Structure of the marine atmospheric boundary layer over an oceanic thermal front: SEMAPHORE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, B. H.; BéNech, B.; Lambert, D.; Durand, P.; Druilhet, A.; Giordani, H.; Planton, S.

1998-10-01

The Structure des Echanges Mer-Atmosphere, Proprietes des Heterogeneites Oceaniques: Recherche Experimentale (SEMAPHORE) experiment, the third phase of which took place between October 4 and November 17, 1993, was conducted over the oceanic Azores Current located in the Azores basin and mainly marked at the surface by a thermal front due to the gradient of the sea surface temperature (SST) of about 1° to 2°C per 100 km. The evolution of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) over the SST front was studied with two aircraft and a ship in different meteorological conditions. For each case, the influence of the incoming air direction with respect to the orientation of the oceanic front was taken into account. During the campaign, advanced very high resolution radiometer pictures did not show any relation between the SST field and the cloud cover. The MABL was systematically thicker on the warm side than on the cold side. The mean MABL structure described from aircraft data collected in a vertical plane crossing the oceanic front was characterized by (1) an atmospheric horizontal gradient of 1° to 2°C per 100 km in the whole depth of the mixed layer and (2) an increase of the wind intensity from the cold to the warm side when the synoptic wind blew from the cold side. The surface sensible heat (latent heat) flux always increased from the cold to the warm sector owing to the increase of the wind and of the temperature (specific humidity) difference between the surface and the air. Turbulence increased from the cold to the warm side in conjunction with the MABL thickening, but the normalized profiles presented the same structure, regardless of the position over the SST front. In agreement with the Action de Recherche Programme te Petite Echelle and Grande Echelle model, the mean temperature and momentum budgets were highly influenced by the horizontal temperature gradient. In particular, the strong ageostrophic influence in the MABL above the SST front seems linked with the secondary circulation due to the SST front.

Visual monitoring of the melting front propagation in a paraffin-based PCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charvát, Pavel; Štětina, Josef; Mauder, Tomáš; Klimeš, Lubomír

Experiments were carried out in an environmental chamber with the aim to monitor the melting front propagation in a rectangular cavity filled with a paraffin-based Phase Change Material (PCM). The PCM was contained in transparent containers with the heat flux introduced by means of an electric heating element. The stabilized power source was used to maintain the constant heat output of the heating elements. The experiments were performed for the heat flux introduced at the side wall of the container and at the upper surface of the PCM. The paraffin-based PCM RT28HC with the phase change temperature of 28 °C was used in the experiments. The temperature in the environmental chamber was maintained at the melting temperature of the PCM. The propagation of the melting front was monitored with a digital camera and temperatures at several locations were monitored with RTDs and thermocouples. Significant natural convection was observed for the heat flux introduced at the side wall of the container. As a result the melting front propagated much faster at the top of the container than at its bottom. The heat flux introduced at the upper-surface of the PCM resulted in almost one-dimensional propagation of the melting front. The acquired data are to be used for validation of an in-house developed numerical model based on the front-tracking method.

Method for compression molding of thermosetting plastics utilizing a temperature gradient across the plastic to cure the article

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heier, W. C. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

A method is described for compression molding of thermosetting plastics composition. Heat is applied to the compressed load in a mold cavity and adjusted to hold molding temperature at the interface of the cavity surface and the compressed compound to produce a thermal front. This thermal front advances into the evacuated compound at mean right angles to the compression load and toward a thermal fence formed at the opposite surface of the compressed compound.

High Resolution Photogrammetric Digital Elevation Models Across Calving Fronts and Meltwater Channels in Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Bel, D. A.; Brown, S.; Zappa, C. J.; Bell, R. E.; Frearson, N.; Tinto, K. J.

2014-12-01

Photogrammetric digital elevation models (DEMs) are a powerful approach for understanding elevation change and dynamics along the margins of the large ice sheets. The IcePod system, mounted on a New York Air National Guard LC-130, can measure high-resolution surface elevations with a Riegl VQ580 scanning laser altimeter and Imperx Bobcat IGV-B6620 color visible-wavelength camera (6600x4400 resolution); the surface temperature with a Sofradir IRE-640L infrared camera (spectral response 7.7-9.5 μm, 640x512 resolution); and the structure of snow and ice with two radar systems. We show the use of IcePod imagery to develop DEMs across calving fronts and meltwater channels in Greenland. Multiple over-flights of the Kangerlussaq Airport ramp have provided a test of the technique at a location with accurate, independently-determined elevation. Here the photogrammetric DEM of the airport, constrained by ground control measurements, is compared with the Lidar results. In July 2014 the IcePod ice-ocean imaging system surveyed the calving fronts of five outlet glaciers north of Jakobshavn Isbrae. We used Agisoft PhotoScan to develop a DEM of each calving front using imagery captured by the IcePod systems. Adjacent to the ice sheet, meltwater plumes foster mixing in the fjord, moving warm ocean water into contact with the front of the ice sheet where it can undercut the ice front and trigger calving. The five glaciers provide an opportunity to examine the calving front structure in relation to ocean temperature, fjord circulation, and spatial scale of the meltwater plumes. The combination of the accurate DEM of the calving front and the thermal imagery used to constrain the temperature and dynamics of the adjacent plume provides new insights into the ice-ocean interactions. Ice sheet margins provide insights into the connections between the surface meltwater and the fate of the water at the ice sheet base. Surface meltwater channels are visualized here for the first time using the combination of Lidar, photogrammetry DEMs and infrared imagery. These techniques leverage electromagnetic surface properties that allow us to identify the presence of water, measure the slope and elevation of the channel, as well as the two-dimensional temperature variability of the water/ice/snow in multiple melt channels within a drainage system.

A Thermal Paradox: Which Gets Warmer?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salazar, Agustin; Apinaniz, Estibaliz; Mendioroz, Arantza; Oleaga, Alberto

2010-01-01

In this paper we address a common misconception concerning the thermal behaviour of matter, namely that the front surface of a very thin plate, uniformly illuminated by a constant light beam, reaches a higher temperature than the front surface of a very thick slab made out of the same material. We present analytical solutions for the temperature…

Mapping the local reaction kinetics by PEEM: CO oxidation on individual (100)-type grains of Pt foil

PubMed Central

Vogel, D.; Spiel, C.; Suchorski, Y.; Urich, A.; Schlögl, R.; Rupprechter, G.

2011-01-01

The locally-resolved reaction kinetics of CO oxidation on individual (100)-type grains of a polycrystalline Pt foil was monitored in situ using photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM). Reaction-induced surface morphology changes were studied by optical differential interference contrast microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Regions of high catalytic activity, low activity and bistability in a (p,T)-parameter space were determined, allowing to establish a local kinetic phase diagram for CO oxidation on (100) facets of Pt foil. PEEM observations of the reaction front propagation on Pt(100) domains reveal a high degree of propagation anisotropy both for oxygen and CO fronts on the apparently isotropic Pt(100) surface. The anisotropy vanishes for oxygen fronts at temperatures above 465 K, but is maintained for CO fronts at all temperatures studied, i.e. in the range of 417 to 513 K. A change in the front propagation mechanism is proposed to explain the observed effects. PMID:22140277

Kinetics of the melting front movement in process of centrifugal induction surfacing of powder material with nanoscale modificaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasnouski, I.; Kurylionak, A.

2018-03-01

For solving the problem of improving the powder coatings modified by nanostructure components obtained by induction surfacing method tribological characteristics it is necessary to study the kinetics of the powdered layer melting and define the minimum time of melting. For powdered layer predetermined temperature maintenance at sintering mode stage it is required to determine the temperature difference through blank thickness of the for one hundred-day of the define the warm-up swing on of the stocking up by solving the thermal conductivity stationary problem for quill (hollow) cylinder with internal heat source. Herewith, since in practice thickness of the cylinder wall is much less then its diameter and the temperature difference is comparatively small, the thermal conductivity dependence upon the temperature can be treated as negligible. As it was shown by our previous studies, in the induction heating process under powdered material centrifugal surfacing (i.e. before achieving the melting temperature) the temperature distribution in powdered layer thickness may be considered even. Hereinafter, considering the blank part induction heating process quasi-stationarity under Fo big values, it is possible to consider its internal surface heating as developing with constant velocity. As a result of development the melting front movement mathematical model in a powdered material with nanostructure modifiers the minimum surfacing time is defined. It allows to minimize negative impact of thermal influence on formation of applied coating structure, to raise productivity of the process, to lower power inputs and to ensure saving of nonferrous and high alloys by reducing the allowance for machining. The difference of developed mathematical model of melting front movement from previously known is that the surface temperature from which the heat transfer occures is a variable and varies with a time after the linear law.

Sea-surface temperature gradients across blue whale and sea turtle foraging trajectories off the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etnoyer, Peter; Canny, David; Mate, Bruce R.; Morgan, Lance E.; Ortega-Ortiz, Joel G.; Nichols, Wallace J.

2006-02-01

Sea-surface temperature (SST) fronts are integral to pelagic ecology in the North Pacific Ocean, so it is necessary to understand their character and distribution, and the way these features influence the behavior of endangered and highly migratory species. Here, telemetry data from sixteen satellite-tagged blue whales ( Balaenoptera musculus) and sea turtles ( Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, and Lepidochelys olivacea) are employed to characterize 'biologically relevant' SST fronts off Baja California Sur. High residence times are used to identify presumed foraging areas, and SST gradients are calculated across advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) images of these regions. The resulting values are compared to classic definitions of SST fronts in the oceanographic literature. We find subtle changes in surface temperature (between 0.01 and 0.10 °C/km) across the foraging trajectories, near the lowest end of the oceanographic scale (between 0.03 and 0.3 °C/km), suggesting that edge-detection algorithms using gradient thresholds >0.10 °C/km may overlook pelagic habitats in tropical waters. We use this information to sensitize our edge-detection algorithm, and to identify persistent concentrations of subtle SST fronts in the Northeast Pacific Ocean between 2002 and 2004. The lower-gradient threshold increases the number of fronts detected, revealing more potential habitats in different places than we find with a higher-gradient threshold. This is the expected result, but it confirms that pelagic habitat can be overlooked, and that the temperature gradient parameter is an important one.

Frontogenesis and turbulent mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S.; Chen, F.; Shang, Q.

2017-12-01

A hydrological investigation was conducted in the shelf of eastern Hainan island during July 2012. With the in-situ measurements from four cross-shelf sections and satellite data, the submesoscale process of the fronts are discussed in this paper, the seasonal variation characteristics of thermal front, the three-dimensional structure, dynamic characteristics of frontal and mixed characteristics in the shelf sea of eastern Hainan island. It's obviously that the thermal front has a seasonal variation: the front is strongest in winter, and decreased gradually in spring and summer. However, it fade and disappear in fall. The core region of the front also changes with the seasons, it moved southward gradually from mainly distributed in the upwelling zone and the front center is not obvious in summer. it is a typical upwelling front in summer, the near shore is compensated with the underlying low-temperature and high-sale water , while the offshore is the high-temperature and low-salinity shelf water. The thermal front distribution is located in the 100m isobaths. The frontal intensity is reduced with increasing depth, and position goes to offshore. Subsurface temperature front is significantly higher in the surface of the sea, which may cause by the heating of nearshore sea surface water and lead to the weakening horizontal temperature gradient. Dynamic characteristics of the front has a great difference in both sides. The O(1) Rossby number is positive on the dense side and negative on the light side. The maximum of along-frontal velocity is 0.45m/s and the stretching is strengthened by strong horizontal shear, also is the potential vorticity, which can trace the cross front Ekman transport. We obtained the vertical velocity with by quasi-geostrophic omega equation and grasped the ageostrophic secondary circulation. The magnitude of frontal vertical velocity is O(10-5) and causes downwelling on the dense side and upwelling on the light side, which constitute the ageostrophic secondary circulation together with the cross-frontal ageostrophic speed. The mixed characteristic is weak in summer, but the large turbulent dissipation and mixing rate measured in the frontal region, which show that the front promoted exchange of material and energy in the upper ocean.

Use of Thermal Data to Estimate Infiltration in Pagany Wash Associated with the winter of 1997-1998 El Nino Precipitation, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

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

G.D. LeCain; N. lu; M. Kurzmack

Temperature and air-pressure monitoring in a vertical borehole located in Pagany Wash, a normally dry stream-carved channel northeast of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, indicated that the annual temperature wave was measurable to a depth of 11.1 m. Temperature depressions were measured at depths of 3.1, 6.1, 9.2, and 11.1 m below ground surface. The temperature depressions were interpreted to be the result of infiltration associated with the 1997-1998 El Nino precipitation. A pressure differential, of approximately 2 kiloPascals, between stations located 11.1 and 24.5 m below ground surface was interpreted to be the result of compressed air ahead of the wettingmore » front. The pressure differences between stations indicated that the wetting front migrated deeper than 35.2 m and that the Yucca Mountain Tuff retarded the downward movement of the wetting front. An analytical method indicated that the infiltration flux through the Pagany Wash alluvium due to the 1997-1998 El Nino precipitation was approximately 940 mm. A one-dimensional numerical model indicated that the infiltration flux was approximately 1000 mm. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the potential temperature decrease due to conduction was minimal and that cooler surface temperatures could not account for the measured subsurface temperature depressions.« less

Heat and mass transfer scale-up issues during freeze-drying, III: control and characterization of dryer differences via operational qualification tests.

PubMed

Rambhatla, S; Tchessalov, S; Pikal, Michael J

2006-04-21

The objective of this research was to estimate differences in heat and mass transfer between freeze dryers due to inherent design characteristics using data obtained from sublimation tests. This study also aimed to provide guidelines for convenient scale-up of the freeze-drying process. Data obtained from sublimation tests performed on laboratory-scale, pilot, and production freeze dryers were used to evaluate various heat and mass transfer parameters: nonuniformity in shelf surface temperatures, resistance of pipe, refrigeration system, and condenser. Emissivity measurements of relevant surfaces such as the chamber wall and the freeze dryer door were taken to evaluate the impact of atypical radiation heat transfer during scale-up. "Hot" and "cold" spots were identified on the shelf surface of different freeze dryers, and the impact of variation in shelf surface temperatures on the primary drying time and the product temperature during primary drying was studied. Calculations performed using emissivity measurements on different freeze dryers suggest that a front vial in the laboratory lyophilizer received 1.8 times more heat than a front vial in a manufacturing freeze dryer operating at a shelf temperature of -25 degrees C and a chamber pressure of 150 mTorr during primary drying. Therefore, front vials in the laboratory are much more atypical than front vials in manufacturing. Steady-state heat and mass transfer equations were used to study a combination of different scale-up issues pertinent during lyophilization cycles commonly used for the freeze-drying of pharmaceuticals.

Seasonal variability of thermal fronts in the northern South China Sea from satellite data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dongxiao; Liu, Yun; Qi, Yiquan; Shi, Ping

The 8-year (1991-1998) Pathfinder sea surface temperature data have been applied here to produce the objectively derived seasonality of the oceanic thermal fronts in the northern South China Sea from 17°N to 25°N. Several fronts have been clearly distinguished, namely, Fujian and Guangdong Coastal Water, Pear River Estuary Coastal, Taiwan Bank, Kuroshio Intrusion, Hainan Island East Coast and Tonkin Gulf Coastal fronts. The frontal patterns in winter, spring and summer are quite similar, whereas individual fronts display different modes of seasonal variability due to different mechanisms favoring those fronts.

The Barents Sea Polar Front in summer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, A. Rost; Bourke, Robert H.; Muench, Robin D.; Chiu, Ching-Sang; Lynch, James F.; Miller, James H.; Plueddemann, Albert J.; Pawlowicz, Richard

1996-06-01

In August 1992 a combined physical oceanography and acoustic tomography experiment was conducted to describe the Barents Sea Polar Front (BSPF) and investigate its impact on the regional oceanography. The study area was an 80 × 70 km grid east of Bear Island where the front exhibits topographic trapping along the northern slope of the Bear Island Trough. Conductivity-temperature-depth, current meter, and acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data, combined with tomographic cross sections, presented a highly resolved picture of the front in August. All hydrographic measurements were dominated by tidal signals, with the strongest signatures associated with the M2 and S2 semidiurnal species. Mean currents in the warm saline water to the south of the front, derived from a current meter mooring and ADCP data, were directed to the southwest and may be associated with a barotropic recirculation of Norwegian Atlantic Water (NAW) within the Bear Island Trough. The geostrophic component of the velocity was well correlated with the measured southwestward mean surface layer flow north of the front. The frontal structure was retrograde, as the frontal isopleths sloped opposite to the bathymetry. The surface signature of the front was dominated by salinity gradients associated with the confluence of Atlantic and Arctic water masses, both warmed by insolation to a depth of about 20 m. The surface manifestation of the front varied laterally on the order of 10 km associated with tidal oscillations. Below the mixed layer, temperature and salinity variations were compensating, defining a nearly barotropic front. The horizontal scale of the front in this region was ˜3 km or less. At middepth beneath the frontal interface, tomographic cross sections indicated a high-frequency (˜16 cpd) upslope motion of filaments of NAW origin. The summertime BSPF was confirmed to have many of the general characteristics of a shelf-slope frontal system [Mooers et al., 1978] as well as a topographic-circulatory front [Federov, 1983].

A CloudSat-CALIPSO View of Cloud and Precipitation Properties Across Cold Fronts over the Global Oceans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naud, Catherine M.; Posselt, Derek J.; van den Heever, Susan C.

2015-01-01

The distribution of cloud and precipitation properties across oceanic extratropical cyclone cold fronts is examined using four years of combined CloudSat radar and CALIPSO lidar retrievals. The global annual mean cloud and precipitation distributions show that low-level clouds are ubiquitous in the post frontal zone while higher-level cloud frequency and precipitation peak in the warm sector along the surface front. Increases in temperature and moisture within the cold front region are associated with larger high-level but lower mid-/low level cloud frequencies and precipitation decreases in the cold sector. This behavior seems to be related to a shift from stratiform to convective clouds and precipitation. Stronger ascent in the warm conveyor belt tends to enhance cloudiness and precipitation across the cold front. A strong temperature contrast between the warm and cold sectors also encourages greater post-cold-frontal cloud occurrence. While the seasonal contrasts in environmental temperature, moisture, and ascent strength are enough to explain most of the variations in cloud and precipitation across cold fronts in both hemispheres, they do not fully explain the differences between Northern and Southern Hemisphere cold fronts. These differences are better explained when the impact of the contrast in temperature across the cold front is also considered. In addition, these large-scale parameters do not explain the relatively large frequency in springtime post frontal precipitation.

Fronts and Thermohaline Structure of the Brazil Current Confluence System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Severov, Dimitri

and Thermohaline Structure of the Brazil Current Confluence System (BCCS) are stud-ied from climatic data, "Marathon Exp. Leg.8, 1984"data, and two Sea surface temperature (SST) data bases: "Meteor satellite"(1989-1994) and "ds277-Reynolds" (1981-2000).The South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) is divided in two main types: tropical (TW) and subtropical water (ST). Water masses, fronts, inter-frontal and frontal zones are analysed and classified: a) the water masses: Tropical Low-Salinity Water, Tropical Surface Water, Tropical Tropospheric Water, Subtropical Low-Salinity Water, Subtropical Surface Water, Subtropical Tropospheric Water. T,S characteristics of intermediate, deep and bottom water defined by different authors are confirmed and completed; b) the Inter-frontal Zones: Tropical/Brazil Current Zone, Sub-tropical Zone and Subantarctic Zone; c) the Frontal Zones: Subtropical, Subantarctic and Polar, and d) the Fronts: Subtropical Front of the Brazil Current, Principal Subtropical Front, North Subtropical Front, Subtropical Surface Front, South Subtropical Front, Subantarctic Surface Front, Subantarctic Front and Polar Front. Several stable T-S relationships are found below the friction layer and at the Fronts. The maximum gradient of the oceanographic characteris-tics occurs at the Brazil Current Front, which can be any of the subtropical fronts, depending on season. Minimum mean depth of the pycnocline coincides with the fronts of the BCCS, indicating the paths of low-salinity shelf waters into the open ocean. D. N. Severov (a) , V. Pshennikov (b) and A.V. Remeslo (c) a -Sección Oceanologé Facultad de Ciencia, Universidad de la Republica, Igué 4225, 11400 ıa, a Montevideo, Uruguay. Tel. (598-2) 525-8618, Fax (598-2) 525-8617, mail: dima@fcien.edu.uy b -Instituto de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Igué 4225, 11400 Mon-a tevideo, Uruguay, mail: seva@fisica.edu.uy c -Atlantic Research Inst. For Fisheries Oceanology (Atlant/NIRO), Kaliningrad, Russia

Southern elephant seal trajectories, fronts and eddies in the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campagna, Claudio; Piola, Alberto R.; Rosa Marin, Maria; Lewis, Mirtha; Fernández, Teresita

2006-12-01

This study describes the association between transient, mesoscale hydrographic features along the axis of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence, in the SW Atlantic, and the foraging behavior of 2-3-year-old (focal) juvenile southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina, from Península Valdés, Argentina. Departing from the dominant pattern of foraging on predictable bathymetric fronts on the Patagonian shelf and slope, three females out of 12 satellite-tracked juveniles remained at the edge of young warm-core eddies and near the outer core of cold-core eddies, coinciding with the most productive areas of these temperature fronts. Seal trajectories along high-temperature gradients were always consistent with the speed and direction of surface currents inferred from the temperature distribution and confirmed by surface drifters. Movements of foraging seals were compared with those of surface drifters, coinciding in time and space and yielding independent and consistent data on regional water circulation parameters. The diving pattern recorded for one focal seal yielded shallower dives and a loose diel pattern in the eddy, and a marked diurnal cycle compatible with foraging on vertically migrating prey in the cold waters of the Malvinas Current. Pre-reproductive females that use the mesoscale fronts of the Argentine Basin as an alternative foraging area would benefit from lower competition with more experienced seals and with other top predators that reproduce along the coast of Patagonia.

The Nature of The Propagation of Sea Breeze Fronts in Central California

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

propagation vector % ith stations in the southern portion of Monterey Bay shows that the front is curved on the mesoscale. 20 Distribution Availabilit of...solar radiation warms the land more than the adjacent water . The resulting temperature contrast produces a slight variation in pressure. The isobaric...surfaces bend upward over the land, producing an upper-level high. The upper-level air flows seaward increasing the surface pressure over the water . The

Fronts and frontogenesis as revealed by high time resolution data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, A. E.; Barber, D. A.

1977-01-01

Upper air sounding are used to examine a cold front of average intensity. Vertical cross sections of potential temperature and wind, and horizontal analyses were compared and adjusted for consistency. These analyses were then used to study the evolution of the front, found to consist of a complex system of fronts occurring at all levels of the troposphere. Low level fronts were strongest at the surface and rapidly weakened with height. Fronts in the midddle troposphere were much more intense. The warm air ahead of the fronts was nearly barotropic, while the cold air behind was baroclinic through deep layers. A deep mixed layer was observed to grow in this cold air.

Turbulent statistics in the vicinity of an SST front: A north wind case, FASINEX February 16, 1986

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stage, Steven A.; Herbster, Chris

1990-01-01

The technique of boxcar variances and covariances is used to examine NCAR Electra data from FASINEX (Frontal Air-Sea Interaction EXperiment). This technique was developed to examine changes in turbulent fluxes near a sea surface temperature (SST) front. The results demonstrate the influence of the SST front on the MABL (Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer). Data shown are for February 16, 1986, when the winds blew from over cold water to warm. The front directly produced horizontal variability in the turbulence. The front also induced a secondary circulation which further modified the turbulence.

Investigation on the variability of East Asia Boreal Summer Front Frequency and Linkage between Tropical Air Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Eunho; Lim, Gyu-Ho

2016-04-01

Summer time front is one of the most significant phenomena over East Asia including China, Korea and Japan. Many efforts have been established to understand the nature of front. However, there was no research conducting identifying East Asia summer time fronts objectively. We have established objective front recognition method. The method follows next procedures : 1) We calculate vorticity on 850-hPa surface. 2) Any grid point that have horizontal gradient of equivalent potential temperature (EPT hereafter) on 850-hPa surface less than 4 'c / 100km set to zero. 3) Next, we smooth this field using 9-point smoothing technique. 4) Finally we extract the main axis of closed contour correspond to vorticity of 1.5 10-5s-5. Voronoi diagram used to extract this axis. We define this axis as front on 850-hPa pressure surface. We have applied the method on 1981-2010 ERA-Interim dataset. From the result, front frequency maximums are in around of East China Sea (34N, 122E), north (38N, 136E) and south (34N, 140E) of main island of Japan. Below 30N and above 40N, front frequency tends to decrease maybe due to decrease in the magnitude of gradient of EPT and the frequency of cyclonic weather disturbance. Two main regions affect the variability of East Asia Front Frequency. One is equatorial positive region especially over Taiwan (25N, 120E). The other one is East Sea next to Korea (40N, 135E). Humid warm air transported from southern China (20N-30N, 100E-110E) and dry cold air transported from northern China (30N-40N, 100E-110E) compressed by clockwise high system over Taiwan and counter-clockwise low system over East Sea). This compressed precipitation-making system or front moves by extratropical westerly and transported out to north-western Pacific. It looks like geopotential over Taiwan affected by tropical activity, especially vertical integration of temperature (VIT hereafter) over tropical region (30S-30N). When VIT is higher than normal, geopotential over Taiwan also higher than normal with correlation coefficient of 0.5 (1981-2010). Therefore, we can conclude that when VIT is higher than normal, front frequency is higher than normal. VIT is significantly related with ENSO variability. We will investigate how the tropical region activity affects the front frequency over East Asia.

Analysis of a general circulation model product. I - Frontal systems in the Brazil/Malvinas and Kuroshio/Oyashio regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garzoli, Silvia L.; Garraffo, Zulema; Podesta, Guillermo; Brown, Otis

1992-01-01

The general circulation model (GCM) of Semtner and Chervin (1992) is tested by comparing the fields produced by this model with available observations in two western boundary current regions, the Brazil/Malvinas and the Kuroshio/Oyashio confluences. The two sets of data used are the sea surface temperature from satellite observations and the temperature field product from the GCM at levels 1 (12.5 m), 2 (37.5 m), and 6 (160 m). It is shown that the model reproduces intense thermal fronts at the sea surface and in the upper layers (where they are induced by the internal dynamics of the model). The location of the fronts are reproduced in the model within 4 to 5 deg, compared with observations. However, the variability of these fronts was found to be less pronounced in the model than in the observations.

Seasonal and intraseasonal variations in evaporation and surface energy budget from eddy covariance measurements over an open water surface in Mississippi, U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, H.; Zhang, Y.; Williams, Q. L.; Jiang, H.; Sheng, L.

2008-12-01

Understanding seasonal and intraseasonal variations in evaporation over lake/reservoir is important for water resource management as well as predicting variations in hydrology as a result of climate change. Since August of 2007, we have conducted a long-term eddy covariance measurement of evaporation and the surface energy budget over Ross Barnett Reservoir (32o26'N, 90o02'W) in Mississippi, USA. The fetch for eddy covariance system exceeds 2 km in all directions and the water depth is about 4 m around the flux tower. The tower with its height of 4 m stands over a stationary wood platform with its size of 3 m × 3 m and height of about 1 m above the water surface. Along with sensible and latent heat fluxes, microclimate data are also measured, including wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, solar radiation, net radiation, air temperature at four levels, water surface temperature, and water temperature at eight depths down to about 4 m. Mississippi is subject to frequent influences of different synoptic weather systems in a year around. Incursions of these different systems bring in air masses with different properties in temperature and moisture. Cold fronts, for example, carry them with cold and dry air from north while warm fronts with warm and moist air. Our results indicate that synoptic weather variations play an important role in controlling evaporations and the surface energy budget. For example, daily H and LE (i.e., evaporation) during the passages of cold fronts are around 2-4 times those of normal days and these cold front events lead to an increase in the seasonal H by approximately 420 and LE by 160%. However, the warm weather systems suppress largely the turbulent exchanges of sensible and latent heat, leading to very small evaporation and sensible heat fluxes (even negative). These results imply that future potential changes in cold front activities (intensity, frequency, and duration) as a result of climate change may lead to substantial shifts in regional energy budget and hydrological balance in the southern regions with an abundance of open water bodies (e.g., lakes, reservoirs, swamps etc). Using these datasets, the daytime and nighttime evaporation rates are also analyzed and nighttime evaporative water losses are substantial, contributing a significant portion to the total evaporative water loss.

The impact of land and sea surface variations on the Delaware sea breeze at local scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Christopher P.

The summertime climate of coastal Delaware is greatly influenced by the intensity, frequency, and location of the local sea breeze circulation. Sea breeze induced changes in temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation influence many aspects of Delaware's economy by affecting tourism, farming, air pollution density, energy usage, and the strength, and persistence of Delaware's wind resource. The sea breeze front can develop offshore or along the coastline and often creates a near surface thermal gradient in excess of 5°C. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the dynamics of the Delaware sea breeze with a focus on the immediate coastline using observed and modeled components, both at high resolutions (~200m). The Weather Research and Forecasting model (version 3.5) was employed over southern Delaware with 5 domains (4 levels of nesting), with resolutions ranging from 18km to 222m, for June 2013 to investigate the sensitivity of the sea breeze to land and sea surface variations. The land surface was modified in the model to improve the resolution, which led to the addition of land surface along the coastline and accounted for recent urban development. Nine-day composites of satellite sea surface temperatures were ingested into the model and an in-house SST forcing dataset was developed to account for spatial SST variation within the inland bays. Simulations, which include the modified land surface, introduce a distinct secondary atmospheric circulation across the coastline of Rehoboth Bay when synoptic offshore wind flow is weak. Model runs using high spatial- and temporal-resolution satellite sea surface temperatures over the ocean indicate that the sea breeze landfall time is sensitive to the SST when the circulation develops offshore. During the summer of 2013 a field campaign was conducted in the coastal locations of Rehoboth Beach, DE and Cape Henlopen, DE. At each location, a series of eleven small, autonomous thermo-sensors (i-buttons) were placed along 1-km transects oriented perpendicular to the coastline where each sensor recorded temperatures at five-minute intervals. This novel approach allows for detailed characterization of the sea breeze front development over the immediate coastline not seen in previous studies. These observations provide evidence of significant variability in frontal propagation (advancing, stalling, and retrograding) within the first kilometer of the coast. Results from this observational study indicate that the land surface has the largest effect on the frontal location when the synoptic winds have a strong offshore component, which forces the sea breeze front to move slowly through the region. When this happens, the frequency of occurrence and sea breeze frontal speed decreases consistently across the first 500 m of Rehoboth Beach, after which, the differences become insignificant. At Cape Henlopen the decrease in intensity across the transect is much less evident and the reduction in frequency does not occur until after the front is 500 m from the coast. Under these conditions at Rehoboth Beach, the near surface air behind the front warms due to the land surface which, along with the large surface friction component of the urbanized land surface, causes the front to slow as it traverses the region. Observation and modeling results suggest that the influence of variations in the land and sea surface on the sea breeze circulation is complex and highly dependent on the regional synoptic wind regime. This result inspired the development of a sea breeze prediction algorithm using a generalized linear regression model which, incorporated real-time synoptic conditions to forecast the likelihood of a sea breeze front passing through a coastal station. The forecast skill increases through the morning hours after sunrise. The inland synoptic wind direction is the most influential variable utilized by the algorithm. Such a model could be enhanced to forecast local temperature with coonfidence, which could be useful in an economic or energy usage model.

The relationship among sea surface roughness variations, oceanographic analyses, and airborne remote sensing analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oertel, G. F.; Wade, T. L.

1981-01-01

The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) was studied to determine whether it could image large scale estuaries and oceanic features such as fronts and to explain the electromagnetic interaction between SAR and the individual surface front features. Fronts were observed to occur at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. The airborne measurements consisted of data collection by SAR onboard an F-4 aircraft and real aperture side looking radar (SLAR) in Mohawk aircraft. A total of 89 transects were flown. Surface roughness and color as well as temperature and salinity were evaluated. Cross-frontal surveys were made. Frontal shear and convergence flow were obtained. Surface active organic materials, it was indicated, are present at the air-sea interface. In all, 2000 analyses were conducted to characterize the spatial and temporal variabilities associated with water mass boundaries.

Summertime sea surface temperature fronts associated with upwelling around the Taiwan Bank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Kuo-Wei; Kawamura, Hiroshi; Lee, Ming-An; Chang, Yi; Chan, Jui-Wen; Liao, Cheng-Hsin

2009-04-01

It is well known that upwelling of subsurface water is dominant around the Taiwan Bank (TB) and the Penghu (PH) Islands in the southern Taiwan Strait in summertime. Sea surface temperature (SST) frontal features and related phenomena around the TB upwelling and the PH upwelling were investigated using long-term AVHRR (1996-2005) and SeaWiFS (1998-2005) data received at the station of National Taiwan Ocean University. SST and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) images with a spatial resolution of 0.01° were generated and used for the monthly SST and Chl-a maps. SST fronts were extracted from each SST images and gradient magnitudes (GMs); the orientations were derived for the SST fronts. Monthly maps of cold fronts where the cooler SSTs were over a shallower bottom were produced from the orientation. Areas with high GMs (0.1-0.2 °C/km) with characteristic shapes appeared at geographically fixed positions around the TB/PH upwelling region where SSTs were lower than the surrounding waters. The well-shaped high GMs corresponded to cold fronts. Two areas with high Chl-a were found around the TB and PH Islands. The southern border of the high-Chl-a area in the TB upwelling area was outlined by the high-GM area. Shipboard measurements of snapshot vertical sections of temperature (T) and salinity (S) along the PH Channel showed a dome structure east of PH Islands, over which low SST and high GM in the maps of the corresponding month were present. Clear evidence of upwelling (vertically uniform distributions of T and S) was indicated at the TB edge in the T and S sections close to TB upwelling. This case of upwelling may be caused by bottom currents ascending the TB slope as pointed out by previous studies. The position of low SSTs in the monthly maps matched the upwelling area, and the high GMs corresponded to the area of eastern surface fronts in the T/S sections.

Traveling interface modulations and anisotropic front propagation in ammonia oxidation over Rh(110)

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

Rafti, Matías; Institut für Physikalische Chemie und Elektrochemie, Leibniz-Universität Hannover, Callinstr. 3-3a, D-30167 Hannover; Borkenhagen, Benjamin

The bistable NH{sub 3} + O{sub 2} reaction over a Rh(110) surface was explored in the pressure range 10{sup −6}–10{sup −3} mbar and in the temperature range 300–900 K using photoemission electron microscopy and low energy electron microscopy as spatially resolving methods. We observed a history dependent anisotropy in front propagation, traveling interface modulations, transitions with secondary reaction fronts, and stationary island structures.

Correlation of nosetip boundary-layer transition data measured in ballistics-range experiments

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

Reda, D.C.

1980-01-01

Preablated nosetips of various carbonaceous materials were tested in a ballistics range. Surface-temperature contours, measured with image-converter cameras, were used to define boundary-layer transition-front contours. Measurements of surface roughness, surface temperature, average transition-front location, and freestream environment were combined with calculations of nosetip flowfields, and with calculations of laminar boundary-layer development in these flowfields, to transform all data into various dimensionless parameters. These parameters were defined by previous attempts to correlate existing wind-tunnel data for transition on rough/blunt bodies. Of the available correlating techniques, only one, based on the concept of a constant (critical) roughness Reynolds number for transition, wasmore » found to successfully describe both the wind-tunnel and ballistics-range data, thereby validating the extrapolation of this concept to actual reentry-vehicle materials and environments.« less

Changes in body surface temperature during speed endurance work-out in highly-trained male sprinters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korman, Paweł; Straburzyńska-Lupa, Anna; Kusy, Krzysztof; Kantanista, Adam; Zieliński, Jacek

2016-09-01

The mechanism of thermoregulatory adaptation to exercise cannot yet be fully explained, however, infrared thermography (IRT) seems to have potential for monitoring physiological changes during exercise and training. It is a non-contact and easy to use technology to measure heat radiation from the body surface. The objective of the study was to examine the temperature changes over time on lower limbs in sprinters during speed endurance training session. Eight sprinters, specialized in distances 100 m and 200 m, aged 21-29 years, members of the Polish national team, were evaluated during an outdoor speed endurance work-out. Their track session comprised of warm-up, specific drills for sprinting technique, and speed endurance exercise. The surface temperature of lower limbs was measured and thermal images were taken using infrared camera after each part of the session. The speed endurance training session brought about specific time course of body surface (legs) temperature. The warm-up induced a significant decline in surface temperature by ∼2.5 °C, measured both on the front and back of lower limbs (p < 0.001), followed by a temperature stabilization until the end of the session. No significant asymmetry between the front and back sides of legs was observed. Body surface temperature may help identify an individual optimal time to terminate warm up and start the main part of the training session. It may also be useful for the assessment of muscle activity symmetry in cyclical activities, such as sprint running. This is of particular relevance when a training session is performed outdoors in changeable weather conditions.

Low temperature surface passivation of crystalline silicon and its application to interdigitated back contact silicon heterojunction (ibc-shj) solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Zhan

With the absence of shading loss together with improved quality of surface passivation introduced by low temperature processed amorphous silicon crystalline silicon (a-Si:H/c-Si) heterojunction, the interdigitated back contact silicon heterojunction (IBC-SHJ) solar cell exhibits a potential for higher conversion efficiency and lower cost than a traditional front contact diffused junction solar cell. In such solar cells, the front surface passivation is of great importance to achieve both high open-circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current (Jsc). Therefore, the motivation of this work is to develop a low temperature processed structure for the front surface passivation of IBC-SHJ solar cells, which must have an excellent and stable passivation quality as well as a good anti-reflection property. Four different thin film materials/structures were studied and evaluated for this purpose, namely: amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiNx:H), thick amorphous silicon film (a-Si:H), amorphous silicon/silicon nitride/silicon carbide (a-Si:H/a-SiN x:H/a-SiC:H) stack structure with an ultra-thin a-Si:H layer, and zinc sulfide (ZnS). It was demonstrated that the a-Si:H/a-SiNx:H/a-SiC:H stack surpasses other candidates due to both of its excellent surface passivation quality (SRV<5 cm/s) and lower absorption losses. The low recombination rate at the stack structure passivated c-Si surface is found to be resulted from (i) field effect passivation due to the positive fixed charge (Q fix~1x1011 cm-2 with 5 nm a-Si:H layer) in a-SiNx:H as measured from capacitance-voltage technique, and (ii) reduced defect state density (mid-gap Dit~4x1010 cm-2eV-1) at a-Si:H/c-Si interface provided by a 5 nm thick a-Si:H layer, as characterized by conductance-frequency measurements. Paralleled with the experimental studies, a computer program was developed in this work based on the extended Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) model of surface recombination. With the help of this program, the experimental injection level dependent SRV curves of the stack passivated c-Si samples were successfully reproduced and the carrier capture cross sections of interface defect states were extracted. Additionally, anti-reflection properties of the stack structure were optimized and optical losses were analyzed. The Voc over 700 mV and Jsc over 38 mA/cm2 were achieved in IBC-SHJ solar cells using the stack structure for front surface passivation. Direct comparison shows that such low temperature deposited stack structure developed in this work achieves comparable device performance to the high temperature processed front surface passivation structure used in other high efficiency IBC solar cells. However, the lower fill factor (FF) of IBC-SHJ solar cell as compared with traditional front a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction cell (HIT cell) greatly limits the overall performance of these devices. Two-dimensional (2D) simulations were used to comparatively model the HIT and IBC-SHJ solar cells to understand the underlying device physics which controls cell performance. The effects of a wide range of device parameters were investigated in the simulation, and pathways to improve the FF of IBC-SHJ solar cell were suggested.

Ship Observations and Numerical Simulation of the Marine Atmosphericboundary Layer over the Spring Oceanic Front in the Northwestern South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, D.; Shi, R.; Chen, J.; Guo, X.; Zeng, L.; Li, J.; Xie, Q.; Wang, X.

2017-12-01

The response of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) structure to an oceanic front is analyzed using Global Positioning System (GPS) sounding data obtained during a survey in the northwestern South China Sea (NSCS) over a period of about one week in April 2013. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to further examine the thermodynamical mechanisms of the MABL's response to the front. The WRF model successfully simulates the change in the MABL structure across the front, which agrees well with the observations. The spatially high-pass-filtered fields of sea surface temperature (SST) and 10-m neutral equivalent wind from the WRF model simulation show a tight, positive coupling between the SST and surface winds near the front. Meanwhile, the SST front works as a damping zone to reduce the enhancement of wind blowing from the warm to the cold side of the front in the lower boundary layer. Analysis of the momentum budget shows that the most active and significant term affecting horizontal momentum over the frontal zone is the adjustment of the pressure gradient. It is found that the front in the NSCS is wide enough for slowly moving air parcels to be affected by the change in underlying SST. The different thermal structure upwind and downwind of the front causes a baroclinic adjustment of the perturbation pressure from the surface to the mid-layer of the MABL, which dominates the change in the wind profile across the front.

Lattice Gas Model Based Optimization of Plasma-Surface Processes for GaN-Based Compound Growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nonokawa, Kiyohide; Suzuki, Takuma; Kitamori, Kazutaka; Sawada, Takayuki

2001-10-01

Progress of the epitaxial growth technique for GaN-based compounds makes these materials attractive for applications in high temperature/high-power electronic devices as well as in short-wavelength optoelectronic devices. For MBE growth of GaN epilayer, atomic nitrogen is usually supplied from ECR-plasma while atomic Ga is supplied from conventional K-cell. To grow high-quality epilayer, fundamental knowledge of the detailed atomic process, such as adsorption, surface migration, incorporation, desorption and so forth, is required. We have studied the influence of growth conditions on the flatness of the growth front surface and the growth rate using Monte Carlo simulation based on the lattice gas model. Under the fixed Ga flux condition, the lower the nitrogen flux and/or the higher the growth temperature, the better the flatness of the front surface at the sacrifice of the growth rate of the epilayer. When the nitrogen flux is increased, the growth rate reaches saturation value determined from the Ga flux. At a fixed growth temperature, increasing of nitrogen to Ga flux ratio results in rough surface owing to 3-dimensional island formation. Other characteristics of MBE-GaN growth using ECR-plasma can be well reproduced.

An evaporation model of colloidal suspension droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sartori, Silvana; Li\\ Nán, Amable; Lasheras, Juan C.

2009-11-01

Colloidal suspensions of polymers in water or other solvents are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry to coat tablets with different agents. These allow controlling the rate at which the drug is delivered, taste or physical appearance. The coating is performed by simultaneously spraying and drying the tablets with the colloidal suspension at moderately high temperatures. The spreading of the coating on the pills surface depends on the droplet Webber and Reynolds numbers, angle of impact, but more importantly on the rheological properties of the drop. We present a model for the evaporation of a colloidal suspension droplet in a hot air environment with temperatures substantially lower than the boiling temperature of the carrier fluid. As the liquid vaporizes from the surface, a compacting front advances into the droplet faster than the liquid surface regresses, forming a shell of a porous medium where the particles reach their maximum packing density. While the surface regresses, the evaporation rate is determined by both the rate at which heat is transported to the droplet surface and the rate at which liquid vapor is diffused away from it. This regime continues until the compacting front reaches the center of the droplet, at which point the evaporation rate is drastically reduced.

How important are coastal fronts to albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) habitat in the Northeast Pacific Ocean?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieto, Karen; Xu, Yi; Teo, Steven L. H.; McClatchie, Sam; Holmes, John

2017-01-01

We used satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data to characterize coastal fronts and then tested the effects of the fronts and other environmental variables on the distribution of the albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) catches in the coastal areas (from the coast to 200 nm offshore) of the Northeast Pacific Ocean. A boosted regression tree (BRT) model was used to explain the spatial and temporal patterns in albacore tuna catch per unit effort (CPUE) (1988-2011), using frontal features (distance to the front and temperature gradient), and other environmental variables like SST, surface chlorophyll concentration (chlorophyll), and geostrophic currents as explanatory variables. Based on over two decades of high-resolution data, the modeled results confirmed previous findings that albacore CPUE distribution is strongly influenced by SST and chlorophyll at fishing locations, and the distance of fronts from the coast (DFRONT-COAST), albeit with substantial seasonal and interannual variation. Albacore CPUEs were higher near warm, low chlorophyll oceanic waters, and near SST fronts. We performed sequential leave-one-year-out cross-validations for all years and found that the relationships in the BRT models were robust for the entire study period. Spatial distributions of model-predicted albacore CPUE were similar to observations, but the model was unable to predict very high CPUEs in some areas. These results help to explain previously observed variability in albacore CPUE and will likely help improve international fisheries management in the face of environmental changes.

Seasonal and Interannual Variability of the Brazil - Malvinas Front: an Altimetry Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saraceno, M.; Valla, D.; Pelegrí, J. L.; Piola, A. R.

2016-02-01

The Brazil and Malvinas Confluence in the Southwestern Atlantic is one of the most energetic regions of the world ocean. Using recent measurements of sub-surface velocity currents, collected along 2348 nautical miles with a vessel mounted acoustic Doppler profiler onboard R/V BIO Hespérides, we validate geostrophic velocities derived from gridded fields of sea surface height (SSH). A remarkable correspondence between in-situ surface hydrographic data collected from the vessel and satellite sea surface temperature (SST), color and altimetry data allows selecting a specific SSH contour to track the position of the Brazil-Malvinas front. We then use 22 years of SSH data distributed by AVISO to show that the Brazil-Malvinas front shows a NS orientation in winter and a NE-SW orientation in summer, in good agreement with results based on the analysis of SST gradients. Furthermore, a clear southward migration of the front during the 22 year period is observed. The migration is associated with the southward shift of the South Atlantic high-pressure system that is in turn related to large climate changes in the southern portion of the South American continent. The seasonal variability in the orientation of the front is related to the Brazil and Malvinas encountering currents.

Liquid Fuels: Pyrolytic Degradation and Fire Spread Behavior as Influenced by Buoyancy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Howard D. (Technical Monitor); Yeboah, Yaw D.

2003-01-01

This project was conducted by the Combustion and Emission Control Lab in the Engineering Department at Clark Atlanta University under NASA Grant No. NCC3-707. The work aimed at providing data to supplement the ongoing NASA research activities on flame spread across liquid pools by providing flow visualization and velocity measurements especially in the gas phase and gas-liquid interface. During this investigation, the detailed physics of flame spread across liquid pools was revealed using particle image velocimetry (PIV), 3-dimensional Laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) and high-speed video imaging system (HSVS). Flow fields (front and side views) of both the liquid and gas phases were visually investigated for the three subflash regimes of flame spread behavior. Some interesting findings obtained from the front and side views on flame spread across butanol pools are presented. PIV results showed the size of the transient vortex in the liquid phase near the flame front varied with the initial pool temperature. The transient vortex ahead of the flame front in the gas phase was, for the first time, clearly observed located just within 0-3 mm above the liquid surface and its size was dependent on the initial pool temperature. We calculated the flow velocity at 1 mm below the liquid surface near the flame front and inferred the generation mechanism of the vortex in the gas phase. Finally, after comparison of the flow velocity of the liquid surface and the flame spread rate, a reasonable explanation to the formation mechanism of the pulsating characteristic was proposed. This explanation is compatible with the previous numerical calculations and deductions.

On the relationship between satellite-retrieved surface temperature fronts and chlorophyll a in the western South Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saraceno, Martin; Provost, Christine; Piola, Alberto R.

2005-11-01

The time-space distribution of chlorophyll a in the southwestern Atlantic is examined using 6 years (1998-2003) of sea surface color images from Sea-viewing Wide Field of View Sensor (SeaWiFS). Chlorophyll a (chl a) distribution is confronted with sea surface temperature (SST) fronts retrieved from satellite imagery. Histogram analysis of the color, SST, and SST gradient data sets provides a simple procedure for pixel classification from which eight biophysical regions in the SWA are identified, including three new regions with regard to Longhurst (1998) work: Patagonian Shelf Break (PSB), Brazil Current Overshoot, and Zapiola Rise region. In the PSB region, coastal-trapped waves are suggested as a possible mechanism leading to the intraseasonal frequencies observed in SST and chl a. Mesoscale activity associated with the Brazil Current Front and, in particular, eddies drifting southward is probably responsible for the high chl a values observed throughout the Brazil Current Overshoot region. The Zapiola Rise is characterized by a local minimum in SST gradient magnitudes and shows chl a maximum values in February, 3 months later than the austral spring bloom of the surroundings. Significant interannual variability is present in the color imagery. In the PSB, springs and summers with high chl a concentrations seem associated with stronger local northerly wind speed, and possible mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the Brazil-Malvinas front is detected using both SST gradient and SeaWiFS images. The time-averaged position of the front at 54.2°W is estimated at 38.9°S and its alongshore migration of about 300 km.

Identification, characteristics and seasonal evolution of surface thermal fronts in the Argentinean Continental Shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivas, Andrés L.; Pisoni, Juan Pablo

2010-01-01

The location and seasonal variability of surface thermal fronts along the Argentinean Continental Shelf (38-55°S) were studied using 18 years (1985-2002) of sea surface temperature (SST) satellite data. Monthly SST gradients were calculated and a threshold was used to identify frontal pixels. Frontal areas were classified into 4 zones according to their seasonal evolution and the main forcings leading to the front's formation were identified for each group. The shelf break front was easily detected due to the large number of frontal pixels in the region and its high mean gradient values. This front showed a marked annual cycle and relatively constant position associated to the bottom slope; it tended to be located where the core of the Malvinas current is closest to the shelf. Tidal fronts also showed a strong annual cycle, being detected in three well-defined regions during spring and summer. Along the coasts of Tierra del Fuego and Santa Cruz, the combination of strong tidal mixing and low-salinity coastal plumes led to semi-annual seasonal cycles of frontal intensity and persistence that showed a relative maximum in winter. A similar behavior (semi-annual) was found at the coast off the Buenos Aires Province. There, the coastal dilution and the bathymetric gradient generated near-coastal fronts that changed direction seasonally. In the northern mid-shelf, a front linked to the intrusion of warm waters formed in the San Matías Gulf was identified during the winter.

Analytic Expressions for the Inner-rim Structure of Passively Heated Protoplanetary Disks

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

Ueda, Takahiro; Okuzumi, Satoshi; Flock, Mario, E-mail: t_ueda@geo.titech.ac.jp

We analytically derive the expressions for the structure of the inner region of protoplanetary disks based on the results from the recent hydrodynamical simulations. The inner part of a disk can be divided into four regions: a dust-free region with a gas temperature in the optically thin limit, an optically thin dust halo, an optically thick condensation front, and the classical, optically thick region, in order from the innermost to the outermost. We derive the dust-to-gas mass ratio profile in the dust halo using the fact that partial dust condensation regulates the temperature relative to the dust evaporation temperature. Beyondmore » the dust halo, there is an optically thick condensation front where all the available silicate gas condenses out. The curvature of the condensation surface is determined by the condition that the surface temperature must be nearly equal to the characteristic temperature ∼1200 K. We derive the midplane temperature in the outer two regions using the two-layer approximation, with the additional heating by the condensation front for the outermost region. As a result, the overall temperature profile is step-like, with steep gradients at the borders between the outer three regions. The borders might act as planet traps where the inward migration of planets due to gravitational interaction with the gas disk stops. The temperature at the border between the two outermost regions coincides with the temperature needed to activate magnetorotational instability, suggesting that the inner edge of the dead zone must lie at this border. The radius of the dead zone inner edge predicted from our solution is ∼2–3 times larger than that expected from the classical optically thick temperature.« less

Analytic Expressions for the Inner-rim Structure of Passively Heated Protoplanetary Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueda, Takahiro; Okuzumi, Satoshi; Flock, Mario

2017-07-01

We analytically derive the expressions for the structure of the inner region of protoplanetary disks based on the results from the recent hydrodynamical simulations. The inner part of a disk can be divided into four regions: a dust-free region with a gas temperature in the optically thin limit, an optically thin dust halo, an optically thick condensation front, and the classical, optically thick region, in order from the innermost to the outermost. We derive the dust-to-gas mass ratio profile in the dust halo using the fact that partial dust condensation regulates the temperature relative to the dust evaporation temperature. Beyond the dust halo, there is an optically thick condensation front where all the available silicate gas condenses out. The curvature of the condensation surface is determined by the condition that the surface temperature must be nearly equal to the characteristic temperature ˜1200 K. We derive the midplane temperature in the outer two regions using the two-layer approximation, with the additional heating by the condensation front for the outermost region. As a result, the overall temperature profile is step-like, with steep gradients at the borders between the outer three regions. The borders might act as planet traps where the inward migration of planets due to gravitational interaction with the gas disk stops. The temperature at the border between the two outermost regions coincides with the temperature needed to activate magnetorotational instability, suggesting that the inner edge of the dead zone must lie at this border. The radius of the dead zone inner edge predicted from our solution is ˜2-3 times larger than that expected from the classical optically thick temperature.

[Comparison of shaft temperature related treatment efficacy between "air-cooled" microwave coagulation and traditional microwave coagulation].

PubMed

Zheng, Yun; Li, Jin-Qing; Chen, Min-Shan; Zhang, Yao-Jun; Zhang, Ya-Qi

2004-11-01

The application and development of traditional percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) has been limited by high shaft temperature. The "air-cooled" PMCT is the newest advancement. This study was to compare shaft temperature related treatment efficacy between "air-cooled" PMCT and traditional PMCT. Two pigs underwent traditional PMCT, and "air-cooled" PMCT at 80 W for 10 min separately. Skin injury, surface temperature of guide-needle, charring tissue sticking to the shaft, and lesion shape in 2 pigs were compared. Five patients with liver tumor received traditional PMCT, and 8 patients with liver tumor received "air-cooled" PMCT. Feeling of pain, skin injury, charring tissue sticking to the shaft, local therapeutic efficacy, and recurrence of these 2 groups of patients were compared. In the pig underwent traditional PMCT, surface temperature of guide-needle reached 119-160 Centigrade; skin burn around puncture points was serious; charring tissue stuck to the front of electrodes; a trail sign was observed in coagulated lesion. In the pig underwent "air-cooled" PMCT, surface temperature of guide-needle was 28.8-39.9 Centigrade; no skin injury was found around puncture points; no charring tissue stuck to the front of electrodes; no obvious trail sign was observed in coagulated lesion. In 5 patients received traditional PMCT, 3 had skin injury; 2 had charring tissue stuck to the front of electrode; all felt moderate or serious epigastric pain lasted for 1-8 weeks; 4 had complete coagulation; 1 had local recurrence. In 8 patients received "air-cooled" PMCT, no one had skin injury, and charring tissue stuck to "air-cooled" electrode; 4 felt slight epigastric pain within 1 week; all had complete coagulation; no local recurrence was found. The technique of "air-cooled" electrode may decrease temperature of shaft safely and reliably, and eliminate side effects arose from high temperature of shaft. Treatment efficacy of "air-cooled" PMCT is better than that of traditional PMCT.

Materials and structural aspects of advanced gas-turbine helicopter engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freche, J. C.; Acurio, J.

1979-01-01

Advances in materials, coatings, turbine cooling technology, structural and design concepts, and component-life prediction of helicopter gas-turbine-engine components are presented. Stationary parts including the inlet particle separator, the front frame, rotor tip seals, vanes and combustors and rotating components - compressor blades, disks, and turbine blades - are discussed. Advanced composite materials are considered for the front frame and compressor blades, prealloyed powder superalloys will increase strength and reduce costs of disks, the oxide dispersion strengthened alloys will have 100C higher use temperature in combustors and vanes than conventional superalloys, ceramics will provide the highest use temperature of 1400C for stator vanes and 1370C for turbine blades, and directionally solidified eutectics will afford up to 50C temperature advantage at turbine blade operating conditions. Coatings for surface protection at higher surface temperatures and design trends in turbine cooling technology are discussed. New analytical methods of life prediction such as strain gage partitioning for high temperature prediction, fatigue life, computerized prediction of oxidation resistance, and advanced techniques for estimating coating life are described.

Automated Detection of Fronts using a Deep Learning Convolutional Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biard, J. C.; Kunkel, K.; Racah, E.

2017-12-01

A deeper understanding of climate model simulations and the future effects of global warming on extreme weather can be attained through direct analyses of the phenomena that produce weather. Such analyses require these phenomena to be identified in automatic, unbiased, and comprehensive ways. Atmospheric fronts are centrally important weather phenomena because of the variety of significant weather events, such as thunderstorms, directly associated with them. In current operational meteorology, fronts are identified and drawn visually based on the approximate spatial coincidence of a number of quasi-linear localized features - a trough (relative minimum) in air pressure in combination with gradients in air temperature and/or humidity and a shift in wind, and are categorized as cold, warm, stationary, or occluded, with each type exhibiting somewhat different characteristics. Fronts are extended in space with one dimension much larger than the other (often represented by complex curved lines), which poses a significant challenge for automated approaches. We addressed this challenge by using a Deep Learning Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to automatically identify and classify fronts. The CNN was trained using a "truth" dataset of front locations identified by National Weather Service meteorologists as part of operational 3-hourly surface analyses. The input to the CNN is a set of 5 gridded fields of surface atmospheric variables, including 2m temperature, 2m specific humidity, surface pressure, and the two components of the 10m horizontal wind velocity vector at 3-hr resolution. The output is a set of feature maps containing the per - grid cell probabilities for the presence of the 4 front types. The CNN was trained on a subset of the data and then used to produce front probabilities for each 3-hr time snapshot over a 14-year period covering the continental United States and some adjacent areas. The total frequencies of fronts derived from the CNN outputs matches very well with the truth dataset. There is a slight underestimate in total numbers in the CNN results but the spatial pattern is a close match. The categorization of front types by CNN is best for cold and occluded and worst for warm. These initial results from our ongoing development highlight the great promise of this technology.

Resolution of fine biological structure including small narcomedusae across a front in the Southern California Bight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClatchie, Sam; Cowen, Robert; Nieto, Karen; Greer, Adam; Luo, Jessica Y.; Guigand, Cedric; Demer, David; Griffith, David; Rudnick, Daniel

2012-04-01

We sampled a front detected by SST gradient, ocean color imagery, and a Spray glider south of San Nicolas Island in the Southern California Bight between 14 and 18 October 2010. We sampled the front with an unusually extensive array of instrumentation, including the Continuous Underway Fish Egg Sampler (CUFES), the undulating In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) (fitted with temperature, salinity, oxygen, and fluorescence sensors), multifrequency acoustics, a surface pelagic trawl, a bongo net, and a neuston net. We found higher fluorescence and greater cladoceran, decapod, and euphausiid densities in the front, indicating increased primary and secondary production. Mesopelagic fish were most abundant in oceanic waters to the west of the front, market squid were abundant in the front associated with higher krill and decapod densities, and jack mackerel were most common in the front and on the shoreward side of the front. Egg densities peaked to either side of the front, consistent with both offshore (for oceanic squid and mesopelagic fish) and shelf origins (for white croaker and California halibut). We discovered unusually high concentrations of predatory narcomedusae in the surface layer of the frontal zone. Potential ichthyoplankton predators were more abundant either in the front (decapods, euphausiids, and squid) or shoreward of the front (medusae, chaetognaths, and jack mackerel). For pelagic fish like sardine, which can thrive in less productive waters, the safest place to spawn would be offshore because there are fewer potential predators.

EXPERIMENTS - APOLLO 17

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-11-17

S72-53471 (November 1972) --- The Infrared Scanning Radiometer, Experiment S-171, one of the lunar orbital science experiments which will be mounted in the SIM bay of the Apollo 17 Service Module. The ISR experiment will provide a lunar surface temperature map with improved temperature and spatial resolution over what has been impossible before. Previous Earth-based observations of the lunar surface thermal balance have been limited to the front side with a temperature resolution of about 210 degrees K (-80 degrees F) and a surface resolution of about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). When correlated with orbital photography and lunar sounder data, ISR temperature measurements are expected to aid in locating surface rock fields, crustal structural differences, volcanic activity and fissures emitting "hot" gases.

Freezing Bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingett, Christian; Ahmadi, Farzad; Nath, Saurabh; Boreyko, Jonathan

2017-11-01

The two-stage freezing process of a liquid droplet on a substrate is well known; however, how bubbles freeze has not yet been studied. We first deposited bubbles on a silicon substrate that was chilled at temperatures ranging from -10 °C to -40 °C, while the air was at room temperature. We observed that the freeze front moved very slowly up the bubble, and in some cases, even came to a complete halt at a critical height. This slow freezing front propagation can be explained by the low thermal conductivity of the thin soap film, and can be observed more clearly when the bubble size or the surface temperature is increased. This delayed freezing allows the frozen portion of the bubble to cool the air within the bubble while the top part is still liquid, which induces a vapor pressure mismatch that either collapses the top or causes the top to pop. In cases where the freeze front reaches the top of the bubble, a portion of the top may melt and slowly refreeze; this can happen more than just once for a single bubble. We also investigated freezing bubbles inside of a freezer where the air was held at -20 °C. In this case, the bubbles freeze quickly and the ice grows radially from nucleation sites instead of perpendicular to the surface, which provides a clear contrast with the conduction limited room temperature bubbles.

Submesoscale features and their interaction with fronts and internal tides in a high-resolution coupled atmosphere-ocean-wave model of the Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, Tommy G.; Shulman, Igor; Wijesekera, Hemantha W.; Anderson, Stephanie; Ladner, Sherwin

2018-03-01

Large freshwater fluxes into the Bay of Bengal by rainfall and river discharges result in strong salinity fronts in the bay. In this study, a high-resolution coupled atmosphere-ocean-wave model with comprehensive physics is used to model the weather, ocean circulation, and wave field in the Bay of Bengal. Our objective is to explore the submesoscale activity that occurs in a realistic coupled model that resolves mesoscales and allows part of the submesoscale field. Horizontal resolution in the atmosphere varies from 2 to 6 km and is 13 km for surface waves, while the ocean model is submesoscale permitting with resolutions as high as 1.5 km and a vertical resolution of 0.5 m in the upper 10 m. In this paper, three different cases of oceanic submesoscale features are discussed. In the first case, heavy rainfall and intense downdrafts produced by atmospheric convection are found to force submesoscale currents, temperature, and salinity anomalies in the oceanic mixed layer and impact the mesoscale flow. In a second case, strong solitary-like waves are generated by semidiurnal tides in the Andaman Sea and interact with mesoscale flows and fronts and affect submesoscale features generated along fronts. A third source of submesoscale variability is found further north in the Bay of Bengal where river outflows help maintain strong salinity gradients throughout the year. For that case, a comparison with satellite observations of sea surface height anomalies, sea surface temperature, and chlorophyll shows that the model captures the observed mesoscale eddy features of the flow field, but in addition, submesoscale upwelling and downwelling patterns associated with ageostrophic secondary circulations along density fronts are also captured by the model.

Computer graphic visualization of orbiter lower surface boundary-layer transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Throckmorton, D. A.; Hartung, L. C.

1984-01-01

Computer graphic techniques are applied to the processing of Shuttle Orbiter flight data in order to create a visual presentation of the extent and movement of the boundary-layer transition front over the orbiter lower surface during entry. Flight-measured surface temperature-time histories define the onset and completion of the boundary-layer transition process at any measurement location. The locus of points which define the spatial position of the boundary-layer transition front on the orbiter planform is plotted at each discrete time for which flight data are available. Displaying these images sequentially in real-time results in an animated simulation of the in-flight boundary-layer transition process.

The Impact of Sea Surface Temperature Front on Stratus-Sea Fog over the Yellow and East China Seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S.; Li, M.; Liu, F.

2013-12-01

A stratus-sea fog event occurred on 3 June 2011 over the Yellow and East China Seas (as shown in figure) is investigated observationally and numerically. Emphasis is put on the influences of the sea surface temperature front (SSTF) and of the synoptic circulations on the transition of stratus to sea fog. The southerly winds from a synoptic high pressure transport water vapor from the East China Sea to the Yellow Sea, while the subsidence induced by the high contributes to the formation of the temperature inversion on the top of the stratus or stratocumulus that appears mainly over the warm flank of a sea surface temperature front in the East China Sea. Forced by the SSTF, there is a secondary cell within the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), with a sinking branch on the cold flank and a rising one on the warm flank of the SSTF. This sinking branch, in phase with the synoptic subsidence, forces the stratus or stratocumulus to lower in the elevation getting close to the sea surface as these clouds move northward driven by the southerly winds. The cloud droplets can either reach to the sea surface directly or evaporate into water vapor that may condense again when coming close to the cold sea surface to form fog. In this later case, the stratus and fog may separate. The cooling effect of cold sea surface counteracts the adiabatic heating induced by the subsidence and thus helps the transition of stratus to sea fog in the southern Yellow Sea. By smoothing the SSTF in the numerical experiment, the secondary cell weakens and the sea fog patches shrink obviously over the cold flank of the SSTF though the synoptic subsidence and moist advection still exist. A conceptual model is suggested for the transition of stratus to sea fog in the Yellow and East China Seas, which is helpful for the forecast of sea fog over these areas. The satellite visible image of the stratus-fog event. The fog appears in the Yellow Sea and the stratocumulus in the East China Sea.

Role of surface heat fluxes underneath cold pools

PubMed Central

Garelli, Alix; Park, Seung‐Bu; Nie, Ji; Torri, Giuseppe; Kuang, Zhiming

2016-01-01

Abstract The role of surface heat fluxes underneath cold pools is investigated using cloud‐resolving simulations with either interactive or horizontally homogenous surface heat fluxes over an ocean and a simplified land surface. Over the ocean, there are limited changes in the distribution of the cold pool temperature, humidity, and gust front velocity, yet interactive heat fluxes induce more cold pools, which are smaller, and convection is then less organized. Correspondingly, the updraft mass flux and lateral entrainment are modified. Over the land surface, the heat fluxes underneath cold pools drastically impact the cold pool characteristics with more numerous and smaller pools, which are warmer and more humid and accompanied by smaller gust front velocities. The interactive fluxes also modify the updraft mass flux and reduce convective organization. These results emphasize the importance of interactive surface fluxes instead of prescribed flux boundary conditions, as well as the formulation of surface heat fluxes, when studying convection. PMID:27134320

Simulating the moderating effect of a lake on downwind temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bill, R. G., Jr.; Chen, E.; Sutherland, R. A.; Bartholic, J. F.

1979-01-01

A steady-state, two-dimensional numerical model is used to simulate air temperatures and humidity downwind of a lake at night. Thermal effects of the lake were modelled for the case of moderate and low surface winds under the cold-air advective conditions that occur following the passage of a cold front. Surface temperatures were found to be in good agreement with observations. A comparison of model results with thermal imagery indicated the model successfully predicts the downwind distance for which thermal effects due to the lake are significant.

Long waves in the eastern equatorial pacific ocean: a view from a geostationary satellite.

PubMed

Legeckis, R

1977-09-16

During 1975, westward-moving long waves with a period of about 25 days and a wavelength of 1000 kilometers were observed at a sea surface temperature front in the equatorial Pacific on infrared images obtained by a geostationary environmental satellite system. The absence of these waves during 1976, and the above-average equatorial sea surface temperatures during 1976, may be related to a decrease in the southeasterly trade winds during that year.

Near-surface Stratification and Submesoscale Fronts in the north Bay of Bengal during Summer Monsoon of 2014 and 2015.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengupta, D.; Jarugula, S. L.; D'Asaro, E. A.; Chaudhuri, D.; S, S.; Tandon, A.; M, R.; Lucas, A.; Simmons, H. L.

2016-02-01

The north bay of Bengal is characterised by a shallow layer of fresh water from monsoon rainfall and river discharge, with very strong stratification at its base, and a warm subsurface layer. The thermodynamic structure of the ocean has significant influence on air-sea interaction. We conducted two research cruises of ORV Sagar Nidhi in August-September 2014 and 2015, to study the physical processes that maintain the shallow fresh layer. We collected a total of about 4000 kilometers of underway Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (uCTD) and Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data. The vertical resolution of the data is 1-2 m; at ship speeds of 4-5 knots, the horizontal resolution is 300-1500 m, sufficient to resolve submesoscale (1-20 km) features. It is known that dynamical instability of submesoscale fronts can lead to slumping of heavier water under lighter water, enhancing vertical stratification. We identified 35 major salinity-dominated near-surface density fronts along the ship track, with surface density gradient exceeding 0.03 kg/m3 per kilometer, and density difference exceeding 0.3 kg/m3. The largest gradients in the open ocean, between fresh water of riverine origin and ambient seawater, exceeded 10 psu in 40 km and 6 psu in 50 km; the spatial scales of the other fronts range from 1 to 25 km. At several submesoscale fronts, the surface mixed layer is shallower directly under the front than on either side, suggesting active restratification. ADCP observations reveal a region of confluence and narrow jets associated with some fronts, consistent with frontal slumping. In addition, wind-driven Ekman transport can enhance near-surface stratification by carrying lighter water over denser water. We discuss the relevance of these two mechanisms in observations and model simulations.

Simulation of Soil Frost and Thaw Fronts Dynamics with Community Land Model 4.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, J.; Xie, Z.

2016-12-01

Freeze-thaw processes in soils, including changes in frost and thaw fronts (FTFs) , are important physical processes. The movement of FTFs affects soil water and thermal characteristics, as well as energy and water exchanges between land surface and the atmosphere, and then the land surface hydrothermal process. In this study, a two-directional freeze and thaw algorithm for simulating FTFs is incorporated into the community land surface model CLM4.5, which is called CLM4.5-FTF. The simulated FTFs depth and soil temperature of CLM4.5-FTF compared well with the observed data both in D66 station (permafrost) and Hulugou station (seasonally frozen soil). Because the soil temperature profile within a soil layer can be estimated according to the position of FTFs, CLM4.5 performed better in soil temperature simulation. Permafrost and seasonally frozen ground conditions in China from 1980 to 2010 were simulated using the CLM4.5-FTF. Numerical experiments show that the spatial distribution of simulated maximum frost depth by CLM4.5-FTF has seasonal variation obviously. Significant positive active-layer depth trends for permafrost regions and negative maximum freezing depth trends for seasonal frozen soil regions are simulated in response to positive air temperature trends except west of Black Sea.

Observations of a tidal intrusion front in a tidal channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Shasha; Xia, Xiaoming; Thompson, Charlie E. L.; Cao, Zhenyi; Liu, Yifei

2017-11-01

A visible front indicated by a surface colour change, and sometimes associated with foam or debris lines, was observed in a tidal channel during neap tide. This is an example of a tidal intrusion front occurring in the absence of sudden topographical changes or reversing flows, typically reported to be associated with such fronts. Detailed Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler and conductivity/temperature/depth measurements were taken on repeated transects both with fronts apparent and with fronts absent. The results indicated that the front occurred as a result of stratification, which was sustained by the buoyancy flux and the weak tide-induced mixing during neap ebb tide. The stronger tide-induced mixing during spring tide restrained stratification, leading to the absence of a front. The mechanism of the frontogenesis was the density gradient between the stratified water formed during neap ebb tide, and the more mixed seawater during neap flood tide; thus, the water on the landward (southwestern) side of the front was stratified, and that on the seaward side (northeastern) of the front was vertically well mixed. Gradient Richardson number estimates suggest that the flow between the stratified and mixed water was near the threshold 0.25 for shear instability. Meanwhile, the density gradient would provide an initial baroclinic contribution to velocity convergence, which is indicated by the accumulation of buoyant matter such as foam, grass, and debris into a sharply defined line along the surface. The front migrates with the flood current, with a local maximum towards the eastern side of the channel, leading to an asymmetrical shape with the eastern side of the front driven further into the Tiaozhoumen tidal channel.

Biophysical Processes at the Boundary between the Arctic and Subarctic in the Barents Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drinkwater, K.

2016-02-01

The boundary between the Arctic and Subarctic is often in the form of a strong front. Results from field studies on the Polar Front in the Barents Sea separating Arctic and Atlantic waters are presented. The focus is on the physical dynamics of the front and their influence on the structure and function of the associated marine biology from biogeochemistry and nutrient dynamics through plankton ecology up to fish. Data were collected using CTDs, autonomous gliders, microstructure profilers, a Fast Repetition Rate Flourometer (FRRF) and conventional nets for capturing plankton and fish. The Polar Front exhibits strong horizontal gradients in temperature and salinity but weak density gradients owing to density compensation of the water mass characteristics. Intense interleaving of the water masses occurs at the front along isopycnals resulting in large variability in the vertical profiles of the temperature-salinity characteristics. Although there are elevated turbulence levels in the vicinity of the front owing to both current shear and double diffusion, turbulence levels are still relatively weak and not strong enough to create strong vertical mixing. As a result nutrient levels in the near surface layers remain low through the summer following the spring bloom and there is no evidence of greatly enhanced primary production or high phytoplankton biomass in the front. Small zooplankton appear to be more prominent at the front and large zooplankton away from the front. Capelin show a similar distribution with small individuals in the front and larger capelin away from the front, mainly in the Arctic waters. Hypotheses on the relationship between the frontal dynamics and fish distributions are presented. Changes in the frontal position and intensity under climate change will also be discussed.

Design of laboratory experiments to study photoionization fronts driven by thermal sources

DOE PAGES

Drake, R. P.; Hazak, G.; Keiter, P. A.; ...

2016-12-20

This study analyzes the requirements of a photoionization-front experiment that could be driven in the laboratory, using thermal sources to produce the necessary flux of ionizing photons. It reports several associated conclusions. Such experiments will need to employ the largest available facilities, capable of delivering many kJ to MJ of energy to an x-ray source. They will use this source to irradiate a volume of neutral gas, likely of N, on a scale of a few mm to a few cm, increasing with source energy. For a gas pressure of several to ten atmospheres at room temperature, and a sourcemore » temperature near 100 eV, one will be able to drive a photoionization front through a system of tens to hundreds of photon mean free paths. The front should make the familiar transition from the so-called R-Type to D-Type as the radiation flux diminishes with distance. The N is likely to reach the He-like state. Preheating from the energetic photons appears unlikely to become large enough to alter the essential dynamics of the front beyond some layer near the surface. For well-chosen experimental conditions, competing energy transport mechanisms are small.« less

DESIGN OF LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS TO STUDY PHOTOIONIZATION FRONTS DRIVEN BY THERMAL SOURCES

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

Drake, R. P.; Keiter, P. A.; Davis, J. S.

2016-12-20

This paper analyzes the requirements of a photoionization-front experiment that could be driven in the laboratory, using thermal sources to produce the necessary flux of ionizing photons. It reports several associated conclusions. Such experiments will need to employ the largest available facilities, capable of delivering many kJ to MJ of energy to an X-ray source. They will use this source to irradiate a volume of neutral gas, likely of N, on a scale of a few mm to a few cm, increasing with source energy. For a gas pressure of several to ten atmospheres at room temperature, and a sourcemore » temperature near 100 eV, one will be able to drive a photoionization front through a system of tens to hundreds of photon mean free paths. The front should make the familiar transition from the so-called R-Type to D-Type as the radiation flux diminishes with distance. The N is likely to reach the He-like state. Preheating from the energetic photons appears unlikely to become large enough to alter the essential dynamics of the front beyond some layer near the surface. For well-chosen experimental conditions, competing energy transport mechanisms are small.« less

A biomarker perspective on dust, productivity, and sea surface temperature in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaeschke, Andrea; Wengler, Marc; Hefter, Jens; Ronge, Thomas A.; Geibert, Walter; Mollenhauer, Gesine; Gersonde, Rainer; Lamy, Frank

2017-05-01

In this study, we present a new multiproxy data set of terrigenous input, marine productivity and sea surface temperature (SST) from 52 surface sediment samples collected along E-W transects in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean. Allochthonous terrigenous input was characterized by the distribution of plant wax n-alkanes and soil-derived branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs). 230Th-normalized burial of both compound groups were highest close to the potential sources in Australia and New Zealand and are strongly related to lithogenic contents (232Th), indicating common sources and transport. Detection of both long-chain n-alkanes and brGDGTs at the most remote sites in the open ocean strongly suggests a primarily eolian transport mechanism to at least 110°W, i.e. by prevailing westerly winds. Two independent organic SST proxies were used, the U37K‧ based on alkenones, and the TEX86 based on isoprenoid GDGTs. Both, U37K‧ and TEX86 indices show robust relationships with temperature over a temperature range between 0.5 and 20 °C, likely implying different seasonal and regional imprints on the temperature signal. Alkenone-based temperature estimates best reflect modern summer SST in the study area when using the polar calibration of Sikes et al. (1997). In contrast, TEX86-derived temperatures may reflect a subsurface signal rather than surface. 230Th-normalized burial of alkenones is highest close to the Subtropical Front and is positively related to the deposition of lithogenic material throughout the study area. In contrast, highest isoGDGT burial south of the Antarctic Polar Front may be largely controlled by diatom blooms, and thus high opal fluxes during austral summer.

Analysis of moving surface structures at a laser-induced boiling front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matti, R. S.; Kaplan, A. F. H.

2014-10-01

Recently ultra-high speed imaging enabled to observe moving wave patterns on metal melts that experience laser-induced boiling. In laser materials processing a vertical laser-induced boiling front governs processes like keyhole laser welding, laser remote fusion cutting, laser drilling or laser ablation. The observed waves originate from temperature variations that are closely related to the melt topology. For improved understanding of the essential front mechanisms and of the front topology, for the first time a deeper systematic analysis of the wave patterns was carried out. Seven geometrical shapes of bright or dark domains were distinguished and categorized, in particular bright peaks of three kinds and dark valleys, often inclined. Two categories describe special flow patterns at the top and bottom of the front. Dynamic and statistical analysis has revealed that the shapes often combine or separate from one category to another when streaming down the front. The brightness of wave peaks typically fluctuates during 20-50 μs. This variety of thermal wave observations is interpreted with respect to the accompanying surface topology of the melt and in turn for governing local mechanisms like absorption, shadowing, boiling, ablation pressure and melt acceleration. The findings can be of importance for understanding the key process mechanisms and for optimizing laser materials processing.

Fine-scale planktonic habitat partitioning at a shelf-slope front revealed by a high-resolution imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greer, Adam T.; Cowen, Robert K.; Guigand, Cedric M.; Hare, Jonathan A.

2015-02-01

Ocean fronts represent productive regions of the ocean, but predator-prey interactions within these features are poorly understood partially due to the coarse-scale and biases of net-based sampling methods. We used the In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) to sample across a front near the Georges Bank shelf edge on two separate sampling days in August 2010. Salinity characterized the transition from shelf to slope water, with isopycnals sloping vertically, seaward, and shoaling at the thermocline. A frontal feature defined by the convergence of isopycnals and a surface temperature gradient was sampled inshore of the shallowest zone of the shelf-slope front. Zooplankton and larval fishes were abundant on the shelf side of the front and displayed taxon-dependent depth distributions but were rare in the slope waters. Supervised automated particle counting showed small particles with high solidity, verified to be zooplankton (copepods and appendicularians), aggregating near surface above the front. Salps were most abundant in zones of intermediate chlorophyll-a fluorescence, distinctly separate from high abundances of other grazers and found almost exclusively in colonial form (97.5%). Distributions of gelatinous zooplankton differed among taxa but tended to follow isopycnals. Fine-scale sampling revealed distinct habitat partitioning of various planktonic taxa, resulting from a balance of physical and biological drivers in relation to the front.

Integral glass encapsulation for solar arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, G. A.

1981-01-01

Electrostatic bonding technology, an encapsulation technique for terrestrial solar array was developed. The process produces full integral, hermetic bonds with no adhesives or pottants. Panels of six solar cells on a simple glass superstrate were produced. Electrostatic bonding for making the cell front contact was also developed. A metal mesh is trapped into contact with the cell front during the bonding process. Six cell panels using the bonded mesh as the only cell front contact were produced. The possibility of using lower cost glass, with a higher thermal expansion mismatch to silicon, by making lower temperature bonds is developed. However, this requires a planar surface cell.

Generalizing the flash technique in the front-face configuration to measure the thermal diffusivity of semitransparent solids

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

Pech-May, Nelson Wilbur; Department of Applied Physics, CINVESTAV Unidad Mérida, carretera Antigua a Progreso km6, A.P. 73 Cordemex, Mérida Yucatán 97310, México; Mendioroz, Arantza

2014-10-15

In this work, we have extended the front-face flash method to retrieve simultaneously the thermal diffusivity and the optical absorption coefficient of semitransparent plates. A complete theoretical model that allows calculating the front surface temperature rise of the sample has been developed. It takes into consideration additional effects, such as multiple reflections of the heating light beam inside the sample, heat losses by convection and radiation, transparency of the sample to infrared wavelengths, and heating pulse duration. Measurements performed on calibrated solids, covering a wide range of absorption coefficients (from transparent to opaque) and thermal diffusivities, validate the proposed method.

Material parameters that determine the surface accuracy of large astronomical mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amur, G. I.

1983-03-01

The design and manufacture of large astronomical mirrors are examined from both theoretical and practical perspectives. The effects of birefringence, tool-load relief, cord position, and temperature gradient on the surface quality are assessed quantitatively and discussed in terms of material choice and fabrication technique. It is shown that a single cord positioned horizontally produces only minimum image distortion. Formulas for calculating the deformation of the wave front by the mirror surface due to birefringence difference, the optimum load relief, and the deformation temperature, are presented. Graphs of important relationships and a table listing the diameters and surface parameters of recently built large telescopes are provided.

Passivating Window/First Layer AR Coating for Space Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faur, Mircea; Faur, Maria; Bailey, S. G.; Flood, D. J.; Brinker, D. J.; Alterovitz, S. A.; Wheeler, D. R.; Matesscu, G.; Goradia, C.; Goradia, M.

2004-01-01

Chemically grown oxides, if well designed, offer excellent surface passivation of the emitter surface of space solar cells and can be used as effective passivating window/first layer AR coating. In this paper, we demonstrate the effectiveness of using a simple room temperature wet chemical technique to grow cost effective passivating layers on solar cell front surfaces after the front grid metallization step. These passivating layers can be grown both on planar and porous surfaces. Our results show that these oxide layers: (i) can effectively passivate the from the surface, (ii) can serve as an effective optical window/first layer AR coating, (iii) are chemically, thermally and UV stable, and (iv) have the potential of improving the BOL and especially the EOL efficiency of space solar cells. The potential of using this concept to simplify the III-V based space cell heterostructures while increasing their BOL and EOL efficiency is also discussed.

Spectroscopy Measurements on Ablation Testing in High Enthalpy Plasma Flows

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

sample as well as the recession rate. Further, the chemical composition of the free- stream and the surrounding gas layer in front of the sample...of the samples due to ablation (mass loss & surface recession ), different temperature measurements (surface & inside) and spectroscopic results...25 5 MEASUREMENT RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ................................................................ 26 5.1 MASS LOSS AND RECESSION

Climatology of winter transition days for the contiguous USA, 1951-2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hondula, David M.; Davis, Robert E.

2011-01-01

In middle and high latitudes, climate change could impact the frequency and characteristics of frontal passages. Although transitions between air masses are significant features of the general circulation that influence human activities and other surface processes, they are much more difficult to objectively identify than single variables like temperature or even extreme events like fires, droughts, and floods. The recently developed Spatial Synoptic Classification (SSC) provides a fairly objective means of identifying frontal passages. In this research, we determine the specific meteorological patterns represented by the SSC's Transition category, a "catch-all" group that attempts to identify those days that cannot be characterized as a single, homogeneous air mass type. The result is a detailed transition climatology for the continental USA. We identify four subtypes of the Transition category based on intra-day sea level pressure change and dew point temperature change. Across the contiguous USA, most transition days are identified as cold fronts and warm fronts during the winter season. Among the two less common subtypes, transition days in which the dew point temperature and pressure both rise are more frequently observed across the western states, and days in which both variables fall are more frequently observed in coastal regions. The relative frequencies of wintertime warm and cold fronts have changed over the period 1951-2007. Relative cold front frequency has significantly increased in the Northeast and Midwest regions, and warm front frequencies have declined in the Midwest, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest regions. The overall shift toward cold fronts and away from warm fronts across the northern USA arises from a combination of an enhanced ridge over western North America and a northward shift of storm tracks throughout the mid-latitudes. These results are consistent with projections of climate change associated with elevated greenhouse gas concentrations.

Role of surface heat fluxes underneath cold pools

DOE PAGES

Gentine, Pierre; Garelli, Alix; Park, Seung -Bu; ...

2016-01-05

In this paper, the role of surface heat fluxes underneath cold pools is investigated using cloud–resolving simulations with either interactive or horizontally homogenous surface heat fluxes over an ocean and a simplified land surface. Over the ocean, there are limited changes in the distribution of the cold pool temperature, humidity, and gust front velocity, yet interactive heat fluxes induce more cold pools, which are smaller, and convection is then less organized. Correspondingly, the updraft mass flux and lateral entrainment are modified. Over the land surface, the heat fluxes underneath cold pools drastically impact the cold pool characteristics with more numerousmore » and smaller pools, which are warmer and more humid and accompanied by smaller gust front velocities. The interactive fluxes also modify the updraft mass flux and reduce convective organization. These results emphasize the importance of interactive surface fluxes instead of prescribed flux boundary conditions, as well as the formulation of surface heat fluxes, when studying convection.« less

Atmospheric boundary layer response to sea surface temperatures during the SEMAPHORE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giordani, Hervé; Planton, Serge; Benech, Bruno; Kwon, Byung-Hyuk

1998-10-01

The sensitivity of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) subjected to sea surface temperatures (SST) during the Structure des Echanges Mer-Atmosphere, Proprietes des Heterogeneites Oceaniques: Recherche Experimentale (SEMAPHORE) experiment in 1993 has been studied. Atmospheric analyses produced by the Action de Recherche, Petite Echelle, Grande Echelle (ARPEGE) operational model at the French meteorological weather service assimilated data sets collected between October 7 and November 17, 1993, merged with the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) data. Analyses were validated against independent data from aircraft instruments collected along a section crossing the Azores oceanic front, not assimilated into the model. The responses of the mean MABL in the aircraft cross section to changes in SST gradients of about 1°C/100 km were the presence of an atmospheric front with horizontal gradients of 1°C/100 km and an increase of the wind intensity from the cold to the warm side during an anticyclonic synoptic situation. The study of the spatiotemporal characteristics of the MABL shows that during 3 days of an anticyclonic synoptic situation the SST is remarkably stationary because it is principally controlled by the Azores ocean current, which has a timescale of about 10 days. However, the temperature and the wind in the MABL are influenced by the prevailing atmospheric conditions. The ocean does not appear to react to the surface atmospheric forcing on the timescale of 3 days, whereas the atmospheric structures are modified by local and synoptic-scale advection. The MABL response appears to be much quicker than that of the SSTs. The correlation between the wind and the thermal structure in the MABL is dominated by the ageostrophic and not by the geostrophic component. In particular, the enhancement of the wind on either side of the SST front is mainly due to the ageostrophic component. Although the surface heat fluxes are not the only cause of ageostrophy, the surface buoyancy flux Qb appears to be an important local source.

Shallow temperature differences along the Deep Creek Range front, Idaho

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ore, H. T.; Wiegand, G. H.

1990-02-01

The extent of the solvolysis reaction of a tertiary butyl chloride solution placed in vials buried about 1.2 m below the ground surface is dependent on average temperature at that depth over the period of burial. This method is herein used to indicate differences in shallow temperature from the western flank of the Basin and Range Deep Creek Range front, about 5 km westward into Rockland Valley in southeastern Idaho. Ninety-three samples, distributed to allow determination of lateral and vertical sample-site variation in total reaction amount, were analyzed after being in place for 3 months. Results from two sample lines, 3.5 km apart, show that subsurface total reaction amount declines slightly for the first 1.6 km away from the mountain front, rises abruptly to several times initial reaction, slowly declines for the next several km, then tends to slowly rise again. Plots of extent of reaction vs distance for the two traverses are nearly parallel; in both the abrupt increase in total reaction coincides with a line of springs, suggesting that hydrologic activity is at least related to the effects noted.

Observations of currents and density structure across a buoyant plume front

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gelfenbaum, G.; Stumpf, R.P.

1993-01-01

Observations of the Mobile Bay, Alabama, plume during a flood event in April 1991 reveal significant differences in the current field on either side of a front associated with the buoyant plume. During a strong southeasterly wind, turbid, low salinity water from Mobile Bay was pushed through an opening in the west side of the ebb-tidal delta and moved parallel to the coast. A stable front developed between the low salinity water of the buoyant plume (11‰) and the high salinity coastal water (>23‰) that was being forced landward by the prevailing winds. Despite the shallow water depth of 6 m, measurements of currents, temperature, and salinity show large shears and density gradients in both the vertical and the horizontal directions. At a station outside of the buoyant plume, currents at 0.5 m and 1.5 m below the surface were in the same direction as the wind. Inside the plume, however, currents at 0.5 m below the surface were parallel to the coast, 45°, off the direction of the wind and the magnitude was 45% larger than the magnitude of the surface currents outside the plume. Beneath the level of the plume, the currents were identical to the wind-driven currents in the ambient water south of the front. Our observations suggest that the wind-driven surface currents of the ambient water converged with the buoyant plume at the front and were subducted beneath the plume. The motion of the ambient coastal surface water was in the direction of the local wind stress, however, the motion of the plume had no northerly component of motion. The plume also did not show any flow toward the front, suggesting a balance between the northerly component of wind stress and the southerly component of buoyant spreading. In addition, the motion of the plume did not appear to affect the motion of the underlying ambient water, suggesting a lack of mixing between the two waters.

In-Situ Observations of a Subglacial Outflow Plume in a Greenland Fjord

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mankoff, K. D.; Straneo, F.; Singh, H.; Das, S. B.

2014-12-01

We present oceanographic observations collected in and immediately outside of a buoyant, fresh, sediment-laden subglacial outflow plume rising up the marine-terminating front of Sarqardleq Glacier, Greenland (68.9 N, 50.4 W). Subglacial outflow plumes, associated with the discharge at depth of upstream glacial surface melt, entrain the relatively warm fjord waters and are correlated with enhanced submarine melt and increased calving. Few in-situ observations exist due to the challenges of making measurements at the calving front of glaciers. Our data were collected using a small boat, a helicopter, and a JetYak (a remote-controlled jet-ski-powered kayak). Temperature and salinity profiles in, around, and far from the plume are used to described its oceanographic properties, spatial extent, and temporal variability. This plume rises vertically up the ice front expanding laterally and away from the ice, over-shoots its stable isopycnal and reaches the surface. Its surface expression is identified by colder, saltier, sediment-laden water flowing at ~5 m/s away from the ice face. Within ~300 m from the ice it submerges as it seeks buoyant stability.

An imaging system for quantitive surface temperature mapping using two-color thermographic phosphors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buck, Gregory M.

1988-01-01

A technique for obtaining detailed quantitative temperature distributions on test models in hypersonic wind tunnels is presented. This technique is based on the ratio of blue to green (450, 520 nm) emission from an UV (365 nm) excited phosphor coating. Separately filtered images are recorded from a three-tube color camera, utilizing off-the-shelf front-end video optics to discriminate wavelengths. Two demonstration studies in a 31-inch Mach 10 tunnel are discussed. One study presents the windward surface temperature-time history for a transatmospheric vehicle, and the other illustrates nosetip heating on a spherically blunted slender cone.

Spectroscopic diagnostics of plume rebound and shockwave dynamics of confined aluminum laser plasma plumes

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

Yeates, P.; Kennedy, E. T.; School of Physical Sciences, Dublin City University

2011-06-15

Generation and expansion dynamics of aluminum laser plasma plumes generated between parallel plates of varying separation ({Delta}Z = 2.0, 3.2, 4.0, and 5.6 mm), which confined plume expansion normal to the ablation surface, were diagnosed. Space and time resolved visible emission spectroscopy in the spectral range {lambda} = 355-470 nm and time gated visible imaging were employed to record emission spectra and plume dynamics. Space and time resolved profiles of N{sub e} (the electron density), T{sub e} (the electron temperature), and T{sub ionz} (the ionization temperature) were compared for different positions in the plasma plume. Significant modifications of the profilesmore » of the above parameters were observed for plasma-surface collisions at the inner surface of the front plate, which formed a barrier to the free expansion of the plasma plume generated by the laser light on the surface of the back plate. Shockwave generation at the collision interface resulted in delayed compression of the low-density plasma plume near the inner ablation surface, at late stages in the plasma history. Upon exiting the cavity formed by the two plates, through an aperture in the front plate, the plasma plume underwent a second phase of free expansion.« less

Nitrogen uptake by phytoplankton in surface waters of the Indian sector of Southern Ocean during austral summer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathy, S. C.; Patra, Sivaji; Vishnu Vardhan, K.; Sarkar, A.; Mishra, R. K.; Anilkumar, N.

2018-03-01

This study reports the nitrogen uptake rate (using 15N tracer) of phytoplankton in surface waters of different frontal zones in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean (SO) during austral summer of 2013. The investigated area encompasses four major frontal systems, i.e., the subtropical front (STF), subantarctic front (SAF), polar front-1 (PF1) and polar front-2 (PF2). Southward decrease of surface water temperature was observed, whereas surface salinity did not show any significant trend. Nutrient (NO3 - and SiO4 4-) concentrations increased southward from STF to PF; while ammonium (NH4 +), nitrite (NO2 -) and phosphate (PO4 3-) remained comparatively stable. Analysis of nutrient ratios indicated potential N-limited conditions at the STF and SAF but no such scenario was observed for PF. In terms of phytoplankton biomass, PF1 was found to be the most productive followed by SAF, whereas PF2 was the least productive region. Nitrate uptake rate increased with increasing latitude, as no systematic spatial variation was discerned for NH4 + and urea (CO(NH2)2). Linear relationship between nitrate and total N-uptake reveals that the studied area is capable of exporting up to 60% of the total production to the deep ocean if the environmental settings are favorable. Like N-uptake rates the f-ratio also increased towards PF region indicating comparatively higher new production in the PF than in the subtropics. The moderately high average f-ratio (0.53) indicates potentially near equal contributions by new production and regenerated production to the total productivity in the study area. Elevation in N-uptake rates with declining temperature suggests that the SO with its vast quantity of cool water could play an important role in drawing down the atmospheric CO2 through the "solubility pump".

Surface layer motion in planetary atmosphere containing fog of condensed gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datsenko, E. N.; Vasiliev, N. I.; Orlova, I. O.; Avakimyan, N. N.

2017-11-01

The article contains a simplified model of a wave motion of the atmospheric surface of planets containing finely dispersed particles of condensed gases, it is assumed that the surface of planets is heated above the saturation temperature of gas condensate, and the surface layers of the foggy atmosphere are strongly cooled. The mechanism of formation and growth of such waves is proposed and justified. It was found that the existence of growing waves on the surface of such an atmosphere is possible, as well as, in the course of time, the formation of a vortex in the atmosphere around the planet. Perturbations of the atmosphere thickness lead to the formation of gravitational waves propagating along its surface. The thickness of the atmosphere at the crest of the wave is greater than that in the trough. While the temperature of the atmosphere under the ridge increases, it decreases under the trough due to shielding of the thermal radiation of the planet. When the crest of a gravitational wave moves, the atmosphere under the trailing edge of the crest has a temperature higher than that under the front edge, since the trailing edge of the crest is heated more intensively by radiation from the surface of the planet. The partial pressure of the vapor of the condensed gases at the rear edge of the ridge is higher than that at the front edge; the work of the pressure difference during the motion of the ridge increases its energy and height. The authors demonstrate the analogy between the mechanisms of wave growth in a foggy atmosphere of planets and the mechanism of wave growth in a thin vapor layer between a strongly heated solid surface or a metal melt and a volatile liquid.

Characterization of a Ultra-high Temperature Ceramic Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Stanley R.; Opila, Elizabeth J.; Robinson, Raymond C.; Lorincz, Jonathan A.

2003-01-01

Ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTC) are of interest for hypersonic vehicle leading edge applications. Monolithic UHTCs are of concern because of their low fracture toughness and brittle behavior. UHTC composites (UHTCC) are being investigated as a possible approach to overcome these deficiencies. In this study a small sample of a UHTCC was evaluated by limited mechanical property tests, furnace oxidation exposures, and oxidation exposures in a flowing environment. The composite was prepared from a carbon fiber perform using ceramic particulates and a preceramic polymer. The as-received composite plate was non-uniform from front to back surface. Plate dimensions were 150 x 150 x 6 mm. The back surface had a fibrous, uniform appearance; XRD analysis revealed the presence of Sic and C. The front surface was smooth and non-uniform in appearance with evidence of a coarse grain structure produced by a liquid phase; XRD analysis revealed the presence of HfB2. Microcracks were present throughout the thickness as one might expect from a carbon fiber reinforced composite with attendant large thermal expansion mismatch between the matrix phases and the fibers. The HfB2 phase on the front surface was comparable in thickness to a fiber ply or about 0.6 mm, and surface microcracks were evident. Limited four point flexural tests were carried out at span to depth ratios of approximately 14 and 16 with markedly different results. Tests were run with the front or the back surface in tension. At the shorter span to depth failures occurred under a loading pin for both orientations. At a span to depth of 16 failures occurred in the center of the span with fracture clearly initiating from a tensile failure. Ultimate flexural strength, strain at ultimate stress, stress and strain at deviation from linear elastic behavior are reported. Strains at ultimate stress ranged from about 0.6 to 0.7 % for the back surface in tension, and 0.4 to 0.6 for the front surface in tension. At constant span to depth the strain at ultimate stress was about 0.2% greater for the back surface in tension and the ultimate strength was also higher. Strengths were in line with predictions from theory. Furnace oxidation studies were carried out at 1627 and 1927OC in a static furnace environment using ten minute cycles and one, five, and ten cycles. Limited oxidation studies were also carried out in a flowing oxyacetylene torch environment. Specimens were photographed, and weight and dimensional changes were determined. XRD and SEM characterizations were performed. Weight losses were attributed primarily to carbon fiber oxidation. The composite survived the torch test with little visible distress. Further details will be determined once metallographic studies are completed.

Effect of solar activity on the repetitiveness of some meteorological phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todorović, Nedeljko; Vujović, Dragana

2014-12-01

In this paper we research the relationship between solar activity and the weather on Earth. This research is based on the assumption that every ejection of magnetic field energy and particles from the Sun (also known as Solar wind) has direct effects on the Earth's weather. The impact of coronal holes and active regions on cold air advection (cold fronts, precipitation, and temperature decrease on the surface and higher layers) in the Belgrade region (Serbia) was analyzed. Some active regions and coronal holes appear to be in a geo-effective position nearly every 27 days, which is the duration of a solar rotation. A similar period of repetitiveness (27-29 days) of the passage of the cold front, and maximum and minimum temperatures measured at surface and at levels of 850 and 500 hPa were detected. We found that 10-12 days after Solar wind velocity starts significantly increasing, we could expect the passage of a cold front. After eight days, the maximum temperatures in the Belgrade region are measured, and it was found that their minimum values appear after 12-16 days. The maximum amount of precipitation occurs 14 days after Solar wind is observed. A recurring period of nearly 27 days of different phases of development for hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma was found. This analysis confirmed that the intervals of time between two occurrences of some particular meteorological parameter correlate well with Solar wind and A index.

Plume dynamics from UV pulsed ablation of Al and Ti

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, William; Perram, Glen; Haugan, Timothy

2016-12-01

Pulsed laser ablation of Al and Ti with a < 3.3 J/cm2 KrF laser and Ar background pressure of up to 1 Torr was performed to study the ablated plume. Mass loss experiments revealed the number of ablated atoms per pulse increases by 30% for Ti and 20% for Al as pressure decreases from 1 Torr to vacuum. Optical emission imaging performed using a gated ICCD revealed a strong dependence of shock front parameters, defined by the Sedov-Taylor blast and classical drag models, on background pressure. Spatially resolved optical emission spectroscopy from Al I, Al II, Ti I, and Ti II revealed ion temperatures of 104 K that decreased away from the target surface along the surface normal and neutral temperatures of 103 K independent of target distance. Comparison between kinetic energy in the shock and internal excitation energy reveals that nearly 100% of the energy is partitioned into shock front kinetic energy and 1% into internal excitation.

Large area tunnel oxide passivated rear contact n -type Si solar cells with 21.2% efficiency: Large area tunnel oxide passivated rear contact n -type Si solar cells

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

Tao, Yuguo; Upadhyaya, Vijaykumar; Chen, Chia-Wei

This paper reports on the implementation of carrier-selective tunnel oxide passivated rear contact for high-efficiency screen-printed large area n-type front junction crystalline Si solar cells. It is shown that the tunnel oxide grown in nitric acid at room temperature (25°C) and capped with n+ polysilicon layer provides excellent rear contact passivation with implied open-circuit voltage iVoc of 714mV and saturation current density J0b of 10.3 fA/cm2 for the back surface field region. The durability of this passivation scheme is also investigated for a back-end high temperature process. In combination with an ion-implanted Al2O3-passivated boron emitter and screen-printed front metal grids,more » this passivated rear contact enabled 21.2% efficient front junction Si solar cells on 239 cm2 commercial grade n-type Czochralski wafers.« less

Tuning charge transport in pentacene thin-film transistors using the strain-induced electron-phonon coupling modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yow-Jon; Chang, Hsing-Cheng; Liu, Day-Shan

2015-03-01

Tuning charge transport in the bottom-contact pentacene-based organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) using a MoO x capping layer that serves to the electron-phonon coupling modification is reported. For OTFTs with a MoO x front gate, the enhanced field-effect carrier mobility is investigated. The time domain data confirm the electron-trapping model. To understand the origin of a mobility enhancement, an analysis of the temperature-dependent Hall-effect characteristics is presented. Similarly, the Hall-effect carrier mobility was dramatically increased by capping a MoO x layer on the pentacene front surface. However, the carrier concentration is not affected. The Hall-effect carrier mobility exhibits strong temperature dependence, indicating the dominance of tunneling (hopping) at low (high) temperatures. A mobility enhancement is considered to come from the electron-phonon coupling modification that results from the contribution of long-lifetime electron trapping.

Passive microwave detection of river-plume fronts in the German Bight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blume, H.-J. C.

1982-01-01

The NASA P-3 aircraft with the L- and S-band radiometer system on board participated in the MARSEN experiments carried out between August 30 and September 23, 1979. Measurements of surface temperature and salinity were concentrated on freshwater outflows of the Rivers Weser and Elbe in the German Bight. Three missions were carried out, on September 19, 22, and 23. The values of salinity are plotted as a function of geographic position, and contour maps of the salinity distribution are generated from the value plots. It is noted that on September 22, during a noon flood-tide, two river-plume salinity fronts were detected when a body of water with higher salinity existed in front of the Weser delta near Bremerhaven generating with the river outflow of lower saline waters a front of delta-S equals 5 per thousand. Another pocket of lower saline waters was found in front of the Elbe delta at Cuxhaven, which in turn set up a strong front of delta-S equals 6 per thousand. The morning low tide of September 23 did not exhibit this extreme condition.

Evaporation and combustion of LOX under supercritical and subcritical conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, A. S.; Hsieh, W. H.; Kuo, K. K.

1993-01-01

The objective is to study the evaporation and combustion of LOX under supercritical and subcritical conditions both experimentally and theoretically. In the evaporation studies, evaporation rate and surface temperature were measured when LOX vaporizing in helium environments at pressures ranging from 5 to 68 atm. A Varian 3700 gas chromatograph was employed to measure the oxygen concentration above the LOX surface. For the combustion tests, high-magnification video photography was used to record direct images of the flame shape of a LOX/H2/He laminar diffusion flame. The gas composition in the post-flame region is also being measured with the gas sampling and chromatography analysis. These data are being used to validate the theoretical model. A comprehensive theoretical model with the consideration of the solubility of ambient gases as well as variable thermophysical properties was formulated and solved numerically to study the gasification and burning of LOX at elevated pressures. The calculated flame shape agreed reasonably well with the edge of the observed luminous flame surface. The effect of gravity on the flame structure of laminar diffusion flames was found to be significant. In addition, the predicted results using the flame-sheet model were compared with those based upon full equilibrium calculations (which considered the formation of intermediate species) at supercritical pressures. Except at the flame front where temperature exceeded 2,800 K, the flame-sheet and equilibrium solutions in terms of temperature distributions were in very close agreement. The temperature deviation in the neighborhood of the flame front is caused by the effect of high-temperature dissociation.

Thermal Velocities Arising from Injection in 2-Phase and Superheated Reservoirs

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

Shook, George Michael

2001-01-01

Production from and injection into geothermal reservoirs gives rise to temperature fronts that move through the porous medium. As many as two temperature fronts are observed in 1-D simulations. The first front is related to the saturation temperature of the production pressure. Its velocity can be calculated from the amount of excess heat in the reservoir, defined as the amount of energy above the interface temperature, Ti = Tsat(Pwf). The second temperature front velocity is the same as for single phase liquid conditions.

Shock implosion of a small homogeneous pellet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujimoto, Yasuichi; Mishkin, Eli A.; Alejaldre, Carlos

1985-10-01

A small spherical, or cylindrical, pellet is imploded by an intensive, evenly distributed, short energy pulse. At the surface of the pellet the matter ionizes, its temperature and pressure rapidly rise, and the ablated plasma, by reaction, implodes the inner nucleus of the pellet. The involved structure of the energy absorbing zone is idealized and a sharp deflagration front is considered. With an almost square energy pulse, slightly dropping with time, the solution of the mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations of the compressed matter, is self-similar. The differential equation of the nondimensional position of the deflagration front, its integral, and the magnitude and shape of the outside energy pulse are derived. The process of ablation is shown to depend solely on the nondimensional velocity of the gas just ahead of the deflagration front, minus the speed of sound, or the ratio of the gas densities across the deflagration front.

Self-Propagating Frontal Polymerization in Water at Ambient Pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olten, Nesrin; Kraigsley, Alison; Ronney, Paul D.

2003-01-01

Advances in polymer chemistry have led to the development of monomers and initiation agents that enable propagating free-radical polymerization fronts to exist. These fronts are driven by the exothermicity of the polymerization reaction and the transport of heat from the polymerized product to the reactant monomer/solvent/initiator solution. The thermal energy transported to the reactant solution causes the initiator to decompose, yielding free radicals, which start the free radical polymerization process as discussed in recent reviews. The use of polymerization processes based on propagating fronts has numerous applications. Perhaps the most important of these is that it enables rapid curing of polymers without external heating since the polymerization process itself provides the high temperatures necessary to initiate and sustain polymerization. This process also enables more uniform curing of arbitrarily thick samples since it does not rely on heat transfer from an external source, which will necessarily cause the temperature history of the sample to vary with distance from the surface according to a diffusion-like process. Frontal polymerization also enables filling and sealing of structures having cavities of arbitrary shape without having to externally heat the structure. Water at atmospheric pressure is most convenient solvent to employ and the most important for practical applications (because of the cost and environmental issues associated with DMSO and other solvents). Nevertheless, to our knowledge, steady, self-propagating polymerization fronts have not been reported in water at atmospheric pressure. Currently, polymerization fronts require a high boiling point solvent (either water at high pressures or an alternative solvent such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (boiling point 189 C at atmospheric pressure.) Early work on frontal polymerization, employed pressures up to 5000 atm in order to avoid boiling of the monomer/solvent/initiator solution. High boiling point solutions are needed because in order to produce a propagating front, a high front temperature is needed to produce sufficiently rapid decomposition of the free radical initiator and subsequent free radical polymerization and heat release at a rate faster than heat losses remove thermal energy from the system. (While the conduction heat loss rate increases linearly with temperature, the free radical initiator decomposition is a high activation energy process whose rate increases much more rapidly than linearly with temperature, thus as the temperature decreases, the ratio of heat loss to heat generation increases, eventually leading to extinction of the front if the temperature is too low.) In order to obtain atmospheric pressure frontal polymerization in water, it is necessary to identify a monomer/initiator combination that is water soluble and will not extinguish even when the peak temperature (T*) is less than 100 C. In this work acrylic acid (AA) was chosen as the monomer because is it one of the most reactive monomers and can polymerize readily at low temperatures even without initiators. Ammonium persulfate (AP) was chosen as the initiator because it decomposes readily at low temperatures, produces relatively few bubbles and is commercially available. The propagation rates and extinction conditions of the fronts are studied for a range of AA and AP concentrations. Small amounts of fumed silica powder (Cab-o-sil, Cabot Corporation) were added to the solutions to inhibit buoyancy induced convection in the solutions; future studies will investigate the effects of buoyant convection within the solutions.

Temperature field of dielectric films under continuous ion-beam irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salikhov, T. Kh.; Abdurahmonov, A. A.

2017-11-01

In the present study, we theoretically examine the formation process of the steady-state temperature field in dielectrics under irradiation with a continuous ion beam in air with allowance for the temperature dependence of thermophysical quantities. Analytical expressions for the temperature field were obtained. An interconnected system of nonlinear algebraic equations for the steady-state temperatures at the front (irradiated) and rear surfaces of the sample, and the steady-state temperature at the interface between the ion-damaged and non-damaged region was obtained; by numerical solution of this system, a nonlinear dependence of the mentioned temperatures on the characteristics of incident ion flux was revealed.

Small scale patches of suspended matter and phytoplankton in the Elbe River estuary, German Bight and tidal flats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doerffer, R.; Fischer, J.; Stoessel, M.; Brockmann, C.; Grassl, H.

1989-01-01

Landsat 5 TM measurements are found suitable for study of small scale features in coastal waters; three independent factors, namely suspended matter concentration, atmospheric scattering, and sea-surface temperature, were extracted from all seven TM channels on the basis of factor analysis. The distribution of suspended matter in near-surface water layer and sea surface temperature is observable with a spatial resolution of at least 120 x 120 sq m. The high correlation between water depth and suspended matter distribution established by ship-gathered data supports the presently hypothesized control by bottom topography and wind-modified tidal currents of eddy and front formation.

Hα line shape in front of the limiter in the HT-6M tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Baonian; Li, Jiangang; Luo, Jiarong; Xie, Jikang; Wu, Zhenwei; Zhang, Xianmei; HT-6M Group

1999-11-01

The Hα line shape in front of the limiter in the HT-6M tokamak is analysed by multi-Gaussian fitting. The energy distribution of neutral hydrogen atoms reveals that Hα radiation is contributed by Franck-Condon atoms, atoms reflected at the limiter surface and charge exchange. Multi-Gaussian fitting of the Hα spectral profile indicates contributions of 60% from reflection particles and 40% from molecule dissociation to recycling. Ion temperatures in central regions are obtained from the spectral width of charge exchange components. Dissociation of hydrogen molecules and reflection of particles at the limiter surface are dominant in edge recycling. Reduction of particle reflection at the limiter surface is important for controlling edge recycling. The measured profiles of neutral hydrogen atom density are reproduced by a particle continuity equation and a simplified one dimensional Monte Carlo simulation code.

Development of an all-metal thick film cost effective metallization system for solar cells. Final report, May 1980-January 1983

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

Ross, B.; Parker, J.

1983-12-01

Properties of copper pastes did not reproduce earlier results in rheology and metallurgy. Electrodes made with pastes produced under the previous contract were analyzed and raw material characteristics were compared. A needle-like structure was observed on the earlier electroded solar cells, and was identified as eutectic copper-silicon. Experiments were conducted with variations in paste parameters, firing conditions, including gas ambients, furnace furniture, silicon surface and others to improve performance characteristics. Improved adhesion with copper pastes containing silver fluoride, as well as those containing fluorocarbon powder was obtained. Front contact experiments were done with silver fluoride activated pastes on bare silicon,more » silicon oxide and silicon nitride coated silicon wafers. Adhesion of pastes with AgF on silicon nitride coated wafers was good, but indications were that all cells were shunted and the conclusion was that these systems were unsuitable for front contacts. Experiments with aluminum back surfaces and screened contacts to that surface were begun. Low temperature firing tended to result in S shaped IV curves. This was attributed to a barrier formed at the silicon-copper interface. A cooperative experiment was initiated on the effect of heat-treatments in various atmospheres on the hydrogen profile of silicon surfaces. Contact theory was explored to determine the role of various parameters on tunneling and contact resistance. Data confirm that the presence of eutectic Al-Si additions are beneficial for low contact resistance and fill factors in back contacts. Copper pastes with different silver fluoride additions were utilized as front contacts at two temperatures. Data shows various degrees of shunting. Finally, an experiment was run with carbon monoxide gas used as the reducing ambient during firing.« less

High Temperature Superconductor/Semiconductor Hybrid Microwave Devices and Circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romanofsky, Robert R.; Miranda, Felix A.

1999-01-01

Contents include following: film deposition technique; laser ablation; magnetron sputtering; sequential evaporation; microwave substrates; film characterization at microwave frequencies; complex conductivity; magnetic penetration depth; surface impedance; planar single-mode filters; small antennas; antenna arrays phase noise; tunable oscillations; hybrid superconductor/semiconductor receiver front ends; and noise modeling.

Satellite monitoring of sea surface pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fielder, G.; Telfer, D. J. (Principal Investigator)

1979-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Image processing techniques developed are well adapted to the exploration and isolation of local areas which exhibit small temperature differences between themselves and their surroundings. In the worst case of imagery of small areal extent of sea surface having no coastal boundary in the area, there is yet no method of distinguishing unambiguously an oil spill from fog, cloud, the effect produced by shallow sediments, or the effects of naturally occuring thermal fronts. In the case of uniform slicks of liquid North Sea oil in still air, laboratory simulation experiments show that, for oil thicknesses in excess of 1 or 2 mm, there is, under equilibrium conditions, little dependence of oil surface temperature on the thickness of the oil layer. The surface temperature of oil is consistently higher than that of water, the difference being about 1 K at low values of relative humidity, but tending to increase as the relative humidity increases.

Temporal and Spatial Variability of the Ras Al-Hadd Jet/Front in the Northwest Arabian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Shaqsi, Hilal Mohamed Said

Thirteen years of 1.1 km resolution daily satellites remote sensing sea surface temperature datasets (2002-2014), sea surface winds, sea surface height, Argo floats, daily three-hour interval wind datasets, and hourly records of oceanography physical parameters from mooring current meters were processed and analyzed to investigate the dynamics, temporal and spatial variability of the Ras Al-Hadd Jet off the northwest Arabian Sea. Cayula and Cornillon single image edge detection algorithm was used to detect these thermal fronts. The Ras Al-Hadd thermal front was found to have two seasonal peaks. The first peak occurred during the intensified southwest monsoon period (July/August), while the second peak was clearly observed during the transitional period or the Post-Southwest monsoon (September-October). Interannual and intraseasonal variability showed the occurrence of the Ras Al-Hadd thermal fronts in the northwest Arabian Sea. The southwest monsoon winds, the Somalia Current, the East Arabian Current, and the warmer high salinity waters from the Sea of Oman are the main factors influencing the creation of the Ras Al-Hadd Jet. Based on direct observations, current velocity in the Cape Ras Al-Hadd Jet exceeded 120 cms-1, and the wind speed was over 12 ms-1 during the southwest monsoon seasons. The mean width and the mean length of the Jet were approximately 40 km and 260 km, respectively. Neither the winter monsoon, nor the Pre-Southwest monsoon seasons showed signs of the Ras Al-Hadd Jet or fronts in the northwest Arabian Sea.

Frontolysis by surface heat flux in the Agulhas Return Current region with a focus on mixed layer processes: observation and a high-resolution CGCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohishi, Shun; Tozuka, Tomoki; Komori, Nobumasa

2016-12-01

Detailed mechanisms for frontogenesis/frontolysis of the Agulhas Return Current (ARC) Front, defined as the maximum of the meridional sea surface temperature (SST) gradient at each longitude within the ARC region (40°-50°E, 55°-35°S), are investigated using observational datasets. Due to larger (smaller) latent heat release to the atmosphere on the northern (southern) side of the front, the meridional gradient of surface net heat flux (NHF) is found throughout the year. In austral summer, surface warming is weaker (stronger) on the northern (southern) side, and thus the NHF tends to relax the SST front. The weaker (stronger) surface warming, at the same time, leads to the deeper (shallower) mixed layer on the northern (southern) side. This enhances the frontolysis, because deeper (shallower) mixed layer is less (more) sensitive to surface warming. In austral winter, stronger (weaker) surface cooling on the northern (southern) side contributes to the frontolysis. However, deeper (shallower) mixed layer is induced by stronger (weaker) surface cooling on the northern (southern) side and suppresses the frontolysis, because the deeper (shallower) mixed layer is less (more) sensitive to surface cooling. Therefore, the frontolysis by the NHF becomes stronger (weaker) through the mixed layer processes in austral summer (winter). The cause of the meridional gradient of mixed layer depth is estimated using diagnostic entrainment velocity and the Monin-Obukhov depth. Furthermore, the above mechanisms obtained from the observation are confirmed using outputs from a high-resolution coupled general circulation model. Causes of model biases are also discussed.

Aquarius Reflector Surface Temperature Monitoring Test and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, Jamie; Lee, Siu-Chun; Becker, Ray

2008-01-01

The presentation addresses how to infer the front side temperatures for the Aquarius L-band reflector based upon backside measurement sites. Slides discussing the mission objectives and design details are at the same level found on typical project outreach websites and in conference papers respectively. The test discussion provides modest detail of an ordinary thermal balance test using mockup hardware. The photographs show an off-Lab vacuum chamber facility with no compromising details.

Forced heat loss from body surface reduces heat flow to body surface.

PubMed

Berman, A

2010-01-01

Heat stress is commonly relieved by forced evaporation from body surfaces. The mode of heat stress relief by heat extraction from the periphery is not clear, although it reduces rectal temperature. Radiant surface temperature (Ts) of the right half of the body surface was examined by thermovision in 4 lactating Holstein cows (30 kg of milk/d) during 7 repeated cycles of forced evaporation created by 30s of wetting followed by 4.5 min of forced airflow. Wetting was performed by an array of sprinklers (0.76 m(3)/h), and forced airflow (>3m/s velocity) over the right side of the body surface was produced by fans mounted at a height of 3m above the ground. Sprinkling wetted the hind legs, rump, and chest, but not the lower abdomen side, front legs, or neck. The animals were maintained in shade at an air temperature of 28 degrees C and relative humidity of 47%. Coat thickness was 1 to 2mm, so Ts closely represented skin temperature. Mean Ts of 5 x 20cm areas on the upper and lower hind and front legs, rump, chest, abdomen side, and neck were obtained by converting to temperature their respective gray intensity in single frames obtained at 10-s intervals. Little change occurred in Ts during the first wetting (0.1+/-0.6 degrees C), but it decreased rapidly thereafter (1.6+/-0.6 degrees C in the fifth wetting). The Ts also decreased, to a smaller extent, in areas that remained dry (0.7+/-1.0 degrees C). In all body sites, a plateau in Ts was reached by 2 min after wetting. The difference between dry and wet areas in the first cooling cycle was approximately 1.2 degrees C. The Ts of different body areas decreased during consecutive cooling cycles and reached a plateau by 3 cooling cycles in dry sites (front leg, neck, abdomen side), by 5 cooling cycles in the hind leg, and 7 cooling cycles in the rump and chest. The reduction in mean Ts produced by 7 cycles was 4.0 to 6.0 degrees C in wetted areas and 1.6 to 3.7 degrees C in sites that were not wetted. Initial rectal temperature was 38.9+/-0.1 degrees C; it remained unchanged during first 5 cooling cycles, decreased by 0.1 degrees C after 7 cooling cycles, and decreased to 38.4+/-0.06 degrees C after 8 to 10 cooling cycles, with no additional subsequent decrease. The concomitant reduction in Ts in dry and wet areas suggests an immediate vasoconstrictor response associated with heat extraction and later development of a cooler body shell. The reduction in rectal temperature represents a response involving transfer of heat from the body core to the body shell. This response mode requires consideration in settings of heat stress relief. Copyright 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Greenland outlet glacier dynamics from Extreme Ice Survey (EIS) photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawbecker, P.; Box, J. E.; Balog, J. D.; Ahn, Y.; Benson, R. J.

2010-12-01

Time Lapse cameras fill gaps in our observational capabilities: 1. By providing much higher temporal resolution than offered by conventional airborne or satellite remote sensing. 2. While GPS or auto-theodolite observations can provide higher time resolution data than from photogrammetry, survival of these instruments on the hazardous glacier surface is limited, plus, the maintenance of such systems can be more expensive than the maintenance of a terrestrial photogrammetry installation. 3. Imagery provide a high spatial density of observations across the glacier surface, higher than is realistically available from GPS or other in-situ observations. 4. time lapse cameras provide observational capabilities in Eulerian and Lagrangian frames while GPS or theodolite targets, going along for a ride on the glacier, provide only Lagrangian data. Photogrammetry techniques are applied to a year-plus of images from multiple west Greenland glaciers to determine the glacier front horizontal velocity variations at hourly to seasonal time scales. The presentation includes comparisons between glacier front velocities and: 1. surface melt rates inferred from surface air temperature and solar radiation observations; 2. major calving events identified from camera images; 3. surface and near-surface ocean temperature; 4. land-fast sea ice breakup; 5. tidal variations; 6. supra-glacial melt lake drainage events observed in daily optical satellite imagery; and 7.) GPS data. Extreme Ice Survey (EIS) time lapse camera overlooking the Petermann glacier, installed to image glacier dynamics and to capture the predicted ice "island" detachment.

Influence of Kuroshio SST front in the East China Sea on the climatological evolution of Meiyu rainband

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Mimi; Xu, Haiming; Ren, Huijun

2018-02-01

The influence of Kuroshio sea surface temperature (SST) front in the East China Sea (ECS) on the temporal evolution of climatological Meiyu rainband was investigated using a suite of high-resolution satellite observations and a reanalysis dataset from 2000 to 2011. During the northward seasonal march of Meiyu rainband from the warmer flank of the SST front to the colder flank, the climatological rainband strength weakened substantially despite large-scale environment became more conducive to intensify precipitation. A sharp reduction in occurrence frequency of precipitation with relatively shallower depth and smaller intensity was responsible for the weakening of Meiyu rainband. During the northward migration of Meiyu rainband, individual precipitation events became deeper and more intensive, and the contribution of convective precipitation to the rainband was enhanced, associated with the seasonal northward extension of high convective instability region over the ECS. The characteristics of Meiyu rainband evolution were generally supported by cloud observations. When Meiyu rainband was located on the warmer flank of the SST front, local enhanced mean surface wind convergence and variance of convergence at synoptic timescale by the warm SST of the Kuroshio favored strong surface convergence that may trigger precipitation. A detailed moisture budget analysis revealed that the major part of moisture for Meiyu precipitation was supplied by low-level wind convergence, with much smaller contribution from moisture advection. The variation of climatological precipitation associated with Meiyu northward migration depended on SST modulation of both surface evaporation and low-level moisture convergence over the ECS.

In situ observation of self-propagating high temperature syntheses of Ta5Si3, Ti5Si3 and TiB2 by proton and X-ray radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernert, T.; Winkler, B.; Haussühl, E.; Trouw, F.; Vogel, S. C.; Hurd, A. J.; Smilowitz, L.; Henson, B. F.; Merrill, F. E.; Morris, C. L.; Mariam, F. G.; Saunders, A.; Juarez-Arellano, E. A.

2013-08-01

Self-propagating high temperature reactions of tantalum and titanium with silicon and titanium with boron were studied using proton and X-ray radiography, small-angle neutron scattering, neutron time-of-flight, X-ray and neutron diffraction, dilatometry and video recording. We show that radiography allows the observation of the propagation of the flame front in all investigated systems and the determination of the widths of the burning zones. X-ray and neutron diffraction showed that the reaction products consisted of ≈90 wt% of the main phase and one or two secondary phases. For the reaction 5Ti + 3Si → Ti5Si3 flame front velocities of 7.1(3)-34.2(4) mm/s were determined depending on the concentration of a retardant added to the starting material, the geometry and the green density of the samples. The flame front width was determined to be 1.17(4)-1.82(8) mm and depends exponentially on the flame front velocity. Similarly, for the reaction Ti + 2B → TiB2 flame front velocities of 15(2)-26.6(4) mm/s were determined, while for a 5Ta + 3Si → Ta5Si3 reaction the flame front velocity was 7.05(4) mm/s. The micro structure of the product phase Ta5Si3 shows no texture. From SANS measurements the dependence of the specific surface of the product phase on the particle sizes of the starting materials was studied.

Roughness induced transition and heat transfer augmentation in hypersonic environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wassel, A. T.; Shih, W. C. L.; Courtney, J. F.

Boundary layer transition and surface heating distributions on graphite, fine weave carbon-carbon, and metallic nosetip materials were derived from surface temperature responses measured in nitrogen environments during both free-flight and track-guided testing in hypersonic environments. Innovative test procedures were developed, and heat transfer results were validated against established theory through experiments using a super-smooth tungsten model. Quantitative definitions of mean transition front locations were established by deriving heat flux distributions from measured temperatures, and comparisons made with existing nosetip transition correlations. Qualitative transition locations were inferred directly from temperature distributions to investigate preferred orientations on fine weave nosetips. Levels of roughness augmented heat transfer were generally shown to be below values predicted by state-of-the-art methods.

Modeling Growth of Nanostructures in Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hwang, Helen H.; Bose, Deepak; Govindan, T. R.; Meyyappan, M.

2004-01-01

As semiconductor circuits shrink to CDs below 0.1 nm, it is becoming increasingly critical to replace and/or enhance existing technology with nanoscale structures, such as nanowires for interconnects. Nanowires grown in plasmas are strongly dependent on processing conditions, such as gas composition and substrate temperature. Growth occurs at specific sites, or step-edges, with the bulk growth rate of the nanowires determined from the equation of motion of the nucleating crystalline steps. Traditional front-tracking algorithms, such as string-based or level set methods, suffer either from numerical complications in higher spatial dimensions, or from difficulties in incorporating surface-intense physical and chemical phenomena. Phase field models have the robustness of the level set method, combined with the ability to implement surface-specific chemistry that is required to model crystal growth, although they do not necessarily directly solve for the advancing front location. We have adopted a phase field approach and will present results of the adatom density and step-growth location in time as a function of processing conditions, such as temperature and plasma gas composition.

Can tidal energy farms create temperature fronts in the coastal ocean?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapiro, G. I.

2012-04-01

Although an industrial scale tidal farm comprising a large set of submerged turbines has not been built yet, tidal power is considered to be one of potential sources of renewable energy in the future. For example, India plans to install a 50MW tidal farm in the Gulf of Kutch which could be further expanded to deliver more than 200MW. As tidal stream generators extract kinetic energy from the ocean currents, they change the circulation pattern and hence affect the marine environment. Recent research has shown ( Shapiro, 2011, Neill et al., 2009) that a tidal farm can modify currents and sediment transport outside the farm as far as up to a hundred kilometres. This paper studies the potential effect of a tidal farm on the temperature structure in a shallow sea using a 3D ocean model POLCOMS which was modified to include effects of kinetic energy extraction as detailed in (Shapiro, 2011). The model is set up in the Celtic Sea known for its high levels of tidal energy. The model is driven by 15 tidal constituents and the meteo forcing. Effects of tidal farms of varying sizes and power capacities (from 50 MW to 1500MW) have been studied during summer months. The simulated farms are placed in various locations north of the Cornish coast. It has been shown that even smaller farms can modify temperature distribution as far as a few tens of kilometres from the farm, and sometimes generate localised temperature fronts. This effect is particularly strong during the month of June when the fronts penetrate from surface to the seabed. The fronts are more pronounced during the spring tides, however they are still seen during the neaps. As the seasonal thermocline strengthens towards the end of summer, the fronts are mostly seen in the upper ocean layer, with warmer waters in the area of the farm and cooler waters outside the farm. The physical mechanism of front generation is linked to abrupt changes in the current patterns due to energy extraction from the ocean. The currents inside the farm become weaker, whilst the currents outside the farm ( at a scale comparable to the baroclinic Rossby radius) become stronger. Such stronger currents enhance the mixing of the water column outside the farm, and weaker currents inside the farm reduce turbulent mixing and facilitate formation of a stronger thermocline. The overall effect is generally similar to the formation of fronts between tidally mixed and stratified areas of a shallow sea (Simpson and Hunter, 1974). Effect of geometrically smaller farms is less pronounced as the water particles travel in and out the affected zone during the tidal cycle (over the length of the tidal excursion) and hence are influenced by the above mechanism only during a proportion of the tidal cycle. Reduced vertical mixing within the area of the farm and positive heat balance explains higher temperatures at the surface. In the beginning of summer when thermal stratification is relatively week, the thermocline is significantly altered and the fronts propagate to a greater depth. Development of a stronger thermocline towards the end of summer inhibits the effect of mixing and the fluctuations of the depth of the upper mixed layer due to energy extraction are suppressed .

Polarization and wavelength diversities of Gulf Stream fronts imaged by AIRSAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J. S.; Jansen, R. W.; Marmorino, G. O.; Chubb, S. R.

1995-01-01

During the 1990 Gulf Stream Experiment, NASA/JPL AIRSAR imaged the north edge of the Gulf Stream near the coast of Virginia. Simultaneous in-situ measurements of currents, temperatures, salinities, etc. were made for several crossings of the north edge by the R/V Cape Henlopen. Measurements identified two fronts with shearing and converging flows. The polarimetric SAR images from the fronts showed two bright linear features. One of them corresponds to the temperature front, which separated the warm Gulf Stream water to the south from a cool, freshwater filament to the north. The other line, located about 8 km north of the temperature front, is believed to correspond to the velocity front between the filament and the slope water. At these fronts, wave-current interactions produced narrow bands of steep and breaking waves manifesting higher radar returns in polarimetric SAR images. In general, our AIRSAR imagery shows that the signal-to-clutter ratio of radar cross sections for the temperature front is higher than that of the velocity front. In this paper, we study the polarization and wavelength diversities of radar response of these two fronts using the P-, L-, and C-Band Polarimetric SAR data. The north-south flight path of the AIRSAR crossed the temperature front several times and provided valuable data for analysis. Three individual passes are investigated. We found that for the temperature front, the cross-pol (HV) responses are much higher than co-pol responses (VV and HH), and that P-Band HV has the highest signal to clutter ratio. For the velocity front, the ratio is the strongest in P-Band VV, and it is indistinguishable for all polarizations in C-Band. The radar cross sections for all three polarization (HH, HV, and VV) and for all three bands are modelled using an ocean wave model and a composite Bragg scattering model. In our initial investigations, the theoretical model agrees qualitatively with the AIRSAR observations.

Tidal variations of flow convergence, shear, and stratification at the Rio de la Plata estuary turbidity front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

FramiñAn, Mariana B.; Valle-Levinson, Arnoldo; Sepúlveda, HéCtor H.; Brown, Otis B.

2008-08-01

Intratidal variability of density and velocity fields is investigated at the turbidity front of the Río de la Plata Estuary, South America. Current velocity and temperature-salinity profiles collected in August 1999 along a repeated transect crossing the front are analyzed. Horizontal and vertical gradients, stability of the front, convergence zones, and transverse flow associated to the frontal boundary are described. Strong horizontal convergence of the across-front velocity and build up of along-front velocity shear were observed at the front. In the proximity of the front, enhanced transverse (or along-front) flow created jet-like structures at the surface and near the bottom flowing in opposite directions. These structures persisted throughout the tidal cycle and were advected upstream (downstream) by the flood (ebb) current through a distance of ˜10 km. During peak flood, the upper layer flow reversed from its predominant downstream direction and upstreamflow occupied the entire water column; outside the peak flood, two-layer estuarine circulation dominated. Changes in density field were observed in response to tidal straining, tidal advection, and wind-induced mixing, but stratification remained throughout the tidal cycle. This work demonstrates the large spatial variability of the velocity field at the turbidity front; it provides evidence of enhanced transverse circulation along the frontal boundary; and reveals the importance of advective and frictional intratidal processes in the dynamics of the central part of the estuary.

Using kinetic energy measurements from altimetry to detect shifts in the positions of fronts in the Southern Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, Don P.

2018-02-01

A novel analysis is performed utilizing cross-track kinetic energy (CKE) computed from along-track sea surface height anomalies. The midpoint of enhanced kinetic energy averaged over 3-year periods from 1993 to 2016 is determined across the Southern Ocean and examined to detect shifts in frontal positions, based on previous observations that kinetic energy is high around fronts in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current system due to jet instabilities. It is demonstrated that although the CKE does not represent the full eddy kinetic energy (computed from crossovers), the shape of the enhanced regions along ground tracks is the same, and CKE has a much finer spatial sampling of 6.9 km. Results indicate no significant shift in the front positions across the Southern Ocean, on average, although there are some localized, large movements. This is consistent with other studies utilizing sea surface temperature gradients, the latitude of mean transport, and the probability of jet occurrence, but is inconsistent with studies utilizing the movement of contours of dynamic topography.

Dish/stirling hybrid-receiver

DOEpatents

Mehos, Mark S.; Anselmo, Kenneth M.; Moreno, James B.; Andraka, Charles E.; Rawlinson, K. Scott; Corey, John; Bohn, Mark S.

2002-01-01

A hybrid high-temperature solar receiver is provided which comprises a solar heat-pipe-receiver including a front dome having a solar absorber surface for receiving concentrated solar energy, a heat pipe wick, a rear dome, a sidewall joining the front and the rear dome, and a vapor and a return liquid tube connecting to an engine, and a fossil fuel fired combustion system in radial integration with the sidewall for simultaneous operation with the solar heat pipe receiver, the combustion system comprising an air and fuel pre-mixer, an outer cooling jacket for tangentially introducing and cooling the mixture, a recuperator for preheating the mixture, a burner plenum having an inner and an outer wall, a porous cylindrical metal matrix burner firing radially inward facing a sodium vapor sink, the mixture ignited downstream of the matrix forming combustion products, an exhaust plenum, a fossil-fuel heat-input surface having an outer surface covered with a pin-fin array, the combustion products flowing through the array to give up additional heat to the receiver, and an inner surface covered with an extension of the heat-pipe wick, a pin-fin shroud sealed to the burner and exhaust plenums, an end seal, a flue-gas diversion tube and a flue-gas valve for use at off-design conditions to limit the temperature of the pre-heated air and fuel mixture, preventing pre-ignition.

Monitoring rock glacier dynamics and ground temperatures in the semiarid Andes (Chile, 30°S)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brenning, Alexander; Azócar, Guillermo F.; Bodin, Xavier

2013-04-01

Rock glaciers and mountain permafrost are widespread in the high semiarid Andes of Chile, where they concentrate greater amounts of ice than glaciers. Rock glaciers are of particular interest because in some cases the permafrost they contain might be in a degrading in response to climatic warming. This could result in increased dynamics and even to destabilization, which has been observed on some rock glaciers in the studied area. Displacement rates and active-layer temperatures of two rock glaciers as well as ground surface temperatures of the periglacial environment in the upper Elqui valley have been monitored since summer 2009/10 with funding from the Chilean Dirección General de Aguas. Differential GPS measurements of 115 points on the surface of two rock glaciers since April 2010 showed horizontal displacements of up to 1.3 m/a on the Llano de las Liebres rock glacier and up to 1.2 m/a on the Tapado rock glacier. General velocity patterns are consistent with the morphological evidence of activity (e.g., front slopes, looseness of debris) and for the Tapado complex, a clearly distinct activity from the debris-covered glacier was observed. Temperature measurements in four boreholes indicate active-layer depths of about 2.5 m at the highest locations on the Tapado rock glacier (~4400 m a.s.l.) and about 8 m near the front of the Llano rock glacier (3786 m a.s.l.). Spatial patterns of mean ground surface temperature (MGST) were analyzed with regards to influences of elevation, potential incoming solar radiation, location on ice-debris landforms (rock and debris-covered glaciers), and snow cover duration using linear mixed-effects models. While accounting for the other variables, sites with long-lasting snow patches had ~0.4°C lower MGST, and ice-debris landforms had ~0.4-0.6°C lower MGST than general debris surfaces, highlighting important local modifications to the general topographic variation of ground thermal conditions.

Development of a satellite microwave radiometer to sense the surface temperature of the world oceans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hidy, G. M.; Hall, W. F.; Hardy, W. N.; Ho, W. W.; Jones, A. C.; Love, A. W.; Vannmell, M. J.; Wang, H. H.; Wheeler, A. E.

1972-01-01

A proposed S-band radiometer for determining the ocean surface temperature with an absolute accuracy of + or - 1 Kelvin and a resolution of + or - .1 Kelvin was placed under the Advanced Applications Flight Experiment for further development into Nimbus readiness state. The results of assessing the following are described: effects due to the state of the sea surface, effects caused by the intervening atmosphere, and effects associated with imperfections in the instrument itself. An extensive sea truth program is also described for correlation of aircraft test flight measurements or of satellite remote measurement to in-situ data. An improved radiometer design is a modified Dicke-switch type with temperature stabilized, microwave integrated circuit, front-end and with a pulsed injection-noise nulling system. The radiometer has a multimode rectangular horn antenna with very low ohmic losses and a beam efficiency of 98% or better.

The influence of a surface tension minimum on the convective motion of a fluid in microgravity (D1 mission results)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limbourg, M. C.; Legros, J. C.; Petre, G.

The experiment STEM (Surface Tension Minimum) was performed in an experimental cell integrated in the FMP (Fluid Physics Module) during the D1 mission of Spacelab. The observation volume (1×2×3) cm3 was constituted by a stainless steel frame and by two optical Pyrex windows. It was fixed on the front disk of the FPM. The cell was filled under microgravity conditions by an aqueous solution of n-heptanol 6,04 10-3 molal. At equilibrium this system presents a minimum of surface tension as a function of temperature around 40°C. The fluid was heated from the front disk side of the cell. A temperature difference of 35°C was maintained between two opposite sides of the cell, by using the large heat capacity of a water reservoir in thermal contact with the cold side of the cell. The thermal gradient was parallel to the liquid/gas interface. The motions of the fluid were recorded on video-tapes and the velocities were determined by following latex particles used as tracers. The convective pattern is analysed and compared with ground experiments. In this case the tracer trajectories allow to determine the convective patterns and the velocities are determined by laser doppler anemometry.

Ceramic tile expansion engine housing

DOEpatents

Myers, Blake

1995-01-01

An expandable ceramic tile housing for a high temperature engine is disclosed wherein each tile is independently supported in place in an interlocking matrix by retention mechanisms which mechanically couple the individual ceramic tiles to an outer metal support housing while maintaining thermal isolation of the metal housing from the ceramic tiles. The ceramic tiles are formed with either an octagonal front face portion and a square shank portion or a square front face portion with an octagonal shank portion. The length of the sides of the octagonal front face portion on one tile is equal to the length of the sides of the square front face portion of adjoining tiles to permit formation of an interlocking matrix. Fibrous ceramic sealing material may be placed between radial and tangential facing surfaces of adjacent tiles to limit radial gas flow therebetween. Labyrinth-sealed pressure-controlled compartments may be established between the tile housing and the outer metal support housing to control radial gas flow.

Ceramic tile expansion engine housing

DOEpatents

Myers, B.

1995-04-11

An expandable ceramic tile housing for a high temperature engine is disclosed wherein each tile is independently supported in place in an interlocking matrix by retention mechanisms which mechanically couple the individual ceramic tiles to an outer metal support housing while maintaining thermal isolation of the metal housing from the ceramic tiles. The ceramic tiles are formed with either an octagonal front face portion and a square shank portion or a square front face portion with an octagonal shank portion. The length of the sides of the octagonal front face portion on one tile is equal to the length of the sides of the square front face portion of adjoining tiles to permit formation of an interlocking matrix. Fibrous ceramic sealing material may be placed between radial and tangential facing surfaces of adjacent tiles to limit radial gas flow there between. Labyrinth-sealed pressure-controlled compartments may be established between the tile housing and the outer metal support housing to control radial gas flow. 8 figures.

Modulation mechanisms of marine atmospheric boundary layer at the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Camargo, Ricardo; Todesco, Enzo; Pezzi, Luciano Ponzi; de Souza, Ronald Buss

2013-06-01

The influence of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (BMC) region on the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) is investigated through in situ data analysis of five different cruises (2004 to 2008) and numerical experiments with a regional atmospheric model. Two different groups of numerical experiments were performed in order to evaluate the relevance of static stability and hydrostatic balance physical mechanisms for the MABL instability. The first group used monthly climatological sea surface temperature (SST) as bottom boundary condition while the second used daily updated Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS SST data together with radiosondes and surface data assimilation. A reasonable agreement between numerical results and QuikSCAT wind data was observed through correlation coefficients and mean square error values. In terms of the horizontal structure of the MABL, stronger winds were found over the warm side of the BMC region as well as over the thermal front itself, which supports the coexistence of both modulation mechanisms. The analyzed patterns of surface atmospheric thermal advection showed a clear interaction between the synoptic and regional scales. The signature of the oceanic thermal front (almost meridionally oriented) on the air temperature at 2 m makes the temperature advection strongly determined by the zonal component of the wind. The analysis of momentum budget terms did not show a clear and reasonable explanation of the existence or predominance of the modulation mechanisms, and it also suggested the relevance of other effects, such as the idea based on unbalanced Coriolis force and turbulence/friction effects.

The anodic emitter effect and its inversion demonstrated by temperature measurements at doped and undoped tungsten electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoebing, T.; Bergner, A.; Hermanns, P.; Mentel, J.; Awakowicz, P.

2016-04-01

The admixture of a small amount of emitter oxides, e.g. \\text{Th}{{\\text{O}}2} , \\text{L}{{\\text{a}}2}{{\\text{O}}3} or \\text{C}{{\\text{e}}2}{{\\text{O}}3} to tungsten generates the so-called emitter effect. It reduces the work function of tungsten cathodes, that are applied in high intensity discharge (HID) lamps. After leaving the electrode bulk and moving to the surface, a monolayer of Th, La, or Ce atoms is formed on the surface, which reduces the effective work function ϕ. Depending on the coverage of the electrode, the effective reduction in ϕ is subjected to the thermal desorption of the monolayer from the hot electrode surface. The thermal desorption of emitter atoms from the cathode is compensated not only by the supply from the interior of the electrode and by surface diffusion of the emitter material to its tip, but also to a large extent by a repatriation of the emitter ions from the plasma by the strong electric field in front of the cathode. Yet, an emitter ion current from the arc discharge to the anode may only be present, if the anode is cold enough to refrain from thermionic emission. Therefore, the ability of emitter oxides to reduce the temperature of tungsten anodes is only given for a moderate temperature so that the thermal desorption is low and an additional ion current is present in front of the anode. A higher electrode temperature leads to their evaporation and to an inversion of the emitter effect, which increases the temperature of the respective anodes in comparison with pure tungsten anodes. Within this article, the emitter effect of doped tungsten anodes and the transition to its inversion is investigated for thoriated, lanthanated, and ceriated tungsten electrodes by measurements of the electrode temperature in dependence on the discharge current. It is shown for a lanthanated and a ceriated anode that the emitter effect is sustained by an ion current at anode temperatures at which the thermal evaporation of emitter material is completed.

Degradation of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer and Graphite by Laser Heating

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

and (d) bare fiber [α + 0.1 (- ⋅ -), α(T) (⎯), and α - 0.1 (- - -)] on front and backside laser center temperatures at 5 W/cm2. The effect is...be limited by the consumption of oxygen by surface reactions and the outflow of volatile epoxy decomposition products. 13 Epoxy Decomposition...adjusted to include the effect of emissivity (at 3.9 µm) by multiplying radiance by ε before converting to temperature . It should also be noted that the

Acoustic inspection device

DOEpatents

Diaz, Aaron A.; Burghard, Brion J.; Skorpik, James R.; Pappas, Richard A.; Mullen, O. Dennis; Samuel, Todd J.; Reid, Larry D.; Harris, Joe C.; Valencia, Juan D.; Smalley, Jonathan T.; Shepard, Chester L.; Taylor, Theodore T.

2005-09-06

An ultrasound inspection apparatus particularly adapted to examine containers (sealed or unsealed) containing a liquid or solid bulk material. The apparatus has an overall configuration of a hand held pistol with a front transducer contact surface that is positioned against a front wall of the container. An ultrasound pulse is transmitted from the apparatus to be reflected from a back wall of a container being investigated. The received echo pulse is converted to a digital waveform. The waveform is analyzed relative to temperature, travel distance of the pulse(s), and time of travel to ascertain characteristics of the liquid or other materials and to provide identification of the same.

Freeze-cast alumina pore networks: Effects of freezing conditions and dispersion medium

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

Miller, S. M.; Xiao, X.; Faber, K. T.

Alumina ceramics were freeze-cast from water- and camphene-based slurries under varying freezing conditions and examined using X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Pore network characteristics, i.e., porosity, pore size, geometric surface area, and tortuosity, were measured from XCT reconstructions and the data were used to develop a model to predict feature size from processing conditions. Classical solidification theory was used to examine relationships between pore size, temperature gradients, and freezing front velocity. Freezing front velocity was subsequently predicted from casting conditions via the two-phase Stefan problem. Resulting models for water-based samples agreed with solidification-based theories predicting lamellar spacing of binary eutectic alloys,more » and models for camphene-based samples concurred with those for dendritic growth. Relationships between freezing conditions and geometric surface area were also modeled by considering the inverse relationship between pore size and surface area. Tortuosity was determined to be dependent primarily on the type of dispersion medium. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

Core and body surface temperatures of nesting leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea).

PubMed

Burns, Thomas J; McCafferty, Dominic J; Kennedy, Malcolm W

2015-07-01

Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are the largest species of marine turtle and the fourth most massive extant reptile. In temperate waters they maintain body temperatures higher than surrounding seawater through a combination of insulation, physiological, and behavioural adaptations. Nesting involves physical activity in addition to contact with warm sand and air, potentially presenting thermal challenges in the absence of the cooling effect of water, and data are lacking with which to understand their nesting thermal biology. Using non-contact methods (thermal imaging and infrared thermometry) to avoid any stress-related effects, we investigated core and surface temperature during nesting. The mean±SE core temperature was 31.4±0.05°C (newly emerged eggs) and was not correlated with environmental conditions on the nesting beach. Core temperature of leatherbacks was greater than that of hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting at a nearby colony, 30.0±0.13°C. Body surface temperatures of leatherbacks showed regional variation, the lateral and dorsal regions of the head were warmest while the carapace was the coolest surface. Surface temperature increased during the early nesting phases, then levelled off or decreased during later phases with the rates of change varying between body regions. Body region, behavioural phase of nesting and air temperature were found to be the best predictors of surface temperature. Regional variation in surface temperature were likely due to alterations in blood supply, and temporal changes in local muscular activity of flippers during the different phases of nesting. Heat exchange from the upper surface of the turtle was dominated by radiative heat loss from all body regions and small convective heat gains to the carapace and front flippers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing superalloys at 2000 (1367) and 2200 F (1478 K) in a Mach 4.6 airstream

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Land, D. W.; Williams, R. R.; Rinehart, W. A.

1972-01-01

Seven superalloy models were tested in a plasma arc tunnel facility. The test models were 3 in. (7.62cm) square flat surfaces (nominally 0.01 to 0.02 in. (0.0254 to 0.0508 cm) thick) held in a water-cooled wedge holder at a 60 deg (1.05 rad) angle of attack. The models were cycled 25 times (two were cycled 50 times) for 10 min each cycle in a Mach 4.6 test stream with the model leading edge temperature maintained at 2200 F (1478 K) (one at 2000 F (1367 K)). Backface temperatures were measured with four platinum-platinum 10% rhodium thermocouples and the front surface temperatures with an optical pyrometer. Four different nickel base alloy materials and one cobalt material were evaluated.

Variability in Ocean Color Associated with Phytoplankton and Terrigenous Matter: Time Series Measurements and Algorithm Development at the FRONT Site on the New England Continental Shelf. Chapter 12

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, John R.; Sosik, Heidi M.

2003-01-01

Fronts in the coastal ocean describe areas of strong horizontal gradients in both physical and biological properties associated with tidal mixing and freshwater estuarine output (e.g. Simpson, 1981 and O Donnell, 1993). Related gradients in optically important constituents mean that fronts can be observed from space as changes in ocean color as well as sea surface temperature (e.g., Dupouy et al., 1986). This research program is designed to determine which processes and optically important constituents must be considered to explain ocean color variations associated with coastal fronts on the New England continental shelf, in particular the National Ocean Partnership Program (NOPP) Front Resolving Observational Network with Telemetry (FRONT) site. This site is located at the mouth of Long Island sound and was selected after the analysis of 12 years of AVHRR data showed the region to be an area of strong frontal activity (Ullman and Cornillon, 1999). FRONT consists of a network of modem nodes that link bottom mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) and profiling arrays. At the center of the network is the Autonomous Vertically Profiling Plankton Observatory (AVPPO) (Thwaites et al. 1998). The AVPPO consists of buoyant sampling vehicle and a trawl-resistant bottom-mounted enclosure, which holds a winch, the vehicle (when not sampling), batteries, and controller. Three sampling systems are present on the vehicle, a video plankton recorder, a CTD with accessory sensors, and a suite of bio-optical sensors including Satlantic OCI-200 and OCR-200 spectral radiometers and a WetLabs ac-9 dual path absorption and attenuation meter. At preprogrammed times the vehicle is released, floats to the surface, and is then winched back into the enclosure with power and data connection maintained through the winch cable. Communication to shore is possible through a bottom cable and nearby surface telemetry buoy, equipped with a mobile modem, giving the capability for near-real time data transmission and interactive sampling control.

Spectral and temperature-dependent infrared emissivity measurements of painted metals for improved temperature estimation during laser damage testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumann, Sean M.; Keenan, Cameron; Marciniak, Michael A.; Perram, Glen P.

2014-10-01

A database of spectral and temperature-dependent emissivities was created for painted Al-alloy laser-damage-testing targets for the purpose of improving the uncertainty to which temperature on the front and back target surfaces may be estimated during laser-damage testing. Previous temperature estimates had been made by fitting an assumed gray-body radiance curve to the calibrated spectral radiance data collected from the back surface using a Telops Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (IFTS). In this work, temperature-dependent spectral emissivity measurements of the samples were made from room temperature to 500 °C using a Surface Optics Corp. SOC-100 Hemispherical Directional Reflectometer (HDR) with Nicolet FTS. Of particular interest was a high-temperature matte-black enamel paint used to coat the rear surfaces of the Al-alloy samples. The paint had been assumed to have a spectrally flat and temperatureinvariant emissivity. However, the data collected using the HDR showed both spectral variation and temperature dependence. The uncertainty in back-surface temperature estimation during laser-damage testing made using the measured emissivities was improved from greater than +10 °C to less than +5 °C for IFTS pixels away from the laser burn-through hole, where temperatures never exceeded those used in the SOC-100 HDR measurements. At beam center, where temperatures exceeded those used in the SOC-100 HDR, uncertainty in temperature estimates grew beyond those made assuming gray-body emissivity. Accurate temperature estimations during laser-damage testing are useful in informing a predictive model for future high-energy-laser weapon applications.

AUV and Aircraft Measurements of an Internal Hydraulic Jump at the Mouth of the Columbia River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeil, C. L.

2016-02-01

In 2013, an extensive 3-km long persistent hydraulic jump in the Mouth of the Columbia River (MCR) was captured in a joint pilot study involving coordinated autonomous and remote sensing observations. Airborne thermal infrared (IR) cameras provided observations of surface brightness temperature, while an along-track interferometric synthetic aperture radar (ATI-SAR) measured surface velocity and roughness. Subsurface hydrographic surveys were conducted with a REMUS autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). These observations showed a flow- oblique stationary front that persisted through most of an ebb-tide. A pronounced dip and divergence (mixing) of the isohaline surfaces downstream of the surface front suggested that the newly-discovered feature is an internal hydraulic jump. Hydraulic jumps reduce kinetic energy of a laminar flow, partially converting it to turbulent kinetic energy that, in turn, increases the potential energy of the system via mixing. Our goal is to quantify this mixing associated with the MCR jump using our existing data, and more generally assess the jump's impact on the physics and biology of the lower estuary, plume, and coastal ocean.

Breakdown of a gas on a metallic surface by CO2 laser pulses of 10-1000 microsec duration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalev, A. S.; Popov, A. M.; Rakhimov, A. T.; Seleznev, B. V.; Khropov, S. M.

1985-04-01

The formation of a plasma on the surface of a metal target under direct exposure to a CO2 laser is studied theoretically. A classical kinetic equation is derived to calculate the critical radiation intensity of several metallic target materials. Experimental measurements of the time to the development of optical breakdown are found to agree with the theoretical results. It is shown that the breakdown discontinuity of the target shifts to the front of the laser pulse if the temperature of the radiation exceeds the critical temperature. No relation was found between the breakdown discontinuity and the boiling point of the metallic target materials.

Field ion microscopic studies of the CO oxidation on platinum: Field ion imaging and titration reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorodetskii, V.; Drachsel, W.; Block, J. H.

1994-05-01

Elementary steps of the CO oxidation—which are important for understanding the oscillatory behavior of this catalytic reaction—are investigated simultaneously on different Pt-single crystal surfaces by field ion microscopy. Due to preferential ionization probabilities of oxygen as imaging gas on those surface sites, which are adsorbed with oxygen, these sites can be imaged in a lateral resolution on the atomic scale. In the titration reaction a COad-precovered field emitter surface reacts with gaseous oxygen adsorbed from the gas phase or, vice versa, the Oad-precovered surface with carbon monoxide adsorbed from the gas phase. The competition of the manifold of single crystal planes exposed to the titration reaction at the field emitter tip is studied. The surface specificity can be documented in the specific reaction delay times of the different planes and in the propagation rates of the reaction-diffusion wave fronts measured on these individual planes during the titration reaction with a time resolution of 40 ms. At 300 K the COad-precovered surfaces display the {011} regions, precisely the {331} planes as the most active, followed by {012}, {122}, {001}, and finally by {111}. Reaction wave fronts move with a velocity of 8 Å/s at {012}, with ≊0.8 Å/s at {111}, and have a very fast ``switch-on'' reaction at the (001) plane with 500 Å/s. At higher temperature, T=350 K, an acceleration of reaction rates is combined with shorter delay times. The titration reaction of a precovered Oad surface with COgas at T=373 K shows the formation of CO islands starting in the {011} regions with a quickly moving reaction front into the other surface areas without showing particular delay times for different surface symmetries. The two reverse titration reactions have a largely different character. The titration of COad with oxygen adsorbed from the gas phase consists of three different steps, (i) the induction times, (ii) the highly surface specific reaction, and (iii) different rates of wave front propagation. The reaction of COgas with a precovered Oad layer on the other hand starts with nucleating islands around the {011} planes from where the whole emitter surface is populated with COad without pronounced surface specifity.

Climatology and variability of SST frontal activity in Eastern Pacific Ocean over the past decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Yuan, Y.

2016-12-01

Distribution of sea surface temperature (SST) fronts are derived from high-resolution MODIS dataset in Eastern Pacific Ocean from 2003 to 2015. Daily distribution of frontal activities shows detailed feature and movement of front and the discontinuity of the track of front cause by cloud coverage. Monthly frontal probability is calculated to investigate corresponding climatology and variability. Frontal probability is generally higher along the coast and decreasing offshore. The frontal activity could extend few hundreds of kilometers near the major capes and central Pacific Ocean. SST gradient associated with front is changing over different latitude with stronger gradient near the mid-latitude and under major topographic effects near tropics. Corresponding results from empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) shows major variability of SST front is found in mid-latitude and central Pacific Ocean. The temporal variability captures a strong interannual and annual variability in those regions, while Intraannual variability are found more important at small scale near major capes and topographic features. The frontal variability is highly impacted by wind stress, upwelling, air-sea interaction, current, topography, eddy activity, El Nino along with other factors. And front plays an importance role in influencing the distribution of nutrients, the activity of fisheries and the development of ecosystems.

Analysis of Ultra High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature Level 4 Datasets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, Grant

2011-01-01

Sea surface temperature (SST) studies are often focused on improving accuracy, or understanding and quantifying uncertainties in the measurement, as SST is a leading indicator of climate change and represents the longest time series of any ocean variable observed from space. Over the past several decades SST has been studied with the use of satellite data. This allows a larger area to be studied with much more frequent measurements being taken than direct measurements collected aboard ship or buoys. The Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) is an international project that distributes satellite derived sea surface temperatures (SST) data from multiple platforms and sensors. The goal of the project is to distribute these SSTs for operational uses such as ocean model assimilation and decision support applications, as well as support fundamental SST research and climate studies. Examples of near real time applications include hurricane and fisheries studies and numerical weather forecasting. The JPL group has produced a new 1 km daily global Level 4 SST product, the Multiscale Ultrahigh Resolution (MUR), that blends SST data from 3 distinct NASA radiometers: the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer ? Earth Observing System(AMSRE). This new product requires further validation and accuracy assessment, especially in coastal regions.We examined the accuracy of the new MUR SST product by comparing the high resolution version and a lower resolution version that has been smoothed to 19 km (but still gridded to 1 km). Both versions were compared to the same data set of in situ buoy temperature measurements with a focus on study regions of the oceans surrounding North and Central America as well as two smaller regions around the Gulf Stream and California coast. Ocean fronts exhibit high temperature gradients (Roden, 1976), and thus satellite data of SST can be used in the detection of these fronts. In this case, accuracy is less of a concern because the primary focus is on the spatial derivative of SST. We calculated the gradients for both versions of the MUR data set and did statistical comparisons focusing on the same regions.

Shocking features in the merging galaxy cluster RXJ0334.2-0111

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasadia, Sarthak; Sun, Ming; Morandi, Andrea; Sarazin, Craig; Clarke, Tracy; Nulsen, Paul; Massaro, Francesco; Roediger, Elke; Harris, Dan; Forman, Bill

2016-05-01

We present a 66 ks Chandra X-ray observation of the galaxy cluster RXJ0334.2-0111. This deep observation revealed a unique bow shock system associated with a wide angle tail (WAT) radio galaxy and several intriguing substructures. The temperature across the bow shock jumps by a factor of ˜1.5 (from 4.1 to 6.2 keV), and is consistent with the Mach number M = 1.6_{-0.3}^{+0.5}. A second inner surface brightness edge is a cold front that marks the border between infalling subcluster cool core and the intracluster medium of the main cluster. The temperature across the cold front increases from 1.3_{-0.8}^{+0.3} to 6.2_{-0.6}^{+0.6} keV. We find an overpressurized region ˜250 kpc east of the cold front that is named `the eastern extension (EE)'. The EE may be a part of the third subcluster in the ongoing merger. We also find a tail shaped feature that originates near the bow shock and may extend up to a distance of ˜1 Mpc. This feature is also likely overpressurized. The luminous FR-I radio galaxy, 3C89, appears to be the cD galaxy of the infalling subcluster. We estimated 3C89's jet power from jet bending and the possible interaction between the X-ray gas and the radio lobes. A comparison between the shock stand-off distance and the Mach number for all known shock front/cold front combinations suggests that the core is continuously shrinking in size by stripping.

Visualization analysis of tiger-striped flow mark generation phenomena in injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owada, Shigeru; Yokoi, Hidetoshi

2016-03-01

The generation mechanism of tiger-striped flow marks of polypropylene (PP)/rubber/talc blends in injection molding was investigated by dynamic visualization analysis in a glass-inserted mold. The analysis revealed that the behavior of the melt flow front correlates with the flow mark generation. The cloudy part in the tiger-striped flow marks corresponded to the low transcription rate area of the melt diverging near the cavity wall, while the glossy part corresponded to the high transcription rate area of the melt converging toward the cavity wall side. The melt temperature at the high transcription rate area was slightly lower than that at the low transcription rate area. These phenomena resulted due to the difference in the temperature of the melt front that was caused by the asymmetric fountain flow. These results suggest the followings; At the moment when the melt is broken near the one side of cavity wall due to piling the extensional strains up to a certain level, the melt spurts out near the broken side. It results in generating asymmetric fountain flow temporarily to relax the extensional front surface, which moves toward the opposite side to form the high transcription area.

Shocks and cold fronts in merging and massive galaxy clusters: new detections with Chandra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botteon, A.; Gastaldello, F.; Brunetti, G.

2018-06-01

A number of merging galaxy clusters show the presence of shocks and cold fronts, i.e. sharp discontinuities in surface brightness and temperature. The observation of these features requires an X-ray telescope with high spatial resolution like Chandra, and allows to study important aspects concerning the physics of the intracluster medium (ICM), such as its thermal conduction and viscosity, as well as to provide information on the physical conditions leading to the acceleration of cosmic rays and magnetic field amplification in the cluster environment. In this work we search for new discontinuities in 15 merging and massive clusters observed with Chandra by using different imaging and spectral techniques of X-ray observations. Our analysis led to the discovery of 22 edges: six shocks, eight cold fronts, and eight with uncertain origin. All the six shocks detected have M< 2 derived from density and temperature jumps. This work contributed to increase the number of discontinuities detected in clusters and shows the potential of combining diverse approaches aimed to identify edges in the ICM. A radio follow-up of the shocks discovered in this paper will be useful to study the connection between weak shocks and radio relics.

Evaporation enhancement in soils: a critical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutten, Martine; van de Giesen, Nick

2015-04-01

Temperature gradients in the top layer of the soil are, especially during the daytime, steeper than would be expected if thermal conduction was the primary heat transfer mechanism. Evaporation seems to have significant influence on the soil heat budget. Only part of the surface soil heat flux is conducted downwards, increasing the soil temperatures, and part is used for evaporation, acting as a sink to the soil heat budget. For moist soils, the evaporation is limited by the transport of water molecules to the surface. The classical view is that water vapor is transported from the evaporation front to the surface by diffusion. Diffusion is mixing due to the random movement of molecules resulting in flattening concentration gradients. In soil, the diffusive vapor flux and the resulting latent heat flux are generally small. We found that transport enhancement is necessary in order to sustain vapor fluxes that are large enough to sustain latent heat fluxes, as well as being large enough to explain the observed temperature gradients. Enhancement of vapor diffusion is a known phenomenon, subject to debate on the explanations of underlying mechanism. In an extensive literature review on vapor enhancement in soils, the plausibility of various mechanisms was assessed. We reviewed mechanisms based on (combinations of) diffusive, viscous, buoyant, capillary and external pressure forces including: thermodiffusion, dispersion, Stefan's flow, Knudsen diffusion, liquid island effect, hydraulic lift, free convection, double diffusive convection and forced convection. The analysis of the order of magnitude of the mechanisms based on first principles clearly distinguished between plausible and implausible mechanisms. Thermodiffusion, Stefan's flow, Knudsen effects, liquid islands do not significantly contribute to enhanced evaporation. Double diffusive convection seemed unlikely due to lack of experimental evidence, but could not be completely excluded from the list of potential mechanisms. Hydraulic lift, the mechanism that small capillaries lift liquid water to the surface where it evaporates, does significantly contribute to enhanced evaporation from soils, also from dryer soils. The experimental evidence for and the theoretical underpinnings of this mechanism are convincing. However, we sought mechanisms that both explain enhanced evaporation and steep temperature gradients in the soil during the daytime. These often observed gradients consist of a sharp decrease of temperature with a depth up to the depth of the evaporation front. Hydraulic lift cannot explain this because the evaporation front is located at the surface. One remaining mechanism is forced convection due to atmospheric pressure fluctuations, also referred to as wind pumping. Wind pumping causes displacement and flow velocities too small for significant convective and too small for significant dispersive transport, when steady state dispersion formulations are used. However, experiments do indicate significant dispersive transport that can be explained by dispersion under unsteady flow conditions. Forced convection due to pressure fluctuations seems to be the only mechanism that can explain both enhanced evaporation and the steep temperature gradients.

Factors leading to the formation of arc cloud complexes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welshinger, Mark John; Brundidge, Kenneth C.

1987-01-01

A total of 12 mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) were investigated. The duration of the gust front, produced by each MCS, was used to classify the MCSs. Category 1 MCSs were defined as ones that produced a gust front and the gust front lasted for more than 6 h. There were 7 category 1 MCSs in the sample. Category 2 MCSs were defined as ones that produced a gust front and the gust front lasted for 6 h or less. There were 4 category 2 MCSs. The MCS of Case 12 was not categorized because the precipitation characteristics were similar to a squall line, rather than an MCS. All of the category 1 MCSs produced arc cloud complexes (ACCs), while only one of the category 2 MCSs produced an ACC. To determine if there were any differences in the characteristics between the MCSs of the two categories, composite analyses were accomplished. The analyses showed that there were significant differences in the characteristics of category 1 and 2 MCSs. Category 1 MCSs, on average, had higher thunderstorm heights, greater precipitation intensities, colder cloud top temperatures and produced larger magnitudes of surface divergence than category 2 MCSs.

Dynamic atomic layer epitaxy of InN on/in +c-GaN matrix: Effect of “In+N” coverage and capping timing by GaN layer on effective InN thickness

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

Yoshikawa, Akihiko, E-mail: yoshi@faculty.chiba-u.jp; Graduate School of Engineering, Kogakuin University, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0015; Kusakabe, Kazuhide

2016-01-11

The growth front in the self-organizing and self-limiting epitaxy of ∼1 monolayer (ML)-thick InN wells on/in +c-GaN matrix by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) has been studied in detail, with special attention given to the behavior and role of the N atoms. The growth temperatures of interest are above 600 °C, far higher than the typical upper critical temperature of 500 °C in MBE. It was confirmed that 2 ML-thick InN wells can be frozen/inserted in GaN matrix at 620 °C, but it was found that N atoms at the growth front tend to selectively re-evaporate more quickly than In atoms at temperatures highermore » than 650 °C. As a result, the effective thickness of inserted InN wells in the GaN matrix at 660–670 °C were basically 1 ML or sub-ML, even though they were capped by a GaN barrier at the time of 2 ML “In+N” coverage. Furthermore, it was found that the N atoms located below In atoms in the dynamic atomic layer epitaxy growth front had remarkably weaker bonding to the +c-GaN surface.« less

Formation of temperature front in stably stratified turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, Yoshifumi; Sullivan, Peter; Herring, Jackson

2016-11-01

An important feature of stably stratified turbulence is the significant influence of internal gravity waves which makes stably stratified turbulence unique compared to homogeneous isotropic turbulence. In this paper, we investigate the genesis of temperature fronts-a crucial subject both practically and fundamentally-in stably stratified turbulence using Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of the Navier-Stokes equation under the Boussinesq approximation with 10243 grid points. Vertical profiles of temperature fluctuations show almost vertically periodic sawtooth wavy structures with negative and positive layers stacked together with clear boundaries implying a sharp temperature fronts. The sawtooth waves consist of gradual decreasing temperature fluctuations with rapid recovery to a positive value as the frontal boundary is crossed vertically. This asymmetry of gradients comes from the structure that warm temperature region lies on top of cool temperature region, and can be verified in the skewed probability density function (PDF) of vertical temperature gradient. We try to extract the flow structures and mechanism for the formation and maintenance of the strong temperature front numerically.

Pulsed discharges produced by high-power surface waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böhle, A.; Ivanov, O.; Kolisko, A.; Kortshagen, U.; Schlüter, H.; Vikharev, A.

1996-02-01

The mechanisms of the ionization front advance in surface-wave-produced discharges are investigated using two experimental set-ups. The high-power surface waves are excited in a 3 cm wavelength band by a surfaguide and a novel type of launcher (an E-plane junction). The ionization front velocity of the surface wave is measured for a wide range of gas pressures, incident microwave power and initial pre-ionization. The experimental results are compared with theoretical ones based on three different models. The comparison between theory and experiment allows one to suggest a new interpretation of the ionization front's advance. The ionization front velocity is determined by a breakdown wave or an ionization wave in the electric field of a high-power surface wave in the zone near the ionization front.

Flame front propagation in a channel with porous walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golovastov, S. V.; Bivol, G. Yu

2016-11-01

Propagation of the detonation front in hydrogen-air mixture was investigated in rectangular cross-section channels with sound-absorbing boundaries. The front of luminescence was detected in a channel with acoustically absorbing walls as opposed to a channel with solid walls. Flame dynamics was recorded using a high-speed camera. The flame was observed to have a V-shaped profile in the acoustically absorbing section. The possible reason for the formation of the V-shaped flame front is friction under the surface due to open pores. In these shear flows, the kinetic energy of the flow on the surface can be easily converted into heat. A relatively small disturbance may eventually lead to significant local stretching of the flame front surface. Trajectories of the flame front along the axis and the boundary are presented for solid and porous surfaces.

Influence of distance between focusing lens and target surface on laser-induced Cu plasma temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ying; Chen, Anmin; Wang, Qiuyun; Sui, Laizhi; Ke, Da; Cao, Sheng; Li, Suyu; Jiang, Yuanfei; Jin, Mingxing

2018-03-01

In this study, the influence of distance between the focusing lens and target surface on the plasma temperature of copper induced by a Nd:YAG laser was investigated in the atmosphere. The plasma temperature was calculated by using the Cu (I) lines (510.55 nm, 515.32 nm, and 521.82 nm). The Cu (I) lines were recorded under different lens-to-sample distances and laser pulse energies (15.8 mJ, 27.0 mJ, 43.4 mJ, 59.2 mJ, and 76.8 mJ). The results indicated that the plasma temperature depended strongly on the distance between the focusing lens and target surface. With the increase in the distance, the plasma temperature firstly rose, and then dropped. This could be attributed to the interaction between the tailing of the nanosecond laser pulse and the front portion of the plasma plume, the plasma shielding effect, and the expanding of the plasma. In addition, there was an interesting phenomenon that the plasma temperature and the emission intensity were not completely consistent with the change of the lens-to-sample distance. It is hoped that our research will provide a deeper insight into the underlying physical processes.

Evaluating the role of fronts in habitat overlaps between cold and warm water species in the western North Pacific: A proof of concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mugo, Robinson M.; Saitoh, Sei-Ichi; Takahashi, Fumihiro; Nihira, Akira; Kuroyama, Tadaaki

2014-09-01

Cold- and warm-water species' fishing grounds show a spatial synchrony around fronts in the western North Pacific (WNP). However, it is not yet clear whether a front (thermal, salinity or chlorophyll) acts as an absolute barrier to fish migration on either side or its structure allows interaction of species with different physiological requirements. Our objective was to assess potential areas of overlap between cold- and warm-water species using probabilities of presence derived from fishery datasets and remotely sensed environment data in the Kuroshio-Oyashio region in the WNP. Fishery data comprised skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) fishing locations and proxy presences (derived from fishing night light images) for neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartrami) and Pacific saury (Cololabis saira). Monthly (August-November) satellite remotely sensed sea-surface temperature, chlorophyll-a and sea-surface height anomaly images were used as environment data. Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) models were used to determine probabilities of presence (PoP) for each set of fishery and environment data for the area 35-45°N and 140-160°E. Maps of both sets of PoPs were compared and areas of overlap identified using a combined probability map. Results indicated that areas of spatial overlap existed among the species habitats, which gradually widened from September to November. The reasons for these overlaps include the presence of strong thermal/ocean-color gradients between cold Oyashio and warm Kuroshio waters, and also the presence of the sub-arctic front. Due to the high abundance of food along frontal zones, the species use the fronts as foraging grounds while confining within physiologically tolerable waters on either side of the front. The interaction zone around the front points to areas that might be accessible to both species for foraging, which suggests intense prey-predator interaction zones.

Time resolved quantitative imaging of charring in materials at temperatures above 1000 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böhrk, Hannah; Jemmali, Raouf

2016-07-01

A device is presented allowing for in situ investigation of chemically changing materials by means of X-ray imaging. A representative cork ablator sample, additionally instrumented with thermocouples, is encapsulated in an evacuated cell heating a sample surface with a heat flux of 230 kW/m2. The images show the sample surface and the in-depth progression of the char front dividing the char layer from the virgin material. Correlating the images to thermocouple data allows for the deduction of a reaction temperature. For the representative cork ablator investigated at the present conditions, the progression rate of the pyrolysis layer is determined to 0.0285 mm/s and pyrolysis temperature is 770 or 737 K, depending on the pre-existing conditions. It is found that the novel device is ideally suited for volume process imaging.

Performance Technology Program (PTP-S 2). Volume 9: Evaluation of reentry vehicle nosetip transition and heat transfer in the AEDC hyperballistics track G

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wassel, A. T.; Shih, W. C. L.; Curtis, R. J.

1981-01-01

Boundary layer transition and surface heating distributions on graphite fine weave carbon-carbon, and metallic nosetip materials were derived from surface temperature responses measured in nitrogen environments during both free-flight and track-guided testing in the AEDC Hyperballistics Range/Track G. Innovative test procedures were developed, and heat transfer results were validated against established theory through experiments using a super-smooth tungsten model. Quantitative definitions of mean transition front locations were established by deriving heat flux distributions from measured temperatures, and comparisons made with existing nosetip transition correlations. Qualitative transition locations were inferred directly from temperature distributions to investigate preferred orientations on fine weave nosetips. Levels of roughness augmented heat transfer were generally shown to be below values predicted by state of the art methods.

Methodology of investigation of ultra high temperature ceramics thermochemical stability and catalycity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaganov, A. V.; Zhestkov, B. E.; Lyamin, Yu. B.; Poilov, V. Z.; Pryamilova, E. N.

2016-10-01

The 12 ceramics samples of Ural Research Institute of Composite Materials were investigated in the wind tunnel VAT-104 of TsAGI in air plasma flow which simulated the hypervelocity flight. Model used were discs and blunted cones. All samples had withstood the tests without decomposition, the sample temperature and test time being respectively up to 2800 K and 1200 seconds. It was found there is a big delay in heating of the samples, thought they are of great thermo conductivity. A very interesting phenomenon, the formation of highly catalytic thermo barrier film on the front surface of sample, was also observed. It was a formation of this film that coursed a jump of 500-1000 K of surface temperature during the test. The sample catalytic activity was evaluated using modernized methodology based upon parametrical numerical simulation.

Apparatus for characterizing the temporo-spatial properties of a dynamic fluid front and method thereof

DOEpatents

Battiste, Richard L.

2007-12-25

Methods and apparatus are described for characterizing the temporal-spatial properties of a dynamic fluid front within a mold space while the mold space is being filled with fluid. A method includes providing a mold defining a mold space and having one or more openings into the mold space; heating a plurality of temperature sensors that extend into the mold space; injecting a fluid into the mold space through the openings, the fluid experiencing a dynamic fluid front while filling the mold space with the fluid; and characterizing temporal-spatial properties of the dynamic fluid front by monitoring a temperature of each of the plurality of heated temperature sensors while the mold space is being filled with the fluid. An apparatus includes a mold defining a mold space; one or more openings for introducing a fluid into the mold space and filling the mold space with the fluid, the fluid experiencing a dynamic fluid front while filling the mold space; a plurality of heated temperature sensors extending into the mold space; and a computer coupled to the plurality of heated temperature sensors for characterizing the temporal-spatial properties of the dynamic fluid front.

Nest temperatures in a loggerhead nesting beach in Turkey is more determined by sea surface than air temperature.

PubMed

Girondot, Marc; Kaska, Yakup

2015-01-01

While climate change is now fully recognised as a reality, its impact on biodiversity is still not completely understood. To predict its impact, proxies coherent with the studied ecosystem or species are thus required. Marine turtles are threatened worldwide (though some populations are recovering) as they are particularly sensitive to temperature throughout their entire life cycle. This is especially true at the embryo stage when temperature affects both growth rates and sex determination. Nest temperature is thus of prime importance to understand the persistence of populations in the context of climate change. We analysed the nest temperature of 21 loggerheads (Caretta caretta) originating from Dalyan Beach in Turkey using day-lagged generalised mixed models with autocorrelation. Surprisingly, the selected model for nest temperature includes an effect for sea surface temperature 4-times higher than for air temperature. We also detected a very significant effect of metabolic heating during development compatible with what is already known about marine turtle nests. Our new methodology allows the prediction of marine turtle nest temperatures with good precision based on a combination of air temperature measured at beach level and sea surface temperature in front of the beach. These data are available in public databases for most of the beaches worldwide. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical investigation of spontaneous flame propagation under RCCI conditions

DOE PAGES

Bhagatwala, Ankit V; Sankaran, Ramanan; Kokjohn, Sage; ...

2015-06-30

This paper presents results from one and two-dimensional direct numerical simulations under Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) conditions of a primary reference fuel (PRF) mixture consisting of n-heptane and iso-octane. RCCI uses in-cylinder blending of two fuels with different autoignition characteristics to control combustion phasing and the rate of heat release. These simulations employ an improved model of compression heating through mass source/sink terms developed in a previous work by Bhagatwala et al. (2014), which incorporates feedback from the flow to follow a predetermined experimental pressure trace. Two-dimensional simulations explored parametric variations with respect to temperature stratification, pressure profiles andmore » n-heptane concentration. Furthermore, statistics derived from analysis of diffusion/reaction balances locally normal to the flame surface were used to elucidate combustion characteristics for the different cases. Both deflagration and spontaneous ignition fronts were observed to co-exist, however it was found that higher n-heptane concentration provided a greater degree of flame propagation, whereas lower n-heptane concentration (higher fraction of iso-octane) resulted in more spontaneous ignition fronts. A significant finding was that simulations initialized with a uniform initial temperature and a stratified n-heptane concentration field, resulted in a large fraction of combustion occurring through flame propagation. The proportion of spontaneous ignition fronts increased at higher pressures due to shorter ignition delay when other factors were held constant. For the same pressure and fuel concentration, the contribution of flame propagation to the overall combustion was found to depend on the level of thermal stratification, with higher initial temperature gradients resulting in more deflagration and lower gradients generating more ignition fronts. Statistics of ignition delay are computed to assess the Zel’dovich (1980) theory for the mode of combustion propagation based on ignition delay gradients.« less

A continuum model for meltwater flow through compacting snow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Colin R.; Hewitt, Ian J.

2017-12-01

Meltwater is produced on the surface of glaciers and ice sheets when the seasonal energy forcing warms the snow to its melting temperature. This meltwater percolates into the snow and subsequently runs off laterally in streams, is stored as liquid water, or refreezes, thus warming the subsurface through the release of latent heat. We present a continuum model for the percolation process that includes heat conduction, meltwater percolation and refreezing, as well as mechanical compaction. The model is forced by surface mass and energy balances, and the percolation process is described using Darcy's law, allowing for both partially and fully saturated pore space. Water is allowed to run off from the surface if the snow is fully saturated. The model outputs include the temperature, density, and water-content profiles and the surface runoff and water storage. We compare the propagation of freezing fronts that occur in the model to observations from the Greenland Ice Sheet. We show that the model applies to both accumulation and ablation areas and allows for a transition between the two as the surface energy forcing varies. The largest average firn temperatures occur at intermediate values of the surface forcing when perennial water storage is predicted.

Can we observe the fronts of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current using GRACE OBP?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowski, J.; Chambers, D. P.; Bonin, J. A.

2014-12-01

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and the Southern Ocean remains one of the most undersampled regions of the world's oceans. The ACC is comprised of four major fronts: the Sub-Tropical Front (STF), the Polar Front (PF), the Sub-Antarctic Front (SAF), and the Southern ACC Front (SACCF). These were initially observed individually from repeat hydrographic sections and their approximate locations globally have been quantified using all available temperature data from the World Ocean and Climate Experiment (WOCE). More recent studies based on satellite altimetry have found that the front positions are more dynamic and have shifted south by up to 1° on average since 1993. Using ocean bottom pressure (OBP) data from the current Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) we have measured integrated transport variability of the ACC south of Australia. However, differentiation of variability of specific fronts has been impossible due to the necessary smoothing required to reduce noise and correlated errors in the measurements. The future GRACE Follow-on (GFO) mission and the post 2020 GRACE-II mission are expected to produce higher resolution gravity fields with a monthly temporal resolution. Here, we study the resolution and error characteristics of GRACE gravity data that would be required to resolve variations in the front locations and transport. To do this, we utilize output from a high-resolution model of the Southern Ocean, hydrology models, and ice sheet surface mass balance models; add various amounts of random and correlated errors that may be expected from GFO and GRACE-II; and quantify requirements needed for future satellite gravity missions to resolve variations along the ACC fronts.

Wind modulation of upwelling at the shelf-break front off Patagonia: Observational evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carranza, M. M.; Gille, S. T.; Piola, A. R.; Charo, M.; Romero, S. I.

2017-03-01

The South-Atlantic Patagonian shelf is the largest chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) hot spot in Southern Ocean color images. While a persistent 1500 km long band of high Chl-a along the shelf-break front (SBF) is indicative of upwelling, the mechanisms that drive it are not entirely known. Along-front wind oscillations can enhance upwelling and provide a nutrient pumping mechanism at shelf-break fronts of western boundary currents. Here we assess wind-induced upwelling at the SBF off Patagonia from daily satellite Chl-a and winds, historical hydrographic observations, cross-shelf Chl-a fluorescence transects from two cruises, and in situ winds and water column structure from a mooring site. Satellite Chl-a composites segregated by along-front wind direction indicate that surface Chl-a is enhanced at the SBF with southerly winds and suppressed with northerly winds. Northerly winds also result in enhanced Chl-a further offshore (˜25-50 km). Synoptic transects as well as mean hydrographic sections segregated by along-front winds show isopycnals tilted upward for southerly winds. Spring observations from the mooring also suggest that southerly winds destratify the water column and northerly winds restratify, in agreement with Ekman transport interacting with the front. Moreover, changes in water column temperature lag along-front wind forcing by 2-4 days. Our results suggest that oscillations in along-front winds, on timescales typical of atmospheric storms (2-10 days), can significantly modulate the upwelling and Chl-a concentrations at the SBF off Patagonia, revealing the importance of wind-induced upwelling for shelf-slope exchange at shelf-break fronts of western boundary currents.

Experimental Investigation of 2D thermal signature and 3D X-Ray Computed Tomography in contrasting Wettable and Water-Repellent Beads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alsih, Abdulkareem; Flavel, Richard; McGrath, Gavan

2017-04-01

This study presents experimental results investigating spatial patterns of infiltration and evaporation in heterogeneous water repellent media. Infrared camera measurements and 3D X-ray computed tomography imaging was performed across wet-dry cycles on glass beads with engineered patches of water repellence. The imaging revealed spatial variability in infiltration and the redistribution of water in the media resulting in differences in relative evaporation rates during drying. It appears that the spatial organization of the heterogeneity play a role in the breakdown of water repellence at the interface of the two media. This suggests a potential mechanism for self-organization of repellency spatial patterns in field soils. At the interface between wettable and water repellent beads a lateral drying front propagates towards the wettable beads from the repellent beads. During this drying the relative surface temperatures change from a relatively cooler repellent media surface to a relatively cooler wettable media surface indicating the changes in evaporative water loss between the beads of varying water repellence. The lateral drying front was confirmed using thermography in a small-scale model of glass beads with chemically induced repellence and then subjected to 3D X-ray imaging. Pore-scale imaging identified the hydrology at the interface of the two media and at the drying front giving insights into the physics of water flow in water repellent soil.

A new laboratory-scale experimental facility for detailed aerothermal characterizations of volumetric absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez-Garcia, Fabrisio; Santiago, Sergio; Luque, Salvador; Romero, Manuel; Gonzalez-Aguilar, Jose

2016-05-01

This paper describes a new modular laboratory-scale experimental facility that was designed to conduct detailed aerothermal characterizations of volumetric absorbers for use in concentrating solar power plants. Absorbers are generally considered to be the element with the highest potential for efficiency gains in solar thermal energy systems. The configu-ration of volumetric absorbers enables concentrated solar radiation to penetrate deep into their solid structure, where it is progressively absorbed, prior to being transferred by convection to a working fluid flowing through the structure. Current design trends towards higher absorber outlet temperatures have led to the use of complex intricate geometries in novel ceramic and metallic elements to maximize the temperature deep inside the structure (thus reducing thermal emission losses at the front surface and increasing efficiency). Although numerical models simulate the conjugate heat transfer mechanisms along volumetric absorbers, they lack, in many cases, the accuracy that is required for precise aerothermal validations. The present work aims to aid this objective by the design, development, commissioning and operation of a new experimental facility which consists of a 7 kWe (1.2 kWth) high flux solar simulator, a radiation homogenizer, inlet and outlet collector modules and a working section that can accommodate volumetric absorbers up to 80 mm × 80 mm in cross-sectional area. Experimental measurements conducted in the facility include absorber solid temperature distributions along its depth, inlet and outlet air temperatures, air mass flow rate and pressure drop, incident radiative heat flux, and overall thermal efficiency. In addition, two windows allow for the direct visualization of the front and rear absorber surfaces, thus enabling full-coverage surface temperature measurements by thermal imaging cameras. This paper presents the results from the aerothermal characterization of a siliconized silicon carbide monolithic honeycomb, conducted at realistic conditions of incident radiative power per unit mass flow rate in order to validate its operation.

A computational study of syngas auto-ignition characteristics at high-pressure and low-temperature conditions with thermal inhomogeneities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Pinaki; Mansfield, Andrew B.; Arias, Paul G.; Wooldridge, Margaret S.; Im, Hong G.

2015-09-01

A computational study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of auto-ignition in a syngas mixture at high-pressure and low-temperature conditions in the presence of thermal inhomogeneities. Highly resolved one-dimensional numerical simulations incorporating detailed chemistry and transport were performed. The temperature inhomogeneities were represented by a global sinusoidal temperature profile and a local Gaussian temperature spike (hot spot). Reaction front speed and front Damköhler number analyses were employed to characterise the propagating ignition front. In the presence of a global temperature gradient, the ignition behaviour shifted from spontaneous propagation (strong) to deflagrative (weak), as the initial mean temperature of the reactant mixture was lowered. A predictive Zel'dovich-Sankaran criterion to determine the transition from strong to weak ignition was validated for different parametric sets. At sufficiently low temperatures, the strong ignition regime was recovered due to faster passive scalar dissipation of the imposed thermal fluctuations relative to the reaction timescale, which was quantified by the mixing Damköhler number. In the presence of local hot spots, only deflagrative fronts were observed. However, the fraction of the reactant mixture consumed by the propagating front was found to increase as the initial mean temperature was lowered, thereby leading to more enhanced compression-heating of the end-gas. Passive scalar mixing was not found to be important for the hot spot cases considered. The parametric study confirmed that the relative magnitude of the Sankaran number translates accurately to the quantitative strength of the deflagration front in the overall ignition advancement.

Planar SiC MEMS flame ionization sensor for in-engine monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolfe, D. A.; Wodin-Schwartz, S.; Alonso, R.; Pisano, A. P.

2013-12-01

A novel planar silicon carbide (SiC) MEMS flame ionization sensor was developed, fabricated and tested to measure the presence of a flame from the surface of an engine or other cooled surface while withstanding the high temperature and soot of a combustion environment. Silicon carbide, a ceramic semiconductor, was chosen as the sensor material because it has low surface energy and excellent mechanical and electrical properties at high temperatures. The sensor measures the conductivity of scattered charge carriers in the flame's quenching layer. This allows for flame detection, even when the sensor is situated several millimetres from the flame region. The sensor has been shown to detect the ionization of premixed methane and butane flames in a wide temperature range starting from room temperature. The sensors can measure both the flame chemi-ionization and the deposition of water vapour on the sensor surface. The width and speed of a premixed methane laminar flame front were measured with a series of two sensors fabricated on a single die. This research points to the feasibility of using either single sensors or arrays in internal combustion engine cylinders to optimize engine performance, or for using sensors to monitor flame stability in gas turbine applications.

Refractory clad transient internal probe for magnetic field measurements in high temperature plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyundae; Cellamare, Vincent; Jarboe, Thomas R.; Mattick, Arthur T.

2005-05-01

The transient internal probe (TIP) is a diagnostic for local internal field measurements in high temperature plasmas. A verdet material, which rotates the polarization angle of the laser light under magnetic fields, is launched into a plasma at about 1.8km/s. A linearly polarized Ar+ laser illuminates the probe in transit and the light retroreflected from the probe is analyzed to determine the local magnetic field profiles. The TIP has been used for magnetic field measurements on the helicity injected torus where electron temperature Te⩽80eV. In order to apply the TIP in higher temperature plasmas, refractory clad probes have been developed utilizing a sapphire tube, rear disc, and a MgO window on the front. The high melting points of these refractory materials should allow probe operation at plasma electron temperatures up to Te˜300eV. A retroreflecting probe has also been developed using "catseye" optics. The front window is replaced with a plano-convex MgO lens, and the back surface of the probe is aluminized. This approach reduces spurious polarization effects and provides refractory cladding for the probe entrance face. In-flight measurements of a static magnetic field demonstrate the ability of the clad probes to withstand gun-launch acceleration, and provide high accuracy measurements of magnetic field.

Application of Sol-Gel Method as a Protective Layer on a Specular Reflective Surface for Secondary Reflector in a Solar Receiver

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

Afrin, Samia; Dagdelen, John; Ma, Zhiwen

Highly-specular reflective surfaces that can withstand elevated-temperatures are desirable for many applications including reflective heat shielding in solar receivers and secondary reflectors, which can be used between primary concentrators and heat collectors. A high-efficiency, high-temperature solar receiver design based on arrays of cavities needs a highly-specular reflective surface on its front section to help sunlight penetrate into the absorber tubes for effective flux spreading. Since this application is for high-temperature solar receivers, this surface needs to be durable and to maintain its optical properties through the usable life. Degradation mechanisms associated with elevated temperatures and thermal cycling, which include cracking,more » delamination, corrosion/oxidation, and environmental effects, could cause the optical properties of surfaces to degrade rapidly in these conditions. Protected mirror surfaces for these applications have been tested by depositing a thin layer of SiO2 on top of electrodeposited silver by means of the sol-gel method. To obtain an effective thin film structure, this sol-gel procedure has been investigated extensively by varying process parameters that affect film porosity and thickness. Endurance tests have been performed in a furnace at 150 degrees C for thousands of hours. This paper presents the sol-gel process for intermediate-temperature specular reflective coatings and provides the long-term reliability test results of sol-gel protected silver-coated surfaces.« less

The effect of phase change materials on the frontal polymerization of a triacrylate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viner, Veronika G.; Pojman, John A.; Golovaty, Dmitry

2010-06-01

The production of smoke and fumes is a major obstacle to the practical use of thermal frontal polymerization. The front temperature and the amount of smoking can be reduced by adding inert fillers, such as clay and silica, to the reactive mixture. Here we investigate the possibility of incorporating inert materials that melt (so-called phase change materials) to the mixture. By performing both experiments and mathematical modeling, we demonstrate that, in addition to the standard parameters of frontal polymerization, the front temperature and velocity depend on the melting point and heat of fusion of the phase change material. We use the method of matched asymptotic expansions to develop an explicit expression for the velocity of the reaction front. The expression demonstrates that the behavior of the front is determined by the difference between the reaction temperature and the melting temperature, with the front being slower and cooler if melting occurs farther ahead of the reaction front. The theoretical trends are hard to confirm directly because different characteristics of the phase change material cannot be varied separately.

The Potsdam Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM-PIK) - Part 2: Dynamic equilibrium simulation of the Antarctic ice sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, M. A.; Winkelmann, R.; Haseloff, M.; Albrecht, T.; Bueler, E.; Khroulev, C.; Levermann, A.

2010-08-01

We present a dynamic equilibrium simulation of the ice sheet-shelf system on Antarctica with the Potsdam Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM-PIK). The simulation is initialized with present-day conditions for topography and ice thickness and then run to steady state with constant present-day surface mass balance. Surface temperature and basal melt distribution are parameterized. Grounding lines and calving fronts are free to evolve, and their modeled equilibrium state is compared to observational data. A physically-motivated dynamic calving law based on horizontal spreading rates allows for realistic calving fronts for various types of shelves. Steady-state dynamics including surface velocity and ice flux are analyzed for whole Antarctica and the Ronne-Filchner and Ross ice shelf areas in particular. The results show that the different flow regimes in sheet and shelves, and the transition zone between them, are captured reasonably well, supporting the approach of superposition of SIA and SSA for the representation of fast motion of grounded ice. This approach also leads to a natural emergence of streams in this new 3-D marine ice sheet model.

Adaptations of phytoplankton in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean during austral summer of 1998—2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, R. K.; Naik, R. K.; Anil Kumar, N.

2015-12-01

This study investigates the effects of light and temperature on the surface water diatoms and chlorophytes, phytoplankton in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean (SO) during the austral summer of 1998‒2014. Significant longitudinal variations in hydrographic and biological parameters were observed at the Sub tropical front (STF), Sub Antarctic front (SAF) and Polar front (PF) along 56°E‒58°E. The concentrations of total surface chlorophyll a ( Chl a), diatoms, and chlorophytes measured by the National Aeronautics Space Agency (NASA) estimated by the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensors (SeaWiFS), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro Radiometer (MODIS), and the NASA Ocean Biological Model (NOBM) were used in the study. Variations in the concentration of total Chl a was remarkable amongst the fronts during the study period. The contribution of diatoms to the total concentration of surface Chl a increased towards south from the STF to the PF while it decreased in the case of chlorophytes. The maximum photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was observed at the STF and it progressively decreased to the PF through the SAF. At the PF region the contribution of diatoms to the total Chl a biomass was ≥80%. On the other hand, the chlorophytes showed a contrary distribution pattern with ≥70% of the total Chl a biomass recorded at the STF which gradually decreased towards the PF, mainly attributed to the temperate adaptation. This clearly reveals that the trend of diatoms increased at the STF and decreased at the SAF and the PF. Further, the trend of chlorophytes was increased at the STF, SAF and PF with a shift in the community in the frontal system of the Indian Ocean sector of the SO.

Systems and methods for advanced ultra-high-performance InP solar cells

DOEpatents

Wanlass, Mark

2017-03-07

Systems and Methods for Advanced Ultra-High-Performance InP Solar Cells are provided. In one embodiment, an InP photovoltaic device comprises: a p-n junction absorber layer comprising at least one InP layer; a front surface confinement layer; and a back surface confinement layer; wherein either the front surface confinement layer or the back surface confinement layer forms part of a High-Low (HL) doping architecture; and wherein either the front surface confinement layer or the back surface confinement layer forms part of a heterointerface system architecture.

Variations in West Antarctic Ice Front and Passive Microwave Brightness Temperature for 8 Years Duration in 2000s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J.; Yu, J.; Wang, L.; Liu, H.

2017-12-01

Changes in Antarctic ice sheet are caused by various reasons such as changes in Holocene climate, precipitation, and ocean temperature. Such issues of changes in ice sheet has been mainly focused on the Antarctic peninsula, and it is known that ice retreat of the area is caused by changes in atmospheric and ocean temperatures. For the case of West Antarctica, ice front change research is relatively rarely conducted except the Pine island glacier area. This study has monitored ice front changes of West Antarctica and compared the patterns with the changes in brightness temperature based on remote sensing techniques. We used 2000 Radarsat-1 and 2008 Rasarsat-2 SAR data to delineate coastlines of whole West Antarctica based on the locally thresholding adaptive algorithm. The delineated coast lines are analyzed to figure out ice front change patterns between the duration. The variations in brightness temperature for the same duration are calculated based on Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)'s Special Sensor Microwave/Images-Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSM/I-SSMIS) passive microwave data. The results show ice front of West Antarctica shows advancing trend except the pine island glacier area. The brightness temperature had decreasing trend during the study period. It infers that changes in ice front and brightness temperature of West Antarctica have considerable relationships. It is expected that a long term monitoring of the relationship would contribute understanding ice dynamics of West Antarctica significantly.

Influence of temperature on linear stability in buoyancy-driven fingering of reaction-diffusion fronts.

PubMed

Levitán, D; D'Onofrio, A

2012-09-01

A vertical Hele-Shaw cell was used to study the influence of temperature on Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities on reaction-diffusion fronts. The propagation of the chemical front can thus be observed, and experimental results can be obtained via image treatment. A chemical front produced by the coupling between molecular diffusion and the auto-catalysis of the chlorite-tetrathionate reaction, descends through the cell, consuming the reactants below while the product is formed above. Buoyancy-driven instabilities are formed due to the density difference between reactants and products, and the front takes a fingering pattern, whose growth rate has temperature dependence. In this study, the effect of temperature on the linear regime of the instability (that is, when the effects of such instability start to appear) was analyzed. To measure the instability, Fourier transform analysis is performed, in order to obtain the different wave numbers and their power as a function of time. Thus, the growth rate for each wave number and the most unstable wave number is obtained for each of the temperatures under study. Based on repeated experiments, a decrease in the growth rate for the most unstable wave number can be observed with the increase of temperature.

Convection induced by thermal gradients on thin reaction fronts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruelas Paredes, David R. A.; Vasquez, Desiderio A.

2017-09-01

We present a thin front model for the propagation of chemical reaction fronts in liquids inside a Hele-Shaw cell or porous media. In this model we take into account density gradients due to thermal and compositional changes across a thin interface. The front separating reacted from unreacted fluids evolves following an eikonal relation between the normal speed and the curvature. We carry out a linear stability analysis of convectionless flat fronts confined in a two-dimensional rectangular domain. We find that all fronts are stable to perturbations of short wavelength, but they become unstable for some wavelengths depending on the values of compositional and thermal gradients. If the effects of these gradients oppose each other, we observe a range of wavelengths that make the flat front unstable. Numerical solutions of the nonlinear model show curved fronts of steady shape with convection propagating faster than flat fronts. Exothermic fronts increase the temperature of the fluid as they propagate through the domain. This increment in temperature decreases with increasing speed.

Modeling of efficient light extraction in light-pipes through specular surfaces with elliptical and lineal front shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Guerrero, Guillermo E.; Viera-González, Perla M.; Ceballos-Herrera, Daniel E.; Martínez-Guerra, Edgar

2016-09-01

Extraction light in light-pipes with different specular surfaces was analyzed. In the analysis, the impact of the surface shape in all properties of the extracted light in order to obtain an efficient extraction and a uniform illumination using a LED as light source. Also, several parameters of the specular surface to obtain spatial uniformity inside the light-pipe are considered. In this case, the simulation was made for a rectangular light­pipe. One objective of this work is to compare how the front face shape of the specular surface can affect the extraction of light in the lateral face of the light-pipe, only straight and elliptical front faces were used in this work and the comparison between them at different tilts and lengths were made. The main purpose of the front face was extract the light uniformly at the lateral face and this was done by studying simulations on OpticStudio Zemax. The results show how the extraction length is lower in the elliptical front but its total power performs better than the line front.

PIG (partially ionized globule) anatomy - Density and temperature structure of the bright-rimmed globule IC 1396E

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Serabyn, E.; Guesten, R.; Mundy, L.

1993-01-01

The density and temperature structure of the bright-rimmed cometary globule IC 1396E is estimated, and the possibility that recent internal star formation was triggered by the ionization front in its southern surface is assessed. On the basis of NH3 data, gas temperatures in the globule are found to increase outward from the center, from a minimum of 17 K in its tail to a maximum of 26 K on the surface most directly facing the stars ionizing IC 1396. On the basis of a microturbulent radiative transfer code to model the radial dependence of the CS line intensities, and also the intensities of the optically thin 2-1 and 5-4 lines toward the cloud center, a radial density dependence of r exp -1.55 to r exp -1.75 is found.

An evaporation model of multicomponent solution drops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sartori, Silvana; Liñán, Amable; Lasheras, Juan C.

2010-11-01

Solutions of polymers are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry as tablets coatings. These allow controlling the rate at which the drug is delivered, taste or appearance. The coating is performed by spraying and drying the tablets at moderate temperatures. The wetting of the coating solution on the pill's surface depends on the droplet Webber and Re numbers, angle of impact and on the rheological properties of the droplet. We present a model for the evaporation of multicomponent solutions droplets in a hot air environment with temperatures substantially lower than the boiling temperature of the solvent. As the liquid vaporizes from the surface the fluid in the drop increases in concentration, until reaching its saturation point. After saturation, precipitation occurs uniformly within the drop. As the surface regresses, a compacting front formed by the precipitate at its maximum packing density advances into the drop, while the solute continues precipitating uniformly. This porous shell grows fast due to the double effect of surface regression and precipitation. The evaporation rate is determined by the rates at which heat is transported to the droplet surface and at which liquid vapor diffuses away from it. When the drop is fully compacted, the evaporation is drastically reduced.

Emplacement of Pahoehoe Toe Networks: Observations of May, 2010 Tube-fed Flows at Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crown, D. A.; Ramsey, M.; Hon, K.

2010-12-01

Pahoehoe lava flows are compound features that consist of multiple overlapping and interfingering lobes and exhibit morphologically diverse surfaces characterized by channelized zones, smooth-surfaced sheets, and numerous, small toe networks. Previous work compiled detailed planform maps of solidified pahoehoe toe networks to document their morphology, morphometry and connective relationships in order to provide constraints on lava transport models. In order to expand this research to active flow emplacement, we observed slow-moving, tube-fed pahoehoe flows on the coastal plain near Kalapana, Hawaii in May, 2010. The evolution of pahoehoe toe and toe network characteristics over their emplacement history was examined and the role of small-scale flow inflation on the advance of pahoehoe lobes evaluated. We collected both visible video footage and high-speed, high-precision thermal infrared (TIR) data using a FLIR S-40 camera. The TIR data provide surface temperature maps that can be easily used to identify formation of new toes and track their growth and surface cooling. From these maps, lobe development, connective relationships, and frontal and lateral spreading rates can be analyzed. Preliminary results suggest that regular cycles of activity characterize the development of these pahoehoe lobes: 1) emplacement of new toes in local topographic lows at the front, margin, and within the interior of an active lobe forming small interconnected networks, 2) decline and sometimes temporary cessation in the production of new pahoehoe toes, 3) inflation of the recently emplaced flow surface, either partially or en masse depending on the rate of influx of new lava, the degree of irregularity of the pre-flow surface, and/or the slope across the recently emplaced lava surface, and 4) fracturing of the recently emplaced surface crust that feeds emplacement of new toes. Inflation fractures typically cut across several previously emplaced toes and can occur at the front, along the margins, or within the active lobe, even at significant distances behind the flow front.

Vortex Generators to Control Boundary Layer Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Babinsky, Holger (Inventor); Loth, Eric (Inventor); Lee, Sang (Inventor)

2014-01-01

Devices for generating streamwise vorticity in a boundary includes various forms of vortex generators. One form of a split-ramp vortex generator includes a first ramp element and a second ramp element with front ends and back ends, ramp surfaces extending between the front ends and the back ends, and vertical surfaces extending between the front ends and the back ends adjacent the ramp surfaces. A flow channel is between the first ramp element and the second ramp element. The back ends of the ramp elements have a height greater than a height of the front ends, and the front ends of the ramp elements have a width greater than a width of the back ends.

Multiple Waveband Temperature Sensor (MWTS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bandara, Sumith V.; Gunapala, Sarath; Wilson, Daniel; Stirbl, Robert; Blea, Anthony; Harding, Gilbert

2006-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the development of Multiple Waveband Temperature Sensor (MWTS). The MWTS project will result in a highly stable, monolithically integrated, high resolution infrared detector array sensor that records registered thermal imagery in four infrared wavebands to infer dynamic temperature profiles on a laser-irradiated ground target. An accurate surface temperature measurement of a target in extreme environments in a non-intrusive manner is required. The development challenge is to: determine optimum wavebands (suitable for target temperatures, nature of the targets and environments) to measure accurate target surface temperature independent of the emissivity, integrate simultaneously readable multiband Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs) in a single monolithic focal plane array (FPA) sensor and to integrate the hardware/software and system calibration for remote temperature measurements. The charge was therefore to develop and demonstrate a multiband infrared imaging camera with the detectors simultaneously sensitive to multiple distinct color bands for front surface temperature measurements Wavelength ( m) measurements. Amongst the requirements are: that the measurement system will not affect target dynamics or response to the laser irradiation and that the simplest criterion for spectral band selection is to choose those practically feasible spectral bands that create the most contrast between the objects or scenes of interest in the expected environmental conditions. There is in the presentation a review of the modeling and simulation of multi-wave infrared temperature measurement and also a review of the detector development and QWIP capacities.

Impact of the Azores Front on the distribution of planktic foraminifers, shelled gastropods, and coccolithophorids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiebel, Ralf; Waniek, Joanna; Zeltner, Alexandra; Alves, Mário

The Azores Front-Current System, south of the Azores Islands, has been studied in order to reveal the direct impact of an open oceanic thermohaline front on the distribution of the calcareous plankton. Planktic foraminifers, pteropods, heteropods, and coccolithophorids were sampled from the upper 2500 m of the water column during August 1997 and January 1999. In addition, the hydrography was recorded across the frontal jet on combined CTD and XBT transects. In August 1997, a strong seasonal thermocline capped the Azores Front (AF) at about 60-90 m water depth. Below the thermocline a distinct hydrographic front was indicated by temperature and salinity gradients. The central AF was an area of low planktic foraminiferal, gastropod, and coccolithophorid production, and was a faunal barrier for shallow- and deep-dwelling species. Highest numbers of planktic foraminifers, gastropods, and coccolithophores were recorded from above the thermocline north of the AF. The most frequent planktic foraminiferal and pteropod species were Globigerinoides ruber (white) and Limacina inflata, respectively. Below 100 m, planktic foraminifers were most frequent north of the AF and gastropod shells were rare. In particular, the deep-dwelling planktic foraminifer Globorotalia scitula was frequent only at sampling sites north of the AF. In January 1999, the surface water temperature of the Azores Front-Current System was lower and the thermocline was deeper than in August 1997. The planktic foraminiferal standing stock was three times higher than in August 1997, and no water depth related faunal changes occurred. The fauna was dominated by Globorotalia truncatulinoides, and Turborotalita humilis was frequent. During both January and August, the fauna from south of the Azores was different from that to the southeast, recording the occurrence of two different water masses. In this study we present a micropaleontological definition of the AF, in order to provide a paleoceanographic tool that may be used to decipher the late Quaternary current system of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Dynamic interaction of CO/H 2O mixtures with gold nanocrystals: Real-time imaging and local chemical probing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visart de Bocarmé, Thierry; Chau, Thoi-Dai; Kruse, Norbert

2006-09-01

The dynamic interaction of pure gold nanocrystals ("tips") with H 2O/CO gas mixtures was studied by means of video-field ion microscopy (FIM). While imaging with nano-scale resolution selected areas of the equivalent of ˜200 atomic Au sites were analysed for their chemical composition using short field pulses and injecting respective ions into a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (pulsed field desorption mass spectrometry, PFDMS). At room temperature the exposure of a clean Au sample to water gas at 10 -4 Pa, in the presence of an electric field of ˜10 V/nm, led to water adsorption and formation of bright patterns in FIM. Additional exposure to CO gas at 5 × 10 -3 Pa led to the removal of the water layer. This was associated with the occurrence of bright wave fronts which ignited simultaneously in several regions of the Au surface with no preference for a certain crystallographic surface plane. In some cases wave fronts were seen to collide resulting in more complicated patterns such as concentric rings. Surface areas free of water appeared with low brightness. The phenomena were completely reversible. PFDMS demonstrated water ions to be responsible for image formation. Surface hydroxyl was also detected mass spectrometrically and respective ion intensities decreased during the titration with CO. The results suggest that gold nanocrystals, in the absence of oxidic support materials, may be active in the reaction between water and CO at temperatures as low as 300 K and in the presence of an electric field of ˜10 V/nm.

In-depth investigation of spin-on doped solar cells with thermally grown oxide passivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Samir Mahmmod; Cheow, Siu Leong; Ludin, Norasikin A.; Sopian, K.; Zaidi, Saleem H.

Solar cell industrial manufacturing, based largely on proven semiconductor processing technologies supported by significant advancements in automation, has reached a plateau in terms of cost and efficiency. However, solar cell manufacturing cost (dollar/watt) is still substantially higher than fossil fuels. The route to lowering cost may not lie with continuing automation and economies of scale. Alternate fabrication processes with lower cost and environmental-sustainability coupled with self-reliance, simplicity, and affordability may lead to price compatibility with carbon-based fuels. In this paper, a custom-designed formulation of phosphoric acid has been investigated, for n-type doping in p-type substrates, as a function of concentration and drive-in temperature. For post-diffusion surface passivation and anti-reflection, thermally-grown oxide films in 50-150-nm thickness were grown. These fabrication methods facilitate process simplicity, reduced costs, and environmental sustainability by elimination of poisonous chemicals and toxic gases (POCl3, SiH4, NH3). Simultaneous fire-through contact formation process based on screen-printed front surface Ag and back surface through thermally grown oxide films was optimized as a function of the peak temperature in conveyor belt furnace. Highest efficiency solar cells fabricated exhibited efficiency of ∼13%. Analysis of results based on internal quantum efficiency and minority carried measurements reveals three contributing factors: high front surface recombination, low minority carrier lifetime, and higher reflection. Solar cell simulations based on PC1D showed that, with improved passivation, lower reflection, and high lifetimes, efficiency can be enhanced to match with commercially-produced PECVD SiN-coated solar cells.

Sea surface temperature of the coastal zones of France. Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (HCMM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deschamps, P. Y.; Frouin, R.; Cassanet, G.; Verger, F. (Principal Investigator)

1979-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. HCMM data analysis shows some mesoscale features which were previously expected to occur: summer coastal upwellings in the Gulf of Lions, tidal fronts bordering the English Channel, and cooler surface waters at the continental shelf break. The analysis of the spectral variance density spectra show that the interpretation of the data usually is limited by the HCMM radiometric performance (noise levels) at wavenumbers below 5 km in the oceanic areas; from this analysis it may also be concluded that a decrease of the radiometric noise level down to 0.1 k against an increase of the ground resolution up to 2 km would give a better optimum of the radiometric performances in the oceanic areas. HCMM data appear to be useful for analysis of the sea surface temperature field, particularly in the very coastal area by profiting from the ground resolution of 500 m.

Optimal front light design for reflective displays under different ambient illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Sheng-Po; Chang, Ting-Ting; Li, Chien-Ju; Bai, Yi-Ho; Hu, Kuo-Jui

2011-01-01

The goal of this study is to find out the optimal luminance and color temperature of front light for reflective displays in different ambient illumination by conducting series of psychophysical experiments. A color and brightness tunable front light device with ten LED units was built and been calibrated to present 256 luminance levels and 13 different color temperature at fixed luminance of 200 cd/m2. The experiment results revealed the best luminance and color temperature settings for human observers under different ambient illuminant, which could also assist the e-paper manufacturers to design front light device, and present the best image quality on reflective displays. Furthermore, a similar experiment procedure was conducted by utilizing new flexible e-signage display developed by ITRI and an optimal front light device for the new display panel has been designed and utilized.

Apparatus for characterizing the temporo-spatial properties of a dynamic fluid front and method thereof

DOEpatents

Battiste, Richard L

2013-12-31

Methods and apparatus are described for characterizing the temporal-spatial properties of a dynamic fluid front within a mold space while the mold space is being filled with fluid. A method includes providing a mold defining a mold space and having one or more openings into the mold space; heating a plurality of temperature sensors that extend into the mold space; injecting a fluid into th emold space through the openings, the fluid experiencing a dynamic fluid front while filling the mold space with a fluid; and characterizing temporal-spatial properties of the dynamic fluid front by monitoring a termperature of each of the plurality of heated temperature sensors while the mold space is being filled with the fluid. An apparatus includes a mold defining a mold space; one or more openings for introducing a fluid into th emold space and filling the mold space with the fluid, the fluid experiencing a dynamic fluid front while filling the mold space; a plurality of heated temperature sensors extending into the mold space; and a computer coupled to the plurality of heated temperature sensors for characterizing the temporal-spatial properties of the dynamic fluid front.

Metod And Apparatus For Debris Mitigation For An Electrical Discharge Source

DOEpatents

Klebanoff, Leonard E.; Silfvast, William T.; Rader, Daniel J.

2005-05-03

Method and apparatus for mitigating the transport of debris generated and dispersed from electric discharge sources by thermophoretic and electrostatic deposition. A member is positioned adjacent the front electrode of an electric discharge source and used to establish a temperature difference between it and the front electrode. By flowing a gas between the member and the front electrode a temperature gradient is established that can be used for thermophoretic deposition of particulate debris on either the member or front electrode depending upon the direction of the thermal gradient. Establishing an electric field between the member and front electrode can aid in particle deposition by electrostatic deposition.

Method and apparatus for debris mitigation for an electrical discharge source

DOEpatents

Klebanoff, Leonard E [San Clemente, CA; Rader, Daniel J [Albuquerque, NM; Silfvast, William T [Helena, CA

2006-01-24

Method and apparatus for mitigating the transport of debris generated and dispersed from electric discharge sources by thermophoretic and electrostatic deposition. A member is positioned adjacent the front electrode of an electric discharge source and used to establish a temperature difference between it and the front electrode. By flowing a gas between the member and the front electrode a temperature gradient is established that can be used for thermophoretic deposition of particulate debris on either the member or front electrode depending upon the direction of the thermal gradient. Establishing an electric field between the member and front electrode can aid in particle deposition by electrostatic deposition.

Investigation of water seepage through porous media using X-ray imaging technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Sung Yong; Lim, Seungmin; Lee, Sang Joon

2012-07-01

SummaryDynamic movement of wetting front and variation of water contents through three different porous media were investigated using X-ray radiography. Water and natural sand particles were used as liquid and porous media in this study. To minimize the effects of minor X-ray attenuation and uneven illumination, the flat field correction (FFC) was applied before determining the position of wetting front. In addition, the thickness-averaged (in the direction of the X-ray penetration) water content was obtained by employing the Beer-Lambert law. The initial inertia of water droplet influences more strongly on the vertical migration, compared to the horizontal migration. The effect of initial inertia on the horizontal migration is enhanced as sand size decreases. The pattern of water transport is observed to be significantly affected by the initial water contents. As the initial water contents increases, the bulb-type transport pattern is shifted to a trapezoidal shape. With increasing surface temperature, water droplets are easily broken on the sand surface. This consequently decreases the length of the initial inertia region. Different from the wetting front migration, the water contents at the initial stage clearly exhibit a preferential flow along the vertical direction. The water transport becomes nearly uniform in all directions beyond the saturation state.

Shifting of phytoplankton community in the frontal regions of Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean using in situ and satellite data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Rajani Kanta; Jena, Babula; Anilkumar, Narayana Pillai; Sinha, Rupesh Kumar

2017-01-01

The phytoplankton pigment indices were used to characterize the spatial succession of the community composition in the frontal regions of the subtropical front (STF), sub-Antarctic front (SAF), and polar front (PF) in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean during austral summer 2013. Diagnostic indices revealed that the flagellates were dominant in STF (51%) and progressively declined toward SAF (39%) and PF (11%). Similarly, the prokaryotes were highest in STF (43%) and decreased to SAF (32%) and PF (28%). In contrast, the diatoms were gradually increased from STF (6%) to SAF (29%) and PF (61%). The variability of flagellates and diatoms from the STF to PF is attributed to the variability of photosynthetically available radiation, sea surface temperature, and sea surface wind speed. The in-situ pigment indices were then compared to the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical model that shows the similar patterns of frontal community distribution except their magnitude. Similarly, the satellite retrieved phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a) was checked for its consistency after comparing with the in-situ observations and the result shows underestimation of satellite measured values. The result suggests that the conjunctive analysis of in-situ, satellite, and model archive is suitable to study the impact of climate variability on the structure of marine ecosystems.

A combination mode of climate variability responsible for extremely poor recruitment of the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yong-Fu; Wu, Chau-Ron; Han, Yu-San

2017-03-01

Satellite data and assimilation products are used to investigate fluctuations in the catch of Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) in eastern Asian countries. It has been reported that the salinity front has extended farther south, which has shifted the eel’s spawning grounds to a lower latitude, resulting in smaller eel catches in 1983, 1992, and 1998. This study demonstrates that interannual variability in the eel catch is strongly correlated with the combination mode (C-mode), but not with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. These eels continue to spawn within the North Equatorial Current (NEC), but the salinity front shifts south during a canonical El Niño. On the other hand, the spawning grounds accompanied by the salinity front extend farther south during the C-mode of climate variability, and eel larvae fail to join the nursery in the NEC, resulting in extremely poor recruitment in East Asia. We propose an appropriate sea surface temperature index to project Japanese eel larval catch.

A Real-time 1/16° Global Ocean Nowcast/Forecast System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shriver, J. F.; Rhodes, R. C.; Hurlburt, H. E.; Wallcraft, A. J.; Metzger, E. J.; Smedstad, O. M.; Kara, A. B.

2001-05-01

A 1/16° eddy-resolving global ocean prediction system that uses the NRL Layered Ocean Model (NLOM) has been transitioned to the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVO), Stennis Space Center, MS. The system gives a real time view of the ocean down to the 50-100 mile scale of ocean eddies and the meandering of ocean currents and fronts, a view with unprecedented resolution and clarity, and demonstrated forecast skill for a month or more for many ocean features. It has been running in real time at NAVO since 19 Oct 2000 with assimilation of real-time altimeter sea surface height (SSH) data (currently ERS-2, GFO and TOPEX/POSEIDON) and sea surface temperature (SST). The model is updated daily and 4-day forecasts are made daily. 30-day forecasts are made once a week. Nowcasts and forecasts using this model are viewable on the web, including SSH, SST and 30-day forecast verification statistics for many zoom regions. The NRL web address is http://www7320.nrlssc.navy.mil/global_nlom/index.html. The NAVO web address is: http://www.navo.navy.mil. Click on "Operational Products", then "Product Search Form", then "Product Type View", then select "Model Navy Layered Ocean Model" and a region and click on "Submit Query". This system is used at NAVO for ocean front and eddy analyses and predictions and to provide accurate sea surface height for use in computing synthetic temperature and salinity profiles, among other applications.

Imaging measurements of atomic iron concentration with laser-induced fluorescence in a nanoparticle synthesis flame reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hecht, C.; Kronemayer, H.; Dreier, T.; Wiggers, H.; Schulz, C.

2009-01-01

The iron-atom concentration distribution as well as the gas-phase temperature was measured via laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) during iron-oxide nanoparticle synthesis in a low-pressure hydrogen/oxygen/argon flame reactor using ironpentacarbonyl (Fe(CO)5) as precursor. Temperature measurements based on multi-line NO-LIF imaging are used to correct for temperature-dependent ground-state populations. The concentration measurement is calibrated based on line-of-sight absorption measurements. The influence of the precursor on the flame is observed at precursor concentrations larger than 70 ppm as the flame front moves closer to the burner surface with increasing Fe(CO)5 concentration.

Highly Efficient Wave-Front Reshaping of Surface Waves with Dielectric Metawalls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Shaohua; Zhang, Yu; Guo, Huijie; Duan, Jingwen; Guan, Fuxin; He, Qiong; Zhao, Haibin; Zhou, Lei; Sun, Shulin

2018-01-01

Controlling the wave fronts of surface waves (including surface-plamon polaritons and their equivalent counterparts) at will is highly important in photonics research, but the available mechanisms suffer from the issues of low efficiency, bulky size, and/or limited functionalities. Inspired by recent studies of metasurfaces that can freely control the wave fronts of propagating waves, we propose to use metawalls placed on a plasmonic surface to efficiently reshape the wave fronts of incident surface waves (SWs). Here, the metawall is constructed by specifically designed meta-atoms that can reflect SWs with desired phases and nearly unit amplitudes. As a proof of concept, we design and fabricate a metawall in the microwave regime (around 12 GHz) that can anomalously reflect the SWs following the generalized Snell's law with high efficiency (approximately 70%). Our results, in excellent agreement with full-wave simulations, provide an alternative yet efficient way to control the wave fronts of SWs in different frequency domains. We finally employ full-wave simulations to demonstrate a surface-plasmon-polariton focusing effect at telecom wavelength based on our scheme.

Miniature Convection Cooled Plug-type Heat Flux Gauges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liebert, Curt H.

1994-01-01

Tests and analysis of a new miniature plug-type heat flux gauge configuration are described. This gauge can simultaneously measure heat flux on two opposed active surfaces when heat flux levels are equal to or greater than about 0.2 MW/m(sup 2). The performance of this dual active surface gauge was investigated over a wide transient and steady heat flux and temperature range. The tests were performed by radiatively heating the front surface with an argon arc lamp while the back surface was convection cooled with air. Accuracy is about +20 percent. The gauge is responsive to fast heat flux transients and is designed to withstand the high temperature (1300 K), high pressure (15 MPa), erosive and corrosive environments in modern engines. This gauge can be used to measure heat flux on the surfaces of internally cooled apparatus such as turbine blades and combustors used in jet propulsion systems and on the surfaces of hypersonic vehicles. Heat flux measurement accuracy is not compromised when design considerations call for various size gauges to be fabricated into alloys of various shapes and properties. Significant gauge temperature reductions (120 K), which can lead to potential gauge durability improvement, were obtained when the gauges were air-cooled by forced convection.

Slickenside formation by surface melting during the mechanical excavation of rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spray, John G.

This work discusses the nature and origin of slickensides generated by the impingement of high-carbon steel teeth on sandstone during the mechanical excavation of boulders by back shovel and front loader. The slickensides show a number of morphological features that can be related to the direction and sense of tooth displacement, including striations, carrot-shaped grooves, curved fractures and steps. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveal that the slickensides comprise a layer of Fe-enriched, glass-bonded gouge (≤150 μm thick). The estimated shear stresses and velocities realized at the tooth-rock interface (175 MPa at 1 m s -1 for the back shovel and 100 MPa at 2 m s -1 for the front loader) indicate that a heat production of 150-200 MW m -2 and mean surface temperature of 1400-1700°C were achieved. XRF and microprobe analyses confirm that localized bulk melting and Fe-enrichment of the surface occurred during slip. The excavator-generated slickensides provide an analogue for the effects of a single co-seismic event in the evolution of a shallow, relatively dry fault surface. From a simple consideration of energetics under these conditions, it is apparent that localized surface melting should be commonplace. Such an analogue may be useful as a guide for recognizing melt features in natural slickensides, features that would otherwise tend to be obscured during lengthier periods of interseismic surface modification.

Ground water occurrence and contributions to streamflow in an alpine catchment, Colorado Front Range

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clow, D.W.; Schrott, L.; Webb, R.; Campbell, D.H.; Torizzo, A.O.; Dornblaser, M.

2003-01-01

Ground water occurrence, movement, and its contribution to streamflow were investigated in Loch Vale, an alpine catchment in the Front Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Hydrogeomorphologic mapping, seismic refraction measurements, and porosity and permeability estimates indicate that talus slopes are the primary ground water reservoir, with a maximum storage capacity that is equal to, or greater than, total annual discharge from the basin (5.4 ± 0.8 × 106 m3). Although snowmelt and glacial melt provide the majority of annual water flux to the basin, tracer tests and gauging along a stream transect indicate that ground water flowing from talus can account for ≥75% of streamflow during storms and the winter base flow period. The discharge response of talus springs to storms and snowmelt reflects rapid transmittal of water through coarse debris at the talus surface and slower release of water from finer-grained sediments at depth.Ice stored in permafrost (including rock glaciers) is the second largest ground water reservoir in Loch Vale; it represents a significant, but seldom recognized, ground water reservoir in alpine terrain. Mean annual air temperatures are sufficiently cold to support permafrost above 3460 m; however, air temperatures have increased 1.1° to 1.4°C since the early 1990s, consistent with long-term (1976–2000) increases in air temperature measured at other high-elevation sites in the Front Range, European Alps, and Peruvian Andes. If other climatic factors remain constant, the increase in air temperatures at Loch Vale is sufficient to increase the lower elevational limit of permafrost by 150 to 190 m. Although this could cause a short-term increase in streamflow, it may ultimately result in decreased flow in the future.

Passively Q-switched side pumped monolithic ring laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Steven X. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for generating a side-pumped passively Q-switched non-planar ring oscillator. The method introduces a laser into a cavity of a crystal, the cavity having a round-trip path formed by a reflection at a dielectrically coated front surface, a first internal reflection at a first side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front, a second internal reflection at a top surface of the crystal, and a third internal reflection at a second side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front. The method side pumps the laser at the top or bottom surface with a side pump diode array beam and generates an output laser emanating at a location on the front surface. The design can include additional internal reflections to increase interaction with the side pump. Waste heat may be removed by mounting the crystal to a heatsink.

Solare Cell Roof Tile And Method Of Forming Same

DOEpatents

Hanoka, Jack I.; Real, Markus

1999-11-16

A solar cell roof tile includes a front support layer, a transparent encapsulant layer, a plurality of interconnected solar cells and a backskin layer. The front support layer is formed of light transmitting material and has first and second surfaces. The transparent encapsulant layer is disposed adjacent the second surface of the front support layer. The interconnected solar cells has a first surface disposed adjacent the transparent encapsulant layer. The backskin layer has a first surface disposed adjacent a second surface of the interconnected solar cells, wherein a portion of the backskin layer wraps around and contacts the first surface of the front support layer to form the border region. A portion of the border region has an extended width. The solar cell roof tile may have stand-offs disposed on the extended width border region for providing vertical spacing with respect to an adjacent solar cell roof tile.

Relationship between glacier melting and atmospheric circulation in the southeast Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osipova, O. P.; Osipov, E. Y.

2018-01-01

The interaction between climate and cryosphere is a key issue in recent years. Changes in surface mass balance of mountain glaciers closely correspond to differential changes in atmospheric circulation. Mountain glaciers in southeast Siberia located on East Sayan, Baikalsky and Kodar ridges have been continuously shrinking since the end of the Little Ice Age. In this study we used daily synoptic weather maps (Irkutsk Center of Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring), 500 hPa, 700 hPa and 850 hPa geopotential height and air temperature data of NCEP/NCAR reanalysis to assess relationships between atmospheric circulation patterns and the sum of positive temperature (SPT), a predictor of summer ice/snow ablation. Results show that increased SPT (ablation) is generally associated with anticyclones and anticyclonic pressure fields (with cloudless weather conditions) and warm atmospheric fronts. Decreased SPT (ablation) is strongly correlated with cyclones and cyclonic type pressure fields, cold atmospheric fronts and air advections. Significant correlations have been found between ablation and cyclonic/anticyclonic activity. Revealed decreasing trends in the SPT in three glaciarized ridges at the beginning of the 21st century led to changes of air temperature and snow/ice melt climates.

Optimal Substrate Preheating Model for Thermal Spray Deposition of Thermosets onto Polymer Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivosevic, M.; Knight, R.; Kalidindi, S. R.; Palmese, G. R.; Tsurikov, A.; Sutter, J. K.

2003-01-01

High velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) sprayed, functionally graded polyimide/WC-Co composite coatings on polymer matrix composites (PMC's) are being investigated for applications in turbine engine technologies. This requires that the polyimide, used as the matrix material, be fully crosslinked during deposition in order to maximize its engineering properties. The rapid heating and cooling nature of the HVOF spray process and the high heat flux through the coating into the substrate typically do not allow sufficient time at temperature for curing of the thermoset. It was hypothesized that external substrate preheating might enhance the deposition behavior and curing reaction during the thermal spraying of polyimide thermosets. A simple analytical process model for the deposition of thermosetting polyimide onto polymer matrix composites by HVOF thermal spray technology has been developed. The model incorporates various heat transfer mechanisms and enables surface temperature profiles of the coating to be simulated, primarily as a function of substrate preheating temperature. Four cases were modeled: (i) no substrate preheating; (ii) substrates electrically preheated from the rear; (iii) substrates preheated by hot air from the front face; and (iv) substrates electrically preheated from the rear and by hot air from the front.

Solar cell modules with improved backskin and methods for forming same

DOEpatents

Hanoka, Jack I.

1998-04-21

A laminated solar cell module with a backskin layer that reduces the materials and labor required during the manufacturing process. The solar cell module includes a rigid front support layer formed of light transmitting material having first and second surfaces. A transparent encapsulant layer has a first surface disposed adjacent the second surface of the front support layer. A plurality of interconnected solar cells have a first surface disposed adjacent a second surface of the transparent encapsulant layer. The backskin layer is formed of a thermoplastic olefin, which includes first ionomer, a second ionomer, glass fiber, and carbon black. A first surface of the backskin layer is disposed adjacent a second surface of the interconnected solar cells. The transparent encapsulant layer and the backskin layer, in combination, encapsulate the interconnected solar cells. An end portion of the backskin layer can be wrapped around the edge of the module for contacting the first surface of the front support layer to form an edge seal. A laminated solar cell module with a backskin layer that reduces the materials and labor required during the manufacturing process. The solar cell module includes a rigid front support layer formed of light transmitting material having first and second surfaces. A transparent encapsulant layer has a first surface disposed adjacent the second surface of the front support layer. A plurality of interconnected solar cells have a first surface disposed adjacent a second surface of the transparent encapsulant layer. The backskin layer is formed of a thermoplastic olefin, which includes first ionomer, a second ionomer, glass fiber, and carbon black. A first surface of the backskin layer is disposed adjacent a second surface of the interconnected solar cells. The transparent encapsulant layer and the backskin layer, in combination, encapsulate the interconnected solar cells. An end portion of the backskin layer can be wrapped around the edge of the module for contacting the first surface of the front support layer to form an edge seal.

connecting the dots between Greenland ice sheet surface melting and ice flow dynamics (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Box, J. E.; Colgan, W. T.; Fettweis, X.; Phillips, T. P.; Stober, M.

2013-12-01

This presentation is of a 'unified theory' in glaciology that first identifies surface albedo as a key factor explaining total ice sheet mass balance and then surveys a mechanistic self-reinforcing interaction between melt water and ice flow dynamics. The theory is applied in a near-real time total Greenland mass balance retrieval based on surface albedo, a powerful integrator of the competing effects of accumulation and ablation. New snowfall reduces sunlight absorption and increases meltwater retention. Melting amplifies absorbed sunlight through thermal metamorphism and bare ice expansion in space and time. By ';following the melt'; we reveal mechanisms linking existing science into a unified theory. Increasing meltwater softens the ice sheet in three ways: 1.) sensible heating given the water temperature exceeds that of the ice sheet interior; 2.) Some infiltrating water refreezes, transferring latent heat to the ice; 3.) Friction from water turbulence heats the ice. It has been shown that for a point on the ice sheet, basal lubrication increases ice flow speed to a time when an efficient sub-glacial drainage network develops that reduces this effect. Yet, with an increasing melt duration the point where the ice sheet glides on a wet bed increases inland to a larger area. This effect draws down the ice surface elevation, contributing to the ';elevation feedback'. In a perpetual warming scenario, the elevation feedback ultimately leads to ice sheet loss reversible only through much slower ice sheet growth in an ice age environment. As the inland ice sheet accelerates, the horizontal extension pulls cracks and crevasses open, trapping more sunlight, amplifying the effect of melt accelerated ice. As the bare ice area increases, the direct sun-exposed crevassed and infiltration area increases further allowing the ice warming process to occur more broadly. Considering hydrofracture [a.k.a. hydrofracking]; surface meltwater fills cracks, attacking the ice integrity. Because water is 'heavier' than ice, water-filled cracks have unlimited capacity to hydraulically ';jack' open fractures, penetrating, fracturing and disaggregating a solid ice body. This process promotes iceberg calving at more than 150, 1km wide marine terminating Greenland glacier fronts. Resulting from a rising trend of surface melting and sea water temperature, meltwater ejection at the underwater front of marine glaciers drives a an increasing turbulent heat exchange between the glacier front and relatively warm sea water melting it faster. Underwater melting promotes an undercutting of the glacier front leading to ice berg calving. Calving through hydrofracture or marine undercutting provide a direct and immediate ice flow speed response mechanism for surface meltwater production. Ice flow speed reacts because calving reduces flow resistance. The above physical processes interact. Cooling shuts these processes down. Negative feedbacks dampen the warming impulse. Live 21 June, 2013 is a new Danish Web site1 that exploits total mass balance rate of decline as a function of albedo to predict GRACE mass rate of change with 80% explained variance. While surface mass balance explains the mass rate of change slightly higher, surface albedo is an observable quantity as is gravity change.

Experimental Investigation of Premixed Turbulent Hydrocarbon/Air Bunsen Flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamadonfar, Parsa

Through the influence of turbulence, the front of a premixed turbulent flame is subjected to the motions of eddies that leads to an increase in the flame surface area, and the term flame wrinkling is commonly used to describe it. If it is assumed that the flame front would continue to burn locally unaffected by the stretch, then the total turbulent burning velocity is expected to increase proportionally to the increase in the flame surface area caused by wrinkling. When the turbulence intensity is high enough such that the stretch due to hydrodynamics and flame curvature would influence the local premixed laminar burning velocity, then the actual laminar burning velocity (that is, flamelet consumption velocity) should reflect the influence of stretch. To address this issue, obtaining the knowledge of instantaneous flame front structures, flame brush characteristics, and burning velocities of premixed turbulent flames is necessary. Two axisymmetric Bunsen-type burners were used to produce premixed turbulent flames, and three optical measurement techniques were utilized: Particle image velocimetry to measure the turbulence statistics; Rayleigh scattering method to measure the temperature fields of premixed turbulent flames, and Mie scattering method to visualize the flame front contours of premixed turbulent flames. Three hydrocarbons (methane, ethane, and propane) were used as the fuel in the experiments. The turbulence was generated using different perforated plates mounted upstream of the burner exit. A series of comprehensive parameters including the thermal flame front thickness, characteristic flame height, mean flame brush thickness, mean volume of the turbulent flame region, two-dimensional flame front curvature, local flame front angle, two-dimensional flame surface density, wrinkled flame surface area, turbulent burning velocity, mean flamelet consumption velocity, mean turbulent flame stretch factor, mean turbulent Markstein length and number, and mean fuel consumption rate were systematically evaluated from the experimental data. The normalized preheat zone and reaction zone thicknesses decreased with increasing non-dimensional turbulence intensity in ultra-lean premixed turbulent flames under a constant equivalence ratio of 0.6, whereas they increased with increasing equivalence ratios from 0.6 to 1.0 under a constant bulk flow velocity. The normalized preheat zone and reaction zone thicknesses showed no overall trend with increasing non-dimensional longitudinal integral length scale. The normalized preheat zone and reaction zone thicknesses decreased by increasing the Karlovitz number, suggesting that increasing the total stretch rate is the controlling mechanism in the reduction of flame front thickness for the experimental conditions studied in this thesis. In general, the leading edge and half-burning surface turbulent burning velocities were enhanced with increasing equivalence ratio from lean to stoichiometric mixtures, whereas they decreased with increasing equivalence ratio for rich mixtures. These velocities were enhanced with increasing total turbulence intensity. The leading edge and half-burning surface turbulent burning velocities for lean/stoichiometric mixtures were observed to be smaller than that for rich mixtures. The mean turbulent flame stretch factor displayed a dependence on the equivalence ratio and turbulence intensity. Results show that the mean turbulent flame stretch factors for lean/stoichiometric and rich mixtures were not equal when the unstrained premixed laminar burning velocity, non-dimensional bulk flow velocity, non-dimensional turbulence intensity, and non-dimensional longitudinal integral length scale were kept constant.

Solar reflection panels

DOEpatents

Diver, Jr., Richard B.; Grossman, James W [Albuquerque, NM; Reshetnik, Michael [Boulder, CO

2006-07-18

A solar collector comprising a glass mirror, and a composite panel, wherein the back of the mirror is affixed to a front surface of the composite panel. The composite panel comprises a front sheet affixed to a surface of a core material, preferably a core material comprising a honeycomb structure, and a back sheet affixed to an opposite surface of the core material. The invention may further comprise a sealing strip, preferably comprising EPDM, positioned between the glass mirror and the front surface of the composite panel. The invention also is of methods of making such solar collectors.

Heated Surface Temperatures Measured by Infrared Detector in a Cascade Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyle, Robert J.

2002-01-01

Investigators have used infrared devices to accurately measure heated surface temperatures. Several of these applications have been for turbine heat transfer studies involving film cooling and surface roughness, typically, these measurements use an infrared camera positioned externally to the test section. In cascade studies, where several blades are used to ensure periodic flow, adjacent blades block the externally positioned camera's views of the test blade. To obtain a more complete mapping of the surface temperatures, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center fabricated a probe with an infrared detector to sense the blade temperatures. The probe size was kept small to minimize the flow disturbance. By traversing and rotating the probe, using the same approach as for total pressure surveys, one can find the blade surface temperatures. Probe mounted infrared detectors are appropriate for measuring surface temperatures where an externally positioned infrared camera is unable to completely view the test object. This probe consists of a 8-mm gallium arsenide (GaAs) lens mounted in front of a mercury-cadmium-zinc-tellurium (HgCdZnTe) detector. This type of photovoltaic detector was chosen because of its high sensitivity to temperature when the detector is uncooled. The particular application is for relatively low surface temperatures, typically ambient to 100 C. This requires a detector sensitive at long wavelengths. The detector is a commercial product enclosed in a 9-mm-diameter package. The GaAs lens material was chosen because of its glass-like hardness and its good long-wavelength transmission characteristics. When assembled, the 6.4-mm probe stem is held in the traversing actuator. Since the entire probe is above the measurement plane, the flow field disturbance in the measurement plane is minimized. This particular probe body is somewhat wider than necessary, because it was designed to have replaceable detectors and lenses. The signal for the detector is fed through the hollow probe body. The detector's signal goes to an externally mounted preamplifier. The detector assembly, along with a preamplifier, is calibrated as a function of the surface temperature for various detector temperatures. The output voltage is a function of both the detector and object temperatures.

A fjord-glacier coupled system model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Andrés, Eva; Otero, Jaime; Navarro, Francisco; Prominska, Agnieszka; Lapazaran, Javier; Walczowski, Waldemar

2017-04-01

With the aim of studying the processes occurring at the front of marine-terminating glaciers, we couple a fjord circulation model with a flowline glacier dynamics model, with subglacial discharge and calving, which allows the calculation of submarine melt and its influence on calving processes. For ocean modelling, we use a general circulation model, MITgcm, to simulate water circulation driven by both fjord conditions and subglacial discharge, and for calculating submarine melt rates at the glacier front. To constrain freshwater input to the fjord, we use estimations from European Arctic Reanalysis (EAR). To determine the optimal values for each run period, we perform a sensitivity analysis of the model to subglacial discharge variability, aimed to get the best fit of model results to observed temperature and salinity profiles in the fjord for each of these periods. Then, we establish initial and boundary fjord conditions, which we vary weekly-fortnightly, and calculate the submarine melt rate as a function of depth at the calving front. These data are entered into the glacier-flow model, Elmer/Ice, which has been added a crevasse-depth calving model, to estimate the glacier terminus position at a weekly time resolution. We focus our study on the Hansbreen Glacier-Hansbukta Fjord system, in Southern Spitsbergen, Svalbard, where a large set of data are available for both glacier and fjord. The bathymetry of the entire system has been determined from ground penetrating radar and sonar data. In the fjord we have got temperature and salinity data from CTDs (May to September, 2010-2014) and from a mooring (September to May, 2011-2012). For Hansbreen, we use glacier surface topography data from the SPIRIT DEM, surface mass balance from EAR, centre line glacier velocities from stake measurements (May 2005-April 2011), weekly terminus positions from time-lapse photos (Sept. 2009-Sept. 2011), and sea-ice concentrations from time-lapse photos and Nimbus-7 SMMR and DMSP SSM/I-SSMIS Passive Microwave Data. Results suggest submarine melt rates at Hansbreen terminus implying noticeable changes in the glacier front geometry, and hence the stress field, which favour the occurrence of calving events. In this way, submarine melt at the glacier front could be a first-order mechanism in determining the terminus position in late summer.

Laser Driven Compression Equations of State and Hugoniot Pressure Measurements in Thick Solid Metallic Targets at ˜0.17-13 TW/cm2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remo, John L.

2010-10-01

An electro-optic laser probe was developed to obtain parameters for high energy density equations of state (EoS), Hugoniot pressures (PH), and strain rates for high energy density laser irradiation intensity, I, experiments at ˜170 GW/cm2 (λ = 1064 nm) to ˜13 TW/cm2 (λ = 527 nm) on Al, Cu, Ti, Fe, Ni metal targets in a vacuum. At I ˜7 TW/cm2 front surface plasma pressures and temperatures reached 100's GPa and over two million K. Rear surface PH ranged from 7-120 GPa at average shock wave transit velocities 4.2-8.5 km/s, depending on target thickness and I. A surface plasma compression ˜100's GPa generated an impulsive radial expanding shock wave causing compression, rarefactions, and surface elastic and plastic deformations depending on I. A laser/fiber optic system measured rear surface shock wave emergence and particle velocity with ˜3 GHz resolution by monitoring light deflection from diamond polished rear surfaces of malleable metallic targets, analogous to an atomic force microscope. Target thickness, ˜0.5-2.9 mm, prevented front surface laser irradiation penetration, due to low radiation skin depth, from altering rear surface reflectivity (refractive index). At ˜10 TW electromagnetic plasma pulse noise generated from the target chamber overwhelmed detector signals. Pulse frequency analysis using Moebius loop antennae probed transient noise characteristics. Average shock (compression) and particle (rear surface displacement) velocity measurements determined rear surface PH and GPa) EoS that are compared with gas guns.

Atmospheric responses to sensible and latent heating fluxes over the Gulf Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minobe, S.; Ida, T.; Takatama, K.

2016-12-01

Air-sea interaction over mid-latitude oceanic fronts such as the Gulf Stream attracted large attention in the last decade. Observational analyses and modelling studies revealed that atmospheric responses over the Gulf Stream including surface wind convergence, enhanced precipitation and updraft penetrating to middle-to-upper troposphere roughly on the Gulf Stream current axis or on the warmer flank of sea-surface temperature (SST) front of the Gulf Stream . For these atmospheric responses, oceanic information should be transmitted to the atmosphere via turbulent heat fluxes, and thus the mechanisms for atmospheric responses can be understood better by examining latent and sensible air-sea heat fluxes more closely. Thus, the roles of the sensible and latent heat fluxes are examined by conducting a series of numerical experiments using the IPRC Regional Atmospheric Model over the Gulf Stream by applying SST smoothing for latent and sensible heating separately. The results indicate that the sensible and latent heat fluxes affect the atmosphere differently. Sensible heat flux intensifies surface wind convergence to produce sea-level pressure (SLP) anomaly. Latent heat flux supplies moistures and maintains enhanced precipitation. The different heat flux components cause upward wind velocity at different levels.

The Potsdam Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM-PIK) - Part 2: Dynamic equilibrium simulation of the Antarctic ice sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, M. A.; Winkelmann, R.; Haseloff, M.; Albrecht, T.; Bueler, E.; Khroulev, C.; Levermann, A.

2011-09-01

We present a dynamic equilibrium simulation of the ice sheet-shelf system on Antarctica with the Potsdam Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM-PIK). The simulation is initialized with present-day conditions for bed topography and ice thickness and then run to steady state with constant present-day surface mass balance. Surface temperature and sub-shelf basal melt distribution are parameterized. Grounding lines and calving fronts are free to evolve, and their modeled equilibrium state is compared to observational data. A physically-motivated calving law based on horizontal spreading rates allows for realistic calving fronts for various types of shelves. Steady-state dynamics including surface velocity and ice flux are analyzed for whole Antarctica and the Ronne-Filchner and Ross ice shelf areas in particular. The results show that the different flow regimes in sheet and shelves, and the transition zone between them, are captured reasonably well, supporting the approach of superposition of SIA and SSA for the representation of fast motion of grounded ice. This approach also leads to a natural emergence of sliding-dominated flow in stream-like features in this new 3-D marine ice sheet model.

Structure and Dynamics of Decadal Anomalies in the Wintertime Midlatitude North Pacific Ocean-Atmosphere System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, J.

2017-12-01

The structure and dynamics of decadal anomalies in the wintertime midlatitude North Pacific ocean- atmosphere system are examined in this study, using the NCEP/NCAR atmospheric reanalysis, HadISST SST and Simple Ocean Data Assimilation data for 1960-2010. The midlatitude decadal anomalies associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation are identified, being characterized by an equivalent barotropic atmospheric low (high) pressure over a cold (warm) oceanic surface. Such a unique configuration of decadal anomalies can be maintained by an unstable ocean-atmosphere interaction mechanism in the midlatitudes, which is hypothesized as follows. Associated with a warm PDO phase, an initial midlatitude surface westerly anomaly accompanied with intensified Aleutian low tends to force a negative SST anomaly by increasing upward surface heat fluxes and driving southward Ekman current anomaly. The SST cooling tends to increase the meridional SST gradient, thus enhancing the subtropical oceanic front. As an adjustment of the atmospheric boundary layer to the enhanced oceanic front, the low-level atmospheric meridional temperature gradient and thus the low-level atmospheric baroclinicity tend to be strengthened, inducing more active transient eddy activities that increase transient eddy vorticity forcing. The vorticity forcing that dominates the total atmospheric forcing tends to produce an equivalent barotropic atmospheric low pressure north of the initial westerly anomaly, intensifying the initial anomalies of the midlatitude surface westerly and Aleutian low. Therefore, it is suggested that the midlatitude ocean-atmosphere interaction can provide a positive feedback mechanism for the development of initial anomaly, in which the oceanic front and the atmospheric transient eddy are the indispensable ingredients. Such a positive ocean-atmosphere feedback mechanism is fundamentally responsible for the observed decadal anomalies in the midlatitude North Pacific ocean-atmosphere system.

Optical characterization of display screens by speckle-contrast measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozo, Antonio M.; Castro, José J.; Rubiño, Manuel

2012-10-01

In recent years, the flat-panel display (FPD) technology has undergone great development. Currently, FPDs are present in many devices. A significant element in FPD manufacturing is the display front surface. Manufacturers sell FPDs with different types of front surface which can be matte (also called anti-glare) or glossy screens. Users who prefer glossy screens consider images shown in these types of displays to have more vivid colours compared with matte-screen displays. However, external light sources may cause unpleasant reflections on the glossy screens. These reflections can be reduced by a matte treatment in the front surface of FPDs. In this work, we present a method to characterize the front surface of FPDs using laser speckle patterns. We characterized three FPDs: a Samsung XL2370 LCD monitor of 23" with matte screen, a Toshiba Satellite A100 laptop of 15.4" with glossy screen, and a Papyre electronic book reader. The results show great differences in speckle contrast values for the three screens characterized and, therefore, this work shows the feasibility of this method for characterizing and comparing FPDs which have different types of front surfaces.

From the front

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

Price, Stephen

The causes of recent dynamic thinning of Greenland's outlet glaciers have been debated. Realistic simulations suggest that changes at the marine fronts of these glaciers are to blame, implying that dynamic thinning will cease once the glaciers retreat to higher ground. For the last decade, many outlet glaciers in Greenland that terminate in the ocean have accelerated, thinned, and retreated. To explain these dynamic changes, two hypotheses have been discussed. Atmospheric warming has increased surface melting and may also have increased the amount of meltwater reaching the glacier bed, increasing lubrication at the base and hence the rate of glaciermore » sliding. Alternatively, a change in the delicate balance of forces where the glacier fronts meet the ocean could trigger the changes. Faezeh Nick and colleagues5 present ice-sheet modeling experiments that mimic the observations on Helheim glacier, East Greenland, and suggest that the dynamic behaviour of outlet glaciers follows from perturbations at their marine fronts. Greenland's ice sheet loses mass partly through surface melting and partly through fast flowing outlet glaciers that connect the vast plateau of inland ice with the ocean. Earlier ice sheet models have failed to reproduce the dynamic variability exhibited by ice sheets over time. It has therefore not been possible to distinguish with confidence between basal lubrication from surface meltwater and changes at the glaciers' marine fronts as causes for the observed changes on Greenland's outlet glaciers. But this distinction bears directly on future sea-level rise, the raison d'etre of much of modern-day glaciology: If the recent dynamic mass loss Greenland's outlet glaciers is linked to changing atmospheric temperatures, it may continue for as long as temperatures continue to increase. On the other hand, if the source of the dynamic mass loss is a perturbation at the ice-ocean boundary, these glaciers will lose contact with that perturbation after a finite amount of thinning and retreat. Therefore, the first hypothesis implies continued retreat of outlet glaciers into the foreseeable future, while the second does not -- provided the bedrock topography prohibits a connection between the retreating glacier and the ocean. Nick and coauthors test the physical mechanisms implied in each hypotbesis in an innovative ice-flow model, and use that model to try to match a time series of observations from Helheim glacier, one of Greenland's three largest outlet glaciers. Along with many observations, the simulations strongly support the contention that the recent retreat of Greenland's outlet glaciers is the result of changes at their marine fronts.Further, the simulations confirm the earlier hypotheses that bedrock topography largely controlled Helheim glacier's rapid acceleration and retreat in 2004 and 2005, and its deceleration and stabilization in 2006. Finally, the current work implies that if requirements of observational data (high-resolution bed topography) and computational resources (fine computational grid resolution) can be met, improved predictive capability for ice-sheet models is attainable. With respect to the concerns raised by the IPCC, this study signals progress.« less

An Experimental Study of Ignition Effects and Flame Growth Over a Thin Solid Fuel in Low-Speed Concurrent Flow Using Drop-Tower Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pettegrew, Richard Dale

1996-01-01

An experimental study of ignition and flame growth over a thin solid fuel in oxidizer flow speeds from 0 to 10 cm/sec concurrent flow was performed. This study examined the differences between ignition using a resistively heated wire (woven in a sawtooth pattern over the leading edge of the fuel), and a straight resistively heated wire augmented by a chemical ignitor doped onto the leading edge of the fuel. Results showed that the chemical system yielded non-uniform ignition bursts, while the system using only the hotwire gave more uniform ignition. At speeds up to 2.5 cm/sec, the chemical system yielded non-uniform pyrolysis fronts, while the hotwire system gave more uniform pyrolysis fronts. At speeds of 5 cm/sec or greater, both systems gave uniform pyrolysis fronts. The chemically-ignited flames tended to become too dim to see faster than the hotwire-ignited flames, and the flame lengths were observed to be shorter (after the initial burst subsided) for the chemical system for all speeds. Flame and pyrolysis element velocities were measured. Temperature profiles for selected tests were measured using thermocouples at the fuel surface and in the gas phase. Comparisons between the flame element velocities and peak temperatures recorded in these tests with calculated spread rates and peak temperatures from a steady-state model are presented. Agreement was found to be within 20% for most flame elements for nominal velocities of 5 cm/sec and 7.5 cm/sec.

Sub-diurnal Variation of SST Gradients in Infrared Satellite Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salter, J. P.; Cornillon, P. C.; Clayson, C. A.

2016-02-01

Ocean fronts are known to influence many physical, biological, and chemical processes including ocean mixing, air-sea interaction, cloud and wind patterns, and marine productivity. Satellite-derived Sea Surface Temperature (SST) measurements are an invaluable tool in studying ocean fronts because of the large spatial and temporal coverage of satellite data, extending back as far as the early 1980s. One of the limitations to satellite-derived ocean fronts is that they provide no information about the underlying vertical structure; furthermore, the dynamics on sub-diurnal time scales for ocean fronts are poorly understood. In this poster we examine the daily signal of SST gradient magnitudes for the eastern Mediterranean sea as the first step in quantifying a subset of ocean fronts globally and how they vary on sub-diurnal time scales. We find that mean gradient magnitude in summer months increases and peaks around 2-4 PM Local Sun Time (LST). We find that the peak in summer months results from an increase in the magnitude of weaker gradients while the magnitude of the strongest gradients decrease; however, the weaker gradients contribute more strongly to the mean signal, resulting in the increase. The mid-afternoon peak in SST gradient magnitude disappears in winter with only a suggestion of a peak earlier in the day although the paucity of cloud free data in winter precludes making a statistically significant statement in this regard.

Transport of pollutants and sediment in the area of the Wave Hub (Celtic Sea)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapiro, Georgy; Huntley, David

2010-05-01

Ocean waves are a sustainable source of alternative energy that, if properly developed, will provide a quarter of current electricity demand and contribute to lowering the UK's reliance on fossil fuels. The UK government has given planning approval for a pilot power plant called the Wave Hub located in the eastern Celtic Sea off the Cornish north coast. The impact of a small number of devices on the physical environment is expected to be subtle outside the exclusion zone. However, such pilot projects are considered as the launching pad in the UK's ambitious programme to create a new wave energy industry. Large scale off-shore industrial activity can interact with the physical environment of the shelf sea in a two-fold manner: (i) the wave farm is affected by the waves, currents, variation in temperature and movements of sediment, and (ii) it can impact on the marine environment via a number of ways including release of dissolved and suspended matter during construction, operational and decommission stages of the project. These changes in the physical environment can then be translated into changes of the ecosystem and corresponding human activities. The Celtic Sea has a highly variable and complex thermal structure. In the spring and summer the water column becomes stratified due to solar heating of the surface layer, particularly in the areas of greater depth and/or low currents, where the turbulence is insufficient to mix the entire water column. Fronts form at the junctions of stratified and mixed water columns and these fronts generate currents which flow along the fronts. These frontal currents are subject to baroclinic instability and generate a whole set of mesoscale (i.e. comparable with the baroclinic Rossby radius) features such as eddies, filaments and mushroom currents, which are clearly seen on satellite images. Ecosystems are particularly concentrated in the vicinity of fronts so changes in frontal strength or location can have significant biological consequences. This paper presents some preliminary modelling results of a baseline study focussed on hind-cast and now-cast simulation of the 3D structure of temperature, salinity and current velocity in the area immediately adjacent to the location of the Wave Hub. Of the range of available 3D numerical models for shelf sea hydrodynamics, we have selected the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory Coastal Modelling System (POLCOMS). The POLCOMS has successfully been used in a number of coastal/shelf sea regions to simulate circulation of coastal waters. Modelling is carried out in the region of approximately 200x 200 km with the variable vertical resolution typically less than 2 m. Such parameters allow resololution of the formation of coastal density fronts both within and outside the wave shadow zone, expected to be of the order of tens of kilometres. The meteorological parameters are obtained from the publicly available NCEP re-analyses data base. These parameters include components of the wind velocity and the surface heat fluxes, air pressure at sea level; temperature and humidity in the low troposphere; precipitation and cloudiness. In this study, the transport of pollution is simulated by a number of passive drifters located at a certain depth at a number of locations including the central point of the Wave Hub. Sediment transport is modelled using the Engelund-Hansen algorithm taking the current velocities produced by the POLCOMS as an input parameter. The Celtic sea is a tidally dominated region, and the modelling is run both in full-forcing and in tide-only modes in order to assess effects of density fronts on the residual (tidally averaged) circulation pattern. The results show that the pollution pathways are very sensitive to the formation of temperature fronts. In some cases the passive traces move in nearly opposite directions when the effect of temperature fronts is disregarded. Sediment transport is highly non-uniform spatially with some four areas along the Cornish coast being particularly affected. Sediment transport is also sensitive to the neap-spring phase of the tidal cycle. Residual currents caused by the non-linear tidal stream rectification are comparable or slower (depending on location) than the density driven currents caused by formation of temperature fronts. Location of the Wave Hub is particularly prone to strong transport of suspended particulate matter subject to availability of sediment on the seabed. These preliminary results suggest that the region of the Celtic Sea where the proposed Wave Hub is sited is an excellent location for assessing potential impacts of wave energy extraction. The authors wish to thank D. L. Aleynik for his help in setting up the POLCOMS model and the PRIMaRE project for providing computing facilities.

Evaluation of the thermal structure in an urban street canyon: field measurements and model simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giovannini, L.; de Franceschi, M.; Zardi, D.

2009-04-01

The results of a research project, aiming at providing tools and criteria to evaluate the temperature field inside an urban street canyon, are presented. Temperature measurements have been carried out, both in summertime and in wintertime, inside a North-South oriented urban canyon in the city of Trento (Italy) in the Alps, with sensors placed at various heights on the front of buildings flanking the street and on top of traffic lights in the middle of the canyon. The results have been analyzed in comparison with data from an automated weather station placed close to the street canyon, at 33 m above ground level and taken as a reference for the above roof-top level. During sunny days a well defined cycle was identified in the daily evolution of air temperature measured by the sensors inside the urban canyon, which was primarily influenced by direct solar radiation. As expected, during the morning the East-facing sensors warmed up faster than the other ones, while in the afternoon the West-facing instruments were the warmest. In most cases the air temperature inside the canyon was higher than above roof level, with differences depending on weather conditions and hour of the day. The dataset allowed to characterize the microclimate of the urban canopy layer and provided a basis for testing the ability of a simple numerical model to simulate the thermal structure inside the urban canyon. The model displays the following characteristics: assignment of distinct surface types (road, walls and roofs), in order to better simulate their physical properties; computation of radiative exchanges inside the canyon based on view factors between the different surfaces and explicitly treating both the solar reflections and the shadows; storage heat flux simulated by means of the heat conduction equation. The model requires as input the geometry parameters of the street and the values of meteorological variables measured above roof level. The main outputs are the heat fluxes determined by the surface energy balance (road, building fronts), the surface temperatures and the average air temperature inside the urban canyon. The comparison between the results of the model and the measurements made during the field experiments displays a good agreement, with an average error of 0.3-0.4 °C on the evaluation of the mean air temperature inside the street canyon. This result is remarkable, especially considering the low level of complexity of the numerical code and the simplifying assumptions made.

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

Piper, M; Lundquist, J K

Some recent investigations have begun to quantify turbulence and dissipation in frontal zones to address the question of what physical mechanism counteracts the intensification of temperature and velocity gradients across a developing front. Frank (1994) examines the turbulence structure of two fronts that passed a 200m instrumented tower near Karlsruhe, Germany. In addition to showing the mean vertical structure of the fronts as they pass the tower, Frank demonstrates that there is an order of magnitude or more increase in turbulent kinetic energy across the frontal zone. Blumen and Piper (1999) reported turbulence statistics, including dissipation rate measurements, from themore » MICROFRONTS field experiment, where high-frequency turbulence data were collected from tower-mounted hotwire and sonic anemometers in a cold front and in a density current. Chapman and Browning (2001) measured dissipation rate in a precipitating frontal zone with high-resolution Doppler radar. Their measurements were conducted above the surface layer, to heights of 5km. The dissipation rate values they found are comparable to those measured in Kennedy and Shapiro (1975) in an upper-level front. Here, we expand on these recent studies by depicting the behavior of the fine scales of turbulence near the surface in a frontal zone. The primary objective of this study is to quantify the levels of turbulence and dissipation occurring in a frontal zone through the calculation of kinetic energy spectra and dissipation rates. The high-resolution turbulence data used in this study are taken during the cold front that passed the MICROFRONTS site in the early evening hours of 20 March 1995. These new measurements can be used as a basis for parameterizing the effects of surface-layer turbulence in numerical models of frontogenesis. We present three techniques for calculating the dissipation rate: direct dissipation technique, inertial dissipation technique and Kolmogorov's four-fifths law. Dissipation rate calculations using these techniques are employed using data from both the sonic and hotwire anemometers, when possible. Unfortunately, direct calculations of {var_epsilon} were not possible during a part of the frontal passage because the high wind speeds concurrent with the frontal passage demand very high frequency resolution, beyond that possible with the hotwire anemometer, for direct {var_epsilon} calculations. The calculations resulting from these three techniques are presented for the cold front as a time series. Quantitative comparisons of the direct and indirect calculation techniques are also given. More detail, as well as a discussion of energy spectra, can be found in Piper & Lundquist(2004).« less

The importance of oceanographic fronts to marine birds and mammals of the southern oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bost, C. A.; Cotté, C.; Bailleul, F.; Cherel, Y.; Charrassin, J. B.; Guinet, C.; Ainley, D. G.; Weimerskirch, H.

2009-10-01

During the last 30 years, at-sea studies of seabirds and marine mammals in the oceans south of the Subtropical Front have described an association with major frontal areas. More recently, the advancement in microtechnology has allowed the tracking of individuals and investigations into how these marine predators actually use the frontal zones. In this review, we examine 1) the relative importance to apex predators of the different frontal zones in terms of spatial distribution and carbon flux; 2) the processes that determine their preferential use; and 3) how the mesoscale dynamics of frontal structures drive at-sea foraging strategies of these predators. We review published results from southern waters and place them in a broader context with respect to what has been learned about the importance of fronts in oceans farther north. Some fronts constitute important boundaries for seabird communities in southern waters. At a mesoscale the maximum values of seabird diversity and abundance correspond to the location of the main fronts. At-sea surveys show a strong curvilinear correlation between seabird abundance and sea surface temperatures. High mean species richness and diversity for whales and seabirds are consistently associated with the southern water mass boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the Subtropical Front and the Subantarctic Front; in the case of the Polar Front mean seabird densities are more variable. At small-scales, variation in seabird occurrence has been directly related to the processes at fronts in a limited number of cases. A significant positive relation was found between some plankton feeding species and frontal temperature gradient-phytoplankton variables. Telemetric studies have revealed that several apex predators (penguins, albatrosses, seals) perform long, directed foraging trips either to the Subtropical front or Polar Front, depending on locality. Seabirds with low flight costs, such as albatrosses, are able to reach fronts at long distances from colonies, showing variable foraging strategies as a function of the distances involved. Diving birds such as King penguins, that travel at a higher cost and lower speed, rely on the predictable spatial distribution of mesopelagic fish found close to the Polar Front. They may use the currents associated with eddies as oceanographic cues in the active search for frontal zones. Once in these areas they dive preferentially in and below the depth of the thermocline where catches per unit effort are high. Elephant seals concentrate foraging activity principally inside or at the boundary of cyclonic eddies. These mesoscale features appear to offer exceptional productivity favourable for foraging by various diving top predators. The connection between biophysical parameters at fronts and predators is likely to be made through biological enhancement. Top predators appear to forage at locations where prey are advected by physical processes and others where prey are produced locally. Long-term research on at-sea distributions and demographic parameters of top predators are essential to assess the consequences of potential shift in front distributions in relation to global warming. Such environmental changes would add to the impact of fish extraction by the industrial fisheries on the southern food webs.

Step edge sputtering yield at grazing incidence ion bombardment.

PubMed

Hansen, Henri; Polop, Celia; Michely, Thomas; Friedrich, Andreas; Urbassek, Herbert M

2004-06-18

The surface morphology of Pt(111) was investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy after 5 keV Ar+ ion bombardment at grazing incidence in dependence of the ion fluence and in the temperature range between 625 and 720 K. The average erosion rate was found to be strongly dependent on the ion fluence and the substrate temperature during bombardment. This dependence is traced back to the variation of step concentration with temperature and fluence. We develop a simple model allowing us to determine separately the constant sputtering yields for terraces and for impact area stripes in front of ascending steps. The experimentally determined yield of these stripes--the step-edge sputtering yield--is in excellent agreement with our molecular dynamics simulations performed for the experimental situation.

Hydrodynamic and thermal mechanisms of filtration combustion inclinational instability based on non-uniform distribution of initial preheating temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Yongfang; Shi, Junrui; Xu, Youning; Ma, Rui

2018-03-01

Filtration combustion (FC) is one style of porous media combustion with inert matrix, in which the combustion wave front propagates, only downstream or reciprocally. In this paper, we investigate the FC flame front inclinational instability of lean methane/air mixtures flowing through a packed bed as a combustion wave front perturbation of the initial preheating temperature non-uniformity is assumed. The predicted results show that the growth rate of the flame front inclinational angle is proportional to the magnitude of the initial preheating temperature difference. Additionally, depending on gas inlet gas velocity and equivalence ratio, it is demonstrated that increase of gas inlet gas velocity accelerates the FC wave front deformation, and the inclinational instability evolves faster at lower equivalence ratio. The development of the flame front inclinational angle may be regarded as a two-staged evolution, which includes rapid increase, and approaching maximum value of inclinational angle due to the quasi-steady condition of the combustion system. The hydrodynamic and thermal mechanisms of the FC inclinational instability are analyzed. Consequently, the local propagation velocity of the FC wave front is non-uniform to result in the development of inclinational angle at the first stage of rapid increase.

Surface properties of ocean fronts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolff, P. M.; Hubert, W. E.

1976-01-01

Background information on oceanic fronts is presented and the results of several models which were developed to study the dynamics of oceanic fronts and their effects on various surface properties are described. The details of the four numerical models used in these studies are given in separate appendices which contain all of the physical equations, program documentation and running instructions for the models.

Recent progress in online ultrasonic process monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Szu-Sheng L.; Chen, Tzu-Fang; Ramos-Franca, Demartonne; Nguyen, Ky T.; Jen, Cheng-Kuei; Ihara, Ikuo; Derdouri, A.; Garcia-Rejon, Andres

1998-03-01

On-line ultrasonic monitoring of polymer co-extrusion and gas-assisted injection molding are presented. During the co- extrusion of high density polyethylene and Santoprene ultrasonic sensors consisting of piezoelectric transducers and clad ultrasonic buffer rods are used to detect the interface between these two polymers and the stability of the extrusion. The same ultrasonic sensor also measures the surface temperature of the extruded polymer. The results indicate that temperature measurements using ultrasound have a faster response time than those obtained by conventional thermocouple. In gas-assisted injection molding the polymer and gas flow front positions are monitored simultaneously. This information may be used to control the plunger movement.

A mesoscale analysis of the pre-storm environment on the 17 June 1986 COHMEX day. [Cooperative Huntsville Meteorological Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuelberg, Henry E.; Schudalla, Ronald L.

1989-01-01

The study presented utilized special mesoscale Cooperative Huntsville Meteorological Experiment (COHMEX) data to understand the evolution of the preconvective environment on June 17, 1986. Using the special mesoscale COHMEX data, several mechanisms for triggering the convection are investigated. Afternoon heating probably was a major factor as observed noontime temperatures were near the sounding-derived convection temperatures. The special surface network revealed a quasi-stationary area of convergence not aligned with the front that may be associated with the orography of the area. This study demonstrates that rapid, small scale atmospheric variations preceded convective development on June 17, 1986.

Applications of optical holography to applied mechanics.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aprahamian, R.

1972-01-01

This paper provides a brief summary of applications of optical holography and holographic interferometry to applied solid mechanics. Basic equations commonly used in fringe interpretation are described and used to reduce the data contained on holographic interferograms. A comparison of data obtained holographically with analytical prediction is given wherever possible. Applications contained herein include front surface physics, study of bomb breakup, transverse wave propagation, study of mode shapes of panels at elevated temperatures, nondestructive testing, and vibration analysis.

Fast penetration of megagauss fields into metallic conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnitzer, Ory

2014-08-01

Megagauss magnetic-field penetration into a conducting material is studied via a simplified but representative model, wherein the magnetic-diffusion equation is coupled with a thermal-energy balance. The specific scenario considered is that of a prescribed magnetic field rising (in proportion to an arbitrary power r of time) at the surface of a conducting half-space whose electric conductivity is assumed proportional to an arbitrary inverse power γ of temperature. We employ a systematic asymptotic scheme in which the case of a strong surface field corresponds to a singular asymptotic limit. In this limit, the highly magnetized and hot "skin" terminates at a distinct propagating wave-front. Employing the method of matched asymptotic expansions, we find self-similar solutions of the magnetized region which match a narrow boundary-layer region about the advancing wave front. The rapidly decaying magnetic-field profile in the latter region is also self similar; when scaled by the instantaneous propagation speed, its shape is time-invariant, depending only on the parameter γ. The analysis furnishes a simple asymptotic formula for the skin-depth (i.e., the wave-front position), which substantially generalizes existing approximations. It scales with the power γr + 1/2 of time and the power γ of field strength, and is much larger than the field-independent skin depth predicted by an athermal model. The formula further involves a dimensionless O(1) pre-factor which depends on r and γ. It is determined by solving a nonlinear eigenvalue problem governing the magnetized region. Another main result of the analysis, apparently unprecedented, is an asymptotic formula for the magnitude of the current-density peak characterizing the wave-front region. Complementary to these systematic results, we provide a closed-form but ad hoc generalization of the theory approximately applicable to arbitrary monotonically rising surface fields. Our results are in excellent agreement with numerical simulations of the model, and compare favourably with detailed magnetohydrodynamic simulations reported in the literature.

Oxidative Corrosion of the UO 2 (001) Surface by Nonclassical Diffusion

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

Stubbs, Joanne E.; Biwer, Craig A.; Chaka, Anne M.

Uranium oxide is central to every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle, from mining through fuel fabrication and use, to waste disposal and environmental cleanup. Its chemical and mechanical stability are intricately linked to the concentration of interstitial O atoms within the structure and the oxidation state of U. We have previously shown that during corrosion of the UO2 (111) surface under either 1 atm O2 gas or oxygenated water at room temperature, oxygen interstitials diffuse into the substrate to form a superlattice with three-layer periodicity. In the current study, we present results from surface x-ray scattering that reveal themore » structure of the oxygen diffusion profile beneath the (001) surface. The first few layers below the surface oscillate strongly in their surface-normal lattice parameters, suggesting preferential interstitial occupation of every other layer below the surface, which is geometrically consistent with the interstitial network that forms below the oxidized (111) surface. Deeper layers are heavily contracted and indicate that the oxidation front penetrates ~52 Å below the (001) surface after 21 days of dry O2 gas exposure at ambient pressure and temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates U is present as U(IV), U(V), and U(VI).« less

X-ray lithography masking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Henry I. (Inventor); Lim, Michael (Inventor); Carter, James (Inventor); Schattenburg, Mark (Inventor)

1998-01-01

X-ray masking apparatus includes a frame having a supporting rim surrounding an x-ray transparent region, a thin membrane of hard inorganic x-ray transparent material attached at its periphery to the supporting rim covering the x-ray transparent region and a layer of x-ray opaque material on the thin membrane inside the x-ray transparent region arranged in a pattern to selectively transmit x-ray energy entering the x-ray transparent region through the membrane to a predetermined image plane separated from the layer by the thin membrane. A method of making the masking apparatus includes depositing back and front layers of hard inorganic x-ray transparent material on front and back surfaces of a substrate, depositing back and front layers of reinforcing material on the back and front layers, respectively, of the hard inorganic x-ray transparent material, removing the material including at least a portion of the substrate and the back layers of an inside region adjacent to the front layer of hard inorganic x-ray transparent material, removing a portion of the front layer of reinforcing material opposite the inside region to expose the surface of the front layer of hard inorganic x-ray transparent material separated from the inside region by the latter front layer, and depositing a layer of x-ray opaque material on the surface of the latter front layer adjacent to the inside region.

Three-dimensional dynamic thermal imaging of structural flaws by dual-band infrared computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DelGrande, Nancy; Dolan, Kenneth W.; Durbin, Philip F.; Gorvad, Michael R.; Kornblum, B. T.; Perkins, Dwight E.; Schneberk, Daniel J.; Shapiro, Arthur B.

1993-11-01

We discuss three-dimensional dynamic thermal imaging of structural flaws using dual-band infrared (DBIR) computed tomography. Conventional (single-band) thermal imaging is difficult to interpret. It yields imprecise or qualitative information (e.g., when subsurface flaws produce weak heat flow anomalies masked by surface clutter). We use the DBIR imaging technique to clarify interpretation. We capture the time history of surface temperature difference patterns at the epoxy-glue disbond site of a flash-heated lap joint. This type of flawed structure played a significant role in causing damage to the Aloha Aircraft fuselage on the aged Boeing 737 jetliner. The magnitude of surface-temperature differences versus time for 0.1 mm air layer compared to 0.1 mm glue layer, varies from 0.2 to 1.6 degree(s)C, for simultaneously scanned front and back surfaces. The scans are taken every 42 ms from 0 to 8 s after the heat flash. By ratioing 3 - 5 micrometers and 8 - 12 micrometers DBIR images, we located surface temperature patterns from weak heat flow anomalies at the disbond site and remove the emissivity mask from surface paint of roughness variations. Measurements compare well with calculations based on TOPAX3D, a three-dimensional, finite element computer model. We combine infrared, ultrasound and x-ray imaging methods to study heat transfer, bond quality and material differences associated with the lap joint disbond site.

Observing the seasonal cycle of the upper ocean in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, with autonomous profiling floats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, D. F.; Springer, S. R.; Padman, L.; Fricker, H. A.; Bell, R. E.

2017-12-01

The upper layers of the Southern Ocean where it meets the Antarctic ice sheet undergoes a large seasonal cycle controlled by surface radiation and by freshwater fluxes, both of which are strongly influenced by sea ice. In regions where seasonal sea ice and icebergs limit use of ice-tethered profilers and conventional moorings, autonomous profiling floats can sample the upper ocean. The deployment of seven Apex floats (by sea) and six ALAMO floats (by air) provides unique upper ocean hydrographic data in the Ross Sea close to the Ross Ice Shelf front. A novel choice of mission parameters - setting parking depth deeper than the seabed - limits their drift, allowing us to deploy the floats close to the ice shelf front, while sea ice avoidance algorithms allow the floats to to sample through winter under sea ice. Hydrographic profiles show the detailed development of the seasonal mixed layer close to the Ross front, and interannual variability of the seasonal mixed layer and deeper water masses on the central Ross Sea continental shelf. After the sea ice breakup in spring, a warm and fresh surface mixed layer develops, further warming and deepening throughout the summer. The mixed layer deepens, with maximum temperatures exceeding 0ºC in mid-February. By March, the surface energy budget becomes negative and sea ice begins to form, creating a cold, saline and dense surface layer. Once these processes overcome the stable summer stratification, convection erodes the surface mixed layer, mixing some heat downwards to deeper layers. There is considerable interannual variability in the evolution and strength of the surface mixed layer: summers with shorter ice-free periods result in a cooler and shallower surface mixed layer, which accumulates less heat than the summers with longer ice-free periods. Early ice breakup occurred in all floats in 2016/17 summer, enhancing the absorbed solar flux leading to a warmer surface mixed layer. Together, these unique measurements from autonomous profilers provide insight into the hydrographic state of the Ross Sea at the start of the spring period of sea-ice breakup, and how ocean mixing and sea ice interact to initiate the summer open-water season.

Design of an optical lens combined with a total internal reflection (TIR) freeform surface for a LED front fog lamp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hong; Li, Xiufeng; Ge, Peng

2017-02-01

We propose a design method of an optical lens combined with a total internal reflection (TIR) freeform surface for a LED front fog lamp. The TIR freeform surface controls the edge rays of the LED source. It totally reflects the edge rays and makes them emit from the top surface of the lens. And the middle rays of the LED source go through the refractive surface and reach the measured plane. We simulate the model by Monte Carlo method. Simulation results show that the front fog lamp system can satisfy the requirement of ECE R19 Rev7. The light control efficiency can reach up to 76%.

Numerical simulation of idealized front motion in neutral and stratified atmosphere with a hyperbolic system of equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yudin, M. S.

2017-11-01

In the present paper, stratification effects on surface pressure in the propagation of an atmospheric gravity current (cold front) over flat terrain are estimated with a non-hydrostatic finite-difference model of atmospheric dynamics. Artificial compressibility is introduced into the model in order to make its equations hyperbolic. For comparison with available simulation data, the physical processes under study are assumed to be adiabatic. The influence of orography is also eliminated. The front surface is explicitly described by a special equation. A time filter is used to suppress the non-physical oscillations. The results of simulations of surface pressure under neutral and stable stratification are presented. Under stable stratification the front moves faster and shows an abrupt pressure jump at the point of observation. This fact is in accordance with observations and the present-day theory of atmospheric fronts.

GaInAsP/InP lateral-current-injection distributed feedback laser with a-Si surface grating.

PubMed

Shindo, Takahiko; Okumura, Tadashi; Ito, Hitomi; Koguchi, Takayuki; Takahashi, Daisuke; Atsumi, Yuki; Kang, Joonhyun; Osabe, Ryo; Amemiya, Tomohiro; Nishiyama, Nobuhiko; Arai, Shigehisa

2011-01-31

We fabricated a novel lateral-current-injection-type distributed feedback (DFB) laser with amorphous-Si (a-Si) surface grating as a step to realize membrane lasers. This laser consists of a thin GaInAsP core layer grown on a semi-insulating InP substrate and a 30-nm-thick a-Si surface layer for DFB grating. Under a room-temperature continuous-wave condition, a low threshold current of 7.0 mA and high efficiency of 43% from the front facet were obtained for a 2.0-μm stripe width and 300-μm cavity length. A small-signal modulation bandwidth of 4.8 GHz was obtained at a bias current of 30 mA.

Local structural ordering in surface-confined liquid crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Śliwa, I.; Jeżewski, W.; Zakharov, A. V.

2017-06-01

The effect of the interplay between attractive nonlocal surface interactions and attractive pair long-range intermolecular couplings on molecular structures of liquid crystals confined in thin cells with flat solid surfaces has been studied. Extending the McMillan mean field theory to include finite systems, it has been shown that confining surfaces can induce complex orientational and translational ordering of molecules. Typically, local smectic A, nematic, and isotropic phases have been shown to coexist in certain temperature ranges, provided that confining cells are sufficiently thick, albeit finite. Due to the nonlocality of surface interactions, the spatial arrangement of these local phases can display, in general, an unexpected complexity along the surface normal direction. In particular, molecules located in the vicinity of surfaces can still be organized in smectic layers, even though nematic and/or isotropic order can simultaneously appear in the interior of cells. The resulting surface freezing of smectic layers has been confirmed to occur even for rather weak surface interactions. The surface interactions cannot, however, prevent smectic layers from melting relatively close to system boundaries, even when molecules are still arranged in layers within the central region of the system. The internal interfaces, separating individual liquid-crystal phases, are demonstrated here to form fronts of local finite-size transitions that move across cells under temperature changes. Although the complex molecular ordering in surface confined liquid-crystal systems can essentially be controlled by temperature variations, specific thermal properties of these systems, especially the nature of the local transitions, are argued to be strongly conditioned to the degree of molecular packing.

Front surface structured targets for enhancing laser-plasma interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snyder, Joseph; George, Kevin; Ji, Liangliang; Yalamanchili, Sasir; Simonoff, Ethan; Cochran, Ginevra; Daskalova, Rebecca; Poole, Patrick; Willis, Christopher; Lewis, Nathan; Schumacher, Douglass

2016-10-01

We present recent progress made using front surface structured interfaces for enhancing ultrashort, relativistic laser-plasma interactions. Structured targets can increase laser absorption and enhance ion acceleration through a number of mechanisms such as direct laser acceleration and laser guiding. We detail experimental results obtained at the Scarlet laser facility on hollow, micron-scale plasma channels for enhancing electron acceleration. These targets show a greater than three times enhancement in the electron cutoff energy as well as an increased slope temperature for the electron distribution when compared to a flat interface. Using three-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, we have modeled the interaction to give insight into the physical processes responsible for the enhancement. Furthermore, we have used PIC simulations to design structures that are more advantageous for ion acceleration. Such targets necessitate advanced target fabrication methods and we describe techniques used to manufacture optimized structures, including vapor-liquid-solid growth, cryogenic etching, and 3D printing using two-photon-polymerization. This material is based upon work supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Award Number FA9550-14-1-0085.

Trajectory Control of Small Rotating Projectiles by Laser Sparks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starikovskiy, Andrey; Limbach, Christopher; Miles, Richard

2015-09-01

The possibility of controlling the trajectory of the supersonic motion of a rotating axisymmetric projectile using a remotely generated laser spark was investigated. The dynamic images of the interaction of thermal inhomogeneity created by the laser spark with the bow shock in front of the projectile were obtained. The criterion for a strong shock wave interaction with the thermal inhomogeneity at different angles of a shock wave was derived. Significant changes in the configuration of the bow shock wave and changes in the pressure distribution over the surface of the rotating projectile can appear for laser spark temperature of T' = 2500-3000 K. The experiment showed that strong interaction takes place for both plane and oblique shock waves. The measurement of the velocity of the precession of the rotating projectile axis from the initial position in time showed that the angle of attack of the projectile deviates with a typical time of perturbation propagation along the projectile's surface. Thus the laser spark can change the trajectory of the rotating projectile, moving at supersonic speed, through the creation of thermal heterogeneity in front of it.

An objective isobaric/isentropic technique for upper air analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mancuso, R. L.; Endlich, R. M.; Ehernberger, L. J.

1981-01-01

An objective meteorological analysis technique is presented whereby both horizontal and vertical upper air analyses are performed. The process used to interpolate grid-point values from the upper-air station data is the same as for grid points on both an isobaric surface and a vertical cross-sectional plane. The nearby data surrounding each grid point are used in the interpolation by means of an anisotropic weighting scheme, which is described. The interpolation for a grid-point potential temperature is performed isobarically; whereas wind, mixing-ratio, and pressure height values are interpolated from data that lie on the isentropic surface that passes through the grid point. Two versions (A and B) of the technique are evaluated by qualitatively comparing computer analyses with subjective handdrawn analyses. The objective products of version A generally have fair correspondence with the subjective analyses and with the station data, and depicted the structure of the upper fronts, tropopauses, and jet streams fairly well. The version B objective products correspond more closely to the subjective analyses, and show the same strong gradients across the upper front with only minor smoothing.

Water Formation under Silica Thin Films: Real-Time Observation of a Chemical Reaction in a Physically Confined Space.

PubMed

Prieto, Mauricio J; Klemm, Hagen W; Xiong, Feng; Gottlob, Daniel M; Menzel, Dietrich; Schmidt, Thomas; Freund, Hans-Joachim

2018-04-16

Using low-energy electron microscopy and local photoelectron spectroscopy, water formation from adsorbed O and H 2 on a Ru(0001) surface covered with a vitreous SiO 2 bilayer (BL) was investigated and compared to the same reaction on bare Ru(0001). In both cases the reaction is characterized by moving reaction fronts. The reason for this might be related to the requirement of site release by O adatoms for further H 2 -dissociative adsorption. Apparent activation energies (Eaapp ) are found for the front motion of 0.59 eV without cover and 0.27 eV under cover. We suggest that the smaller activation energy but higher reaction temperature for the reaction on the SiO 2 BL covered Ru(0001) surface is due to a change of the rate-determining step. Other possible effects of the cover are discussed. Our results give the first values for Eaapp in confined space. © 2018 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Research on anti crack mechanism of bionic coupling brake disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Lifeng; Yang, Xiao; Zheng, Lingnan; Wu, Can; Ni, Jing

2017-09-01

According to the biological function of fatigue resistance possessed by biology, this study designed a Bionic Coupling Brake Disc (BCBD) which can inhibit crack propagation as the result of improving fatigue property. Thermal stress field of brake disc was calculated under emergency working condition, and circumferential and radial stress field which lead to fatigue failure of brake disc were investigated simultaneously. Results showed that the maximum temperature of surface reached 890°C and the maximum residual tensile stress was 207 Mpa when the initial velocity of vehicle was 200 km/h. Based on the theory of elastic plastic fracture mechanics, the crack opening displacement and the crack front J integrals of the BCBD and traditional brake disc (TBD) with pre-cracking were calculated, and the strength of crack front was compared. Results revealed the growth behavior of fatigue crack located on surface of brake disc, and proved the anti fatigue resistance of BCBD was better, and the strength of crack resistance of BCBD was much stronger than that of TBD. This simulation research provided significant references for optimization and manufacturing of BCBD.

Mechanism of Torrential Rain Associated with the Mei-yu Development during SCSMEX-98

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Qian, Jian-Hua; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Lau, K.-M.; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A case of torrential precipitation process in the Mei-yu front, an Asian monsoon system east to the Tibetan Plateau, is studied with the coupled Penn State University/NCAR MM5 and NASA/GSFC PLACE (Parameterization for Land - Atmosphere - Cloud Exchange) models. Remote and local impacts of water vapor on the location and intensity of Mei-yu precipitation are studied by numerical experiments. Results demonstrate that the water vapor source for this heavy precipitation case in Yangtze river basin is derived mostly from the Bay of Bengal, transported by the southwesterly low-level Jet (LLJ) southeast to the Tibetan Plateau. The moist convection is a critical process in the development and maintenance of the front. The meridional and zonal secondary circulations resulted from Mei-yu condensation heating both act to increase the wind speed in the LLJ. The condensation induced local circulation strengthens the moisture transport in the LLJ, providing a positive feedback to sustain the Mei-yu precipitation system. It is found that local precipitation recycling shifts heavy rain toward the warm side of the Mei-yu front. This shift of rainfall location is due to the pronounced increase of atmospheric moisture and decrease of surface temperature over the warm side of the front.

Temperature-Driven Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohan, Richard J.; Vandegrift, Guy

2003-02-01

Warm air aloft is stable. This explains the lack of strong winds in a warm front and how nighttime radiative cooling can lead to motionless air that can trap smog. The stability of stratospheric air can be attributed to the fact that it is heated from above as ultraviolet radiation strikes the ozone layer. On the other hand, fluid heated from below is unstable and can lead to Bernard convection cells. This explains the generally turbulent nature of the troposphere, which receives a significant fraction of its heat directly from the Earth's warmer surface. The instability of cold fluid aloft explains the violent nature of a cold front, as well as the motion of Earth's magma, which is driven by radioactive heating deep within the Earth's mantle. This paper describes how both effects can be demonstrated using four standard beakers, ice, and a bit of food coloring.

Emissivity model of steel 430 during the growth of oxide layer at 800-1100 K and 1.5 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Wei; Shi, Deheng; Sun, Jinfeng; Zhu, Zunlue

2018-01-01

This work studied the variation in spectral emissivity with growth of oxide layer at the different temperatures. For this reason, we measured the normal spectral emissivity during the growth of oxide layer on the sample surface at a wavelength of 1.5 μm over a temperature range 800-1100 K. In the experiment, the temperature was measured by the two thermocouples, which were symmetrically welded onto the front surface of specimens. The average of their readings was regarded as the true temperature. The detector should be perpendicular to the specimen surface as accurately as possible. The variation in spectral emissivity with growth of oxide layer was evaluated at a certain temperature. Altogether 11 emissivity models were evaluated. The conclusion was gained that the more the number of parameters used in the models was, the better the fitting accuracy became. On the whole, all the PEE models, the four-parameter LEE model and the five-parameter PFE, PLE and LEE models could be employed to well fit this kind of variation. The variation in spectral emissivity with temperature was determined at a certain thickness of oxide film. Almost all the models studied in this paper could be used to accurately evaluate this variation. The approximate models of spectral emissivity as a function of temperature and oxide-layer thickness were proposed. The strong oscillations of spectral emissivity were observed, which were affirmed to arise from the interference effect between the two radiations stemming from the oxide layer and from the substrate. The uncertainties in the temperature of steel 430 generated only by the surface oxidization were approximately 4.1-10.7 K in this experiment.

Hollow glass microsphere-structured Fabry-Perot interferometric sensor for highly sensitive temperature measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Junna; Zhou, Ciming; Fan, Dian; Ou, Yiwen

2017-04-01

We propose and demonstrate a miniature Fabry-Perot (F-P) interferometric sensor based on a hollow glass microsphere (HGM) for highly sensitive temperature measurement. The sensor head is fabricated by sticking a HGM on the end face of a single-mode fiber, and it consists of a short air F-P cavity between the front and the rear surfaces of the HGM. A sensor with 135.7280-μm cavity length was tested for temperature measurement from -5 °C to 50 °C. The obtained sensitivity reached up to 24.5 pm/°C and the variation rate of the HGM- F-P's cavity length was2.1 nm/°C. The advantages of compact size, easy fabrication and low cost make the sensor suitable for highly sensitive temperature sensing.

Passive microwave measurements of temperature and salinity in coastal zones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blume, H.-J. C.; Kendall, B. M.

1982-01-01

Experimental methods and results from the maritime remote sensing (MARSEN) experiments using dual frequency microwave radiometer detecting systems on board aircraft are described. The radiometers were operated at 1.43 and 2.65 GHz and flown above U.S. Atlantic coastal areas, Chesapeake Bay, around Puerto Rico, and over the German Bight. The advanced switched radiometers used were configured to be independent of gain variations and errors originating from front-end losses and determined the absolute brightness temperatures to within a few tenths Kelvin. Corrections to the observed brightness temperature of the ocean are analytically defined, including accounts made for roughness, the cosmic background radiation, and the solar radio source. The coastal flight data for salinity gradients and surface temperatures were compared with sea truth measured from ships and found to be accurate to within 1 C and 1 pph.

Interaction of Shallow Cold Surges with Topography on Scales of 100-1000 Kilometers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toth, James John

1987-09-01

A shallow cold air mass is defined as one not extending to the top of the mountain ridge with which it interacts. The structure of such an airmass is examined using both observational data and a hydrostatic version of the Colorado State University Regional Atmospheric Modeling System. The prime constraint on a shallow cold surge is that the flow must ultimately be parallel to the mountain ridge. It is found that the effects of this constraint are altered significantly by surface sensible heat flux. Cold surges are slowed during the daylight hours, a result consistent with previous observational studies in Colorado east of the Continental Divide. Two case studies are described in detail, and several other events are cited. Since observations alone do not provide a complete description of diversion of the cold air by the mountain range, numerical model simulations provide additional insight into important mechanisms. A case study on 14 June 1985 is described using observational and model data. The model development of a deep boundary layer within the frontal baroclinic zone is consistent with the observations for this and other cases. This development is due to strong surface heating. Turning off the model shortwave radiation is seen to produce a rapid southward acceleration of the surface front, with very shallow cold air behind the front. Model simulations with specified surface temperature differences confirm the importance of upward heat flux from the surface in slowing the southward movement of the cold surge. It is concluded that the slowing is not due simply to the thermal wind developing in response to the heating of higher terrain to the west. Since surface heating is distributed over a deeper layer on the warm side of the temperature discontinuity, there is frontolysis at the surface. But this modification would develop even over flat terrain. Sloping terrain introduces additional effects. Heating at the western, upslope side of the cold surge inhibits the development of pressure gradients favorable to northerly flow. A second contribution comes from westerly winds at ridgetop level. These winds are heated over the higher terrain and flow downslope, further retarding the progression of the cold air at the surface.

Thermal maps of young women and men

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chudecka, Monika; Lubkowska, Anna

2015-03-01

The objective was to use thermal imaging (ThermaCAM SC500) as an effective tool in establishing a thermal map of young participants, with a high diagnostic value for medicine, physiotherapy and sport. A further aim was to establish temperature distributions and ranges on the body surface of the young women and men as standard temperatures for the examined age group, taking into account BMI, body surface area and selected parameters of body fat distribution. The participants included young, healthy and physically active women (n = 100) and men (n = 100). In the women and men, the highest Tmean temperatures were found on the trunk. The warmest were the chest and upper back, then the lower back and abdomen. The lowest Tmean were found in the distal parts of the body, especially on the lower limbs. The results showed that only in the area of the chest was Tmean significantly higher in women than in men. In the areas of the hands (front and back) Tmean were similar for women and men. In the other analyzed body surface areas, Tmean were significantly lower in women. Research showed significant differences in body surface temperature between the women and men. Among the analyzed characteristics, Tmean in the chest, upper back, abdomen, lower back (both in women and men) were mainly correlated with BMI and PBF; the correlations were negative. Difficulties in interpreting changes in temperature in selected body areas in people with various conditions can be associated with the lack of studies on large and representative populations of healthy individuals with normal weight/height parameters. Therefore, it seems that this presented research is a significant practical and cognitive contribution to knowledge on thermoregulation, and may therefore be used as a reference for other studies using thermal imaging in the evaluation of changes in body surface temperatures.

Elevated-Temperature Tests Under Static and Aerodynamic Conditions on Honeycomb-Core Sandwich Panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Groen, Joseph M.; Johnson, Aldie E., Jr.

1959-01-01

Stainless-steel honeycomb-core sandwich panels which differed primarily in skin thicknesses were tested at elevated temperatures under static and aerodynamic conditions. The results of these tests were evaluated to determine the insulating effectiveness and structural integrity of the panels. The static radiant-heating tests were performed in front of a quartz-tube radiant heater at panel skin temperatures up to 1,5000 F. The aerodynamic tests were made in a Mach 1.4 heated blowdown wind tunnel. The tunnel temperature was augmented by additional heat supplied by a radiant heater which raised the panel surface temperature above 8000 F during air flow. Static radiant-heating tests of 2 minutes duration showed that all the panels protected the load-carrying structure about equally well. Thin-skin panels showed an advantage for this short-time test over thick-skin panels from a standpoint of weight against insulation. Permanent inelastic strains in the form of local buckles over each cell of the honeycomb core caused an increase in surface roughness. During the aero- dynamic tests all of the panels survived with little or no damage, and panel flutter did not occur.

Effect of Photodesorption on the Snow Lines at the Surface of Optically Thick Circumstellar Disks around Herbig Ae/Be Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oka, Akinori; Inoue, Akio K.; Nakamoto, Taishi; Honda, Mitsuhiko

2012-03-01

We investigate the effect of photodesorption on the snow line position at the surface of a protoplanetary disk around a Herbig Ae/Be star, motivated by the detection of water ice particles at the surface of the disk around HD142527 by Honda et al. For this aim, we obtain the density and temperature structure in the disk with a 1+1D radiative transfer and determine the distribution of water ice particles in the disk by the balance between condensation, sublimation, and photodesorption. We find that photodesorption induced by far-ultraviolet radiation from the central star depresses the ice-condensation front toward the mid-plane and pushes the surface snow line significantly outward when the stellar effective temperature exceeds a certain critical value. This critical effective temperature depends on the stellar luminosity and mass, the water abundance in the disk, and the yield of photodesorption. We present an approximate analytic formula for the critical temperature. We separate Herbig Ae/Be stars into two groups on the HR diagram according to the critical temperature: one is the disks where photodesorption is effective and from which we may not find ice particles at the surface, and the other is the disks where photodesorption is not effective. We estimate the snow line position at the surface of the disk around HD142527 to be 100-300 AU, which is consistent with the water ice detection at >140 AU in the disk. All the results depend on the dust grain size in a complex way, and this point requires more work in the future.

ALBOREX: an intensive multi-platform and multidisciplinary experiment in the Alboran Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz, Simón; Pascual, Ananda; Allen, John; Olita, Antonio; Tovar, Antonio; Oguz, Temel; Mahadevan, Amala; Poulain, Pierre; Tintoré, Joaquín

2015-04-01

An intensive multi-platform and multidisciplinary experiment was completed in May 2014 as part of PERSEUS EU Project. 25 drifters, 2 gliders, 3 Argo floats and one ship were dedicated to sample an area of about 50x50 km in the eastern Alboran Sea during one week. The experiment, which also includes 66 CTD stations and 500 water samples (salinity, chlorophyll and nutrients), was designed to capture the intense but transient vertical exchanges associated with mesoscale and submesoscale features. The vertical motion associated with mesoscale and submesoscale features such as ocean eddies, filaments and fronts plays a major role in determining ocean productivity, due to the exchange of properties between the surface and the ocean interior. Understanding the relationship between these physical and biological processes is crucial for predicting the marine ecosystems response to changes in the climate system and to sustainable marine resource management. However, to understand the links between mesoscale and submesoscale features and ecosystem responses, it is necessary to collect data at a range of temporal and spatial scales, and then combine these data with coupled physical and biochemical models. Data from thermosalinograph revealed a sharp surface salinity front with values ranging from 36.6 (Atlantic Waters) to 38.2 (Mediterranean Waters) in conjunction with a filament in temperature. Drifters followed a massive anticyclonic gyre. Near real time data from ADCP showed coherent patterns with currents up to 1m/s. Gliders detected a subduction of chlorophyll located in areas adjacent to the front. We also present results on the horizontal strain rate, relative vorticity and quasi-geostrophic vertical motion to understand the dynamics of this intense ocean front.

Satellite and Synoptic Studies of Chemical Fronts in the California Current and Coastal Upwelling Zone

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-05-31

phoosphor- ou%. The shoru~iard sigde i-. cold. %clI mixed. and relanttocl rich in theseu elcmcno (7 if 1. 19NI). 19,S)). The nutrient-rich Aater which io...Union, 62(36), 1981, September 8. Master’s Theses Nestor, D.A., M.S. Thesis , A Study of the Relationship Between Oceanic Chemical Mesoscale and Sea...Surface Temperature as Detected by Satellite IR Imagery; Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, 1979. Conrad, J.C., M.S. Thesis , Relationship

An Observational Study on Quantifying the Distance of Supercell-Boundary Interaction in the Great Plains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magee, Kathleen Marie

Several case studies and numerical simulations have confirmed that baroclinic boundaries provide enhanced horizontal and vertical vorticity, wind shear, helicity, and moisture that induce stronger updrafts, higher reflectivity, and stronger low-level rotation in supercells. However, the distance at which a boundary will provide such enhancement is less well-defined. Previous studies have identified distances ranging from 5 km to 200 km, and only focused on tornadogenesis rather than all forms of severe weather. To better aid short-term forecasts, the actual distances at which supercells produce severe weather in proximity to a boundary needs to be assessed. In this study, the distance between a large number of supercells and nearby surface boundaries (including warm fronts, stationary fronts, and outflow boundaries) is measured throughout the lifetime of each storm; the distance at which associated reports of large hail, strong winds, and tornadoes is also collected. Data is gathered from SPC storm reports, WPC surface analyses, ASOS archives, and NCDC radar archives. The Integrated Data Viewer (IDV) from Unidata is used to analyze the distance of the supercell from the boundary every twenty minutes. These distances are then used to interpolate the distance at which severe and significantly severe reports occurred; reports are grouped by severe type (tornado, hail, or wind), then by boundary type (warm front, stationary front, or outflow). Using these distributions, the range from the boundary at which each type of severe weather is produced is identified per boundary type to assist forecasters. Overall, the range at which tornadoes are more likely to be produced is generally closer to the boundary than hail and wind reports for all three boundary types, likely owing to the enhanced helicity present near a boundary. Statistical analyses are used to assess the sensitivity of report distributions to report type, boundary type, distance from the boundary, and boundary strength. The distance of different report types near the same boundary surprisingly did not test as statistically different, except for warm fronts; however, when comparing the distances of the same report type associated with different boundaries, statistically significant differences were found for different boundaries in which different report types are maximally produced. Temperature gradients are not as statistically different between boundaries, but the temperature gradient within the same boundary is statistically significant for the occurrence of tornadoes vs. hail. Additional analyses were conducted to complement the distributions of severe report distances. Previous research has demonstrated that the angle at which supercells interact with boundaries impacts tornado production; in the present dataset, supercells interacting at an angle less than 45° are not only more likely to produce tornadoes, but also more likely to produce significantly severe tornadoes. Additionally, other studies have suggested that the temperature gradient of a boundary is of minimal importance with regards to tornado production. Interestingly, the tornadoes in this study were associated with stronger temperature gradients than for hail or wind production, thus v implying that a stronger amount of baroclinically-generated horizontal vorticity is required for tornadogenesis, likely due to the enhanced low-level rotation.

High temperature aircraft research furnace facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, James E., Jr.; Cashon, John L.

1992-01-01

Focus is on the design, fabrication, and development of the High Temperature Aircraft Research Furnace Facilities (HTARFF). The HTARFF was developed to process electrically conductive materials with high melting points in a low gravity environment. The basic principle of operation is to accurately translate a high temperature arc-plasma gas front as it orbits around a cylindrical sample, thereby making it possible to precisely traverse the entire surface of a sample. The furnace utilizes the gas-tungsten-arc-welding (GTAW) process, also commonly referred to as Tungsten-Inert-Gas (TIG). The HTARFF was developed to further research efforts in the areas of directional solidification, float-zone processing, welding in a low-gravity environment, and segregation effects in metals. The furnace is intended for use aboard the NASA-JSC Reduced Gravity Program KC-135A Aircraft.

Cetacean distributions relative to ocean processes in the northern California Current System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tynan, Cynthia T.; Ainley, David G.; Barth, John A.; Cowles, Timothy J.; Pierce, Stephen D.; Spear, Larry B.

2005-01-01

Associations between cetacean distributions, oceanographic features, and bioacoustic backscatter were examined during two process cruises in the northern California Current System (CCS) during late spring and summer 2000. Line-transect surveys of cetaceans were conducted across the shelf and slope, out to 150 km offshore from Newport, Oregon (44.6°N) to Crescent City, California (41.9°N), in conjunction with multidisciplinary mesoscale and fine-scale surveys of ocean and ecosystem structure. Occurrence patterns (presence/absence) of cetaceans were compared with hydrographic and ecological variables (e.g., sea surface salinity, sea surface temperature, thermocline depth, halocline depth, chlorophyll maximum, distance to the center of the equatorward jet, distance to the shoreward edge of the upwelling front, and acoustic backscatter at 38, 120, 200 and 420 kHz) derived from a towed, undulating array and a bioacoustic system. Using a multiple logistic regression model, 60.2% and 94.4% of the variation in occurrence patterns of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae during late spring and summer, respectively, were explained. Sea surface temperature, depth, and distance to the alongshore upwelling front were the most important environmental variables during June, when humpbacks occurred over the slope (200-2000 m). During August, when humpbacks concentrated over a submarine bank (Heceta Bank) and off Cape Blanco, sea surface salinity was the most important variable, followed by latitude and depth. Humpbacks did not occur in the lowest salinity water of the Columbia River plume. For harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena, the model explained 79.2% and 70.1% of the variation in their occurrence patterns during June and August, respectively. During spring, latitude, sea surface salinity, and thermocline gradient were the most important predictors. During summer, latitude and distance to the inshore edge of the upwelling front were the most important variables. Typically a coastal species, harbor porpoises extended their distribution farther offshore at Heceta Bank and at Cape Blanco, where they were associated with the higher chlorophyll concentrations in these regions. Pacific white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus obliquidens was the most numerous small cetacean in early June, but was rare during August. The model explained 44.5% of the variation in their occurrence pattern, which was best described by distance to the upwelling front and acoustic backscatter at 38 kHz. The model of the occurrence pattern of Dall's porpoise Phocoenoides dalli was more successful when mesoscale variability in the CCS was higher during summer. Thus, the responses of cetaceans to biophysical features and upwelling processes in the northern CCS were both seasonally and spatially specific. Heceta Bank and associated flow-topography interactions were very important to a cascade of trophic dynamics that ultimately influenced the distribution of foraging cetaceans. The higher productivity associated with upwelling near Cape Blanco also had a strong influence on the distribution of cetaceans.

Particle emission from artificial cometary materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koelzer, Gabriele; Kochan, Hermann; Thiel, Klaus

1992-01-01

During KOSI (comet simulation) experiments, mineral-ice mixtures are observed in simulated space conditions. Emission of ice-/dust particles from the sample surface is observed by means of different devices. The particle trajectories are recorded with a video system. In the following analysis we extracted the parameters: particle count rate, spatial distribution of starting points on the sample surface, and elevation angle and particle velocity at distances up to 5 cm from the sample surface. Different kinds of detectors are mounted on a frame in front of the sample to register the emitted particles and to collect their dust residues. By means of these instruments the particle count rates, the particle sizes and the composition of the particles can be correlated. The results are related to the gas flux density and the temperature on the sample surface during the insolation period. The particle emission is interpreted in terms of phenomena on the sample surface, e.g., formation of a dust mantle.

Variational analysis of temperature and moisture advection in a severe storm environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcfarland, M. J.; Sasaki, Y. K.

1977-01-01

Horizontal wind components, potential temperature, and mixing ratio fields associated with a severe storm environment in the south central United States were objectively analyzed from synoptic upper air observations with a nonhomogeneous anisotropic weighting function. The particular case study discussed here is the tornado producting squall line which moved through eastern Oklahoma 26 May 1973. The synoptic situation which preceded squall line development was cyclogenesis and frontogenesis in the lee-of-mountain trough, which produced a well-defined surface dry line (or dew point front) and a pronounced mid-level dry air intrusion. It is shown that the intrusion was also characterized by warm air, with a lapse rate approaching the dry adiabatic.

Phytoplankton response to a plume front in the northern South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qian P.; Zhou, Weiwen; Chen, Yinchao; Wu, Zhengchao

2018-04-01

Due to a strong river discharge during April-June 2016, a persistent salinity front, with freshwater flushing seaward on the surface but seawater moving landward at the bottom, was formed in the coastal waters west of the Pearl River estuary (PRE) over the northern South China Sea (NSCS) shelf. Hydrographic measurements revealed that the salinity front was influenced by both the river plume and coastal upwelling. On shipboard nutrient-enrichment experiments with size-fractionation chlorophyll a measurements were taken on both sides of the front as well as in the frontal zone to diagnose the spatial variations of phytoplankton physiology across the frontal system. We also assessed the size-fractionated responses of phytoplankton to the treatment of plume water at the frontal zone and the sea side of the front. The biological impact of vertical mixing or upwelling was further examined by the response of surface phytoplankton to the addition of local bottom water. Our results suggested that there was a large variation in phytoplankton physiology on the sea side of the front, driven by dynamic nutrient fluxes, although P limitation was prevailing on the shore side of the front and at the frontal zone. The spreading of plume water at the frontal zone would directly improve the growth of microphytoplankton, while nano- and picophytoplankton growths could have become saturated at high percentages of plume water. Also, the mixing of bottom water would stimulate the growth of surface phytoplankton on both sides of the front by altering the surface N/P ratio to make it closer to the Redfield stoichiometry. In summary, phytoplankton growth and physiology could be profoundly influenced by the physical dynamics in the frontal system during the spring-summer of 2016.

Thermodynamics of the Coma Cluster Outskirts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simionescu, A.; Werner, N.; Urban, O.; Allen, S. W.; Fabian, A. C.; Mantz, A.; Matsushita, K.; Nulsen, P. E. J.; Sanders, J. S.; Sasaki, T.; Sato, T.; Takei, Y.; Walker, S. A.

2013-09-01

We present results from a large mosaic of Suzaku observations of the Coma Cluster, the nearest and X-ray brightest hot (~8 keV), dynamically active, non-cool core system, focusing on the thermodynamic properties of the intracluster medium on large scales. For azimuths not aligned with an infalling subcluster toward the southwest, our measured temperature and X-ray brightness profiles exhibit broadly consistent radial trends, with the temperature decreasing from about 8.5 keV at the cluster center to about 2 keV at a radius of 2 Mpc, which is the edge of our detection limit. The southwest merger significantly boosts the surface brightness, allowing us to detect X-ray emission out to ~2.2 Mpc along this direction. Apart from the southwestern infalling subcluster, the surface brightness profiles show multiple edges around radii of 30-40 arcmin. The azimuthally averaged temperature profile, as well as the deprojected density and pressure profiles, all show a sharp drop consistent with an outwardly-propagating shock front located at 40 arcmin, corresponding to the outermost edge of the giant radio halo observed at 352 MHz with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. The shock front may be powering this radio emission. A clear entropy excess inside of r 500 reflects the violent merging events linked with these morphological features. Beyond r 500, the entropy profiles of the Coma Cluster along the relatively relaxed directions are consistent with the power-law behavior expected from simple models of gravitational large-scale structure formation. The pressure is also in agreement at these radii with the expected values measured from Sunyaev-Zel'dovich data from the Planck satellite. However, due to the large uncertainties associated with the Coma Cluster measurements, we cannot yet exclude an entropy flattening in this system consistent with that seen in more relaxed cool core clusters.

A High-Emissivity Blackbody with Large Aperture for Radiometric Calibration at Low-Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Hsin-Yi; Wen, Bor-Jiunn; Tsa, Shu-Fei; Li, Guo-Wei

2009-02-01

A newly designed high-emissivity cylindrical blackbody source with a large diameter aperture (54 mm), an internal triangular-grooved surface, and concentric grooves on the bottom surface was immersed in a temperature-controlled, stirred-liquid bath. The stirred-liquid bath can be stabilized to better than 0.05°C at temperatures between 30 °C and 70 °C, with traceability to the ITS-90 through a platinum resistance thermometer (PRT) calibrated at the fixed points of indium, gallium, and the water triple point. The temperature uniformity of the blackbody from the bottom to the front of the cavity is better than 0.05 % of the operating temperature (in °C). The heat loss of the cavity is less than 0.03 % of the operating temperature as determined with a radiation thermometer by removing an insulating lid without the gas purge operating. Optical ray tracing with a Monte Carlo method (STEEP 3) indicated that the effective emissivity of this blackbody cavity is very close to unity. The size-of-source effect (SSE) of the radiation thermometer and the effective emissivity of the blackbody were considered in evaluating the uncertainty of the blackbody. The blackbody uncertainty budget and performance are described in this paper.

Mechanisms controlling the intra-annual mesoscale variability of SST and SPM in the southern North Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pietrzak, Julie D.; de Boer, Gerben J.; Eleveld, Marieke A.

2011-04-01

Thermal and optical remote sensing data were used to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of sea surface temperature (SST) and of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the southern North Sea. Monthly SST composites showed pronounced seasonal warming of the southern North Sea and delineated the English coastal and continental coastal waters. The East-Anglia Plume is the dominant feature of the English coastal waters in the winter and autumn SPM composites, and the Rhine region of freshwater influence (ROFI), including the Flemish Banks, is the dominant feature of the continental waters. These mesoscale spatial structures are also influenced by the evolution of fronts, such as the seasonal front separating well-mixed water in the southern Bight, from the seasonally stratified central North Sea waters. A harmonic analysis of the SST and SPM images showed pronounced seasonal variability, as well as spring-neap variations in the level of tidal mixing in the East Anglia Plume, the Rhine ROFI and central North Sea. The harmonic analysis indicates the important role played by the local meteorology and tides in governing the SST and near-surface SPM concentrations in the southern North Sea. In the summer, thermal stratification affects the visibility of SPM to satellite sensors in the waters to the north of the Flamborough and Frisian Fronts. Haline stratification plays an important role in the visibility of SPM in the Rhine ROFI throughout the year. When stratified, both regions typically exhibit low surface SPM values. A numerical model study, together with the harmonic analysis, highlights the importance of tides and waves in controlling the stratification in the southern North Sea and hence the visibility of SPM.

TEMPERATURE-GRADIENT PLATES FOR GROWTH OF MICROORGANISMS

PubMed Central

Landman, Otto E.; Bausum, Howard T.; Matney, Thomas S.

1962-01-01

Landman, Otto E. (Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.), Howard T. Bausum, and Thomas S. Matney. Temperature-gradient plates for growth of microorganisms. J. Bacteriol. 83:463–469. 1962.—Different temperature-gradient plates have been devised for the study of microbial growth on solid media through continuous temperature ranges or in liquid media at finely graded temperatures. All plates are made of heavy-gauge aluminum; heat supplied at one end is dissipated along the length of the metal so that a gradient is produced. The shape and range of the gradient depends on the amount of heat supplied, the insulation, the ambient temperature, and other factors. Differences of 0.2 C in temperature sensitivity between bacterial strains can be detected. The plates are simple to construct and operate. The dimensions of the aluminum, the mode of temperature measurement, and the method of heating may all be modified without diminishing the basic utility of the device. A sharp growth front develops at the maximal temperature of growth of bacteria. In most strains, all bacteria below the front form colonies and all bacteria above the front are killed, except for a few temperature-resistant mutants. Images PMID:14461975

Do submesoscale frontal processes ventilate the oxygen minimum zone off Peru?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomsen, S.; Kanzow, T.; Colas, F.; Echevin, V.; Krahmann, G.; Engel, A.

2016-02-01

The Peruvian upwelling region shows pronounced near-surface submesoscale variability including filaments and sharp density fronts. Submesoscale frontal processes can drive large vertical velocities and enhance vertical tracer fluxes in the upper ocean. The associated high temporal and spatial variability poses a large challenge to observational approaches targeting these processes. In this study the role of submesoscale processes for the ventilation of the near-coastal oxygen minimum zone off Peru is investigated. We use satellite based sea surface temperature measurements and multiple high-resolution glider observations of temperature, salinity, oxygen and chlorophyll fluorescence carried out in January and February 2013 off Peru near 14°S during active upwelling. Additionally, high-resolution regional ocean circulation model outputs (ROMS) outputs are analysed. At the beginning of our observational survey a previously upwelled, productive and highly oxygenated water body is found in the mixed layer. Subsequently, a cold filament forms and the waters are moved offshore. After the decay of the filament and the relaxation of the upwelling front, the oxygen enriched surface water is found in the previously less oxygenated thermocline suggesting the occurrence of frontal subduction. A numerical model simulation is used to analyse the evolution of Lagrangian numerical floats in several upwelling filaments, whose vertical structure and hydrographic properties agree well with the observations. The floats trajectories support our interpretation that the subduction of previously upwelled water occurs in filaments off Peru. We find that 40 - 60 % of the floats seeded in the newly upwelled water is subducted within a time period of 5 days. This hightlights the importance of this process in ventilating the oxycline off Peru.

Diagnosing Warm Frontal Cloud Formation in a GCM: A Novel Approach Using Conditional Subsetting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booth, James F.; Naud, Catherine M.; DelGenio, Anthony D.

2013-01-01

This study analyzes characteristics of clouds and vertical motion across extratropical cyclone warm fronts in the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies general circulation model. The validity of the modeled clouds is assessed using a combination of satellite observations from CloudSat, Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO), Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E), and the NASA Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis. The analysis focuses on developing cyclones, to test the model's ability to generate their initial structure. To begin, the extratropical cyclones and their warm fronts are objectively identified and cyclone-local fields are mapped into a vertical transect centered on the surface warm front. To further isolate specific physics, the cyclones are separated using conditional subsetting based on additional cyclone-local variables, and the differences between the subset means are analyzed. Conditional subsets are created based on 1) the transect clouds and 2) vertical motion; 3) the strength of the temperature gradient along the warm front, as well as the storm-local 4) wind speed and 5) precipitable water (PW). The analysis shows that the model does not generate enough frontal cloud, especially at low altitude. The subsetting results reveal that, compared to the observations, the model exhibits a decoupling between cloud formation at high and low altitudes across warm fronts and a weak sensitivity to moisture. These issues are caused in part by the parameterized convection and assumptions in the stratiform cloud scheme that are valid in the subtropics. On the other hand, the model generates proper covariability of low-altitude vertical motion and cloud at the warm front and a joint dependence of cloudiness on wind and PW.

Temperature in subsonic and supersonic radiation fronts measured at OMEGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johns, Heather; Kline, John; Lanier, Nick; Perry, Ted; Fontes, Chris; Fryer, Chris; Brown, Colin; Morton, John

2017-10-01

Propagation of heat fronts relevant to astrophysical plasmas is challenging in the supersonic regime. Plasma Te changes affect opacity and equation of state without hydrodynamic change. In the subsonic phase density perturbations form at material interfaces as the plasma responds to radiation pressure of the front. Recent experiments at OMEGA studied this transition in aerogel foams driven by a hohlraum. In COAX, two orthogonal backlighters drive x-ray radiography and K-shell absorption spectroscopy to diagnose the subsonic shape of the front and supersonic Te profiles. Past experiments used absorption spectroscopy in chlorinated foams to measure the heat front; however, Cl dopant is not suitable for higher material temperatures at NIF. COAX has developed use of Sc and Ti dopants to diagnose Te between 60-100eV and 100-180eV. Analysis with PrismSPECT using OPLIB tabular opacity data will evaluate the platform's ability to advance radiation transport in this regime.

Helicopter- and ship-based measurements of mesoscale ocean color and thermal features in the marginal ice zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanis, Fred J.; Manley, Thomas O.; Mitchell, Brian G.

1990-09-01

Eddies along the Polar Front/Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) in Fram Strait are thought to make important contributions to nutrient flux and stimulation of primary productivity. During the Coordinated Eastern Arctic Regional Experiment (CEAREX) helicopter-based measurements of upwelling radiance were made in four visible spectral bands and in the thermal IR across mesoscale features associated with the MIZ. These structures were mapped by flying a grid pattern over the ocean surface to define eddy boundaries. Subsequently, the area was also sampled vertically with CTD and spectral radiometer profilers. Data obtained from a single structure were integrated to construct a three dimensional picture of physical and optical properties. Volume modeling of temperature, salinity, and density fields obtained from CTD survey define the subsurface eddy structure and are in good agreement with infrared derived characteristics. Maximum temperature in the core was found to be four degrees higher than the surrounding water. Volume modeling further indicates that a subsurface layer of Arctic Intermediate Water is intrinsically associated with the surface expression of the eddy. The ratio of upwelling radiances, L(44l)/L(565), was found to be correlated to surface chlorophyll, particulate absorption coefficient, and in water determinations of L using the optical profiling system. The remote sensing reflectance ratio along with the IR sea surface temperature were found to be useful to detect the surface expression of the eddy and to indicate near surface biological and physical processes.

Simulation of the Onset of the Southeast Asian Monsoon During 1997 and 1998: The Impact of Surface Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Yansen; Tao, W.-K.; Lau, K.-M.; Wetzel, Peter J.

2003-01-01

The onset of the southeast Asian monsoon during 1997 and 1998 was simulated with a coupled mesoscale atmospheric model (MM5) and a detailed land surface model. The rainfall results from the simulations were compared with observed satellite data fiom the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) TMI (TRMM Microwave Imager) and GPCP (Global Precipitation Climatology Project). The simulation with the land surface model captured basic signatures of the monsoon onset processes and associated rainfall statistics. The sensitivity tests indicated that land surface processes had a greater impact on the simulated rainfall results than that of a small sea surface temperature change during the onset period. In both the 1997 and 1998 cases, the simulations were significantly improved by including the land surface processes. The results indicated that land surface processes played an important role in modifying the low-level wind field over two major branches of the circulation; the southwest low-level flow over the Indo- China peninsula and the northern cold front intrusion from southern China. The surface sensible and latent heat exchange between the land and atmosphere modified the lowlevel temperature distribution and gradient, and therefore the low-level. The more realistic forcing of the sensible and latent heat from the detailed land surface model improved the monsoon rainfall and associated wind simulation.

Thermal stress cycling of GaAs solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janousek, B. K.; Francis, R. W.; Wendt, J. P.

1985-01-01

A thermal cycling experiment was performed on GaAs solar cells to establish the electrical and structural integrity of these cells under the temperature conditions of a simulated low-Earth orbit of 3-year duration. Thirty single junction GaAs cells were obtained and tests were performed to establish the beginning-of-life characteristics of these cells. The tests consisted of cell I-V power output curves, from which were obtained short-circuit current, open circuit voltage, fill factor, and cell efficiency, and optical micrographs, spectral response, and ion microprobe mass analysis (IMMA) depth profiles on both the front surfaces and the front metallic contacts of the cells. Following 5,000 thermal cycles, the performance of the cells was reexamined in addition to any factors which might contribute to performance degradation. It is established that, after 5,000 thermal cycles, the cells retain their power output with no loss of structural integrity or change in physical appearance.

Mach 5 bow shock control by a nanosecond pulse surface dielectric barrier discharge

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

Nishihara, M.; Takashima, K.; Rich, J. W.

2011-06-15

Bow shock perturbations in a Mach 5 air flow, produced by low-temperature, nanosecond pulse, and surface dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), are detected by phase-locked schlieren imaging. A diffuse nanosecond pulse discharge is generated in a DBD plasma actuator on a surface of a cylinder model placed in air flow in a small scale blow-down supersonic wind tunnel. Discharge energy coupled to the actuator is 7.3-7.8 mJ/pulse. Plasma temperature inferred from nitrogen emission spectra is a few tens of degrees higher than flow stagnation temperature, T = 340 {+-} 30 K. Phase-locked Schlieren images are used to detect compression waves generatedmore » by individual nanosecond discharge pulses near the actuator surface. The compression wave propagates upstream toward the baseline bow shock standing in front of the cylinder model. Interaction of the compression wave and the bow shock causes its displacement in the upstream direction, increasing shock stand-off distance by up to 25%. The compression wave speed behind the bow shock and the perturbed bow shock velocity are inferred from the Schlieren images. The effect of compression waves generated by nanosecond discharge pulses on shock stand-off distance is demonstrated in a single-pulse regime (at pulse repetition rates of a few hundred Hz) and in a quasi-continuous mode (using a two-pulse sequence at a pulse repetition rate of 100 kHz). The results demonstrate feasibility of hypersonic flow control by low-temperature, repetitive nanosecond pulse discharges.« less

Dynamic fracture development in response to extreme summer temperatures: 27/7/2014, Långören Island, Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leith, Kerry; Perras, Matthew; Siren, Topias; Rantanen, Tuomas; Heinonen, Suvi; Loew, Simon

2017-04-01

Long periods of exceptionally high temperatures in Finland and California during the summer of 2014 were associated with the formation of large 'exfoliation' or 'sheeting' fractures in bedrock surfaces. Videos taken at both locations show sharp fractures forming along the edge of thin (<1 m) bedrock sheets several meters across, before the rock surface appears to jump and buckle in the hot summer sun. Long striations visible on the surface of the rock at Långören Island are the result of boulders being dragged over the landscape during the last glacial period (>15,000 years ago), hinting at the rarity of the recent events on the otherwise undamaged surface. In order to uncover the mechanisms driving this remarkable event, we installed a unique low-cost monitoring system to track the behavior of the new Långören Island fracture through the summer of 2016. This included a local meteorological station, Arduino-based rock temperature profiles, acoustic emission measurements, and a 3G-enabled all-in-one PC for live data communication. Coupled with GPR data, field mapping, and a local DEM derived from a 'Go-Pro on a stick' structure from motion capture, we generate a unique insight into the conditions at the time of the 2014 event, and potential active micro-fracturing during a hot period in 2016. Our models suggest rock surface temperatures approached 40°C during 2014, almost ten degrees above the peak air temperature. The mid- to late-afternoon timing of fracturing was associated with peak thermal stress in the upper 1 m of bedrock, consistent with 2016 observations, where measured surface temperatures of around 35°C generate a thermal front that coincides with a series of acoustic emission events on a sensor installed in a borehole near the crest of the fracture.

Remote sensing and ichthyoplankton ecology of coastal upwelling fronts off central California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bjorkstedt, Eric Peter

1998-11-01

Recruitment to many marine populations is determined by processes affecting survival and transport of planktonic larvae. Coastal upwelling poses a trade-off between larval access to high productivity supported by upwelled nutrients and increased risk of offshore transport and failure to return to coastal habitats. I used plankton surveys, remote sensing, and a simple model to investigate the role of coastal upwelling fronts and behavior in pelagic ecology and recruitment success, focussing on rockfish (Sebastes spp.) off central California. Distributions of early stage larvae suggest that coastal upwelling fronts reduce offshore transport of rockfish larvae, in contrast to distributions of taxa with life histories that minimize larval exposure to strong upwelling. Coincident distributions of larval fish, prey (i.e., small copepods and invertebrate eggs) and phytoplankton patches indicate that coastal upwelling fronts provide enhanced foraging conditions for larvae. Thus, coastal upwelling fronts may allow coastal taxa to successfully exploit high productivity during the upwelling season while reducing the risk of offshore transport. I developed a novel method for utilizing a single HF radar to resolve currents and detect fronts that matched sea surface temperature fronts generated by coastal upwelling. Fronts and currents detected with NF radar affect distributions and transport of planktonic larval fish and intertidal barnacle larvae, demonstrating that remote sensing with HF radar can support field and modelling research on ecological dynamics in coastal marine systems. I used an empirically-based model that incorporated the advection-foraging trade-off and long-distance swimming as an active settlement behavior to investigate optimal settlement strategies as a function of pelagic transport and growth. For parameters loosely describing pelagic stages of rockfish, the model predicts optimal settling strategies (ages and sizes) for pelagic juveniles that roughly match observed values for settling rockfish and suggests optimal spawning locations for adults. The model suggests that offshore transport is more important than growth in determining recruitment success. Thus, coastal upwelling fronts may favor recruitment more by reducing offshore transport than by providing rich food resources. Results of this model represent an initial step towards determining the role of active settlement behaviors in population dynamics and life history evolution.

Seasonal dynamics of surface chlorophyll concentration and sea surface temperature, as indicator of hydrological structure of the ocean (by satellite data)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shevyrnogov, Anatoly; Vysotskaya, Galina

Continuous monitoring of phytopigment concentrations and sea surface temperature in the ocean by space-borne methods makes possible to estimate ecological condition of biocenoses in critical areas. Unlike land vegetation, hydrological processes largely determine phytoplank-ton dynamics, which may be either recurrent or random. The types of chlorophyll concentration dynamics and sea surface temperature can manifest as zones quasistationary by seasonal dynamics, quasistationary areas (QSA). In the papers of the authors (A. Shevyrnogov, G. Vysotskaya, E. Shevyrnogov, A study of the stationary and the anomalous in the ocean surface chlorophyll distribution by satellite data. International Journal of Remote Sensing, Vol. 25, No.7-8, pp. 1383-1387, April 2004 & A. P. Shevyrnogov, G. S. Vysotskaya, J. I. Gitelson, Quasistationary areas of chlorophyll concentra-tion in the world ocean as observed satellite data Advances in Space Research, Volume 18, Issue 7, Pages 129-132, 1996) existence of zones, which are quasi-stationary with similar seasonal dynamics of chlorophyll concentration at surface layer of ocean, was shown. Results were obtained on the base of processing of time series of satellite images SeaWiFS. It was shown that fronts and frontal zones coincide with dividing lines between quasi-stationary are-as, especially in areas of large oceanic streams. To study the dynamics of the ocean for the period from 1985 through 2012 we used data on the temperature of the surface layer of the ocean and chlorophyll concentration (AVHRR, SeaWiFS and MODIS). Biota of surface oceanic layer is more stable in comparison with quickly changing surface tem-perature. It gives a possibility to circumvent influence of high-frequency component (for exam-ple, a diurnal cycle) in investigation of dynamics of spatial distribution of surface streams. In addition, an analyses of nonstable ocean productivity phenomena, stood out time series of satellite images, showed existence of areas with different types of instability in the all Global ocean. They are observed as adjacent nonstationary zones of different size, which are associ-ated by different ways with known oceanic phenomena. It is evident that dynamics of a spatial distribution of biological productivity can give an additional knowledge of complicated picture of surface oceanic layer hydrology. In this study we demonstrate different origin of appearance of quasistationary zones in the ocean. We can see that the border between quasi¬stationary zones is an indicator of the front between the Labrador Current and Gulfstream, other example of revealed pheno¬menon is a qua-sistationary area around of the British Isles that correlates with the relief of the oceanic bottom. Considering that the QSA maps are calculated almost for all surface of the Global ocean, not all QSA can be explained especially of small size. Although some small QSA are interesting. Also local QSA near estuaries of large rivers and large industrial centers, that can be result of a human impact. In sum satellite data is a powerful instrument for investigation of dynamic oceanic processes, their stability and unstability. The result of such study can be used for monitoring of long-term changes and their correlation of with climate dynamics.

Asymmetric band offsets in silicon heterojunction solar cells: Impact on device performance

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

Seif, Johannes Peter; Menda, Deneb; Descoeudres, Antoine

Here, amorphous/crystalline silicon interfaces feature considerably larger valence than conduction band offsets. In this article, we analyze the impact of such band offset asymmetry on the performance of silicon heterojunction solar cells. To this end, we use silicon suboxides as passivation layers -- inserted between substrate and (front or rear) contacts -- since such layers enable intentionally exacerbated band-offset asymmetry. Investigating all topologically possible passivation layer permutations and focussing on light and dark current-voltage characteristics, we confirm that to avoid fill factor losses, wider-bandgap silicon oxide films (of at least several nanometer thin) should be avoided in hole-collecting contacts. Asmore » a consequence, device implementation of such films as window layers -- without degraded carrier collection -- demands electron collection at the front and hole collection at the rear. Furthermore, at elevated operating temperatures, once possible carrier transport barriers are overcome by thermionic (field) emission, the device performance is mainly dictated by the passivation of its surfaces. In this context, compared to the standard amorphous silicon layers, the wide-bandgap oxide layers applied here passivate remarkably better at these temperatures, which may represent an additional benefit under practical operation conditions.« less

Asymmetric band offsets in silicon heterojunction solar cells: Impact on device performance

DOE PAGES

Seif, Johannes Peter; Menda, Deneb; Descoeudres, Antoine; ...

2016-08-01

Here, amorphous/crystalline silicon interfaces feature considerably larger valence than conduction band offsets. In this article, we analyze the impact of such band offset asymmetry on the performance of silicon heterojunction solar cells. To this end, we use silicon suboxides as passivation layers -- inserted between substrate and (front or rear) contacts -- since such layers enable intentionally exacerbated band-offset asymmetry. Investigating all topologically possible passivation layer permutations and focussing on light and dark current-voltage characteristics, we confirm that to avoid fill factor losses, wider-bandgap silicon oxide films (of at least several nanometer thin) should be avoided in hole-collecting contacts. Asmore » a consequence, device implementation of such films as window layers -- without degraded carrier collection -- demands electron collection at the front and hole collection at the rear. Furthermore, at elevated operating temperatures, once possible carrier transport barriers are overcome by thermionic (field) emission, the device performance is mainly dictated by the passivation of its surfaces. In this context, compared to the standard amorphous silicon layers, the wide-bandgap oxide layers applied here passivate remarkably better at these temperatures, which may represent an additional benefit under practical operation conditions.« less

Asymmetric band offsets in silicon heterojunction solar cells: Impact on device performance

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

Seif, Johannes Peter, E-mail: johannes.seif@alumni.epfl.ch; Ballif, Christophe; De Wolf, Stefaan

Amorphous/crystalline silicon interfaces feature considerably larger valence than conduction band offsets. In this article, we analyze the impact of such band offset asymmetry on the performance of silicon heterojunction solar cells. To this end, we use silicon suboxides as passivation layers—inserted between substrate and (front or rear) contacts—since such layers enable intentionally exacerbated band-offset asymmetry. Investigating all topologically possible passivation layer permutations and focussing on light and dark current-voltage characteristics, we confirm that to avoid fill factor losses, wider-bandgap silicon oxide films (of at least several nanometer thin) should be avoided in hole-collecting contacts. As a consequence, device implementation ofmore » such films as window layers—without degraded carrier collection—demands electron collection at the front and hole collection at the rear. Furthermore, at elevated operating temperatures, once possible carrier transport barriers are overcome by thermionic (field) emission, the device performance is mainly dictated by the passivation of its surfaces. In this context, compared to the standard amorphous silicon layers, the wide-bandgap oxide layers applied here passivate remarkably better at these temperatures, which may represent an additional benefit under practical operation conditions.« less

Nucleation and growth kinetics during metal-induced layer exchange crystallization of Ge thin films at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Shu; McIntyre, Paul C.

2012-02-01

The kinetics of Al-catalyzed layer exchange crystallization of amorphous germanium (Ge) thin films at low temperatures is reported. Observation of Ge mass transport from an underlying amorphous Ge layer to the Al film surface through an interposed sub-nanometer GeOx interfacial layer allows independent measurement of the areal density and average area of crystalline Ge islands formed on the film surface. We show that bias-voltage stressing of the interfacial layer can be used to control the areal density of nucleated Ge islands. Based on experimental observations, the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov phase transformation theory is used to model nanoscale nucleation and growth of Ge islands in two dimensions. Ge island nucleation kinetics follows an exponentially decaying nucleation rate with time. Ge island growth kinetics switches from linear growth at a constant growth velocity to diffusion-limited growth as the growth front advances. The transition point between these two regimes depends on the Ge nucleation site density and the annealing temperature. Knowledge of the kinetics of low-temperature crystallization is important in achieving textured polycrystalline Ge thin films with large grains for applications in large-area electronics and solar energy conversion.

A Satellite View of a Back-door Cold Front

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-29

A "backdoor cold front" is bringing April temperatures to the U.S. northeast and Mid-Atlantic today, May 29. The backdoor cold front brings relief to the Mid-Atlantic after temperatures in Washington, D.C. hit 92F on Tuesday, May 27 and 88F on Wednesday, May 28 at Reagan National Airport, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). NWS forecasters expect the high temperature for May 29 to only reach 60F in the District of Columbia. NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured a view of the clouds associated with the backdoor cold front that stretch from southern Illinois to North Carolina. The National Weather Service forecast expects the backdoor cold front to bring showers to the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic today, May 29. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a backdoor cold front is a cold front moving south or southwest along the Atlantic seaboard and Great Lakes; these are especially common during the spring months. This visible image was taken by NOAA's GOES-East satellite on May 29 at 12:30 UTC (8:30 a.m. EDT). The image was created at NASA/NOAA's GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. In addition to the backdoor cold front clouds, the GOES-East image shows clouds circling around a low pressure area located in eastern Texas. That low pressure area is expected to bring rain from Texas eastward over the southeastern U.S. According to NOAA's National Weather Service, the slow-moving low pressure area in the Deep South "will bring heavy showers and thunderstorms from Louisiana to Alabama through Thursday. This area is already saturated from previous rainfall, so flash flooding will be possible." Image: NASA/NOAA GOES Project Caption: NASA Goddard/Rob Gutro

Influence of Marangoni flows on the dynamics of isothermal A + B → C reaction fronts.

PubMed

Tiani, R; Rongy, L

2016-09-28

The nonlinear dynamics of A + B → C fronts is analyzed both numerically and theoretically in the presence of Marangoni flows, i.e., convective motions driven by surface tension gradients. We consider horizontal aqueous solutions where the three species A, B, and C can affect the surface tension of the solution, thereby driving Marangoni flows. The resulting dynamics is studied by numerically integrating the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations coupled to reaction-diffusion-convection (RDC) equations for the three chemical species. We show that the dynamics of the front cannot be predicted solely on the basis of the one-dimensional reaction-diffusion profiles as is the case for buoyancy-driven convection around such fronts. We relate this observation to the structure of Marangoni flows which lead to more complex and exotic dynamics. We find in particular the surprising possibility of a reversal of the front propagation direction in time for some sets of Marangoni numbers, quantifying the influence of each chemical species concentration on the solution surface tension. We explain this reversal analytically and propose a new classification of the convective effects on A + B → C reaction fronts as a function of the Marangoni numbers. The influence of the layer thickness on the RDC dynamics is also presented. Those results emphasize the importance of flow symmetry properties when studying convective front dynamics in a given geometry.

Turbulent transport model of wind shear in thunderstorm gust fronts and warm fronts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewellen, W. S.; Teske, M. E.; Segur, H. C. O.

1978-01-01

A model of turbulent flow in the atmospheric boundary layer was used to simulate the low-level wind and turbulence profiles associated with both local thunderstorm gust fronts and synoptic-scale warm fronts. Dimensional analyses of both type fronts provided the physical scaling necessary to permit normalized simulations to represent fronts for any temperature jump. The sensitivity of the thunderstorm gust front to five different dimensionless parameters as well as a change from axisymmetric to planar geometry was examined. The sensitivity of the warm front to variations in the Rossby number was examined. Results of the simulations are discussed in terms of the conditions which lead to wind shears which are likely to be most hazardous for aircraft operations.

Surface Characteristics of Green Island Wakes from Satellite Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Kai-Ho; Hsu, Po-Chun; Ho, Chung-Ru

2017-04-01

Characteristics of an island wake induced by the Kuroshio Current flows pass by Green Island, a small island 40 km off southeast of Taiwan is investigated by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery. The MODIS sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a (chl-a) imagery is produced at 250-meter resolution from 2014 to 2015 using the SeaDAS software package which is developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The wake occurrence is 59% observed from SST images during the data span. The average cooling area is 190 km2, but the area is significantly changed with wind directions. The wake area is increased during southerly winds and is reduced during northerly winds. Besides, the average cooling SST was about 2.1 oC between the front and rear island. Comparing the temperature difference between the wake and its left side, the difference is 1.96 oC. In addition, the wakes have 1 3 times higher than normal in chlorophyll concentration. The results indicate the island mass effect makes the surface water of Green island wake colder and chl-a higher.

Light cone thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Lorenzo, Tommaso; Perez, Alejandro

2018-02-01

We show that null surfaces defined by the outgoing and infalling wave fronts emanating from and arriving at a sphere in Minkowski spacetime have thermodynamical properties that are in strict formal correspondence with those of black hole horizons in curved spacetimes. Such null surfaces, made of pieces of light cones, are bifurcate conformal Killing horizons for suitable conformally stationary observers. They can be extremal and nonextremal depending on the radius of the shining sphere. Such conformal Killing horizons have a constant light cone (conformal) temperature, given by the standard expression in terms of the generalization of surface gravity for conformal Killing horizons. Exchanges of conformally invariant energy across the horizon are described by a first law where entropy changes are given by 1 /(4 ℓp2) of the changes of a geometric quantity with the meaning of horizon area in a suitable conformal frame. These conformal horizons satisfy the zeroth to the third laws of thermodynamics in an appropriate way. In the extremal case they become light cones associated with a single event; these have vanishing temperature as well as vanishing entropy.

KSC-98pc930

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-08-10

In the Tile Fabrication Shop, Tony Rollins, with United Space Alliance, cuts a High-Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation (HRSI) tile on a gun stock contour milling machine. About 70 percent of a Space Shuttle orbiter’s external surface is shielded from heat by a network of more than 24,000 tiles formed from a silica fiber compound. HRSI tiles cover the lower surface of the orbiter, areas around the forward windows, upper body flap, the base heat shield, the "eyeballs" on the front of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) pods, and the leading and trailing edges of the vertical stabilizer and the rudder speed brake. They are generally 6 inches square, but may also be as large as 12 inches square in some areas, and 1 to 5 inches thick. More advanced materials such as Flexible Insulation Blankets have replaced tiles on some upper surfaces of the orbiter

Tony Rollins prepares a new tile for the Space Shuttle orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

In the Tile Fabrication Shop, Tony Rollins, with United Space Alliance, cuts a High-Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation (HRSI) tile on a gun stock contour milling machine. About 70 percent of a Space Shuttle orbiter's external surface is shielded from heat by a network of more than 24,000 tiles formed from a silica fiber compound. HRSI tiles cover the lower surface of the orbiter, areas around the forward windows, upper body flap, the base heat shield, the 'eyeballs' on the front of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) pods, and the leading and trailing edges of the vertical stabilizer and the rudder speed brake. They are generally 6 inches square, but may also be as large as 12 inches square in some areas, and 1 to 5 inches thick. More advanced materials such as Flexible Insulation Blankets have replaced tiles on some upper surfaces of the orbiter.

Characterization of Candidate Materials for Remote Recession Measurements of Ablative Heat Shield Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Bradley D.; Winter, Michael; Panerai, Francesco; Martin, Alexandre; Bailey, Sean C. C.; Stackpoole, Margaret; Danehy, Paul M.; Splinter, Scott

2016-01-01

A method of remotely measuring surface recession of a material sample in a plasma flow through emission spectroscopy of the post shock layer was characterized through experiments in the NASA Langley HYMETS arc jet facility. Different methods for delivering the seed products into the Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) material samples were investigated. Three samples were produced by seeding the PICA material with combinations of Al, Si, HfO2, VB2, Al2O3, SiO2, TiC, HfC, NaCl, and MgCl2 through infusing seed materials into a core of PICA, or through encapsulating seed material in an epoxy disk, mechanically bonding the disk to a PICA sample. The PICA samples seeded with the candidate tracers were then tested at surface temperatures near 2400 K under low pressure air plasma. The emission of Al, Ti, V, Na, and Mg in the post-shock layer was observed in the UV with a high resolution imaging spectrometer viewing the whole stagnation line from the side, and from UV to NIR with a fiber-coupled miniaturized spectrometer observing the sample surface in the wavelength range from 200 nm to 1,100 nm from the front through a collimator. Al, Na, and Mg were found to be emitting in the post-shock spectra even before the recession reached the seeding depth - therefore possibly characterizing the pyrolysis process rather than the recession itself. The appearance of Ti and V emission in the spectra was well correlated with the actual recession which was monitored through a video of the front surface of the sample. The applicability of a seed material as an indicator for recession appears to be related to the melting temperature of the seed material. Future parametric studies will be carried out in low power plasma facilities at the University of Kentucky.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Platt, J. A.

1993-01-01

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

Influence of thermal boundary conditions on heat transfer from a cylinder in cross flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papell, S. S.

1981-01-01

Local heat transfer data over the leading surface of a cylinder in crossflow were obtained for a Reynolds number range of 50,000. The cylinder was operated at both uniform-wall-temperature and uniform-heat-flux thermal ance of 80 deg from the front stagnation point, the uniform-wall-temperature heat transfer coefficients were as much as 66 percent lower than the uniform-heat-flux data. Between the stagnation point and 60 deg around the cylinder, there were no significant differences in the data. This region of the cylinder is within the cylindrical curvature region of the front end of a real turbine so it was concluded that either thermal boundary condition could be used to model turbine flow over that region of the blade. Results of evaluating the exponent x in the fundamental relationship Nu=f(Re) sup x, which is used in data correlation show the exponent varies as a function of local position on the cylinder even in the laminar flow region. The value of x increases linearly from 0.50 at the stagnation point to 0.59 at 60 deg around the cylinder. This linear trend continued into the separation region at 80 deg for the uniform-wall-temperature data, but x increased markedly in the separation region for the uniform-heat-flux data.

Influence of thermal boundary conditions on heat transfer from a cylinder in cross flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papell, S. S.

1981-08-01

Local heat transfer data over the leading surface of a cylinder in crossflow were obtained for a Reynolds number range of 50,000. The cylinder was operated at both uniform-wall-temperature and uniform-heat-flux thermal ance of 80 deg from the front stagnation point, the uniform-wall-temperature heat transfer coefficients were as much as 66 percent lower than the uniform-heat-flux data. Between the stagnation point and 60 deg around the cylinder, there were no significant differences in the data. This region of the cylinder is within the cylindrical curvature region of the front end of a real turbine so it was concluded that either thermal boundary condition could be used to model turbine flow over that region of the blade. Results of evaluating the exponent x in the fundamental relationship Nu=f(Re) sup x, which is used in data correlation show the exponent varies as a function of local position on the cylinder even in the laminar flow region. The value of x increases linearly from 0.50 at the stagnation point to 0.59 at 60 deg around the cylinder. This linear trend continued into the separation region at 80 deg for the uniform-wall-temperature data, but x increased markedly in the separation region for the uniform-heat-flux data.

Optimal Magnetic Sensor Vests for Cardiac Source Imaging

PubMed Central

Lau, Stephan; Petković, Bojana; Haueisen, Jens

2016-01-01

Magnetocardiography (MCG) non-invasively provides functional information about the heart. New room-temperature magnetic field sensors, specifically magnetoresistive and optically pumped magnetometers, have reached sensitivities in the ultra-low range of cardiac fields while allowing for free placement around the human torso. Our aim is to optimize positions and orientations of such magnetic sensors in a vest-like arrangement for robust reconstruction of the electric current distributions in the heart. We optimized a set of 32 sensors on the surface of a torso model with respect to a 13-dipole cardiac source model under noise-free conditions. The reconstruction robustness was estimated by the condition of the lead field matrix. Optimization improved the condition of the lead field matrix by approximately two orders of magnitude compared to a regular array at the front of the torso. Optimized setups exhibited distributions of sensors over the whole torso with denser sampling above the heart at the front and back of the torso. Sensors close to the heart were arranged predominantly tangential to the body surface. The optimized sensor setup could facilitate the definition of a standard for sensor placement in MCG and the development of a wearable MCG vest for clinical diagnostics. PMID:27231910

Time-resolved X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy for Electron Transport Study in Warm Dense Gold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jong-Won; Bae, Leejin; Engelhorn, Kyle; Heimann, Philip; Ping, Yuan; Barbrel, Ben; Fernandez, Amalia; Beckwith, Martha Anne; Cho, Byoung-Ick; GIST Team; IBS Team; LBNL Collaboration; SLAC Collaboration; LLNL Collaboration

2015-11-01

The warm dense Matter represents states of which the temperature is comparable to Fermi energy and ions are strongly coupled. One of the experimental techniques to create such state in the laboratory condition is the isochoric heating of thin metal foil with femtosecond laser pulses. This concept largely relies on the ballistic transport of electrons near the Fermi-level, which were mainly studied for the metals in ambient conditions. However, they were barely investigated in warm dense conditions. We present a time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy measured for the Au/Cu dual layered sample. The front Au layer was isochorically heated with a femtosecond laser pulse, and the x-ray absorption changes around L-edge of Cu, which was attached on the backside of Au, was measured with a picosecond resolution. Time delays between the heating of the `front surface' of Au layer and the alternation of x-ray spectrum of Cu attached on the `rear surface' of Au indicate the energetic electron transport mechanism through Au in the warm dense conditions. IBS (IBS-R012-D1) and the NRF (No. 2013R1A1A1007084) of Korea.

System for the design, manufacture, and testing of custom lenses with known amounts of high-order aberrations.

PubMed

Chernyak, Dimitri A; Campbell, Charles E

2003-11-01

Now that excimer laser systems can be programmed to correct complex aberrations of the eye on the basis of wave-front measurements, a method is needed to test the accuracy of the system from measurement through treatment. A closed-loop test method was developed to ensure that treatment plans generated by a wavefront measuring system were accurately transferred to and executed by the excimer laser. A surface was analytically defined, and a Shack-Hartmann-based wave-front system was used to formulate a treatment plan, which was downloaded to an excimer laser system. A plastic lens was ablated by the laser and then returned to the wave-front device, where it was measured and compared with the analytically defined wave-front surface. The two surfaces agreed up to 6th-order Zernike terms, validating the accuracy of the system.

Contribution of thermoelectric and electrochemical effects to spontaneous potential signals induced by water injection into hydrocarbon reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulamali, M. Y.; Saunders, J. H.; Jackson, M.; Pain, C. C.

2009-12-01

Recent work has demonstrated that downhole measurements of streaming potential, using electrodes mounted on the outside of insulated casing, may be used to inform production strategies in oil and gas reservoirs. However, spontaneous potentials due to thermoelectric and/or electrochemical effects may also be present during production and may contribute to the signal measured at the production well. We present a workflow to numerically model spontaneous potentials in the subsurface and ascertain their magnitude in oil reservoirs during production. Our results suggest that the injection of seawater, which typically has a different temperature and salinity to the formation brine, leads to the generation of both thermoelectric and electrochemical potential signals which may be measured at the production well. We observe a peak in the thermoelectric potential before and after the temperature front, with a change in sign occurring close to the midpoint of the front, and the signal decaying with distance from the front. The electrochemical potential has a similar profile, with a change in sign occurring close to the location of the salinity front. In both cases, the absolute magnitude of the signal is related to the overall temperature and/or salinity contrast between the injected fluids and the formation brine, and the magnitude of the thermoelectric or electrochemical coupling coefficient. The lag in the temperature front relative to the saturation front leads to a negligible thermoelectric potential signal at the production well until long after water breakthrough occurs. In contrast, the electrochemical potential contributes significantly to the spontaneous potential measured at the production well before the waterfront arrives, as the salinity front and the saturation front coincide. However, the dependency of the thermoelectric and electrochemical coupling coefficients upon temperature and/or salinity is still uncertain, especially at partial water saturation. We have used the maximum theoretical limit, in the case of the perfect membrane, to estimate these parameters. These results imply that measurements of the spontaneous potential at a production well will combine contributions from both streaming and electrochemical effects, and may be used to detect an advancing waterfront some time before water breakthrough occurs at the well. Moreover, inversion of the measured signals could be used to determine the water saturation in the vicinity of the well, and to regulate flow into the well using control valves in order to maintain or increase oil production.

MOD silver metallization for photovoltaics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vest, G. M.; Vest, R. W.

1984-01-01

Photovoltaic cells require back side metallization and a collector grid system on the front surface. Both front and back surface metallizations should have good adhesion, low contact resistance, low sheet resistance, long term stability, and their deposition methods should not degrade the n-p junction. Advantages and disadvantages of different deposition methods are discussed.

Measurement-derived heat-budget approaches for simulating coastal wetland temperature with a hydrodynamic model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swain, Eric; Decker, Jeremy

2010-01-01

Numerical modeling is needed to predict environmental temperatures, which affect a number of biota in southern Florida, U.S.A., such as the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), which uses thermal basins for refuge from lethal winter cold fronts. To numerically simulate heat-transport through a dynamic coastal wetland region, an algorithm was developed for the FTLOADDS coupled hydrodynamic surface-water/ground-water model that uses formulations and coefficients suited to the coastal wetland thermal environment. In this study, two field sites provided atmospheric data to develop coefficients for the heat flux terms representing this particular study area. Several methods were examined to represent the heat-flux components used to compute temperature. A Dalton equation was compared with a Penman formulation for latent heat computations, producing similar daily-average temperatures. Simulation of heat-transport in the southern Everglades indicates that the model represents the daily fluctuation in coastal temperatures better than at inland locations; possibly due to the lack of information on the spatial variations in heat-transport parameters such as soil heat capacity and surface albedo. These simulation results indicate that the new formulation is suitable for defining the existing thermohydrologic system and evaluating the ecological effect of proposed restoration efforts in the southern Everglades of Florida.

Single lens laser beam shaper

DOEpatents

Liu, Chuyu [Newport News, VA; Zhang, Shukui [Yorktown, VA

2011-10-04

A single lens bullet-shaped laser beam shaper capable of redistributing an arbitrary beam profile into any desired output profile comprising a unitary lens comprising: a convex front input surface defining a focal point and a flat output portion at the focal point; and b) a cylindrical core portion having a flat input surface coincident with the flat output portion of the first input portion at the focal point and a convex rear output surface remote from the convex front input surface.

Exploring Nested Reaction Fronts to Understand How Oxygen Cracks Rocks, Carbonic and Sulfuric Acids Dissolve Rocks, and Water Transports Rocks during Weathering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brantley, S. L.; Gu, X.; Sullivan, P. L.; Kim, H.; Stinchcomb, G. E.; Lebedeva, M.; Balashov, V. N.

2016-12-01

To first order, weathering is the reaction of rocks with oxidants (oxygen, nitrate, etc.), acids (carbonic, sulfuric, and organic acids), and water. To explore weathering we have been studying the depth intervals in soils, saprolite, and weathering rock where mineral reactions are localized - "reaction fronts". We limit the study to ridges or catchments in climates where precipitation is greater than potential evapotranspiration. For example, in the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory, we observe reaction fronts that generally define very rough surfaces in 3D that mimic the land surface topography, although with lower relief. Overall, the fronts form nested curved surfaces. In Shale Hills, the deepest reaction fronts are oxidation of pyrite, and dissolution of carbonate. The carbonate is inferred to dissolve at least partly due to the sulfuric acid produced by the pyrite. In addition to pyrite, chlorite also starts to oxidize at the water table. We hypothesize that these dissolution and oxidation reactions open pores and cause microfracturing that open the rock to infiltration of advecting meteoric waters. At much shallower depths, illite is observed to dissolve. In Shale Hills, these reaction fronts - pyrite, carbonate, illite - separate over meters beneath the ridges. Such separated reaction fronts have also been observed in other fractured lithologies where oxidation is the deepest reaction and is associated with weathering-induced fractures. In contrast, in some massive mafic rocks, reaction fronts are almost co-located. By studying the geometry of reaction fronts, it may be possible to elucidate the relative importance of how oxygen cracks rocks; carbonic, organic, and sulfuric acids dissolve rocks; and water mobilizes rock materials during weathering.

Investigation of back surface fields effect on bifacial solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sepeai, Suhaila; Sulaiman, M. Y.; Sopian, Kamaruzzaman; Zaidi, Saleem H.

2012-11-01

A bifacial solar cell, in contrast with a conventional monofacial solar cell, produces photo-generated current from both front and back sides. Bifacial solar cell is an attractive candidate for enhancing photovoltaic (PV) market competitiveness as well as supporting the current efforts to increase efficiency and lower material costs. This paper reports on the fabrication of bifacial solar cells using phosphorus-oxytrichloride (POCl3) emitter formation on p-type, nanotextured silicon (Si) wafer. Backside surface field was formed through Al-diffusion using conventional screen-printing process. Bifacial solar cells with a structure of n+pp+ with and without back surface field (BSF) were fabricated in which silicon nitride (SiN) anti reflection and passivation films were coated on both sides, followed by screen printing of Argentum (Ag) and Argentum/Aluminum (Ag/Al) on front and back contacts, respectively. Bifacial solar cells without BSF exhibited open circuit voltage (VOC) of 535 mV for front and 480 mV for back surface. With Al-alloyed BSF bifacial solar cells, the VOC improved to 580 mV for the front surface and 560 mV for the back surface. Simulation of bifacial solar cells using PC1D and AFORS software demonstrated good agreement with experimental results. Simulations showed that best bifacial solar cells are achieved through a combination of high lifetime wafer, low recombination back surface field, reduced contact resistance, and superior surface passivation.

Thermal stress cycling of GaAs solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francis, Robert W.

1987-01-01

Thermal stress cycling was performed on gallium arsenide solar cells to investigate their electrical, mechanical, and structural integrity. Cells were cycled under low Earth orbit (LEO) simulated temperature conditions in vacuum. Cell evaluations consisted of power output values, spectral response, optical microscopy and ion microprobe mass analysis, and depth profiles on both front surface inter-grid areas and metallization contact grid lines. Cells were examined for degradation after 500, 5,000, 10,000 and 15,245 thermal cycles. No indication of performance degradation was found for any vendor's cell lot.

XB-70A during take-off

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-08-17

Viewed from the front the #1 XB-70A (62-0001) is shown climbing out during take-off. Most flights were scheduled during the morning hours to take advantage of the cooler ambient air temperatures for improved propulsion efficiencies. The wing tips are extended straight out to provide a maximum lifting wing surface. The XB-70A, capable of flying three times the speed of sound, was the world's largest experimental aircraft in the 1960s. Two XB-70A aircraft were built. Ship #1 was flown by NASA in a high speed flight research program.

Lidar observations of the planetary boundary layer during FASINEX

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melfi, S. H.; Boers, R.; Palm, S. P.

1988-01-01

Data are presented on the planetary boundary layer (PBL) over the ocean acquired with an airborne downward-looking lidar during the Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment (FASINEX) with the purpose of studying the impact of an ocean front on air-sea interactions. No changes in the PBL structure were detected by lidar. Lidar data were then used along with other readily available remotely-sensed data and a one-dimensional boundary-layer-growth model to infer the mean PBL moisture and temperature structure and to estimate the surface fluxes of heat and moisture.

Waterspout, Gust Fronts and Associated Cloud Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, J.

1983-01-01

Nine waterspouts observed on five experimental days during the GATE period of observations are discussed. Primary data used are from 2 aircraft flying in different patterns, one above the other between 30 and 300 m. There is strong evidence associating whirl initiation with cumulus outflow. Computations prepared from estimates of convergence with the region suggest the possibility of vortex generation within 4 minutes. This analysis supports (1) the importance cumulus outflows may have in waterspout initiation and (2) the possibility that sea surface temperature gradients may be important in enabling waterspout development from modest size cumuli.

Photovoltaic cell and production thereof

DOEpatents

Narayanan, Srinivasamohan [Gaithersburg, MD; Kumar, Bikash [Bangalore, IN

2008-07-22

An efficient photovoltaic cell, and its process of manufacture, is disclosed wherein the back surface p-n junction is removed from a doped substrate having an oppositely doped emitter layer. A front surface and edges and optionally the back surface periphery are masked and a back surface etch is performed. The mask is not removed and acts as an anti-reflective coating, a passivating agent, or both. The photovoltaic cell retains an untextured back surface whether or not the front is textured and the dopant layer on the back surface is removed to enhance the cell efficiency. Optionally, a back surface field is formed.

Sea surface temperature anomalies driven by oceanic local forcing in the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silveira, Isabel Porto; Pezzi, Luciano Ponzi

2014-03-01

Sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly events in the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (BMC) were investigated through wavelet analysis and numerical modeling. Wavelet analysis was applied to recognize the main spectral signals of SST anomaly events in the BMC and in the Drake Passage as a first attempt to link middle and high latitudes. The numerical modeling approach was used to clarify the local oceanic dynamics that drive these anomalies. Wavelet analysis pointed to the 8-12-year band as the most energetic band representing remote forcing between high to middle latitudes. Other frequencies observed in the BMC wavelet analysis indicate that part of its variability could also be forced by low-latitude events, such as El Niño. Numerical experiments carried out for the years of 1964 and 1992 (cold and warm El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases) revealed two distinct behaviors that produced negative and positive sea surface temperature anomalies on the BMC region. The first behavior is caused by northward cold flow, Río de la Plata runoff, and upwelling processes. The second behavior is driven by a southward excursion of the Brazil Current (BC) front, alterations in Río de la Plata discharge rates, and most likely by air-sea interactions. Both episodes are characterized by uncoupled behavior between the surface and deeper layers.

Hydrological and chlorofluoromethane measurements of the Indonesian throughflow entering the Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fieux, M.; Andrié, C.; Charriaud, E.; Ilahude, A. G.; Metzl, N.; Molcard, R.; Swallow, J. C.

1996-05-01

The Java Australia Dynamic Experiment high-resolution February-March 1992 conductivity-temperature-depth and chlorofluoromethane section obtained between Australia and Bali and on the sills between Flores, Sumba, Sawu, Roti, and the Australian continental shelf allows detailed examination of the water masses distribution and their inferred circulation. A sharp hydrological front between the Indonesian waters and the southern Indian Ocean waters is found between 13°S and 14°S in both seasons (February-March 1992 and August 1989). It separates the high-salinity surface waters to the south from the lower-salinity surface waters derived from the Indonesian Seas to the north. It reaches the surface in February 1992, whereas it was capped by a particularly low salinity surface layer in August 1989. Near Bali, the NW monsoon of February-March produces large intrusions of low-salinity water from the Java Sea, through Lombok Strait in the upper 100 m. At depth, the North Indian Intermediate Water, flowing along the Indonesian coast, brings salty, low-oxygen and low-chlorofluorocarbon water. It enters the Sawu Sea through Sumba Strait toward the east, while it undergoes strong mixing with the Indonesian Seas water. The primary pathway of the Indonesian waters is found north of the front and south of the North Indian Intermediate Water, between 13°S and 9°30'S, and the associated salinity minimum can be followed all across the Indian Ocean.

Cyclic phase change in a cylindrical thermal energy storage capsule

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

Hasan, M.; Mujumdar, A.S.; Weber, M.E.

1983-12-01

This paper is concerned with a practical melting/freezing problem in conjunction with the more realistic case of a cyclic phase change thermal energy storage device. In this model the phase change medium is encapsulated in long cylindrical tubes, the surface temperature of which is allowed to vary sinusoidally with time about the discrete freezing temperature. Initial temperature of the medium is assumed to be constant at a temperature above or below the freezing/melting temperature. Natural convection in the melt is assumed to be negligible and the variations in the depth of freezing and/or melting in each half cycle is ignored.more » Depending on the half-cycle parameters the problem is simplified to either freezing or melting. The governing one-dimensional heat diffusion equations for both phases are solved by the Finite Integral Transform techniques. The kernels for the transformation are the time-dependent eigen functions separately defined for each phases. This extended transform method can accomodate any time-dependent surface temperature variation. The application of the transform generated a series of coupled, nonlinear first order differential equations, which are solved by Runge Kutta-Verner fifth and sixth order method. Dimensionless solutions of temperature variations in both phases, fusion front position and the fraction solidified (or melted) are displayed graphically to aid in practical calculations. For the special case of a constant surface temperature, comparisons are made between the present results and the existing integral and purely numerical results. The results are found to compare favourably. Results for fractional solidification (or melting and interface position are also compared with the simple Conduction Shape Factor method, after allowing for the time-dependent boundary conditions. Once again the results agree reasonably well.« less

The physical environmental conditions for biogeochemical differences along the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the Atlantic Sector during late austral summer 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strass, Volker H.; Leach, Harry; Prandke, Hartmut; Donnelly, Matthew; Bracher, Astrid U.; Wolf-Gladrow, Dieter A.

2017-04-01

The physical and biological carbon pumps in the different hydrographic and biogeochemical regimes of the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean are controlled by a series of coupled physical, chemical and biological processes and a project named Eddy-Pump was designed to study them. The Eddy Pump field campaign was carried out during RV Polarstern Cruise ANT-XXVIII/3 between January and March 2012. Particular emphasis was laid on the differences which occur along the axis of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) with its associated mesoscale eddy field. The study sites were selected in order to represent (1) the central ACC with its regular separation in different frontal jets, investigated by a meridional transect along 10°E; (2) a large-scale bloom west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge which lasted several months with conspicuous chlorophyll-poor waters to its immediate east studied by a three-dimensional mesoscale survey centred at 12°40‧W; and (3) the Georgia Basin north of the island of South Georgia, which regularly features an extended and dense phytoplankton bloom, was investigated by a mesoscale survey centred at 38°12‧W. While Eddy-Pump represents an interdisciplinary project by design, we here focus on describing the variable physical environment within which the different biogeochemical regimes developed. For describing the physical environment we use measurements of temperature, salinity and density, of mixed-layer turbulence parameters, of dynamic heights and horizontal current vectors, and of flow trajectories obtained from surface drifters and submerged floats. This serves as background information for the analyses of biological and chemical processes and of biogeochemical fluxes addressed by other papers in this issue. The section along 10°E between 44°S and 53°S showed a classical ACC structure with well-known hydrographic fronts, the Subantarctic Front (SAF) at 46.5°S, the Antarctic Polar Front (APF) split in two, at 49.25°S and 50.5°S, and the Southern Polar Front (SPF) at 52.5°S. Each front was associated with strong eastward flows. The West Mid-Atlantic Ridge Survey showed a weak and poorly resolved meander structure between the APF and the SPF. During the first eight days of the survey the oceanographic conditions at the Central Station at 12°40‧W remained reasonably constant. However after that, conditions became more variable in the thermocline with conspicuous temperature inversions and interleavings and also a decrease in temperature in the surface layer. At the very end of the period of observation the conditions in the thermocline returned to being similar to those observed during the early part of the period with however the mixed layer temperature raised. The period of enhanced thermohaline variability was accompanied by increased currents. The Georgia Basin Survey showed a very strong zonal jet at its northern edge which connects to a large cyclonic meander that itself joins an anticyclonic eddy in the southeastern quadrant. The water mass contrasts in this survey were stronger than in the West Mid-Atlantic Ridge Survey, but similar to those met along 10°E with the exception that the warm and saline surface water typical of the northern side of the SAF was not covered by the Georgia Basin Survey. Mixed layers found during Eddy-Pump were typically deep, but varied between the three survey areas; the mean depths and standard variations of the mixed layer along the 10°E were 77.2±24.7 m, at the West Mid-Atlantic Ridge 66.7±17.7 m, and in the Georgia Basin 36.8±10.7 m.

Thermal management of VECSELs by front surface direct liquid cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smyth, Conor J. C.; Mirkhanov, Shamil; Quarterman, Adrian H.; Wilcox, Keith G.

2016-03-01

Efficient thermal management is vital for VECSELs, affecting the output power and several aspects of performance of the device. Presently there exist two distinct methods of effective thermal management which both possess their merits and disadvantages. Substrate removal of the VECSEL gain chip has proved a successful method in devices emitting at a wavelength near 1μm. However for other wavelengths the substrate removal technique has proved less effective primarily due to the thermal impedance of the distributed Bragg reflectors. The second method of thermal management involves the use of crystalline heat spreaders bonded to the gain chip surface. Although this is an effective thermal management scheme, the disadvantages are additional loss and the etalon effect that filters the gain spectrum, making mode locking more difficult and normally resulting in multiple peaks in the spectrum. There are considerable disadvantages associated with both methods attributed to heatspreader cost and sample processing. It is for these reasons that a proposed alternative, front surface liquid cooling, has been investigated in this project. Direct liquid cooling involves flowing a temperature-controlled liquid over the sample's surface. In this project COMSOL was used to model surface liquid cooling of a VECSEL sample in order to investigate and compare its potential thermal management with current standard thermal management techniques. Based on modelling, experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the performance of the technique. While modelling suggests that this is potentially a mid-performance low cost alternative to existing techniques, experimental measurements to date do not reflect the performance predicted from modelling.

Radiative shocks produced from spherical cryogenic implosions at the National Ignition Facilitya)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, A.; Divol, L.; Gregori, G.; Weber, S.; Atherton, J.; Bennedetti, R.; Bradley, D. K.; Callahan, D.; Casey, D. T.; Dewald, E.; Döppner, T.; Edwards, M. J.; Frenje, J. A.; Glenn, S.; Grim, G. P.; Hicks, D.; Hsing, W. W.; Izumi, N.; Jones, O. S.; Johnson, M. G.; Khan, S. F.; Kilkenny, J. D.; Kline, J. L.; Kyrala, G. A.; Lindl, J.; Landen, O. L.; Le Pape, S.; Ma, T.; MacPhee, A.; MacGowan, B. J.; MacKinnon, A. J.; Masse, L.; Meezan, N. B.; Moody, J. D.; Olson, R. E.; Ralph, J. E.; Robey, H. F.; Park, H.-S.; Remington, B. A.; Ross, J. S.; Tommasini, R.; Town, R. P. J.; Smalyuk, V.; Glenzer, S. H.; Moses, E. I.

2013-05-01

Spherically expanding radiative shock waves have been observed from inertially confined implosion experiments at the National Ignition Facility. In these experiments, a spherical fusion target, initially 2 mm in diameter, is compressed via the pressure induced from the ablation of the outer target surface. At the peak compression of the capsule, x-ray and nuclear diagnostics indicate the formation of a central core, with a radius and ion temperature of ˜20 μm and ˜ 2 keV, respectively. This central core is surrounded by a cooler compressed shell of deuterium-tritium fuel that has an outer radius of ˜40 μm and a density of >500 g/cm3. Using inputs from multiple diagnostics, the peak pressure of the compressed core has been inferred to be of order 100 Gbar for the implosions discussed here. The shock front, initially located at the interface between the high pressure compressed fuel shell and surrounding in-falling low pressure ablator plasma, begins to propagate outwards after peak compression has been reached. Approximately 200 ps after peak compression, a ring of x-ray emission created by the limb-brightening of a spherical shell of shock-heated matter is observed to appear at a radius of ˜100 μm. Hydrodynamic simulations, which model the experiment and include radiation transport, indicate that the sudden appearance of this emission occurs as the post-shock material temperature increases and upstream density decreases, over a scale length of ˜10 μm, as the shock propagates into the lower density (˜1 g/cc), hot (˜250 eV) plasma that exists at the ablation front. The expansion of the shock-heated matter is temporally and spatially resolved and indicates a shock expansion velocity of ˜300 km/s in the laboratory frame. The magnitude and temporal evolution of the luminosity produced from the shock-heated matter was measured at photon energies between 5.9 and 12.4 keV. The observed radial shock expansion, as well as the magnitude and temporal evolution of the luminosity from the shock-heated matter, is consistent with 1-D radiation hydrodynamic simulations. Analytic estimates indicate that the radiation energy flux from the shock-heated matter is of the same order as the in-flowing material energy flux, and suggests that this radiation energy flux modifies the shock front structure. Simulations support these estimates and show the formation of a radiative shock, with a precursor that raises the temperature ahead of the shock front, a sharp μm-scale thick spike in temperature at the shock front, followed by a post-shock cooling layer.

Tectonic and climatic significance of a late Eocene low-relief, high-level geomorphic surface, Colorado

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, Kathryn M.; Chase, Clement G

1994-01-01

New paleobotanical data suggest that in the late Eocene the erosion surface which capped the Front Range, Colorado was 2.2-2.3 km in elevation, which is similar to the 2.5-km present elevation of surface remnants. This estimated elevation casts doubt on the conventional belief that the low-relief geomorphic surface was formed by lateral planation of streams to a base level not much higher than sea level and that the present deeply incised canyons must represent Neogene uplift of Colorado. Description of the surface, calculations of sediment volume, and isostatic balance and fluvial landsculpting models demonstrate that while the high elevation of the erosion surface was due to tectonic forces, its smoothness was mostly a result of climatic factors. A sediment balance calculated for the Front Range suggests that from 2 to 4 km of material were eroded by the late Eocene, consistent with fission track ages. This amount of erosion would remove a significant portionof the 7 km of Laramide upper crustal thickening. Isostatic modeling implies that the 2.2-3.3 km elevation was most likely created by lower crustal thickening during the Laramide. A numerical model of fluvial erosion and deposition suggests a way that a late Eocene surface could have formed at this high elevation without incision. A humid climate with a preponderance of small storm events will diffusively smooth topography and is a possible mechanism for formation oflow-relief, high-level surfaces. Paleoclimate models suggest a lack of large strom events in the late Eocene because of cool sea surface temperatures in the equatorial region. Return to a drier but stormier climate post-Eocene could have caused the incision of the surface by young canyons. By this interpretation, regional erosion surfaces may represent regional climatic rather than tectonic conditions.

Deformation measurements by ESPI of the surface of a heated mirror and comparison with numerical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Languy, Fabian; Vandenrijt, Jean-François; Saint-Georges, Philippe; Georges, Marc P.

2017-06-01

The manufacture of mirrors for space application is expensive and the requirements on the optical performance increase over years. To achieve higher performance, larger mirrors are manufactured but the larger the mirror the higher the sensitivity to temperature variation and therefore the higher the degradation of optical performances. To avoid the use of an expensive thermal regulation, we need to develop tools able to predict how optics behaves with thermal constraints. This paper presents the comparison between experimental surface mirror deformation and theoretical results from a multiphysics model. The local displacements of the mirror surface have been measured with the use of electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) and the deformation itself has been calculated by subtracting the rigid body motion. After validation of the mechanical model, experimental and numerical wave front errors are compared.

Cast Stone Oxidation Front Evaluation: Preliminary Results For Samples Exposed To Moist Air

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

Langton, C. A.; Almond, P. M.

The rate of oxidation is important to the long-term performance of reducing salt waste forms because the solubility of some contaminants, e.g., technetium, is a function of oxidation state. TcO{sub 4}{sup -} in the salt solution is reduced to Tc(IV) and has been shown to react with ingredients in the waste form to precipitate low solubility sulfide and/or oxide phases. Upon exposure to oxygen, the compounds containing Tc(IV) oxidize to the pertechnetate ion, Tc(VII)O{sub 4}{sup -}, which is very soluble. Consequently the rate of technetium oxidation front advancement into a monolith and the technetium leaching profile as a function ofmore » depth from an exposed surface are important to waste form performance and ground water concentration predictions. An approach for measuring contaminant oxidation rate (effective contaminant specific oxidation rate) based on leaching of select contaminants of concern is described in this report. In addition, the relationship between reduction capacity and contaminant oxidation is addressed. Chromate (Cr(VI) was used as a non-radioactive surrogate for pertechnetate, Tc(VII), in Cast Stone samples prepared with 5 M Simulant. Cast Stone spiked with pertechnetate was also prepared and tested. Depth discrete subsamples spiked with Cr were cut from Cast Stone exposed to Savannah River Site (SRS) outdoor ambient temperature fluctuations and moist air. Depth discrete subsamples spiked with Tc-99 were cut from Cast Stone exposed to laboratory ambient temperature fluctuations and moist air. Similar conditions are expected to be encountered in the Cast Stone curing container. The leachability of Cr and Tc-99 and the reduction capacities, measured by the Angus-Glasser method, were determined for each subsample as a function of depth from the exposed surface. The results obtained to date were focused on continued method development and are preliminary and apply to the sample composition and curing / exposure conditions described in this report. The Cr oxidation front (depth to which soluble Cr was detected) for the Cast Stone sample exposed for 68 days to ambient outdoor temperatures and humid air (total age of sample was 131 days) was determined to be about 35 mm below the top sample surface exposed. The Tc oxidation front, depth at which Tc was insoluble, was not determined. Interpretation of the results indicates that the oxidation front is at least 38 mm below the exposed surface. The sample used for this measurement was exposed to ambient laboratory conditions and humid air for 50 days. The total age of the sample was 98 days. Technetium appears to be more easily oxidized than Cr in the Cast Stone matrix. The oxidized forms of Tc and Cr are soluble and therefore leachable. Longer exposure times are required for both the Cr and Tc spiked samples to better interpret the rate of oxidation. Tc spiked subsamples need to be taken further from the exposed surface to better define and interpret the leachable Tc profile. Finally Tc(VII) reduction to Tc(IV) appears to occur relatively fast. Results demonstrated that about 95 percent of the Tc(VII) was reduced to Tc(IV) during the setting and very early stage setting for a Cast Stone sample cured 10 days. Additional testing at longer curing times is required to determine whether additional time is required to reduce 100 % of the Tc(VII) in Cast Stone or whether the Tc loading exceeded the ability of the waste form to reduce 100 % of the Tc(VII). Additional testing is required for samples cured for longer times. Depth discrete subsampling in a nitrogen glove box is also required to determine whether the 5 percent Tc extracted from the subsamples was the result of the sampling process which took place in air. Reduction capacity measurements (per the Angus-Glasser method) performed on depth discrete samples could not be correlated with the amount of chromium or technetium leached from the depth discrete subsamples or with the oxidation front inferred from soluble chromium and technetium (i.e., effective Cr and Tc oxidation fronts). Residual reduction capacity in the oxidized region of the test samples indicates that the remaining reduction capacity is not effective in re-reducing Cr(VI) or Tc(VII) in the presence of oxygen. Depth discrete sampling and leaching is a useful for evaluating Cast Stone and other chemically reducing waste forms containing ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) or other reduction / sequestration reagents to control redox sensitive contaminant chemistry and leachability in the near surface disposal environment. Based on results presented in this report, reduction capacity measured by the Angus-Glasser Ce(IV) method is not an appropriate or meaningful parameter for determining or predicting Tc and Cr oxidation / retentions, speciation, or solubilities in cementitious materials such as Cast Stone. A model for predicting Tc(IV) oxidation to soluble Tc(VII) should consider the waste form porosity (pathway for oxygen ingress), oxygen source, and the contaminant specific oxidation rates and oxidation fronts. Depth discrete sampling of materials exposed to realistic conditions in combination with short term leaching of crushed samples has potential for advancing the understanding of factors influencing performance. This information can be used to support conceptual model development.« less

A series of shocks and edges in Abell 2219

DOE PAGES

Canning, R. E. A.; Allen, S. W.; Applegate, D. E.; ...

2016-09-22

Here, we present deep, 170 ks, Chandra X-ray observations of Abell 2219 (z = 0.23), one of the hottest and most X-ray luminous clusters known, and which is experiencing a major merger event. We discover a ‘horseshoe’ of high-temperature gas surrounding the ram-pressure-stripped, bright, hot, X-ray cores. We confirm an X-ray shock front located north-west of the X-ray centroid and along the projected merger axis. We also find a second shock front to the south-east of the X-ray centroid making this only the second cluster where both the shock and reverse shock are confirmed with X-ray temperature measurements. We alsomore » present evidence for a possible sloshing cold front in the ‘remnant tail’ of one of the sub-cluster cores. The cold front and north-west shock front geometrically bound the radio halo and appear to be directly influencing the radio properties of the cluster.« less

Synthetic temperature profiles derived from Geosat altimetry: Comparison with air-dropped expendable bathythermograph profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnes, Michael R.; Mitchell, Jim L.; de Witt, P. Webb

1990-10-01

Synthetic temperature profiles are computed from altimeter-derived sea surface heights in the Gulf Stream region. The required relationships between surface height (dynamic height at the surface relative to 1000 dbar) and subsurface temperature are provided from regression relationships between dynamic height and amplitudes of empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of the vertical structure of temperature derived by de Witt (1987). Relationships were derived for each month of the year from historical temperature and salinity profiles from the region surrounding the Gulf Stream northeast of Cape Hatteras. Sea surface heights are derived using two different geoid estimates, the feature-modeled geoid and the air-dropped expendable bathythermograph (AXBT) geoid, both described by Carnes et al. (1990). The accuracy of the synthetic profiles is assessed by comparison to 21 AXBT profile sections which were taken during three surveys along 12 Geosat ERM ground tracks nearly contemporaneously with Geosat overflights. The primary error statistic considered is the root-mean-square (rms) difference between AXBT and synthetic isotherm depths. The two sources of error are the EOF relationship and the altimeter-derived surface heights. EOF-related and surface height-related errors in synthetic temperature isotherm depth are of comparable magnitude; each translates into about a 60-m rms isotherm depth error, or a combined 80 m to 90 m error for isotherms in the permanent thermocline. EOF-related errors are responsible for the absence of the near-surface warm core of the Gulf Stream and for the reduced volume of Eighteen Degree Water in the upper few hundred meters of (apparently older) cold-core rings in the synthetic profiles. The overall rms difference between surface heights derived from the altimeter and those computed from AXBT profiles is 0.15 dyn m when the feature-modeled geoid is used and 0.19 dyn m when the AXBT geoid is used; the portion attributable to altimeter-derived surface height errors alone is 0.03 dyn m less for each. In most cases, the deeper structure of the Gulf Stream and eddies is reproduced well by vertical sections of synthetic temperature, with largest errors typically in regions of high horizontal gradient such as across rings and the Gulf Stream front.

Storm-induced inner-continental shelf circulation and sediment transport: Long Bay, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warner, John C.; Armstrong, Brandy N.; Sylvester, Charlene S.; Voulgaris, George; Nelson, Tim; Schwab, William C.; Denny, Jane F.

2012-01-01

Long Bay is a sediment-starved, arcuate embayment located along the US East Coast connecting both South and North Carolina. In this region the rates and pathways of sediment transport are important because they determine the availability of sediments for beach nourishment, seafloor habitat, and navigation. The impact of storms on sediment transport magnitude and direction were investigated during the period October 2003–April 2004 using bottom mounted flow meters, acoustic backscatter sensors and rotary sonars deployed at eight sites offshore of Myrtle Beach, SC, to measure currents, water levels, surface waves, salinity, temperature, suspended sediment concentrations, and bedform morphology. Measurements identify that sediment mobility is caused by waves and wind driven currents from three predominant types of storm patterns that pass through this region: (1) cold fronts, (2) warm fronts and (3) low-pressure storms. The passage of a cold front is accompanied by a rapid change in wind direction from primarily northeastward to southwestward. The passage of a warm front is accompanied by an opposite change in wind direction from mainly southwestward to northeastward. Low-pressure systems passing offshore are accompanied by a change in wind direction from southwestward to southeastward as the offshore storm moves from south to north.During the passage of cold fronts more sediment is transported when winds are northeastward and directed onshore than when the winds are directed offshore, creating a net sediment flux to the north–east. Likewise, even though the warm front has an opposite wind pattern, net sediment flux is typically to the north–east due to the larger fetch when the winds are northeastward and directed onshore. During the passage of low-pressure systems strong winds, waves, and currents to the south are sustained creating a net sediment flux southwestward. During the 3-month deployment a total of 8 cold fronts, 10 warm fronts, and 10 low-pressure systems drove a net sediment flux southwestward. Analysis of a 12-year data record from a local buoy shows an average of 41 cold fronts, 32 warm fronts, and 26 low-pressure systems per year. The culmination of these events would yield a cumulative net inner-continental shelf transport to the south–west, a trend that is further verified by sediment textural analysis and bedform morphology on the inner-continental shelf.

Sharp-front wave of strong magnetic field diffusion in solid metal

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

Xiao, Bo; Gu, Zhuo-wei; Kan, Ming-xian

When a strong magnetic field diffuses into a solid metal, if the metal's resistance possesses an abrupt rise at some critical temperature and the magnetic field strength is above some critical value, the magnetic field will diffuse into the metal in the form of a sharp-front wave. Formulas for the critical conditions under which a sharp-front magnetic diffusion wave emerges and a formula for the wave-front velocity are derived in this work.

Heat stress in front and rear cockpits of F-4 aircraft

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

Nunneley, S.A.; Stribley, R.F.; Allan, J.R.

The thermal stresses encountered in the front and rear cockpits of F-4 aircraft flying low-level missions in warm, moderately humid weather and physiological responses to these stresses are investigated. Measurements of ground and cockpit environmental temperatures and subject skin and core temperatures were acquired for the preflight taxi, low-level flight, ordnance delivery and postflight taxi phases of 36 flights of F-4E aircraft performed to simulate low-level ground attack missions. Cockpit dry-bulb temperatures are found to exceed those on the ground during ground operations, and to decrease in flight in the front, but not the rear, cockpit. A linear relationship betweenmore » cockpit dry bulb and temperatures is also found in each of the mission phases, along with increases in skin and core temperatures with cockpit temperatures and sweat rates depending both on cockpit temperatures and the amount of clothing worn. Adverse physiological effects related to nausea and acceleration tolerances are also noted. It is concluded that the cockpit cooling system of the F-4 allows the development of operationally significant heat stress, which may be corrected by better design and testing of the cooling system.« less

Multiple stable isotope fronts during non-isothermal fluid flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fekete, Szandra; Weis, Philipp; Scott, Samuel; Driesner, Thomas

2018-02-01

Stable isotope signatures of oxygen, hydrogen and other elements in minerals from hydrothermal veins and metasomatized host rocks are widely used to investigate fluid sources and paths. Previous theoretical studies mostly focused on analyzing stable isotope fronts developing during single-phase, isothermal fluid flow. In this study, numerical simulations were performed to assess how temperature changes, transport phenomena, kinetic vs. equilibrium isotope exchange, and isotopic source signals determine mineral oxygen isotopic compositions during fluid-rock interaction. The simulations focus on one-dimensional scenarios, with non-isothermal single- and two-phase fluid flow, and include the effects of quartz precipitation and dissolution. If isotope exchange between fluid and mineral is fast, a previously unrecognized, significant enrichment in heavy oxygen isotopes of fluids and minerals occurs at the thermal front. The maximum enrichment depends on the initial isotopic composition of fluid and mineral, the fluid-rock ratio and the maximum change in temperature, but is independent of the isotopic composition of the incoming fluid. This thermally induced isotope front propagates faster than the signal related to the initial isotopic composition of the incoming fluid, which forms a trailing front behind the zone of transient heavy oxygen isotope enrichment. Temperature-dependent kinetic rates of isotope exchange between fluid and rock strongly influence the degree of enrichment at the thermal front. In systems where initial isotope values of fluids and rocks are far from equilibrium and isotope fractionation is controlled by kinetics, the temperature increase accelerates the approach of the fluid to equilibrium conditions with the host rock. Consequently, the increase at the thermal front can be less dominant and can even generate fluid values below the initial isotopic composition of the input fluid. As kinetics limit the degree of isotope exchange, a third front may develop in kinetically limited systems, which propagates with the advection speed of the incoming fluid and is, therefore, traveling fastest. The results show that oxygen isotope signatures at thermal fronts recorded in rocks and veins that experienced isotope exchange with fluids can easily be misinterpreted, namely if bulk analytical techniques are applied. However, stable isotope microanalysis on precipitated minerals may - if later isotope exchange is kinetically limited - provide a valuable archive of the transient thermal and hydrological evolution of a system.

Simulation using HYDRUS-2D for Soil Water and Heat Transfer under Drip Irrigation with 95oC Hot Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Y.; Noborio, K.

2015-12-01

In Japan, soil disinfection with hot water has been popular since the use of methyl bromide was restricted in 2005. Decreasing the amount of hot water applied may make farmers reduce the operation cost. To determine the appropriate amount of hot water needed for soil disinfection, HYDRUS-2D was evaluated. A field experiment was conducted and soil water content and soil temperature were measured at 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 cm deep when 95oC hot water was applied. Irrigation tubing equipped with drippers every 30 cm were laid at the soil surface, z=0 cm. An irrigation rate for each dripper was 0.83 cm min-1 between t=0 and 120 min, and thereafter it was zero. Temperature of irrigation water was 95oC. Total simulation time with HYDRUS-2D was 720 min for a homogeneous soil. A simulating domain was selected as x=60 cm and z=100 cm. A potential evaporation rate was assumed to be 0 cm min-1 because the soil surface was covered with a plastic sheet. The boundary condition at the bottom was free drainage and those of both sides were no-flux conditions. Hydraulic properties and bulk densities measured at each depth were used for simulation. It was assumed that there was no organic matter contained. Soil thermal properties were adopted from previous study and HYDRUS 2D. Simulated temperatures at 5, 10, 20 and 40 cm deep agreed well with those measured although simulated temperatures at 60, 80, and 100 cm deep were overly estimated. Estimates of volumetric water content at 5 cm deep agreed well with measured values. Simulated values at 10 to 100 cm deep were overly estimated by 0.1 to 0.3 (m3 m-3). The deeper the soil became, the more the simulated wetting front lagged behind the measured one. It was speculated that water viscosity estimated smaller at high temperature might attributed to the slower advances of wetting front simulated with HYDRUS 2-D.

Effects of front-surface target structures on properties of relativistic laser-plasma electrons.

PubMed

Jiang, S; Krygier, A G; Schumacher, D W; Akli, K U; Freeman, R R

2014-01-01

We report the results of a study of the role of prescribed geometrical structures on the front of a target in determining the energy and spatial distribution of relativistic laser-plasma electrons. Our three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation studies apply to short-pulse, high-intensity laser pulses, and indicate that a judicious choice of target front-surface geometry provides the realistic possibility of greatly enhancing the yield of high-energy electrons while simultaneously confining the emission to narrow (<5°) angular cones.

InP solar cell with window layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jain, Raj K. (Inventor); Landis, Geoffrey A. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

The invention features a thin light transmissive layer of the ternary semiconductor indium aluminum arsenide (InAlAs) as a front surface passivation or 'window' layer for p-on-n InP solar cells. The window layers of the invention effectively reduce front surface recombination of the object semiconductors thereby increasing the efficiency of the cells.

Quantifying the Contribution of Thermally Driven Recirculation to a High-Ozone Event Along the Colorado Front Range Using Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, John T.; McGee, Thomas J.; Langford, Andrew O.; Alvarez, Raul J., II; Senff, Christoph; Reddy, Patrick J.; Thompson, Anne M.; Twigg, Laurence W.; Sumnicht, Grant K.; Lee, Pius;

ReaxFF based molecular dynamics simulations of ignition front propagation in hydrocarbon/oxygen mixtures under high temperature and pressure conditions.

PubMed

Ashraf, Chowdhury; Jain, Abhishek; Xuan, Yuan; van Duin, Adri C T

2017-02-15

In this paper, we present the first atomistic-scale based method for calculating ignition front propagation speed and hypothesize that this quantity is related to laminar flame speed. This method is based on atomistic-level molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with the ReaxFF reactive force field. Results reported in this study are for supercritical (P = 55 MPa and T u = 1800 K) combustion of hydrocarbons as elevated pressure and temperature are required to accelerate the dynamics for reactive MD simulations. These simulations are performed for different types of hydrocarbons, including alkyne, alkane, and aromatic, and are able to successfully reproduce the experimental trend of reactivity of these hydrocarbons. Moreover, our results indicate that the ignition front propagation speed under supercritical conditions has a strong dependence on equivalence ratio, similar to experimentally measured flame speeds at lower temperatures and pressures which supports our hypothesis that ignition front speed is a related quantity to laminar flame speed. In addition, comparisons between results obtained from ReaxFF simulation and continuum simulations performed under similar conditions show good qualitative, and reasonable quantitative agreement. This demonstrates that ReaxFF based MD-simulations are a promising tool to study flame speed/ignition front speed in supercritical hydrocarbon combustion.

Cross-shore velocity shear, eddies and heterogeneity in water column properties over fringing coral reefs: West Maui, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Storlazzi, C.D.; McManus, M.A.; Logan, J.B.; McLaughlin, B.E.

2006-01-01

A multi-day hydrographic survey cruise was conducted to acquire spatially extensive, but temporally limited, high-resolution, three-dimensional measurements of currents, temperature, salinity and turbidity off West Maui in the summer of 2003 to better understand coastal dynamics along a complex island shoreline with coral reefs. These data complement long-term, high-resolution tide, wave, current, temperature, salinity and turbidity measurements made at a number of fixed locations in the study area starting in 2001. Analyses of these hydrographic data, in conjunction with numerous field observations, evoke the following conceptual model of water and turbidity flux along West Maui. Wave- and wind-driven flows appear to be the primary control on flow over shallower portions of the reefs while tidal and subtidal currents dominate flow over the outer portions of the reefs and insular shelf. When the direction of these flows counter one another, which is quite common, they cause a zone of cross-shore horizontal shear and often form a front, with turbid, lower-salinity water inshore of the front and clear, higher-salinity water offshore of the front. It is not clear whether these zones of high shear and fronts are the cause or the result of the location of the fore reef, but they appear to be correlated alongshore over relatively large horizontal distances (orders of kilometers). When two flows converge or when a single flow is bathymetrically steered, eddies can be generated that, in the absence of large ocean surface waves, tend to accumulate material. Areas of higher turbidity and lower salinity tend to correlate with regions of poor coral health or the absence of well-developed reefs, suggesting that the oceanographic processes that concentrate and/or transport nutrients, contaminants, low-salinity water or suspended sediment might strongly influence coral reef ecosystem health and sustainability.

Adaptive capacity at the northern front: sockeye salmon behaviourally thermoregulate during novel exposure to warm temperatures

PubMed Central

Armstrong, Jonathan B.; Ward, Eric J.; Schindler, Daniel E.; Lisi, Peter J.

2016-01-01

As climate change increases maximal water temperatures, behavioural thermoregulation may be crucial for the persistence of coldwater fishes, such as salmonids. Although myriad studies have documented behavioural thermoregulation in southern populations of salmonids, few if any have explored this phenomenon in northern populations, which are less likely to have an evolutionary history of heat stress, yet are predicted to experience substantial warming. Here, we treated a rare heat wave as a natural experiment to test whether wild sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) at the northern extent of their primary range (60° latitude) can thermoregulate in response to abnormally high thermal conditions. We tagged adult sockeye salmon with temperature loggers as they staged in a lake epilimnion prior to spawning in small cold streams (n = 40 recovered loggers). As lake surface temperatures warmed to physiologically suboptimal levels (15–20°C), sockeye salmon thermoregulated by moving to tributary plumes or the lake metalimnion. A regression of fish body temperature against lake surface temperature indicated that fish moved to cooler waters when the epilimnion temperature exceeded ~12°C. A bioenergetics model suggested that the observed behaviour reduced daily metabolic costs by as much as ~50% during the warmest conditions (18–20°C). These results provide rare evidence of cool-seeking thermoregulation at the poleward extent of a species range, emphasizing the potential ubiquity of maximal temperature constraints and the functional significance of thermal heterogeneity for buffering poikilotherms from climate change. PMID:27729980

Linkages of Remote Sea Surface Temperatures and Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Activity Mediated by the African Monsoon

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

Taraphdar, Sourav; Leung, Lai-Yung R.; Hagos, Samson M.

2015-01-28

Warm sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in North Atlantic and Mediterranean (NAMED) can influence tropical cyclone (TC) activity in the tropical East Atlantic by modulating summer convection over western Africa. Analysis of 30 years of observations show that the NAMED SST is linked to a strengthening of the Saharan heat low and enhancement of moisture and moist static energy in the lower atmosphere over West Africa, which favors a northward displacement of the monsoonal front. These processes also lead to a northward shift of the African easterly jet that introduces an anomalous positive vorticity from western Africa to the main developmentmore » region (50W–20E; 10N–20N) of Atlantic TC. By modulating multiple processes associated with the African monsoon, this study demonstrates that warm NAMED SST explains 8% of interannual variability of Atlantic TC frequency. Thus NAME SST may provide useful predictability for Atlantic TC activity on seasonal-to-interannual time scale.« less

Characterization of Ablation Product Radiation Signatures of PICA and FiberForm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winter, Michael; Butler, Bradley D.; Diao, Zhaojin; Panerai, Francesco; Martin, Alexandre; Bailey, Sean C. C.; Danehy, Paul M.; Splinter, Scott

2016-01-01

Emission spectroscopy measurements in the post-shock layer in front of low density ablative material samples of different shapes were obtained in the NASA Langley HYMETS arcjet facility. A horizontal line of measurement positions was imaged on the entrance slit of the spectrometer allowing detection of the entire stagnation line in front of the samples. The stagnation line measurements were used to compare the post-shock layer emission signatures in front of PICA and FiberForm. The emission signatures of H, NH, and OH are characteristic for pyrolysis gases and consequently were only observed in front of the PICA samples. CN and C were found in front of both materials and are mainly due to interactions of the carbon fibers with the plasma. In all tests with instrumented samples, the emission of Mn, Cr, and Ni was observed when the thermocouple temperatures reached or exceeded 1,500 K, strongly indicating erosion of the molten thermocouple tips. Temperatures in the post-shock layer were estimated from comparing the CN band emission to spectral simulation. The resulting rotational and vibrational temperatures were on the order of 7,000 to 9,000 K and close to each other indicating a plasma condition close to equilibrium. In addition to the stagnation line configurations, off-axis lines of observation were investigated to gather information about spalled particles in the flow. From a comparison of measured continuum emission with simulated Planck radiation, average particle temperatures along the measured line of observation were determined for two cases. Particle temperatures between 3,500 and 2,000 K were found. A comprehensive investigation of the entire amount of data set is ongoing.

Antenna induced hot restrike of a ceramic metal halide lamp recorded by high-speed photography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermanns, P.; Hoebing, T.; Bergner, A.; Ruhrmann, C.; Awakowicz, P.; Mentel, J.

2016-03-01

The hot restrike is one of the biggest challenges in operating ceramic metal halide lamps with mercury as buffer gas. Compared to a cold lamp, the pressure within a ceramic burner is two orders of magnitude higher during steady state operation due to the high temperature of the ceramic tube and the resulting high mercury vapour pressure. Room temperature conditions are achieved after 300 s of cooling down in a commercial burner, enclosed in an evacuated outer bulb. At the beginning of the cooling down, ignition voltage rises up to more than 14 kV. A significant reduction of the hot-restrike voltage can be achieved by using a so called active antenna. It is realized by a conductive sleeve surrounding the burner at the capillary of the upper electrode. The antenna is connected to the lower electrode of the lamp, so that its potential is extended to the vicinity of the upper electrode. An increased electric field in front of the upper electrode is induced, when an ignition pulse is applied to the lamp electrodes. A symmetrically shaped ignition pulse is applied with an amplitude, which is just sufficient to re-ignite the hot lamp. The re-ignition, 60 s after switching off the lamp, when the mercury pressure starts to be saturated, is recorded for both polarities of the ignition pulse with a high-speed camera, which records four pictures within the symmetrically shaped ignition pulse with exposure times of 100 ns and throws of 100 ns. The pictures show that the high electric field and its temporal variation establish a local dielectric barrier discharge in front of the upper electrode inside the burner, which covers the inner wall of the burner with a surface charge. It forms a starting point of streamers, which may induce the lamp ignition predominantly within the second half cycle of the ignition pulse. It is found out that an active antenna is more effective when the starting point of the surface streamer in front of the sleeve is a negative surface charge on the inner tube wall. The high-speed photos show that the ignition process is very similar in lamps with Hg or Xe as buffer gas.

Salinity fronts in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Kao, Hsun-Ying; Lagerloef, Gary S E

2015-02-01

This study delineates the salinity fronts (SF) across the tropical Pacific, and describes their variability and regional dynamical significance using Aquarius satellite observations. From the monthly maps of the SF, we find that the SF in the tropical Pacific are (1) usually observed around the boundaries of the fresh pool under the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), (2) stronger in boreal autumn than in other seasons, and (3) usually stronger in the eastern Pacific than in the western Pacific. The relationship between the SF and the precipitation and the surface velocity are also discussed. We further present detailed analysis of the SF in three key tropical Pacific regions. Extending zonally around the ITCZ, where the temperature is nearly homogeneous, we find the strong SF of 1.2 psu from 7° to 11°N to be the main contributor of the horizontal density difference of 0.8 kg/m 3 . In the eastern Pacific, we observe a southward extension of the SF in the boreal spring that could be driven by both precipitation and horizontal advection. In the western Pacific, the importance of these newly resolved SF associated with the western Pacific warm/fresh pool and El Niño southern oscillations are also discussed in the context of prior literature. The main conclusions of this study are that (a) Aquarius satellite salinity measurements reveal the heretofore unknown proliferation, structure, and variability of surface salinity fronts, and that (b) the fine-scale structures of the SF in the tropical Pacific yield important new information on the regional air-sea interaction and the upper ocean dynamics.

Pulsed TEA CO2 Laser Irradiation of Titanium in Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciganovic, J.; Matavulj, P.; Trtica, M.; Stasic, J.; Savovic, J.; Zivkovic, S.; Momcilovic, M.

2017-12-01

Surface changes created by interaction of transversely excited atmospheric carbon dioxide (TEA CO2) laser with titanium target/implant in nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas were studied. TEA CO2 laser operated at 10.6 μm, pulse length of 100 ns and fluence of ˜17 J/cm2 which was sufficient for inducing surface modifications. Induced changes depend on the gas used. In both gases the grain structure was produced (central irradiated zone) but its forms were diverse, (N2: irregular shape; CO2: hill-like forms). Hydrodynamic features at peripheral zone, like resolidified droplets, were recorded only in CO2 gas. Elemental analysis of the titanium target surface indicated that under a nitrogen atmosphere surface nitridation occurred. In addition, irradiation in both gases was followed by appearance of plasma in front of the target. The existence of plasma indicates relatively high temperatures created above the target surface offering a sterilizing effect.

Surface energy balance measurements and modeling on the ice cap of King George Island, West Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falk, U.; Braun, M.; Sala, H.; Menz, G.

2012-04-01

The Antarctic Peninsula is amongst the fastest warming places on Earth and further temperature increase is to be expected. It has undergone rapid environmental changes in the past decades. Exceptional rates of surface air temperature increases (2.5K in 50 years) are concurrent with retreating glacier fronts, an increase in melt areas, surface lowering and rapid retreat, break-up and disintegration of ice shelves. The South Shetland Islands are located on the northern tip of the Peninsula and are especially vulnerable to climate change due to their maritime climate. For King George Island we have compiled a unique data set comprising direct measurements of evaporation and sensible heat flux by eddy covariance on the Warszawa Icefield for the austral summers November 2010 to March 2011 and January to February 2012 in combination with a fully equipped automated weather station measuring long- and short-wave radiation components, profiles of temperature, humidity and wind velocities as well as glacier ice temperatures in profile. The combination with the eddy covariance data allows for analysis of variability and seasonality of surface energy balance components on a glacier for an entire year. Repeat measurements of surface lowering at different locations on King George Island are used for analysis of multi-sensor satellite data to identify melt patterns and bare ice areas during summer. In combination with long-term time series of weather data, these data give indication of the sensitivity of the inland ice cap to the ongoing changes. This research is part of the ESF project IMCOAST funded by BMBF. Field work was carried out at the Dallmann laboratory (Jubany, King George Island) in cooperation of the Instituto Antartico Argentino (Argentina) and the Alfred-Wegener Institute (German).

Sensitivity of glacier mass balance and equilibrium line altitude to climatic change on King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falk, Ulrike; Lopez, Damian; Silva-Busso, Adrian

2017-04-01

The South Shetland Islands are located at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula which is among the fastest warming regions on Earth. Surface air temperature increases (ca. 3 K in 50 years) are concurrent with retreating glacier fronts, an increase in melt areas, ice surface lowering and rapid break-up and disintegration of ice shelves. Observed surface air temperature lapse rates show a high variability during winter months (standard deviations up to ±1.0 K/100 m), and a distinct spatial heterogeneity reflecting the impact of synoptic weather patterns especially during winter glacial mass accumulation periods. The increased mesocyclonic activity during the winter time in the study area results in intensified advection of warm, moist air with high temperatures and rain, and leads to melt conditions on the ice cap, fixating surface air temperatures to the melting point. The impact on winter accumulation results in even more negative mass balance estimates. Six years of glaciological measurements on mass balance stake transects are used with a glacier melt model to assess changes in melt water input to the coastal waters, glacier surface mass balance and the equilibrium line altitude. The average equilibrium line altitude (ELA) calculated from own glaciological observations for KGI over the time period 2010 - 2015 amounts to ELA=330±100 m. Published studies suggest rather stable condition slightly negative glacier mass balance until the mid 80's with an ELA of approx. 150 m. The calculated accumulation area ratio suggests rather dramatic changes in extension of the inland ice cap for the South Shetland Islands until an equilibrium with concurrent climate conditions is reached.

GOATS 2011 Adaptive and Collaborative Exploitation of 3-Dimensional Environmental Acoustics in Distributed Undersea Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

Figure 13. The Unicorn AUV (yellow track) tracking a static temperature front between 18°C (blue- shaded region) and 19°C (green-shaded region...along the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelf break front in a modified MSEAS ocean model. Unicorn tracked the front southeast over 55 km (as the crow flies...robustness of the front tracking behavior. 15 Figure 14. The Unicorn AUV (yellow track) and Macrura AUV (magenta track) tracking a dynamic

Dendritic growth of undercooled nickel-tin. I, II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Y.; Piccone, T. J.; Shiohara, Y.; Flemings, M. C.

1987-01-01

A comparison is made between high speed cinematography and optical temperature measurements of the solidification of an undercooled Ni-25 wt pct Sn alloy. The first part of this study notes that solidification during the recalescence period at all undercoolings studied occurred in the form of a dendritelike front moving across the sample surface, and that the growth velocities observed agree with calculation results for the dendrite growth model of Lipton et al. (1986); it is concluded that the coarse structure observed comprises an array of much finer, solute-controlled dendrites. In the second part, attention is given to the solidification of levitated metal samples within a transparent glass medium for the cases of two undercooled Ni-Sn alloys, one of which is eutectic and another hypoeutectic. The data obtained suggest a solidification model involving dendrites of very fine structure growing into the melt at temperatures near the bulk undercooling temperature.

Grounding line migration through the calving season at Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, observed with terrestrial radar interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Surui; Dixon, Timothy H.; Voytenko, Denis; Deng, Fanghui; Holland, David M.

2018-04-01

Ice velocity variations near the terminus of Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, were observed with a terrestrial radar interferometer (TRI) during three summer campaigns in 2012, 2015, and 2016. We estimate a ˜ 1 km wide floating zone near the calving front in early summer of 2015 and 2016, where ice moves in phase with ocean tides. Digital elevation models (DEMs) generated by the TRI show that the glacier front here was much thinner (within 1 km of the glacier front, average ice surface is ˜ 100 and ˜ 110 m above local sea level in 2015 and 2016, respectively) than ice upstream (average ice surface is > 150 m above local sea level at 2-3 km to the glacier front in 2015 and 2016). However, in late summer 2012, there is no evidence of a floating ice tongue in the TRI observations. Average ice surface elevation near the glacier front was also higher, ˜ 125 m above local sea level within 1 km of the glacier front. We hypothesize that during Jakobshavn Isbræ's recent calving seasons the ice front advances ˜ 3 km from winter to spring, forming a > 1 km long floating ice tongue. During the subsequent calving season in mid- and late summer, the glacier retreats by losing its floating portion through a sequence of calving events. By late summer, the entire glacier is likely grounded. In addition to ice velocity variation driven by tides, we also observed a velocity variation in the mélange and floating ice front that is non-parallel to long-term ice flow motion. This cross-flow-line signal is in phase with the first time derivative of tidal height and is likely associated with tidal currents or bed topography.

Analytical solution and numerical simulation of the liquid nitrogen freezing-temperature field of a single pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Haibing; Xu, Liuxun; Yang, Yugui; Li, Longqi

2018-05-01

Artificial liquid nitrogen freezing technology is widely used in urban underground engineering due to its technical advantages, such as simple freezing system, high freezing speed, low freezing temperature, high strength of frozen soil, and absence of pollution. However, technical difficulties such as undefined range of liquid nitrogen freezing and thickness of frozen wall gradually emerge during the application process. Thus, the analytical solution of the freezing-temperature field of a single pipe is established considering the freezing temperature of soil and the constant temperature of freezing pipe wall. This solution is then applied in a liquid nitrogen freezing project. Calculation results show that the radius of freezing front of liquid nitrogen is proportional to the square root of freezing time. The radius of the freezing front also decreases with decreased the freezing temperature, and the temperature gradient of soil decreases with increased distance from the freezing pipe. The radius of cooling zone in the unfrozen area is approximately four times the radius of the freezing front. Meanwhile, the numerical simulation of the liquid nitrogen freezing-temperature field of a single pipe is conducted using the Abaqus finite-element program. Results show that the numerical simulation of soil temperature distribution law well agrees with the analytical solution, further verifies the reliability of the established analytical solution of the liquid nitrogen freezing-temperature field of a single pipe.

An Electrochemistry Study of Cryoelectrolysis in Frozen Physiological Saline.

PubMed

Manuel, Thomas J; Munnangi, Pujita; Rubinsky, Boris

2017-07-01

Cryoelectrolysis is a new minimally invasive tissue ablation surgical technique that combines the processes of electrolysis and solid/liquid phase transformation (freezing). This study investigated this new technique by measuring the pH front propagation and the changes in resistance in a tissue simulant made of physiological saline gel with a pH dye as a function of the sample temperature in the high subzero range above the eutectic. Results demonstrated that effective electrolysis can occur in a high subzero freezing milieu and that the propagation of the pH front is only weakly dependent on temperature. These observations are consistent with a mechanism involving ionic movement through the concentrated saline solution channels between ice crystals at subfreezing temperatures above the eutectic. Moreover, results suggest that Joule heating in these microchannels may cause local microscopic melting, the observed weak dependence of pH front propagation on temperature, and the large changes in resistance with time. A final insight provided by the results is that the pH front propagation from the anode is more rapid than from the cathode, a feature indicative of the electro-osmotic flow from the cathode to the anode. The findings in this paper may be critical for designing future cryoelectrolytic ablation surgery protocols.

Noise Removal on Ocean Scalars by Means of Singularity-Based Fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umbert, M.; Turiel, A.; Hoareau, N.; Ballabrera, J.; Martinez, J.; guimbard, S.; Font, J.

2013-12-01

Thanks to new remote sensing platforms as SMOS and Aquarius we have now access to synoptic maps of Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) at global scale. Both missions require a non-negligible amount of development in order to meet pre-launch requirements on the quality of the retrieved variables. Development efforts have been so far mainly concentrated in improving the accuracy of the acquired signals from the radiometric point of view, which is a point-wise characteristic, that is, the qualities of each point in the snapshot or swath are considered separately. However, some spatial redundancy (i.e., spatial correlation) is implicit in geophysical signals, and particularly in SSS. This redundancy is known since the beginning of the remote sensing age: eddies and fronts are visually evident in images of different variables, including Sea Surface Temperature (SST), Sea Surface Height (SSH), Ocean Color (OC), Synthetic Aperture Radars (SAR) and Brightness Temperatures (BT) at different bands. An assessment on the quality of SSS products accounting for this kind of spatial redundancy would be very interesting. So far, the structure of those correlations have been evidenced using correlation functions, but correlation functions vary from one variable to other; additionally, they are not characteristic to the points of the image but to a given large enough area. The introduction of singularity analysis for remote sensing maps of the ocean has shown that the correspondence among different scalars can be rigorously stated in terms of the correspondence of the values of their associated singularity exponents. The singularity exponents of a scalar at a given point is a unitless measure of the degree of regularity or irregularity of this function at that given point. Hence, singularity exponents can be directly compared disregarding the physical meaning of the variable from which they were derived. Using singularity analysis we can assess the quality of any scalar, as singularity exponents align in fronts following the streamlines of the flow, while noise breaks up the coherence of singularity fronts. The analysis of the output of numerical models show that up to the numerical accuracy singularity exponents of different scalars take the same values at every point. Taking the correspondence of the singularity exponents into account, it can be proved that two scalars having the same singularity exponents have a relation of functional dependence (a matricial identity involving their gradients). That functional relation can be approximated by a local linear regression under some hypothesis, which simplifies and speeds up the calculations and leads to a simple algorithm to reduce noise on a given ocean scalar using another higher- quality variable as template. This simple algorithm has been applied to SMOS data with a considerable quality gain. As a template, high-level SST maps from different sources have been used, while SMOS L2 and L3 SSS maps, and even brightness temperature maps play the role of the noisy data to be corrected. In all instances the noise level is divided by a factor of two at least. This quality gain opens the use of SMOS data for new applications, including the instant identification of ocean fronts, rain lenses, hurricane tracks, etc.

A holographic system that records front-surface detail of a scene moving at high velocity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurtz, R. L.; Loh, H. Y.

1972-01-01

A holographic technique that uses an elliptical orientation for the holographic arrangement is discussed. It is shown that the degree of image degradation is not only a function of exposure time but also of the system used. The form of the functional system dependence is given, as well as the results of several systems tested, which verify this dependence. It is further demonstrated that the important parameter is the total motion of the target. Using the experimentally determined resolution of front-surface detail from a target with a velocity of 17,546 centimeters per second, an upper limit on target velocity for resolution of front-surface detail for a given system can be predicted.

Heat and salt budgets over the Gulf Stream North Wall during LatMix survey in winter 2012.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez-Rios, A.; Shearman, R. K.; D'Asaro, E. A.; Lee, C.; Gula, J.; Klymak, J. M.

2016-02-01

As part of the ONR-sponsored LatMix Experiment, ship-based and glider-based observations following a Lagrangian float are used to examine the evolution of temperature, salinity and density along the Gulf Stream north wall in wintertime. Satellite observations during the survey and the in-situ measurements showed the presence of submesoscale (<10 km) features along the front. Models have successfully reproduced similar features, but observations are lacking, particularly at the small scales needed to understand their role in the transport of heat and salt across the front and out of the mixed layer. Calculating the trend in time at each depth and cross-front location we found an increase of heat and salinity in regions where the strongest cross-front gradients of velocity were observed at the mixed layer and around 150m depth, these changes are density compensated and suggest isopycnal mixing and a connection between the mixed layer and subsurface layers. The large Rossby number (Ro>1) calculated for this regions corroborates the possibility of submesoscale dynamics. Using a heat and salinity budget, we show that surface forcing, entrainment from below and advection by the mean flow velocities are not sufficient to explain the observed rate of change of heat and salinity in the mixed layer. Although confidence estimates prevent an accurate flux divergence calculation, Reynold flux estimates are consistent with a cross-frontal exchange that can reproduce the observed temporal trends.

Deep Chandra Observation and Numerical Studies of the Nearest Cluster Cold Front in the Sky

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Werner, N.; ZuHone, J. A.; Zhuravleva, I.; Ichinohe, Y.; Simionescu, A.; Allen, S. W.; Markevitch, M.; Fabian, A. C.; Keshet, U.; Roediger, E.;

Thermoelectric and electrochemical self-potential anomalies induced by water injection into hydrocarbon reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulamali, Murtaza; Leinov, Eli; Jackson, Matthew; Pain, Christopher

2010-05-01

Downhole measurements of electrokinetic (EK) streaming potential, using electrodes mounted on the outside of insulated casing, has been shown to be useful for informing production strategies in oil and gas reservoirs. However, spontaneous potentials due to thermoelectric (TE) and/or electrochemical (EC) effects may also be present during production and may contribute to the signal measured at the production well. We present a study of the contribution of these effects based on numerical models of subsurface potentials during production. We find that the injection of seawater, which typically has a different temperature and salinity to the formation brine, leads to the generation of both TE and EC potential signals in an oil reservoir, which may be measured at the production well along with EK potential signals. In particular, there is a peak in the TE potential before and after the temperature front, with a change in sign occurring close to the midpoint of the front, and the signal decaying with distance from the front. The EC potential has a similar profile, with a change in sign occurring close to the location of the salinity front. In both cases, the absolute magnitude of the signal is related to the overall temperature and/or salinity contrast between the injected fluids and the formation brine, and the magnitude of the TE and EC coupling coefficient. When we use the maximum theoretical magnitude for the TE and EC coupling coefficients, in the case of a perfect membrane, the lag in the temperature front relative to the saturation front leads to a negligible TE potential signal at the production well until long after water breakthrough occurs. In contrast, the EC potential contributes significantly to the spontaneous potential measured at the production well before the waterfront arrives, as the salinity front and the saturation front approximately coincide. The dependence of the TE and EC coupling coefficients upon temperature, salinity and/or partial water saturation is still uncertain. We explore the contribution of the EK and EC potential signals to the overall signal measured at the well as a function of salinity and water saturation. Our results imply that measurements of the spontaneous potential at a production well will combine contributions from both streaming and electrochemical effects, and may be used to detect an advancing waterfront some time before water breakthrough occurs at the well. Moreover, inversion of the measured signals could be used to determine the water saturation in the vicinity of the well, and to regulate flow into the well using control valves in order to maintain or increase oil production.

Sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean from 30ka to 10ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrack, Kerr; Greenop, Rosanna; Burke, Andrea; Barker, Stephen; Chalk, Thomas; Crocker, Anya

2016-04-01

Some of the most striking features of the Late Pleistocene interval are the rapid changes in climate between warmer interstadial and cold stadial periods which, when coupled, are termed Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) events. This shift between warm and cold climates has been interpreted to result from changes in the thermohaline circulation (Broecker et al., 1985) triggered by, for instance, freshwater input from the collapse of the Laurentide ice sheet (Zahn et al., 1997). However, a recent study suggests that major ice rafting events cannot be the 'trigger' for the centennial to millennial scale cooling events identified over the past 500kyr (Barker at al., 2015). Polar planktic foraminiferal and lithogenic/terrigenous grain counts reveal that the southward migration of the polar front occurs before the deposition of ice rafted debris and therefore the rafting of ice during stadial periods. Based upon this evidence, Barker et al. suggest that the transition to a stadial state is a non-linear response to gradual cooling in the region. In order to test this hypothesis, our study reconstructs sea surface temperature across D-O events and the deglaciation in the North Atlantic between 30ka and 10ka using Mg/ Ca paleothermometry in Globigerina bulloides at ODP Sites 980 and 983 (the same sites as used in Barker et al., 2015) with an average sampling resolution of 300 years. With our new record we evaluate the timing of surface ocean temperature change, frontal shift movement, and ice rafting to investigate variations in the temperature gradient across the polar front over D-O events. References: Barker, S., Chen, J., Gong, X., Jonkers, L., Knorr, G., Thornalley, D., 2015. Icebergs not the trigger for North Atlantic cold events. Nature, 520(7547), pp.333-336. Broecker, W.S., Peteer, D.M., Rind, D., 1985. Does the ocean-atmosphere system have more than one stable mode of operation? Nature, 315 (6014), pp.21-26. Zahn, R., Schönfeld, J., Kudrass, H.-R., Park, M.-H., Erlenkeuser, H., Grootes, P, 1997. Thermohaline instability in the North Atlantic during meltwater events: Stable isotope and ice-rafted detritus records from Core SO75-26KL, Portuguese Margin. Paleoceanography, 12(5), pp.696-710.

Experimental study of an adaptive CFRC reflector for high order wave-front error correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Lan; Fang, Houfei; Wu, Ke; Jiang, Shuidong; Zhou, Yang

2018-03-01

The recent radio frequency communication system developments are generating the need for creating space antennas with lightweight and high precision. The carbon fiber reinforced composite (CFRC) materials have been used to manufacture the high precision reflector. The wave-front errors caused by fabrication and on-orbit distortion are inevitable. The adaptive CFRC reflector has received much attention to do the wave-front error correction. Due to uneven stress distribution that is introduced by actuation force and fabrication, the high order wave-front errors such as print-through error is found on the reflector surface. However, the adaptive CFRC reflector with PZT actuators basically has no control authority over the high order wave-front errors. A new design architecture assembled secondary ribs at the weak triangular surfaces is presented in this paper. The virtual experimental study of the new adaptive CFRC reflector has conducted. The controllability of the original adaptive CFRC reflector and the new adaptive CFRC reflector with secondary ribs are investigated. The virtual experimental investigation shows that the new adaptive CFRC reflector is feasible and efficient to diminish the high order wave-front error.

Tracking the Recent and late Pleistocene Azores front by the distribution of planktic foraminifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiebel, Ralf; Schmuker, Barbara; Alves, Mário; Hemleben, Christoph

2002-11-01

South of the Azores Islands, the population dynamics and sedimentation of planktic foraminifers are significantly influenced by the hydrography of the Azores Front Current System (AFCS). Planktic foraminifers collected from the water column during seasonal cruises across the Azores Front, record the temporal and spatial scale of hydrographic and faunal dynamics within this area. Surface sediment analysis reveals the presence of a large number of pteropod shells indicating preservation of aragonite and, therefore, little alteration of the calcitic foraminiferal tests. Consequently, most of the seasonal and spatial variability of the Azores Front is expected to be recorded by the planktic foraminiferal assemblages present within the surface sediment. In particular, Globorotalia scitula, a subsurface-dwelling species, decreases significantly in abundance to the south of the Azores Front, and shows fine-scale changes at the glacial/interglacial time scale. Enhanced faunal proportions of G. scitula in a sediment core that is located to the south of the modern Azores Current indicate a southward shift of the Azores Front Current System during the glacials and the presence of a transitional water mass at the Azores region.

Forecasting Cool Season Daily Peak Winds at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrett, Joe, III; Short, David; Roeder, William

2008-01-01

The expected peak wind speed for the day is an important element in the daily 24-Hour and Weekly Planning Forecasts issued by the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) for planning operations at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). The morning outlook for peak speeds also begins the warning decision process for gusts ^ 35 kt, ^ 50 kt, and ^ 60 kt from the surface to 300 ft. The 45 WS forecasters have indicated that peak wind speeds are a challenging parameter to forecast during the cool season (October-April). The 45 WS requested that the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) develop a tool to help them forecast the speed and timing of the daily peak and average wind, from the surface to 300 ft on KSC/CCAFS during the cool season. The tool must only use data available by 1200 UTC to support the issue time of the Planning Forecasts. Based on observations from the KSC/CCAFS wind tower network, surface observations from the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), and CCAFS upper-air soundings from the cool season months of October 2002 to February 2007, the AMU created multiple linear regression equations to predict the timing and speed of the daily peak wind speed, as well as the background average wind speed. Several possible predictors were evaluated, including persistence, the temperature inversion depth, strength, and wind speed at the top of the inversion, wind gust factor (ratio of peak wind speed to average wind speed), synoptic weather pattern, occurrence of precipitation at the SLF, and strongest wind in the lowest 3000 ft, 4000 ft, or 5000 ft. Six synoptic patterns were identified: 1) surface high near or over FL, 2) surface high north or east of FL, 3) surface high south or west of FL, 4) surface front approaching FL, 5) surface front across central FL, and 6) surface front across south FL. The following six predictors were selected: 1) inversion depth, 2) inversion strength, 3) wind gust factor, 4) synoptic weather pattern, 5) occurrence of precipitation at the SLF, and 6) strongest wind in the lowest 3000 ft. The forecast tool was developed as a graphical user interface with Microsoft Excel to help the forecaster enter the variables, and run the appropriate regression equations. Based on the forecaster's input and regression equations, a forecast of the day's peak and average wind is generated and displayed. The application also outputs the probability that the peak wind speed will be ^ 35 kt, 50 kt, and 60 kt.

Dynamics of the Molten Contact Line

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sonin, Ain A.; Duthaler, Gregg; Liu, Michael; Torresola, Javier; Qiu, Taiqing

1999-01-01

The purpose of this program is to develop a basic understanding of how a molten material front spreads over a solid that is below its melting point, arrests, and freezes. Our hope is that the work will contribute toward a scientific knowledge base for certain new applications involving molten droplet deposition, including the "printing" of arbitrary three-dimensional objects by precise deposition of individual molten microdrops that solidify after impact. Little information is available at this time on the capillarity-driven motion and arrest of molten contact line regions. Schiaffino and Sonin investigated the arrest of the contact line of a molten microcrystalline wax spreading over a subcooled solid "target" of the same material. They found that contact line arrest takes place at an apparent liquid contact angle that depends primarily on the Stefan number S=c(T(sub f) -T(sub t)/L based on the temperature difference between the fusion point and the target temperature, and proposed that contact line arrest occurs when the liquid's dynamic contact angle approaches the angle of attack of the solidification front just behind the contact line. They also showed, however, that the conventional continuum equations and boundary conditions have no meaningful solution for this angle. The solidification front angle is determined by the heat flux just behind the contact line, and the heat flux is singular at that point. By comparing experiments with numerical computations, Schiaffino and Sonin estimated that the conventional solidification model must break down within a distance of order 0.1 - 1 microns of the contact line. The physical mechanism for this breakdown is as yet undetermined, and no first-principles theory exists for the contact angle at arrest. Schiaffino and Sonin also presented a framework for understanding how to moderate Weber number molten droplet deposition in terms of similarity laws and experimentation. The study is based on experiments with three molten materials- molten wax on solid wax, water on ice, and mercury on frozen mercury- which between them span a considerable range of the deposition/solidification similarity parameters. Correlations are obtained for the spreading velocity, spreading time scales, the spreading factor (i.e. ratio of deposited drop's final footprint radius and the drop's initial radius), post-spreading liquid oscillation amplitudes and time scales, and bulk solidification time scales. Duthaler carried out an experimental and theoretical investigation of the relationship between the liquid's apparent contact angle and the Capillary number Ca=mu U/sigma based on contact line speed, for molten materials spreading over subcooled solids. This relationship is required for modeling of melt spreading. We have adapted Voinov's methodology to the molten contact line and formulated a theoretical model for the Ca vs. contact angle relationship, based Schiaffino and Sonin#s (1997a,b) wedge-like solidification front model. With the solidification front angle taken from Schiaffino and Sonin, the model is in good agreement with the experimental results for Ca vs. contact angle. Duthaler also extended the experimental investigation of droplet deposition and contact line freezing to more materials, including solder on glass, solder on solder, water on ice, and molten microcrystalline wax on wax. The latter also included tests on inclined targets. Deposition tests have also been done with molten octacosane (C28H58) on various targets. An important objective of our program has been the development of micron-scale sensors for measuring the transient temperature at a point on the substrate surface as a molten contact line moves over it. The expectation is that this temperature history will yield a better understanding of the thermal process in the contact line region. The sensors are of the thermistor type, either 2.5 microns or 1.5 microns square, microfabricated with silicon-based technology on either pure silicon or amorphous silicon dioxide chips. Each chip has 32 sensors distributed on its surface in arrays. The time response is better than 10 ms. At the time of writing, sensor calibration is in progress. Results on thermal transients during contact line passage will be discussed at the conference. While we expect that the data will provide information on the near-contact-line heat transfer process, we also foresee possible problems. First, the spatial resolution of the sensors may be insufficient to resolve the near-contact-line region. Second, the sensors protrude about 0.5 microns above the substrate surface, and may affect the contact line motion. Third, a sensor's temperature history depends on both the heat flux distribution into it from the fusion front and the thermal properties of the substrate below it and the solidified melt between it and the fusion front. The heat flux distribution in the contact line region must therefore be unfolded from computations of the overall system's transient thermal response.

First investigations to refine video-based IR thermography as a non-invasive tool to monitor the body temperature of calves.

PubMed

Hoffmann, G; Schmidt, M; Ammon, C

2016-09-01

In this study, a video-based infrared camera (IRC) was investigated as a tool to monitor the body temperature of calves. Body surface temperatures were measured contactless using videos from an IRC fixed at a certain location in the calf feeder. The body surface temperatures were analysed retrospectively at three larger areas: the head area (in front of the forehead), the body area (behind forehead) and the area of the entire animal. The rectal temperature served as a reference temperature and was measured with a digital thermometer at the corresponding time point. A total of nine calves (Holstein-Friesians, 8 to 35 weeks old) were examined. The average maximum temperatures of the area of the entire animal (mean±SD: 37.66±0.90°C) and the head area (37.64±0.86°C) were always higher than that of the body area (36.75±1.06°C). The temperatures of the head area and of the entire animal were very similar. However, the maximum temperatures as measured using IRC increased with an increase in calf rectal temperature. The maximum temperatures of each video picture for the entire visible body area of the calves appeared to be sufficient to measure the superficial body temperature. The advantage of the video-based IRC over conventional IR single-picture cameras is that more than one picture per animal can be analysed in a short period of time. This technique provides more data for analysis. Thus, this system shows potential as an indicator for continuous temperature measurements in calves.

The use of holographic interferometry for measurements of temperature in a rectangular heat pipe. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marn, Jure

1989-01-01

Holographic interferometry is a nonintrusive method and as such possesses considerable advantages such as not disturbing the velocity and temperature field by creating obstacles which would alter the flow field. These optical methods have disadvantages as well. Holography, as one of the interferometry methods, retains the accuracy of older methods, and at the same time eliminates the system error of participating components. The holographic interferometry consists of comparing the objective beam with the reference beam and observing the difference in lengths of optical paths, which can be observed during the propagation of the light through a medium with locally varying refractive index. Thus, change in refractive index can be observed as a family of nonintersecting surfaces in space (wave fronts). The object of the investigation was a rectangular heat pipe. The goal was to measure temperatures in the heat pipe, which yields data for computer code or model assessment. The results were obtained by calculating the temperatures by means of finite fringes.

A study of frontal dynamics with application to the Australian summertime 'cool change'

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeder, Michael J.; Smith, Roger K.

1987-01-01

The dynamics of frontal evolution is examined in terms of the Australian summertime cool change using a two-dimensional numerical model. The model is synthesized from observational data on surface cold fronts obtained during the Australian Cold Fronts Research Program, and the model develops a quasi-steady surface cold front during the 24 hours of integration. The characteristics of this model are compared with those of a kinematic model; it is observed that the features of the two models correspond. The two-dimensional and kinematic models are also compared with a 24-hour prediction of the cold front of February 1983 using the three-dimensional nested-grid model of the Australian Numerical Meteorology Research Center, developed by Gauntlett et al. (1984). Good correlation between these models is detected.

Effect of crack curvature on stress intensity factors for ASTM standard compact tension specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alam, J.; Mendelson, A.

1983-01-01

The stress intensity factors (SIF) are calculated using the method of lines for the compact tension specimen in tensile and shear loading for curved crack fronts. For the purely elastic case, it was found that as the crack front curvature increases, the SIF value at the center of the specimen decreases while increasing at the surface. For the higher values of crack front curvatures, the maximum value of the SIF occurs at an interior point located adjacent to the surface. A thickness average SIF was computed for parabolically applied shear loading. These results were used to assess the requirements of ASTM standards E399-71 and E399-81 on the shape of crack fronts. The SIF is assumed to reflect the average stress environment near the crack edge.

Kinetic limit of heterogeneous melting in metals.

PubMed

Ivanov, Dmitriy S; Zhigilei, Leonid V

2007-05-11

The velocity and nanoscale shape of the melting front are investigated in a model that combines the molecular dynamics method with a continuum description of the electron heat conduction and electron-phonon coupling. The velocity of the melting front is strongly affected by the local drop of the lattice temperature, defined by the kinetic balance between the transfer of thermal energy to the latent heat of melting, the electron heat conduction from the overheated solid, and the electron-phonon coupling. The maximum velocity of the melting front is found to be below 3% of the room temperature speed of sound in the crystal, suggesting a limited contribution of heterogeneous melting under conditions of fast heating.

Cu Pillar Low Temperature Bonding and Interconnection Technology of for 3D RF Microsystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, G. X.; Qian, K. Q.; Huang, M.; Yu, Y. W.; Zhu, J.

2018-03-01

In this paper 3D interconnects technologies used Cu pillars are discussed with respect to RF microsystem. While 2.5D Si interposer and 3D packaging seem to rely to cu pillars for the coming years, RF microsystem used the heterogeneous chip such as GaAs integration with Si interposers should be at low temperature. The pillars were constituted by Cu (2 micron) -Ni (2 micron) -Cu (3 micron) -Sn (1 micron) multilayer metal and total height is 8 micron on the front-side of the wafer by using electroplating. The wafer backside Cu pillar is obtained by temporary bonding, thinning and silicon surface etching. The RF interposers are stacked by Cu-Sn eutectic bonding at 260 °C. Analyzed the reliability of different pillar bonding structure.

Target geometrical effects on the stagnation layer formed by colliding a pair of laser produced copper plasmas

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

Fallon, C., E-mail: colm.fallon5@mail.dcu.ie; Hayden, P.; Walsh, N.

We present the results of a time and space resolved optical-spectroscopic study of colliding plasmas formed at the front surfaces of flat and inclined Cu slab targets as a function of both the distance and the wedge angle between them for angles ranging from 100° to 180° (laterally colliding plasmas). The key parameters studied are stagnation layer density, temperature, duration, and kinetics of atomic/ionic spatial distributions and all have been found to vary significantly with wedge angle. It is found that the density and temperature of the stagnation layer decrease with increasing wedge angle. It is also found that themore » larger the wedge angle, the tighter and more well defined the stagnation layer formed.« less

Heating of a fully saturated darcian half-space: Pressure generation, fluid expulsion, and phase change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delaney, P.

1984-01-01

Analytical solutions are developed for the pressurization, expansion, and flow of one- and two-phase liquids during heating of fully saturated and hydraulically open Darcian half-spaces subjected to a step rise in temperature at its surface. For silicate materials, advective transfer is commonly unimportant in the liquid region; this is not always the case in the vapor region. Volume change is commonly more important than heat of vaporization in determining the position of the liquid-vapor interface, assuring that the temperatures cannot be determined independently of pressures. Pressure increases reach a maximum near the leading edge of the thermal front and penetrate well into the isothermal region of the body. Mass flux is insensitive to the hydraulic properties of the half-space. ?? 1984.

Optimal doping control of magnetic semiconductors via subsurfactant epitaxy.

PubMed

Zeng, Changgan; Zhang, Zhenyu; van Benthem, Klaus; Chisholm, Matthew F; Weitering, Hanno H

2008-02-15

"Subsurfactant epitaxy" is established as a conceptually new approach for introducing manganese as a magnetic dopant into germanium. A kinetic pathway is devised in which the subsurface interstitial sites on Ge(100) are first selectively populated with Mn, while lateral diffusion and clustering on or underneath the surface are effectively suppressed. Subsequent Ge deposition as a capping layer produces a novel surfactantlike phenomenon as the interstitial Mn atoms float towards newly defined subsurface sites at the growth front. Furthermore, the Mn atoms that failed to float upwards are uniformly distributed within the Ge capping layer. The resulting doping levels of order 0.25 at. % would normally be considered too low for ferromagnetic ordering, but the Curie temperature exceeds room temperature by a comfortable margin. Subsurfactant epitaxy thus enables superior dopant control in magnetic semiconductors.

Double-sided anodic titania nanotube arrays: a lopsided growth process.

PubMed

Sun, Lidong; Zhang, Sam; Sun, Xiao Wei; Wang, Xiaoyan; Cai, Yanli

2010-12-07

In the past decade, the pore diameter of anodic titania nanotubes was reported to be influenced by a number of factors in organic electrolyte, for example, applied potential, working distance, water content, and temperature. All these were closely related to potential drop in the organic electrolyte. In this work, the essential role of electric field originating from the potential drop was directly revealed for the first time using a simple two-electrode anodizing method. Anodic titania nanotube arrays were grown simultaneously at both sides of a titanium foil, with tube length being longer at the front side than that at the back side. This lopsided growth was attributed to the higher ionic flux induced by electric field at the front side. Accordingly, the nanotube length was further tailored to be comparable at both sides by modulating the electric field. These results are promising to be used in parallel configuration dye-sensitized solar cells, water splitting, and gas sensors, as a result of high surface area produced by the double-sided architecture.

Methodology for interpretation of SST retrievals using the AVHRR split window algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbieri, R. W.; Mcclain, C. R.; Endres, D. L.

1983-01-01

Intercomparisons of sea surface temperature (SST) products derived from the operational NOAA-7 AVHRR-II algorithm and in situ observations are made. The 1982 data sets consist of ship survey data during the winter from the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB), ship and buoy measurements during April and September in the Gulf of Mexico and shipboard observations during April off the N.W. Spanish coast. The analyses included single pixel comparisons and the warmest pixel technique for 2 x 2 pixel and 10 x 10 pixel areas. The reason for using multi-pixel areas was for avoiding cloud contaminated pixels in the vicinity of the field measurements. Care must be taken when applying the warmest pixel technique near oceanic fronts. The Gulf of Mexico results clearly indicate a persistent degradation in algorithm accuracy due to El Chichon aerosols. The MAB and Spanish data sets indicate that very accurate estimates can be achieved if care is taken to avoid clouds and oceanic fronts.

PM2.5 and Carbon Emissions from Prescribed Fire in a Longleaf Pine Ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strenfel, S. J.; Clements, C. B.; Hiers, J. K.; Kiefer, C. M.

2008-12-01

Prescribed fires are a frequently utilized land-management tool in the Southeastern US. In order to better characterize emissions and impacts from prescribed fire in longleaf pine ecosystems, in situ data were obtained within the burn perimeter using a 10-m instrumented flux tower. Turbulence and temperature data at 10-m were sampled at 10 Hz using a sonic anemometer and fine-wire thermocouples respectively. Measurements of PM2.5, CO and CO2 emissions were sampled at 10-m within the burn perimeter and PM2.5 and Black Carbon PM2.5 were sampled 0.5 km downwind of the fire front using a 2-m instrumented tripod. Preliminary results indicate PM2.5 and carbon emissions significantly increased during the fire-front passage, and downwind PM concentrations were amplified beyond pre-fire ambient concentrations. In addition, the considerable amount a heat release and flux data gathered from these prescribed fires suggests that near surface atmospheric conditions were directly impacted by increased turbulence generation.

The James Clerk Maxwell telescope - United Kingdom/Netherlands 15-metre antenna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hills, R.

The 15-m James Clerk Maxwell (JCM) radiotelescope being installed on Mauna Kea was designed to achieve 35 micron surface accuracy and 1 arcsec rms tracking accuracy and relative pointing accuracy at frequencies over 700 GHz. The instrument will be housed in a steel building for protection against the occasionally severe weather. The surface of the antenna consists of 276 Al panels adhered to honeycombs beneath which is glued a second Al skin for stiffness. The temperature-controlled housing and insulation between layers will strongly inhibit distortions due to environmental temperature changes and thermal gradients between front and back layers. An all-steel frame was selected to further minimize temperature induced pointing aberrations. Adjustments can be made with the three jacking screws with which each panel is fitted. An f/12 Cassegrain focus behind the primary mirror is large enough for mounting up to four receivers, and another receiver can be sited at the f/35 Nasmyth focus at the side of the mount. Two Schottky diode receivers are currently being fabricated 220-280 GHz and 330-360 GHz measurements, and will be followed by InSb mixers for 460-490 GHz and 660-720 GHz.

Impacts of storms on coastal circulation in Long Bay, South Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, H.; Warner, J. C.; Voulgaris, G.; Work, P.

2006-12-01

We investigate the effects of coastal storms on the regional circulation in Long Bay, South Carolina, using a coupled ROMS (Regional Ocean Modeling System)- SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) model. Meteorological observations during the South Carolina Coastal Erosion Study (October 2003 April 2004) reveal three dominant types of storms in the region warm fronts, cold fronts, and tropical storms. Each storm has a characteristic progression of wind patterns: (1) Warm fronts start with southwestward winds and change to northeastward after the front passes; (2) Cold fronts begin with northeastward winds and shift to southeastward when the front moves out; and (3) Tropical storms change wind directions from the southwest to the southeast during the storm. It is observed the coastal circulation distinctly responds to such atmospheric disturbances in either a upwelling-favorable condition to the northeastward winds or a downwelling-favorable condition to the southwestward winds. The study domain encompasses 300-km of gently arcing shoreline between Cape Romain to Cape Fear, and approximately 100-km offshore to the shelf edge. The model domain is resolved by a 300×130 mesh at 1-km intervals in the horizontal and twenty terrain-following layers in the vertical. The ROMS model is driven by tides and wind stress, and it includes wave-current interactions via dynamic coupling to the surface wave model SWAN. Salinity and temperature along the open boundaries are included by nudging to climatological values. A time period of six months is simulated from October 2003 to April 2004, concurrent with the observation study. Model results are compared to an extensive set of measurements collected at eight sites in the inner part of Long Bay, and are used to identify varying circulation response to each storm type. In addition, we investigate the significance of the Capes on the development of the alongshore pressure gradients, and examine the importance of wave-current interactions in the study region.

Hydrologically-induced slow-down as a mechanism for tidewater glacier retreat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hewitt, Ian

2017-04-01

Outlet glaciers flowing into the ocean often terminate at a calving front, whose position is sensitively determined by the balance between ice discharge and calving/terminus-melting. Rapid retreat of tidewater glaciers can be initiated when the front is perturbed from a preferred pinning point, particularly when the glacier sits in an overdeepened trough. This is believed to make certain areas of ice sheets particularly vulnerable to ice loss. A number of factors may cause a previously stable front position to become unstable, including changes in buttressing provided by an ice shelf, and changes in ocean temperature. Another possibility is that initial retreat is induced by a reduction in the supply of ice from the interior of the ice sheet. Such a reduction can naturally arise from an increase in surface melting and runoff (in the absence of accumulation changes), and this may be amplified if more efficient meltwater routing reduces basal lubrication, as has been observed in some areas of the Greenland ice sheet. Since the initiation of rapid retreat often results in an increase of ice discharge at the front (due to increased ice thickness), such a process may not be easy to detect. In this study, I employ a simplified model of an outlet glacier and its frontal behaviour to examine the extent to which hydrologically induced slow-down of the feeding ice sheet may induce (or help to induce) calving front retreat. The model builds on earlier parameterisations of grounding line fluxes, and assumes that calving occurs according to a criterion that keeps the front close to the flotation thickness. The glacier bed is assumed to be plastic. This allows for a transparent identification of the different forcing terms affecting margin position. We conclude that hydrologically-induced slow-down of ice sheets is likely to have a more significant effect on mass loss than hydrologically-induced speed-up.

Influence of fronts on the spatial distribution of albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) in the Northeast Pacific over the past 30 years (1982-2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yi; Nieto, Karen; Teo, Steven L. H.; McClatchie, Sam; Holmes, John

2017-01-01

The association of albacore tuna distribution with subtropical fronts in the Northeast Pacific was examined on seasonal and interannual scales from 1982 to 2011. Spatial analyses were performed on commercial logbook data from US and Canadian troll and pole-and-line fisheries targeting albacore tuna that were matched with corresponding satellite images from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Subtropical fronts were detected by deriving sea surface temperature (SST) gradients on large basin-scales and by using an improved version of the Cayula-Cornillon frontal detection algorithm. Based on our results, we suggest that areas with high albacore catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) tend to occur in regions with high SST gradients, such as the North Pacific Transition Zone (NPTZ) and the North American coast. Approaching the North American coast along the NPTZ, SST gradients drop off substantially around 130°W before increasing rapidly near the coast, which corresponded to a similar pattern in albacore CPUE. In the NPTZ, the centroid of albacore CPUE showed a seasonal shift northwards in summer and southwards in fall, which coincided with seasonal spatial shifts of areas with high SST gradients. A similar pattern was found on an interannual scale, with the exception of several years with limited fishery data in the NPTZ due to changes in fishery operations. A fine-scale analysis of frontal locations suggested that areas with high albacore CPUE are associated with oceanic fronts, with the highest albacore CPUEs observed within 100 km of the nearest front. In addition, albacore distribution is related to frontal strength, with the highest CPUE found near fronts with high SST gradient values in the range of 0.12-0.16 °C km-1. Integrating our findings on the influence of frontal areas on albacore distribution and abundance in the NEPO should improve the standardization model used to derive abundance indices for North Pacific albacore stock assessments.

Optical characterization of display screens by speckle patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozo, Antonio M.; Castro, José J.; Rubiño, Manuel

2013-10-01

In recent years, flat-panel display (FPD) technology has undergone great development, and now FPDs appear in many devices. A significant element in FPD manufacturing is the display front surface. Manufacturers sell FPDs with different types of front surfaces, which can be matte (also called anti-glare) or glossy screens. Users who prefer glossy screens consider these displays to show more vivid colors compared with matte-screen displays. However, on the glossy screens, external light sources may cause unpleasant reflections that can be reduced by a matte treatment in the front surface. In this work, we present a method to characterize FPD screens using laser-speckle patterns. We characterize three FPDs: a Samsung XL2370 LCD monitor of 23 in. with matte screen, a Toshiba Satellite A100 LCD laptop of 15.4 in. with glossy screen, and a Grammata Papyre 6.1 electronic book reader of 6 in. with ePaper screen (E-ink technology). The results show great differences in speckle-contrast values for the three screens characterized and, therefore, this work shows the feasibility of this method for characterizing and comparing FPDs that have different types of front surfaces.

A simplified analytical solution for thermal response of a one-dimensional, steady state transpiration cooling system in radiative and convective environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kubota, H.

1976-01-01

A simplified analytical method for calculation of thermal response within a transpiration-cooled porous heat shield material in an intense radiative-convective heating environment is presented. The essential assumptions of the radiative and convective transfer processes in the heat shield matrix are the two-temperature approximation and the specified radiative-convective heatings of the front surface. Sample calculations for porous silica with CO2 injection are presented for some typical parameters of mass injection rate, porosity, and material thickness. The effect of these parameters on the cooling system is discussed.

Interaction of the sea breeze with a river breeze in an area of complex coastal heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhong, Shiyuan; Takle, Eugene S.; Leone, John M., Jr.

1991-01-01

The interaction of the sea-breeze circulation with a river-breeze circulation in an area of complex coastal heating (east coast of Florida) was studied using a 3D finite-element mesoscale model. The model simulations are compared with temperature and wind fields observed on a typical fall day during the Kennedy Space Center Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment. The results from numerical experiments designed to isolate the effect of the river breeze indicate that the convergence in the sea-breeze front is suppressed when it passes over the cooler surface of the rivers.

Water mass linkages between the Middle and South Atlantic bights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pietrafesa, L. J.; Morrison, J. M.; McCann, M. P.; Churchill, J.; Böhm, E.; Houghton, R. W.

Time and frequency domain analyses are used to relate coastal meteorological data with 7 years of daily surface temperature and salinity collected at three coastal light stations; offshore of the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, on Diamond Shoals, at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and on Frying Pan Shoals, off Cape Fear, North Carolina. Salinity fluctuations at Diamond Shoals are highly correlated with alongshore wind stress, implying wind driven advection of the front between Virginia Coastal Water (VCW) and Carolina Coastal Water (CCW) across Diamond Shoals. The data collected at Diamond Shoals indicate that more than half the time there is significant encroachment of Mid Atlantic Bight water into the South Atlantic Bight around Cape Hatteras, contrary to the notion that VCW is entirely entrained into the Gulf Stream. In fact, VCW can appear as far south as Frying Pan Shoals, thereby extending across the entire North Carolina Capes inner to mid shelf. Temperature and salinity time series also indicate that water masses overlying Diamond Shoals respond quickly to cross-shelf winds. Cross-shelf wind stress is significantly correlated with surface water temperature at Diamond Shoals, for periods between 2 and 12 days. Changes in temperature can be brought about by wind-driven cross-shelf circulation and by wind-induced upwelling. Seasurface temperature satellite (AVHRR) imagery taken during the SEEP II confirm these concepts.

Synoptic-to-planetary scale wind variability enhances phytoplankton biomass at ocean fronts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitt, D. B.; Taylor, J. R.; Lévy, M.

2017-06-01

In nutrient-limited conditions, phytoplankton growth at fronts is enhanced by winds, which drive upward nutrient fluxes via enhanced turbulent mixing and upwelling. Hence, depth-integrated phytoplankton biomass can be 10 times greater at isolated fronts. Using theory and two-dimensional simulations with a coupled physical-biogeochemical ocean model, this paper builds conceptual understanding of the physical processes driving upward nutrient fluxes at fronts forced by unsteady winds with timescales of 4-16 days. The largest vertical nutrient fluxes occur when the surface mixing layer penetrates the nutricline, which fuels phytoplankton in the mixed layer. At a front, mixed layer deepening depends on the magnitude and direction of the wind stress, cross-front variations in buoyancy and velocity at the surface, and potential vorticity at the base of the mixed layer, which itself depends on past wind events. Consequently, mixing layers are deeper and more intermittent in time at fronts than outside fronts. Moreover, mixing can decouple in time from the wind stress, even without other sources of physical variability. Wind-driven upwelling also enhances depth-integrated phytoplankton biomass at fronts; when the mixed layer remains shallower than the nutricline, this results in enhanced subsurface phytoplankton. Oscillatory along-front winds induce both oscillatory and mean upwelling. The mean effect of oscillatory vertical motion is to transiently increase subsurface phytoplankton over days to weeks, whereas slower mean upwelling sustains this increase over weeks to months. Taken together, these results emphasize that wind-driven phytoplankton growth is both spatially and temporally intermittent and depends on a diverse combination of physical processes.

A cluster in a crowded environment: XMM-Newton and Chandra observations of A3558

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossetti, M.; Ghizzardi, S.; Molendi, S.; Finoguenov, A.

2007-03-01

Combining XMM-Newton and Chandra data, we have performed a detailed study of Abell 3558. Our analysis shows that its dynamical history is more complicated than previously thought. We have found some traits typical of cool core clusters (surface brightness peaked at the center, peaked metal abundance profile) and others that are more common in merging clusters, like deviations from spherical symmetry in the thermodynamic quantities of the ICM. This last result has been achieved with a new technique for deriving temperature maps from images. We have also detected a cold front and, with the combined use of XMM-Newton and Chandra, we have characterized its properties, such as the speed and the metal abundance profile across the edge. This cold front is probably due to the sloshing of the core, induced by the perturbation of the gravitational potential associated with a past merger. The hydrodynamic processes related to this perturbation have presumably produced a tail of lower entropy, higher pressure and metal rich ICM, which extends behind the cold front for~500 kpc. The unique characteristics of A3558 are probably due to the very peculiar environment in which it is located: the core of the Shapley supercluster. Appendices A and B are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Surface texture of single-crystal silicon oxidized under a thin V{sub 2}O{sub 5} layer

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

Nikitin, S. E., E-mail: nikitin@mail.ioffe.ru; Verbitskiy, V. N.; Nashchekin, A. V.

The process of surface texturing of single-crystal silicon oxidized under a V{sub 2}O{sub 5} layer is studied. Intense silicon oxidation at the Si–V{sub 2}O{sub 5} interface begins at a temperature of 903 K which is 200 K below than upon silicon thermal oxidation in an oxygen atmosphere. A silicon dioxide layer 30–50 nm thick with SiO{sub 2} inclusions in silicon depth up to 400 nm is formed at the V{sub 2}O{sub 5}–Si interface. The diffusion coefficient of atomic oxygen through the silicon-dioxide layer at 903 K is determined (D ≥ 2 × 10{sup –15} cm{sup 2} s{sup –1}). A modelmore » of low-temperature silicon oxidation, based on atomic oxygen diffusion from V{sub 2}O{sub 5} through the SiO{sub 2} layer to silicon, and SiO{sub x} precipitate formation in silicon is proposed. After removing the V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and silicon-dioxide layers, texture is formed on the silicon surface, which intensely scatters light in the wavelength range of 300–550 nm and is important in the texturing of the front and rear surfaces of solar cells.« less

Simulation of the Onset of the Southeast Asian Monsoon During 1997 and 1998: The Impact of Surface Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tao, W.-K.; Lau, W.; Baker, R.

2004-01-01

The onset of the southeast Asian monsoon during 1997 and 1998 was simulated with a coupled mesoscale atmospheric model (MM5) and a detailed land surface model. The rainfall results from the simulations were compared with observed satellite data from the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) TMI (TRMM Microwave Imager) and GPCP (Global Precipitation Climatology Project). The simulation with the land surface model captured basic signatures of the monsoon onset processes and associated rainfall statistics. The sensitivity tests indicated that land surface processes had a greater impact on the simulated rainfall results than that of a small sea surface temperature change during the onset period. In both the 1997 and 1998 cases, the simulations were significantly improved by including the land surface processes. The results indicated that land surface processes played an important role in modifying the low-level wind field over two major branches of the circulation; the southwest low-level flow over the Indo-China peninsula and the northern cold front intrusion from southern China. The surface sensible and latent heat exchange between the land and atmosphere modified the low-level temperature distribution and gradient, and therefore the low-level. The more realistic forcing of the sensible and latent heat from the detailed land surface model improved the monsoon rainfall and associated wind simulation. The model results will be compared to the simulation of the 6-7 May 2000 Missouri flash flood event. In addition, the impact of model initialization and land surface treatment on timing, intensity, and location of extreme precipitation will be examined.

Simulation of the Onset of the Southeast Asian Monsoon during 1997 and 1998: The Impact of Surface Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tao, W.-K.; Wang, Y.; Lau, W.; Baker, R. D.

2004-01-01

The onset of the southeast Asian monsoon during 1997 and 1998 was simulated with a coupled mesoscale atmospheric model (MM5) and a detailed land surface model. The rainfall results from the simulations were compared with observed satellite data from the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) TMI (TRMM Microwave Imager) and GPCP (Global Precipitation Climatology Project). The simulation with the land surface model captured basic signatures of the monsoon onset processes and associated rainfall statistics. The sensitivity tests indicated that land surface processes had a greater impact on the simulated rainfall results than that of a small sea surface temperature change during the onset period. In both the 1997 and 1998 cases, the simulations were significantly improved by including the land surface processes. The results indicated that land surface processes played an important role in modifying the low-level wind field over two major branches of the circulation; the southwest low-level flow over the Indo-China peninsula and the northern cold front intrusion from southern China. The surface sensible and latent heat exchange between the land and atmosphere modified the low-level temperature distribution and gradient, and therefore the low-level. The more realistic forcing of the sensible and latent heat from the detailed land surface model improved the monsoon rainfall and associated wind simulation. The model results will be compared to the simulation of the 6-7 May 2000 Missouri flash flood event. In addition, the impact of model initialization and land surface treatment on timing, intensity, and location of extreme precipitation will be examined.

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

Sano, Yukio; Abe, Akihisa; Tokushima, Koji

The aim of this study is to examine the difference between shock temperatures predicted by an equation for temperature inside a steady wave front and the Walsh-Christian equation. Calculations are for yttria-doped tetragonal zirconia, which shows an elastic-plastic and a phase transition: Thus the shock waves treated are multiple structure waves composed of one to three steady wave fronts. The evaluated temperature was 3350K at the minimum specific volume of 0.1175 cm{sup 3}/g (or maximum Hugoniot shock pressure of 140GPa) considered in the present examination, while the temperature predicted by the Walsh-Christian equation under identical conditions was 2657K. The causemore » of the large temperature discrepancy is considered to be that the present model treats nonequilibrium states inside steady waves.« less

Formation of intrathermocline eddies at ocean fronts by wind-driven destruction of potential vorticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Leif N.

2008-08-01

A mechanism for the generation of intrathermocline eddies (ITEs) at wind-forced fronts is examined using a high resolution numerical simulation. Favorable conditions for ITE formation result at fronts forced by "down-front" winds, i.e. winds blowing in the direction of the frontal jet. Down-front winds exert frictional forces that reduce the potential vorticity (PV) within the surface boundary in the frontal outcrop, providing a source for the low-PV water that is the materia prima of ITEs. Meandering of the front drives vertical motions that subduct the low-PV water into the pycnocline, pooling it into the coherent anticyclonic vortex of a submesoscale ITE. As the fluid is subducted along the outcropping frontal isopycnal, the low-PV water, which at the surface is associated with strongly baroclinic flow, re-expresses itself as water with nearly zero absolute vorticity. This generation of strong anticyclonic vorticity results from the tilting of the horizontal vorticity of the frontal jet, not from vortex squashing. During the formation of the ITE, high-PV water from the pycnocline is upwelled alongside the subducting low-PV surface water. The positive correlation between the ITE's velocity and PV fields results in an upward, along-isopycnal eddy PV flux that scales with the surface frictional PV flux driven by the wind. The relationship between the eddy and wind-induced frictional PV flux is nonlocal in time, as the eddy PV flux persists long after the wind forcing is shut off. The ITE's PV flux affects the large-scale flow by driving an eddy-induced transport or bolus velocity down the outcropping isopycnal layer with a magnitude that scales with the Ekman velocity.

Antarctic and Southern Ocean influences on Late Pliocene global cooling

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKay, Robert; Naish, Tim; Carter, Lionel; Riesselman, Christina; Dunbar, Robert; Sjunneskog, Charlotte; Winter, Diane; Sangiorgi, Francesca; Warren, Courtney; Pagani, Mark; Schouten, Stefan; Willmott, Veronica; Levy, Richard; DeConto, Robert; Powell, Ross D.

2012-01-01

The influence of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean on Late Pliocene global climate reconstructions has remained ambiguous due to a lack of well-dated Antarctic-proximal, paleoenvironmental records. Here we present ice sheet, sea-surface temperature, and sea ice reconstructions from the ANDRILL AND-1B sediment core recovered from beneath the Ross Ice Shelf. We provide evidence for a major expansion of an ice sheet in the Ross Sea that began at ~3.3 Ma, followed by a coastal sea surface temperature cooling of ~2.5 °C, a stepwise expansion of sea ice, and polynya-style deep mixing in the Ross Sea between 3.3 and 2.5 Ma. The intensification of Antarctic cooling resulted in strengthened westerly winds and invigorated ocean circulation. The associated northward migration of Southern Ocean fronts has been linked with reduced Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation by restricting surface water connectivity between the ocean basins, with implications for heat transport to the high latitudes of the North Atlantic. While our results do not exclude low-latitude mechanisms as drivers for Pliocene cooling, they indicate an additional role played by southern high-latitude cooling during development of the bipolar world.

Thermal affected zone obtained in machining steel XC42 by high-power continuous CO 2 laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jebbari, Neila; Jebari, Mohamed Mondher; Saadallah, Faycal; Tarrats-Saugnac, Annie; Bennaceur, Raouf; Longuemard, Jean Paul

2008-09-01

A high-power continuous CO 2 laser (4 kW) can provide energy capable of causing melting or even, with a special treatment of the surface, vaporization of an XC42-steel sample. The laser-metal interaction causes an energetic machining mechanism, which takes place according to the assumption that the melting front precedes the laser beam, such that the laser beam interacts with a preheated surface whose temperature is near the melting point. The proposed model, obtained from the energy balance during the interaction time, concerns the case of machining with an inert gas jet and permits the calculation of the characteristic parameters of the groove according to the characteristic laser parameters (absorbed laser energy and impact diameter of the laser beam) and allows the estimation of the quantity of the energy causing the thermal affected zone (TAZ). This energy is equivalent to the heat quantity that must be injected in the heat propagation equation. In the case of a semi-infinite medium with fusion temperature at the surface, the resolution of the heat propagation equation gives access to the width of the TAZ.

Antarctic and Southern Ocean influences on Late Pliocene global cooling

PubMed Central

McKay, Robert; Naish, Tim; Carter, Lionel; Riesselman, Christina; Dunbar, Robert; Sjunneskog, Charlotte; Winter, Diane; Sangiorgi, Francesca; Warren, Courtney; Pagani, Mark; Schouten, Stefan; Willmott, Veronica; Levy, Richard; DeConto, Robert; Powell, Ross D.

2012-01-01

The influence of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean on Late Pliocene global climate reconstructions has remained ambiguous due to a lack of well-dated Antarctic-proximal, paleoenvironmental records. Here we present ice sheet, sea-surface temperature, and sea ice reconstructions from the ANDRILL AND-1B sediment core recovered from beneath the Ross Ice Shelf. We provide evidence for a major expansion of an ice sheet in the Ross Sea that began at ∼3.3 Ma, followed by a coastal sea surface temperature cooling of ∼2.5 °C, a stepwise expansion of sea ice, and polynya-style deep mixing in the Ross Sea between 3.3 and 2.5 Ma. The intensification of Antarctic cooling resulted in strengthened westerly winds and invigorated ocean circulation. The associated northward migration of Southern Ocean fronts has been linked with reduced Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation by restricting surface water connectivity between the ocean basins, with implications for heat transport to the high latitudes of the North Atlantic. While our results do not exclude low-latitude mechanisms as drivers for Pliocene cooling, they indicate an additional role played by southern high-latitude cooling during development of the bipolar world. PMID:22496594

Lateral uniformity in chemical composition along a buried reaction front in polymers using off-specular reflectivity.

PubMed

Lavery, Kristopher A; Prabhu, Vivek M; Satija, Sushil; Wu, Wen-Li

2010-12-01

Off-specular neutron reflectometry was applied to characterize the form and amplitude of lateral compositional variations at a buried reaction-diffusion front. In this work, off-specular neutron measurements were first calibrated using off-specular x-ray reflectivity and atomic force microscopy via a roughened glass surface, both as a free surface and as a buried interface that was prepared by spin coating thin polymer films upon the glass surface. All three methods provided consistent roughness values despite the difference in their detection mechanism. Our neutron results demonstrated, for the first time, that the compositional heterogeneity at a buried reaction front can be measured; the model system used in this study mimics the deprotection reaction that occurs during the photolithographic process necessary for manufacturing integrated circuits.

WPC Product Legends - Surface fronts and precipitation areas/symbols

Science.gov Websites

, etc...) drawn on each segment. For example, the image below shows a forming cold front. Frontolysis is other segment. Below is an example of a dissipating warm front. Precipitation Areas and Symbols Areas of an example) Below are symbols found on our short range forecasts that represent categories (and in

Modeling wildland fire propagation with level set methods

Treesearch

V. Mallet; D.E Keyes; F.E. Fendell

2009-01-01

Level set methods are versatile and extensible techniques for general front tracking problems, including the practically important problem of predicting the advance of a fire front across expanses of surface vegetation. Given a rule, empirical or otherwise, to specify the rate of advance of an infinitesimal segment of fire front arc normal to itself (i.e., given the...

Effects induced by high and low intensity laser plasma on SiC Schottky detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciuto, Antonella; Torrisi, Lorenzo; Cannavò, Antonino; Mazzillo, Massimo; Calcagno, Lucia

2018-01-01

Silicon-Carbide detectors are extensively employed as diagnostic devices in laser-generated plasma, allowing the simultaneous detection of photons, electrons and ions, when used in time-of-flight configuration. The plasma generated by high intensity laser (1016 W/cm2) producing high energy ions was characterized by SiC detector with a continuous front-electrode, and a very thick active depth, while SiC detector with an Interdigit front-electrode was used to measure the low energy ions of plasma generated by low intensity laser (1010 W/cm2). Information about ion energy, number of charge states, plasma temperature can be accurately obtained. However, laser exposure induces the formation of surface and bulk defects whose concentration increases with increasing the time to plasma exposure. The surface defects consist of clusters with a main size of the order of some microns and they modify the diode barrier height and the efficiency of the detector as checked by alpha spectrometry. The bulk defects, due to the energy loss of detected ions, strongly affect the electrical properties of the device, inducing a relevant increase of the leakage (reverse) current and decrease the forward current related to a deactivation of the dopant in the active detector region.

THERMODYNAMICS OF THE COMA CLUSTER OUTSKIRTS

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

Simionescu, A.; Werner, N.; Urban, O.

2013-09-20

We present results from a large mosaic of Suzaku observations of the Coma Cluster, the nearest and X-ray brightest hot ({approx}8 keV), dynamically active, non-cool core system, focusing on the thermodynamic properties of the intracluster medium on large scales. For azimuths not aligned with an infalling subcluster toward the southwest, our measured temperature and X-ray brightness profiles exhibit broadly consistent radial trends, with the temperature decreasing from about 8.5 keV at the cluster center to about 2 keV at a radius of 2 Mpc, which is the edge of our detection limit. The southwest merger significantly boosts the surface brightness,more » allowing us to detect X-ray emission out to {approx}2.2 Mpc along this direction. Apart from the southwestern infalling subcluster, the surface brightness profiles show multiple edges around radii of 30-40 arcmin. The azimuthally averaged temperature profile, as well as the deprojected density and pressure profiles, all show a sharp drop consistent with an outwardly-propagating shock front located at 40 arcmin, corresponding to the outermost edge of the giant radio halo observed at 352 MHz with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. The shock front may be powering this radio emission. A clear entropy excess inside of r{sub 500} reflects the violent merging events linked with these morphological features. Beyond r{sub 500}, the entropy profiles of the Coma Cluster along the relatively relaxed directions are consistent with the power-law behavior expected from simple models of gravitational large-scale structure formation. The pressure is also in agreement at these radii with the expected values measured from Sunyaev-Zel'dovich data from the Planck satellite. However, due to the large uncertainties associated with the Coma Cluster measurements, we cannot yet exclude an entropy flattening in this system consistent with that seen in more relaxed cool core clusters.« less

Overview of the Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment (FASINEX) - A study of air-sea interaction in a region of strong oceanic gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weller, Robert A.

1991-01-01

From 1984 to 1986 the cooperative Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment (FASINEX) was conducted in the subtropical convergence zone southwest of Bermuda. The overall objective of the experiment was to study air-sea interaction on 1- to 100-km horizontal scales in a region of the open ocean characterized by strong horizontal gradients in upper ocean and sea surface properties. Ocean fronts provided both large spatial gradients in sea surface temperature and strong jetlike flows in the upper ocean. The motivation for and detailed objectives of FASINEX are reviewed. Then the components of the field program are summarized. Finally, selected results are presented in order to provide an overview of the outcome of FASINEX.

Cylindrically symmetric Green's function approach for modeling the crystal growth morphology of ice.

PubMed

Libbrecht, K G

1999-08-01

We describe a front-tracking Green's function approach to modeling cylindrically symmetric crystal growth. This method is simple to implement, and with little computer power can adequately model a wide range of physical situations. We apply the method to modeling the hexagonal prism growth of ice crystals, which is governed primarily by diffusion along with anisotropic surface kinetic processes. From ice crystal growth observations in air, we derive measurements of the kinetic growth coefficients for the basal and prism faces as a function of temperature, for supersaturations near the water saturation level. These measurements are interpreted in the context of a model for the nucleation and growth of ice, in which the growth dynamics are dominated by the structure of a disordered layer on the ice surfaces.

Study of the heat transfer in solids using infrared photothermal radiometry and simulation by COMSOL Multiphysics.

PubMed

Suarez, V; Hernández Wong, J; Nogal, U; Calderón, A; Rojas-Trigos, J B; Juárez, A G; Marín, E

2014-01-01

It is reported the study of the heat transfer through a homogeneous and isotropic solid exited by square periodic light beam on its front surface. For this, we use the Infrared Photothermal Radiometry in order to obtain the evolution of the temperature difference on the rear surface of three samples, silicon, copper and wood, as a function of the exposure time. Also, we solved the heat transport equation for this problem with the boundary conditions congruent with the physical situation, by means of numerical simulation based in finite element analysis. Our results show a good agreement between the experimental and numerical simulated results, which demonstrate the utility of this methodology for the study of the thermal response of solids. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric fronts in current and future climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catto, J. L.; Nicholls, N.; Jakob, C.; Shelton, K. L.

2014-11-01

Atmospheric fronts are important for the day-to-day variability of weather in the midlatitudes. It is therefore vital to know how their distribution and frequency will change in a projected warmer climate. Here we apply an objective front identification method, based on a thermal front parameter, to 6-hourly data from models participating in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5. The historical simulations are evaluated against ERA-Interim and found to produce a similar frequency of fronts and with similar front strength. The models show some biases in the location of the front frequency maxima. Future changes are estimated using the high emissions scenario simulations (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5). Projections show an overall decrease in front frequency in the Northern Hemisphere, with a poleward shift of the maxima of front frequency and a strong decrease at high latitudes where the temperature gradient is decreased. The Southern Hemisphere shows a poleward shift of the frequency maximum, consistent with previous storm track studies.

Scanning tunneling microscopy study of low temperature silicon epitaxy on hydrogen/silicon(001) and phosphine adsorption on silicon(111)-7x7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Jeong-Young

A three-chamber ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) system with preparation, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chambers was designed and built. Here, one can perform surface preparation, STM e-beam lithography, precursor gas dosing, ion sputtering, silicon epitaxy, and various measurements such as reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Processes performed in the ultra-clean preparation and gas-filled CVD chambers can be monitored by transferring the samples back to the STM chamber to take topographical images. Si deposition on H-terminated Si(001)-2x1 surfaces at temperatures 300--530 K was studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. Hydrogen apparently hinders Si adatom diffusion and enhances surface roughening. Post-growth annealing transfers the top layer atoms downward to fill in vacancies in the lower layer, restoring the crystallinity of the thin film. Hydrogen is shown to remain on the growth front up to at least 10 ML. Si deposition onto the H/Si(001)-3x1 surface at 530 K suggests that dihydride units further suppress Si adatom diffusion and increase surface roughness. PH3 adsorption on Si(111)-7x7 was studied for various exposures between 0.3--60 L at room temperature by means of the scanning-tunneling-microscopy (STM). PH3-, PH2-, H-reacted, and unreacted adatoms can be identified by analyzing STM images at different sample biases. Most of PH3 adsorbs dissociatively on the surface at initial exposure, generating H and PH2 adsorption sites, followed by molecular adsorption of PH3. Rest atoms are more reactive than the adatoms and PH 2-reacted rest atom sites are also observed in STM images. Statistical analysis shows that center adatoms are more reactive than corner adatoms and the saturation P coverage is ˜0.22 ML. Finally, 900 K annealing of a PH 3 dosed surface results in a disordered, partially P-covered surface and PH3 dosing at 900 K forms the same surface reconstruction as a P2-adsorbed surface at similar temperature.

Diagnosing Possible Anthropogenic Contributions to Heavy Colorado Rainfall in September 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pall, P.; Patricola, C. M.; Wehner, M. F.; Stone, D. A.; Paciorek, C. J.; Collins, W.

2014-12-01

Unusually heavy rainfall occurred over the Colorado Front Range during early September 2013, with record or near-record totals recorded in several locations. It was associated predominantly with a stationary large-scale weather pattern (akin to the North American Monsoon, which occurs earlier in the year) that drove a strong plume of deep moisture inland from the Gulf of Mexico against the Front Range foothills. The resulting floods impacted several thousands of people and many homes, roads, and businesses. To diagnose possible anthropogenic contributions to the odds of such heavy rainfall, we adapt an existing event attribution paradigm of modelling a 'world that was' for September 2013 and comparing it to a modelled 'world that might have been' for that same time but for the absence of historical anthropogenic drivers of climate. Specifically, we first perform 'world that was' simulations with the regional WRF model at 12 km resolution over North America, driven by NCEP2 re-analysis. We then re-simulate, having adjusted the re-analysis to 'world that might have been conditions' by modifying atmospheric greenhouse gas and other pollutant concentrations, temperature, humidity, and winds, as well as sea ice coverage, and sea-surface temperatures - all according to estimates from global climate model simulations. Thus our findings are highly conditional on the driving re-analysis and adjustments therein, but the setup allows us to elucidate possible mechanisms responsible for heavy Colorado rainfall in September 2013. For example, preliminary analysis suggests that, given no change in the pattern of large-scale driving weather, there is an increase in atmospheric water vapour under anthropogenic climate warming leading to a substantial increase in the odds of heavy rainfall over the Front Range.

Asymmetric Signature of Glacial Antarctic Intermediate Water in the Central South Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapia, R.; Nuernberg, D.; Ho, S. L.; Lamy, F.; Ullermann, J.; Gersonde, R.; Tiedemann, R.

2017-12-01

Southern Ocean Intermediate Waters (SOIWs) play a key role in modulating the global climate on glacial-interglacial time scales as they connect the Southern Ocean and the tropics. Despite their importance, the past evolution of the SOIWs in the central South Pacific is largely unknown due to a dearth of sedimentary archives. Here we compare Mg/Ca-temperature, stable carbon and oxygen isotope records from surface-dwelling (G. bulloides) and deep-dwelling (G. inflata) planktic foraminifera at site PS75/059-2 (54°12.9' S, 125°25.53' W; recovery 13.98 m; 3.613 m water depth), located north of the modern Subantarctic Front. Our study focuses on the temperature and salinity variability controlled by SOIWs, which were subducted at the Subantarctic Front during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 29-17ka BP) and the Penultimate Glacial Maximum (PGM; 180-150ka BP). During both glacial periods conditions at the subsurface ocean were colder and fresher relative to the Holocene (<10ka) suggesting an enhanced presence of SOIWs. In spite of the comparable subsurface cooling during both glacial, the subsurface ocean during the PGM was saltier and 0.35‰ more depleted in δ13C in comparison to the LGM. Interestingly, the mean δ13C value of the PGM is comparable to the Carbon Isotope Minimum Events, which might suggests a larger contribution of "old" low δ13C deep waters to the study site during the PGM. A Latitudinal comparison of subsurface proxies suggests glacial asymmetries in the advection of SOIWs into the central Pacific, plausibly related to glacial changes in the convection depth of SOIWs at the South Antarctic Front area rather than changes in production of the SOIWs.

Non-invasive thermal profiling of silicon wafer surface during RTP using acoustic and signal processing techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syed, Ahmed Rashid

Among the great physical challenges faced by the current front-end semiconductor equipment manufacturers is the accurate and repeatable surface temperature measurement of wafers during various fabrication steps. Close monitoring of temperature is essential in that it ensures desirable device characteristics to be reliably reproduced across various wafer lots. No where is the need to control temperature more pronounced than it is during Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) which involves temperature ramp rates in excess of 200°C/s. This dissertation presents an elegant and practical approach to solve the wafer surface temperature estimation problem, in context of RTP, by deploying hardware that acquires the necessary data while preserving the integrity and purity of the wafer. In contrast to the widely used wafer-contacting (and hence contaminating) methods, such as bonded thermocouples, or environment sensitive schemes, such as light-pipes and infrared pyrometry, the proposed research explores the concept of utilizing Lamb (acoustic) waves to detect changes in wafer surface temperature, during RTP. Acoustic waves are transmitted to the wafer via an array of quartz rods that normally props the wafer inside an RTP chamber. These waves are generated using piezoelectric transducers affixed to the bases of the quartz rods. The group velocity of Lamb waves traversing the wafer surface undergoes a monotonic decrease with rise in wafer temperature. The correspondence of delay in phase of the received Lamb waves and the ambient temperature, along all direct paths between sending and receiving transducers, yields a psuedo real-time thermal image of the wafer. Although the custom built hardware-setup implements the above "proof-of-concept" scheme by transceiving acoustic signals at a single frequency, the real-world application will seek to enhance the data acquistion. rate (>1000 temperature measurements per seconds) by sending and receiving Lamb waves at multiple frequencies (by employing broadband quartz rod-transducer assembles). Experimental results, as predicted by prior rigorous simulations, prove that the temperature measurement accuracy obtained through several dynamic runs using the above specified approach, is better than +/-2°C. Furthermore, these results are highly repeatable and independent of wafer treatment conditions, thereby extolling the versatility and immunity of the new method from environmental conditions.

Surface wind, pressure and temperature fields near tornadic and non-tornadic narrow cold-frontal rainbands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Matthew; Parker, Douglas

2014-05-01

Narrow cold frontal rainbands (NCFRs) occur frequently in the UK and other parts of northwest Europe. At the surface, the passage of an NCFR is often marked by a sharp wind veer, abrupt pressure increase and a rapid temperature decrease. Tornadoes and other instances of localised wind damage sometimes occur in association with meso-gamma-scale vortices (sometimes called misocyclones) that form along the zone of abrupt horizontal wind veer (and associated vertical vorticity) at the leading edge of the NCFR. Using one-minute-resolution data from a mesoscale network of automatic weather stations, surface pressure, wind and temperature fields in the vicinity of 12 NCFRs (five of which were tornadic) have been investigated. High-resolution surface analyses were obtained by mapping temporal variations in the observed parameters to equivalent spatial variations, using a system velocity determined by analysis of the radar-observed movement of NCFR precipitation segments. Substantial differences were found in the structure of surface wind and pressure fields close to tornadic and non-tornadic NCFRs. Tornadic NCFRs exhibited a large wind veer (near 90°) and strong pre- and post-frontal winds. These attributes were associated with large vertical vorticity and horizontal convergence across the front. Tornadoes typically occurred where vertical vorticity and horizontal convergence were increasing. Here, we present surface analyses from selected cases, and draw comparisons between the tornadic and non-tornadic NCFRs. Some Doppler radar observations will be presented, illustrating the development of misocyclones along parts of the NCFR that exhibit strong, and increasing, vertical vorticity stretching. The influence of the stability of the pre-frontal air on the likelihood of tornadoes will also be discussed.

Numerical Simulation of the Effects of Water Surface in Building Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guangyao; Pan, Yuqing; Yang, Li

2018-03-01

Water body could affect the thermal environment and airflow field in the building districts, because of its special thermal characteristics, evaporation and flat surface. The thermal influence of water body in Tongji University Jiading Campus front area was evaluated. First, a suitable evaporation model was selected and then was applied to calculate the boundary conditions of the water surface in the Fluent software. Next, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted on the models both with and without water, following the CFD practices guidelines. Finally, the outputs of the two simulations were compared with each other. Results showed that the effect of evaporative cooling from water surface strongly depends on the wind direction and temperature decrease was about 2∼5°C. The relative humidity within the enclosing area was affected by both the building arrangement and surrounding water. An increase of about 0.1∼0.2m/s of wind speed induced by the water evaporation was observed in the open space.

Process for recovering products from oil shale

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

Jacobs, H.R.; Udell, K.S.

A process is claimed for recovering hydrocarbon products from a body of fragmented or rubblized oil shale. The process includes initiating a combustion zone adjacent the lower end of a body of oil shale and using the thermal energy therefrom for volatilizing the shale oil from the oil shale above the combustion front. Improved recovery of hydrocarbon products is realized by refluxing the heavier fractions in the volatilized shale oil. The heavier fractions are refluxed by condensing the heavier fractions and allowing the resulting condensate to flow downwardly toward the combustion front. Thermal energy from the combustion zone cracks themore » condensate producing additional lower molecular weight fractions and a carbonaceous residue. The carbonaceous residue is burned in the combustion front to supply the thermal energy. The temperature of the combustion front is maintained by regulating input of oxygen to the combustion zone. The process also includes sweeping the volatilized products from the rubblized oil shale with a noncombustible gas. The flow rate of sweep gas is also controlled to regulate the temperature of the combustion front. The recovered products can be enriched with hydrogen by using water vapor as part of the noncombustible sweep gas and cracking the water vapor with the hot carbon in the combustion front to produce hydrogen and an oxide of carbon.« less

Warm ocean surface led to ice margin retreat in central-eastern Baffin Bay during the Younger Dryas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oksman, Mimmi; Weckström, Kaarina; Miettinen, Arto; Juggins, Stephen; Divine, Dmitry; Jackson, Rebecca; Korsgaard, Niels J.; Telford, Richard; Kucera, Michal

2017-04-01

The Greenland ice sheet stability is linked to fast-flowing ice streams that are influenced by sea surface temperatures (SSTs) at their front. One of the largest ice streams in West Greenland is the Jakobshavn Isbræ, which has been shown to have collapsed at ca. 12.2 kyr BP in the middle of the Younger Dryas (YD) cold period (12.9-11.7 kyr BP). The cause for this collapse is still unknown yet hypotheses, such as warm Atlantic water inflow, have been put forward to explain it. Here we present the first diatom-based high-resolution reconstruction of sea surface conditions in the central-eastern Baffin Bay between 14.0 and 10.2 kyr BP. The sea surface temperatures reveal warmer conditions beginning at ca. 13.4 kyr BP and leading to intensive calving and iceberg discharge from Jakobshavn Isbræ visible as increased sedimentation rates and deposition of coarse-grained material in our sediment stratigraphy. The warm YD ocean surface conditions in Baffin Bay are out of phase with the δ18O record from the North Greenland Ice Core Project (NGRIP) and other SST records from northern North-Atlantic. We show that the ocean has had significant interactions with the Greenland ice sheet in the past and emphasize its importance under the current warming of the North Atlantic.

Poling-assisted bleaching of soda-lime float glasses containing silver nanoparticles with a decreasing filling factor across the depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deparis, Olivier; Kazansky, Peter G.; Podlipensky, Alexander; Abdolvand, Amin; Seifert, Gerhard; Graener, Heinrich

2006-08-01

The recently discovered poling-assisted bleaching of glass with embedded silver nanoparticles has renewed the interest in thermal poling as a simple, reliable, and low-cost technique for controlling locally the surface-plasmon-resonant optical properties of metal-doped nanocomposite glasses. In the present study, the emphasis is put on the influence of the volume filling factor of metallic clusters on poling-assisted bleaching. Soda-lime silicate glass samples containing spherical silver nanoparticles with a decreasing filling factor across the depth were subject to thermal poling experiments with various poling temperatures, voltages, and times. Optical extinction spectra were measured from ultraviolet to near-infrared ranges and the surface-plasmon-resonant extinction due to silver nanoparticles (around 410nm) was modeled by the Maxwell Garnett [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, Ser. A 203, 385 (1904); 205, 237 (1906)] effective medium theory which was adapted in order to take into account the filling factor depth profile. A method was proposed for the retrieval of the filling factor depth profile from optical extinction spectra recorded in fresh and chemically etched samples. A stretched exponential depth profile turned out to be necessary in order to model samples having a high filling factor near the surface. Based on the fact that the electric-field-assisted dissolution of embedded metallic nanoparticles proceeded progressively from the top surface, a bleaching front was defined that moved forward in depth as time elapsed. The position of the bleaching front was determined after each poling experiment by fitting the measured extinction spectrum to the theoretical one. In samples with higher peak value and steeper gradient of the filling factor, the bleaching front reached more rapidly a steady-state depth as poling time increased. Also it increased less strongly with increasing poling voltage. These results were in agreement with the physics of the dissolution process. Finally, clear evidence of injection of hydrogenated ionic species from the atmosphere into the sample during poling was obtained from the growth of the infrared extinction peak associated with OH radicals.

Profile modifications in laser-driven temperature fronts using flux-limiters and delocalization models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombant, Denis; Manheimer, Wallace; Busquet, Michel

2004-11-01

A simple steady-state model using flux-limiters by Day et al [1] showed that temperature profiles could formally be double-valued. Stability of temperature profiles in laser-driven temperature fronts using delocalization models was also discussed by Prasad and Kershaw [2]. We have observed steepening of the front and flattening of the maximum temperature in laser-driven implosions [3]. Following the simple model first proposed in [1], we solve for a two-boundary value steady-state heat flow problem for various non-local heat transport models. For the more complicated models [4,5], we obtain the steady-state solution as the asymptotic limit of the time-dependent solution. Solutions will be shown and compared for these various models. 1.M.Day, B.Merriman, F.Najmabadi and R.W.Conn, Contrib. Plasma Phys. 36, 419 (1996) 2.M.K.Prasad and D.S.Kershaw, Phys. Fluids B3, 3087 (1991) 3.D.Colombant, W.Manheimer and M.Busquet, Bull. Amer. Phys. Soc. 48, 326 (2003) 4.E.M.Epperlein and R.W.Short, Phys. Fluids B3, 3092 (1991) 5.W.Manheimer and D.Colombant, Phys. Plasmas 11, 260 (2004)

Non-LTE radiating acoustic shocks and Ca II K2V bright points

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlsson, Mats; Stein, Robert F.

1992-01-01

We present, for the first time, a self-consistent solution of the time-dependent 1D equations of non-LTE radiation hydrodynamics in solar chromospheric conditions. The vertical propagation of sinusoidal acoustic waves with periods of 30, 180, and 300 s is calculated. We find that departures from LTE and ionization recombination determine the temperature profiles of the shocks that develop. In LTE almost all the thermal energy goes into ionization, so the temperature rise is very small. In non-LTE, the finite transition rates delay the ionization to behind the shock front. The compression thus goes into thermal energy at the shock front leading to a high temperature amplitude. Further behind the shock front, the delayed ionization removes energy from the thermal pool, which reduces the temperature, producing a temperature spike. The 180 s waves reproduce the observed temporal changes in the calcium K line profiles quite well. The observed wing brightening pattern, the violet/red peak asymmetry and the observed line center behavior are all well reproduced. The short-period waves and the 5 minute period waves fail especially in reproducing the observed behavior of the wings.

Sensitivity analysis of sea level rise contribution depending on external forcing: A case study of Victoria Land, East Antarctica.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, I. W.; Lee, S. H.; Lee, W. S.; Lee, C. K.; Lee, K. K.

2017-12-01

As global mean temperature increases, it affects increase in polar glacier melt and thermal expansion of sea, which contributed to global sea level rise. Unlike large sea level rise contributors in Western Antarctica (e. g. Pine island glacier, Thwaites glacier), glaciers in East Antarctica shows relatively stable and slow ice velocity. However, recent calving events related to increase of supraglacier lake in Nansen ice shelf arouse the questions in regards to future evolution of ice dynamics at Victoria Land, East Antarctica. Here, using Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM), a series of numerical simulations were carried out to investigate ice dynamics evolution (grounding line migration, ice velocity) and sea level rise contribution in response to external forcing conditions (surface mass balance, floating ice melting rate, and ice front retreat). In this study, we used control method to set ice dynamic properties (ice rigidity and friction coefficient) with shallow shelf approximation model and check each external forcing conditions contributing to sea level change. Before 50-year transient simulations were conducted based on changing surface mass balance, floating ice melting rate, and ice front retreat of Drygalski ice tongue and Nansen ice shelf, relaxation was performed for 10 years to reduce non-physical undulation and it was used as initial condition. The simulation results showed that sea level rise contribution were expected to be much less compared to other fast glaciers. Floating ice melting rate was most sensitive parameter to sea level rise, while ice front retreat of Drygalski tongue was negligible. The regional model will be further updated utilizing ice radar topography and measured floating ice melting rate.

Large area thermal target board: An improvement to environmental effects and system parameters characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watkins, Wendell R.; Bean, Brent L.; Munding, Peter D.

1994-06-01

Recent field tests have provided excellent opportunities to use a new characterization tool associated with the Mobile Imaging Spectroscopy Laboratory (MISL) of the Battlefield Environment Directorate, formerly the U.S. Army Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory. The MISL large area (1.8 by 1.8 m, uniform temperature, thermal target) was used for characterization and isolation of phenomena which impact target contrast. By viewing the target board from closeup and distant ranges simultaneously with the MISL thermal imagers, the inherent scene content could be calibrated and the degrading effects of atmospheric propagation could be isolated. The target board is equipped with several spatial frequency bar patterns, but only the largest 3.5-cycle full area bar pattern was used for the distant range of 1.6 km. The quantities measured with the target board include the inherent background change, the contrast transmission, and the atmospheric modulation transfer function. The MISL target board has a unique design which makes it lightweight with near perfect transition between the hot and cold portions of the bar pattern. The heated portion of the target is an elongated rectangular even which is tilted back at a 30 deg angle to form a 1.8 by 1.8 m square when viewed from the front. The cold bars we positioned in front of the heated oven surface and can be oriented in either the vertical or horizontal direction. The oven is mounted on a lightweight trailer for one- or two-man positioning. An attached metal and canvas structure is used to shield the entire target from both solar loading and cooling winds. The target board has a thin aluminum sheet front surface which is insulated from the oven's heating structure.

Large Eddy Simulations of a Bottom Boundary Layer Under a Shallow Geostrophic Front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bateman, S. P.; Simeonov, J.; Calantoni, J.

2017-12-01

The unstratified surf zone and the stratified shelf waters are often separated by dynamic fronts that can strongly impact the character of the Ekman bottom boundary layer. Here, we use large eddy simulations to study the turbulent bottom boundary layer associated with a geostrophic current on a stratified shelf of uniform depth. The simulations are initialized with a spatially uniform vertical shear that is in geostrophic balance with a pressure gradient due to a linear horizontal temperature variation. Superposed on the temperature front is a stable vertical temperature gradient. As turbulence develops near the bottom, the turbulence-induced mixing gradually erodes the initial uniform temperature stratification and a well-mixed layer grows in height until the turbulence becomes fully developed. The simulations provide the spatial distribution of the turbulent dissipation and the Reynolds stresses in the fully developed boundary layer. We vary the initial linear stratification and investigate its effect on the height of the bottom boundary layer and the turbulence statistics. The results are compared to previous models and simulations of stratified bottom Ekman layers.

NASA-ISRO synthetic aperture radar (NISAR) for temporal tracking of iceberg calving events in the Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jawak, S. D.; Luis, A. J.

2017-12-01

Estimating mass loss of the Antarctic ice sheet caused by iceberg calving is a challenging job. Antarctica is surrounded by a variety of large, medium and small sized ice shelves, glacier tongues and coastal areas without offshore floating ice masses. It is possible to monitor surface structures on the continental ice and the ice shelves as well as calved icebergs using NASA-ISRO synthetic aperture radar (NISAR) satellite images in future. The NISAR, which is planned to be launched in 2020, can be used as an all-weather and all-season system to classify the coastline of Antarctica to map patterns of surface structures close to the calving front. Additionally, classifying patterns and density of surface structures distributed over the ice shelves and ice tongues can be a challenging research where NISAR can be of a great advantage. So this work explores use of NISAR to map surface structures visible on ice shelves which can provide advisories to field teams. The ice shelf fronts has been categorized into various classes based on surface structures relative to the calving front within a 30 km-wide seaward strip. The resulting map of the classified calving fronts around Antarctica and their description would provide a detailed representation of crevasse formation and dominant iceberg in the southern ocean which pose a threat to navigation of Antarctic bound ships.

Topographic expression of active faults in the foothills of the Northern Apennines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picotti, Vincenzo; Ponza, Alessio; Pazzaglia, Frank J.

2009-09-01

Active faults that rupture the earth's surface leave an imprint on the topography that is recognized using a combination of geomorphic and geologic metrics including triangular facets, the shape of mountain fronts, the drainage network, and incised river valleys with inset terraces. We document the presence of a network of active, high-angle extensional faults, collectively embedded in the actively shortening mountain front of the Northern Apennines, that possess unique geomorphic expressions. We measure the strain rate for these structures and find that they have a constant throw-to-length ratio. We demonstrate the necessary and sufficient conditions for triangular facet development in the footwalls of these faults and argue that rock-type exerts the strongest control. The slip rates of these faults range from 0.1 to 0.3 mm/yr, which is similar to the average rate of river incision and mountain front unroofing determined by corollary studies. The faults are a near-surface manifestation of deeper crustal processes that are actively uplifting rocks and growing topography at a rate commensurate with surface processes that are eroding the mountain front to base level.

Rossby waves, extreme fronts, and wildfires in southeastern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeder, Michael J.; Spengler, Thomas; Musgrave, Ruth

2015-03-01

The most catastrophic fires in recent history in southern Australia have been associated with extreme cold fronts. Here an extreme cold front is defined as one for which the maximum temperature at 2 m is at least 17°C lower on the day following the front. An anticyclone, which precedes the cold front, directs very dry northerlies or northwesterlies from the interior of the continent across the region. The passage of the cold front is followed by strong southerlies or southwesterlies. European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts ERA-Interim Reanalyses show that this regional synoptic pattern common to all strong cold fronts, and hence severe fire conditions, is a consequence of propagating Rossby waves, which grow to large amplitude and eventually irreversibly overturn. The process of overturning produces the low-level anticyclone and dry conditions over southern Australia, while simultaneously producing an upper level trough and often precipitation in northeastern Australia.

Flash Diffusivity Technique Applied to Individual Fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayeaux, Brian; Yowell, Leonard; Wang, Hsin

2007-01-01

A variant of the flash diffusivity technique has been devised for determining the thermal diffusivities, and thus the thermal conductivities, of individual aligned fibers. The technique is intended especially for application to nanocomposite fibers, made from narrower fibers of polyphenylene benzobisthiazole (PBZT) and carbon nanotubes. These highly aligned nanocomposite fibers could exploit the high thermal conductivities of carbon nanotubes for thermal-management applications. In the flash diffusivity technique as practiced heretofore, one or more heat pulse(s) is (are) applied to the front face of a plate or disk material specimen and the resulting time-varying temperature on the rear face is measured. Usually, the heat pulse is generated by use of a xenon flash lamp, and the variation of temperature on the rear face is measured by use of an infrared detector. The flash energy is made large enough to produce a usefully high temperature rise on the rear face, but not so large as to significantly alter the specimen material. Once the measurement has been completed, the thermal diffusivity of the specimen is computed from the thickness of the specimen and the time dependence of the temperature variation on the rear face. Heretofore, the infrared detector used in the flash diffusivity technique has been a single-point detector, which responds to a spatial average of the thermal radiation from the rear specimen surface. Such a detector cannot distinguish among regions of differing diffusivity within the specimen. Moreover, two basic assumptions of the thermaldiffusivity technique as practiced heretofore are that the specimen is homogeneous and that heat flows one-dimensionally from the front to the rear face. These assumptions are not valid for an inhomogeneous (composite) material.

Geomatic methods applied to the study of the front position changes of Johnsons and Hurd Glaciers, Livingston Island, Antarctica, between 1957 and 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez Cielos, Ricardo; Aguirre de Mata, Julián; Díez Galilea, Andrés; Álvarez Alonso, Marina; Rodríguez Cielos, Pedro; Navarro Valero, Francisco

2016-08-01

Various geomatic measurement techniques can be efficiently combined for surveying glacier fronts. Aerial photographs and satellite images can be used to determine the position of the glacier terminus. If the glacier front is easily accessible, the classic surveys using theodolite or total station, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) techniques, laser-scanner or close-range photogrammetry are possible. When the accessibility to the glacier front is difficult or impossible, close-range photogrammetry proves to be useful, inexpensive and fast. In this paper, a methodology combining photogrammetric methods and other techniques is applied to determine the calving front position of Johnsons Glacier. Images taken in 2013 with an inexpensive nonmetric digital camera are georeferenced to a global coordinate system by measuring, using GNSS techniques, support points in accessible areas close to the glacier front, from which control points in inaccessible points on the glacier surface near its calving front are determined with theodolite using the direct intersection method. The front position changes of Johnsons Glacier during the period 1957-2013, as well as those of the land-terminating fronts of Argentina, Las Palmas and Sally Rocks lobes of Hurd glacier, are determined from different geomatic techniques such as surface-based GNSS measurements, aerial photogrammetry and satellite optical imagery. This provides a set of frontal positions useful, e.g., for glacier dynamics modeling and mass balance studies.Link to the data repository: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.845379.

Intercomparison of oceanic and atmospheric forced and coupled mesoscale simulations. Part I: Surface fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Josse, P.; Caniaux, G.; Giordani, H.; Planton, S.

1999-04-01

A mesoscale non-hydrostatic atmospheric model has been coupled with a mesoscale oceanic model. The case study is a four-day simulation of a strong storm event observed during the SEMAPHORE experiment over a 500 × 500 km2 domain. This domain encompasses a thermohaline front associated with the Azores current. In order to analyze the effect of mesoscale coupling, three simulations are compared: the first one with the atmospheric model forced by realistic sea surface temperature analyses; the second one with the ocean model forced by atmospheric fields, derived from weather forecast re-analyses; the third one with the models being coupled. For these three simulations the surface fluxes were computed with the same bulk parametrization. All three simulations succeed well in representing the main oceanic or atmospheric features observed during the storm. Comparison of surface fields with in situ observations reveals that the winds of the fine mesh atmospheric model are more realistic than those of the weather forecast re-analyses. The low-level winds simulated with the atmospheric model in the forced and coupled simulations are appreciably stronger than the re-analyzed winds. They also generate stronger fluxes. The coupled simulation has the strongest surface heat fluxes: the difference in the net heat budget with the oceanic forced simulation reaches on average 50 Wm-2 over the simulation period. Sea surface-temperature cooling is too weak in both simulations, but is improved in the coupled run and matches better the cooling observed with drifters. The spatial distributions of sea surface-temperature cooling and surface fluxes are strongly inhomogeneous over the simulation domain. The amplitude of the flux variation is maximum in the coupled run. Moreover the weak correlation between the cooling and heat flux patterns indicates that the surface fluxes are not responsible for the whole cooling and suggests that the response of the ocean mixed layer to the atmosphere is highly non-local and enhanced in the coupled simulation.

Observation of ionization fronts in low density foam targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoarty, D.; Willi, O.; Barringer, L.; Vickers, C.; Watt, R.; Nazarov, W.

1999-05-01

Ionization fronts have been observed in low density chlorinated foam targets and low density foams confined in gold tubes using time resolved K-shell absorption spectroscopy. The front was driven by an intense pulse of soft x-rays produced by high power laser irradiation. The density and temperature profiles inferred from the radiographs provided detailed measurement of the conditions. The experimental data were compared to radiation hydrodynamics simulations and reasonable agreement was obtained.

Saltwater icephobicity: Influence of surface chemistry on saltwater icing

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Katherine; Bahadur, Vaibhav

2015-01-01

Most studies on icephobicity focus on ice formation with pure water. This manuscript presents studies to understand the influence of surfaces on saltwater ice nucleation and propagation. Experiments are conducted to quantify the influence of surface chemistry on saltwater ice nucleation and to understand the utility of superhydrophobic surfaces for saltwater icephobicity. These experiments are conducted with pure water and two sodium chloride solutions, which represent the salinity of seawater and briny produced water. It is seen that the presence of salt slows down the ice front propagation velocity significantly. Saltwater droplet impact dynamics on superhydrophobic surfaces are also different from pure water. Saltwater droplets retract more and a greater fraction of impacting liquid is repelled from the superhydrophobic surface. It is seen that the greater bounciness of saltwater droplets is a result of slower ice nucleation propagation kinetics. These experiments indicate that superhydrophobic surfaces will have better resistance to impact icing with saltwater than pure water and can remain useful at temperatures as low as −40 °C. Overall, this work is a starting point for further studies on heterogeneous nucleation in saltwater and serves as a bridge between the widely studied freshwater icephobic surfaces and saltwater-related applications. PMID:26626958

Analysis of the Effects of Thermal Environment on Optical Systems for Navigation Guidance and Control in Supersonic Aircraft Based on Empirical Equations

PubMed Central

Cheng, Xuemin; Yang, Yikang; Hao, Qun

2016-01-01

The thermal environment is an important factor in the design of optical systems. This study investigated the thermal analysis technology of optical systems for navigation guidance and control in supersonic aircraft by developing empirical equations for the front temperature gradient and rear thermal diffusion distance, and for basic factors such as flying parameters and the structure of the optical system. Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to study the relationship between flying and front dome parameters and the system temperature field. Systematic deduction was then conducted based on the effects of the temperature field on the physical geometry and ray tracing performance of the front dome and rear optical lenses, by deriving the relational expressions between the system temperature field and the spot size and positioning precision of the rear optical lens. The optical systems used for navigation guidance and control in supersonic aircraft when the flight speed is in the range of 1–5 Ma were analysed using the derived equations. Using this new method it was possible to control the precision within 10% when considering the light spot received by the four-quadrant detector, and computation time was reduced compared with the traditional method of separately analysing the temperature field of the front dome and rear optical lens using FEA. Thus, the method can effectively increase the efficiency of parameter analysis and computation in an airborne optical system, facilitating the systematic, effective and integrated thermal analysis of airborne optical systems for navigation guidance and control. PMID:27763515

Analysis of the Effects of Thermal Environment on Optical Systems for Navigation Guidance and Control in Supersonic Aircraft Based on Empirical Equations.

PubMed

Cheng, Xuemin; Yang, Yikang; Hao, Qun

2016-10-17

The thermal environment is an important factor in the design of optical systems. This study investigated the thermal analysis technology of optical systems for navigation guidance and control in supersonic aircraft by developing empirical equations for the front temperature gradient and rear thermal diffusion distance, and for basic factors such as flying parameters and the structure of the optical system. Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to study the relationship between flying and front dome parameters and the system temperature field. Systematic deduction was then conducted based on the effects of the temperature field on the physical geometry and ray tracing performance of the front dome and rear optical lenses, by deriving the relational expressions between the system temperature field and the spot size and positioning precision of the rear optical lens. The optical systems used for navigation guidance and control in supersonic aircraft when the flight speed is in the range of 1-5 Ma were analysed using the derived equations. Using this new method it was possible to control the precision within 10% when considering the light spot received by the four-quadrant detector, and computation time was reduced compared with the traditional method of separately analysing the temperature field of the front dome and rear optical lens using FEA. Thus, the method can effectively increase the efficiency of parameter analysis and computation in an airborne optical system, facilitating the systematic, effective and integrated thermal analysis of airborne optical systems for navigation guidance and control.

Multiobjective constraints for climate model parameter choices: Pragmatic Pareto fronts in CESM1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langenbrunner, B.; Neelin, J. D.

2017-09-01

Global climate models (GCMs) are examples of high-dimensional input-output systems, where model output is a function of many variables, and an update in model physics commonly improves performance in one objective function (i.e., measure of model performance) at the expense of degrading another. Here concepts from multiobjective optimization in the engineering literature are used to investigate parameter sensitivity and optimization in the face of such trade-offs. A metamodeling technique called cut high-dimensional model representation (cut-HDMR) is leveraged in the context of multiobjective optimization to improve GCM simulation of the tropical Pacific climate, focusing on seasonal precipitation, column water vapor, and skin temperature. An evolutionary algorithm is used to solve for Pareto fronts, which are surfaces in objective function space along which trade-offs in GCM performance occur. This approach allows the modeler to visualize trade-offs quickly and identify the physics at play. In some cases, Pareto fronts are small, implying that trade-offs are minimal, optimal parameter value choices are more straightforward, and the GCM is well-functioning. In all cases considered here, the control run was found not to be Pareto-optimal (i.e., not on the front), highlighting an opportunity for model improvement through objectively informed parameter selection. Taylor diagrams illustrate that these improvements occur primarily in field magnitude, not spatial correlation, and they show that specific parameter updates can improve fields fundamental to tropical moist processes—namely precipitation and skin temperature—without significantly impacting others. These results provide an example of how basic elements of multiobjective optimization can facilitate pragmatic GCM tuning processes.

A beta-ray spectrometer based on a two-or three silicon detector coincidence telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horowitz, Y. S.; Weizman, Y.; Hirning, C. R.

1996-02-01

This report describes the operation of a beta-ray energy spectrometer based on a silicon detector telescope using two or three elements. The front detector is a planar, totally-depleted, silicon surface barrier detector that is 97 μm thick, the back detector is a room-temperature, lithium compensated, silicon detector that is 5000 μm thick, and the intermediate detector is similar to the front detector but 72 μm thick and intended to be used only in intense photon fields. The three detectors are mounted in a light-tight aluminum housing. The capability of the spectrometer to reject photons is based upon the fact that the incident photon will have a small probability of simultaneously losing detectable energy in two detectors, and an even smaller probability of losing detectable energy in all three detectors. Electrons will, however, almost always record measurable events in either the front two or all three detectors. A coincidence requirement between the detectors thus rejects photon induced events. With a 97 μm thick detector the lower energy coincidence threshold is approximately 110 keV. With an ultra-thin 40 μm thick front detector, and operated at 15°C, the spectrometer is capable of detecting even 60-70 keV electrons with a coincidence efficiency of 60%. The spectrometer has been used to measure beta radiation fields in CANDU reactor working environments, and the spectral information is intended to support dose algorithms for the LiF TLD chips used in the Ontario Hydro dosimetry program.

Observational Analysis of Cloud and Precipitation in Midlatitude Cyclones: Northern Versus Southern Hemisphere Warm Fronts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naud, Catherine M.; Posselt, Derek J.; van den Heever, Susan C.

2012-01-01

Extratropical cyclones are responsible for most of the precipitation and wind damage in the midlatitudes during the cold season, but there are still uncertainties on how they will change in a warming climate. An ubiquitous problem amongst General Circulation Models (GCMs) is a lack of cloudiness over the southern oceans that may be in part caused by a lack of clouds in cyclones. We analyze CloudSat, CALIPSO and AMSR-E observations for 3 austral and boreal cold seasons and composite cloud frequency of occurrence and precipitation at the warm fronts for northern and southern hemisphere oceanic cyclones. We find that cloud frequency of occurrence and precipitation rate are similar in the early stage of the cyclone life cycle in both northern and southern hemispheres. As cyclones evolve and reach their mature stage, cloudiness and precipitation at the warm front increase in the northern hemisphere but decrease in the southern hemisphere. This is partly caused by lower amounts of precipitable water being available to southern hemisphere cyclones, and smaller increases in wind speed as the cyclones evolve. Southern hemisphere cloud occurrence at the warm front is found to be more sensitive to the amount of moisture in the warm sector than to wind speeds. This suggests that cloudiness in southern hemisphere storms may be more susceptible to changes in atmospheric water vapor content, and thus to changes in surface temperature than their northern hemisphere counterparts. These differences between northern and southern hemisphere cyclones are statistically robust, indicating A-Train-based analyses as useful tools for evaluation of GCMs in the next IPCC report.

Simulating Conditional Deterministic Predictability within Ocean Frontogenesis

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-26

Prediction System (COAMPS; Hodur, 1997) across the inner domain. The surface wind stress is determined from the atmo- spheric model wind velocity...layers on the light side of the front. Increasing the strength of the down-front wind increases the frontogenesis. Mahadevan and Tandon (2006) showed...Filaments of shallow MLD, large frontogenesis and large surface divergence ( upwelling ) are found in the OSEs, but at different locations and strengths . The

Numerical study on the thawing process of biological tissue induced by laser irradiation.

PubMed

Zhou, Jianhua; Liu, Jing; Yu, Aibing

2005-06-01

Most of the laser applications in medicine and biology involve thermal effects. The laser-tissue thermal interaction has therefore received more and more attentions in recent years. However, previous works were mainly focused on the case of laser heating on normal tissues (37 degrees C or above). To date, little is known on the mechanisms of laser heating on the frozen biological tissues. Several latest experimental investigations have demonstrated that lasers have great potentials in tissue cryopreservation. But the lack of theoretical interpretation limits its further application in this area. The present paper proposes a numerical model for the thawing of biological tissues caused by laser irradiation. The Monte Carlo approach and the effective heat capacity method are, respectively, employed to simulate the light propagation and solid-liquid phase change heat transfer. The proposed model has four important features: (1) the tissue is considered as a nonideal material, in which phase transition occurs over a wide temperature range; (2) the solid phase, transition phase, and the liquid phase have different thermophysical properties; (3) the variations in optical properties due to phase-change are also taken into consideration; and (4) the light distribution is changing continually with the advancement of the thawing fronts. To this end, 15 thawing-front geometric configurations are presented for the Monte Carlo simulation. The least-squares parabola fitting technique is applied to approximate the shape of the thawing front. And then, a detailed algorithm of calculating the photon reflection/refraction behaviors at the thawing front is described. Finally, we develop a coupled light/heat transport solution procedure for the laser-induced thawing of frozen tissues. The proposed model is compared with three test problems and good agreement is obtained. The calculated results show that the light reflectance/transmittance at the tissue surface are continually changing with the progression of the thawing fronts and that lasers provide a new heating method superior to conventional heating through surface conduction because it can achieve a uniform volumetric heating. Parametric studies are performed to test the influences of the optical properties of tissue on the thawing process. The proposed model is rather general in nature and therefore can be applied to other nonbiological problems as long as the materials are absorbing and scattering media.

Bathymetry of Torssukatak fjord and one century of glacier stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, L.; Rignot, E. J.; Morlighem, M.

2017-12-01

Marine-terminating glaciers dominate the evolution of the Greenland Ice Sheet(GrIS) mass balance as they control 90% of the ice discharge into the ocean. Warm air temperatures thin the glaciers from the top to unground ice fronts from the bed. Warm oceans erode the submerged grounded ice, causing the grounding line to retreat. To interpret the recent and future evolution of two outlet glaciers, Sermeq Avangnardleq (AVA) and Sermeq Kujatdleq (KUJ) in central West Greenland, flowing into the ice-choked Torssukatak fjord (TOR), we need to know their ice thickness and bed topography and the fjord bathymetry. Here, we present a novel mapping of the glacier bed topography, ice thickness and sea floor bathymetry near the grounding line using high resolution airborne gravity data from AIRGrav collected in August 2012 with a helicopter platform, at 500 m spacing grid, 50 knots ground speed, 80 m ground clearance, with submilligal accuracy, i.e. higher than NASA Operation IceBridge (OIB)'s 5.2 km resolution, 290 knots, and 450 m clearance. We also employ MultiBeam Echo Sounding data (MBES) collected in the fjord since 2009. We had to wait until the summer of 2016, during Ocean Melting Greenland (OMG), to map the fjord bathymetry near the ice fronts for the first time. We constrain the 3D inversion of the gravity data with MBES in the fjord and a reconstruction of the glacier bed topography using mass conservation (MC) on land ice. The seamless topography obtained across the grounding line reveal the presence of a 300-m sill for AVA, which explains why this glacier has been stable for a century, despite changes in surface melt and ocean-induced melt and the presence of a deep fjord (800 m) in front of the glacier. For KUJ, we also reveal the presence of a wide sill (300 m depth) near the current ice front which explains its stability and the stranding of iceberg debris in front of the glacier. The results shed new light on the evolution of these glaciers and explain their apparent stability. The data also reveal the presence of a deep bed upstream, indicating a potential for rapid retreat if ocean and surface melting are able to dislodge the glaciers from their stabilizing sills. This work was funded by NASA Cryosphere Program and from a grant by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Phytoplankton and nutrient distributions in a front-eddy area adjacent to the coastal upwelling zone off Concepcion (Chile): implications for ecosystem productivity.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, Carmen; Anabalón, Valeria; Hormazábal, Samuel; Cornejo, Marcela; Bento, Joaquim; Silva, Nelson

2016-04-01

The impact that sub-mesoscale (1-10 km) to mesocale (50-100 km) oceanographic variability has on plankton and nutrient distributions (horizontal and vertical) in the coastal upwelling and transition zones off Concepcion was the focus of this study. Satellite time-series data (wind, sea-surface temperature (SST), and altimetry) were used to understand the dynamic context of in situ data derived from a short-term front survey (3 d) during the upwelling period (3-6 February, 2014). The survey included two transects perpendicular to the coast, covering the shelf and shelf-break areas just north of Punta Lavapie, a main upwelling center (˜37° S). Wind and SST time-series data indicated that the survey was undertaken just after a moderate upwelling event (end of January) which lead to a relaxation phase during early February. A submesoscale thermal front was detected previous to and during the survey and results from an eddy tracking algorithm based on altimetry data indicated that this front (F1) was flanked on its oceanic side by an anticyclonic, mesoscale eddy (M1), which was ˜25 d old at the sampling time. M1 strengthened the thermal gradient of F1 by bringing warmer oceanic water nearer to the colder coastal upwelling zone. The distributions of hydrographic variables and nutrients in the water column (<300 m depth) also denoted these two features. Phytoplankton biomass (Chl-a) and diatom abundance were highest in the surface layer (<20 m depth) between the coast and F1, with primary maxima in the latter, whereas they were highest at the subsurface (20-40 m depth) towards M1 and associated with secondary maxima. The distribution of dominant diatoms in the top layer (<100 m depth) indicated that both coastal and oceanic species were aggregated at F1 and in M1. These results suggest that the front-eddy interaction creates a complex field of submesoscale processes in the top layer, including vertical nutrient injections and lateral stirring, which contributes to the exportation of coastal communities to the open ocean in this region. We discuss how this interaction might affect ecosystem productivity in the coastal band.

Fronts propagating with curvature dependent speed: Algorithms based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osher, Stanley; Sethian, James A.

1987-01-01

New numerical algorithms are devised (PSC algorithms) for following fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed. The speed may be an arbitrary function of curvature, and the front can also be passively advected by an underlying flow. These algorithms approximate the equations of motion, which resemble Hamilton-Jacobi equations with parabolic right-hand-sides, by using techniques from the hyperbolic conservation laws. Non-oscillatory schemes of various orders of accuracy are used to solve the equations, providing methods that accurately capture the formation of sharp gradients and cusps in the moving fronts. The algorithms handle topological merging and breaking naturally, work in any number of space dimensions, and do not require that the moving surface be written as a function. The methods can be used also for more general Hamilton-Jacobi-type problems. The algorithms are demonstrated by computing the solution to a variety of surface motion problems.

Axially staged combustion system for a gas turbine engine

DOEpatents

Bland, Robert J [Oviedo, FL

2009-12-15

An axially staged combustion system is provided for a gas turbine engine comprising a main body structure having a plurality of first and second injectors. First structure provides fuel to at least one of the first injectors. The fuel provided to the one first injector is adapted to mix with air and ignite to produce a flame such that the flame associated with the one first injector defines a flame front having an average length when measured from a reference surface of the main body structure. Each of the second injectors comprising a section extending from the reference surface of the main body structure through the flame front and having a length greater than the average length of the flame front. Second structure provides fuel to at least one of the second injectors. The fuel passes through the one second injector and exits the one second injector at a location axially spaced from the flame front.

Fragmentation Speed at Magmatic Temperatures: an Experimental Determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alatorre-Ibarguengoitia, M. A.; Scheu, B.; Dingwell, D. B.

2011-12-01

The propagation speed of the fragmentation front (fragmentation speed) is a controlling factor in the dynamics of explosive volcanic eruptions and can affect the eruptive regime. It is impossible to measure the fragmentation speed directly in natural systems. Thus, laboratory experiments using natural samples represent a unique source of information revealing the dynamics of fragmentation processes. Rapid decompression experiments of natural samples from several volcanoes allowed us to quantify the influence of sample porosity and pressure differential on the fragmentation speed. These previous experiments have been performed almost exclusively at temperatures up to 300 °C. Due to experimental constraints it is not possible to measure directly the fragmentation speed at magmatic temperatures using the same procedure as in the experiments up to moderate temperature. The magmatic temperature for the analyzed rock types varies typically between 700 - 900 °C, reflecting their moderate to high silica content. For this reason, the influence of the temperature on the fragmentation speed had not been investigated systematically. In order to determine the fragmentation speed at magmatic temperatures (700 - 900 °C), we performed rapid decompression experiments of volcanic rocks and measured with a high-speed camera the ejection speed at the front of the gas-particle mixture produced by fragmentation. Then we used a theoretical model based on a 1-D shock-tube theory considering the conservation laws across the fragmentation front that provides a relationship between the fragmentation speed and the ejection speed at the front of the gas-particle mixture. This model has been validated in fragmentation experiments at room temperature where the fragmentation and ejection speed were measured simultaneously. We investigated natural volcanic samples covering a broad range of connected porosity (16 - 65 vol. %) and applied pressures (4-20 MPa) at room temperature and up to 850 °C. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic investigation of the fragmentation speed of volcanic samples at magmatic temperatures. These results enhance our understanding of explosive volcanic eruptions. As has been shown by recent studies, a quantitative knowledge of the dynamics of magma fragmentation is critical for determining the eruptive regime.

Double diffusion in the frontal zones of the Yellow and East China Seas in winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, K.; Lee, S.

2017-12-01

Where the cold, fresh water of the Yellow Sea (YS) and the warm, salty water of the East China Sea (ECS) meet, northern and southern fronts are formed in the southeastern YS and the northwestern ECS, respectively. Strong thermohaline fronts are formed on the northern front, and a strong thermocline and a temperature reversal phenomenon are represented in this front. To understand the water structure of this thermohaline zone, we examined double diffusion in the frontal zones in February 2003 using hydrographic data. In the northern front, the warm, salty Cheju Warm Current Water (CWCW) moved northwards along the bottom layer and the cold, fresh Yellow Sea Cold Water (YSCW) flowed southward in the upper layer. As a result, strong thermohaline fronts forms in the area where the two water masses met, and the slope was developed downward across the front. In this area, a strong thermocline and temperature reversal structures were present. The cold, fresh Korean Coastal Water (KCW) was also found in the upper layer near the thermocline, and has a low-temperature, low-salinity more than surrounding water. When cold, fresh water is located over warm, salty water, heat diffuses through the interface between the two water masses, and then the diffusive-convection can be expected to occur. On the other hand, when warm, salty water overlays cold, fresh water, heat in the upper layer is preferentially transferred downward, and the salt-fingering occurs. The diffusive-convection occurs predominantly in the northern thermohaline front, where the cold, fresh YSCW is situated above the warm, salty CWCW and has the effect of strengthening stratification, so that the water column maintains a physically stable structure. In addition, this phenomenon seems to play a role in maintaining the reversal structure. The salt-fingering occurs in upper layers of the northern front where the cold, fresh YSCW is located over the most cold, fresh KCW. Near the northern thermo-halocline zone, the salt-fingering occurs simultaneously with the diffusive-convection, because three water masses, YSCW, KCW and CWCW, interact in that area. Therefore, it can be seen that the water structure of the northern frontal zone in winter is influenced mainly by the cold, fresh YSCW, the most cold, fresh KCW, and the warm, salty CWCW.

Corneal Astigmatism Stability in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty for Fuchs Corneal Dystrophy.

PubMed

Yokogawa, Hideaki; Sanchez, P James; Mayko, Zachary M; Straiko, Michael D; Terry, Mark A

2016-07-01

To calculate the magnitude and angle of the shift in corneal astigmatism associated with Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) surgery to determine the feasibility of concurrent astigmatism correction at the time of DMEK triple procedures. Retrospective study. Forty-seven eyes that previously underwent the DMEK procedure for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy and that had more than 1.0 diopter (D) of front corneal astigmatism preoperatively were identified. All DMEK surgeries used a clear corneal temporal incision of 3.2 mm. Surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) was evaluated 6 months postsurgery with vector analysis using Scheimpflug image reading. We did not find a difference between pre- and postoperative magnitude of front astigmatism (P = 0.88; paired t test). The magnitude of the SIA front surface was 0.77 ± 0.63 D (range, 0.10-3.14 D). The centroid vector of the SIA front surface was 0.14 at 89.3°. A hyperopic corneal power shift was noted in both the front surface by 0.26 ± 0.74 D (range, 0.45-3.05 D) (P = 0.018; paired t test) and back surface by 0.56 ± 0.55 D (range, 0.25-2.40 D) (P < 0.01; paired t test). DMEK surgery induces minimal amounts of corneal astigmatism that is a with-the-rule shift associated with a temporal clear corneal incision. The stability of these data from preop to postop supports the plausibility of incorporating astigmatism correction with the cautious use of toric intraocular lenses for patients with Fuchs corneal dystrophy and cataract.

Target-in-the-loop beam control: basic considerations for analysis and wave-front sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorontsov, Mikhail A.; Kolosov, Valeriy

2005-01-01

Target-in-the-loop (TIL) wave propagation geometry represents perhaps the most challenging case for adaptive optics applications that are related to maximization of irradiance power density on extended remotely located surfaces in the presence of dynamically changing refractive-index inhomogeneities in the propagation medium. We introduce a TIL propagation model that uses a combination of the parabolic equation describing coherent outgoing-wave propagation, and the equation describing evolution of the mutual correlation function (MCF) for the backscattered wave (return wave). The resulting evolution equation for the MCF is further simplified by use of the smooth-refractive-index approximation. This approximation permits derivation of the transport equation for the return-wave brightness function, analyzed here by the method of characteristics (brightness function trajectories). The equations for the brightness function trajectories (ray equations) can be efficiently integrated numerically. We also consider wave-front sensors that perform sensing of speckle-averaged characteristics of the wave-front phase (TIL sensors). Analysis of the wave-front phase reconstructed from Shack-Hartmann TIL sensor measurements shows that an extended target introduces a phase modulation (target-induced phase) that cannot be easily separated from the atmospheric-turbulence-related phase aberrations. We also show that wave-front sensing results depend on the extended target shape, surface roughness, and outgoing-beam intensity distribution on the target surface. For targets with smooth surfaces and nonflat shapes, the target-induced phase can contain aberrations. The presence of target-induced aberrations in the conjugated phase may result in a deterioration of adaptive system performance.

Target-in-the-loop beam control: basic considerations for analysis and wave-front sensing.

PubMed

Vorontsov, Mikhail A; Kolosov, Valeriy

2005-01-01

Target-in-the-loop (TIL) wave propagation geometry represents perhaps the most challenging case for adaptive optics applications that are related to maximization of irradiance power density on extended remotely located surfaces in the presence of dynamically changing refractive-index inhomogeneities in the propagation medium. We introduce a TIL propagation model that uses a combination of the parabolic equation describing coherent outgoing-wave propagation, and the equation describing evolution of the mutual correlation function (MCF) for the backscattered wave (return wave). The resulting evolution equation for the MCF is further simplified by use of the smooth-refractive-index approximation. This approximation permits derivation of the transport equation for the return-wave brightness function, analyzed here by the method of characteristics (brightness function trajectories). The equations for the brightness function trajectories (ray equations) can be efficiently integrated numerically. We also consider wave-front sensors that perform sensing of speckle-averaged characteristics of the wave-front phase (TIL sensors). Analysis of the wave-front phase reconstructed from Shack-Hartmann TIL sensor measurements shows that an extended target introduces a phase modulation (target-induced phase) that cannot be easily separated from the atmospheric-turbulence-related phase aberrations. We also show that wave-front sensing results depend on the extended target shape, surface roughness, and outgoing-beam intensity distribution on the target surface. For targets with smooth surfaces and nonflat shapes, the target-induced phase can contain aberrations. The presence of target-induced aberrations in the conjugated phase may result in a deterioration of adaptive system performance.

Insights into ice-ocean interactions and fjord circulation from fjord sea surface temperatures at the Petermann Glacier, Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snow, T.; Shepherd, B.; Abdalati, W.; Scambos, T. A.

2016-12-01

Dynamic processes at marine-terminating outlet glaciers are responsible for over one-third of Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) mass loss. Enhanced intrusion of warm ocean waters at the termini of these glaciers has contributed to elevated rates of ice thinning and terminus retreat over the last two decades. In situ oceanographic measurements and modeling studies show that basal melting of glaciers and subglacial discharge can cause buoyant plumes of water to rise to the fjord surface and influence fjord circulation characteristics. The temperature of these surface waters holds clues about ice-ocean interactions and small-scale circulation features along the glacier terminus that could contribute to outlet glacier mass loss, but the magnitude and duration of temperature variability remains uncertain. Satellite remote sensing has proven very effectiver for acquiring sea surface temperatuer (SST) data from these remote regions on a long-term, consistent basis and shows promise for identifying temperature anomalies at the ice front. However, these data sets have not been widely utilized to date. Here, we use satellite-derived sea surface temperatures to identify fjord surface outflow characteristics from 2000 to present at the Petermann Glacier, which drains 4% of the GIS and is experiencing 80% of its mass loss from basal melt. We find a general SST warming trend that coincides with early sea ice breakup and precedes two major calving events and ice speedup that began in 2010. Persistent SST anomalies along the terminus provide evidence of warm outflow that is consistent with buoyant plume model predictions. However, the anomalies are not evident early in the time series, suggesting that ocean inflow and ice-ocean interactions have experienced a regime shift since 2000. Our results provide valuable insight into fjord circulation patterns and the forcing mechanisms that contribute to terminus retreat. Comparing our results to ongoing modeling experiments, time series from other outlet glaciers, and coincident in situ measurements, will help to further explain the physical processes occurring at the ice-ocean boundary and provide useful insights into the changes taking place at other GIS marine-terminating outlet glaciers.

Non-Contact Thermal Characterization of NASA's HERMeS Hall Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, Wensheng; Kamhawi, Hani; Myers, James L.; Yim, John T.; Neff, Gregory

2015-01-01

The thermal characterization test of NASA's 12.5-kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding has been completed. This thruster was developed to support a number of potential Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission concepts, including the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission concept. As a part of the preparation for this characterization test, an infrared-based, non-contact thermal imaging system was developed to measure the temperature of various thruster surfaces that are exposed to high voltage or plasma. An in-situ calibration array was incorporated into the setup to improve the accuracy of the temperature measurement. The key design parameters for the calibration array were determined in a separate pilot test. The raw data from the characterization test was analyzed though further work is needed to obtain accurate anode temperatures. Examination of the front pole and discharge channel temperatures showed that the thruster temperature was driven more by discharge voltage than by discharge power. Operation at lower discharge voltages also yielded more uniform temperature distributions than at higher discharge voltages. When operating at high discharge voltage, increasing the magnetic field strength appeared to have made the thermal loading azimuthally more uniform.

Bibliography of Research on Ocean Fronts, 1964-1984

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-08-01

water masses which exhibit notable differences in temperature, salinity , chlorophyll and other properties. One example of an ocean front is the...Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A302: 617-634. Amos, A.F., M.G. Langseth and R.G. Markl. 1972. Visible oceanic saline fronts, p. 49-62. In A.L. Gordon...On the mechanism of the deep mixed layer formation during MEDOC 1969. Cahiers Oceanogr. XXII: 427-442. Anderson, F.E. 1980. The variation in

Observation of Transonic Ionization Fronts in Low-Density Foam Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoarty, D.; Barringer, L.; Vickers, C.; Willi, O.; Nazarov, W.

1999-04-01

Transonic ionization fronts have been observed in low-density chlorinated foam targets using time-resolved K-shell absorption spectroscopy. The front was driven by an intense pulse of soft x rays produced by high-power laser irradiation of a thin foil. The density and temperature profiles inferred from the radiographs provided detailed measurement of the conditions at a number of times. The experimental data were compared to radiation hydrodynamics simulations and reasonable agreement was obtained.

Gas propagation in a liquid helium cooled vacuum tube following a sudden vacuum loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhuley, Ram C.

This dissertation describes the propagation of near atmospheric nitrogen gas that rushes into a liquid helium cooled vacuum tube after the tube suddenly loses vacuum. The loss-of-vacuum scenario resembles accidental venting of atmospheric air to the beam-line of a superconducting radio frequency particle accelerator and is investigated to understand how in the presence of condensation, the in-flowing air will propagate in such geometry. In a series of controlled experiments, room temperature nitrogen gas (a substitute for air) at a variety of mass flow rates was vented to a high vacuum tube immersed in a bath of liquid helium. Pressure probes and thermometers installed on the tube along its length measured respectively the tube pressure and tube wall temperature rise due to gas flooding and condensation. At high mass in-flow rates a gas front propagated down the vacuum tube but with a continuously decreasing speed. Regression analysis of the measured front arrival times indicates that the speed decreases nearly exponentially with the travel length. At low enough mass in-flow rates, no front propagated in the vacuum tube. Instead, the in-flowing gas steadily condensed over a short section of the tube near its entrance and the front appeared to `freeze-out'. An analytical expression is derived for gas front propagation speed in a vacuum tube in the presence of condensation. The analytical model qualitatively explains the front deceleration and flow freeze-out. The model is then simplified and supplemented with condensation heat/mass transfer data to again find the front to decelerate exponentially while going away from the tube entrance. Within the experimental and procedural uncertainty, the exponential decay length-scales obtained from the front arrival time regression and from the simplified model agree.

Estimated effects of projected ground-water withdrawals on movement of the saltwater front in the Floridan aquifer, 1976-2000, west-central Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, William Edward

1982-01-01

Maps of observed 1976 and simulated 2000 potentiometric surfaces were used to estimate rates of saltwater encroachment and theoretical predevelopment equilibrium positions of the saltwater-freshwater interface in west-central Florida. The observed saltwater front, defined by the 19,000 milligrams-per-liter line of equal chloride concentration in the lower part of the Floridan aquifer, corresponds closely to a theoretical predevelopment equilibrium position of a saltwater-freshwater interface. The interface position was computed by the Ghyben-Herzberg method, using heads from a map of the predevelopment potentiometric surface. In maps of both the observed May 1976 and simulated May 2000 potentiometric surface, the saltwater front was within a large seasonal cone of depression in parts of Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties. Average landward flow rate of the front was computed to be 0.30 foot per day in May 1976 and 0.36 foot per day in May 2000. Seaward potentiometric-surface gradient under simulated October 2000 conditions averaged 8.8 x 10-5 foot per foot less than under observed September 1976 conditions. Regional observation wells are desirable for monitoring potentiometric-level changes in western Hardee County and eastern Manatee County and for monitoring water-quality changes along the saltwater front, on its landward side, from mid-Sarasota County northward to Hillsborough County. Net landward movement of the saltwater front in the lower part of the Floridan aquifer is probably occurring under existing conditions. Pumping during 1976-2000 would probably increase slightly the rate of movement. However, rates are so slow that on a regional basis saltwater encroachment under existing and projected conditions is not presently a threat to the existing freshwater resources. The maximum projected regional landward movement, under 'worst case' conditions, of the saltwater front between 1976 and 2000 is estimated to be about one-half mile. Significant local encroachment could result from (1) ground-water development in the zone of transition and (2) deviations of local hydrogeologic conditions from average regional conditions.

Structure and physical conditions in the Huygens region of the Orion nebula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Dell, C. R.; Ferland, G. J.; Peimbert, M.

2017-02-01

Hubble Space Telescope images, MUSE maps of emission lines, and an atlas of high velocity resolution emission-line spectra have been used to establish for the first time correlations of the electron temperature, electron density, radial velocity, turbulence, and orientation within the main ionization front of the nebula. From the study of the combined properties of multiple features, it is established that variations in the radial velocity are primarily caused by the photoevaporating ionization front being viewed at different angles. There is a progressive increase of the electron temperature and density with decreasing distance from the dominant ionizing star θ1 Ori C. The product of these characteristics (ne × Te) is the most relevant parameter in modelling a blister-type nebula like the Huygens region, where this quantity should vary with the surface brightness in Hα. Several lines of evidence indicate that small-scale structure and turbulence exist down to the level of our resolution of a few arcseconds. Although photoevaporative flow must contribute at some level to the well-known non-thermal broadening of the emission lines, comparison of quantitative predictions with the observed optical line widths indicates that it is not the major additive broadening component. Derivation of Te values for H+ from radio+optical and optical-only ionized hydrogen emission showed that this temperature is close to that derived from [N II] and that the transition from the well-known flat extinction curve which applies in the Huygens region to a more normal steep extinction curve occurs immediately outside of the Bright Bar feature of the nebula.

Measurement of surface recombination velocity for silicon solar cells using a scanning electron microscope with pulsed beam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daud, T.; Cheng, L. J.

1981-01-01

The role of surface recombination velocity in the design and fabrication of silicon solar cells is discussed. A scanning electron microscope with pulsed electron beam was used to measure this parameter of silicon surfaces. It is shown that the surface recombination velocity, s, increases by an order of magnitude when an etched surface degrades, probably as a result of environmental reaction. A textured front-surface-field cell with a high-low junction near the surface shows the effect of minority carrier reflection and an apparent reduction of s, whereas a tandem-junction cell shows an increasing s value. Electric fields at junction interfaces in front-surface-field and tandem-junction cells acting as minority carrier reflectors or sinks tend to alter the value of effective surface recombination velocity for different beam penetration depths. A range of values of s was calculated for different surfaces.

Communist China. Section 23. Weather and Climate. Part 3 - North China

DTIC Science & Technology

1964-06-01

Introduction 1 2. Climatic controls 2 a. General circulation and air masses 2 b. Migratory pressure systems and fronts 3 (1) Extratropical ...Sea-level pressure and surface airflow, January (map) 2 Fig. 2 Sea-level pressure and surface airflow, July (mop) 2 Fig. 3 Tracks of extratropical ...become weaker and less frequent as those of the invading monsoon become more prevalent. b. MIGRATORY PRESSURE SYSTEMS AND FRONTS (1) Extratropical

Front-surface fabrication of moderate aspect ratio micro-channels in fused silica by single picosecond Gaussian-Bessel laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xin; Sanner, Nicolas; Sentis, Marc; Stoian, Razvan; Zhao, Wei; Cheng, Guanghua; Utéza, Olivier

2018-02-01

Single-shot Gaussian-Bessel laser beams of 1 ps pulse duration and of 0.9 μm core size and 60 μm depth of focus are used for drilling micro-channels on front side of fused silica in ambient condition. Channels ablated at different pulse energies are fully characterized by AFM and post-processing polishing procedures. We identify experimental energy conditions (typically 1.5 µJ) suitable to fabricate non-tapered channels with mean diameter of 1.2 µm and length of 40 μm while maintaining an utmost quality of the front opening of the channels. In addition, by further applying accurate post-polishing procedure, channels with high surface quality and moderate aspect ratio down to a few units are accessible, which would find interest in the surface micro-structuring of materials, with perspective of further scalability to meta-material specifications.

Measuring Humidity in Sealed Glass Encasements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, James W.; Burkett, Cecil G.; Levine, Joel S.

2005-01-01

A technique has been devised for measuring the relative humidity levels in the protective helium/water vapor atmosphere in which the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are encased behind glass panels on display at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The technique is noninvasive: it does not involve penetrating the encasements (thereby risking contamination or damage to the priceless documents) to acquire samples of the atmosphere. The technique could also be applied to similar glass encasements used to protect and display important documents and other precious objects in museums. The basic principle of the technique is straightforward: An encasement is maintained at its normal display or operating temperature (e.g., room temperature) while a portion of its glass front panel is chilled (see Figure 1) until condensed water droplets become visible on the inside of the panel. The relative humidity of the enclosed atmosphere can then be determined as a known function of the dew point, the temperature below which the droplets condense. Notwithstanding the straightforwardness of the basic principle, careful attention to detail is necessary to enable accurate determination of the dew point. In the initial application, the affected portion of the glass panel was cooled by contact with an aluminum plate that was cooled by a thermoelectric module, the exhaust heat of which was dissipated by a heat sink cooled by a fan. A thermocouple was used to measure the interior temperature of the aluminum plate, and six other thermocouples were used to measure the temperatures at six locations on the cooled outer surface of the glass panel (see Figure 2). Thermal grease was applied to the aluminum plate and the thermocouples to ensure close thermal contact. Power was supplied to the thermoelectric module in small increments, based on previous laboratory tests. A small flashlight and a magnifying glass were used to look for water droplets condensing on the inner surface of the glass. The temperature readings of the thermocouples were taken during cool-down and upon observing condensation. In determining the dew point, it was necessary to make a correction for the differences between the temperatures measured on the chilled outer surface of the glass and the temperature of the inner surface, where the condensation took place. The correction was derived from a laboratory test on a measurement setup that was nearly identical, except that the dew location on the inner surface was also instrumented with a thermocouple. The test showed that the temperature at the dew location on the inner surface of the glass panel was 0.9 C above the temperature determined from the measurements on the chilled outer surface of the panel.

Closed-form analytical solutions of high-temperature heat pipe startup and frozen startup limitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cao, Y.; Faghri, A.

1992-01-01

Previous numerical and experimental studies indicate that the high-temperature heat pipe startup process is characterized by a moving hot zone with relatively sharp fronts. Based on the above observation, a flat-front model for an approximate analytical solution is proposed. A closed-form solution related to the temperature distribution in the hot zone and the hot zone length as a function of time are obtained. The analytical results agree well with the corresponding experimental data, and provide a quick prediction method for the heat pipe startup performance. Finally, a heat pipe limitation related to the frozen startup process is identified, and an explicit criterion for the high-temperature heat pipe startup is derived. The frozen startup limit identified in this paper provides a fundamental guidance for high-temperature heat pipe design.

Simulation study of air and water cooled photovoltaic panel using ANSYS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syafiqah, Z.; Amin, N. A. M.; Irwan, Y. M.; Majid, M. S. A.; Aziz, N. A.

2017-10-01

Demand for alternative energy is growing due to decrease of fossil fuels sources. One of the promising and popular renewable energy technology is a photovoltaic (PV) technology. During the actual operation of PV cells, only around 15% of solar irradiance is converted to electricity, while the rest is converted into heat. The electrical efficiency decreases with the increment in PV panel’s temperature. This electrical energy is referring to the open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Isc) and output power generate. This paper examines and discusses the PV panel with water and air cooling system. The air cooling system was installed at the back of PV panel while water cooling system at front surface. The analyses of both cooling systems were done by using ANSYS CFX and PSPICE software. The highest temperature of PV panel without cooling system is 66.3 °C. There is a decrement of 19.2% and 53.2% in temperature with the air and water cooling system applied to PV panel.

Effects of thermal inhomogeneity on 4m class mirror substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jedamzik, Ralf; Kunisch, Clemens; Westerhoff, Thomas

2016-07-01

The new ground based telescope generation is moving to a next stage of performance and resolution. Mirror substrate material properties tolerance and homogeneity are getting into focus. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) homogeneity is even more important than the absolute CTE. The error in shape of a mirror, even one of ZERODUR, is affected by changes in temperature, and by gradients in temperature. Front to back gradients will change the radius of curvature R that in turn will change the focus. Some systems rely on passive athermalization and do not have means to focus. Similarly changes in soak temperature will result in surface changes to the extent there is a non-zero coefficient of thermal expansion. When there are in-homogeneities in CTE, the mirror will react accordingly. Results of numerical experiments are presented discussing the impact of CTE in-homogeneities on the optical performance of 4 m class mirror substrates. Latest improvements in 4 m class ZERODUR CTE homogeneity and the thermal expansion metrology are presented as well.

Properties, formation, and dissipation of the North Pacific Eastern Subtropical Mode Water and its impact on interannual spiciness anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katsura, Shota

2018-03-01

The properties, formation, and dissipation of the North Pacific Eastern Subtropical Mode Water (ESTMW), their interannual variability, and impact on spiciness anomalies in the upper permanent pycnocline were investigated using Argo profiling float data in 2005-2015. The core temperature and salinity of ESTMWs were horizontally compensated to a constant density, and core potential density concentrates in a range of 24.5-25.2 kg m-3 with two distinct peaks. ESTMWs showed different spatial distribution and persistence for its core potential density. Denser ESTMWs with a potential density of 24.9-25.2 kg m-3 were formed in winter mixed layer depth maximum centered at 30°N, 140°W and lighter ESTMWs of 24.5-24.9 kg m-3 were formed south and east of it. After formation through shoaling of the winter mixed layer, the former persisted until the following autumn and a small part of it subducted in winter, while the latter dissipated in summer. The formation region of ESTMW corresponded to the summer sea surface density maximum resulting from its poleward sea surface salinity front. Sea surface density maximum maintains weak stratification during summer, preconditioning the deepening of the winter mixed layer and hence the formation of ESTMWs. A relationship between the ESTMW formation region and the summer sea surface density maximum was also found in the North Atlantic and the South Pacific, implying the importance of sea surface salinity fronts and the associated summer sea surface density maximum to ESTMW formation. Interannual variations of ESTMW reflected that of the winter mixed layer in its formation region, and the thickness of ESTMW was related to the Pacific decadal oscillation. ESTMW contributed to the occurrence of spice injection and affected spiciness anomalies in the upper permanent pycnocline through its formation and dissipation.

Mathematical model of a smoldering log.

Treesearch

Fernando de Souza Costa; David Sandberg

2004-01-01

A mathematical model is developed describing the natural smoldering of logs. It is considered the steady one dimensional propagation of infinitesimally thin fronts of drying, pyrolysis, and char oxidation in a horizontal semi-infinite log. Expressions for the burn rates, distribution profiles of temperature, and positions of the drying, pyrolysis, and smoldering fronts...

Investigating the response of Crane Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula to the disintegration of the Larsen B ice shelf using a 2-D flowline model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, A. J.; Hulbe, C. L.; Sergienko, O.

2009-12-01

Many of the glaciers flowing into the Larsen B ice shelf sped up and experienced front retreat following its March 2002 disintegration. Crane Glacier stands out among the fast responding glaciers for its dramatic increase in speed, from ~500 m/a to ~1500 m/a in its downstream reach, large surface lowering, and front retreat. Between march 2002 and early 2005, the glacier's calving front retreated by about 11.5 km to a location at which it has remained since that time. In order to investigate the physical processes that control the reaction of Crane Glacier to ice shelf disintegration, a flowline model has been developed. The model solves for the full momentum balance along the flowline using the finite element method and allows for basal sliding using a Budd type sliding relation. Model parameters are tuned to reproduce observation of surface velocity prior to ice shelf disintegration. Model can be applied diagnostically to examine instantaneous changes in boundary conditions or prognostically to evolve surface elevation over time. The instantaneous model response of the glacier to ice shelf removal produces surface velocities and thinning rates that agree well with observations. When the front position is modified to represent the steady position reached in 2005, the model again produces velocities similar to those observed on the glacier. A typical tidewater calving criterion can be used to predict the steady position toward which the front retreated. We conclude that the post-collapse speed up is facilitated by rapid basal sliding, which allows a small perturbation in vertical shearing to be amplified into a large velocity response. The pattern of glacier front retreat can be explained by a tidewater calving instability. These conclusions underscore the importance of basal sliding parametrizations in understanding observed changes in ice sheet outlet glaciers and modeling their future behavior. Correct representation of iceberg calving is also important.

Temperature Oscillations in Loop Heat Pipes - A Revisit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung

2018-01-01

Three types of temperature oscillation have been observed in the loop heat pipes. The first type is an ultra-high frequency temperature oscillation with a period on the order of seconds or less. This type of temperature oscillation is of little significance in spacecraft thermal control because the amplitude is in the noise level. The second type is a high frequency, low amplitude temperature oscillation with a period on the order of seconds to minutes and an amplitude on the order of one Kelvin. It is caused by the back-and-forth movement of the vapor front near the inlet or outlet of the condenser. The third type is a low frequency, high amplitude oscillation with a period on the order of hours and an amplitude on the order of tens of Kelvin. It is caused by the modulation of the net heat load into the evaporator by the attached large thermal mass which absorbs and releases energy alternately. Several papers on LHP temperature oscillation have been published. This paper presents a further study on the underlying physical processes during the LHP temperature oscillation, with an emphasis on the third type of temperature oscillation. Specifically, equations governing the thermal and hydraulic behaviors of LHP operation will be used to describe interactions among LHP components, heat source, and heat sink. The following sequence of events and their interrelationship will also be explored: 1) maxima and minima of reservoir and thermal mass temperatures; 2) the range of the vapor front movement inside the condenser; 3) rates of change of the reservoir and thermal mass temperatures; 4) the rate of heat absorption and heat release by the thermal mass and the rate of vapor front movement; and 5) inflection points of the reservoir and thermal mass temperatures.

Sodium Variable Conductance Heat Pipe for Radioisotope Stirling Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarau, Calin; Anderson, William G.; Walker, Kara

2009-01-01

In a Stirling radioisotope system, heat must continually be removed from the General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules to maintain the modules and surrounding insulation at acceptable temperatures. Normally, the Stirling convertor provides this cooling. If the converter stops in the current system, the insulation is designed to spoil, preventing damage to the GPHS, and also ending the mission. An alkali-metal Variable Conductance Heat Pipe (VCHP) has been designed to allow multiple stops and restarts of the Stirling convertor in an Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). When the Stirling convertor is turned off, the VCHP will activate when the temperatures rises 30 C above the setpoint temperature. A prototype VCHP with sodium as the working fluid was fabricated and tested in both gravity aided and against gravity conditions for a nominal heater head temperature of 790 C. The results show very good agreement with the predictions and validate the model. The gas front was located at the exit of the reservoir when heater head temperature was 790 C while cooling was ON, simulating an operating Advanced Stirling Converter (ASC). When cooling stopped, the temperature increased by 30 C, allowing the gas front to move past the radiator, which transferred the heat to the case. After resuming the cooling flow, the front returned at the initial location turning OFF the VCHP. The against gravity working conditions showed a colder reservoir and faster transients.

Plasma Potential and Langmuir Probe Measurements in the Near-field Plume of the NASA 300M Hall Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A; Shastry, Rohit; Huang, Wensheng; Soulas, George C.; KamHawi, Hani

2012-01-01

In order to aid in the design of high-power Hall thrusters and provide experimental validation for existing modeling efforts, plasma potential and Langmuir probe measurements were performed in the near-field plume of the NASA 300M Hall thruster. A probe array consisting of a Faraday probe, Langmuir probe, and emissive probe was used to interrogate the plume from approximately 0.1 - 2.0 DT,m downstream of the thruster exit plane at four operating conditions: 300 V, 400 V, and 500 V at 20 kW as well as 300 V at 10 kW. Results show that the acceleration zone and high-temperature region were contained within 0.3 DT,m from the exit plane at all operating conditions. Isothermal lines were shown to strongly follow magnetic field lines in the nearfield, with maximum temperatures ranging from 19 - 27 eV. The electron temperature spatial distribution created large drops in measured floating potentials in front of the magnetic pole surfaces where the plasma density was small, which suggests strong sheaths at these surfaces. The data taken have provided valuable information for future design and modeling validation, and complements ongoing internal measurement efforts on the NASA 300 M.

Surface energy balance and turbulence measurements on Warszawa Icefield, King George Island, West Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falk, U.; Sala, H.; Braun, M.

2012-12-01

The Antarctic Peninsula is amongst the fastest warming places on Earth and further temperature increase is to be expected. It has undergone rapid environmental changes in the past decades. Exceptional rates of surface air temperature increases (2.5K in 50 years) are concurrent with retreating glacier fronts, an increase in melt areas, surface lowering and rapid retreat of glaciers, break-up and disintegration of ice shelves. The South Shetland Islands are located on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and are especially vulnerable to climate change due to their maritime climate. For King George Island we have compiled a unique data set comprising direct measurements of evaporation and sensible heat flux by eddy covariance on the Warszawa Icefield over 1.5 years from November 2010 to 2012 in combination with a fully equipped automated weather station measuring long- and short-wave radiation components, profiles of temperature, humidity and wind velocities as well as glacier ice temperatures. The combination with the eddy covariance data allows for analysis of variability and seasonality of surface energy balance components on a glacier for one and a half years. Repeat measurements of snow accumulation and surface lowering along transects on the glacier and at different locations on King George Island are used for analysis of multi-sensor satellite data to identify melt patterns and bare ice areas during summer within the source area of the ground measurements. In combination with long-term time series of weather data, these data give indication of the sensitivity of the ice cap to the ongoing changes. This research is part of the ESF project IMCOAST funded by BMBF. Field work was carried out at the Dallmann laboratory (Carlini station, King George Island/Isla 25 de Mayo) in cooperation of the Instituto Antartico Argentino (Argentina) and the Alfred-Wegener Institute of Marine and Polar Research (Germany).

Simulations and measurements of artificial cracks and pits in flat stainless steel plates using tone burst eddy-current thermography (TBET)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libin, M. N.; Balasubramaniam, Krishnan; Maxfield, B. W.; Krishnamurthy, C. V.

2013-01-01

Tone Burst Eddy current Thermography (TBET) is a new hybrid, non-contacting, Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) method which employs a combination of Pulsed Eddy current Thermography (PEC) and Thermographic Non-Destructive Evaluation (TNDE). For understanding the influence of cracking and pitting on heat generation and flow within a metallic body, a fundamental knowledge of the detailed induced current density distribution in the component under test is required. This information enables us to calculate the amount of heat produced by the defects and how that heat diffuses to the surface where it is imaged. This paper describes simulation work done for artificial pits and cracks within pits on the far surface of poorly conducting metals like stainless steel. The first phase of this investigation simulates the transient thermal distribution for artificial 2D pit and crack-like defects using the finite element package COMSOL multi-physics with the AC/DC module and general heat transfer. Considering the reflection measurement geometry where thermal excitation and temperature monitoring are on the same surface, pitting reduces the material volume thereby contributing to a larger temperature rise for the same thermal energy input. A crack within a pit gives a further increase in temperature above the pure pit baseline. The tone burst frequency can be changed to obtain approximately uniform heating (low frequency) or heating of a thin region at the observation surface. Although front surface temperature changes due to 10% deep far-side pits in a 6 mm thick plate can be measured, it is not yet clear whether a 20% deep crack within this pit can be discriminated against the background. Both simulations and measurements will be presented. The objective of this work is to determine whether the TBET method is suitable for the detection and characterization of far side pitting, cracking and cracks within those pits.

Chaos of radiative heat-loss-induced flame front instability.

PubMed

Kinugawa, Hikaru; Ueda, Kazuhiro; Gotoda, Hiroshi

2016-03-01

We are intensively studying the chaos via the period-doubling bifurcation cascade in radiative heat-loss-induced flame front instability by analytical methods based on dynamical systems theory and complex networks. Significant changes in flame front dynamics in the chaotic region, which cannot be seen in the bifurcation diagrams, were successfully extracted from recurrence quantification analysis and nonlinear forecasting and from the network entropy. The temporal dynamics of the fuel concentration in the well-developed chaotic region is much more complicated than that of the flame front temperature. It exhibits self-affinity as a result of the scale-free structure in the constructed visibility graph.

Shock front distortion and Richtmyer-Meshkov-type growth caused by a small preshock nonuniformity

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

Velikovich, A. L.; Wouchuk, J. G.; Huete Ruiz de Lira, C.

The response of a shock front to small preshock nonuniformities of density, pressure, and velocity is studied theoretically and numerically. These preshock nonuniformities emulate imperfections of a laser target, due either to its manufacturing, like joints or feeding tubes, or to preshock perturbation seeding/growth, as well as density fluctuations in foam targets, ''thermal layers'' near heated surfaces, etc. Similarly to the shock-wave interaction with a small nonuniformity localized at a material interface, which triggers a classical Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) instability, interaction of a shock wave with periodic or localized preshock perturbations distributed in the volume distorts the shape of the shockmore » front and can cause a RM-type instability growth. Explicit asymptotic formulas describing distortion of the shock front and the rate of RM-type growth are presented. These formulas are favorably compared both to the exact solutions of the corresponding initial-boundary-value problem and to numerical simulations. It is demonstrated that a small density modulation localized sufficiently close to a flat target surface produces the same perturbation growth as an 'equivalent' ripple on the surface of a uniform target, characterized by the same initial areal mass modulation amplitude.« less

Frontal Representation as a Metric of Model Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglass, E.; Mask, A. C.

2017-12-01

Representation of fronts detected by altimetry are used to evaluate the performance of the HYCOM global operational product. Fronts are detected and assessed in daily alongtrack altimetry. Then, modeled sea surface height is interpolated to the locations of the alongtrack observations, and the same frontal detection algorithm is applied to the interpolated model output. The percentage of fronts found in the altimetry and replicated in the model gives a score (0-100) that assesses the model's ability to replicate fronts in the proper location with the proper orientation. Further information can be obtained from determining the number of "extra" fronts found in the model but not in the altimetry, and from assessing the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the front in the model as compared to observations. Finally, the sensitivity of this metric to choices regarding the smoothing of noisy alongtrack altimetry observations, and to the minimum size of fronts being analyzed, is assessed.

Passive Fetal Heart Monitoring System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Timothy D. (Inventor); Wynkoop, Mark W. (Inventor); Holloway, Nancy M. H. (Inventor); Zuckerwar, Allan J. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A fetal heart monitoring system preferably comprising a backing plate having a generally concave front surface and a generally convex back surface, and at least one sensor element attached to the concave front surface for acquiring acoustic fetal heart signals produced by a fetus within a body. The sensor element has a shape that conforms to the generally concave back surface of the backing plate. In one embodiment, the at least one sensor element comprises an inner sensor, and a plurality of outer sensors surrounding the inner sensor. The fetal heart monitoring system can further comprise a web belt, and a web belt guide movably attached to the web belt. The web belt guide being is to the convex back surface of the backing plate.

Emissivity corrected pyrometry of reactive multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrow, Darcie; Abere, Michael; Rupper, Stephen; Conwell, Thomas; Tappan, Alexander; Adams, David

2017-06-01

Ignition of sputter deposited nano-laminates results in rapid, self-propagating reactions. Due to high (10's of m/s) reaction front velocities, temperatures in the 1,000's of °K, and rapid phase changes occurring during reaction, direct measurement of temperature has proven difficult. This work presents a pyrometry technique with sub-microsecond time resolution, 10-6 m spatial resolution, and real time calculation of emissivity. By modulating a laser at 100 kHz and then Fourier processing the summed signal of emission and modulated reflectance, this emissivity corrected pyrometer overcomes the traditional limitations of two-color pyrometery for samples that do not follow the grey body approximation. The instrument has allowed for the direct measurement of temperature in NiAl and AlPt flame fronts, which allows for a determination of heat loss from an adiabatic condition. Further, a bilayer thickness dependence study has shown the relationship between front propagation velocity and flame temperature. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Multi-functional Textiles for Military Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malshe, Priyadarshini

The objective of this research was to develop the standard rip-stop weave military uniform fabric made of 50/50 nylon/cotton (NyCo) to achieve a repellent front surface and an antibacterial bulk for protection from chemical-biological warfare agents. Diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC), a quaternary ammonium salt monomer was graft polymerized on NyCo fabric to impart antimicrobial capability using atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma. Plasma was used to induce free radical chain polymerization of the DADMAC monomer to introduce a graft polymerized network on the fabric with durable antimicrobial properties. Pentaerythritol tertraacrylate was used as a cross-linking agent to obtain a highly cross-linked, durable polymer network. The presence of polyDADMAC on the fabric surface was confirmed using acid dye staining, SEM, and TOF-SIMS. Antibacterial performance was evaluated using standard AATCC test method 100 for both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Results showed 99.9% reduction in the bacterial activities of K. pneumoniae and S. aureus. To achieve repellency on NyCo front surface, an environmentally benign C6 fluorocarbon monomer, 2-(perfluorohexyl) ethyl acrylate was graft polymerized using plasma on the front surface of the NyCo fabric which was already grafted with polyDADMAC for anti-microbial properties. The surface was characterized by IR spectroscopy and XPS. The presence of fluorine on the surface was mapped and confirmed by TOF-SIMS. SEM images showed a uniform layer of fluorocarbon polymer on the fiber surface. High water contact angle of 144° was obtained on the surface. The surface also achieved a high AATCC Test Method 193 rating of 9 and AATCC Test Method 118 rating of 5, indicating that the surface could repel a fluid with surface tension as low as 24 dynes/cm. Appropriate experimental designs and statistical modeling of data helped identify the experimental space and optimal factor combinations for best response. The study helped create a multi-functional fabric with an anti-bacterial bulk, hydrophilic back surface and repellent front surface for enhanced protective and aesthetic values.

Cold fronts and reservoir limnology: an integrated approach towards the ecological dynamics of freshwater ecosystems.

PubMed

Tundisi, J G; Matsumura-Tundisi, T; Pereira, K C; Luzia, A P; Passerini, M D; Chiba, W A C; Morais, M A; Sebastien, N Y

2010-10-01

In this paper the authors discuss the effects of cold fronts on the dynamics of freshwater ecosystems of southeast South America. Cold fronts originating from the Antarctic show a monthly frequency that promotes turbulence and vertical mixing in reservoirs with a consequence to homogenize nutrient distribution, dissolved oxygen and temperature. Weak thermoclines and the athelomixis process immediately before, during and after the passage of cold fronts interfere with phytoplankton succession in reservoirs. Cyanobacteria blooms in eutrophic reservoirs are frequently connected with periods of stratification and stability of the water column. Cold fronts in the Amazon and Pantanal lakes may produce fish killings during the process of "friagem" associated mixing events. Further studies will try to implement a model to predict the impact of cold fronts and prepare management procedures in order to cope with cyanobacteria blooms during warm and stable water column periods. Changes in water quality of reservoirs are expected during circulation periods caused by cold fronts.

Frontal Polymerization of Dicyclopentadiene: A Numerical Study.

PubMed

Goli, Elyas; Robertson, Ian D; Geubelle, Philippe H; Moore, Jeffrey S

2018-04-26

As frontal polymerization is being considered as a faster and more energy efficient manufacturing technique for polymer-matrix fiber-reinforced composites, we perform a finite-element-based numerical study of the initiation and propagation of a polymerization front in dicyclopentadiene (DCPD). The transient thermochemical simulations are complemented by an analytical study of the steady-state propagation of the polymerization front, allowing to draw a direct link between the cure kinetics model and the key characteristics of the front, i.e., front velocity and characteristic length scales. The second part of this study focuses on the prediction of the temperature spike associated with the merger of two polymerization fronts. The thermal peak, which might be detrimental to the properties of the polymerized material, is due to the inability of the heat associated with the highly exothermic reaction to be dissipated when the two fronts merge. The analysis investigates how the amplitude of the thermal spike is affected by the degree of cure at the time of the front merger.

Blast Diffraction Loading on the Front and Rear Surfaces of a Rectangular Parallelepiped

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

R)/S, where % is the souind velocity in the undisturbed air . R S. Sh p md R. C. MAW, "A Mon ineau Shok Awe fLtioh Tha’ooj" BiLt R t. 1351I Jakiay...somewhat. less than Pstag because some flow occurs across the surface se the air flows around dho target. In"ikefer- ence 3, the average overpressure limit...in order to define the loading over-the eoti-re front surface area, If the target Is’ in free air there are two planes of symetry, and only one-fourth

Nanotube Surface Arrays: Weaving, Bending, and Assembling on Patterned Silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsukruk, Vladimir V.; Ko, Hyunhyub; Peleshanko, Sergiy

2004-02-01

We report the fabrication of ordered arrays of oriented and bent carbon nanotube on a patterned silicon surface with a micron scale spacing extending over millimeter size surface areas. We suggest that the patterning is controlled by the hydrodynamic behavior of a fluid front and orientation and bending mechanisms are facilitated by the pinned carbon nanotubes trapped by the liquid-solid-vapor contact line. The bending of the pinned nanotubes occurs along the shrinking receding front of the drying microdroplets. The formation of stratified microfluidic layers is vital for stimulating periodic instabilities of the contact line.

Stand-off molecular composition analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Gary B.; Lubin, Philip; Meinhold, Peter; O'Neill, Hugh; Brashears, Travis; Zhang, Qicheng; Griswold, Janelle; Riley, Jordan; Motta, Caio

2015-09-01

Molecular composition of distant stars is explored by observing absorption spectra. The star produces blackbody radiation that passes through the molecular cloud of vaporized material surrounding the star. Characteristic absorption lines are discernible with a spectrometer, and molecular composition is investigated by comparing spectral observations with known material profiles. Most objects in the solar system—asteroids, comets, planets, moons—are too cold to be interrogated in this manner. Molecular clouds around cold objects consist primarily of volatiles, so bulk composition cannot be probed. Additionally, low volatile density does not produce discernible absorption lines in the faint signal generated by low blackbody temperatures. This paper describes a system for probing the molecular composition of cold solar system targets from a distant vantage. The concept utilizes a directed energy beam to melt and vaporize a spot on a distant target, such as from a spacecraft orbiting the object. With sufficient flux (~10 MW/m2), the spot temperature rises rapidly (to ~2 500 K), and evaporation of all materials on the target surface occurs. The melted spot creates a high-temperature blackbody source, and ejected material creates a molecular plume in front of the spot. Bulk composition is investigated by using a spectrometer to view the heated spot through the ejected material. Spatial composition maps could be created by scanning the surface. Applying the beam to a single spot continuously produces a borehole, and shallow sub-surface composition profiling is also possible. Initial simulations of absorption profiles with laser heating show great promise for molecular composition analysis.

Heat flux measurements on ceramics with thin film thermocouples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holanda, Raymond; Anderson, Robert C.; Liebert, Curt H.

1993-01-01

Two methods were devised to measure heat flux through a thick ceramic using thin film thermocouples. The thermocouples were deposited on the front and back face of a flat ceramic substrate. The heat flux was applied to the front surface of the ceramic using an arc lamp Heat Flux Calibration Facility. Silicon nitride and mullite ceramics were used; two thicknesses of each material was tested, with ceramic temperatures to 1500 C. Heat flux ranged from 0.05-2.5 MW/m2(sup 2). One method for heat flux determination used an approximation technique to calculate instantaneous values of heat flux vs time; the other method used an extrapolation technique to determine the steady state heat flux from a record of transient data. Neither method measures heat flux in real time but the techniques may easily be adapted for quasi-real time measurement. In cases where a significant portion of the transient heat flux data is available, the calculated transient heat flux is seen to approach the extrapolated steady state heat flux value as expected.

Land-falling typhoons are controlled by the meridional oscillation of the Kuroshio Extension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shihming; Oey, Lie-Yauw

2018-06-01

Low-frequency variations of typhoon paths are often attributed to changes in the North Pacific subtropical high and monsoon through influences on the steering wind. Evidence indicates however a strong imprint of the Kuroshio on the atmosphere. Here we show that the meridional oscillation of sea surface temperature (SST) front over the Kuroshio Extension east of Japan significantly correlates with the number of land-falling typhoons along East Asia from June to October, accounting for 70% of the low-frequency variance since 1980. We used observations and a simple model to show that when the SST front shifts poleward (equatorward), SST gradient south of the current and westerly tropospheric wind weaken (strengthen), steering more typhoons to veer toward (away from) the East Asian continent. Our analysis also indicates that long-term weakening of SST gradient and westerly wind appears to be concomitant with poleward shifting of the Kuroshio, attributed to global warming in some studies, and suggests the potential for more land-falling typhoons in East Asia in the coming decades.

Unglazed transpired solar collector having a low thermal-conductance absorber

DOEpatents

Christensen, Craig B.; Kutscher, Charles F.; Gawlik, Keith M.

1997-01-01

An unglazed transpired solar collector using solar radiation to heat incoming air for distribution, comprising an unglazed absorber formed of low thermal-conductance material having a front surface for receiving the solar radiation and openings in the unglazed absorber for passage of the incoming air such that the incoming air is heated as it passes towards the front surface of the absorber and the heated air passes through the openings in the absorber for distribution.

Unglazed transpired solar collector having a low thermal-conductance absorber

DOEpatents

Christensen, C.B.; Kutscher, C.F.; Gawlik, K.M.

1997-12-02

An unglazed transpired solar collector using solar radiation to heat incoming air for distribution, comprises an unglazed absorber formed of low thermal-conductance material having a front surface for receiving the solar radiation and openings in the unglazed absorber for passage of the incoming air such that the incoming air is heated as it passes towards the front surface of the absorber and the heated air passes through the openings in the absorber for distribution. 3 figs.

Three-dimensional CTOA and constraint effects during stable tearing in a thin-sheet material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawicke, D. S.; Newman, J. C., Jr.; Bigelow, C. A.

1995-01-01

A small strain theory, three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis was used to simulate fracture in thin sheet 2024-T3 aluminum alloy in the T-L orientation. Both straight and tunneled cracks were modeled. The tunneled crack front shapes as a function of applied stress were obtained from the fracture surface of tested specimens. The stable crack growth behavior was measured at the specimen surface as a function of applied stress. The fracture simulation modeled the crack tunneling and extension as a function of applied stress. The results indicated that the global constraint factor, alpha(sub g), initially dropped during stable crack growth. After peak applied stress was achieved, alpha(sub g) began to increase slightly. The effect of crack front shape on alpha(sub g) was small, but the crack front shape did greatly influence the local constraint and through-thickness crack-tip opening angle (CTOA) behavior. The surface values of CTOA for the tunneled crack front model agreed well with experimental measurements, showing the same initial decrease from high values during the initial 3mm of crack growth at the specimen's surface. At the same time, the interior CTOA values increased from low angles. After the initial stable tearing region, the CTOA was constant through the thickness. The three-dimensional analysis appears to confirm the potential of CTOA as a two-dimensional fracture criterion.

76 FR 48053 - Consumer Registration of Durable Infant or Toddler Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-08

...://www.regulations.gov . Do not submit confidential business information, trade secret information, or... geometry of the registration forms, which have four surfaces (front, back, top, and bottom), we believe..., moving logically from the front top of the form [[Page 48054

Altimetric lagrangian advection to reconstruct Pacific Ocean fine scale surface tracer fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogé, Marine; Morrow, Rosemary; Dencausse, Guillaume

2015-04-01

In past studies, lagrangian stirring of surface tracer fields by altimetric surface geostrophic currents has been performed in different mid to high-latitude regions, showing good results in reconstructing finer-scale tracer patterns. Here we apply the technique to three different regions in the eastern and western tropical Pacific, and in the subtropical southwest Pacific. Initial conditions are derived from weekly gridded temperature and salinity fields, based on hydrographic data and Argo. Validation of the improved fine-scale surface tracer fields is performed using satellite AMSRE SST data, and high-resolution ship thermosalinograph data. We test two kinds of lagrangian advection. The standard one-way advection is shown to introduce an increased tracer bias as the advection time increases. Indeed, since we only use passive stirring, a bias is introduced from the missing physics, such as air-sea fluxes or mixing. A second "backward-forward" advection technique is shown to reduce the seasonal bias, but more data is lost around coasts and islands, a strong handicap in the tropical Pacific with many small islands. In the subtropical Pacific Ocean, the mesoscale temperature and salinity fronts are well represented by the one-way advection over a 10-day advection time, including westward propagating features not apparent in the initial fields. In the tropics, the results are less clear. The validation is hampered by the complex vertical stratification, and the technique is limited by the lack of accurate surface currents for the stirring - the gridded altimetric fields poorly represent the meridional currents, and are not detecting the fast tropical instability waves, nor the wind-driven circulation. We suggest that the passive lateral stirring technique is efficient in regions with moderate the high mesoscale energy and correlated mesoscale surface temperature and surface height. In other regions, more complex dynamical processes may need to be included.

Nutrient pumping by submesoscale circulations in the mauritanian upwelling system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosegood, P. J.; Nightingale, P. D.; Rees, A. P.; Widdicombe, C. E.; Woodward, E. M. S.; Clark, D. R.; Torres, R. J.

2017-12-01

Observations made within a cold filament in the Mauritanian upwelling system demonstrate that intense submesoscale circulations at the peripheral edges of the filament are likely responsible for anomalously high levels of observed primary productivity by resupplying nutrients to the euphotic zone. Measurements made on the shelf within the recently upwelled water reveal that primary production (PP) of 8.2 gC/m-2 day-1 was supported by nitrate concentrations (NC) of 8 mmol m-3. Towards the front that defined the edge of the filament containing the upwelled water as it was transported offshore, PP dropped to 1.6 gC m-2 day-1 whilst NC dropped to 5.5 mmol m-3. Thus, whilst the observed nutrients on the shelf accounted for 90% of new production, this value dropped to ∼60% near the filament's front after accounting for vertical turbulent fluxes and Ekman pumping. We demonstrate that the N15 was likely to have been supplied at the front by submesoscale circulations that were directly measured as intense vertical velocities ⩾100 m day-1 by a drifting acoustic Doppler current profiler that crossed a submesoscale surface temperature front. At the same time, a recently released tracer was subducted out of the mixed layer within 24 h of release, providing direct evidence that the frontal circulations were capable of accessing the reservoir of nutrients beneath the pycnocline. The susceptibility of the filament edge to submesoscale instabilities was demonstrated by O(1) Rossby numbers at horizontal scales of 1-10 km. The frontal circulations are consistent with instabilities arising from a wind-driven nonlinear Ekman buoyancy flux generated by the persistent northerly wind stress that has a down-front component at the northern edge of the inshore section of the filament. The prevalence of submesoscale instabilities and their associated vertical circulations are proposed to be a key mechanism operating at sub-grid scales and sustaining new production throughout the upwelling system.

Responses of the picophytoplankton community to temperature fronts in the northeastern Arabian Sea during the northeast monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitbavkar, Smita; Anil, Arga Chandrashekar

2018-07-01

We investigated the responses of the picophytoplankton (< 3 μm) community to a temperature filament and front through high resolution spatial ( 1 NM) sampling (November-23 to December-11, 2012) in the northeastern Arabian Sea (69°E, 18.85°N to 20.25°N). Samples were collected at discrete depths within the 100 m water column. Synechococcus dominated the picophytoplankton community numerically and in terms of biomass along the entire transect. To investigate the patterns of variability in picophytoplankton distribution, depending on the water mass characteristics, the entire transect was divided into four zones (1) south of filament (SFIL) with warm oligotrophic waters, (2) filament (FIL) with cooler and low saline waters, (3) north of filament (NFIL) with relatively cooler waters than the SFIL and (4) front (FRO) with relatively cooler and less saline waters than the FIL. Depth-integrated abundance and biomass of Synechococcus were relatively higher within the FIL and FRO whereas Prochlorococcus and picoeukaryotes were abundant in SFIL and NFIL. Redundancy analysis of environmental variables and picophytoplankton abundance showed that lower saline water mass within the mesoscale features harbored relatively higher Synechococcus abundance and biomass. Two Synechococcus ecotypes were distinguished based on the fluorescence intensity of the accessory pigment, phycoerythrin; the one with higher intensity (open ocean ecotype) dominating in the FIL and the other with lower intensity in the FRO (coastal ecotype). The relatively lower saline surface water mass at the FRO, probably a result of coastal advection, could have introduced the latter ecotype. Vertically, a positive correlation of Prochlorococcus with nutrients and Synechococcus with temperature corroborates their higher and lower abundance and biomass, respectively in the deeper waters. The positive correlation of Synechococcus with the total chlorophyll biomass indicates a similar response to environmental variables within the mesoscale features. This study shows that picophytoplankton contribution (16-24%) to the total phytoplankton carbon biomass in tropical mesoscale features is likely to have important consequences on the planktonic food web function.

The ABCs of Front Management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Frost protection or protecting plants from cold temperatures where they could be damaged must be a major consideration in orchard planning. Cold temperature protection events commonly occur during "radiation" frost conditions when the sky is clear, there is little wind and temperature inversions ca...

Co-ordinated spatial propagation of blood plasma clotting and fibrinolytic fronts

PubMed Central

Zhalyalov, Ansar S.; Panteleev, Mikhail A.; Gracheva, Marina A.; Ataullakhanov, Fazoil I.

2017-01-01

Fibrinolysis is a cascade of proteolytic reactions occurring in blood and soft tissues, which functions to disintegrate fibrin clots when they are no more needed. In order to elucidate its regulation in space and time, fibrinolysis was investigated using an in vitro reaction-diffusion experimental model of blood clot formation and dissolution. Clotting was activated by a surface with immobilized tissue factor in a thin layer of recalcified blood plasma supplemented with tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), urokinase plasminogen activator or streptokinase. Formation and dissolution of fibrin clot was monitored by videomicroscopy. Computer systems biology model of clot formation and lysis was developed for data analysis and experimental planning. Fibrin clot front propagated in space from tissue factor, followed by a front of clot dissolution propagating from the same source. Velocity of lysis front propagation linearly depended on the velocity clotting front propagation (correlation r2 = 0.91). Computer model revealed that fibrin formation was indeed the rate-limiting step in the fibrinolysis front propagation. The phenomenon of two fronts which switched the state of blood plasma from liquid to solid and then back to liquid did not depend on the fibrinolysis activator. Interestingly, TPA at high concentrations began to increase lysis onset time and to decrease lysis propagation velocity, presumably due to plasminogen depletion. Spatially non-uniform lysis occurred simultaneously with clot formation and detached the clot from the procoagulant surface. These patterns of spatial fibrinolysis provide insights into its regulation and might explain clinical phenomena associated with thrombolytic therapy. PMID:28686711

Vehicle underbody fairing

DOEpatents

Ortega, Jason M.; Salari, Kambiz; McCallen, Rose

2010-11-09

A vehicle underbody fairing apparatus for reducing aerodynamic drag caused by a vehicle wheel assembly, by reducing the size of a recirculation zone formed under the vehicle body immediately downstream of the vehicle wheel assembly. The fairing body has a tapered aerodynamic surface that extends from a front end to a rear end of the fairing body with a substantially U-shaped cross-section that tapers in both height and width. Fasteners or other mounting devices secure the fairing body to an underside surface of the vehicle body, so that the front end is immediately downstream of the vehicle wheel assembly and a bottom section of the tapered aerodynamic surface rises towards the underside surface as it extends in a downstream direction.

Correlation between surface reconstruction and polytypism in InAs nanowire selective area epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ziyang; Merckling, Clement; Rooyackers, Rita; Richard, Olivier; Bender, Hugo; Mols, Yves; Vila, María; Rubio-Zuazo, Juan; Castro, Germán R.; Collaert, Nadine; Thean, Aaron; Vandervorst, Wilfried; Heyns, Marc

2017-12-01

The mechanism of widely observed intermixing of wurtzite and zinc-blende crystal structures in InAs nanowire (NW) grown by selective area epitaxy (SAE) is studied. We demonstrate that the crystal structure in InAs NW grown by SAE can be controlled using basic growth parameters, and wurtzitelike InAs NWs are achieved. We link the polytypic InAs NWs SAE to the reconstruction of the growth front (111)B surface. Surface reconstruction study of InAs (111) substrate and the following homoepitaxy experiment suggest that (111) planar defect nucleation is related to the (1 × 1) reconstruction of InAs (111)B surface. In order to reveal it more clearly, a model is presented to correlate growth temperature and arsenic partial pressure with InAs NW crystal structure. This model considers the transition between (1 × 1) and (2 × 2) surface reconstructions in the frame of adatom atoms adsorption/desorption, and the polytypism is thus linked to reconstruction quantitatively. The experimental data fit well with the model, which highly suggests that surface reconstruction plays an important role in the polytypism phenomenon in InAs NWs SAE.

Cold Front Cools the Eastern U.S.

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-16

Summertime heat and humidity in the U.S. East Coast is on hold for a couple of days thanks to a cold front and that brought clouds, showers, thunderstorms, and some severe weather on July 16 to the coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) noted that the dip in the jet stream will create below normal temperatures for most of the Central and Eastern U.S. for the next couple of days. NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured an image of the clouds associated with the cold front on July 16 at 1630 UTC (12:30 p.m. EDT).The clouds follow the front which stretches from the Florida panhandle, across Florida and up the U.S. East Coast into eastern Canada. Along the front lie two areas of low pressure, one over eastern New England, and the other offshore from South Carolina. Both of those low pressure areas are associated with additional cloudiness along the front. GOES satellites are managed by NOAA. The image was created by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. GOES satellites provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. Geostationary describes an orbit in which a satellite is always in the same position with respect to the rotating Earth. This allows GOES to hover continuously over one position on Earth's surface, appearing stationary. As a result, GOES provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms and hurricanes. For updated information about the storm system, visit NOAA's National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov For more information about GOES satellites, visit: www.goes.noaa.gov/ or goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Image Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project, Text: Rob Gutro NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Lidar network observation of dust layer evolution over the Gobi Desert in MAY 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawai, Kei; Kai, Kenji; Jin, Yoshitaka; Sugimoto, Nobuo; Batdorj, Dashdondog

2018-04-01

A lidar network captured the evolution of a dust layer in the Gobi Desert on 22-23 May 2013. The lidar network consists of a ceilometer and two AD-Net lidars in Mongolia. The dust layer was generated by a strong wind due to a cold front and elevated over the surface of the cold front by an updraft of the warm air in the cold-front system. It was evolving from the atmospheric boundary layer to the free troposphere while moving 600 km through the desert with the cold front.

Time-variable surface patterns as an indicator of the surface environments on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toyota, T.; Kawaguchi, K.; Kurita, K.

2008-09-01

Introduction On the planets having atmosphere such as Mars various types of interactions between the atmosphere and the ground surface cause observable change in the surface pattern. Polar caps and aeolian features are typical examples. With the accumulation of satellitebased exploratory data, time-variable surface patterns have been focused and investigated extensively [1,2], because they can be direct indicators of the changing surface environments. Here we report two types of time-variable surface patterns that have been unidentified until now. One is dark halo near the top of high altitude volcanoes in Tharsis region. The other is brightness of the Outer Lobe of Double Layered Ejecta crater at the northern lowlands. Both have almost no associated topography and they are only recognized in visible/IR images as albedo patterns. Dark halo near the top of high altitude volcanoes in the Tharsis region Fig. 1 shows MOC wide-angle image of Pavonis Mons (R1400388NRed). The large caldera can be seen at the top of the volcano. Surrounding the caldera there exists a dark halo. Fig. 1B is MOC wide-angle image which shows detailed structure of the dark halo in the SW part. The dark zone is not uniform and instead it is composed of many slender dark stripes aligned in radial direction from the top (caldera center). Each unit is spindle-shaped with length of 30- 50km and width at the middle part of 5km. Spindles seem to start from higher position because it is always clear and darker. The initiation point is quite narrow region, which can be considered as a point. In many cases, there exist no recognisable obstacles at the initiation point. This is a remarkable difference from the wind streaks, which is caused by erosion/sedimentation of wind by local turbulence behind topographical anomaly. This makes us to consider something is emanating from subsurface, blown off by the mountain winds and deposited in downwind part. Similar pattern is observed in high altitude large volume volcanoes in Tharsis region such as Olympus Mons, Arsia Mons, Ascraeus Mons and Alba Patera EPSC Abstracts, Vol. 3, EPSC2008-A-00513, 2008 European Planetary Science Congress, Author(s) 2008 whereas it is not recognized in Celaunius Tholus, Tharsis Tholus and Elysium Mons. Because of the numbers of available images and stable climate situation, we have intensively investigated the pattern at Pavonis Mons. MOC wide-angle images and THEMIS-VIS images are used to check the temporal variation of the pattern from 1999 to 2007. In Fig. 2 the time-sequential images taking the SW flank show temporal pattern change of the dark halo. The drastic change can be found between 2000 and 2003. The assemblage of dark spindle-shaped pattern at higher positions before 2003 completely disappeared in the 2003 and the front of the halo receded to lower position. In 2001, a huge global dust storm has occurred. The resultant effect on the global climate by this dust storm is decrease in global daytime temperature and increase in global nighttime temperature due to the dust green house effect [2]. Since the dark halo appears to be formed in nighttime (the pattern is consistent with down-slope wind, which would be dominant at nigh time on the surface of high mountain.), the increase of the nighttime temperature should be responsible for erasing the pattern. Not only the position of the front of the dark halo but also the darkness changes with time. DN at the front position is determined by taking the difference from the reference point near the caldera. The maximum contrast around Ls=50 deg. and the minimum contrast around Ls=270 deg. are obtained. This indicates seasonal variation, which strongly suggests meteorological variation such as the atmospheric pressure controls the surface pattern. Fig. 3 shows THEMIS-VIS image, THEMIS-IRNighttime image and THEMIS-IR-Daytime image of the southern flank. THEMIS-VIS image clearly shows the upper boundary of the dark halo; brighter near the summit and darker in the lower position. THEMIS-IRDaytime image shows brighter color in the dark halo, which indicates higher temperature. The boundary completely coincides with that in VIS. THEMIS-IRNighttime image also shows brighter color in the dark halo. This variation in the brightness and hence the surface temperature in IR images is not consistent with general thermal inertia control between daytime and nighttime by the change of grain size. This enigmatic behavior may indicate the surface of dark halo has different thermal response to the irradiation by the sunlight at daytime and radiative cooling at nighttime. This might be possible if the surface is covered by mixture of fine silicate particles supported by continuous phase of ice. References [1] Geissler, P. E., (2005) JGR, 110, E02001. [2] Armstrong, J. C. et al., (2007) GRL, 34, L01202. [3] Smith M. D., (2004) Icarus, 167, 148-165. [4] Neakrase, L. et al., (2005) LPSC XXXZVI, P1898.

Thermodynamics of giant planet formation: shocking hot surfaces on circumplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szulágyi, J.; Mordasini, C.

2017-02-01

The luminosity of young giant planets can inform about their formation and accretion history. The directly imaged planets detected so far are consistent with the `hot-start' scenario of high entropy and luminosity. If nebular gas passes through a shock front before being accreted into a protoplanet, the entropy can be substantially altered. To investigate this, we present high-resolution, three-dimensional radiative hydrodynamic simulations of accreting giant planets. The accreted gas is found to fall with supersonic speed in the gap from the circumstellar disc's upper layers on to the surface of the circumplanetary disc and polar region of the protoplanet. There it shocks, creating an extended hot supercritical shock surface. This shock front is optically thick; therefore, it can conceal the planet's intrinsic luminosity beneath. The gas in the vertical influx has high entropy which when passing through the shock front decreases significantly while the gas becomes part of the disc and protoplanet. This shows that circumplanetary discs play a key role in regulating a planet's thermodynamic state. Our simulations furthermore indicate that around the shock surface extended regions of atomic - sometimes ionized - hydrogen develop. Therefore, circumplanetary disc shock surfaces could influence significantly the observational appearance of forming gas giants.

Subsurface temperature distribution in a tropical alluvial fan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wenfu; Chang, Minhsiang; Chen, Juier; Lu, Wanchung; Huang, Chihc; Wang, Yunshuen

2017-04-01

As a groundwater intensive use country, Taiwan's 1/3 water supplies are derived from groundwater. The major aquifers consist of sand and gravel formed in alluvial fans which border the fronts of central mountains. Thanks to high density of monitoring wells which provide a window to see the details of the subsurface temperature distribution and the thermal regime in an alluvial fan system. Our study area, the Choshui Alluvial Fan, is the largest groundwater basin in Taiwan and, located within an area of 2,000 km2, has a population of over 1.5 million. For this work, we investigated temperature-depth profiles using 70 groundwater monitoring wells during 2000 to 2015. Our results show that the distribution of subsurface temperature is influenced by various factors such as groundwater recharge, groundwater flow field, air temperature and land use. The groundwater recharge zone, hills to the upper fan, contains disturbed and smaller geothermal gradients. The lack of clay layers within the upper fan aquifers and fractures that developed in the hills should cause the convection and mixing of cooler recharge water to groundwater, resulting in smaller geothermal gradients. The groundwater temperatures at a depth to 300 m within the upper fan and hill were approximately only 23-24 °C while the current mean ground surface temperature is approximately 26 °C.

Spontaneous Wave Generation from Submesoscale Fronts and Filaments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakespeare, C. J.; Hogg, A.

2016-02-01

Submesoscale features such as eddies, fronts, jets and filaments can be significant sources of spontaneous wave generation at the ocean surface. Unlike near-inertial waves forced by winds, these spontaneous waves are typically of higher frequency and can propagate through the thermocline, whereupon they break and drive mixing in the ocean interior. Here we investigate the spontaneous generation, propagation and subsequent breaking of these waves using a combination of theory and submesoscale resolving numerical models. The mechanism of generation is nearly identical to that of lee waves where flow is deflected over a rigid obstacle on the sea floor. Here, very sharp fronts and filaments of order 100m width moving in the submesoscale surface flow generate "surface lee waves" by presenting an obstacle to the surrounding stratified fluid. Using our numerical model we quantify the net downward wave energy flux from the surface, and where it is dissipated in the water column. Our results suggest an alternative to the classical paradigm where the energy associated with mixing in the ocean interior is sourced from bottom-generated lee waves.

Development and Testing of a Power Trough System Using a Structurally-Efficient, High-Performance, Large-Aperture Concentrator with Thin Glass Reflector and Focal Point Rotation

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

May, E. K.; Forristall, R.

2005-11-01

Industrial Solar Technology has assembled a team of experts to develop a large-aperture parabolic trough for the electric power market that moves beyond cost and operating limitations of 1980's designs based on sagged glass reflectors. IST's structurally efficient space frame design will require nearly 50% less material per square meter than a Solel LS-2 concentrator and the new trough will rotate around the focal point. This feature eliminates flexhoses that increase pump power, installation and maintenance costs. IST aims to deliver a concentrator module costing less than $100 per square meter that can produce temperatures up to 400 C. Themore » IST concentrator is ideally suited for application of front surface film reflectors and ensures that US corporations will manufacture major components, except for the high temperature receivers.« less

The application of dual-electrode through vial impedance spectroscopy for the determination of ice interface temperatures, primary drying rate and vial heat transfer coefficient in lyophilization process development.

PubMed

Smith, Geoff; Jeeraruangrattana, Yowwares; Ermolina, Irina

2018-06-22

Through vial impedance spectroscopy (TVIS) is a product non-invasive process analytical technology which exploits the frequency dependence of the complex impedance spectrum of a composite object (i.e. the freeze-drying vial and its contents) in order to track the progression of the freeze-drying cycle. This work demonstrates the use of a dual electrode system, attached to the external surface of a type I glass tubing vial (nominal capacity 10 mL) in the prediction of (i) the ice interface temperatures at the sublimation front and at the base of the vial, and (ii) the primary drying rate. A value for the heat transfer coefficient (for a chamber pressure of 270 µbar) was then calculated from these parameters and shown to be comparable to that published by Tchessalov[1]. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Combustion Joining of Regolith Tiles for In-Situ Fabrication of Launch/Landing Pads on the Moon and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Robert E.; Shafirovich, Evgeny; Mantovani, James G.

2017-01-01

To mitigate dust problems during launch/landing operations in lunar and Mars missions, it is desired to build solid pads on the surface. Recently, strong tiles have been fabricated from lunar regolith simulants using high-temperature sintering. The present work investigates combustion joining of these tiles through the use of exothermic intermetallic reactions. Specifically, nickel/aluminum (1:1 mole ratio) mixture was placed in a gap between the tiles sintered from JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant. Upon ignition by a laser, a self-sustained propagation of the combustion front over the mixture occurred. Joining was improved with increasing the tile thickness from 6.3 mm to 12.7 mm. The temperatures sufficient for melting the glass phase of JSC-1A were recorded for 12.7-mm tiles, which explains the observed better joining.

Combustion Joining of Regolith Tiles for In-Situ Fabrication of Launch/Landing Pads on the Moon and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Robert E.; Mantovani, James G.; Shafirovich, Evgeny

2017-01-01

To mitigate dust problems during launch-landing operations in lunar and Mars missions, it is desired to build solid pads on the surface. Recently, strong tiles have been fabricated from lunar regolith simulants using high-temperature sintering. The present work investigates combustion joining of these tiles through the use of exothermic intermetallic reactions. Specifically, nickel aluminum (1:1 mole ratio) mixture was placed in a gap between the tiles sintered from JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant. Upon ignition by a laser, a self-sustained propagation of the combustion front over the mixture occurred. Joining was improved with increasing the tile thickness from 6.3 mm to 12.7 mm. The temperatures sufficient for melting the glass phase of JSC-1A were recorded for 12.7-mm tiles, which explains the observed better joining.

Future changes in atmospheric condition for the baiu under RCP scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okada, Y.; Takemi, T.; Ishikawa, H.

2015-12-01

This study focuses on atmospheric circulation fields during the baiu in Japan with global warming projection experimental data conducted using a 20-km mesh global atmospheric model (MRI-AGCM3.2) under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios. This model also used 4 different sea surface temperature (SST) initial conditions. Support of this dataset is provided by the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI). The baiu front indicated by the north-south gradient of moist static energy moves northward in present-day climate, whereas this northward shift in future climate simulations is very slow during May and June. In future late baiu season, the baiu front stays in the northern part of Japan even in August. As a result, the rich water vapor is transported around western Japan and the daily precipitation amount will increase in August. This northward shift of baiu front is associated with the westward expansion of the enhanced the North Pacific subtropical high (NPSH) into Japan region. However, the convective activity around northwest Pacific Ocean is inactive and is unlikely to occur convective jump (CJ). These models show that the weak trough exists in upper troposphere around Japan. Therefore, the cold advection stays in the northern part of Japan during June. In July, the front due to the strengthening of the NPSH moves northward, and then it stays until August. This feature is often found between the clustered SSTs, Cluster 2 and 3. The mean field of future August also show the inflow of rich water vapor content to Japan islands. In this model, the extreme rainfall suggested tends to almost increase over the Japan islands during future summer. This work was conducted under the Program for Risk Information on Climate Change supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology-Japan (MEXT).

Mode Water Formation via Cabbeling and Submesoscale Lateral Mixing at a Strained Thermohaline Front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, L. N.; Shakespeare, C. J.

2014-12-01

Mode waters play an important role in interannual climate variability through the temporary storage of heat and carbon in the ocean. The mechanisms explaining their formation are not well understood but appear to be shaped by the dynamics of the ocean fronts that mark their poleward extent. We explore a mode water formation mechanism that has a clear connection to fronts and involves cabbeling. Cabbeling refers to the process by which two water masses of equal density but different temperature and salinity are combined to create a new, denser water mass, as a result of nonlinearities in the equation of state for seawater. The work is motivated in part by recent observations of an extremely sharp, density-compensated front at the north wall of the Gulf Stream, the boundary between the subtropical and subpolar gyres. Here, the inter-gyre salinity/temperature difference is compressed into a span of a few kilometers, making the flow susceptible to cabbeling. The sharpness of the front is caused by frontogenetic strain, which is presumably balanced by submesoscale lateral mixing processes. We study this balance with a simple analytical model of a thermohaline front forced by uniform strain and derive a scaling for the amount of water mass transformation resulting from the ensuing cabbeling. The theory suggests that this mechanism could be responsible for persistent, hence significant, mode water formation. As such, it represents a submesoscale process that impacts the ocean on basin scales that should be resolved or parameterized in realistic numerical simulations.

DESIGN OF MEDICAL RADIOMETER FRONT-END FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

PubMed Central

Klemetsen, Ø.; Birkelund, Y.; Jacobsen, S. K.; Maccarini, P. F.; Stauffer, P. R.

2011-01-01

We have investigated the possibility of building a singleband Dicke radiometer that is inexpensive, small-sized, stable, highly sensitive, and which consists of readily available microwave components. The selected frequency band is at 3.25–3.75 GHz which provides a reasonable compromise between spatial resolution (antenna size) and sensing depth for radiometry applications in lossy tissue. Foreseen applications of the instrument are non-invasive temperature monitoring for breast cancer detection and temperature monitoring during heating. We have found off-the-shelf microwave components that are sufficiently small (< 5 mm × 5 mm) and which offer satisfactory overall sensitivity. Two different Dicke radiometers have been realized: one is a conventional design with the Dicke switch at the front-end to select either the antenna or noise reference channels for amplification. The second design places a matched pair of low noise amplifiers in front of the Dicke switch to reduce system noise figure. Numerical simulations were performed to test the design concepts before building prototype PCB front-end layouts of the radiometer. Both designs provide an overall power gain of approximately 50 dB over a 500 MHz bandwidth centered at 3.5 GHz. No stability problems were observed despite using triple-cascaded amplifier configurations to boost the thermal signals. The prototypes were tested for sensitivity after calibration in two different water baths. Experiments showed superior sensitivity (36% higher) when implementing the low noise amplifier before the Dicke switch (close to the antenna) compared to the other design with the Dicke switch in front. Radiometer performance was also tested in a multilayered phantom during alternating heating and radiometric reading. Empirical tests showed that for the configuration with Dicke switch first, the switch had to be locked in the reference position during application of microwave heating to avoid damage to the active components (amplifiers and power meter). For the configuration with a low noise amplifier up front, damage would occur to the active components of the radiometer if used in presence of the microwave heating antenna. Nevertheless, this design showed significantly improved sensitivity of measured temperatures and merits further investigation to determine methods of protecting the radiometer for amplifier first front ends. PMID:21779411

Revealing a double-inversion mechanism for the F⁻+CH₃Cl SN2 reaction.

PubMed

Szabó, István; Czakó, Gábor

2015-01-19

Stereo-specific reaction mechanisms play a fundamental role in chemistry. The back-side attack inversion and front-side attack retention pathways of the bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reactions are the textbook examples for stereo-specific chemical processes. Here, we report an accurate global analytic potential energy surface (PES) for the F(-)+CH₃Cl SN2 reaction, which describes both the back-side and front-side attack substitution pathways as well as the proton-abstraction channel. Moreover, reaction dynamics simulations on this surface reveal a novel double-inversion mechanism, in which an abstraction-induced inversion via a FH···CH₂Cl(-) transition state is followed by a second inversion via the usual [F···CH₃···Cl](-) saddle point, thereby opening a lower energy reaction path for retention than the front-side attack. Quasi-classical trajectory computations for the F(-)+CH₃Cl(ν1=0, 1) reactions show that the front-side attack is a fast direct, whereas the double inversion is a slow indirect process.

Revealing the timing of ocean stratification using remotely-sensed ocean fronts: links with marine predators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, P. I.; Loveday, B. R.

2016-02-01

Stratification is of critical importance to the mixing and productivity of the ocean, though currently it can only be measured using in situ sampling, profiling buoys or underwater autonomous vehicles. Stratification is understood to affect the surface aggregation of pelagic fish and hence the foraging behaviour and distribution of their predators such as seabirds and cetaceans. Satellite Earth observation sensors cannot directly detect stratification, but can observe surface features related to the presence of stratification, for example shelf-sea fronts that separate tidally-mixed water from seasonally stratified water. This presentation describes a novel algorithm that accumulates evidence for stratification from a sequence of oceanic front maps, and in certain regions can reveal the timing of the seasonal onset and breakdown of stratification. Initial comparisons will be made with seabird locations acquired through GPS tagging. If successful, a remotely-sensed stratification timing index would augment the ocean front metrics already developed at PML, that have been applied in over 20 journal articles relating marine predators to ocean fronts. The figure below shows a preliminary remotely-sensed 'stratification' index, for 25-31 Jul. 2010, where red indicates water with stronger evidence for stratification.

CFD-DEM based numerical simulation of liquid-gas-particle mixture flow in dam break

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Kyung Min; Yoon, Hyun Sik; Kim, Min Il

2018-06-01

This study investigates the multiphase flow of a liquid-gas-particle mixture in dam break. The open source codes, OpenFOAM and CFDEMproject, were used to reproduce the multiphase flow. The results of the present study are compared with those of previous results obtained by numerical and experimental methods, which guarantees validity of present numerical method to handle the multiphase flow. The particle density ranging from 1100 to 2500 kg/m3 is considered to investigate the effect of the particle density on the behavior of the free-surface and the particles. The particle density has no effect on the liquid front, but it makes the particle front move with different velocity. The time when the liquid front reach at the opposite wall is independent of particle density. However, such time for particle front decrease as particle density increases, which turned out to be proportional to particle density. Based on these results, we classified characteristics of the movement by the front positions of the liquid and the particles. Eventually, the response of the free-surface and particles to particle density is identified by three motion regimes of the advancing, overlapping and delaying motions.

Case study of mesospheric front dissipation observed over the northeast of Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fragoso Medeiros, Amauri; Paulino, Igo; Wrasse, Cristiano Max; Fechine, Joaquim; Takahashi, Hisao; Valentin Bageston, José; Paulino, Ana Roberta; Arlen Buriti, Ricardo

2018-03-01

On 3 October 2005 a mesospheric front was observed over São João do Cariri (7.4° S, 36.5° W). This front propagated to the northeast and appeared in the airglow images on the west side of the observatory. By about 1.5 h later, it dissipated completely when the front crossed the local zenith. Ahead of the front, several ripple structures appeared during the dissipative process of the front. Using coincident temperature profile from the TIMED/SABER satellite and wind profiles from a meteor radar at São João do Cariri, the background of the atmosphere was investigated in detail. On the one hand, it was noted that a strong vertical wind shear in the propagation direction of the front produced by a semidiunal thermal tide was mainly responsible for the formation of duct (Doppler duct), in which the front propagated up to the zenith of the images. On the other hand, the evolution of the Richardson number as well as the appearance of ripples ahead of the main front suggested that a presence of instability in the airglow layer that did not allow the propagation of the front to the other side of the local zenith.

Late Quaternary surface circulation in the east equatorial South Atlantic: Evidence from Alkenone sea surface temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Ralph R.; Müller, Peter J.; Ruhland, GöTz

1995-04-01

Angola Basin and Walvis Ridge records of past sea surface temperatures (SST) derived from the alkenone Uk37 index are used to reconstruct the surface circulation in the east equatorial South Atlantic for the last 200,000 years. Comparison of SST estimates from surface sediments between 5° and 20°S with modern SST data suggests that the alkenone temperatures represent annual mean values of the surface mixed layer. Alkenone-derived temperatures for the warm climatic maxima of the Holocene and the penultimate interglacial are 1 to 4°C higher than latest Holocene values. All records show glacial to interglacial differences of about 3.5°C in annual mean SST, which is about 1.5°C greater than the difference estimated by CLIMAP (1981) for the eastern Angola Basin. At the Walvis Ridge, significant SST variance is observed at all of the Earth's orbital periodicities. SST records from the Angola Basin vary predominantly at 23- and 100-kyr periodicities. For the precessional cycle, SST changes at the Walvis Ridge correspond to variations of boreal summer insolation over Africa and lead ice volume changes, suggesting that the east equatorial South Atlantic is sensitive to African monsoon intensity via trade-wind zonality. Angola Basin SST records lag those from the Walvis Ridge and the equatorial Atlantic by about 3 kyr. The comparison of Angola Basin and Walvis Ridge SST records implies that the Angola-Benguela Front (ABF) (currently at about 14-16°S) has remained fairly stationary between 12° and 20°S (the limits of our cores) during the last two glacial-interglacial cycles. The temperature contrast associated with the ABF exhibits a periodic 23-kyr variability which is coherent with changes in boreal summer insolation over Africa. These observations suggest that surface waters north of the present ABF have not directly responded to monsoon-modulated changes in the trade-wind vector, that the central field of zonally directed trades in the southern hemisphere was not shifted or extended northward by several degrees of latitude during glacials, and that a cyclonic gyre circulation has existed in the east equatorial South Atlantic over the last 200,000 years. This scenario contradicts former assumptions of glacial intensification of the Benguela Current into the eastern Angola Basin and increased coastal upwelling off Angola.

Measurement of Electron Beam Emittance Using Optical Transition Radiation and Development of a Diffuse Screen Electron Beam Monitor

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

Zerodur ,irror, 2" relfects light. 1OZ20BD.1; 20th wave zerodur mirror , 1" reflects light. LS-35; 3’ x 5’ optical breadboard; for mounting components...profile measurements using the diffuse screen were compared with measurements using a front surface mirror and a fluorescent screen. The 20 DISTRIBUTION...Beam current and profile measurements using the diffuse screen were compared with measurements using a front surface mirror and a fluorescent screen

Diffractive Alvarez lens

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

Barton, Ian M.; Dixit, Sham N.; Summers, Leslie J.

2000-01-01

A diffractive Alvarez lens is demonstrated that consists of two separate phase plates, each having complementary 16-level surface-relief profiles that contain cubic phase delays. Translation of these two components in the plane of the phase plates is shown to produce a variable astigmatic focus. Both spherical and cylindrical phase profiles are demonstrated with good accuracy, and the discrete surface-relief features are shown to cause less than {lambda}/10 wave-front aberration in the transmitted wave front over a 40 mmx80 mm region. (c) 2000 Optical Society of America.

40 CFR 211.203 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... entering the ear. This includes devices of which hearing protection may not be the primary function, but... -carrying case. (u) Primary Panel. The surface that is considered to be the front surface or that surface...

40 CFR 211.203 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... entering the ear. This includes devices of which hearing protection may not be the primary function, but... -carrying case. (u) Primary Panel. The surface that is considered to be the front surface or that surface...

40 CFR 211.203 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... entering the ear. This includes devices of which hearing protection may not be the primary function, but... -carrying case. (u) Primary Panel. The surface that is considered to be the front surface or that surface...

Front gardens to car parks: changes in garden permeability and effects on flood regulation.

PubMed

Warhurst, Jennifer R; Parks, Katherine E; McCulloch, Lindsay; Hudson, Malcolm D

2014-07-01

This study addresses the consequences of widespread conversion of permeable front gardens to hard standing car parking surfaces, and the potential consequences in high-risk urban flooding hotspots, in the city of Southampton. The last two decades has seen a trend for domestic front gardens in urban areas to be converted for parking, driven by the lack of space and increased car ownership. Despite media and political attention, the effects of this change are unknown, but increased and more intense rainfall, potentially linked to climate change, could generate negative consequences as runoff from impermeable surfaces increases. Information is limited on garden permeability change, despite the consequences for ecosystem services, especially flood regulation. We focused on eight flooding hotspots identified by the local council as part of a wider urban flooding policy response. Aerial photographs from 1991, 2004 and 2011 were used to estimate changes in surface cover and to analyse permeability change within a digital surface model in a GIS environment. The 1, 30 and 100 year required attenuation storage volumes were estimated, which are the temporary storage required to reduce the peak flow rate given surface permeability. Within our study areas, impermeable cover in domestic front gardens increased by 22.47% over the 20-year study period (1991-2011) and required attenuation storage volumes increased by 26.23% on average. These increases suggest that a consequence of the conversion of gardens to parking areas will be a potential increase in flooding frequency and severity - a situation which is likely to occur in urban locations worldwide. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in entrance surface dose in relation to the location of shielding material in chest computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Y. M.; Cho, J. H.; Kim, S. C.

2015-07-01

This study examined the effects of entrance surface dose (ESD) on the abdomen and pelvis of the patient when undergoing chest computed tomography (CT) procedure, and evaluated the effects of ESD reduction depending on the location of radiation shield. For CT scanner, the 64-slice multi-detector computed tomography was used. The alderson radiation therapy phantom and optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD), which enabled measurement from low to high dose, were also used. For measurement of radiation dose, the slice number from 9 to 21 of the phantom was set as the test range, which included apex up to both costophrenic angles. A total of 10 OSLD nanoDots were attached for measurement of the front and rear ESD. Cyclic tests were performed using the low-dose chest CT and high-resolution CT (HRCT) protocol on the following set-ups: without shielding; shielding only on the front side; shielding only on the rear side; and shielding for both front and rear sides. According to the test results, ESD for both front and rear sides was higher in HRCT than low-dose CT when radiation shielding was not used. It was also determined that, compared to the set-up that did not use the radiation shield, locating the radiation shield on the front side was effective in reducing front ESD, while locating the radiation shield on the rear side reduced rear ESD level. Shielding both the front and rear sides resulted in ESD reduction. In conclusion, it was confirmed that shielding the front and rear sides was the most effective method to reduce the ESD effect caused by scatter ray during radiography.

Sidewall crystallization and saturation front formation in silicic magma chambers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lake, E. T.

2012-12-01

The cooling and crystallization style of silicic magma bodies in the upper crust falls on a continuum between whole-chamber processes of convection, crystal settling, and cumulate formation and interface driven processes of conduction and crystallization front migration. In the former case, volatile saturation occurs uniformly chamber wide, in the latter volatile saturation occurs along an inward propagating front. Ambient thermal gradient primarily controls the propagation rate; warm (> 30 °C / km) geothermal gradients promote 1000m+ thick crystal mush zones but slow crystallization front propagation. Cold geothermal gradients support the opposite. Magma chamber geometry plays a second order role in controlling propagation rates; bodies with high surface to magma ratio and large Earth's surface parallel faces exhibit more rapid propagation and smaller mush zones. Crystallization front propagation occurs at speeds of up to 6 cm/year (rhyolitic magma, thin sill geometry, 10 °C / km geotherm), far faster than diffusion of volatiles in magma and faster than bubbles can nucleate and ascend under certain conditions. Saturation front propagation is fixed by pressure and magma crystal content; above certain modest initial water contents (4.4 wt% in a dacite) mobile magma above 10 km depth always contains a saturation front. Saturation fronts propagate down from the magma chamber roof at lower water contents (3.3 wt% in a dacite at 5 km depth), creating an upper saturated interface for most common (4 - 6 wt%) magma water contents. This upper interface promotes the production of a fluid pocket underneath the apex of the magma chamber. Magma de-densification by bubble nucleation promotes convection and homogenization in dacitic systems. If the fluid pocket grew rapidly without draining, hydro-fracturing and eruption would result. The combination of fluid escape pathways and metal scavenging would generate economic vein or porphyry deposits.

Method for simultaneously making a plurality of acoustic signal sensor elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Timothy D. (Inventor); Wynkoop, Mark W. (Inventor); Holloway, Nancy M. H. (Inventor); Zuckerwar, Allan J. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

A fetal heart monitoring system preferably comprising a backing plate having a generally concave front surface and a generally convex back surface, and at least one sensor element attached to the concave front surface for acquiring acoustic fetal heart signals produced by a fetus within a body. The sensor element has a shape that conforms to the generally concave back surface of the backing plate. In one embodiment, the at least one sensor element comprises an inner sensor, and a plurality of outer sensors surrounding the inner sensor. The fetal heart monitoring system can further comprise a web belt, and a web belt guide movably attached to the web belt. The web belt guide being is to the convex back surface of the backing plate.

Ultrasonic material hardness depth measurement

DOEpatents

Good, M.S.; Schuster, G.J.; Skorpik, J.R.

1997-07-08

The invention is an ultrasonic surface hardness depth measurement apparatus and method permitting rapid determination of hardness depth of shafts, rods, tubes and other cylindrical parts. The apparatus of the invention has a part handler, sensor, ultrasonic electronics component, computer, computer instruction sets, and may include a display screen. The part handler has a vessel filled with a couplant, and a part rotator for rotating a cylindrical metal part with respect to the sensor. The part handler further has a surface follower upon which the sensor is mounted, thereby maintaining a constant distance between the sensor and the exterior surface of the cylindrical metal part. The sensor is mounted so that a front surface of the sensor is within the vessel with couplant between the front surface of the sensor and the part. 12 figs.

Method for Simultaneously Making a Plurality of Acoustic Signal Sensor Elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Timothy D.; Wynkoop, Mark W.; Holloway, Nancy M. H.; Zuckerwar, Allan J.

2005-01-01

A fetal heart monitoring system preferably comprising a backing plate having a generally concave front surface and a generally convex back surface, and at least one sensor element attached to the concave front surface for acquiring acoustic fetal heart signals produced by a fetus within a body. The sensor element has a shape that conforms to the generally concave back surface of the backing plate. In one embodiment, the at least one sensor element comprises an inner sensor, and a plurality of outer sensors surrounding the inner sensor. The fetal heart monitoring system can further comprise a web belt, and a web belt guide movably attached to the web belt. The web belt guide being is to the convex back surface of the backing plate.

Satellite Analysis of Ocean Biogeochemistry and Mesoscale Variability in the Sargasso Sea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, D. A.; Micheals, A. F.; Nelson, N. B.

1997-01-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of spatial variability on the time-series of biogeochemical measurements made at the U.S. JGOFS Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site. Originally the study was planned to use SeaWiFS as well as AVHRR high-resolution data. Despite the SeaWiFS delays we were able to make progress on the following fronts: (1) Operational acquisition, processing, and archive of HRPT data from a ground station located in Bermuda; (2) Validation of AVHRR SST data using BATS time-series and spatial validation cruise CTD data; (3) Use of AVHRR sea surface temperature imagery and ancillary data to assess the impact of mesoscale spatial variability on P(CO2) and carbon flux in the Sargasso Sea; (4) Spatial and temporal extent of tropical cyclone induced surface modifications; and (5) Assessment of eddy variability using TOPEX/Poseidon data.

Computer vision syndrome (CVS) - Thermographic Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llamosa-Rincón, L. E.; Jaime-Díaz, J. M.; Ruiz-Cardona, D. F.

2017-01-01

The use of computers has reported an exponential growth in the last decades, the possibility of carrying out several tasks for both professional and leisure purposes has contributed to the great acceptance by the users. The consequences and impact of uninterrupted tasks with computers screens or displays on the visual health, have grabbed researcher’s attention. When spending long periods of time in front of a computer screen, human eyes are subjected to great efforts, which in turn triggers a set of symptoms known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Most common of them are: blurred vision, visual fatigue and Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) due to unappropriate lubrication of ocular surface when blinking decreases. An experimental protocol was de-signed and implemented to perform thermographic studies on healthy human eyes during exposure to dis-plays of computers, with the main purpose of comparing the existing differences in temperature variations of healthy ocular surfaces.