 2008 August 4. The First Fermi-LAT catalog (1FGL) contains 1451 sources detected and characterized in the 100 MeV to 100 GeV range. Source detection was based on the average flux over the 11 month period, and the threshold likelihood Test Statistic is 25, corresponding to a significance of just over 4σ. The 1FGL catalog includes source location regions,more » defined in terms of elliptical fits to the 95% confidence regions and power-law spectral fits as well as flux measurements in five energy bands for each source. In addition, monthly light curves are provided. Using a protocol defined before launch we have tested for several populations of gamma-ray sources among the sources in the catalog. For individual LAT-detected sources we provide firm identifications or plausible associations with sources in other astronomical catalogs. Identifications are based on correlated variability with counterparts at other wavelengths, or on spin or orbital periodicity. For the catalogs and association criteria that we have selected, 630 of the sources are unassociated. In conclusion, care was taken to characterize the sensitivity of the results to the model of interstellar diffuse gamma-ray emission used to model the bright foreground, with the result that 161 sources at low Galactic latitudes and toward bright local interstellar clouds are flagged as having properties that are strongly dependent on the model or as potentially being due to incorrectly modeled structure in the Galactic diffuse emission.« less

The large area high resolution gamma ray astrophysics facility - HR-GRAF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fenyves, E. J.; Chaney, R. C.; Hoffman, J. H.; Cline, D. B.; Atac, M.; Park, J.; White, S. R.; Zych, A. D.; Tumer, Q. T.; Hughes, E. B.

1990-03-01

The long-term program is described in terms of its equipment, scientific objectives, and long-range scientific studies. A prototype of a space-based large-area high-resolution gamma-ray facility (HR-GRAF) is being developed to examine pointlike and diffuse gamma-ray sources in the range 1 MeV-100 GeV. The instrument for the facility is proposed to have high angular and energy resolution and very high sensitivity to permit the study of the proposed objects. The primary research targets include the mapping of galactic gamma radiation, observing the angular variations of diffuse gamma rays, and studying the Galactic center with particular emphasis on the hypothetical black hole. Also included in the research plans are obtaining data on gamma-ray bursters, investigating the transmission of gamma rays from cold dark matter, and studying nuclear gamma-ray lines.

Assessment of environmental and health risks in former polymetallic ore mining and smelting area, Slovakia: Spatial distribution and accumulation of mercury in four different ecosystems.

PubMed

Árvay, Július; Demková, Lenka; Hauptvogl, Martin; Michalko, Miloslav; Bajčan, Daniel; Stanovič, Radovan; Tomáš, Ján; Hrstková, Miroslava; Trebichalský, Pavol

2017-10-01

Former long-term mining and smelting of pollymetallic ores in the Middle Spiš area caused a serious contamination problem of the environment with heavy metals and metalloids, especially mercury (Hg). Several studies have reported concentration of Hg in the area but this paper provides first detailed characterization of Hg contamination of different environmental components in agricultural, forest, grassland and urban ecosystems. The ecosystems are in different distances from emission sources - former mercury and copper smelting plants in NE Slovakia. Total Hg content was studied in soil/substrate samples (n = 234) and characteristic biological samples (Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Macrolepiota procera (Scop.) Singer, Boletus edulis Bull., Cyanoboletus pulverulentus (Opat.) Gelardi, Vizzini & Simonini, Triticum aestivum (L.), Poa pratensis (L.)) (n = 234) collected in the above-mentioned ecosystems. The level of contamination and environmental risks were assessed by contamination factor (C f ), index of geoaccumulation (I geo ) and potential environmental risk index (PER). To determine the level of transition of Hg from abiotic to biotic environment, bioconcentration factor (BCF) was used. To determine a health risk resulting from regular and long-term consumption of the locally available species, the results of the Hg content were compared with the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for Hg defined by World Health Organization. The results suggest that almost 63% of the area belong to the very high risk category and 80% of the sampling sites shown very high contamination factor. Geoaccumulation index showed that almost 30% of the area is very strongly contaminated and only 8% is not contaminated with Hg. Spearman's correlation relationship confirmed that the values of PER, BCF, C f and I geo decreased with an increasing distance from the pollution source. The percentage of contribution to PTWI ranged between 5.76-69.0% for adults and 11.5-138% for children. Mushroom M. procera showed the highest %PTWI among the tested biological samples. Studied ecotoxicological parameters showed high level of health risk for population living in the area. Consumption of the crops grown in the area and mainly edible wild mushrooms might negatively affect the health of the consumers in the long-term. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-Term Multiwavelength Studies of High-Redshift Blazar 0836+710

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, D. J.; Akyuz, A.; Donato, D.; Perkins, J. S.; Larsson, S.; Sokolovsky, K.; Fuhrmann, L.; Kurtanidze, O.

2012-01-01

Following gamma-ray flaring activity of high-redshift (z=2.218) blazar 0836+710 in 2011, we have assembled a long-term multiwavelength study of this object. Although this source is monitored regularly by radio telescopes and the Fermi Large Area Telescope, its coverage at other wavelengths is limited. The optical flux appears generally correlated with the gamma-ray flux, while little variability has been seen at X-ray energies. The gamma-ray/radio correlation is complex compared to some other blazars. As for many blazars, the largest variability is seen at gamma-ray wavelengths.

Short-term Wind Forecasting at Wind Farms using WRF-LES and Actuator Disk Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirkil, Gokhan

2017-04-01

Short-term wind forecasts are obtained for a wind farm on a mountainous terrain using WRF-LES. Multi-scale simulations are also performed using different PBL parameterizations. Turbines are parameterized using Actuator Disc Model. LES models improved the forecasts. Statistical error analysis is performed and ramp events are analyzed. Complex topography of the study area affects model performance, especially the accuracy of wind forecasts were poor for cross valley-mountain flows. By means of LES, we gain new knowledge about the sources of spatial and temporal variability of wind fluctuations such as the configuration of wind turbines.

Dust Storm over the Middle East: Retrieval Approach, Source Identification, and Trend Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moridnejad, A.; Karimi, N.; Ariya, P. A.

2014-12-01

The Middle East region has been considered to be responsible for approximately 25% of the Earth's global emissions of dust particles. By developing Middle East Dust Index (MEDI) and applying to 70 dust storms characterized on MODIS images and occurred during the period between 2001 and 2012, we herein present a new high resolution mapping of major atmospheric dust source points participating in this region. To assist environmental managers and decision maker in taking proper and prioritized measures, we then categorize identified sources in terms of intensity based on extracted indices for Deep Blue algorithm and also utilize frequency of occurrence approach to find the sensitive sources. In next step, by implementing the spectral mixture analysis on the Landsat TM images (1984 and 2012), a novel desertification map will be presented. The aim is to understand how human perturbations and land-use change have influenced the dust storm points in the region. Preliminary results of this study indicate for the first time that c.a., 39 % of all detected source points are located in this newly anthropogenically desertified area. A large number of low frequency sources are located within or close to the newly desertified areas. These severely desertified regions require immediate concern at a global scale. During next 6 months, further research will be performed to confirm these preliminary results.

Validation of a mixture-averaged thermal diffusion model for premixed lean hydrogen flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlup, Jason; Blanquart, Guillaume

2018-03-01

The mixture-averaged thermal diffusion model originally proposed by Chapman and Cowling is validated using multiple flame configurations. Simulations using detailed hydrogen chemistry are done on one-, two-, and three-dimensional flames. The analysis spans flat and stretched, steady and unsteady, and laminar and turbulent flames. Quantitative and qualitative results using the thermal diffusion model compare very well with the more complex multicomponent diffusion model. Comparisons are made using flame speeds, surface areas, species profiles, and chemical source terms. Once validated, this model is applied to three-dimensional laminar and turbulent flames. For these cases, thermal diffusion causes an increase in the propagation speed of the flames as well as increased product chemical source terms in regions of high positive curvature. The results illustrate the necessity for including thermal diffusion, and the accuracy and computational efficiency of the mixture-averaged thermal diffusion model.

Low carbon amendment rates during anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) at moderate soil temperatures do not decrease viability of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum sclerotia or Fusarium root rot of common bean

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD; also termed biological soil disinfestation) is a non-chemical process which includes 1) soil incorporation of a labile carbon (C) source, 2) mulching with polyethylene film to limit gas exchange, and 3) drip irrigation to saturation of the topsoil or bedded area. ...

Using landscape-level forest monitoring data to draw a representative picture of an iconic subalpine tree species

Treesearch

Sara A. Goeking; Deborah K. Izlar

2015-01-01

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is an ecologically important species in high-altitude, mid-latitude areas of western North America due to the habitat and food source it provides for many wildlife species. Recent concerns about the long-term viability of whitebark pine stands have arisen in the face of high mortality due to a combination of fire...

Contributions of wildland fire to terrestrial ecosystem carbon dynamics in North America from 1990 to 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chen, Guangsheng; Hayes, Daniel J.; McGuire, A. David

2017-01-01

Burn area and the frequency of extreme fire events have been increasing during recent decades in North America, and this trend is expected to continue over the 21st century. While many aspects of the North American carbon budget have been intensively studied, the net contribution of fire disturbance to the overall net carbon flux at the continental scale remains uncertain. Based on national scale, spatially explicit and long-term fire data, along with the improved model parameterization in a process-based ecosystem model, we simulated the impact of fire disturbance on both direct carbon emissions and net terrestrial ecosystem carbon balance in North America. Fire-caused direct carbon emissions were 106.55 ± 15.98 Tg C/yr during 1990–2012; however, the net ecosystem carbon balance associated with fire was −26.09 ± 5.22 Tg C/yr, indicating that most of the emitted carbon was resequestered by the terrestrial ecosystem. Direct carbon emissions showed an increase in Alaska and Canada during 1990–2012 as compared to prior periods due to more extreme fire events, resulting in a large carbon source from these two regions. Among biomes, the largest carbon source was found to be from the boreal forest, primarily due to large reductions in soil organic matter during, and with slower recovery after, fire events. The interactions between fire and environmental factors reduced the fire-caused ecosystem carbon source. Fire disturbance only caused a weak carbon source as compared to the best estimate terrestrial carbon sink in North America owing to the long-term legacy effects of historical burn area coupled with fast ecosystem recovery during 1990–2012.

Tigers in the Terai: Strong evidence for meta-population dynamics contributing to tiger recovery and conservation in the Terai Arc Landscape.

PubMed

Thapa, Kanchan; Wikramanayake, Eric; Malla, Sabita; Acharya, Krishna Prasad; Lamichhane, Babu Ram; Subedi, Naresh; Pokharel, Chiranjivi Prasad; Thapa, Gokarna Jung; Dhakal, Maheshwar; Bista, Ashish; Borah, Jimmy; Gupta, Mudit; Maurya, Kamlesh K; Gurung, Ghana Shyam; Jnawali, Shant Raj; Pradhan, Narendra Man Babu; Bhata, Shiv Raj; Koirala, Saroj; Ghose, Dipankar; Vattakaven, Joseph

2017-01-01

The source populations of tigers are mostly confined to protected areas, which are now becoming isolated. A landscape scale conservation strategy should strive to facilitate dispersal and survival of dispersing tigers by managing habitat corridors that enable tigers to traverse the matrix with minimal conflict. We present evidence for tiger dispersal along transboundary protected areas complexes in the Terai Arc Landscape, a priority tiger landscape in Nepal and India, by comparing camera trap data, and through population models applied to the long term camera trap data sets. The former showed that 11 individual tigers used the corridors that connected the transboundary protected areas. The estimated population growth rates using the minimum observed population size in two protected areas in Nepal, Bardia National Park and Suklaphanta National Park showed that the increases were higher than expected from growth rates due to in situ reproduction alone. These lines of evidence suggests that tigers are recolonizing Nepal's protected areas from India, after a period of population decline, and that the tiger populations in the transboundary protected areas complexes may be maintained as meta-population. Our results demonstrate the importance of adopting a landscape-scale approach to tiger conservation, especially to improve population recovery and long term population persistence.

Tigers in the Terai: Strong evidence for meta-population dynamics contributing to tiger recovery and conservation in the Terai Arc Landscape

PubMed Central

Wikramanayake, Eric; Malla, Sabita; Acharya, Krishna Prasad; Lamichhane, Babu Ram; Subedi, Naresh; Pokharel, Chiranjivi Prasad; Thapa, Gokarna Jung; Dhakal, Maheshwar; Bista, Ashish; Borah, Jimmy; Gupta, Mudit; Maurya, Kamlesh K.; Gurung, Ghana Shyam; Jnawali, Shant Raj; Pradhan, Narendra Man Babu; Bhata, Shiv Raj; Koirala, Saroj; Ghose, Dipankar; Vattakaven, Joseph

2017-01-01

The source populations of tigers are mostly confined to protected areas, which are now becoming isolated. A landscape scale conservation strategy should strive to facilitate dispersal and survival of dispersing tigers by managing habitat corridors that enable tigers to traverse the matrix with minimal conflict. We present evidence for tiger dispersal along transboundary protected areas complexes in the Terai Arc Landscape, a priority tiger landscape in Nepal and India, by comparing camera trap data, and through population models applied to the long term camera trap data sets. The former showed that 11 individual tigers used the corridors that connected the transboundary protected areas. The estimated population growth rates using the minimum observed population size in two protected areas in Nepal, Bardia National Park and Suklaphanta National Park showed that the increases were higher than expected from growth rates due to in situ reproduction alone. These lines of evidence suggests that tigers are recolonizing Nepal’s protected areas from India, after a period of population decline, and that the tiger populations in the transboundary protected areas complexes may be maintained as meta-population. Our results demonstrate the importance of adopting a landscape-scale approach to tiger conservation, especially to improve population recovery and long term population persistence. PMID:28591175

Are we missing the boat? Current uses of long-term biological monitoring data in the evaluation and management of marine protected areas.

PubMed

Addison, P F E; Flander, L B; Cook, C N

2015-02-01

Protected area management agencies are increasingly using management effectiveness evaluation (MEE) to better understand, learn from and improve conservation efforts around the globe. Outcome assessment is the final stage of MEE, where conservation outcomes are measured to determine whether management objectives are being achieved. When quantitative monitoring data are available, best-practice examples of outcome assessments demonstrate that data should be assessed against quantitative condition categories. Such assessments enable more transparent and repeatable integration of monitoring data into MEE, which can promote evidence-based management and improve public accountability and reporting. We interviewed key informants from marine protected area (MPA) management agencies to investigate how scientific data sources, especially long-term biological monitoring data, are currently informing conservation management. Our study revealed that even when long-term monitoring results are available, management agencies are not using them for quantitative condition assessment in MEE. Instead, many agencies conduct qualitative condition assessments, where monitoring results are interpreted using expert judgment only. Whilst we found substantial evidence for the use of long-term monitoring data in the evidence-based management of MPAs, MEE is rarely the sole mechanism that facilitates the knowledge transfer of scientific evidence to management action. This suggests that the first goal of MEE (to enable environmental accountability and reporting) is being achieved, but the second and arguably more important goal of facilitating evidence-based management is not. Given that many MEE approaches are in their infancy, recommendations are made to assist management agencies realize the full potential of long-term quantitative monitoring data for protected area evaluation and evidence-based management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Migrating slow slip detected by slow and repeating earthquakes along the Nankai trough, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, N.; Obara, K.; Takagi, R.; Asano, Y.

2017-12-01

In the western part of the Nankai trough region, successive occurrences of deep non-volcanic tremors and shallow very low frequency earthquakes (VLFEs) associated with long-term slow slip events (SSEs) are reported in 2003 and 2010. To understand the link between the two seismic slow earthquakes, we identify small repeating earthquake in and around the region from the waveform similarity of earthquakes observed by NIED Hi-net. The result shows the repeaters are located in 15-30 km depth that is in between the depth range of the shallow VLFEs (depth <=15 km) and deep SSEs (depth>= 25km). They are also located outside of the source area of the 1946 Mw8.3 Nankai earthquake, consistent with the hypothesis that repeaters occur due to stress concentration to a locked patch by aseismic slip (creep) in the surrounding area. The long-term trend of aseismic slip estimated from the repeaters shows that the slip rate were faster during 2-3 years period before the 2003 and 2010 episodes. We also found short-term (days to month) accelerations of aseismic slip during the episode of 2010 that migrated toward north. The migration detected from repeaters follows shallow migration of VLFEs and precedes the deep migration of tremors. Therefore we consider that during the period of the long-term SSE of 3 years period, short-term slow slip migrated about 300 km length in 1 month from shallower and south part to deeper and north part of the plate boundary near the edge of the slip area of the Nankai earthquake. Such long-distance migration probably related to large-scale locking of plate boundary that is responsible to the Nankai earthquake and the interseismic stress concentration to the locked area.

Measuring Spatial Variability of Vapor Flux to Characterize Vadose-zone VOC Sources: Flow-cell Experiments

DOE PAGES

Mainhagu, Jon; Morrison, C.; Truex, Michael J.; ...

2014-08-05

A method termed vapor-phase tomography has recently been proposed to characterize the distribution of volatile organic contaminant mass in vadose-zone source areas, and to measure associated three-dimensional distributions of local contaminant mass discharge. The method is based on measuring the spatial variability of vapor flux, and thus inherent to its effectiveness is the premise that the magnitudes and temporal variability of vapor concentrations measured at different monitoring points within the interrogated area will be a function of the geospatial positions of the points relative to the source location. A series of flow-cell experiments was conducted to evaluate this premise. Amore » well-defined source zone was created by injection and extraction of a non-reactive gas (SF6). Spatial and temporal concentration distributions obtained from the tests were compared to simulations produced with a mathematical model describing advective and diffusive transport. Tests were conducted to characterize both areal and vertical components of the application. Decreases in concentration over time were observed for monitoring points located on the opposite side of the source zone from the local–extraction point, whereas increases were observed for monitoring points located between the local–extraction point and the source zone. We found that the results illustrate that comparison of temporal concentration profiles obtained at various monitoring points gives a general indication of the source location with respect to the extraction and monitoring points.« less

Noise Pollution and Impact on Children Health.

PubMed

Gupta, Alok; Gupta, Anant; Jain, Khushbu; Gupta, Sweta

2018-04-01

With rapid urbanization and life style changes, loud noise is omnipresent and has become a part of life. Indoor and outdoor environmental noise pollution have been documented as a serious health hazard with increasing adverse effects on fetus, infants, children, adolescents and adults. Noise induced hearing loss and non-auditory adverse effects due to noise pollution, are being increasingly diagnosed in all age groups including the fetus. Outdated motorized vehicles, machinery, increasing traffic, congested residential areas, crowded educational institutions and workplaces, unregulated commercial and industrial noise have become a source of noise pollution with long-term disability. Areas of noise pollution must be identified and corrective measures be taken. Toys, personal, domestic, commercial, industrial equipment should be within the safe sound intensity. Loudspeakers and vehicular horns should be banned except in emergencies. Nocturnal noise pollution must be avoided near residential areas as sleep disturbances have serious long-term health consequences. Pregnant women, fetus, newborns, infants and children are most susceptible to noise induced health hazards and should be given utmost protection. Educational institutions, workplaces, commercial and industrial areas should be regularly monitored for noise levels and protective ear muffs and plugs be used. Public be educated repeatedly regarding health hazards of noise. Traffic noise should be regulated to be within safe limits. Bus-stands, railway stations and airports should be moved away from residential areas. Houses should be sound proofed suitably. Long term studies should be conducted in pregnant women, newborn children and adults to have more data on hazards of noise pollution.

Groundwater monitoring plan for the Missouri River alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of the City of Independence, Missouri, well field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilkison, Donald H.

2012-01-01

Source contributions to monitoring and supply wells, contributing recharge areas, groundwater travel times, and current (2012) understanding of alluvial water quality were used to develop a groundwater monitoring plan for the Missouri River alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of the City of Independence, Missouri well field. The plan was designed to evaluate long-term alluvial water quality and assess potential changes in, and threats to, well-field water quality. Source contributions were determined from an existing groundwater flow model in conjunction with particle-tracking analysis and verified with water-quality data collected from 1997 through 2010 from a network of 68 monitoring wells. Three conjunctive factors - well-field pumpage, Missouri River discharge, and aquifer recharge - largely determined groundwater flow and, therefore, source contributions. The predominant source of groundwater to most monitoring wells and supply wells is the Missouri River, and this was reflected, to some extent, in alluvial water quality. To provide an estimate of the maximum potential lead time available for remedial action, monitoring wells where groundwater travel times from the contributing recharge areas are less than 2 years and predominately singular sources (such as the Missouri River or the land surface) were selected for annual sampling. The sample interval of the remaining wells, which have varying travel times and intermediate mixtures of river and land-surface contributions, were staggered on a 2-, 3-, or 4-year rotation. This was done to provide data from similar contributing areas and account for inherent aquifer variability yet minimize sample redundancy.

Strong Ground Motion Generation during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asano, K.; Iwata, T.

2011-12-01

Strong ground motions during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake (Mw9.0) were densely observed by the strong motion observation networks all over Japan. Seeing the acceleration and velocity waveforms observed at strong stations in northeast Japan along the source region, those ground motions are characterized by plural wave packets with duration of about twenty seconds. Particularly, two wave packets separated by about fifty seconds could be found on the records in the northern part of the damaged area, whereas only one significant wave packets could be recognized on the records in the southern part of the damaged area. The record section shows four isolated wave packets propagating from different locations to north and south, and it gives us a hint of the strong motion generation process on the source fault which is related to the heterogeneous rupture process in the scale of tens of kilometers. In order to solve it, we assume that each isolated wave packet is contributed by the corresponding strong motion generation area (SMGA). It is a source patch whose slip velocity is larger than off the area (Miyake et al., 2003). That is, the source model of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake consists of four SMGAs. The SMGA source model has succeeded in reproducing broadband strong ground motions for past subduction-zone events (e.g., Suzuki and Iwata, 2007). The target frequency range is set to be 0.1-10 Hz in this study as this range is significantly related to seismic damage generation to general man-made structures. First, we identified the rupture starting points of each SMGA by picking up the onset of individual packets. The source fault plane is set following the GCMT solution. The first two SMGAs were located approximately 70 km and 30 km west of the hypocenter. The third and forth SMGAs were located approximately 160 km and 230 km southwest of the hypocenter. Then, the model parameters (size, rise time, stress drop, rupture velocity, rupture propagation pattern) of these four SMGAs were determined by waveform modeling using the empirical Green's function method (Irikura, 1986). The first and second SMGAs are located close to each other, and they are partially overlapped though the difference in the rupture time between them is more than 40 s. Those two SMGA appear to be included in the source region of the past repeating Miyagi-Oki subduction-zone event in 1936. The third and fourth SMGAs appear to be located in the source region of the past Fukushima-Oki events in 1938. Each of Those regions has been expected to cause next major earthquakes in the long-term evaluation. The obtained source model explains the acceleration, velocity, and displacement time histories in the target frequency range at most stations well. All of four SMGAs exist apparently outside of the large slip area along the trench east of the hypocenter, which was estimated by the seismic, geodetic, and tsunami inversion analyses, and this large slip zone near the trench does not contribute to strong motion much. At this point, we can conclude that the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake has a possibility to be a complex event rupturing multiple preexisting asperities in terms of strong ground motion generation. It should be helpful to validate and improve the applicability of the strong motion prediction recipe for great subduction-zone earthquakes.

Development of One-Group and Two-Group Interfacial Area Transport Equation

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

Ishii, M.; Kim, S.

A dynamic approach employing the interfacial area transport equation is presented to replace the static flow regime dependent correlations for the interfacial area concentration. The current study derives the transport equations for the bubble number, volume, and interfacial area concentration. Accounting for the substantial differences in the transport phenomena of various sizes of bubbles, both one-group and two-group interfacial area transport equations are developed along with the necessary constitutive relations. The framework for the complicated source and sink terms in the two-group transport equation is also presented by identifying the major intragroup and intergroup bubble interaction mechanisms. In view ofmore » evaluating the theoretical model, the one-group interfacial area transport equation is benchmarked based on the available data obtained in a wide range of air-water bubbly flow in round tubes of various diameters. In general, the results show good agreement within the measurement error of {+-}10%.« less

Beam shaping in high-power broad-area quantum cascade lasers using optical feedback

PubMed Central

Ferré, Simon; Jumpertz, Louise; Carras, Mathieu; Ferreira, Robson; Grillot, Frédéric

2017-01-01

Broad-area quantum cascade lasers with high output powers are highly desirable sources for various applications including infrared countermeasures. However, such structures suffer from strongly deteriorated beam quality due to multimode behavior, diffraction of light and self-focusing. Quantum cascade lasers presenting high performances in terms of power and heat-load dissipation are reported and their response to a nonlinear control based on optical feedback is studied. Applying optical feedback enables to efficiently tailor its near-field beam profile. The different cavity modes are sequentially excited by shifting the feedback mirror angle. Further control of the near-field profile is demonstrated using spatial filtering. The impact of an inhomogeneous gain as well as the influence of the cavity width are investigated. Compared to existing technologies, that are complex and costly, beam shaping with optical feedback is a more flexible solution to obtain high-quality mid-infrared sources. PMID:28287175

Beam shaping in high-power broad-area quantum cascade lasers using optical feedback.

PubMed

Ferré, Simon; Jumpertz, Louise; Carras, Mathieu; Ferreira, Robson; Grillot, Frédéric

2017-03-13

Broad-area quantum cascade lasers with high output powers are highly desirable sources for various applications including infrared countermeasures. However, such structures suffer from strongly deteriorated beam quality due to multimode behavior, diffraction of light and self-focusing. Quantum cascade lasers presenting high performances in terms of power and heat-load dissipation are reported and their response to a nonlinear control based on optical feedback is studied. Applying optical feedback enables to efficiently tailor its near-field beam profile. The different cavity modes are sequentially excited by shifting the feedback mirror angle. Further control of the near-field profile is demonstrated using spatial filtering. The impact of an inhomogeneous gain as well as the influence of the cavity width are investigated. Compared to existing technologies, that are complex and costly, beam shaping with optical feedback is a more flexible solution to obtain high-quality mid-infrared sources.

Atmospheric mercury emissions from mine wastes and surrounding geologically enriched terrains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gustin, M.S.; Coolbaugh, M.F.; Engle, M.A.; Fitzgerald, B.C.; Keislar, R.E.; Lindberg, S.E.; Nacht, D.M.; Quashnick, J.; Rytuba, J.J.; Sladek, C.; Zhang, H.; Zehner, R.E.

2003-01-01

Waste rock and ore associated with Hg, precious and base metal mining, and their surrounding host rocks are typically enriched in mercury relative to natural background concentrations (<0.1 ??g Hg g-1). Mercury fluxes to the atmosphere from mineralized areas can range from background rates (0-15 ng m-2 h-1) to tens of thousands of ng m-2 h-1. Mercury enriched substrate constitutes a long-term source of mercury to the global atmospheric mercury pool. Mercury emissions from substrate are influenced by light, temperature, precipitation, and substrate mercury concentration, and occur during the day and night. Light-enhanced emissions are driven by two processes: desorption of elemental mercury accumulated at the soil:air interface, and photo reduction of mercury containing phases. To determine the need for and effectiveness of regulatory controls on short-lived anthropogenic point sources the contribution of mercury from geologic non-point sources to the atmospheric mercury pool needs to be quantified. The atmospheric mercury contribution from small areas of mining disturbance with relatively high mercury concentrations are, in general, less than that from surrounding large areas of low levels of mercury enrichment. In the arid to semi-arid west-ern United States volatilization is the primary means by which mercury is released from enriched sites.

The Linac Coherent Light Source: Recent Developments and Future Plans

DOE PAGES

Schoenlein, R. W.; Boutet, S.; Minitti, M. P.; ...

2017-08-18

The development of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has launched a new era in X-ray science by providing ultrafast coherent X-ray pulses with a peak brightness that is approximately one billion times higher than previous X-ray sources. The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) facility at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the world’s first hard X-ray FEL, has already demonstrated a tremendous scientific impact across broad areas of science. Here in this paper, a few of the more recent representative highlights from LCLS are presented in the areas of atomic, molecular, and optical science; chemistry; condensed matter physics; matter in extreme conditions;more » and biology. This paper also outlines the near term upgrade (LCLS-II) and motivating science opportunities for ultrafast X-rays in the 0.25–5 keV range at repetition rates up to 1 MHz. Future plans to extend the X-ray energy reach to beyond 13 keV (<1 Å) at high repetition rate (LCLS-II-HE) are envisioned, motivated by compelling new science of structural dynamics at the atomic scale.« less

Production, Characterization and Biocompatibility of Marine Collagen Matrices from an Alternative and Sustainable Source: The Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus

PubMed Central

Di Benedetto, Cristiano; Barbaglio, Alice; Martinello, Tiziana; Alongi, Valentina; Fassini, Dario; Cullorà, Emanuele; Patruno, Marco; Bonasoro, Francesco; Barbosa, Mario Adolfo; Candia Carnevali, Maria Daniela; Sugni, Michela

2014-01-01

Collagen has become a key-molecule in cell culture studies and in the tissue engineering field. Industrially, the principal sources of collagen are calf skin and bones which, however, could be associated to risks of serious disease transmission. In fact, collagen derived from alternative and riskless sources is required, and marine organisms are among the safest and recently exploited ones. Sea urchins possess a circular area of soft tissue surrounding the mouth, the peristomial membrane (PM), mainly composed by mammalian-like collagen. The PM of the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus therefore represents a potential unexploited collagen source, easily obtainable as a food industry waste product. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to extract native collagen fibrils from the PM and produce suitable substrates for in vitro system. The obtained matrices appear as a homogeneous fibrillar network (mean fibril diameter 30–400 nm and mesh < 2 μm) and display remarkable mechanical properties in term of stiffness (146 ± 48 MPa) and viscosity (60.98 ± 52.07 GPa·s). In vitro tests with horse pbMSC show a good biocompatibility in terms of overall cell growth. The obtained results indicate that the sea urchin P. lividus can be a valuable low-cost collagen source for mechanically resistant biomedical devices. PMID:25255130

A comprehensive Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment for the city of Naples (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anita, G.; Tonini, R.; Selva, J.; Sandri, L.; Pierdominici, S.; Faenza, L.; Zaccarelli, L.

2012-12-01

A comprehensive Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment (PTHA) should consider different tsunamigenic sources (seismic events, slide failures, volcanic eruptions) to calculate the hazard on given target sites. This implies a multi-disciplinary analysis of all natural tsunamigenic sources, in a multi-hazard/risk framework, which considers also the effects of interaction/cascade events. Our approach shows the ongoing effort to analyze the comprehensive PTHA for the city of Naples (Italy) including all types of sources located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, as developed within the Italian project ByMuR (Bayesian Multi-Risk Assessment). The project combines a multi-hazard/risk approach to treat the interactions among different hazards, and a Bayesian approach to handle the uncertainties. The natural potential tsunamigenic sources analyzed are: 1) submarine seismic sources located on active faults in the Tyrrhenian Sea and close to the Southern Italian shore line (also we consider the effects of the inshore seismic sources and the associated active faults which we provide their rapture properties), 2) mass failures and collapses around the target area (spatially identified on the basis of their propensity to failure), and 3) volcanic sources mainly identified by pyroclastic flows and collapses from the volcanoes in the Neapolitan area (Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei and Ischia). All these natural sources are here preliminary analyzed and combined, in order to provide a complete picture of a PTHA for the city of Naples. In addition, the treatment of interaction/cascade effects is formally discussed in the case of significant temporary variations in the short-term PTHA due to an earthquake.

Spatial variation in anthropogenic mortality induces a source-sink system in a hunted mesopredator.

PubMed

Minnie, Liaan; Zalewski, Andrzej; Zalewska, Hanna; Kerley, Graham I H

2018-04-01

Lethal carnivore management is a prevailing strategy to reduce livestock predation. Intensity of lethal management varies according to land-use, where carnivores are more intensively hunted on farms relative to reserves. Variations in hunting intensity may result in the formation of a source-sink system where carnivores disperse from high-density to low-density areas. Few studies quantify dispersal between supposed sources and sinks-a fundamental requirement for source-sink systems. We used the black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) as a model to determine if heterogeneous anthropogenic mortality induces a source-sink system. We analysed 12 microsatellite loci from 554 individuals from lightly hunted and previously unhunted reserves, as well as heavily hunted livestock- and game farms. Bayesian genotype assignment showed that jackal populations displayed a hierarchical population structure. We identified two genetically distinct populations at the regional level and nine distinct subpopulations at the local level, with each cluster corresponding to distinct land-use types separated by various dispersal barriers. Migration, estimated using Bayesian multilocus genotyping, between reserves and farms was asymmetric and heterogeneous anthropogenic mortality induced source-sink dynamics via compensatory immigration. Additionally some heavily hunted populations also acted as source populations, exporting individuals to other heavily hunted populations. This indicates that heterogeneous anthropogenic mortality results in the formation of a complex series of interconnected sources and sinks. Thus, lethal management of mesopredators may not be an effective long-term strategy in reducing livestock predation, as dispersal and, more importantly, compensatory immigration may continue to affect population reduction efforts as long as dispersal from other areas persists.

Long-term monitoring of atmospheric PCDD/Fs at Mount Lulin during spring season: PCDD/F source apportionment through a simultaneous measurement in Southeast Asia.

PubMed

Hung, Ngo Tuan; Li, Chueh Ting; Wang, Sheng Hsiang; Ou-Yang, Chang-Feng; Lin, Chuan-Yao; Lee, Chung-Te; Lin, Neng-Huei; Chi, Kai Hsien

2017-10-01

A long term assessment of atmospheric polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) at Mt. Lulin, located in center of Taiwan was carried out from 2008 to 2013 (n = 81) assuming Mt. Lulin to be background area. During monitoring processes, PCDD/F samples collected in the field occasionally reached high concentration. To investigate this situation, simultaneous sample collection was carried out in Southeast Asia countries (i.e., Vietnam and Thailand) and Taiwan in 2013. The average concentration of atmospheric PCDD/Fs in biomass-burning source regions, namely Son La and Doi Ang Khang were 19.8 ± 12.1 fg I-TEQ m -3 (n = 19) and 17.8 ± 12.4 fg I-TEQ m -3 (n = 20), respectively. In the downwind area of Mt. Lulin, the average concentration of PCDD/Fs was found to be 4.64 ± 3.77 fg I-TEQ m -3 (n = 18). PCDD/F concentration in the source region was much higher than that in the downwind region. On March 19, 2013, the atmospheric PCDD/F concentrations increased dramatically from 7.71 to 484 fg I-TEQ m -3 at Mt. Lulin, which many times exceeded that of assumed source region in Southeast Asia. Moreover, mainland Southeast Asia and the southeast coast of China was suspected to be the main contributors of atmospheric PCDD/Fs and biomass markers, such as nonsea-salt K + and NH 4 + , during the spring. WRF-Chem and Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) simulations have confirmed this correlation. It can be concluded that atmospheric PCDD/Fs observed at Mt. Lulin during spring mostly derived from the air mass transport not only from Southeast Asia but also the southeast coast of China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aerial and surface rivers: downwind impacts on water availability from land use changes in Amazonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Wei; Luedeke, Matthias K. B.; Zemp, Delphine C.; Lakes, Tobia; Kropp, Juergen P.

2018-02-01

The abundant evapotranspiration provided by the Amazon forests is an important component of the hydrological cycle, both regionally and globally. Since the last century, deforestation and expanding agricultural activities have been changing the ecosystem and its provision of moisture to the atmosphere. However, it remains uncertain how the ongoing land use change will influence rainfall, runoff, and water availability as findings from previous studies differ. Using moisture tracking experiments based on observational data, we provide a spatially detailed analysis recognizing potential teleconnection between source and sink regions of atmospheric moisture. We apply land use scenarios in upwind moisture sources and quantify the corresponding rainfall and runoff changes in downwind moisture sinks. We find spatially varying responses of water regimes to land use changes, which may explain the diverse results from previous studies. Parts of the Peruvian Amazon and western Bolivia are identified as the sink areas most sensitive to land use change in the Amazon and we highlight the current water stress by Amazonian land use change on these areas in terms of the water availability. Furthermore, we also identify the influential source areas where land use change may considerably reduce a given target sink's water reception (from our example of the Ucayali River basin outlet, rainfall by 5-12 % and runoff by 19-50 % according to scenarios). Sensitive sinks and influential sources are therefore suggested as hotspots for achieving sustainable land-water management.

Early outbreak detection by linking health advice line calls to water distribution areas retrospectively demonstrated in a large waterborne outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Sweden.

PubMed

Bjelkmar, Pär; Hansen, Anette; Schönning, Caroline; Bergström, Jakob; Löfdahl, Margareta; Lebbad, Marianne; Wallensten, Anders; Allestam, Görel; Stenmark, Stephan; Lindh, Johan

2017-04-18

In the winter and spring of 2011 a large outbreak of cryptosporidiosis occurred in Skellefteå municipality, Sweden. This study summarizes the outbreak investigation in terms of outbreak size, duration, clinical characteristics, possible source(s) and the potential for earlier detection using calls to a health advice line. The investigation included two epidemiological questionnaires and microbial analysis of samples from patients, water and other environmental sources. In addition, a retrospective study based on phone calls to a health advice line was performed by comparing patterns of phone calls between different water distribution areas. Our analyses showed that approximately 18,500 individuals were affected by a waterborne outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Skellefteå in 2011. This makes it the second largest outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Europe to date. Cryptosporidium hominis oocysts of subtype IbA10G2 were found in patient and sewage samples, but not in raw water or in drinking water, and the initial contamination source could not be determined. The outbreak went unnoticed to authorities for several months. The analysis of the calls to the health advice line provides strong indications early in the outbreak that it was linked to a particular water treatment plant. We conclude that an earlier detection of the outbreak by linking calls to a health advice line to water distribution areas could have limited the outbreak substantially.

Elections and Deforestation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanford, L.

2017-12-01

When do politicians' re-election strategies cause serious environmental damage? This paper focuses on a case of deforestation, and argues that the protection of forested areas is a long-term public good while their destruction provides short-term, private goods for local voters and elected officials. Politicians give voters access to forested areas for commercial use of timber and small-scale farming in exchange for electoral support. I test the theory that competitive elections are associated with higher rates of deforestation using remote sensed satellite data of forest cover and data on national elections cross-nationally. The findings suggest that rates of forest cover loss are 50% higher in anocracies during election years, and more than double the average rate in years when there are competitive elections in anocracies and democracies. This suggests that democratic elections can be an important source of environmental damage, such as deforestation, contrary to the conventional wisdom that democratization improves environmental protection.

Evaluating the suitability of different environmental samples for tracing atmospheric pollution in industrial areas.

PubMed

Francová, Anna; Chrastný, Vladislav; Šillerová, Hana; Vítková, Martina; Kocourková, Jana; Komárek, Michael

2017-01-01

Samples of lichens, snow and particulate matter (PM 10 , 24 h) are used for the source identification of air pollution in the heavily industrialized region of Ostrava, Upper Silesia, Czech Republic. An integrated approach that uses different environmental samples for metal concentration and Pb isotope analyses was applied. The broad range of isotope ratios in the samples indicates a combination of different pollution sources, the strongest among them being the metallurgical industry, bituminous coal combustion and traffic. Snow samples are proven as the most relevant indicator for tracing metal(loid)s and recent local contamination in the atmosphere. Lichens can be successfully used as tracers of the long-term activity of local and remote sources of contamination. The combination of PM 10 with snow can provide very useful information for evaluation of current pollution sources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reassessing rainfall in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: Local and global ecohydrological implications

Treesearch

Sheila F. Murphy; Robert F. Stallard; Martha A. Scholl; Grizelle Gonzalez; Angel J. Torres-Sánchez

2017-01-01

Mountains receive a greater proportion of precipitation than other environments, and thus make a disproportionate contribution to the world’s water supply. The Luquillo Mountains receive the highest rainfall on the island of Puerto Rico and serve as a critical source of water to surrounding communities. The area’s role as a long-term research site has generated...

Photoacoustic Imaging.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

recrystallization is currently an active area of research. Much effort has been made to grow large grain polysilicon with grain sizes of 100 microns from fine grain... polysilicon using laser recrystallization. The recrystallization process is inherently traumatic, producing large changes in temperature in short...temperature distribution above as the source term in the acoustic field equation, we ol fain r where B1)jwP) The general solution to this equation is given by

Application of an integrated Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)/CALPUFF modeling tool for source apportionment of atmospheric pollutants for air quality management: A case study in the urban area of Benxi, China.

PubMed

Wu, Hao; Zhang, Yan; Yu, Qi; Ma, Weichun

2018-04-01

In this study, the authors endeavored to develop an effective framework for improving local urban air quality on meso-micro scales in cities in China that are experiencing rapid urbanization. Within this framework, the integrated Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)/CALPUFF modeling system was applied to simulate the concentration distributions of typical pollutants (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm [PM 10 ], sulfur dioxide [SO 2 ], and nitrogen oxides [NO x ]) in the urban area of Benxi. Statistical analyses were performed to verify the credibility of this simulation, including the meteorological fields and concentration fields. The sources were then categorized using two different classification methods (the district-based and type-based methods), and the contributions to the pollutant concentrations from each source category were computed to provide a basis for appropriate control measures. The statistical indexes showed that CALMET had sufficient ability to predict the meteorological conditions, such as the wind fields and temperatures, which provided meteorological data for the subsequent CALPUFF run. The simulated concentrations from CALPUFF showed considerable agreement with the observed values but were generally underestimated. The spatial-temporal concentration pattern revealed that the maximum concentrations tended to appear in the urban centers and during the winter. In terms of their contributions to pollutant concentrations, the districts of Xihu, Pingshan, and Mingshan all affected the urban air quality to different degrees. According to the type-based classification, which categorized the pollution sources as belonging to the Bengang Group, large point sources, small point sources, and area sources, the source apportionment showed that the Bengang Group, the large point sources, and the area sources had considerable impacts on urban air quality. Finally, combined with the industrial characteristics, detailed control measures were proposed with which local policy makers could improve the urban air quality in Benxi. In summary, the results of this study showed that this framework has credibility for effectively improving urban air quality, based on the source apportionment of atmospheric pollutants. The authors endeavored to build up an effective framework based on the integrated WRF/CALPUFF to improve the air quality in many cities on meso-micro scales in China. Via this framework, the integrated modeling tool is accurately used to study the characteristics of meteorological fields, concentration fields, and source apportionments of pollutants in target area. The impacts of classified sources on air quality together with the industrial characteristics can provide more effective control measures for improving air quality. Through the case study, the technical framework developed in this study, particularly the source apportionment, could provide important data and technical support for policy makers to assess air pollution on the scale of a city in China or even the world.

Operation of large RF sources for H-: Lessons learned at ELISE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fantz, U.; Wünderlich, D.; Heinemann, B.; Kraus, W.; Riedl, R.

2017-08-01

The goal of the ELISE test facility is to demonstrate that large RF-driven negative ion sources (1 × 1 m2 source area with 360 kW installed RF power) can achieve the parameters required for the ITER beam sources in terms of current densities and beam homogeneity at a filling pressure of 0.3 Pa for pulse lengths of up to one hour. With the experience in operation of the test facility, the beam source inspection and maintenance as well as with the results of the achieved source performance so far, conclusions are drawn for commissioning and operation of the ITER beam sources. Addressed are critical technical RF issues, extrapolations to the required RF power, Cs consumption and Cs ovens, the need of adjusting the magnetic filter field strength as well as the temporal dynamic and spatial asymmetry of the co-extracted electron current. It is proposed to relax the low pressure limit to 0.4 Pa and to replace the fixed electron-to-ion ratio by a power density limit for the extraction grid. This would be highly beneficial for controlling the co-extracted electrons.

Ground movement at Somma-Vesuvius from Last Glacial Maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marturano, Aldo; Aiello, Giuseppe; Barra, Diana; Fedele, Lorenzo; Morra, Vincenzo

2012-01-01

Detailed micropalaeontological and petrochemical analyses of rock samples from two boreholes drilled at the archaeological excavations of Herculaneum, ~ 7 km west of the Somma -Vesuvius crater, allowed reconstruction of the Late Quaternary palaeoenvironmental evolution of the site. The data provide clear evidence for ground uplift movements involving the studied area. The Holocenic sedimentary sequence on which the archaeological remains of Herculaneum rest has risen several meters at an average rate of ~ 4 mm/yr. The uplift has involved the western apron of the volcano and the Sebeto-Volla Plain, a populous area including the eastern suburbs of Naples. This is consistent with earlier evidence for similar uplift for the areas of Pompeii and Sarno valley (SE of the volcano) and the Somma -Vesuvius eastern apron. An axisimmetric deep source of strain is considered responsible for the long-term uplift affecting the whole Somma -Vesuvius edifice. The deformation pattern can be modeled as a single pressure source, sited in the lower crust and surrounded by a shell of Maxwell viscoelastic medium, which experienced a pressure pulse that began at the Last Glacial Maximum.

Nitrogen emissions, deposition, and monitoring in the Western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fenn, M.E.; Haeuber, R.; Tonnesen, G.S.; Baron, Jill S.; Grossman-Clarke, S.; Hope, D.; Jaffe, D.A.; Copeland, S.; Geiser, L.; Rueth, H.M.; Sickman, J.O.

2003-01-01

Nitrogen (N) deposition in the western United States ranges from 1 to 4 kilograms (kg) per hectare (ha) per year over much of the region to as high as 30 to 90 kg per ha per year downwind of major urban and agricultural areas. Primary N emissions sources are transportation, agriculture, and industry. Emissions of N as ammonia are about 50% as great as emissions of N as nitrogen oxides. An unknown amount of N deposition to the West Coast originates from Asia. Nitrogen deposition has increased in the West because of rapid increases in urbanization, population, distance driven, and large concentrated animal feeding operations. Studies of ecological effects suggest that emissions reductions are needed to protect sensitive ecosystem components. Deposition rates are unknown for most areas in the West, although reasonable estimates are available for sites in California, the Colorado Front Range, and central Arizona. National monitoring networks provide long-term wet deposition data and, more recently, estimated dry deposition data at remote sites. However, there is little information for many areas near emissions sources.

Health literacy in a community with low levels of education: findings from Chakaria, a rural area of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Das, Susmita; Mia, Mohammad Nahid; Hanifi, Syed Manzoor Ahmed; Hoque, Shahidul; Bhuiya, Abbas

2017-02-16

Health literacy (HL) helps individuals to make effective use of available health services. In low-income countries such as Bangladesh, the less than optimum use of services could be due to low levels of HL. Bangladesh's health service delivery is pluralistic with a mix of public, private and informally trained healthcare providers. Emphasis on HL has been inadequate. Thus, it is important to assess the levels of HL and service utilization patterns. The findings from this study aim to bridge the knowledge gap. The data for this study came from a cross-sectional survey carried out in September 2014, in Chakaria, a rural area in Bangladesh. A total of 1500 respondents were randomly selected from the population of 80,000 living in the Chakaria study area of icddr, b (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh). HL was assessed in terms of knowledge of existing health facilities and sources of information on health care, immunization, diabetes and hypertension. Descriptive and cross-tabular analyses were carried out. Chambers of the rural practitioners of allopathic medicine, commonly known as 'village doctors', were mentioned by 86% of the respondents as a known health service facility in their area, followed by two public sector community clinics (54.6%) and Union Health and Family Welfare Centres (28.6%). Major sources of information on childhood immunization were government health workers. Almost all of the respondents had heard about diabetes and hypertension (97.4% and 95.4%, respectively). The top three sources of information for diabetes were neighbours (85.7%), followed by relatives (27.9%) and MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) doctors (20.4%). For hypertension, the sources were neighbours (78.0%), followed by village doctors (38.2%), MBBS doctors (23.2%) and relatives (15%). The proportions of respondents who knew diabetes and hypertension control measures were 40.9% and 28.0%, respectively. More females knew about the control of diabetes (44.4% to 36.6%) and hypertension (31.1% to 24.2%) than males. A low level of HL in terms of modern health service facilities, diabetes and hypertension clearly indicated the need for a systematic HL programme. The relatively high levels of literacy concerning immunization show that it is possible to enhance HL in areas with low levels of education through systematic awareness-raising programmes, which could result in higher service coverage.

Accuracy-preserving source term quadrature for third-order edge-based discretization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishikawa, Hiroaki; Liu, Yi

2017-09-01

In this paper, we derive a family of source term quadrature formulas for preserving third-order accuracy of the node-centered edge-based discretization for conservation laws with source terms on arbitrary simplex grids. A three-parameter family of source term quadrature formulas is derived, and as a subset, a one-parameter family of economical formulas is identified that does not require second derivatives of the source term. Among the economical formulas, a unique formula is then derived that does not require gradients of the source term at neighbor nodes, thus leading to a significantly smaller discretization stencil for source terms. All the formulas derived in this paper do not require a boundary closure, and therefore can be directly applied at boundary nodes. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate third-order accuracy at interior and boundary nodes for one-dimensional grids and linear triangular/tetrahedral grids over straight and curved geometries.

Tracing organic and inorganic pollution sources of agricultural crops and water resources in Güzelhisar Basin of the Aegean Region - Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czarnecki, Sezin; Colak Esetlili, Bihter; Esetlili, Tolga; Tepecik, Mahmut; Anac, Dilek; Düring, Rolf-Alexander

2014-05-01

The study area Güzelhisar Basin is 6 km far from the city Aliaga, Aegean Region in Turkey which represents a rather industrialized area having five large iron and steel factories, but also areas of agriculture. Steel industry in Aliaga is causing metal pollution. Around Güzelhisar Basin and nearby, the dominant crop fields are cotton, maize, vegetables, olive trees and vineyards. Güzelhisar stream and dam water is used for irrigation of the agricultural land. Due to contamination from metal industry in Aliaga, organic farming is not allowed in this region. Industrial activities in the region present a threat on sustainable agriculture. The region is a multi-impacted area in terms of several pollutant sources affecting soil and water quality. The overall objective of the project is to trace back plant nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B), hazardous substances (i. e. persistent organic pollutants), radionuclides (40K, 232Th, 226Ra/238U), and metal contents (As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) by examining the soils, agricultural crops and natural plants from Güzelhisar Basin and water and sediments from Güzelhisar stream and dam. Spatial distribution of pollution will be evaluated by regionalization methods. For this, an advanced analytical methodology will be applied which provides an understanding of sources and occurrence of the respective substances of concern. An innovative multi-tracer approach comprising organic and inorganic marker substances, will identify and quantitatively assess sources and their impact on water pollution and the pollutant pathways in this agricultural crop production system.

Evaluation of the performance of small diode pumped UV solid state (DPSS) Nd:YAG lasers as new radiation sources for atmospheric pressure laser ionization mass spectrometry (APLI-MS).

PubMed

Kersten, Hendrik; Lorenz, Matthias; Brockmann, Klaus J; Benter, Thorsten

2011-06-01

The performance of a KrF* bench top excimer laser and a compact diode pumped UV solid state (DPSS) Nd:YAG laser as photo-ionizing source in LC-APLI MS is compared. The commonly applied bench-top excimer laser, operating at 248 nm, provides power densities of the order of low MW/cm(2) on an illuminated area of 0.5 cm(2) (8 mJ/pulse, 5 ns pulse duration, beam waist area 0.5 cm(2), 3 MW/cm(2)). The DPSS laser, operating at 266 nm, provides higher power densities, however, on a two orders of magnitude smaller illuminated area (60 μJ/pulse, 1 ns pulse duration, beam waist area 2 × 10(-3) cm(2), 30 MW/cm(2)). In a common LC-APLI MS setup with direct infusion of a 10 nM pyrene solution, the DPSS laser yields a significantly smaller ion signal (0.9%) and signal to noise ratio (1.4%) compared with the excimer laser. With respect to the determined low detection limits (LODs) for PAHs of 0.1 fmol using an excimer laser, LODs in DPSS laser LC-APLI MS in the low pmol regime are expected. The advantages of the DPSS laser with respect to applicability (size, cost, simplicity) may render this light source the preferred one for APLI applications not focusing on ultimately high sensitivities. Furthermore, the impact of adjustable ion source parameters on the performance of both laser systems is discussed in terms of the spatial sensitivity distribution described by the distribution of ion acceptance (DIA) measurements. Perspectives concerning the impact on future APLI-MS applications are given.

Percentage entrainment of constituent loads in urban runoff, south Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, R.A.

1985-01-01

Runoff quantity and quality data from four urban basins in south Florida were analyzed to determine the entrainment of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total carbon, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, and total lead within the stormwater runoff. Land use of the homogeneously developed basins are residential (single family), highway, commercial, and apartment (multifamily). A computational procedure was used to calculate, for all storms that had water-quality data, the percentage of constituent load entrainment in specified depths of runoff. The plot of percentage of constituent load entrained as a function of runoff is termed the percentage-entrainment curve. Percentage-entrainment curves were developed for three different source areas of basin runoff: (1) the hydraulically effective impervious area, (2) the contributing area, and (3) the drainage area. With basin runoff expressed in inches over the contributing area, the depth of runoff required to remove 90 percent of the constituent load ranged from about 0.4 inch to about 1.4 inches; and to remove 80 percent, from about 0.3 to 0.9 inch. Analysis of variance, using depth of runoff from the contributing area as the response variable, showed that the factor 'basin' is statistically significant, but that the factor 'constituent' is not statistically significant in the forming of the percentage-entrainment curve. Evidently the sewerage design, whether elongated or concise in plan dictates the shape of the percentage-entrainment curve. The percentage-entrainment curves for all constituents were averaged for each basin and plotted against basin runoff for three source areas of runoff-the hydraulically effective impervious area, the contributing area, and the drainage area. The relative positions of the three curves are directly related to the relative sizes of the three source areas considered. One general percentage-entrainment curve based on runoff from the contributing area was formed by averaging across both constituents and basins. Its coordinates are: 0.25 inch of runoff for 50-percent entrainment, 0.65 inch of runoff for 80-percent entrainment, and 0.95 inch of runoff for 90-percent entrainment. The general percentage-entrainment curve based on runoff from the hydraulically effective impervious area has runoff values of 0.35, 0.95, 1.6 inches, respectively.

Effect of animal-source food supplement prior to and during pregnancy on birthweight and prematurity in rural Vietnam: a brief study description.

PubMed

Tu, Ngu; King, Janet C; Dirren, Henri; Thu, Hoang Nga; Ngoc, Quyen Phi; Diep, Anh Nguyen Thi

2014-12-01

Maternal nutritional status is an important predictor of infant birthweight. Most previous attempts to improve birthweight through multiple micronutrient supplementation have been initiated after women are pregnant. Interventions to improve maternal nutritional status prior to conception may be more effective in preventing low birthweight and improving other infant health outcomes. To compare the effects of maternal supplementation with animal-source food from preconception to term or from mid-gestation to term with routine prenatal care on birthweight, the prevalence of preterm births, intrauterine growth restriction, and infant growth during the first 12 months of life and on maternal nutrient status and the incidence of maternal and infant infections. Young women from 29 rural communes in northwestern Vietnam were recruited when they registered to marry and were randomized to one of three interventions: animal-source food supplement 5 days per week from marriage to term (approximately 13 months), animal-source food supplement 5 days per week from 16 weeks of gestation to term (approximately 5 months), or routine prenatal care without supplementalfeeding. Data on infant birthweight and gestational age, maternal and infant anthropometry, micronutrient status, and infections in the infant and mother were collected at various time points. In a preliminary study of women of reproductive age in this area of Vietnam, 40% of the women were underweight (body mass index < 18.5) and anemic. About 50% had infections. Rice was the dietary staple, and nutrient-rich, animal-source foods were rarely consumed by women. Iron, zinc, vitamin A, folate, and vitamin B12 intakes were inadequate in about 40% of the women. The study is still ongoing, and further data are not yet available. The results of this study will provide important data regarding whether improved intake of micronutrient-rich animal-source foods that are locally available and affordable before and during pregnancy improves maternal and infant health and development. This food-based approach may have global implications regarding how and when to initiate sustainable nutritional interventions to improve maternal and infant health.

Source segregation and food waste prevention activities in high-density households in a deprived urban area.

PubMed

Rispo, A; Williams, I D; Shaw, P J

2015-10-01

A waste audit and a household questionnaire survey were conducted in high-density housing estates in one of the most economically and socially deprived areas of England (Haringey, London). Such areas are under-represented in published research. The study examined source segregation, potential participation in a food waste segregation scheme, and food waste prevention activities in five estates (1034 households). The results showed that: contamination of recyclables containers was low; ca. 28% of the mixed residual waste's weight was recyclable; food waste comprised a small proportion of the waste from these residents, probably because of their relatively disadvantaged economic circumstances; and the recycling profile reflected an intermittent pattern of behaviour. Although the majority of respondents reported that they would participate in a food waste separation scheme, the response rate was low and many responses of "don't know" were recorded. Municipalities committed to foster improved diversion from landfill need to recognise that there is no "quick and easy fix", regardless of local or national aspirations. Lasting and sustained behaviour change requires time and the quality of service provision and associated infrastructure play a fundamental role in facilitating residents to participate effectively in waste management activities that maximise capture of source-segregated materials. Populations in deprived areas that reside in high-rise, high-density dwellings are "hard-to-reach" in terms of participation in recycling schemes and exceptional efforts and additional resources are usually required to improve performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Importance of diffuse pollution control in the Patzcuaro Lake Basin in Mexico.

PubMed

Carro, Marco Mijangos; Dávila, Jorge Izurieta; Balandra, Antonieta Gómez; López, Rubén Hernández; Delgadillo, Rubén Huerto; Chávez, Javier Sánchez; Inclán, Luís Bravo

2008-01-01

In the catchment area of the Lake Patzcuaro in Central Mexico (933 km2) the apportionments of erosion, sediment, nutrients and pathogen coming from thirteen micro basins were estimated with the purpose of identifying critical areas in which best management practices need to be implemented in order to reduce their contribution to the lake pollution and eutrophication. The ArcView Generalized Watershed Loading Functions model (AV-GWLF) was applied to estimate the loads and sources of nutrients. The main results show that the total annual contribution of nitrogen from point sources were 491 tons and from diffuse pollution 2,065 tons, whereas phosphorus loads where 116 and 236 tons, respectively during a thirty year simulation period. Micro basins with predominant agricultural and animal farm land use (56% of the total area) accounts for a high percentage of nitrogen load 33% and phosphorus 52%. On the other hand, Patzcuaro and Quiroga micro basins which comprise approximately 10% of the total catchment area and are the most populated and visited towns by tourist 686,000 people every year, both contributes with 10.1% of the total nitrogen load and 3.2% of phosphorus. In terms of point sources of nitrogen and phosphorus the last towns contribute with 23.5% and 26.6% respectively. Under this situation the adoption of best management practices are an imperative task since the sedimentation and pollution in the lake has increased dramatically in the last twenty years. Copyright (c) IWA Publishing 2008.

Utilization of 134Cs/137Cs in the environment to identify the reactor units that caused atmospheric releases during the Fukushima Daiichi accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chino, Masamichi; Terada, Hiroaki; Nagai, Haruyasu; Katata, Genki; Mikami, Satoshi; Torii, Tatsuo; Saito, Kimiaki; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu

2016-08-01

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power reactor units that generated large amounts of airborne discharges during the period of March 12-21, 2011 were identified individually by analyzing the combination of measured 134Cs/137Cs depositions on ground surfaces and atmospheric transport and deposition simulations. Because the values of 134Cs/137Cs are different in reactor units owing to fuel burnup differences, the 134Cs/137Cs ratio measured in the environment was used to determine which reactor unit ultimately contaminated a specific area. Atmospheric dispersion model simulations were used for predicting specific areas contaminated by each dominant release. Finally, by comparing the results from both sources, the specific reactor units that yielded the most dominant atmospheric release quantities could be determined. The major source reactor units were Unit 1 in the afternoon of March 12, 2011, Unit 2 during the period from the late night of March 14 to the morning of March 15, 2011. These results corresponded to those assumed in our previous source term estimation studies. Furthermore, new findings suggested that the major source reactors from the evening of March 15, 2011 were Units 2 and 3 and that the dominant source reactor on March 20, 2011 temporally changed from Unit 3 to Unit 2.

Utilization of (134)Cs/(137)Cs in the environment to identify the reactor units that caused atmospheric releases during the Fukushima Daiichi accident.

PubMed

Chino, Masamichi; Terada, Hiroaki; Nagai, Haruyasu; Katata, Genki; Mikami, Satoshi; Torii, Tatsuo; Saito, Kimiaki; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu

2016-08-22

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power reactor units that generated large amounts of airborne discharges during the period of March 12-21, 2011 were identified individually by analyzing the combination of measured (134)Cs/(137)Cs depositions on ground surfaces and atmospheric transport and deposition simulations. Because the values of (134)Cs/(137)Cs are different in reactor units owing to fuel burnup differences, the (134)Cs/(137)Cs ratio measured in the environment was used to determine which reactor unit ultimately contaminated a specific area. Atmospheric dispersion model simulations were used for predicting specific areas contaminated by each dominant release. Finally, by comparing the results from both sources, the specific reactor units that yielded the most dominant atmospheric release quantities could be determined. The major source reactor units were Unit 1 in the afternoon of March 12, 2011, Unit 2 during the period from the late night of March 14 to the morning of March 15, 2011. These results corresponded to those assumed in our previous source term estimation studies. Furthermore, new findings suggested that the major source reactors from the evening of March 15, 2011 were Units 2 and 3 and that the dominant source reactor on March 20, 2011 temporally changed from Unit 3 to Unit 2.

Utilization of 134Cs/137Cs in the environment to identify the reactor units that caused atmospheric releases during the Fukushima Daiichi accident

PubMed Central

Chino, Masamichi; Terada, Hiroaki; Nagai, Haruyasu; Katata, Genki; Mikami, Satoshi; Torii, Tatsuo; Saito, Kimiaki; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu

2016-01-01

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power reactor units that generated large amounts of airborne discharges during the period of March 12–21, 2011 were identified individually by analyzing the combination of measured 134Cs/137Cs depositions on ground surfaces and atmospheric transport and deposition simulations. Because the values of 134Cs/137Cs are different in reactor units owing to fuel burnup differences, the 134Cs/137Cs ratio measured in the environment was used to determine which reactor unit ultimately contaminated a specific area. Atmospheric dispersion model simulations were used for predicting specific areas contaminated by each dominant release. Finally, by comparing the results from both sources, the specific reactor units that yielded the most dominant atmospheric release quantities could be determined. The major source reactor units were Unit 1 in the afternoon of March 12, 2011, Unit 2 during the period from the late night of March 14 to the morning of March 15, 2011. These results corresponded to those assumed in our previous source term estimation studies. Furthermore, new findings suggested that the major source reactors from the evening of March 15, 2011 were Units 2 and 3 and that the dominant source reactor on March 20, 2011 temporally changed from Unit 3 to Unit 2. PMID:27546490

An initial SPARROW model of land use and in-stream controls on total organic carbon in streams of the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shih, Jhih-Shyang; Alexander, Richard B.; Smith, Richard A.; Boyer, Elizabeth W.; Shwarz, Grogory E.; Chung, Susie

2010-01-01

Watersheds play many important roles in the carbon cycle: (1) they are a site for both terrestrial and aquatic carbon dioxide (CO2) removal through photosynthesis; (2) they transport living and decomposing organic carbon in streams and groundwater; and (3) they store organic carbon for widely varying lengths of time as a function of many biogeochemical factors. Using the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Spatially Referenced Regression on Watershed Attributes (SPARROW) model, along with long-term monitoring data on total organic carbon (TOC), this research quantitatively estimates the sources, transport, and fate of the long-term mean annual load of TOC in streams of the conterminous United States. The model simulations use surrogate measures of the major terrestrial and aquatic sources of organic carbon to estimate the long-term mean annual load of TOC in streams. The estimated carbon sources in the model are associated with four land uses (urban, cultivated, forest, and wetlands) and autochthonous fixation of carbon (stream photosynthesis). Stream photosynthesis is determined by reach-level application of an empirical model of stream chlorophyll based on total phosphorus concentration, and a mechanistic model of photosynthetic rate based on chlorophyll, average daily solar irradiance, water column light attenuation, and reach dimensions. It was found that the estimate of in-stream photosynthesis is a major contributor to the mean annual TOC load per unit of drainage area (that is, yield) in large streams, with a median share of about 60 percent of the total mean annual carbon load in streams with mean flows above 500 cubic feet per second. The interquartile range of the model predictions of TOC from in-stream photosynthesis is from 0.1 to 0.4 grams (g) carbon (C) per square meter (m-2) per day (day-1) for the approximately 62,000 stream reaches in the continental United States, which compares favorably with the reported literature range for net carbon fixation by phytoplankton in lakes and streams. The largest contributors per unit of drainage area to the mean annual stream TOC load among the terrestrial sources are, in descending order: wetlands, urban lands, mixed forests, agricultural lands, evergreen forests, and deciduous forests . It was found that the SPARROW model estimates of TOC contributions to streams associated with these land uses are also consistent with literature estimates. SPARROW model calibration results are used to simulate the delivery of TOC loads to the coastal areas of seven major regional drainages. It was found that stream photosynthesis is the largest source of the TOC yields ( about 50 percent) delivered to the coastal waters in two of the seven regional drainages (the Pacific Northwest and Mississippi-Atchafalaya-Red River basins ), whereas terrestrial sources are dominant (greater than 60 percent) in all other regions (North Atlantic, South Atlantic-Gulf, California, Texas-Gulf, and Great Lakes).

Household food waste separation behavior and the importance of convenience.

PubMed

Bernstad, Anna

2014-07-01

Two different strategies aiming at increasing household source-separation of food waste were assessed through a case-study in a Swedish residential area (a) use of written information, distributed as leaflets amongst households and (b) installation of equipment for source-segregation of waste with the aim of increasing convenience food waste sorting in kitchens. Weightings of separately collected food waste before and after distribution of written information suggest that this resulted in neither a significant increased amount of separately collected food waste, nor an increased source-separation ratio. After installation of sorting equipment in households, both the amount of separately collected food waste as well as the source-separation ratio increased vastly. Long-term monitoring shows that results where longstanding. Results emphasize the importance of convenience and existence of infrastructure necessary for source-segregation of waste as important factors for household waste recycling, but also highlight the need of addressing these aspects where waste is generated, i.e. already inside the household. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applicability of source scaling relations for crustal earthquakes to estimation of the ground motions of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irikura, Kojiro; Miyakoshi, Ken; Kamae, Katsuhiro; Yoshida, Kunikazu; Somei, Kazuhiro; Kurahashi, Susumu; Miyake, Hiroe

2017-01-01

A two-stage scaling relationship of the source parameters for crustal earthquakes in Japan has previously been constructed, in which source parameters obtained from the results of waveform inversion of strong motion data are combined with parameters estimated based on geological and geomorphological surveys. A three-stage scaling relationship was subsequently developed to extend scaling to crustal earthquakes with magnitudes greater than M w 7.4. The effectiveness of these scaling relationships was then examined based on the results of waveform inversion of 18 recent crustal earthquakes ( M w 5.4-6.9) that occurred in Japan since the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake. The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, with M w 7.0, was one of the largest earthquakes to occur since dense and accurate strong motion observation networks, such as K-NET and KiK-net, were deployed after the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake. We examined the applicability of the scaling relationships of the source parameters of crustal earthquakes in Japan to the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake. The rupture area and asperity area were determined based on slip distributions obtained from waveform inversion of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake observations. We found that the relationship between the rupture area and the seismic moment for the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake follows the second-stage scaling within one standard deviation ( σ = 0.14). The ratio of the asperity area to the rupture area for the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake is nearly the same as ratios previously obtained for crustal earthquakes. Furthermore, we simulated the ground motions of this earthquake using a characterized source model consisting of strong motion generation areas (SMGAs) based on the empirical Green's function (EGF) method. The locations and areas of the SMGAs were determined through comparison between the synthetic ground motions and observed motions. The sizes of the SMGAs were nearly coincident with the asperities with large slip. The synthetic ground motions obtained using the EGF method agree well with the observed motions in terms of acceleration, velocity, and displacement within the frequency range of 0.3-10 Hz. These findings indicate that the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake is a standard event that follows the scaling relationship of crustal earthquakes in Japan.

Assesment of PM10 pollution episodes in a ceramic cluster (NE Spain): proposal of a new quality index for PM10, As, Cd, Ni and Pb.

PubMed

Vicente, A B; Sanfeliu, T; Jordan, M M

2012-10-15

Environmental pollution control is one of the most important goals in pollution risk assessment today. In this sense, modern and precise tools that allow scientists to evaluate, quantify and predict air pollution are of particular interest. Monitoring atmospheric particulate matter is a challenge faced by the European Union. Specific rules on this subject are being developed (Directive 2004/107/EC, Directive 2008/50/EC) in order to reduce the potential adverse effects on human health caused by air pollution. Air pollution has two sources: natural and anthropogenic. Contributions from natural sources can be assessed but cannot be controlled, while emissions from anthropogenic sources can be controlled; monitoring to reduce this latter type of pollution should therefore be carried out. In this paper, we describe an air quality evaluation in terms of levels of atmospheric particles (PM10), as outlined by European Union legislation, carried out in an industrialised Spanish coastal area over a five-year period with the purpose of comparing these values with those of other areas in the Mediterranean Basin with different weather conditions from North of Europe. The study area is in the province of Castellón. This province is a strategic area in the frame work of European Union (EU) pollution control. Approximately 80% of European ceramic tiles and ceramic frit manufacturers are concentrated in two areas, forming the so-called "ceramics clusters"; ones in Modena (Italy) and the other in Castellón. In this kind of areas, there are a lot of air pollutants from this industry then it is difficult to fulfill de European limits of PM10 so it is necessary to control the air quality in them. The seasonal differences in the number of days in which pollutant level limits were exceeded were evaluated and the sources of contamination were identified. Air quality indexes for each pollutant have been established to determine easily and clearly the quality of air breathed. Furthermore, in accordance with Directive 2008/50/EC, an Air Quality Plan is proposed to protect human health, and the environment as a whole, in the study area. General and specific corrective measures of main emission sources are provided. A strategy for air pollution management is thus presented. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomarkers in sedimentary sequences: Indicators to track sediment sources over decadal timescales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, F. X.; Fang, N. F.; Wang, Y. X.; Tong, L. S.; Shi, Z. H.

2017-02-01

Long-term sedimentary sequence research can reveal how human activities and climate interact to affect catchment vegetation, flooding, soil erosion, and sediment sources. In this study, a biomarker sediment fingerprinting technique based on n-alkanes was used to identify long timescale (decadal) sediment sources in a small agricultural catchment. However, the highly saline carbonate environment and bacterial and algal activities elevated the levels of even-chain n-alkanes in the sediments, leading to an obvious even-over-odd predominance of short and middle components (C15-C26). Therefore, by analyzing three odd, long-chain n-alkanes (C27, C29 and C31) in 27 source samples from cropland, gully, and steep slope areas and one sediment sequence (one cultivated horizon and 47 flood couplets), a composite fingerprinting method and genetic algorithm optimization were applied to find the optimal source contributions to sediments. The biomarker fingerprinting results demonstrated that the primary sediment source is gullies, followed by cropland and steep slope areas. The average median source contributions associated with 47 flood couples collected from sediment core samples ranged from 0 ± 0.1% to 91.9 ± 0.4% with an average of 45.0% for gullies, 0 ± 0.4% to 95.6 ± 1.6% with an average of 38.2% for cropland, and 0 ± 2.1% to 60.7 ± 0.4% with an average of 16.8% for steep slopes. However, because farmers were highly motivated to manage the cropland after the 1980s, over half the sediments were derived from cropland in the 1980s. Biomarkers have significant advantages in the identification of sediments derived from different landscape units (e.g., gully and steep slope areas), and n-alkanes have considerable potential in high-resolution research of environmental change based on soil erosion in the hilly Loess Plateau region.

7 CFR 1.412 - Institution of proceedings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Adjudication of Sourcing Area Applications and Formal Review of Sourcing Areas Pursuant to the Forest Resources...) Sourcing area applications. The proceeding for determining sourcing areas shall be instituted by receipt of a sourcing area application by the Office of Administrative Law Judges, pursuant to 36 CFR 223.190...

7 CFR 1.411 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Sourcing area applicant means a person who submits a sourcing area application pursuant to these rules, or a person who sourcing area is subject to formal review pursuant to 36 CFR 223.191(e). (b) Decision... Sourcing Area Applications and Formal Review of Sourcing Areas Pursuant to the Forest Resources...

Atmospheric transport of radioactive debris to Norway in case of a hypothetical accident related to the recovery of the Russian submarine K-27.

PubMed

Bartnicki, Jerzy; Amundsen, Ingar; Brown, Justin; Hosseini, Ali; Hov, Øystein; Haakenstad, Hilde; Klein, Heiko; Lind, Ole Christian; Salbu, Brit; Szacinski Wendel, Cato C; Ytre-Eide, Martin Album

2016-01-01

The Russian nuclear submarine K-27 suffered a loss of coolant accident in 1968 and with nuclear fuel in both reactors it was scuttled in 1981 in the outer part of Stepovogo Bay located on the eastern coast of Novaya Zemlya. The inventory of spent nuclear fuel on board the submarine is of concern because it represents a potential source of radioactive contamination of the Kara Sea and a criticality accident with potential for long-range atmospheric transport of radioactive particles cannot be ruled out. To address these concerns and to provide a better basis for evaluating possible radiological impacts of potential releases in case a salvage operation is initiated, we assessed the atmospheric transport of radionuclides and deposition in Norway from a hypothetical criticality accident on board the K-27. To achieve this, a long term (33 years) meteorological database has been prepared and used for selection of the worst case meteorological scenarios for each of three selected locations of the potential accident. Next, the dispersion model SNAP was run with the source term for the worst-case accident scenario and selected meteorological scenarios. The results showed predictions to be very sensitive to the estimation of the source term for the worst-case accident and especially to the sizes and densities of released radioactive particles. The results indicated that a large area of Norway could be affected, but that the deposition in Northern Norway would be considerably higher than in other areas of the country. The simulations showed that deposition from the worst-case scenario of a hypothetical K-27 accident would be at least two orders of magnitude lower than the deposition observed in Norway following the Chernobyl accident. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Applying the WHO recommendations on health-sector response to violence against women to assess the Spanish health system. A mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Goicolea, Isabel; Vives-Cases, Carmen; Minvielle, Fauhn; Briones-Vozmediano, Erica; Ohman, Ann

2014-01-01

This methodological note describes the development and application of a mixed-methods protocol to assess the responsiveness of Spanish health systems to violence against women in Spain, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Five areas for exploration were identified based on the WHO recommendations: policy environment, protocols, training, accountability/monitoring, and prevention/promotion. Two data collection instruments were developed to assess the situation of 17 Spanish regional health systems (RHS) with respect to these areas: 1) a set of indicators to guide a systematic review of secondary sources, and 2) an interview guide to be used with 26 key informants at the regional and national levels. We found differences between RHSs in the five areas assessed. The progress of RHSs on the WHO recommendations was notable at the level of policies, moderate in terms of health service delivery, and very limited in terms of preventive actions. Using a mixed-methods approach was useful for triangulation and complementarity during instrument design, data collection and interpretation. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Source Areas of Water and Nitrate in a Peatland Catchment, Minnesota, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sebestyen, S. D.

2017-12-01

In nitrogen polluted forests, stream nitrate concentrations increase and some unprocessed atmospheric nitrate may be transported to streams during stormflow events. This understanding has emerged from forests with upland mineral soils. In contrast, catchments with northern peatlands may have both upland soils and lowlands with deep organic soils, each with unique effects on nitrate transport and processing. While annual budgets show nitrate yields to be relatively lower from peatland than upland-dominated catchments, little is known about particular runoff events when stream nitrate concentrations have been higher (despite long periods with little or no nitrate in outlet streams) or the reasons why. I used site knowledge and expansive/extensive monitoring at the Marcell Experimental Forest in Minnesota, along with a targeted 2-year study to determine landscape areas, water sources, and nitrate sources that affected stream nitrate variation in a peatland catchment. I combined streamflow, upland runoff, snow amount, and frost depth data from long-term monitoring with nitrate concentration, yield, and isotopic data to show that up to 65% of stream nitrate during snowmelt of 2009 and 2010 was unprocessed atmospheric nitrate. Up to 46% of subsurface runoff from upland soils during 2009 was unprocessed atmospheric nitrate, which shows the uplands to be a stream nitrate source during 2009, but not during 2010 when upland runoff concentrations were below the detection limit. Differences are attributable to variations in water and nitrate sources. Little snow (a nitrate source), less upland runoff relative to peatland runoff, and deeper soil frost in the peatland caused a relatively larger input of nitrate from the uplands to the stream during 2009 and the peatland to the stream during 2010. Despite the near-absence of stream nitrate during much of rest of the year, these findings show an important time when nitrate transport affected downstream aquatic ecosystems, reasons why nitrate was transported, and that atmospheric nitrate pollution had a direct effect on a stream in a peatland catchment. Furthermore, this work illustrates how long-term monitoring when coupled with shorter-duration studies allows contemporary questions to be addressed within legacy catchment studies.

Evidencing lead deposition at the urban scale using "short-lived" isotopic signatures of the source term (Pb-Zn refinery)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franssens, Matthias; Flament, Pascal; Deboudt, Karine; Weis, Dominique; Perdrix, Espéranza

2004-09-01

To demonstrate the ability of the lead isotope signature technique to evidence the spatial extent of an industrial Pb deposition plume at a local scale, dry deposition of lead in the urban environment of a Pb-Zn refinery was investigated, as a study case, using transient ("short-lived") isotopic signatures of the industrial source. Sampling campaigns were achieved in representative weather conditions, on an 8-h basis. Dry deposition rates measured downwind from refinery emissions (≈102-103 μg Pb m-2 h-1), cross-sectionally in a 3-5 km radius area around the plant, represent 10-100 times the urban background dry fallout, measured upwind, as well as fallout measured near other potential sources of anthropogenic Pb. The Pb-Zn refinery isotopic signature (approx. 1.100<206Pb/207Pb<1.135) is made identifiable, using the same set of Pb and Zn ores for 2 days before sampling and during field experiments, by agreement with the executive staff of the plant. This source signature is less radiogenic than signatures of urban background Pb aerosols (1.155<206Pb/207Pb<1.165) and minor sources of Pb aerosols (1.147<206Pb/207Pb<1.165). By a simple binary mixing model calculation, we established the extension of the industrial Pb deposition plume. Fifty to eighty percents of total lead settled by the dry deposition mode, 3-4 km away from the refinery, still have an industrial origin. That represents from 40 to 80 μg Pb m-2 h-1, in an area where the blood lead level exceeds 100 μg Pb l-1 for 30% of men and 12% of women living there. We demonstrate here that stable Pb isotope analysis is able to evidence the Pb dry deposition plume in stabilised aerodynamic conditions, using a short-lived source term, suggesting that this methodology is able to furnish valuable data to validate industrial Pb aerosols dispersion models, at the urban scale.

Analysis of source regions and meteorological factors for the variability of spring PM10 concentrations in Seoul, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jangho; Kim, Kwang-Yul

2018-02-01

CSEOF analysis is applied for the springtime (March, April, May) daily PM10 concentrations measured at 23 Ministry of Environment stations in Seoul, Korea for the period of 2003-2012. Six meteorological variables at 12 pressure levels are also acquired from the ERA Interim reanalysis datasets. CSEOF analysis is conducted for each meteorological variable over East Asia. Regression analysis is conducted in CSEOF space between the PM10 concentrations and individual meteorological variables to identify associated atmospheric conditions for each CSEOF mode. By adding the regressed loading vectors with the mean meteorological fields, the daily atmospheric conditions are obtained for the first five CSEOF modes. Then, HYSPLIT model is run with the atmospheric conditions for each CSEOF mode in order to back trace the air parcels and dust reaching Seoul. The K-means clustering algorithm is applied to identify major source regions for each CSEOF mode of the PM10 concentrations in Seoul. Three main source regions identified based on the mean fields are: (1) northern Taklamakan Desert (NTD), (2) Gobi Desert and (GD), and (3) East China industrial area (ECI). The main source regions for the mean meteorological fields are consistent with those of previous study; 41% of the source locations are located in GD followed by ECI (37%) and NTD (21%). Back trajectory calculations based on CSEOF analysis of meteorological variables identify distinct source characteristics associated with each CSEOF mode and greatly facilitate the interpretation of the PM10 variability in Seoul in terms of transportation route and meteorological conditions including the source area.

Evaluation of Water-Chemistry and Water-Level Data at the Henderson Road Superfund Site, Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1991-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, Ronald A.

2009-01-01

Several shutdown-rebound tests have been conducted at the Henderson Road Superfund Site, which has been on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List since 1984. For a given test, the extraction wells are turned off, and water samples are collected from selected monitor wells at regular intervals before and during cessation of pumping to monitor for changes in chemical concentrations. A long-term shutdown-rebound test began on July 17, 2006. In support of this test, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted this study to determine the effects of shutting down on-site extraction wells on concentrations of selected contaminants and water levels. Concentrations were compared to ARARs (applicable relevant and appropriate requirements), which were set as remediation goals in the Henderson Road Site Record of Decision. Water from 10 wells in and near the source area and to the north, northeast, and northwest of the source area sampled in 2008 exceeded the 5.52 ug/L (micrograms per liter) ARAR for benzene. The greatest changes in benzene concentration between pre-shutdown samples collected in July 2006 and samples collected in February and March 2008 (19 months after the shutdown) were for wells in and north of the source area; increases in benzene concentration ranged from 1.5 to 164 ug/L. Water from five wells in the source area and to the north and northwest of the source area sampled in 2008 exceeded the 60 ug/L ARAR for chlorobenzene. The greatest changes in chlorobenzene concentration between pre-shutdown samples collected in July 2006 and samples collected in February and March 2008 were for wells north of the source area; increases in chlorobenzene concentration ranged from 6.9 to 99 ug/L. The highest concentrations of chlorobenzene were near or outside the northern site boundary, indicating chlorobenzene may have moved north away from the source area; however, no monitor well clusters are on the northern side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which is about 190 feet north of the source area. A much larger area was affected by chlorobenzene than benzene. Chlorobenzene concentrations decreased in the source area and increased at and beyond the site boundary. Water from four wells in and northeast of the source area sampled in 2008 exceeded the 5.06 ug/L ARAR for 1,1-dichloroethane (1,1-DCA). Increases in 1,1-DCA concentration between pre-shutdown samples collected in July 2006 and samples collected in February 2008 ranged from 0.4 to 20 ug/L. Water from two wells in the source area sampled in 2008 exceeded the 175 ug/L ARAR for total xylene. The 1,1-DCA and xylene plumes appear to extend in an east-northeast direction from the source area. Large drawdowns in the Upper Merion Reservoir during droughts in 1998 and 2001 affected water levels in the Chester Valley and at the Henderson Road Site, except for well HR-17-170. After the drought of 2001, water levels in the Chester Valley showed a protracted recovery lasting from September 2001 until June 2005 (46 months). Water-level data were evaluated temporally for 1997-2008 and spatially for (1) June 16, 2003, when the extraction wells were pumping at the full rate prior to the start of the June 2003 shutdown test; (2) July 10, 2006, during the period of reduced pumping after the June 2003 shutdown test; and (3) February 25-29, 2008, when the extraction wells were not pumping. Except for well HR-5-195, wells were categorized as shallow, intermediate-depth, and deep wells. The potentiometric surface for shallow wells did not appear to be affected by pumping of the extraction wells. The general direction of ground-water flow was to the north. The potentiometric surface for intermediate-depth wells showed a cone of depression when the extraction wells were pumping at the full rate but did not show a cone of depression when the extraction wells were pumping at the reduced rate. The ground-water-flow direction was toward the north and northeast, similar to

Temporal characteristics of black carbon concentrations and its potential emission sources in a southern Taiwan industrial urban area.

PubMed

Cheng, Yu-Hsiang; Lin, Chi-Chi; Liu, Jyh-Jian; Hsieh, Cheng-Ju

2014-03-01

This study investigates the temporal characteristics of black carbon and its potential emission sources, as well as the fractions of BC in PM2.5 levels in Kaohsiung urban area, which is an industrial city in southern Taiwan. Concentrations of BC and PM2.5 are monitored continuously from March 2006 to February 2010, using an aethalometer and a tapered element oscillating microbalance monitor. Additionally, the presence of organic compounds (or UV enhanced species) in particles at the sampling site is determined using the Delta-C (UVBC-BC) value. According to long-term measurement results, BC and PM2.5 concentrations are 3.33 and 34.0 μg m(-3), respectively, in the Kaohsiung urban area. The ratio of BC/PM2.5 is approximately 11 %. Low concentration of BC and PM2.5 in the summer of this study period is mostly likely owing to meteorological conditions that favored dispersion of local air pollutants. Nevertheless, BC concentrations peaked markedly during morning hours (7:00-11:00), likely owing to local traffic congestion. Measurement results suggest that BC is released from local traffic activities and emitted from industrial activities at this sampling site. Additionally, Delta-C values are significantly higher than zero during January-March and November-December periods in this industrial urban area, implying that UV enhanced species can be observed. At this sampling site, these UV enhanced species do not only originate from household activity and solid waste burning but also release from industrial activities. The elevated Delta-C values during nighttime (18:00-6:00) in the autumn and winter seasons are likely related to those UV enhanced species in the atmosphere, which can be condensed on particle surface under low temperature conditions. According to long-term measurement results, significantly positive Delta-C values can be observed under temperatures <20 °C and relative humidity of 60-75 % in this study. Despite the household activity and solid waste burning, the major sources of particles that are bound with UV enhanced species in this sampling site are industrial parks and a coal-fired power plant.

A geologic guide to Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska; a tectonic collage of northbound terranes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winkler, Gary R.; with contributions by MacKevett, E. M.; Plafker, George; Richter, D.H.; Rosenkrans, D.S.; Schmoll, H.R.

2000-01-01

Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve, the largest unit in the U.S. National Park System, encompasses near 13.2 million acres of geological wonderments. This geologic guide presents history of exploration and Earth-science investigation; describes the complex geologic makeup; characterizes the vast college of accretion geologic terranes in this area of Alaska's continental margin; recapitulates the effects of earthquakes, volcanoes, and glaciers; characterizes the copper and gold resources of the parklands; and describes outstanding locales within the park and preserve area. A glossary of geologic terms and a categorized list of additional sources of information complete this report.

Long-Term (2002-2015) Changes in Mercury Contamination in NE Brazil Depicted by the Mangrove Oyster Crassostraea rhizophorae (Guilding, 1828).

PubMed

Rios, J H L; Marins, R V; Oliveira, K F; Lacerda, L D

2016-10-01

Mercury concentrations in oysters from four estuaries in northeastern Brazil varied following source changes during the past 13 years. Concentrations were higher in urban estuaries relative to rural areas, but decreased in the 13-years interval following improvements in solid wastes disposal and sewage treatment. In rural estuaries, the one located in an environmental protection area showed no changes in Hg concentrations in the period. However, in the Jaguaribe estuary, remobilization from soils and sediments due to regional environmental changes, increased Hg concentrations in oysters to values similar to the most contaminated metropolitan sites.

Turbidity and nitrate transfer in karstic aquifers in rural areas: the Brionne Basin case-study.

PubMed

Nebbache, S; Feeny, V; Poudevigne, I; Alard, D

2001-08-01

The degradation of water quality in many groundwaters of Europe is a major source of concern. Rises in turbidity and nitrate concentrations represent present or potential threats for the quality of drinking water in rural areas. They are for the most part a consequence of agricultural intensification which has considerably affected land cover and land use in recent decades. In our case-study (a karstic catchment) the mechanisms which explain changes in water quality, as far as turbidity and nitrate are concerned, result from a strong continuity between surface and underground waters. The karstic system of the Brionne Basin can be considered as both the focus of rapid horizontal flows (runoff, a rapid process in which rainwater reaches the spring directly through sinkholes) and slow vertical flows (leaching, in which rainwater filters through the soil to the spring). A hierarchical approach to the water pollution problem of the basin suggests that turbidity or nitrate concentrations peak during heavy rain episodes and are short-term events. In terms of management, this implies that the solution to water pollution caused by such events is also short-term and can therefore be addressed at a local scale. The rise of nitrate concentrations during the past twenty years is the main concern. The solution can only be found at a global scale (all the catchment area must be taken in account: land plots and their spatial configuration), and by taking a long-term approach.

Widespread presence of naturally occurring perchlorate in high plains of Texas and New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rajagopalan, S.; Anderson, T.A.; Fahlquist, L.; Rainwater, Ken A.; Ridley, M.; Jackson, W.A.

2006-01-01

Perchlorate (ClO4-) occurrence in groundwater has previously been linked to industrial releases and the historic use of Chilean nitrate fertilizers. However, recently a number of occurrences have been identified for which there is no obvious anthropogenic source. Groundwater from an area of 155 000 km2 in 56 counties in northwest Texas and eastern New Mexico is impacted by the presence of ClO4-. Concentrations were generally low (<4 ppb), although some areas are impacted by concentrations up to 200 ppb. ClO4- distribution is not related to well type (public water system, domestic, agricultural, or water-table monitoring) or aquifer (Ogallala, Edward Trinity High Plains, Edwards Trinity Plateau, Seymour, or Cenozoic). Results from vertically nested wells strongly indicate a surface source. The source of ClO4- appears to most likely be atmospheric deposition. Evidence supporting this hypothesis primarily relates to the presence of ClO 4- in tritium-free older water, the lack of relation between land use and concentration distribution, the inability of potential anthropogenic sources to account for the estimated mass of ClO4-, and the positive relationship between conserved anions (e.g., IO3-, Cl-, SO4-2) and ClO4-. The ClO4- distribution appears to be mainly related to evaporative concentration and unsaturated transport. This process has led to higher ClO4- and other ion concentrations in groundwater where the water table is relatively shallow, and in areas with lower saturated thickness. Irrigation may have accelerated this process in some areas by increasing the transport of accumulated salts and by increasing the number of evaporative cycles. Results from this study highlight the potential for ClO4- to impact groundwater in arid and semiarid areas through long-term atmospheric deposition. ?? 2006 American Chemical Society.

Programing Procedures Manual (PPM).

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-15

terms ’reel’, ’unit’, and ’volume’ are synonymous and completely interchangeable in the CLOSE statement. Treatment of sequential mass storage files is...logically equivalent to the treatment of a file on tape or analogous sequential media. * For the purpose of showing the effect of various types of CLOSE...Overlay Area CA6 Address of Abend Relative to beginning of overlay segment The programer can now refer to the compile source listing for the overlay

Re-framing 'binge drinking' as calculated hedonism: empirical evidence from the UK.

PubMed

Szmigin, Isabelle; Griffin, Christine; Mistral, Willm; Bengry-Howell, Andrew; Weale, Louise; Hackley, Chris

2008-10-01

Recent debates on 'binge drinking' in the UK have represented the activities of young drinkers in urban areas as a particular source of concern, as constituting a threat to law and order, a drain on public health and welfare services and as a source of risk to their own future health and well being. The discourse of moral panic around young people's 'binge drinking' has pervaded popular media, public policy and academic research, often differentiating the excesses of 'binge drinking' from 'normal' patterns of alcohol consumption, although in practice definitions of 'binge drinking' vary considerably. However, recent research in this area has drawn on the notion of 'calculated hedonism' to refer to a way of 'managing' alcohol consumption that might be viewed as excessive. The paper presents a critical analysis of contemporary discourses around 'binge drinking' in the British context, highlighting contradictory messages about responsibility and self control in relation to the recent liberalisation of licensing laws and the extensive marketing of alcohol to young people. The paper analyses marketing communications which present drinking as a crucial element in 'having fun', and as an important aspect of young people's social lives. The empirical study involves analysis of focus group discussions and individual interviews with young people aged 18-25 in three areas of Britain: a major city in the West Midlands, a seaside town in the South-West of England and a small market town also in the South-West. The initial findings present the varied forms and meanings that socialising and drinking took in these young people's social lives. In particular the results illustrate the ways in which drinking is constituted and managed as a potential source of pleasure. The paper concludes that the term 'calculated hedonism' better describes the behaviour of the young people in this study and in particular the way they manage their pleasure around alcohol, than the emotive term 'binge drinking'.

Groundwater quality & sustainability in Ulaanbaatar, the fast growing Capital of Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batsaikhan, N.; Woo, N. C.; Nemer, B.

2011-12-01

About 40% (1.1 million out of 2.7 million total) of Mongolian population lives in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. The city's drinking water totally depends on groundwater pumped from the alluvial aquifer along the Tuul River and some private wells for domestic usage. As a measure to evaluate groundwater conditions, a total 55 samples from groundwater and surface waters were collected in the public central well-field and its adjacent area from August 2010 to Feb. 2011, for characteristics of water chemistry and environmental isotopic signatures. The water types were classified with Ca-Mg-HCO3, Ca-Na-HCO3 and Ca-HCO3 in summer, but predominantly Ca-HCO3 in winter. Statistical analysis of water compositions shows two groups of water: group-A waters from the Public central supply well-field with Tuul river waters, and group-B from other area including Ger dwelling areas. In terms of water quality, nitrate concentrations exceeded the WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality (50 mg/l) in 55% (15 out of 27 samples) of the group-B; it implies that the potential sources of groundwater contamination be domestic waste-disposal practices and underdeveloped sewage systems. Environmental isotopes and water-level monitoring data indicated that shallow wells, showing the depth to water less than 3 m bgs, appear to be directly recharged from rainfalls and river water. In contrast, wells with the depth to water in between 5 and 7 m and located some distance from Tuul River take approximately 2 to 3 months to be recharged in rainy season. Since Ulaanbaatar has been growing fast as the Capital of Mongolia, various types of potential sources of groundwater contamination have also been located inside the city boundary including tanning industries, coal-based thermal power plants, gas stations, etc. Thus, for the sustainable development of the Capitol, it is warranted to develop better management measures with long-term and systematic monitoring to protect water-supply sources.

Assessment of groundwater exploitation in an aquifer using the random walk on grid method: a case study at Ordos, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nan, Tongchao; Li, Kaixuan; Wu, Jichun; Yin, Lihe

2018-04-01

Sustainability has been one of the key criteria of effective water exploitation. Groundwater exploitation and water-table decline at Haolebaoji water source site in the Ordos basin in NW China has drawn public attention due to concerns about potential threats to ecosystems and grazing land in the area. To better investigate the impact of production wells at Haolebaoji on the water table, an adapted algorithm called the random walk on grid method (WOG) is applied to simulate the hydraulic head in the unconfined and confined aquifers. This is the first attempt to apply WOG to a real groundwater problem. The method can not only evaluate the head values but also the contributions made by each source/sink term. One is allowed to analyze the impact of source/sink terms just as if one had an analytical solution. The head values evaluated by WOG match the values derived from the software Groundwater Modeling System (GMS). It suggests that WOG is effective and applicable in a heterogeneous aquifer with respect to practical problems, and the resultant information is useful for groundwater management.

A novel integrated approach for the hazardous radioactive dust source terms estimation in future nuclear fusion power plants.

PubMed

Poggi, L A; Malizia, A; Ciparisse, J F; Gaudio, P

2016-10-01

An open issue still under investigation by several international entities working on the safety and security field for the foreseen nuclear fusion reactors is the estimation of source terms that are a hazard for the operators and public, and for the machine itself in terms of efficiency and integrity in case of severe accident scenarios. Source term estimation is a crucial key safety issue to be addressed in the future reactors safety assessments, and the estimates available at the time are not sufficiently satisfactory. The lack of neutronic data along with the insufficiently accurate methodologies used until now, calls for an integrated methodology for source term estimation that can provide predictions with an adequate accuracy. This work proposes a complete methodology to estimate dust source terms starting from a broad information gathering. The wide number of parameters that can influence dust source term production is reduced with statistical tools using a combination of screening, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty analysis. Finally, a preliminary and simplified methodology for dust source term production prediction for future devices is presented.

Equivalent charge source model based iterative maximum neighbor weight for sparse EEG source localization.

PubMed

Xu, Peng; Tian, Yin; Lei, Xu; Hu, Xiao; Yao, Dezhong

2008-12-01

How to localize the neural electric activities within brain effectively and precisely from the scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings is a critical issue for current study in clinical neurology and cognitive neuroscience. In this paper, based on the charge source model and the iterative re-weighted strategy, proposed is a new maximum neighbor weight based iterative sparse source imaging method, termed as CMOSS (Charge source model based Maximum neighbOr weight Sparse Solution). Different from the weight used in focal underdetermined system solver (FOCUSS) where the weight for each point in the discrete solution space is independently updated in iterations, the new designed weight for each point in each iteration is determined by the source solution of the last iteration at both the point and its neighbors. Using such a new weight, the next iteration may have a bigger chance to rectify the local source location bias existed in the previous iteration solution. The simulation studies with comparison to FOCUSS and LORETA for various source configurations were conducted on a realistic 3-shell head model, and the results confirmed the validation of CMOSS for sparse EEG source localization. Finally, CMOSS was applied to localize sources elicited in a visual stimuli experiment, and the result was consistent with those source areas involved in visual processing reported in previous studies.

Spatial patterning in PM2.5 constituents under an inversion-focused sampling design across an urban area of complex terrain

PubMed Central

Tunno, Brett J; Dalton, Rebecca; Michanowicz, Drew R; Shmool, Jessie L C; Kinnee, Ellen; Tripathy, Sheila; Cambal, Leah; Clougherty, Jane E

2016-01-01

Health effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) vary by chemical composition, and composition can help to identify key PM2.5 sources across urban areas. Further, this intra-urban spatial variation in concentrations and composition may vary with meteorological conditions (e.g., mixing height). Accordingly, we hypothesized that spatial sampling during atmospheric inversions would help to better identify localized source effects, and reveal more distinct spatial patterns in key constituents. We designed a 2-year monitoring campaign to capture fine-scale intra-urban variability in PM2.5 composition across Pittsburgh, PA, and compared both spatial patterns and source effects during “frequent inversion” hours vs 24-h weeklong averages. Using spatially distributed programmable monitors, and a geographic information systems (GIS)-based design, we collected PM2.5 samples across 37 sampling locations per year to capture variation in local pollution sources (e.g., proximity to industry, traffic density) and terrain (e.g., elevation). We used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine elemental composition, and unconstrained factor analysis to identify source suites by sampling scheme and season. We examined spatial patterning in source factors using land use regression (LUR), wherein GIS-based source indicators served to corroborate factor interpretations. Under both summer sampling regimes, and for winter inversion-focused sampling, we identified six source factors, characterized by tracers associated with brake and tire wear, steel-making, soil and road dust, coal, diesel exhaust, and vehicular emissions. For winter 24-h samples, four factors suggested traffic/fuel oil, traffic emissions, coal/industry, and steel-making sources. In LURs, as hypothesized, GIS-based source terms better explained spatial variability in inversion-focused samples, including a greater contribution from roadway, steel, and coal-related sources. Factor analysis produced source-related constituent suites under both sampling designs, though factors were more distinct under inversion-focused sampling. PMID:26507005

Historical glacier outlines from digitized topographic maps of the Swiss Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freudiger, Daphné; Mennekes, David; Seibert, Jan; Weiler, Markus

2018-04-01

Since the end of the Little Ice Age around 1850, the total glacier area of the central European Alps has considerably decreased. In order to understand the changes in glacier coverage at various scales and to model past and future streamflow accurately, long-term and large-scale datasets of glacier outlines are needed. To fill the gap between the morphologically reconstructed glacier outlines from the moraine extent corresponding to the time period around 1850 and the first complete dataset of glacier areas in the Swiss Alps from aerial photographs in 1973, glacier areas from 80 sheets of a historical topographic map (the Siegfried map) were manually digitized for the publication years 1878-1918 (further called first period, with most sheets being published around 1900) and 1917-1944 (further called second period, with most sheets being published around 1935). The accuracy of the digitized glacier areas was then assessed through a two-step validation process: the data were (1) visually and (2) quantitatively compared to glacier area datasets of the years 1850, 1973, 2003, and 2010, which were derived from different sources, at the large scale, basin scale, and locally. The validation showed that at least 70 % of the digitized glaciers were comparable to the outlines from the other datasets and were therefore plausible. Furthermore, the inaccuracy of the manual digitization was found to be less than 5 %. The presented datasets of glacier outlines for the first and second periods are a valuable source of information for long-term glacier mass balance or hydrological modelling in glacierized basins. The uncertainty of the historical topographic maps should be considered during the interpretation of the results. The datasets can be downloaded from the FreiDok plus data repository (https://freidok.uni-freiburg.de/data/15008, https://doi.org/10.6094/UNIFR/15008).

Water quality decline in coastal aquifers under anthropic pressure: the case of a suburban area of Dakar (Senegal).

PubMed

Re, Viviana; Cissé Faye, Seynabou; Faye, Abdoulaye; Faye, Serigne; Gaye, Cheikh Becaye; Sacchi, Elisa; Zuppi, Gian Maria

2011-01-01

In recent years, the unregulated increase of the population in coastal areas of developing countries has become source of concern for both water supply and quality control. In the region of Dakar (Senegal), approximately 80% of water resources come from groundwater reservoirs, which are increasingly affected by anthropogenic pressures. The identification of the main sources of pollution, and thus the aquifer vulnerability, is essential to provide a sound basis for the implementation of long-term geochemically based water management plans in this sub-Saharan area. With this aim, a hydrochemical and isotopic survey on 26 wells was performed in the so-called Peninsula of Cap-Vert. Results show that seawater intrusion represents the main process affecting groundwater chemical characteristics. Nitrates often exceed the World Health Organization drinking water limits: stable isotopes of dissolved nitrate (δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O) indicate urban sewage and fertilizers as a major source of contamination. Results depict a complex situation in which groundwater is affected by direct and indirect infiltration of effluents, mixing with seawater and freshening processes from below. Besides the relevance of the investigation at a regional level, it represents a basis for decision-making processes in an integrated water resources management and in the planning of similar monitoring strategies for other urban coastal regions.

Inhalation Dose and Source Term Studies in a Tribal Area of Wayanad, Kerala, India

PubMed Central

Damodaran, Ravikumar C.; Kumar, Visnuprasad Ashok; Panakal John, Jojo; Bangaru, Danalakshmi; Natarajan, Chitra; Sathiamurthy, Bala Sundar; Mundiyanikal Thomas, Jose; Mishra, Rosaline

2017-01-01

Among radiation exposure pathways to human beings, inhalation dose is the most prominent one. Radon, thoron, and their progeny contribute more than 50 per cent to the annual effective dose due to natural radioactivity. South west coast of India is classified as a High Natural Background Radioactivity Area and large scale data on natural radioactivity and dosimetry are available from these coastal regions including the Neendakara-Chavara belt in the south of Kerala. However, similar studies and reports from the northern part of Kerala are scarce. The present study involves the data collection and analysis of radon, thoron, and progeny concentration in the Wayanad district of Kerala. The radon concentration was found to be within a range of 12–378 Bq/m3. The thoron concentration varied from 15 to 621 Bq/m3. Progeny concentration of radon and thoron and the diurnal variation of radon were also studied. In order to assess source term, wall and floor exhalation studies have been done for the houses showing elevated concentration of radon and thoron. The average values of radon, thoron, and their progeny are found to be above the Indian average as well as the average values reported from the High Natural Background Radioactivity Areas of Kerala. Exhalation studies of the soil samples collected from the vicinity of the houses show that radon mass exhalation rate varied from below detectable limit (BDL) to a maximum of 80 mBq/kg/h. The thoron surface exhalation rate ranged from BDL to 17470 Bq/m2/h. PMID:28611847

Pollution monitoring using networks of honey bees

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

Bromenshenk, J.J.; Dewart, M.L.; Thomas, J.M.

1983-08-01

Each year thousands of chemicals in large quantities are introduced into the global environment and the need for effective methods of monitoring these substances has steadily increased. Most monitoring programs rely upon instrumentation to measure specific contaminants in air, water, or soil. However, it has become apparent that humans and their environment are exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals rather than single entities. As our ability to detect ever smaller quantities of pollutants has increased, the biological significance of these findings has become more uncertain. Also, it is clear that monitoring efforts should shift from short-term studies of easily identifiablemore » sources in localized areas to long-term studies of multiple sources over widespread regions. Our investigations aim at providing better tools to meet these exigencies. Honey bees are discussed as an effective, long-term, self-sustaining system for monitoring environmental impacts. Our results indicate that the use of regional, and possibly national or international, capability can be realized with the aid of beekeepers in obtaining samples and conducting measurements. This approach has the added advantage of public involvement in environmental problem solving and protection of human health and environmental quality.« less

Liquid-metal-ion source development for space propulsion at ARC.

PubMed

Tajmar, M; Scharlemann, C; Genovese, A; Buldrini, N; Steiger, W; Vasiljevich, I

2009-04-01

The Austrian Research Centers have a long history of developing indium Liquid-Metal-Ion Source (LMIS) for space applications including spacecraft charging compensators, SIMS and propulsion. Specifically the application as a thruster requires long-term operation as well as high-current operation which is very challenging. Recently, we demonstrated the operation of a cluster of single LMIS at an average current of 100muA each for more than 4800h and developed models for tip erosion and droplet deposition suggesting that such a LMIS can operate up to 20,000h or more. In order to drastically increase the current, a porous multi-tip source that allows operation up to several mA was developed. Our paper will highlight the problem areas and challenges from our LMIS development focusing on space propulsion applications.

Condensed-matter research at the Los Alamos pulsed neutron source (WNR)

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

Eckert, J.

1982-01-01

The experimental program at the WNR in condensed matter research at present is aimed principally at utilizing the high epithermal neutron flux available at a spallation neutron source. Interesting new results have been obtained in several areas including hydrogen vibrations in metals, chemical vibrational spectroscopy and the structure of liquids. For example, extensive vibrational spectra were obtained of hydrogen in Nb which could be described in terms of a three-dimensional localized anharmonic oscillator, deuterium substitution methods were used to determine the variation with 0-0 distance of the hydrogen bending mode frequency in extremely short intramolecular hydrogen bonds, and model-independent partialmore » structure factors were determined for liquid water.« less

Instantaneous and time-averaged dispersion and measurement models for estimation theory applications with elevated point source plumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diamante, J. M.; Englar, T. S., Jr.; Jazwinski, A. H.

1977-01-01

Estimation theory, which originated in guidance and control research, is applied to the analysis of air quality measurements and atmospheric dispersion models to provide reliable area-wide air quality estimates. A method for low dimensional modeling (in terms of the estimation state vector) of the instantaneous and time-average pollutant distributions is discussed. In particular, the fluctuating plume model of Gifford (1959) is extended to provide an expression for the instantaneous concentration due to an elevated point source. Individual models are also developed for all parameters in the instantaneous and the time-average plume equations, including the stochastic properties of the instantaneous fluctuating plume.

Use of Nitrogen-15 Isotope Method in Soils and Ground Water to Determine Potential Nitrogen Sources Affecting a Municipal Water Supply in Kansas, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Townsend, M. A.; Macko, S. A.

2004-12-01

Nitrate-N concentrations have increased to greater than 10 mg/L in a municipal water supply in western Kansas from 1995 to 2002. A study was done by the Kansas Geological Survey using the nitrogen-15 natural abundance isotope method to determine potential sources for the increasing nitrate concentrations. Preliminary results of the isotope analyses on water samples suggest that animal waste and/or denitrification enrichment has affected the water supply. Soil samples from areas near the wells that were not treated with manure show a general increase of nitrogen-15 signature (+9 to +15 \\permil) to a depth of 5 m. Soils are silt loams with measurable carbonate (0.8 to 2 % by weight) in the profile, which may permit volatilization enrichment to occur in the soil profile. Wells in the area range from 11 to 20 m in alluvial deposits with depth to water at approximately 9 m). Nitrate-N values range from 8 to 26 mg/L. Nitrogen-15 values range from (+17 to +28 \\permil) with no obvious source of animal waste near the well sites. There are potential nearby long-term sources of animal waste - an abandoned sewage treatment plant and an agricultural testing farm. One well has a reducing chemistry with a nitrate value of 0.9 mg/L and a nitrogen-15 value of +17 \\permil suggesting that alluvial sediment variation also has an impact on the water quality in the study area. The other wells show values of nitrate and nitrogen-15 that are much greater than the associated soils. The use of nitrogen-15 alone permited limited evaluation of sources of nitrate to ground water particularly in areas with carbonate in the soils. Use of oxygen-18 on nitrate will permit the delineation of the processes affecting the nitrogen in the soil profile and determination of the probable sources and the processes that have affected the nitrogen in the ground water. Final results of the nitrogen-15 and oxygen-18 analyses will be presented.

Multicriteria analysis for sources of renewable energy using data from remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matejicek, L.

2015-04-01

Renewable energy sources are major components of the strategy to reduce harmful emissions and to replace depleting fossil energy resources. Data from remote sensing can provide information for multicriteria analysis for sources of renewable energy. Advanced land cover quantification makes it possible to search for suitable sites. Multicriteria analysis, together with other data, is used to determine the energy potential and socially acceptability of suggested locations. The described case study is focused on an area of surface coal mines in the northwestern region of the Czech Republic, where the impacts of surface mining and reclamation constitute a dominant force in land cover changes. High resolution satellite images represent the main input datasets for identification of suitable sites. Solar mapping, wind predictions, the location of weirs in watersheds, road maps and demographic information complement the data from remote sensing for multicriteria analysis, which is implemented in a geographic information system (GIS). The input spatial datasets for multicriteria analysis in GIS are reclassified to a common scale and processed with raster algebra tools to identify suitable sites for sources of renewable energy. The selection of suitable sites is limited by the CORINE land cover database to mining and agricultural areas. The case study is focused on long term land cover changes in the 1985-2015 period. Multicriteria analysis based on CORINE data shows moderate changes in mapping of suitable sites for utilization of selected sources of renewable energy in 1990, 2000, 2006 and 2012. The results represent map layers showing the energy potential on a scale of a few preference classes (1-7), where the first class is linked to minimum preference and the last class to maximum preference. The attached histograms show the moderate variability of preference classes due to land cover changes caused by mining activities. The results also show a slight increase in the more preferred classes for utilization of sources of renewable energy due to an increase area of reclaimed sites. Using data from remote sensing, such as the multispectral images and the CORINE land cover datasets, can reduce the financial resources currently required for finding and assessing suitable areas.

Two Model-Based Methods for Policy Analyses of Fine Particulate Matter Control in China: Source Apportionment and Source Sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.; Zhang, Y.; Zheng, B.; Zhang, Q.; He, K.

2013-12-01

Anthropogenic emissions have been controlled in recent years in China to mitigate fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution. Recent studies show that sulfate dioxide (SO2)-only control cannot reduce total PM2.5 levels efficiently. Other species such as nitrogen oxide, ammonia, black carbon, and organic carbon may be equally important during particular seasons. Furthermore, each species is emitted from several anthropogenic sectors (e.g., industry, power plant, transportation, residential and agriculture). On the other hand, contribution of one emission sector to PM2.5 represents contributions of all species in this sector. In this work, two model-based methods are used to identify the most influential emission sectors and areas to PM2.5. The first method is the source apportionment (SA) based on the Particulate Source Apportionment Technology (PSAT) available in the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions (CAMx) driven by meteorological predictions of the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. The second method is the source sensitivity (SS) based on an adjoint integration technique (AIT) available in the GEOS-Chem model. The SA method attributes simulated PM2.5 concentrations to each emission group, while the SS method calculates their sensitivity to each emission group, accounting for the non-linear relationship between PM2.5 and its precursors. Despite their differences, the complementary nature of the two methods enables a complete analysis of source-receptor relationships to support emission control policies. Our objectives are to quantify the contributions of each emission group/area to PM2.5 in the receptor areas and to intercompare results from the two methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of emission sources in PM2.5 formation. The results will be compared in terms of the magnitudes and rankings of SS or SA of emitted species and emission groups/areas. GEOS-Chem with AIT is applied over East Asia at a horizontal grid resolution of 0.5° (Lat) × 0.67° (Lon). WRF/CAMx with PSAT is applied to nested grids: 36-km × 36-km over China and 12-km × 12-km over northern China. These simulations are performed for 2006 and 2011. Beijing and northern Hebei are selected as representative receptor areas. Simulated surface concentrations by both models are evaluated with available observations in China. Focusing on inorganic aerosols (sulfate, nitrate and ammonium), preliminary SS results from GEOS-Chem/AIT at Beijing identify the top three major emission sectors to be agriculture, residential, and transportation in winter and agriculture, industry and power plant in summer. The top four source areas are northern Hebei, local, Neimenggu, and Liaoning in winter and northern Hebei, local, Shandong, and southern Hebei in summer. The synthesis of SS and SA for influential emission groups or areas from this work will provide a quantitative basis for emission control strategy development and policy making for PM2.5 control in China.

An evaluation of the social dimensions in public participation in rural domestic waste source-separated collection in Guilin, China.

PubMed

Ma, Jing; Hipel, Keith W; Hanson, Mark L

2017-12-21

A comprehensive evaluation of public participation in rural domestic waste (RDW) source-separated collection in China was carried out within a social-dimension framework, specifically in terms of public perception, awareness, attitude, and willingness to pay for RDW management. The evaluation was based on a case study conducted in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, which is a representative of most inland areas of the country with a GDP around the national average. It was found that unlike urban residents, rural residents maintained a high rate of recycling, but in a spontaneous manner; they paid more attention to issues closely related to their daily lives, but less attention to those at the general level; their awareness of RDW source-separated collection was low and different age groups showed significantly different preferences regarding the sources of knowledge acquirement. Among potential information sources, village committees played a very important role in knowledge dissemination; for the respondents' pro-environmental attitudes, the influencing factor of "lack of legislation/policy" was considered to be significant; mandatory charges for waste collection and disposal had a high rate of acceptance among rural residents; and high monthly incomes had a positive correlation with both public pro-environmental attitudes and public willingness to pay for extra charges levied by RDW management. These observations imply that, for decision-makers in the short term, implementing mandatory RDW source-separated collection programs with enforced guidelines and economic compensation is more effective, while in the long run, promoting pro-environmental education to rural residents is more important.

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture from vegetated terrains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fung, A. K.; Eom, H. J.

1985-01-01

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture over vegetated areas is studied via scattering models. In active sensing three contributing terms to radar backscattering can be identified: (1) the ground surface scatter term; (2) the volume scatter term representing scattering from the vegetation layer; and (3) the surface volume scatter term accounting for scattering from both surface and volume. In emission three sources of contribution can also be identified: (1) surface emission; (2) upward volume emission from the vegetation layer; and (3) downward volume emission scattered upward by the ground surface. As ground moisture increases, terms (1) and (3) increase due to increase in permittivity in the active case. However, in passive sensing, term (1) decreases but term (3) increases for the same reason. This self compensating effect produces a loss in sensitivity to change in ground moisture. Furthermore, emission from vegetation may be larger than that from the ground. Hence, the presence of vegetation layer causes a much greater loss of sensitivity to passive than active sensing of soil moisture.

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture from vegetated terrains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fung, A. K.; Eom, H. J.

1984-01-01

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture over vegetated areas is studied via scattering models. In active sensing three contributing terms to radar backscattering can be identified: (1) the ground surface scatter term; (2) the volume scatter term representing scattering from the vegetation layer; and (3) the surface volume scatter term accounting for scattering from both surface and volume. In emission three sources of contribution can also be identified: (1) surface emission; (2) upward volume emission from the vegetation layer; and (3) downward volume emission scattered upward by the ground surface. As ground moisture increases, terms (1) and (3) increase due to increase in permittivity in the active case. However, in passive sensing, term (1) decreases but term (3) increases for the same reason. This self conpensating effect produces a loss in sensitivity to change in ground moisture. Furthermore, emission from vegetation may be larger than that from the ground. Hence, the presence of vegetation layer causes a much greater loss of sensitivity to passive than active sensing of soil moisture.

Water Developments and Canids in Two North American Deserts: A Test of the Indirect Effect of Water Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Hall, Lucas K.; Larsen, Randy T.; Knight, Robert N.; Bunnell, Kevin D.; McMillan, Brock R.

2013-01-01

Anthropogenic modifications to landscapes intended to benefit wildlife may negatively influence wildlife communities. Anthropogenic provisioning of free water (water developments) to enhance abundance and distribution of wildlife is a common management practice in arid regions where water is limiting. Despite the long-term and widespread use of water developments, little is known about how they influence native species. Water developments may negatively influence arid-adapted species (e.g., kit fox, Vulpes macrotis) by enabling water-dependent competitors (e.g., coyote, Canis latrans) to expand distribution in arid landscapes (i.e., indirect effect of water hypothesis). We tested the two predictions of the indirect effect of water hypothesis (i.e., coyotes will visit areas with free water more frequently and kit foxes will spatially and temporally avoid coyotes) and evaluated relative use of free water by canids in the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts from 2010 to 2012. We established scent stations in areas with (wet) and without (dry) free water and monitored visitation by canids to these sites and visitation to water sources using infrared-triggered cameras. There was no difference in the proportions of visits to scent stations in wet or dry areas by coyotes or kit foxes at either study area. We did not detect spatial (no negative correlation between visits to scent stations) or temporal (no difference between times when stations were visited) segregation between coyotes and kit foxes. Visitation to water sources was not different for coyotes between study areas, but kit foxes visited water sources more in Mojave than Great Basin. Our results did not support the indirect effect of water hypothesis in the Great Basin or Mojave Deserts for these two canids. PMID:23844097

Using stable isotopes in tracing contaminant sources in an industrial area: A case study on the hydrological basin of the Olt River, Romania.

PubMed

Popescu, Raluca; Mimmo, Tanja; Dinca, Oana Romina; Capici, Calogero; Costinel, Diana; Sandru, Claudia; Ionete, Roxana Elena; Stefanescu, Ioan; Axente, Damian

2015-11-15

Tracing pollution sources and transformation of nitrogen compounds in surface- and groundwater is an issue of great significance worldwide due to the increased human activity, translated in high demand of water resources and pollution. In this work, the hydrological basin of an important chemical industrial platform in Romania (Ramnicu Valcea industrial area) was characterized in terms of the physico-chemical and isotope composition of δ(18)O and δ(2)H in water samples and δ(15)N of the inorganic nitrogen species. Throughout a period of one year, water samples from the Olt River and its more important tributaries were collected monthly in the industrial area, when the seasonal and spatial isotope patterns of the surface waters and the main sources of pollution were determined. Higher inorganic nitrogen concentrations (up to 10.2 mg N L(-1)) were measured between November 2012 and April 2013, which were designated as anthropogenic additions using the mixing calculations. The main sources of pollution with inorganic nitrogen were agriculture and residential release. The inorganic nitrogen from the industrial waste water duct had a distinct δ(15)N fingerprint (mean of -8.6‰). Also, one industrial release into the environment was identified for Olt River, at Ionesti site, in November 2012. The mean precipitation samples had the lowest inorganic nitrogen concentrations (less than 5.5 mg N L(-1)) with a distinct δ(15)N fingerprint compared to the surface and industrial waters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying monthly to decadal subsidence and assessing collapse potential near the Wink sinkholes, west Texas, using airborne lidar, radar interferometry, and microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paine, J. G.; Collins, E.; Yang, D.; Andrews, J. R.; Averett, A.; Caudle, T.; Saylam, K.

2014-12-01

We are using airborne lidar and satellite-based radar interferometry (InSAR) to quantify short-term (months to years) and longer-term (decades) subsidence in the area surrounding two large (100- to 200-m diameter) sinkholes that formed above Permian bedded salt in 1980 and 2002 in the Wink area, west Texas. Radar interferograms constructed from synthetic aperture radar data acquired between 2008 and 2011 with the ALOS PALSAR L-band satellite-borne instrument reveal local areas that are subsiding at rates that reach a few cm per month. Subsiding areas identified on radar interferograms enable labor-intensive ground investigations (such as microgravity surveys) to focus on areas where subsidence is occurring and shallow-source mass deficits might exist that could be sites of future subsidence or collapse. Longer-term elevation changes are being quantified by comparing digital elevation models (DEMs) constructed from high-resolution airborne lidar data acquired over a 32-km2 area in 2013 with older, lower-resolution DEMs constructed from data acquired during the NASA- and NGA-sponsored Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission in February 2000 and from USGS aerial photogrammetry-derived topographic data from the 1960s. Total subsidence reaches more than 10 m over 45 years in some areas. Maximum rates of subsidence measured on annual (from InSAR) and decadal (from lidar) time scales are about 0.25 m/yr. In addition to showing the extent and magnitude of subsidence at the 1980 and 2002 sinkholes, comparison of the 2013 lidar-derived DEM with the 1960s photogrammetry-derived DEM revealed other locations that have undergone significant (more than 1 m) elevation change since the 1960s, but show no evidence of recent (2008 to 2011) ground motion from satellite radar interferograms. Regional coverage obtained by radar interferometry and local coverage obtained with airborne lidar show that areas of measurable subsidence are all within a few km of the 1980 and 2002 sinkholes.

A coupled model approach to reduce nonpoint-source pollution resulting from predicted urban growth: A case study in the Ambos Nogales watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Norman, L.M.; Guertin, D.P.; Feller, M.

2008-01-01

The development of new approaches for understanding processes of urban development and their environmental effects, as well as strategies for sustainable management, is essential in expanding metropolitan areas. This study illustrates the potential of linking urban growth and watershed models to identify problem areas and support long-term watershed planning. Sediment is a primary source of nonpoint-source pollution in surface waters. In urban areas, sediment is intermingled with other surface debris in transport. In an effort to forecast the effects of development on surface-water quality, changes predicted in urban areas by the SLEUTH urban growth model were applied in the context of erosion-sedimentation models (Universal Soil Loss Equation and Spatially Explicit Delivery Models). The models are used to simulate the effect of excluding hot-spot areas of erosion and sedimentation from future urban growth and to predict the impacts of alternative erosion-control scenarios. Ambos Nogales, meaning 'both Nogaleses,' is a name commonly used for the twin border cities of Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. The Ambos Nogales watershed has experienced a decrease in water quality as a result of urban development in the twin-city area. Population growth rates in Ambos Nogales are high and the resources set in place to accommodate the rapid population influx will soon become overburdened. Because of its remote location and binational governance, monitoring and planning across the border is compromised. One scenario described in this research portrays an improvement in water quality through the identification of high-risk areas using models that simulate their protection from development and replanting with native grasses, while permitting the predicted and inevitable growth elsewhere. This is meant to add to the body of knowledge about forecasting the impact potential of urbanization on sediment delivery to streams for sustainable development, which can be accomplished in a virtual environment. Copyright ?? 2008 by Bellwether Publishing, Ltd. All rights reserved.

The NASA space power technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephenson, R. Rhoads

1992-01-01

NASA has a broad technology program in the field of space power. This paper describes that program, including the roles and responsibilities of the various NASA field centers and major contractors. In the power source area, the paper discusses the SP-100 Space Nuclear Power Project, which has been under way for about seven years and is making substantial progress toward development of components for a 100-kilowatt power system that can be scaled to other sizes. This system is a candidate power source for nuclear electric propulsion, as well as for a power plant for a lunar base. In the energy storage area, the paper describes NASA's battery- and fuel-cell development programs. NASA is actively working on NiCd, NiH2, and lithium batteries. A status update is also given on a U.S. Air Force-sponsored program to develop a large (150 ampere-hour) lithium-thionyl chloride battery for the Centaur upper-stage launch vehicle. Finally, the area of power management and distribution (PMAD) is addressed, including power system components such as solid-state switches and power integrated circuits. Automated load management and other computer-controlled functions offer considerable payoffs. The state of the art in space power is described, along with NASA's medium- and long-term goals in the area.

The meaning of city noises: Investigating sound quality in Paris (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubois, Daniele; Guastavino, Catherine; Maffiolo, Valerie; Guastavino, Catherine; Maffiolo, Valerie

2004-05-01

The sound quality of Paris (France) was investigated by using field inquiries in actual environments (open questionnaires) and using recordings under laboratory conditions (free-sorting tasks). Cognitive categories of soundscapes were inferred by means of psycholinguistic analyses of verbal data and of mathematical analyses of similarity judgments. Results show that auditory judgments mainly rely on source identification. The appraisal of urban noise therefore depends on the qualitative evaluation of noise sources. The salience of human sounds in public spaces has been demonstrated, in relation to pleasantness judgments: soundscapes with human presence tend to be perceived as more pleasant than soundscapes consisting solely of mechanical sounds. Furthermore, human sounds are qualitatively processed as indicators of human outdoor activities, such as open markets, pedestrian areas, and sidewalk cafe districts that reflect city life. In contrast, mechanical noises (mainly traffic noise) are commonly described in terms of physical properties (temporal structure, intensity) of a permanent background noise that also characterizes urban areas. This connotes considering both quantitative and qualitative descriptions to account for the diversity of cognitive interpretations of urban soundscapes, since subjective evaluations depend both on the meaning attributed to noise sources and on inherent properties of the acoustic signal.

Hydrologic and geochemical data assimilation at the Hanford 300 Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Hammond, G. E.; Murray, C. J.; Zachara, J. M.

2012-12-01

In modeling the uranium migration within the Integrated Field Research Challenge (IFRC) site at the Hanford 300 Area, uncertainties arise from both hydrologic and geochemical sources. The hydrologic uncertainty includes the transient flow boundary conditions induced by dynamic variations in Columbia River stage and the underlying heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity field, while the geochemical uncertainty is a result of limited knowledge of the geochemical reaction processes and parameters, as well as heterogeneity in uranium source terms. In this work, multiple types of data, including the results from constant-injection tests, borehole flowmeter profiling, and conservative tracer tests, are sequentially assimilated across scales within a Bayesian framework to reduce the hydrologic uncertainty. The hydrologic data assimilation is then followed by geochemical data assimilation, where the goal is to infer the heterogeneous distribution of uranium sources using uranium breakthrough curves from a desorption test that took place at high spring water table. We demonstrate in our study that Ensemble-based data assimilation techniques (Ensemble Kalman filter and smoother) are efficient in integrating multiple types of data sequentially for uncertainty reduction. The computational demand is managed by using the multi-realization capability within the parallel PFLOTRAN simulator.

The environmental balance of the Alta Val d'Agri: a contribution to the evaluation of the industrial risk and strategic sustainable development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loperte, S.; Cosmi, C.

2015-09-01

This study presents the preliminary environmental balance of the Alta Val d'Agri (Basilicata Region, Southern Italy), an area of great naturalistic interest characterized by the presence of huge oil and gas fields. The Driving Forces-Pressure-State-Impact-Responses (DPSIR) methodology was used to outline the background in terms of environmental impacts mainly caused by oil extraction activities, as well as potential existing responses. The study aims at providing stakeholders with an exhaustive framework to identify the existing data, the main sources of pollution, their potential impacts, the associated industrial risks and the existing policy strategies. Moreover, the DPSIR approach allows the identification of the vulnerable areas and the definition of targeted actions for a sustainable development of the area.

Impact of saline water sources on hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk in coastal Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, Adrian; Hoque, Mohammad; Mathewson, Eleanor; Ahmed, Kazi; Rahman, Moshuir; Vineis, Paolo; Scheelbeek, Pauline

2016-04-01

Southern Bangladesh is periodically affected by tropical cyclone induced storm surges. Such events can result in the inundation of large areas of the coastal plain by sea water. Over time these episodic influxes of saline water have led to the build-up of a high of salinities (e.g. > 1,000 mg/l) in the shallow (up to ca. 150 m depth) groundwater. Owing to the highly saline groundwater, local communities have developed alternative surface water sources by constructing artificial drinking water ponds, which collect monsoonal rainwater. These have far greater storage than traditional rainwater harvesting systems, which typically use 40 litre storage containers that are quickly depleted during the dry season. Unfortunately, the ponds can also become salinised during storm surge events, the impacts of which can last for a number of years. A combined hydrological and epidemiological research programme over the past two years has been undertaken to understand the potential health risks associated with these saline water sources, as excessive intake of sodium can lead to hypertension and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (such as stroke and heart attack). An important aspect of the selected research sites was the variety of drinking water sources available. These included the presence of managed aquifer recharge sites where monsoonal rainwater is stored in near-surface (semi-)confined aquifers for abstraction during the dry season. This provided an opportunity for the effects of interventions with lower salinity sources to be assessed. Adjusting for confounding factors such as age, gender and diet, the results show a significant association between salinity and blood pressure. Furthermore, the results also showed such impacts are reversible. In order to evaluate the costs and benefits of such interventions, a water salinity - dose impact model is being developed to assess the effectiveness of alternative drinking water sources, such as enhanced rainwater harvesting, localised solar distillation, as well as the long-term risks from traditional water sources due to climate change. Preliminary results from the model will be presented showing the relative impacts from these interventions. These highlight the need for an integrated approach to salinity management in such coastal deltas in order to improve the long-term health of local communities living in these areas.

The 2016 Al-Mishraq sulphur plant fire: Source and health risk area estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Björnham, Oscar; Grahn, Håkan; von Schoenberg, Pontus; Liljedahl, Birgitta; Waleij, Annica; Brännström, Niklas

2017-11-01

On October 20, 2016, Daesh (Islamic State) set fire to the sulphur production site Al-Mishraq as the battle of Mosul in northern Iraq became more intense. An extensive plume of toxic sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide caused comprehensive casualties. The intensity of the SO2 release was reaching levels of minor volcanic eruptions and the plume was observed by several satellites. By investigation of the measurement data from instruments on the MetOp-A, MetOp-B, Aura and Soumi satellites we have estimated the time-dependent source term to 161 kilotonnes sulphur dioxide released into the atmosphere during seven days. A long-range dispersion model was utilized to simulate the atmospheric transport over the Middle East. The ground level concentrations predicted by the simulation were compared with observation from the Turkey National Air Quality Monitoring Network. Finally, the simulation data provided, using a probit analysis of the simulated data, an estimate of the health risk area that was compared to reported urgent medical treatments.

Cradles and museums of Antarctic teleost biodiversity.

PubMed

Dornburg, Alex; Federman, Sarah; Lamb, April D; Jones, Christopher D; Near, Thomas J

2017-09-01

Isolated in one of the most extreme marine environments on Earth, teleost fish diversity in Antarctica's Southern Ocean is dominated by one lineage: the notothenioids. Throughout the past century, the long-term persistence of this unique marine fauna has become increasingly threatened by regional atmospheric and, to a lesser extent oceanic, warming. Developing an understanding of how historical temperature shifts have shaped source-sink dynamics for Antarctica's teleost lineages provides critical insight for predicting future demographic responses to climate change. We use a combination of phylogenetic and biogeographic modelling to show that high-latitude Antarctic nearshore habitats have been an evolutionary sink for notothenioid species diversity. Contrary to expectations from island biogeographic theory, lower latitude regions of the Southern Ocean that include the northern Antarctic Peninsula and peripheral island archipelagos act as source areas to continental diversity. These peripheral areas facilitate both the generation of new species and repeated colonization of nearshore Antarctic continental regions. Our results provide historical context to contemporary trends of global climate change that threaten to invert these evolutionary dynamics.

Biosurfactant production through Bacillus sp. MTCC 5877 and its multifarious applications in food industry.

PubMed

Anjum, Farhan; Gautam, Gunjan; Edgard, Gnansounou; Negi, Sangeeta

2016-08-01

In this study Bacillus sp. MTCC5877 was explored for the production of biosurfactant (BSs) and various carbon sources 1% (w/v), 0.5% (w/v) nitrogen sources were tested at different pH, and temperature. Yield was measured in terms of Emulsification index (EI), Oil Displacement Area (ODA) and Drop Collapse Area (DCA) and maximum emulsification activities of BSs were found (E24) 50%, 76% and 46%, respectively, and maximum ODA of 5.0, 6.2 and 4.7cm, were shown respectively. The BS was able to reduce the surface tension of water from 72 to 30mN/m and 72 to 32mN/m. Structural compositions of BS were confirmed by FTIR, GC-MS and NMR. Anti-adhesive property of BS was determined and found effective against biofilm formation. It could remove 73% Cd from vegetable which confirms its application in food industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mercury and methylmercury concentrations and loads in the Cache Creek watershed, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Alpers, Charles N.; Slotton, D.G.; Suchanek, T.H.; Ayers, S.M.

2004-01-01

Concentrations and loads of total mercury and methylmercury were measured in streams draining abandoned mercury mines and in the proximity of geothermal discharge in the Cache Creek watershed of California during a 17-month period from January 2000 through May 2001. Rainfall and runoff were lower than long-term averages during the study period. The greatest loading of mercury and methylmercury from upstream sources to downstream receiving waters, such as San Francisco Bay, generally occurred during or after winter rainfall events. During the study period, loads of mercury and methylmercury from geothermal sources tended to be greater than those from abandoned mining areas, a pattern attributable to the lack of large precipitation events capable of mobilizing significant amounts of either mercury-laden sediment or dissolved mercury and methylmercury from mine waste. Streambed sediments of Cache Creek are a significant source of mercury and methylmercury to downstream receiving bodies of water. Much of the mercury in these sediments is the result of deposition over the last 100-150 years by either storm-water runoff, from abandoned mines, or continuous discharges from geothermal areas. Several geochemical constituents were useful as natural tracers for mining and geothermal areas, including the aqueous concentrations of boron, chloride, lithium and sulfate, and the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water. Stable isotopes of water in areas draining geothermal discharges showed a distinct trend toward enrichment of 18O compared with meteoric waters, whereas much of the runoff from abandoned mines indicated a stable isotopic pattern more consistent with local meteoric water. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increasing seismicity in the U. S. midcontinent: Implications for earthquake hazard

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellsworth, William L.; Llenos, Andrea L.; McGarr, Arthur F.; Michael, Andrew J.; Rubinstein, Justin L.; Mueller, Charles S.; Petersen, Mark D.; Calais, Eric

2015-01-01

Earthquake activity in parts of the central United States has increased dramatically in recent years. The space-time distribution of the increased seismicity, as well as numerous published case studies, indicates that the increase is of anthropogenic origin, principally driven by injection of wastewater coproduced with oil and gas from tight formations. Enhanced oil recovery and long-term production also contribute to seismicity at a few locations. Preliminary hazard models indicate that areas experiencing the highest rate of earthquakes in 2014 have a short-term (one-year) hazard comparable to or higher than the hazard in the source region of tectonic earthquakes in the New Madrid and Charleston seismic zones.

Reactive Granulomatous Dermatitis: A Review of Palisaded Neutrophilic and Granulomatous Dermatitis, Interstitial Granulomatous Dermatitis, Interstitial Granulomatous Drug Reaction, and a Proposed Reclassification.

PubMed

Rosenbach, Misha; English, Joseph C

2015-07-01

The terms "palisaded neutrophilic and granulomatous dermatitis," "interstitial granulomatous dermatitis," and the subset "interstitial granulomatous drug reaction" are a source of confusion. There exists substantial overlap among the entities with few strict distinguishing features. We review the literature and highlight areas of distinction and overlap, and propose a streamlined diagnostic workup for patients presenting with this cutaneous reaction pattern. Because the systemic disease associations and requisite workup are similar, and the etiopathogenesis is poorly understood but likely similar among these entities, we propose the simplified unifying term "reactive granulomatous dermatitis" to encompass these entities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Arsenic and metals in soils in the vicinity of the Imperial Oil Company Superfund Site, Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Water-resources investigations

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

Barringer, J.L.; Szabo, Z.; Barringer, T.H.

1998-09-01

Concentrations of arsenic exceed the New Jersey State Cleanup Criterion of 20 parts per million in sandy and clay-rich soils of two residential areas in the vicinity of the Imperial Oil Company Superfund site in Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. In order to determine the source of the arsenic and metals in soils in the two residential areas, soil samples were collected from (1) long-term forested areas, to determine background geologic and regional atmospheric inputs of arsenic and metals; (2) former and current orchards, to assess the range of concentrations of arsenic and metals that could be contributed bymore » past use of pesticides; (3) the Imperial Oil Company Superfund site, to characterize the chemical composition of contamination from activities at the site; (4) a wooded area adjacent to the Superfund site, to determine whether arsenic and metals from the Superfund site were evident; and (5) the two residential areas, to compare soil chemistry in these areas with the chemistry of soils from forests, orchards, and the Superfund site. The soil samples were divided by soil horizon and were analyzed for 23 metals and metalloids, total organic carbon, and total sulfur. Additionally, air-flow models were used to determine whether roasting of arsenic at the Imperial Oil Company Superfund site was a possible source of arsenic in the soils.« less

Updated Conceptual Model for the 300 Area Uranium Groundwater Plume

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

Zachara, John M.; Freshley, Mark D.; Last, George V.

2012-11-01

The 300 Area uranium groundwater plume in the 300-FF-5 Operable Unit is residual from past discharge of nuclear fuel fabrication wastes to a number of liquid (and solid) disposal sites. The source zones in the disposal sites were remediated by excavation and backfilled to grade, but sorbed uranium remains in deeper, unexcavated vadose zone sediments. In spite of source term removal, the groundwater plume has shown remarkable persistence, with concentrations exceeding the drinking water standard over an area of approximately 1 km2. The plume resides within a coupled vadose zone, groundwater, river zone system of immense complexity and scale. Interactionsmore » between geologic structure, the hydrologic system driven by the Columbia River, groundwater-river exchange points, and the geochemistry of uranium contribute to persistence of the plume. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently completed a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) to document characterization of the 300 Area uranium plume and plan for beginning to implement proposed remedial actions. As part of the RI/FS document, a conceptual model was developed that integrates knowledge of the hydrogeologic and geochemical properties of the 300 Area and controlling processes to yield an understanding of how the system behaves and the variables that control it. Recent results from the Hanford Integrated Field Research Challenge site and the Subsurface Biogeochemistry Scientific Focus Area Project funded by the DOE Office of Science were used to update the conceptual model and provide an assessment of key factors controlling plume persistence.« less

77 FR 19740 - Water Sources for Long-Term Recirculation Cooling Following a Loss-of-Coolant Accident

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-02

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0249] Water Sources for Long-Term Recirculation Cooling... Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.82, ``Water Sources for Long-Term Recirculation Cooling Following a Loss-of-Coolant... regarding the sumps and suppression pools that provide water sources for emergency core cooling, containment...

Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement, Bel Marin Keys Unit 5.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

generation render it a major indirect source of emissions. The 1979 Bay Area Air Quality Plan contains actions and policies designed to result in the...Base would render not only the immediate environs unacceptable in terms of housing but large portions of Novato as well. The Noise Element of the...of toxic or other deleterious effects on aquatic biota, wildlife or waterfowl, or which render any of these unfit for human consumption either at

COMBUSTION AREA SOURCES: DATA SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

The report identifies, documents, and evaluates data sources for stationary area source emissions, including solid waste and agricultural burning. Area source emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, reactive volatile organic compounds, and carbon mon...

Spatio-temporal modeling of chronic PM 10 exposure for the Nurses' Health Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanosky, Jeff D.; Paciorek, Christopher J.; Schwartz, Joel; Laden, Francine; Puett, Robin; Suh, Helen H.

2008-06-01

Chronic epidemiological studies of airborne particulate matter (PM) have typically characterized the chronic PM exposures of their study populations using city- or county-wide ambient concentrations, which limit the studies to areas where nearby monitoring data are available and which ignore within-city spatial gradients in ambient PM concentrations. To provide more spatially refined and precise chronic exposure measures, we used a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based spatial smoothing model to predict monthly outdoor PM10 concentrations in the northeastern and midwestern United States. This model included monthly smooth spatial terms and smooth regression terms of GIS-derived and meteorological predictors. Using cross-validation and other pre-specified selection criteria, terms for distance to road by road class, urban land use, block group and county population density, point- and area-source PM10 emissions, elevation, wind speed, and precipitation were found to be important determinants of PM10 concentrations and were included in the final model. Final model performance was strong (cross-validation R2=0.62), with little bias (-0.4 μg m-3) and high precision (6.4 μg m-3). The final model (with monthly spatial terms) performed better than a model with seasonal spatial terms (cross-validation R2=0.54). The addition of GIS-derived and meteorological predictors improved predictive performance over spatial smoothing (cross-validation R2=0.51) or inverse distance weighted interpolation (cross-validation R2=0.29) methods alone and increased the spatial resolution of predictions. The model performed well in both rural and urban areas, across seasons, and across the entire time period. The strong model performance demonstrates its suitability as a means to estimate individual-specific chronic PM10 exposures for large populations.

Comparison of the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents: a review of the environmental impacts.

PubMed

Steinhauser, Georg; Brandl, Alexander; Johnson, Thomas E

2014-02-01

The environmental impacts of the nuclear accidents of Chernobyl and Fukushima are compared. In almost every respect, the consequences of the Chernobyl accident clearly exceeded those of the Fukushima accident. In both accidents, most of the radioactivity released was due to volatile radionuclides (noble gases, iodine, cesium, tellurium). However, the amount of refractory elements (including actinides) emitted in the course of the Chernobyl accident was approximately four orders of magnitude higher than during the Fukushima accident. For Chernobyl, a total release of 5,300 PBq (excluding noble gases) has been established as the most cited source term. For Fukushima, we estimated a total source term of 520 (340-800) PBq. In the course of the Fukushima accident, the majority of the radionuclides (more than 80%) was transported offshore and deposited in the Pacific Ocean. Monitoring campaigns after both accidents reveal that the environmental impact of the Chernobyl accident was much greater than of the Fukushima accident. Both the highly contaminated areas and the evacuated areas are smaller around Fukushima and the projected health effects in Japan are significantly lower than after the Chernobyl accident. This is mainly due to the fact that food safety campaigns and evacuations worked quickly and efficiently after the Fukushima accident. In contrast to Chernobyl, no fatalities due to acute radiation effects occurred in Fukushima. © 2013.

Framework for Evaluating Water Quality of the New England Crystalline Rock Aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harte, Philip T.; Robinson, Gilpin R.; Ayotte, Joseph D.; Flanagan, Sarah M.

2008-01-01

Little information exists on regional ground-water-quality patterns for the New England crystalline rock aquifers (NECRA). A systematic approach to facilitate regional evaluation is needed for several reasons. First, the NECRA are vulnerable to anthropogenic and natural contaminants such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), arsenic, and radon gas. Second, the physical characteristics of the aquifers, termed 'intrinsic susceptibility', can lead to variable and degraded water quality. A framework approach for characterizing the aquifer region into areas of similar hydrogeology is described in this report and is based on hypothesized relevant physical features and chemical conditions (collectively termed 'variables') that affect regional patterns of ground-water quality. A framework for comparison of water quality across the NECRA consists of a group of spatial variables related to aquifer properties, hydrologic conditions, and contaminant sources. These spatial variables are grouped under four general categories (features) that can be mapped across the aquifers: (1) geologic, (2) hydrophysiographic, (3) land-use land-cover, and (4) geochemical. On a regional scale, these variables represent indicators of natural and anthropogenic sources of contaminants, as well as generalized physical and chemical characteristics of the aquifer system that influence ground-water chemistry and flow. These variables can be used in varying combinations (depending on the contaminant) to categorize the aquifer into areas of similar hydrogeologic characteristics to evaluate variation in regional water quality through statistical testing.

Probabilistic assessment of safe groundwater utilization in farmed fish ponds of blackfoot disease hyperendemic areas in terms of the regulation of arsenic concentrations.

PubMed

Jang, Cheng-Shin

2008-03-15

This work probabilistically explored a safe utilization ratio (UR) of groundwater in fish ponds located in blackfoot disease hyperendemic areas in terms of the regulation of arsenic (As) concentrations. Sequential indicator simulation was used to reproduce As concentrations in groundwater and to propagate their uncertainty. Corresponding URs of groundwater were obtained from the relationship of mass balance between reproduced As concentrations in groundwater and the As regulation in farmed fish ponds. Three levels were adopted to evaluate the UR - UR> or =0.5, 0.5>UR> or =0.1 and UR<0.1. The high probability of the UR> or =0.5 level presents in the northern and southern regions where groundwater can be a major water source. The high probability of the 0.5>UR> or =0.1 level is mainly distributed in the central-coastal, central-eastern and southeastern regions where groundwater should be considered as a subordinate water source. Being available, extra surface water has priority over providing aquacultural needs of the regions with the high probability of the UR> or =0.5 and 0.5>UR> or =0.1 levels. In the regions with the high probability of the UR<0.1 level, in the central-coastal and southwestern regions, groundwater utilization should be reduced substantially or even prohibited completely for no adverse effects on human health.

Source apportionment of wet-deposited atmospheric mercury in Tampa, Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michael, Ryan; Stuart, Amy L.; Trotz, Maya A.; Akiwumi, Fenda

2016-03-01

In this paper, sources of mercury deposition to the Tampa area (Florida, USA) are investigated by analysis of one year (March 2000-March 2001) of daily wet deposition data. HYSPLIT back-trajectory modeling was performed to assess potential source locations for high versus low concentration events in data stratified by precipitation level. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was also applied to apportion the elemental compositions from each event and to identify sources. Increased total mercury deposition was observed during summer months, corresponding to increased precipitation. However, mercury concentration in deposited samples was not strongly correlated with precipitation amount. Back-trajectories show air masses passing over Florida land in the short (12 h) and medium (24 h) term prior to deposition for high mercury concentration events. PMF results indicate that eleven factors contribute to the deposited elements in the event data. Diagnosed elemental profiles suggest the sources that contribute to mercury wet deposition at the study site are coal combustion (52% of the deposited mercury mass), municipal waste incineration (23%), medical waste incineration (19%), and crustal dust (6%). Overall, results suggest that sources local to the county and in Florida likely contributed substantially to mercury deposition at the study site, but distant sources may also contribute.

Spatial analysis of factors influencing long-term stress in the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population of Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Bourbonnais, Mathieu L; Nelson, Trisalyn A; Cattet, Marc R L; Darimont, Chris T; Stenhouse, Gordon B

2013-01-01

Non-invasive measures for assessing long-term stress in free ranging mammals are an increasingly important approach for understanding physiological responses to landscape conditions. Using a spatially and temporally expansive dataset of hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) generated from a threatened grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in Alberta, Canada, we quantified how variables representing habitat conditions and anthropogenic disturbance impact long-term stress in grizzly bears. We characterized spatial variability in male and female HCC point data using kernel density estimation and quantified variable influence on spatial patterns of male and female HCC stress surfaces using random forests. Separate models were developed for regions inside and outside of parks and protected areas to account for substantial differences in anthropogenic activity and disturbance within the study area. Variance explained in the random forest models ranged from 55.34% to 74.96% for males and 58.15% to 68.46% for females. Predicted HCC levels were higher for females compared to males. Generally, high spatially continuous female HCC levels were associated with parks and protected areas while low-to-moderate levels were associated with increased anthropogenic disturbance. In contrast, male HCC levels were low in parks and protected areas and low-to-moderate in areas with increased anthropogenic disturbance. Spatial variability in gender-specific HCC levels reveal that the type and intensity of external stressors are not uniform across the landscape and that male and female grizzly bears may be exposed to, or perceive, potential stressors differently. We suggest observed spatial patterns of long-term stress may be the result of the availability and distribution of foods related to disturbance features, potential sexual segregation in available habitat selection, and may not be influenced by sources of mortality which represent acute traumas. In this wildlife system and others, conservation and management efforts can benefit by understanding spatial- and gender-based stress responses to landscape conditions.

Spatial Analysis of Factors Influencing Long-Term Stress in the Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) Population of Alberta, Canada

PubMed Central

Bourbonnais, Mathieu L.; Nelson, Trisalyn A.; Cattet, Marc R. L.; Darimont, Chris T.; Stenhouse, Gordon B.

2013-01-01

Non-invasive measures for assessing long-term stress in free ranging mammals are an increasingly important approach for understanding physiological responses to landscape conditions. Using a spatially and temporally expansive dataset of hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) generated from a threatened grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in Alberta, Canada, we quantified how variables representing habitat conditions and anthropogenic disturbance impact long-term stress in grizzly bears. We characterized spatial variability in male and female HCC point data using kernel density estimation and quantified variable influence on spatial patterns of male and female HCC stress surfaces using random forests. Separate models were developed for regions inside and outside of parks and protected areas to account for substantial differences in anthropogenic activity and disturbance within the study area. Variance explained in the random forest models ranged from 55.34% to 74.96% for males and 58.15% to 68.46% for females. Predicted HCC levels were higher for females compared to males. Generally, high spatially continuous female HCC levels were associated with parks and protected areas while low-to-moderate levels were associated with increased anthropogenic disturbance. In contrast, male HCC levels were low in parks and protected areas and low-to-moderate in areas with increased anthropogenic disturbance. Spatial variability in gender-specific HCC levels reveal that the type and intensity of external stressors are not uniform across the landscape and that male and female grizzly bears may be exposed to, or perceive, potential stressors differently. We suggest observed spatial patterns of long-term stress may be the result of the availability and distribution of foods related to disturbance features, potential sexual segregation in available habitat selection, and may not be influenced by sources of mortality which represent acute traumas. In this wildlife system and others, conservation and management efforts can benefit by understanding spatial- and gender-based stress responses to landscape conditions. PMID:24386273

Toward a common language for biobanking.

PubMed

Fransson, Martin N; Rial-Sebbag, Emmanuelle; Brochhausen, Mathias; Litton, Jan-Eric

2015-01-01

To encourage the process of harmonization, the biobank community should support and use a common terminology. Relevant terms may be found in general thesauri for medicine, legal instruments or specific glossaries for biobanking. A comparison of the use of these sources has so far not been conducted and would be a useful instrument to further promote harmonization and data sharing. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the preference of definitions important for sharing biological samples and data. Definitions for 10 terms -[human] biobank, sample/specimen, sample collection, study, aliquot, coded, identifying information, anonymised, personal data and informed consent-were collected from several sources. A web-based questionnaire was sent to 560 European individuals working with biobanks asking to select their preferred definition for the terms. A total of 123 people participated in the survey, giving a response rate of 23%. The result was evaluated from four aspects: scope of definitions, potential regional differences, differences in semantics and definitions in the context of ontologies, guided by comments from responders. Indicative from the survey is the risk of focusing only on the research aspect of biobanking in definitions. Hence, it is recommended that important terms should be formulated in such a way that all areas of biobanking are covered to improve the bridges between research and clinical application. Since several of the terms investigated here within can also be found in a legal context, which may differ between countries, establishing what is a proper definition on how it adheres to law is also crucial.

The Effects of Weather Patterns on the Spatio-Temporal Distribution of SO2 over East Asia as Seen from Satellite Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunlap, L.; Li, C.; Dickerson, R. R.; Krotkov, N. A.

2015-12-01

Weather systems, particularly mid-latitude wave cyclones, have been known to play an important role in the short-term variation of near-surface air pollution. Ground measurements and model simulations have demonstrated that stagnant air and minimal precipitation associated with high pressure systems are conducive to pollutant accumulation. With the passage of a cold front, built up pollution is transported downwind of the emission sources or washed out by precipitation. This concept is important to note when studying long-term changes in spatio-temporal pollution distribution, but has not been studied in detail from space. In this study, we focus on East Asia (especially the industrialized eastern China), where numerous large power plants and other point sources as well as area sources emit large amounts of SO2, an important gaseous pollutant and a precursor of aerosols. Using data from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) we show that such weather driven distribution can indeed be discerned from satellite data by utilizing probability distribution functions (PDFs) of SO2 column content. These PDFs are multimodal and give insight into the background pollution level at a given location and contribution from local and upwind emission sources. From these PDFs it is possible to determine the frequency for a given region to have SO2 loading that exceeds the background amount. By comparing OMI-observed long-term change in the frequency with meteorological data, we can gain insights into the effects of climate change (e.g., the weakening of Asian monsoon) on regional air quality. Such insight allows for better interpretation of satellite measurements as well as better prediction of future pollution distribution as a changing climate gives way to changing weather patterns.

Globalization, women's migration, and the long-term-care workforce.

PubMed

Browne, Colette V; Braun, Kathryn L

2008-02-01

With the aging of the world's population comes the rising need for qualified direct long-term-care (DLTC) workers (i.e., those who provide personal care to frail and disabled older adults). Developed nations are increasingly turning to immigrant women to fill these needs. In this article, we examine the impact of three global trends-population aging, globalization, and women's migration-on the supply and demand for DLTC workers in the United States. Following an overview of these trends, we identify three areas with embedded social justice issues that are shaping the DLTC workforce in the United States, with a specific focus on immigrant workers in these settings. These include world poverty and economic inequalities, the feminization and colorization of labor (especially in long-term care), and empowerment and women's rights. We conclude with a discussion of the contradictory effects that both population aging and globalization have on immigrant women, source countries, and the long-term-care workforce in the United States. We raise a number of policy, practice, and research implications and questions. For policy makers and long-term-care administrators in receiver nations such as the United States, the meeting of DLTC worker needs with immigrants may result in greater access to needed employees but also in the continued devaluation of eldercare as a profession. Source (supply) nations must balance the real and potential economic benefits of remittances from women who migrate for labor with the negative consequences of disrupting family care traditions and draining the long-term-care workforce of those countries.

Energy efficiency and reduction of CO2 emissions from campsites management in a protected area.

PubMed

Del Moretto, Deny; Branca, Teresa Annunziata; Colla, Valentina

2018-09-15

Campsites can be a pollution source, mainly due to the energy consumption. In addition, the green areas, thanks to the direct CO 2 sequestration and the shading, indirectly prevent the CO 2 emissions related to energy consumption. The methodology presented in this paper allowed assessing the annual CO 2 emissions directly related to the campsite management and the consequent environmental impact in campsite clusters in Tuscany. The software i-Tree Canopy was exploited, enabling to evaluate in terms of "canopy" the tonnes of CO 2 sequestered by the vegetation within each campsite. Energy and water consumptions from 2012 to 2015 were assessed for each campsite. As far as the distribution of sequestered CO 2 is concerned, the campsites ranking was in accordance to their size. According to the indicator "T-Tree" or canopy cover, a larger area of the canopy cover allows using less outdoor areas covered by trees for the sequestration of the remaining amount of pollutants. The analysis shows that the considered campsites, that are located in a highly naturalistic Park, present significant positive aspects both in terms of CO 2 emission reductions and of energy efficiency. However, significant margins of improvement are also possible and they were analysed in the paper. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polychlorinated biphenyl congener patterns in fish near the Hanford Site (Washington State, USA).

PubMed

Rodenburg, Lisa A; Delistraty, Damon; Meng, Qingyu

2015-03-03

It is well-known that absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) processes in fish can alter polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener patterns in fish, but these patterns have never been investigated using an advanced source-apportionment tool. In this work, PCB congener patterns in freshwater fish were examined with positive matrix factorization (PMF). PCB congeners were quantified via EPA Method 1668 in fillet and carcass of six species in four study areas in the Columbia River near the Hanford Site. Six factors were resolved with PMF2 software. Depletion and enhancement of PCB congeners in factors, relative to Aroclor 1254, suggested biotransformation (via cytochrome P450) and bioaccumulation in fish, respectively. Notable differences were observed among species and across study locations. For example, sturgeon and whitefish exhibited congener patterns consistent with Aroclor weathering, suggesting potential PCB metabolism in these species. In terms of location, average concentration of total PCBs for all species combined was significantly higher (P < 0.05) at Hanford 100 and 300 areas, relative to upriver and downriver study sites. Furthermore, a distinct PCB signature in sturgeon and whitefish, collected at Hanford study areas, suggests that Hanford is a unique PCB source.

Ecological restoration and its effects on a regional climate: the source region of the Yellow River, China.

PubMed

Li, Zhouyuan; Liu, Xuehua; Niu, Tianlin; Kejia, De; Zhou, Qingping; Ma, Tianxiao; Gao, Yunyang

2015-05-19

The source region of the Yellow River, China, experienced degradation during the 1980s and 1990s, but effective ecological restoration projects have restored the alpine grassland ecosystem. The local government has taken action to restore the grassland area since 1996. Remote sensing monitoring results show an initial restoration of this alpine grassland ecosystem with the structural transformation of land cover from 2000 to 2009 as low- and high-coverage grassland recovered. From 2000 to 2009, the low-coverage grassland area expanded by over 25% and the bare soil area decreased by approximately 15%. To examine the relationship between ecological structure and function, surface temperature (Ts) and evapotranspiration (ET) levels were estimated to study the dynamics of the hydro-heat pattern. The results show a turning point in approximately the year 2000 from a declining ET to a rising ET, eventually reaching the 1990 level of approximately 1.5 cm/day. We conclude that grassland coverage expansion has improved the regional hydrologic cycle as a consequence of ecological restoration. Thus, we suggest that long-term restoration and monitoring efforts would help maintain the climatic adjustment functions of this alpine grassland ecosystem.

Characterization of Spatial Impact of Particles Emitted from a Cement Material Production Facility on Outdoor Particle Deposition in the Surrounding Community.

PubMed

Yu, Chang Ho; Fan, Zhihua Tina; McCandlish, Elizabeth; Stern, Alan H; Lioy, Paul J

2011-10-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the contribution of a facility that processes steel production slag into raw material for cement production to local outdoor particle deposition in Camden, NJ. A dry deposition sampler that can house four 37-mm quartz fiber filters was developed and used for the collection of atmospheric particle deposits. Two rounds of particle collection (3-4 weeks each) were conducted in 8-11 locations 200-800 m downwind of the facility. Background samples were concurrently collected in a remote area located ∼2 km upwind from the facility. In addition, duplicate surface wipe samples were collected side-by-side from each of the 13 locations within the same sampling area during the first deposition sampling period. One composite source material sample was also collected from a pile stored in the facility. Both the bulk of the source material and the <38 μm fraction subsample were analyzed to obtain the elemental source profile. The particle deposition flux in the study area was higher (24-83 mg/m 2 ·day) than at the background sites (13-17 mg/m 2 ·day). The concentration of Ca, a major element in the cement source production material, was found to exponentially decrease with increasing downwind distance from the facility (P < 0.05). The ratio of Ca/Al, an indicator of Ca enrichment due to anthropogenic sources in a given sample, showed a similar trend. These observations suggest a significant contribution of the facility to the local particle deposition. The contribution of the facility to outdoor deposited particle mass was further estimated by three independent models using the measurements obtained from this study. The estimated contributions to particle deposition in the study area were 1.8-7.4% from the regression analysis of the Ca concentration in particle deposition samples against the distance from the facility, 0-11% from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) source-receptor model, and 7.6-13% from the EPA Industrial Source Complex Short Term (ISCST3) dispersion model using the particle-size-adjusted permit-based emissions estimates. [Box: see text].

Reduced mercury deposition in New Hampshire from 1996 to 2002 due to changes in local sources.

PubMed

Han, Young-Ji; Holsen, Thomas M; Evers, David C; Driscoll, Charles T

2008-12-01

Changes in deposition of gaseous divalent mercury (Hg(II)) and particulate mercury (Hg(p)) in New Hampshire due to changes in local sources from 1996 to 2002 were assessed using the Industrial Source Complex Short Term (ISCST3) model (regional and global sources and Hg atmospheric reactions were not considered). Mercury (Hg) emissions in New Hampshire and adjacent areas decreased significantly (from 1540 to 880 kg yr(-1)) during this period, and the average annual modeled deposition of total Hg also declined from 17 to 7.0 microg m(-2) yr(-1) for the same period. In 2002, the maximum amount of Hg deposition was modeled to be in southern New Hampshire, while for 1996 the maximum deposition occurred farther north and east. The ISCST3 was also used to evaluate two future scenarios. The average percent difference in deposition across all cells was 5% for the 50% reduction scenario and 9% for the 90% reduction scenario.

Potential sources of precipitation in Lake Baikal basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukurov, K. A.; Mokhov, I. I.

2017-11-01

Based on the data of long-term measurements at 23 meteorological stations in the Russian part of the Lake Baikal basin the probabilities of daily precipitation with different intensity and their contribution to the total precipitation are estimated. Using the trajectory model HYSPLIT_4 for each meteorological station for the period 1948-2016 the 10-day backward trajectories of air parcels, the height of these trajectories and distribution of specific humidity along the trajectories are calculated. The average field of power of potential sources of daily precipitation (less than 10 mm) for all meteorological stations in the Russian part of the Lake Baikal basin was obtained using the CWT (concentration weighted trajectory) method. The areas have been identified from which within 10 days water vapor can be transported to the Lake Baikal basin, as well as regions of the most and least powerful potential sources. The fields of the mean height of air parcels trajectories and the mean specific humidity along the trajectories are compared with the field of mean power of potential sources.

LOOKING FOR GRANULATION AND PERIODICITY IMPRINTS IN THE SUNSPOT TIME SERIES

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

Lopes, Ilídio; Silva, Hugo G., E-mail: ilidio.lopes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt, E-mail: hgsilva@uevora.pt

2015-05-10

The sunspot activity is the end result of the cyclic destruction and regeneration of magnetic fields by the dynamo action. We propose a new method to analyze the daily sunspot areas data recorded since 1874. By computing the power spectral density of daily data series using the Mexican hat wavelet, we found a power spectrum with a well-defined shape, characterized by three features. The first term is the 22 yr solar magnetic cycle, estimated in our work to be 18.43 yr. The second term is related to the daily volatility of sunspots. This term is most likely produced by themore » turbulent motions linked to the solar granulation. The last term corresponds to a periodic source associated with the solar magnetic activity, for which the maximum power spectral density occurs at 22.67 days. This value is part of the 22–27 day periodicity region that shows an above-average intensity in the power spectra. The origin of this 22.67 day periodic process is not clearly identified, and there is a possibility that it can be produced by convective flows inside the star. The study clearly shows a north–south asymmetry. The 18.43 yr periodical source is correlated between the two hemispheres, but the 22.67 day one is not correlated. It is shown that toward the large timescales an excess occurs in the northern hemisphere, especially near the previous two periodic sources. To further investigate the 22.67 day periodicity, we made a Lomb–Scargle spectral analysis. The study suggests that this periodicity is distinct from others found nearby.« less

Levels and distributions of organochlorine pesticides in the soil-groundwater system of vegetable planting area in Tianjin City, Northern China.

PubMed

Pan, Hong-Wei; Lei, Hong-Jun; He, Xiao-Song; Xi, Bei-Dou; Han, Yu-Ping; Xu, Qi-Gong

2017-04-01

To study the influence of long-term pesticide application on the distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the soil-groundwater system, 19 soil samples and 19 groundwater samples were collected from agricultural area with long-term pesticide application history in Northern China. Results showed that the composition of OCPs changed significantly from soil to groundwater. For example, ∑DDT, ∑HCH, and ∑heptachlor had high levels in the soil and low levels in the groundwater; in contrast, endrin had low level in the soil and high level in the groundwater. Further study showed that OCP distribution in the soil was significantly influenced by its residue time, soil organic carbon level, and small soil particle contents (i.d. <0.0002 mm). Correlation analysis also indicates that the distribution of OCPs in the groundwater was closely related to the levels of OCPs in the soil layer, which may act as a pollution source.

Local area networks in an imaging environment.

PubMed

Noz, M E; Maguire, G Q; Erdman, W A

1986-01-01

There is great interest at present in incorporating image-management systems popularly referred to as picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) into imaging departments. This paper will describe various aspects of local area networks (LANs) for medical images and will give a definition of terms and classification of devices by describing a possible system which links various digital image sources through a high-speed data link and a common image format, allows for viewing and processing of all images produced within the complex, and eliminates the transport of films. The status of standards governing LAN and particularly PACS systems along with a proposed image exchange format will be given. Prototype systems, particularly a system for nuclear medicine images, will be presented, as well as the prospects for the immediate future in terms of installations started and commercial products available. A survey of the many questions that arise in the development of a PACS for medical images and also a survey of the presently suggested/adopted answers will be given.

Estimation of the Change in Freshwater Volume in the North Coast Limestone Upper Aquifer of Puerto Rico in the Rio Grande de Manati-Rio de la Plata Area between 1960 and 1990 and Implications on Public-Supply Water Availability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gómez-Gómez, Fernando

2008-01-01

Ground water in the upper aquifer of the North Coast Limestone aquifer system historically has been the principal source of public-supply and self-supplied industrial water use in north-central Puerto Rico. Development of the aquifer for these two major water-use categories began in about 1930; however, withdrawals did not become an important water-supply source for sustaining local development until the 1960s. Ground-water withdrawals averaged about 6 million gallons per day from 1948 to the mid-1960s and peaked at about 33 million gallons per day in the 1980s. Withdrawals have since declined, averaging about 11.5 million gallons per day in 2002. Aquifer contamination by industrial chemical spills and by nitrates from agricultural and domestic sources initially reduced pumpage for public-supply use within localized areas, leading eventually to increased withdrawals at unaffected well fields. The long-term effect of unconstrained ground-water withdrawals has been a regional thinning of the freshwater lens in an area encompassing 50,600 acres between the Rio Grande de Manati and Rio de la Plata, generally north of latitude 18?25?. The effects of aquifer overdraft have been documented in the regional thinning of the freshwater lens, with an increase in dissolved-solids concentration in ground-water wells. Dissolved-solids concentration in public-supply wells were generally between 250 and 350 milligrams per liter during the 1960s, but increased to greater than 500 milligrams per liter in virtually all of the wells by 2000. Depletion of fresh ground water was estimated at 282,000 acre-feet: 103,000 acre-feet in the Rio Grande de Manati to Rio Cibuco area between 1960 and 1995, and 179,000 acre-feet in the Rio Cibuco to Rio de la Plata area between 1960 and 1992. Thus, aquifer freshwater volume depletion below mean sea level datum may have contributed as much as 38 percent (7.5 million gallons per day) of the 20-million gallons per day average withdrawal rate during the stated time periods. The calculated depletion of aquifer freshwater volume is equivalent to an average long-term rate of 8,400 acre-feet per year. Aquifer withdrawals can be anticipated to decline to about 10 million gallons per day by 2010 at the projected trend of well closures. The lost supply would have to be compensated from surface-water sources because the part of the North Coast Limestone aquifer system south of latitude 18?25?, although less vulnerable to saline-water encroachment, is not as productive.

Radiological analysis of plutonium glass batches with natural/enriched boron

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

Rainisch, R.

2000-06-22

The disposition of surplus plutonium inventories by the US Department of Energy (DOE) includes the immobilization of certain plutonium materials in a borosilicate glass matrix, also referred to as vitrification. This paper addresses source terms of plutonium masses immobilized in a borosilicate glass matrix where the glass components include both natural boron and enriched boron. The calculated source terms pertain to neutron and gamma source strength (particles per second), and source spectrum changes. The calculated source terms corresponding to natural boron and enriched boron are compared to determine the benefits (decrease in radiation source terms) for to the use ofmore » enriched boron. The analysis of plutonium glass source terms shows that a large component of the neutron source terms is due to (a, n) reactions. The Americium-241 and plutonium present in the glass emit alpha particles (a). These alpha particles interact with low-Z nuclides like B-11, B-10, and O-17 in the glass to produce neutrons. The low-Z nuclides are referred to as target particles. The reference glass contains 9.4 wt percent B{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Boron-11 was found to strongly support the (a, n) reactions in the glass matrix. B-11 has a natural abundance of over 80 percent. The (a, n) reaction rates for B-10 are lower than for B-11 and the analysis shows that the plutonium glass neutron source terms can be reduced by artificially enriching natural boron with B-10. The natural abundance of B-10 is 19.9 percent. Boron enriched to 96-wt percent B-10 or above can be obtained commercially. Since lower source terms imply lower dose rates to radiation workers handling the plutonium glass materials, it is important to know the achievable decrease in source terms as a result of boron enrichment. Plutonium materials are normally handled in glove boxes with shielded glass windows and the work entails both extremity and whole-body exposures. Lowering the source terms of the plutonium batches will make the handling of these materials less difficult and will reduce radiation exposure to operating workers.« less

Volume 3 - Area Sources and Area Source Method Abstracts

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nonpoint (area) source emission reference materials from the EIIP. Provides nonpoint source guidance on planning, emissions estimation, data collection, inventory documentation and reporting, and quality assurance/quality control.

Characterisation of the high dynamic range Large Pixel Detector (LPD) and its use at X-ray free electron laser sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veale, M. C.; Adkin, P.; Booker, P.; Coughlan, J.; French, M. J.; Hart, M.; Nicholls, T.; Schneider, A.; Seller, P.; Pape, I.; Sawhney, K.; Carini, G. A.; Hart, P. A.

2017-12-01

The STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have delivered the Large Pixel Detector (LPD) for MHz frame rate imaging at the European XFEL. The detector system has an active area of 0.5 m × 0.5 m and consists of a million pixels on a 500 μm pitch. Sensors have been produced from 500 μm thick Hammamatsu silicon tiles that have been bump bonded to the readout ASIC using a silver epoxy and gold stud technique. Each pixel of the detector system is capable of measuring 105 12 keV photons per image readout at 4.5 MHz. In this paper results from the testing of these detectors at the Diamond Light Source and the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) are presented. The performance of the detector in terms of linearity, spatial uniformity and the performance of the different ASIC gain stages is characterised.

Fission Product Appearance Rate Coefficients in Design Basis Source Term Determinations - Past and Present

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Pedro B.; Hamawi, John N.

2017-09-01

Nuclear power plant radiation protection design features are based on radionuclide source terms derived from conservative assumptions that envelope expected operating experience. Two parameters that significantly affect the radionuclide concentrations in the source term are failed fuel fraction and effective fission product appearance rate coefficients. Failed fuel fraction may be a regulatory based assumption such as in the U.S. Appearance rate coefficients are not specified in regulatory requirements, but have been referenced to experimental data that is over 50 years old. No doubt the source terms are conservative as demonstrated by operating experience that has included failed fuel, but it may be too conservative leading to over-designed shielding for normal operations as an example. Design basis source term methodologies for normal operations had not advanced until EPRI published in 2015 an updated ANSI/ANS 18.1 source term basis document. Our paper revisits the fission product appearance rate coefficients as applied in the derivation source terms following the original U.S. NRC NUREG-0017 methodology. New coefficients have been calculated based on recent EPRI results which demonstrate the conservatism in nuclear power plant shielding design.

Preventing Molecular and Particulate Infiltration in a Confined Volume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scialdone, John J.

1999-01-01

Contaminants from an instrument's self-generated sources or from sources external to the instrument may degrade its critical surfaces and/or create an environment which limits the instrument's intended performance. Analyses have been carried out on a method to investigate the required purging flow of clean, dry gas to prevent the ingestion of external contaminants into the instrument container volume. The pressure to be maintained and the required flow are examined in terms of their effectiveness in preventing gaseous and particulate contaminant ingestion and abatement of self-generated contaminants in the volume. The required venting area or the existing volume venting area is correlated to the volume to be purged, the allowable pressure differential across the volume, the external contaminant partial pressure, and the sizes of the ambient particulates. The diffusion of external water vapor into the volume while it was being purged was experimentally obtained in terms of an infiltration time constant. That data and the acceptable fraction of the outside pressure into the volume indicate the required flow of purge gas expressed in terms of volume change per unit time. The exclusion of particulates is based on the incoming velocity of the particles and the exit flow speed and density of the purge gas. The purging flow pressures needed to maintain the required flows through the vent passages are indicated. The purge gas must prevent or limit the entrance of the external contaminants to the critical locations of the instrument. It should also prevent self- contamination from surfaces, reduce material outgassing, and sweep out the outgassed products. Systems and facilities that can benefit from purging may be optical equipment, clinical facilities, manufacturing facilities, clean rooms, and other systems requiring clean environments.

Public health interventions and behaviour change: reviewing the grey literature.

PubMed

Franks, H; Hardiker, N R; McGrath, M; McQuarrie, C

2012-01-01

This study identified and reviewed grey literature relating to factors facilitating and inhibiting effective interventions in three areas: the promotion of mental health and well-being, the improvement of food and nutrition, and interventions seeking to increase engagement in physical activity. Sourcing, reviewing and analysis of relevant grey literature. Evidence was collected from a variety of non-traditional sources. Thirty-six pieces of documentary evidence across the three areas were selected for in-depth appraisal and review. A variety of approaches, often short-term, were used both as interventions and outcome measures. Interventions tended to have common outcomes, enabling the identification of themes. These included improvements in participant well-being as well as identification of barriers to, and promoters of, success. Most interventions demonstrated some positive impact, although some did not. This was particularly the case for more objective measures of change, such as physiological measurements, particularly when used to evaluate short-term interventions. Objective health measurement as part of an intervention may act as a catalyst for future behaviour change. Time is an important factor that could either promote or impede the success of interventions for both participants and facilitators. Likewise, the importance of involving all stakeholders, including participants, when planning health promoting interventions was established as an important indicator of success. Despite its limited scope, this review suggests that interventions can be more efficient and effective. For example, larger-scale, longer-term interventions could be more efficient, whilst outcomes relating to the implementation and beyond could provide a clearer picture of effectiveness. Additionally, interventions and evaluations must be flexible, evolve in partnership with local communities, and reflect local need and context. Copyright © 2011 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Separated by a common language: awareness of term usage differences between languages and disciplines in biopreparedness.

PubMed

Andersson, M Gunnar; Tomuzia, Katharina; Löfström, Charlotta; Appel, Bernd; Bano, Luca; Keremidis, Haralampos; Knutsson, Rickard; Leijon, Mikael; Lövgren, Susanna Ekströmer; De Medici, Dario; Menrath, Andrea; van Rotterdam, Bart J; Wisselink, Henk J; Barker, Gary C

2013-09-01

Preparedness for bioterrorism is based on communication between people in organizations who are educated and trained in several disciplines, including law enforcement, health, and science. Various backgrounds, cultures, and vocabularies generate difficulties in understanding and interpretating terms and concepts, which may impair communication. This is especially true in emergency situations, in which the need for clarity and consistency is vital. The EU project AniBioThreat initiated methods and made a rough estimate of the terms and concepts that are crucial for an incident, and a pilot database with key terms and definitions has been constructed. Analysis of collected terms and sources has shown that many of the participating organizations use various international standards in their area of expertise. The same term often represents different concepts in the standards from different sectors, or, alternatively, different terms were used to represent the same or similar concepts. The use of conflicting terminology can be problematic for decision makers and communicators in planning and prevention or when handling an incident. Since the CBRN area has roots in multiple disciplines, each with its own evolving terminology, it may not be realistic to achieve unequivocal communication through a standardized vocabulary and joint definitions for words from common language. We suggest that a communication strategy should include awareness of alternative definitions and ontologies and the ability to talk and write without relying on the implicit knowledge underlying specialized jargon. Consequently, cross-disciplinary communication skills should be part of training of personnel in the CBRN field. In addition, a searchable repository of terms and definitions from relevant organizations and authorities would be a valuable addition to existing glossaries for improving awareness concerning bioterrorism prevention planning.

Separated by a Common Language: Awareness of Term Usage Differences Between Languages and Disciplines in Biopreparedness

PubMed Central

Tomuzia, Katharina; Löfström, Charlotta; Appel, Bernd; Bano, Luca; Keremidis, Haralampos; Knutsson, Rickard; Leijon, Mikael; Lövgren, Susanna Ekströmer; De Medici, Dario; Menrath, Andrea; van Rotterdam, Bart J.; Wisselink, Henk J.; Barker, Gary C.

2013-01-01

Preparedness for bioterrorism is based on communication between people in organizations who are educated and trained in several disciplines, including law enforcement, health, and science. Various backgrounds, cultures, and vocabularies generate difficulties in understanding and interpretating terms and concepts, which may impair communication. This is especially true in emergency situations, in which the need for clarity and consistency is vital. The EU project AniBioThreat initiated methods and made a rough estimate of the terms and concepts that are crucial for an incident, and a pilot database with key terms and definitions has been constructed. Analysis of collected terms and sources has shown that many of the participating organizations use various international standards in their area of expertise. The same term often represents different concepts in the standards from different sectors, or, alternatively, different terms were used to represent the same or similar concepts. The use of conflicting terminology can be problematic for decision makers and communicators in planning and prevention or when handling an incident. Since the CBRN area has roots in multiple disciplines, each with its own evolving terminology, it may not be realistic to achieve unequivocal communication through a standardized vocabulary and joint definitions for words from common language. We suggest that a communication strategy should include awareness of alternative definitions and ontologies and the ability to talk and write without relying on the implicit knowledge underlying specialized jargon. Consequently, cross-disciplinary communication skills should be part of training of personnel in the CBRN field. In addition, a searchable repository of terms and definitions from relevant organizations and authorities would be a valuable addition to existing glossaries for improving awareness concerning bioterrorism prevention planning. PMID:23971818

Personal carbon monoxide exposure in Helsinki, Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scotto di Marco, Greta; Kephalopoulos, Stylianos; Ruuskanen, Juhani; Jantunen, Matti

Personal exposure concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) were measured for the adult urban population of Helsinki, Finland, as part of the multi-centre European EXPOLIS study. The arithmetic mean of the 48 h average personal CO exposure concentration was 1.3 mg m -3 for participants not exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and 1.6 mg m -3 for those exposed to ETS at any time and in any microenvironment. The maximum 8 and 1 h exposure values were 2.0 and 2.6 mg m -3, and 4.3 and 5.7 mg m -3, respectively. As tobacco smoke is one of the major sources of CO, therefore the personal mean exposures of ETS participants were higher than the non-ETS participants for all averaging times. The long- and short-term personal exposures were higher in winter than in summer for all participants. In order to analyse in more detail the correlation between the time-activity patterns and exposure levels, cluster analysis was performed using 24 h personal exposure profiles of 1 h moving averages. The results showed clearly that the major source of CO for non-ETS exposed participants are traffic emissions. The majority of the diurnal exposure profiles showed two notable exposure peaks corresponding to the morning and evening traffic rush hours. The time spent in street traffic was the most relevant factor for describing the short-term personal exposures. The more time was spent commuting by car the higher were the exposures. The long-term exposure levels were linked both to the time spent commuting and home location. People living in low-traffic suburban areas and working in downtown spent more time commuting and ended up experiencing similar long-term exposure levels than people who lived in heavy-traffic downtown areas, but spent little time commuting. For ETS exposed participants the personal exposure profiles were dominated by both tobacco smoke and traffic emissions.

76 FR 13514 - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Chemical Manufacturing Area Sources

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-14

... National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Chemical Manufacturing Area Sources AGENCY... Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Chemical Manufacturing Area Sources. Among the... Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Chemical Manufacturing Area Sources (CMAS) on October...

Changing perceptions of protected area benefits and problems around Kibale National Park, Uganda.

PubMed

MacKenzie, Catrina A; Salerno, Jonathan; Hartter, Joel; Chapman, Colin A; Reyna, Rafael; Tumusiime, David Mwesigye; Drake, Michael

2017-09-15

Local residents' changing perceptions of benefits and problems from living next to a protected area in western Uganda are assessed by comparing household survey data from 2006, 2009, and 2012. Findings are contextualized and supported by long-term data sources for tourism, protected area-based employment, tourism revenue sharing, resource access agreements, and problem animal abundance. We found decreasing perceived benefit and increasing perceived problems associated with the protected area over time, with both trends dominated by increased human-wildlife conflict due to recovering elephant numbers. Proportions of households claiming benefit from specific conservation strategies were increasing, but not enough to offset crop raiding. Ecosystem services mitigated perceptions of problems. As human and animal populations rise, wildlife authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa will be challenged to balance perceptions and adapt policies to ensure the continued existence of protected areas. Understanding the dynamic nature of local people's perceptions provides a tool to adapt protected area management plans, prioritize conservation resources, and engage local communities to support protected areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the microbial landscape of the New Orleans area

PubMed Central

Sinigalliano, C. D.; Gidley, M. L.; Shibata, T.; Whitman, D.; Dixon, T. H.; Laws, E.; Hou, A.; Bachoon, D.; Brand, L.; Amaral-Zettler, L.; Gast, R. J.; Steward, G. F.; Nigro, O. D.; Fujioka, R.; Betancourt, W. Q.; Vithanage, G.; Mathews, J.; Fleming, L. E.; Solo-Gabriele, H. M.

2007-01-01

Floodwaters in New Orleans from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were observed to contain high levels of fecal indicator bacteria and microbial pathogens, generating concern about long-term impacts of these floodwaters on the sediment and water quality of the New Orleans area and Lake Pontchartrain. We show here that fecal indicator microbe concentrations in offshore waters from Lake Pontchartrain returned to prehurricane concentrations within 2 months of the flooding induced by these hurricanes. Vibrio and Legionella species within the lake were more abundant in samples collected shortly after the floodwaters had receded compared with samples taken within the subsequent 3 months; no evidence of a long-term hurricane-induced algal bloom was observed. Giardia and Cryptosporidium were detected in canal waters. Elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria observed in sediment could not be solely attributed to impacts from floodwaters, as both flooded and nonflooded areas exhibited elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria. Evidence from measurements of Bifidobacterium and bacterial diversity analysis suggest that the fecal indicator bacteria observed in the sediment were from human fecal sources. Epidemiologic studies are highly recommended to evaluate the human health effects of the sediments deposited by the floodwaters. PMID:17488814

Air quality impact assessment of at-berth ship emissions: Case-study for the project of a new freight port.

PubMed

Lonati, Giovanni; Cernuschi, Stefano; Sidi, Shelina

2010-12-01

This work is intended to assess the impact on local air quality due to atmospheric emissions from port area activities for a new port in project in the Mediterranean Sea. The sources of air pollutants in the harbour area are auxiliary engines used by ships at berth during loading/offloading operations. A fleet activity-based methodology is first applied to evaluate annual pollutant emissions (NO(X), SO(X), PM, CO and VOC) based on vessel traffic data, ships tonnage and in-port hotelling time for loading/offloading operations. The 3-dimensional Calpuff transport and dispersion model is then applied for the subsequent assessment of the ground level spatial distribution of atmospheric pollutants for both long-term and short-term averaging times. Compliance with current air quality standards in the port area is finally evaluated and indications for port operation are provided. Some methodological aspects of the impact assessment procedure, namely those concerning the steps of emission scenario definitions and model simulations set-up at the project stage, are specifically addressed, suggesting a pragmatic approach for similar evaluations for small new ports in project. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seasonal and spatial variation of organic tracers for biomass burning in PM1 aerosols from highly insolated urban areas.

PubMed

van Drooge, B L; Fontal, M; Bravo, N; Fernández, P; Fernández, M A; Muñoz-Arnanz, J; Jiménez, B; Grimalt, J O

2014-10-01

PM1 aerosol characterization on organic tracers for biomass burning (levoglucosan and its isomers and dehydroabietic acid) was conducted within the AERTRANS project. PM1 filters (N = 90) were sampled from 2010 to 2012 in busy streets in the urban centre of Madrid and Barcelona (Spain) at ground-level and at roof sites. In both urban areas, biomass burning was not expected to be an important local emission source, but regional emissions from wildfires, residential heating or biomass removal may influence the air quality in the cities. Although both areas are under influence of high solar radiation, Madrid is situated in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, while Barcelona is located at the Mediterranean Coast and under influence of marine atmospheres. Two extraction methods were applied, i.e. Soxhlet and ASE, which showed equivalent results after GC-MS analyses. The ambient air concentrations of the organic tracers for biomass burning increased by an order of magnitude at both sites during winter compared to summer. An exception was observed during a PM event in summer 2012, when the atmosphere in Barcelona was directly affected by regional wildfire smoke and levels were four times higher as those observed in winter. Overall, there was little variation between the street and roof sites in both cities, suggesting that regional biomass burning sources influence the urban areas after atmospheric transport. Despite the different atmospheric characteristics in terms of air relative humidity, Madrid and Barcelona exhibit very similar composition and concentrations of biomass burning organic tracers. Nevertheless, levoglucosan and its isomers seem to be more suitable for source apportionment purposes than dehydroabietic acid. In both urban areas, biomass burning contributions to PM were generally low (2 %) in summer, except on the day when wildfire smoke arrive to the urban area. In the colder periods the contribution increase to around 30 %, indicating that regional biomass burning has a substantial influence on the urban air quality.

[Effect of terracing project on temporal-spatial variation of non-point source pollution load in Hujiashan watershed, China].

PubMed

Han, Qiang; Yu, Xing Xiu; Wang, Wei; Xu, Miao Miao; Ren, Rui; Zhang, Jia Peng

2017-04-18

Taking Hujiashan small watershed as the study area, based on the classified result of Landsat TM/ETM images of 2005, 2010 and 2015, combined with long-term field observation data, and used the export coefficient model, our study explored the effect of small watershed management project on temporal and spatial variation of total nitrogen (TN) load of non-point source pollution under the support of GIS technology. The results indicated that, due to the implementation of slope modification project, the area of cultivated land was significantly increased, while forest and bareland were decreased. The load of non-point source TN increased from 63208 kg in 2005 to 72778 kg in 2010, but reduced to 46876 kg in 2015. The contribution rate from residential areas was higher, the average contribution rate of the three periods was 53.5%, but it showed a decreasing trend year by year. The contribution rate of land use types was 45%, which showed an increasing trend year by year. The contribution rate of livestock was always low. From the spatial distribution, TN loading intensity was changed obviously after the terracing project. High load intensity zone was mainly concentrated on the slope of 5°-15° before terracing project. Nevertheless, high load intensity zone was concentrated on the slope of 15°-35° after terracing project, and 5°-8° had become a low load strength area. The TN load intensity changed little with time on the slope of 0°-8°, and it increased first and then decreased on the slope above 8°. With the treatment of sewage, garbage and livestock manure in rural areas, the output of nitrogen in the living and livestock breeding were significantly reduced. Due to the implementation of the project, the cultivated land area increased by 31%.

Search wide, dig deep: literature searching for qualitative research. An analysis of the publication formats and information sources used for four systematic reviews in public health.

PubMed

Stansfield, Claire; Brunton, Ginny; Rees, Rebecca

2014-06-01

When literature searching for systematic reviews, it is good practice to search widely across different information sources. Little is known about the contributions of different publication formats (e.g. journal article and book chapter) and sources, especially for studies of people's views. Studies from four reviews spanning three public health areas (active transport, motherhood and obesity) were analysed in terms of publication formats and the information sources they were identified from. They comprised of 229 studies exploring people's perceptions, beliefs and experiences ('views studies') and were largely qualitative. Although most (61%) research studies were published within journals, nearly a third (29%) were published as research reports and 5% were published in books. The remainder consisted of theses, conference papers and raw datasets. Two-thirds of studies (66%) were located in a total of 19 bibliographic databases, and 15 databases provided studies that were not identified elsewhere. PubMed was a good source for all reviews. Supplementary information sources were important for identifying studies in all publication formats. Undertaking sensitive searches across a range of information sources is essential for locating views studies in all publication formats. We discuss some benefits and challenges of utilising different information sources. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

26 CFR 1.737-3 - Basis adjustments; Recovery rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Properties A1, A2, and A3 is long-term, U.S.-source capital gain or loss. The character of gain on Property A4 is long-term, foreign-source capital gain. B contributes Property B, nondepreciable real property...-term, foreign-source capital gain ($3,000 total gain under section 737 × $2,000 net long-term, foreign...

26 CFR 1.737-3 - Basis adjustments; Recovery rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Properties A1, A2, and A3 is long-term, U.S.-source capital gain or loss. The character of gain on Property A4 is long-term, foreign-source capital gain. B contributes Property B, nondepreciable real property...-term, foreign-source capital gain ($3,000 total gain under section 737 × $2,000 net long-term, foreign...

26 CFR 1.737-3 - Basis adjustments; Recovery rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Properties A1, A2, and A3 is long-term, U.S.-source capital gain or loss. The character of gain on Property A4 is long-term, foreign-source capital gain. B contributes Property B, nondepreciable real property...-term, foreign-source capital gain ($3,000 total gain under section 737 × $2,000 net long-term, foreign...

26 CFR 1.737-3 - Basis adjustments; Recovery rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Properties A1, A2, and A3 is long-term, U.S.-source capital gain or loss. The character of gain on Property A4 is long-term, foreign-source capital gain. B contributes Property B, nondepreciable real property...-term, foreign-source capital gain ($3,000 total gain under section 737 × $2,000 net long-term, foreign...

26 CFR 1.737-3 - Basis adjustments; Recovery rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Properties A1, A2, and A3 is long-term, U.S.-source capital gain or loss. The character of gain on Property A4 is long-term, foreign-source capital gain. B contributes Property B, nondepreciable real property...-term, foreign-source capital gain ($3,000 total gain under section 737 × $2,000 net long-term, foreign...

Simplification of a light-based model for estimating final internode length in greenhouse cucumber canopies.

PubMed

Kahlen, Katrin; Stützel, Hartmut

2011-10-01

Light quantity and quality affect internode lengths in cucumber (Cucumis sativus), whereby leaf area and the optical properties of the leaves mainly control light quality within a cucumber plant community. This modelling study aimed at providing a simple, non-destructive method to predict final internode lengths (FILs) using light quantity and leaf area data. Several simplifications of a light quantity and quality sensitive model for estimating FILs in cucumber have been tested. The direct simplifications substitute the term for the red : far-red (R : FR) ratios, by a term for (a) the leaf area index (LAI, m(2) m(-2)) or (b) partial LAI, the cumulative leaf area per m(2) ground, where leaf area per m(2) ground is accumulated from the top of each plant until a number, n, of leaves per plant is reached. The indirect simplifications estimate the input R : FR ratio based on partial leaf area and plant density. In all models, simulated FILs were in line with the measured FILs over various canopy architectures and light conditions, but the prediction quality varied. The indirect simplification based on leaf area of ten leaves revealed the best fit with measured data. Its prediction quality was even higher than of the original model. This study showed that for vertically trained cucumber plants, leaf area data can substitute local light quality data for estimating FIL data. In unstressed canopies, leaf area over the upper ten ranks seems to represent the feedback of the growing architecture on internode elongation with respect to light quality. This highlights the role of this domain of leaves as the primary source for the specific R : FR signal controlling the final length of an internode and could therefore guide future research on up-scaling local processes to the crop level.

An update on airborne contact dermatitis.

PubMed

Huygens, S; Goossens, A

2001-01-01

This review is an update of 2 previously published articles on airborne contact dermatoses. Because reports in the literature often omit the term 'airborne', 18 volumes of Contact Dermatitis (April 1991-June 2000), 8 volumes of the American Journal of Contact Dermatitis (1992 1999) and 4 volumes of La Lettre du Gerda (1996-1999) were screened, and the cases cited were classified as to history, lesion locations, sensitization sources, and other factors. Reports on airborne dermatitis are increasingly being published, sometimes in relation to specific occupational areas.

Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunnery: An Analysis of Engagement Strategies for the M242 25-mm Automatic Gun

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

source for this estimate of eight rounds per BMP target. According to analyst Donna Quirido, AMSAA does not provide or support any such estimate (30...engagement or in the case of. the Bradley, stabilization inaccuracies. According to Helgert: These errors give rise to aim-wander, a term that derives from...the same area. (6:14_5) The resulting approximation to the truncated normal integral has a maximum relative error of 0.0075. Using Polya -Williams, an

Impact of errors in short wave radiation and its attenuation on modeled upper ocean heat content

DTIC Science & Technology

Photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) and its attenuation with the depth represent a forcing (source) term in the governing equation for the...and vertical attenuation of PAR have on the upper ocean model heat content. In the Monterey Bay area, we show that with a decrease in water clarity...attenuation coefficient. For Jerlov’s type IA water (attenuation coefficient is 0.049 m1), the relative error in surface PAR introduces an error

Guidelines for development of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) computer security training programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tompkins, F. G.

1983-01-01

The report presents guidance for the NASA Computer Security Program Manager and the NASA Center Computer Security Officials as they develop training requirements and implement computer security training programs. NASA audiences are categorized based on the computer security knowledge required to accomplish identified job functions. Training requirements, in terms of training subject areas, are presented for both computer security program management personnel and computer resource providers and users. Sources of computer security training are identified.

Sortie laboratory, phase B technical summary. [design and operational requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The design and operational requirements which evolved from Sortie Lab (SL) analysis are summarized. A source of requirements for systems is given along with experimental support for the SL, baseline. Basic design data covered include: configuration definition, mission analysis, experimental integration, safety, and logistics. A technical summary outlines characteristics which reflect the influence of the growth in SL capability and the results of the mission and operational analysis. Each of the selected areas is described in terms of objectives, equipment, operational concept, and support requirements.

Desert Dust Outbreaks in Southern Europe: Contribution to Daily PM₁₀ Concentrations and Short-Term Associations with Mortality and Hospital Admissions.

PubMed

Stafoggia, Massimo; Zauli-Sajani, Stefano; Pey, Jorge; Samoli, Evangelia; Alessandrini, Ester; Basagaña, Xavier; Cernigliaro, Achille; Chiusolo, Monica; Demaria, Moreno; Díaz, Julio; Faustini, Annunziata; Katsouyanni, Klea; Kelessis, Apostolos G; Linares, Cristina; Marchesi, Stefano; Medina, Sylvia; Pandolfi, Paolo; Pérez, Noemí; Querol, Xavier; Randi, Giorgia; Ranzi, Andrea; Tobias, Aurelio; Forastiere, Francesco

2016-04-01

Evidence on the association between short-term exposure to desert dust and health outcomes is controversial. We aimed to estimate the short-term effects of particulate matter ≤ 10 μm (PM10) on mortality and hospital admissions in 13 Southern European cities, distinguishing between PM10 originating from the desert and from other sources. We identified desert dust advection days in multiple Mediterranean areas for 2001-2010 by combining modeling tools, back-trajectories, and satellite data. For each advection day, we estimated PM10 concentrations originating from desert, and computed PM10 from other sources by difference. We fitted city-specific Poisson regression models to estimate the association between PM from different sources (desert and non-desert) and daily mortality and emergency hospitalizations. Finally, we pooled city-specific results in a random-effects meta-analysis. On average, 15% of days were affected by desert dust at ground level (desert PM10 > 0 μg/m3). Most episodes occurred in spring-summer, with increasing gradient of both frequency and intensity north-south and west-east of the Mediterranean basin. We found significant associations of both PM10 concentrations with mortality. Increases of 10 μg/m3 in non-desert and desert PM10 (lag 0-1 days) were associated with increases in natural mortality of 0.55% (95% CI: 0.24, 0.87%) and 0.65% (95% CI: 0.24, 1.06%), respectively. Similar associations were estimated for cardio-respiratory mortality and hospital admissions. PM10 originating from the desert was positively associated with mortality and hospitalizations in Southern Europe. Policy measures should aim at reducing population exposure to anthropogenic airborne particles even in areas with large contribution from desert dust advections. Stafoggia M, Zauli-Sajani S, Pey J, Samoli E, Alessandrini E, Basagaña X, Cernigliaro A, Chiusolo M, Demaria M, Díaz J, Faustini A, Katsouyanni K, Kelessis AG, Linares C, Marchesi S, Medina S, Pandolfi P, Pérez N, Querol X, Randi G, Ranzi A, Tobias A, Forastiere F, MED-PARTICLES Study Group. 2016. Desert dust outbreaks in Southern Europe: contribution to daily PM10 concentrations and short-term associations with mortality and hospital admissions. Environ Health Perspect 124:413-419; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409164.

Long-term Satellite Observations of Asian Dust Storm: Source, Pathway, and Interannual Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, N. Christina

2008-01-01

Among the many components that contribute to air pollution, airborne mineral dust plays an important role due to its biogeochemical impact on the ecosystem and its radiative-forcing effect on the climate system. In East Asia, dust storms frequently accompany the cold and dry air masses that occur as part of springtime cold front systems. Outbreaks of Asian dust storms occur often in the arid and semi-arid areas of northwestern China -about 1.6x10(exp 6) square kilometers including the Gobi and Taklimakan deserts- with continuous expanding of spatial coverage. These airborne dust particles, originating in desert areas far from polluted regions, interact with anthropogenic sulfate and soot aerosols emitted from Chinese megacities during their transport over the mainland. Adding the intricate effects of clouds and marine aerosols, dust particles reaching the marine environment can have drastically different properties than those from their sources. Furthermore, these aerosols, once generated over the source regions, can be transported out of the boundary layer into the free troposphere and can travel thousands of kilometers across the Pacific into the United States and beyond. In this paper, we will demonstrate the capability of a new satellite algorithm to retrieve aerosol properties (e.g., optical thickness, single scattering albedo) over bright-reflecting surfaces such as urban areas and deserts. Such retrievals have been difficult to perform using previously available algorithms that use wavelengths from the mid-visible to the near IR because they have trouble separating the aerosol signal from the contribution due to the bright surface reflectance. This new algorithm, called Deep Blue, utilizes blue-wavelength measurements from instruments such as SeaWiFS and MODIS to infer the properties of aerosols, since the surface reflectance over land in the blue part of the spectrum is much lower than for longer wavelength channels. Reasonable agreements have been achieved between Deep Blue retrievals of aerosol optical thickness and those directly from AERONET sunphotometers over desert and semi-desert regions. New Deep Blue products will allow scientists to determine quantitatively the aerosol properties near sources using high spatial resolution measurements from SeaWiFS and MODIS-like instruments. Long-term satellite measurements (1998 - 2007) from SeaWiFS will be utilized to investigate the interannual variability of source, pathway, and dust loading associated with the Asian dust storm outbreaks. In addition, monthly averaged aerosol optical thickness during the springtime from SeaWiFS will also be compared with the MODIS Deep Blue products.

Monitoring of persistent organic pollutants in Africa. Part 2: design of a network to monitor the continental and intercontinental background.

PubMed

Lammel, G; Dobrovolný, P; Dvorská, A; Chromá, K; Brázdil, R; Holoubek, I; Hosek, J

2009-11-01

A network for the study of long-term trends of the continental background in Africa and the intercontinental background of persistent organic pollutants as resulting from long-range transport of contaminants from European, South Asian, and other potential source regions, as well as by watching supposedly pristine regions, i.e. the Southern Ocean and Antarctica is designed. The results of a pilot phase sampling programme in 2008 and meteorological and climatological information from the period 1961-2007 was used to apply objective criteria for the selection of stations for the monitoring network: out the original 26 stations six have been rejected because of suggested strong local sources of POPs and three others because of local meteorological effects, which may prevent part of the time long-range transported air to reach the sampling site. Representativeness of the meteorological patterns during the pilot phase with respect to climatology was assessed by comparison of the more local airflow situation as given by climatological vs. observed wind roses and by comparison of backward trajectories with the climatological wind (NCEP/NCAR re-analyses). With minor exceptions advection to nine inspected stations was typical for present-day climate during the pilot phase, 2008. Six to nine stations would cover satisfyingly large and densely populated regions of North-eastern, West and East Africa and its neighbouring seas, the Mediterranean, Northern and Equatorial Atlantic Ocean, the Western Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean. Among the more densely populated areas Southern Cameroon, parts of the Abessinian plateau and most of the Great Lakes area would not be covered. The potential of the network is not hampered by on-going long-term changes of the advection to the selected stations, as these do hardly affect the coverage of target areas.

Health data in Ontario: taking stock and moving ahead.

PubMed

Iron, Karey

2006-01-01

Ontario has been a leader in performance-reporting in clinical areas such as surgery, cardiac care and drug use in the elderly. Data used to report on these areas are readily available for performance evaluation and are of reasonable quality. But other key areas like managing chronic disease and preventive care cannot be fully evaluated because relevant data are either unavailable or of poor quality. A focus on timely access to good quality demographic and vital statistics data would enhance our ability to evaluate components of the Ontario health system. New comprehensive primary care, laboratory services and drug prescriptions data sources are also necessary for health-system evaluation and planning. In the short term, a dedicated, centralized agency with legislative authority is proposed to move Ontario's health information agenda forward in a holistic, strategic and timely manner.

Compensatory immigration depends on adjacent population size and habitat quality but not on landscape connectivity.

PubMed

Turgeon, Katrine; Kramer, Donald L

2012-11-01

1. Populations experiencing localized mortality can recover in the short term by net movement of individuals from adjacent areas, a process called compensatory immigration or spillover. Little is known about the factors influencing the magnitude of compensatory immigration or its impact on source populations. Such information is important for understanding metapopulation dynamics, the use of protected areas for conservation, management of exploited populations and pest control. 2. Using two small, territorial damselfish species (Stegastes diencaeus and S. adustus) in their naturally fragmented habitat, we quantified compensatory immigration in response to localized mortality, assessed its impact on adjacent source populations and examined the importance of potential immigrants, habitat quality and landscape connectivity as limiting factors. On seven experimental sites, we repeatedly removed 15% of the initial population size until none remained and immigration ceased. 3. Immigrants replaced 16-72% of original residents in S. diencaeus and 0-69% in S. adustus. The proportion of the source population that immigrated into depleted areas varied from 9% to 61% in S. diencaeus and from 3% to 21% in S. adustus. In S. diencaeus, compensatory immigration was strongly affected by habitat quality, to a lesser extent by the abundance of potential immigrants and not by landscape connectivity. In S. adustus, immigration was strongly affected by the density of potential migrants and not by habitat quality and landscape connectivity. On two control sites, immigration in the absence of creation of vacancies was extremely rare. 4. Immigration occurred in response to localized mortality and was therefore compensatory. It was highly variable, sometimes producing substantial impacts on both depleted and source populations. The magnitude of compensatory immigration was influenced primarily by the availability of immigrants and by the potential improvement in territory quality that they could achieve by immigrating and not by their ability to reach the depleted area. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2012 British Ecological Society.

Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in California's San Joaquin Valley: Characterizing Large Point Source Emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, F. M.; Duren, R. M.; Miller, C. E.; Aubrey, A. D.; Falk, M.; Holland, L.; Hook, S. J.; Hulley, G. C.; Johnson, W. R.; Kuai, L.; Kuwayama, T.; Lin, J. C.; Thorpe, A. K.; Worden, J. R.; Lauvaux, T.; Jeong, S.; Fischer, M. L.

2015-12-01

Methane is an important atmospheric pollutant that contributes to global warming and tropospheric ozone production. Methane mitigation could reduce near term climate change and improve air quality, but is hindered by a lack of knowledge of anthropogenic methane sources. Recent work has shown that methane emissions are not evenly distributed in space, or across emission sources, suggesting that a large fraction of anthropogenic methane comes from a few "super-emitters." We studied the distribution of super-emitters in California's southern San Joaquin Valley, where elevated levels of atmospheric CH4 have also been observed from space. Here, we define super-emitters as methane plumes that could be reliably detected (i.e., plume observed more than once in the same location) under varying wind conditions by airborne thermal infrared remote sensing. The detection limit for this technique was determined to be 4.5 kg CH4 h-1 by a controlled release experiment, corresponding to column methane enhancement at the point of emissions greater than 20% above local background levels. We surveyed a major oil production field, and an area with a high concentration of large dairies using a variety of airborne and ground-based measurements. Repeated airborne surveys (n=4) with the Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer revealed 28 persistent methane plumes emanating from oil field infrastructure, including tanks, wells, and processing facilities. The likelihood that a given source type was a super-emitter varied from roughly 1/3 for processing facilities to 1/3000 for oil wells. 11 persistent plumes were detected in the dairy area, and all were associated with wet manure management. The majority (11/14) of manure lagoons in the study area were super-emitters. Comparing to a California methane emissions inventory for the surveyed areas, we estimate that super-emitters comprise a minimum of 9% of inventoried dairy emissions, and 13% of inventoried oil emissions in this region.

Size distribution and coating thickness of black carbon from the Canadian oil sands operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yuan; Li, Shao-Meng; Gordon, Mark; Liu, Peter

2018-02-01

Black carbon (BC) plays an important role in the Earth's climate system. However, parameterizations of BC size and mixing state have not been well addressed in aerosol-climate models, introducing substantial uncertainties into the estimation of radiative forcing by BC. In this study, we focused on BC emissions from the oil sands (OS) surface mining activities in northern Alberta, based on an aircraft campaign conducted over the Athabasca OS region in 2013. A total of 14 flights were made over the OS source area, in which the aircraft was typically flown in a four- or five-sided polygon pattern along flight tracks encircling an OS facility. Another 3 flights were performed downwind of the OS source area, each of which involved at least three intercepting locations where the well-mixed OS plume was measured along flight tracks perpendicular to the wind direction. Comparable size distributions were observed for refractory black carbon (rBC) over and downwind of the OS facilities, with rBC mass median diameters (MMDs) between ˜ 135 and 145 nm that were characteristic of fresh urban emissions. This MMD range corresponded to rBC number median diameters (NMDs) of ˜ 60-70 nm, approximately 100 % higher than the NMD settings in some aerosol-climate models. The typical in- and out-of-plume segments of a flight, which had different rBC concentrations and photochemical ages, showed consistent rBC size distributions in terms of MMD, NMD and the corresponding distribution widths. Moreover, rBC size distributions remained unchanged at different downwind distances from the source area, suggesting that atmospheric aging would not necessarily change rBC size distribution. However, aging indeed influenced rBC mixing state. Coating thickness for rBC cores in the diameter range of 130-160 nm was nearly doubled (from ˜ 20 to 40 nm) within 3 h when the OS plume was transported over a distance of 90 km from the source area.

Utilizing Tritium and CFC-12 to Determine Groundwater Sources in an Unconfined Aquifer Within the Abalone Cove Landslide, Palos Verdes, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Difilippo, E. L.; Hammond, D. E.; Douglas, R.; Clark, J. F.; Avisar, D.; Dunker, R.

2004-12-01

The Abalone Cove landslide occupies 80 acres of an ancient landslide complex on the Palos Verdes peninsula, and was re-activated in 1979. The uphill portion of the ancient landslide complex has remained stable in historic times. Water infiltration into the slide is a short term catalyst for mass movement in the area, so it is important to determine the sources of groundwater throughout the slide mass. Water may enter the slide mass through direct percolation of recent precipitation, inflow along the head scarp of the ancient landslide or by rising through the slide plane from a deeper aquifer. The objective of this contribution is to use geochemical tracers (tritium and CFC-12) in combination with numerical modeling to constrain the importance of each of these sources. Numerical models were constructed to predict geochemical tracer concentrations throughout the basin, assuming that the only source of water to the slide mass is percolation of recent precipitation. Predicted concentrations were then compared to measured tracer values. In the ancient landslide, predicted and measured tracer concentrations are in good agreement, indicating that most of the water in this area is recent precipitation falling within the basin. Groundwater recharged uphill of the ancient landslide contributes minor flow into the complex through the head scarp, with the majority of this water flowing beneath the ancient slide plane. However, predicted tracer concentrations in the toe of the Abalone Cove landslide are not consistent with measured values. Both CFC-12 and tritium concentrations indicate that water is older than predicted and communication between the slide mass and the aquifer beneath the slide plane must occur in this area. Infiltration of this deep circulating water may exert upward hydraulic pressure on the landslide slip surface, increasing the potential for movement. This hypothesis is consistent with the observation that current movement is only occurring in the area in which tracers indicate communication with the deeper aquifer.

Impacts of rural development on Yellowstone wildlife: linking grizzly bear Ursus arctos demographics with projected residential growth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schwartz, Charles C.; Gude, Patricia H.; Landenburger, Lisa; Haroldson, Mark A.; Podruzny, Shannon

2012-01-01

Exurban development is consuming wildlife habitat within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with potential consequences to the long-term conservation of grizzly bears Ursus arctos. We assessed the impacts of alternative future land-use scenarios by linking an existing regression-based simulation model predicting rural development with a spatially explicit model that predicted bear survival. Using demographic criteria that predict population trajectory, we portioned habitats into either source or sink, and projected the loss of source habitat associated with four different build out (new home construction) scenarios through 2020. Under boom growth, we predicted that 12 km2 of source habitat were converted to sink habitat within the Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone (RZ), 189 km2 were converted within the current distribution of grizzly bears outside of the RZ, and 289 km2 were converted in the area outside the RZ identified as suitable grizzly bear habitat. Our findings showed that extremely low densities of residential development created sink habitats. We suggest that tools, such as those outlined in this article, in addition to zoning and subdivision regulation may prove more practical, and the most effective means of retaining large areas of undeveloped land and conserving grizzly bear source habitat will likely require a landscape-scale approach. We recommend a focus on land conservation efforts that retain open space (easements, purchases and trades) coupled with the implementation of ‘bear community programmes’ on an ecosystem wide basis in an effort to minimize human-bear conflicts, minimize management-related bear mortalities associated with preventable conflicts and to safeguard human communities. Our approach has application to other species and areas, and it has illustrated how spatially explicit demographic models can be combined with models predicting land-use change to help focus conservation priorities.

Contamination, Transport, and Exposure Mapping and Assessment of Karst Groundwater Systems in Northern Puerto Rico Using GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, J.; Schifman, L. A.; Irrizary, C.; Torres, P.; Padilla, I. Y.

2011-12-01

Ground waters from karst aquifer systems are one of the most important sources of freshwater worldwide and are highly vulnerable to both natural and anthropogenic contamination. Contaminants released into karst groundwater systems move through complex pathways from their sources to discharge areas of potential exposure. Points of exposure can include wells, springs, and surface waters that serve as drinking water sources. In Puerto Rico, the North Coast Limestone Aquifer System, which extends 90 miles across the north coast with an area of nearly 700 sq. miles, provides more than 50% of the potable water demand for industrial and drinking purposes. Historical reports from the 1980s revealed that volatile organic compounds, phthalates, and metals were close to or exceeded maximum contaminant levels. Exposure to such contaminants has been reported to cause reproductive and developmental issues, such as preterm birth. Since there is minimal understanding of the extent of contamination it is important to identify areas of potential concern. Preliminary analysis of 20 groundwater/springs and 20 tap water sites within the North Coast suggest that contamination is still a major concern. In addition, mixed effects models analyses suggest that >60% of pre-term birth rates may be explained by the presence of sites contaminated with volatile organic compounds, phthalates, and metals within the North Coast region. This presentation will focus primarily on how GIS was used as a tool for developing sampling strategies for collecting groundwater and tap water sources within the North Coast Limestone Aquifer System of Puerto Rico. In addition, the linkage of contamination, transport, and exposure to volatile organic compounds and phthalates will be addressed.

Development, Evaluation, and Application of a Primary Aerosol Model.

PubMed

Wang, I T; Chico, T; Huang, Y H; Farber, R J

1999-09-01

The Segmented-Plume Primary Aerosol Model (SPPAM) has been developed over the past several years. The earlier model development goals were simply to generalize the widely used Industrial Source Complex Short-Term (ISCST) model to simulate plume transport and dispersion under light wind conditions and to handle a large number of roadway or line sources. The goals have been expanded to include development of improved algorithm for effective plume transport velocity, more accurate and efficient line and area source dispersion algorithms, and recently, a more realistic and computationally efficient algorithm for plume depletion due to particle dry deposition. A performance evaluation of the SPPAM has been carried out using the 1983 PNL dual tracer experimental data. The results show the model predictions to be in good agreement with observations in both plume advection-dispersion and particulate matter (PM) depletion by dry deposition. For PM 2.5 impact analysis, the SPPAM has been applied to the Rubidoux area of California. Emission sources included in the modeling analysis are: paved road dust, diesel vehicular exhaust, gasoline vehicular exhaust, and tire wear particles from a large number of roadways in Rubidoux and surrounding areas. For the selected modeling periods, the predicted primary PM 2.5 to primary PM10 concentration ratios for the Rubidoux sampling station are in the range of 0.39-0.46. The organic fractions of the primary PM 2.5 impacts are estimated to be at least 34-41%. Detailed modeling results indicate that the relatively high organic fractions are primarily due to the proximity of heavily traveled roadways north of the sampling station. The predictions are influenced by a number of factors; principal among them are the receptor locations relative to major roadways, the volume and composition of traffic on these roadways, and the prevailing meteorological conditions.

Science for the stewardship of the groundwater resources of Cape Cod, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barbaro, Jeffrey R.; Masterson, John P.; LeBlanc, Denis R.

2014-01-01

Groundwater is the sole source of drinking water and a major source of freshwater for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Groundwater discharged from aquifers also supports freshwater pond and stream ecosystems and coastal wetlands. Six hydraulically distinct groundwater-flow systems (lenses) have been delineated on Cape Cod. Of the approximately 450 million gallons per day of water that enters these lenses as recharge from precipitation, about 69 percent discharges directly to the coast, about 24 percent discharges to streams, and almost 7 percent is withdrawn by public-supply wells. In most areas, groundwater in the sand and gravel aquifers is shallow and susceptible to contamination from anthropogenic sources and saltwater intrusion. Continued land development and population growth on Cape Cod have created concerns that potable water will become less available and that the quantity and quality of water flowing to natural discharge areas such as ponds, streams, and coastal waters will continue to decline. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been investigating groundwater and surface-water resources on Cape Cod for more than 50 years. Recent studies highlighted in this fact sheet have focused on the sources of water to public-supply wells, ponds, streams, and coastal areas; the transport and discharge of nitrogen derived from domestic and municipal disposal of wastewater; and the effects of climate change on groundwater and surface-water resources. Other USGS activities include long-term monitoring of groundwater and pond levels and field research on groundwater contamination at the USGS Cape Cod Toxic Substances Hydrology Research Site (http://ma.water.usgs.gov/MMRCape/) near the Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC), formerly the Massachusetts Military Reservation.

Long-term monitoring on environmental disasters using multi-source remote sensing technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Y. C.; Chen, C. F.

2017-12-01

Environmental disasters are extreme events within the earth's system that cause deaths and injuries to humans, as well as causing damages and losses of valuable assets, such as buildings, communication systems, farmlands, forest and etc. In disaster management, a large amount of multi-temporal spatial data is required. Multi-source remote sensing data with different spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions is widely applied on environmental disaster monitoring. With multi-source and multi-temporal high resolution images, we conduct rapid, systematic and seriate observations regarding to economic damages and environmental disasters on earth. It is based on three monitoring platforms: remote sensing, UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) and ground investigation. The advantages of using UAS technology include great mobility and availability in real-time rapid and more flexible weather conditions. The system can produce long-term spatial distribution information from environmental disasters, obtaining high-resolution remote sensing data and field verification data in key monitoring areas. It also supports the prevention and control on ocean pollutions, illegally disposed wastes and pine pests in different scales. Meanwhile, digital photogrammetry can be applied on the camera inside and outside the position parameters to produce Digital Surface Model (DSM) data. The latest terrain environment information is simulated by using DSM data, and can be used as references in disaster recovery in the future.

Preliminary investigation of processes that affect source term identification. Environmental Restoration Program

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

Wickliff, D.S.; Solomon, D.K.; Farrow, N.D.

Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 5 is known to be a significant source of contaminants, especially tritium ({sup 3}H), to the White Oak Creek (WOC) watershed. For example, Solomon et al. (1991) estimated the total {sup 3}H discharge in Melton Branch (most of which originates in SWSA 5) for the 1988 water year to be 1210 Ci. A critical issue for making decisions concerning remedial actions at SWSA 5 is knowing whether the annual contaminant discharge is increasing or decreasing. Because (1) the magnitude of the annual contaminant discharge is highly correlated to the amount of annual precipitation (Solomon etmore » al., 1991) and (2) a significant lag may exist between the time of peak contaminant release from primary sources (i.e., waste trenches) and the time of peak discharge into streams, short-term stream monitoring by itself is not sufficient for predicting future contaminant discharges. In this study we use {sup 3}H to examine the link between contaminant release from primary waste sources and contaminant discharge into streams. By understanding and quantifying subsurface transport processes, realistic predictions of future contaminant discharge, along with an evaluation of the effectiveness of remedial action alternatives, will be possible. The objectives of this study are (1) to characterize the subsurface movement of contaminants (primarily {sup 3}H) with an emphasis on the effects of matrix diffusion; (2) to determine the relative strength of primary vs secondary sources; and (3) to establish a methodology capable of determining whether the {sup 3}H discharge from SWSA 5 to streams is increasing or decreasing.« less

Preliminary investigation of processes that affect source term identification

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

Wickliff, D.S.; Solomon, D.K.; Farrow, N.D.

Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 5 is known to be a significant source of contaminants, especially tritium ({sup 3}H), to the White Oak Creek (WOC) watershed. For example, Solomon et al. (1991) estimated the total {sup 3}H discharge in Melton Branch (most of which originates in SWSA 5) for the 1988 water year to be 1210 Ci. A critical issue for making decisions concerning remedial actions at SWSA 5 is knowing whether the annual contaminant discharge is increasing or decreasing. Because (1) the magnitude of the annual contaminant discharge is highly correlated to the amount of annual precipitation (Solomon etmore » al., 1991) and (2) a significant lag may exist between the time of peak contaminant release from primary sources (i.e., waste trenches) and the time of peak discharge into streams, short-term stream monitoring by itself is not sufficient for predicting future contaminant discharges. In this study we use {sup 3}H to examine the link between contaminant release from primary waste sources and contaminant discharge into streams. By understanding and quantifying subsurface transport processes, realistic predictions of future contaminant discharge, along with an evaluation of the effectiveness of remedial action alternatives, will be possible. The objectives of this study are (1) to characterize the subsurface movement of contaminants (primarily {sup 3}H) with an emphasis on the effects of matrix diffusion; (2) to determine the relative strength of primary vs secondary sources; and (3) to establish a methodology capable of determining whether the {sup 3}H discharge from SWSA 5 to streams is increasing or decreasing.« less

Study on Net Primary Productivity over Complicated Mountainous Area based on Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, X.; Shen, H.; Li, X.; Gan, W.

2017-12-01

Mountainous area hosts approximately a quarter of the global land surface, with complex climate and ecosystem conditions. More knowledge about mountainous ecosystem could highly advance our understanding of the global carbon cycle and climate change. Net Primary Productivity (NPP), the biomass increment of plants, is a widely used ecological indicator that can be obtained by remote sensing methods. However, limited by the defective characteristic of sensors, which cannot be long-term with enough spatial details synchronously, the mountainous NPP was far from being understood. In this study, a multi-sensor fusion framework was applied to synthesize a 1-km NPP series from 1982 to 2014 in mountainous southwest China, where elevation ranged from 76m to 6740m. The validation with field-measurements proved this framework greatly improved the accuracy of NPP (r=0.79, p<0.01). The detailed spatial and temporal analysis indicated that NPP variation trends changed from decreasing to increasing with the ascending elevation, as a result of a warmer and drier climate over the region. The correlation of NPP and temperature varied from negative to positive almost at the same elevation break-point of NPP trends, but the opposite for precipitation. This phenomenon was determined by the altitudinal and seasonally uneven allocation of climatic factors, as well as the downward run-off. What is more, it was indicated that the NPP variation showed three distinct stages at the year break-point of 1992 and 2002 over the region. The NPP in low-elevation area varied almost triple more drastic than the high-elevation area for all the three stages, due to the much greater change rate of precipitation. In summary, this study innovatively conducted a long-term and accurate NPP study on the not understood mountainous ecosystem with multi-source data, the framework and conclusions will be beneficial for the further cognition of global climate change.

Use of multitemporal InSAR data to develop geohazard scenarios for Bandung, Western Java, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvi, Stefano; Tolomei, Cristiano; Duro, Javier; Pezzo, Giuseppe; Koudogbo, Fifamè

2015-04-01

The Greater Bandung metropolitan area is the second largest urban area in Indonesia, with a population of 8.6 million. It is subject to a variety of geohazards: volcanic hazards from seven active volcanoes within a radius of 50 km; high flood hazards, seismic hazard due to crustal active faults, the best known being the 30-km long Lembang fault, 10 km North of the city centre; subsidence hazards due to strong aquifer depletion; landslide hazard in the surrounding high country. In the framework of the FP7 RASOR project, multitemporal satellite SAR data have been processed over Bandung, Western Java. We used the SBAS InSAR technique (Berardino et al., 2002) to process two ALOS-1 datasets, to investigate the various sources of surface deformation acting in the area in the period 2008-2011. Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) has also been applied to achieve ground motion measurements with millimetric precision and high accuracy. The PSI processing technique considers a system of points that reflect the radar signal from the satellite continuously through the time. It makes use of differential interferometric phase measurements to generate long term terrain deformation and digital surface model maps. The GlobalSARTM algorithms developed by Altamira Information are applied to COSMO-SkyMed data acquired to measure ground motion over the area of interest. Strong ground displacements (up to 7 cm/yr) due to groundwater abstraction have been measured in the Bandung basin. The identification of long wavelength signals from tectonic sources is difficult due to the limited InSAR coherence outside of the urban environment. Limited deformation is observed also in the Tangkuban Perahu volcano to the north. The spatial and temporal distribution of the ground motion is important supporting information for the generation of long term subsidence and flood hazard scenarios.

What's in a ray set: moving towards a unified ray set format

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muschaweck, Julius

2011-10-01

For the purpose of optical simulation, a plethora of formats exist to describe the properties of a light source. Except for the EULUMDAT and IES formats which describe sources in terms of aperture area and far field intensity, all these formats are vendor specific, and no generally accepted standard exists. Most illumination simulation software vendors use their own format for ray sets, which describe sources in terms of many rays. Some of them keep their format definition proprietary. Thus, software packages typically can read or write only their own specific format, although the actual data content is not so different. Typically, they describe origin and direction of each ray in 3D vectors, and use one more single number for magnitude, where magnitude may denote radiant flux, luminous flux (equivalently tristimulus Y), or tristimulus X and Z. Sometimes each ray also carries its wavelength, while other formats allow to specify an overall spectrum for the whole source. In addition, in at least one format, polarization properties are also included for each ray. This situation makes it inefficient and potentially error prone for light source manufacturers to provide ray data sets for their sources in many different formats. Furthermore, near field goniometer vendors again use their proprietary formats to store the source description in terms of luminance data, and offer their proprietary software to generate ray sets from this data base. Again, the plethora of ray sets make the ray set production inefficient and potentially error prone. In this paper, we propose to describe ray data sets in terms of phase space, as a step towards a standardized ray set format. It is well known that luminance and radiance can be defined as flux density in phase space: luminance is flux divided by etendue. Therefore, single rays can be thought of as center points of phase space cells, where each cell possesses its volume (i.e. etendue), its flux, and therefore its luminance. In addition, each phase space cell possesses its spectrum, and its polarization properties. We show how this approach leads to a unification of the EULUMDAT/IES, ray set and near field goniometer formats, making possible the generation of arbitrarily many additional rays by luminance interpolation. We also show how the EULUMDAT/IES and individual ray set formats can be derived from the proposed general format, making software using a possible standard format downward compatible.

Bayesian estimation of a source term of radiation release with approximately known nuclide ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tichý, Ondřej; Šmídl, Václav; Hofman, Radek

2016-04-01

We are concerned with estimation of a source term in case of an accidental release from a known location, e.g. a power plant. Usually, the source term of an accidental release of radiation comprises of a mixture of nuclide. The gamma dose rate measurements do not provide a direct information on the source term composition. However, physical properties of respective nuclide (deposition properties, decay half-life) can be used when uncertain information on nuclide ratios is available, e.g. from known reactor inventory. The proposed method is based on linear inverse model where the observation vector y arise as a linear combination y = Mx of a source-receptor-sensitivity (SRS) matrix M and the source term x. The task is to estimate the unknown source term x. The problem is ill-conditioned and further regularization is needed to obtain a reasonable solution. In this contribution, we assume that nuclide ratios of the release is known with some degree of uncertainty. This knowledge is used to form the prior covariance matrix of the source term x. Due to uncertainty in the ratios the diagonal elements of the covariance matrix are considered to be unknown. Positivity of the source term estimate is guaranteed by using multivariate truncated Gaussian distribution. Following Bayesian approach, we estimate all parameters of the model from the data so that y, M, and known ratios are the only inputs of the method. Since the inference of the model is intractable, we follow the Variational Bayes method yielding an iterative algorithm for estimation of all model parameters. Performance of the method is studied on simulated 6 hour power plant release where 3 nuclide are released and 2 nuclide ratios are approximately known. The comparison with method with unknown nuclide ratios will be given to prove the usefulness of the proposed approach. This research is supported by EEA/Norwegian Financial Mechanism under project MSMT-28477/2014 Source-Term Determination of Radionuclide Releases by Inverse Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling (STRADI).

Hydrocarbon prospectivity assessment of the Southern Pattani Trough, Gulf of Thailand

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

Mountford, N.

The Pattani Trough is an elongate north to south basin in the Gulf of Thailand offshore area that developed from Oligocene times onward. Numerous hydrocarbon discoveries, mainly gas, have been made within the Tertiary stratigraphic section in areas adjacent to the depocenter of the basin, but only dry holes have been drilled on the extreme basin margins and flanking platform areas. The southern Pattani Trough represents a [open quotes]transition zone[close quotes] in terms of potential hydrocarbon prospectivity between the low potential/high exploration risk basin marginal areas, and the high potential/low exploration risk basin marginal area. The development of hydrocarbon accumulationmore » potential within the southern Pattani Trough can be related to a number of major controlling factors. These include structure, which on a regional scale shows a marked influence of tectonic regime on depositional system development, and on a more local scale determines trap development; stratigraphy, which determines reservoir geometry and potential hydrocarbon source rock facies distribution; petrology, which exerts a major control on depth related reservoir quality; overpressure development, which controls local migration pathways for generated hydrocarbons, and locally provides very efficient trap seals; geochemical factors, related to potential source facies distribution, hydrocarbon type; and thermal maturation of the section. The above factors have been combined to define low-, medium-, and high-risk exploration [open quotes]play fairways[close quotes] within the prospectivity transition zone of the southern Pattani Trough.« less

10 CFR 50.67 - Accident source term.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... occupancy of the control room under accident conditions without personnel receiving radiation exposures in... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Accident source term. 50.67 Section 50.67 Energy NUCLEAR... Conditions of Licenses and Construction Permits § 50.67 Accident source term. (a) Applicability. The...

10 CFR 50.67 - Accident source term.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... occupancy of the control room under accident conditions without personnel receiving radiation exposures in... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Accident source term. 50.67 Section 50.67 Energy NUCLEAR... Conditions of Licenses and Construction Permits § 50.67 Accident source term. (a) Applicability. The...

10 CFR 50.67 - Accident source term.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... occupancy of the control room under accident conditions without personnel receiving radiation exposures in... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Accident source term. 50.67 Section 50.67 Energy NUCLEAR... Conditions of Licenses and Construction Permits § 50.67 Accident source term. (a) Applicability. The...

10 CFR 50.67 - Accident source term.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... occupancy of the control room under accident conditions without personnel receiving radiation exposures in... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Accident source term. 50.67 Section 50.67 Energy NUCLEAR... Conditions of Licenses and Construction Permits § 50.67 Accident source term. (a) Applicability. The...

10 CFR 50.67 - Accident source term.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... occupancy of the control room under accident conditions without personnel receiving radiation exposures in... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Accident source term. 50.67 Section 50.67 Energy NUCLEAR... Conditions of Licenses and Construction Permits § 50.67 Accident source term. (a) Applicability. The...

[Malaria and memory in the Veneto region of Italy].

PubMed

Pegoraro, Manuela; Crotti, Daniele

2009-09-01

Malaria and emigration are two terms deeply embedded in Veneto history, related to images far back in the past, unknown to younger generations. Losing one's own collective historical memory is a source of personal and cultural impoverishment and inevitably compromises one's awareness of the present, possibly leading to superficial judgements and hastily formed opinions. Such a situation is all the more serious in a geographical area, north-eastern Italy, where immigration is so abundant. In this paper the authors seek to retrieve, at least in part, this memory, especially in terms of history (to what extent malaria afflicted residents in Veneto and migrants from the region) and biology (how much imprinting from malaria has remained in the native population's genetic make-up).

Developing a historical climatology of Wales from Welsh and English language sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, N.; Davies, S. J.; Jones, C. A.; Charnell-White, C.

2009-04-01

Historical documentary records are recognised as valuable in understanding long term climate variability. In the UK, the Central England Temperature Series (1772- ) and the Lamb weather catalogue (1861- ) provide a detailed climate record for England, but the value of these archives in Wales and Scotland is more limited, though some long term instrumental series exist, particularly for cities such as Cardiff. The spatial distance from the central England area and a lower density of instrumental stations in Wales has limited understanding of climate variability during the instrumental period (~1750- ). This paper illustrates that historical documentary records represent a considerable resource, that to date have been underutilised in developing a more complete understanding of past weather and climate within many parts of Western Europe.

Sensitivity Analysis Tailored to Constrain 21st Century Terrestrial Carbon-Uptake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, S. J.; Gerber, S.

2013-12-01

The long-term fate of terrestrial carbon (C) in response to climate change remains a dominant source of uncertainty in Earth-system model projections. Increasing atmospheric CO2 could be mitigated by long-term net uptake of C, through processes such as increased plant productivity due to "CO2-fertilization". Conversely, atmospheric conditions could be exacerbated by long-term net release of C, through processes such as increased decomposition due to higher temperatures. This balance is an important area of study, and a major source of uncertainty in long-term (>year 2050) projections of planetary response to climate change. We present results from an innovative application of sensitivity analysis to LM3V, a dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM), intended to identify observed/observable variables that are useful for constraining long-term projections of C-uptake. We analyzed the sensitivity of cumulative C-uptake by 2100, as modeled by LM3V in response to IPCC AR4 scenario climate data (1860-2100), to perturbations in over 50 model parameters. We concurrently analyzed the sensitivity of over 100 observable model variables, during the extant record period (1970-2010), to the same parameter changes. By correlating the sensitivities of observable variables with the sensitivity of long-term C-uptake we identified model calibration variables that would also constrain long-term C-uptake projections. LM3V employs a coupled carbon-nitrogen cycle to account for N-limitation, and we find that N-related variables have an important role to play in constraining long-term C-uptake. This work has implications for prioritizing field campaigns to collect global data that can help reduce uncertainties in the long-term land-atmosphere C-balance. Though results of this study are specific to LM3V, the processes that characterize this model are not completely divorced from other DGVMs (or reality), and our approach provides valuable insights into how data can be leveraged to be better constrain projections for the land carbon sink.

The susceptibility of large river basins to orogenic and climatic drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haedke, Hanna; Wittmann, Hella; von Blanckenburg, Friedhelm

2017-04-01

Large rivers are known to buffer pulses in sediment production driven by changes in climate as sediment is transported through lowlands. Our new dataset of in situ cosmogenic nuclide concentration and chemical composition of 62 sandy bedload samples from the world largest rivers integrates over 25% of Earth's terrestrial surface, distributed over a variety of climatic zones across all continents, and represents the millennial-scale denudation rate of the sediment's source area. We can show that these denudation rates do not respond to climatic forcing, but faithfully record orogenic forcing, when analyzed with respective variables representing orogeny (strain rate, relief, bouguer anomaly, free-air anomaly), and climate (runoff, temperature, precipitation) and basin properties (floodplain response time, drainage area). In contrast to this orogenic forcing of denudation rates, elemental bedload chemistry from the fine-grained portion of the same samples correlates with climate-related variables (precipitation, runoff) and floodplain response times. It is also well-known from previous compilations of river-gauged sediment loads that the short-term basin-integrated sediment export is also climatically controlled. The chemical composition of detrital sediment shows a climate control that can originate in the rivers source area, but this signal is likely overprinted during transfer through the lowlands because we also find correlation with floodplain response times. At the same time, cosmogenic nuclides robustly preserve the orogenic forcing of the source area denudation signal through of the floodplain buffer. Conversely, previous global compilations of cosmogenic nuclides in small river basins show the preservation of climate drivers in their analysis, but these are buffered in large lowland rivers. Hence, we can confirm the assumption that cosmogenic nuclides in large rivers are poorly susceptible to climate changes, but are at the same time highly suited to detect changes in orogenic forcing in their paleo sedimentary records.

An overview on source rocks and the petroleum system of the central Upper Rhine Graben

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böcker, Johannes; Littke, Ralf; Forster, Astrid

2017-03-01

The petroleum system of the Upper Rhine Graben (URG) comprises multiple reservoir rocks and four major oil families, which are represented by four distinct source rock intervals. Based on geochemical analyses of new oil samples and as a review of chemical parameter of former oil fields, numerous new oil-source rock correlations were obtained. The asymmetric graben resulted in complex migration pathways with several mixed oils as well as migration from source rocks into significantly older stratigraphic units. Oldest oils originated from Liassic black shales with the Posidonia Shale as main source rock (oil family C). Bituminous shales of the Arietenkalk-Fm. (Lias α) show also significant source rock potential representing the second major source rock interval of the Liassic sequence. Within the Tertiary sequence several source rock intervals occur. Early Tertiary coaly shales generated high wax oils that accumulated in several Tertiary as well as Mesozoic reservoirs (oil family B). The Rupelian Fish Shale acted as important source rock, especially in the northern URG (oil family D). Furthermore, early mature oils from the evaporitic-salinar Corbicula- and Lower Hydrobienschichten occur especially in the area of the Heidelberg-Mannheim-Graben (oil family A). An overview on potential source rocks in the URG is presented including the first detailed geochemical source rock characterization of Middle Eocene sediments (equivalents to the Bouxwiller-Fm.). At the base of this formation a partly very prominent sapropelic coal layer or coaly shale occurs. TOC values of 20-32 % (cuttings) and Hydrogen Index (HI) values up to 640-760 mg HC/g TOC indicate an extraordinary high source rock potential, but a highly variable lateral distribution in terms of thickness and source rock facies is also supposed. First bulk kinetic data of the sapropelic Middle Eocene coal and a coaly layer of the `Lymnäenmergel' are presented and indicate oil-prone organic matter characterized by low activation energies. These sediments are considered as most important source rocks of numerous high wax oils (oil family B) in addition to the coaly source rocks from the (Lower) Pechelbronn-Schichten (Late Eocene). Migration pathways are significantly influenced by the early graben evolution. A major erosion period occurred during the latest Cretaceous. The uplift center was located in the northern URG area, resulting in SSE dipping Mesozoic strata in the central URG. During Middle Eocene times a second uplift center in the Eifel area resulted in SW-NE-directed shore lines in the central URG and contemporaneous south-southeastern depocenters during marine transgression from the south. This structural setting resulted in a major NNW-NW-directed and topography-driven migration pattern for expelled Liassic oil in the fractured Mesozoic subcrop below sealing Dogger α clays and basal Tertiary marls.

Exploring variations of earthquake moment on patches with heterogeneous strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Y. Y.; Lapusta, N.

2016-12-01

Finite-fault inversions show that earthquake slip is typically non-uniform over the ruptured region, likely due to heterogeneity of the earthquake source. Observations also show that events from the same fault area can have the same source duration but different magnitude ranging from 0.0 to 2.0 (Lin et al., GJI, 2016). Strong heterogeneity in strength over a patch could provide a potential explanation of such behavior, with the event duration controlled by the size of the patch and event magnitude determined by how much of the patch area has been ruptured. To explore this possibility, we numerically simulate earthquake sequences on a rate-and-state fault, with a seismogenic patch governed by steady-state velocity-weakening friction surrounded by a steady-state velocity-strengthening region. The seismogenic patch contains strong variations in strength due to variable normal stress. Our long-term simulations of slip in this model indeed generate sequences of earthquakes of various magnitudes. In some seismic events, dynamic rupture cannot overcome areas with higher normal strength, and smaller events result. When the higher-strength areas are loaded by previous slip and rupture, larger events result, as expected. Our current work is directed towards exploring a range of such models, determining the variability in the seismic moment that they can produce, and determining the observable properties of the resulting events.

Principle component analysis to separate deformation signals from multiple sources during a 2015 intrusive sequence at Kīlauea Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johanson, I. A.; Miklius, A.; Poland, M. P.

2016-12-01

A sequence of magmatic events in April-May 2015 at Kīlauea Volcano produced a complex deformation pattern that can be described by multiple deforming sources, active simultaneously. The 2015 intrusive sequence began with inflation in the volcano's summit caldera near Halema`uma`u (HMM) Crater, which continued over a few weeks, followed by rapid deflation of the HMM source and inflation of a source in the south caldera region during the next few days. In Kīlauea Volcano's summit area, multiple deformation centers are active at varying times, and all contribute to the overall pattern observed with GPS, tiltmeters, and InSAR. Isolating the contribution of different signals related to each source is a challenge and complicates the determination of optimal source geometry for the underlying magma bodies. We used principle component analysis of continuous GPS time series from the 2015 intrusion sequence to determine three basis vectors which together account for 83% of the variance in the data set. The three basis vectors are non-orthogonal and not strictly the principle components of the data set. In addition to separating deformation sources in the continuous GPS data, the basis vectors provide a means to scale the contribution of each source in a given interferogram. This provides an additional constraint in a joint model of GPS and InSAR data (COSMO-SkyMed and Sentinel-1A) to determine source geometry. The first basis vector corresponds with inflation in the south caldera region, an area long recognized as the location of a long-term storage reservoir. The second vector represents deformation of the HMM source, which is in the same location as a previously modeled shallow reservoir, however InSAR data suggest a more complicated source. Preliminary modeling of the deformation attributed to the third basis vector shows that it is consistent with inflation of a steeply dipping ellipsoid centered below Keanakāko`i crater, southeast of HMM. Keanakāko`i crater is the locus of a known, intermittently active deformation source, which was not previously recognized to have been active during the 2015 event.

An application of the edge effect in measuring accessibility to multiple food retailer types in Southwestern Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Trends in food retailing associated with the consolidation of smaller-format retailers into fewer, larger-format supercentres have left some rural areas with fewer sources of nutritious, affordable food. Access to nutritious, affordable food is essential for good dietary habits and combating health issues such as type-2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Many studies on food environments use inaccurate or incomplete methods for locating food retailers, which may be responsible for mischaracterising food deserts. This study uses databases of every residence in and every food retailer in and around Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. Residences were geocoded to their precise address, and network analysis techniques were performed in a geographic information system (GIS) to determine distances between every residence and different types of food retailers (grocery stores, fast food, fruit and vegetable sources, grocery stores plus fruit and vegetable sources, variety stores), both when considering and neglecting facilities outside the area of study, to account for a deficiency in analysis termed the 'edge effect'. Results Analysis of household accessibility to food outlets by neighbourhood socioeconomic distress level indicated that residents in the most distressed neighbourhoods tended to have better accessibility to all types of food retailers. In the most distressed neighbourhoods, 79 percent of residences were within walking distance of a grocery store, compared to only 10 percent in the least distressed neighbourhoods. When the edge effect was neglected, 37 percent of distance estimates proved inaccurate. Average accessibility to all food retailer types improved dramatically when food outlets adjacent to the study area were considered, thereby controlling for the edge effect. Conclusion By neglecting to consider food retailers just outside study area boundaries, previous studies may significantly over-report the actual distance necessary to travel for food. Research on food access spanning large rural regions requires methods that accurately geocode residents and their food sources. By implementing methods akin to those in this paper, future research will be better able to identify areas with poor food accessibility. Improving identification of food desert communities is a first step in facilitating more effective deployment of food policies and programs in those communities. PMID:21575162

Extreme erosion response after wildfire in the Upper Ovens, south-east Australia: Assessment of catchment scale connectivity by an intensive field survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Box, Walter; Keestra, Saskia; Nyman, Petter; Langhans, Christoph; Sheridan, Gary

2015-04-01

South-eastern Australia is generally regarded as one of the world's most fire-prone environments because of its high temperatures, low rainfall and flammable native Eucalyptus forests. Modifications to the landscape by fire can lead to significant changes to erosion rates and hydrological processes. Debris flows in particular have been recognised as a process which increases in frequency as a result of fire. This study used a debris flow event in the east Upper Ovens occurred on the 28th of February 2013 as a case study for analysing sediment transport processes and connectivity of sediment sources and sinks. Source areas were identified using a 15 cm resolution areal imagery and a logistic regression model was made based on fire severity, aridity index and slope to predict locations of source areas. Deposits were measured by making cross-sections using a combination of a differential GPS and a total station. In total 77 cross-sections were made in a 14.1 km2 sub-catchment and distributed based on channel gradient and width. A more detailed estimation was obtained by making more cross-sections where the volume per area is higher. Particle size distribution between sources and sink areas were obtained by combination of field assessment, photography imagery analyses and sieve and laser diffraction. Sediment was locally eroded, transported and deposited depending on factors such as longitude gradient, stream power and the composition of bed and bank material. The role of headwaters as sediment sinks changed dramatically as a result of the extreme erosion event in the wildfire affected areas. Disconnected headwaters became connected to low order streams due to debris flow processes in the contributing catchment. However this redistribution of sediment from headwaters to the drainage network was confined to upper reaches of the Ovens. Below this upper part of the catchment the event resulted in redistribution of sediment already existing in the channel through a combination of debris flows and hyperconcentrated flows. These results indicate that there is a stepwise outflow of sediment influencing long-term erosion rates and landform development.

An application of the edge effect in measuring accessibility to multiple food retailer types in southwestern Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Sadler, Richard C; Gilliland, Jason A; Arku, Godwin

2011-05-15

Trends in food retailing associated with the consolidation of smaller-format retailers into fewer, larger-format supercentres have left some rural areas with fewer sources of nutritious, affordable food. Access to nutritious, affordable food is essential for good dietary habits and combating health issues such as type-2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Many studies on food environments use inaccurate or incomplete methods for locating food retailers, which may be responsible for mischaracterising food deserts. This study uses databases of every residence in and every food retailer in and around Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. Residences were geocoded to their precise address, and network analysis techniques were performed in a geographic information system (GIS) to determine distances between every residence and different types of food retailers (grocery stores, fast food, fruit and vegetable sources, grocery stores plus fruit and vegetable sources, variety stores), both when considering and neglecting facilities outside the area of study, to account for a deficiency in analysis termed the 'edge effect'. Analysis of household accessibility to food outlets by neighbourhood socioeconomic distress level indicated that residents in the most distressed neighbourhoods tended to have better accessibility to all types of food retailers. In the most distressed neighbourhoods, 79 percent of residences were within walking distance of a grocery store, compared to only 10 percent in the least distressed neighbourhoods. When the edge effect was neglected, 37 percent of distance estimates proved inaccurate. Average accessibility to all food retailer types improved dramatically when food outlets adjacent to the study area were considered, thereby controlling for the edge effect. By neglecting to consider food retailers just outside study area boundaries, previous studies may significantly over-report the actual distance necessary to travel for food. Research on food access spanning large rural regions requires methods that accurately geocode residents and their food sources. By implementing methods akin to those in this paper, future research will be better able to identify areas with poor food accessibility. Improving identification of food desert communities is a first step in facilitating more effective deployment of food policies and programs in those communities.

Long-term chloride concentrations in North American and European freshwater lakes

PubMed Central

Dugan, Hilary A.; Summers, Jamie C.; Skaff, Nicholas K.; Krivak-Tetley, Flora E.; Doubek, Jonathan P.; Burke, Samantha M.; Bartlett, Sarah L.; Arvola, Lauri; Jarjanazi, Hamdi; Korponai, János; Kleeberg, Andreas; Monet, Ghislaine; Monteith, Don; Moore, Karen; Rogora, Michela; Hanson, Paul C.; Weathers, Kathleen C.

2017-01-01

Anthropogenic sources of chloride in a lake catchment, including road salt, fertilizer, and wastewater, can elevate the chloride concentration in freshwater lakes above background levels. Rising chloride concentrations can impact lake ecology and ecosystem services such as fisheries and the use of lakes as drinking water sources. To analyze the spatial extent and magnitude of increasing chloride concentrations in freshwater lakes, we amassed a database of 529 lakes in Europe and North America that had greater than or equal to ten years of chloride data. For each lake, we calculated climate statistics of mean annual total precipitation and mean monthly air temperatures from gridded global datasets. We also quantified land cover metrics, including road density and impervious surface, in buffer zones of 100 to 1,500 m surrounding the perimeter of each lake. This database represents the largest global collection of lake chloride data. We hope that long-term water quality measurements in areas outside Europe and North America can be added to the database as they become available in the future. PMID:28786983

Long-term chloride concentrations in North American and European freshwater lakes.

PubMed

Dugan, Hilary A; Summers, Jamie C; Skaff, Nicholas K; Krivak-Tetley, Flora E; Doubek, Jonathan P; Burke, Samantha M; Bartlett, Sarah L; Arvola, Lauri; Jarjanazi, Hamdi; Korponai, János; Kleeberg, Andreas; Monet, Ghislaine; Monteith, Don; Moore, Karen; Rogora, Michela; Hanson, Paul C; Weathers, Kathleen C

2017-08-08

Anthropogenic sources of chloride in a lake catchment, including road salt, fertilizer, and wastewater, can elevate the chloride concentration in freshwater lakes above background levels. Rising chloride concentrations can impact lake ecology and ecosystem services such as fisheries and the use of lakes as drinking water sources. To analyze the spatial extent and magnitude of increasing chloride concentrations in freshwater lakes, we amassed a database of 529 lakes in Europe and North America that had greater than or equal to ten years of chloride data. For each lake, we calculated climate statistics of mean annual total precipitation and mean monthly air temperatures from gridded global datasets. We also quantified land cover metrics, including road density and impervious surface, in buffer zones of 100 to 1,500 m surrounding the perimeter of each lake. This database represents the largest global collection of lake chloride data. We hope that long-term water quality measurements in areas outside Europe and North America can be added to the database as they become available in the future.

Detection and Estimation of 2-D Distributions of Greenhouse Gas Source Concentrations and Emissions over Complex Urban Environments and Industrial Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaccheo, T. S.; Pernini, T.; Dobler, J. T.; Blume, N.; Braun, M.

2017-12-01

This work highlights the use of the greenhouse-gas laser imaging tomography experiment (GreenLITETM) data in conjunction with a sparse tomography approach to identify and quantify both urban and industrial sources of CO2 and CH4. The GreenLITETM system provides a user-defined set of time-sequenced intersecting chords or integrated column measurements at a fixed height through a quasi-horizontal plane of interest. This plane, with unobstructed views along the lines of sight, may range from complex industrial facilities to a small city scale or urban sector. The continuous time phased absorption measurements are converted to column concentrations and combined with a plume based model to estimate the 2-D distribution of gas concentration over extended areas ranging from 0.04-25 km2. Finally, these 2-D maps of concentration are combined with ancillary meteorological and atmospheric data to identify potential emission sources and provide first order estimates of their associated fluxes. In this presentation, we will provide a brief overview of the systems and results from both controlled release experiments and a long-term system deployment in Paris, FR. These results provide a quantitative assessment of the system's ability to detect and estimate CO2 and CH4 sources, and demonstrate its ability to perform long-term autonomous monitoring and quantification of either persistent or sporadic emissions that may have both health and safety as well as environmental impacts.

Improving understanding of near-term barrier island evolution through multi-decadal assessment of morphologic change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lentz, Erika E.; Hapke, Cheryl J.; Stockdon, Hilary F.; Hehre, Rachel E.

2013-01-01

Observed morphodynamic changes over multiple decades were coupled with storm-driven run-up characteristics at Fire Island, New York, to explore the influence of wave processes relative to the impacts of other coastal change drivers on the near-term evolution of the barrier island. Historical topography was generated from digital stereo-photogrammetry and compared with more recent lidar surveys to quantify near-term (decadal) morphodynamic changes to the beach and primary dune system between the years 1969, 1999, and 2009. Notably increased profile volumes were observed along the entirety of the island in 1999, and likely provide the eolian source for the steady dune crest progradation observed over the relatively quiescent decade that followed. Persistent patterns of erosion and accretion over 10-, 30-, and 40-year intervals are attributable to variations in island morphology, human activity, and variations in offshore bathymetry and island orientation that influence the wave energy reaching the coast. Areas of documented long-term historical inlet formation and extensive bayside marsh development show substantial landward translation of the dune–beach profile over the near-term period of this study. Correlations among areas predicted to overwash, observed elevation changes of the dune crestline, and observed instances of overwash in undeveloped segments of the barrier island verify that overwash locations can be accurately predicted in undeveloped segments of coast. In fact, an assessment of 2012 aerial imagery collected after Hurricane Sandy confirms that overwash occurred at the majority of near-term locations persistently predicted to overwash. In addition to the storm wave climate, factors related to variations within the geologic framework which in turn influence island orientation, offshore slope, and sediment supply impact island behavior on near-term timescales.

Office of Science and Technology&International Year EndReport - 2005

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

Bodvarsson, G.S.

2005-10-27

Source Term, Materials Performance, Radionuclide Getters, Natural Barriers, and Advanced Technologies, a brief introduction in each section describes the overall organization and goals of each program area. All of these areas have great potential for improving our understanding of the safety performance of the proposed Yucca Mountain repository, as processes within these areas are generally very conservatively represented in the Total System Performance Assessment. In addition, some of the technology thrust areas in particular may enhance system efficiency and reduce risk to workers. Thus, rather modest effort in the S&T Program could lead to large savings in the lifetime repositorymore » total cost and significantly enhanced understanding of the behavior of the proposed Yucca Mountain repository, without safety being compromised, and in some instances being enhanced. An overall strength of the S&T Program is the significant amount of integration that has already been achieved after two years of research. As an example (illustrated in Figure 1), our understanding of the behavior of the total waste isolation system has been enhanced through integration of the Source Term, Materials Performance, and Natural Barriers Thrust areas. All three thrust areas contribute to the integration of different processes in the in-drift environment. These processes include seepage into the drift, dust accumulation on the waste package, brine formation and precipitation on the waste package, mass transfer through the fuel cladding, changes in the seepage-water chemical composition, and transport of released radionuclides through the invert and natural barriers. During FY2005, each of our program areas assembled a team of external experts to conduct an independent review of their respective projects, research directions, and emphasis. In addition, the S&T Program as a whole was independently reviewed by the S&T Programmatic Evaluation Panel. As a result of these reviews, adjustments to the S&T Program will be implemented in FY2006 to ensure that the Program is properly aligned with OCRWM's priorities. Also during FY2005, several programmatic documents were published, including the Science and Technology Program Strategic Plan, the Science and Technology Program Management Plan, and the Science and Technology Program Plan. These and other communication products are available on the OCRWM web site under the Science and Technology section (http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov/osti/index.shtml).« less

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

Freeze, R.A.; McWhorter, D.B.

Many emerging remediation technologies are designed to remove contaminant mass from source zones at DNAPL sites in response to regulatory requirements. There is often concern in the regulated community as to whether mass removal actually reduces risk, or whether the small risk reductions achieved warrant the large costs incurred. This paper sets out a proposed framework for quantifying the degree to which risk is reduced as mass is removed from DNAPL source areas in shallow, saturated, low-permeability media. Risk is defined in terms of meeting an alternate concentration limit (ACL) at a compliance well in an aquifer underlying the sourcemore » zone. The ACL is back-calculated from a carcinogenic health-risk characterization at a downgradient water-supply well. Source-zone mass-removal efficiencies are heavily dependent on the distribution of mass between media (fractures, matrix) and phase (aqueous, sorbed, NAPL). Due to the uncertainties in currently available technology performance data, the scope of the paper is limited to developing a framework for generic technologies rather than making specific risk-reduction calculations for individual technologies. Despite the qualitative nature of the exercise, results imply that very high total mass-removal efficiencies are required to achieve significant long-term risk reduction with technology applications of finite duration. This paper is not an argument for no action at contaminated sites. Rather, it provides support for the conclusions of Cherry et al. (1992) that the primary goal of current remediation should be short-term risk reduction through containment, with the aim to pass on to future generations site conditions that are well-suited to the future applications of emerging technologies with improved mass-removal capabilities.« less

Searching for randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews on exercise. A descriptive study.

PubMed

Grande, Antonio José; Hoffmann, Tammy; Glasziou, Paul

2015-01-01

The current paradigm of science is to accumulate as much research data as possible, with less thought given to navigation or synthesis of the resulting mass, which hampers locating and using the research. The aim here was to describe the number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) focusing on exercise, and their journal sources, that have been indexed in PubMed over time. Descriptive study conducted at Bond University, Australia. To find RCTs, a search was conducted in PubMed Clinical Queries, using the category "Therapy" and the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) term "Exercise". To find SRs, a search was conducted in PubMed Clinical Queries, using the category "Therapy", the MeSH term "Exercise" and various methodological filters. Up until 2011, 9,354 RCTs about exercise were published in 1,250 journals and 1,262 SRs in 513 journals. Journals in the area of Sports Science published the greatest number of RCTs and journals categorized as belonging to "Other health professions" area (for example nursing or psychology) published the greatest number of SRs. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was the principal source for SRs, with 9.8% of the total, while the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise published 4.4% and 5.0% of the RCTs, respectively. The rapid growth and resulting scatter of RCTs and SRs on exercise presents challenges for locating and using this research. Solutions for this issue need to be considered.

The right to water in rural Punjab: assessing equitable access to water in the context of the ongoing Punjab Rural Water Supply Proejct.

PubMed

Samra, Shamsher; Crowley, Julia; Smith Fawzi, Mary C

2011-12-15

Although India is poised to meet its Millennium Development Goal for providing access to safe drinking water, there remains a worrying discrepancy in access between urban and rural areas. In 2006, 96% of the urban population versus 86% of the rural population obtained their drinking water from an improved water source. To increase access to potable water in rural areas, the World Bank and the state of Punjab have implemented the Punjab Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (PRWSS) to improve or construct water supply systems in 3,000 villages deemed to have inadequate access to clean drinking water. This study aimed to examine whether the right to water was fulfilled in six towns in rural Punjab during implementation of the PRWSS. The normative content of the right to water requires that water be of adequate quantity, safety, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability in terms of quality. While our findings suggest that the PRWSS improved water quality, they also indicate that access to water was limited due to affordability and the low socioeconomic status of some people living in the target communities. Copyright © 2011 Samra, Crowley, and Smith Fawzi. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Metal bioaccumulation and mutagenesis in a Tradescantia clone following long-term exposure to soils from urban industrial areas and closed landfills.

PubMed

Čėsnienė, Tatjana; Kleizaitė, Violeta; Bondzinskaitė, Skaistė; Taraškevičius, Ričardas; Žvingila, Donatas; Šiukšta, Raimondas; Rančelis, Vytautas

2017-11-01

Soil mutagens, particularly metals, may persist long after the source of pollution has been removed, representing a hazard to plants, animals, and humans in or near contaminated areas. Often, due to urban growth, previous land uses may be forgotten and hazards overlooked. We exposed Tradescantia clone #4430 plants to soil from two industrial areas (with different former uses) and two urban waste landfills in the city of Vilnius, all of which were long disused. Two modes of exposure were used: long-term exposure of growing plants in test soils for 0.5 or 1.0y, and short-term exposure of cuttings to water and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) soil extracts. An increased frequency of micronuclei (MN) was observed with both modes of exposure. The concentrations of 24 metals and other elements were analyzed in the test soils and in above-ground plant parts, under both exposure modes, and the concentration coefficients (Cc) for various elements, the total contamination index (Zs) for soils and plants, and the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for plants were calculated. These measurements allow a comparison of the contamination levels of soils and plants with equalized values. Metal accumulation levels in plants and soils showed significant differences, providing a better understanding of the genotoxicity of soils from closed landfills and highlighting the need to determine the concentrations of metals and other genotoxicants in plants in relation to genotoxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trophic look at soft-bottom communities - Short-term effects of trawling cessation on benthos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dannheim, Jennifer; Brey, Thomas; Schröder, Alexander; Mintenbeck, Katja; Knust, Rainer; Arntz, Wolf E.

2014-01-01

The trophic structure of the German Bight soft-bottom benthic community was evaluated for potential changes after cessation of bottom trawling. Species were collected with van-Veen grabs and beam trawls. Trophic position (i.e. nitrogen stable isotope ratios, δ15N) and energy flow (i.e. species metabolism approximated by body mass scaled abundance) of dominant species were compared in trawled areas and an area protected from fisheries for 14 months in order to detect trawling cessation effects by trophic characteristics. At the community level, energy flow was lower in the protected area, but we were unable to detect significant changes in trophic position. At the species level energy flow in the protected area was lower for predating/scavenging species but higher for interface feeders. Species trophic positions of small predators/scavengers were lower and of deposit feeders higher in the protected area. Major reasons for trophic changes after trawling cessation may be the absence of artificial and additional food sources from trawling likely to attract predators and scavengers, and the absence of physical sediment disturbance impacting settlement/survival of less mobile species and causing a gradual shift in food availability and quality. Our results provide evidence that species or community energy flow is a good indicator to detect trawling induced energy-flow alterations in the benthic system, and that in particular species trophic properties are suitable to capture subtle and short-term changes in the benthos following trawling cessation.

Piecewise synonyms for enhanced UMLS source terminology integration.

PubMed

Huang, Kuo-Chuan; Geller, James; Halper, Michael; Cimino, James J

2007-10-11

The UMLS contains more than 100 source vocabularies and is growing via the integration of others. When integrating a new source, the source terms already in the UMLS must first be found. The easiest approach to this is simple string matching. However, string matching usually does not find all concepts that should be found. A new methodology, based on the notion of piecewise synonyms, for enhancing the process of concept discovery in the UMLS is presented. This methodology is supported by first creating a general synonym dictionary based on the UMLS. Each multi-word source term is decomposed into its component words, allowing for the generation of separate synonyms for each word from the general synonym dictionary. The recombination of these synonyms into new terms creates an expanded pool of matching candidates for terms from the source. The methodology is demonstrated with respect to an existing UMLS source. It shows a 34% improvement over simple string matching.

40 CFR Table 1 to Subpart Zzzzzz... - Applicability of General Provisions to Aluminum, Copper, and Other Nonferrous Foundries Area Sources

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Aluminum, Copper, and Other Nonferrous Foundries Area Sources 1 Table 1 to Subpart ZZZZZZ of Part 63... Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Area Source Standards for Aluminum, Copper, and Other Nonferrous... Provisions to Aluminum, Copper, and Other Nonferrous Foundries Area Sources As required in § 63.11555, “What...

40 CFR Table 1 to Subpart Zzzzzz... - Applicability of General Provisions to Aluminum, Copper, and Other Nonferrous Foundries Area Sources

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Aluminum, Copper, and Other Nonferrous Foundries Area Sources 1 Table 1 to Subpart ZZZZZZ of Part 63... Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Area Source Standards for Aluminum, Copper, and Other Nonferrous... Provisions to Aluminum, Copper, and Other Nonferrous Foundries Area Sources As required in § 63.11555, “What...

Image quality enhancement for skin cancer optical diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bliznuks, Dmitrijs; Kuzmina, Ilona; Bolocko, Katrina; Lihachev, Alexey

2017-12-01

The research presents image quality analysis and enhancement proposals in biophotonic area. The sources of image problems are reviewed and analyzed. The problems with most impact in biophotonic area are analyzed in terms of specific biophotonic task - skin cancer diagnostics. The results point out that main problem for skin cancer analysis is the skin illumination problems. Since it is often not possible to prevent illumination problems, the paper proposes image post processing algorithm - low frequency filtering. Practical results show diagnostic results improvement after using proposed filter. Along that, filter do not reduces diagnostic results' quality for images without illumination defects. Current filtering algorithm requires empirical tuning of filter parameters. Further work needed to test the algorithm in other biophotonic applications and propose automatic filter parameter selection.

Lessons for pediatric anesthesia from audit and incident reporting.

PubMed

Bell, Graham

2011-07-01

This review will attempt to put the various systems that allow clinicians to assess errors, omissions, or avoidable incidents into context and where possible, look for areas that deserve more or less attention and resource specifically for those of us who practice pediatric anesthesia. Different approaches will be contrasted with respect to their outputs in terms of positive impact on the practice of anesthesia. These approaches include audits by governmental organizations, national representative bodies, specialist societies, commissioned boards of inquiry, medicolegal sources, and police force investigations. Implementation strategies are considered alongside the reports as the reports cannot be considered end points themselves. Specific areas where pediatric anesthetics has failed to address recurring risk through any currently available tools will be highlighted. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Response of lake chemistry to changes in atmospheric deposition and climate in three high-elevation wilderness areas of Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mast, M. Alisa; Turk, John T.; Clow, David W.; Campbell, Donald D.

2011-01-01

Trends in precipitation chemistry and hydrologic and climatic data were examined as drivers of long-term changes in the chemical composition of high-elevation lakes in three wilderness areas in Colorado during 1985-2008. Sulfate concentrations in precipitation decreased at a rate of -0.15 to -0.55 μeq/l/year at 10 high-elevation National Atmospheric Deposition Program stations in the state during 1987-2008 reflecting regional reductions in SO2 emissions. In lakes where sulfate is primarily derived from atmospheric inputs, sulfate concentrations also decreased although the rates generally were less, ranging from -0.12 to -0.27 μeq/l/year. The similarity in timing and sulfur isotopic data support the hypothesis that decreases in atmospheric deposition are driving the response of high-elevation lakes in some areas of the state. By contrast, in lakes where sulfate is derived primarily from watershed weathering sources, sulfate concentrations showed sharp increases during 1985-2008. Analysis of long-term climate records indicates that annual air temperatures have increased between 0.45 and 0.93°C per decade throughout most mountainous areas of Colorado, suggesting climate as a factor. Isotopic data reveal that sulfate in these lakes is largely derived from pyrite, which may indicate climate warming is preferentially affecting the rate of pyrite weathering.

Response of lake chemistry to changes in atmospheric deposition and climate in three high-elevation wilderness areas of Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mast, M.A.; Turk, J.T.; Clow, D.W.; Campbell, D.H.

2011-01-01

Trends in precipitation chemistry and hydrologic and climatic data were examined as drivers of long-term changes in the chemical composition of high-elevation lakes in three wilderness areas in Colorado during 1985-2008. Sulfate concentrations in precipitation decreased at a rate of -0.15 to -0.55 ??eq/l/year at 10 high-elevation National Atmospheric Deposition Program stations in the state during 1987-2008 reflecting regional reductions in SO2 emissions. In lakes where sulfate is primarily derived from atmospheric inputs, sulfate concentrations also decreased although the rates generally were less, ranging from -0.12 to -0.27 ??eq/l/year. The similarity in timing and sulfur isotopic data support the hypothesis that decreases in atmospheric deposition are driving the response of high-elevation lakes in some areas of the state. By contrast, in lakes where sulfate is derived primarily from watershed weathering sources, sulfate concentrations showed sharp increases during 1985-2008. Analysis of long-term climate records indicates that annual air temperatures have increased between 0.45 and 0.93??C per decade throughout most mountainous areas of Colorado, suggesting climate as a factor. Isotopic data reveal that sulfate in these lakes is largely derived from pyrite, which may indicate climate warming is preferentially affecting the rate of pyrite weathering. ?? 2010 US Government.

Linking hysteresis patterns and variations in suspended sediment sources in a highly urbanized river: a case of the River Aire, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vercruysse, Kim; Grabowski, Robert

2017-04-01

The natural sediment balance of rivers is often disturbed as a result of increased fine sediment influx from soil erosion and/or modifications to the river channel and floodplains, causing numerous problems related to ecology, water quality, flood risk and infrastructure. It is of great importance to understand fine sediment dynamics in rivers in order to manage the problems appropriately. However, despite decades of research, our understanding of fine sediment transport is not yet sufficient to fully explain the spatial and temporal variability in sediment concentrations in rivers. To this end, the study aims to investigate the importance of sediment source variations to explain hysteresis patterns in suspended sediment transport. A sediment fingerprinting technique based on infrared spectrometry was applied in the highly urbanized River Aire catchment in northern England to identify the dominant sources of suspended sediment. Three types of potential sediment source samples were collected: soil samples from pasture in three lithological areas (limestone, millstone grit and coal measures), eroding riverbanks and urban street dust. All source samples were analyzed with Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform spectrometry (DRIFTS). Discriminant analysis demonstrated that the source materials could be discriminated based on their respective infrared spectra. Infrared spectra of experimental mixtures were then used to develop statistical models to estimate relative source contributions from suspended sediment samples. Suspended sediment samples were collected during a set of high flow events between 2015 and 2016, showing different hysteresis patterns between suspended sediment concentration and discharge. The fingerprinting results suggest that pasture from the limestone area is the dominant source of fine sediment. However, significant variations in source contributions during and between events are present. Small events, in terms of discharge, are marked by relatively high contributions of urban street dust, while high stream flows correspond with higher sediment contributions from riverbanks and pasture. Seasonal variations in the dominant sources are also present. The results emphasize the importance of capturing sediment source variations to gain better insights into the drivers of fine sediment transport over various timescales.

Low birth weight and air pollution in California: Which sources and components drive the risk?

PubMed

Laurent, Olivier; Hu, Jianlin; Li, Lianfa; Kleeman, Michael J; Bartell, Scott M; Cockburn, Myles; Escobedo, Loraine; Wu, Jun

2016-01-01

Intrauterine growth restriction has been associated with exposure to air pollution, but there is a need to clarify which sources and components are most likely responsible. This study investigated the associations between low birth weight (LBW, <2500g) in term born infants (≥37 gestational weeks) and air pollution by source and composition in California, over the period 2001-2008. Complementary exposure models were used: an empirical Bayesian kriging model for the interpolation of ambient pollutant measurements, a source-oriented chemical transport model (using California emission inventories) that estimated fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM0.1, respectively) mass concentrations (4km×4km) by source and composition, a line-source roadway dispersion model at fine resolution, and traffic index estimates. Birth weight was obtained from California birth certificate records. A case-cohort design was used. Five controls per term LBW case were randomly selected (without covariate matching or stratification) from among term births. The resulting datasets were analyzed by logistic regression with a random effect by hospital, using generalized additive mixed models adjusted for race/ethnicity, education, maternal age and household income. In total 72,632 singleton term LBW cases were included. Term LBW was positively and significantly associated with interpolated measurements of ozone but not total fine PM or nitrogen dioxide. No significant association was observed between term LBW and primary PM from all sources grouped together. A positive significant association was observed for secondary organic aerosols. Exposure to elemental carbon (EC), nitrates and ammonium were also positively and significantly associated with term LBW, but only for exposure during the third trimester of pregnancy. Significant positive associations were observed between term LBW risk and primary PM emitted by on-road gasoline and diesel or by commercial meat cooking sources. Primary PM from wood burning was inversely associated with term LBW. Significant positive associations were also observed between term LBW and ultrafine particle numbers modeled with the line-source roadway dispersion model, traffic density and proximity to roadways. This large study based on complementary exposure metrics suggests that not only primary pollution sources (traffic and commercial meat cooking) but also EC and secondary pollutants are risk factors for term LBW. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elements levels in dogs from "triangle of death" and different areas of Campania region (Italy).

PubMed

Zaccaroni, Annalisa; Corteggio, Annunziata; Altamura, Gennaro; Silvi, Marina; Di Vaia, Roberto; Formigaro, Costanza; Borzacchiello, Giuseppe

2014-08-01

In the last twenty years, many concerns have raised in Campania region (Southern Italy) about illegal waste dumping and toxic waste and their possible adverse effects on health. Many human activities are considered to be important sources of environmental pollutants, elements among them. In this study, pet dogs were enrolled as environmental sentinels from three different areas of Campania, with a different degree of pollution, evaluating elements in blood and hair. The obtained data indicated that dogs from less polluted area were exposed to a hot spot of pollution, as only animals from one city (Sessa Aurunca) presented elements concentrations very close to toxic levels. When excluding these animals, the area proved to be the less contaminated. The present report confirm the higher degree of pollution of the most industrialized areas, and a certain concern originates from Cr, Ni and As, which are present as levels well above toxic thresholds. These data are indicative of a reduced pollution of the areas considered by Cd and Pb, but arise concern for Hg, As, Cr and Ni, which reach concentrations high enough to impact dogs and humans health, in term of acute (in the city of Sessa Aurunca) and chronic toxicity (i.e. reproduction impairment, endocrine disruption, immunosuppression). Additional studies are necessary to better define not only the precise distribution of hot spots of pollution, but also the real impact of such an exposure on the health of dogs, in term of endocrine balance and/or immune system activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent Progress on Spherical Torus Research

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

Ono, Masayuki; Kaita, Robert

2014-01-01

The spherical torus or spherical tokamak (ST) is a member of the tokamak family with its aspect ratio (A = R0/a) reduced to A ~ 1.5, well below the normal tokamak operating range of A ≥ 2.5. As the aspect ratio is reduced, the ideal tokamak beta β (radio of plasma to magnetic pressure) stability limit increases rapidly, approximately as β ~ 1/A. The plasma current it can sustain for a given edge safety factor q-95 also increases rapidly. Because of the above, as well as the natural elongation κ, which makes its plasma shape appear spherical, the ST configurationmore » can yield exceptionally high tokamak performance in a compact geometry. Due to its compactness and high performance, the ST configuration has various near term applications, including a compact fusion neutron source with low tritium consumption, in addition to its longer term goal of attractive fusion energy power source. Since the start of the two megaampere class ST facilities in 2000, National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) in the US and Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) in UK, active ST research has been conducted worldwide. More than sixteen ST research facilities operating during this period have achieved remarkable advances in all of fusion science areas, involving fundamental fusion energy science as well as innovation. These results suggest exciting future prospects for ST research both near term and longer term. The present paper reviews the scientific progress made by the worldwide ST research community during this new mega-ampere-ST era.« less

Estimate of main local sources to ambient ultrafine particle number concentrations in an urban area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Md Mahmudur; Mazaheri, Mandana; Clifford, Sam; Morawska, Lidia

2017-09-01

Quantifying and apportioning the contribution of a range of sources to ultrafine particles (UFPs, D < 100 nm) is a challenge due to the complex nature of the urban environments. Although vehicular emissions have long been considered one of the major sources of ultrafine particles in urban areas, the contribution of other major urban sources is not yet fully understood. This paper aims to determine and quantify the contribution of local ground traffic, nucleated particle (NP) formation and distant non-traffic (e.g. airport, oil refineries, and seaport) sources to the total ambient particle number concentration (PNC) in a busy, inner-city area in Brisbane, Australia using Bayesian statistical modelling and other exploratory tools. The Bayesian model was trained on the PNC data on days where NP formations were known to have not occurred, hourly traffic counts, solar radiation data, and smooth daily trend. The model was applied to apportion and quantify the contribution of NP formations and local traffic and non-traffic sources to UFPs. The data analysis incorporated long-term measured time-series of total PNC (D ≥ 6 nm), particle number size distributions (PSD, D = 8 to 400 nm), PM2.5, PM10, NOx, CO, meteorological parameters and traffic counts at a stationary monitoring site. The developed Bayesian model showed reliable predictive performances in quantifying the contribution of NP formation events to UFPs (up to 4 × 104 particles cm- 3), with a significant day to day variability. The model identified potential NP formation and no-formations days based on PNC data and quantified the sources contribution to UFPs. Exploratory statistical analyses show that total mean PNC during the middle of the day was up to 32% higher than during peak morning and evening traffic periods, which were associated with NP formation events. The majority of UFPs measured during the peak traffic and NP formation periods were between 30-100 nm and smaller than 30 nm, respectively. To date, this is the first application of Bayesian model to apportion different sources contribution to UFPs, and therefore the importance of this study is not only in its modelling outcomes but in demonstrating the applicability and advantages of this statistical approach to air pollution studies.

Assessment of pre-crisis and syn-crisis seismic hazard at Campi Flegrei and Mt. Vesuvius volcanoes, Campania, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Convertito, Vincenzo; Zollo, Aldo

2011-08-01

In this study, we address the issue of short-term to medium-term probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for two volcanic areas, Campi Flegrei caldera and Mt. Vesuvius in the Campania region of southern Italy. Two different phases of the volcanic activity are considered. The first, which we term the pre-crisis phase, concerns the present quiescent state of the volcanoes that is characterized by low-to-moderate seismicity. The second phase, syn-crisis, concerns the unrest phase that can potentially lead to eruption. For the Campi Flegrei case study, we analyzed the pattern of seismicity during the 1982-1984 ground uplift episode (bradyseism). For Mt. Vesuvius, two different time-evolutionary models for seismicity were adopted, corresponding to different ways in which the volcano might erupt. We performed a site-specific analysis, linked with the hazard map, to investigate the effects of input parameters, in terms of source geometry, mean activity rate, periods of data collection, and return periods, for the syn-crisis phase. The analysis in the present study of the pre-crisis phase allowed a comparison of the results of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for the two study areas with those provided in the Italian national hazard map. For the Mt. Vesuvius area in particular, the results show that the hazard can be greater than that reported in the national hazard map when information at a local scale is used. For the syn-crisis phase, the main result is that the data recorded during the early months of the unrest phase are substantially representative of the seismic hazard during the whole duration of the crisis.

Estimation of daily PM10 concentrations in Italy (2006-2012) using finely resolved satellite data, land use variables and meteorology.

PubMed

Stafoggia, Massimo; Schwartz, Joel; Badaloni, Chiara; Bellander, Tom; Alessandrini, Ester; Cattani, Giorgio; De' Donato, Francesca; Gaeta, Alessandra; Leone, Gianluca; Lyapustin, Alexei; Sorek-Hamer, Meytar; de Hoogh, Kees; Di, Qian; Forastiere, Francesco; Kloog, Itai

2017-02-01

Health effects of air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM), have been widely investigated. However, most of the studies rely on few monitors located in urban areas for short-term assessments, or land use/dispersion modelling for long-term evaluations, again mostly in cities. Recently, the availability of finely resolved satellite data provides an opportunity to estimate daily concentrations of air pollutants over wide spatio-temporal domains. Italy lacks a robust and validated high resolution spatio-temporally resolved model of particulate matter. The complex topography and the air mixture from both natural and anthropogenic sources are great challenges difficult to be addressed. We combined finely resolved data on Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from the Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm, ground-level PM 10 measurements, land-use variables and meteorological parameters into a four-stage mixed model framework to derive estimates of daily PM 10 concentrations at 1-km2 grid over Italy, for the years 2006-2012. We checked performance of our models by applying 10-fold cross-validation (CV) for each year. Our models displayed good fitting, with mean CV-R2=0.65 and little bias (average slope of predicted VS observed PM 10 =0.99). Out-of-sample predictions were more accurate in Northern Italy (Po valley) and large conurbations (e.g. Rome), for background monitoring stations, and in the winter season. Resulting concentration maps showed highest average PM 10 levels in specific areas (Po river valley, main industrial and metropolitan areas) with decreasing trends over time. Our daily predictions of PM 10 concentrations across the whole Italy will allow, for the first time, estimation of long-term and short-term effects of air pollution nationwide, even in areas lacking monitoring data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal changes of CVOC concentrations in karst aquifers: analysis of three decades of data from Puerto Rico

PubMed Central

Yu, Xue; Ghasemizadeh, Reza; Padilla, Ingrid; Irizarry, Celys; Kaeli, David; Alshawabkeh, Akram

2014-01-01

We studied the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds (CVOCs) in the karst aquifers in northern Puerto Rico (1982-2013). Seventeen CVOCs were widely detected across the study area, with the most detected and persistent contaminated CVOCs including trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), carbon tetrachloride (CT), chloroform (TCM), and methylene chloride (DCM). Historically, 471 (76%) and 319 (52%) of the 615 sampling sites have CVOC concentrations above the detection limit and maximum contamination level (MCL), respectively. The spatiotemporal patterns of the CVOC concentrations showed two clusters of contaminated areas, one near the Superfund site “Upjohn” and another near “Vega Alta Public Supply Wells.” Despite a decreasing trend in concentrations, there is a general northward movement and spreading of contaminants even beyond the extent of known sources of the Superfund and landfill sites. Our analyses suggest that, besides the source conditions, karst characteristics (high heterogeneity, complex hydraulic and biochemical environment) are linked to the long-term spatiotemporal patterns of CVOCs in groundwater. PMID:25522355

The role of a detailed aqueous phase source release model in the LANL area G performance assessment

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

Vold, E.L.; Shuman, R.; Hollis, D.K.

1995-12-31

A preliminary draft of the Performance Assessment for the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) low-level radioactive waste disposal facility at Area G is currently being completed as required by Department of Energy orders. A detailed review of the inventory data base records and the existing models for source release led to the development of a new modeling capability to describe the liquid phase transport from the waste package volumes. Nuclide quantities are sorted down to four waste package release categories for modeling: rapid release, soil, concrete/sludge, and corrosion. Geochemistry for the waste packages was evaluated in terms of the equilibriummore » coefficients, Kds, and elemental solubility limits, Csl, interpolated from the literature. Percolation calculations for the base case closure cover show a highly skewed distribution with an average of 4 mm/yr percolation from the disposal unit bottom. The waste release model is based on a compartment representation of the package efflux, and depends on package size, percolation rate or Darcy flux, retardation coefficient, and moisture content.« less

Sources and distribution of aromatic hydrocarbons in a tropical marine protected area estuary under influence of sugarcane cultivation.

PubMed

Arruda-Santos, Roxanny Helen de; Schettini, Carlos Augusto França; Yogui, Gilvan Takeshi; Maciel, Daniele Claudino; Zanardi-Lamardo, Eliete

2018-05-15

Goiana estuary is a well preserved marine protected area (MPA) located on the northeastern coast of Brazil. Despite its current state, human activities in the watershed represent a potential threat to long term local preservation. Dissolved/dispersed aromatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in water and sediments across the estuarine salt gradient. Concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons was low in all samples. According to results, aromatic hydrocarbons are associated to suspended particulate matter (SPM) carried to the estuary by river waters. An estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) was identified in the upper estuary, indicating that both sediments and contaminants are trapped prior to an occasional export to the adjacent sea. PAHs distribution in sediments were associated with organic matter and mud content. Diagnostic ratios indicated pyrolytic processes as the main local source of PAHs that are probably associated with sugarcane burning and combustion engines. Low PAH concentrations probably do not cause adverse biological effects to the local biota although their presence indicate anthropogenic contamination and pressure on the Goiana estuary MPA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated Gait Analysis Through Hues and Areas (AGATHA): a method to characterize the spatiotemporal pattern of rat gait

PubMed Central

Kloefkorn, Heidi E.; Pettengill, Travis R.; Turner, Sara M. F.; Streeter, Kristi A.; Gonzalez-Rothi, Elisa J.; Fuller, David D.; Allen, Kyle D.

2016-01-01

While rodent gait analysis can quantify the behavioral consequences of disease, significant methodological differences exist between analysis platforms and little validation has been performed to understand or mitigate these sources of variance. By providing the algorithms used to quantify gait, open-source gait analysis software can be validated and used to explore methodological differences. Our group is introducing, for the first time, a fully-automated, open-source method for the characterization of rodent spatiotemporal gait patterns, termed Automated Gait Analysis Through Hues and Areas (AGATHA). This study describes how AGATHA identifies gait events, validates AGATHA relative to manual digitization methods, and utilizes AGATHA to detect gait compensations in orthopaedic and spinal cord injury models. To validate AGATHA against manual digitization, results from videos of rodent gait, recorded at 1000 frames per second (fps), were compared. To assess one common source of variance (the effects of video frame rate), these 1000 fps videos were re-sampled to mimic several lower fps and compared again. While spatial variables were indistinguishable between AGATHA and manual digitization, low video frame rates resulted in temporal errors for both methods. At frame rates over 125 fps, AGATHA achieved a comparable accuracy and precision to manual digitization for all gait variables. Moreover, AGATHA detected unique gait changes in each injury model. These data demonstrate AGATHA is an accurate and precise platform for the analysis of rodent spatiotemporal gait patterns. PMID:27554674

Automated Gait Analysis Through Hues and Areas (AGATHA): A Method to Characterize the Spatiotemporal Pattern of Rat Gait.

PubMed

Kloefkorn, Heidi E; Pettengill, Travis R; Turner, Sara M F; Streeter, Kristi A; Gonzalez-Rothi, Elisa J; Fuller, David D; Allen, Kyle D

2017-03-01

While rodent gait analysis can quantify the behavioral consequences of disease, significant methodological differences exist between analysis platforms and little validation has been performed to understand or mitigate these sources of variance. By providing the algorithms used to quantify gait, open-source gait analysis software can be validated and used to explore methodological differences. Our group is introducing, for the first time, a fully-automated, open-source method for the characterization of rodent spatiotemporal gait patterns, termed Automated Gait Analysis Through Hues and Areas (AGATHA). This study describes how AGATHA identifies gait events, validates AGATHA relative to manual digitization methods, and utilizes AGATHA to detect gait compensations in orthopaedic and spinal cord injury models. To validate AGATHA against manual digitization, results from videos of rodent gait, recorded at 1000 frames per second (fps), were compared. To assess one common source of variance (the effects of video frame rate), these 1000 fps videos were re-sampled to mimic several lower fps and compared again. While spatial variables were indistinguishable between AGATHA and manual digitization, low video frame rates resulted in temporal errors for both methods. At frame rates over 125 fps, AGATHA achieved a comparable accuracy and precision to manual digitization for all gait variables. Moreover, AGATHA detected unique gait changes in each injury model. These data demonstrate AGATHA is an accurate and precise platform for the analysis of rodent spatiotemporal gait patterns.

A Space-Time-Frequency Dictionary for Sparse Cortical Source Localization.

PubMed

Korats, Gundars; Le Cam, Steven; Ranta, Radu; Louis-Dorr, Valerie

2016-09-01

Cortical source imaging aims at identifying activated cortical areas on the surface of the cortex from the raw electroencephalogram (EEG) data. This problem is ill posed, the number of channels being very low compared to the number of possible source positions. In some realistic physiological situations, the active areas are sparse in space and of short time durations, and the amount of spatio-temporal data to carry the inversion is then limited. In this study, we propose an original data driven space-time-frequency (STF) dictionary which takes into account simultaneously both spatial and time-frequency sparseness while preserving smoothness in the time frequency (i.e., nonstationary smooth time courses in sparse locations). Based on these assumptions, we take benefit of the matching pursuit (MP) framework for selecting the most relevant atoms in this highly redundant dictionary. We apply two recent MP algorithms, single best replacement (SBR) and source deflated matching pursuit, and we compare the results using a spatial dictionary and the proposed STF dictionary to demonstrate the improvements of our multidimensional approach. We also provide comparison using well-established inversion methods, FOCUSS and RAP-MUSIC, analyzing performances under different degrees of nonstationarity and signal to noise ratio. Our STF dictionary combined with the SBR approach provides robust performances on realistic simulations. From a computational point of view, the algorithm is embedded in the wavelet domain, ensuring high efficiency in term of computation time. The proposed approach ensures fast and accurate sparse cortical localizations on highly nonstationary and noisy data.

Assessing the effects of oil sands related ozone precursor emissions on ambient ozone levels in the Alberta oil sands region, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Sunny; Vijayaraghavan, Krish; Spink, David; Cosic, Biljana; Davies, Mervyn; Jung, Jaegun

2017-11-01

A study was undertaken to determine whether, and the extent to which, increased ground-level ozone (O3) precursor emissions from oil sands development have impacted ambient air quality in the north-eastern Alberta, Canada, over the period 1998 to 2012. Temporal trends in emissions of O3 precursors (NOx and VOC) and ambient air concentrations of O3 precursors, and O3 were examined using the Theil-Sen statistical analysis method. Statistically significant correlations between NOx emissions and ambient NOx concentrations were found mainly near surface (open-pit) mining areas where mine fleets are a large source of NOx emissions. No statistically significant trends in the 4th highest daily maximum 8-hr average O3 at any of the continuous and passive ambient air monitoring stations were found. A significant long-term decrease in monthly averaged O3 is observed at some ambient monitoring sites in summer. A visual examination of long-term variations in annual NOx and VOC emissions and annual 4th highest daily maximum 8-hr O3 concentrations does not reveal any indication of a correlation between O3 concentrations and O3 precursor emissions or ambient levels in the study area. Despite a significant increase in oil sands NOx emissions (8%/yr), there is no statistically significant increase in long-term O3 concentrations at any of monitoring stations considered. This suggests that there is surplus NOx available in the environment which results in a titration of ambient O3 in the areas that have ambient monitoring. The limited ambient O3 monitoring data distant from NOx emission sources makes it impossible to assess the impact of these increased O3 precursor levels on O3 levels on a regional scale. As a precautionary measure, the increasing oil sands development O3 precursor emissions would require that priority be given to the management of these emissions to prevent possible future O3 ambient air quality issues.

On holographic entanglement density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gushterov, Nikola I.; O'Bannon, Andy; Rodgers, Ronnie

2017-10-01

We use holographic duality to study the entanglement entropy (EE) of Conformal Field Theories (CFTs) in various spacetime dimensions d, in the presence of various deformations: a relevant Lorentz scalar operator with constant source, a temperature T , a chemical potential μ, a marginal Lorentz scalar operator with source linear in a spatial coordinate, and a circle-compactified spatial direction. We consider EE between a strip or sphere sub-region and the rest of the system, and define the "entanglement density" (ED) as the change in EE due to the deformation, divided by the sub-region's volume. Using the deformed CFTs above, we show how the ED's dependence on the strip width or sphere radius, L, is useful for characterizing states of matter. For example, the ED's small- L behavior is determined either by the dimension of the perturbing operator or by the first law of EE. For Lorentz-invariant renormalization group (RG) flows between CFTs, the "area theorem" states that the coefficient of the EE's area law term must be larger in the UV than in the IR. In these cases the ED must therefore approach zero from below as L→∞. However, when Lorentz symmetry is broken and the IR fixed point has different scaling from the UV, we find that the ED often approaches the thermal entropy density from above, indicating area theorem violation.

Electrochemical current noise on aluminum microelectrodes

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

Isaac, J.W.; Hebert, K.R.

1999-02-01

Aluminum disk microelectrodes were used to investigate electrochemical current noise in pH 8.8 borate buffer. The current noise spectra, expressed in terms of the current spectral density, had a characteristic two-plateau structure in the experimental bandwidth of 0.05--50 Hz, were potential-independent, and increased proportionally to electrode area. Injection of NaCl solution near the electrode surface, at potentials below that of the onset of pitting corrosion, caused 0.1--1 Hz current fluctuations to appear. From the frequency and area dependence of the current spectral density in the chloride-free solution, it was concluded that the noise arose from a number of discrete, approximatelymore » evenly distributed voltage noise sources positioned electrically in series with the inner barrier layer of the oxide film. A mathematical model for the current noise was developed which described a physical mechanism for noise production based on fluctuations in the widths of cracks or pores in the outer part of the surface film. The model was consistent with the observed area and frequency dependence of the current spectral density, suggesting that the physical process it described is a possible mechanism of noise generation. It could not be determined whether the noise sources were isolated defects or flaws, or pores in an outer precipitated portion of the oxide film.« less

Engineering and environmental remediation scenarios due to leakage from the Gulf War oil spill using 3-D numerical contaminant modellings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yihdego, Yohannes; Al-Weshah, Radwan A.

2017-11-01

The transport groundwater modelling has been undertaken to assess potential remediation scenarios and provide an optimal remediation options for consideration. The purpose of the study was to allow 50 years of predictive remediation simulation time. The results depict the likely total petroleum hydrocarbon migration pattern in the area under the worst-case scenario. The remediation scenario simulations indicate that do nothing approach will likely not achieve the target water quality within 50 years. Similarly, complete source removal approach will also likely not achieve the target water quality within 50 years. Partial source removal could be expected to remove a significant portion of the contaminant mass, but would increase the rate of contaminant recharge in the short to medium term. The pump-treat-reinject simulation indicates that the option appears feasible and could achieve a reduction in the area of the 0.01 mg/L TPH contour area for both Raudhatain and Umm Al-Aish by 35 and 30%, respectively, within 50 years. The rate of improvement and the completion date would depend on a range of factors such as bore field arrangements, pumping rates, reinjection water quality and additional volumes being introduced and require further optimisation and field pilot trials.

High-order scheme for the source-sink term in a one-dimensional water temperature model

PubMed Central

Jing, Zheng; Kang, Ling

2017-01-01

The source-sink term in water temperature models represents the net heat absorbed or released by a water system. This term is very important because it accounts for solar radiation that can significantly affect water temperature, especially in lakes. However, existing numerical methods for discretizing the source-sink term are very simplistic, causing significant deviations between simulation results and measured data. To address this problem, we present a numerical method specific to the source-sink term. A vertical one-dimensional heat conduction equation was chosen to describe water temperature changes. A two-step operator-splitting method was adopted as the numerical solution. In the first step, using the undetermined coefficient method, a high-order scheme was adopted for discretizing the source-sink term. In the second step, the diffusion term was discretized using the Crank-Nicolson scheme. The effectiveness and capability of the numerical method was assessed by performing numerical tests. Then, the proposed numerical method was applied to a simulation of Guozheng Lake (located in central China). The modeling results were in an excellent agreement with measured data. PMID:28264005

High-order scheme for the source-sink term in a one-dimensional water temperature model.

PubMed

Jing, Zheng; Kang, Ling

2017-01-01

The source-sink term in water temperature models represents the net heat absorbed or released by a water system. This term is very important because it accounts for solar radiation that can significantly affect water temperature, especially in lakes. However, existing numerical methods for discretizing the source-sink term are very simplistic, causing significant deviations between simulation results and measured data. To address this problem, we present a numerical method specific to the source-sink term. A vertical one-dimensional heat conduction equation was chosen to describe water temperature changes. A two-step operator-splitting method was adopted as the numerical solution. In the first step, using the undetermined coefficient method, a high-order scheme was adopted for discretizing the source-sink term. In the second step, the diffusion term was discretized using the Crank-Nicolson scheme. The effectiveness and capability of the numerical method was assessed by performing numerical tests. Then, the proposed numerical method was applied to a simulation of Guozheng Lake (located in central China). The modeling results were in an excellent agreement with measured data.

A simple distributed sediment delivery approach for rural catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, Lucas; Scherer, Ulrike

2014-05-01

The transfer of sediments from source areas to surface waters is a complex process. In process based erosion models sediment input is thus quantified by representing all relevant sub processes such as detachment, transport and deposition of sediment particles along the flow path to the river. A successful application of these models requires, however, a large amount of spatially highly resolved data on physical catchment characteristics, which is only available for a few, well examined small catchments. For the lack of appropriate models, the empirical Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) is widely applied to quantify the sediment production in meso to large scale basins. As the USLE provides long-term mean soil loss rates, it is often combined with spatially lumped models to estimate the sediment delivery ratio (SDR). In these models, the SDR is related to data on morphological characteristics of the catchment such as average local relief, drainage density, proportion of depressions or soil texture. Some approaches include the relative distance between sediment source areas and the river channels. However, several studies showed that spatially lumped parameters describing the morphological characteristics are only of limited value to represent the factors of influence on sediment transport at the catchment scale. Sediment delivery is controlled by the location of the sediment source areas in the catchment and the morphology along the flow path to the surface water bodies. This complex interaction of spatially varied physiographic characteristics cannot be adequately represented by lumped morphological parameters. The objective of this study is to develop a simple but spatially distributed approach to quantify the sediment delivery ratio by considering the characteristics of the flow paths in a catchment. We selected a small catchment located in in an intensively cultivated loess region in Southwest Germany as study area for the development of the SDR approach. The flow pathways were extracted in a geographic information system. Then the sediment delivery ratio for each source area was determined using an empirical approach considering the slope, morphology and land use properties along the flow path. As a benchmark for the calibration of the model parameters we used results of a detailed process based erosion model available for the study area. Afterwards the approach was tested in larger catchments located in the same loess region.

Assessment of seismic hazard in the North Caucasus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulomov, V. I.; Danilova, T. I.; Medvedeva, N. S.; Polyakova, T. P.; Shumilina, L. S.

2007-07-01

The seismicity of the North Caucasus is the highest in the European part of Russia. The detection of potential seismic sources here and long-term prediction of earthquakes are extremely important for the assessment of seismic hazard and seismic risk in this densely populated and industrially developed region of the country. The seismogenic structures of the Iran-Caucasus-Anatolia and Central Asia regions, adjacent to European Russia, are the subjects of this study. These structures are responsible for the specific features of regional seismicity and for the geodynamic interaction with adjacent areas of the Scythian and Turan platforms. The most probable potential sources of earthquakes with magnitudes M = 7.0 ± 0.2 and 7.5 ± 0.2 in the North Caucasus are located. The possible macroseismic effect of one of them is assessed.

Calculational note for the radiological and toxicological effects of a UO{sub 3} release from the T-hopper storage pad

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

Goldberg, H.J.

1998-06-18

UO{sub 3} powder is stored at the T-hopper storage area associated with the 2714-U building in the 200 west area. The T-hopper containers and 13 drums containing this material are used to store the powder on pads immediately north of the building. An interim safety basis document (WHC,1996) was issued in 1996 for the UO{sub 3} powder storage area. In this document the isotope {sup 99}Tc was not included in the source term used to calculate the radiological consequences of a postulated release of the powder. A calculations note (HNF, 1998) was issued to remedy that deficiency. The present documentmore » is a revision to that document to reflect updated data concerning the solubility of UO{sub 3} in simulated lung fluid and to utilize more realistic powder release fractions.« less

Source apportionment of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Palm Beach County, Florida.

PubMed

Afshar-Mohajer, Nima; Wilson, Christina; Wu, Chang-Yu; Stormer, James E

2016-04-01

Due to concerns about adverse health effects associated with inhalation of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 30 ambient air samples were obtained at an air quality monitoring station in Palm Beach County, Florida, from March 2013 to March 2014. The ambient PAH concentration measurements and fractional emission rates of known sources were incorporated into a chemical mass balance model, CMB8.2, developed by EPA, to apportion contributions of three major PAH sources including preharvest sugarcane burning, mobile vehicles, and wildland fires. Strong association between the number of benzene rings and source contribution was found, and mobile vehicles were identified to be the prevailing source (contribution≥56%) for the observed PAHs concentration with lower molecular weights (four or fewer benzene rings) throughout the year. Preharvest sugarcane burning was the primary contributing source for PAHs with relatively higher molecular weights (five or more benzene rings) during the sugarcane burning season (from October to May of the next year). Source contribution of wildland fires varied among PAH compounds but was consistently lower than for sugarcane burning during the sugarcane harvest season. Determining the major sources responsible for ground-level PAHs serves as a tool to improving management strategies for PAH emitting sources and a step toward better protection of the health of residents in terms of exposure to PAHs. The results obtain insight into temporal dominance of PAH polluting sources for those residential areas located near sugarcane burning facilities and have implications beyond Palm Beach County, in areas with high concerns of PAHs and their linked sources. Source apportionment of atmospheric polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Palm Beach County, Florida, meant to estimate contributions of major sources in PAH concentrations measured at Belle Glade City of Palm Beach County. Number of benzene rings was found to be the key parameter in determining the source with the prevailing contribution. Mobile vehicle sources showed a higher contribution for species with four or fewer benzene rings, whereas sugarcane burning contributed more for species with five or more benzene rings. Results from this study encourage more control for sugarcane burns and help to better manage authorization of the sugarcane burning incidents and more restrictive transportation plans to limit PAH emissions from mobile vehicles.

A Detailed Study of Debris Flow Source Areas in the Northern Colorado Front Range.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arana-Morales, A.; Baum, R. L.; Godt, J.

2014-12-01

Nearly continuous, heavy rainfall occurred during 9-13 September 2013 causing flooding and widespread landslides and debris flows in the northern Colorado Front Range. Whereas many recent studies have identified erosion as the most common process leading to debris flows in the mountains of Colorado, nearly all of the debris flows mapped in this event began as small, shallow landslides. We mapped the boundaries of 415 September 2013 debris flows in the Eldorado Springs and Boulder 7.5-minute quadrangles using 0.5-m-resolution satellite imagery. We characterized the landslide source areas of six debris flows in the field as part of an effort to identify what factors controlled their locations. Four were on a dip slope in sedimentary rocks in the Pinebrook Hills area, near Boulder, and the other two were in granitic rocks near Gross Reservoir. Although we observed no obvious geomorphic differences between the source areas and surrounding non-landslide areas, we noted several characteristics that the source areas all had in common. Slopes of the source areas ranged from 28° to 35° and most occurred on planar or slightly concave slopes that were vegetated with grass, small shrubs, and sparse trees. The source areas were shallow, irregularly shaped, and elongated downslope: widths ranged from 4 to 9 m, lengths from 6 to 40 m and depths ranged from 0.7 to 1.2 m. Colluvium was the source material for all of the debris flows and bedrock was exposed in the basal surface of all of the source areas. We observed no evidence for concentrated surface runoff upslope from the sources. Local curvature and roughness of bedrock and surface topography, and depth distribution and heterogeneity of the colluvium appear to have controlled the specific locations of these shallow debris-flow source areas. The observed distribution and characteristics of the source areas help guide ongoing efforts to model initiation of the debris flows.

Source segregation and food waste prevention activities in high-density households in a deprived urban area

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

Rispo, A.; Williams, I.D., E-mail: idw@soton.ac.uk; Shaw, P.J.

Highlights: • Study of waste management in economically and socially deprived high-density housing. • Food waste segregation, prevention and recycling activities investigated. • Study involved a waste audit and household survey of 1034 households. • Populations in such areas are “hard-to-reach”. • Exceptional efforts and additional resources are required to improve performance. - Abstract: A waste audit and a household questionnaire survey were conducted in high-density housing estates in one of the most economically and socially deprived areas of England (Haringey, London). Such areas are under-represented in published research. The study examined source segregation, potential participation in a food wastemore » segregation scheme, and food waste prevention activities in five estates (1034 households). The results showed that: contamination of recyclables containers was low; ca. 28% of the mixed residual waste’s weight was recyclable; food waste comprised a small proportion of the waste from these residents, probably because of their relatively disadvantaged economic circumstances; and the recycling profile reflected an intermittent pattern of behaviour. Although the majority of respondents reported that they would participate in a food waste separation scheme, the response rate was low and many responses of “don’t know” were recorded. Municipalities committed to foster improved diversion from landfill need to recognise that there is no “quick and easy fix”, regardless of local or national aspirations. Lasting and sustained behaviour change requires time and the quality of service provision and associated infrastructure play a fundamental role in facilitating residents to participate effectively in waste management activities that maximise capture of source-segregated materials. Populations in deprived areas that reside in high-rise, high-density dwellings are “hard-to-reach” in terms of participation in recycling schemes and exceptional efforts and additional resources are usually required to improve performance.« less

A small, lightweight multipollutant sensor system for ground-mobile and aerial emission sampling from open area sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiaochi; Aurell, Johanna; Mitchell, William; Tabor, Dennis; Gullett, Brian

2017-04-01

Characterizing highly dynamic, transient, and vertically lofted emissions from open area sources poses unique measurement challenges. This study developed and applied a multipollutant sensor and time-integrated sampler system for use on mobile applications such as vehicles, tethered balloons (aerostats) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to determine emission factors. The system is particularly applicable to open area sources, such as forest fires, due to its light weight (3.5 kg), compact size (6.75 L), and internal power supply. The sensor system, termed ;Kolibri;, consists of sensors measuring CO2 and CO, and samplers for particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Kolibri is controlled by a microcontroller which can record and transfer data in real time through a radio module. Selection of the sensors was based on laboratory testing for accuracy, response delay and recovery, cross-sensitivity, and precision. The Kolibri was compared against rack-mounted continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMs) and another mobile sampling instrument (the ;Flyer;) that has been used in over ten open area pollutant sampling events. Our results showed that the time series of CO, CO2, and PM2.5 concentrations measured by the Kolibri agreed well with those from the CEMs and the Flyer, with a laboratory-tested percentage error of 4.9%, 3%, and 5.8%, respectively. The VOC emission factors obtained using the Kolibri were consistent with existing literature values that relate concentration to modified combustion efficiency. The potential effect of rotor downwash on particle sampling was investigated in an indoor laboratory and the preliminary results suggested that its influence is minimal. Field application of the Kolibri sampling open detonation plumes indicated that the CO and CO2 sensors responded dynamically and their concentrations co-varied with emission transients. The Kolibri system can be applied to various challenging open area scenarios such as fires, lagoons, flares, and landfills.

Unwalkable Neighborhoods, Poverty, and the Risk of Diabetes Among Recent Immigrants to Canada Compared With Long-Term Residents

PubMed Central

Booth, Gillian L.; Creatore, Maria I.; Moineddin, Rahim; Gozdyra, Peter; Weyman, Jonathan T.; Matheson, Flora I.; Glazier, Richard H.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to examine whether residents living in neighborhoods that are less conducive to walking or other physical activities are more likely to develop diabetes and, if so, whether recent immigrants are particularly susceptible to such effects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study to assess the impact of neighborhood walkability on diabetes incidence among recent immigrants (n = 214,882) relative to long-term residents (n = 1,024,380). Adults aged 30–64 years who were free of diabetes and living in Toronto, Canada, on 31 March 2005 were identified from administrative health databases and followed until 31 March 2010 for the development of diabetes, using a validated algorithm. Neighborhood characteristics, including walkability and income, were derived from the Canadian Census and other sources. RESULTS Neighborhood walkability was a strong predictor of diabetes incidence independent of age and area income, particularly among recent immigrants (lowest [quintile 1 {Q1}] vs. highest [quintile 5 {Q5}] walkability quintile: relative risk [RR] 1.58 [95% CI 1.42–1.75] for men; 1.67 [1.48–1.88] for women) compared with long-term residents (Q1 to Q5) 1.32 [1.26–1.38] for men; 1.24 [1.18–1.31] for women). Coexisting poverty accentuated these effects; diabetes incidence varied threefold between recent immigrants living in low-income/low walkability areas (16.2 per 1,000) and those living in high-income/high walkability areas (5.1 per 1,000). CONCLUSIONS Neighborhood walkability was inversely associated with the development of diabetes in our setting, particularly among recent immigrants living in low-income areas. PMID:22988302

Environmental risk analysis of oil handling facilities in port areas. Application to Tarragona harbor (NE Spain).

PubMed

Valdor, Paloma F; Gómez, Aina G; Puente, Araceli

2015-01-15

Diffuse pollution from oil spills is a widespread problem in port areas (as a result of fuel supply, navigation and loading/unloading activities). This article presents a method to assess the environmental risk of oil handling facilities in port areas. The method is based on (i) identification of environmental hazards, (ii) characterization of meteorological and oceanographic conditions, (iii) characterization of environmental risk scenarios, and (iv) assessment of environmental risk. The procedure has been tested by application to the Tarragona harbor. The results show that the method is capable of representing (i) specific local pollution cases (i.e., discriminating between products and quantities released by a discharge source), (ii) oceanographic and meteorological conditions (selecting a representative subset data), and (iii) potentially affected areas in probabilistic terms. Accordingly, it can inform the design of monitoring plans to study and control the environmental impact of these facilities, as well as the design of contingency plans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CO2 Flux From Antarctic Dry Valley Soils: Determining the Source and Environmental Controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risk, D. A.; Macintyre, C. M.; Shanhun, F.; Almond, P. C.; Lee, C.; Cary, C.

2014-12-01

Soils within the McMurdo Dry Valleys are known to respire carbon dioxide (CO2), but considerable debate surrounds the contributing sources and mechanisms that drive temporal variability. While some of the CO2 is of biological origin, other known contributors to variability include geochemical sources within, or beneath, the soil column. The relative contribution from each of these sources will depend on seasonal and environmental drivers such as temperature and wind that exert influence on temporal dynamics. To supplement a long term CO2­ surface flux monitoring station that has now recorded fluxes over three full annual cycles, in January 2014 an automated flux and depth concentration monitoring system was installed in the Spaulding Pond area of Taylor Valley, along with standard meteorological sensors, to assist in defining source contributions through time. During two weeks of data we observed marked diel variability in CO2 concentrations within the profile (~100 ppm CO2 above or below atmospheric), and of CO2 moving across the soil surface. The pattern at many depths suggested an alternating diel-scale transition from source to sink that seemed clearly correlated with temperature-driven changes in the solubility of CO2 in water films. This CO2 solution storage flux was very highly coupled to soil temperature. A small depth source of unknown origin also appeared to be present. A controlled laboratory soil experiment was conducted to confirm the magnitude of fluxes into and out of soil water films, and confirmed the field results and temperature dependence. Ultimately, this solution storage flux needs to be well understood if the small biological fluxes from these soils are to be properly quantified and monitored for change. Here, we present results from the 2013/2014 field season and these supplementary experiments, placed in the context of 3 year long term continuous measurement of soil CO2 flux within the Dry Valleys.

Source Term Model for Vortex Generator Vanes in a Navier-Stokes Computer Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waithe, Kenrick A.

2004-01-01

A source term model for an array of vortex generators was implemented into a non-proprietary Navier-Stokes computer code, OVERFLOW. The source term models the side force created by a vortex generator vane. The model is obtained by introducing a side force to the momentum and energy equations that can adjust its strength automatically based on the local flow. The model was tested and calibrated by comparing data from numerical simulations and experiments of a single low profile vortex generator vane on a flat plate. In addition, the model was compared to experimental data of an S-duct with 22 co-rotating, low profile vortex generators. The source term model allowed a grid reduction of about seventy percent when compared with the numerical simulations performed on a fully gridded vortex generator on a flat plate without adversely affecting the development and capture of the vortex created. The source term model was able to predict the shape and size of the stream-wise vorticity and velocity contours very well when compared with both numerical simulations and experimental data. The peak vorticity and its location were also predicted very well when compared to numerical simulations and experimental data. The circulation predicted by the source term model matches the prediction of the numerical simulation. The source term model predicted the engine fan face distortion and total pressure recovery of the S-duct with 22 co-rotating vortex generators very well. The source term model allows a researcher to quickly investigate different locations of individual or a row of vortex generators. The researcher is able to conduct a preliminary investigation with minimal grid generation and computational time.

Development of a Mobile Tracer Correlation Techniques for Assessment of Air Emissions from Landfills and Other Area Sources

EPA Science Inventory

Improved understanding of air emissions from large area sources such as landfills, waste water ponds, open-source processing, and agricultural operations is a topic of increasing environmental importance. In many cases, the size of the area source, coupled with spatial-heteroge...

GLAST and Ground-Based Gamma-Ray Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McEnery, Julie

2008-01-01

The launch of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope together with the advent of a new generation of ground-based gamma-ray detectors such as VERITAS, HESS, MAGIC and CANGAROO, will usher in a new era of high-energy gamma-ray astrophysics. GLAST and the ground based gamma-ray observatories will provide highly complementary capabilities for spectral, temporal and spatial studies of high energy gamma-ray sources. Joint observations will cover a huge energy range, from 20 MeV to over 20 TeV. The LAT will survey the entire sky every three hours, allowing it both to perform uniform, long-term monitoring of variable sources and to detect flaring sources promptly. Both functions complement the high-sensitivity pointed observations provided by ground-based detectors. Finally, the large field of view of GLAST will allow a study of gamma-ray emission on large angular scales and identify interesting regions of the sky for deeper studies at higher energies. In this poster, we will discuss the science returns that might result from joint GLAST/ground-based gamma-ray observations and illustrate them with detailed source simulations.

A Well-Balanced Path-Integral f-Wave Method for Hyperbolic Problems with Source Terms

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Systems of hyperbolic partial differential equations with source terms (balance laws) arise in many applications where it is important to compute accurate time-dependent solutions modeling small perturbations of equilibrium solutions in which the source terms balance the hyperbolic part. The f-wave version of the wave-propagation algorithm is one approach, but requires the use of a particular averaged value of the source terms at each cell interface in order to be “well balanced” and exactly maintain steady states. A general approach to choosing this average is developed using the theory of path conservative methods. A scalar advection equation with a decay or growth term is introduced as a model problem for numerical experiments. PMID:24563581

How access to long-term care affects home health transfers.

PubMed

Kenney, G M

1993-01-01

This study examines the determinants of home health use after hospitalization for acute illness for eleven diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) in 1985, drawing on data from four primary sources: Medicare hospital bills, Medicare home health bills, the Medicare and Medicaid Automated Certification System files, and the American Hospital Association Survey. Separate Tobit models are estimated for each DRG. The analysis shows that transfers to home health care are heavily influenced by the hospital's long-term care arrangement and by conditions in local nursing home and home health care markets. Especially important is whether a hospital has its own long-term care unit, swing beds, or both, and whether nursing home beds are available in the local area. Patients discharged from hospitals are more likely to use home health care in areas with a low supply of nursing home beds and low Medicaid reimbursement levels for skilled nursing facilities. The results of this study have implications for proposals to extend Medicare's Prospective Payment System for hospital services to include postacute care. Proponents of a "bundled payment" that encompasses both acute and postacute services argue that the current system leads to inefficiencies and inequities. This analysis points to systematic relationships between home health and nursing home services, which should be factored into the development of a bundled payment policy.

Hybrid Transverse Polar Navigation for High-Precision and Long-Term INSs

PubMed Central

Wu, Qiuping; Zhang, Rong; Hu, Peida; Li, Haixia

2018-01-01

Transverse navigation has been proposed to help inertial navigation systems (INSs) fill the gap of polar navigation ability. However, as the transverse system does not have the ability of navigate globally, a complicated switch between the transverse and the traditional algorithms is necessary when the system moves across the polar circles. To maintain the inner continuity and consistency of the core algorithm, a hybrid transverse polar navigation is proposed in this research based on a combination of Earth-fixed-frame mechanization and transverse-frame outputs. Furthermore, a thorough analysis of kinematic error characteristics, proper damping technology and corresponding long-term contributions of main error sources is conducted for the high-precision INSs. According to the analytical expressions of the long-term navigation errors in polar areas, the 24-h period symmetrical oscillation with a slowly divergent amplitude dominates the transverse horizontal position errors, and the first-order drift dominates the transverse azimuth error, which results from the g0 gyro drift coefficients that occur in corresponding directions. Simulations are conducted to validate the theoretical analysis and the deduced analytical expressions. The results show that the proposed hybrid transverse navigation can ensure the same accuracy and oscillation characteristics in polar areas as the traditional algorithm in low and mid latitude regions. PMID:29757242

The short-term effects of merger on hospital operations.

PubMed Central

Alexander, J A; Halpern, M T; Lee, S Y

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The short-term effects of merger on three areas of hospital operations - scale of activity, personnel/staffing practices, and operating efficiency - is examined. DATA SOURCES: Secondary data obtained from the AHA Annual Surveys (1980-1990) were applied to analyze 92 hospital mergers over the period 1982-1989. STUDY DESIGN: The study employed a multiple time-series design involving a six-year longitudinal assessment of change in hospital operating characteristics before and after merger, and a parallel analysis of change in a randomly selected group of nonmerging hospitals. DATA COLLECTION: Pooled, cross-sectional data files were constructed. Comparisons were evaluated using paired and two-sample t-tests. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: General merger effects occurred primarily in areas related to operating efficiency. Merger resulted in slowing rates of preexisting trends, rather than dramatic improvements in operating practices. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term impact of merger was generally modest but differed by the conditions under which the merger occurred. Specifically, mergers occurring later in the study period and mergers between similarly sized hospitals displayed greater change in operating characteristics than those occurring earlier in the study period and those between hospitals of dissimilar size. Such differences are attributed respectively to increased competitive pressures after PPS and to greater opportunities for consolidation and efficiencies in mergers involving similarly sized hospitals. PMID:8591932

Hybrid Transverse Polar Navigation for High-Precision and Long-Term INSs.

PubMed

Wu, Ruonan; Wu, Qiuping; Han, Fengtian; Zhang, Rong; Hu, Peida; Li, Haixia

2018-05-12

Transverse navigation has been proposed to help inertial navigation systems (INSs) fill the gap of polar navigation ability. However, as the transverse system does not have the ability of navigate globally, a complicated switch between the transverse and the traditional algorithms is necessary when the system moves across the polar circles. To maintain the inner continuity and consistency of the core algorithm, a hybrid transverse polar navigation is proposed in this research based on a combination of Earth-fixed-frame mechanization and transverse-frame outputs. Furthermore, a thorough analysis of kinematic error characteristics, proper damping technology and corresponding long-term contributions of main error sources is conducted for the high-precision INSs. According to the analytical expressions of the long-term navigation errors in polar areas, the 24-h period symmetrical oscillation with a slowly divergent amplitude dominates the transverse horizontal position errors, and the first-order drift dominates the transverse azimuth error, which results from the gyro drift coefficients that occur in corresponding directions. Simulations are conducted to validate the theoretical analysis and the deduced analytical expressions. The results show that the proposed hybrid transverse navigation can ensure the same accuracy and oscillation characteristics in polar areas as the traditional algorithm in low and mid latitude regions.

Public Exposure from Indoor Radiofrequency Radiation in the City of Hebron, West Bank-Palestine.

PubMed

Lahham, Adnan; Sharabati, Afefeh; ALMasri, Hussien

2015-08-01

This work presents the results of measured indoor exposure levels to radiofrequency (RF) radiation emitting sources in one of the major cities in the West Bank-the city of Hebron. Investigated RF emitters include FM, TV broadcasting stations, mobile telephony base stations, cordless phones [Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT)], and wireless local area networks (WLAN). Measurements of power density were conducted in 343 locations representing different site categories in the city. The maximum total power density found at any location was about 2.3 × 10 W m with a corresponding exposure quotient of about 0.01. This value is well below unity, indicating compliance with the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The average total exposure from all RF sources was 0.08 × 10 W m. The relative contributions from different sources to the total exposure in terms of exposure quotient were evaluated and found to be 46% from FM radio, 26% from GSM900, 15% from DECT phones, 9% from WLAN, 3% from unknown sources, and 1% from TV broadcasting. RF sources located outdoors contribute about 73% to the population exposure indoors.

A novel approach for characterizing broad-band radio spectral energy distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, V. M.; Franzen, T.; Morgan, J.; Seymour, N.

2018-05-01

We present a new broad-band radio frequency catalogue across 0.12 GHz ≤ ν ≤ 20 GHz created by combining data from the Murchison Widefield Array Commissioning Survey, the Australia Telescope 20 GHz survey, and the literature. Our catalogue consists of 1285 sources limited by S20 GHz > 40 mJy at 5σ, and contains flux density measurements (or estimates) and uncertainties at 0.074, 0.080, 0.119, 0.150, 0.180, 0.408, 0.843, 1.4, 4.8, 8.6, and 20 GHz. We fit a second-order polynomial in log-log space to the spectral energy distributions of all these sources in order to characterize their broad-band emission. For the 994 sources that are well described by a linear or quadratic model we present a new diagnostic plot arranging sources by the linear and curvature terms. We demonstrate the advantages of such a plot over the traditional radio colour-colour diagram. We also present astrophysical descriptions of the sources found in each segment of this new parameter space and discuss the utility of these plots in the upcoming era of large area, deep, broad-band radio surveys.

A radio spectral index map and catalogue at 147-1400 MHz covering 80 per cent of the sky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Gasperin, F.; Intema, H. T.; Frail, D. A.

2018-03-01

The radio spectral index is a powerful probe for classifying cosmic radio sources and understanding the origin of the radio emission. Combining data at 147 MHz and 1.4 GHz from the TIFR GMRT Sky Survey (TGSS) and the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS), we produced a large-area radio spectral index map of ˜80 per cent of the sky (Dec. > - 40 deg), as well as a radio spectral index catalogue containing 1396 515 sources, of which 503 647 are not upper or lower limits. Almost every TGSS source has a detected counterpart, while this is true only for 36 per cent of NVSS sources. We released both the map and the catalogue to the astronomical community. The catalogue is analysed to discover systematic behaviours in the cosmic radio population. We find a differential spectral behaviour between faint and bright sources as well as between compact and extended sources. These trends are explained in terms of radio galaxy evolution. We also confirm earlier reports of an excess of steep-spectrum sources along the galactic plane. This corresponds to 86 compact and steep-spectrum source in excess compared to expectations. The properties of this excess are consistent with normal non-recycled pulsars, which may have been missed by pulsation searches due to larger than average scattering along the line of sight.

Laser induced heat source distribution in bio-tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaoxia; Fan, Shifu; Zhao, Youquan

2006-09-01

During numerical simulation of laser and tissue thermal interaction, the light fluence rate distribution should be formularized and constituted to the source term in the heat transfer equation. Usually the solution of light irradiative transport equation is given in extreme conditions such as full absorption (Lambert-Beer Law), full scattering (Lubelka-Munk theory), most scattering (Diffusion Approximation) et al. But in specific conditions, these solutions will induce different errors. The usually used Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) is more universal and exact but has difficulty to deal with dynamic parameter and fast simulation. Its area partition pattern has limits when applying FEM (finite element method) to solve the bio-heat transfer partial differential coefficient equation. Laser heat source plots of above methods showed much difference with MCS. In order to solve this problem, through analyzing different optical actions such as reflection, scattering and absorption on the laser induced heat generation in bio-tissue, a new attempt was made out which combined the modified beam broaden model and the diffusion approximation model. First the scattering coefficient was replaced by reduced scattering coefficient in the beam broaden model, which is more reasonable when scattering was treated as anisotropic scattering. Secondly the attenuation coefficient was replaced by effective attenuation coefficient in scattering dominating turbid bio-tissue. The computation results of the modified method were compared with Monte Carlo simulation and showed the model provided reasonable predictions of heat source term distribution than past methods. Such a research is useful for explaining the physical characteristics of heat source in the heat transfer equation, establishing effective photo-thermal model, and providing theory contrast for related laser medicine experiments.

FERMI OBSERVATION OF THE TRANSITIONAL PULSAR BINARY XSS J12270–4859

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

Xing, Yi; Wang, Zhongxiang

Because of the disappearance of its accretion disk during the time period of 2012 November–December, XSS J12270–4859 has recently been identified as a transitional millisecond pulsar binary, joining PSR J1023+0038. We have carried out a detailed analysis of the Fermi Large Area Telescope data for this binary. While both spectra  are well-described by an exponentially cut-off power law before and after the disk-disappearance transition, which is typical for pulsars’ emissions in Fermi's 0.2–300 GeV band, we have detected a factor of 2 flux decrease related to the transition. A weak orbital modulation is possibly seen, but is only detectable in the after-transition data, making itmore » the same as orbital modulations found in X-rays. In the long-term light curve of the source before the transition, a factor of 3 flux variations are seen. Compared to the properties of J1023+0038, we discuss the implications from these results. We suggest that since the modulation is aligned with the modulations in X-rays in the orbital phase, it possibly arises due to the occultation of the γ-ray emitting region by the companion. The origin of the variations in the long-term light curve is not clear because the source field also contains unidentified radio or X-ray sources and their contamination cannot be excluded. Multi-wavelength observations of the source field will help identify the origin of the variations by detecting any related flux changes from the in-field sources.« less

Bacteriological quality evaluation of seawater and oysters from the Jaranman-Saryangdo area, a designated shellfish growing area in Korea: Impact of inland pollution sources.

PubMed

Mok, Jong Soo; Lee, Ka Jeong; Kim, Poong Ho; Lee, Tae Seek; Lee, Hee Jung; Jung, Yeoun Joong; Kim, Ji Hoe

2016-07-15

From 2011 to 2013, we conducted a full sanitary survey of pollution sources in proximity to a designated shellfish growing area in Korea, and their impact on the sea area therein. From this area, 836 seawater samples and 93 oyster samples were examined to evaluate their bacteriological quality. There were 483 potential pollution sources in the drainage area of the Jaranman-Saryangdo area, including 38 sources discharging water. It demonstrates that while many pollution sources have been identified, no significant impact occurred within the designated shellfish growing area. Variations in fecal coliform (FC) levels in seawater were closely related to rainfall. The FC levels of seawater and oysters from the designated area met the regulation limits set by various countries. Our study indicates that the oysters produced in this area are apparently safe for raw consumption based on their bacterial quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategies for satellite-based monitoring of CO2 from distributed area and point sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwandner, Florian M.; Miller, Charles E.; Duren, Riley M.; Natraj, Vijay; Eldering, Annmarie; Gunson, Michael R.; Crisp, David

2014-05-01

Atmospheric CO2 budgets are controlled by the strengths, as well as the spatial and temporal variabilities of CO2 sources and sinks. Natural CO2 sources and sinks are dominated by the vast areas of the oceans and the terrestrial biosphere. In contrast, anthropogenic and geogenic CO2 sources are dominated by distributed area and point sources, which may constitute as much as 70% of anthropogenic (e.g., Duren & Miller, 2012), and over 80% of geogenic emissions (Burton et al., 2013). Comprehensive assessments of CO2 budgets necessitate robust and highly accurate satellite remote sensing strategies that address the competing and often conflicting requirements for sampling over disparate space and time scales. Spatial variability: The spatial distribution of anthropogenic sources is dominated by patterns of production, storage, transport and use. In contrast, geogenic variability is almost entirely controlled by endogenic geological processes, except where surface gas permeability is modulated by soil moisture. Satellite remote sensing solutions will thus have to vary greatly in spatial coverage and resolution to address distributed area sources and point sources alike. Temporal variability: While biogenic sources are dominated by diurnal and seasonal patterns, anthropogenic sources fluctuate over a greater variety of time scales from diurnal, weekly and seasonal cycles, driven by both economic and climatic factors. Geogenic sources typically vary in time scales of days to months (geogenic sources sensu stricto are not fossil fuels but volcanoes, hydrothermal and metamorphic sources). Current ground-based monitoring networks for anthropogenic and geogenic sources record data on minute- to weekly temporal scales. Satellite remote sensing solutions would have to capture temporal variability through revisit frequency or point-and-stare strategies. Space-based remote sensing offers the potential of global coverage by a single sensor. However, no single combination of orbit and sensor provides the full range of temporal sampling needed to characterize distributed area and point source emissions. For instance, point source emission patterns will vary with source strength, wind speed and direction. Because wind speed, direction and other environmental factors change rapidly, short term variabilities should be sampled. For detailed target selection and pointing verification, important lessons have already been learned and strategies devised during JAXA's GOSAT mission (Schwandner et al, 2013). The fact that competing spatial and temporal requirements drive satellite remote sensing sampling strategies dictates a systematic, multi-factor consideration of potential solutions. Factors to consider include vista, revisit frequency, integration times, spatial resolution, and spatial coverage. No single satellite-based remote sensing solution can address this problem for all scales. It is therefore of paramount importance for the international community to develop and maintain a constellation of atmospheric CO2 monitoring satellites that complement each other in their temporal and spatial observation capabilities: Polar sun-synchronous orbits (fixed local solar time, no diurnal information) with agile pointing allow global sampling of known distributed area and point sources like megacities, power plants and volcanoes with daily to weekly temporal revisits and moderate to high spatial resolution. Extensive targeting of distributed area and point sources comes at the expense of reduced mapping or spatial coverage, and the important contextual information that comes with large-scale contiguous spatial sampling. Polar sun-synchronous orbits with push-broom swath-mapping but limited pointing agility may allow mapping of individual source plumes and their spatial variability, but will depend on fortuitous environmental conditions during the observing period. These solutions typically have longer times between revisits, limiting their ability to resolve temporal variations. Geostationary and non-sun-synchronous low-Earth-orbits (precessing local solar time, diurnal information possible) with agile pointing have the potential to provide, comprehensive mapping of distributed area sources such as megacities with longer stare times and multiple revisits per day, at the expense of global access and spatial coverage. An ad hoc CO2 remote sensing constellation is emerging. NASA's OCO-2 satellite (launch July 2014) joins JAXA's GOSAT satellite in orbit. These will be followed by GOSAT-2 and NASA's OCO-3 on the International Space Station as early as 2017. Additional polar orbiting satellites (e.g., CarbonSat, under consideration at ESA) and geostationary platforms may also become available. However, the individual assets have been designed with independent science goals and requirements, and limited consideration of coordinated observing strategies. Every effort must be made to maximize the science return from this constellation. We discuss the opportunities to exploit the complementary spatial and temporal coverage provided by these assets as well as the crucial gaps in the capabilities of this constellation. References Burton, M.R., Sawyer, G.M., and Granieri, D. (2013). Deep carbon emissions from volcanoes. Rev. Mineral. Geochem. 75: 323-354. Duren, R.M., Miller, C.E. (2012). Measuring the carbon emissions of megacities. Nature Climate Change 2, 560-562. Schwandner, F.M., Oda, T., Duren, R., Carn, S.A., Maksyutov, S., Crisp, D., Miller, C.E. (2013). Scientific Opportunities from Target-Mode Capabilities of GOSAT-2. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA, White Paper, 6p., March 2013.

The hydrogeology of urbanization: The lost springs of Washington, D.C., late Tertiary and Quaternary sediments of D.C., and the Baltimore Long Term Ecological Research site (LTER): Chapter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bhaskar, Aditi; Pavich, Milan J.; Sharp, John M.

2015-01-01

Urbanization is a major process now shaping the environment. This field trip looks at the hydrogeology of the general Washington, D.C., area and focuses on the city's lost springs. Until 150 years ago, springs and shallow dug wells were the main source of drinking water for residents of Washington, D.C. Celebrating the nation's bicentennial, Garnett P. Williams of the U.S. Geological Survey examined changes in water supply and water courses since 1776. He examined old newspaper files to determine the location of the city's springs. This field trip visits sites of some of these springs (few of which are now flowing), discusses the hydrologic impacts of urbanization and the general geological setting, and finishes with the Baltimore Long Term Ecological Research site at Dead Run and its findings. The field trip visits some familiar locations in the Washington, D.C., area, and gives insights into their often hidden hydrologic past and present.

Uzbek licensing round brings geology, potential into focus

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

Heafford, A.P.; Lichtman, G.S.

1993-08-09

Uzbekistan is a Central Asian Republic that declared independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. Uzbekistan produces about 18 million bbl/year of oil and 40 bcf/year of gas. It is the third largest gas producer in the Commonwealth of Independent States and imports oil. The Uzbek government and oil and gas industry are offering exploration acreage for foreign participation via competitive bid. Acreage on offer includes fields for development and unproven-underexplored areas. Terms awaiting approval by the Cabinet of Ministers provide financial incentives for rapid development of existing reserves, creation of required infrastructure, and long term investment growth. Licensemore » areas concentrate on acreage where western equipment and technology can bring new reserves economically on line in the near future. National oil company Uzbekneftegaz was created in 1992 to oversee the extraction, transport, and refining of hydrocarbons in Uzbekistan. The paper describes some of the fields and infrastructure in place, the structural geology, stratigraphy, petroleum distribution, source rocks, reservoir rocks, cap rocks, traps, and hydrocarbon composition, which includes oil, gases, and gas condensates.« less

26 CFR 1.737-1 - Recognition of precontribution gain.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Property A1 and Property A2 is long-term, U.S.-source capital gain or loss. The character of gain on Property A3 is long-term, foreign-source capital gain. B contributes Property B, nondepreciable real... long-term, U.S.-source capital gain ($10,000 gain on Property A1 and $8,000 loss on Property A2) and $1...

Source term model evaluations for the low-level waste facility performance assessment

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

Yim, M.S.; Su, S.I.

1995-12-31

The estimation of release of radionuclides from various waste forms to the bottom boundary of the waste disposal facility (source term) is one of the most important aspects of LLW facility performance assessment. In this work, several currently used source term models are comparatively evaluated for the release of carbon-14 based on a test case problem. The models compared include PRESTO-EPA-CPG, IMPACTS, DUST and NEFTRAN-II. Major differences in assumptions and approaches between the models are described and key parameters are identified through sensitivity analysis. The source term results from different models are compared and other concerns or suggestions are discussed.

Assessing critical source areas in watersheds for conservation buffer planning and riparian restoration.

PubMed

Qiu, Zeyuan

2009-11-01

A science-based geographic information system (GIS) approach is presented to target critical source areas in watersheds for conservation buffer placement. Critical source areas are the intersection of hydrologically sensitive areas and pollutant source areas in watersheds. Hydrologically sensitive areas are areas that actively generate runoff in the watershed and are derived using a modified topographic index approach based on variable source area hydrology. Pollutant source areas are the areas in watersheds that are actively and intensively used for such activities as agricultural production. The method is applied to the Neshanic River watershed in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The capacity of the topographic index in predicting the spatial pattern of runoff generation and the runoff contribution to stream flow in the watershed is evaluated. A simple cost-effectiveness assessment is conducted to compare the conservation buffer placement scenario based on this GIS method to conventional riparian buffer scenarios for placing conservation buffers in agricultural lands in the watershed. The results show that the topographic index reasonably predicts the runoff generation in the watershed. The GIS-based conservation buffer scenario appears to be more cost-effective than the conventional riparian buffer scenarios.

Urban stormwater runoff study at Davenport, Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaap, Bryan D.

1995-01-01

Urban storm water runoff is being investigated as a nonpoint source of pollution across the country as urban areas with populations over 100,000 conduct studies designed to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for their stormwater discharges. From 1991 through 1994, the City of Davenport, Iowa (fig. 1), and the U.S. Geological Survey cooperatively conducted a study designed to meet technical conditions of the permit application and to develop the criteria for ongoing monitoring during the term of the permit. 

Comparison of digital signal processing modules in gamma-ray spectrometry.

PubMed

Lépy, Marie-Christine; Cissé, Ousmane Ibrahima; Pierre, Sylvie

2014-05-01

Commercial digital signal-processing modules have been tested for their applicability to gamma-ray spectrometry. The tests were based on the same n-type high purity germanium detector. The spectrum quality was studied in terms of energy resolution and peak area versus shaping parameters, using a Eu-152 point source. The stability of a reference peak count rate versus the total count rate was also examined. The reliability of the quantitative results is discussed for their use in measurement at the metrological level. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Informal Taxation*

PubMed Central

Olken, Benjamin A.; Singhal, Monica

2011-01-01

Informal payments are a frequently overlooked source of local public finance in developing countries. We use microdata from ten countries to establish stylized facts on the magnitude, form, and distributional implications of this “informal taxation.” Informal taxation is widespread, particularly in rural areas, with substantial in-kind labor payments. The wealthy pay more, but pay less in percentage terms, and informal taxes are more regressive than formal taxes. Failing to include informal taxation underestimates household tax burdens and revenue decentralization in developing countries. We discuss various explanations for and implications of these observed stylized facts. PMID:22199993

Observation-based source terms in the third-generation wave model WAVEWATCH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zieger, Stefan; Babanin, Alexander V.; Erick Rogers, W.; Young, Ian R.

2015-12-01

Measurements collected during the AUSWEX field campaign, at Lake George (Australia), resulted in new insights into the processes of wind wave interaction and whitecapping dissipation, and consequently new parameterizations of the input and dissipation source terms. The new nonlinear wind input term developed accounts for dependence of the growth on wave steepness, airflow separation, and for negative growth rate under adverse winds. The new dissipation terms feature the inherent breaking term, a cumulative dissipation term and a term due to production of turbulence by waves, which is particularly relevant for decaying seas and for swell. The latter is consistent with the observed decay rate of ocean swell. This paper describes these source terms implemented in WAVEWATCH III ®and evaluates the performance against existing source terms in academic duration-limited tests, against buoy measurements for windsea-dominated conditions, under conditions of extreme wind forcing (Hurricane Katrina), and against altimeter data in global hindcasts. Results show agreement by means of growth curves as well as integral and spectral parameters in the simulations and hindcast.

A GIS-based time-dependent seismic source modeling of Northern Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashemi, Mahdi; Alesheikh, Ali Asghar; Zolfaghari, Mohammad Reza

2017-01-01

The first step in any seismic hazard study is the definition of seismogenic sources and the estimation of magnitude-frequency relationships for each source. There is as yet no standard methodology for source modeling and many researchers have worked on this topic. This study is an effort to define linear and area seismic sources for Northern Iran. The linear or fault sources are developed based on tectonic features and characteristic earthquakes while the area sources are developed based on spatial distribution of small to moderate earthquakes. Time-dependent recurrence relationships are developed for fault sources using renewal approach while time-independent frequency-magnitude relationships are proposed for area sources based on Poisson process. GIS functionalities are used in this study to introduce and incorporate spatial-temporal and geostatistical indices in delineating area seismic sources. The proposed methodology is used to model seismic sources for an area of about 500 by 400 square kilometers around Tehran. Previous researches and reports are studied to compile an earthquake/fault catalog that is as complete as possible. All events are transformed to uniform magnitude scale; duplicate events and dependent shocks are removed. Completeness and time distribution of the compiled catalog is taken into account. The proposed area and linear seismic sources in conjunction with defined recurrence relationships can be used to develop time-dependent probabilistic seismic hazard analysis of Northern Iran.

Preliminary Groundwater Assessment using Electrical Method at Quaternary Deposits Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Raqib, A. G. A.; Aziman, M.; Azhar, A. T. S.; Khaidir, A. T. M.; Fairus, Y. M.; Rosli, S.; Fakhrurrazi, I. M.; Izzaty, R. A.

2017-08-01

Alternative water sources using groundwater has increasingly demand in recent years. In the past, proper and systematic study of groundwater potential was varies due to several constraints. Conventionally, tube well point was drilled based on subjective judgment of several parties which may lead to the uncertainties of the project success. Hence, this study performed an electrical method to investigate the groundwater potential at quaternary deposits area particularly using resistivity and induced polarization technique. Electrical method was performed using ABEM SAS4000 equipment based on pole dipole array and 2.5 m electrode spacing. Resistivity raw data was analyzed using RES2DINV software. It was found that groundwater was able to be detected based on resistivity and chargeability values which varied at 10 - 100 Ωm and 0 - 1 ms respectively. Moreover, suitable location of tube well was able to be proposed which located at 80 m from the first survey electrode in west direction. Verification of both electrical results with established references has shown some good agreement thus able to convince the result reliability. Hence, the establishment of electrical method in preliminary groundwater assessment was able to assist several parties in term groundwater prospective at study area which efficient in term of cost, time, data coverage and sustainability.

Is Traffic Still an Important Emitter of Monoaromatic Organic Compounds in European Urban Areas?

PubMed

Borbon, Agnès; Boynard, Anne; Salameh, Thérèse; Baudic, Alexia; Gros, Valérie; Gauduin, Julie; Perrussel, Olivier; Pallares, Cyril

2018-01-16

Trends of long-term observations and emission inventories suggest that traffic emissions will no longer dominate the concentrations of monoaromatic compounds (i.e., TEX - toluene, xylenes, and ethylbenzene) in European urban areas. But the split limit between traffic and other emission sector contributions such as solvent use remains tenuous. Here long-term observations of an extensive set of hydrocarbons, including TEX, at traffic and urban background sites in London, Paris and Strasbourg were combined to estimate the relative importance of traffic emissions on TEX in every city. When analyzing the urban enhancement emission ratios of TEX-to-benzene on a seasonal basis, two potential source signatures other than traffic could be differentiated in all cities (1) summertime evaporation from fuel and/or solvent and (2) wintertime domestic heating. However, traffic emissions still unambiguously dominate the concentration levels of TEX in every city despite the reduction of their emissions at exhaust pipe over the last two decades. Traffic explains between 60% and 96% (at ±20%) of TEX levels while it is less clear for xylenes at some locations. Our results provide a basis to evaluate regional emission inventories. The method is applicable at any urban area where speciated hydrocarbon monitoring is available.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the atmosphere of coastal areas of the Ross Sea, Antarctica: Indications for long-term downward trends.

PubMed

Pozo, Karla; Martellini, Tania; Corsolini, Simonetta; Harner, Tom; Estellano, Victor; Kukučka, Petr; Mulder, Marie D; Lammel, Gerhard; Cincinelli, Alessandra

2017-07-01

Passive air samplers were used to evaluate long-term trends and spatial distribution of trace organic compounds in Antarctica. Duplicate PUF disk samplers were deployed at six automatic weather stations in the coastal area of the Ross sea (East Antarctica), between December 2010 and January 2011, during the XXVI Italian Scientific Research Expedition. Among the investigated persistent organic compounds, Hexachlorobenzene was the most abundant, with air concentrations ranging from 0.8 to 50 pg m -3 . In general, the following decreasing concentration order was found for the air samples analyzed: HCB > PeCB > PCBs > DDTs > HCHs. While HCB concentrations were in the same range as those reported in the atmosphere of other Antarctic sampling areas and did not show a decline, HCHs and DDTs levels were lower or similar to those determined one or two decades ago. In general, the very low concentrations reflected the pristine state of the East Antarctica air. Backward trajectories indicated the prevalence of air masses coming from the Antarctic continent. Local contamination and volatilization from ice were suggested as potential sources for the presence of persistent organic pollutants in the atmosphere. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health hazards and mitigation of chronic poisoning from arsenic in drinking water: Taiwan experiences.

PubMed

Chen, Chien-Jen

2014-01-01

There are two endemic areas of long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking water in Taiwan. Residents in the southwestern and northeastern endemic areas started using high-arsenic artesian well water in the early 1910s and late 1940s, respectively. Public water supply system using surface water was implemented in southwestern and northeastern endemic areas in the 1970s and 1990s, respectively. Systemic health hazards of long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water have been intensively investigated since the 1960s, especially after 1985 in Taiwan. Several diseases have been well documented to be associated with chronic arsenic poisoning from drinking water showing a dose-response relation. They include characteristic skin lesions like hyperpigmentation or depigmentation, hyperkeratosis in palms and soles, and Bowen disease, peripheral vascular disease (specifically blackfoot disease), ischemic heart disease, cerebral infarction, microvascular diseases, abnormal peripheral microcirculation, carotid atherosclerosis, QT prolongation and increased dispersion in electrocardiography, hypertension, goiter, diabetes mellitus, cataract (specifically posterior subcapsular lens opacity), pterygium, slow neural conduction, retarded neurobehavioral development, erectile dysfunction, and cancers of the skin, lung, urinary bladder, kidney, and liver. The method of choice to mitigate arsenic poisoning through drinking water is to use safe drinking water from uncontaminated sources.

The 20th-Century Topographic Survey as Source Data for Long-Term Landscape Studies at Local and Regional Scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Varanka, Dalia

2006-01-01

Historical topographic maps are the only systematically collected data resource covering the entire nation for long-term landscape change studies over the 20th century for geographical and environmental research. The paper discusses aspects of the historical U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps that present constraints on the design of a database for such studies. Problems involved in this approach include locating the required maps, understanding land feature classification differences between topographic vs. land use/land cover maps, the approximation of error between different map editions of the same area, and the identification of true changes on the landscape between time periods. Suggested approaches to these issues are illustrated using an example of such a study by the author.

Hybrid Energy System Design of Micro Hydro-PV-biogas Based Micro-grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishrina; Abdullah, A. G.; Risdiyanto, A.; Nandiyanto, ABD

2017-03-01

Hybrid renewable energy system is an arrangement of one or more sources of renewable energy and also conventional energy. This paper describes a simulation results of hybrid renewable power system based on the available potential in an educational institution in Indonesia. HOMER software was used to simulate and analyse both in terms of optimization and economic terms. This software was developed through 3 main principles; simulation, optimization, and sensitivity analysis. Generally, the presented results show that the software can demonstrate a feasible hybrid power system as well to be realized. The entire demand in case study area can be supplied by the system configuration and can be met by ¾ of electricity production. So, there are ¼ of generated energy became an excess electricity.

Publication analysis of the contact lens field: what are the current topics of interest?

PubMed

Cardona, Genís; Sanz, Joan P

2015-01-01

To determine the main current research interests of scientists working in the contact lens field. All articles published in the 2011 issues of all journals included in the Journal Citation Reports subject category Ophthalmology were inspected to expose those papers related to the contact lens field. Information regarding source journal was obtained and authorship details were recorded to determine the top most prolific authors, institutions and countries. A comprehensive list of key words was compiled to generate a two-dimensional term map in which the frequency of occurrence of a particular term is defined by label size and the distance between two terms is an indication of the relatedness of these terms, based on their co-occurrences within groups of key words. Clusters of related terms were also identified. Visual examination of all articles uncovered a total of 156 papers, published in 28 different journals. Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, Eye & Contact Lens and Optometry and Vision Science had 27 articles each. The most prolific authors and institutions revealed the predominance of countries with long research tradition in the contact lens field. Ten different word clusters or areas of interest were identified, including both traditional, yet unresolved issues (e.g., comfort or dry eye), and the latest research efforts (e.g., myopia control). These findings, which revealed contact lenses to be a fertile area of research, may be of relevance to new researchers as well as to those interested in exploring the latest research trends in this scientific discipline. Copyright © 2013 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Bayesian source term determination with unknown covariance of measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belal, Alkomiet; Tichý, Ondřej; Šmídl, Václav

2017-04-01

Determination of a source term of release of a hazardous material into the atmosphere is a very important task for emergency response. We are concerned with the problem of estimation of the source term in the conventional linear inverse problem, y = Mx, where the relationship between the vector of observations y is described using the source-receptor-sensitivity (SRS) matrix M and the unknown source term x. Since the system is typically ill-conditioned, the problem is recast as an optimization problem minR,B(y - Mx)TR-1(y - Mx) + xTB-1x. The first term minimizes the error of the measurements with covariance matrix R, and the second term is a regularization of the source term. There are different types of regularization arising for different choices of matrices R and B, for example, Tikhonov regularization assumes covariance matrix B as the identity matrix multiplied by scalar parameter. In this contribution, we adopt a Bayesian approach to make inference on the unknown source term x as well as unknown R and B. We assume prior on x to be a Gaussian with zero mean and unknown diagonal covariance matrix B. The covariance matrix of the likelihood R is also unknown. We consider two potential choices of the structure of the matrix R. First is the diagonal matrix and the second is a locally correlated structure using information on topology of the measuring network. Since the inference of the model is intractable, iterative variational Bayes algorithm is used for simultaneous estimation of all model parameters. The practical usefulness of our contribution is demonstrated on an application of the resulting algorithm to real data from the European Tracer Experiment (ETEX). This research is supported by EEA/Norwegian Financial Mechanism under project MSMT-28477/2014 Source-Term Determination of Radionuclide Releases by Inverse Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling (STRADI).

Mobile measurements of air pollutants with an instrumented car in populated areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Konradin; Scharifi, Emad; Fischer, Christian; Pohl, Tobias; Lange, Martin; Boehlke, Christoph

2017-04-01

Detailed mobile measurement of gases and fine particulate matter has been reported in the literature to be suitable to exhibit the air pollutants concentration in populated areas. This concentration is linked to the increase of number of cars, construction areas, industries and other emission sources. However, fixed measurement stations, mostly operated by environmental agencies, are limited in numbers and cannot cover a large area in monitoring. For this reason, to overcome this drawback, mobile measurements of the variability of gases (such as O3, NO, NO2) and particulate matter concentration were carried out during this study using an instrumented car. This car was able to deliver measurement results of all these compounds in a large area. The experimental results in this work demonstrate a large spatial variability of gases and fine particulate matters mainly depended on the traffic density and the location. These effects are especially obvious in the city core and the high traffic roads. In terms of fine particulate matter, this becomes evident for PM 10 and PM 2.5, where the mass and number concentration increases with arriving these zones.

Comparison of a new integrated current source with the modified Howland circuit for EIT applications.

PubMed

Hong, Hongwei; Rahal, Mohamad; Demosthenous, Andreas; Bayford, Richard H

2009-10-01

Multi-frequency electrical impedance tomography (MF-EIT) systems require current sources that are accurate over a wide frequency range (1 MHz) and with large load impedance variations. The most commonly employed current source design in EIT systems is the modified Howland circuit (MHC). The MHC requires tight matching of resistors to achieve high output impedance and may suffer from instability over a wide frequency range in an integrated solution. In this paper, we introduce a new integrated current source design in CMOS technology and compare its performance with the MHC. The new integrated design has advantages over the MHC in terms of power consumption and area. The output current and the output impedance of both circuits were determined through simulations and measurements over the frequency range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz. For frequencies up to 1 MHz, the measured maximum variation of the output current for the integrated current source is 0.8% whereas for the MHC the corresponding value is 1.5%. Although the integrated current source has an output impedance greater than 1 MOmega up to 1 MHz in simulations, in practice, the impedance is greater than 160 kOmega up to 1 MHz due to the presence of stray capacitance.

Source Term Model for Steady Micro Jets in a Navier-Stokes Computer Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waithe, Kenrick A.

2005-01-01

A source term model for steady micro jets was implemented into a non-proprietary Navier-Stokes computer code, OVERFLOW. The source term models the mass flow and momentum created by a steady blowing micro jet. The model is obtained by adding the momentum and mass flow created by the jet to the Navier-Stokes equations. The model was tested by comparing with data from numerical simulations of a single, steady micro jet on a flat plate in two and three dimensions. The source term model predicted the velocity distribution well compared to the two-dimensional plate using a steady mass flow boundary condition, which was used to simulate a steady micro jet. The model was also compared to two three-dimensional flat plate cases using a steady mass flow boundary condition to simulate a steady micro jet. The three-dimensional comparison included a case with a grid generated to capture the circular shape of the jet and a case without a grid generated for the micro jet. The case without the jet grid mimics the application of the source term. The source term model compared well with both of the three-dimensional cases. Comparisons of velocity distribution were made before and after the jet and Mach and vorticity contours were examined. The source term model allows a researcher to quickly investigate different locations of individual or several steady micro jets. The researcher is able to conduct a preliminary investigation with minimal grid generation and computational time.

75 FR 12988 - National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Area Sources: Asphalt Processing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-18

... roofing manufacturing area source category (74 FR 63236). Following signature of this final rule, EPA...). Following signature of the final asphalt processing and asphalt roofing manufacturing area source standards...

Volume 3a - Area Source Methods - Additional Documents

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nonpoint (area) source emission reference materials from the Emissions Inventory Improvement Program (EIIP). Provides nonpoint source guidance on ammonia emissions from natural landscapes, fertilized soils, and nonagricultural sources.

Seasonal variations of infrasonic arrivals from long-term ground truth observations in Nevada and implication for event location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Negraru, Petru; Golden, Paul

2017-04-01

Long-term ground truth observations were collected at two infrasound arrays in Nevada to investigate how seasonal atmospheric variations affect the detection, traveltime and signal characteristics (azimuth, trace velocity, frequency content and amplitudes) of infrasonic arrivals at regional distances. The arrays were located in different azimuthal directions from a munition disposal facility in Nevada. FNIAR, located 154 km north of the source has a high detection rate throughout the year. Over 90 per cent of the detonations have traveltimes indicative of stratospheric arrivals, while tropospheric waveguides are observed from only 27 per cent of the detonations. The second array, DNIAR, located 293 km southeast of the source exhibits strong seasonal variations with high stratospheric detection rates in winter and the virtual absence of stratospheric arrivals in summer. Tropospheric waveguides and thermospheric arrivals are also observed for DNIAR. Modeling through the Naval Research Laboratory Ground to Space atmospheric sound speeds leads to mixed results: FNIAR arrivals are usually not predicted to be present at all (either stratospheric or tropospheric), while DNIAR arrivals are usually correctly predicted, but summer arrivals show a consistent traveltime bias. In the end, we show the possible improvement in location using empirically calibrated traveltime and azimuth observations. Using the Bayesian Infrasound Source Localization we show that we can decrease the area enclosed by the 90 per cent credibility contours by a factor of 2.5.

Potash—A vital agricultural nutrient sourced from geologic deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Douglas B.

2016-11-15

This report summarizes the primary sources of potash in the United States. Potash is an essential nutrient that, along with phosphorus and nitrogen, is used as fertilizer for growing crops. Plants require sufficient potash to activate enzymes, which in turn catalyze chemical reactions important for water uptake and photosynthesis. When potassium is available in quantities necessary for healthy plant growth, disease resistance and physical quality are improved and crop yield and shelf life are increased. Potash is a water-soluble compound of potassium formed by geologic and hydrologic processes. The principal potash sources discussed are the large, stratiform deposits that formed during retreat and evaporation of intracontinental seas. The Paradox, Delaware, Holbrook, Michigan, and Williston sedimentary basins in the United States are examples where extensive potash beds were deposited. Ancient marine-type potash deposits that are close to the surface can be mined using conventional underground mining methods. In situ solution mining can be used where beds are too deep, making underground mining cost-prohibitive, or where underground mines are converted to in situ solution mines. Quaternary brine is another source of potash that is recovered by solar evaporation in manmade ponds. Groundwater from Pleistocene Lake Bonneville (Wendover, Utah) and the present-day Great Salt Lake in Utah are sources of potashbearing brine. Brine from these sources pumped to solar ponds is evaporated and potash concentrated for harvesting, processing, and refinement. Although there is sufficient potash to meet near-term demand, the large marine-type deposits are either geographically restricted to a few areas or are too deep to easily mine. Other regions lack sources of potash brine from groundwater or surface water. Thus, some areas of the world rely heavily on potash imports. Political, economic, and global population pressures may limit the ability of some countries from securing potash resources in the future. In this context, a historical perspective on U.S. potash production in a global framework is discussed.

Source contributions to United States ozone and particulate matter over five decades from 1970 to 2020

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nopmongcol, Uarporn; Alvarez, Yesica; Jung, Jaegun; Grant, John; Kumar, Naresh; Yarwood, Greg

2017-10-01

Evaluating long-term air quality trends can demonstrate effectiveness of control strategies and guide future air quality management planning. Observations have shown that ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the US have declined since as early as 1980 in some areas. But observation trends alone cannot separate effects of changes in local and global emissions to US air quality which are important to air quality planners. This study uses a regional model (CAMx) nested within a global model (GEOS-Chem) to characterize regional changes in O3 and PM2.5 due to the intercontinental transport and local/regional emissions representing six modeling years within five decades (1970-2020). We use the CAMx Source Apportionment Technology (OSAT/PSAT) to estimate contributions from 6 source sectors in 7 source regions plus 6 other groups for a total of 48 tagged contributions. On-road mobile sources consistently make the largest U.S. anthropogenic emissions contribution to O3 in all cities examined even though they decline substantially from 1970 to 2005 and also from 2005 to 2020. Off-road mobile source contributions increase from 1970 to 2005 and then decrease after 2005 in all of the cities. The boundary conditions, mostly from intercontinental transport, contribute more than 20 ppb to high maximum daily 8-h average (MDA8) O3 for all six years. We found that lowering NOx emissions raises O3 formation efficiency (OFE) across all emission categories which will limit potential O3 benefits of local NOx strategies in the near future. PM2.5 benefited from adoption of control devices between 1970 and 1980 and has continued to decline through 2005 and expected to decline further by 2020. Area sources such as residential, commercial and fugitive dust emissions stand out as making large contributions to PM2.5 that are not declining. Inter-regional transport is less important in 2020 than 1990 for both pollutants.

Distribution, source identification and health risk assessment of PFASs and two PFOS alternatives in groundwater from non-industrial areas.

PubMed

Wei, Changlong; Wang, Qing; Song, Xin; Chen, Xing; Fan, Renjun; Ding, Da; Liu, Yun

2018-05-15

Little research has been carried out for the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in groundwater from non-industrial areas, even though it has been proved that PFASs can transport for long distance. In this study, the concentration profiles and geographical distribution of 14 PFASs, including two alternatives of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) and potassium 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonate (F-53B), were analyzed in groundwater samples (n = 102) collected from water wells in non-industrial areas. The total concentrations of PFASs (Σ 14 PFASs) in groundwater samples ranged from 2.69 to 556 ng/L (mean 43.1 ng/L). The detection rates of shorter chain (C4-C9) PFASs were 62.75-100%, higher than those of long chain (> C10) PFASs with detection rates of less than 40%. The source identification using hierarchical cluster analysis and Spearman rank correlation analysis suggested that domestic sewage and atmospheric deposition may contribute significantly to the PFAS occurrence in groundwater in non-industrial areas, while the nearby industrial parks may contribute some, but not at a significant level. Furthermore, the human health risk assessment analysis shows that the health hazards associated with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and PFOS, two of the main PFAS constituents in groundwater from non-industrial areas, were one or two orders of magnitude higher than those in a previous study, but were unlikely to cause long-term harm to the residents via the drinking water exposure pathway alone. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Galaxy evolution and large-scale structure in the far-infrared. I - IRAS pointed observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lonsdale, Carol J.; Hacking, Perry B.

1989-04-01

Redshifts for 66 galaxies were obtained from a sample of 93 60-micron sources detected serendipitously in 22 IRAS deep pointed observations, covering a total area of 18.4 sq deg. The flux density limit of this survey is 150 mJy, 4 times fainter than the IRAS Point Source Catalog (PSC). The luminosity function is similar in shape with those previously published for samples selected from the PSC, with a median redshift of 0.048 for the fainter sample, but shifted to higher space densities. There is evidence that some of the excess number counts in the deeper sample can be explained in terms of a large-scale density enhancement beyond the Pavo-Indus supercluster. In addition, the faintest counts in the new sample confirm the result of Hacking et al. (1989) that faint IRAS 60-micron source counts lie significantly in excess of an extrapolation of the PSC counts assuming no luminosity or density evolution.

Galaxy evolution and large-scale structure in the far-infrared. I. IRAS pointed observations

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

Lonsdale, C.J.; Hacking, P.B.

1989-04-01

Redshifts for 66 galaxies were obtained from a sample of 93 60-micron sources detected serendipitously in 22 IRAS deep pointed observations, covering a total area of 18.4 sq deg. The flux density limit of this survey is 150 mJy, 4 times fainter than the IRAS Point Source Catalog (PSC). The luminosity function is similar in shape with those previously published for samples selected from the PSC, with a median redshift of 0.048 for the fainter sample, but shifted to higher space densities. There is evidence that some of the excess number counts in the deeper sample can be explained inmore » terms of a large-scale density enhancement beyond the Pavo-Indus supercluster. In addition, the faintest counts in the new sample confirm the result of Hacking et al. (1989) that faint IRAS 60-micron source counts lie significantly in excess of an extrapolation of the PSC counts assuming no luminosity or density evolution. 81 refs.« less

Characterisation of the high dynamic range Large Pixel Detector (LPD) and its use at X-ray free electron laser sources

DOE PAGES

Veale, M. C.; Adkin, P.; Booker, P.; ...

2017-12-04

The STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have delivered the Large Pixel Detector (LPD) for MHz frame rate imaging at the European XFEL. The detector system has an active area of 0.5 m × 0.5 m and consists of a million pixels on a 500 μm pitch. Sensors have been produced from 500 μm thick Hammamatsu silicon tiles that have been bump bonded to the readout ASIC using a silver epoxy and gold stud technique. Each pixel of the detector system is capable of measuring 10 5 12 keV photons per image readout at 4.5 MHz. In this paper results from themore » testing of these detectors at the Diamond Light Source and the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) are presented. As a result, the performance of the detector in terms of linearity, spatial uniformity and the performance of the different ASIC gain stages is characterised.« less

Galaxy evolution and large-scale structure in the far-infrared. I - IRAS pointed observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lonsdale, Carol J.; Hacking, Perry B.

1989-01-01

Redshifts for 66 galaxies were obtained from a sample of 93 60-micron sources detected serendipitously in 22 IRAS deep pointed observations, covering a total area of 18.4 sq deg. The flux density limit of this survey is 150 mJy, 4 times fainter than the IRAS Point Source Catalog (PSC). The luminosity function is similar in shape with those previously published for samples selected from the PSC, with a median redshift of 0.048 for the fainter sample, but shifted to higher space densities. There is evidence that some of the excess number counts in the deeper sample can be explained in terms of a large-scale density enhancement beyond the Pavo-Indus supercluster. In addition, the faintest counts in the new sample confirm the result of Hacking et al. (1989) that faint IRAS 60-micron source counts lie significantly in excess of an extrapolation of the PSC counts assuming no luminosity or density evolution.

Infrared and visible image fusion with spectral graph wavelet transform.

PubMed

Yan, Xiang; Qin, Hanlin; Li, Jia; Zhou, Huixin; Zong, Jing-guo

2015-09-01

Infrared and visible image fusion technique is a popular topic in image analysis because it can integrate complementary information and obtain reliable and accurate description of scenes. Multiscale transform theory as a signal representation method is widely used in image fusion. In this paper, a novel infrared and visible image fusion method is proposed based on spectral graph wavelet transform (SGWT) and bilateral filter. The main novelty of this study is that SGWT is used for image fusion. On the one hand, source images are decomposed by SGWT in its transform domain. The proposed approach not only effectively preserves the details of different source images, but also excellently represents the irregular areas of the source images. On the other hand, a novel weighted average method based on bilateral filter is proposed to fuse low- and high-frequency subbands by taking advantage of spatial consistency of natural images. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms seven recently proposed image fusion methods in terms of both visual effect and objective evaluation metrics.

Characterisation of the high dynamic range Large Pixel Detector (LPD) and its use at X-ray free electron laser sources

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

Veale, M. C.; Adkin, P.; Booker, P.

The STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have delivered the Large Pixel Detector (LPD) for MHz frame rate imaging at the European XFEL. The detector system has an active area of 0.5 m × 0.5 m and consists of a million pixels on a 500 μm pitch. Sensors have been produced from 500 μm thick Hammamatsu silicon tiles that have been bump bonded to the readout ASIC using a silver epoxy and gold stud technique. Each pixel of the detector system is capable of measuring 10 5 12 keV photons per image readout at 4.5 MHz. In this paper results from themore » testing of these detectors at the Diamond Light Source and the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) are presented. As a result, the performance of the detector in terms of linearity, spatial uniformity and the performance of the different ASIC gain stages is characterised.« less

On multidisciplinary research on the application of remote sensing to water resources problems. [Wisconsin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clapp, J. L.

1973-01-01

Research objectives during 1972-73 were to: (1) Ascertain the extent to which special aerial photography can be operationally used in monitoring water pollution parameters. (2) Ascertain the effectiveness of remote sensing in the investigation of nearshore mixing and coastal entrapment in large water bodies. (3) Develop an explicit relationship of the extent of the mixing zone in terms of the outfall, effluent and water body characteristics. (4) Develop and demonstrate the use of the remote sensing method as an effective legal implement through which administrative agencies and courts can not only investigate possible pollution sources but also legally prove the source of water pollution. (5) Evaluate the field potential of remote sensing techniques in monitoring algal blooms and aquatic macrophytes, and the use of these as indicators of lake eutrophication level. (6) Develop a remote sensing technique for the determination of the location and extent of hydrologically active source areas in a watershed.

Tracking plastics in the Mediterranean: 2D Lagrangian model.

PubMed

Liubartseva, S; Coppini, G; Lecci, R; Clementi, E

2018-04-01

Drift of floating debris is studied with a 2D Lagrangian model with stochastic beaching and sedimentation of plastics. An ensemble of >10 10 virtual particles is tracked from anthropogenic sources (coastal human populations, rivers, shipping lanes) to environmental destinations (sea surface, coastlines, seabed). Daily analyses of ocean currents and waves provided by CMEMS at a horizontal resolution of 1/16° are used to force the plastics. High spatio-temporal variability in sea-surface plastic concentrations without any stable long-term accumulations is found. Substantial accumulation of plastics is detected on coastlines and the sea bottom. The most contaminated areas are in the Cilician subbasin, Catalan Sea, and near the Po River Delta. Also, highly polluted local patches in the vicinity of sources with limited circulation are identified. An inverse problem solution, used to quantify the origins of plastics, shows that plastic pollution of every Mediterranean country is caused primarily by its own terrestrial sources. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-disaster supply chain interdependent critical infrastructure system restoration: A review of data necessary and available for modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ramachandran, Varun; Long, Suzanna K.; Shoberg, Thomas G.; Corns, Steven; Carlo, Hector J.

2016-01-01

The majority of restoration strategies in the wake of large-scale disasters have focused on short-term emergency response solutions. Few consider medium- to long-term restoration strategies to reconnect urban areas to national supply chain interdependent critical infrastructure systems (SCICI). These SCICI promote the effective flow of goods, services, and information vital to the economic vitality of an urban environment. To re-establish the connectivity that has been broken during a disaster between the different SCICI, relationships between these systems must be identified, formulated, and added to a common framework to form a system-level restoration plan. To accomplish this goal, a considerable collection of SCICI data is necessary. The aim of this paper is to review what data are required for model construction, the accessibility of these data, and their integration with each other. While a review of publically available data reveals a dearth of real-time data to assist modeling long-term recovery following an extreme event, a significant amount of static data does exist and these data can be used to model the complex interdependencies needed. For the sake of illustration, a particular SCICI (transportation) is used to highlight the challenges of determining the interdependencies and creating models capable of describing the complexity of an urban environment with the data publically available. Integration of such data as is derived from public domain sources is readily achieved in a geospatial environment, after all geospatial infrastructure data are the most abundant data source and while significant quantities of data can be acquired through public sources, a significant effort is still required to gather, develop, and integrate these data from multiple sources to build a complete model. Therefore, while continued availability of high quality, public information is essential for modeling efforts in academic as well as government communities, a more streamlined approach to a real-time acquisition and integration of these data is essential.

Spatial and temporal dynamics of nitrate fluxes in a mesoscale catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, C.; Musolff, A.; Strachauer, U.; Brauns, M.; Tarasova, L.; Merz, R.; Knoeller, K.

2017-12-01

Spatially and temporally variable and often superimposing processes like mobilization and turnover of N-species strongly affect nitrate fluxes at catchment outlets. It remains thus challenging to determine dominant nitrate sources to derive an effective river management. Here, we combine data sets from two spatially highly resolved key-date monitoring campaigns of nitrate fluxes along a mesoscale catchment in Germany with four years of monitoring data from two representative sites within the catchment. The study area is characterized by a strong land use gradient from pristine headwaters to lowland sub-catchments with intense agricultural land use and wastewater sources. Flow conditions were assessed by a hydrograph separation showing the clear dominance of base flow during both investigations. However, the absolute amounts of discharge differed significantly from each other (outlet: 1.42 m³ s-1 versus 0.43 m³ s-1). Nitrate concentration and flux in the headwater was found to be low. In contrast, nitrate loads further downstream originate from anthropogenic sources such as effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and agricultural land use. The agricultural contribution did not vary in terms of nitrate concentration and isotopic signature between the years but in terms of flux. The contrasting amounts of discharge between the years led to a strongly increased relative wastewater contribution with decreasing discharge. This was mainly manifested in elevated δ18O-NO3- values downstream from the wastewater discharge. The four-year monitoring at two sides clearly indicates the chemostatic character of the agricultural N-source and its distinct, yet stable isotopic fingerprint. Denitrification was found to play no dominant role only for controlling nitrate loads in the river. The spatially highly resolved monitoring approach helped to accurately define hot spots of nitrate inputs into the stream while the long-term information allowed a classification of the results with respect to the seasonal N-dynamics in the catchment.

Gross changes in forest area shape the future carbon balance of tropical forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Ciais, Philippe; Yue, Chao; Gasser, Thomas; Peng, Shushi; Bastos, Ana

2018-01-01

Bookkeeping models are used to estimate land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) carbon fluxes (ELULCC). The uncertainty of bookkeeping models partly arises from data used to define response curves (usually from local data) and their representativeness for application to large regions. Here, we compare biomass recovery curves derived from a recent synthesis of secondary forest plots in Latin America by Poorter et al. (2016) with the curves used previously in bookkeeping models from Houghton (1999) and Hansis et al. (2015). We find that the two latter models overestimate the long-term (100 years) vegetation carbon density of secondary forest by about 25 %. We also use idealized LULCC scenarios combined with these three different response curves to demonstrate the importance of considering gross forest area changes instead of net forest area changes for estimating regional ELULCC. In the illustrative case of a net gain in forest area composed of a large gross loss and a large gross gain occurring during a single year, the initial gross loss has an important legacy effect on ELULCC so that the system can be a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere long after the initial forest area change. We show the existence of critical values of the ratio of gross area change over net area change (γAnetAgross), above which cumulative ELULCC is a net CO2 source rather than a sink for a given time horizon after the initial perturbation. These theoretical critical ratio values derived from simulations of a bookkeeping model are compared with observations from the 30 m resolution Landsat Thematic Mapper data of gross and net forest area change in the Amazon. This allows us to diagnose areas in which current forest gains with a large land turnover will still result in LULCC carbon emissions in 20, 50 and 100 years.

What is the effect of area size when using local area practice style as an instrument?

PubMed

Brooks, John M; Tang, Yuexin; Chapman, Cole G; Cook, Elizabeth A; Chrischilles, Elizabeth A

2013-08-01

Discuss the tradeoffs inherent in choosing a local area size when using a measure of local area practice style as an instrument in instrumental variable estimation when assessing treatment effectiveness. Assess the effectiveness of angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers on survival after acute myocardial infarction for Medicare beneficiaries using practice style instruments based on different-sized local areas around patients. We contrasted treatment effect estimates using different local area sizes in terms of the strength of the relationship between local area practice styles and individual patient treatment choices; and indirect assessments of the assumption violations. Using smaller local areas to measure practice styles exploits more treatment variation and results in smaller standard errors. However, if treatment effects are heterogeneous, the use of smaller local areas may increase the risk that local practice style measures are dominated by differences in average treatment effectiveness across areas and bias results toward greater effectiveness. Local area practice style measures can be useful instruments in instrumental variable analysis, but the use of smaller local area sizes to generate greater treatment variation may result in treatment effect estimates that are biased toward higher effectiveness. Assessment of whether ecological bias can be mitigated by changing local area size requires the use of outside data sources. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Precision, Low-Cost GPS-Based Transmitter Synchronization Scheme for Improved AM Reception

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

Smith, Stephen Fulton; Moore, Anthony

2009-01-01

This paper describes a highly accurate carrier-frequency synchronization scheme for actively, automatically locking multiple, remotely located AM broadcast transmitters to a common frequency/timing reference source such as GPS. The extremely tight frequency lock (to {approx}1 part in 10{sup 9} or better) permits the effective elimination of audible and even sub-audible beats between the local (desired) station's carrier signal and the distant stations carriers, usually received via skywave propagation during the evening and nighttime hours. These carrier-beat components cause annoying modulations of the desired station's audio at the receiver and concurrent distortion of the audio modulation from the distant station(s) andmore » often cause listeners to ldquotune outrdquo due to the low reception quality. Significant reduction or elimination of the beats and related effects will greatly enlarge the effective (interference-limited) listening area of the desired station (from 4 to 10 times as indicated in our tests) and simultaneously reduce the corresponding interference of the local transmitter to the distant stations as well. In addition, AM stereo (CQUAM) reception will be particularly improved by minimizing the phase shifts induced by co-channel interfering signals; hybrid digital (HD) signals will also benefit via reduction in beats from analog signals. The automatic frequency-control hardware described is inexpensive ($1000-$2000), requires no periodic recalibration, has essentially zero long-term drift, and could employ alternate wide-area frequency references of suitable accuracy, including broadcasts from WWVB, LORAN-C, and equivalent sources. The basic configuration of the GPS-disciplined oscillator which solves this problem is extremely simple. The main oscillator is a conventional high-stability quartz-crystal type. To counter long- term drifts, the oscillator is slightly adjusted to track a high-precision source of standard frequency obtained from a specialized GPS receiver (or other source), usually at 10.000 MHz. This very stable local reference frequency is then used as a clock for a standard digitally implemented frequency synthesizer, which is programmed to generate the specific carrier frequency desired. The stability of the disciplining source, typically {approx}1 part in 10{sup 9} to 10{sup 11}, is thus transferred to the final AM transmitter carrier output frequency.« less

IDENTIFICATION OF SEDIMENT SOURCE AREAS WITHIN A WATERSHED

EPA Science Inventory

Identification of sediment source areas is crucial for designing proper abatement strategies that reduce sediment and associated contaminant loading to receiving water downstream. In this study, two methodologies were developed to identify the source areas and their relative stre...

A GIS analysis of suitability for construction aggregate recycling sites using regional transportation network and population density features

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, G.R.; Kapo, K.E.

2004-01-01

Aggregate is used in road and building construction to provide bulk, strength, support, and wear resistance. Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and reclaimed Portland cement concrete (RPCC) are abundant and available sources of recycled aggregate. In this paper, current aggregate production operations in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia are used to develop spatial association models for the recycled aggregate industry with regional transportation network and population density features. The cost of construction aggregate to the end user is strongly influenced by the cost of transporting processed aggregate from the production site to the construction site. More than 60% of operations recycling aggregate in the mid-Atlantic study area are located within 4.8 km (3 miles) of an interstate highway. Transportation corridors provide both sites of likely road construction where aggregate is used and an efficient means to move both materials and on-site processing equipment back and forth from various work sites to the recycling operations. Urban and developing areas provide a high market demand for aggregate and a ready source of construction debris that may be processed into recycled aggregate. Most aggregate recycling operators in the study area are sited in counties with population densities exceeding 77 people/km2 (200 people/mile 2). No aggregate recycling operations are sited in counties with less than 19 people/km2 (50 people/mile2), reflecting the lack of sufficient long-term sources of construction debris to be used as an aggregate source, as well as the lack of a sufficient market demand for aggregate in most rural areas to locate a recycling operation there or justify the required investment in the equipment to process and produce recycled aggregate. Weights of evidence analyses (WofE), measuring correlation on an area-normalized basis, and weighted logistic regression (WLR), are used to model the distribution of RAP and RPCC operations relative to transportation network and population distribution data. The models can be used on a regional scale to quickly map the relative site suitability for a RAP or RPCC aggregate recycling operation in a particular area based on transportation network and population parameters. The results can be used to identify general areas to be further evaluated on a site-specific basis using more detailed marketplace information. As transportation or population features change due to planning or actual development, the models can be easily revised to reflect these changes. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Treatment of Chlorinated Solvents in Groundwater Beneath an Occupied Building at the Young-Rainey STAR Center, Pinellas, FL

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

Daniel, Joe; Surovchak, Scott; Tabor, Charles

Groundwater contamination, consisting of two dissolved-phase plumes originating from chlorinated solvent source areas, in the southeastern portion of the Young- Rainey Star Center (also known as the Pinellas County, Florida, Site) in Largo, Florida, has migrated beyond the property boundary, beneath the roadways, and beneath adjacent properties to the south and east. Groundwater contamination will persist as long as the onsite contaminant source remains. The origin of the contamination appears to be multiple long-term point sources beneath Building 100, a 4.5 ha (11 acre) building that housed manufacturing facilities during US DOE operations at the site. The site is nowmore » owned by Pinellas County, and most of the space inside the building is leased to private companies, so DOE chose not to conduct characterization or remediation through the floor of the building, instead choosing to conduct all work from outside the building. Injection of emulsified soybean oil and a microbial culture has been used at other areas of the site to accelerate naturally occurring bacterial processes that degrade groundwater contaminants to harmless compounds, and that same approach was chosen for this task. The technical approach consisted of installing horizontal wells from outside the building footprint, extending through and around the identified subsurface treatment areas, and terminating beneath the building. Two 107 m (350 ft) long wells, two 122 m (400 ft) long wells, and four 137 m (450 ft) long wells have been installed to intersect the inferred source areas and confirmed contaminant plumes beneath the building. DOE then injected emulsified vegetable oil and a microbial culture into the horizontal wells at each of several target areas beneath the building where the highest groundwater contaminant concentrations have been detected. The target areas are the northwest corner of the building between the old drum storage pad locations and monitoring well PIN12-S35B, the vicinity of former monitoring well PIN12-S57B, and hydraulically upgradient from the south plume and the east plume at the points where they exit from beneath the building. We describe the details of designing and constructing horizontal injection wells for bioremediation beneath a large, occupied industrial production facility, including lessons learned; technical, logistical, and environmental challenges; community relations; and regulatory relations. Because of the expected lag in biological acclimation and response, distance between the treatment areas and associated monitoring points, and low groundwater velocity, it will likely be years before the full impact of the project will be realized.« less

The strategic significance of wastewater sources to pollutant phosphorus levels in English rivers and to environmental management for rural, agricultural and urban catchments.

PubMed

Neal, Colin; Jarvie, Helen P; Withers, Paul J A; Whitton, Brian A; Neal, Margaret

2010-03-01

The relationship between soluble and particulate phosphorus was examined for 9 major UK rivers including 26 major tributaries and 68 monitoring points, covering wide-ranging rural and agricultural/urban impacted systems with catchment areas varying from 1 to 6000km(2) scales. Phosphorus concentrations in Soluble Reactive (SRP), Total Dissolved (TDP), Total (TP), Dissolved Hydrolysable (DHP) and Particulate (PP) forms correlated with effluent markers (sodium and boron) and SRP was generally dominant signifying the importance of sewage sources. Low flows were particularly enriched in SRP, TDP and TP for average SRP>100microg/l indicating low effluent dilution. At particularly low average concentrations, SRP increased with flow but effluent sources were still implicated as the effluent markers (boron in particular) increased likewise. For rural areas, DHP had proportionately high concentrations and SRP+DHP concentrations could exceed environmental thresholds currently set for SRP. Given DHP has a high bioavailability the environmental implications need further consideration. PP concentrations were generally highest at high flows but PP in the suspended solids was generally at its lowest and in general PP correlated with particulate organic carbon and more so than the suspended sediment in total. Separation of pollutant inputs solely between effluent and diffuse (agriculture) components is misleading, as part of the "diffuse" term comprises effluents flushed from the catchments during high flow. Effluent sources of phosphorus supplied directly or indirectly to the river coupled with within-river interactions between water/sediment/biota largely determine pollutant levels. The study flags the fundamental need of placing direct and indirect effluent sources and contaminated storage with interchange to/from the river at the focus for remediation strategies for UK rivers in relation to eutrophication and the WFD.

The influence of cross-order terms in interface mobilities for structure-borne sound source characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonhoff, H. A.; Petersson, B. A. T.

2010-08-01

For the characterization of structure-borne sound sources with multi-point or continuous interfaces, substantial simplifications and physical insight can be obtained by incorporating the concept of interface mobilities. The applicability of interface mobilities, however, relies upon the admissibility of neglecting the so-called cross-order terms. Hence, the objective of the present paper is to clarify the importance and significance of cross-order terms for the characterization of vibrational sources. From previous studies, four conditions have been identified for which the cross-order terms can become more influential. Such are non-circular interface geometries, structures with distinctively differing transfer paths as well as a suppression of the zero-order motion and cases where the contact forces are either in phase or out of phase. In a theoretical study, the former four conditions are investigated regarding the frequency range and magnitude of a possible strengthening of the cross-order terms. For an experimental analysis, two source-receiver installations are selected, suitably designed to obtain strong cross-order terms. The transmitted power and the source descriptors are predicted by the approximations of the interface mobility approach and compared with the complete calculations. Neglecting the cross-order terms can result in large misinterpretations at certain frequencies. On average, however, the cross-order terms are found to be insignificant and can be neglected with good approximation. The general applicability of interface mobilities for structure-borne sound source characterization and the description of the transmission process thereby is confirmed.

Terahertz Science, Technology, and Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chattopadhyay, Goutam

2013-01-01

The term "terahertz" has been ubiquitous in the arena of technology over the past couple of years. New applications are emerging every day which are exploiting the promises of terahertz - its small wavelength; capability of penetrating dust, clouds, and fog; and possibility of having large instantaneous bandwidth for high-speed communication channels. Until very recently, space-based instruments for astrophysics, planetary science, and Earth science missions have been the primary motivator for the development of terahertz sensors, sources, and systems. However, in recent years the emerging areas such as imaging from space platforms, surveillance of person-borne hidden weapons or contraband from a safe stand-off distance and reconnaissance, medical imaging and DNA sequencing, and in the world high speed communications have been the driving force for this area of research.

The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Mississippi embayment-Texas coastal uplands aquifer system and Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer, south-central United States, 1994-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kingsbury, James A.; Barlow, Jeannie R.; Katz, Brian G.; Welch, Heather L.; Tollett, Roland W.; Fahlquist, Lynne S.

2015-01-01

About 8 million people rely on groundwater from the Mississippi embayment—Texas coastal uplands aquifer system for drinking water. The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer also provides drinking water for domestic use in rural areas but is of primary importance to the region as a source of water for irrigation. Irrigation withdrawals from this aquifer are among the largest in the Nation and play a key role in the economy of the area, where annual crop sales total more than $7 billion. The reliance of the region on both aquifers for drinking water and irrigation highlights the importance of long-term management to sustain the availability and quality of these resources.

Considering context in quality improvement interventions and implementation: concepts, frameworks, and application.

PubMed

McDonald, Kathryn M

2013-01-01

Growing consensus within the health care field suggests that context matters and needs more concerted study for helping those who implement and conduct research on quality improvement interventions. Health care delivery system decision makers require information about whether an intervention tested in one context will work in another with some differences from the original site. We aimed to define key terms, enumerate candidate domains for the study of context, provide examples from the pediatric quality improvement literature, and identify potential measures for selected contexts. Key sources include the organizational literature, broad evaluation frameworks, and a recent project in the patient safety area on context sensitivity. The article concludes with limitations and next steps for developments in this area. Copyright © 2013 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Desert Dust Outbreaks in Southern Europe: Contribution to Daily PM10 Concentrations and Short-Term Associations with Mortality and Hospital Admissions

PubMed Central

Stafoggia, Massimo; Zauli-Sajani, Stefano; Pey, Jorge; Samoli, Evangelia; Alessandrini, Ester; Basagaña, Xavier; Cernigliaro, Achille; Chiusolo, Monica; Demaria, Moreno; Díaz, Julio; Faustini, Annunziata; Katsouyanni, Klea; Kelessis, Apostolos G.; Linares, Cristina; Marchesi, Stefano; Medina, Sylvia; Pandolfi, Paolo; Pérez, Noemí; Querol, Xavier; Randi, Giorgia; Ranzi, Andrea; Tobias, Aurelio; Forastiere, Francesco

2015-01-01

Background: Evidence on the association between short-term exposure to desert dust and health outcomes is controversial. Objectives: We aimed to estimate the short-term effects of particulate matter ≤ 10 μm (PM10) on mortality and hospital admissions in 13 Southern European cities, distinguishing between PM10 originating from the desert and from other sources. Methods: We identified desert dust advection days in multiple Mediterranean areas for 2001–2010 by combining modeling tools, back-trajectories, and satellite data. For each advection day, we estimated PM10 concentrations originating from desert, and computed PM10 from other sources by difference. We fitted city-specific Poisson regression models to estimate the association between PM from different sources (desert and non-desert) and daily mortality and emergency hospitalizations. Finally, we pooled city-specific results in a random-effects meta-analysis. Results: On average, 15% of days were affected by desert dust at ground level (desert PM10 > 0 μg/m3). Most episodes occurred in spring–summer, with increasing gradient of both frequency and intensity north–south and west–east of the Mediterranean basin. We found significant associations of both PM10 concentrations with mortality. Increases of 10 μg/m3 in non-desert and desert PM10 (lag 0–1 days) were associated with increases in natural mortality of 0.55% (95% CI: 0.24, 0.87%) and 0.65% (95% CI: 0.24, 1.06%), respectively. Similar associations were estimated for cardio-respiratory mortality and hospital admissions. Conclusions: PM10 originating from the desert was positively associated with mortality and hospitalizations in Southern Europe. Policy measures should aim at reducing population exposure to anthropogenic airborne particles even in areas with large contribution from desert dust advections. Citation: Stafoggia M, Zauli-Sajani S, Pey J, Samoli E, Alessandrini E, Basagaña X, Cernigliaro A, Chiusolo M, Demaria M, Díaz J, Faustini A, Katsouyanni K, Kelessis AG, Linares C, Marchesi S, Medina S, Pandolfi P, Pérez N, Querol X, Randi G, Ranzi A, Tobias A, Forastiere F, MED-PARTICLES Study Group. 2016. Desert dust outbreaks in Southern Europe: contribution to daily PM10 concentrations and short-term associations with mortality and hospital admissions. Environ Health Perspect 124:413–419; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409164 PMID:26219103

137Cs activities and 135Cs/137Cs isotopic ratios from soils at Idaho National Laboratory: a case study for contaminant source attribution in the vicinity of nuclear facilities.

PubMed

Snow, Mathew S; Snyder, Darin C; Clark, Sue B; Kelley, Morgan; Delmore, James E

2015-03-03

Radiometric and mass spectrometric analyses of Cs contamination in the environment can reveal the location of Cs emission sources, release mechanisms, modes of transport, prediction of future contamination migration, and attribution of contamination to specific generator(s) and/or process(es). The Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) represents a complicated case study for demonstrating the current capabilities and limitations to environmental Cs analyses. (137)Cs distribution patterns, (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotope ratios, known Cs chemistry at this site, and historical records enable narrowing the list of possible emission sources and release events to a single source and event, with the SDA identified as the emission source and flood transport of material from within Pit 9 and Trench 48 as the primary release event. These data combined allow refining the possible number of waste generators from dozens to a single generator, with INL on-site research and reactor programs identified as the most likely waste generator. A discussion on the ultimate limitations to the information that (135)Cs/(137)Cs ratios alone can provide is presented and includes (1) uncertainties in the exact date of the fission event and (2) possibility of mixing between different Cs source terms (including nuclear weapons fallout and a source of interest).