Ultrasonic characterization of porosity using the Kramers-Kronig relations

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

Rose, J.H.; Hsu, D.K.; Adler, L.

1985-01-01

A new algorithm is proposed to determine the volume fraction of pores in solids using the frequency dependent ultrasonic attenuation. The algorithm was developed by examining the Kramers-Kronig relation between the porosity induced ultrasonic attenuation and the change in sound velocity. The method is tested using data measured for several porous aluminum samples.

Ultrasonic Characterization of Superhard Material: Osmium Diboride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadawa, P. K.

2012-12-01

Higher order elastic constants have been calculated in hexagonal structured superhard material OsB2 at room temperature following the interaction potential model. The temperature variation of the ultrasonic velocities is evaluated along different angles with unique axis of the crystal using the second order elastic constants. The ultrasonic velocity decreases with the temperature along particular orientation with the unique axis. Temperature variation of the thermal relaxation time and Debye average velocities are also calculated along the same orientation. The temperature dependency of the ultrasonic properties is discussed in correlation with elastic, thermal and electrical properties. It has been found that the thermal conductivity is the main contributor to the behaviour of ultrasonic attenuation as a function of temperature and the responsible cause of attenuation is phonon-phonon interaction. The mechanical properties of OsB2 at low temperature are better than at high temperature, because at low temperature it has low ultrasonic velocity and ultrasonic attenuation. Superhard material OsB2 has many industrial applications, such as abrasives, cutting tools and hard coatings.

Ultrasonic attenuation in pearlitic steel.

PubMed

Du, Hualong; Turner, Joseph A

2014-03-01

Expressions for the attenuation coefficients of longitudinal and transverse ultrasonic waves are developed for steel with pearlitic microstructure. This type of lamellar duplex microstructure influences attenuation because of the lamellar spacing. In addition, longitudinal attenuation measurements were conducted using an unfocused transducer with 10 MHz central frequency on the cross section of a quenched railroad wheel sample. The dependence of longitudinal attenuation on the pearlite microstructure is observed from the changes of longitudinal attenuation from the quenched tread surface to deeper locations. The results show that the attenuation value is lowest and relatively constant within the quench depth, then increases linearly. The experimental results demonstrate a reasonable agreement with results from the theoretical model. Ultrasonic attenuation provides an important non-destructive method to evaluate duplex microstructure within grains which can be implemented for quality control in conjunction with other manufacturing processes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Floating Ultrasonic Transducer Inspection System and Method for Nondestructive Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Patrick H. (Inventor); Zalameda, Joseph N. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

A method for inspecting a structural sample using ultrasonic energy includes positioning an ultrasonic transducer adjacent to a surface of the sample, and then transmitting ultrasonic energy into the sample. Force pulses are applied to the transducer concurrently with transmission of the ultrasonic energy. A host machine processes ultrasonic return pulses from an ultrasonic pulser/receiver to quantify attenuation of the ultrasonic energy within the sample. The host machine detects a defect in the sample using the quantified level of attenuation. The method may include positioning a dry couplant between an ultrasonic transducer and the surface. A system includes an actuator, an ultrasonic transducer, a dry couplant between the transducer the sample, a scanning device that moves the actuator and transducer, and a measurement system having a pulsed actuator power supply, an ultrasonic pulser/receiver, and a host machine that executes the above method.

Ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation of graphite epoxy composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, James G.

1990-01-01

Quantitative ultrasonic techniques are summarized with applications to the measurement of frequency-dependent attenuation and backscatter and to the NDE of composite laminates. Results are listed for the ultrasonic NDE of graphite-epoxy composite laminates including impact and fatigue damage as well as porosity. The methods reviewed include transmission measurements of attenuation, reconstructive tomography based on attenuation, estimating attenuation from backscattered ultrasound, and backscatter approaches. Phase-sensitive and -insensitive detection techniques are mentioned such as phase cancellation at piezoelectric receiving transducers and acoustoelectric effects. The techniques permit the NDE of the parameters listed in inhomogeneous media and provide both images from the transmission mode and in the reflection mode.

The feasibility of ranking material fracture toughness by ultrasonic attenuation measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.

1975-01-01

A preliminary study was conducted to assess the feasibility of ultrasonically ranking material fracture toughness. Specimens of two grades of maraging steel for which fracture toughness values were measured were subjected to ultrasonic probing. The slope of the attenuation coefficient vs frequency curve was empirically correlated with the plane strain fracture toughness value for each grade of steel.

The feasibility of ranking material fracture toughness by ultrasonic attenuation measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.

1975-01-01

A preliminary study was conducted to assess the feasibility of ultrasonically ranking material fracture toughness. Specimens of two grades of maraging steel for which fracture toughness values were measured were subjected to ultrasonic probing. The slope of the attenuation coefficient versus frequency curve was empirically correlated with the plane strain fracture toughness value for each grade of steel.

Temperature and frequency dependence of ultrasonic attenuation in selected tissues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gammell, P. M.; Croissette, D. H. L.; Heyser, R. C.

1979-01-01

Ultrasonic attenuation over the frequency range of 1.5-10 MHz has been measured as a function of temperature for porcine liver, backfat, kidney and spleen as well as for a single specimen of human liver. The attenuation in these excised specimens increases nearly linearly with frequency. Over the temperature range of approximately 4-37 C the attenuation decreases with increasing temperature for most soft tissue studied.

Study of ultrasonic attenuation in f-electron systems in the paramagnetic limit of Coulomb interaction

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

Shadangi, Asit Ku., E-mail: asitshad@iopb.res.in; Rout, G. C., E-mail: gcr@iopb.res.in

2015-05-15

We report here a microscopic model study of ultrasonic attenuation in f-electron systems based on Periodic Anderson Model in which Coulomb interaction is considered within a mean-field approximation for a weak interaction. The Phonon is coupled to the conduction band and f-electrons. The phonon Green's function is calculated by Zubarev's technique of the Green's function method. The temperature dependent ultrasonic attenuation co-efficient is calculated from the imaginary part of the phonon self-energy in the dynamic and long wave length limit. The f-electron occupation number is calculated self-consistently in paramagnetic limit of Coulomb interaction. The effect of the Coulomb interaction onmore » ultrasonic attenuation is studied by varying the phonon coupling parameters to the conduction and f-electrons, hybridization strength, the position of f-level and the Coulomb interaction Strength. Results are discussed on the basis of experimental results.« less

Energy transfer model and its applications of ultrasonic gas flow-meter under static and dynamic flow rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Min; Xu, Ke-Jun; Zhu, Wen-Jiao; Shen, Zi-Wen

2016-01-01

Most of the ultrasonic gas flow-meters measure the gas flow rate by calculating the ultrasonic transmission time difference between the downstream and upstream. Ultrasonic energy attenuation occurs in the processes of the ultrasonic generation, conversion, transmission, and reception. Additionally, at the same time, the gas flow will also affect the ultrasonic propagation during the measurement, which results in the ultrasonic energy attenuation and the offset of ultrasonic propagation path. Thus, the ultrasonic energy received by the transducer is weaker. When the gas flow rate increases, this effect becomes more apparent. It leads to the measurement accuracy reduced, and the measurement range narrowed. An energy transfer model, where the ultrasonic gas flow-meter under without/with the gas flow, is established by adopting the statistical analysis and curve fitting based on a large amount of experimental data. The static sub model without the gas flow expresses the energy conversion efficiency of ultrasonic gas transducers, and the dynamic sub model with the gas flow reflects the energy attenuation pattern following the flow rate variations. The mathematical model can be used to determine the minimum energy of the excitation signal for meeting the requirement of specific measurement range, and predict the maximum measurable flow rate in the case of fixed energy of excitation signal. Based on the above studies, a method to enhance the excitation signal energy is proposed under the output power of the transmitting circuit being a finite value so as to extend the measurement rage of ultrasonic gas flow-meter.

Monitoring and modeling of ultrasonic wave propagation in crystallizing mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, T.; Challis, R. E.; Tebbutt, J. S.

2002-05-01

The utility of ultrasonic compression wave techniques for monitoring crystallization processes is investigated in a study of the seeded crystallization of copper II sulfate pentahydrate from aqueous solution. Simple models are applied to predict crystal yield, crystal size distribution and the changing nature of the continuous phase. A scattering model is used to predict the ultrasonic attenuation as crystallization proceeds. Experiments confirm that modeled attenuation is in agreement with measured results.

Modelling the attenuation in the ATHENA finite elements code for the ultrasonic testing of austenitic stainless steel welds.

PubMed

Chassignole, B; Duwig, V; Ploix, M-A; Guy, P; El Guerjouma, R

2009-12-01

Multipass welds made in austenitic stainless steel, in the primary circuit of nuclear power plants with pressurized water reactors, are characterized by an anisotropic and heterogeneous structure that disturbs the ultrasonic propagation and makes ultrasonic non-destructive testing difficult. The ATHENA 2D finite element simulation code was developed to help understand the various physical phenomena at play. In this paper, we shall describe the attenuation model implemented in this code to give an account of wave scattering phenomenon through polycrystalline materials. This model is in particular based on the optimization of two tensors that characterize this material on the basis of experimental values of ultrasonic velocities attenuation coefficients. Three experimental configurations, two of which are representative of the industrial welds assessment case, are studied in view of validating the model through comparison with the simulation results. We shall thus provide a quantitative proof that taking into account the attenuation in the ATHENA code dramatically improves the results in terms of the amplitude of the echoes. The association of the code and detailed characterization of a weld's structure constitutes a remarkable breakthrough in the interpretation of the ultrasonic testing on this type of component.

The role of the reflection coefficient in precision measurement of ultrasonic attenuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Generazio, E. R.

1984-01-01

Ultrasonic attenuation measurements using contact, pulse-echo techniques are sensitive to surface roughness and couplant thickness variations. This can reduce considerable inaccuracies in the measurement of the attenuation coefficient for broadband pulses. Inaccuracies arise from variations in the reflection coefficient at the buffer-couplant-sample interface. The reflection coefficient is examined as a function of the surface roughness and corresponding couplant thickness variations. Interrelations with ultrasonic frequency are illustrated. Reliable attenuation measurements are obtained only when the frequency dependence of the reflection coefficient is incorporated in signal analysis. Data are given for nickel 200 samples and a silicon nitride ceramic bar having surface roughness variations in the 0.3 to 3.0 microns range for signal bandwidths in the 50 to 100 MHz range.

ULTRASONIC NEUTRON DOSIMETER

DOEpatents

Truell, R.; de Klerk, J.; Levy, P.W.

1960-02-23

A neutron dosimeter is described which utilizes ultrasonic waves in the megacycle region for determination of the extent of neutron damage in a borosilicate glass through ultrasonic wave velocity and attenuation measurements before and after damage.

Defects and Materials Characterization by Analysis of Ultrasonic Signals. Study of a Technique to Measure Ultrasonic Attenuation

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-01

los M todos de Ensayos No Destructivos de Control de la Calidad de los Materiales ". Editado por Instituto Nacional de T6cnica AeroespaciaL...STUDY OF A TECH!4IUE TO MEASURE ULTRASONIC ATTENUATION. Carlos Valdecantos; Jos6 Miguel instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial (INTA) Torrej6n de ...FORCE OFFICE OF SCIETIFIC RESEARCH Bolling AFB, D.C. 20332 ,: and EUJROPEAN OFFICE OF AEROSPACE .RESEARCH AND ,EZr--’. EN , London, England. 2

Ultrasonic detection of solid phase mass flow ratio of pneumatic conveying fly ash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Guang Bin; Pan, Hong Li; Wang, Yong; Liu, Zong Ming

2014-04-01

In this paper, ultrasonic attenuation detection and weight balance are adopted to evaluate the solid mass ratio in this paper. Fly ash is transported on the up extraction fluidization pneumatic conveying workbench. In the ultrasonic test. McClements model and Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law model were applied to formulate the ultrasonic attenuation properties of gas-solid flow, which can give the solid mass ratio. While in the method of weigh balance, the averaged mass addition per second can reveal the solids mass flow ratio. By contrast these two solid phase mass ratio detection methods, we can know, the relative error is less.

Quantitative Mapping of Pore Fraction Variations in Silicon Nitride Using an Ultrasonic Contact Scan Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Don J.; Kiser, James D.; Swickard, Suzanne M.; Szatmary, Steven A.; Kerwin, David P.

1993-01-01

An ultrasonic scan procedure using the pulse-echo contact configuration was employed to obtain maps of pore fraction variations in sintered silicon nitride samples in terms of ultrasonic material properties. Ultrasonic velocity, attenuation coefficient, and reflection coefficient images were obtained simultaneously over a broad band of frequencies (e.g., 30 to 110 MHz) by using spectroscopic analysis. Liquid and membrane (dry) coupling techniques and longitudinal and shear-wave energies were used. The major results include the following: Ultrasonic velocity (longitudinal and shear wave) images revealed and correlated with the extent of average through-thickness pore fraction variations in the silicon nitride disks. Attenuation coefficient images revealed pore fraction nonuniformity due to the scattering that occurred at boundaries between regions of high and low pore fraction. Velocity and attenuation coefficient images were each nearly identical for machined and polished disks, making the method readily applicable to machined materials. Velocity images were similar for wet and membrane coupling. Maps of apparent Poisson's ratio constructed from longitudinal and shear-wave velocities quantified Poisson's ratio variations across a silicon nitride disk. Thermal wave images of a disk indicated transient thermal behavior variations that correlated with observed variations in pore fraction and velocity and attenuation coefficients.

Ultrasonic investigation of the superconducting properties of the Nb-Mo system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lacy, L. L.

1972-01-01

The superconducting properties of single crystals of Nb and two alloys of Nb with Mo were investigated by ultrasonic techniques. The results of measurements of the ultrasonic attenuation and velocities as a function of temperature, Mo composition, crystallographic direction, and ultrasonic frequency are reported. The attenuation and small velocity changes associated with the superconductivity of the samples are shown to be dependent on the sample resistivity ratio which varied from 4.3 for Nb-9% Mo to 6500 for pure Nb. The ultrasonic attenuation data are analyzed in terms of the superconducting energy gap term of the BCS theory. A new model is proposed for the analysis of ultrasonic attenuation in pure superconductors with two partially decoupled energy bands. To analyze the attenuation in pure superconducting Nb, the existence of two energy gaps was assumed to be associated with the two partially decoupled energy bands. One of the gaps was found to have the normal BCS value of 3.4 and the other gap was found to have the anomalously large value of 10. No experimental evidence was found to suggest that the second energy gap had a different transition temperature. The interpretation of the results for the Nb-Mo alloys is shown to be complicated by the possible existence of a second superconducting phase in Nb-Mo alloys with a transition temperature of 0.35 of the transition temperature of the first phase. The elastic constants of Nb and Nb-Mo alloys are shown to be approximately independent of Mo composition to nine atomic percent Mo. These results do not agree with the current microscopic theory of transition temperature for the transition elements.

Improved near-field characteristics of phased arrays for assessing concrete and cementitious materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wooh, Shi-Chang; Azar, Lawrence

1999-01-01

The degradation of civil infrastructure has placed a focus on effective nondestructive evaluation techniques to correctly assess the condition of existing concrete structures. Conventional high frequency ultrasonic response are severely affected by scattering and material attenuation, resulting in weak and confusing signal returns. Therefore, low frequency ultrasonic transducers, which avoid this problem of wave attenuation, are commonly used for concrete with limited capabilities. The focus of this research is to ascertain some benefits and limitations of a low frequency ultrasonic phased array transducer. In this paper, we investigate a novel low-frequency ultrasonic phased array and the results of experimental feasibility test for practical condition assessment of concrete structures are reported.

Femtosecond ultrasonic spectroscopy using a piezoelectric nanolayer: Hypersound attenuation in vitreous silica films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Yu-Chieh; Guol, Shi-Hao; Chen, Hung-Pin; Sheu, Jinn-Kong; Sun, Chi-Kuang

2011-08-01

We report ultra-broadband ultrasonic spectroscopy with an impedance-matched piezoelectric nanolayer, which enables optical generation and detection of a 730-fs acoustic pulse (the width of ten lattice constants). The bandwidth improvement facilitates THz laser ultrasonics to bridge the spectral gap between inelastic light and x-ray scatterings (0.1-1 THz) in the studies of lattice dynamics. As a demonstration, this method is applied to measure sound attenuation α in a vitreous SiO2 thin film. Our results extend the existing low-frequency data obtained by ultrasonic-based and light scattering methods and also show a α∝ f2 behavior for frequencies f up to 650 GHz.

Ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation of impact-damaged graphite fiber composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, J. H., Jr.; Lampert, N. R.

1980-01-01

Unidirectional Hercules AS/3501-6 graphite fiber epoxy composites were subjected to repeated controlled low-velocity drop weight impacts in the laminate direction. The degradation was ultrasonically monitored using through-thickness attenuation and a modified stress wave factor (SWF). There appears to be strong correlations between the number of drop-weight impacts, the residual tensile strength, the through-thickness attenuation, and the SWF. The results are very encouraging with respect to the NDE potential of both of these ultrasonic parameters to provide strength characterizations in virgin as well as impact-damaged fiber composite structures.

Transfer function concept for ultrasonic characterization of material microstructures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.; Kautz, H. E.

1986-01-01

The approach given depends on treating material microstructures as elastomechanical filters that have analytically definable transfer functions. These transfer functions can be defined in terms of the frequency dependence of the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient. The transfer function concept provides a basis for synthesizing expressions that characterize polycrystalline materials relative to microstructural factors such as mean grain size, grain-size distribution functions, and grain boundary energy transmission. Although the approach is nonrigorous, it leads to a rational basis for combining the previously mentioned diverse and fragmented equations for ultrasonic attenuation coefficients.

Detection of bondline delaminations in multilayer structures with lossy components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madaras, Eric I.; Winfree, William P.; Smith, B. T.; Heyman, Joseph H.

1988-01-01

The detection of bondline delaminations in multilayer structures using ultrasonic reflection techniques is a generic problem in adhesively bonded composite structures such as the Space Shuttles's Solid Rocket Motors (SRM). Standard pulse echo ultrasonic techniques do not perform well for a composite resonator composed of a resonant layer combined with attenuating layers. Excessive ringing in the resonant layer tends to mask internal echoes emanating from the attenuating layers. The SRM is made up of a resonant steel layer backed by layers of adhesive, rubber, liner and fuel, which are ultrasonically attenuating. The structure's response is modeled as a lossy ultrasonic transmission line. The model predicts that the acoustic response of the system is sensitive to delaminations at the interior bondlines in a few narrow frequency bands. These predictions are verified by measurements on a fabricated system. Successful imaging of internal delaminations is sensitive to proper selection of the interrogating frequency. Images of fabricated bondline delaminations are presented based on these studies.

Attenuation Coefficient Estimation of the Healthy Human Thyroid In Vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouyer, J.; Cueva, T.; Portal, A.; Yamamoto, T.; Lavarello, R.

Previous studies have demonstrated that attenuation coefficients can be useful towards characterizing thyroid tissues. In this work, ultrasonic attenuation coefficients were estimated from healthy human thyroids in vivo using a clinical scanner. The selected subjects were five young, healthy volunteers (age: 26 ± 6 years old, gender: three females, two males) with no reported history of thyroid diseases, no palpable thyroid nodules, no smoking habits, and body mass index less than 30 kg/m2. Echographic examinations were conducted by a trained sonographer using a SonixTouch system (Ultrasonix Medical Corporation, Richmond, BC) equipped with an L14-5 linear transducer array (nominal center frequency of 10 MHz, transducer footprint of 3.8 cm). Radiofrequency data corresponding to the collected echographic images in both transverse and longitudinal views were digitized at a sampling rate of 40 MHz and processed with Matlab codes (MathWorks, Natick, MA) to estimate attenuation coefficients using the spectral log difference method. The estimation was performed using an analysis bandwidth spanning from 4.0 to 9.0 MHz. The average value of the estimated ultrasonic attenuation coefficients was equal to 1.34 ± 0.15 dB/(cm.MHz). The standard deviation of the estimated average attenuation coefficient across different volunteers suggests a non-negligible inter-subject variability in the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient of the human thyroid.

Theory of ultrasonic diffraction by damage developed in thin laminated composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayford, D. T.; Henneke, E. G.

1977-01-01

The apparent attenuation which would result if certain damage states (transverse cracks and delaminations) are introduced into a graphite/epoxy laminate through which an ultrasonic wave passes is investigated. Experimental data for two different laminates are presented which shows changes in the apparent attenuation of about one db. These changes generally occur at loads which correspond to the range predicted for the formation of the damage. The predicted changes in the attenuation for several simple and common damage states are well within the range of experimental values.

The Effects of Flocculation on the Propagation of Ultrasound in Dilute Kaolin Slurries.

PubMed

Austin; Challis

1998-10-01

A broadband ultrasonic spectrometer has been used to measure ultrasonic attenuation and phase velocity dispersion as functions of frequency in kaolin suspensions over a range of solid volume fractions from phi = 0.01 to phi = 0.08 and over a pH range from 3 to 9. The Harker and Temple theory was used to simulate ultrasound propagation in the suspension, using measured slope viscosity, particle size, and size distribution. Simulated results for ultrasonic attenuation and phase velocity agree well with measured values. Both sets of results agree well and show that for volume fractions above phi approximately 0.05 attenuation and velocity dispersion increase for increasing floc size, whereas for volume fractions below phi approximately 0.05 attenuation and velocity dispersion both decrease. It is proposed that the mechanism for this change in behavior around phi approximately 0.05 involves changes in floc density and floc size distribution with phi and pH. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Nondestructive characterization of UHMWPE armor materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiou, Chien-Ping; Margetan, Frank J.; Barnard, Daniel J.; Hsu, David K.; Jensen, Terrence; Eisenmann, David

2012-05-01

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a material increasingly used for fabricating helmet and body armor. In this work, plate specimens consolidated from thin fiber sheets in series 3124 and 3130 were examined with ultrasound, X-ray and terahertz radiation. Ultrasonic through-transmission scans using both air-coupled and immersion modes revealed that the 3130 series material generally had much lower attenuation than the 3124 series, and that certain 3124 plates had extremely high attenuation. Due to the relatively low inspection frequencies used, pulse-echo immersion ultrasonic testing could not detect distinct flaw echoes from the interior. To characterize the nature of the defective condition that was responsible for the high ultrasonic attenuation, terahertz radiation in the time-domain spectroscopy mode were used to image the flaws. Terahertz scan images obtained on the high attenuation samples clearly showed a distribution of a large number of defects, possibly small planar delaminations, throughout the volume of the interior. Their precise nature and morphology are to be verified by optical microscopy of the sectioned surface.

On Limitations of the Ultrasonic Characterization of Pieces Manufactured with Highly Attenuating Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, A.; Moreno, E.; Rubio, B.; Calas, H.; Galarza, N.; Rubio, J.; Diez, L.; Castellanos, L.; Gómez, T.

Some technical aspects of two Spanish cooperation projects, funded by DPI and Innpacto Programs of the R&D National Plan, are discussed. The objective is to analyze the common belief about than the ultrasonic testing in MHz range is not a tool utilizable to detect internal flaws in highly attenuating pieces made of coarse-grained steel. In fact high-strength steels, used in some safe industrial infrastructures of energy & transport sectors, are difficult to be inspected using the conventional "state of the art" in ultrasonic technology, due to their internal microstructures are very attenuating and coarse-grained. It is studied if this inspection difficulty could be overcome by finding intense interrogating pulses and advanced signal processing of the acquired echoes. A possible solution would depend on drastically improving signal-to-noise-ratios, by applying new advances on: ultrasonic transduction, HV electronics for intense pulsed driving of the testing probes, and an "ad-hoc" digital processing or focusing of the received noisy signals, in function of each material to be inspected. To attain this challenging aim on robust steel pieces would open the possibility of obtaining improvements in inspecting critical industrial components made of highly attenuating & dispersive materials, as new composites in aeronautic and motorway bridges, or new metallic alloys in nuclear area, where additional testing limitations often appear.

Thermal and ultrasonic evaluation of porosity in composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Patrick H.; Winfree, William P.; Long, Edward R., Jr.; Kullerd, Susan M.; Nathan, N.; Partos, Richard D.

1992-01-01

The effects of porosity on damage incurred by low-velocity impact are investigated. Specimens of graphite/epoxy composite were fabricated with various volume fractions of voids. The void fraction was independently determined using optical examination and acid resin digestion methods. Thermal diffusivity and ultrasonic attenuation were measured, and these results were related to the void volume fraction. The relationship between diffusivity and fiber volume fraction was also considered. The slope of the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient was found to increase linearly with void content, and the diffusivity decreased linearly with void volume fraction, after compensation for an approximately linear dependence on the fiber volume fraction.

Monitoring the Cure State of Thermosetting Resins by Ultrasound.

PubMed

Lionetto, Francesca; Maffezzoli, Alfonso

2013-09-05

The propagation of low intensity ultrasound in a curing resin, acting as a high frequency oscillatory excitation, has been recently proposed as an ultrasonic dynamic mechanical analysis (UDMA) for cure monitoring. The technique measures sound velocity and attenuation, which are very sensitive to changes in the viscoelastic characteristics of the curing resin, since the velocity is related to the resin storage modulus and density, while the attenuation is related to the energy dissipation and scattering in the curing resin. The paper reviews the results obtained by the authors' research group in the last decade by means of in-house made ultrasonic set-ups for both contact and air-coupled ultrasonic experiments. The basics of the ultrasonic wave propagation in polymers and examples of measurements of the time-evolution of ultrasonic longitudinal modulus and chemical conversion of different thermosetting resins are presented. The effect of temperature on the cure kinetics, the comparison with rheological, low frequency dynamic mechanical and calorimetric results, and the correlation between ultrasonic modulus and crosslinking density will be also discussed. The paper highlights the reliability of ultrasonic wave propagation for monitoring the physical changes taking place during curing and the potential for online monitoring during polymer and polymer matrix composite processing.

Monitoring the Cure State of Thermosetting Resins by Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Lionetto, Francesca; Maffezzoli, Alfonso

2013-01-01

The propagation of low intensity ultrasound in a curing resin, acting as a high frequency oscillatory excitation, has been recently proposed as an ultrasonic dynamic mechanical analysis (UDMA) for cure monitoring. The technique measures sound velocity and attenuation, which are very sensitive to changes in the viscoelastic characteristics of the curing resin, since the velocity is related to the resin storage modulus and density, while the attenuation is related to the energy dissipation and scattering in the curing resin. The paper reviews the results obtained by the authors’ research group in the last decade by means of in-house made ultrasonic set-ups for both contact and air-coupled ultrasonic experiments. The basics of the ultrasonic wave propagation in polymers and examples of measurements of the time-evolution of ultrasonic longitudinal modulus and chemical conversion of different thermosetting resins are presented. The effect of temperature on the cure kinetics, the comparison with rheological, low frequency dynamic mechanical and calorimetric results, and the correlation between ultrasonic modulus and crosslinking density will be also discussed. The paper highlights the reliability of ultrasonic wave propagation for monitoring the physical changes taking place during curing and the potential for online monitoring during polymer and polymer matrix composite processing. PMID:28788306

Crack detection using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Migliori, A.; Bell, T.M.; Rhodes, G.W.

1994-10-04

Method and apparatus are provided for detecting crack-like flaws in components. A plurality of exciting frequencies are generated and applied to a component in a dry condition to obtain a first ultrasonic spectrum of the component. The component is then wet with a selected liquid to penetrate any crack-like flaws in the component. The plurality of exciting frequencies are again applied to the component and a second ultrasonic spectrum of the component is obtained. The wet and dry ultrasonic spectra are then analyzed to determine the second harmonic components in each of the ultrasonic resonance spectra and the second harmonic components are compared to ascertain the presence of crack-like flaws in the component. 5 figs.

Crack detection using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Migliori, Albert; Bell, Thomas M.; Rhodes, George W.

1994-01-01

Method and apparatus are provided for detecting crack-like flaws in components. A plurality of exciting frequencies are generated and applied to a component in a dry condition to obtain a first ultrasonic spectrum of the component. The component is then wet with a selected liquid to penetrate any crack-like flaws in the component. The plurality of exciting frequencies are again applied to the component and a second ultrasonic spectrum of the component is obtained. The wet and dry ultrasonic spectra are then analyzed to determine the second harmonic components in each of the ultrasonic resonance spectra and the second harmonic components are compared to ascertain the presence of crack-like flaws in the component.

Wave speed propagation measurements on highly attenuative heated materials

DOE PAGES

Moore, David G.; Ober, Curtis C.; Rodacy, Phil J.; ...

2015-09-19

Ultrasonic wave propagation decreases as a material is heated. Two factors that can characterize material properties are changes in wave speed and energy loss from interactions within the media. Relatively small variations in velocity and attenuation can detect significant differences in microstructures. This paper discusses an overview of experimental techniques that document the changes within a highly attenuative material as it is either being heated or cooled from 25°C to 90°C. The experimental set-up utilizes ultrasonic probes in a through-transmission configuration. The waveforms are recorded and analyzed during thermal experiments. To complement the ultrasonic data, a Discontinuous-Galerkin Model (DGM) wasmore » also created which uses unstructured meshes and documents how waves travel in these anisotropic media. This numerical method solves particle motion travel using partial differential equations and outputs a wave trace per unit time. As a result, both experimental and analytical data are compared and presented.« less

Characterization of sintered SiC by using NDE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baaklini, George Y.

1988-01-01

Capabilities of projection microfocus X-radiography and of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation for characterizing silicon carbide specimens were assessed. Silicon carbide batches covered a range of densities and different microstructural characteristics. Room-temperature, four-point flexural strength tests were conducted. Fractography was used to identify types, sizes, and locations of fracture origins. Fracture toughness values were calculated from fracture strength and flaw characterization data. Detection capabilities of radiography for fracture-causing flaws were evaluated. Applicability of ultrasonics for verifying material strength and toughness was examined. Radiography proved useful in detecting high-density inclusions and isolated voids, but failed in detecting surface and subsurface agglomerates and large grains as fracture origins. Ultrasonic velocity dependency on density was evident. Attenuation dependency on density and mean pore size was clearly demonstrated. Understanding attenuation as a function of toughness was limited by shortcomings in K sub IC determination.

Numerical Calculation and Measurement of Nonlinear Acoustic Fields in Ultrasound Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawagishi, Tetsuya; Saito, Shigemi; Mine, Yoshitaka

2002-05-01

In order to develop a tool for designing on the ultrasonic probe and its peripheral devices for tissue-harmonic-imaging systems, a study is carried out to compare the calculation and observation results of nonlinear acoustic fields for a diagnostic ultrasound system. The pulsed ultrasound with a center frequency of 2.5 MHz is emanated from a weakly focusing sector probe with a 6.5 mm aperture radius and a 50 mm focal length into an agar phantom with an attenuation coefficient of about 0.6 dB/cm/MHz or 1.2 dB/cm/MHz. The nonlinear acoustic field is measured using a needle-type hydrophone. The calculation is based on the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov(KZK) equation which is modified so that the frequency dependence of the attenuation coefficient is the same as that in biological tissue. This equation is numerically solved with the implicit backward method employing the iterative method. The measured and calculated amplitude spectra show good agreement with each other.

Ultrasonic Evaluation of Fatigue Damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayer, P.; Singher, L.; Notea, A.

2004-02-01

Despite the fact that most engineers and designers are aware of fatigue, many severe breakdowns of industrial plant and machinery still occur due to fatigue. In effect, it's been estimated that fatigue causes at least 80% of the failures in modern engineering components. From an operational point of view, the detection of fatigue damage, preferably at a very early stage, is a critically important consideration in order to prevent possible catastrophic equipment failure and associated losses. This paper describes the investigation involving the use of ultrasonic waves as a potential tool for early detection of fatigue damage. The parameters investigated were the ultrasonic wave velocities (longitudinal and transverse waves) and attenuation coefficient before fatigue damage and after progressive stages of fatigue. Although comparatively small uncertainties were observed, the feasibility of utilizing the velocity of ultrasonic waves as a fatigue monitor was barely substantiated within actual research conditions. However, careful measurements of the ultrasonic attenuation parameter had demonstrated its potential to provide an early assessment of damage during fatigue.

Frequency dispersion of longitudinal ultrasonic velocity and attenuation in [001]c-poled 0.24Pb(In₁/₂Nb₁/₂O₃- 0.45Pb(Mg₁/₃Nb₂/₃)O₃-0.31PbTiO₃ single crystal.

PubMed

Sun, Enwei; Cao, Wenwu; Han, Pengdi

2011-08-01

The frequency dispersion of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation in [001](c)-poled 0.24Pb(in(1/2)Nb(1/2))O(3)-0.45Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))o(3)-0.31PbTio(3) (PIN-0.45PMN-0.31PT) ternary single crystal were measured by ultrasonic spectroscopy from 25 to 100 MHz for the longitudinal wave. It was found that the velocity has a linear relationship with the frequency f, but the attenuation has a quadratic relation with f. The attenuation and frequency dispersion of the ternary system are lower than that of the (1-x)Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-xPbTiO(3) (PMN-PT) binary system and the coercive field also increased by a factor of 2.5, hence, the ternary single system is superior to the corresponding binary single-crystal system for high-frequency and high-power transducer applications.

Ultrasonic material property determinations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Serabian, S.

1986-01-01

The use and potential offered by ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements to determine and/or monitor material properties is explored. The basis for such unique measurements along with examples of materials from a variety of industries are presented.

Analytical Ultrasonics in Materials Research and Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.

1986-01-01

Research results in analytical ultrasonics for characterizing structural materials from metals and ceramics to composites are presented. General topics covered by the conference included: status and advances in analytical ultrasonics for characterizing material microstructures and mechanical properties; status and prospects for ultrasonic measurements of microdamage, degradation, and underlying morphological factors; status and problems in precision measurements of frequency-dependent velocity and attenuation for materials analysis; procedures and requirements for automated, digital signal acquisition, processing, analysis, and interpretation; incentives for analytical ultrasonics in materials research and materials processing, testing, and inspection; and examples of progress in ultrasonics for interrelating microstructure, mechanical properites, and dynamic response.

Acoustic emission and acousto-ultrasonic techniques for wood and wood-based composites: a review

Treesearch

Sumire Kawamoto; R. Sam Williams

2002-01-01

This review focuses on the feasibility of acoustic emission (AE) and acousto-ultrasonic (AU) techniques for monitoring defects in wood, particularly during drying. The advantages and disadvantages of AE and AU techniques are described. Particular emphasis is placed on the propagation and attenuation of ultrasonic waves in wood and the associated measurement problems....

Viscothermal Coupling Effects on Sound Attenuation in Concentrated Colloidal Dispersions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Wei

1995-11-01

This thesis describes a Unified Coupled Phase Continuum (UCPC) model to analyze sound propagation through aerosols, emulsions and suspensions in terms of frequency dependent attenuation coefficient and sound speed. Expressions for the viscous and thermal coupling coefficients explicitly account for the effects of particle size, shape factor, orientation as well as concentration and the sound frequency. The UCPC model also takes into account the intrinsic acoustic absorption within the fluid medium due to its viscosity and heat conductivity. The effective complex wave number as a function of frequency is derived. A frequency- and concentration-dependent complex Nusselt number for the interfacial thermal coupling coefficient is derived using an approximate similarity between the 'viscous skin drag' and 'heat conduction flux' associated with the discontinuous suspended phase, on the basis of a cell model. The theoretical predictions of attenuation spectra provide satisfactory agreement with reported experimental data on two concentrated suspensions (polystyrene latex and kaolin pigment), two concentrated emulsions (toluene -in-water, n-hexadecane-in-water), and two aerosols (oleic acid droplets-in-nitrogen, alumina-in-air), covering a wide range of relative magnitudes (from 10^ {-3} to 10^{3}) of thermal versus viscous contributions, for dispersed phase volume fractions as high as 50%. The relative differences between the additive result of separate viscous and thermal loss estimates and combined viscothermal absorption results are also presented. Effects of particle shape on viscous attenuation of sound in concentrated suspensions of non-spherical clay particles are studied. Attenuation spectra for 18 frequencies from 3 to 100 MHz are measured and analyzed for eleven kaolin clay slurries with solid concentrations ranging from 0.6% to 35% (w/w). A modified viscous drag coefficient that considers frequency, concentration, particle size, shape and orientation of spheroids, is developed and applied to estimate the viscous attenuation coefficients. With incorporation of particle size and shape distributions (PSSD), predictions agree quantitatively with observed attenuation coefficients. The effects of particle aspect ratio and orientation become more evident as particle concentrations and frequencies are increased. The UCPC model combined with the ultrasonic spectroscopy techniques can provide for theoretical and experimental frameworks in characterization of concentrated colloidal dispersions.

Application of the ultrasonic technique and high-speed filming for the study of the structure of air-water bubbly flows

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

Carvalho, R.D.M.; Venturini, O.J.; Tanahashi, E.I.

2009-10-15

Multiphase flows are very common in industry, oftentimes involving very harsh environments and fluids. Accordingly, there is a need to determine the dispersed phase holdup using noninvasive fast responding techniques; besides, knowledge of the flow structure is essential for the assessment of the transport processes involved. The ultrasonic technique fulfills these requirements and could have the capability to provide the information required. In this paper, the potential of the ultrasonic technique for application to two-phase flows was investigated by checking acoustic attenuation data against experimental data on the void fraction and flow topology of vertical, upward, air-water bubbly flows inmore » the zero to 15% void fraction range. The ultrasonic apparatus consisted of one emitter/receiver transducer and three other receivers at different positions along the pipe circumference; simultaneous high-speed motion pictures of the flow patterns were made at 250 and 1000 fps. The attenuation data for all sensors exhibited a systematic interrelated behavior with void fraction, thereby testifying to the capability of the ultrasonic technique to measure the dispersed phase holdup. From the motion pictures, basic gas phase structures and different flows patterns were identified that corroborated several features of the acoustic attenuation data. Finally, the acoustic wave transit time was also investigated as a function of void fraction. (author)« less

Ultrasonic Studies of Composites Undergoing Thermal and Fatigue Loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madaras, Eric I.; Winfree, William P.; Johnston, Patrick H.

1997-01-01

New composite materials possess attractive properties for use in advanced aircraft. A necessary requirement for their introduction into aeronautic use is an accurate understanding of their long term aging processes so that proper design criteria can be established. In order to understand those properties, these composites must be exposed to thermal and load cycles that are characteristic of flight conditions. Additionally, airline companies will require nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods that can be used in the field to assess the condition of these new materials as they age. As part of an effort to obtain the required information about new composites for aviation use, we are performing ultrasonic measurements both in the NDE laboratory and in the materials testing laboratory at NASA. The materials testing laboratory is equipped with environmental chambers mounted on load frames so that composite samples can be exposed to thermal and loading cycles representative of flight protocols. Applying both temperature and load simultaneously will help to highlight temperature and load interactions during the aging of these composite materials. This study reports on our initial ultrasonic attenuation results from thermoset and thermoplastic composite samples. Ultrasonic attenuation measurements have been used reliably to assess the effects of material degradation. For example, recently, researchers have shown that by using frequencies of ultrasound on the order of 24 MHz, they could obtain adequate contrast in the evaluation of thermal degradation in these composites. This paper will present data that shows results at a lower frequency range. In addition, we report results on the frequency dependence of attenuation as the slope of attenuation with respect to frequency, beta = delta alpha (f) / delta f. The slope of attenuation is an attractive parameter since it is quantitative, yet does not require interface corrections like conventional quantitative attenuation measurements. This is a consequence of the assumption that interface correction terms are frequently independent. Uncertainty in those corrections terms compromises the value of conventional quantitative attenuation data.

Determination of toughness and embrittlement for reactor pressure vessel steels using ultrasonic measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiser, Allen Lee, Jr.

Neutron irradiation embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels results in a loss of fracture toughness (e.g., reduction in load carrying capacity of the steel). For the setting of operational limits and assuring the continued safe operation of the plant, current procedures estimate the effects of neutron embrittlement using empirical relations or the results of small samples irradiated in the plant. These procedures account for uncertainties in the estimates through the use of margin terms to ensure the conservatism of the resultant estimate vis-a-vis the "real" material toughness. Therefore, the ability to develop non destructive measurements that can estimate the actual RPV steel fracture toughness in situ would provide more accurate evaluations of operating limits for plants. This study was undertaken to evaluate the suitability of ultrasonic attenuation measurements for estimating the fracture toughness of RPV steels. Ultrasonic measurements were made on samples in three distinct phases: (1) a heat treated RPV steel to induce changes in its fracture toughness; (2) several irradiated RPV steels to assess actual neutron embrittlement changes in fracture toughness; and (3) a matrix of unirradiated RPV steels with a range of as fabricated toughness levels. The results indicate that ultrasonic attenuation is generally able to identify differences in responses for samples with different toughness levels, although in some cases the differences in ultrasonic responses are small. The results from the three phases are not consistent, as in some cases reduced toughness results in higher attenuation and in other cases lower attenuation. This trend is not surprising given the different types of microstructural changes that result in the toughness changes for each phase of this work. In addition, different trends were identified for plate and weld materials.

Ultrasonic inspection of rocket fuel model using laminated transducer and multi-channel step pulser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihara, T.; Hamajima, T.; Tashiro, H.; Sato, A.

2013-01-01

For the ultrasonic inspection for the packing of solid fuel in a rocket booster, an industrial inspection is difficult. Because the signal to noise ratio in ultrasonic inspection of rocket fuel become worse due to the large attenuation even using lower frequency ultrasound. For the improvement of this problem, we tried to applied the two techniques in ultrasonic inspection, one was the step function pulser system with the super wideband frequency properties and the other was the laminated element transducer. By combining these two techniques, we developed the new ultrasonic measurement system and demonstrated the advantages in ultrasonic inspection of rocket fuel model specimen.

Analytical ultrasonics for characterization of metallurgical microstructures and transformations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosen, M.

1986-01-01

The application of contact (piezoelectric) and noncontact (laser generation and detection) ultrasonic techniques for dynamic investigation of precipitation hardening processes in aluminum alloys, as well as crystallization and phase transformation in rapidly solidified amorphous and microcrystalline alloys is discussed. From the variations of the sound velocity and attenuation the precipitation mechanism and kinetics were determined. In addition, a correlation was established between the observed changes in the velocity and attenuation and the mechanical properties of age-hardenable aluminum alloys. The behavior of the elastic moduli, determined ultrasonically, were found to be sensitive to relaxation, crystallization and phase decomposition phenomena in rapidly solidified metallic glasses. Analytical ultrasonics enables determination of the activation energies and growth parameters of the reactions. Therefrom theoretical models can be constructed to explain the changes in mechanical and physical properties upon heat treatment of glassy alloys. The composition dependence of the elastic moduli in amorphous Cu-Zr alloys was found to be related to the glass transition temperature, and consequently to the glass forming ability of these alloys. Dynamic ultrasonic analysis was found to be feasible for on-line, real-time, monitoring of metallurgical processes.

Attenuation of social interaction-associated ultrasonic vocalizations and spatial working memory performance in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress.

PubMed

Riaz, Muhammad S; Bohlen, Martin O; Gunter, Barak W; Quentin, Henry; Stockmeier, Craig A; Paul, Ian A

2015-12-01

Exposure to unpredictable chronic mild stress (CUS) is a commonly used protocol in rats that is reported to evoke antidepressant-reversible behaviors such as loss of preference for a sweetened water solution which is taken as an analog of the anhedonia seen in major depression. However, the induction of anhedonic-like behavior by chronic mild stress, gauged by an animal's preference for sucrose solution, is not fully reproducible and consistent across laboratories. In this study, we compared a widely used behavioral marker of anhedonia - the sucrose preference test, with another phenotypic marker of emotional valence, social interaction-associated ultrasonic vocalizations as well as a marker of an anxiety-like phenotype, novelty-suppressed feeding, and cognitive performance in the eight arm radial maze task in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Chronic four-week exposure to unpredictable mild stressors resulted in 1) attenuation of social interaction-associated ultrasonic vocalizations 2) attenuation of spatial memory performance on the radial arm maze 3) attenuation of body weight gain and 4) increased latency to feed in a novelty-suppressed feeding task. However, chronic exposure to CUS did not result in any significant change in sucrose preference at one-week and three-week intervals. Our results argue for the utility of ultrasonic vocalizations in a social interaction context as a comparable alternative or adjunct to the sucrose preference test in determining the efficacy of CUS to generate an anhedonic-like phenotypic state. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compensating for Attenuation Differences in Ultrasonic Inspections of Titanium-Alloy Billets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margetan, F. J.; Thompson, R. B.; Keller, Michael; Hassan, Waled

2004-02-01

Cylindrical billets of Titanium alloy are ultrasonically inspected prior to use in fabricating rotating jet-engine components. Although each billet has a cylindrical geometry, its ultrasonic properties are not cylindrically symmetric due to asymmetries in the process used to produce the billet from the original cast ingot. In the inspection process, a calibration standard of the same diameter containing flat-bottomed hole (FBH) reflectors is used to set the initial inspection gain (i.e., the signal amplification level). If the ultrasonic attenuation of the billet to be inspected differs significantly from that of the calibration standard, the inspection gain must be adjusted to maintain the desired defect detection sensitivity. In this paper we investigate several schemes for attenuation compensation. The gain adjustments fall into two broad categories: "global" adjustments (in dB/inch units), which are applied uniformly throughout the billet under inspection; and "local adjustments", which vary with axial and circumferential position. The schemes make use of the patterns of reflected back-wall amplitude and backscattered grain noise seen in the calibration standard and test billet. The various compensation schemes are tested using specimens of 6″-diameter Ti-6A1-4V billet into which many FBH targets were drilled. Results are summarized and tentative recommendations for improving billet inspection practices are offered.

Wave propagation in composite media and material characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Datta, Subhendu K.; Shah, A. H.; Karunasena, W.

1990-01-01

Characteristics of wave propagation in an undamaged composite medium are influenced by many factors, the most important of which are: microstructure, constituent properties, interfaces, residual stress fields, and ply lay-ups. Measurements of wave velocities, attenuation, and dispersion provide a powerful tool for nondestructive evaluation of these properties. Recent developments are reviewed for modeling ultrasonic wave propagation in fiber and particle-reinforced composite media. Additionally, some modeling studies are reviewed for the effects of interfaces and layering on attenuation and dispersion. These studies indicate possible ways of characterizing material properties by ultrasonic means.

Ultrasonic characterization of solid liquid suspensions

DOEpatents

Panetta, Paul D.

2010-06-22

Using an ultrasonic field, properties of a solid liquid suspension such as through-transmission attenuation, backscattering, and diffuse field are measured. These properties are converted to quantities indicating the strength of different loss mechanisms (such as absorption, single scattering and multiple scattering) among particles in the suspension. Such separation of the loss mechanisms can allow for direct comparison of the attenuating effects of the mechanisms. These comparisons can also indicate a model most likely to accurately characterize the suspension and can aid in determination of properties such as particle size, concentration, and density of the suspension.

Ultrasonic Study of Dislocation Dynamics in Lithium -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Myeong-Deok

1987-09-01

Experimental studies of dislocation dynamics in LiF single crystals, using ultrasonic techniques combined with dynamic loading, were performed to investigate the time evolution of the plastic deformation process under a short stress pulse at room temperature, and the temperature dependence of the dislocation damping mechanism in the temperature range 25 - 300(DEGREES)K. From the former, the time dependence of the ultrasonic attenuation was understood as resulting from dislocation multiplication followed by the evolution of mobile dislocations to immobile ones under large stress. From the latter, the temperature dependence of the ultrasonic attenuation was interpreted as due to the motion of the dislocation loops overcoming the periodic Peierls potential barrier in a manner analogous to the motion of a thermalized sine-Gordon chain under a small stress. The Peierls stress obtained from the experimental results by application of Seeger's relaxation model with exponential dislocation length distribution was 4.26MPa, which is consistent with the lowest stress for the linear relation between the dislocation velocity and stress observed by Flinn and Tinder.

Relation between ultrasonic properties, rheology and baking quality for bread doughs of widely differing formulation.

PubMed

Peressini, Donatella; Braunstein, Dobrila; Page, John H; Strybulevych, Anatoliy; Lagazio, Corrado; Scanlon, Martin G

2017-06-01

The objective was to evaluate whether an ultrasonic reflectance technique has predictive capacity for breadmaking performance of doughs made under a wide range of formulation conditions. Two flours of contrasting dough strength augmented with different levels of ingredients (inulin, oil, emulsifier or salt) were used to produce different bread doughs with a wide range of properties. Breadmaking performance was evaluated by conventional large-strain rheological tests on the dough and by assessment of loaf quality. The ultrasound tests were performed with a broadband reflectance technique in the frequency range of 0.3-6 MHz. Principal component analysis showed that ultrasonic attenuation and phase velocity at frequencies between 0.3 and 3 MHz are good predictors for rheological and bread scoring characteristics. Ultrasonic parameters had predictive capacity for breadmaking performance for a wide range of dough formulations. Lower frequency attenuation coefficients correlated well with conventional quality indices of both the dough and the bread. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Ultrasonic Attenuation Results of Thermoplastic Resin Composites Undergoing Thermal and Fatigue Loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madaras, Eric I.

1998-01-01

As part of an effort to obtain the required information about new composites for aviation use, materials and NDE researchers at NASA are jointly performing mechanical and NDE measurements on new composite materials. The materials testing laboratory at NASA is equipped with environmental chambers mounted on load frames that can expose composite materials to thermal and loading cycles representative of flight protocols. Applying both temperature and load simultaneously will help to highlight temperature and load interactions during the aging of these composite materials. This report highlights our initial ultrasonic attenuation results from thermoplastic composite samples that have undergone over 4000 flight cycles to date. Ultrasonic attenuation measurements are a standard method used to assess the effects of material degradation. Recently, researchers have shown that they could obtain adequate contrast in the evaluation of thermal degradation in thermoplastic composites by using frequencies of ultrasound on the order of 24 MHz. In this study, we address the relationship of attenuation measured at lower frequencies in thermoplastic composites undergoing both thermal and mechanical loading. We also compare these thermoplastic results with some data from thermoset composites undergoing similar protocols. The composite s attenuation is reported as the slope of attenuation with respect to frequency, defined as b = Da(f)/Df. The slope of attenuation is an attractive parameter since it is quantitative, yet does not require interface corrections like conventional quantitative attenuation measurements. This latter feature is a consequence of the assumption that interface correction terms are frequency independent. Uncertainty in those correction terms can compromise the value of conventional quantitative attenuation data. Furthermore, the slope of the attenuation more directly utilizes the bandwidth information and in addition, the bandwidth can be adjusted in the post processing stage to compensate for the loss of dynamic range of the signal as the composites age.

Analytical ultrasonics for structural materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kupperman, D. S.

1986-01-01

The application of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements to characterize the microstructure of structural materials is discussed. Velocity measurements in cast stainless steel are correlated with microstructural variations ranging from equiaxed (elastically isotropic) to columnar (elastically anisotropic) grain structure. The effect of the anisotropic grain structure on the deviation of ultrasonic waves in cast stainless steel is also reported. Field-implementable techniques for distinguishing equiaxed from columnar grain structures in cast strainless steel structural members are presented. The application of ultrasonic velocity measurements to characterize structural ceramics in the green state is also discussed.

Gain-Compensating Circuit For NDE and Ultrasonics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kushnick, Peter W.

1987-01-01

High-frequency gain-compensating circuit designed for general use in nondestructive evaluation and ultrasonic measurements. Controls gain of ultrasonic receiver as function of time to aid in measuring attenuation of samples with high losses; for example, human skin and graphite/epoxy composites. Features high signal-to-noise ratio, large signal bandwidth and large dynamic range. Control bandwidth of 5 MHz ensures accuracy of control signal. Currently being used for retrieval of more information from ultrasonic signals sent through composite materials that have high losses, and to measure skin-burn depth in humans.

Investigation of polymeric scaffold degradation for drug delivery and neovascularization applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulusu, Kartik V.; Alibouzar, Mitra; Castro, Nathan J.; Zhang, Lijie G.; Sarkar, Kausik; Plesniak, Michael W.

2016-11-01

Degradable polymer-based prosthetics for the treatment of osseous tissue defects, maxillo-/cranio-facial trauma and brain injury face two common clinical obstacles impeding efficient tissue engraftment i.e., controlled material release and neovascularization. Ascertaining the time scales of polymer degradation for controlled delivery of drugs and nutrients is critical to treatment efficacy and strategy. We incorporated multiple experimental methodologies to understand the driving forces of transport mechanisms in polyvinyl alcohol-based (PVA) 3D-printed scaffolds of different porosity. Scaffold degradation was monitored various pulsatile flow conditions using MEMS-based pressure catheters and an ultrasonic flow rate sensor. Ultrasonic properties (bulk attenuation and sound velocity) were measured to monitor the degradation process in a static, alkaline medium. Viscosity and the absorption spectra variations with PVA-solute concentrations were measured using a rheometer and a spectrophotometer, respectively. A simple mathematical model based on Fick's law of diffusion provides the fundamental description of solute transport from the scaffold matrices. However, macroscopic material release could become anomalous or non-Fickian in complex polymeric scaffold matrices. Supported by the GW Center for Biomimetics and Bioinspired Engineering and NIH Director's New Innovator Award 1DP2EB020549-01.

Stress wave attenuation in thin structures by ultrasonic through-transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, S. S.; Williams, J. H., Jr.

1980-01-01

The steady state amplitude of the output of an ultrasonic through transmission measurement is analyzed and the result is given in closed form. Provided that the product of the input and output transduction ratios; the specimen-transducer reflection coefficient; the specimen-transducer phase shift parameter; and the material phase velocity are known, this analysis gives a means for determining the through-thickness attenuation of an individual thin sample. Multiple stress wave reflections are taken into account and so signal echoes do not represent a difficulty. An example is presented for a graphite fiber epoxy composite (Hercules AS/3501-6). A direct method for continuous or intermittent monitoring of through thickness attenuation of plate structures which may be subject to service structural degradation is provided.

Ultrasonic attenuation and velocity in AS/3501-6 graphite/epoxy fiber composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, J. H., Jr.; Nayebhashemi, H.; Lee, S. S.

1979-01-01

The ultrasonic group velocity and attenuation were measured as a function of frequency for longitudinal and shear waves in the epoxy matrix (3501-6) and in the principal directions of the unidirectional graphite/epoxy composite (AS/3501-6). Tests were conducted in the frequency ranges 0.25 Mz to 14 MHz and 0.5 Mz to 3 MHz for longitudinal and shear wave modes, respectively. The attenuation increased with frequency for all wave modes, but the group velocity was independent of frequency for all wave modes. The effects of pressure and couplant at the transducer-specimen interface were studied and it was found that for each transducer type there exists a frequency dependent 'saturation pressure' corresponding to the maximum output signal amplitude.

Broadband Ultrasonic Transducers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyser, R. C.

1986-01-01

New geometry spreads out resonance region of piezoelectric crystal. In new transducer, crystal surfaces made nonparallel. One surface planar; other, concave. Geometry designed to produce nearly uniform response over a predetermined band of frequencies and to attenuate strongly frequencies outside band. Greater bandwidth improves accuracy of sonar and ultrasonic imaging equipment.

In situ acoustic and laboratory ultrasonic sound speed and attenuation measured in heterogeneous soft seabed sediments: Eel River shelf, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gorgas, T.J.; Wilkens, R.H.; Fu, S.S.; Neil, Frazer L.; Richardson, M.D.; Briggs, K.B.; Lee, H.

2002-01-01

We compared in situ and laboratory velocity and attenuation values measured in seafloor sediments from the shallow water delta of the Eel River, California. This region receives a substantial volume of fluvial sediment that is discharged annually onto the shelf. Additionally, a high input of fluvial sediments during storms generates flood deposits that are characterized by thin beds of variable grain-sizes between the 40- and 90-m isobaths. The main objectives of this study were (1) to investigate signatures of seafloor processes on geoacoustic and physical properties, and (2) to evaluate differences between geoacoustic parameters measured in situ at acoustic (7.5 kHz) and in the laboratory at ultrasonic (400 kHz) frequencies. The in situ acoustic measurements were conducted between 60 and 100 m of water depth. Wet-bulk density and porosity profiles were obtained to 1.15 m below seafloor (m bsf) using gravity cores of the mostly cohesive fine-grained sediments across- and along-shelf. Physical and geoacoustic properties from six selected sites obtained on the Eel margin revealed the following. (1) Sound speed and wet-bulk density strongly correlated in most cases. (2) Sediment compaction with depth generally led to increased sound speed and density, while porosity and in situ attenuation values decreased. (3) Sound speed was higher in coarser- than in finer-grained sediments, on a maximum average by 80 m s-1. (4) In coarse-grained sediments sound speed was higher in the laboratory (1560 m s-1) than in situ (1520 m s-1). In contrast, average ultrasonic and in situ sound speed in fine-grained sediments showed only little differences (both approximately 1480 m s-1). (5) Greater attenuation was commonly measured in the laboratory (0.4 and 0.8 dB m-1 kHz-1) than in situ (0.02 and 0.65 dB m-1 kHz-1), and remained almost constant below 0.4 m bsf. We attributed discrepancies between laboratory ultrasonic and in situ acoustic measurements to a frequency dependence of velocity and attenuation. In addition, laboratory attenuation was most likely enhanced due to scattering of sound waves at heterogeneities that were on the scale of ultrasonic wavelengths. In contrast, high in situ attenuation values were linked to stratigraphic scattering at thin-bed layers that form along with flood deposits. ?? 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Means for ultrasonic testing when material properties vary

DOEpatents

Beller, Laurence S.

1979-01-01

A device is provided for maintaining constant sensitivity in an ultrasonic testing device, despite varying attenuation due to the properties of the material being tested. The device includes a sensor transducer for transmitting and receiving a test signal and a monitor transducer positioned so as to receive ultrasonic energy transmitted through the material to be tested. The received signal of the monitor transducer is utilized in analyzing data obtained from the sensor transducer.

Modeling ultrasonic compression wave absorption during the seeded crystallization of copper (II) sulphate pentahydrate from aqueous solution.

PubMed

Marshall, Thomas; Challis, Richard E; Holmes, Andrew K; Tebbutt, John S

2002-11-01

Ultrasonic compression wave absorption is investigated as a means to monitor the seeded crystallization of copper (II) sulphate pentahydrate from aqueous solution. Simple models are applied to predict crystal yield, crystal size distribution, and the changing nature of the continuous phase. The Allegra-Hawley scattering formulation is used to simulate ultrasonic absorption as crystallization proceeds. Experiments confirm that simulated attenuation is in agreement with measured results.

Microcracking in Composite Laminates: Simulation of Crack-Induced Ultrasound Attenuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leckey, C. A. C.; Rogge, M. D.; Parker, F. R.

2012-01-01

Microcracking in composite laminates is a known precursor to the growth of inter-ply delaminations and larger scale damage. Microcracking can lead to the attenuation of ultrasonic waves due to the crack-induced scattering. 3D elastodynamic finite integration technique (EFIT) has been implemented to explore the scattering of ultrasonic waves due to microcracks in anisotropic composite laminates. X-ray microfocus computed tomography data was directly input into the EFIT simulation for these purposes. The validated anisotropic 3D EFIT code is shown to be a useful tool for exploring the complex multiple-scattering which arises from extensive microcracking.

Advanced ultrasonic measurement methodology for non-invasive interrogation and identification of fluids in sealed containers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Brian J.; Diaz, Aaron A.; Eckenrode, Brian A.

2006-03-01

Government agencies and homeland security related organizations have identified the need to develop and establish a wide range of unprecedented capabilities for providing scientific and technical forensic services to investigations involving hazardous chemical, biological, and radiological materials, including extremely dangerous chemical and biological warfare agents. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a prototype portable, hand-held, hazardous materials acoustic inspection prototype that provides noninvasive container interrogation and material identification capabilities using nondestructive ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements. Due to the wide variety of fluids as well as container sizes and materials encountered in various law enforcement inspection activities, the need for high measurement sensitivity and advanced ultrasonic measurement techniques were identified. The prototype was developed using a versatile electronics platform, advanced ultrasonic wave propagation methods, and advanced signal processing techniques. This paper primarily focuses on the ultrasonic measurement methods and signal processing techniques incorporated into the prototype. High bandwidth ultrasonic transducers combined with an advanced pulse compression technique allowed researchers to 1) obtain high signal-to-noise ratios and 2) obtain accurate and consistent time-of-flight (TOF) measurements through a variety of highly attenuative containers and fluid media. Results of work conducted in the laboratory have demonstrated that the prototype experimental measurement technique also provided information regarding container properties, which will be utilized in future container-independent measurements of hidden liquids.

Prototype instrument for noninvasive ultrasonic inspection and identification of fluids in sealed containers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Brian J.; Diaz, Aaron A.; Eckenrode, Brian A.

2006-05-01

Government agencies and homeland security related organizations have identified the need to develop and establish a wide range of unprecedented capabilities for providing scientific and technical forensic services to investigations involving hazardous chemical, biological, and radiological materials, including extremely dangerous chemical and biological warfare agents. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a prototype portable, handheld, hazardous materials acoustic inspection prototype that provides noninvasive container interrogation and material identification capabilities using nondestructive ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements. Due to the wide variety of fluids as well as container sizes and materials encountered in various law enforcement inspection activities, the need for high measurement sensitivity and advanced ultrasonic measurement techniques were identified. The prototype was developed using a versatile electronics platform, advanced ultrasonic wave propagation methods, and advanced signal processing techniques. This paper primarily focuses on the ultrasonic measurement methods and signal processing techniques incorporated into the prototype. High bandwidth ultrasonic transducers combined with an advanced pulse compression technique allowed researchers to 1) obtain high signal-to-noise ratios and 2) obtain accurate and consistent time-of-flight (TOF) measurements through a variety of highly attenuative containers and fluid media. Results of work conducted in the laboratory have demonstrated that the prototype experimental measurement technique also provided information regarding container properties, which will be utilized in future container-independent measurements of hidden liquids.

Effects of Grain Size on Ultrasonic Attenuation in Type 316L Stainless Steel

PubMed Central

Wan, Tao; Wakui, Takashi; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Obayashi, Hironari

2017-01-01

A lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) spallation target will be installed in the Target Test Facility (TEF-T) in the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). The spallation target vessel filled with LBE is made of type 316L stainless steel. However, various damages, such as erosion/corrosion damage and liquid metal embrittlement caused by contact with flowing LBE at high temperature, and irradiation hardening caused by protons and neutrons, may be inflicted on the target vessel, which will deteriorate the steel and might break the vessel. To monitor the target vessel for prevention of an accident, an ultrasonic technique has been proposed to establish off-line evaluation for estimating vessel material status during the target maintenance period. Basic R&D must be carried out to clarify the dependency of ultrasonic wave propagation behavior on material microstructures and obtain fundamental knowledge. As a first step, ultrasonic waves scattered by the grains of type 316L stainless steel are investigated using new experimental and numerical approaches in the present study. The results show that the grain size can be evaluated exactly and quantitatively by calculating the attenuation coefficient of the ultrasonic waves scattered by the grains. The results also show that the scattering regimes of ultrasonic waves depend heavily on the ratio of wavelength to average grain size, and are dominated by grains of extraordinarily large size along the wave propagation path. PMID:28773115

Nondestructive characterization of thermal barrier coating by noncontact laser ultrasonic technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yang; Chen, Jianwei; Zhang, Zhenzhen

2015-09-01

We present the application of a laser ultrasonic technique in nondestructive characterization of the bonding layer (BL) in a thermal barrier coating (TBC). A physical mode of a multilayered medium is established to describe the propagation of a longitudinal wave generated by a laser in a TBC system. Furthermore, the theoretical analysis on the ultrasonic transmission in TBC is carried out in order to derive the expression of the BL transmission coefficient spectrum (TCS) which is used to determine the velocity of the longitudinal wave in the BL. We employ the inversion method combined with TCS to ascertain the attenuation coefficient of the BL. The experimental validations are performed with TBC specimens produced by an electron-beam physical vapor deposition method. In those experiments, a pulsed laser with a width of 10 ns is used to generate an ultrasonic signal while a two-wave mixing interferometer is created to receive the ultrasonic signals. By introducing the wavelet soft-threshold method that improves the signal-to-noise ratio, the laser ultrasonic testing results of TBC with an oxidation of 1 cycle, 10 cycles, and 100 cycles show that the attenuation coefficients of the BL become larger with an increase in the oxidation time, which is evident for the scanning electron microscopy observations, in which the thickness of the thermally grown oxide increases with oxidation time.

Calculated mammographic spectra confirmed with attenuation curves for molybdenum, rhodium, and tungsten targets.

PubMed

Blough, M M; Waggener, R G; Payne, W H; Terry, J A

1998-09-01

A model for calculating mammographic spectra independent of measured data and fitting parameters is presented. This model is based on first principles. Spectra were calculated using various target and filter combinations such as molybdenum/molybdenum, molybdenum/rhodium, rhodium/rhodium, and tungsten/aluminum. Once the spectra were calculated, attenuation curves were calculated and compared to measured attenuation curves. The attenuation curves were calculated and measured using aluminum alloy 1100 or high purity aluminum filtration. Percent differences were computed between the measured and calculated attenuation curves resulting in an average of 5.21% difference for tungsten/aluminum, 2.26% for molybdenum/molybdenum, 3.35% for rhodium/rhodium, and 3.18% for molybdenum/rhodium. Calculated spectra were also compared to measured spectra from the Food and Drug Administration [Fewell and Shuping, Handbook of Mammographic X-ray Spectra (U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1979)] and a comparison will also be presented.

PSIDD (2): A Prototype Post-Scan Interactive Data Display System for Detailed Analysis of Ultrasonic Scans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cao, Wei; Roth, Don J.

1997-01-01

This article presents the description of PSIDD(2), a post-scan interactive data display system for ultrasonic contact scan and single measurement analysis. PSIDD(2) was developed in conjunction with ASTM standards for ultrasonic velocity and attenuation coefficient contact measurements. This system has been upgraded from its original version PSIDD(1) and improvements are described in this article. PSIDD(2) implements a comparison mode where the display of time domain waveforms and ultrasonic properties versus frequency can be shown for up to five scan points on one plot. This allows the rapid contrasting of sample areas exhibiting different ultrasonic properties as initially indicated by the ultrasonic contact scan image. This improvement plus additional features to be described in the article greatly facilitate material microstructural appraisal.

Acoustic wave in a suspension of magnetic nanoparticle with sodium oleate coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Józefczak, A.; Hornowski, T.; Závišová, V.; Skumiel, A.; Kubovčíková, M.; Timko, M.

2014-03-01

The ultrasonic propagation in the water-based magnetic fluid with doubled layered surfactant shell was studied. The measurements were carried out both in the presence as well as in the absence of the external magnetic field. The thickness of the surfactant shell was evaluated by comparing the mean size of magnetic grain extracted from magnetization curve with the mean hydrodynamic diameter obtained from differential centrifugal sedimentation method. The thickness of surfactant shell was used to estimate volume fraction of the particle aggregates consisted of magnetite grain and surfactant layer. From the ultrasonic velocity measurements in the absence of the applied magnetic field, the adiabatic compressibility of the particle aggregates was determined. In the external magnetic field, the magnetic fluid studied in this article becomes acoustically anisotropic, i.e., velocity and attenuation of the ultrasonic wave depend on the angle between the wave vector and the direction of the magnetic field. The results of the ultrasonic measurements in the external magnetic field were compared with the hydrodynamic theory of Ovchinnikov and Sokolov (velocity) and with the internal chain dynamics model of Shliomis, Mond and Morozov (attenuation).

Acoustic wave in a suspension of magnetic nanoparticle with sodium oleate coating.

PubMed

Józefczak, A; Hornowski, T; Závišová, V; Skumiel, A; Kubovčíková, M; Timko, M

2014-01-01

The ultrasonic propagation in the water-based magnetic fluid with doubled layered surfactant shell was studied. The measurements were carried out both in the presence as well as in the absence of the external magnetic field. The thickness of the surfactant shell was evaluated by comparing the mean size of magnetic grain extracted from magnetization curve with the mean hydrodynamic diameter obtained from differential centrifugal sedimentation method. The thickness of surfactant shell was used to estimate volume fraction of the particle aggregates consisted of magnetite grain and surfactant layer. From the ultrasonic velocity measurements in the absence of the applied magnetic field, the adiabatic compressibility of the particle aggregates was determined. In the external magnetic field, the magnetic fluid studied in this article becomes acoustically anisotropic, i.e., velocity and attenuation of the ultrasonic wave depend on the angle between the wave vector and the direction of the magnetic field. The results of the ultrasonic measurements in the external magnetic field were compared with the hydrodynamic theory of Ovchinnikov and Sokolov (velocity) and with the internal chain dynamics model of Shliomis, Mond and Morozov (attenuation).

Evaluation of ultrasound techniques for brain injury detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mobley, Joel; Kasili, Paul M.; Norton, Stephen J.; Vo-Dinh, Tuan

1998-05-01

In this work, we examine the physics underlying wave propagation in the head to evaluate various ultrasonic transducers for use in a brian injury detection device. The results of measurements of the attenuation coefficient and phase velocity for ultrasonic propagation in samples of brain tissue and skull bone from sheep are presented. The material properties are then used to investigate the propagation of ultrasonic pressure fields in the head. The ultrasound fields for three different transducers are calculated for propagation in a simulated brain/skull model. The model is constructed using speed-of-sound and mass density values of the two tissue types. The impact of the attenuation on the ultrasound fields is then examined. Finally, the relevant points drawn from these discussions are summarized. We hope to minimize the confounding effects of the skull by using sub-MHz ultrasound while maintaining the necessary temporal and spatial resolution to successfully detect injury in the brain.

Ultrasonic imaging of textured alumina

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stang, David B.; Salem, Jonathan A.; Generazio, Edward R.

1989-01-01

Ultrasonic images representing the bulk attenuation and velocity of a set of alumina samples were obtained by a pulse-echo contact scanning technique. The samples were taken from larger bodies that were chemically similar but were processed by extrusion or isostatic processing. The crack growth resistance and fracture toughness of the larger bodies were found to vary with processing method and test orientation. The results presented here demonstrate that differences in texture that contribute to variations in structural performance can be revealed by analytic ultrasonic techniques.

Modelling NDE pulse-echo inspection of misorientated planar rough defects using an elastic finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pettit, J. R.; Walker, A. E.; Lowe, M. J. S.

2015-03-01

Pulse-echo ultrasonic NDE examination of large pressure vessel forgings is a design and construction code requirement in the power generation industry. Such inspections aim to size and characterise potential defects that may have formed during the forging process. Typically these defects have a range of orientations and surface roughnesses which can greatly affect ultrasonic wave scattering behaviour. Ultrasonic modelling techniques can provide insight into defect response and therefore aid in characterisation. However, analytical approaches to solving these scattering problems can become inaccurate, especially when applied to increasingly complex defect geometries. To overcome these limitations a elastic Finite Element (FE) method has been developed to simulate pulse-echo inspections of embedded planar defects. The FE model comprises a significantly reduced spatial domain allowing for a Monte-Carlo based approach to consider multiple realisations of defect orientation and surface roughness. The results confirm that defects aligned perpendicular to the path of beam propagation attenuate ultrasonic signals according to the level of surface roughness. However, for defects orientated away from this plane, surface roughness can increase the magnitude of the scattered component propagating back along the path of the incident beam. This study therefore highlights instances where defect roughness increases the magnitude of ultrasonic scattered signals, as opposed to attenuation which is more often assumed.

Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Praseodymium Monopnictides: AN Ultrasonic Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhalla, Vyoma; Kumar, Raj; Tripathy, Chinmayee; Singh, Devraj

2013-09-01

We have computed ultrasonic attenuation, acoustic coupling constants and ultrasonic velocities of praseodymium monopnictides PrX(X: N, P, As, Sb and Bi) along the <100>, <110>, <111> in the temperature range 100-500 K using higher order elastic constants. The higher order elastic constants are evaluated using Coulomb and Born-Mayer potential with two basic parameters viz. nearest-neighbor distance and hardness parameter in the temperature range of 0-500 K. Several other mechanical and thermal parameters like bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young's modulus, Poisson ratio, anisotropic ratio, tetragonal moduli, Breazeale's nonlinearity parameter and Debye temperature are also calculated. In the present study, the fracture/toughness (B/G) ratio is less than 1.75 which implies that PrX compounds are brittle in nature at room temperature. The chosen material fulfilled Born criterion of mechanical stability. We also found the deviation of Cauchy's relation at higher temperatures. PrN is most stable material as it has highest valued higher order elastic constants as well as the ultrasonic velocity. Further, the lattice thermal conductivity using modified approach of Slack and Berman is determined at room temperature. The ultrasonic attenuation due to phonon-phonon interaction and thermoelastic relaxation mechanisms have been computed using modified Mason's approach. The results with other well-known physical properties are useful for industrial applications.

Anisotropic physical properties of myocardium characterized by ultrasonic measurements of backscatter, attenuation, and velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldwin, Steven L.

The goal of elucidating the physical mechanisms underlying the propagation of ultrasonic waves in anisotropic soft tissue such as myocardium has posed an interesting and largely unsolved problem in the field of physics for the past 30 years. In part because of the vast complexity of the system being studied, progress towards understanding and modeling the mechanisms that underlie observed acoustic parameters may first require the guidance of careful experiment. Knowledge of the causes of observed ultrasonic properties in soft tissue including attenuation, speed of sound, and backscatter, and how those properties are altered with specific pathophysiologies, may lead to new noninvasive approaches to the diagnosis of disease. The primary aim of this Dissertation is to contribute to an understanding of the physics that underlies the mechanisms responsible for the observed interaction of ultrasound with myocardium. To this end, through-transmission and backscatter measurements were performed by varying acoustic properties as a function of angle of insonification relative to the predominant myofiber direction and by altering the material properties of myocardium by increased protein cross-linking induced by chemical fixation as an extreme form of changes that may occur in certain pathologies such as diabetes. Techniques to estimate acoustic parameters from backscatter were broadened and challenges to implementing these techniques in vivo were addressed. Provided that specific challenges identified in this Dissertation can be overcome, techniques to estimate attenuation from ultrasonic backscatter show promise as a means to investigate the physical interaction of ultrasound with anisotropic biological media in vivo. This Dissertation represents a step towards understanding the physics of the interaction of ultrasonic waves with anisotropic biological media.

Effects of Porosity on Ultrasonic Characteristic Parameters and Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Wen; Liu, Fushun

Voids are inevitable in the fabrication of fiber reinforced composites and have a detrimental impact on mechanical properties of composites. Different void contents were acquired by applying different vacuum bag pressures. Ultrasonic inspection and ablation density method were adopted to measure the ultrasonic characteristic parameters and average porosity, the characterization of voids' distribution, shape and size were carried out through metallographic analysis. Effects of void content on the tensile, flexural and interlaminar shear properties and the ultrasonic characteristic parameters were discussed. The results showed that, as vacuum bag pressure went from -50kPa to -98kPa, the voids content decreased from 4.36 to 0.34, the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient decreased, but the mechanical strengths all increased.

Ultrasonic attenuation - Q measurements on 70215,29. [lunar rock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, N.; Trice, R.; Stephens, J.

1974-01-01

Ultrasonic attenuation measurements have been made on an aluminum alloy, obsidian, and rock samples including lunar sample 70215,29. The measurement technique is based on a combination of the pulse transmission method and the forced resonance method. The technique is designed to explore the problem of defining experimentally, the Q of a medium or sample in which mode conversion may occur. If modes are coupled, the measured attenuation is strongly dependent on individual modes of vibration, and a range of Q-factors may be measured over various resonances or from various portions of a transient signal. On 70215,29, measurements were made over a period of a month while the sample outgassed in hard varuum. During this period, the highest measured Q of this sample increased from a few hundred into the range of 1000-1300.

Three-dimensional imaging of biological cells with picosecond ultrasonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danworaphong, Sorasak; Tomoda, Motonobu; Matsumoto, Yuki; Matsuda, Osamu; Ohashi, Toshiro; Watanabe, Hiromu; Nagayama, Masafumi; Gohara, Kazutoshi; Otsuka, Paul H.; Wright, Oliver B.

2015-04-01

We use picosecond ultrasonics to image animal cells in vitro—a bovine aortic endothelial cell and a mouse adipose cell—fixed to Ti-coated sapphire. Tightly focused ultrashort laser pulses generate and detect GHz acoustic pulses, allowing three-dimensional imaging (x, y, and t) of the ultrasonic propagation in the cells with ˜1 μm lateral and ˜150 nm depth resolutions. Time-frequency representations of the continuous-wavelet-transform amplitude of the optical reflectivity variations inside and outside the cells show GHz Brillouin oscillations, allowing the average sound velocities of the cells and their ultrasonic attenuation to be obtained as well as the average bulk moduli.

Piston cylinder cell for high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo measurements.

PubMed

Kepa, M W; Ridley, C J; Kamenev, K V; Huxley, A D

2016-08-01

Ultrasonic techniques such as pulse echo, vibrating reed, or resonant ultrasound spectroscopy are powerful probes not only for studying elasticity but also for investigating electronic and magnetic properties. Here, we report on the design of a high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus, based on a piston cylinder cell, with a simplified electronic setup that operates with a single coaxial cable and requires sample lengths of mm only. The design allows simultaneous measurements of ultrasonic velocities and attenuation coefficients up to a pressure of 1.5 GPa. We illustrate the performance of the cell by probing the phase diagram of a single crystal of the ferromagnetic superconductor UGe2.

Piston cylinder cell for high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kepa, M. W.; Ridley, C. J.; Kamenev, K. V.; Huxley, A. D.

2016-08-01

Ultrasonic techniques such as pulse echo, vibrating reed, or resonant ultrasound spectroscopy are powerful probes not only for studying elasticity but also for investigating electronic and magnetic properties. Here, we report on the design of a high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus, based on a piston cylinder cell, with a simplified electronic setup that operates with a single coaxial cable and requires sample lengths of mm only. The design allows simultaneous measurements of ultrasonic velocities and attenuation coefficients up to a pressure of 1.5 GPa. We illustrate the performance of the cell by probing the phase diagram of a single crystal of the ferromagnetic superconductor UGe2.

Micro-scale finite element modeling of ultrasound propagation in aluminum trabecular bone-mimicking phantoms: A comparison between numerical simulation and experimental results.

PubMed

Vafaeian, B; Le, L H; Tran, T N H T; El-Rich, M; El-Bialy, T; Adeeb, S

2016-05-01

The present study investigated the accuracy of micro-scale finite element modeling for simulating broadband ultrasound propagation in water-saturated trabecular bone-mimicking phantoms. To this end, five commercially manufactured aluminum foam samples as trabecular bone-mimicking phantoms were utilized for ultrasonic immersion through-transmission experiments. Based on micro-computed tomography images of the same physical samples, three-dimensional high-resolution computational samples were generated to be implemented in the micro-scale finite element models. The finite element models employed the standard Galerkin finite element method (FEM) in time domain to simulate the ultrasonic experiments. The numerical simulations did not include energy dissipative mechanisms of ultrasonic attenuation; however, they expectedly simulated reflection, refraction, scattering, and wave mode conversion. The accuracy of the finite element simulations were evaluated by comparing the simulated ultrasonic attenuation and velocity with the experimental data. The maximum and the average relative errors between the experimental and simulated attenuation coefficients in the frequency range of 0.6-1.4 MHz were 17% and 6% respectively. Moreover, the simulations closely predicted the time-of-flight based velocities and the phase velocities of ultrasound with maximum relative errors of 20 m/s and 11 m/s respectively. The results of this study strongly suggest that micro-scale finite element modeling can effectively simulate broadband ultrasound propagation in water-saturated trabecular bone-mimicking structures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advanced Ultrasonic Measurement Methodology for Non-Invasive Interrogation and Identification of Fluids in Sealed Containers

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

Tucker, Brian J.; Diaz, Aaron A.; Eckenrode, Brian A.

2006-03-16

The Hazardous Materials Response Unit (HMRU) and the Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research Unit (CTFSRU), Laboratory Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been mandated to develop and establish a wide range of unprecedented capabilities for providing scientific and technical forensic services to investigations involving hazardous chemical, biological, and radiological materials, including extremely dangerous chemical and biological warfare agents. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a portable, hand-held, hazardous materials acoustic inspection device (HAZAID) that provides noninvasive container interrogation and material identification capabilities using nondestructive ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements. Due to the wide variety of fluids as wellmore » as container sizes and materials, the need for high measurement sensitivity and advanced ultrasonic measurement techniques were identified. The HAZAID prototype was developed using a versatile electronics platform, advanced ultrasonic wave propagation methods, and advanced signal processing techniques. This paper primarily focuses on the ultrasonic measurement methods and signal processing techniques incorporated into the HAZAID prototype. High bandwidth ultrasonic transducers combined with the advanced pulse compression technique allowed researchers to 1) impart large amounts of energy, 2) obtain high signal-to-noise ratios, and 3) obtain accurate and consistent time-of-flight (TOF) measurements through a variety of highly attenuative containers and fluid media. Results of this feasibility study demonstrated that the HAZAID experimental measurement technique also provided information regarding container properties, which will be utilized in future container-independent measurements of hidden liquids.« less

Ultrasound—biophysics mechanisms†

PubMed Central

O'Brien, William D.

2007-01-01

Ultrasonic biophysics is the study of mechanisms responsible for how ultrasound and biological materials interact. Ultrasound-induced bioeffect or risk studies focus on issues related to the effects of ultrasound on biological materials. On the other hand, when biological materials affect the ultrasonic wave, this can be viewed as the basis for diagnostic ultrasound. Thus, an understanding of the interaction of ultrasound with tissue provides the scientific basis for image production and risk assessment. Relative to the bioeffect or risk studies, that is, the biophysical mechanisms by which ultrasound affects biological materials, ultrasound-induced bioeffects are generally separated into thermal and nonthermal mechanisms. Ultrasonic dosimetry is concerned with the quantitative determination of ultrasonic energy interaction with biological materials. Whenever ultrasonic energy is propagated into an attenuating material such as tissue, the amplitude of the wave decreases with distance. This attenuation is due to either absorption or scattering. Absorption is a mechanism that represents that portion of ultrasonic wave that is converted into heat, and scattering can be thought of as that portion of the wave, which changes direction. Because the medium can absorb energy to produce heat, a temperature rise may occur as long as the rate of heat production is greater than the rate of heat removal. Current interest with thermally mediated ultrasound-induced bioeffects has focused on the thermal isoeffect concept. The non-thermal mechanism that has received the most attention is acoustically generated cavitation wherein ultrasonic energy by cavitation bubbles is concentrated. Acoustic cavitation, in a broad sense, refers to ultrasonically induced bubble activity occurring in a biological material that contains pre-existing gaseous inclusions. Cavitation-related mechanisms include radiation force, microstreaming, shock waves, free radicals, microjets and strain. It is more challenging to deduce the causes of mechanical effects in tissues that do not contain gas bodies. These ultrasonic biophysics mechanisms will be discussed in the context of diagnostic ultrasound exposure risk concerns. PMID:16934858

Effect of ultrasonic degradation of hyaluronic acid extracted from rooster comb on antioxidant and antiglycation activities.

PubMed

Hafsa, Jawhar; Chaouch, Mohamed Aymen; Charfeddine, Bassem; Rihouey, Christophe; Limem, Khalifa; Le Cerf, Didier; Rouatbi, Sonia; Majdoub, Hatem

2017-12-01

Recently, low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (LMWHA) has been reported to have novel features, such as free radical scavenging activities, antioxidant activities and dietary supplements. In this study, hyaluronic acid (HA) was extracted from rooster comb and LMWHA was obtained by ultrasonic degradation in order to assess their antioxidant and antiglycation activities. Molecular weight (Mw) and the content of glucuronic acid (GlcA) were used as the index for comparison of the effect of ultrasonic treatment. The effects on the structure were determined by ultraviolet (UV) spectra and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). The antioxidant activity was determined by three analytical assays (DPPH, NO and TBARS), and the inhibitory effect against glycated-BSA was also assessed. The GlcA content of HA and LMWHA was estimated at about 48.6% and 47.3%, respectively. The results demonstrate that ultrasonic irradiation decreases the Mw (1090-181 kDa) and intrinsic viscosity (1550-473 mL/g), which indicate the cleavage of the glycosidic bonds. The FTIR and UV spectra did not significantly change before and after degradation. The IC 50 value of HA and LWMHA was 1.43, 0.76 and 0.36 mg/mL and 1.20, 0.89 and 0.17 mg/mL toward DPPH, NO and TBARS, respectively. Likewise LMWHA exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the AGEs formation than HA. The results demonstrated that the ultrasonic irradiation did not damage and change the chemical structure of HA after degradation; furthermore, decreasing Mw and viscosity of LMWHA after degradation may enhance the antioxidant and antiglycation activity.

Influence of Ultrasonic Nonlinear Propagation on Hydrophone Calibration Using Two-Transducer Reciprocity Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshioka, Masahiro; Sato, Sojun; Kikuchi, Tsuneo; Matsuda, Yoichi

2006-05-01

In this study, the influence of ultrasonic nonlinear propagation on hydrophone calibration by the two-transducer reciprocity method is investigated quantitatively using the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov (KZK) equation. It is proposed that the correction for the diffraction and attenuation of ultrasonic waves used in two-transducer reciprocity calibration can be derived using the KZK equation to remove the influence of nonlinear propagation. The validity of the correction is confirmed by comparing the sensitivities calibrated by the two-transducer reciprocity method and laser interferometry.

Radiographic and ultrasonic characterization of sintered silicon carbide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baaklini, G. Y.; Abel, P. B.

1988-01-01

The capabilities were investigated of projection microfocus X-radiography, ultrasonic velocity and attenuation, and reflection scanning acoustic microscopy for characterizing silicon carbide specimens. Silicon carbide batches covered a range of densities and different microstructural characteristics. Room temperature, four point flexural strength tests were conducted. Fractography was used to identify types, sizes, and locations of fracture origins. Fracture toughness values were calculated from fracture strength and flaw characterization data. Detection capabilities of radiography and acoustic microscopy for fracture-causing flaws were evaluated. Applicability of ultrasonics for verifying material strength and toughness was examined.

Flaw imaging and ultrasonic techniques for characterizing sintered silicon carbide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baaklini, George Y.; Abel, Phillip B.

1987-01-01

The capabilities were investigated of projection microfocus x-radiography, ultrasonic velocity and attenuation, and reflection scanning acoustic microscopy for characterizing silicon carbide specimens. Silicon carbide batches covered a range of densities and different microstructural characteristics. Room temperature, four point flexural strength tests were conducted. Fractography was used to identify types, sizes, and locations of fracture origins. Fracture toughness values were calculated from fracture strength and flaw characterization data. Detection capabilities of radiography and acoustic microscopy for fracture-causing flaws were evaluated. Applicability of ultrasonics for verifying material strength and toughness was examined.

Effect of stress on ultrasonic pulses in fiber reinforced composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hemann, J. H.; Baaklini, G. Y.

1986-01-01

An acoustical-ultrasonic technique was used to demonstrate relationships existing between changes in attenuation of stress waves and tensile stress on an eight ply 0 degree graphite-epoxy fiber reinforced composite. All tests were conducted in the linear range of the material for which no mechanical or macroscopic damage was evident. Changes in attenuation were measured as a function of tensile stress in the frequency domain and in the time domain. Stress wave propagation in these specimens was dispersive, i.e., the wave speed depends on frequency. Wave speeds varied from 267,400 cm/sec to 680,000 cm/sec as the frequency of the signal was varied from 150 kHz to 1.9 MHz which strongly suggests that flexural/lamb wave modes of propagation exist. The magnitude of the attenuation changes depended strongly on tensile stress. It was further observed that the wave speeds increased slightly for all tested frequencies as the stress was increased.

Velocity and attenuation of sound in arterial tissues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rooney, J. A.; Gammell, P. M.; Hestenes, J. D.; Chin, H. P.; Blankenhorn, D. H.

1982-01-01

The velocity of sound in excised human and canine arterial tissues is measured in order to serve as a basis for the development and application of ultrasonic techniques for the diagnosis of atherosclerotic lesions. Measurements of sound velocity at different regions of 11 human and six canine aortas were made by a time delay spectrometer technique at frequencies from 2 to 10 MHz, and compared with ultrasonic attenuation parameters and the results of biochemical assays. Sound velocity is found to increase with increasing attenuation at all frequencies, and with increasing collagen content. A strong dependence of sound velocity on cholesterol content or low calcium contents is not observed, although velocities of up to 2000 m/sec are observed in highly organized calcified lesions. A decrease in velocity with decreasing temperature is also noted. It is thus concluded that it is principally the differences in tissue collagen levels that contribute to image formation according to sound velocity.

Ultrasonic Technique for Predicting Grittiness of Salted Duck Egg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erawan, S.; Budiastra, I. W.; Subrata, I. D. M.

2018-05-01

Grittiness of egg yolk is a major factor in consumer acceptance of salted duck egg product. Commonly, the grittiness level is determined by the destructive method. Salted egg industries need a grading system that can judge the grittiness accurately and nondestructively. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for determining grittiness of salted duck eggs nondestructively based on ultrasonic method. This study used 100 samples of salted duck eggs with 7,10,14 and 21 days of salting age. Velocity and attenuation were measured by an ultrasonic system at frequency 50 kHz, followed by physicochemical properties measurement (hardness of egg yolks and salt content), and organoleptic test. Ultrasonic wave velocity in salted duck eggs ranged from 620.6 m/s to 1334.6 m/s, while the coefficient of attenuation value ranged from – 0.76 dB/m to -0.51 dB/m. Yolk hardness was 2.68 N at 7 days to 5.54 N at 21 days of salting age. Salt content was 1.81 % at 7 days to 5.71 % at 21 days of salting age. Highest scores of organoleptic tests on salted duck eggs were 4.23 and 4.18 for 10 and 14 days of salting age, respectively. Discriminant function using ultrasonic velocity variables in minor and major diameter could predict grittiness with 95 % accuracy.

Modelling NDE pulse-echo inspection of misorientated planar rough defects using an elastic finite element method

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

Pettit, J. R.; Lowe, M. J. S.; Walker, A. E.

2015-03-31

Pulse-echo ultrasonic NDE examination of large pressure vessel forgings is a design and construction code requirement in the power generation industry. Such inspections aim to size and characterise potential defects that may have formed during the forging process. Typically these defects have a range of orientations and surface roughnesses which can greatly affect ultrasonic wave scattering behaviour. Ultrasonic modelling techniques can provide insight into defect response and therefore aid in characterisation. However, analytical approaches to solving these scattering problems can become inaccurate, especially when applied to increasingly complex defect geometries. To overcome these limitations a elastic Finite Element (FE) methodmore » has been developed to simulate pulse-echo inspections of embedded planar defects. The FE model comprises a significantly reduced spatial domain allowing for a Monte-Carlo based approach to consider multiple realisations of defect orientation and surface roughness. The results confirm that defects aligned perpendicular to the path of beam propagation attenuate ultrasonic signals according to the level of surface roughness. However, for defects orientated away from this plane, surface roughness can increase the magnitude of the scattered component propagating back along the path of the incident beam. This study therefore highlights instances where defect roughness increases the magnitude of ultrasonic scattered signals, as opposed to attenuation which is more often assumed.« less

Development of a New Diagnostic System for Human Liver Diseases Based on Conventional Ultrasonic Diagnostic Equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Tsuneo; Nakazawa, Toshihiro; Harada, Akimitsu; Sato, Hiroaki; Maruyama, Yukio; Sato, Sojun

2001-05-01

In this paper, the authors present the experimental results of using a quantitative ultrasonic diagnosis technique for human liver diseases using the fractal dimension (FD) of the shape of the power spectra (PS) of RF signals. We have developed an experimental system based on a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic system. As a result, we show that normal livers, fatty livers and liver cirrhosis can be identified using the FD values.

Turbulent slurry flow measurement using ultrasonic Doppler method in rectangular pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bareš, V.; Krupička, J.; Picek, T.; Brabec, J.; Matoušek, V.

2014-03-01

Distribution of velocity and Reynolds stress was measured using ultrasonic velocimetry in flows of water and Newtonian water-ballotini slurries in a pressurized Plexiglas pipe. Profiles of the measured parameters were sensed in the vertical plane at the centreline of a rectangular cross section of the pipe. Reference measurements in clear water produced expected symmetrical velocity profiles the shape of which was affected by secondary currents developed in the rectangular pipe. Slurry-flow experiments provided information on an effect of the concentration of solid grains on the internal structure of the flow. Strong attenuation of velocity fluctuations caused by a presence of grains was identified. The attenuation increased with the increasing local concentration of the grains.

Piston cylinder cell for high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo measurements

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

Kepa, M. W., E-mail: mkepa@staffmail.ed.ac.uk; Huxley, A. D.; Ridley, C. J.

2016-08-15

Ultrasonic techniques such as pulse echo, vibrating reed, or resonant ultrasound spectroscopy are powerful probes not only for studying elasticity but also for investigating electronic and magnetic properties. Here, we report on the design of a high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus, based on a piston cylinder cell, with a simplified electronic setup that operates with a single coaxial cable and requires sample lengths of mm only. The design allows simultaneous measurements of ultrasonic velocities and attenuation coefficients up to a pressure of 1.5 GPa. We illustrate the performance of the cell by probing the phase diagram of a singlemore » crystal of the ferromagnetic superconductor UGe{sub 2}.« less

Ultrasonic wave propagation in powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Lashi, R. S.; Povey, M. J. W.; Watson, N. J.

2018-05-01

Powder clumps (cakes) has a significant effect on the flowability and stability of powders. Powder caking is mainly caused by moisture migration due to wetting and environmental (temperature and humidity) changes. The process of moisture migration caking involves creating liquid bridges between the particles during condensation which subsequently harden to form solid bridges. Therefore, an effective and reliable technique is required to quantitatively and non-invasively monitor caking kinetics and effective stiffness. This paper describes two ultrasonic instruments (ultrasonic velocity pulse and airborne ultrasound systems) that have been used to monitor the caking phenomenon. Also, it discusses the relationship between the ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements and tracking caking kinetics and the effective stiffness of powders.

Application of laser ultrasonic method for on-line monitoring of friction stir spot welding process.

PubMed

Zhang, Kuanshuang; Zhou, Zhenggan; Zhou, Jianghua

2015-09-01

Application of a laser ultrasonic method is developed for on-line monitoring of the friction stir spot welding (FSSW) process. Based on the technology of FSSW, laser-generated ultrasonic waves in a good weld and nonweld area are simulated by a finite element method. The reflected and transmitted waves are analyzed to disclose the properties of the welded interface. The noncontact-laser ultrasonic-inspection system was established to verify the numerical results. The reflected waves in the good-weld and nonweld area can be distinguished by time-of-flight. The transmitted waves evidently attenuate in the nonweld area in contrast to signal amplitude in the good weld area because of interfacial impedance difference. Laser ultrasonic C-scan images can sufficiently evaluate the intrinsic character of the weld area in comparison with traditional water-immersion ultrasonic testing results. The research results confirm that laser ultrasonics would be an effective method to realize the characterization of FSSW defects.

A Method for the Measurement of Acoustic Impedance and Speed of Sound in a Small Region of Bone using a Fused Quartz Rod as a Transmission Line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatakeyama, Rokuro; Yoshizawa, Masazumi; Moriya, Tadashi

2000-11-01

Precise correction for γ-ray attenuation in skull bone has been a significant problem in obtaining quantitative single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images. The correction for γ-ray attenuation is approximately proportional to the density and thickness of the bone under investigation. If the acoustic impedance and the speed of sound in bone are measurable using ultrasonic techniques, then the density and thickness of the bone sample can be calculated. Whole bone usually consists of three layers, and each layer has a different ultrasonic character. Thus, the speed of sound must be measured in a small section of each layer in order to determine the overall density of whole bone. It is important to measure the attenuation constant in order to determine the appropriate level for the ultrasonic input signal. We have developed a method for measuring the acoustic impedance, speed of sound, and attenuation constant in a small region of a bone sample using a fused quartz rod as a transmission line. In the present study, we obtained the following results: impedance of compact bone; 5.30(±0.40)× 106 kg/(m2s), speed of sound; 3780± 250 m/s, and attenuation constant; 2.70± 0.50 Np/m. These results were used to obtain the densities of compact bone, spongy bone and bone marrow in a bovine bone sample and as well as the density of pig skull bone, which were found to be 1.40± 0.30 g/cm3, 1.19± 0.50 g/cm3, 0.90± 0.30 g/cm3 and 1.26± 0.30 g/cm3, respectively. Using a thin solid transmission line, the proposed method makes it possible to determine the density of a small region of a bone sample. It is expected that the proposed method, which is based on ultrasonic measurement, will be useful for application in brain SPECT.

Design of ultrasonic attenuation sensor with focused transmitter for density measurements of a slurry in a large steel pipeline

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

Greenwood, Margaret Stautberg

2015-12-01

To design an ultrasonic sensor to measure the attenuation and density of a slurry carried by a large steel pipeline (diameter up to 70 cm) is the goal of this research. The pitch-catch attenuation sensor, placed in a small section of the pipeline, contains a send unit with a focused transducer that focuses the ultrasound to a small region of the receive unit on the opposite wall. The focused transducer consists of a section of a sphere (base ~12 cm) on the outer side of the send unit and a 500 kHz piezoelectric shell of PZT5A epoxied to it. Themore » Rayleigh surface integral is used to calculate the pressure in steel and in water (slurry). An incremental method to plot the paths of ultrasonic rays shows that the rays focus where expected. Further, there is a region where the parallel rays are perpendicular to the wall of the receive unit. Designs for pipeline diameters of 25 cm and 71 cm show that the pressure in water at the receive transducer is about 17 times that for a pitch-catch system using 5 cm diameter disk transducers. The enhanced signal increases the sensitivity of the measurements and improves the signal-to-noise ratio.« less

Study of soil aggregate breakdown dynamics under low dispersive ultrasonic energies with sedimentation and X-ray attenuation**

PubMed Central

Schomakers, Jasmin; Zehetner, Franz; Mentler, Axel; Ottner, Franz; Mayer, Herwig

2016-01-01

It has been increasingly recognized that soil organic matter stabilization is strongly controlled by physical binding within soil aggregates. It is therefore essential to measure soil aggregate stability reliably over a wide range of disruptive energies and different aggregate sizes. To this end, we tested high-accuracy ultrasonic dispersion in combination with subsequent sedimentation and X-ray attenuation. Three arable topsoils (notillage) from Central Europe were subjected to ultrasound at four different specific energy levels: 0.5, 6.7, 100 and 500 J cm−3, and the resulting suspensions were analyzed for aggregate size distribution by wet sieving (2 000-63 μm) and sedimentation/X-ray attenuation (63-2 μm). The combination of wet sieving and sedimentation technique allowed for a continuous analysis, at high resolution, of soil aggregate breakdown dynamics after defined energy inputs. Our results show that aggregate size distribution strongly varied with sonication energy input and soil type. The strongest effects were observed in the range of low specific energies (< 10 J cm−3), which previous studies have largely neglected. This shows that low ultrasonic energies are required to capture the full range of aggregate stability and release of soil organic matter upon aggregate breakdown. PMID:27099408

Influence of microarchitecture alterations on ultrasonic backscattering in an experimental simulation of bovine cancellous bone aging.

PubMed

Apostolopoulos, K N; Deligianni, D D

2008-02-01

An experimental model which can simulate physical changes that occur during aging was developed in order to evaluate the effects of change of mineral content and microstructure on ultrasonic properties of bovine cancellous bone. Timed immersion in hydrochloric acid was used to selectively alter the mineral content. Scanning electron microscopy and histological staining of the acid-treated trabeculae demonstrated a heterogeneous structure consisting of a mineralized core and a demineralized layer. The presence of organic matrix contributed very little to normalized broadband ultrasound attenuation (nBUA) and speed of sound. All three ultrasonic parameters, speed of sound, nBUA and backscatter coefficient, were sensitive to changes in apparent density of bovine cancellous bone. A two-component model utilizing a combination of two autocorrelation functions (a densely populated model and a spherical distribution) was used to approximate the backscatter coefficient. The predicted attenuation due to scattering constituted a significant part of the measured total attenuation (due to both scattering and absorption mechanisms) for bovine cancellous bone. Linear regression, performed between trabecular thickness values and estimated from the model correlation lengths, showed significant linear correlation, with R(2)=0.81 before and R(2)=0.80 after demineralization. The accuracy of estimation was found to increase with trabecular thickness.

Design of ultrasonic attenuation sensor with focused transmitter for density measurements of a slurry in a large steel pipeline.

PubMed

Greenwood, Margaret Stautberg

2015-12-01

To design an ultrasonic sensor to measure the attenuation and density of slurry carried by a large steel pipeline (diameter up to 70 cm) is the goal of this research. The pitch-catch attenuation sensor, placed in a small section of the pipeline, contains a send unit with a focused transducer that focuses the ultrasound to a small region of the receive unit on the opposite wall. The focused transducer consists of a section of a sphere (base ∼12 cm) on the outer side of the send unit and a 500 kHz piezoelectric shell of lead zirconate titanate epoxied to it. The Rayleigh surface integral is used to calculate the pressure in steel and in water (slurry). An incremental method to plot the paths of ultrasonic rays shows that the rays focus where expected. Further, there is a region where the parallel rays are perpendicular to the wall of the receive unit. Designs for pipeline diameters of 25 and 71 cm show that the pressure in water at the receive transducer is about 17 times that for a pitch-catch system using 5 cm diameter disk transducers. The enhanced signal increases the sensitivity of the measurements and improves the signal-to-noise ratio.

Structural change and charge ordering correlated ultrasonic anomalies in La1-xCaxMnO3 (x=0.5,0.83) perovskite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, R. K.; Zhu, C. F.; Xie, J. Q.; Li, X. G.

2001-01-01

Ultrasonic sound velocity and attenuation have been measured in polycrystalline manganese oxide La1-xCaxMnO3 (x=0.5,0.83,1.0) at a frequency of 10 MHz. For x=0.5, on cooling down from high temperature, a slight softening of the sound velocity above the charge ordering transition temperature TCO and dramatic stiffening below TCO coincided with big attenuation peaks for both longitudinal and transverse waves were observed. It was found that these ultrasonic anomalies near TCO are correlated with the fine structure (i.e., the lattice parameters) change caused by the Jahn-Teller effect. For x=0.83, the sound velocity starts to soften dramatically with decreasing temperature from higher temperature to TS (180 K), and stiffens dramatically below TS. The large softening and stiffening of the sound velocity accompanied by a big attenuation peak are strongly correlated with a cubic-to-tetragonal structural phase transition at TS, which is confirmed by the low-temperature powder x-ray diffraction measurements. It is suggested that this structural phase transition be due to the Jahn-Teller distortion of the Mn3+O6 octahedra and related to the charge ordering transition. For CaMnO3, the anomaly in sound velocity is small.

Study of soil aggregate breakdown dynamics under low dispersive ultrasonic energies with sedimentation and X-ray attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schomakers, Jasmin; Zehetner, Franz; Mentler, Axel; Ottner, Franz; Mayer, Herwig

2015-10-01

It has been increasingly recognized that soil organic matter stabilization is strongly controlled by physical binding within soil aggregates. It is therefore essential to measure soil aggregate stability reliably over a wide range of disruptive energies and different aggregate sizes. To this end, we tested highaccuracy ultrasonic dispersion in combination with subsequent sedimentation and X-ray attenuation. Three arable topsoils (notillage) from Central Europe were subjected to ultrasound at four different specific energy levels: 0.5, 6.7, 100 and 500 J cm-3, and the resulting suspensions were analyzed for aggregate size distribution by wet sieving (2 000-63 μm) and sedimentation/X-ray attenuation (63-2 μm). The combination of wet sieving and sedimentation technique allowed for a continuous analysis, at high resolution, of soil aggregate breakdown dynamics after defined energy inputs. Our results show that aggregate size distribution strongly varied with sonication energy input and soil type. The strongest effects were observed in the range of low specific energies (< 10 J cm-3), which previous studies have largely neglected. This shows that low ultrasonic energies are required to capture the full range of aggregate stability and release of soil organic matter upon aggregate breakdown.

Ultrasonic Characterization of Microstructural Changes in Ti-10V-4.5Fe-1.5Al β-Titanium Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanath, A.; Kumar, Anish; Jayakumar, T.; Purnachandra Rao, B.

2015-08-01

Ultrasonic measurements have been carried out in Ti-10V-4.5Fe-1.5Al β-titanium alloy specimens subjected to β annealing at 1173 K (900 °C) for 1 hour followed by heat treatment in the temperature range of 823 K to 1173 K (550 °C to 900 °C) at an interval of 50 K (50 °C) for 1 hour, followed by water quenching. Ultrasonic parameters such as ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocity, ultrasonic shear wave velocity, shear anisotropy parameter, ultrasonic attenuation, and normalized nonlinear ultrasonic parameter have been correlated with various microstructural changes to understand the interaction of the propagating ultrasonic wave with microstructural features in the alloy. Simulation studies using JMatPro® software and X-ray diffraction measurements have been carried out to estimate the α-phase volume fraction in the specimens heat treated below the β-transus temperature (BTT). It is found that the α-phase (HCP) volume fraction increases from 0 to 52 pct, with decrease in the temperature from 1073 K to 823 K (800 °C to 550 °C). Ultrasonic longitudinal and shear wave velocities are found to increase with decrease in the heat treatment temperature below the BTT, and they exhibited linear relationships with the α-phase volume fraction. Thickness-independent ultrasonic parameters, Poisson's ratio, and the shear anisotropy parameter exhibited the opposite behavior, i.e., decrease with increase in the α-phase consequent to decrease in the heat treatment temperature from 1073 K to 823 K (800 °C to 550 °C). Ultrasonic attenuation is found to decrease from 0.7 dB/mm for the β-annealed specimen to 0.23 dB/mm in the specimen heat treated at 823 K (550 °C) due to the combined effect of the decrease in the β-phase (BCC) with higher damping characteristics and the reduction in scattering due to randomization of β grains with the precipitation of α-phase. Normalized nonlinear ultrasonic parameter is found to increase with increase in the α-phase volume fraction due to increased interfacial strain. For the first time, quantitative correlations established between various ultrasonic parameters and the volume fraction of α-phase in a β-titanium alloy are reported in the present paper. The established correlations are useful for estimation of volume fraction of α-phase in heat-treated β-titanium alloy, by nondestructive ultrasonic measurements.

Two-Element Transducer for Ultrasound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lecroissette, D. H.; Heyser, R. C.

1986-01-01

Separation of transmitting and receiving units improves probing of deep tissue. Ultrasonic transducer has dual elements to increase depth at which sonic images are made of biological tissue. Transducer uses separate transmitting and receiving elements, and frequency response of receiving element independently designed to accommodate attenuation of higher frequencies by tissue. New transducer intended for pulse-echo ultrasonic systems in which reflected sound pulses reveal features in tissue.

Imaging subtle microstructural variations in ceramics with precision ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Generazio, Edward R.; Roth, Don J.; Baaklini, George Y.

1987-01-01

Acoustic images of a silicon carbide ceramic disk were obtained using a precision scanning contact pulse echo technique. Phase and cross-correlation velocity, and attenuation maps were used to form color images of microstructural variations. These acoustic images reveal microstructural variations not observable with X-ray radiography.

Ultrasonic Communication Project, Phase 1, FY1999

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

Haynes, H.D.; Akerman, M.A.; Baylor, V.M.

2000-06-01

This Phase 1 project has been successful in identifying, exploring, and demonstrating methods for ultrasonic-based communication with an emphasis on the application of digital signal processing techniques. During the project, at the direction of the agency project monitor, particular attention was directed at sending and receiving ultrasonic data through air and through pipes that would be commonly found in buildings. Efforts were also focused on development of a method for transmitting computer files ultrasonically. New methods were identified and evaluated for ultrasonic communication. These methods are based on a technique called DFS. With DFS, individual alphanumeric characters are broken downmore » into a sequence of bits, and each bit is used to generate a discrete ultrasonic frequency. Characters are then transmitted one-bit-at-a-time, and reconstructed by the receiver. This technique was put into practice through the development of LabVIEW{trademark}VIs. These VIs were integrated with specially developed electronic circuits to provide a system for demonstrating the transmission and reception/reconstruction of typed messages and computer files. Tests were performed to determine the envelope for ultrasound transmission through pipes (with and without water) versus through air. The practical aspects of connections, efficient electronics, impedance matching, and the effect of damping mechanisms were all investigated. These tests resulted in a considerable number of reference charts that illustrate the absorption of ultrasound through different pipe materials, both with and without water, as a function of distance. Ultrasound was found to be least attenuated by copper pipe and most attenuated by PVC pipe. Water in the pipe provides additional damping and attenuation of ultrasonic signals. Dramatic improvements are observed, however, in ultrasound signal strength if the transducers are directly coupled to the water, rather than simply attaching them to the outside of the pipe. A major accomplishment of this project was the development and integration of hardware and software into a fully functional ultrasonic communication system for demonstration purposes. The development of this system was a major deliverable of this project and has been successfully demonstrated to the program monitor. Major system considerations are discussed in this report, including signal conditioning electronics, speed and distance of transmission, triggering and noise filtering, and error checking. The methods employed by this system are believed to be capable of transmitting information over long distances (greater than 200 ft) under ideal conditions, and under extreme conditions if several improvements are made. Several improvements are suggested as follow-on work. Brief descriptions of these activities are given.« less

The power of sound: miniaturized medical implants with ultrasonic links

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Max L.; Chang, Ting Chia; Charthad, Jayant; Weber, Marcus J.; Arbabian, Amin

2017-05-01

Miniaturized wirelessly powered implants capable of operating and communicating deep in the body are necessary for the next-generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. A major challenge in developing these minimally invasive implants is the tradeoff between device size, functionality, and operating depth. Here, we review two different wireless powering methods, inductive and ultrasonic power transfer, examine how to analyze their power transfer efficiency, and evaluate their potential for powering implantable medical devices. In particular, we show how ultrasonic wireless power transfer can address these challenges due to its safety, low attenuation, and millimeter wavelengths in the body. Finally, we demonstrate two ultrasonically powered implants capable of active power harvesting and bidirectional communication for closed-loop operation while functioning through multiple centimeters of tissue.

Mapping of elasticity and damping in an α + β titanium alloy through atomic force acoustic microscopy

PubMed Central

Phani, M Kalyan; Kumar, Anish; Jayakumar, T; Samwer, Konrad

2015-01-01

Summary The distribution of elastic stiffness and damping of individual phases in an α + β titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) measured by using atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM) is reported in the present study. The real and imaginary parts of the contact stiffness k * are obtained from the contact-resonance spectra and by using these two quantities, the maps of local elastic stiffness and the damping factor are derived. The evaluation of the data is based on the mass distribution of the cantilever with damped flexural modes. The cantilever dynamics model considering damping, which was proposed recently, has been used for mapping of indentation modulus and damping of different phases in a metallic structural material. The study indicated that in a Ti-6Al-4V alloy the metastable β phase has the minimum modulus and the maximum damping followed by α′- and α-phases. Volume fractions of the individual phases were determined by using a commercial material property evaluation software and were validated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) studies on one of the heat-treated samples. The volume fractions of the phases and the modulus measured through AFAM are used to derive average modulus of the bulk sample which is correlated with the bulk elastic properties obtained by ultrasonic velocity measurements. The average modulus of the specimens estimated by AFAM technique is found to be within 5% of that obtained by ultrasonic velocity measurements. The effect of heat treatments on the ultrasonic attenuation in the bulk sample could also be understood based on the damping measurements on individual phases using AFAM. PMID:25977847

Mapping of elasticity and damping in an α + β titanium alloy through atomic force acoustic microscopy.

PubMed

Phani, M Kalyan; Kumar, Anish; Jayakumar, T; Arnold, Walter; Samwer, Konrad

2015-01-01

The distribution of elastic stiffness and damping of individual phases in an α + β titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) measured by using atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM) is reported in the present study. The real and imaginary parts of the contact stiffness k (*) are obtained from the contact-resonance spectra and by using these two quantities, the maps of local elastic stiffness and the damping factor are derived. The evaluation of the data is based on the mass distribution of the cantilever with damped flexural modes. The cantilever dynamics model considering damping, which was proposed recently, has been used for mapping of indentation modulus and damping of different phases in a metallic structural material. The study indicated that in a Ti-6Al-4V alloy the metastable β phase has the minimum modulus and the maximum damping followed by α'- and α-phases. Volume fractions of the individual phases were determined by using a commercial material property evaluation software and were validated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) studies on one of the heat-treated samples. The volume fractions of the phases and the modulus measured through AFAM are used to derive average modulus of the bulk sample which is correlated with the bulk elastic properties obtained by ultrasonic velocity measurements. The average modulus of the specimens estimated by AFAM technique is found to be within 5% of that obtained by ultrasonic velocity measurements. The effect of heat treatments on the ultrasonic attenuation in the bulk sample could also be understood based on the damping measurements on individual phases using AFAM.

Synthesis of a water-soluble fullerene [C60] under ultrasonication.

PubMed

Ko, Weon-Bae; Heo, Jae-Young; Nam, Jae-Heon; Lee, Kyu-Bong

2004-03-01

A water-soluble fullerene [C60] is prepared with fullerene [C60] and a mixture of strong inorganic acids at the ratio (v/v) of 3:1 under ultrasonic condition at 25-43 degrees C. The MALDI-TOF MS and 13C-NMR spectra confirmed that the product of a water-soluble fullerene compound was C60.

Intermolecular interaction studies of glyphosate with water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manon, Priti; Juglan, K. C.; Kaur, Kirandeep; Sethi, Nidhi; Kaur, J. P.

2017-07-01

The density (ρ), viscosity (η) and ultrasonic velocity (U) of glyphosate with water have been measured on different ultrasonic frequency ranges from 1MHz, 2MHz, 3MHz & 5MHz by varying concentrations (0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.30%, 0.35%, & 0.40%) at 30°C. The specific gravity bottle, Ostwald's viscometer and quartz crystal interferometer were used to determine density (ρ), viscosity (η) and ultrasonic velocity (U). These three factors contribute in evaluating the other parameters as acoustic impedance (Z), adiabatic compressibility (β), relaxation time (τ), intermolecular free length (Lf), free volume (Vf), ultrasonic attenuation (α/f2), Rao's constant (R), Wada's constant (W) and relative strength (R). Solute-solvent interaction is confirmed by ultrasonic velocity and viscosity values, which increases with increase in concentration indicates stronger association between solute and solvent molecules. With rise in ultrasonic frequency the interaction between the solute and solvent particles decreases. The linear variations in Rao's constant and Wada's constant suggest the absence of complex formation.

Attenuation of X and Gamma Rays in Personal Radiation Shielding Protective Clothing.

PubMed

Kozlovska, Michaela; Cerny, Radek; Otahal, Petr

2015-11-01

A collection of personal radiation shielding protective clothing, suitable for use in case of accidents in nuclear facilities or radiological emergency situations involving radioactive agents, was gathered and tested at the Nuclear Protection Department of the National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection, Czech Republic. Attenuating qualities of shielding layers in individual protective clothing were tested via spectra measurement of x and gamma rays, penetrating them. The rays originated from different radionuclide point sources, the gamma ray energies of which cover a broad energy range. The spectra were measured by handheld spectrometers, both scintillation and High Purity Germanium. Different narrow beam geometries were adjusted using a special testing bench and a set of various collimators. The main experimentally determined quantity for individual samples of personal radiation shielding protective clothing was x and gamma rays attenuation for significant energies of the spectra. The attenuation was assessed comparing net peak areas (after background subtraction) in spectra, where a tested sample was placed between the source and the detector, and corresponding net peak areas in spectra, measured without the sample. Mass attenuation coefficients, which describe attenuating qualities of shielding layers materials in individual samples, together with corresponding lead equivalents, were determined as well. Experimentally assessed mass attenuation coefficients of the samples were compared to the referred ones for individual heavy metals.

Supporting the potential of quantitative ultrasonic techniques for the evaluation of platelet concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villamarín, J. A.; Jiménez, Y. M.; Molano, L. Tatiana; Gutierrez, W. Edgar; Londoño, L. Fernando; Gutierrez, D. A.

2017-11-01

This article describes the results obtained by making use of a non-destructive, non-invasive ultrasonic system for the acoustic characterization of bovine plasma rich in platelets using digital signal processing techniques. This study includes computational methods based on acoustic spectrometry estimation and experimental measurements of the speed of sound in blood plasma from different samples analyzed, using an ultrasonic field with resonance frequency of 5 MHz. The results showed that the measurements on ultrasonic signals can contribute to the hematological predictions based on the linear regression model applied to the relationship between experimental ultrasonic parameters calculated and platelet concentration, indicating a growth rate of 1 m/s for each 0.90 x103 platelet per mm3. On the other hand, the attenuation coefficient presented changes of 20% in the platelet concentration using a resolution of 0.057 dB/cm MHz.

Mean grain size detection of DP590 steel plate using a corrected method with electromagnetic acoustic resonance.

PubMed

Wang, Bin; Wang, Xiaokai; Hua, Lin; Li, Juanjuan; Xiang, Qing

2017-04-01

Electromagnetic acoustic resonance (EMAR) is a considerable method to determine the mean grain size of the metal material with a high precision. The basic ultrasonic attenuation theory used for the mean grain size detection of EMAR is come from the single phase theory. In this paper, the EMAR testing was carried out based on the ultrasonic attenuation theory. The detection results show that the double peaks phenomenon occurs in the EMAR testing of DP590 steel plate. The dual phase structure of DP590 steel is the inducement of the double peaks phenomenon in the EMAR testing. In reaction to the phenomenon, a corrected method with EMAR was put forward to detect the mean grain size of dual phase steel. Compared with the traditional attenuation evaluation method and the uncorrected method with EMAR, the corrected method with EMAR shows great effectiveness and superiority for the mean grain size detection of DP590 steel plate. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The effect of stress on ultrasonic pulses in fiber reinforced composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hemann, J. H.; Baaklini, G. Y.

1983-01-01

An acoustical-ultrasonic technique was used to demonstrate relationships existing between changes in attenuation of stress waves and tensile stress for an eight ply 0 degree graphite-epoxy fiber reinforced composite. All tests were conducted in the linear range of the material for which no mechanical or macroscopic damage was evident. Changes in attenuation were measured as a function of tensile stress in the frequency domain and in the time domain. Stress wave propagation in these specimens was dispersive, i.e., the wave speed depends on frequency. Wave speeds varied from 267 400 cm/sec to 680 000 cm/sec as the frequency of the signal was varied from 150 kHz to 1.9 MHz which strongly suggests that flexural/lamb wave modes of propagation exist. The magnitude of the attenuation changes depended strongly on tensile stress. It was further observed that the wave speeds increased slightly for all tested frequencies as the stress was increased.

Ultrasonic nondestructive materials characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, R. E., Jr.

1986-01-01

A brief review of ultrasonic wave propagation in solid materials is presented with consideration of the altered behavior in anisotropic and nonlinear elastic materials in comparison with isotropic and linear elastic materials. Some experimental results are described in which ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements give insight into materials microstructure and associated mechanical properties. Recent developments with laser beam non-contact generation and detection of ultrasound are presented. The results of several years of experimental measurements using high-power ultrasound are discussed, which provide substantial evidence of the inability of presently accepted theories to fully explain the interaction of ultrasound with solid materials. Finally, a special synchrotron X-ray topographic system is described which affords the possibility of observing direct interaction of ultrasonic waves with the microstructural features of real crystalline solid materials for the first time.

a Study of Ultrasonic Wave Propagation Through Parallel Arrays of Immersed Tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cocker, R. P.; Challis, R. E.

1996-06-01

Tubular array structures are a very common component in industrial heat exchanging plant and the non-destructive testing of these arrays is essential. Acoustic methods using microphones or ultrasound are attractive but require a thorough understanding of the acoustic properties of tube arrays. This paper details the development and testing of a small-scale physical model of a tube array to verify the predictions of a theoretical model for acoustic propagation through tube arrays developed by Heckl, Mulholland, and Huang [1-5] as a basis for the consideration of small-scale physical models in the development of non-destructive testing procedures for tube arrays. Their model predicts transmission spectra for plane waves incident on an array of tubes arranged in straight rows. Relative transmission is frequency dependent with bands of high and low attenuation caused by resonances within individual tubes and between tubes in the array. As the number of rows in the array increases the relative transmission spectrum becomes more complex, with increasingly well-defined bands of high and low attenuation. Diffraction of acoustic waves with wavelengths less than the tube spacing is predicted and appears as step reductions in the transmission spectrum at frequencies corresponding to integer multiples of the tube spacing. Experiments with the physical model confirm the principle features of the theoretical treatment.

Measurement of airborne ultrasonic slow waves in calcaneal cancellous bone.

PubMed

Strelitzki, R; Paech, V; Nicholson, P H

1999-05-01

Measurements of an airborne ultrasonic wave were made in defatted cancellous bone from the human calcaneus using standard ultrasonic equipment. The wave propagating under these conditions was consistent with a decoupled Biot slow wave travelling in the air alone, as previously reported in gas-saturated foams. Reproducible measurements of phase velocity and attenuation coefficient were possible, and an estimate of the tortuosity of the trabecular framework was derived from the high frequency limit of the phase velocity. Thus the method offers a new approach to the acoustic characterisation of bone in vitro which, in contrast to existing techniques, has the potential to yield information directly characterising the trabecular structure.

Ultrasonic scanning system for imaging flaw growth in composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiraly, L. J.; Meyn, E. H.

1982-01-01

A system for measuring and visually representing damage in composite specimens while they are being loaded was demonstrated. It uses a hobbiest grade microcomputer system to control data taking and image processing. The system scans operator selected regions of the specimen while it is under load in a tensile test machine and measures internal damage by the attenuation of a 2.5 MHz ultrasonic beam passed through the specimen. The microcomputer dynamically controls the position of ultrasonic transducers mounted on a two axis motor driven carriage. As many as 65,536 samples can be taken and filed on a floppy disk system in less than four minutes.

Ultrasonic signal enhancement by resonator techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyman, J. S.

1973-01-01

Ultrasonic resonators increase experimental sensitivity to acoustic dispersion and changes in attenuation. Experimental sensitivity enhancement line shapes are presented which were obtained by modulating the acoustic properties of a CdS resonator with a light beam. Small changes in light level are made to produce almost pure absorptive or dispersive changes in the resonator signal. This effect is due to the coupling of the ultrasonic wave to the CdS conductivity which is proportional to incident light intensity. The resonator conductivity is adjusted in this manner to obtain both dispersive and absorptive sensitivity enhancement line shapes. The data presented verify previous thoretical calculations based on a propagating wave model.

Ultrasonic attenuation in superconducting molybdenum-rhenium alloys.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashkin, M.; Deis, D. W.; Gottlieb, M.; Jones, C. K.

1971-01-01

Investigation of longitudinal sound attenuation in superconducting Mo-Re alloys as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and frequency. Evaporated thin film CdS transducers were used for the measurements at frequencies up to 3 GHz. The normal state attenuation coefficient was found to be proportional to the square of frequency over this frequency range. Measurements in zero magnetic field yielded a value of the energy gap parameter close to the threshold value of 3.56 kTc, appropriate to a weakly coupled dirty limit superconductor.

Use of an ultrasonic reflectance technique to examine bubble size changes in dough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strybulevych, A.; Leroy, V.; Shum, A. L.; Koksel, H. F.; Scanlon, M. G.; Page, J. H.

2012-12-01

Bread quality largely depends on the manner in which bubbles are created and manipulated in the dough during processing. We have developed an ultrasonic reflectance technique to monitor bubbles in dough, even at high volume fractions, where near the bubble resonances it is difficult to make measurements using transmission techniques. A broadband transducer centred at 3.5 MHz in a normal incidence wave reflection set-up is used to measure longitudinal velocity and attenuation from acoustic impedance measurements. The technique is illustrated by examining changes in bubbles in dough due to two very different physical effects. In dough made without yeast, a peak in attenuation due to bubble resonance is observed at approximately 2 MHz. This peak diminishes rapidly and shifts to lower frequencies, indicative of Ostwald ripening of bubbles within the dough. The second effect involves the growth of bubble sizes due to gas generated by yeast during fermentation. This process is experimentally challenging to investigate with ultrasound because of very high attenuation. The reflectance technique allows the changes of the velocity and attenuation during fermentation to be measured as a function of frequency and time, indicating bubble growth effects that can be monitored even at high volume fractions of bubbles.

Photoacoustic signal attenuation analysis for the assessment of thin layers thickness in paintings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tserevelakis, George J.; Dal Fovo, Alice; Melessanaki, Krystalia; Fontana, Raffaella; Zacharakis, Giannis

2018-03-01

This study introduces a novel method for the thickness estimation of thin paint layers in works of art, based on photoacoustic signal attenuation analysis (PAcSAA). Ad hoc designed samples with acrylic paint layers (Primary Red Magenta, Cadmium Yellow, Ultramarine Blue) of various thicknesses on glass substrates were realized for the specific application. After characterization by Optical Coherence Tomography imaging, samples were irradiated at the back side using low energy nanosecond laser pulses of 532 nm wavelength. Photoacoustic waves undergo a frequency-dependent exponential attenuation through the paint layer, before being detected by a broadband ultrasonic transducer. Frequency analysis of the recorded time-domain signals allows for the estimation of the average transmitted frequency function, which shows an exponential decay with the layer thickness. Ultrasonic attenuation models were obtained for each pigment and used to fit the data acquired on an inhomogeneous painted mock-up simulating a real canvas painting. Thickness evaluation through PAcSAA resulted in excellent agreement with cross-section analysis with a conventional brightfield microscope. The results of the current study demonstrate the potential of the proposed PAcSAA method for the non-destructive stratigraphic analysis of painted artworks.

Resolution Enhancement In Ultrasonic Imaging By A Time-Varying Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ching, N. H.; Rosenfeld, D.; Braun, M.

1987-09-01

The study reported here investigates the use of a time-varying filter to compensate for the spreading of ultrasonic pulses due to the frequency dependence of attenuation by tissues. The effect of this pulse spreading is to degrade progressively the axial resolution with increasing depth. The form of compensation required to correct for this effect is impossible to realize exactly. A novel time-varying filter utilizing a bank of bandpass filters is proposed as a realizable approximation of the required compensation. The performance of this filter is evaluated by means of a computer simulation. The limits of its application are discussed. Apart from improving the axial resolution, and hence the accuracy of axial measurements, the compensating filter could be used in implementing tissue characterization algorithms based on attenuation data.

Design and Realization of Controllable Ultrasonic Fault Detector Automatic Verification System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jing-Feng; Liu, Hui-Ying; Guo, Hui-Juan; Shu, Rong; Wei, Kai-Li

The ultrasonic flaw detection equipment with remote control interface is researched and the automatic verification system is developed. According to use extensible markup language, the building of agreement instruction set and data analysis method database in the system software realizes the controllable designing and solves the diversification of unreleased device interfaces and agreements. By using the signal generator and a fixed attenuator cascading together, a dynamic error compensation method is proposed, completes what the fixed attenuator does in traditional verification and improves the accuracy of verification results. The automatic verification system operating results confirms that the feasibility of the system hardware and software architecture design and the correctness of the analysis method, while changes the status of traditional verification process cumbersome operations, and reduces labor intensity test personnel.

Local defect resonance for sensitive non-destructive testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adebahr, W.; Solodov, I.; Rahammer, M.; Gulnizkij, N.; Kreutzbruck, M.

2016-02-01

Ultrasonic wave-defect interaction is a background of ultrasound activated techniques for imaging and non-destructive testing (NDT) of materials and industrial components. The interaction, primarily, results in acoustic response of a defect which provides attenuation and scattering of ultrasound used as an indicator of defects in conventional ultrasonic NDT. The derivative ultrasonic-induced effects include e.g. nonlinear, thermal, acousto-optic, etc. responses also applied for NDT and defect imaging. These secondary effects are normally relatively inefficient so that the corresponding NDT techniques require an elevated acoustic power and stand out from conventional ultrasonic NDT counterparts for their specific instrumentation particularly adapted to high-power ultrasonic. In this paper, a consistent way to enhance ultrasonic, optical and thermal defect responses and thus to reduce an ultrasonic power required is suggested by using selective ultrasonic activation of defects based on the concept of local defect resonance (LDR). A strong increase in vibration amplitude at LDR enables to reliably detect and visualize the defect as soon as the driving ultrasonic frequency is matched to the LDR frequency. This also provides a high frequency selectivity of the LDR-based imaging, i.e. an opportunity of detecting a certain defect among a multitude of other defects in material. Some examples are shown how to use LDR in non-destructive testing techniques, like vibrometry, ultrasonic thermography and shearography in order to enhance the sensitivity of defect visualization.

SU-E-T-107: An Investigation Into Attenuation Effects On the Energy Spectrum for {sup 137}Cs Using Monte Carlo Techniques

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

Taneja, S; Bartol, L; Culberson, W

2015-06-15

Purpose: The calibration of radiation protection instrumentation including ionization chambers, scintillators, and Geiger Mueller (GM) counters used as survey meters are often done using {sup 137}Cs irradiators. During calibration, irradiators use a combination of attenuators with various thicknesses to modulate the beam to a known air-kerma rate. The variations in energy spectra as a result of these attenuators are not accounted for and may play a role in the energy-dependent response of survey meters. This study uses an experimentally validated irradiator geometry modeled in the MCNP5 transport code to characterize the effects of attenuation on the energy spectrum. Methods: Amore » Hopewell Designs G-10 {sup 137}Cs irradiator with lead attenuators of thicknesses of 0.635, 1.22, 2.22, and 4.32 cm, was used in this study. The irradiator geometry was modeled in MCNP5 and validated by comparing measured and simulated percent depth dose (PDD) and cross-field profiles. Variations in MCNP5 simulated spectra with increasing amounts of attenuation were characterized using the relative intensity of the 662 keV peak and the average energy. Results: Simulated and measured PDDs and profiles agreed within the associated uncertainty. The relative intensity of the 662 keV peak for simulated spectra normalized to the intensity of the unattenuated spectra ranged from 0.16% to 100% based on attenuation thickness. The average energy for simulated spectra for attenuators ranged from 582 keV with no attenuation to 653 keV with 5.54 cm of attenuation. Statistical uncertainty for MCNP5 simulations ranged from 0.11% to 3.69%. Conclusion: This study successfully used MCNP5 to validate a {sup 137}Cs irradiator geometry and characterize variations in energy spectra between different amounts of attenuation. Variations in the average energy of up to 12% were determined through simulations, and future work will aim to determine the effects of these differences on survey meter response and calibration.« less

Contemporary ultrasonic signal processing approaches for nondestructive evaluation of multilayered structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Guang-Ming; Harvey, David M.

2012-03-01

Various signal processing techniques have been used for the enhancement of defect detection and defect characterisation. Cross-correlation, filtering, autoregressive analysis, deconvolution, neural network, wavelet transform and sparse signal representations have all been applied in attempts to analyse ultrasonic signals. In ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) applications, a large number of materials have multilayered structures. NDE of multilayered structures leads to some specific problems, such as penetration, echo overlap, high attenuation and low signal-to-noise ratio. The signals recorded from a multilayered structure are a class of very special signals comprised of limited echoes. Such signals can be assumed to have a sparse representation in a proper signal dictionary. Recently, a number of digital signal processing techniques have been developed by exploiting the sparse constraint. This paper presents a review of research to date, showing the up-to-date developments of signal processing techniques made in ultrasonic NDE. A few typical ultrasonic signal processing techniques used for NDE of multilayered structures are elaborated. The practical applications and limitations of different signal processing methods in ultrasonic NDE of multilayered structures are analysed.

Noncontact Acousto-Ultrasonics for Material Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kautz, Harold E.

1998-01-01

A NdYAG 1064 nm, laser pulse was employed to produce ultrasonic waves in specimens of SiC/SiC and SiC/Ti 6-4 composites which are high temperature materials of interest for aerospace applications. Air coupled transducers were used to detect and collect the signals used for acousto-ultrasonic analysis. Conditions for detecting ultrasonic decay signals were examined. The results were compared to those determined on the same specimens with contact coupling. Some non-contact measurements were made employing conventional air focused detectors. Others were performed with a more novel micromachined capacitance transducer. Concerns of the laser-in technology include potential destructiveness of the laser pulse. Repeated laser pulsing at the same location does lead to deterioration of the ultrasonic signal in some materials, but seems to recover with time. Also, unlike contact AU, the frequency regime employed is a function of laser-material interaction rather than the choice of transducers. Concerns of the air coupled-out technology include the effect of air attenuation. This imposes a practical upper limit to frequency of detection. In the case of the experimental specimens studied ultrasonic decay signals could be imaged satisfactorily.

Hypervelocity Technology Escape System Concepts. Volume 1. Development and Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-01

airplane escape systems. These include separation at high dynamic pressure, stability, impact attenuation , crew member accelerations, adequate...changes (TTS; 0 Shock attenuator design PTS) 0 Restraint system design * Limb flail * Non-auditory changes (gag, dec. visual acuity) * Reduced psycho-motor...detected by ultrasonic technique. The DCS symptoms may not appear until at slightly lower total pressures (8 N psia - 9 pals). Since the pressurization

Ultrasonic isolation of buried pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leinov, Eli; Lowe, Michael J. S.; Cawley, Peter

2016-02-01

Long-range guided wave testing (GWT) is used routinely for the monitoring and detection of corrosion defects in above ground pipelines. The GWT test range in buried, coated pipelines is greatly reduced compared to above ground configurations due to energy leakage into the embedding soil. In this paper, the effect of pipe coatings on the guided wave attenuation is investigated with the aim of increasing test ranges for buried pipelines. The attenuation of the T(0,1) and L(0,2) guided wave modes is measured using a full-scale experimental apparatus in a fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE)-coated 8 in. pipe, buried in loose and compacted sand. Tests are performed over a frequency range typically used in GWT of 10-35 kHz and compared with model predictions. It is shown that the application of a low impedance coating between the FBE layer and the sand effectively decouples the influence of the sand on the ultrasound leakage from the buried pipe. Ultrasonic isolation of a buried pipe is demonstrated by coating the pipe with a Polyethylene (PE)-foam layer that has a smaller impedance than both the pipe and sand, and has the ability to withstand the overburden load from the sand. The measured attenuation in the buried PE-foam-FBE-coated pipe is found to be substantially reduced, in the range of 0.3-1.2 dB m-1 for loose and compacted sand conditions, compared to measured attenuation of 1.7-4.7 dB m-1 in the buried FBE-coated pipe without the PE-foam. The acoustic properties of the PE-foam are measured independently using ultrasonic interferometry and incorporated into model predictions of guided wave propagation in buried coated pipe. Good agreement is found between the experimental measurements and model predictions. The attenuation exhibits periodic peaks in the frequency domain corresponding to the through-thickness resonance frequencies of the coating layer. The large reduction in guided wave attenuation for PE-coated pipes would lead to greatly increased GWT test ranges; such coatings would be attractive for new pipeline installations.

An ultrasonic investigation of the effect of voids on the mechanical properties of bread dough and the role of gas cells in determining the cellular structure of freeze- dried breadcrumb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elmehdi, Hussein Mohamed

This thesis is an analysis of voids in the breadmaking process, more specifically the effect of gas cells entrapped in the dough during mixing, their expansion during fermentation, and their relationship to the breadcrumb structure in the final product. This is important to food scientists because the voids ultimately influence the structural integrity of bread and hence its quality. Understanding how voids affect the viscoelastic properties of dough is also a challenging problem in soft condensed matter physics. Longitudinal ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements, performed at 54 kHz, investigated changes in the mechanical properties of dough and bread as void concentration was varied. In the first part of the thesis, the effect of voids on the properties of unyeasted dough at the end of mixing was investigated. As φ is increased, the attenuation coefficient increased linearly with φ hence the change in attenuation is proportional to the number of voids, allowing the combined effects of scattering and absorption by single voids to be directly determined. By contrast, the ultrasonic velocity decreased dramatically with increasing φ in the range 0.0 12 < φ < 0.03, while at higher φ, the velocity decrease was less rapid. An effective medium model successfully modeled the viscoelastic behavior of the dough at all void fraction values, provided that the shear modulus of the matrix was permitted to vary. The same ultrasonic technique was also used to monitor the increase in gas cell size due to CO 2 production during fermentation of yeasted dough. A large decrease in velocity and an increase in the attenuation coefficient were observed as the gas cells grew. In addition, at early fermentation times, a substantial contribution to the velocity decrease arises from a reduction in the shear modulus of the dough matrix. This occurs because the pH drops as CO2 molecules dissolve in the matrix and intermolecular interactions are weakened due to protein chain charge repulsion effects. In the second part of the thesis, freeze-dried breadcrumb structure was investigated. To change the size of the air cells, the dough was proofed for various times. Ultrasonic velocity and amplitude decrease with increasing φ. The experimental data were found to be in reasonable agreement with theoretical models for the elasticity of isotropic cellular foams and tortuosity. The effects of anisotropy in breadcrumb structure were studied by compressing samples uniaxially, thereby transforming the shape of the air cells from approximately spherical to elongated ellipsoids. Ultrasonic measurements were taken in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the strain. These results indicated that the path by which sound propagates is critical. The data were interpreted using the same two theoretical models, taking into account anisotropy effects. The tortuosity model was able to interpret the void fraction dependence of the velocity along the two orthogonal directions, thus giving a way of relating changes in ultrasonic velocity to changes in breadcrumb structure. This thesis demonstrates the potential for using ultrasound as a non-destructive, cheap and accurate tool for studying the effect of voids (and their expansion) on dough properties. These ultrasonic techniques can also be used to investigate the effect of air cells on the structural integrity of breadcrumb and hence be a useful tool for quantitatively assessing bread quality.

Control of treatment size in cavitation-enhanced high-intensity focused ultrasound using radio-frequency echo signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomiyasu, Kentaro; Takagi, Ryo; Iwasaki, Ryosuke; Yoshizawa, Shin; Umemura, Shin-ichiro

2017-07-01

In high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, controlling the ultrasound dose at each focal target spot is important because it is a problem that the length of the coagulated region in front of the focal point deviates owing to the differences in absorption in each focal target spot and attenuation in the intervening tissues. In this study, the detected changes in the power spectra of HIFU echoes were used by controlling the HIFU duration in the “trigger HIFU” sequence with the aim to increase coagulation size through the enhancement of the ultrasonic heating by the cavitation induced by the preceding extremely high intensity short “trigger” pulse. The result shows that this method can be used to detect boiling bubbles and the following generated cavitation bubbles at their early stage. By automatically stopping HIFU exposure immediately after detecting the bubbles, overheating was prevented and the deviation of the length of the coagulated region was reduced.

Fast synthesize ZnO quantum dots via ultrasonic method.

PubMed

Yang, Weimin; Zhang, Bing; Ding, Nan; Ding, Wenhao; Wang, Lixi; Yu, Mingxun; Zhang, Qitu

2016-05-01

Green emission ZnO quantum dots were synthesized by an ultrasonic sol-gel method. The ZnO quantum dots were synthesized in various ultrasonic temperature and time. Photoluminescence properties of these ZnO quantum dots were measured. Time-resolved photoluminescence decay spectra were also taken to discover the change of defects amount during the reaction. Both ultrasonic temperature and time could affect the type and amount of defects in ZnO quantum dots. Total defects of ZnO quantum dots decreased with the increasing of ultrasonic temperature and time. The dangling bonds defects disappeared faster than the optical defects. Types of optical defects first changed from oxygen interstitial defects to oxygen vacancy and zinc interstitial defects. Then transformed back to oxygen interstitial defects again. The sizes of ZnO quantum dots would be controlled by both ultrasonic temperature and time as well. That is, with the increasing of ultrasonic temperature and time, the sizes of ZnO quantum dots first decreased then increased. Moreover, concentrated raw materials solution brought larger sizes and more optical defects of ZnO quantum dots. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Olive Oil by Ultrasonic and Physico-chemical Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alouache, B.; Khechena, F. K.; Lecheb, F.; Boutkedjirt, T.

Olive oil excels by its nutritional and medicinal benefits. It can be consumed without any treatment. However, its quality can be altered by inadequate storage conditions or if it is mixed with other kinds of oils. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the ability of ultrasonic methods to characterize and control olive oil quality. By using of a transducer of 2.25 MHz nominal frequency, in pulse echo mode, ultrasonic parameters, such as propagation velocity and attenuation,have been measured for pure olive oil and for its mixtures with sunflower oil at different proportions. Mechanical properties, such as density and viscosity, have also been determined. The results of ultrasonic measurements are consistent with those obtained by physico-chemical methods, such as rancidity degree, acid index, UV specific extinction coefficient and viscosity. They show that the ultrasonic method allows to distinguish between mixtures at different proportions. The study allows concluding that ultrasound techniques can be considered as a useful complement to existing physico-chemical analysis techniques.

Ultrasonic technique for detection of liquids in copper tubing process lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudley, W. A.

1980-10-01

An ultrasonic pulse-echo method developed for semiquantitative measurement of liquid levels in copper tubing is described. This ultrasonic approach is of particular value when used as a pre-maintenance diagnostic tool in repairing process lines containing hazardous liquids. Performance tests show that water and similar liquids can be directly detected to fill levels as low as 1/16 in. For water fills below 1/16 in., direct level detection is impractical because of signal resolution limitations. However, this fill condition is indirectly measurable and is detected by the effect of observed degradation of the adjacent wall echo pattern. Fill conditions for liquids associated with high sound attenuation such as oil can be indirectly determined.

Ultrasonic liquid-in-line detector for tubes

DOEpatents

Piper, Thomas C.

1991-01-01

An apparatus and method for detecting the presence of liquid in pipes or tubes using ultrasonic techniques A first piezoelectric crystal is coupled to the outside of the pipe or tube at the location where liquid in the tube is to be detected. A second piezoelectric crystal is coupled to the outside of the pipe or tube at the same location along the tube but circumferentially displaced from the first crystal by an angle around the pipe or tube of less than 180.degree.. Liquid in the pipe or tube is detected by measuring the attenuation of an ultrasonic signal sent by the first piezoelectric crystal and received by the second piezoelectric crystal.

Simulation of ultrasonic arrays for industrial and civil engineering applications including validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spies, M.; Rieder, H.; Orth, Th.; Maack, S.

2012-05-01

In this contribution we address the beam field simulation of 2D ultrasonic arrays using the Generalized Point Source Synthesis technique. Aiming at the inspection of cylindrical components (e.g. pipes) the influence of concave and convex surface curvatures, respectively, has been evaluated for a commercial probe. We have compared these results with those obtained using a commercial simulation tool. In civil engineering, the ultrasonic inspection of highly attenuating concrete structures has been advanced by the development of dry contact point transducers, mainly applied in array arrangements. Our respective simulations for a widely used commercial probe are validated using experimental results acquired on concrete half-spheres with diameters from 200 mm up to 650 mm.

Highly sensitive simple homodyne phase detector for ultrasonic pulse-echo measurements

DOE PAGES

Grossman, John; Suslov, Alexey V.; Yong, Grace; ...

2016-04-07

Progress in microelectronic technology has allowed us to design and develop a simple but, professional quality instrument for ultrasonic pulse-echo probing of the elastic properties of materials. The heart of this interfer- ometer lies in the AD8302 microchip, a gain and phase detector from Analog Devices, Inc. The interferometer was tested by measuring the temperature dependences of the ultrasound speed and attenuation in a ferro- electric KTa 0.92 Nb 0.08O 3 (KTN) crystal at a frequency of about 40 MHz. These tests demonstrated that our instrument is capable of detecting the relative changes in the sound speed v on themore » level of Δv/v ~ 10 –7. In addition, the ultrasound attenuation revealed new features in the development of the low-temperature structure of the ferroelectric KTN crystal.« less

Non-Destructive Evaluation of Grain Structure Using Air-Coupled Ultrasonics

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

Belvin, A. D.; Burrell, R. K.; Cole, E.G.

2009-08-01

Cast material has a grain structure that is relatively non-uniform. There is a desire to evaluate the grain structure of this material non-destructively. Traditionally, grain size measurement is a destructive process involving the sectioning and metallographic imaging of the material. Generally, this is performed on a representative sample on a periodic basis. Sampling is inefficient and costly. Furthermore, the resulting data may not provide an accurate description of the entire part's average grain size or grain size variation. This project is designed to develop a non-destructive acoustic scanning technique, using Chirp waveforms, to quantify average grain size and grain sizemore » variation across the surface of a cast material. A Chirp is a signal in which the frequency increases or decreases over time (frequency modulation). As a Chirp passes through a material, the material's grains reduce the signal (attenuation) by absorbing the signal energy. Geophysics research has shown a direct correlation with Chirp wave attenuation and mean grain size in geological structures. The goal of this project is to demonstrate that Chirp waveform attenuation can be used to measure grain size and grain variation in cast metals (uranium and other materials of interest). An off-axis ultrasonic inspection technique using air-coupled ultrasonics has been developed to determine grain size in cast materials. The technique gives a uniform response across the volume of the component. This technique has been demonstrated to provide generalized trends of grain variation over the samples investigated.« less

Phosphate-based glasses: Prediction of acoustical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Moneim, Amin Abd

2016-04-01

In this work, a comprehensive study has been carried out to predict the composition dependence of bulk modulus and ultrasonic attenuation coefficient in the phosphate-based glass systems PbO-P2O5, Li2O-TeO2-B2O3-P2O5, TiO2-Na2O-CaO-P2O5 and Cr2O3-doped Na2O-ZnO-P2O5 at room temperature. The prediction is based on (i) Makishima-Mackenzie theory, which correlates the bulk modulus with packing density and dissociation energy per unit volume, and (ii) Our recently presented semi-empirical formulas, which correlate the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient with the oxygen density, mean atomic ring size, first-order stretching force constant and experimental bulk modulus. Results revealed that our recently presented semi-empirical formulas can be applied successfully to predict changes of ultrasonic attenuation coefficient in binary PbO-P2O5 glasses at 10 MHz frequency and in quaternary Li2O-TeO2-B2O3-P2O5, TiO2-Na2O-CaO-P2O5 and Cr2O3-Na2O-ZnO-P2O5 glasses at 5 MHz frequency. Also, Makishima-Mackenzie theory appears to be valid for the studied glasses if the effect of the basic structural units that present in the glass network is taken into account.

In vitro chronic hepatic disease characterization with a multiparametric ultrasonic approach.

PubMed

Meziri, M; Pereira, W C A; Abdelwahab, A; Degott, C; Laugier, P

2005-03-01

Although, high resolution, real-time ultrasonic (US) imaging is routinely available, image interpretation is based on grey-level and texture and quantitative evaluation is limited. Other potentially useful diagnostic information from US echoes may include modifications in tissue acoustic parameters (speed, attenuation and backscattering) resulting from disease development. Changes in acoustical parameters can be detected using time-of-flight and spectral analysis techniques. The objective of this study is to explore the potential of three parameters together (attenuation coefficient, US speed and integrated backscatter coefficient-IBC) to discriminate healthy and fibrosis subgroups in liver tissue. Echoes from 21 fresh in vitro samples of human liver and from a plane reflector were obtained using a 20-MHz central frequency transducer (6-30 MHz bandpass). The scan plane was parallel to the reflector placed beneath the liver. A 30 x 20 matrix of A-scans was obtained, with a 200-microm step. The samples were classified according to the Metavir scale in five different degrees of fibrosis. US speed, attenuation and IBC were estimated from standard methods described in the literature. Statistical tests were applied to the results of each parameter individually and indicated that it was not possible to identify all the fibrosis groups. Then a discriminant analysis was performed for the three parameters together resulting in a reasonable separation of fibrotic groups. Although the number of tissue samples is limited, this study opens the possibility of enhancing the discriminant capability of ultrasonic parameters of liver tissue disease when they are combined together.

Ultrasonic attenuation and phase velocity of high-density polyethylene pipe material.

PubMed

Egerton, J S; Lowe, M J S; Huthwaite, P; Halai, H V

2017-03-01

Knowledge of acoustic properties is crucial for ultrasonic or sonic imaging and signal detection in nondestructive evaluation (NDE), medical imaging, and seismology. Accurately and reliably obtaining these is particularly challenging for the NDE of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), such as is used in many water or gas pipes, because the properties vary greatly with frequency, temperature, direction and spatial location. Therefore the work reported here was undertaken in order to establish a basis for such a multiparameter description. The approach is general but the study specifically addresses HDPE and includes measured data values. Applicable to any such multiparameter acoustic properties dataset is a devised regression method that uses a neural network algorithm. This algorithm includes constraints to respect the Kramers-Kronig causality relationship between speed and attenuation of waves in a viscoelastic medium. These constrained acoustic properties are fully described in a multidimensional parameter space to vary with frequency, depth, temperature, and direction. The resulting uncertainties in acoustic properties dependence on the above variables are better than 4% and 2%, respectively, for attenuation and phase velocity and therefore can prevent major defect imaging errors.

Effects of the concentration of emulsion of oil-in-water on the propagation velocity and attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, L. S. F.; Bibiano, D. S.; Figueiredo, M. K. K.; Costa-Félix, R. P. B.

2015-01-01

Soybean oil is an important feedstock for production of biodiesel that generates about 20 % of oily effluents. This paper studied the effect of concentration of soybean oil-inwater emulsions, in the range from 6 000 to 14 000 ppm, on the propagation velocity and ultrasonic attenuation. The Emission-Reception method has shown that the propagation velocity depends linearly on the concentration. The behavior of attenuation is similar to the velocity. Thus, both parameters can be used to measure oils and greases content in water.

Prediction of Cavitation Depth in an Al-Cu Alloy Melt with Bubble Characteristics Based on Synchrotron X-ray Radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Haijun; Shu, Da; Fu, Yanan; Zhu, Guoliang; Wang, Donghong; Dong, Anping; Sun, Baode

2018-06-01

The size of cavitation region is a key parameter to estimate the metallurgical effect of ultrasonic melt treatment (UST) on preferential structure refinement. We present a simple numerical model to predict the characteristic length of the cavitation region, termed cavitation depth, in a metal melt. The model is based on wave propagation with acoustic attenuation caused by cavitation bubbles which are dependent on bubble characteristics and ultrasonic intensity. In situ synchrotron X-ray imaging of cavitation bubbles has been made to quantitatively measure the size of cavitation region and volume fraction and size distribution of cavitation bubbles in an Al-Cu melt. The results show that cavitation bubbles maintain a log-normal size distribution, and the volume fraction of cavitation bubbles obeys a tanh function with the applied ultrasonic intensity. Using the experimental values of bubble characteristics as input, the predicted cavitation depth agrees well with observations except for a slight deviation at higher acoustic intensities. Further analysis shows that the increase of bubble volume and bubble size both leads to higher attenuation by cavitation bubbles, and hence, smaller cavitation depth. The current model offers a guideline to implement UST, especially for structural refinement.

An experimental evaluation of two effective medium theories for ultrasonic wave propagation in concrete.

PubMed

Chaix, Jean-François; Rossat, Mathieu; Garnier, Vincent; Corneloup, Gilles

2012-06-01

This study compares ultrasonic wave propagation modeling and experimental data in concrete. As a consequence of its composition and manufacturing process, this material has a high elastic scattering (sand and aggregates) and air (microcracks and porosities) content. The behavior of the "Waterman-Truell" and "Generalized Self Consistent Method" dynamic homogenization models are analyzed in the context of an application for strong heterogeneous solid materials, in which the scatterers are of various concentrations and types. The experimental validations of results predicted by the models are carried out by making use of the phase velocity and the attenuation of longitudinal waves, as measured by an immersed transmission setup. The test specimen material has a cement-like matrix containing spherical inclusions of air or glass, with radius close to the ultrasonic wavelength. The models are adapted to the case of materials presenting several types of scattering particle, and allow the propagation of longitudinal waves to be described at the scale of materials such as concrete. The validity limits for frequency and for particle volume ratio can be approached through a comparison with experimental data. The potential of these homogenization models for the prediction of phase velocity and attenuation in strongly heterogeneous solids is demonstrated.

Prediction of Cavitation Depth in an Al-Cu Alloy Melt with Bubble Characteristics Based on Synchrotron X-ray Radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Haijun; Shu, Da; Fu, Yanan; Zhu, Guoliang; Wang, Donghong; Dong, Anping; Sun, Baode

2018-04-01

The size of cavitation region is a key parameter to estimate the metallurgical effect of ultrasonic melt treatment (UST) on preferential structure refinement. We present a simple numerical model to predict the characteristic length of the cavitation region, termed cavitation depth, in a metal melt. The model is based on wave propagation with acoustic attenuation caused by cavitation bubbles which are dependent on bubble characteristics and ultrasonic intensity. In situ synchrotron X-ray imaging of cavitation bubbles has been made to quantitatively measure the size of cavitation region and volume fraction and size distribution of cavitation bubbles in an Al-Cu melt. The results show that cavitation bubbles maintain a log-normal size distribution, and the volume fraction of cavitation bubbles obeys a tanh function with the applied ultrasonic intensity. Using the experimental values of bubble characteristics as input, the predicted cavitation depth agrees well with observations except for a slight deviation at higher acoustic intensities. Further analysis shows that the increase of bubble volume and bubble size both leads to higher attenuation by cavitation bubbles, and hence, smaller cavitation depth. The current model offers a guideline to implement UST, especially for structural refinement.

Tissue identification by ultrasound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lecroissette, D. H.; Heyser, R. C.; Gammell, P. M.; Wilson, R. L.

1978-01-01

The ultrasonic properties of animal and human soft tissue were measured over the frequency range of 1.5 to 10.0 MHz. The method employed a swept-frequency, coherent technique known as time delay spectrometry. Measurements of attenuation versus frequency on liver, backfat, kidney, pancreas, spleen, breast, and other tissue were made. Considerable attention was paid to tissue handling and in determining the effects of fixing on the attenuation of ultrasound in the tissue.

Monitoring of freeze-thaw cycles in concrete using embedded sensors and ultrasonic imaging.

PubMed

Ranz, Javier; Aparicio, Sofía; Romero, Héctor; Casati, María Jesús; Molero, Miguel; González, Margarita

2014-01-29

This paper deals with the study of damage produced during freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles using two non-destructive measurement approaches-the first approach devoted to continuous monitoring using embedded sensors during the cycles, and the second one, performing ultrasonic imaging before and after the cycles. Both methodologies have been tested in two different types of concrete specimens, with and without air-entraining agents. Using the first measurement approach, the size and distribution of pores were estimated using a thermoporometrical model and continuous measurements of temperature and ultrasonic velocity along cycles. These estimates have been compared with the results obtained using mercury porosimetry testing. In the second approach, the damage due to F-T cycles has been evaluated by automated ultrasonic transmission and pulse-echo inspections made before and after the cycles. With these inspections the variations in the dimensions, velocity and attenuation caused by the accelerated F-T cycles were determined.

Magnetic nanoparticles for enhancing the effectiveness of ultrasonic hyperthermia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Józefczak, A.; Kaczmarek, K.; Hornowski, T.; Kubovčíková, M.; Rozynek, Z.; Timko, M.; Skumiel, A.

2016-06-01

Ultrasonic hyperthermia is a method of cancer treatment in which tumors are exposed to an elevated cytotoxic temperature using ultrasound (US). In conventional ultrasonic hyperthermia, the ultrasound-induced heating in the tumor is achieved through the absorption of wave energy. However, to obtain appropriate temperature in reasonable time, high US intensities, which can have a negative impact on healthy tissues, are required. The effectiveness of US for medical purposes can be significantly improved by using the so-called sonosensitizers, which can enhance the thermal effect of US on the tissue by increasing US absorption. One possible candidate for such sonosensitizers is magnetic nanoparticles with mean sizes of 10-300 nm, which can be efficiently heated because of additional attenuation and scattering of US. Additionally, magnetic nanoparticles are able to produce heat in the alternating magnetic field (magnetic hyperthermia). The synergetic application of ultrasonic and magnetic hyperthermia can lead to a promising treatment modality.

Monitoring of Freeze-Thaw Cycles in Concrete Using Embedded Sensors and Ultrasonic Imaging

PubMed Central

Ranz, Javier; Aparicio, Sofía; Romero, Héctor; Casati, María Jesús; Molero, Miguel; González, Margarita

2014-01-01

This paper deals with the study of damage produced during freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles using two non-destructive measurement approaches—the first approach devoted to continuous monitoring using embedded sensors during the cycles, and the second one, performing ultrasonic imaging before and after the cycles. Both methodologies have been tested in two different types of concrete specimens, with and without air-entraining agents. Using the first measurement approach, the size and distribution of pores were estimated using a thermoporometrical model and continuous measurements of temperature and ultrasonic velocity along cycles. These estimates have been compared with the results obtained using mercury porosimetry testing. In the second approach, the damage due to F-T cycles has been evaluated by automated ultrasonic transmission and pulse-echo inspections made before and after the cycles. With these inspections the variations in the dimensions, velocity and attenuation caused by the accelerated F-T cycles were determined. PMID:24481231

On the feasibility of quantitative ultrasonic determination of fracture toughness: A literature review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, L. S.

1980-01-01

The three main topics covered are: (1) fracture toughness and microstructure, (2) quantitative ultrasonic and microstructure; and (3) scattering and related mathematical methods. Literature in these areas is reviewed to give insight to the search of a theoretical foundation for quantitative ultrasonic measurement of fracture toughness. The literature review shows that fracture toughness is inherently related to the microstructure and in particular, it depends upon the spacing of inclusions or second particles and the aspect ratio of second phase particles. There are indications that ultrasonic velocity attenuation measurements can be used to determine fracture toughness. The leads to a review of the mathematical models available in solving boundary value problems related to microstructural factors that govern facture toughness and wave motion. A framework towards the theoretical study for the quantitative determination of fracture toughness is described and suggestions for future research are proposed.

Air-Coupled Low Frequency Ultrasonic Transducers and Arrays with PMN-32%PT Piezoelectric Crystals

PubMed Central

Kazys, Rymantas J.; Sliteris, Reimondas; Sestoke, Justina

2017-01-01

Air-coupled ultrasonic techniques are being increasingly used for material characterization, non-destructive evaluation of composite materials using guided waves as well as for distance measurements. Application of those techniques is mainly limited by the big losses of ultrasonic signals due to attenuation and mismatch of the acoustic impedances of ultrasonic transducers and air. One of the ways to solve this problem is by application of novel more efficient piezoelectric materials like lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) type crystals. The objective of this research was the development and investigation of low frequency (<50 kHz) wide band air-coupled ultrasonic transducers and arrays with an improved performance using PMN-32%PT crystals. Results of finite element modelling and experimental investigations of the developed transducers and arrays are presented. For improvement of the performance strip-like matching elements made of low acoustic impedance, materials such as polystyrene foams were applied. It allowed to achieve transduction losses for one single element transducer −11.4 dB, what is better than of commercially available air-coupled ultrasonic transducers. Theoretical and experimental investigations of the acoustic fields radiated by the eight element ultrasonic array demonstrated not only a good performance of the array in a pulse mode, but also very good possibilities to electronically focus and steer the ultrasonic beam in space. PMID:28067807

Methylene blue microbubbles as a model dual-modality contrast agent for ultrasound and activatable photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Mansik; Song, Wentao; Huynh, Elizabeth; Kim, Jungho; Kim, Jeesu; Helfield, Brandon L.; Leung, Ben Y. C.; Goertz, David E.; Zheng, Gang; Oh, Jungtaek; Lovell, Jonathan F.; Kim, Chulhong

2014-01-01

Ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging are highly complementary modalities since both use ultrasonic detection for operation. Increasingly, photoacoustic and ultrasound have been integrated in terms of hardware instrumentation. To generate a broadly accessible dual-modality contrast agent, we generated microbubbles (a standard ultrasound contrast agent) in a solution of methylene blue (a standard photoacoustic dye). This MB2 solution was formed effectively and was optimized as a dual-modality contrast solution. As microbubble concentration increased (with methylene blue concentration constant), photoacoustic signal was attenuated in the MB2 solution. When methylene blue concentration increased (with microbubble concentration held constant), no ultrasonic interference was observed. Using an MB2 solution that strongly attenuated all photoacoustic signal, high powered ultrasound could be used to burst the microbubbles and dramatically enhance photoacoustic contrast (>800-fold increase), providing a new method for spatiotemporal control of photoacoustic signal generation.

Methylene blue microbubbles as a model dual-modality contrast agent for ultrasound and activatable photoacoustic imaging.

PubMed

Jeon, Mansik; Song, Wentao; Huynh, Elizabeth; Kim, Jungho; Kim, Jeesu; Helfield, Brandon L; Leung, Ben Y C; Goertz, David E; Zheng, Gang; Oh, Jungtaek; Lovell, Jonathan F; Kim, Chulhong

2014-01-01

Ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging are highly complementary modalities since both use ultrasonic detection for operation. Increasingly, photoacoustic and ultrasound have been integrated in terms of hardware instrumentation. To generate a broadly accessible dual-modality contrast agent, we generated microbubbles (a standard ultrasound contrast agent) in a solution of methylene blue (a standard photoacoustic dye). This MB2 solution was formed effectively and was optimized as a dual-modality contrast solution. As microbubble concentration increased (with methylene blue concentration constant), photoacoustic signal was attenuated in the MB2 solution. When methylene blue concentration increased (with microbubble concentration held constant), no ultrasonic interference was observed. Using an MB2 solution that strongly attenuated all photoacoustic signal, high powered ultrasound could be used to burst the microbubbles and dramatically enhance photoacoustic contrast (>800-fold increase), providing a new method for spatiotemporal control of photoacoustic signal generation.

In-situ monitoring of ? phase transformation in Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn using laser ultrasonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinterlechner, Irina; Barriobero-Vila, Pere; Reitinger, Bernhard; Fromherz, Thomas; Requena, Guillermo; Burgholzer, Peter

2018-04-01

Titanium is of great interest for metal processing industries due to its superior material properties, but it is also quite expensive. Therefore, a detailed knowledge of ? phase transformation and consequential the distribution of ? and ? phase in titanium alloys is crucial for their material properties and as a consequence for further processing steps. Measuring the ultrasonic velocity and attenuation by laser ultrasonics technology (LUS) as a non-destructive and non-contact technique, it is possible to qualitatively monitor in-situ the phase transformation during heating the sample from room temperature up to ?. We validate LUS methodology against high energy X-ray diffraction as well as against conventional metallurgic measurements and get excellent agreement between the results of these methods.

NDE of structural ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klima, S. J.; Vary, A.

1986-01-01

Radiographic, ultrasonic, scanning laser acoustic microscopy (SLAM), and thermo-acoustic microscopy techniques were used to characterize silicon nitride and silicon carbide modulus-of-rupture test specimens in various stages of fabrication. Conventional and microfocus X-ray techniques were found capable of detecting minute high density inclusions in as-received powders, green compacts, and fully densified specimens. Significant density gradients in sintered bars were observed by radiography, ultrasonic velocity, and SLAM. Ultrasonic attenuation was found sensitive to microstructural variations due to grain and void morphology and distribution. SLAM was also capable of detecting voids, inclusions and cracks in finished test bars. Consideration is given to the potential for applying thermo-acoustic microscopy techniques to green and densified ceramics. The detection probability statistics and some limitations of radiography and SLAM also are discussed.

The Detection of Burn-Through Weld Defects Using Noncontact Ultrasonics

PubMed Central

Abbasi, Zeynab; Yuhas, Donald; Zhang, Lu; Basantes, Alexandra-Del-Carmen; Tehrani, Niloofar Nabili; Ozevin, Didem; Indacochea, Ernesto

2018-01-01

Nearly all manufactured products in the metal industry involve welding. The detection and correction of defects during welding improve the product reliability and quality, and prevent unexpected failures. Nonintrusive process control is critical for avoiding these defects. This paper investigates the detection of burn-through damage using noncontact, air-coupled ultrasonics, which can be adapted to the immediate and in-situ inspection of welded samples. The burn-through leads to a larger volume of degraded weld zone, providing a resistance path for the wave to travel which results in lower velocity, energy ratio, and amplitude. Wave energy dispersion occurs due to the increase of weld burn-through resulting in higher wave attenuation. Weld sample micrographs are used to validate the ultrasonic results. PMID:29342875

Thermo-acoustical molecular interaction study in binary mixtures of glycerol and ethylene glycol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, Kirandeep; Juglan, K. C.; Kumar, Harsh

2017-07-01

Ultrasonic velocity, density and viscosity are measured over the entire composition range for binary liquid mixtures of glycerol (CH2OH-CHOH-CH2OH) and ethylene glycol (HOCH2CH2OH) at different temperatures and constant frequency of 2MHz using ultrasonic interferometer, specific gravity bottle and viscometer respectively. Measured experimental values are used to obtained various acoustical parameters such as adiabatic compressibility, acoustic impedance, intermolecular free length, relaxation time, ultrasonic attenuation, effective molar weight, free volume, available volume, molar volume, Wada's constant, Rao's constant, Vander Waal's constant, internal pressure, Gibb's free energy and enthalpy. The variation in acoustical parameters are interpreted in terms of molecular interactions between the components of molecules of binary liquid mixtures.

Ultrasonic degradation of aqueous phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP) in the presence of nano-Fe/H2O2.

PubMed

Ayanda, Olushola S; Nelana, Simphiwe M; Naidoo, Eliazer B

2018-10-01

In this study, nano iron (nano-Fe) was successfully synthesized by sodium borohydride reduction of ferric chloride solution to enhance the ultrasonic degradation of phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP). The nano-Fe was characterized by scanning electron microscopy - energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflection - Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area determination. Experimental results demonstrated that a combined ultrasonic/nano-Fe/H 2 O 2 system was more effective for PSP removal in combination than they were individually and there was a significant difference between the combined and single processes. The ultrasonic/nano-Fe/H 2 O 2 degradation follows the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) kinetic model. The addition of nano-Fe and H 2 O 2 to the ultrasonic reactor greatly accelerated the degradation of PSP (25 mg/L) from 12.5% up to 96.5%. These findings indicated that ultrasonic degradation in the presence of nano-Fe and H 2 O 2 is a promising and efficient technique for the elimination of emerging micropollutants from aqueous solution. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental measurements of seismic attenuation in microfracture sedimentary rock

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

Peacock, S.; McCann, C.; Sothcott, J.

1994-09-01

In a previous paper (Peacock et al., 1994), the authors related ultrasonic velocities in water-saturated Carrara Marble to crack densities in polished sections to verify Hudson's (1980, 1981, 1986) theory for velocities in cracked rock. They describe the empirical relationships between attenuation and crack density that they established during these experiments in the hope of clarifying the mechanism of attenuation in rocks with fluid-filled cracks. Relating seismic velocity and attenuation to crack density is important in predicting the productivity of fractured petroleum reservoirs such as the North Sea Brent Field. It also allows cracks to be used as stress indicatorsmore » throughout the shallow crust (Crampin and Lovell, 1991).« less

Gas-liquid two-phase flow pattern identification by ultrasonic echoes reflected from the inner wall of a pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Fachun; Zheng, Hongfeng; Yu, Hao; Sun, Yuan

2016-03-01

A novel ultrasonic pulse echo method is proposed for flow pattern identification in a horizontal pipe with gas-liquid two-phase flow. A trace of echoes reflected from the pipe’s internal wall rather than the gas-liquid interface is used for flow pattern identification. Experiments were conducted in a horizontal air-water two-phase flow loop. Two ultrasonic transducers with central frequency of 5 MHz were mounted at the top and bottom of the pipe respectively. The experimental results show that the ultrasonic reflection coefficient of the wall-gas interface is much larger than that of the wall-liquid interface due to the large difference in the acoustic impedance of gas and liquid. The stratified flow, annular flow and slug flow can be successfully recognized using the attenuation ratio of the echoes. Compared with the conventional ultrasonic echo measurement method, echoes reflected from the inner surface of a pipe wall are independent of gas-liquid interface fluctuation, sound speed, and gas and liquid superficial velocities, which makes the method presented a promising technique in field practice.

Attenuation Compensation of Ultrasonic Wave in Soft Tissue for Acoustic Impedance Measurement of In vivo Bone by Transducer Vibration Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshizawa, Masasumi; Nakamura, Yuuta; Ishiguro, Masataka; Moriya, Tadashi

2007-07-01

In this paper, we describe a method of compensating the attenuation of the ultrasound caused by soft tissue in the transducer vibration method for the measurement of the acoustic impedance of in vivo bone. In the in vivo measurement, the acoustic impedance of bone is measured through soft tissue; therefore, the amplitude of the ultrasound reflected from the bone is attenuated. This attenuation causes an error of the order of -20 to -30% when the acoustic impedance is determined from the measured signals. To compensate the attenuation, the attenuation coefficient and length of the soft tissue are measured by the transducer vibration method. In the experiment using a phantom, this method allows the measurement of the acoustic impedance typically with an error as small as -8 to 10%.

[Bone quantitative ultrasound].

PubMed

Matsukawa, Mami

2016-01-01

The conventional ultrasonic bone densitometry system can give us information of bone as ultrasonic wave velocity and attenuation. However, the data reflect both structural and material properties of bone. In order to focus only on the bone matrix properties without the effect of bone structure, studies of microscopic Brillouin scattering technique are introduced. The wave velocity in a trabecula was anisotropic and depended on the position and structure of the cancellous bone. The glycation also affected on the wave velocities in bone. As a new bone quality, the piezoelectricity of bone is also discussed.

An initial investigation into pseudo-coloring for ultrasonic NDE of polycrystalline materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Pamel, A.; Brett, C. R.; Lowe, M. J. S.

2015-03-01

Ultrasonic imaging for NDE is limited by the challenge of detection, which relies on discriminating between objects based on their intensity. Whilst this works well in ultrasonically transparent media, in polycrystalline materials however, a host where scatterers are abundant, this is no longer the case. In such media, intensity information, as a means of interpreting an image, is compromised by the background of coherent microstructural noise. In a bid to improve this, it is suggested here to use pseudo-coloring to consider frequency information and distinguish objects based on their emitted frequency spectra. This approach exploits the frequency diversity; namely the difference in frequency dependence of the noise stemming from the material's microstructure, or backscatter, and that exhibited by the targets of interest: defects. Whereas established frequency diversity techniques exploit this additional information to reconvert it into amplitude data, color enables encoding frequency and intensity information independently. This article serves as an initial exploration of pseudo-coloring ultrasonic images for ultrasonic NDE of polycrystalline materials.

Lateral Attenuation of Aircraft Flight Noise.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-03-01

levels with elevation angle. Comparisons of different Imodels are made in terms of the differences in A - levels for a flyover with the observer directly...attenuation adjustment to be applied to the basic noise data is the same when applied to maximum levels (maximum A - levels for example) or to integrated...attenuation values were applied to sets of one-third octave band spectra for different aircraft The resulting differences in A - levels for these noise spectra

Full-field ultrasonic inspection for a composite sandwich plate skin-core debonding detection using laser-based ultrasonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chong, See Yenn; Victor, Jared J.; Todd, Michael D.

2017-04-01

In this paper, a full-field ultrasonic guided wave method is proposed to inspect a composite sandwich specimen made for an aircraft engine nacelle. The back skin/core interface of the specimen is built with two fabricated disbond defects (diameters of 12.7 mm and 25.4 mm) by removing areas of the adhesive used to bond the back skin to the core. A laser ultrasonic interrogation system (LUIS) incorporated with a disbond detection algorithm is developed. The system consists of a 1-kHz laser ultrasonic scanning system and a single fixed ultrasonic sensor to interrogate ultrasonic guided waves in the sandwich specimen. The interest area of 400 mm × 400 mm is scanned at a 0.5 mm scan interval. The corresponding full-field ultrasonic data is obtained and generated in the three-dimensional (3-D) space-time domain. Then, the 3-D full-field ultrasonic data is Fourier transformed and the ultrasonic frequency spectra are analyzed to determine the dominant frequency that is sensitive to the disbond defects. Continuous wavelet transform (CWT) based on fast Fourier transform (FFT) is implemented as a single-frequency bandpass filter to filter the full-field ultrasonic data in the 3-D space-time domain at the selected dominant frequency. The LUIS has shown the ability to detect the disbond with diameters of 11 mm and 23 mm which match to the pre-determined disbond sizes well. For future research, a robust signal processing algorithm and a model-based matched filter will be investigated to make the detection process autonomous and improve detectability

Path spectra derived from inversion of source and site spectra for earthquakes in Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimasewski, A.; Sahakian, V. J.; Baltay, A.; Boatwright, J.; Fletcher, J. B.; Baker, L. M.

2017-12-01

A large source of epistemic uncertainty in Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) is derived from the path term, currently represented as a simple geometric spreading and intrinsic attenuation term. Including additional physical relationships between the path properties and predicted ground motions would produce more accurate and precise, region-specific GMPEs by reclassifying some of the random, aleatory uncertainty as epistemic. This study focuses on regions of Southern California, using data from the Anza network and Southern California Seismic network to create a catalog of events magnitude 2.5 and larger from 1998 to 2016. The catalog encompasses regions of varying geology and therefore varying path and site attenuation. Within this catalog of events, we investigate several collections of event region-to-station pairs, each of which share similar origin locations and stations so that all events have similar paths. Compared with a simple regional GMPE, these paths consistently have high or low residuals. By working with events that have the same path, we can isolate source and site effects, and focus on the remaining residual as path effects. We decompose the recordings into source and site spectra for each unique event and site in our greater Southern California regional database using the inversion method of Andrews (1986). This model represents each natural log record spectra as the sum of its natural log event and site spectra, while constraining each record to a reference site or Brune source spectrum. We estimate a regional, path-specific anelastic attenuation (Q) and site attenuation (t*) from the inversion site spectra and corner frequency from the inversion event spectra. We then compute the residuals between the observed record data, and the inversion model prediction (event*site spectra). This residual is representative of path effects, likely anelastic attenuation along the path that varies from the regional median attenuation. We examine the residuals for our different sets independently to see how path terms differ between event-to-station collections. The path-specific information gained from this can inform development of terms for regional GMPEs, through understanding of these seismological phenomena.

Development of Infrared Library Search Prefilters for Automotive Clear Coats from Simulated Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) Spectra.

PubMed

Perera, Undugodage Don Nuwan; Nishikida, Koichi; Lavine, Barry K

2018-06-01

A previously published study featuring an attenuated total reflection (ATR) simulation algorithm that mitigated distortions in ATR spectra was further investigated to evaluate its efficacy to enhance searching of infrared (IR) transmission libraries. In the present study, search prefilters were developed from transformed ATR spectra to identify the assembly plant of a vehicle from ATR spectra of the clear coat layer. A total of 456 IR transmission spectra from the Paint Data Query (PDQ) database that spanned 22 General Motors assembly plants and served as a training set cohort were transformed into ATR spectra by the simulation algorithm. These search prefilters were formulated using the fingerprint region (1500 cm -1 to 500 cm -1 ). Both the transformed ATR spectra (training set) and the experimental ATR spectra (validation set) were preprocessed for pattern recognition analysis using the discrete wavelet transform, which increased the signal-to-noise of the ATR spectra by concentrating the signal in specific wavelet coefficients. Attenuated total reflection spectra of 14 clear coat samples (validation set) measured with a Nicolet iS50 Fourier transform IR spectrometer were correctly classified as to assembly plant(s) of the automotive vehicle from which the paint sample originated using search prefilters developed from 456 simulated ATR spectra. The ATR simulation (transformation) algorithm successfully facilitated spectral library matching of ATR spectra against IR transmission spectra of automotive clear coats in the PDQ database.

Characterization of Dispersive Ultrasonic Rayleigh Surface Waves in Asphalt Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

In, Chi-Won; Kim, Jin-Yeon; Jacobs, Laurence J.; Kurtis, Kimberly E.

2008-02-01

This research focuses on the application of ultrasonic Rayleigh surface waves to nondestructively characterize the mechanical properties and structural defects (non-uniformly distributed aggregate) in asphalt concrete. An efficient wedge technique is developed in this study to generate Rayleigh surface waves that is shown to be effective in characterizing Rayleigh waves in this highly viscoelastic (attenuating) and heterogeneous medium. Experiments are performed on an asphalt-concrete beam produced with uniformly distributed aggregate. Ultrasonic techniques using both contact and non-contact sensors are examined and their results are compared. Experimental results show that the wedge technique along with an air-coupled sensor appears to be effective in characterizing Rayleigh waves in asphalt concrete. Hence, measurement of theses material properties needs to be investigated in non-uniformly distributed aggregate material using these techniques.

Tunable terahertz reflection spectrum based on band gaps of GaP materials excited by ultrasonic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, H.; Zhang, X. B.; Wang, X. F.; Wang, G. Q.

2018-02-01

Tunable terahertz (THz) reflection spectrum, ranged from 0.2 to 8 THz, in band gaps of gallium phosphide (GaP) materials excited by ultrasonic is investigated in the present paper, in which tunable ultrasonic and terahertz wave collinear transmission in the same direction is postulated. Numerical simulation results show that, under the acousto-optic interaction, band gaps of transverse optical phonon polariton dispersion curves are turned on, this leads to a dis-propagation of polariton in GaP bulk. On the other side, GaP material has less absorption to THz wave according to experimental studies, as indicates that THz wave could be reflected by the band gaps spontaneously. The band gaps width and acousto-optic coupling strength are proportional with ultrasonic frequency and its intensity in ultrasonic frequency range of 0-250 MHz, in which low-frequency branch of transverse optical phonon polariton dispersion curves demonstrate periodicity and folding as well as. With the increase of ultrasonic frequency, frequency of band gap is blue-shifted, and total reflectivity decreased with -1-order and -2-order reflectivity decrease. The band gaps converge to the restrahlen band infinitely with frequency of ultrasonic exceeding over 250 MHz, total reflectivity of which is attenuated. As is show above, reflection of THz wave can be accommodated by regulating the frequency and its intensity of ultrasonic frequency. Relevant technology may be available in tunable THz frequency selection and filtering.

High temperature polymerization monitoring of an epoxy resin using ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maréchal, P.; Ghodhbani, N.; Duflo, H.

2018-05-01

In this study, the real time ultrasonic monitoring is investigated to quantify changes in physical and mechanical properties during the manufacture of composite structures. In this context, an experimental transmission was developed with the aim of characterizing a high temperature polymerization reaction and post-curing properties using an ultrasonic method. First, the monitoring of ultrasonic parameters of a thermosetting resin is carried out in a device reproducing the experimental conditions for manufacturing a composite material with a process known as RTM, that is to say an isothermal polymerization at T = 160°C. During this curing, the resin is changing from its initial viscous liquid state to its final viscous solid state. Between those states, a glassy transition stage is observed, during which the physical properties are strongly changing, i.e. an increase of the ultrasonic velocity up to its steady value and a transient increase of the ultrasonic attenuation. Second, the ultrasonic inspection of the thermosetting resin is performed during a heating and cooling process to study the temperature sensitivity after curing. This type of characterization leads to identifying the ultrasonic properties dependence before, during and after the glassy transition temperature Tg . Eventually, this study is composed of two complementary parts: the first is useful for the curing optimization, while the second one is fruitful for the post-processing characterization in a temperature range including the glassy transition temperature Tg .

Effect of ultrasonic reactor and auxiliary stirring on oil removal from oily sludge.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaofei; Zhang, Xiaoyang; Liu, Lixin; Fan, Lei; Ge, Dan

2017-12-01

In this paper, oily sludge cleaning by using ultrasonic waves was further studied to ensure how the ultrasonic reactor, such as material, bottom thickness, diameter, and auxiliary mixing, effects oil removal from oily sludge. Oily sludge (S) with an initial oil content of 19.29% was mixed with distilled water (W) and treated in an ultrasonic cleaning tank, f = 40,000 Hz at 30°C. This paper was carried out around the ultrasonic reactor, such as material, diameter, and bottom thickness. The results show that acoustic resistance is the main factor affecting the material of the ultrasonic reactor. The larger the diameter of the reaction, the lower the thickness of the S-W mixture of the same quality; the smaller the diffusion attenuation of the ultrasonic wave, the higher the oil removal rate. In this paper, the cleaning efficiency seems to be independent of the bottom thickness of the reactor. This may be due to the hale wavelengths (λ/2) in polyethylene (λ/2 = 2.4 cm) and glass (λ/2 = 7.08 cm) being far greater than the range of bottom thickness. Proper mixing (200 rmin -1 ) can improve the oil removal rate (92.8%), increased by 8.69%, but when the strength is too large, the oil removal rate is reduced.

Real time analysis of brain tissue by direct combination of ultrasonic surgical aspiration and sonic spray mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Schäfer, Karl-Christian; Balog, Júlia; Szaniszló, Tamás; Szalay, Dániel; Mezey, Géza; Dénes, Júlia; Bognár, László; Oertel, Matthias; Takáts, Zoltán

2011-10-15

Direct combination of cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) and sonic spray ionization mass spectrometry is presented. A commercially available ultrasonic surgical device was coupled to a Venturi easy ambient sonic-spray ionization (V-EASI) source by directly introducing liquified tissue debris into the Venturi air jet pump. The Venturi air jet pump was found to efficiently nebulize the suspended tissue material for gas phase ion production. The ionization mechanism involving solely pneumatic spraying was associated with that of sonic spray ionization. Positive and negative ionization spectra were obtained from brain and liver samples reflecting the primary application areas of the surgical device. Mass spectra were found to feature predominantly complex lipid-type constituents of tissues in both ion polarity modes. Multiply charged peptide anions were also detected. The influence of instrumental settings was characterized in detail. Venturi pump geometry and flow parameters were found to be critically important in ionization efficiency. Standard solutions of phospholipids and peptides were analyzed in order to test the dynamic range, sensitivity, and suppression effects. The spectra of the intact tissue specimens were found to be highly specific to the histological tissue type. The principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based data analysis method was developed for real-time tissue identification in a surgical environment. The method has been successfully tested on post-mortem and ex vivo human samples including astrocytomas, meningeomas, metastatic brain tumors, and healthy brain tissue. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Different valence Sn doping - A simple way to detect oxygen concentration variation of ZnO quantum dots synthesized under ultrasonic irradiation.

PubMed

Yang, Weimin; Zhang, Bing; Zhang, Qitu; Wang, Lixi; Song, Bo; Wu, Fan; Wong, C P

2017-09-01

An ultrasonic method is employed to synthesize the Sn doped Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots with green light emission. Sn 2+ and Sn 4+ ions are used to create different optical defects inside Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots and the changing trend of oxygen concentration under different ultrasonic irradiation power are investigated. The photoluminescence spectra are employed to characterize the optical defects of Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots. The UV-vis spectra are used to study the band gap of Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots, which is influenced by their sizes. The results indicate that ultrasonic power would influence the size of Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots as well as the type and quantity of defects in ZnO quantum dots. Changing trends in size of Sn 2+ and Sn 4+ doped Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots are quite similar with each other, while the changing trends in optical defects types and concentration of Sn 2+ and Sn 4+ doped Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots are different. The difference of the optical defects concentration changing between Sn 2+ doped Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots (V O defects) and Sn 4+ doped Zn 0.95 Sn 0.05 O quantum dots (O Zn and O i defects) shows that the formation process of ZnO under ultrasonic irradiation wiped oxygen out. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High Intensity Electro-Magnetic and Ultrasonic Effects on Inorganic Materials Behavior and Processing Held in Raleigh, North Carolina on 17-18 July 1989

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

constants (KBar): C11 1800 C12 100 C44 260 <G> 430 405 Figure 2. 0 A SIMULATION OF CRYSTAL GROWTH By studying successively larger crystal fragments...Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22901 Since before 1981, K. Lal and co-workers have studied effects of electr- ic fields on non-conductor crystals ...ultrasound attenuation studies can be made. Attenuation of the ultrasound is usually caused by crystal imperfections (mainly grain boundaries

Determining the acoustic properties of the lens using a high-frequency ultrasonic needle transducer.

PubMed

Huang, Chih-Chung; Zhou, Qifa; Ameri, Hossein; Wu, Da Wei; Sun, Lei; Wang, Shyh-Hau; Humayun, Mark S; Shung, K Kirk

2007-12-01

Ultrasonic parameters including sound velocity and attenuation coefficient have recently been found to be useful in characterizing the cataract lens noninvasively. However, the regional changes of these acoustic parameters in the lens cannot be detected directly by those ultrasonic measurements. This prompted us to fabricate a 46-MHz needle transducer (lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate [PMN-PT] single crystal) with an aperture size of 0.4 mm and a diameter of 0.9 mm for directly measuring the sound velocity and frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient in lenses. These parameters have been shown to be related to the hardness of a cataract, and hence this technique may allow surgeons to detect the acoustic properties of the cataract via a small incision on the cornea before/during phacoemulsification surgery. To verify the performance of the needle transducer, experiments were performed on porcine lenses in which two types of cataracts (nucleus and cortical) were induced artificially. The needle transducer was mounted on a positioning system and its tip was inserted into the lens, allowing the anterior-to-posterior profiles of acoustic parameters along the lens axis to be obtained immediately. The experimental results show that the acoustic parameters are not constant within a single normal lens. The sound velocity and ultrasound attenuation coefficient (at 46 MHz) were 1701.2 +/- 8.4 m/s (mean +/- SD) and 9.42 +/- 0.57 dB/mm, respectively, at the nucleus, and 1597.2 +/- 9.6, 1589.3 +/- 6.1 m/s and 0.42 +/- 0.26 and 0.40 +/- 0.33 dB/mm close to the anterior and posterior capsules, respectively. Finally, the data obtained demonstrate that regional variations in the acoustic properties of lenses corresponding to the hardness of different types of cataract can be detected sensitively by a needle transducer.

Attenuation Measurements of Cell Pellets Using Through Transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vadas, Justin; Greene, Claudia; Grygotis, Emma; Kuhn, Stephen; Mahlalela, Sanele; Newland, Tinisha; Ovutmen, Idil; Herd, Maria-Teresa

2011-10-01

A better understanding of differences in ultrasound tissue characteristics (such as speed of sound, attenuation, and backscatter coefficients) of benign compared to malignant cells could lead to improved cancer detection and diagnosis. A narrow band technique for measuring ultrasonic speed of sound and attenuation of small biological materials was developed and tested. Several mechanical improvements were made to the system to drastically improve alignment, allowing for accurate measurements of small cell pellets. Narrow band attenuation measurements were made first with tissue-mimicking phantoms and then with three different types of cell pellets: Chinese hamster ovary cells, healthy human prostate cells, and cancerous human prostate cells. Attenuation and speed of sound results for all three cell types, as well as the culture medium and tissue mimicking phantoms, are presented for a frequency range of 5 to 25 MHz.

TOPICAL REVIEW: Monitoring of polymer melt processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alig, Ingo; Steinhoff, Bernd; Lellinger, Dirk

2010-06-01

The paper reviews the state-of-the-art of in-line and on-line monitoring during polymer melt processing by compounding, extrusion and injection moulding. Different spectroscopic and scattering techniques as well as conductivity and viscosity measurements are reviewed and compared concerning their potential for different process applications. In addition to information on chemical composition and state of the process, the in situ detection of morphology, which is of specific interest for multiphase polymer systems such as polymer composites and polymer blends, is described in detail. For these systems, the product properties strongly depend on the phase or filler morphology created during processing. Examples for optical (UV/vis, NIR) and ultrasonic attenuation spectra recorded during extrusion are given, which were found to be sensitive to the chemical composition as well as to size and degree of dispersion of micro or nanofillers in the polymer matrix. By small-angle light scattering experiments, process-induced structures were detected in blends of incompatible polymers during compounding. Using conductivity measurements during extrusion, the influence of processing conditions on the electrical conductivity of polymer melts with conductive fillers (carbon black or carbon nanotubes) was monitored.

Optical droplet vaporization of micron-sized perfluorocarbon droplets and their photoacoustic detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strohm, Eric; Rui, Min; Gorelikov, Ivan; Matsuura, Naomi; Kolios, Michael

2011-03-01

An acoustic and photoacoustic characterization of micron-sized perfluorocarbon (PFC) droplets is presented. PFC droplets are currently being investigated as acoustic and photoacoustic contrast agents and as cancer therapy agents. Pulse echo measurements at 375 MHz were used to determine the diameter, ranging from 3.2 to 6.5 μm, and the sound velocity, ranging from 311 to 406 m/s of nine droplets. An average sound velocity of 379 +/- 18 m/s was calculated for droplets larger than the ultrasound beam width of 4.0 μm. Optical droplet vaporization, where vaporization of a single droplet occurred upon laser irradiation of sufficient intensity, was verified using pulse echo acoustic methods. The ultrasonic backscatter amplitude, acoustic impedance and attenuation increased after vaporization, consistent with a phase change from a liquid to gas core. Photoacoustic measurements were used to compare the spectra of three droplets ranging in diameter from 3.0 to 6.2 μm to a theoretical model. Good agreement in the spectral features was observed over the bandwidth of the 375 MHz transducer.

Wave attenuation in the marginal ice zone during LIMEX

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Antony K.; Vachon, Paris W.; Peng, Chih Y.; Bhogal, A. S.

1992-01-01

The effect of ice cover on ocean-wave attenuation is investigated for waves under flexure in the marginal ice zone (MIZ) with SAR image spectra and the results of models. Directional wavenumber spectra are taken from the SAR image data, and the wave-attenuation rate is evaluated with SAR image spectra and by means of the model by Liu and Mollo-Christensen (1988). Eddy viscosity is described by means of dimensional analysis as a function of ice roughness and wave-induced velocity, and comparisons are made with the remotely sensed data. The model corrects the open-water model by introducing the effects of a continuous ice sheet, and turbulent eddy viscosity is shown to depend on ice thickness, floe sizes, significant wave height, and wave period. SAR and wave-buoy data support the trends described in the model results, and a characteristic rollover is noted in the model and experimental wave-attenuation rates at high wavenumbers.

High Temperature Ultrasonic Transducer for Real-time Inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amini, Mohammad Hossein; Sinclair, Anthony N.; Coyle, Thomas W.

A broadband ultrasonic transducer with a novel porous ceramic backing layer is introduced to operate at 700 °C. 36° Y-cut lithium niobate (LiNbO3) single crystal was selected for the piezoelectric element. By appropriate choice of constituent materials, porosity and pore size, the acoustic impedance and attenuation of a zirconia-based backing layer were optimized. An active brazing alloy with high temperature and chemical stability was selected to bond the transducer layers together. Prototype transducers have been tested at temperatures up to 700 °C. The experiments confirmed that transducer integrity was maintained.

Optical Production and Detection of Ultrasonic Waves in Metals for Nondestructive Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, R. A.

1972-01-01

Ultrasonic waves were produced by striking the surface of a metal with the focused one-joule pulse of a Q-switched ruby laser. Rayleigh (surface) waves and longitudinal waves were detected with conventional transducers. Optical methods of detection were tested and developed. Rayleigh waves were produced with an oscillator and transducer. They were optically detected on curved polished surfaces, and on unpolished surfaces. The technique uses a knife edge to detect small angle changes of the surface as the wave pulse passes the illuminated spot. Optical flaw detection using pulse echo and attenuation is demonstrated.

Backscatter and attenuation characterization of ventricular myocardium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, Allyson Ann

2009-12-01

This Dissertation presents quantitative ultrasonic measurements of the myocardium in fetal hearts and adult human hearts with the goal of studying the physics of sound waves incident upon anisotropic and inhomogeneous materials. Ultrasound has been used as a clinical tool to assess heart structure and function for several decades. The clinical usefulness of this noninvasive approach has grown with our understanding of the physical mechanisms underlying the interaction of ultrasonic waves with the myocardium. In this Dissertation, integrated backscatter and attenuation analyses were performed on midgestational fetal hearts to assess potential differences in the left and right ventricular myocardium. The hearts were interrogated using a 50 MHz transducer that enabled finer spatial resolution than could be achieved at more typical clinical frequencies. Ultrasonic data analyses demonstrated different patterns and relative levels of backscatter and attenuation from the myocardium of the left ventricle and the right ventricle. Ultrasonic data of adult human hearts were acquired with a clinical imaging system and quantified by their magnitude and time delay of cyclic variation of myocardial backscatter. The results were analyzing using Bayes Classification and ROC analysis to quantify potential advantages of using a combination of two features of cyclic variation of myocardial backscatter over using only one or the other feature to distinguish between groups of subjects. When the subjects were classified based on hemoglobin A1c, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, and the ratio of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, differences in the magnitude and normalized time delay of cyclic variation of myocardial backscatter were observed. The cyclic variation results also suggested a trend toward a larger area under the ROC curve when information from magnitude and time delay of cyclic variation is combined using Bayes classification than when each feature is analyzed individually. Ultrasound continues to be a powerful tool that enables noninvasive quantification of material properties. The studies in this Dissertation show that understanding the physical mechanisms behind the interaction of sound waves with myocardium can reveal new information about the structure, composition and overall state of the heart.

Ultrasonic Wave Properties in Bone Axis Direction of Bovine Cortical Bone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Kazufumi; Yaoi, Yuichiro; Yamato, Yu; Yanagitan, Takahiko; Matsukawa, Mami; Yamazaki, Kaoru

2008-05-01

Quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) is a good method for measuring elastic properties of bone in vivo. Bovine cortical bone has two typical microstructures, plexiform and Haversian. In this study, the relationship between the speed of sound (SOS) and the hydroxyapatite (HAp) crystallite orientation in the axial direction was investigated in two different aged bovine cortical bones. The dependence of attenuation on anatomical position was also investigated. Two ring-permanent hyphen shaped cortical bone samples were obtained from 36- and 24-month-old bovine femurs. SOS was measured with a conventional ultrasonic pulse system. The integrated intensity of the (0002) peak obtained by X-ray diffraction was determine to evaluate the amount of preferred orientation. Regardless of the age of the bovine femurs, a significant correlation between SOS and the preferred orientation of HAp crystallites was observed in parts of the plexiform structure, and the gradient of the relationship showed a similar tendency. Attenuation seemed to depend on bone microstructure.

Fourier Transform Ultrasound Spectroscopy for the determination of wave propagation parameters.

PubMed

Pal, Barnana

2017-01-01

The reported results for ultrasonic wave attenuation constant (α) in pure water show noticeable inconsistency in magnitude. A "Propagating-Wave" model analysis of the most popular pulse-echo technique indicates that this is a consequence of the inherent wave propagation characteristics in a bounded medium. In the present work Fourier Transform Ultrasound Spectroscopy (FTUS) is adopted to determine ultrasonic wave propagation parameters, the wave number (k) and attenuation constant (α) at 1MHz frequency in tri-distilled water at room temperature (25°C). Pulse-echo signals obtained under same experimental conditions regarding the exciting input signal and reflecting boundary wall of the water container for various lengths of water columns are captured. The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) components of the echo signals are taken to compute k, α and r, the reflection constant at the boundary, using Oak Ridge and Oxford method. The results are compared with existing literature values. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Ultrasonic Multi-Beam Concentration Meter with a Neuro-Fuzzy Algorithm for Water Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Lee, Ho-Hyun; Jang, Sang-Bok; Shin, Gang-Wook; Hong, Sung-Taek; Lee, Dae-Jong; Chun, Myung Geun

2015-01-01

Ultrasonic concentration meters have widely been used at water purification, sewage treatment and waste water treatment plants to sort and transfer high concentration sludges and to control the amount of chemical dosage. When an unusual substance is contained in the sludge, however, the attenuation of ultrasonic waves could be increased or not be transmitted to the receiver. In this case, the value measured by a concentration meter is higher than the actual density value or vibration. As well, it is difficult to automate the residuals treatment process according to the various problems such as sludge attachment or sensor failure. An ultrasonic multi-beam concentration sensor was considered to solve these problems, but an abnormal concentration value of a specific ultrasonic beam degrades the accuracy of the entire measurement in case of using a conventional arithmetic mean for all measurement values, so this paper proposes a method to improve the accuracy of the sludge concentration determination by choosing reliable sensor values and applying a neuro-fuzzy learning algorithm. The newly developed meter is proven to render useful results from a variety of experiments on a real water treatment plant. PMID:26512666

An Ultrasonic Multi-Beam Concentration Meter with a Neuro-Fuzzy Algorithm for Water Treatment Plants.

PubMed

Lee, Ho-Hyun; Jang, Sang-Bok; Shin, Gang-Wook; Hong, Sung-Taek; Lee, Dae-Jong; Chun, Myung Geun

2015-10-23

Ultrasonic concentration meters have widely been used at water purification, sewage treatment and waste water treatment plants to sort and transfer high concentration sludges and to control the amount of chemical dosage. When an unusual substance is contained in the sludge, however, the attenuation of ultrasonic waves could be increased or not be transmitted to the receiver. In this case, the value measured by a concentration meter is higher than the actual density value or vibration. As well, it is difficult to automate the residuals treatment process according to the various problems such as sludge attachment or sensor failure. An ultrasonic multi-beam concentration sensor was considered to solve these problems, but an abnormal concentration value of a specific ultrasonic beam degrades the accuracy of the entire measurement in case of using a conventional arithmetic mean for all measurement values, so this paper proposes a method to improve the accuracy of the sludge concentration determination by choosing reliable sensor values and applying a neuro-fuzzy learning algorithm. The newly developed meter is proven to render useful results from a variety of experiments on a real water treatment plant.

Effect of Plastic Strain Range on Prediction of the Onset of Crack Growth for Low-Cycle Fatigue of SUS316NG Studied using Ultrasonic Back-Reflection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurul, Islam Md.; Arai, Yoshio; Araki, Wakako

Strain range controlled low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted using ultrasonic method in order to investigate the effect of plastic strain range on the remaining life of austenitic stainless steel SUS316NG before the onset of crack growth in its early stages of fatigue. It was found that the decrease in ultrasonic back-reflection intensity from the surface of the material, caused by the increase in average dislocation density with localized plastic deformation at persistent slip bands (PSBs), starts earlier with increase in the plastic strain range. The amount of decrease in ultrasonic back-reflection before the onset of crack growth increases for larger plastic strain range. The difference in the cumulative plastic strains at the onset of crack growth and at the onset of decrease in the ultrasonic back-reflection remained constant over the range of tested plastic strain. This result can be used to predict the remaining life before the onset of crack growth within the plastic strain range used in this study. In addition, we present and evaluate another method to predict damage evolution involving ultrasound attenuation caused by PSBs.

Guided wave attenuation in coated pipes buried in sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leinov, Eli; Cawley, Peter; Lowe, Michael J. S.

2016-02-01

Long-range guided wave testing (GWT) is routinely used for the monitoring and detection of corrosion defects in above ground pipelines in various industries. The GWT test range in buried, coated pipelines is greatly reduced compared to aboveground pipelines due to energy leakage into the embedding soil. In this study, we aim to increase test ranges for buried pipelines. The effect of pipe coatings on the T(0,1) and L(0,2) guided wave attenuation is investigated using a full-scale experimental apparatus and model predictions. Tests are performed on a fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE)-coated 8" pipe, buried in loose and compacted sand over a frequency range of 10-35 kHz. The application of a low impedance coating is shown to effectively decouple the influence of the sand on the ultrasound leakage from the buried pipe. We demonstrate ultrasonic isolation of a buried pipe by coating the pipe with a Polyethylene (PE)-foam layer that has a smaller impedance than both pipe and sand and the ability to withstand the overburden load from the sand. The measured attenuation in the buried PE-foam-FBE-coated pipe is substantially reduced, in the range of 0.3-1.2 dBm-1 for loose and compacted sand conditions, compared to buried FBE-coated pipe without the PE-foam, where the measured attenuation is in the range of 1.7-4.7 dBm-1. The acoustic properties of the PE-foam are measured independently using ultrasonic interferometry technique and used in model predictions of guided wave propagation in a buried coated pipe. Good agreement is found between the attenuation measurements and model predictions. The attenuation exhibits periodic peaks in the frequency domain corresponding to the through-thickness resonance frequencies of the coating layer. The large reduction in guided wave attenuation for PE-coated pipes would lead to greatly increased GWT test ranges, so such coatings would be attractive for new pipeline installations.

Mechanics aspects of NDE by sound and ultrasound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, L. S.

1982-01-01

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is considered as a means to detect the energy release mechanism of defects and the interaction of microstructures within materials with sound waves and/or ultrasonic waves. Ultrasonic inspection involves the frequency range 20 kHz-1 GHz with amplitudes depending on the sensitivity of the test instrumentation. Pulse echo systems are most frequently used in NDE. Information is extracted from the signals through measurements of the signal velocity, attenuation, the acoustic emission when stress is applied, and calculation of the acoustoelastic coefficients. Fracture properties, tensile and shear strengths, the interlaminar shear strength, the cohesive strength, yield and impact strengths, the hardness, and the residual stress can be assayed by ultrasonic methods. Finally, attention is given to analytical treatment of the derived data, with mention given to transition matrix, integral equation, and eigenstrain approaches.

Adiabatic Coupling Constant of Nitrobenzene- n-Alkane Critical Mixtures. Evidence from Ultrasonic Spectra and Thermodynamic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirzaev, Sirojiddin Z.; Kaatze, Udo

2016-09-01

Ultrasonic spectra of mixtures of nitrobenzene with n-alkanes, from n-hexane to n-nonane, are analyzed. They feature up to two Debye-type relaxation terms with discrete relaxation times and, near the critical point, an additional relaxation term due to the fluctuations in the local concentration. The latter can be well represented by the dynamic scaling theory. Its amplitude parameter reveals the adiabatic coupling constant of the mixtures of critical composition. The dependence of this thermodynamic parameter upon the length of the n-alkanes corresponds to that of the slope in the pressure dependence of the critical temperature and is thus taken another confirmation of the dynamic scaling model. The change in the variation of the coupling constant and of several other mixture parameters with alkane length probably reflects a structural change in the nitrobenzene- n-alkane mixtures when the number of carbon atoms per alkane exceeds eight.

Quantitative ultrasound method for assessing stress-strain properties and the cross-sectional area of Achilles tendon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Yi-Chun; Chen, Yung-Fu; Li, Chien-Ming; Lin, Chia-Hung; Yang, Chia-En; Wu, Jian-Xing; Chen, Tainsong

2013-12-01

The Achilles tendon is one of the most commonly observed tendons injured with a variety of causes, such as trauma, overuse and degeneration, in the human body. Rupture and tendinosis are relatively common for this strong tendon. Stress-strain properties and shape change are important biomechanical properties of the tendon to assess surgical repair or healing progress. Currently, there are rather limited non-invasive methods available for precisely quantifying the in vivo biomechanical properties of the tendons. The aim of this study was to apply quantitative ultrasound (QUS) methods, including ultrasonic attenuation and speed of sound (SOS), to investigate porcine tendons in different stress-strain conditions. In order to find a reliable method to evaluate the change of tendon shape, ultrasound measurement was also utilized for measuring tendon thickness and compared with the change in tendon cross-sectional area under different stress. A total of 15 porcine tendons of hind trotters were examined. The test results show that the attenuation and broadband ultrasound attenuation decreased and the SOS increased by a smaller magnitude as the uniaxial loading of the stress-strain upon tendons increased. Furthermore, the tendon thickness measured with the ultrasound method was significantly correlated with tendon cross-sectional area (Pearson coefficient = 0.86). These results also indicate that attenuation of QUS and ultrasonic thickness measurement are reliable and potential parameters for assessing biomechanical properties of tendons. Further investigations are needed to warrant the application of the proposed method in a clinical setting.

Measurement of the speed and attenuation of the Biot slow wave using a large ultrasonic transmitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouzidi, Youcef; Schmitt, Douglas R.

2009-08-01

Two compressional wave modes, a fast P1 and a slow P2, propagate through fluid-saturated porous and permeable media. This contribution focuses on new experimental tests of existing theories describing wave propagation in such media. Updated observations of this P2 mode are obtained through a water-loaded, porous sintered glass bead plate with a novel pair of ultrasonic transducers consisting of a large transmitter and a near-point receiver. The properties of the porous plate are measured in independent laboratory experiments. Waveforms are acquired as a function of the angle of incidence over the range from -50° to +50° with respect to the normal. The porous plate is fully characterized, and the physical properties are used to calculate the wave speeds and attenuations of the P1, the P2, and the shear S waves. Comparisons of theory and observation are further facilitated by numerically modeling the observed waveforms. This modeling method incorporates the frequency and angle of incidence-dependent reflectivity, transmissivity, and transducer edge effects; the modeled waveforms match well those observed. Taken together, this study provides further support for existing poroelastic bulk wave propagation and boundary condition theory. However, observed transmitted P1 and S mode amplitudes could not be adequately described unless the attenuation of the medium's frame was also included. The observed P2 amplitudes could be explained without any knowledge of the solid frame attenuation.

Measurements of attenuation coefficient for evaluating the hardness of a cataract lens by a high-frequency ultrasonic needle transducer.

PubMed

Huang, Chih-Chung; Chen, Ruimin; Tsui, Po-Hsiang; Zhou, Qifa; Humayun, Mark S; Shung, K Kirk

2009-10-07

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Phacoemulsification is the mostly common surgical method for treating cataracts, and determining that the optimal phacoemulsification energy is dependent on measuring the hardness of the lens. This study explored the use of an ultrasound needle transducer for invasive measurements of ultrasound attenuation coefficient to evaluate the hardness of the cataract lens. A 47 MHz high-frequency needle transducer with a diameter of 0.9 mm was fabricated by a polarized PMN-33%PT single crystal in the present study. The attenuation coefficients at different stages of an artificial porcine cataract lens were measured using the spectral shift approach. The hardness of the cataract lens was also evaluated by mechanical measurement of its elastic properties. The results demonstrated that the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient was increased from 0.048 +/- 0.02 to 0.520 +/- 0.06 dB mm(-1) MHz(-1) corresponding to an increase in Young's modulus from 6 +/- 0.4 to 96 +/- 6.2 kPa as the cataract further developed. In order to evaluate the feasibility of combining needle transducer and phacoemulsification probe for real-time measurement during cataract surgery, the needle transducer was mounted on the phacoemulsification probe for a vibration test. The results indicated that there was no apparent damage to the tip of the needle transducer and the pulse-echo test showed that a good performance in sensitivity was maintained after the vibration test.

Precision Cleaning Verification of Nonvolatile Residues by Using Water, Ultrasonics, and Turbidity Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skinner, S. Ballou

1991-01-01

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) in the atmosphere are believed to present a major environmental problem because they are able to interact with and deplete the ozone layer. NASA has been mandated to replace chlorinated solvents in precision cleaning, cleanliness verification, and degreasing of aerospace fluid systems hardware and ground support equipment. KSC has a CFC phase-out plan which provides for the elimination of over 90 percent of the CFC and halon use by 1995. The Materials Science Laboratory and KSC is evaluating four analytical methods for the determination of nonvolatile residues removal by water: (1) infrared analyses using an attenuated total reflectance; (2) surface tension analyses, (3) total organic content analyses, and (4) turbidity analyses. This research project examined the ultrasonic-turbidity responses for 22 hydrocarbons in an effect to determine: (1) if ultrasonics in heated water (70 C) will clean hydrocarbons (oils, greases, gels, and fluids) from aerospace hardware; (2) if the cleaning process by ultrasonics will simultaneously emulsify the removed hydrocarbons in the water; and (3) if a turbidimeter can be used successfully as an analytical instrument for quantifying the removal of hydrocarbons. Sixteen of the 22 hydrocarbons tested showed that ultrasonics would remove it at least 90 percent of the contaminated hydrocarbon from the hardware in 10 minutes or less giving a good ultrasonic-turbidity response. Six hydrocarbons had a lower percentage removal, a slower removal rate, and a marginal ultrasonic-turbidity response.

Ultrasonic Data Display and Analysis System Developed (Including Fuzzy Logic Analysis) for the Windows-Based PC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovelace, Jeffrey J.; Cios, Kryzsztof J.; Roth, Don J.; cAO, wEI n.

2001-01-01

Post-Scan Interactive Data Display (PSIDD) III is a user-oriented Windows-based system that facilitates the display and comparison of ultrasonic contact measurement data obtained at NASA Glenn Research Center's Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation measurement facility. The system is optimized to compare ultrasonic measurements made at different locations within a material or at different stages of material degradation. PSIDD III provides complete analysis of the primary waveforms in the time and frequency domains along with the calculation of several frequency-dependent properties including phase velocity and attenuation coefficient and several frequency-independent properties, like the cross correlation velocity. The system allows image generation on all the frequency-dependent properties at any available frequency (limited by the bandwidth used in the scans) and on any of the frequency-independent properties. From ultrasonic contact scans, areas of interest on an image can be studied with regard to underlying raw waveforms and derived ultrasonic properties by simply selecting the point on the image. The system offers various modes of indepth comparison between scan points. Up to five scan points can be selected for comparative analysis at once. The system was developed with Borland Delphi software (Visual Pascal) and is based on an SQL data base. It is ideal for the classification of material properties or the location of microstructure variations in materials. Along with the ultrasonic contact measurement software that it is partnered with, this system is technology ready and can be transferred to users worldwide.

PROPERTIES OF PHANTOM TISSUE-LIKE POLYMETHYLPENTENE IN THE FREQUENCY RANGE 20–70 MHZ

PubMed Central

Madsen, Ernest L; Deaner, Meagan E; Mehi, James

2011-01-01

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) has been employed to characterize soft tissues at ordinary abdominal ultrasound frequencies (2–15 MHz) and is beginning application at high frequencies (20–70 MHz). For example, backscatter and attenuation coefficients can be estimated in vivo using a reference phantom. At high frequencies it is crucial that reverberations do not compromise the measurements. Such reverberations can occur between the phantom's scanning window and transducer components as well as within the scanning window between its surfaces. Transducers are designed to minimize reverberations between the transducer and soft tissue. Thus, the acoustic impedance of a phantom scanning window should be tissue-like; polymethylpentene (TPX) is commonly used because of its tissue-like acoustic impedance. For QUS it is also crucial to correct for the transmission coefficient of the scanning window. Computation of the latter requires knowledge of the ultrasonic properties, viz, density, speed and attenuation coefficients. This work reports values for the ultrasonic properties of two versions of TPX over the high frequency range. One form (TPX film) is used as a scanning window on high frequency phantoms, and at 40 MHz and 22°C was found to have an attenuation coefficient of 120 dB/cm and a propagation speed of 2093 m/s. PMID:21723451

Processing and characterization of powdered silk micro- and nanofibers by ultrasonication.

PubMed

Wang, Hai-Yan; Chen, Yun-Yun; Zhang, Yu-Qing

2015-03-01

Silk derived from Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons was degummed in an aqueous sodium carbonate solution, and the resulting silk fibroin fibers were placed in an acidic aqueous solution and were treated with ultrasonication to obtain powdered micro- and nanofibers. The morphologies and spectral characteristics of these powdered silk fibers were investigated in detail. The shape, surface and structural features of the powdered fibers were affected by the ultrasonic power and media. Increasing the acidity of the ultrasonic solution and increasing the ultrasonic power increased the fiber breakage speed, resulting in shorter fiber lengths. Powdered microfibers could not be obtained in a formic acid solution, while powdered nanofibers whose diameter below 1μm were obtained in a combined formic acid and hydrochloric acid ultrasonication solution. Observation via SEM and optical microscopy revealed that the microfiber diameters were approximately 5-10μm, and those of the nanofibers were approximately 30-120nm. The analysis of laser sizer showed that the microfiber sizes ranged mainly from 20 to 100μm. FT-IR and XRD spectra demonstrated that the relative amount of β-sheets increased after the ultrasonic treatment. The ε-amino group content on the surface of the micro- and nanofibers increased significantly. These studies provide reliable methods for the preparation of nano-scale silk fibroin fibers by ultrasonication and open new avenues for the development of powdered silk fibers as advanced functional biomaterials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Basic Study for Ultrasound-Based Navigation for Pedicle Screw Insertion Using Transmission and Backscattered Methods

PubMed Central

Chen, Ziqiang; Wu, Bing; Zhai, Xiao; Bai, Yushu; Zhu, Xiaodong; Luo, Beier; Chen, Xiao; Li, Chao; Yang, Mingyuan; Xu, Kailiang; Liu, Chengcheng; Wang, Chuanfeng; Zhao, Yingchuan; Wei, Xianzhao; Chen, Kai; Yang, Wu; Ta, Dean; Li, Ming

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the acoustic properties of human vertebral cancellous bone and to study the feasibility of ultrasound-based navigation for posterior pedicle screw fixation in spinal fusion surgery. Fourteen human vertebral specimens were disarticulated from seven un-embalmed cadavers (four males, three females, 73.14 ± 9.87 years, two specimens from each cadaver). Seven specimens were used to measure the transmission, including tests of attenuation and phase velocity, while the other seven specimens were used for backscattered measurements to inspect the depth of penetration and A-Mode signals. Five pairs of unfocused broadband ultrasonic transducers were used for the detection, with center frequencies of 0.5 MHz, 1 MHz, 1.5 MHz, 2.25 MHz, and 3.5 MHz. As a result, good and stable results were documented. With increased frequency, the attenuation increased (P<0.05), stability of the speed of sound improved (P<0.05), and penetration distance decreased (P>0.05). At about 0.6 cm away from the cortical bone, warning signals were easily observed from the backscattered measurements. In conclusion, the ultrasonic system proved to be an effective, moveable, and real-time imaging navigation system. However, how ultrasonic navigation will benefit pedicle screw insertion in spinal surgery needs to be determined. Therefore, ultrasound-guided pedicle screw implantation is theoretically effective and promising. PMID:25861053

Physical Principles Pertaining to Ultrasonic and Mechanical Properties of Anisotropic Media and Their Application to Nondestructive Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handley, Scott Michael

The central theme of this thesis is to contribute to the physics underlying the mechanical properties of highly anisotropic materials. Our hypothesis is that a fundamental understanding of the physics involved in the interaction of interrogating ultrasonic waves with anisotropic media will provide useful information applicable to quantitative ultrasonic measurement techniques employed for the determination of material properties. Fiber-reinforced plastics represent a class of advanced composite materials that exhibit substantial anisotropy. The desired characteristics of practical fiber -reinforced composites depend on average mechanical properties achieved by placing fibers at specific angles relative to the external surfaces of the finished part. We examine the physics underlying the use of ultrasound as an interrogation probe for determination of ultrasonic and mechanical properties of anisotropic materials such as fiber-reinforced composites. Fundamental constituent parameters, such as elastic stiffness coefficients (c_{rm IJ}), are experimentally determined from ultrasonic time-of-flight measurements. Mechanical moduli (Poisson's ratio, Young's and shear modulus) descriptive of the anisotropic mechanical properties of unidirectional graphite/epoxy composites are obtained from the ultrasonically determined stiffness coefficients. Three-dimensional visualizations of the anisotropic ultrasonic and mechanical properties of unidirectional graphite/epoxy composites are generated. A related goal of the research is to strengthen the connection-between practical ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation methods and the physics underlying quantitative ultrasonic measurements for the assessment of manufactured fiber-reinforced composites. Production defects such as porosity have proven to be of substantial concern in the manufacturing of composites. We investigate the applicability of ultrasonic interrogation techniques for the detection and characterization of porosity in graphite/epoxy laminates. Complementary ultrasonic parameters based on the frequency dependence of ultrasonic attenuation and integrated polar backscatter are investigated. In summary, the approach taken in this thesis is to examine the physical mechanisms in terms of a continuum mechanics framework and a linear elastic description of ultrasonic wave propagation in anisotropic media with specific application to the nondestructive evaluation of advanced composite materials.

An investigation into the use of surface waves for the real-time inspection of polymer composites during fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linstrom, Elizabeth Jane

A new approach to the nondestructive evaluation of polymer matrix/graphite fiber composites is presented. This technique permits the determination of the top ply bond strength of a laminate based on the results of ultrasonic testing. This technique is designed to be used for the real-time, nondestructive evaluation of composites during tape laying. By separately bonding the top ply of thermoset and thermoplastic polymer composite laminates, a poor ply bond was achieved solely at the interface of the top ply and the rest of the laminate. Using angled incidence, a 5 MHz, 4 musecond ultrasonic pulse was induced into the composite samples. This created waves traveling along the surface of the composite samples that were picked up by a receiving transducer. The received signal was cross-correlated with an artificially constructed replica of the input signal. The maximum amplitude of the cross-correlated signal was recorded. The cross-correlated signal was then converted to the frequency spectra using a fast Fourier transform. The maximum amplitude of the frequency spectra was then recorded. These measurements were repeated at 18 to 30 different locations on each composite sample. The resulting collection of maximum amplitudes of cross-correlated signals and frequency spectra were fit to two parameter Weibull distributions. The composite samples were destructively evaluated using a flat-wise tensile test. The B-basis values of the ultrasonic data Weibull distributions were compared to the B-basis values of the Weibull distribution of the strength data. A good correlation was found.

Analysis of pressure spectra measurements in a ducted combustion system. Ph.D. Thesis - Toledo Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, J. H.

1980-01-01

Combustion noise propagation in an operating ducted liquid fuel combustion system is studied in relation to the development of combustion noise prediction and suppression techniques. The presence of combustor emissions in the duct is proposed as the primary mechanism producing the attenuation and dispersion of combustion noise propagating in an operating liquid fuel combustion system. First, a complex mathematical model for calculating attenuation and dispersion taking into account mass transfer, heat transfer, and viscosity effects due to the presence of liquid fuel droplets or solid soot particles is discussed. Next, a simpler single parameter model for calculating pressure auto-spectra and cross-spectra which takes into account dispersion and attenuation due to heat transfer between solid soot particles and air is developed. Then, auto-spectra and cross-spectra obtained from internal pressure measurements in a combustion system consisting of a J-47 combustor can, a spool piece, and a long duct are presented. Last, analytical results obtained with the single parameter model are compared with the experimental measurements. The single parameter model results are shown to be in excellent agreement with the measurements.

Analysis of pressure spectra measurements in a ducted combustion system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miles, J. H.

1980-11-01

Combustion noise propagation in an operating ducted liquid fuel combustion system is studied in relation to the development of combustion noise prediction and suppression techniques. The presence of combustor emissions in the duct is proposed as the primary mechanism producing the attenuation and dispersion of combustion noise propagating in an operating liquid fuel combustion system. First, a complex mathematical model for calculating attenuation and dispersion taking into account mass transfer, heat transfer, and viscosity effects due to the presence of liquid fuel droplets or solid soot particles is discussed. Next, a simpler single parameter model for calculating pressure auto-spectra and cross-spectra which takes into account dispersion and attenuation due to heat transfer between solid soot particles and air is developed. Then, auto-spectra and cross-spectra obtained from internal pressure measurements in a combustion system consisting of a J-47 combustor can, a spool piece, and a long duct are presented. Last, analytical results obtained with the single parameter model are compared with the experimental measurements. The single parameter model results are shown to be in excellent agreement with the measurements.

Characterization of sonicated natural zeolite/ferric chloride hexahydrate by infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetyo, T. A. B.; Soegijono, B.

2018-03-01

The characteristics of sonicated Bayah natural zeolite with and without ferric chloride hexahydrate solution using infrared method has been studied. High intensity ultrasonic waves were exposed to the samples for 40 min, 80 min and 120 min. Infra red spectra analysis was conducted to evaluate zeolite vibrational spectrum contributions, namely, the vibrations from the framework of the zeolite, from the charge-balancing cations, and from the relatively isolated groups, such as the surface OH groups and their behavior after sonication process. An addition of FeCl3.6H2O and sonication process on natural zeolite improved secondary building units link by forming oxygen bridges and also close relationship with duration of applied high intensity ultrasonic process. Longer ultrasonic process resulted in more increment of O-H absorbance.

Design of a Smart Ultrasonic Transducer for Interconnecting Machine Applications

PubMed Central

Yan, Tian-Hong; Wang, Wei; Chen, Xue-Dong; Li, Qing; Xu, Chang

2009-01-01

A high-frequency ultrasonic transducer for copper or gold wire bonding has been designed, analyzed, prototyped and tested. Modeling techniques were used in the design phase and a practical design procedure was established and used. The transducer was decomposed into its elementary components. For each component, an initial design was obtained with simulations using a finite elements model (FEM). Simulated ultrasonic modules were built and characterized experimentally through the Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) and electrical resonance spectra. Compared with experimental data, the FEM could be iteratively adjusted and updated. Having achieved a remarkably highly-predictive FEM of the whole transducer, the design parameters could be tuned for the desired applications, then the transducer is fixed on the wire bonder with a complete holder clamping was calculated by the FEM. The approach to mount ultrasonic transducers on wire bonding machines also is of major importance for wire bonding in modern electronic packaging. The presented method can lead to obtaining a nearly complete decoupling clamper design of the transducer to the wire bonder. PMID:22408564

Metal composite as backing for ultrasonic transducers dedicated to non-destructive measurements in hostile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boubenia, R.; Rosenkrantz, E.; Despetis, F.; P, P.; Ferrandis, J.-Y.

2016-03-01

Our team is specialized in ultrasonic measurements in hostile environment especially under high temperatures. There is a need for acoustic transducers capable of continuous measurement at temperatures up to 700°C. To improve the performances of acoustic sensors we focus our works on the realisation and characterisation of transducer backings able to operate under very high temperature. Commercially, they are produced by the incorporation of tungsten powder in a plastic matrix, which limits the working temperature. The realisation of ultrasonic transducers for non-destructive measures at high temperatures requires adequate materials, manufacturing and assembly processes. To produce the backings, composites were made using very ductile metals such as tin and tungsten. These composites are manufactured by uniaxial hot pressing. First, we studied the influence of temperature and pressure on the densification of tin pellets. Then, several specimens made of tin/W were made and characterised by measuring the specific weight, speed and attenuation of sound. The acoustic measures were realised by ultrasonic spectroscopy. This test-bench was designed and tested on control samples of PMMA and on standard backings (epoxy / tungsten).

Mesh-free distributed point source method for modeling viscous fluid motion between disks vibrating at ultrasonic frequency.

PubMed

Wada, Yuji; Kundu, Tribikram; Nakamura, Kentaro

2014-08-01

The distributed point source method (DPSM) is extended to model wave propagation in viscous fluids. Appropriate estimation on attenuation and boundary layer formation due to fluid viscosity is necessary for the ultrasonic devices used for acoustic streaming or ultrasonic levitation. The equations for DPSM modeling in viscous fluids are derived in this paper by decomposing the linearized viscous fluid equations into two components-dilatational and rotational components. By considering complex P- and S-wave numbers, the acoustic fields in viscous fluids can be calculated following similar calculation steps that are used for wave propagation modeling in solids. From the calculations reported the precision of DPSM is found comparable to that of the finite element method (FEM) for a fundamental ultrasonic field problem. The particle velocity parallel to the two bounding surfaces of the viscous fluid layer between two rigid plates (one in motion and one stationary) is calculated. The finite element results agree well with the DPSM results that were generated faster than the transient FEM results.

Trans-skull ultrasonic Doppler system aided by fuzzy logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hata, Yutaka; Nakamura, Masato; Yagi, Naomi; Ishikawa, Tomomoto

2012-06-01

This paper describes a trans-skull ultrasonic Doppler system for measuring the blood flow direction in brain under skull. In this system, we use an ultrasonic array probe with the center frequency of 1.0 MHz. The system determines the fuzzy degree of blood flow by Doppler Effect, thereby it locates blood vessel. This Doppler Effect is examined by the center of gravity shift of the frequency magnitudes. In in-vitro experiment, a cow bone was employed as the skull, and three silicon tubes were done as blood vessels, and bubble in water as blood. We received the ultrasonic waves through a protein, the skull and silicon tubes in order. In the system, fuzzy degrees are determined with respect to the Doppler shift, amplitude of the waves and attenuation of the tissues. The fuzzy degrees of bone and blood direction are calculated by them. The experimental results showed that the system successfully visualized the skull and flow direction, compared with the location and flow direction of the phantom. Thus, it detected the flow direction by Doppler Effect under skull, and automatically extracted the region of skull and blood vessel.

Baseline UT Measurements for Armor Inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margetan, Frank J.; Richter, Nate; Barnard, Dan; Hsu, David; Gray, Tim; Brasche, Lisa; Bruce Thompson, R.

2010-02-01

Some prototype armor panels are fabricated from several layers of dissimilar material bonded together. These may include ceramics, graphite composites, fiberglass composites and rubber. The ultrasonic properties of these layers influence inspections for armor defects. In this paper we describe measurements of ultrasonic velocity, attenuation, sound beam distortion and signal fluctuations for the individual layers comprising one armor prototype. We then discuss how knowledge of these properties can be used when choosing an optimum frequency for an ultrasonic pitch/catch immersion inspection. In our case an effective inspection frequency near 1.5 MHz affords: (1) adequate strength of through-transmitted signals in unflawed armor; (2) adequate lateral resolution for detecting small disbonds at interfaces; and (3) low levels of UT signal fluctuations due to the natural inhomogeneity of certain armor layers. The utility of this approach is demonstrated using armor panels containing artificial disbonds at selected interfaces.

Micromachined ultrasonic transducers: 11.4 MHz transmission in air and more

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladabaum, Igal; Khuri-Yakub, B. T.; Spoliansky, Dimitri

1996-01-01

The fabrication and modeling of novel, capacitive, ultrasonic air transducers is reported. Transmission experiments in air at 11.4, 9.2, and 3.1 MHz are shown to correspond with theory. The transducers are made using surface micromachining techniques, which enable the realization of center frequencies ranging from 1.8 to 11.6 MHz. The bandwidth of the transducers ranges from 5% to 20%, depending on processing parameters. Custom circuitry is able to detect 10 MHz capacitance fluctuations as small as 10-18 F, which correspond to displacements on the order of 10-3 Å, in a bandwidth of 2 MHz with a signal to noise ratio of 20 dB. Such detection sensitivity is shown to yield air transducer systems capable of withstanding over 100 dB of signal attenuation, a figure of merit that has significant implications for ultrasonic imaging, nondestructive evaluation, gas flow and composition measurements, and range sensing.

A nondestructive technique for predicting the strength remaining in filament wound composites subjected to low-level impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madaras, E. I.; Poe, C. C.; Heyman, J. S.

1987-01-01

A model for predicting the fracture strength of homogeneous materials is proposed. Impacted FWC samples were evaluated using ultrasonic testing and an X-ray dye penetration method. The ability of the model to measure fracture strength was also examined. The relation between attenuation and velocity measurements is studied. It is observed that the X-ray method is not useful for predicting fracture strength because the dye could not penetrate the matrix. It is noted that fracture strength predictions derived from the fracture mechanical model and the ultrasonic measurements correlate well with actual measured fracture strengths.

Regional Body-Wave Attenuation Using a Coda Source Normalization Method: Application to MEDNET Records of Earthquakes in Italy

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

Walter, W R; Mayeda, K; Malagnini, L

2007-02-01

We develop a new methodology to determine apparent attenuation for the regional seismic phases Pn, Pg, Sn, and Lg using coda-derived source spectra. The local-to-regional coda methodology (Mayeda, 1993; Mayeda and Walter, 1996; Mayeda et al., 2003) is a very stable way to obtain source spectra from sparse networks using as few as one station, even if direct waves are clipped. We develop a two-step process to isolate the frequency-dependent Q. First, we correct the observed direct wave amplitudes for an assumed geometrical spreading. Next, an apparent Q, combining path and site attenuation, is determined from the difference between themore » spreading-corrected amplitude and the independently determined source spectra derived from the coda methodology. We apply the technique to 50 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 4.0 in central Italy as recorded by MEDNET broadband stations around the Mediterranean at local-to-regional distances. This is an ideal test region due to its high attenuation, complex propagation, and availability of many moderate sized earthquakes. We find that a power law attenuation of the form Q(f) = Q{sub 0}f{sup Y} fit all the phases quite well over the 0.5 to 8 Hz band. At most stations, the measured apparent Q values are quite repeatable from event to event. Finding the attenuation function in this manner guarantees a close match between inferred source spectra from direct waves and coda techniques. This is important if coda and direct wave amplitudes are to produce consistent seismic results.« less

Synthesis of novel sonocatalyst Er3+:YAlO3/Nb2O5 and its application for sonocatalytic degradation of methamphetamine hydrochloride.

PubMed

Wei, Chunsheng; Yi, Kuiyu; Sun, Guangsheng; Wang, Jun

2018-04-01

The composited sonocatalyst Er 3+ :YAlO 3 /Nb 2 O 5 was prepared by ultrasonic dispersion and high temperature calcinations method. The microstructure of Er 3+ :YAlO 3 was prepared via sol-gel method and Nb 2 O 5 was prepared by hydrothermal method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectra and photoluminescence (PL) spectra, respectively. The sonocatalytic decomposition activity of composite sonocatalyst Er 3+ :YAlO 3 /Nb 2 O 5 was investigated by using ultrasound as sound source and methamphetamine hydrochloride as the target degradation product. The influences of composite sonocatalyst Er 3+ :YAlO 3 /Nb 2 O 5 with different ratios, calcination temperature, ultrasonic power, ultrasonic temperature and recycle times were investigated. The results showed that the sonocatalytic degradation rate was 82.17% after 5 h sonocatalytic decomposition under the condition of ultrasonic power of 700 W, frequency of 45 kHz and surrounding temperature of 30 °C. The sonocatalytic degradation ability of composite sonocatalyst for methamphetamine hydrochloride in aqueous solution was still good after recycled five times. The hydroxyl radicals (OH) and holes (h + ) are identified and hydroxyl radicals (OH) plays a major role during the oxidation process. The experimental results show that sonocatalytic is a new idea for the harmless treatment of amphetamine-type stimulants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation on interaction and sonodynamic damage of fluorescein derivants to bovine serum albumin (BSA) under ultrasonic irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Mingming; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Jun; Wang, Qi; Gao, Jingqun; Fan, Ping

2013-06-01

The fluorescein derivants (Fluorescein: (2-(6-Hydroxy-3-oxo-(3H)-xanthen-9-yl) benzoic acid), Fluorescein-DA: (Bis [N,N-bis (carboxymethyl) aminomethyl] fluorescein) and Fluorescein-DAsbnd Fe(III): (Bis [N,N-bis (carboxymethyl) aminomethyl] fluoresceinsbnd Ferrous(III)) with a tricyclic plane structure were used to study the interaction and sonodynamic damage to bovine serum albumin (BSA) under ultrasonic irradiation through fluorospectrometry and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Besides, because of the existence of Fe(III) ion in Fluorescein-DAsbnd Fe(III), under ultrasonic irradiation the sonocatalytic activity in the damage of BSA molecules was also found. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectra and three-dimensional fluorescence contour profile spectra were mentioned to determine the fluorescence quenching and the conformation change of BSA in the absence and presence of these fluorescein derivants. As judged from the experimental results, the fluorescence quenching of BSA in aqueous solution caused by these fluorescein derivants were all attributed to static quenching process. The damage degree and mode were related to some factors such as ultrasonic irradiation time, fluorescein derivant concentration and ionic strength. Finally, several quenchers were used to determine the amount and kind of generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) during sonodynamic and sonocatalytic reaction processes. It suggests that these fluorescein derivants induce protein damage via various ROS, at least, including singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radicals (rad OH). Perhaps, this paper may offer some important subjects for broadening the application of these fluorescein derivants in sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and sonocatalytic therapy (SCT) technologies for tumor treatment.

Ultrasonic assessment of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schehl, Norman; Kramb, Vicki; Dierken, Josiah; Aldrin, John; Schwalbach, Edwin; John, Reji

2018-04-01

Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes offer the potential for manufacturing cost savings and rapid insertion into service through production of near net shape components for complicated structures. Use of these parts in high reliability applications such as those in the aerospace industry will require nondestructive characterization methods to ensure post-process material quality in as-built condition. Ultrasonic methods can be used for this quality verification. Depending on the application, the service life of AM components can be sensitive to the part surface condition. The surface roughness and layered structure inherent to the electron-beam powder-bed fusion process necessitates new approaches to evaluate subsurface material integrity in its presence. Experimental methods and data analytics may improve the evaluation of as-built additively manufactured materials. This paper discusses the assessment of additively manufactured EBM Ti-6Al-4V panels using ultrasonic methods and the data analytics applied to evaluate material integrity. The assessment was done as an exploratory study as the discontinuities of interest in these test samples were not known when the measurements were performed. Water immersion ultrasonic techniques, including pulse-echo and through transmission with 10 MHz focused transducers, were used to explore the material integrity of as-built plates. Subsequent destructive mechanical tests of specimens extracted from the plates provided fracture locations indicating critical flaws. To further understand the effect of surface-roughness, an evaluation of ultrasonic response in the presence of as-built surfaces and with the surface removed was performed. The assessment of additive manufactured EBM Ti-6Al-4V panels with ultrasonic techniques indicated that ultrasonic energy was attenuated by the as-built surface roughness. In addition, feature detection was shown to be sensitive to experimental ultrasonic parameters and flaw morphology.

High-pressure ultrasonic study of the commensurate-incommensurate spin-density-wave transition in an antiferromagnetic Cr-0.3 at. % Ru alloy single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cankurtaran, M.; Saunders, G. A.; Wang, Q.; Ford, P. J.; Alberts, H. L.

1992-12-01

A comprehensive experimental study has been made of the elastic and nonlinear acoustic behavior of a dilute Cr alloy as it undergoes a commensurate (C)-incommensurate (I) spin-density-wave transition. Simultaneous measurements of the temperature dependence of ultrasonic wave velocity and attenuation of longitudinal and shear 10-MHz ultrasonic waves propagated along both the [100] and the [110] direction of Cr-0.3 at. % Ru alloy single crystal have been made in the temperature range 200-300 K. The temperature dependence of ultrasonic attenuation for each mode is characterized by a spikelike peak centered at TCI (=238.6 K) (on cooling) and at TIC (=255.6 K) (on warming). The velocities of both longitudinal and shear ultrasonic waves exhibit a large and steep increase at TCI on cooling and a similar drop at TIC on warming with a pronounced hysteresis between TIC and TCI. These observations show that the transition between the commensurate and incommensurate phases is first order. Measurements of the effects of hydrostatic pressure (up to 0.15 GPa) on the velocities of ultrasonic waves, which were made at several fixed temperatures between 248 and 297 K, show similar features: a steep increase at PCI (increasing pressure) and a similar drop at PIC (decreasing pressure) with a well-defined hysteresis. Both TCI and TIC increase strongly and approximately linearly with pressure, the mean values of dTCI/dP and dTIC/dP being (333+/-3) K/GPa and (277+/-5) K/GPa, respectively. The pressure and temperature dependencies of the anomalies in the ultrasonic wave velocity have been used to locate both the C-I and I-C boundaries on the magnetic P-T phase diagram. There is a triple point (at about 315 K and 0.22 GPa) where the paramagnetic, commensurate, and incommensurate spin-density-wave phases coexist. Results for the complete sets of the elastic stiffness tensor components and their hydrostatic pressure derivatives have been used to evaluate the acoustic-mode Grüneisen parameters in both the commensurate and incommensurate phases. These quantify the vibrational anharmonicity of each acoustic phonon mode in the long-wavelength limit and establish which acoustic modes interact strongly with the spin-density waves. Pronounced longitudinal acoustic-mode softening under pressure results in negative Grüneisen parameters, a particularly marked feature of the commensurate phase.

PSIDD3: Post-Scan Ultrasonic Data Display System for the Windows-Based PC Including Fuzzy Logic Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovelace, Jeffrey J.; Cios, Krzysztof J.; Roth, Don J.; Cao, Wei

2000-01-01

Post-Scan Interactive Data Display (PSIDD) III is a user-oriented Windows-based system that facilitates the display and comparison of ultrasonic contact data. The system is optimized to compare ultrasonic measurements made at different locations within a material or at different stages of material degradation. PSIDD III provides complete analysis of the primary wave forms in the time and frequency domains along with the calculation of several frequency dependent properties including Phase Velocity and Attenuation Coefficient and several frequency independent properties, like the Cross Correlation Velocity. The system allows image generation on all of the frequency dependent properties at any available frequency (limited by the bandwidth used in the scans) and on any of the frequency independent properties. From ultrasonic contact scans, areas of interest on an image can be studied with regard to underlying raw waveforms and derived ultrasonic properties by simply selecting the point on the image. The system offers various modes of in-depth comparison between scan points. Up to five scan points can be selected for comparative analysis at once. The system was developed with Borland Delphi software (Visual Pascal) and is based on a SQL database. It is ideal for classification of material properties, or location of microstructure variations in materials.

Earplug rankings based on the protector-attenuation rating (P-AR).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-01-01

Forty-five attenuation spectra for earplugs were classified according to a simplified method designed to produce single-number ratings of noise reduction. The rating procedure was applied to the mean attenuation scores, to mean-minus-one-standard-dev...

Design of advanced ultrasonic transducers for welding devices.

PubMed

Parrini, L

2001-11-01

A new high frequency ultrasonic transducer has been conceived, designed, prototyped, and tested. In the design phase, an advanced approach was used and established. The method is based on an initial design estimate obtained with finite element method (FEM) simulations. The simulated ultrasonic transducers and resonators are then built and characterized experimentally through laser interferometry and electrical resonance spectra. The comparison of simulation results with experimental data allows the parameters of FEM models to be adjusted and optimized. The achieved FEM simulations exhibit a remarkably high predictive potential and allow full control of the vibration behavior of the transducer. The new transducer is mounted on a wire bonder with a flange whose special geometry was calculated by means of FEM simulations. This flange allows the transducer to be attached on the wire bonder, not only in longitudinal nodes, but also in radial nodes of the ultrasonic field excited in the horn. This leads to a total decoupling of the transducer to the wire bonder, which has not been achieved so far. The new approach to mount ultrasonic transducers on a welding device is of major importance, not only for wire bonding, but also for all high power ultrasound applications and has been patented.

Damage Assessment of Creep Tested and Thermally Aged Metallic Alloys Using Acousto-Ultrasonics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gyekenyesi, Andrew L.; Kautz, Harold E.; Baaklini, George Y.

2001-01-01

In recent years emphasis has been placed on the early detection of material changes experienced in turbine powerplant components. During the scheduled overhaul of a turbine, the current techniques of examination of various hot section components aim to find flaws such as cracks, wear, and erosion, as well as excessive deformations. Thus far, these localized damage modes have been detected with satisfactory results. However, the techniques used to find these flaws provide no information on life until the flaws are actually detected. Major improvements in damage assessment, safety, as well as more accurate life prediction could be achieved if nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques could be utilized to sense material changes that occur prior to the localized defects mentioned. Because of elevated temperatures and excessive stresses, turbine components may experience creep behavior. As a result, it is desirable to monitor and access the current condition of such components. Research at the NASA Glenn Research Center involves developing and utilizing an NDE technique that discloses distributed material changes that occur prior to the localized damage detected by the current methods of inspection. In a recent study, creep processes in a nickel-base alloy were the life-limiting condition of interest, and the NDE technique was acousto-ultrasonics (AU). AU is an NDE technique that utilizes two ultrasonic transducers to interrogate the condition of a test specimen. The sending transducer introduces an ultrasonic pulse at a point on the surface of the specimen while a receiving transducer detects the signal after it has passed through the material. The goal of the method is to correlate certain parameters of the detected waveform to characteristics of the material between the two transducers. Here, the waveform parameter of interest is the attenuation due to internal damping for which information is being garnered from the frequency domain. The parameters utilized to indirectly quantify the attenuation are the ultrasonic decay rate as well as various moments of the frequency power spectrum. A new, user-friendly, graphical interface AU system was developed at NASA Glenn. This system is an all-inclusive, multifunction system that controls the sending and receiving ultrasonic transducers as well as all posttest signal analysis. The system's postprocessing software calculates the multiple parameters used to study the material of interest.

Sub-micron elastic property characterization of materials using a near-field scanning optical microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blodgett, David W.; Spicer, James B.

2001-12-01

The ability to characterize the sub-surface mechanical properties of a bulk or thin film material at the sub-micron level has applications in the microelectronics and thin film industries. In the microelectronics industry, with the decrease of line widths and the increase of component densities, sub-surface voids have become increasingly detrimental. Any voids along an integrated circuit (IC) line can lead to improper electrical connections between components and can cause failure of the device. In the thin film industry, the detection of impurities is also important. Any impurities can detract from the film's desired optical, electrical, or mechanical properties. Just as important as the detection of voids and impurities, is the measurement of the elastic properties of a material on the nanometer scale. These elastic measurements provide insight into the microstructural properties of the material. We have been investigating a technique that couples the high-resolution surface imaging capabilities of the apertureless near-field scanning optical microscope (ANSOM) with the sub-surface characterization strengths of high-frequency ultrasound. As an ultrasonic wave propagates, the amplitude decreases due to geometrical spreading, attenuation from absorption, and scattering from discontinuities. Measurement of wave speeds and attenuation provides the information needed to quantify the bulk or surface properties of a material. The arrival of an ultrasonic wave at or along the surface of a material is accompanied with a small surface displacement. Conventional methods for the ultrasound detection rely on either a contact transducer or optical technique (interferometric, beam deflection, etc.). However, each of these methods is limited by the spatial resolution dictated by the detection footprint. As the footprint size increases, variations across the ultrasonic wavefront are effectively averaged, masking the presence of any nanometer-scale sub-surface or surface mechanical property variations. The use of an ANSOM for sensing ultrasonic wave arrivals reduces the detection footprint allowing any nanometer scale variations in the microstructure of a material to be detected. In an ANSOM, the ultrasonic displacement is manifested as perturbations on the near-field signal due to the small variations in the tip-sample caused by the wave arrival. Due to the linear dependence of the near-field signal on tip-sample separation, these perturbations can be interpreted using methods identical to those for conventional ultrasonic techniques. In this paper, we report results using both contact transducer (5 MHz) and laser-generated ultrasound.

Real time monitoring of accelerated chemical reactions by ultrasonication-assisted spray ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Lin, Shu-Hsuan; Lo, Ta-Ju; Kuo, Fang-Yin; Chen, Yu-Chie

2014-01-01

Ultrasonication has been used to accelerate chemical reactions. It would be ideal if ultrasonication-assisted chemical reactions could be monitored by suitable detection tools such as mass spectrometry in real time. It would be helpful to clarify reaction intermediates/products and to have a better understanding of reaction mechanism. In this work, we developed a system for ultrasonication-assisted spray ionization mass spectrometry (UASI-MS) with an ~1.7 MHz ultrasonic transducer to monitor chemical reactions in real time. We demonstrated that simply depositing a sample solution on the MHz-based ultrasonic transducer, which was placed in front of the orifice of a mass spectrometer, the analyte signals can be readily detected by the mass spectrometer. Singly and multiply charged ions from small and large molecules, respectively, can be observed in the UASI mass spectra. Furthermore, the ultrasonic transducer used in the UASI setup accelerates the chemical reactions while being monitored via UASI-MS. The feasibility of using this approach for real-time acceleration/monitoring of chemical reactions was demonstrated. The reactions of Girard T reagent and hydroxylamine with steroids were used as the model reactions. Upon the deposition of reactant solutions on the ultrasonic transducer, the intermediate/product ions are readily generated and instantaneously monitored using MS within 1 s. Additionally, we also showed the possibility of using this reactive UASI-MS approach to assist the confirmation of trace steroids from complex urine samples by monitoring the generation of the product ions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ultrasonic Resonance Spectrometry with Fourier Synthesized Pseudorandom Noise Excitation and Its Application to a Lyotropiec Liquid Crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Haruki; Naito, Yasushi; Tsuboi, Yukitoshi; Mitaku, Shigeki; Okano, Koji

1982-11-01

Time domain measurement to obtain ultrasonic resonance spectra was made using Fourier Synthesized Pseudorandom Noise (FSPN) excitation in order to observe the viscoelastic property of a lyotropic liquid crystal. The FSPN with multiple frequency components was amplitude-modulated by a carrier signal with a much higher single frequency component, and a quadrature detection technique was used to obtain a shear ultrasonic resonance spectrum produced between two transducers. A reflection method was applied to observe mechanical impedance of viscous and elastic materials at about 3 MHz. The viscosities obtained for standard viscous materials agreed well with literature values, and the rigidity and viscosity of a lyotropic liquid crystal of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate with water were measured; they were ˜ 106 dyn/cm2 and ˜0.1 P, respectively.

Spectroscopic investigation on assisted sonocatalytic damage of bovine serum albumin (BSA) by metronidazole (MTZ) under ultrasonic irradiation combined with nano-sized ZnO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Jingqun; Liu, Bin; Wang, Jun; Jin, Xudong; Jiang, Renzheng; Liu, Lijun; Wang, Baoxin; Xu, Yongnan

2010-11-01

The previous work proved that the bovine serum albumin (BSA) could be damaged under the combined action of ultrasonic irradiation and ZnO. In this work, the assisted sonocatalytic damage of BSA using metronidazole (MTZ) as a sensitizer was further investigated by means of UV-vis and fluorescence spectra. The results indicated that the adding of MTZ could obviously promote the sonocatalytic damage of BSA under ultrasonic irradiation in the presence of nano-sized ZnO powder. Furthermore, it was found that the damage degree of BSA was aggravated by some influencing factors except ionic kind and strength. In addition, the damage site of BSA was also studied with synchronous fluorescence technology. It was found that the damage site was mainly at tryptophan (Trp) residue.

Acoustic measurement of suspensions of clay and silt particles using single frequency attenuation and backscatter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The use of ultrasonic acoustic technology to measure the concentration of fine suspended sediments has the potential to greatly increase the temporal and spatial resolution of sediment measurements while reducing the need for personnel to be present at gauging stations during storm events. The conv...

Assessment of mild steel damage characteristics by physical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botvina, L. R.; Soldatenkov, A. P.; Levin, V. P.; Tyutin, M. R.; Demina, Yu. A.; Petersen, T. B.; Dubov, A. A.; Semashko, N. A.

2016-01-01

The deformation and fracture localization characteristics are estimated by the methods of replicas, acoustic emission, metal magnetic memory, ultrasonic attenuation, microhardness, and electrical resistance. The relation between the estimated physical parameters on the one hand and the plastic zone size and the microcrack concentration in this zone, on the other, is considered.

Effect of Decay on Ultrasonic Velocity and Attenuation Measurements in Wood

Treesearch

Megan McGovern; Adam Senalik; George Chen; Frank C. Beall; Henrique Reis

2013-01-01

The percentage mass loss of loblolly pine (pinus taeda) wood cube specimens exposed to Gloeophyllum fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum) for increasing periods of time ranging from 1 to 12 weeks was recorded after being subjected to controlled decay following ASTM International standard ASTM D 1423-99. The specimens’ corresponding volume...

Advances in ultrasonic testing of austenitic stainless steel welds. Towards a 3D description of the material including attenuation and optimisation by inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moysan, J.; Gueudré, C.; Ploix, M.-A.; Corneloup, G.; Guy, Ph.; Guerjouma, R. El; Chassignole, B.

In the case of multi-pass welds, the material is very difficult to describe due to its anisotropic and heterogeneous properties. Anisotropy results from the metal solidification and is correlated with the grain orientation. A precise description of the material is one of the key points to obtain reliable results with wave propagation codes. A first advance is the model MINA which predicts the grain orientations in multi-pass 316-L steel welds. For flat position welding, good predictions of the grains orientations were obtained using 2D modelling. In case of welding in position the resulting grain structure may be 3D oriented. We indicate how the MINA model can be improved for 3D description. A second advance is a good quantification of the attenuation. Precise measurements are obtained using plane waves angular spectrum method together with the computation of the transmission coefficients for triclinic material. With these two first advances, the third one is now possible: developing an inverse method to obtain the material description through ultrasonic measurements at different positions.

Ultrasonic Characterization of the Linear Elastic Properties of Myocardium and Other Anisotropic Soft Tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmeister, Brentley Keith

1995-01-01

This thesis seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the physics of interaction of ultrasonic waves with inhomogeneous and anisotropic media, one example of which is the human heart. The clinical success of echocardiography has generated a considerable interest in the development of ultrasonic techniques to measure the elastic properties of heart tissue. It is hypothesized that the elastic properties of myocardium are influenced by the interstitial content and organization of collagen. Collagen, which is the main component of tendon, interconnects the muscle cells of the heart to form locally unidirectional myofibers. This thesis therefore employs ultrasonic techniques to characterize the linear elastic properties of both heart and tendon. The linear elastic properties of tissues possessing a unidirectional arrangement of fibers may be described in terms of five independent elastic stiffness coefficients. Three of these coefficients were determined for formalin fixed specimens of bovine Achilles tendon and human myocardium by measuring the velocity of longitudinal mode ultrasonic pulses as a function of angle of propagation relative to the fiber axis of the tissue. The remaining two coefficients were determined by measuring the velocity of transverse mode ultrasonic waves through these tissues. To overcome technical difficulties associated with the extremely high attenuation of transverse mode waves at low megahertz frequencies, a novel measurement system was developed based on the sampled continuous wave technique. Results of these measurements were used to assess the influence of interstitial collagen, and to model the mechanical properties of heart wall.

One-Dimensional Model for the Ultrasonic Response of Resin-Filled Gaps in Automated Tape Layup Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Patrick H.; Juarez, Peter D.

2017-01-01

Automated tow placement has become a widely used fabrication technique, especially for large aerospace structures. Robotic heads lay down strips (tows) of preimpregnated fiber along programmed paths. The intention is to lay adjacent tows abutted to one another, but sometimes a gap is left between a tow and the previously-placed tow. If a tow gap exists, it fills with resin during cure, forming a fiber-free volume. In immersion ultrasonic pulse-echo measurements of a cured laminate, the gap can be observed to produce a noticeable echo, without significantly attenuating the back-wall reflection of the laminate. To understand this behavior, we considered a one dimensional model of the composite laminate, with a thin layer having the ultrasonic sound speed and density of neat resin, sandwiched between two layers of material having the sound speed and density of fiber-reinforced composite and surrounded on both sides by water. Neglecting attenuation, we considered the transmission and reflection coefficients of each interface, as well as that of the thin resin layer. Using the initial water/composite reflection as a reference, we computed the relative magnitude of the back surface/water reflection in the presence and in the absence of a resin-only layer, as well as the relative magnitude of the reflection arising from a thin resin layer in composite. While the one-dimensional model did not fully match the measurements, it did qualitatively explain the observed behavior.

Three-dimensional simulation of ultrasound propagation through trabecular bone structures measured by synchrotron microtomography.

PubMed

Bossy, Emmanuel; Padilla, Frédéric; Peyrin, Françoise; Laugier, Pascal

2005-12-07

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of ultrasound transmission were performed through 31 trabecular bone samples measured by synchrotron microtomography. The synchrotron microtomography provided high resolution 3D mappings of bone structures, which were used as the input geometry in the simulation software developed in our laboratory. While absorption (i.e. the absorption of ultrasound through dissipative mechanisms) was not taken into account in the algorithm, the simulations reproduced major phenomena observed in real through-transmission experiments in trabecular bone. The simulated attenuation (i.e. the decrease of the transmitted ultrasonic energy) varies linearly with frequency in the MHz frequency range. Both the speed of sound (SOS) and the slope of the normalized frequency-dependent attenuation (nBUA) increase with the bone volume fraction. Twenty-five out of the thirty-one samples exhibited negative velocity dispersion. One sample was rotated to align the main orientation of the trabecular structure with the direction of ultrasonic propagation, leading to the observation of a fast and a slow wave. Coupling numerical simulation with real bone architecture therefore provides a powerful tool to investigate the physics of ultrasound propagation in trabecular structures. As an illustration, comparison between results obtained on bone modelled either as a fluid or a solid structure suggested the major role of mode conversion of the incident acoustic wave to shear waves in bone to explain the large contribution of scattering to the overall attenuation.

Catalytic activity of acid and base with different concentration on sol-gel kinetics of silica by ultrasonic method.

PubMed

Das, R K; Das, M

2015-09-01

The effects of both acid (acetic acid) and base (ammonia) catalysts in varying on the sol-gel synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles using tetra ethyl ortho silicate (TEOS) as a precursor was determined by ultrasonic method. The ultrasonic velocity was received by pulsar receiver. The ultrasonic velocity in the sol and the parameter ΔT (time difference between the original pulse and first back wall echo of the sol) was varied with time of gelation. The graphs of ln[ln1/ΔT] vs ln(t), indicate two region - nonlinear region and a linear region. The time corresponds to the point at which the non-linear region change to linear region is considered as gel time for the respective solutions. Gelation time is found to be dependent on the concentration and types of catalyst and is found from the graphs based on Avrami equation. The rate of condensation is found to be faster for base catalyst. The gelation process was also characterized by viscosity measurement. Normal sol-gel process was also carried out along with the ultrasonic one to compare the effectiveness of ultrasonic. The silica gel was calcined and the powdered sample was characterized with scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectra, X-ray diffractogram, and FTIR spectroscopy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On-Site Evaluation of Large Components Using Saft and Tofd Ultrasonic Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spies, M.; Rieder, H.; Dillhöfer, A.

2011-06-01

This contribution addresses ultrasonic inspection and evaluation of welds in large components. An approach has been developed in order to enhance the reliability of welded ship propellers. The Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique (SAFT) has been modified with regard to the curved surfaces and the sound attenuation of cast Ni-Al bronzes. For weld inspection in steels the Time-of-Flight Diffraction technique (TOFD) can provide additional information for specific defect orientations. Both techniques have been combined in view of the determination of defect sizes and shapes in longitudinal welds of pipes with diameters of up to 48 inches. Details on the inspection and evaluation concepts as well as experimental results are presented.

Measurements of acoustic surface waves on fluid-filled porous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adler, Laszlo; Nagy, Peter B.

1994-09-01

Novel experimental techniques to measure ultrasonic velocity and attenuation of surface waves on fluid-filled porous natural rocks are presented. Our experimental results are consistent with the theoretical predictions of Feng and Johnson (1983). Depending on the interface conditions, i.e., whether the surface pores are open or closed, pseudo-Rayleigh, pseudo-Stoneley, and/or Stoneley surface waves may exist on fluid-saturated rocks with closed 'slow' surface wave (true Stoneley mode) on fluid-filled porous rocks with closed surface pores. The velocity and attenuation of the 'slow' surface mode may be used to assess the dynamic permeabilty of porous formations.

Effect of the chemical treatments on the characteristics of natural cellulose

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

Sosiati, H., E-mail: hsosiati@ugm.ac.id; Muhaimin, M.; Abdilah, P.

2014-09-25

In order to characterize the morphology and size distribution of the cellulose fibers, natural cellulose from kenaf bast fibers was extracted using two chemical treatments; (1) alkali-bleaching-ultrasonic treatment and (2) alkali-bleaching-hydrolysis. Solutions of NaOH, H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} were used for alkalization, bleaching and hydrolysis, respectively. The hydrolyzed fibers were centrifuged at a rotation speed of 10000 rpm for 10 min to separate the nanofibers from the microfibers. The separation was repeated in 7 steps by controlling pH of the solution in each step until neutrality was reached. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was performed on themore » fibers at the final step of each treatment: i.e. either ultrasonic treated- or hydrolyzed microfibers. Their FTIR spectra were compared with FTIR spectrum of a reference commercial α-cellulose. Changes in morphology and size distribution of the treated fibers were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR spectra of ultrasonic treated- and hydrolyzed microfibers nearly coincided with the FTIR spectrum of commercial α-cellulose, suggesting successful extraction of cellulose. Ultrasonic treatment for 6 h resulted in a specific morphology in which cellulose nanofibers (≥100 nm) were distributed across the entire surface of cellulose microfibers (∼5 μm). Constant magnetic stirring combined with acid hydrolysis resulted in an inhomogeneous size distribution of both cellulose rods (500 nm-3 μm length, 100–200 nm diameter) and particles 100–200 nm in size. Changes in morphology of the cellulose fibers depended upon the stirring time; longer stirring time resulted in shorter fiber lengths.« less

A New Probe of Dust Attenuation in Star-Forming Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leitherer, Claus

2017-08-01

We propose to develop, calibrate and test a new technique to measure dust attenuation in star-forming galaxies. The technique utilizes the strong stellar-wind emission lines in Wolf-Rayet stars, which are routinely observed in galaxy spectra locally and up to redshift 3. The He II 1640 and 4686 features are recombination lines whose intrinsic ratio is almost exclusively determined by atomic physics. Therefore it can serve as a stellar dust probe in the same way as the nebular hydrogen-line ratio can be used to measure the reddening of the gas phase. Archival spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars will be analyzed to calibrate the method, and panchromatic FOS and STIS spectra of nearby star-forming galaxies will be used as a first application. The new technique allows us to study stellar and nebular attenuation in galaxies separately and to test its effects at different stellar age and mass regimes.

A laboratory study of the perceived benefit of additional noise attenuation by houses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flindell, I. H.

1983-01-01

Two Experiments were conducted to investigate the perceived benefit of additional house attenuation against aircraft flyover noise. First, subjects made annoyance judgments in a simulated living room while an operative window with real and dummy storm windows was manipulated in full view of those subjects. Second, subjects made annoyance judgments in an anechoic audiometric test chamber of frequency shaped noise signals having spectra closely matched to those of the aircraft flyover noises reproduced in the first experiment. These stimuli represented the aircraft flyover noises in levels and spectra but without the situational and visual cues present in the simulated living room. Perceptual constancy theory implies that annoyance tends to remain constant despite reductions in noise level caused by additional attenuation of which the subjects are fully aware. This theory was supported when account was taken for a reported annoyance overestimation for certain spectra and for a simulated condition cue overreaction.

Coupled attenuation and multiscale damage model for composite structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moncada, Albert M.; Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Bednarcyk, Brett; Arnold, Steven M.

2011-04-01

Composite materials are widely used in many applications for their high strength, low weight, and tailorability for specific applications. However, the development of robust and reliable methodologies to detect micro level damage in composite structures has been challenging. For composite materials, attenuation of ultrasonic waves propagating through the media can be used to determine damage within the material. Currently available numerical solutions for attenuation induce arbitrary damage, such as fiber-matrix debonding or inclusions, to show variations between healthy and damaged states. This paper addresses this issue by integrating a micromechanics analysis to simulate damage in the form of a fiber-matrix crack and an analytical model for calculating the attenuation of the waves when they pass through the damaged region. The hybrid analysis is validated by comparison with experimental stress-strain curves and piezoelectric sensing results for attenuation measurement. The results showed good agreement between the experimental stress-strain curves and the results from the micromechanics analysis. Wave propagation analysis also showed good correlation between simulation and experiment for the tested frequency range.

Characterization of trabecular bone using the backscattered spectral centroid shift.

PubMed

Wear, Keith A

2003-04-01

Ultrasonic attenuation in bone in vivo is generally measured using a through-transmission method at the calcaneus. Although attenuation in calcaneus has been demonstrated to be a useful predictor for osteoporotic fracture risk, measurements at other clinically important sites, such as hip and spine, could potentially contain additional useful diagnostic information. Through-transmission measurements may not be feasible at these sites due to complex bone shapes and the increased amount of intervening soft tissue. Centroid shift from the backscattered signal is an index of attenuation slope and has been used previously to characterize soft tissues. In this paper, centroid shift from signals backscattered from 30 trabecular bone samples in vitro were measured. Attenuation slope also was measured using a through-transmission method. The correlation coefficient between centroid shift and attenuation slope was -0.71. The 95% confidence interval was (-0.86, -0.47). These results suggest that the backscattered spectral centroid shift may contain useful diagnostic information potentially applicable to hip and spine.

Water saturation effects on elastic wave attenuation in porous rocks with aligned fractures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amalokwu, Kelvin; Best, Angus I.; Sothcott, Jeremy; Chapman, Mark; Minshull, Tim; Li, Xiang-Yang

2014-05-01

Elastic wave attenuation anisotropy in porous rocks with aligned fractures is of interest to seismic remote sensing of the Earth's structure and to hydrocarbon reservoir characterization in particular. We investigated the effect of partial water saturation on attenuation in fractured rocks in the laboratory by conducting ultrasonic pulse-echo measurements on synthetic, silica-cemented, sandstones with aligned penny-shaped voids (fracture density of 0.0298 ± 0.0077), chosen to simulate the effect of natural fractures in the Earth according to theoretical models. Our results show, for the first time, contrasting variations in the attenuation (Q-1) of P and S waves with water saturation in samples with and without fractures. The observed Qs/Qp ratios are indicative of saturation state and the presence or absence of fractures, offering an important new possibility for remote fluid detection and characterization.

Fractal ladder models and power law wave equations

PubMed Central

Kelly, James F.; McGough, Robert J.

2009-01-01

The ultrasonic attenuation coefficient in mammalian tissue is approximated by a frequency-dependent power law for frequencies less than 100 MHz. To describe this power law behavior in soft tissue, a hierarchical fractal network model is proposed. The viscoelastic and self-similar properties of tissue are captured by a constitutive equation based on a lumped parameter infinite-ladder topology involving alternating springs and dashpots. In the low-frequency limit, this ladder network yields a stress-strain constitutive equation with a time-fractional derivative. By combining this constitutive equation with linearized conservation principles and an adiabatic equation of state, a fractional partial differential equation that describes power law attenuation is derived. The resulting attenuation coefficient is a power law with exponent ranging between 1 and 2, while the phase velocity is in agreement with the Kramers–Kronig relations. The fractal ladder model is compared to published attenuation coefficient data, thus providing equivalent lumped parameters. PMID:19813816

Low-frequency ultrasonic Bessel-like collimated beam generation from radial modes of piezoelectric transducers

DOE PAGES

Chillara, Vamshi Krishna; Pantea, Cristian; Sinha, Dipen N.

2017-02-06

We present a very simple approach to generate a collimated ultrasonic beam that exploits the natural Bessel-like vibration pattern of the radial modes of a piezoelectric disc with lateral clamping. This eliminates the need for the conventional annular Bessel pattern of the electrodes with individual electrode excitation on the piezo-disc, thus simplifying the transducer design. Numerical and experimental studies are carried out to investigate the Bessel-like vibration patterns of these radial modes showing an excellent agreement between these two studies. Measured ultrasonic beam- pro les in water from the radial modes con rm the profile to be a Bessel beam.more » Collimated beam generation from radial modes is investigated using a coupled electromechanical finite-element model. It is found that clamping the lateral edges of piezoelectric transducers results in a high-degree of collimation with practically no side-lobes similar to a parametric array beam. Ultrasonic beam- profile measurements in water with both free and clamped piezoelectric transducer are presented. The collimated beam generation using the present technique of using the laterally clamped radial modes finds significant applications in low-frequency imaging through highly attenuating materials.« less

Generating porosity spectrum of carbonate reservoirs using ultrasonic imaging log

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jie; Nie, Xin; Xiao, Suyun; Zhang, Chong; Zhang, Chaomo; Zhang, Zhansong

2018-03-01

Imaging logging tools can provide us the borehole wall image. The micro-resistivity imaging logging has been used to obtain borehole porosity spectrum. However, the resistivity imaging logging cannot cover the whole borehole wall. In this paper, we propose a method to calculate the porosity spectrum using ultrasonic imaging logging data. Based on the amplitude attenuation equation, we analyze the factors affecting the propagation of wave in drilling fluid and formation and based on the bulk-volume rock model, Wyllie equation and Raymer equation, we establish various conversion models between the reflection coefficient β and porosity ϕ. Then we use the ultrasonic imaging logging and conventional wireline logging data to calculate the near-borehole formation porosity distribution spectrum. The porosity spectrum result obtained from ultrasonic imaging data is compared with the one from the micro-resistivity imaging data, and they turn out to be similar, but with discrepancy, which is caused by the borehole coverage and data input difference. We separate the porosity types by performing threshold value segmentation and generate porosity-depth distribution curves by counting with equal depth spacing on the porosity image. The practice result is good and reveals the efficiency of our method.

Non-destructive investigation of thermoplastic reinforced composites

DOE PAGES

Hassen, Ahmed; Taheri, Hossein; Vaidya, Uday

2016-05-09

This paper studies various manufacturing defects in glass fiber/Polypropylene (PP) composite parts and their methods of detection. Foreign Object Inclusion (FOI) of different shapes, sizes, and materials were placed in a glass fiber/PP panel made by compression molding. The paper aims to characterize the fiber orientation and fiber related defects such as fiber waviness in the composite specimen. Comprehensive investigation for different Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques, namely X-ray radiography and Ultrasonic Testing (UT) techniques to trace and characterize the embedded defects and the composite texture are presented. Conventional X-ray radiography successfully identified the fiber orientation in two dimension (2-D)more » plane; however, information for the sample depth was not captured. The radiography techniques showed low relative errors for the defect size measurements (maximum error was below 9.5%) when compared to the ultrasonic techniques. Ultrasonic techniques were able to map all the embedded artificial defects. Phase Array (PA) ultrasonic technique was able to precisely locate the FOI in the glass fiber/PP specimen. Nerveless, the shape and size of the defects were not accurately determined due to the high signal attenuation and distortion characteristics of the E-glass fiber.« less

Low-frequency ultrasonic Bessel-like collimated beam generation from radial modes of piezoelectric transducers

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

Chillara, Vamshi Krishna; Pantea, Cristian; Sinha, Dipen N.

We present a very simple approach to generate a collimated ultrasonic beam that exploits the natural Bessel-like vibration pattern of the radial modes of a piezoelectric disc with lateral clamping. This eliminates the need for the conventional annular Bessel pattern of the electrodes with individual electrode excitation on the piezo-disc, thus simplifying the transducer design. Numerical and experimental studies are carried out to investigate the Bessel-like vibration patterns of these radial modes showing an excellent agreement between these two studies. Measured ultrasonic beam- pro les in water from the radial modes con rm the profile to be a Bessel beam.more » Collimated beam generation from radial modes is investigated using a coupled electromechanical finite-element model. It is found that clamping the lateral edges of piezoelectric transducers results in a high-degree of collimation with practically no side-lobes similar to a parametric array beam. Ultrasonic beam- profile measurements in water with both free and clamped piezoelectric transducer are presented. The collimated beam generation using the present technique of using the laterally clamped radial modes finds significant applications in low-frequency imaging through highly attenuating materials.« less

Capability evaluation of ultrasonic cavitation peening at different standoff distances.

PubMed

Bai, Fushi; Saalbach, Kai-Alexander; Long, Yangyang; Twiefel, Jens; Wallaschek, Jörg

2018-03-01

Ultrasonic cavitation peening is a novel surface treatment technology which utilizes the effect of cavitation bubble collapses to improve the properties of metal surfaces. In order to obtain high impact during ultrasonic cavitation peening, a small standoff distance between a sound radiator and a rigid reflector (the surface of treated specimen) is necessary. However, the effects of different standoff distances on the capability of ultrasonic cavitation peening are not yet clear. In this paper, a simplified model was developed to evaluate the cavitation capability at different standoff distances. Meanwhile, to validate the theoretical model, the plastic deformation or erosion on the peening surface before and after treatment were compared. It was found that at a very small standoff distance the impact pressure generated by cavitation bubbles did not cause much deformation or erosion, as the dynamics of cavitation bubbles was limited. At a large standoff distance, due to much attenuation of sound propagation in the bubbly liquid, little impact pressure was generated by the collapse of cavitation bubbles and reached the treated surface. A fixed vibration amplitude, however, corresponded to a standoff distance which caused the largest deformation or erosion on the treated surface. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Damage Characterization and Real-Time Health Monitoring of Aerospace Materials Using Innovative NDE Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matikas, Theodore E.

2010-07-01

The objective of this work is to characterize the damage and monitor in real-time aging structural components used in aerospace applications by means of advanced nondestructive evaluation techniques. Two novel experimental methodologies are used in this study, based on ultrasonic microscopy and nonlinear acoustics. It is demonstrated in this work that ultrasonic microscopy can be successfully utilized for local elastic property measurement, crack-size determination as well as for interfacial damage evaluation in high-temperature materials, such as metal matrix composites. Nonlinear acoustics enables real-time monitoring of material degradation in aerospace structures. When a sinusoidal ultrasonic wave of a given frequency and of sufficient amplitude is introduced into a nonharmonic solid, the fundamental wave distorts as it propagates, and therefore the second and higher harmonics of the fundamental frequency are generated. Measurements of the amplitude of these harmonics provide information on the coefficient of second- and higher-order terms of the stress-strain relation for a nonlinear solid. It is shown in this article that the material bulk nonlinear parameter for metallic alloy samples at different fatigue levels exhibits large changes compared to linear ultrasonic parameters, such as velocity and attenuation.

Phononic Crystal Waveguide Transducers for Nonlinear Elastic Wave Sensing.

PubMed

Ciampa, Francesco; Mankar, Akash; Marini, Andrea

2017-11-07

Second harmonic generation is one of the most sensitive and reliable nonlinear elastic signatures for micro-damage assessment. However, its detection requires powerful amplification systems generating fictitious harmonics that are difficult to discern from pure nonlinear elastic effects. Current state-of-the-art nonlinear ultrasonic methods still involve impractical solutions such as cumbersome signal calibration processes and substantial modifications of the test component in order to create material-based tunable harmonic filters. Here we propose and demonstrate a valid and sensible alternative strategy involving the development of an ultrasonic phononic crystal waveguide transducer that exhibits both single and multiple frequency stop-bands filtering out fictitious second harmonic frequencies. Remarkably, such a sensing device can be easily fabricated and integrated on the surface of the test structure without altering its mechanical and geometrical properties. The design of the phononic crystal structure is supported by a perturbative theoretical model predicting the frequency band-gaps of periodic plates with sinusoidal corrugation. We find our theoretical findings in excellent agreement with experimental testing revealing that the proposed phononic crystal waveguide transducer successfully attenuates second harmonics caused by the ultrasonic equipment, thus demonstrating its wide range of potential applications for acousto/ultrasonic material damage inspection.

Ultrasonic Investigations on Polonides of Ba, Ca, and Pb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Devraj; Bhalla, Vyoma; Bala, Jyoti; Wadhwa, Shikha

2017-10-01

The temperature-dependent mechanical and ultrasonic properties of barium, calcium, and lead polonides (BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo) were investigated in the temperature range 100-300 K. The second- and third-order elastic constants (SOECs and TOECs) were computed using Coulomb and Born-Mayer potential and these in turn have been used to estimate other secondary elastic properties such as strength, anisotropy, microhardness, etc. The theoretical approach followed the prediction that BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo are brittle in nature. PbPo is found to be the hardest amongst the chosen compounds. Further the SOECs and TOECs are applied to determine ultrasonic velocities, Debye temperature, and acoustic coupling constants along <100>, <110>, and <111> orientations at room temperature. Additionally thermal conductivity has been computed using Morelli and Slack's approach along different crystallographic directions at room temperature. Finally ultrasonic attenuation due to phonon-phonon interaction and thermoelastic relaxation mechanisms has been computed for BaPo, CaPo, and PbPo. The behaviour of these compounds is similar to that of semi-metals with thermal relaxation time of the order 10-11 s. The present computation study is reasonably in agreement with the available theoretical data for the similar type of materials.

Preparation of CuO Quantum Dots by Cost-Effective Ultrasonication Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathod, K. N.; Savaliya, Chirag; Babiya, K. R.; Vasvani, S. H.; Ramani, Rupeshkumar V.; Ramani, Bharat M.; Joshi, Ashvini D.; Pandya, Dhiren; Shah, N. A.; Markna, J. H.

Due to exciting size-dependent chemical and physical properties, nanoscale materials have extensive range of applications compared with microstructural particles. CuO nanoparticles are very important among transition metal oxides because of their large number of applications. Quantum dots (QDs) of CuO (copper oxide) were prepared by the innovative ultrasonication method. Ultrasonic sound is used in this synthesis method to synthesize QDs of copper oxide. Structural and optical properties were studied in this research work. X-ray diffraction was used to study the formation of structural phase CuO QDs and found to be single phasic without any impurity. Transmission electron microscopic measurements were performed to study the morphology of QDs of CuO, which confirms spherical QDs with an average diameter of ˜4nm. In optical studies, absorption spectra of the CuO were analyzed by using UV-visible spectroscopy.

Ultrasonic Attenuation of Surface Acoustic Waves in Thin Films of High Transition Temperature Superconducting Niobium-Tin and Niobium-Nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fredricksen, Hans Peter

The ultrasonic attenuation of 600-700 MHz surface acoustic waves by two high T(,c), cubic crystal structure, superconducting thin films has been investigated. The films studied were two, 0.5 (mu) thin, Nb(,3)Sn samples, electron-beam codeposited on LiNbO(,3) and Quartz, and eleven NbN samples from 3 x 10('3) (ANGSTROM) to <(, )200 (ANGSTROM) thin, sputter deposited on LiNbO(,3). The Nb(,3)Sn (Al5 structure) film on Quartz was difficult to measure due to defects in the Quartz caused by the high deposition temperature ((DBLTURN)700(DEGREES)C) used to make the high T(,c) form of the compound. The Nb(,3)Sn film on LiNbO(,3), however, provided information about the transition temperature and energy gap at T = 0 K when the attenuation was measured as a function of temperature in zero magnetic field. A theory is developed to predict the electron-phonon produced normal state attenuation of surface acoustic waves by a thin, loss producing film on a nonattenuating substrate. Using a viscous drag model for the attenuation, the predictions of the theory are compared to the measured normal state attenuation to find the electron mean-free-path for the Nb(,3)Sn film on LiNbO(,3). The attenuation measured for this film as a function of applied magnetic field for four temperatures below T(,c) showed the sample to be an impurity rich type II superconductor with H(,c(,2)) (T = 0 K) = 85 KG, having GLAG theory constants: (kappa)(,2)(t=1) = 28.5 and (kappa)(t=1) = 29.2. The attenuation curves of the nine thickest NbN samples were non-BCS-like and very similar. Measured as a function of temperature only, because we could not reach the high critical fields of the samples, the attenuation showed an initial drop at T(,c) of about 1-2 dB which then leveled off until the temperature was below 0.5 T(,c), where the rate of decrease was much slower than the initial drop. A qualitative description of this behavior is derived from the Kosterlitz-Thouless vortex-antivortex theory. Although the thinnest NbN film did not show an attenuation change at T(,c), the next thinnest did. In this case, the measured decrease of nearly 40 dB is explained by the change in boundary condition when the substrate surface changes from "open" to "shortened" when the film becomes superconducting.

Influence of fused aromatic ring on the stability of charge transfer complex between iodine and some five membered heterocyclic molecules through ultrasonic and spectral studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulagendran, V.; Balu, P.; Kannappan, V.; Kumar, R.; Jayakumar, S.

2017-08-01

The charge transfer (CT) interaction between two fused heterocyclic compounds with basic pyrrole group as donors, viz., indole (IND) and carbazole (CAR), and iodine (acceptor) in DMSO medium is investigated by ultrasonic and UV-visible spectral methods at 303 K. The formation of CT complex in these systems is established from the trend in acoustical and excess thermo acoustical properties with molar concentration. The frequency acoustic spectra (FAS) is also carried out on these two systems for two fixed concentrations 0.002 M and 0.02 M, and in the frequency range 1 MHz-10 MHz to justify the frequency chosen for ultrasonic study. The absorption coefficient values in solution are computed and discussed. The formation constants of these complexes are determined using Kannappan equation in ultrasonic method. The formation of 1:1 complexes between iodine and IND, CAR was established by the theory of Benesi - Hildebrand in the UV-visible spectroscopic method. The stability constants of the CT complexes determined by spectroscopic and ultrasonic methods show a similar trend. These values also indicate that the presence of fused aromatic ring influences significantly when compared with K values of similar CT complexes of parent five membered heterocyclic compound (pyrrole) reported by us earlier.

Measurement of attenuation coefficients of the fundamental and second harmonic waves in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuzeng; Jeong, Hyunjo; Cho, Sungjong; Li, Xiongbing

2016-02-01

Attenuation corrections in nonlinear acoustics play an important role in the study of nonlinear fluids, biomedical imaging, or solid material characterization. The measurement of attenuation coefficients in a nonlinear regime is not easy because they depend on the source pressure and requires accurate diffraction corrections. In this work, the attenuation coefficients of the fundamental and second harmonic waves which come from the absorption of water are measured in nonlinear ultrasonic experiments. Based on the quasilinear theory of the KZK equation, the nonlinear sound field equations are derived and the diffraction correction terms are extracted. The measured sound pressure amplitudes are adjusted first for diffraction corrections in order to reduce the impact on the measurement of attenuation coefficients from diffractions. The attenuation coefficients of the fundamental and second harmonics are calculated precisely from a nonlinear least squares curve-fitting process of the experiment data. The results show that attenuation coefficients in a nonlinear condition depend on both frequency and source pressure, which are much different from a linear regime. In a relatively lower drive pressure, the attenuation coefficients increase linearly with frequency. However, they present the characteristic of nonlinear growth in a high drive pressure. As the diffraction corrections are obtained based on the quasilinear theory, it is important to use an appropriate source pressure for accurate attenuation measurements.

Broadband attenuation measurements of phospholipid-shelled ultrasound contrast agents.

PubMed

Raymond, Jason L; Haworth, Kevin J; Bader, Kenneth B; Radhakrishnan, Kirthi; Griffin, Joseph K; Huang, Shao-Ling; McPherson, David D; Holland, Christy K

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the frequency-dependent acoustic attenuation of three phospholipid-shelled ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs): Definity, MicroMarker and echogenic liposomes. A broadband through-transmission technique allowed for measurement over 2 to 25 MHz with a single pair of transducers. Viscoelastic shell parameters of the UCAs were estimated using a linearized model developed by N. de Jong, L. Hoff, T. Skotland and N. Bom (Ultrasonics 1992; 30:95-103). The effect of diluent on the attenuation of these UCA suspensions was evaluated by performing attenuation measurements in 0.5% (w/v) bovine serum albumin and whole blood. Changes in attenuation and shell parameters of the UCAs were investigated at room temperature (25°C) and physiologic temperature (37°C). The attenuation of the UCAs diluted in 0.5% (w/v) bovine serum albumin was found to be identical to the attenuation of UCAs in whole blood. For each UCA, attenuation was higher at 37°C than at 25°C, underscoring the importance of conducting characterization studies at physiologic temperature. Echogenic liposomes exhibited a larger increase in attenuation at 37°C versus 25°C than either Definity or MicroMarker. Copyright © 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-Contact Evaluation for Articular Cartilage Using Ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, Koji; Nakagawa, Yasuaki; Kuroki, Hiroshi; Nakashima, Keisuke; Ikeuchi, Ken; Mine, Takatomo; Nakamura, Takashi; Kawai, Shinya; Saito, Takashi

In orthopedic field, various new treatments of articular cartilage defect, for example autogenous osteochondral grafts, have been developed. With the spread of these treatments, orthopedists began to focus on the mechanical properties of recovered articular cartilage. The quantitative evaluation of articular cartilage before and after these treatments gives orthopedists the important information to improve these treatments and develop new treatments. We have been investigating the non-contact ultrasonic evaluation for articular cartilage under arthroscopy. In this paper, it was hypothesized that the ultrasonic evaluation depended on the collagen fiber in cartilage. The enzymatically degradation of collagen fiber in cartilage surface was performed. The effect of the degradation on sound velocity, attenuation coefficient and signal intensity, which is the index of cartilage stiffness calculated from the proposed method, was measured. The numerical analysis was performed to clear the relation between the cartilage character and ultrasonic parameters. Experimental and numerical results suggest that the present method can be expanded the sensitive evaluation for cartilage disease in clinical field.

Measurements of ultrasonic backscattered spectral centroid shift from spine in vivo: methodology and preliminary results.

PubMed

Garra, Brian S; Locher, Melanie; Felker, Steven; Wear, Keith A

2009-01-01

Ultrasonic backscatter measurements from vertebral bodies (L3 and L4) in nine women were performed using a clinical ultrasonic imaging system. Measurements were made through the abdomen. The location of a vertebra was identified from the bright specular reflection from the vertebral anterior surface. Backscattered signals were gated to isolate signal emanating from the cancellous interiors of vertebrae. The spectral centroid shift of the backscattered signal, which has previously been shown to correlate highly with bone mineral density (BMD) in human calcaneus in vitro, was measured. BMD was also measured in the nine subjects' vertebrae using a clinical bone densitometer. The correlation coefficient between centroid shift and BMD was r = -0.61. The slope of the linear fit was -160 kHz / (g/cm(2)). The negative slope was expected because the attenuation coefficient (and therefore magnitude of the centroid downshift) is known from previous studies to increase with BMD. The centroid shift may be a useful parameter for characterizing bone in vivo.

Development of chitosan/β-glycerophosphate/glycerol hydrogel as a thermosensitive coupling agent.

PubMed

Huang, Chih-Ling; Chen, Yu-Bin; Lo, Yu-Lung; Lin, Yi-Hsiang

2016-08-20

This work develops a dual-function thermosensitive hydrogel to prevent overheating, a side effect of focused ultrasound therapy. The proposed hydrogel has the components of chitosan, β-glycerophosphate, and glycerol. Its thermosensitive sol-to-gel transition gives an instant signal of overheating without the need of any awkward sensing device. Impacts of varying component concentrations on the sol-to-gel temperature, rate, and degree of transparency are also investigated. Chemical structures and ultrasonic coefficients after heating are obtained with a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultrasonic measurement, respectively. Optimized formula of the proposed hydrogel is 0.5% chitosan, 5% β-glycerophosphate, and 25% glycerol. This hydrogel has a high acoustic impedance (Z=1.8 Mrayl) close to that of human skin, high ultrasonic transmission (T=99%, which is normalized to water) from 25 to 55°C, and low attenuation coefficient (α=4.0Np/m). These properties assure the success of dual functions of the hydrogel developed in this work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of specimen resonances on acoustic-ultrasonic testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, J. H., Jr.; Kahn, E. B.; Lee, S. S.

1983-01-01

The effects of specimen resonances on acoustic ultrasonic (AU) nondestructive testing were investigated. Selected resonant frequencies and the corresponding normal mode nodal patterns of the aluminum block are measured up to 75.64 kHz. Prominent peaks in the pencil lead fracture and sphere impact spectra from the two transducer locations corresponded exactly to resonant frequencies of the block. It is established that the resonant frequencies of the block dominated the spectral content of the output signal. The spectral content of the output signals is further influenced by the transducer location relative to the resonant frequency nodal lines. Implications of the results are discussed in relation to AU parameters and measurements.

Mantle Attenuation Estimated from Regional and Teleseismic P-waves of Deep Earthquakes and Surface Explosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichinose, G.; Woods, M.; Dwyer, J.

2014-03-01

We estimated the network-averaged mantle attenuation t*(total) of 0.5 s beneath the North Korea test site (NKTS) by use of P-wave spectra and normalized spectral stacks from the 25 May 2009 declared nuclear test (mb 4.5; IDC). This value was checked using P-waves from seven deep (580-600 km) earthquakes (4.8 < M w < 5.5) in the Jilin-Heilongjiang, China region that borders with Russia and North Korea. These earthquakes are 200-300 km from the NKTS, within 200 km of the Global Seismic Network seismic station in Mudanjiang, China (MDJ) and the International Monitoring System primary arrays at Ussuriysk, Russia (USRK) and Wonju, Republic of Korea (KSRS). With the deep earthquakes, we split the t*(total) ray path into two segments: a t*(u), that represents the attenuation of the up-going ray from the deep hypocenters to the local-regional receivers, and t*(d), that represents the attenuation along the down-going ray to teleseismic receivers. The sum of t*(u) and t*(d) should be equal to t*(total), because they both share coincident ray paths. We estimated the upper-mantle attenuation t*(u) of 0.1 s at stations MDJ, USRK, and KSRS from individual and stacks of normalized P-wave spectra. We then estimated the average lower-mantle attenuation t*(d) of 0.4 s using stacked teleseismic P-wave spectra. We finally estimated a network average t*(total) of 0.5 s from the stacked teleseismic P-wave spectra from the 2009 nuclear test, which confirms the equality with the sum of t*(u) and t*(d). We included constraints on seismic moment, depth, and radiation pattern by using results from a moment tensor analysis and corner frequencies from modeling of P-wave spectra recorded at local distances. We also avoided finite-faulting effects by excluding earthquakes with complex source time functions. We assumed ω2 source models for earthquakes and explosions. The mantle attenuation beneath the NKTS is clearly different when compared with the network-averaged t* of 0.75 s for the western US and is similar to values of approximately 0.5 s for the Semipalatinsk test site within the 0.5-2 Hz range.

High-Yield Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of Few-Layer MoS2 Nanosheets by Exfoliating Natural Molybdenite Powders Directly via a Coupled Ultrasonication-Milling Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Huina; Chen, Deliang; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Rui

2016-09-01

Cost-effective and scalable preparation of two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been the bottleneck that limits their applications. This paper reports a novel coupled ultrasonication-milling (CUM) process to exfoliate natural molybdenite powders to achieve few-layer MoS2 (FL-MoS2) nanosheets in the solvent of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) molecules. The synergistic effect of ultrasonication and sand milling highly enhanced the exfoliation efficiency, and the precursor of natural molybdenite powders minimizes the synthetic cost of FL-MoS2 nanosheets. The exfoliation of natural molybdenite powders was conducted in a home-made CUM system, mainly consisting of an ultrasonic cell disruptor and a ceramic sand mill. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectra, Raman spectra, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, AFM, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The factors that influence the exfoliation in the CUM process, including the initial concentration of natural molybdenite powders ( C in, 15-55 g L-1), ultrasonic power ( P u, 200-350 W), rotation speed of sand mill ( ω s, 1500-2250 r.p.m), exfoliation time ( t ex, 0.5-6 h), and the molar ratio of PVP unit to MoS2 ( R pm, 0-1), were systematically investigated. Under the optimal CUM conditions (i.e., C in = 45 g L-1, P u = 280 W, ω s = 2250 r.p.m and R pm = 0.5), the yield at t ex = 6 h reaches 21.6 %, and the corresponding exfoliation rate is as high as 1.42 g L-1 h-1. The exfoliation efficiency of the CUM mode is much higher than that of either the ultrasonication (U) mode or the milling (M) mode. The synergistic mechanism and influencing rules of the CUM process in exfoliating natural molybdenite powders were elaborated. The as-obtained FL-MoS2 nanosheets have a high specific surface area of 924 m2 g-1 and show highly enhanced electrocatalytic performance in hydrogen evolution reaction and good electrochemical sensing property in detecting ascorbic acid. The CUM process developed has paved a low-cost, green, and highly efficient way towards FL-MoS2 nanosheets from natural molybdenite powders.

Processing of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene/graphite composites by ultrasonic injection moulding: Taguchi optimization.

PubMed

Sánchez-Sánchez, Xavier; Elias-Zuñiga, Alex; Hernández-Avila, Marcelo

2018-06-01

Ultrasonic injection moulding was confirmed as an efficient processing technique for manufacturing ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/graphite composites. Graphite contents of 1 wt%, 5 wt%, and 7 wt% were mechanically pre-mixed with UHMWPE powder, and each mixture was pressed at 135 °C. A precise quantity of the pre-composites mixtures cut into irregularly shaped small pieces were subjected to ultrasonic injection moulding to fabricate small tensile specimens. The Taguchi method was applied to achieve the optimal level of ultrasonic moulding parameters and to maximize the tensile strength of the composites; the results showed that mould temperature was the most significant parameter, followed by the graphite content and the plunger profile. The observed improvement in tensile strength in the specimen with 1 wt% graphite was of 8.8% and all composites showed an increase in the tensile modulus. Even though the presence of graphite produced a decrease in the crystallinity of all the samples, their thermal stability was considerably higher than that of pure UHMWPE. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the exfoliation and dispersion of the graphite as a function of the ultrasonic processing. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed that the addition of graphite did not influence the molecular structure of the polymer matrix. Further, the ultrasonic energy led oxidative degradation and chain scission in the polymer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of heat, pH, ultrasonication and ethanol on the denaturation of whey protein isolate using a newly developed approach in the analysis of difference-UV spectra.

PubMed

Nikolaidis, Athanasios; Andreadis, Marios; Moschakis, Thomas

2017-10-01

A newly developed method of analysis of difference-UV spectra was successfully implemented in the study of the effect of heat, pH, ultrasonication and ethanol on the denaturation of whey protein isolate. It was found that whey proteins exhibit their highest stability against heat denaturation at pH 3.75. At very low pH values, i.e. 2.5, they exhibited considerable cold denaturation, while after heating at this pH value, the supplementary heat denaturation rate was lower compared to that at neutral pH. The highest heat denaturation rates were observed at pH values higher than neutral. High power sonication on whey proteins, previously heated at 90°C for 30min, resulted in a rather small reduction of the fraction of the heat denatured protein aggregates. Finally, when ethanol was used as a cosolvent in the concentration range 20-50%, a sharp increase in the degree of denaturation, compared to the native protein solution, was observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transmission of 100-MHz-range ultrasound through a fused quartz fiber.

PubMed

Irie, Takasuke; Tagawa, Norio; Tanabe, Masayuki; Moriya, Tadashi; Yoshizawa, Masasumi; Iijima, Takashi; Itoh, Kouichi; Yokoyama, Taku; Kumagai, Hideki; Taniguchi, Nobuyuki

2011-07-01

This paper describes an investigation into direct observation of microscopic images of tissue using a thin acoustic wave guide. First, the characteristics of the ultrasonic wave propagated in a fused quartz fiber were measured using the reflection method in order to study the insertion loss and the frequency shift of the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transducer. Next, a receiving transducer was placed close to the end of the fiber, and the characteristics of the ultrasonic waves propagated through the acoustic coupling medium were measured using the penetration method in order to study the insertion loss and the frequency-dependent attenuation of the penetrated waves. Finally, a C-mode image was obtained by optimizing the measuring conditions using the results of the above measurements and scanning the ultrasonic beams on a target (coin) in water. A reflected wave with a peak frequency of approximately 220 MHz was obtained from the end of the fiber. The transmitted ultrasonic waves propagated through the acoustic coupling medium were detected with a frequency range of approximately 125-170 MHz, and the maximum detectable distance of the waves was approximately 1.2 mm within the 100-MHz frequency range. Finally, a high-frequency C-mode image of a coin in water was obtained using a tapered fused quartz fiber. The results suggest that it is necessary to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and reduce the insertion loss in the experimental system in order to make it possible to obtain microscopic images of tissue.

GPR measurements of attenuation in concrete

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

Eisenmann, David, E-mail: djeisen@cnde.iastate.edu; Margetan, Frank J., E-mail: djeisen@cnde.iastate.edu; Pavel, Brittney, E-mail: djeisen@cnde.iastate.edu

2015-03-31

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) signals from concrete structures are affected by several phenomenon, including: (1) transmission and reflection coefficients at interfaces; (2) the radiation patterns of the antenna(s) being used; and (3) the material properties of concrete and any embedded objects. In this paper we investigate different schemes for determining the electromagnetic (EM) attenuation of concrete from measured signals obtained using commercially-available GPR equipment. We adapt procedures commonly used in ultrasonic inspections where one compares the relative strengths of two or more signals having different travel paths through the material of interest. After correcting for beam spread (i.e., diffraction), interface phenomena,more » and equipment amplification settings, any remaining signal differences are assumed to be due to attenuation thus allowing the attenuation coefficient (say, in dB of loss per inch of travel) to be estimated. We begin with a brief overview of our approach, and then discuss how diffraction corrections were determined for our two 1.6 GHz GPR antennas. We then present results of attenuation measurements for two types of concrete using both pulse/echo and pitch/catch measurement setups.« less

GPR measurements of attenuation in concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenmann, David; Margetan, Frank J.; Pavel, Brittney

2015-03-01

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) signals from concrete structures are affected by several phenomenon, including: (1) transmission and reflection coefficients at interfaces; (2) the radiation patterns of the antenna(s) being used; and (3) the material properties of concrete and any embedded objects. In this paper we investigate different schemes for determining the electromagnetic (EM) attenuation of concrete from measured signals obtained using commercially-available GPR equipment. We adapt procedures commonly used in ultrasonic inspections where one compares the relative strengths of two or more signals having different travel paths through the material of interest. After correcting for beam spread (i.e., diffraction), interface phenomena, and equipment amplification settings, any remaining signal differences are assumed to be due to attenuation thus allowing the attenuation coefficient (say, in dB of loss per inch of travel) to be estimated. We begin with a brief overview of our approach, and then discuss how diffraction corrections were determined for our two 1.6 GHz GPR antennas. We then present results of attenuation measurements for two types of concrete using both pulse/echo and pitch/catch measurement setups.

Simulation of ultrasonic NCF composites testing using 3D finite element model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Z.; Saffari, N.; Fromme, P.

2012-04-01

Composite materials offer many advantages for aerospace applications, e.g., good strength to weight ratio. Different types of composites, such as non-crimp fabrics (NCF), are currently being investigated as they offer reduced manufacturing costs and improved damage tolerance as compared to traditional pre-impregnated composite materials. NCF composites are made from stitched fiber bundles (tows), which typically have a width and thickness in the order of millimeter. This results in strongly inhomogeneous and anisotropic material properties. Different types of manufacturing imperfections, such as porosity, resin pockets, tow crimp and misalignment can lead to reduced material strength and thus to defects following excessive loads or impact, e.g. fracture and delaminations. The ultrasonic non-destructive testing of NCF composites is difficult, as the tow size is comparable to the wavelength, leading to multiple scattering in this inherently three-dimensional structure. For typical material properties and geometry of an NCF composite, a full three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) model has been developed in ABAQUS. The propagation of longitudinal ultrasonic waves has been simulated and the effect of multiple scattering at the fiber tows investigated. The effect of porosity as a typical manufacturing imperfection has been considered. The potential for the detection and quantification of such defects is discussed based on the observed influence on the ultrasonic wave propagation and attenuation.

Real-time Monitoring Of Damage Evolution In Aerospace Materials Using Nonlinear Acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matikas, T. E.; Paipetis, A.; Kostopoulos, V.

2008-06-01

This work deals with the development of a novel non-destructive technique based on nonlinear acoustics, enabling real-time monitoring of material degradation in aerospace structures. When a sinusoidal ultrasonic wave of a given frequency and of sufficient amplitude is introduced into a nonlinear or an-harmonic solid, the fundamental wave distorts as it propagates, so that the second and higher harmonics of the fundamental frequency are generated. The measurement of the amplitude of these harmonics provides information on the coefficient of the second and higher order terms of the stress-strain relation for a nonlinear solid. It is demonstrated here that the material bulk nonlinear parameter for titanium alloy samples at different fatigue levels exhibits large changes compared to linear ultrasonic parameters such as velocity and attenuation. However, the use of bulk ultrasonic waves has serious disadvantages for the health monitoring of aerospace structures since it requires the placement of ultrasonic transducers on two, perfectly parallel, opposite sides of the samples. Such a setup is hardly feasible in real field conditions. For this reason, surface acoustic waves (SAW) were used in this study enabling the in-situ characterization of fatigue damage. The experimental setup for measuring the material nonlinear parameter using SAW was realised and the feasibility of the technique for health monitoring of aerospace structures was evaluated.

3D finite element simulation of non-crimp fabric composites ultrasonic testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Z.; Saffari, N.; Fromme, P.

2012-05-01

Composite materials offer many advantages for aerospace applications, e.g., good strength to weight ratio. Different types of composites, such as non-crimp fabrics (NCF), are currently being investigated as they offer reduced manufacturing costs and improved damage tolerance as compared to traditional pre-impregnated composite materials. NCF composites are made from stitched fiber bundles (tows), which typically have a width and thickness of less than a millimeter. This results in strongly inhomogeneous and anisotropic material properties. Different types of manufacturing imperfections, such as porosity, resin pockets, tow crimp and misalignment can lead to reduced material strength and thus to defects following excessive loads or impact, e.g., fracture and delaminations. The ultrasonic non-destructive testing of NCF composites is difficult, as the tow size is comparable to the wavelength, leading to multiple scattering in this inherently three-dimensional structure. For typical material properties and geometry of an NCF composite, a full three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) model has been developed in ABAQUS. The propagation of longitudinal ultrasonic waves has been simulated and the effect of multiple scattering at the fiber tows investigated. The influence of porosity in the epoxy matrix as a typical manufacturing defect on the ultrasonic wave propagation and attenuation has been studied.

An adjustable multi-scale single beam acoustic tweezers based on ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic transducer.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaoyang; Lam, Kwok Ho; Chen, Ruimin; Chen, Zeyu; Yu, Ping; Chen, Zhongping; Shung, K Kirk; Zhou, Qifa

2017-11-01

This paper reports the fabrication, characterization, and microparticle manipulation capability of an adjustable multi-scale single beam acoustic tweezers (SBAT) that is capable of flexibly changing the size of "tweezers" like ordinary metal tweezers with a single-element ultrahigh frequency (UHF) ultrasonic transducer. The measured resonant frequency of the developed transducer at 526 MHz is the highest frequency of piezoelectric single crystal based ultrasonic transducers ever reported. This focused UHF ultrasonic transducer exhibits a wide bandwidth (95.5% at -10 dB) due to high attenuation of high-frequency ultrasound wave, which allows the SBAT effectively excite with a wide range of excitation frequency from 150 to 400 MHz by using the "piezoelectric actuator" model. Through controlling the excitation frequency, the wavelength of ultrasound emitted from the SBAT can be changed to selectively manipulate a single microparticle of different sizes (3-100 μm) by using only one transducer. This concept of flexibly changing "tweezers" size is firstly introduced into the study of SBAT. At the same time, it was found that this incident ultrasound wavelength play an important role in lateral trapping and manipulation for microparticle of different sizes. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2637-2647. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Acoustic phonon dispersion at hypersonic frequencies in Si and Ge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuok, M. H.; Ng, S. C.; Rang, Z. L.; Lockwood, D. J.

2000-11-01

Brillouin spectra of the longitudinal acoustic (LA) mode, traveling along the [001] direction, in silicon and germanium have been recorded in 180° backscattering using 457.9-514.5-nm laser lines. The wave velocity of the LA phonon propagating in the [001] direction was determined at hypersonic frequencies, from the measured acoustic phonon dispersion in silicon and germanium. The elastic modulus c11 of the two semiconductors has been calculated from the respective measured hypersonic wave velocities and the results are compared with values determined from lower-frequency ultrasonic and other measurements. Interestingly, the hypersonic velocities are consistently lower by ~1-2 % than the ultrasonic ones, but they generally agree within the present experimental accuracy.

Frequency spectrum analysis of laser generated ultrasonic waves in ablative regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mi, Bao; Ume, I. Charles

2002-05-01

In this paper, laser ultrasonic signals generated in ablative regime are measured in a number of metal samples (2024 Al, 6061 Al, 7075 Al, mild steel, and copper) with a broadband laser interferometer. The frequency spectra are analyzed and compared for different thicknesses (50.8 mm, 25.4 mm, 12.7 mm, and 6.4 mm), and for different power densities. Hanning windowing is applied before frequency analysis is performed. The experimental data match the theoretical predictions very well. The results show that the frequency spectrum extends from 0 to 15 MHz, while the center frequency occurs near 2 MHz. The detailed distribution of the spectrum is dependent on the material, thickness, and laser power density.

Potassium dichromate method of coal gasification the study of the typical organic compounds in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quan, Jiankang; Qu, Guangfei; Dong, Zhanneng; Lu, Pei; Cai, Yingying; Wang, Shibo

2017-05-01

The national standard method is adopted in this paper the water - digestion spectrophotometry for determination of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), after ultrasonic processing of coal gasification water for CODCr measurement. Using the control variable method, measured in different solution pH, ultrasonic frequency, ultrasonic power, reaction conditions of different initial solution concentration, the change of coal gasification water CODCr value under the action of ultrasonic, the experimental results shows that appear when measurement is allowed to fluctuate, data, in order to explain the phenomenon we adopt the combination of the high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry before and after ultrasonic coal gasification qualitative analysis on composition of organic matter in water. To raw water sample chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis, combined with the spectra analysis of each peak stands for material, select coal gasification typical organic substances in water, with the method of single digestion, the equivalent CODCr values measured after digestion. Order to produce, coal gasification water contained high concentration organic wastewater, such as the national standard method is adopted to eliminate the organic material, therefore to measure the CODCr value is lower than actual CODCr value of the emergence of the phenomenon, the experiment of the effect of ultrasound [9-13] is promote the complex organic chain rupture, also explains the actual measurement data fluctuation phenomenon in the experiment.

Airborne non-contact and contact broadband ultrasounds for frequency attenuation profile estimation of cementitious materials.

PubMed

Gosálbez, J; Wright, W M D; Jiang, W; Carrión, A; Genovés, V; Bosch, I

2018-08-01

In this paper, the study of frequency-dependent ultrasonic attenuation in strongly heterogeneous cementitious materials is addressed. To accurately determine the attenuation over a wide frequency range, it is necessary to have suitable excitation techniques. We have analysed two kinds of ultrasound techniques: contact ultrasound and airborne non-contact ultrasound. The mathematical formulation for frequency-dependent attenuation has been established and it has been revealed that each technique may achieve similar results but requires specific different calibration processes. In particular, the airborne non-contact technique suffers high attenuation due to energy losses at the air-material interfaces. Thus, its bandwidth is limited to low frequencies but it does not require physical contact between transducer and specimen. In contrast, the classical contact technique can manage higher frequencies but the measurement depends on the pressure between the transducer and the specimen. Cement specimens have been tested with both techniques and frequency attenuation dependence has been estimated. Similar results were achieved at overlapping bandwidth and it has been demonstrated that the airborne non-contact ultrasound technique could be a viable alternative to the classical contact technique. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Backscatter and attenuation properties of mammalian brain tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijekularatne, Pushpani Vihara

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a common category of brain injuries, which contributes to a substantial number of deaths and permanent disability all over the world. Ultrasound technology plays a major role in tissue characterization due to its low cost and portability that could be used to bridge a wide gap in the TBI diagnostic process. This research addresses the ultrasonic properties of mammalian brain tissues focusing on backscatter and attenuation. Orientation dependence and spatial averaging of data were analyzed using the same method resulting from insertion of tissue sample between a transducer and a reference reflector. Apparent backscatter transfer function (ABTF) at 1 to 10 MHz, attenuation coefficient and backscatter coefficient (BSC) at 1 to 5 MHz frequency ranges were measured on ovine brain tissue samples. The resulting ABTF was a monotonically decreasing function of frequency and the attenuation coefficient and BSC generally were increasing functions of frequency, results consistent with other soft tissues such as liver, blood and heart.

Novel characterization method for fibrous materials using non-contact acoustics: material properties revealed by ultrasonic perturbations.

PubMed

Periyaswamy, Thamizhisai; Balasubramanian, Karthikeyan; Pastore, Christopher

2015-02-01

Fibrous materials are unique hierarchical complex structures exhibiting a range of mechanical, thermal, optical and electrical properties. The inherent discontinuity at micro and macro levels, heterogeneity and multi-scale porosity differentiates fibrous materials from other engineering materials that are typically continuum in nature. These structural complexities greatly influence the techniques and modalities that can be applied to characterize fibrous materials. Typically, the material response to an applied external force is measured and used as a characteristic number of the specimen. In general, a range of equipment is in use to obtain these numbers to signify the material properties. Nevertheless, obtaining these numbers for materials like fiber ensembles is often time consuming, destructive, and requires multiple modalities. It is hypothesized that the material response to an applied acoustic frequency would provide a robust alternative characterization mode for rapid and non-destructive material analysis. This research proposes applying air-coupled ultrasonic acoustics to characterize fibrous materials. Ultrasonic frequency waves transmitted through fibrous assemblies were feature extracted to understand the correlation between the applied frequency and the material properties. Mechanical and thermal characteristics were analyzed using ultrasonic features such as time of flight, signal velocity, power and the rate of attenuation of signal amplitude. Subsequently, these temporal and spectral characteristics were mapped with the standard low-stress mechanical and thermal properties via an empirical artificial intelligence engine. A high correlation of >0.92 (S.D. 0.06) was observed between the ultrasonic features and the standard measurements. The proposed ultrasonic technique can be used toward rapid characterization of dynamic behavior of flexible fibrous assemblies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Artifact Correction in Temperature-Dependent Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared (ATR-IR) Spectra.

PubMed

Sobieski, Brian; Chase, Bruce; Noda, Isao; Rabolt, John

2017-08-01

A spectral processing method was developed and tested for analyzing temperature-dependent attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectra of aliphatic polyesters. Spectra of a bio-based, biodegradable polymer, 3.9 mol% 3HHx poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate- co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate] (PHBHx), were analyzed and corrected prior to analysis using two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS). Removal of the temperature variation of diamond absorbance, correction of the baseline, ATR correction, and appropriate normalization were key to generating more reliable data. Both the processing steps and order were important. A comparison to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that the normalization method should be chosen with caution to avoid unintentional trends and distortions of the crystalline sensitive bands.

European Scientific Notes. Volume 36, Number 9

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-30

studies of super- One of the chief reasons the’ foregoing "conducting tunneling, ultrasonic attenuation , activity was initiated was the historical...paper entitled "The Effect of HTPB propellant and binder. Results from tests Polymer Characteristics on Propellant using 105-mm munitions show that...polybutadiene ( HTPB ) composite solid Dr. A. Iwama (Institute of Space and propellants. The influence of the polymer Astronautical Science, Tokyo, Japan

AFAL (Air Force Astronautics Laboratory) Technical Objective Document FY89.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

propellant manufacture that arc s Wu’ ’ " - applications. TITLE: Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation fur Solid ’nu -! , c.. Performance Period: Jul 88...Develop and demonstrate a stabilizer system for (GAP propellants that provides protection equal to that achieved in HTPB propellants. Formulate GAP...monitoring equipment will be used to determine propagation and attenuation effects. 95 TITLE: Advanced Nuclear Propulsion Performance Period: Jan 89

Application of ultrasonic signature analysis for fatigue detection in complex structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, A. J.

1974-01-01

Ultrasonic signature analysis shows promise of being a singularly well-suited method for detecting fatigue in structures as complex as aircraft. The method employs instrumentation centered about a Fourier analyzer system, which features analog-to-digital conversion, digital data processing, and digital display of cross-correlation functions and cross-spectra. These features are essential to the analysis of ultrasonic signatures according to the procedure described here. In order to establish the feasibility of the method, the initial experiments were confined to simple plates with simulated and fatigue-induced defects respectively. In the first test the signature proved sensitive to the size of a small hole drilled into the plate. In the second test, performed on a series of fatigue-loaded plates, the signature proved capable of indicating both the initial appearance and subsequent growth of a fatigue crack. In view of these encouraging results it is concluded that the method has reached a sufficiently advanced stage of development to warrant application to small-scale structures or even actual aircraft.

Influence of CeO2 on structural properties of glasses by using ultrasonic technique: comparison between the local sand and SiO2.

PubMed

Laopaiboon, Raewat; Bootjomchai, Cherdsak

2013-04-01

Comparison between the local sand and SiO2 with different compositions of CeO2 on the structural properties of glasses was carried out by using ultrasonic technique. The ultrasonic velocities were measured by the pulse echo technique with a frequency of 4 MHz and at room temperature. From these obtained velocities and densities, various elastic moduli, micro-hardness and Poisson's ratio were calculated. The interesting point of the bulk modulus (SiO2 glass system) decreases at x = 1.25 mol.% initially before it turns to increase between x = 3.75 and x = 5.00 mol.%. While the bulk modulus of the local sand glass system is near constant. FTIR spectra were used to study the structural properties of the prepared glass system. The results supported our discussion of the formation of non-bridging oxygens (NBO) and bridging oxygens (BO). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation and characterization of cellulose nanofibers from bamboo using microwave liquefaction combined with chemical treatment and ultrasonication.

PubMed

Xie, Jiulong; Hse, Chung-Yun; De Hoop, Cornelis F; Hu, Tingxing; Qi, Jinqiu; Shupe, Todd F

2016-10-20

Cellulose nanofibers were successfully isolated from bamboo using microwave liquefaction combined with chemical treatment and ultrasonic nanofibrillation processes. The microwave liquefaction could eliminate almost all the lignin in bamboo, resulting in high cellulose content residues within 7min, and the cellulose enriched residues could be readily purified by subsequent chemical treatments with lower chemical charging and quickly. The results of wet chemistry analyses, SEM images, and FTIR and X-ray spectra indicated the combination of microwave liquefaction and chemical treatment was significantly efficient in removing non-cellulosic compounds. Ultrasonication was used to separate the nanofibrils from the purified residues to extract nanofibers. The TEM images confirmed the presence of elementary fibrils, nano-sized fibril bundles, and aggregated fibril bundles. As evidenced by the TGA analysis, cellulose nanofibers isolated by this novel technique had high thermal stability indicating that the isolated nanofibers could possibly be applied as reinforcing elements in biomaterials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inspection of baked carbon anodes using a combination of multi-spectral acousto-ultrasonic techniques and principal component analysis.

PubMed

Boubaker, Moez Ben; Picard, Donald; Duchesne, Carl; Tessier, Jayson; Alamdari, Houshang; Fafard, Mario

2018-05-17

This paper reports on the application of an acousto-ultrasonic (AU) scheme for the inspection of industrial-size carbon anode blocks used in the production of primary aluminium by the Hall-Héroult process. A frequency-modulated wave is used to excite the anode blocks at multiple points. The collected attenuated AU signals are decomposed using the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DTW) after which vectors of features are calculated. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is utilized to cluster the AU responses of the anodes. The approach allows locating cracks in the blocks and the AU features were found sensitive to crack severity. The results are validated using images collected after cutting some anodes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non Destructive Analysis of Fsw Welds using Ultrasonic Signal Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavan Kumar, T.; Prabhakar Reddy, P.

2017-08-01

Friction Stir Welding is an evolving metal joining technique and is mostly used in joining materials which cannot be easily joined by other available welding techniques. It is a technique which can be used for welding dissimilar materials also. The strength of the weld joint is determined by the way in which these material are mixing with each other, since we are not using any filler material for the welding process the intermixing has a significant importance. The complication with the friction stir welding process is that there are many process parameters which effect this intermixing process such as tool geometry, rotating speed of the tool, transverse speed etc., In this study an attempt is made to compare the material flow and weld quality of various weldments by changing the parameters. Ultrasonic signal Analysis is used to characterize the microstructure of the weldments. use of ultrasonic waves is a non destructive, accurate and fast way of characterization of microstructure. In this method the relationship between the ultrasonic measured parameters and microstructures are evaluated using background echo and backscattered signal process techniques. The ultrasonic velocity and attenuation measurements are dependent on the elastic modulus and any change in the microstructure is reflected in the ultrasonic velocity. An insight into material flow is essential to determine the quality of the weld. Hence an attempt is made in this study to know the relationship between tool geometry and the pattern of material flow and resulting weld quality the experiments are conducted to weld dissimilar aluminum alloys and the weldments are characterized using and ultra Sonic signal processing. Characterization is also done using Scanning Electron Microscopy. It is observed that there is a good correlation between the ultrasonic signal processing results and Scanning Electron Microscopy on the observed precipitates. Tensile tests and hardness tests are conducted on the weldments and compared for determining the weld quality.

The reclaiming of butyl rubber and in-situ compatibilization of thermoplastic elastomer by power ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Wenlai

This is a study of the continuous ultrasound aided extrusion process for the in-situ compatibilization of isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/ethylene-propylene diene rubber (EPDM) thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) using a newly developed ultrasonic treatment reactor. The rheological, mechanical properties and morphology of the TPE with and without ultrasonic treatment were studied. In-situ compatibilization in the ultrasonically treated blends was observed as evident by their more stable morphology after annealing, improved mechanical properties and IR spectra. The obtained results indicated that ultrasonic treatment induced the thermo-mechanical degradations and led to the possibility of enhanced molecular transport and chemical reactions at the interfaces. Processing conditions were established for enhanced in situ compatibilization of the PP/EPDM TPE. The ultrasonic treatments of butyl rubber gum and ultrasonic devulcanization of butyl rubber, tire-curing bladder during extrusion using a grooved barrel ultrasonic reactor were carried out. The ultrasonic treatment of gum caused degradation of the polymer main chain leading to lower molecular weight, broader molecular weight distribution, less unsaturation and changes in physical properties. The devulcanization of butyl rubber was successfully accomplished only at severe conditions of ultrasonic treatment. The mechanical properties of vulcanizates prepared from devulcanized butyl rubber are comparable to that of the virgin vulcanizate. The molecular characterization of sol fraction of devulcanized butyl rubber showed the devulcanization and degradation of butyl rubber occurred simultaneously. 1H NMR transverse relaxation was also used to study butyl rubber gum before and after ultrasonic treatment, and ultrasonically devulcanized unfilled butyl rubber. The T2 relaxation decays were successfully described using a two-component model. The recyclability of tire-curing bladder was also investigated. Gel fraction, crosslink density, cure behavior, dynamic properties and mechanical properties were measured. Good mechanical properties of revulcanized rubber were achieved by blending devulcanized rubber with the carbon black filled virgin butyl rubber. The structural characteristics of devulcanized butyl rubber were simulated using the Dobson-Gordon theory of rubber network statistics. A fairly good agreement between experimental data and theoretical prediction on normalized gel fraction vs. normalized crosslink density was achieved. The simulation of devulcanized butyl rubber indicated that the rate of crosslink rupture is much higher than that of the main chain.

Further testing and development of simulation models for UT inspections of armor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margetan, Frank J.; Richter, Nathaniel; Thompson, R. Bruce

2012-05-01

In previous work we introduced an approach for simulating ultrasonic pulse/echo immersion inspections of multi-layer armor panels. Model inputs include the thickness, density, velocity and attenuation of each armor layer, the focal properties of the transducer, and a measured calibration signal. The basic model output is a response-versus-time waveform (ultrasonic A-scan) which includes echoes from all interfaces including those arising from reverberations within layers. Such A-scans can be predicted both for unflawed panels and panels containing a large disbond at any given interface. In this paper we continue our testing of the simulation software, applying it now to an armor panel consisting of SiC ceramic tiles fully embedded in a titanium-alloy matrix. An interesting specimen of such armor became available in which some tile/metal interfaces appear to be well bonded, while others have disbonded areas of various sizes. We compare measured and predicted A-scans for UT inspections, and also demonstrate an extension of the model to predict ultrasonic C-scans over regions containing a small, isolated disbond.

Ultrahigh Frequency Lensless Ultrasonic Transducers for Acoustic Tweezers Application

PubMed Central

Hsu, Hsiu-Sheng; Li, Ying; Lee, Changyang; Lin, Anderson; Zhou, Qifa; Kim, Eun Sok; Shung, Kirk Koping

2014-01-01

Similar to optical tweezers, a tightly focused ultrasound microbeam is needed to manipulate microparticles in acoustic tweezers. The development of highly sensitive ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic transducers is crucial for trapping particles or cells with a size of a few microns. As an extra lens would cause excessive attenuation at ultrahigh frequencies, two types of 200-MHz lensless transducer design were developed as an ultrasound microbeam device for acoustic tweezers application. Lithium niobate single crystal press-focused (PF) transducer and zinc oxide self-focused transducer were designed, fabricated and characterized. Tightly focused acoustic beams produced by these transducers were shown to be capable of manipulating single microspheres as small as 5 μm two-dimensionally within a range of hundreds of micrometers in distilled water. The size of the trapped microspheres is the smallest ever reported in the literature of acoustic PF devices. These results suggest that these lensless ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic transducers are capable of manipulating particles at the cellular level and that acoustic tweezers may be a useful tool to manipulate a single cell or molecule for a wide range of biomedical applications. PMID:23042219

Ultrasonic computed tomography imaging of iron oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perlman, Or; Azhari, Haim

2017-02-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are becoming increasingly used and intensively investigated in the field of medical imaging. They are currently FDA approved for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and it would be highly desirable to visualize them by ultrasound as well. Previous reports using the conventional ultrasound B-scan (pulse-echo) imaging technique have shown very limited detectability of these particles. The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of imaging IONPs using the through-transmission ultrasound methodology and demonstrate their detectability using ultrasonic computed tomography (UCT). Commercially available IONPs were acoustically analysed to quantify their effect on the speed of sound (SOS) and acoustic attenuation as a function of concentration. Next, through-transmission projection and UCT imaging were performed on a breast mimicking phantom and on an ex vivo tissue model, to which IONPs were injected. Finally, an MRI scan was performed to verify that the same particles examined in the ultrasound experiment can be imaged by magnetic resonance, using the same clinically relevant concentrations. The results have shown a consistent concentration dependent speed of sound increase (1.86 \\text{m}{{\\text{s}}^{-1}} rise per 100 µg · ml-1 IONPs). Imaging based on this property has shown a substantial contrast-to-noise ratio improvement (up to 5 fold, p  <  0.01). The SOS-related effect generated a well discernible image contrast and allowed the detection of the particles existence and location, in both raster-scan projection and UCT imaging. Conversely, no significant change in the acoustic attenuation coefficient was noted. Based on these findings, it is concluded that IONPs can be used as an effective SOS-based contrast agent, potentially useful for ultrasonic breast imaging. Furthermore, the particle offers the capacity of significantly enhancing diagnosis accuracy using multimodal MRI-ultrasound imaging capabilities.

Anisotropy of the apparent frequency dependence of backscatter in formalin fixed human myocardium.

PubMed

Hall, C S; Verdonk, E D; Wickline, S A; Perez, J E; Miller, J G

1997-01-01

Measurements of the frequency dependence of ultrasonic backscatter are presented for specific angles of insonification for regions of infarcted and noninfarcted human myocardium. A 5-MHz transducer was used to insonify cylindrical cores taken from 7 noninfarcted regions and 12 infarcted regions of the left ventricular free wall of 6 formalin-fixed human hearts explanted because of ischemic cardiomyopathy. The dependence of apparent (uncompensated for diffraction effects and attenuation) backscatter on frequency was approximated by a power-law dependence, magnitude of B(f)2 = afn. Under ideal conditions in a lossless medium, the effect of not compensating for the effects of diffraction and attenuation leads to the value of n to be 2.0 for Rayleigh scatterers while the frequency dependence of the fully compensated backscatter coefficient would be f4. The value of n was determined over the frequency range, 3-7 MHz. Both nonifarcted and infarcted myocardium exhibited anisotropy of the frequency dependence of backscatter, with maxima occurring at angles that were perpendicular to the predominant myofiber direction and minima when parallel to the fibers. Perpendicular insonification yielded results for n of 1.8 +/- 0.1 for noninfarcted myocardium and 1.2 +/- 0.1 for infarcted myocardium while parallel insonification yielded results of 0.4 +/- 0.1 for noninfarcted and 0.0 +/- 0.1 for infarcted myocardium. The functional form of the angle-dependent backscatter is similar for both noninfarcted and infarcted myocardium, although the frequency dependence is clearly different for both tissue states for all angles of insonification. The results of this study indicate that the anisotropy of the frequency dependence of backscatter may play a significant role in ultrasonic imaging and is an important consideration for ultrasonic tissue characterization in myocardium.

An investigation of the use of transmission ultrasound to measure acoustic attenuation changes in thermal therapy.

PubMed

Parmar, Neeta; Kolios, Michael C

2006-07-01

The potential of using a commercial ultrasound transmission imaging system to quantitatively monitor tissue attenuation changes after thermal therapy was investigated. The ultrasound transmission imaging system used, the AcoustoCam (Imperium Inc., MD) allows ultrasonic images to be captured using principles similar to that of a CCD-type camera that collects light. Ultrasound energy is focused onto a piezoelectric array by an acoustic lens system, creating a gray scale acoustic image. In this work, the pixel values from the acoustic images were assigned acoustic attenuation values by imaging polyacrylamide phantoms of varying known attenuation. After the calibration procedure, data from heated polyacrylamide/bovine serum albumin (BSA) based tissue-mimicking (TM) phantoms and porcine livers were acquired. Samples were heated in water at temperatures of 35, 45, 55, 65, and 75 degrees C for 1 h. Regions of interest were chosen in the images and acoustic attenuation values before and after heating were compared. An increase in ultrasound attenuation was found in phantoms containing BSA and in porcine liver. In the presence of BSA, attenuation in the TM phantom increased by a factor of 1.5, while without BSA no significant changes were observed. The attenuation of the porcine liver increased by up to a factor of 2.4, consistent with previously reported studies. The study demonstrates the feasibility of using a quantitative ultrasound transmission imaging system for monitoring thermal therapy.

High-Yield Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of Few-Layer MoS2 Nanosheets by Exfoliating Natural Molybdenite Powders Directly via a Coupled Ultrasonication-Milling Process.

PubMed

Dong, Huina; Chen, Deliang; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Rui

2016-12-01

Cost-effective and scalable preparation of two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been the bottleneck that limits their applications. This paper reports a novel coupled ultrasonication-milling (CUM) process to exfoliate natural molybdenite powders to achieve few-layer MoS2 (FL-MoS2) nanosheets in the solvent of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) molecules. The synergistic effect of ultrasonication and sand milling highly enhanced the exfoliation efficiency, and the precursor of natural molybdenite powders minimizes the synthetic cost of FL-MoS2 nanosheets. The exfoliation of natural molybdenite powders was conducted in a home-made CUM system, mainly consisting of an ultrasonic cell disruptor and a ceramic sand mill. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectra, Raman spectra, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, AFM, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The factors that influence the exfoliation in the CUM process, including the initial concentration of natural molybdenite powders (C in, 15-55 g L(-1)), ultrasonic power (P u, 200-350 W), rotation speed of sand mill (ω s, 1500-2250 r.p.m), exfoliation time (t ex, 0.5-6 h), and the molar ratio of PVP unit to MoS2 (R pm, 0-1), were systematically investigated. Under the optimal CUM conditions (i.e., C in = 45 g L(-1), P u = 280 W, ω s = 2250 r.p.m and R pm = 0.5), the yield at t ex = 6 h reaches 21.6 %, and the corresponding exfoliation rate is as high as 1.42 g L(-1) h(-1). The exfoliation efficiency of the CUM mode is much higher than that of either the ultrasonication (U) mode or the milling (M) mode. The synergistic mechanism and influencing rules of the CUM process in exfoliating natural molybdenite powders were elaborated. The as-obtained FL-MoS2 nanosheets have a high specific surface area of 924 m(2) g(-1) and show highly enhanced electrocatalytic performance in hydrogen evolution reaction and good electrochemical sensing property in detecting ascorbic acid. The CUM process developed has paved a low-cost, green, and highly efficient way towards FL-MoS2 nanosheets from natural molybdenite powders.

Ultrasonic surface measurements at the Porta Nigra, Trier, and the Neptungrotte, Park Sanssouci Potsdam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, Thomas; Auras, Michael; Fehr, Moritz; Köhn, Daniel

2015-04-01

Ultrasonic measurements along profiles at the surface of an object are well suited to characterize non-destructively weathering of natural stone near the surface. Ultrasonic waveforms of surface measurements in the frequency range between 10 kHz and 300 kHz are often dominated by the Rayleigh wave - a surface wave that is mainly sensitive to the velocity and attenuation of S-waves in the upper 0.3 cm to 3 cm. The frequency dependence of the Rayleigh wave velocity may be used to analyze variations of the material properties with depth. Applications of ultrasonic surface measurements are shown for two buildings: the Roman Porta Nigra in Trier from the 3rd century AD and the Neptungrotte at Park Sanssouci in Potsdam designed by von Knobelsdorff in the 18th century. Both buildings belong to the world cultural heritage and restorations are planned for the near future. It is interesting to compare measurements at these two buildings because they show the applicability of ultrasonic surface measurements to different natural stones. The Porta Nigra is made of local sandstones whereas the facades of the Neptungrotte are made of Carrara and Kauffunger marble. 71 and 46 surface measurements have been carried out, respectively. At both buildings, Rayleigh-wave group velocities show huge variations. At the Porta Nigra they vary between ca. 0.4 km/s and 1.8 km/s and at the Neptungrotte between ca. 0.7 km/s and 3.0 km/s pointing to alterations in the Rayleigh- and S-wave velocities of more than 50 % due to weathering. Note that velocities of elastic waves may increase e.g. because of the formation of black crusts like at the Porta Nigra or they may be strongly reduced due to weathering. The accuracy of the ultrasonic surface measurements, its reproducibility, and the influence of varying water saturation are discussed. Options for the analysis of ultrasonic waveforms are presented ranging from dispersion analysis to full waveform inversions for one-dimensional and two-dimensional models of the outermost layers of the object under investigation. Furthermore, results of non-destructive ultrasonic surface measurements are compared to results of destructive investigation techniques.

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

Sisniega, A.; Vaquero, J. J., E-mail: juanjose.vaquero@uc3m.es; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid ES28007

Purpose: The availability of accurate and simple models for the estimation of x-ray spectra is of great importance for system simulation, optimization, or inclusion of photon energy information into data processing. There is a variety of publicly available tools for estimation of x-ray spectra in radiology and mammography. However, most of these models cannot be used directly for modeling microfocus x-ray sources due to differences in inherent filtration, energy range and/or anode material. For this reason the authors propose in this work a new model for the simulation of microfocus spectra based on existing models for mammography and radiology, modifiedmore » to compensate for the effects of inherent filtration and energy range. Methods: The authors used the radiology and mammography versions of an existing empirical model [tungsten anode spectral model interpolating polynomials (TASMIP)] as the basis of the microfocus model. First, the authors estimated the inherent filtration included in the radiology model by comparing the shape of the spectra with spectra from the mammography model. Afterwards, the authors built a unified spectra dataset by combining both models and, finally, they estimated the parameters of the new version of TASMIP for microfocus sources by calibrating against experimental exposure data from a microfocus x-ray source. The model was validated by comparing estimated and experimental exposure and attenuation data for different attenuating materials and x-ray beam peak energy values, using two different x-ray tubes. Results: Inherent filtration for the radiology spectra from TASMIP was found to be equivalent to 1.68 mm Al, as compared to spectra obtained from the mammography model. To match the experimentally measured exposure data the combined dataset required to apply a negative filtration of about 0.21 mm Al and an anode roughness of 0.003 mm W. The validation of the model against real acquired data showed errors in exposure and attenuation in line with those reported for other models for radiology or mammography. Conclusions: A new version of the TASMIP model for the estimation of x-ray spectra in microfocus x-ray sources has been developed and validated experimentally. Similarly to other versions of TASMIP, the estimation of spectra is very simple, involving only the evaluation of polynomial expressions.« less

Novel Directional Solidification Processing of Hypermonotectic Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaukler, William; Fedoseyev, Alex

2002-01-01

A model has been developed that determines the size of Liquid (sub 11) droplets generated during application of ultrasonic energy (as a function of amplitude) to immiscible alloys. The initial results are in accordance with experimental results based on Succinonitrile - Glycerol "alloys" and pure tin dispersions. Future work will take into account the importance of other effects, e.g., thermo-vibrational convection, sound attenuation, viscosity variations, and compositional changes.

Statistical Properties of Echosignal Obtained from Human Dermis In Vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piotrzkowska, Hanna; Litniewski, Jerzy; Nowicki, Andrzej; Szymańska, Elżbieta

The paper presents the classification of the healthy skin and the skin lesions (basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis), basing on the statistical parameters of the envelope of ultrasonic echoes. The envelope was modeled using Rayleigh and non-Rayleigh (K-distribution) statistics. Furthermore, the characteristic parameter of the K-distribution, the effective number of scatterers was investigated. Also the attenuation coefficient was used for the skin lesion assessment.

Ultrasonic Attenuation in Normal and Superconducting Indium.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-22

dimension x space coordinate, dislocation displacement dislocation displacement y space coordinate.1z space coordinate x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author...The driving force on the dislocation is given by: F=bO (2.7) In general, the dislocation displacement will be a function of three space coordinates...mm diameter, 50 Q impedance coaxial conductors 47 * made of stainless steel and teflon . The cavity button is soldered * directly to the rigid

Quasisubharmonic vibrations in metal plates excited by high-power ultrasonic pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhao-jiang; Zhang, Shu-yi; Zheng, Kai; Kuo, Pao-kuang

2009-07-01

Strongly nonlinear vibration phenomena in metal plates excited by high-power ultrasonic pulses in different conditions are studied experimentally and theoretically. The experimental conditions for generating quasisubharmonics and subharmonics are found and discussed. The plate vibrations are characterized by waveforms, frequency spectra, pseudostate portraits, and Poincaré maps. Then, a three-degree-of-freedom vibroimpact-dynamic model is presented to explore the generation mechanisms of the quasisubharmonic and subharmonic vibrations in the plates. According to the model, the intermittent contact-impact forces caused by the interactions between the transducer horn tip and the plate are considered as the main source for generating the complex nonlinear vibration in the plate. The numerical calculation results can explain reasonably the observed experimental phenomena.

Use of an ultrasonic-acoustic technique for nondestructive evaluation of fiber composite strength

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.; Bowles, K. J.

1978-01-01

Details of the method used to measure the stress wave factor are described. Frequency spectra of the stress waves are analyzed in order to clarify the nature of the wave phenomena involved. The stress wave factor was measured with simple contact probes requiring only one-side access to a part. This is beneficial in nondestructive evaluations because the waves can run parallel to fiber directions and thus measure material properties in directions assumed by actual loads. The technique can be applied where conventional through transmission techniques are impractical or where more quantitative data are required. The stress wave factor was measured for a series of graphite/polyimide composite panels, and results obtained are compared with through transmission immersion ultrasonic scans.

Acoustic and Acousto-Optic Characteristics of Silicon Nanofoam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iino, Takeshi; Nakamura, Kentaro

2009-07-01

Silicon nanofoam is a porous material with a nanometer structure produced through a sol-gel process, and is used as a heat insulator. It is expected that the nanofoam may work as a good acoustic matching layer of an airborne ultrasonic transducer for highly sensitive and wideband ultrasound transmission/detection since the nanofoam has an extremely low acoustic impedance. The nanofoam may also have a possibility as an acousto-optic device because of its very low sound speed and optical transparency. In this study, we have estimated the fundamental acoustic characteristics of the nanofoam through acousto-optic measurements. Sound speed and acoustic attenuation were measured in the frequency range from 130 to 444 kHz using rectangular samples attached to a piezoelectric transducer. The sound speed and acoustic attenuation constant were approximately in the 140-150 m/s range and 4.3 ×10-11f1.9 dB/(mm·Hz1.9), respectively. It was observed that the change rate in the optical refractive index of the nanofoam owing to sound pressure was approximately in the range of (1.2-1.6) ×10-8 1/Pa. Raman-Nath diffraction occurred at a relatively low frequency since the sound speed is low. We also observed modulation in the polarization of the transmitted light owing to ultrasonic waves.

Ultrasonic transient bounded-beam propagation in a solid cylinder waveguide embedded in a solid medium.

PubMed

Laguerre, Laurent; Grimault, Anne; Deschamps, Marc

2007-04-01

A semianalytical solution alternative and complementary to modal technique is presented to predict and interpret the ultrasonic pulsed-bounded-beam propagation in a solid cylinder embedded in a solid matrix. The spectral response to an inside axisymmetric velocity source of longitudinal and transversal cylindrical waves is derived from Debye series expansion of the embedded cylinder generalized cylindrical reflection/transmission coefficients. So, the transient guided wave response, synthesized by inverse double Fourier-Bessel transform, is expressed as a combination of the infinite medium contribution, longitudinal, transversal, and coupled longitudinal and transversal waveguide sidewall interactions. Simulated (f, 1/lambdaz) diagrams show the influence of the number of waveguide sidewall interactions to progressively recover dispersion curves. Besides, they show the embedding material filters specific signal portions by concentrating the propagating signal in regions where phase velocity is closer to phase velocity in steel. Then, simulated time waveforms using broadband high-frequency excitation show that signal leading portions exhibit a similar periodical pattern, for both free and embedded waveguides. Debye series-based interpretation shows that double longitudinal/transversal and transversal/longitudinal conversions govern the time waveform leading portion as well as the radiation attenuation in the surrounding cement grout. Finally, a methodology is deduced to minimize the radiation attenuation for the long-range inspection of embedded cylinders.

Ultrasonic wave propagation in trabecular bone predicted by the stratified model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, W.; Qin, Y. X.; Rubin, C.

2001-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate ultrasound propagation in trabecular bone by considering the wave reflection and transmission in a multilayered medium. The use of ultrasound to identify those at risk of osteoporosis is a promising diagnostic method providing a measure of bone mineral density (BMD). A stratified model was proposed to study the effect of transmission and reflection of ultrasound wave within the trabecular architecture on the relationship between ultrasound and BMD. The results demonstrated that ultrasound velocity in trabecular bone was highly correlated with the bone apparent density (r=0.97). Moreover, a consistent pattern of the frequency dependence of ultrasound attenuation coefficient has been observed between simulation using this model and experimental measurement of trabecular bone. The normalized broadband ultrasound attenuation (nBUA) derived from the simulation results revealed that nBUA was nonlinear with respect to trabecular porosity and BMD. The curve of the relationship between nBUA and BMD was parabolic in shape, and the peak magnitude of nBUA was observed at approximately 60% of bone porosity. These results agreed with the published experimental data and demonstrated that according to the stratified model, reflection and transmission were important factors in the ultrasonic propagation through the trabecular bone.

Ultrasonic model and system for measurement of corneal biomechanical properties and validation on phantoms.

PubMed

Liu, Jun; He, Xiaoyin; Pan, Xueliang; Roberts, Cynthia J

2007-01-01

Non-invasive measurement of biomechanical properties of corneas may provide important information for ocular disease management and therapeutic procedures. An ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation method with a wave propagation model was developed to determine corneal biomechanical properties in vivo. In this study, we tested the feasibility of the approach in differentiating the mechanical properties of soft contact lenses as corneal phantoms. Three material types of soft contact lenses (six samples in each group) were measured using a broadband ultrasound transducer. The ultrasonic reflections from the contact lenses were recorded by a 500MHz/8-bit digitizer, and displayed and processed by a PC. A reference signal was recorded to compute the normalized power spectra using Fast Fourier Transformation. An inverse algorithm based on least-squares minimization was used to reconstruct three parameters of the contact lenses: density, thickness, and elastic constants lambda+2micro. The thickness of each sample was verified using an electronic thickness gauge, and the averaged density for each type of lenses was verified using Archimedes' principle and manufacturer's report. Our results demonstrated that the ultrasonic system was able to differentiate the elastic properties of the three types of the soft contact lenses with statistical significance (P-value<0.001). The reconstructed thicknesses and densities agreed well with the independent measurements. Our studies on corneal phantoms indicated that the ultrasonic system was sensitive and accurate in measuring the material properties of cornea-like structures. It is important to optimize the system for in vivo measurements.

IGMtransmission: Transmission curve computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, Christopher M.; Meiksin, Avery; Stock, David

2015-04-01

IGMtransmission is a Java graphical user interface that implements Monte Carlo simulations to compute the corrections to colors of high-redshift galaxies due to intergalactic attenuation based on current models of the Intergalactic Medium. The effects of absorption due to neutral hydrogen are considered, with particular attention to the stochastic effects of Lyman Limit Systems. Attenuation curves are produced, as well as colors for a wide range of filter responses and model galaxy spectra. Photometric filters are included for the Hubble Space Telescope, the Keck telescope, the Mt. Palomar 200-inch, the SUBARU telescope and UKIRT; alternative filter response curves and spectra may be readily uploaded.

Focusing and steering through absorbing and aberrating layers: application to ultrasonic propagation through the skull.

PubMed

Tanter, M; Thomas, J L; Fink, M

1998-05-01

The time-reversal process is applied to focus pulsed ultrasonic waves through the human skull bone. The aim here is to treat brain tumors, which are difficult to reach with classical surgery means. Such a surgical application requires precise control of the size and location of the therapeutic focal beam. The severe ultrasonic attenuation in the skull reduces the efficiency of the time reversal process. Nevertheless, an improvement of the time reversal process in absorbing media has been investigated and applied to the focusing through the skull [J.-L. Thomas and M. Fink, IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 43, 1122-1129 (1996)]. Here an extension of this technique is presented in order to focus on a set of points surrounding an initial artificial source implanted in the tissue volume to treat. From the knowledge of the Green's function matched to this initial source location a new Green's function matched to various points of interest is deduced in order to treat the whole volume. In a homogeneous medium, conventional steering consists of tilting the wave front focused on the acoustical source. In a heterogeneous medium, this process is only valid for small angles or when aberrations are located in a layer close to the array. It is shown here how to extend this method to aberrating and absorbing layers, like the skull bone, located at any distance from the array of transducers.

A Visualization Method for Corrosion Damage on Aluminum Plates Using an Nd:YAG Pulsed Laser Scanning System

PubMed Central

Lee, Inbok; Zhang, Aoqi; Lee, Changgil; Park, Seunghee

2016-01-01

This paper proposes a non-contact nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique that uses laser-induced ultrasonic waves to visualize corrosion damage in aluminum alloy plate structures. The non-contact, pulsed-laser ultrasonic measurement system generates ultrasonic waves using a galvanometer-based Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and measures the ultrasonic waves using a piezoelectric (PZT) sensor. During scanning, a wavefield can be acquired by changing the excitation location of the laser point and measuring waves using the PZT sensor. The corrosion damage can be detected in the wavefield snapshots using the scattering characteristics of the waves that encounter corrosion. The structural damage is visualized by calculating the logarithmic values of the root mean square (RMS), with a weighting parameter to compensate for the attenuation caused by geometrical spreading and dispersion of the waves. An intact specimen is used to conduct a comparison with corrosion at different depths and sizes in other specimens. Both sides of the plate are scanned with the same scanning area to observe the effect of the location where corrosion has formed. The results show that the damage can be successfully visualized for almost all cases using the RMS-based functions, whether it formed on the front or back side. Also, the system is confirmed to have distinguished corroded areas at different depths. PMID:27999252

Simulation of ultrasonic pulse propagation, distortion, and attenuation in the human chest wall.

PubMed

Mast, T D; Hinkelman, L M; Metlay, L A; Orr, M J; Waag, R C

1999-12-01

A finite-difference time-domain model for ultrasonic pulse propagation through soft tissue has been extended to incorporate absorption effects as well as longitudinal-wave propagation in cartilage and bone. This extended model has been used to simulate ultrasonic propagation through anatomically detailed representations of chest wall structure. The inhomogeneous chest wall tissue is represented by two-dimensional maps determined by staining chest wall cross sections to distinguish between tissue types, digitally scanning the stained cross sections, and mapping each pixel of the scanned images to fat, muscle, connective tissue, cartilage, or bone. Each pixel of the tissue map is then assigned a sound speed, density, and absorption value determined from published measurements and assumed to be representative of the local tissue type. Computational results for energy level fluctuations and arrival time fluctuations show qualitative agreement with measurements performed on the same specimens, but show significantly less waveform distortion than measurements. Visualization of simulated tissue-ultrasound interactions in the chest wall shows possible mechanisms for image aberration in echocardiography, including effects associated with reflection and diffraction caused by rib structures. A comparison of distortion effects for varying pulse center frequencies shows that, for soft tissue paths through the chest wall, energy level and waveform distortion increase markedly with rising ultrasonic frequency and that arrival-time fluctuations increase to a lesser degree.

A Visualization Method for Corrosion Damage on Aluminum Plates Using an Nd:YAG Pulsed Laser Scanning System.

PubMed

Lee, Inbok; Zhang, Aoqi; Lee, Changgil; Park, Seunghee

2016-12-16

This paper proposes a non-contact nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique that uses laser-induced ultrasonic waves to visualize corrosion damage in aluminum alloy plate structures. The non-contact, pulsed-laser ultrasonic measurement system generates ultrasonic waves using a galvanometer-based Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and measures the ultrasonic waves using a piezoelectric (PZT) sensor. During scanning, a wavefield can be acquired by changing the excitation location of the laser point and measuring waves using the PZT sensor. The corrosion damage can be detected in the wavefield snapshots using the scattering characteristics of the waves that encounter corrosion. The structural damage is visualized by calculating the logarithmic values of the root mean square (RMS), with a weighting parameter to compensate for the attenuation caused by geometrical spreading and dispersion of the waves. An intact specimen is used to conduct a comparison with corrosion at different depths and sizes in other specimens. Both sides of the plate are scanned with the same scanning area to observe the effect of the location where corrosion has formed. The results show that the damage can be successfully visualized for almost all cases using the RMS-based functions, whether it formed on the front or back side. Also, the system is confirmed to have distinguished corroded areas at different depths.

Ultrasonic diagnostic in porous media and suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bacri, J.-C.; Hoyos, M.; Rakotomalala, N.; Salin, D.; Bourlion, M.; Daccord, G.; Lenormand, R.; Soucemarianadin, S.

1991-08-01

An apparatus has been constructed to characterize transient fluid displacements in porous media, and probe sedimenting suspensions. The technique used is to propagate an ultrasonic wave in the sample. Both ultrasonic attenuation and velocity are related to the static and hydrodynamic properties of the medium. The system was built so as to perform array imaging (mapping) and tested with different fluids and suspensions. It is suggested that the ultrasonic technique can be suitable whenever transient, low cost and safe saturation and concentration measurements are to be performed. Nous avons réalisé un appareil pour étudier l'évolution temporelle des écoulements en milieux poreux et au cours de la sédimentation des suspensions. La technique employée utilise la propagation d'une onde ultrasonore dans l'échantillon. L'atténuation et la vitesse ultrasonores sont toutes deux reliées aux propriétés statique et dynamique du mileu. Le système d'imagerie acoustique permet une cartographie à deux dimensions de l'échantillon , ce système a été testé avec différents fluides et suspensions. Notre étude montre que la technique ultrasonore est bien adaptée à la détermination de la dépendance temporelle de la concentration et de la saturation dans des conditions de sécurité et de coût optimales.

Ultrasonic characterization of microstructure in powder metal alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tittmann, B. R.; Ahlberg, L. A.; Fertig, K.

1986-01-01

The ultrasonic wave propagation characteristics were measured for IN-100, a powder metallurgy alloy used for aircraft engine components. This material was as a model system for testing the feasibility of characterizing the microstructure of a variety of inhomogeneous media including powder metals, ceramics, castings and components. The data were obtained for a frequency range from about 2 to 20 MHz and were statistically averaged over numerous volume elements of the samples. Micrographical examination provided size and number distributions for grain and pore structure. The results showed that the predominant source for the ultrasonic attenuation and backscatter was a dense (approx. 100/cubic mm) distribution of small micropores (approx. 10 micron radius). Two samples with different micropore densities were studied in detail to test the feasibility of calculating from observed microstructural parameters the frequency dependence of the microstructural backscatter in the regime for which the wavelength is much larger than the size of the individual scattering centers. Excellent agreement was found between predicted and observed values so as to demonstrate the feasibility of solving the forward problem. The results suggest a way towards the nondestructive detection and characterization of anomalous distributions of micropores when conventional ultrasonic imaging is difficult. The findings are potentially significant toward the application of the early detection of porosity during the materials fabrication process and after manufacturing of potential sites for stress induced void coalescence leading to crack initiation and subsequent failure.

Spectroscopic investigation on sonodynamic and sonocatalytic damage of BSA molecules by Thymol Blue (TB) derivants under ultrasonic irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qi; Wu, Qiong; Wang, Jun; Chen, Dandan; Li, Ying; Gao, Jingqun; Wang, Baoxin

2014-07-01

In this paper, the Thymol Blue derivants including Thymol Blue (thymolsulfonphthalein), Thymol Blue-DA (3,3‧-Bis [N,N-bis (carboxymethyl) aminomethyl] thymolsulfonphthalein) and Thymol Blue-DA-Fe(III) (3,3‧-Bis [N,N-bis (carboxymethyl) aminomethyl] thymolsulfonphthalein-Ferrous(III)) were adopted as sonosensitizers to study the sonodynamic and sonocatalytic activities under ultrasonic irradiation. At first, the interaction of Thymol Blue derivants with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. On that basis, the sonodynamic and sonocatalytic damages of Thymol Blue derivants to BSA under ultrasonic irradiation were investigated by the combination of UV-vis, circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy. Meanwhile, some influenced factors (ultrasonic irradiation time, Thymol Blue derivants concentration and ionic strength) on the damaging degree of BSA molecules were also reviewed. In addition, synchronous fluorescence spectra were used to estimate the binding and damage sites of Thymol Blue derivants to BSA. Finally, the generation of ROS during sonodynamic and sonocatalytic processes was confirmed by the method of Oxidation-Extraction Spectrometry (OEP). Perhaps, this paper may offer some important subjects for the study of Thymol Blue derivants in sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and sonocatalytic therapy (SCT) technologies for tumor treatment and the effect of the amino acid and central metal.

Determining attenuation properties of interfering fast and slow ultrasonic waves in cancellous bone.

PubMed

Nelson, Amber M; Hoffman, Joseph J; Anderson, Christian C; Holland, Mark R; Nagatani, Yoshiki; Mizuno, Katsunori; Matsukawa, Mami; Miller, James G

2011-10-01

Previous studies have shown that interference between fast waves and slow waves can lead to observed negative dispersion in cancellous bone. In this study, the effects of overlapping fast and slow waves on measurements of the apparent attenuation as a function of propagation distance are investigated along with methods of analysis used to determine the attenuation properties. Two methods are applied to simulated data that were generated based on experimentally acquired signals taken from a bovine specimen. The first method uses a time-domain approach that was dictated by constraints imposed by the partial overlap of fast and slow waves. The second method uses a frequency-domain log-spectral subtraction technique on the separated fast and slow waves. Applying the time-domain analysis to the broadband data yields apparent attenuation behavior that is larger in the early stages of propagation and decreases as the wave travels deeper. In contrast, performing frequency-domain analysis on the separated fast waves and slow waves results in attenuation coefficients that are independent of propagation distance. Results suggest that features arising from the analysis of overlapping two-mode data may represent an alternate explanation for the previously reported apparent dependence on propagation distance of the attenuation coefficient of cancellous bone. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Determining attenuation properties of interfering fast and slow ultrasonic waves in cancellous bone

PubMed Central

Nelson, Amber M.; Hoffman, Joseph J.; Anderson, Christian C.; Holland, Mark R.; Nagatani, Yoshiki; Mizuno, Katsunori; Matsukawa, Mami; Miller, James G.

2011-01-01

Previous studies have shown that interference between fast waves and slow waves can lead to observed negative dispersion in cancellous bone. In this study, the effects of overlapping fast and slow waves on measurements of the apparent attenuation as a function of propagation distance are investigated along with methods of analysis used to determine the attenuation properties. Two methods are applied to simulated data that were generated based on experimentally acquired signals taken from a bovine specimen. The first method uses a time-domain approach that was dictated by constraints imposed by the partial overlap of fast and slow waves. The second method uses a frequency-domain log-spectral subtraction technique on the separated fast and slow waves. Applying the time-domain analysis to the broadband data yields apparent attenuation behavior that is larger in the early stages of propagation and decreases as the wave travels deeper. In contrast, performing frequency-domain analysis on the separated fast waves and slow waves results in attenuation coefficients that are independent of propagation distance. Results suggest that features arising from the analysis of overlapping two-mode data may represent an alternate explanation for the previously reported apparent dependence on propagation distance of the attenuation coefficient of cancellous bone. PMID:21973378

Ultrasonic probing of the fracture process zone in rock using surface waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, P. L.; Spetzler, H.

1984-01-01

A microcrack process zone is frequently suggested to accompany macrofractures in rock and play an important role in the resistance to fracture propagation. Attenuation of surface waves propagating through mode I fractures in wedge-loaded double-cantilever beam specimens of Westerly granite has been recorded in an attempt to characterize the structure of the fracture process zone. The ultrasonic measurements do not support the generally accepted model of a macroscopic fracture that incrementally propagates with the accompaniment of a cloud of microcracks. Instead, fractures in Westerly granite appear to form as gradually separating surfaces within a zone having a width of a few millimeters and a length of several tens of millimeters. A fracture process zone of this size would necessitate the use of meter-sized specimens in order for linear elastic fracture mechanics to be applicable.

Acoustic Characterization of Fluorinert FC-43 Liquid with Helium Gas Bubbles: Numerical Experiments

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

Vanhille, Christian; Pantea, Cristian; Sinha, Dipen N.

In this work, we define the acoustic characteristics of a biphasic fluid consisting of static helium gas bubbles in liquid Fluorinert FC-43 and study the propagation of ultrasound of finite amplitudes in this medium. Very low sound speed and high sound attenuation are found, in addition to a particularly high acoustic nonlinear parameter. This result suggests the possibility of using this medium as a nonlinear enhancer in various applications. In particular, parametric generation of low ultrasonic frequencies is studied in a resonator cavity as a function of driving pressure showing high conversion efficiency. This work suggests that this medium couldmore » be used for applications such as parametric arrays, nondestructive testing, diagnostic medicine, sonochemistry, underwater acoustics, and ultrasonic imaging and to boost the shock formation in fluids.« less

Investigation of a dual modal method for bone pathologies using quantitative ultrasound and photoacoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberg, Idan; Gannot, Israel; Eyal, Avishay

2015-03-01

Osteoporosis is a widespread disease that has a catastrophic impact on patient's lives and overwhelming related healthcare costs. In recent works, we have developed a multi-spectral, frequency domain photoacoustic method for the evaluation of bone pathologies. This method has great advantages over pure ultrasonic or optical methods as it provides both molecular information from the bone absorption spectrum and bone mechanical status from the characteristics of the ultrasound propagation. These characteristics include both the Speed of Sound (SOS) and Broadband Ultrasonic Attenuation (BUA). To test the method's quantitative predictions, we have constructed a combined ultrasound and photoacoustic setup. Here, we experimentally present a dual modality system, and compares between the methods on bone samples in-vitro. The differences between the two modalities are shown to provide valuable insight into the bone structure and functional status.

Acoustic Characterization of Fluorinert FC-43 Liquid with Helium Gas Bubbles: Numerical Experiments

DOE PAGES

Vanhille, Christian; Pantea, Cristian; Sinha, Dipen N.

2017-01-19

In this work, we define the acoustic characteristics of a biphasic fluid consisting of static helium gas bubbles in liquid Fluorinert FC-43 and study the propagation of ultrasound of finite amplitudes in this medium. Very low sound speed and high sound attenuation are found, in addition to a particularly high acoustic nonlinear parameter. This result suggests the possibility of using this medium as a nonlinear enhancer in various applications. In particular, parametric generation of low ultrasonic frequencies is studied in a resonator cavity as a function of driving pressure showing high conversion efficiency. This work suggests that this medium couldmore » be used for applications such as parametric arrays, nondestructive testing, diagnostic medicine, sonochemistry, underwater acoustics, and ultrasonic imaging and to boost the shock formation in fluids.« less

Tracking Polymer Cure Via Embedded Optical Fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, David L.; Davidson, T. Fred

1993-01-01

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy applied in interior of specimen of material by bringing infrared light through specimen in optical fiber. Light interacts with material via evanescent-wave effect. Spectra obtained in this way at various times during curing process also combined with data from ultrasonic, thermographic, and dielectric-impedance monitoring, and other measurement techniques to obtain more complete characterization of progress of curing process.

Spectral reconstruction of dental X-ray tubes using laplace inverse transform of the attenuation curve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malezan, A.; Tomal, A.; Antoniassi, M.; Watanabe, P. C. A.; Albino, L. D.; Poletti, M. E.

2015-11-01

In this work, a spectral reconstruction methodology for diagnostic X-ray, using Laplace inverse transform of the attenuation, was successfully applied to dental X-ray equipments. The attenuation curves of 8 commercially available dental X-ray equipment, from 3 different manufactures (Siemens, Gnatus and Dabi Atlante), were obtained by using an ionization chamber and high purity aluminium filters, while the kVp was obtained with a specific meter. A computational routine was implemented in order to adjust a model function, whose inverse Laplace transform is analytically known, to the attenuation curve. This methodology was validated by comparing the reconstructed and the measured (using semiconductor detector of cadmium telluride) spectra of a given dental X-ray unit. The spectral reconstruction showed the Dabi Atlante equipments generating similar shape spectra. This is a desirable feature from clinic standpoint because it produces similar levels of image quality and dose. We observed that equipments from Siemens and Gnatus generate significantly different spectra, suggesting that, for a given operating protocol, these units will present different levels of image quality and dose. This fact claims for the necessity of individualized operating protocols that maximize image quality and dose. The proposed methodology is suitable to perform a spectral reconstruction of dental X-ray equipments from the simple measurements of attenuation curve and kVp. The simplified experimental apparatus and the low level of technical difficulty make this methodology accessible to a broad range of users. The knowledge of the spectral distribution can help in the development of operating protocols that maximize image quality and dose.

Spectroscopic Measurements of the Far-Ultraviolet Dust Attenuation Curve at z ˜ 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Naveen A.; Steidel, Charles C.; Pettini, Max; Bogosavljević, Milan

2016-09-01

We present the first spectroscopic measurements of the shape of the far-ultraviolet (far-UV; λ =950{--}1500 Å) dust attenuation curve at high redshift (z˜ 3). Our analysis employs rest-frame UV spectra of 933 galaxies at z˜ 3, 121 of which have very deep spectroscopic observations (≳ 7 hr) at λ =850{--}1300 \\mathring{{A}} , with the Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph on the Keck Telescope. By using an iterative approach in which we calculate the ratios of composite spectra in different bins of continuum color excess, E(B-V), we derive a dust curve that implies a lower attenuation in the far-UV for a given E(B-V) than those obtained with standard attenuation curves. We demonstrate that the UV composite spectra of z˜ 3 galaxies can be modeled well by assuming our new attenuation curve, a high covering fraction of H I, and absorption from the Lyman-Werner bands of {{{H}}}2 with a small (≲ 20 % ) covering fraction. The low covering fraction of {{{H}}}2 relative to that of the {{H}} {{I}} and dust suggests that most of the dust in the ISM of typical galaxies at z˜ 3 is unrelated to the catalysis of {{{H}}}2, and is associated with other phases of the ISM (I.e., the ionized and neutral gas). The far-UV dust curve implies a factor of ≈ 2 lower dust attenuation of Lyman continuum (ionizing) photons relative to those inferred from the most commonly assumed attenuation curves for L* galaxies at z˜ 3. Our results may be utilized to assess the degree to which ionizing photons are attenuated in H II regions or, more generally, in the ionized or low column density (N({{H}} {{I}})≲ {10}17.2 cm-2) neutral ISM of high-redshift galaxies. Based on data obtained at the W.M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and NASA, and was made possible by the generous financial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation.

Measurement of tortuosity in aluminum foams using airborne ultrasound.

PubMed

Le, Lawrence H; Zhang, Chan; Ta, Dean; Lou, Edmond

2010-01-01

The slow compressional wave in air-saturated aluminum foams was studied by means of ultrasonic transverse transmission method over a frequency range from 0.2 MHz to 0.8 MHz. The samples investigated have three different cell sizes or pores per inch (5, 10 and 20 ppi) and each size has three aluminum volume fractions (5%, 8% and 12% AVF). Phase velocities show minor dispersion at low frequencies but remain constant after 0.7 MHz. Pulse broadening and amplitude attenuation are obvious and increase with increasing ppi. Attenuation increases considerably with AVF for 20 ppi foams. Tortuosity ranges from 1.003 to 1.032 and increases with AVF and ppi. However, the increase of tortuosity with AVF is very small for 10 and 20 ppi samples.

Understanding of Materials State and its Degradation using Non-Linear Ultrasound (NLU) Approaches

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Traditional ultrasonic NDE is based on linear theory and normally relies on measuring some particular parameter (sound velocity , attenuation... velocity in the material. In most cases this technique is not considered to be very practical as very small changes in velocity has to be measured. Hence...nonlinear elasticity) of the material the input wave distorts as it propagates. This is attributed to the difference in the wave velocities of the

Medical ultrasonic tomographic system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyser, R. C.; Lecroissette, D. H.; Nathan, R.; Wilson, R. L.

1977-01-01

An electro-mechanical scanning assembly was designed and fabricated for the purpose of generating an ultrasound tomogram. A low cost modality was demonstrated in which analog instrumentation methods formed a tomogram on photographic film. Successful tomogram reconstructions were obtained on in vitro test objects by using the attenuation of the fist path ultrasound signal as it passed through the test object. The nearly half century tomographic methods of X-ray analysis were verified as being useful for ultrasound imaging.

Ultrasonically assisted synthesis of lead oxide nanoflowers using ball milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bangi, Uzma K. H.; Park, Hyung-Ho; Han, Wooje; Prakshale, Vipul M.; Deshmukh, Lalasaheb P.

2017-05-01

The experimental results on the ultrasonically assisted synthesis of lead oxide nanoflowers using ball milling have been reported in the present work. Lead oxide nanoflowers were prepared employing mixed ligands by subjecting the formed precipitate to ultrasonication and grinding/ball milling. The effect of ball milling as well as fine grinding in agate mortar on the microstructure and surface morphology of the lead oxide was studied. The characteristics of synthesized PbO were studied using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy techniques. XRD results demonstrated the tetragonal phase of PbO with crystallite size of around 25 nm and strain of 3.6 × 10-3 calculated from Williamson-Hall plot. FESEM images manifested the formation of nanodiscs and nanoflowers with a diameter of around 300 nm and thickness of 50 nm. XPS spectra revealed the formation of PbO with photoelectron peak of Pb 4f and O 1 s lied at 137.68 and 529.96 eV. Moreover, FTIR spectrum exhibited Pb-O bond peak in the range of 400-530 cm-1.

System and technique for characterizing fluids using ultrasonic diffraction grating spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Greenwood, Margaret S [Richland, WA

2008-07-08

A system for determining property of multiphase fluids based on ultrasonic diffraction grating spectroscopy includes a diffraction grating on a solid in contact with the fluid. An interrogation device delivers ultrasound through the solid and a captures a reflection spectrum from the diffraction grating. The reflection spectrum exhibits peaks whose relative size depends on the properties of the various phases of the multiphase fluid. For example, for particles in a liquid, the peaks exhibit dependence on the particle size and the particle volume fraction. Where the exact relationship is know know a priori, data from different peaks of the same reflection spectrum or data from the peaks of different spectra obtained from different diffraction gratings can be used to resolve the size and volume fraction.

Estimation of corrosion damage in steel reinforced mortar using waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reis, Henrique; Ervin, Benjamin L.; Kuchma, Daniel A.; Bernhard, Jennifer

2005-05-01

Corrosion of reinforced concrete is a chronic infrastructure problem, particularly in areas with deicing salt and marine exposure. To maintain structural integrity, a testing method is needed to identify areas of corroding reinforcement. For purposes of rehabilitation, the method must also be able to evaluate the degree, rate and location of damage. Towards the development of a wireless embedded sensor system to monitor and assess corrosion damage in reinforced concrete, reinforced mortar specimens were manufactured with seeded defects to simulate corrosion damage. Taking advantage of waveguide effects of the reinforcing bars, these specimens were then tested using an ultrasonic approach. Using the same ultrasonic approach, specimens without seeded defects were also monitored during accelerated corrosion tests. Both the ultrasonic sending and the receiving transducers were mounted on the steel rebar. Advantage was taken of the lower frequency (<250 kHz) fundamental flexural propagation mode because of its relatively large displacements at the interface between the reinforcing steel and the surrounding concrete. Waveform energy (indicative of attenuation) is presented and discussed in terms of corrosion damage. Current results indicate that the loss of bond strength between the reinforcing steel and the surrounding concrete can be detected and evaluated.

An investigation on characterizing dense coal-water slurry with ultrasound: theoretical and experimental method

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

Xue, M.H.; Su, M.X.; Dong, L.L.

2010-07-01

Particle size distribution and concentration in particulate two-phase flow are important parameters in a wide variety of industrial areas. For the purpose of online characterization in dense coal-water slurries, ultrasonic methods have many advantages such as avoiding dilution, the capability for being used in real time, and noninvasive testing, while light-based techniques are not capable of providing information because optical methods often require the slurry to be diluted. In this article, the modified Urick equation including temperature modification, which can be used to determine the concentration by means of the measurement of ultrasonic velocity in a coal-water slurry, is evaluatedmore » on the basis of theoretical analysis and experimental study. A combination of the coupled-phase model and the Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law is employed in this work, and the attenuation spectrum is measured within the frequency region from 3 to 12 MHz. Particle size distributions of the coal-water slurry at different volume fractions are obtained with the optimum regularization technique. Therefore, the ultrasonic technique presented in this work brings the possibility of using ultrasound for online measurements of dense slurries.« less

A New High-Temperature Ultrasonic Transducer for Continuous Inspection.

PubMed

Amini, Mohammad Hossein; Sinclair, Anthony N; Coyle, Thomas W

2016-03-01

A novel design of piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer is introduced, suitable for operation at temperatures of up to 700 °C-800 °C. Lithium niobate single crystal is chosen as the piezoelectric element primarily due to the high Curie temperature of 1200 °C. A backing element based on a porous ceramic is designed for which the pore volume fraction and average pore diameter in the ceramic matrix can be controlled in the manufacturing process; this enables the acoustic impedance and attenuation to be selected to match their optimal values as predicted by a one-dimensional transducer model of the entire transducer. Porous zirconia is selected as the ceramic matrix material of the backing element to obtain an ultrasonic signal with center frequency of 2.7-3 MHz, and 3-dB bandwidth of 90%-95% at the targeted operating temperature. Acoustic coupling of the piezocrystal to the backing element and matching layer is investigated using commercially available high-temperature adhesives and brazing alloys. The performance of the transducer as a function of temperature is studied. Stable bonding and clear signals were obtained using an aluminum brazing alloy as the bonding agent.

Sand/cement ratio evaluation on mortar using neural networks and ultrasonic transmission inspection.

PubMed

Molero, M; Segura, I; Izquierdo, M A G; Fuente, J V; Anaya, J J

2009-02-01

The quality and degradation state of building materials can be determined by nondestructive testing (NDT). These materials are composed of a cementitious matrix and particles or fragments of aggregates. Sand/cement ratio (s/c) provides the final material quality; however, the sand content can mask the matrix properties in a nondestructive measurement. Therefore, s/c ratio estimation is needed in nondestructive characterization of cementitious materials. In this study, a methodology to classify the sand content in mortar is presented. The methodology is based on ultrasonic transmission inspection, data reduction, and features extraction by principal components analysis (PCA), and neural network classification. This evaluation is carried out with several mortar samples, which were made while taking into account different cement types and s/c ratios. The estimated s/c ratio is determined by ultrasonic spectral attenuation with three different broadband transducers (0.5, 1, and 2 MHz). Statistical PCA to reduce the dimension of the captured traces has been applied. Feed-forward neural networks (NNs) are trained using principal components (PCs) and their outputs are used to display the estimated s/c ratios in false color images, showing the s/c ratio distribution of the mortar samples.

Effect of different thickness of material filter on Tc-99m spectra and performance parameters of gamma camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazifah, A.; Norhanna, S.; Shah, S. I.; Zakaria, A.

2014-11-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of material filter technique on Tc-99m spectra and performance parameters of Philip ADAC forte dual head gamma camera. Thickness of material filter was selected on the basis of percentage attenuation of various gamma ray energies by different thicknesses of zinc material. A cylindrical source tank of NEMA single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) Triple Line Source Phantom filled with water and Tc-99m radionuclide injected was used for spectra, uniformity and sensitivity measurements. Vinyl plastic tube was used as a line source for spatial resolution. Images for uniformity were reconstructed by filtered back projection method. Butterworth filter of order 5 and cut off frequency 0.35 cycles/cm was selected. Chang's attenuation correction method was applied by selecting 0.13/cm linear attenuation coefficient. Count rate was decreased with material filter from the compton region of Tc-99m energy spectrum, also from the photopeak region. Spatial resolution was improved. However, uniformity of tomographic image was equivocal, and system volume sensitivity was reduced by material filter. Material filter improved system's spatial resolution. Therefore, the technique may be used for phantom studies to improve the image quality.

Modification of the TASMIP x-ray spectral model for the simulation of microfocus x-ray sources

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

Sisniega, A.; Vaquero, J. J., E-mail: juanjose.vaquero@uc3m.es; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid ES28007

2014-01-15

Purpose: The availability of accurate and simple models for the estimation of x-ray spectra is of great importance for system simulation, optimization, or inclusion of photon energy information into data processing. There is a variety of publicly available tools for estimation of x-ray spectra in radiology and mammography. However, most of these models cannot be used directly for modeling microfocus x-ray sources due to differences in inherent filtration, energy range and/or anode material. For this reason the authors propose in this work a new model for the simulation of microfocus spectra based on existing models for mammography and radiology, modifiedmore » to compensate for the effects of inherent filtration and energy range. Methods: The authors used the radiology and mammography versions of an existing empirical model [tungsten anode spectral model interpolating polynomials (TASMIP)] as the basis of the microfocus model. First, the authors estimated the inherent filtration included in the radiology model by comparing the shape of the spectra with spectra from the mammography model. Afterwards, the authors built a unified spectra dataset by combining both models and, finally, they estimated the parameters of the new version of TASMIP for microfocus sources by calibrating against experimental exposure data from a microfocus x-ray source. The model was validated by comparing estimated and experimental exposure and attenuation data for different attenuating materials and x-ray beam peak energy values, using two different x-ray tubes. Results: Inherent filtration for the radiology spectra from TASMIP was found to be equivalent to 1.68 mm Al, as compared to spectra obtained from the mammography model. To match the experimentally measured exposure data the combined dataset required to apply a negative filtration of about 0.21 mm Al and an anode roughness of 0.003 mm W. The validation of the model against real acquired data showed errors in exposure and attenuation in line with those reported for other models for radiology or mammography. Conclusions: A new version of the TASMIP model for the estimation of x-ray spectra in microfocus x-ray sources has been developed and validated experimentally. Similarly to other versions of TASMIP, the estimation of spectra is very simple, involving only the evaluation of polynomial expressions.« less

In-situ geophysical measurements in marine sediments: Applications in seafloor acoustics and paleoceanography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorgas, Thomas Joerg

Acoustic in-situ sound speeds and attenuation were measured on the Eel River shelf, CA, with the Acoustic Lance between 5 and 15 kHz to 2.0 meters below seafloor (mbsf). A comparison with laboratory ultrasonic geoacoustic data obtained at 400 kHz on cored sediments showed faster in-situ and ultrasonic sound speeds in coarse-grained deposits in water depths to 60 m than in fine-grained deposits below that contour line. Ultrasonic attenuation was often greater than in-situ values and remained almost constant below 0.4 mbsf in these heterogeneous deposits. In-situ attenuation decreased with depth. These observations partly agree with results from other field studies, and with theoretical models that incorporate intergranular friction and dispersion from viscosity as main controls on acoustic wave propagation in marine sediments. Deviations among in-situ and laboratory acoustic data from the Eel Margin with theoretical studies were linked to scattering effects. Acoustic Lance was also deployed in homogeneous, fine-grained sediments on the inner shelf of SE Korea, where free gas was identified in late-September, but not in mid-September 1999. Free gas was evidenced by an abrupt decrease of in-situ sound speed and by characteristic changes in acoustic waveforms. These results suggest the presence of a gassy sediment layer as shallow as 2 mbsf along the 70 m bathymetry line, and was attributed to a variable abundance of free gas on short-term and/or small-regional scales on the SE Korea shelf. Bulk density variations in marine sediments obtained along the Walvis Ridge/Basin, SW Africa, at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 1081 to 1084 were spectral-analyzed to compute high-resolution sedimentation rates (SRs) in both the time- and age domains by correctly identifying Milankovitch cycles (MCs). SRs for the ODP sites yielded age-depth models that often correlate positively with biostratigraphic data and with organic mass accumulation rates (MAR Corg), a proxy for productivity, and negatively with Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs), a proxy for wind strength. These results suggest that strong amplitudes of all main MCs existed for periods of high SRs and high MAR Corg and low SSTs, indicating a positive link between wind stress, upwelling vigor, productivity and insolation patterns in this area.

Prediction of attenuation of the 28 GHz COMSTAR beacon signal using radar and measured rain drop spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldhirsh, J.

1977-01-01

Disdrometer measurements and radar reflectivity measurements were injected into a computer program to estimate the path attenuation of the signal. Predicted attenuations when compared with the directly measured ones showed generally good correlation on a case by case basis and very good agreement statistically. The utility of using radar in conjunction with disdrometer measurements for predicting fade events and long term fade distributions associated with earth-satellite telecommunications is demonstrated.

Wave attenuation in the marginal ice zone during LIMEX

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Antony K.; Peng, Chih Y.; Vachon, Paris W.

1991-01-01

During LIMEX'87 and '89, the CCRS CV-580 aircraft collected SAR (synthetic aperture radar) data over the marginal ice zone off the coast of Newfoundland. Based upon the wavenumber spectra from SAR data, the wave attenuation rate is estimated and compared with a model. The model-data comparisons are reasonably good for the ice conditions during LIMEX (Labrador Ice Margin Experiment). Both model and SAR-derived wave attenuation rates show a roll-over at high wavenumbers.

Flaw investigation in a multi-layered, multi-material composite: Using air-coupled ultrasonic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Livings, R. A.; Dayal, V.; Barnard, D. J.; Hsu, D. K.

2012-05-01

Ceramic tiles are the main ingredient of a multi-material, multi-layered composite being considered for the modernization of tank armors. The high stiffness, low attenuation, and precise dimensions of these uniform tiles make them remarkable resonators when driven to vibrate. Defects in the tile, during manufacture or after usage, are expected to change the resonance frequencies and resonance images of the tile. The comparison of the resonance frequencies and resonance images of a pristine tile/lay-up to a defective tile/lay-up will thus be a quantitative damage metric. By examining the vibrational behavior of these tiles and the composite lay-up with Finite Element Modeling and analytical plate vibration equations, the development of a new Nondestructive Evaluation technique is possible. This study examines the development of the Air-Coupled Ultrasonic Resonance Imaging technique as applied to a hexagonal ceramic tile and a multi-material, multi-layered composite.

Quantification of thickness loss in a liquid-loaded plate using ultrasonic guided wave tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Jing; Ratassepp, Madis; Fan, Zheng

2017-12-01

Ultrasonic guided wave tomography (GWT) provides an attractive solution to map thickness changes from remote locations. It is based on the velocity-to-thickness mapping employing the dispersive characteristics of selected guided modes. This study extends the application of GWT on a liquid-loaded plate. It is a more challenging case than the application on a free plate, due to energy of the guided waves leaking into the liquid. In order to ensure the accuracy of thickness reconstruction, advanced forward models are developed to consider attenuation effects using complex velocities. The reconstruction of the thickness map is based on the frequency-domain full waveform inversion (FWI) method, and its accuracy is discussed using different frequencies and defect dimensions. Validation experiments are carried out on a water-loaded plate with an irregularly shaped defect using S0 guided waves, showing excellent performance of the reconstruction algorithm.

System and technique for ultrasonic characterization of settling suspensions

DOEpatents

Greenwood, Margaret S [Richland, WA; Panetta, Paul D [Richland, WA; Bamberger, Judith A [Richland, WA; Pappas, Richard A [Richland, WA

2006-11-28

A system for determining properties of settling suspensions includes a settling container, a mixer, and devices for ultrasonic interrogation transverse to the settling direction. A computer system controls operation of the mixer and the interrogation devices and records the response to the interrogating as a function of settling time, which is then used to determine suspension properties. Attenuation versus settling time for dilute suspensions, such as dilute wood pulp suspension, exhibits a peak at different settling times for suspensions having different properties, and the location of this peak is used as one mechanism for characterizing suspensions. Alternatively or in addition, a plurality of ultrasound receivers are arranged at different angles to a common transmitter to receive scattering responses at a variety of angles during particle settling. Angular differences in scattering as a function of settling time are also used to characterize the suspension.

Ultrasonic Characterization of Fatigue Cracks in Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Workman, Gary L.; Watson, Jason; Johnson, Devin; Walker, James; Russell, Sam; Thom, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Microcracking in composite structures due to combined fatigue and cryogenic loading can cause leakage and failure of the structure and can be difficult to detect in-service. In aerospace systems, these leaks may lead to loss of pressure/propellant, increased risk of explosion and possible cryo-pumping. The success of nondestructive evaluation to detect intra-ply microcracking in unlined pressure vessels fabricated from composite materials is critical to the use of composite structures in future space systems. The work presented herein characterizes measurements of intraply fatigue cracking through the thickness of laminated composite material by means of correlation with ultrasonic resonance. Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy provides measurements which are sensitive to both the microscopic and macroscopic properties of the test article. Elastic moduli, acoustic attenuation, and geometry can all be probed. The approach is based on the premise of half-wavelength resonance. The method injects a broadband ultrasonic wave into the test structure using a swept frequency technique. This method provides dramatically increased energy input into the test article, as compared to conventional pulsed ultrasonics. This relative energy increase improves the ability to measure finer details in the materials characterization, such as microcracking and porosity. As the microcrack density increases, more interactions occur with the higher frequency (small wavelength) components of the signal train causing the spectrum to shift toward lower frequencies. Several methods are under investigation to correlate the degree of microcracking from resonance ultrasound measurements on composite test articles including self organizing neural networks, chemometric techniques used in optical spectroscopy and other clustering algorithms.

Structural Assessment of Solid Propellant Grains (l’Evaluation structurale des blocs de poudre a’ propergol solide)

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-12-01

bonds) This technique is based on the observation of the reflection and attenuation of an ultrasonic wave traversing an object, and is used to check...Nearly all present day composite propellants for tactical rocket motors use hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene ( HTPB ) as a binder as this offers the...polyurethane as a binder. The inferior mechanical properties of these propellants compared to HTPB limited their use. In large space booster and

Experimental validation of ultrasonic guided modes in electrical cables by optical interferometry.

PubMed

Mateo, Carlos; de Espinosa, Francisco Montero; Gómez-Ullate, Yago; Talavera, Juan A

2008-03-01

In this work, the dispersion curves of elastic waves propagating in electrical cables and in bare copper wires are obtained theoretically and validated experimentally. The theoretical model, based on Gazis equations formulated according to the global matrix methodology, is resolved numerically. Viscoelasticity and attenuation are modeled theoretically using the Kelvin-Voigt model. Experimental tests are carried out using interferometry. There is good agreement between the simulations and the experiments despite the peculiarities of electrical cables.

Relationships among ultrasonic and mechanical properties of cancellous bone in human calcaneus in vitro.

PubMed

Wear, Keith A; Nagaraja, Srinidhi; Dreher, Maureen L; Sadoughi, Saghi; Zhu, Shan; Keaveny, Tony M

2017-10-01

Clinical bone sonometers applied at the calcaneus measure broadband ultrasound attenuation and speed of sound. However, the relation of ultrasound measurements to bone strength is not well-characterized. Addressing this issue, we assessed the extent to which ultrasonic measurements convey in vitro mechanical properties in 25 human calcaneal cancellous bone specimens (approximately 2×4×2cm). Normalized broadband ultrasound attenuation, speed of sound, and broadband ultrasound backscatter were measured with 500kHz transducers. To assess mechanical properties, non-linear finite element analysis, based on micro-computed tomography images (34-micron cubic voxel), was used to estimate apparent elastic modulus, overall specimen stiffness, and apparent yield stress, with models typically having approximately 25-30 million elements. We found that ultrasound parameters were correlated with mechanical properties with R=0.70-0.82 (p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that ultrasound measurements provide additional information regarding mechanical properties beyond that provided by bone quantity alone (p≤0.05). Adding ultrasound variables to linear regression models based on bone quantity improved adjusted squared correlation coefficients from 0.65 to 0.77 (stiffness), 0.76 to 0.81 (apparent modulus), and 0.67 to 0.73 (yield stress). These results indicate that ultrasound can provide complementary (to bone quantity) information regarding mechanical behavior of cancellous bone. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A New Ultrasound Pulser Technique for Wide Range Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salim, M. S.; Abd Malek, M. F.; Noaman, N. M.; Sabri, Naseer; Mohamed, Latifah; Juni, K. M.

2013-04-01

The objective of this research was to design and implement a new ultrasonic pulse-power-decay technique that transmits multiple ultrasound pulses through slurry to determine the lowest concentration that can provide an accurate attenuation measurement. A wide measurement range is obtained using the pulsed-power-decay transmission technique, and regardless of the material used to construct the container. A signal in the receiver transducer provides the attenuation measurements, for each echo, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the appropriate signal was obtained and compared with the water signals to yield the attenuation as a function of frequency. The data show the feasibility of measuring a kaolin concentration of 5% wt. When using a commercial pulser with the same device setting, no detectable echo was observed. Therefore, new technique measurements may prove useful in detecting solid content in liquid. This study demonstrated that the proposed pulsed-power transmission technique is promising for evaluating low concentrations of solids in fluids and for measuring sedimentation in solid-liquid systems.

A composite viscoelastic model for incorporating grain boundary sliding and transient diffusion creep; correlating creep and attenuation responses for materials with a fine grain size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundberg, Marshall; Cooper, Reid F.

2010-07-01

A new viscoelastic creep function that incorporates both the effects of elastically-accommodated grain boundary sliding (GBS) and transient diffusion creep is proposed. It is demonstrated that this model can simultaneously describe both the transient microcreep curves and the shear attenuation/modulus dispersion in a fine-grained (d ∼ 5 µm) peridotite (olivine + 39 vol. % orthopyroxene) specimen. Low-frequency shear attenuation, ? , and modulus dispersion, G(ω), spectra were measured in a one-atmosphere reciprocating torsion apparatus at temperatures of 1200 ≤ T ≤ 1300°C and frequencies of 10-2.25 ≤ f ≤ 100 Hz. Reciprocating tests were complemented by a series of small stress (τ ∼ 90 kPa) microcreep experiments at the same temperatures. In contrast to previous models where the parameters of viscoelastic models are derived by fitting the Laplace transform of the creep function to measured attenuation spectra, the parameters are derived solely from the fit of the creep function to the experimental microcreep curves using different published expressions for the relaxation strength of elastically-accommodated GBS. This approach may allow future studies to better link the large dataset of steady-state creep response to the dynamic attenuation behavior.

Comparison of high-resolution ultrasonic resonator technology and Raman spectroscopy as novel process analytical tools for drug quantification in self-emulsifying drug delivery systems.

PubMed

Stillhart, Cordula; Kuentz, Martin

2012-02-05

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) are complex mixtures in which drug quantification can become a challenging task. Thus, a general need exists for novel analytical methods and a particular interest lies in techniques with the potential for process monitoring. This article compares Raman spectroscopy with high-resolution ultrasonic resonator technology (URT) for drug quantification in SEDDS. The model drugs fenofibrate, indomethacin, and probucol were quantitatively assayed in different self-emulsifying formulations. We measured ultrasound velocity and attenuation in the bulk formulation containing drug at different concentrations. The formulations were also studied by Raman spectroscopy. We used both, an in-line immersion probe for the bulk formulation and a multi-fiber sensor for measuring through hard-gelatin capsules that were filled with SEDDS. Each method was assessed by calculating the relative standard error of prediction (RSEP) as well as the limit of quantification (LOQ) and the mean recovery. Raman spectroscopy led to excellent calibration models for the bulk formulation as well as the capsules. The RSEP depended on the SEDDS type with values of 1.5-3.8%, while LOQ was between 0.04 and 0.35% (w/w) for drug quantification in the bulk. Similarly, the analysis of the capsules led to RSEP of 1.9-6.5% and LOQ of 0.01-0.41% (w/w). On the other hand, ultrasound attenuation resulted in RSEP of 2.3-4.4% and LOQ of 0.1-0.6% (w/w). Moreover, ultrasound velocity provided an interesting analytical response in cases where the drug strongly affected the density or compressibility of the SEDDS. We conclude that ultrasonic resonator technology and Raman spectroscopy constitute suitable methods for drug quantification in SEDDS, which is promising for their use as process analytical technologies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of acoustic impedances of multi matching layers for narrowband ultrasonic airborne transducers at frequencies <2.5 MHz - Application of a genetic algorithm.

PubMed

Saffar, Saber; Abdullah, Amir

2012-01-01

The effective ultrasonic energy radiation into the air of piezoelectric transducers requires using multilayer matching systems with accurately selected acoustic impedances and the thickness of particular layers. One major problem of ultrasonic transducers, radiating acoustic energy into air, is to find the proper acoustic impedances of one or more matching layers. This work aims at developing an original solution to the acoustic impedance mismatch between transducer and air. If the acoustic impedance defences between transducer and air be more, then finding best matching layer(s) is harder. Therefore we consider PZT (lead zirconate titanate piezo electric) transducer and air that has huge acoustic impedance deference. The vibration source energy (PZT), which is used to generate the incident wave, consumes a part of the mechanical energy and converts it to an electrical one in theoretical calculation. After calculating matching layers, we consider the energy source as layer to design a transducer. However, this part of the mechanical energy will be neglected during the mathematical work. This approximation is correct only if the transducer is open-circuit. Since the possibilities of choosing material with required acoustic impedance are limited (the counted values cannot always be realized and applied in practice) it is necessary to correct the differences between theoretical values and the possibilities of practical application of given acoustic impedances. Such a correction can be done by manipulating other parameters of matching layers (e.g. by changing their thickness). The efficiency of the energy transmission from the piezoceramic transducer through different layers with different thickness and different attenuation enabling a compensation of non-ideal real values by changing their thickness was computer analyzed (base on genetic algorithm). Firstly, three theoretical solutions were investigated. Namely, Chebyshev, Desilets and Souquet theories. However, the obtained acoustic impedances do not necessarily correspond to a nowadays available material. Consequently, the values of the acoustic impedances are switched to the nearest values in a large material database. The switched values of the acoustic impedances do not generally give efficient transmission coefficients. Therefore, we proposed, in a second step, the use of a genetic algorithm (GA) to select the best acoustic impedances for matching layers from the material database for a narrow band ultrasonic transducer that work at frequency below the 2.5MHz by considering attenuation. However this bank is rich, the results get better. So the accuracy of the propose method increase by using a lot of materials with exact data for acoustic impedance and their attenuation, especially in high frequency. This yields highly more efficient transmission coefficient. In fact by using increasing number of layer we can increase our chance to find the best sets of materials with valuable both in acoustic impedance and low attenuation. Precisely, the transmission coefficient is almost equal to unity for the all studied cases. Finally the effect of thickness on transmission coefficient is investigated for different layers. The results showed that the transmission coefficient for air media is a function of thickness and sensitive to it even for small variation in thickness. In fact, the sensitivity increases when the differences of acoustic impedances to be high (difference between PZT and air). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoacoustic and Ultrasonic Image-Guided Needle Biopsy of the Prostate

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

improved spectral fidelity (i.e., reduced redshift in obtained spectra) using the Verasonics ultrasound platform, is suited for eventual clinical...trials. The Verasonics acquisition is performed in a Delrin holder and coordinated with a LabVIEW data acquisition device to allow for energy... Verasonics Inc., Toronto, Canada), the ratio of PA signal at 850 vs 750 nm was calculated for each oxygenation concentration (Fig. 5) to achieve

High frequency signal acquisition using a smartphone in an undergraduate teaching laboratory: Applications in ultrasonic resonance spectra.

PubMed

Sturtevant, Blake T; Pantea, Cristian; Sinha, Dipen N

2016-10-01

A simple and inexpensive approach to acquiring signals in the megahertz frequency range using a smartphone is described. The approach is general, applicable to electromagnetic as well as acoustic measurements, and makes available to undergraduate teaching laboratories experiments that are traditionally inaccessible due to the expensive equipment that are required. This paper focuses on megahertz range ultrasonic resonance spectra in liquids and solids, although there is virtually no upper limit on frequencies measurable using this technique. Acoustic resonance measurements in water and Fluorinert in a one dimensional (1D) resonant cavity were conducted and used to calculate sound speed. The technique is shown to have a precision and accuracy significantly better than one percent in liquid sound speed. Measurements of 3D resonances in an isotropic solid sphere were also made and used to determine the bulk and shear moduli of the sample. The elastic moduli determined from the solid resonance measurements agreed with those determined using a research grade vector network analyzer to better than 0.5%. The apparatus and measurement technique described can thus make research grade measurements using standardly available laboratory equipment for a cost that is two-to-three orders of magnitude less than the traditional measurement equipment used for these measurements.

Statistical estimation of ultrasonic propagation path parameters for aberration correction.

PubMed

Waag, Robert C; Astheimer, Jeffrey P

2005-05-01

Parameters in a linear filter model for ultrasonic propagation are found using statistical estimation. The model uses an inhomogeneous-medium Green's function that is decomposed into a homogeneous-transmission term and a path-dependent aberration term. Power and cross-power spectra of random-medium scattering are estimated over the frequency band of the transmit-receive system by using closely situated scattering volumes. The frequency-domain magnitude of the aberration is obtained from a normalization of the power spectrum. The corresponding phase is reconstructed from cross-power spectra of subaperture signals at adjacent receive positions by a recursion. The subapertures constrain the receive sensitivity pattern to eliminate measurement system phase contributions. The recursion uses a Laplacian-based algorithm to obtain phase from phase differences. Pulse-echo waveforms were acquired from a point reflector and a tissue-like scattering phantom through a tissue-mimicking aberration path from neighboring volumes having essentially the same aberration path. Propagation path aberration parameters calculated from the measurements of random scattering through the aberration phantom agree with corresponding parameters calculated for the same aberrator and array position by using echoes from the point reflector. The results indicate the approach describes, in addition to time shifts, waveform amplitude and shape changes produced by propagation through distributed aberration under realistic conditions.

Elastic, optical and structural features of wide range of CdO- Na2B4O7 glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saddeek, Y. B.; Aly, K. A.; Shaaban, Kh S.; Mossad Ali, Atif; Sayed, M. A.

2018-06-01

Wide range of CdO—Na2B4O7 glasses have been prepared and characterized via XRD, FTIR and UV spectroscopies along with DTA and ultrasonic techniques. The compositional dependence of the physical parameters such as the density, the molar volume, the optical transmittance, the optical band gap, the ultrasonic velocities and the elastic moduli on CdO content were determined. The profiles of XRD assured the amorphous nature of the explored glasses. The clarification of the borate and cadmium functional groups besides their linkages was extracted from the deconvoluted FTIR spectra. Such a clarification was used in the analysis of the relation of the mechanical, T g and optical parameters versus CdO content. These physical parameters revealed the glass modifier role of CdO.

Ultrasonic P- and S-Wave Attenuation and Petrophysical Properties of Deccan Flood Basalts, India, as Revealed by Borehole Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vedanti, Nimisha; Malkoti, Ajay; Pandey, O. P.; Shrivastava, J. P.

2018-03-01

Petrophysical properties and ultrasonic P- and S-wave attenuation measurements on 35 Deccan basalt core specimens, recovered from Killari borehole site in western India, provide unique reference data-sets for a lesser studied Deccan Volcanic Province. These samples represent 338-m-thick basaltic column, consisting four lava flows each of Ambenali and Poladpur Formations, belonging to Wai Subgroup of the Deccan volcanic sequence. These basalt samples are found to be iron-rich (average FeOT: 13.4 wt%), but relatively poor in silica content (average SiO2: 47.8 wt%). The saturated massive basalt cores are characterized by a mean density of 2.91 g/cm3 (range 2.80-3.01 g/cm3) and mean P- and S-wave velocities of 5.89 km/s (range 5.01-6.50 km/s) and 3.43 km/s (range 2.84-3.69 km/s), respectively. In comparison, saturated vesicular basalt cores show a wide range in density (2.40-2.79 g/cm3) as well as P-wave (3.28-4.78 km/s) and S-wave (1.70-2.95 km/s) velocities. Based on the present study, the Deccan volcanic sequence can be assigned a weighted mean density of 2.74 g/cm3 and a low V p and V s of 5.00 and 3.00 km/s, respectively. Such low velocities in Deccan basalts can be attributed mainly to the presence of fine-grained glassy material, high iron contents, and hydrothermally altered secondary mineral products, besides higher porosity in vesicular samples. The measured Q values in saturated massive basalt cores vary enormously (Q p: 33-1960 and Q s: 35-506), while saturated vesicular basalt samples exhibit somewhat lesser variation in Q p (6-46) as well as Q s (5-49). In general, high-porosity rocks exhibit high attenuation, but we observed the high value of attenuation in some of the massive basalt core samples also. In such cases, energy loss is mainly due to the presence of fine-grained glassy material as well as secondary alteration products like chlorophaeite, that could contribute to intrinsic attenuation. Dominance of weekly bound secondary minerals might also be responsible for the generation of microcracks, which may generate squirt flow in saturated samples. Hence, we argue that the Deccan basalts attenuate seismic energy significantly, where its composition plays a major role.

Underwater unidirectional acoustic transmission through a plate with bilateral asymmetric gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Ailing; Chen, Tianning; Wang, Xiaopeng; Xi, Yanhui; Liang, Qingxuan

2018-04-01

In this paper, a novel underwater unidirectional acoustic transmission (UAT) device consisting of a plate with bilateral asymmetric gratings is proposed and numerically investigated. The transmission spectra, the acoustic intensity field distributions, and the displacement field distributions are numerically calculated based on the finite element method. The transmission spectra show that the proposed device exhibits different UAT effects in three bands. The acoustic intensity field distributions demonstrate that the proposed device can realize UAT, which agree well with the transmission spectra. The mechanism is discussed by analyzing the displacement field distributions, and the UAT is attributed to the symmetric mode excited in brass plate. Furthermore, the effects of the lattice constant, the upper slit width, and the lower slit width on bands are discussed. Our design provides a good reference for designing underwater UAT devices and has potential applications in some fields, such as medical ultrasonic devices, acoustic barrier, and noise insulation.

International Conference on Internal Friction and Ultrasonic Attenuation in Solids (ICIFUAS) (10th) held in Roma, Italy on September 6 - 9, 1993

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-09

decomposition in Fe-Cr system on non-elastic properties were investigated. Taking mechanism of appearing of microplastic deformation as the base, the...found out the general principles of LPT- induced microplasticity and examined several particular cases. The basic idea is the great change of the line...Physics, Russian Acad. of Sci., 142432 Chernogolovka, Moscow distr., Russia on heefect o sea stes V103 If S The investigations were c rried o4 on

Ultrasonic Plate Waves for Fatigue Crack Detection in Multi-Layered Metallic Structures (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

dispersion curves. Although the phase velocity of the guided waves in the glass plate were unaffected by the presence of a rough elastomer , the...attenuation of the transmitted A0 and S0 modes were found to be sensitive to the elastomer loading condition. The normal stiffness was found to more greatly...Dalton used FEM models to study the problem of coupling between the two layers and good agreement was found with experimental results for both adhesive

Proposal of ultrasonic-assisted mid-infrared spectroscopy for incorporating into daily life like smart-toilet and non-invasive blood glucose sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitazaki, Tomoya; Mori, Keita; Yamamoto, Naoyuki; Wang, Congtao; Kawashima, Natsumi; Ishimaru, Ichiro

2017-07-01

We proposed the extremely compact beans-size snap-shot mid-infrared spectroscopy that will be able to be built in smartphones. And also the easy preparation method of thin-film samples generated by ultrasonic standing wave is proposed. Mid-infrared spectroscopy is able to identify material components and estimate component concentrations quantitatively from absorption spectra. But conventional spectral instruments were very large-size and too expensive to incorporate into daily life. And preparations of thin-film sample were very troublesome task. Because water absorption in mid-infrared lights is very strong, moisture-containing-sample thickness should be less than 100[μm]. Thus, midinfrared spectroscopy has been utilized only by analytical experts in their laboratories. Because ultrasonic standing wave is compressional wave, we can generate periodical refractive-index distributions inside of samples. A high refractiveindex plane is correspond to a reflection boundary. When we use a several MHz ultrasonic transducer, the distance between sample surface and generated first node become to be several ten μm. Thus, the double path of this distance is correspond to sample thickness. By combining these two proposed methods, as for liquid samples, urinary albumin and glucose concentrations will be able to be measured inside of toilet. And as for solid samples, by attaching these apparatus to earlobes, the enhancement of reflection lights from near skin surface will create a new path to realize the non-invasive blood glucose sensor. Using the small ultrasonic-transducer whose diameter was 10[mm] and applied voltage 8[V], we detected the internal reflection lights from colored water as liquid sample and acrylic board as solid sample.

An automated full waveform logging system for high-resolution P-wave profiles in marine sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breitzke, Monika; Spieβ, Volkhard

1993-11-01

An automated, PC-based logging system has been developed to investigate marine sediment cores by full waveform transmission seismograms. High-resolution P-wave velocity and amplitude attenuation profiles are simultaneously derived from the transmission data to characterize the acoustic properties of the sediment column. A pair of ultrasonic, piezoelectric wheel probes is used to generate and record the transmission signals travelling radially through the sediment core. Both unsplit and split cores are allowed. Mounted in a carriage driven by a stepping motor via a shaft the probes automatically move along the core liner, stopping at equidistant spacings to provide a quasi-continuous inspection of the core by the transmission data. The axial travel distance and the core diameter are determined by digital measuring tools. First arrivals are picked automatically from the transmission seismograms using either a threshold in the seismogram's envelope or a cross-correlation algorithm taking the ‘zero-offset’ signal of both wheel probes into account. Combined with the core diameter these first arrivals lead to a P-wave velocity profile with a relative precision of 1 to 2 m s-1. Simultaneously, the maximum peak-to-peak amplitudes of the transmission seismograms are evaluated to get a first idea on the amplitude attenuation along the sediment core. Two examples of gravity cores taken during a recent cruise of R.V. METEOR in the Western Equatorial Atlantic are presented. They yield that the P-wave profiles can be used for locating strong and fine-scale lithological changes, e.g. turbidite layers and slight variations in the sand, silt or clay content. In addition, the transmission seismograms and their amplitude spectra obviously seem to reveal a correlation between the relative amount of low-frequency spectral components and the sediment grain size, and thus provide a tool for the determination of additional, related physical or sedimentological parameters in future investigations.

Modeling micromechanical measurements of depth-varying properties with scanning acoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marangos, Orestes; Misra, Anil

2018-02-01

Scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) has been applied to measure the near-surface elastic properties of materials. For many substrates, the near-surface property is not constant but varies with depth. In this paper, we aim to interpret the SAM data from such substrates by modeling the interaction of the focused ultrasonic field with a substrate having a near-surface graded layer. The focused ultrasonic field solutions were represented as spherical harmonic expansions while the substrate solutions were represented as plane wave expansions. The bridging of the two solutions was achieved through the decomposition of the ultrasonic pressure fields in their angular spectra. Parametric studies were performed, which showed that near-surface graded layers exhibit distinctive frequency dependence of their reflectance functions. This behavior is characteristic to the material property gradation profile as well as the extent of the property gradation. The developed model was used to explain the frequency-dependent reflection coefficients measured from an acid-etched dentin substrate. Based on the model calculations, the elastic property variations of the acid-etched dentin near-surface indicate that the topmost part of the etched layer is very soft (3-6 GPa) and transitions to the native dentin through a depth of 27 and 36 microns.

Implementation of High Time Delay Accuracy of Ultrasonic Phased Array Based on Interpolation CIC Filter

PubMed Central

Liu, Peilu; Li, Xinghua; Li, Haopeng; Su, Zhikun; Zhang, Hongxu

2017-01-01

In order to improve the accuracy of ultrasonic phased array focusing time delay, analyzing the original interpolation Cascade-Integrator-Comb (CIC) filter, an 8× interpolation CIC filter parallel algorithm was proposed, so that interpolation and multichannel decomposition can simultaneously process. Moreover, we summarized the general formula of arbitrary multiple interpolation CIC filter parallel algorithm and established an ultrasonic phased array focusing time delay system based on 8× interpolation CIC filter parallel algorithm. Improving the algorithmic structure, 12.5% of addition and 29.2% of multiplication was reduced, meanwhile the speed of computation is still very fast. Considering the existing problems of the CIC filter, we compensated the CIC filter; the compensated CIC filter’s pass band is flatter, the transition band becomes steep, and the stop band attenuation increases. Finally, we verified the feasibility of this algorithm on Field Programming Gate Array (FPGA). In the case of system clock is 125 MHz, after 8× interpolation filtering and decomposition, time delay accuracy of the defect echo becomes 1 ns. Simulation and experimental results both show that the algorithm we proposed has strong feasibility. Because of the fast calculation, small computational amount and high resolution, this algorithm is especially suitable for applications with high time delay accuracy and fast detection. PMID:29023385

Implementation of High Time Delay Accuracy of Ultrasonic Phased Array Based on Interpolation CIC Filter.

PubMed

Liu, Peilu; Li, Xinghua; Li, Haopeng; Su, Zhikun; Zhang, Hongxu

2017-10-12

In order to improve the accuracy of ultrasonic phased array focusing time delay, analyzing the original interpolation Cascade-Integrator-Comb (CIC) filter, an 8× interpolation CIC filter parallel algorithm was proposed, so that interpolation and multichannel decomposition can simultaneously process. Moreover, we summarized the general formula of arbitrary multiple interpolation CIC filter parallel algorithm and established an ultrasonic phased array focusing time delay system based on 8× interpolation CIC filter parallel algorithm. Improving the algorithmic structure, 12.5% of addition and 29.2% of multiplication was reduced, meanwhile the speed of computation is still very fast. Considering the existing problems of the CIC filter, we compensated the CIC filter; the compensated CIC filter's pass band is flatter, the transition band becomes steep, and the stop band attenuation increases. Finally, we verified the feasibility of this algorithm on Field Programming Gate Array (FPGA). In the case of system clock is 125 MHz, after 8× interpolation filtering and decomposition, time delay accuracy of the defect echo becomes 1 ns. Simulation and experimental results both show that the algorithm we proposed has strong feasibility. Because of the fast calculation, small computational amount and high resolution, this algorithm is especially suitable for applications with high time delay accuracy and fast detection.

Noninvasive ultrasonic examination technology in support of counter-terrorism and drug interdiction activities: the acoustic inspection device (AID)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diaz, Aaron A.; Burghard, Brion J.; Skorpik, James R.; Shepard, Chester L.; Samuel, Todd J.; Pappas, Richard A.

2003-07-01

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a portable, battery-operated, handheld ultrasonic device that provides non-invasive container interrogation and material identification capabilities. The technique governing how the acoustic inspection device (AID) functions, involves measurements of ultrasonic pulses (0.1 to 5 MHz) that are launched into a container or material. The return echoes from these pulses are analyzed in terms of time-of-flight and frequency content to extract physical property measurements (the acoustic velocity and attenuation coefficient) of the material under test. The AID performs an automated analysis of the return echoes to identify the material, and detect contraband in the form of submerged packages and concealed compartments in liquid filled containers and solid-form commodities. An inspector can quickly interrogate outwardly innocuous commodity items such as shipping barrels, tanker trucks, and metal ingots. The AID can interrogate container sizes ranging from approximately 6 inches in diameter to over 96 inches in diameter and allows the inspector to sort liquid and material types into groups of like and unlike; a powerful method for discovering corrupted materials or miss-marked containers co-mingled in large shipments. This manuscript describes the functionality, capabilities and measurement methodology of the technology as it relates to homeland security applications.

Evaluation of fatty proportion in fatty liver using least squares method with constraints.

PubMed

Li, Xingsong; Deng, Yinhui; Yu, Jinhua; Wang, Yuanyuan; Shamdasani, Vijay

2014-01-01

Backscatter and attenuation parameters are not easily measured in clinical applications due to tissue inhomogeneity in the region of interest (ROI). A least squares method(LSM) that fits the echo signal power spectra from a ROI to a 3-parameter tissue model was used to get attenuation coefficient imaging in fatty liver. Since fat's attenuation value is higher than normal liver parenchyma, a reasonable threshold was chosen to evaluate the fatty proportion in fatty liver. Experimental results using clinical data of fatty liver illustrate that the least squares method can get accurate attenuation estimates. It is proved that the attenuation values have a positive correlation with the fatty proportion, which can be used to evaluate the syndrome of fatty liver.

Electron attenuation in free, neutral ethane clusters.

PubMed

Winkler, M; Myrseth, V; Harnes, J; Børve, K J

2014-10-28

The electron effective attenuation length (EAL) in free, neutral ethane clusters has been determined at 40 eV kinetic energy by combining carbon 1s x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical lineshape modeling. More specifically, theory is employed to form model spectra on a grid in cluster size (N) and EAL (λ), allowing N and λ to be determined by optimizing the goodness-of-fit χ(2)(N, λ) between model and observed spectra. Experimentally, the clusters were produced in an adiabatic-expansion setup using helium as the driving gas, spanning a range of 100-600 molecules in mean cluster size. The effective attenuation length was determined to be 8.4 ± 1.9 Å, in good agreement with an independent estimate of 10 Å formed on the basis of molecular electron-scattering data and Monte Carlo simulations. The aggregation state of the clusters as well as the cluster temperature and its importance to the derived EAL value are discussed in some depth.

Faraday Wave Turbulence on a Spherical Liquid Shell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holt, R. Glynn; Trinh, Eugene H.

1996-01-01

Millimeter-radius liquid shells are acoustically levitated in an ultrasonic field. Capillary waves are observed on the shells. At low energies (minimal acoustic amplitude, thick shell) a resonance is observed between the symmetric and antisymmetric thin film oscillation modes. At high energies (high acoustic pressure, thin shell) the shell becomes fully covered with high-amplitude waves. Temporal spectra of scattered light from the shell in this regime exhibit a power-law decay indicative of turbulence.

Evaluation of multiple-channel OFDM based airborne ultrasonic communications.

PubMed

Jiang, Wentao; Wright, William M D

2016-09-01

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation has been extensively used in both wired and wireless communication systems. The use of OFDM technology allows very high spectral efficiency data transmission without using complex equalizers to correct the effect of a frequency-selective channel. This work investigated OFDM methods in an airborne ultrasonic communication system, using commercially available capacitive ultrasonic transducers operating at 50kHz to transmit information through the air. Conventional modulation schemes such as binary phase shift keying (BPSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) were used to modulate sub-carrier signals, and the performances were evaluated in an indoor laboratory environment. Line-of-sight (LOS) transmission range up to 11m with no measurable errors was achieved using BPSK at a data rate of 45kb/s and a spectral efficiency of 1b/s/Hz. By implementing a higher order modulation scheme (16-QAM), the system data transfer rate was increased to 180kb/s with a spectral efficiency of 4b/s/Hz at attainable transmission distances up to 6m. Diffraction effects were incorporated into a model of the ultrasonic channel that also accounted for beam spread and attenuation in air. The simulations were a good match to the measured signals and non-LOS signals could be demodulated successfully. The effects of multipath interference were also studied in this work. By adding cyclic prefix (CP) to the OFDM symbols, the bit error rate (BER) performance was significantly improved in a multipath environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

S-wave attenuation structure beneath the northern Izu-Bonin arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Tsutomu; Obana, Koichiro; Kodaira, Shuichi

2016-04-01

To understand temperature structure or magma distribution in the crust and uppermost mantle, it is essential to know their attenuation structure. This study estimated the 3-D S-wave attenuation structure in the crust and uppermost mantle at the northern Izu-Bonin arc, taking into account the apparent attenuation due to multiple forward scattering. In the uppermost mantle, two areas of high seismic attenuation (high Q -1) imaged beneath the volcanic front were mostly colocated with low-velocity anomalies. This coincidence suggests that these high- Q -1 areas in low-velocity zones are the most likely candidates for high-temperature regions beneath volcanoes. The distribution of random inhomogeneities indicated the presence of three anomalies beneath the volcanic front: Two were in high- Q -1 areas but the third was in a moderate- Q -1 area, indicating a low correlation between random inhomogeneities and Q -1. All three anomalies of random inhomogeneities were rich in short-wavelength spectra. The most probable interpretation of such spectra is the presence of volcanic rock, which would be related to accumulated magma intrusion during episodes of volcanic activity. Therefore, the different distributions of Q -1 and random inhomogeneities imply that the positions of hot regions in the uppermost mantle beneath this arc have changed temporally; therefore, they may provide important constraints on the evolutionary processes of arc crust and volcanoes.

Hearing and whistling in the deep sea: depth influences whistle spectra but does not attenuate hearing by white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) (Odontoceti, Cetacea).

PubMed

Ridgway, S H; Carder, D A; Kamolnick, T; Smith, R R; Schlundt, C E; Elsberry, W R

2001-11-01

Hearing is attenuated in the aerial ear of humans and other land mammals tested in pressure chambers as a result of middle ear impedance changes that result from increased air density. We tested the hypothesis, based on recent middle ear models, that increasing the density of middle ear air at depth might attenuate whale hearing. Two white whales Delphinapterus leucas made dives to a platform at a depth of 5, 100, 200 or 300 m in the Pacific Ocean. During dives to station on the platform for up to 12 min, the whales whistled in response to 500 ms tones projected at random intervals to assess their hearing threshold at each depth. Analysis of response whistle spectra, whistle latency in response to tones and hearing thresholds showed that the increased hydrostatic pressure at depth changed each whale's whistle response at depth, but did not attenuate hearing overall. The finding that whale hearing is not attenuated at depth suggests that sound is conducted through the head tissues of the whale to the ear without requiring the usual ear drum/ossicular chain amplification of the aerial middle ear. These first ever hearing tests in the open ocean demonstrate that zones of audibility for human-made sounds are just as great throughout the depths to which these whales dive, or at least down to 300 m.

Noncontact Determination of Antisymmetric Plate Wave Velocity in Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kautz, Harold E.

1998-01-01

High-temperature materials are of increasing importance in the development of more efficient engines and components for the aeronautics industry. In particular, ceramic matrix composite (CMC) and metal matrix composite (MMC) structures are under active development for these applications. The acousto-ultrasonic (AU) method has been shown to be useful for assessing mechanical properties in composite structures. In particular, plate wave analysis can characterize composites in terms of their stiffness moduli. It is desirable to monitor changes in mechanical properties that occur during thermomechanical testing and to monitor the health of components whose geometry or position make them hard to reach with conventional ultrasonic probes. In such applications, it would be useful to apply AU without coupling directly to the test surface. For a number of years, lasers have been under investigation as remote ultrasonic input sources and ultrasound detectors. The use of an ultrasonic transducer coupled through an air gap has also been under study. So far at the NASA Lewis Research Center, we have been more successful in using lasers as ultrasonic sources than as output devices. On the other hand, we have been more successful in using an air-coupled piezoelectric transducer as an output device than as an input device. For this reason, we studied the laser in/air-coupled-transducer out combination-using a pulsed NdYAG laser as the ultrasonic source and an air-coupled-transducer as the detector. The present work is focused on one of the AU parameters of interest, the ultrasonic velocity of the antisymmetric plate-wave mode. This easily identified antisymmetric pulse can be used to determine shear and flexure modulus. It was chosen for this initial work because the pulse arrival times are likely to be the most precise. The following schematic illustrates our experimental arrangement for using laser in/air-transducer out on SiC/SiC composite tensile specimens. The NdYAG pulse was directed downward by a 90 infrared prism to the top of the specimen, but at the edge of one end. An energy sensor measured a single pulse at 13 millijoules (mJ) before it passed through the prism, which attenuated 15 percent of its energy. It also provided an output trigger for the waveform time-delay synthesizer.

An Ultrasonic Technique to Determine the Residual Strength of Adhesive Bonds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Achenbach, J. D.; Tang, Z.

1999-01-01

In this work, ultrasonic techniques to nondestructively evaluate adhesive bond degradation have been studied. The key to the present approach is the introduction of an external factor which pulls the adhesive bond in the nonlinear range, simultaneously with the application of an ultrasonic technique. With the aid of an external static tensile loading, a superimposed longitudinal wave has.been used to obtain the slopes of the stress-strain curve of an adhesive bond at a series of load levels. The critical load, at which a reduction of the slope is detected by the superimposed longitudinal wave, is an indication of the onset of nonlinear behavior of the adhesive bond, and therefore of bond degradation. This approach has been applied to the detection of adhesive bond degradation induced by cyclic fatigue loading. Analogously to the longitudinal wave case, a superimposed shear wave has been used to obtain the effective shear modulus of adhesive layers at different shear load levels. The onset of the nonlinear behavior of an adhesive bond under shear loading has been detected by the use of a superimposed shear wave. Experiments show that a longitudinal wave can also detect the nonlinear behavior when an adhesive bond is subjected to shear loading. An optimal combination of ultrasonic testing and mechanical loading methods for the detection of degradation related nonlinear behavior of adhesive bonds has been discussed. For the purpose of a practical application, an ultrasonic technique that uses a temperature increase as an alternative to static loading has also been investigated. A general strain-temperature correspondence principle that relates a mechanical strain to a temperature has been presented. Explicit strain-temperature correspondence relations for both the tension and shear cases have been derived. An important parameter which quantifies the relation between the wave velocity and temperature has been defined. This parameter, which is indicative of adhesive bond nonlinearity and which can be conveniently obtained by an ultrasonic measurement, has been used as an indication of adhesive bond degradation. Experimental results have shown that the temperature increase method is a convenient and productive alternative to static loading. A technique which uses the reflected waveform data to obtain the fundamental ultrasonic parameters (transit time, reflection coefficient and attenuation coefficient) of an adhesive bond has also been presented.

Application of linear discriminant analysis and Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared microspectroscopy for diagnosis of colon cancer.

PubMed

Khanmohammadi, Mohammadreza; Bagheri Garmarudi, Amir; Samani, Simin; Ghasemi, Keyvan; Ashuri, Ahmad

2011-06-01

Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) microspectroscopy was applied for detection of colon cancer according to the spectral features of colon tissues. Supervised classification models can be trained to identify the tissue type based on the spectroscopic fingerprint. A total of 78 colon tissues were used in spectroscopy studies. Major spectral differences were observed in 1,740-900 cm(-1) spectral region. Several chemometric methods such as analysis of variance (ANOVA), cluster analysis (CA) and linear discriminate analysis (LDA) were applied for classification of IR spectra. Utilizing the chemometric techniques, clear and reproducible differences were observed between the spectra of normal and cancer cases, suggesting that infrared microspectroscopy in conjunction with spectral data processing would be useful for diagnostic classification. Using LDA technique, the spectra were classified into cancer and normal tissue classes with an accuracy of 95.8%. The sensitivity and specificity was 100 and 93.1%, respectively.

Detection and identification of explosive particles in fingerprints using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectromicroscopy.

PubMed

Mou, Yongyan; Rabalais, J Wayne

2009-07-01

The application of attenuated total reflection (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectromicroscopy for detection of explosive particles in fingerprints is described. The combined functions of ATR-FTIR spectromicroscopy are visual searching of particles in fingerprints and measuring the FTIR spectra of the particles. These functions make it possible to directly identify whether a suspect has handled explosives from the fingerprints alone. Particles in explosive contaminated fingerprints are either ingredients of the explosives, finger residues, or other foreign materials. These cannot normally be discriminated by their morphology alone. ATR-FTIR spectra can provide both particle morphology and composition. Fingerprints analyzed by ATR-FTIR can be used for further analysis and identification because of its non-destructive character. Fingerprints contaminated with three different types of explosives, or potential explosives, have been analyzed herein. An infrared spectral library was searched in order to identify the explosive residues. The acquired spectra are compared to those of finger residue alone, in order to differentiate such residue from explosive residue.

Evaluation of protective shielding thickness for diagnostic radiology rooms: theory and computer simulation.

PubMed

Costa, Paulo R; Caldas, Linda V E

2002-01-01

This work presents the development and evaluation using modern techniques to calculate radiation protection barriers in clinical radiographic facilities. Our methodology uses realistic primary and scattered spectra. The primary spectra were computer simulated using a waveform generalization and a semiempirical model (the Tucker-Barnes-Chakraborty model). The scattered spectra were obtained from published data. An analytical function was used to produce attenuation curves from polychromatic radiation for specified kVp, waveform, and filtration. The results of this analytical function are given in ambient dose equivalent units. The attenuation curves were obtained by application of Archer's model to computer simulation data. The parameters for the best fit to the model using primary and secondary radiation data from different radiographic procedures were determined. They resulted in an optimized model for shielding calculation for any radiographic room. The shielding costs were about 50% lower than those calculated using the traditional method based on Report No. 49 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements.

Modeling of ultrasonic and terahertz radiations in defective tiles for condition monitoring of thermal protection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabiri Rahani, Ehsan

Condition based monitoring of Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) is necessary for safe operations of space shuttles when quick turn-around time is desired. In the current research Terahertz radiation (T-ray) has been used to detect mechanical and heat induced damages in TPS tiles. Voids and cracks inside the foam tile are denoted as mechanical damage while property changes due to long and short term exposures of tiles to high heat are denoted as heat induced damage. Ultrasonic waves cannot detect cracks and voids inside the tile because the tile material (silica foam) has high attenuation for ultrasonic energy. Instead, electromagnetic terahertz radiation can easily penetrate into the foam material and detect the internal voids although this electromagnetic radiation finds it difficult to detect delaminations between the foam tile and the substrate plate. Thus these two technologies are complementary to each other for TPS inspection. Ultrasonic and T-ray field modeling in free and mounted tiles with different types of mechanical and thermal damages has been the focus of this research. Shortcomings and limitations of FEM method in modeling 3D problems especially at high-frequencies has been discussed and a newly developed semi-analytical technique called Distributed Point Source Method (DPSM) has been used for this purpose. A FORTRAN code called DPSM3D has been developed to model both ultrasonic and electromagnetic problems using the conventional DPSM method. This code is designed in a general form capable of modeling a variety of geometries. DPSM has been extended from ultrasonic applications to electromagnetic to model THz Gaussian beams, multilayered dielectrics and Gaussian beam-scatterer interaction problems. Since the conventional DPSM has some drawbacks, to overcome it two modification methods called G-DPSM and ESM have been proposed. The conventional DPSM in the past was only capable of solving time harmonic (frequency domain) problems. Time history was obtained by FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) algorithm. In this research DPSM has been extended to model DPSM transient problems without using FFT. This modified technique has been denoted as t-DPSM. Using DPSM, scattering of focused ultrasonic fields by single and multiple cavities in fluid & solid media is studied. It is investigated when two cavities in close proximity can be distinguished and when it is not possible. A comparison between the radiation forces generated by the ultrasonic energies reflected from two small cavities versus a single big cavity is also carried out.

Ultrasonic Seismic Wave Elastic Moduli and Attenuation, Petro physical Models and Work Flows for Better Subsurface Imaging Related to Monitoring of Sequestrated Supercritical CO2 and Geothermal Energy Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harbert, W.; Delaney, D.; Mur, A. J.; Purcell, C.; Zorn, E.; Soong, Y.; Crandall, D.; Haljasmaa, I.

2016-12-01

To better understand the petrophysical response at ultrasonic frequencies in rhyolite and carbonate (relevant to CO2 storage and CO2 enhanced oil recovery) lithologies we conducted core analysis incorporating variation in temperature, effective pressure and pore filling fluid. Ultrasonic compressive and shear wave (VP, VS1 and VS2) velocities were measured allowing calculation of the Bulk modulus (K), Young's modulus (E), Lamè's first parameter (λ), Shear modulus (G), Poisson's ratio (ν), and P-wave modulus (M). In addition, from the ultrasonic waveform data collected, we employed the spectral ratio method to estimate the quality factor. Carbonate samples were tested dry, using atmospheric gas as the pore phase, and with deionized water, oil, and supercritical CO2. We observed that Qp was directly proportional to effective pressure in our rhyolite samples. In addition, we observed effects of core anisotropy on Qp, however this was not apparent in higher porosity samples. Increasing effective pressure seems to decrease the effects of ultrasonic P-wave anisotropy. Qp was inversely proportional to temperature, however this was not observed for higher porosity samples. Qp was highly dependent on the rock porosity. Higher porosity samples displayed significantly lower values of Qp. In our experiments we observed that ultrasonic wave scattering due to heterogeneities in the carbonate samples was dominant. Although we observed lower μρ values, trends in our data strongly agreed with the model proposed workers interpreting AVO trends in a LMR cross plot space. We found that μρ was proportional to temperature while λρ was temperature independent and that λρ-μρ trends were extremely dependent on porosity. Higher porosity results in lower values for both λρ and μρ. The presence of fluids causes a distinct shift in λρ values, an observation which could provide insight into subsurface exploration using amplitude variation with offset (AVO) classification. We present approaches to incorporate these laboratory results into well log calibrated MATLAB based Gassmann-Biot fluid substitution models incorporating compliant porosity, Thomsen parameters models that utilize orthorhombic velocity anisotropy to predict seismic responses.

Attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy of plant leaves: A tool for ecological and botanical studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ribeiro da Luz, B.

2006-01-01

??? Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectra of plant leaves display complex absorption features related to organic constituents of leaf surfaces. The spectra can be recorded rapidly, both in the field and in the laboratory, without special sample preparation. ??? This paper explores sources of ATR spectral variation in leaves, including compositional, positional and temporal variations. Interspecific variations are also examined, including the use of ATR spectra as a tool for species identification. ??? Positional spectral variations generally reflected the abundance of cutin and the epicuticular wax thickness and composition. For example, leaves exposed to full sunlight commonly showed more prominent cutin- and wax-related absorption features compared with shaded leaves. Adaxial vs. abaxial leaf surfaces displayed spectral variations reflecting differences in trichome abundance and wax composition. Mature vs. young leaves showed changes in absorption band position and intensity related to cutin, polysaccharide, and possibly amorphous silica development on and near the leaf surfaces. ??? Provided that similar samples are compared (e.g. adaxial surfaces of mature, sun-exposed leaves) same-species individuals display practically identical ATR spectra. Using spectral matching procedures to analyze an ATR database containing 117 individuals, including 32 different tree species, 83% of the individuals were correctly identified. ?? The Authors (2006).

Attenuation process of the longitudinal phonon mode in a TeO2 crystal in the 20-GHz range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohno, S.; Sonehara, T.; Tatsu, E.; Koreeda, A.; Saikan, S.

2017-06-01

We experimentally investigated the hypersonic attenuation process of a longitudinal mode (L-mode) sound wave in TeO2 from room temperature to a lower temperature using Brillouin scattering and impulsive stimulated thermal scattering (ISTS) measurements. For precise measurement of the Brillouin linewidth at low temperatures, whereby the mean free path of the phonon becomes longer than the sample length, it is indispensable that the phonon should propagate along the phonon-resonance direction. To figure out the suitable direction, we defined two indices characterizing a degree of phonon divergence and a purity of propagation direction. The best direction that we found from these indices is [110] direction in TeO2, and it was used to discuss the temperature and frequency dependences of Brillouin spectra. We extracted the temperature dependence of the attenuation rate of T4 from the modulated Brillouin spectra due to the phonon resonance below Debye temperature. The frequency dependence ω1 of the hypersonic attenuation was also estimated from the polarization dependence of the Brillouin linewidth. Theoretically, it predicted that the L-mode phonon attenuation at low temperatures in TeO2 is a result of Herring's process, which shows the attenuation behavior of ω2T3 . The ω1T4 dependence is not allowed in Herring's process but is allowed by the L +L →L process, which has been considered to be forbidden so far. We evaluated the thermal phonon lifetime using ISTS and established that it was finite even at 20 K, thereby allowing the L +L →L process. Therefore, we conclude that the L +L →L process dominates the attenuation of an L-mode phonon in TeO2 in the low-temperature region.

Shear wave anisotropy from aligned inclusions: ultrasonic frequency dependence of velocity and attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Figueiredo, J. J. S.; Schleicher, J.; Stewart, R. R.; Dayur, N.; Omoboya, B.; Wiley, R.; William, A.

2013-04-01

To understand their influence on elastic wave propagation, anisotropic cracked media have been widely investigated in many theoretical and experimental studies. In this work, we report on laboratory ultrasound measurements carried out to investigate the effect of source frequency on the elastic parameters (wave velocities and the Thomsen parameter γ) and shear wave attenuation) of fractured anisotropic media. Under controlled conditions, we prepared anisotropic model samples containing penny-shaped rubber inclusions in a solid epoxy resin matrix with crack densities ranging from 0 to 6.2 per cent. Two of the three cracked samples have 10 layers and one has 17 layers. The number of uniform rubber inclusions per layer ranges from 0 to 100. S-wave splitting measurements have shown that scattering effects are more prominent in samples where the seismic wavelength to crack aperture ratio ranges from 1.6 to 1.64 than in others where the ratio varied from 2.72 to 2.85. The sample with the largest cracks showed a magnitude of scattering attenuation three times higher compared with another sample that had small inclusions. Our S-wave ultrasound results demonstrate that elastic scattering, scattering and anelastic attenuation, velocity dispersion and crack size interfere directly in shear wave splitting in a source-frequency dependent manner, resulting in an increase of scattering attenuation and a reduction of shear wave anisotropy with increasing frequency.

Ultrasonic Bat Deterrent Technology

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

Kinzie, Kevin; Rominger, Kathryn M.

The project objective was to advance the development and testing of an Near commercial bat-deterrent system with a goal to increase the current GE deterrent system effectiveness to over 50% with broad species applicability. Additionally, the research supported by this program has provided insights into bat behavior and ultrasonic deterrent design that had not previously been explored. Prior research and development had demonstrated the effectiveness of a commercial-grade, air-powered, ultrasonic bat deterrent to be between 30-50% depending upon the species of bat. However, the previous research provided limited insight into the behavioral responses of bats in the presence of ultrasonicmore » deterrent sound fields that could be utilized to improve effectiveness. A unique bat flight room was utilized to observe the behavioral characteristics of bats in the presence of ultrasonic sound fields. Behavioral testing in the bat flight facility demonstrated that ultrasonic sounds similar to those produced by the GE deterrent influenced the activities and behaviors, primarily those associated with foraging, of the species exposed. The study also indicated that continuous and pulsing ultrasonic signals had a similar effect on the bats, and confirmed that as ultrasonic sounds attenuate, their influence on the bats’ activities and behavior decreases. Ground testing at Wolf Ridge Wind, LLC and Shawnee National Forest assessed both continuous and pulsing deterrent signals emitted from the GE deterrent system and further enhanced the behavioral understanding of bats in the presence of the deterrent. With these data and observations, the existing 4-nozzle continuous, or steady, emission ultrasonic system was redesigned to a 6-nozzle system that could emit a pulsing signal covering a larger air space around a turbine. Twelve GE 1.6-100 turbines were outfitted with the deterrent system and a formal three-month field study was performed using daily carcass searches beneath the 12 turbines. Additionally, a unique 3D bat flight path visualization system was utilized to monitor for and identify any changes in bat activity caused by the operation of the deterrent system. Both the carcass search and flight path visualization data indicated that the pulsed deterrent system was effective, but not more effective, than the steady system tested in prior years. The pulsed deterrent system was effective at reducing bat fatalities by 38% for all species and 54% effective at reducing fatalities if Eastern Red bats were excluded from the data. However, an unanticipated byproduct of the pulsing system was the emission of intermittent water vapor from the deterrent devices due to the air compression process that powered the devices. This water vapor may have altered the ultrasonic signal and obscured the results in an unknown way. While a qualitative analysis of the effect of the water vapor on the deterrent signal had indicated there was not dramatic change in the expected ultrasonic signal, it was not possible to conclusively determine if the pulse signal would have been more effective in the absence of the water vapor.« less

Complex Interaction Mechanisms between Dislocations and Point Defects Studied in Pure Aluminium by a Two-Wave Acoustic Coupling Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bremnes, O.; Progin, O.; Gremaud, G.; Benoit, W.

1997-04-01

Ultrasonic experiments using a two-wave coupling technique were performed on 99.999% pure Al in order to study the interaction mechanisms occurring between dislocations and point defects. The coupling technique consists in measuring the attenuation of ultrasonic waves during low-frequency stress cycles (t). One obtains closed curves () called signatures whose shape and evolution are characteristic of the interaction mechanism controlling the low-frequency dislocation motion. The signatures observed were attributed to the interaction of the dislocations with extrinsic point defects. A new interpretation of the evolution of the signatures measured below 200 K with respect to temperature and stress frequency had to be established: they are linked to depinning of immobile point defects, whereas a thermally activated depinning mechanism does not fit the observations. The signatures measured between 200 and 370 K were interpreted as dragging and depinning of extrinsic point defects which are increasingly mobile with temperature.

Propagation characteristics of ultrasonic guided waves in continuously welded rail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Wenqing; Sheng, Fuwei; Wei, Xiaoyuan; Zhang, Lei; Yang, Yuan

2017-07-01

Rail defects cause numerous railway accidents. Trains are derailed and serious consequences often occur. Compared to traditional bulk wave testing, ultrasonic guided waves (UGWs) can provide larger monitoring ranges and complete coverage of the waveguide cross-section. These advantages are of significant importance for the non-destructive testing (NDT) of the continuously welded rail, and the technique is therefore widely used in high-speed railways. UGWs in continuous welded rail (CWR) and their propagation characteristics have been discussed in this paper. Finite element methods (FEMs) were used to accomplish a vibration modal analysis, which is extended by a subsequent dispersion analysis. Wave structure features were illustrated by displacement profiles. It was concluded that guided waves have the ability to detect defects in the rail via choice of proper mode and frequency. Additionally, thermal conduction that is caused by temperature variation in the rail is added into modeling and simulation. The results indicated that unbalanced thermal distribution may lead to the attenuation of UGWs in the rail.

Intense acoustic bursts as a signal-enhancement mechanism in ultrasound-modulated optical tomography.

PubMed

Kim, Chulhong; Zemp, Roger J; Wang, Lihong V

2006-08-15

Biophotonic imaging with ultrasound-modulated optical tomography (UOT) promises ultrasonically resolved imaging in biological tissues. A key challenge in this imaging technique is a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We show significant UOT signal enhancement by using intense time-gated acoustic bursts. A CCD camera captured the speckle pattern from a laser-illuminated tissue phantom. Differences in speckle contrast were observed when ultrasonic bursts were applied, compared with when no ultrasound was applied. When CCD triggering was synchronized with burst initiation, acoustic-radiation-force-induced displacements were detected. To avoid mechanical contrast in UOT images, the CCD camera acquisition was delayed several milliseconds until transient effects of acoustic radiation force attenuated to a satisfactory level. The SNR of our system was sufficiently high to provide an image pixel per acoustic burst without signal averaging. Because of the substantially improved SNR, the use of intense acoustic bursts is a promising signal enhancement strategy for UOT.

In-situ monitoring of acoustic linear and nonlinear behavior of titanium alloys during cycling loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frouin, Jerome; Matikas, Theodore E.; Na, Jeong K.; Sathish, Shamachary

1999-02-01

An in-situ technique to measure sound velocity, ultrasonic attenuation and acoustic nonlinear property has been developed for characterization and early detection of fatigue damage in aerospace materials. A previous experiment using the f-2f technique on Ti-6Al-4V dog bone specimen fatigued at different stage of fatigue has shown that the material nonlinearity exhibit large change compared to the other ultrasonic parameter. Real-time monitoring of the nonlinearity may be a future tool to characterize early fatigue damage in the material. For this purpose we have developed a computer software and measurement technique including hardware for the automation of the measurement. New transducer holder and special grips are designed. The automation has allowed us to test the long-term stability of the electronics over a period of time and so proof of the linearity of the system. For the first time, a real-time experiment has been performed on a dog-bone specimen from zero fatigue al the way to the final fracture.

Ultrasonic characterization of changes in viscoelastic properties of epoxy during cure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winfree, W. P.; Parker, F. R.

1985-01-01

A technique for using the longitudinal velocity (LV) of an ultrasonic wave to monitor the extent of cross linking (CL) during the cure of thermosetting resins is described. The method was developed by monitoring the rate of change in LV during the cure of a bisphenol-A epoxy resin with an amine adduct. The experiment included variations in the temperature and stoichiometry in order to express the rate of change in terms of the reaction kinetics. The pulse-echo method was used with a single transducer operating at 20 MHz. Numerical models were defined to account for the acoustic response of a single layer, the attenuation and the reflection coefficient. A linear relationship was observed between the inverse of the temperature and the log of the rate of change in the velocity, supporting the theory that the velocity could be used to monitor the extent of the cross-linking reaction. An activation energy of 11.9 kcal/mole was calculated for the mixture being investigated.

Ultrasonic correlator versus signal averager as a signal to noise enhancement instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kishoni, Doron; Pietsch, Benjamin E.

1989-01-01

Ultrasonic inspection of thick and attenuating materials is hampered by the reduced amplitudes of the propagated waves to a degree that the noise is too high to enable meaningful interpretation of the data. In order to overcome the low Signal to Noise (S/N) ratio, a correlation technique has been developed. In this method, a continuous pseudo-random pattern generated digitally is transmitted and detected by piezoelectric transducers. A correlation is performed in the instrument between the received signal and a variable delayed image of the transmitted one. The result is shown to be proportional to the impulse response of the investigated material, analogous to a signal received from a pulsed system, with an improved S/N ratio. The degree of S/N enhancement depends on the sweep rate. This paper describes the correlator, and compares it to the method of enhancing S/N ratio by averaging the signals. The similarities and differences between the two are highlighted and the potential advantage of the correlator system is explained.

Nondestructive assessment of pore size in foam-based hybrid composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, M. Y.; Ko, R. T.

2012-05-01

In-situ non-destructive evaluation (NDE) during processing of high temperature polymer based hybrids offers great potential to gain close control and achieve the desired level of pore size, with low overall development cost. During the polymer curing cycle, close control over the evolution of volatiles would be beneficial to avoid the presence of pores or at least control their sizes. Traditional NDE methods cannot realistically be expected to evaluate individual pores in such components, as each pore evolves and grows during curing. However, NDE techniques offer the potential to detect and quantify the macroscopic response of many pores that are undesirable or intentionally introduced into these advanced materials. In this paper, preliminary results will be presented for nondestructive assessment of pore size in foam-based hybrid composite materials using ultrasonic techniques. Pore size was evaluated through the frequency content of the ultrasonic signal. The effects of pore size on the attenuation of ultrasound were studied. Feasibility of this method was demonstrated on two types of foams with various pore sizes.

Ultrasonic correlator versus signal averager as a signal to noise enhancement instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kishoni, Doron; Pietsch, Benjamin E.

1990-01-01

Ultrasonic inspection of thick and attenuating materials is hampered by the reduce amplitudes of the propagated waves to a degree that the noise is too high to enable meaningful interpretation of the data. In order to overcome the low signal to noise ratio (S/N), a correlation technique has been developed. In this method, a continuous pseudo-random pattern generated digitally is transmitted and detected by piezoelectric transducers. A correlation is performed in the instrument between the received signal and a variable delayed image of the transmitted one. The result is shown to be proportional to the impulse response of the investigated material, analogous to a signal received from a pulsed system, with an improved S/N ratio. The degree of S/N enhancement depends on the sweep rate. The correlator is described, and it is compared to the method of enhancing S/N ratio by averaging the signals. The similarities and differences between the two are highlighted and the potential advantage of the correlator system is explained.

High frequency poroelastic waves in hydrogels.

PubMed

Chiarelli, Piero; Lanatà, Antonio; Carbone, Marina; Domenici, Claudio

2010-03-01

In this work a continuum model for high frequency poroelastic longitudinal waves in hydrogels is presented. A viscoelastic force describing the interaction between the polymer network and the bounded water present in such materials is introduced. The model is tested by means of ultrasound wave speed and attenuation measurements in polyvinylalcohol hydrogel samples. The theory and experiments show that ultrasound attenuation decreases linearly with the increase in the water volume fraction beta of the hydrogel. The introduction of the viscoelastic force between the bounded water and the polymer network leads to a bi-phasic theory, showing an ultrasonic fast wave attenuation that can vary as a function of the frequency with a non-integer exponent in agreement with the experimental data in literature. When beta tends to 1 (100% of interstitial water) due to the presence of bounded water in the hydrogel, the ultrasound phase velocity acquires higher value than that of pure water. The ultrasound speed gap at beta=1 is confirmed by the experimental results, showing that it increases in less cross-linked gel samples which own a higher concentration of bounded water.

Frequency Dependent Ultrasonic Attenuation in Superfluid ^3He at Ultralow Temperatures.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ihas, G. G.; Granroth, G. E.; Genio, E. B.; Xu, J.-W.; Meisel, M. W.

1996-03-01

Sound attenuation measurements have revealed much about the superfluid states of ^3He, providing quantitative data which is used to motivate and refine theory. Usually, resonant transducers are used, limiting studies to widely spaced harmonics in frequency and requiring temperature sweeps to map attenuation features. Using non-resonant, broadband transducers(P.N. Fraenkel, R. Keolian, and J.D. Reppy, Phys. Rev. Lett. \\underline62) (1989) 1126. in the 9 to 150 MHz regime, frequency sweeps have been performed at nearly-constant-temperature below 250 μ K at about 1 bar. The energies of the squashing mode and 2Δ pair-breaking edge have been measured in this T arrow 0 limit. These measurements, performed as a function of pressure, will be used to test the validity of the weak-coupling-plus model(J.W. Serene and D. Rainer, Phys. Rep. \\underline101) (1983) 211. of the superfluid. *Supported, in part, by the NSF: DMR-9200671 (GEG, JWX, MWM), DMR-9216785 (of N.S. Sullivan for EBG), and DMR 8419267 (UF Microkelvin Research Laboratory).

Producing acoustic 'Frozen Waves': simulated experiments with diffraction/attenuation resistant beams in lossy media.

PubMed

Prego-Borges, José L; Zamboni-Rached, Michel; Recami, Erasmo; Costa, Eduardo Tavares

2014-08-01

The so-called Localized Waves (LW), and the "Frozen Waves" (FW), have raised significant attention in the areas of Optics and Ultrasound, because of their surprising energy localization properties. The LWs resist the effects of diffraction for large distances, and possess an interesting self-reconstruction -self-healing- property (after obstacles with size smaller than the antenna's); while the FWs, a sub-class of LWs, offer the possibility of arbitrarily modeling the longitudinal field intensity pattern inside a prefixed interval, for instance 0⩽z⩽L, of the wave propagation axis. More specifically, the FWs are localized fields "at rest", that is, with a static envelope (within which only the carrier wave propagates), and can be endowed moreover with a high transverse localization. In this paper we investigate, by simulated experiments, various cases of generation of ultrasonic FW fields, with the frequency of f0=1 MHz in a water-like medium, taking account of the effects of attenuation. We present results of FWs for distances up to L=80 mm, in attenuating media with absorption coefficient α in the range 70⩽α⩽170 dB/m. Such simulated FW fields are constructed by using a procedure developed by us, via appropriate finite superpositions of monochromatic ultrasonic Bessel beams. We pay due attention to the selection of the FW parameters, constrained by the rather tight restrictions imposed by experimental Acoustics, as well as to some practical implications of the transducer design. The energy localization properties of the Frozen Waves can find application even in many medical apparatus, such as bistouries or acoustic tweezers, as well as for treatment of diseased tissues (in particular, for the destruction of tumor cells, without affecting the surrounding tissues; also for kidney stone shuttering, etc.). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Charcoal Regeneration. Part 1. Mechanism of TNT Adsorption

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-11-01

cycle and particle size 29 6 Electron spectra of virgin FS300 as received 30 ii=_ 7 Electron spectrum of TNT standard 31 8 Electron spectrum of TNT in...ground in a mortar and pestle and passed through a series of US standard sieves. The ground charcoal passing through a 325 sieve (average particle...every case were crushed manually in a mortar and pestle and dis- persed ultrasonically in order to obtain a dispersion suitable for measurement. Mass

Distribution of Attenuation Factor Beneath the Japanese Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujihara, S.; Hashimoto, M.

2001-12-01

In this research, we tried to estimate the distribution of attenuation factor of seismic wave, which is closely related to the above-mentioned inelastic parameters. Here the velocity records of events from the Freesia network and the J-array network were used. The events were selected based on the following criteria: (a) events with JMA magnitudes from 3.8 to 5.0 and hypocentral distance from 20km to 200km, (b) events with JMA magnitudes from 5.1 to 6.8 and hypocentral distance from 200km to 10_?, (c) Depth of all events is greater than 30km with S/N ratio greater than 2. After correcting the instrument response, P-wave spectra were estimated. Following Boatwright (1991), the observed spectra were modeled by the theoretical spectra by assuming the following relation; Aij(f) = Si(f) Pij(f) Cj(f). Brune's model (1970) was assumed for the source model. Aij(f), Si(f), Pij(f), and Cj(f) are defined as observed spectrum, source spectrum, propagation effect, and site effect, respectively. Frequency dependence of attenuation factor was not assumed here. The global standard velocity model (AK135) is used for ray tracing. Ellipticity corrections and station elevation corrections are also done. The block sizes are 50km by 50km laterally and increase vertically. As the results of analysis, the attenuation structure beneath Japanese Islands up to the depth of 180km was reconstructed with relatively good resolution. The low Q distribution is clearly seen in central Hokkaido, western Hokkaido, Tohoku region, Hida region, Izu region, and southern Kyushu. The relatively sharp decrease in Q associated with asthenosphere can be seen below the depth of 70km.

Development of Anticipatory 50 kHz USV Production to a Social Stimuli in Adolescent and Adult Male Sprague-Dawley Rats

PubMed Central

Willey, Amanda R.; Spear, Linda P.

2011-01-01

This study examined ontogenetic differences in anticipatory 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalization (USV) production to social interactions in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Adults increased USVs across days when tested socially but not when left alone (Exp 1), and displayed anticipatory USVs to return to the cage-mate (Exp 2). Adolescents did not display evidence of anticipatory USVs. To the extent that anticipatory USVs index incentive salience, this suggests an adolescent attenuation of incentive salience of social interactions. PMID:22004980

A teaching phantom for sonographers.

PubMed

Zagzebski, J A; Madsen, E L; Frank, G R

1991-01-01

An anthropomorphic torso section phantom is described that is intended for use during initial stages of ultrasonographer training. The phantom represents a section of the upper abdomen, with simulated ribs, liver, kidney with fat pad, gallbladder, aorta, and bowel gas. Positioned in the liver are ten simulated soft tissue masses, which produce a variety of typical echographic patterns. All simulated soft tissue components are formed of tissue-mimicking materials that match their corresponding tissue counterparts in terms of speed of sound, ultrasonic attenuation, and density. Construction details are presented and examples of images are shown.

Hidden impact damage in thick composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poe, C. C., Jr.; Illg, W.; Garber, D. P.

1986-01-01

NASA is developing light-weight graphite/epoxy filament-wound cases (FWC) for the solid rocket motors of the Space Shuttle. The 12-foot-diameter FWC's are about 1.4 inches or more thick. Tests were conducted to determine the tension strength of an FWC after low-velocity impact. Impactors of various kinetic energies, masses, and shapes were used. The conditions that give minimum visual evidence of damage were emphasized. The capability to characterize impact damage with radiography and ultrasonic attenuation was also evaluated. After impact, the specimens were loaded uniaxially in tension to determine residual strengths.

Design and Implementation of a Collision Avoidance System for the NPS autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV II) Utilizing Ultrasonic Sensors

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

exectti:n by providing geographic waypoints and tasks to the guidance system. The guidance system provides desired vehicle postures, ( x , y, z, 0), as...Maker Guidance System Patter ( x ,y,zlt) Recognition LOS Cross Track No Cubic Spiral Heading Spee Depth Mode Commands Navigation Autopilot System Systems...20log2r + 2otr (Eq 3.3) where ( x is the attenuation coefficient of sound in water at the frequency in use and r is the length of the transmission

Direct Measurements of Dust Attenuation in z ~ 1.5 Star-forming Galaxies from 3D-HST: Implications for Dust Geometry and Star Formation Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Sedona H.; Kriek, Mariska; Brammer, Gabriel B.; Conroy, Charlie; Förster Schreiber, Natascha M.; Franx, Marijn; Fumagalli, Mattia; Lundgren, Britt; Momcheva, Ivelina; Nelson, Erica J.; Skelton, Rosalind E.; van Dokkum, Pieter G.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Wuyts, Stijn

2014-06-01

The nature of dust in distant galaxies is not well understood, and until recently few direct dust measurements have been possible. We investigate dust in distant star-forming galaxies using near-infrared grism spectra of the 3D-HST survey combined with archival multi-wavelength photometry. These data allow us to make a direct comparison between dust around star-forming regions (A V, H II ) and the integrated dust content (A V, star). We select a sample of 163 galaxies between 1.36 <= z <= 1.5 with Hα signal-to-noise ratio >=5 and measure Balmer decrements from stacked spectra to calculate A V, H II . First, we stack spectra in bins of A V, star, and find that A V, H II = 1.86 A V, star, with a significance of σ = 1.7. Our result is consistent with the two-component dust model, in which galaxies contain both diffuse and stellar birth cloud dust. Next, we stack spectra in bins of specific star formation rate (log SSFR), star formation rate (log SFR), and stellar mass (log M *). We find that on average A V, H II increases with SFR and mass, but decreases with increasing SSFR. Interestingly, the data hint that the amount of extra attenuation decreases with increasing SSFR. This trend is expected from the two-component model, as the extra attenuation will increase once older stars outside the star-forming regions become more dominant in the galaxy spectrum. Finally, using Balmer decrements we derive dust-corrected Hα SFRs, and find that stellar population modeling produces incorrect SFRs if rapidly declining star formation histories are included in the explored parameter space.

Determination of protein concentration in raw milk by mid-infrared fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Etzion, Y; Linker, R; Cogan, U; Shmulevich, I

2004-09-01

This study investigates the potential use of attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy in the mid-infrared range for determining protein concentration in raw cow milk. The determination of protein concentration is based on the characteristic absorbance of milk proteins, which includes 2 absorbance bands in the 1500 to 1700 cm(-1) range, known as the amide I and amide II bands, and absorbance in the 1060 to 1100 cm(-1) range, which is associated with phosphate groups covalently bound to casein proteins. To minimize the influence of the strong water band (centered around 1640 cm(-1)) that overlaps with the amide I and amide II bands, an optimized automatic procedure for accurate water subtraction was applied. Following water subtraction, the spectra were analyzed by 3 methods, namely simple band integration, partial least squares (PLS) and neural networks. For the neural network models, the spectra were first decomposed by principal component analysis (PCA), and the neural network inputs were the spectra principal components scores. In addition, the concentrations of 2 constituents expected to interact with the protein (i.e., fat and lactose) were also used as inputs. These approaches were tested with 235 spectra of standardized raw milk samples, corresponding to 26 protein concentrations in the 2.47 to 3.90% (weight per volume) range. The simple integration method led to very poor results, whereas PLS resulted in prediction errors of about 0.22% protein. The neural network approach led to prediction errors of 0.20% protein when based on PCA scores only, and 0.08% protein when lactose and fat concentrations were also included in the model. These results indicate the potential usefulness of Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy for rapid, possibly online, determination of protein concentration in raw milk.

Solid volume fraction estimation of bone:marrow replica models using ultrasound transit time spectroscopy.

PubMed

Wille, Marie-Luise; Langton, Christian M

2016-02-01

The acceptance of broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) for the assessment of osteoporosis suffers from a limited understanding of both ultrasound wave propagation through cancellous bone and its exact dependence upon the material and structural properties. It has recently been proposed that ultrasound wave propagation in cancellous bone may be described by a concept of parallel sonic rays; the transit time of each ray defined by the proportion of bone and marrow propagated. A Transit Time Spectrum (TTS) describes the proportion of sonic rays having a particular transit time, effectively describing the lateral inhomogeneity of transit times over the surface aperture of the receive ultrasound transducer. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the solid volume fraction (SVF) of simplified bone:marrow replica models may be reliably estimated from the corresponding ultrasound transit time spectrum. Transit time spectra were derived via digital deconvolution of the experimentally measured input and output ultrasonic signals, and compared to predicted TTS based on the parallel sonic ray concept, demonstrating agreement in both position and amplitude of spectral peaks. Solid volume fraction was calculated from the TTS; agreement between true (geometric calculation) with predicted (computer simulation) and experimentally-derived values were R(2)=99.9% and R(2)=97.3% respectively. It is therefore envisaged that ultrasound transit time spectroscopy (UTTS) offers the potential to reliably estimate bone mineral density and hence the established T-score parameter for clinical osteoporosis assessment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient and its frequency dependence in a polymer gel dosimeter.

PubMed

Crescenti, Remo A; Bamber, Jeffrey C; Partridge, Mike; Bush, Nigel L; Webb, Steve

2007-11-21

Research on polymer-gel dosimetry has been driven by the need for three-dimensional dosimetry, and because alternative dosimeters are unsatisfactory or too slow for that task. Magnetic resonance tomography is currently the most well-developed technique for determining radiation-induced changes in polymer structure, but quick low-cost alternatives remain of significant interest. In previous work, ultrasound attenuation and speed of sound were found to change as a function of absorbed radiation dose in polymer-gel dosimeters, although the investigations were restricted to one ultrasound frequency. Here, the ultrasound attenuation coefficient mu in one polymer gel (MAGIC) was investigated as a function of radiation dose D and as a function of ultrasonic frequency f in a frequency range relevant for imaging dose distributions. The nonlinearity of the frequency dependence was characterized, fitting a power-law model mu = af(b); the fitting parameters were examined for potential use as additional dose readout parameters. In the observed relationship between the attenuation coefficient and dose, the slopes in a quasi-linear dose range from 0 to 30 Gy were found to vary with the gel batch but lie between 0.0222 and 0.0348 dB cm(-1) Gy(-1) at 2.3 MHz, between 0.0447 and 0.0608 dB cm(-1) Gy(-1) at 4.1 MHz and between 0.0663 and 0.0880 dB cm(-1) Gy(-1) at 6.0 MHz. The mean standard deviation of the slope for all samples and frequencies was 15.8%. The slope was greater at higher frequencies, but so were the intra-batch fluctuations and intra-sample standard deviations. Further investigations are required to overcome the observed variability, which was largely associated with the sample preparation technique, before it can be determined whether any frequency is superior to others in terms of accuracy and precision in dose determination. Nevertheless, lower frequencies will allow measurements through larger samples. The fit parameter a of the frequency dependence, describing the attenuation coefficient at 1 MHz, was found to be dose dependent, which is consistent with our expectations, as polymerization is known to be associated with increased absorption of ultrasound. No significant dose dependence was found for the fit parameter b, which describes the nonlinearity with frequency. This is consistent with the increased absorption being due to the introduction of new relaxation processes with characteristic frequencies similar to those of existing processes. The data presented here will help with optimizing the design of future 3D dose-imaging systems using ultrasound methods.

On the Piezoelectric Detection of Guided Ultrasonic Waves

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

In order to quantify the wave motion of guided ultrasonic waves, the characteristics of piezoelectric detectors, or ultrasonic transducers and acoustic emission sensors, have been evaluated systematically. Such guided waves are widely used in structural health monitoring and nondestructive evaluation, but methods of calibrating piezoelectric detectors have been inadequate. This study relied on laser interferometry for the base displacement measurement of bar waves, from which eight different guided wave test set-ups are developed with known wave motion using piezoelectric transmitters. Both plates and bars of 12.7 and 6.4 mm thickness were used as wave propagation media. The upper frequency limit was 2 MHz. Output of guided wave detectors were obtained on the test set-ups and their receiving sensitivities were characterized and averaged. While each sensitivity spectrum was noisy for a detector, the averaged spectrum showed a good convergence to a unique receiving sensitivity. Twelve detectors were evaluated and their sensitivity spectra determined in absolute units. Generally, these showed rapidly dropping sensitivity with increasing frequency due to waveform cancellation on their sensing areas. This effect contributed to vastly different sensitivities to guided wave and to normally incident wave for each one of the 12 detectors tested. Various other effects are discussed and recommendations on methods of implementing the approach developed are provided. PMID:29156579

Synthesis, characterization and ellipsometric study of ultrasonically sprayed Co3O4 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gençyılmaz, O.; Taşköprü, T.; Atay, F.; Akyüz, İ.

2015-10-01

In the present study, cobalt oxide (Co3O4) films were produced using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique onto the glass substrate at different temperatures (200-250-300-350 °C). The effect of substrate temperature on the structural, optical, surface and electrical properties of Co3O4 films was reported. Thickness, refractive index and extinction coefficient of the films were determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry, and X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that Co3O4 films were polycrystalline fcc structure and the substrate temperature significantly improved the crystal structure of Co3O4 films. The films deposited at 350 °C substrate temperature showed the best structural quality. Transmittance, absorbance and reflectance spectra were taken by means of UV-Vis spectrophotometer, and optical band gap values were calculated using optical method. Surface images and roughness values of the films were taken by atomic force microscopy to see the effect of deposition temperature on surface properties. The resistivity of the films slightly decreases with increase in the substrate temperature from 1.08 × 104 to 1.46 × 102 Ω cm. Finally, ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique allowed production of Co3O4 films, which are alternative metal oxide film for technological applications, at low substrate temperature.

Application of wavelet filtering and Barker-coded pulse compression hybrid method to air-coupled ultrasonic testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhenggan; Ma, Baoquan; Jiang, Jingtao; Yu, Guang; Liu, Kui; Zhang, Dongmei; Liu, Weiping

2014-10-01

Air-coupled ultrasonic testing (ACUT) technique has been viewed as a viable solution in defect detection of advanced composites used in aerospace and aviation industries. However, the giant mismatch of acoustic impedance in air-solid interface makes the transmission efficiency of ultrasound low, and leads to poor signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of received signal. The utilisation of signal-processing techniques in non-destructive testing is highly appreciated. This paper presents a wavelet filtering and phase-coded pulse compression hybrid method to improve the SNR and output power of received signal. The wavelet transform is utilised to filter insignificant components from noisy ultrasonic signal, and pulse compression process is used to improve the power of correlated signal based on cross-correction algorithm. For the purpose of reasonable parameter selection, different families of wavelets (Daubechies, Symlet and Coiflet) and decomposition level in discrete wavelet transform are analysed, different Barker codes (5-13 bits) are also analysed to acquire higher main-to-side lobe ratio. The performance of the hybrid method was verified in a honeycomb composite sample. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method is very efficient in improving the SNR and signal strength. The applicability of the proposed method seems to be a very promising tool to evaluate the integrity of high ultrasound attenuation composite materials using the ACUT.

New contributions to granite characterization by ultrasonic testing.

PubMed

Cerrillo, C; Jiménez, A; Rufo, M; Paniagua, J; Pachón, F T

2014-01-01

Ultrasound evaluation permits the state of rocks to be determined quickly and cheaply, satisfying the demands faced by today's producers of ornamental stone, such as environmental sustainability, durability and safety of use. The basic objective of the present work is to analyse and develop the usefulness of ultrasound testing in estimating the physico-mechanical properties of granite. Various parameters related to Fast Fourier Transform (FFTs) and attenuation have been extracted from some of the studies conducted (parameters which have not previously been considered in work on this topic, unlike the ultrasonic pulse velocity). The experimental study was carried out on cubic specimens of 30 cm edges using longitudinal and shear wave transducers and equipment which extended the normally used natural resonance frequency range up to 500 kHz. Additionally, a validation study of the laboratory data has been conducted and some methodological improvements have been implemented. The main contribution of the work is the analysis of linear statistical correlations between the aforementioned new ultrasound parameters and physico-mechanical properties of the granites that had not previously been studied, i.e., resistance to salt crystallization and breaking load for anchors. Being properties that directly affect the durability and safety of use of granites, these correlations consolidate ultrasonics as a nondestructive method well suited to this type of material. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methods of measurement for semiconductor materials, process control, and devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bullis, W. M. (Editor)

1972-01-01

Significant accomplishments include development of a procedure to correct for the substantial differences of transistor delay time as measured with different instruments or with the same instrument at different frequencies; association of infrared response spectra of poor quality germanium gamma ray detectors with spectra of detectors fabricated from portions of a good crystal that had been degraded in known ways; and confirmation of the excellent quality and cosmetic appearance of ultrasonic bonds made with aluminum ribbon wire. Work is continuing on measurement of resistivity of semiconductor crystals; study of gold-doped silicon, development of the infrared response technique; evaluation of wire bonds and die attachment; and measurement of thermal properties of semiconductor devices, delay time and related carrier transport properties in junction devices, and noise properties of microwave diodes.

The evaluation of distributed damage in concrete based on sinusoidal modeling of the ultrasonic response.

PubMed

Sepehrinezhad, Alireza; Toufigh, Vahab

2018-05-25

Ultrasonic wave attenuation is an effective descriptor of distributed damage in inhomogeneous materials. Methods developed to measure wave attenuation have the potential to provide an in-site evaluation of existing concrete structures insofar as they are accurate and time-efficient. In this study, material classification and distributed damage evaluation were investigated based on the sinusoidal modeling of the response from the through-transmission ultrasonic tests on polymer concrete specimens. The response signal was modeled as single or the sum of damping sinusoids. Due to the inhomogeneous nature of concrete materials, model parameters may vary from one specimen to another. Therefore, these parameters are not known in advance and should be estimated while the response signal is being received. The modeling procedure used in this study involves a data-adaptive algorithm to estimate the parameters online. Data-adaptive algorithms are used due to a lack of knowledge of the model parameters. The damping factor was estimated as a descriptor of the distributed damage. The results were compared in two different cases as follows: (1) constant excitation frequency with varying concrete mixtures and (2) constant mixture with varying excitation frequencies. The specimens were also loaded up to their ultimate compressive strength to investigate the effect of distributed damage in the response signal. The results of the estimation indicated that the damping was highly sensitive to the change in material inhomogeneity, even in comparable mixtures. In addition to the proposed method, three methods were employed to compare the results based on their accuracy in the classification of materials and the evaluation of the distributed damage. It is shown that the estimated damping factor is not only sensitive to damage in the final stages of loading, but it is also applicable in evaluating micro damages in the earlier stages providing a reliable descriptor of damage. In addition, the modified amplitude ratio method is introduced as an improvement of the classical method. The proposed methods were validated to be effective descriptors of distributed damage. The presented models were also in good agreement with the experimental data. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Novel Optical Diagnostic for In Situ Measurements of Lithium Polysulfides in Battery Electrolytes.

PubMed

Saqib, Najmus; Silva, Cody J; Maupin, C Mark; Porter, Jason M

2017-07-01

An optical diagnostic technique to determine the order and concentration of lithium polysulfides in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery electrolytes has been developed. One of the major challenges of lithium-sulfur batteries is the problem of polysulfide shuttling between the electrodes, which leads to self-discharge and loss of active material. Here we present an optical diagnostic for quantitative in situ measurements of lithium polysulfides using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Simulated infrared spectra of lithium polysulfide molecules were generated using computational quantum chemistry routines implemented in Gaussian 09. The theoretical spectra served as a starting point for experimental characterization of lithium polysulfide solutions synthesized by the direct reaction of lithium sulfide and sulfur. Attenuated total reflection FT-IR spectroscopy was used to measure absorption spectra. The lower limit of detection with this technique is 0.05 M. Measured spectra revealed trends with respect to polysulfide order and concentration, consistent with theoretical predictions, which were used to develop a set of equations relating the order and concentration of lithium polysulfides in a sample to the position and area of a characteristic infrared absorption band. The diagnostic routine can measure the order and concentration to within 5% and 0.1 M, respectively.

A simple measurement method of molecular relaxation in a gas by reconstructing acoustic velocity dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Ming; Liu, Tingting; Zhang, Xiangqun; Li, Caiyun

2018-01-01

Recently, a decomposition method of acoustic relaxation absorption spectra was used to capture the entire molecular multimode relaxation process of gas. In this method, the acoustic attenuation and phase velocity were measured jointly based on the relaxation absorption spectra. However, fast and accurate measurements of the acoustic attenuation remain challenging. In this paper, we present a method of capturing the molecular relaxation process by only measuring acoustic velocity, without the necessity of obtaining acoustic absorption. The method is based on the fact that the frequency-dependent velocity dispersion of a multi-relaxation process in a gas is the serial connection of the dispersions of interior single-relaxation processes. Thus, one can capture the relaxation times and relaxation strengths of N decomposed single-relaxation dispersions to reconstruct the entire multi-relaxation dispersion using the measurements of acoustic velocity at 2N  +  1 frequencies. The reconstructed dispersion spectra are in good agreement with experimental data for various gases and mixtures. The simulations also demonstrate the robustness of our reconstructive method.

Pulsar gamma-rays: Spectra luminosities and efficiencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harding, A. K.

1980-01-01

The general characteristics of pulsar gamma ray spectra are presented for a model where the gamma rays are produced by curvature radiation from energetic particles above the polar cap and attenuated by pair production. The shape of the spectrum is found to depend on pulsar period, magnetic field strength, and primary particle energy. By a comparison of numerically calculated spectra with the observed spectra of the Crab and Vela pulsars, it is determined that primary particles must be accelerated to energies of about 3 x 10 to the 7th power mc sq. A genaral formula for pulsar gamma ray luminosity is determined and is found to depend on period and field strength.

Measurement of the ultrasonic properties of human coronary arteries in vitro with a 50-MHz acoustic microscope.

PubMed

Machado, J C; Foster, F S; Gotlieb, A I

2002-08-01

Ultrasonic attenuation coefficient, wave propagation speed and integrated backscatter coefficient (IBC) of human coronary arteries were measured in vitro over the -6 dB frequency bandwidth (36 to 67 MHz) of a focused ultrasound transducer (50 MHz, focal distance 5.7 mm, f/number 1.7). Corrections were made for diffraction effects. Normal and diseased coronary artery sub-samples (N = 38) were obtained from 10 individuals at autopsy. The measured mean +/- SD of the wave speed (average over the entire vessel wall thickness) was 1581.04 +/- 53.88 m/s. At 50 MHz, the average attenuation coefficient was 4.99 +/- 1.33 dB/mm with a frequency dependence term of 1.55 +/- 0.18 determined over the 36- to 67-MHz frequency range. The IBC values were: 17.42 +/- 13.02 (sr.m)-1 for thickened intima, 11.35 +/- 6.54 (sr.m)-1 for fibrotic intima, 39.93 +/- 50.95 (sr.m)-1 for plaque, 4.26 +/- 2.34 (sr.m)-1 for foam cells, 5.12 +/- 5.85 (sr.m)-1 for media and 21.26 +/- 31.77 (sr.m)-1 for adventitia layers. The IBC results indicate the possibility for ultrasound characterization of human coronary artery wall tissue layer, including the situations of diseased arteries with the presence of thickened intima, fibrotic intima and plaque. The mean IBC normalized with respect to the mean IBC of the media layer seems promising for use as a parameter to differentiate a plaque or a thickened intima from a fibrotic intima.

Damage assessment and progression in a polyisocyanurate-based continuous swirl mat composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worley, Darwell Carlton, II

This research conducted in conjunction with Oak Ridge National Laboratories and the Automotive Composite Consortium, ACC, was motivated by the desire to reduce vehicle weight for increased efficiency. At present, there are no databases of failure mechanisms, experimental procedures to study failure, mathematical expressions for empirical or theoretical prediction of properties of a continuous swirl mat composite, CSMC. Therefore, to contribute to the increased utilization of this class of materials the following research was performed. This research enabled the failure mechanism to be formulated, development of a method to quantify failure based on ultrasonic attenuation maps, and the prediction of the fracture toughness parameter KIC. The use of scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy, and real-time tensile loading showed that the CSMC failed in a brittle mode. These techniques also provided imaging information as to how a dominant crack propagates in the presence of a continuously swirled E-glass mat reinforcement and voids. This evaluation enabled a reconstruction of failure in order to demonstrate a possible failure mechanism. The aforementioned techniques revealed that the dominant crack follows the fiber/matrix interface, but may be influenced by the presence of voids. Voids have the tendency of luring the growing crack away from the interface. A growing crack would, however, return to a fiber/matrix interface until complete failure occurred. Another aspect of this work was the quantification of progressive damage using ultrasound. Comparisons were made between ultrasonic attenuation maps for unloaded and sequentially loaded specimens. The sequential loads were applied at different percentages of the ultimate tensile strength, UTS. This technique provided attenuation maps for a series of specimens with a controlled degree of damage, which showed an increase in attenuation with an increase in percent UTS. Fracture toughness experiments yielded an average KIC value of 17.1 MPa√m, while the prediction of the fracture toughness parameter, KIC, was achieved by combining K-solution expressions for in-line and parallel crack configurations while evaluating the needed stress, sigma, using of the "Rule of Mixtures". The average void length was used as the crack length, which was obtained by light microscopy in conjunction with NIHTM software. The predicted KIC value at 40% glass fiber and void orientations of 45°, 30° and 25° was 11.4 MPa√m, 17.0 MPa√m and 18.6 MPa√m, respectively.

Low-refractive-index dye-aggregate films with small absorption based on anomalous dispersion.

PubMed

Wakamatsu, Takashi; Watanabe, Keita; Saito, Kazuhiro

2005-02-20

Complex-refractive-index spectra of Squarylium (SQ) dye-aggregate films deposited upon metal films have been investigated by measurements of properties of the films including absorption spectra (AS) and attenuated total reflection. Complex refractive indices are estimated by Kramers-Kronig analysis for the AS and by a theoretical curve-fitting analysis for attenuated total reflection. The dye-aggregate films exhibited an absorption that was blueshifted from that of a monomer, as a result of the H-aggregate formation of SQ molecules, and had a changing refractive index with anomalous dispersion about the H-absorption band. From both measurements of the SQ films it was found that there is a region of low absorption in the short-wavelength side of the absorption band and that the refractive index there is lower than that of glass.

Low-refractive-index dye-aggregate films with small absorption based on anomalous dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakamatsu, Takashi; Watanabe, Keita; Saito, Kazuhiro

2005-02-01

Complex-refractive-index spectra of Squarylium (SQ) dye-aggregate films deposited upon metal films have been investigated by measurements of properties of the films including absorption spectra (AS) and attenuated total reflection. Complex refractive indices are estimated by Kramers-Kronig analysis for the AS and by a theoretical curve-fitting analysis for attenuated total reflection. The dye-aggregate films exhibited an absorption that was blueshifted from that of a monomer, as a result of the H-aggregate formation of SQ molecules, and had a changing refractive index with anomalous dispersion about the H-absorption band. From both measurements of the SQ films it was found that there is a region of low absorption in the short-wavelength side of the absorption band and that the refractive index there is lower than that of glass.

Application of a Laplace transform pair model for high-energy x-ray spectral reconstruction.

PubMed

Archer, B R; Almond, P R; Wagner, L K

1985-01-01

A Laplace transform pair model, previously shown to accurately reconstruct x-ray spectra at diagnostic energies, has been applied to megavoltage energy beams. The inverse Laplace transforms of 2-, 6-, and 25-MV attenuation curves were evaluated to determine the energy spectra of these beams. The 2-MV data indicate that the model can reliably reconstruct spectra in the low megavoltage range. Experimental limitations in acquiring the 6-MV transmission data demonstrate the sensitivity of the model to systematic experimental error. The 25-MV data result in a physically realistic approximation of the present spectrum.

Fluorescence-based classification of Caribbean coral reef organisms and substrates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zawada, David G.; Mazel, Charles H.

2014-01-01

A diverse group of coral reef organisms, representing several phyla, possess fluorescent pigments. We investigated the potential of using the characteristic fluorescence emission spectra of these pigments to enable unsupervised, optical classification of coral reef habitats. We compiled a library of characteristic fluorescence spectra through in situ and laboratory measurements from a variety of specimens throughout the Caribbean. Because fluorescent pigments are not species-specific, the spectral library is organized in terms of 15 functional groups. We investigated the spectral separability of the functional groups in terms of the number of wavebands required to distinguish between them, using the similarity measures Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), Spectral Information Divergence (SID), SID-SAM mixed measure, and Mahalanobis distance. This set of measures represents geometric, stochastic, joint geometric-stochastic, and statistical approaches to classifying spectra. Our hyperspectral fluorescence data were used to generate sets of 4-, 6-, and 8-waveband spectra, including random variations in relative signal amplitude, spectral peak shifts, and water-column attenuation. Each set consisted of 2 different band definitions: ‘optimally-picked’ and ‘evenly-spaced.’ The optimally-picked wavebands were chosen to coincide with as many peaks as possible in the functional group spectra. Reference libraries were formed from half of the spectra in each set and used for training purposes. Average classification accuracies ranged from 76.3% for SAM with 4 evenly-spaced wavebands to 93.8% for Mahalanobis distance with 8 evenly-spaced wavebands. The Mahalanobis distance consistently outperformed the other measures. In a second test, empirically-measured spectra were classified using the same reference libraries and the Mahalanobis distance for just the 8 evenly-spaced waveband case. Average classification accuracies were 84% and 87%, corresponding to the extremes in modeled water-column attenuation. The classification results from both tests indicate that a high degree of separability among the 15 fluorescent-spectra functional groups is possible using only a modest number of spectral bands.

Accuracy of coded excitation methods for measuring the time of flight: Application to ultrasonic characterization of wood samples.

PubMed

Lasaygues, Philippe; Arciniegas, Andres; Espinosa, Luis; Prieto, Flavio; Brancheriau, Loïc

2018-05-26

Ultrasound computed tomography (USCT) using the transmission mode is a way to detect and assess the extent of decay in wood structures. The resolution of the ultrasonic image is closely related to the different anatomical features of wood. The complexity of the wave propagation process generates complex signals consisting of several wave packets with different signatures. Wave paths, depth dependencies, wave velocities or attenuations are often difficult to interpret. For this kind of assessment, the focus is generally on signal pre-processing. Several approaches have been used so far including filtering, spectrum analysis and a method involving deconvolution using a characteristic transfer function of the experimental device. However, all these approaches may be too sophisticated and/or unstable. The alternative methods proposed in this work are based on coded excitation, which makes it possible to process both local and general information available such as frequency and time parameters. Coded excitation is based on the filtering of the transmitted signal using a suitable electric input signal. The aim of the present study was to compare two coded-excitation methods, a chirp- and a wavelet-coded excitation method, to determine the time of flight of the ultrasonic wave, and to investigate the feasibility, the robustness and the precision of the measurement of geometrical and acoustical properties in laboratory conditions. To obtain control experimental data, the two methods were compared with the conventional ultrasonic pulse method. Experiments were conducted on a polyurethane resin sample and two samples of different wood species using two 500 kHz-transducers. The relative errors in the measurement of thickness compared with the results of caliper measurements ranged from 0.13% minimum for the wavelet-coded excitation method to 2.3% maximum for the chirp-coded excitation method. For the relative errors in the measurement of ultrasonic wave velocity, the coded excitation methods showed differences ranging from 0.24% minimum for the wavelet-coded excitation method to 2.62% maximum for the chirp-coded excitation method. Methods based on coded excitation algorithms thus enable accurate measurements of thickness and ultrasonic wave velocity in samples of wood species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic irradiation-assisted synthesis of Bi2S3 nanoparticles in aqueous ionic liquid at ambient condition.

PubMed

de la Parra-Arciniega, Salomé M; Garcia-Gomez, Nora A; Garza-Tovar, Lorena L; García-Gutiérrez, Domingo I; Sánchez, Eduardo M

2017-05-01

In this work, an easy, fast and environmentally friendly method to obtain Bi 2 S 3 nanostructures with sphere-like morphology is introduced. The promising material was successfully synthesized by a sonochemical route in 20% 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate [EMIM][EtSO 4 ] ionic liquid solution (IL). Morphological studies by electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) show that the use of IL in the synthesis of Bi 2 S 3 favors the formation of nanocrystals non-agglomerated. Micro Raman and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) were used to determine the composition and purity of the synthesized material. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and selective area electron diffraction (SAED) revealed that ultrasonic radiation accelerated the crystallization of Bi 2 S 3 into orthorhombic bismuthinite structure. The band gap calculated from the diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) was found to be 1.5eV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopic analyses on sonocatalytic damage to bovine serum albumin (BSA) induced by ZnO/hydroxylapatite (ZnO/HA) composite under ultrasonic irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhiqiu; Li, Ying; Wang, Jun; Zou, Mingming; Gao, Jingqun; Kong, Yumei; Li, Kai; Han, Guangxi

ZnO/hydroxylapatite (ZnO/HA) composite with HA molar content of 6.0% was prepared by the method of precipitation and heat-treated at 500 °C for 40 min and was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The sonocatalytic activities of ZnO/HA composite was carried out through the damage of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous solution. Furthermore, the effects of several factors on the damage of BSA molecules were evaluated by means of UV-vis and fluorescence spectra. Experimental results indicated that the damage degree of BSA aggravated with the increase of ultrasonic irradiation time, irradiation power and ZnO/HA addition amount, but weakened with the increase of solution acidity and ionic strength. In addition, the damage site to BSA was also studied by synchronous fluorescence technology and the damage site was mainly at tryptophan (Trp) residue. This paper provides a valuable reference for driving sonocatalytic method to treat tumor in clinic application.

Ultrasonic-assisted in-situ fabrication of BiOBr modified Bi2O2CO3 microstructure with enhanced photocatalytic performance.

PubMed

Cheng, Lijun; Hu, Xumin; Hao, Liang

2018-06-01

Via an ultrasonic-assisted in-situ etching method, BiOBr modified Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 microstructures were fabricated in short time. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, UV-Vis, XPS and PL spectra methods. Rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution was applied to evaluate the photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared samples. The results showed that the sample prepared at pH of 2 in which the molar ratio of BiOBr and Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 was 0.69:1 had the largest specific surface area, the best utilization for ultraviolet and visible light and efficient separation efficiency of charge carriers, contributing to its best photocatalytic activity. O 2 - was proved to be main active species in RhB photodegradation process. Last, the photocatalytic mechanism of the composite was discussed in detail. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Discerning some Tylenol brands using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared data and multivariate analysis techniques.

PubMed

Msimanga, Huggins Z; Ollis, Robert J

2010-06-01

Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to classify acetaminophen-containing medicines using their attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectra. Four formulations of Tylenol (Arthritis Pain Relief, Extra Strength Pain Relief, 8 Hour Pain Relief, and Extra Strength Pain Relief Rapid Release) along with 98% pure acetaminophen were selected for this study because of the similarity of their spectral features, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9857 to 0.9988. Before acquiring spectra for the predictor matrix, the effects on spectral precision with respect to sample particle size (determined by sieve size opening), force gauge of the ATR accessory, sample reloading, and between-tablet variation were examined. Spectra were baseline corrected and normalized to unity before multivariate analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to study spectral precision. The large particles (35 mesh) showed large variance between spectra, while fine particles (120 mesh) indicated good spectral precision based on the F-test. Force gauge setting did not significantly affect precision. Sample reloading using the fine particle size and a constant force gauge setting of 50 units also did not compromise precision. Based on these observations, data acquisition for the predictor matrix was carried out with the fine particles (sieve size opening of 120 mesh) at a constant force gauge setting of 50 units. After removing outliers, PCA successfully classified the five samples in the first and second components, accounting for 45.0% and 24.5% of the variances, respectively. The four-component PLS-DA model (R(2)=0.925 and Q(2)=0.906) gave good test spectra predictions with an overall average of 0.961 +/- 7.1% RSD versus the expected 1.0 prediction for the 20 test spectra used.

Application of a semi-empirical model for the evaluation of transmission properties of barite mortar.

PubMed

Santos, Josilene C; Tomal, Alessandra; Mariano, Leandro; Costa, Paulo R

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to estimate barite mortar attenuation curves using X-ray spectra weighted by a workload distribution. A semi-empirical model was used for the evaluation of transmission properties of this material. Since ambient dose equivalent, H(⁎)(10), is the radiation quantity adopted by IAEA for dose assessment, the variation of the H(⁎)(10) as a function of barite mortar thickness was calculated using primary experimental spectra. A CdTe detector was used for the measurement of these spectra. The resulting spectra were adopted for estimating the optimized thickness of protective barrier needed for shielding an area in an X-ray imaging facility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of ultrasonic irradiation on the crystallinity of nano-hydroxyapatite produced via the wet chemical method.

PubMed

Barbosa, Michelle C; Messmer, Nigel R; Brazil, Tayra R; Marciano, Fernanda R; Lobo, Anderson O

2013-07-01

Nanohydroxyapatite (nHAp) powders were produced via aqueous precipitation by adopting four different experimental conditions, assisted or non-assisted by ultrasound irradiation (UI). The nHAp powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, Raman and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, which showed typical surface chemical compositions of nHAp. Analysis found strong connections between UI and the crystallization process, crystal growth properties, as well as correlations between calcination and substitution reactions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hierarchical Assembly of Tungsten Spheres and Epoxy Composites in Three-Dimensional Graphene Foam and Its Enhanced Acoustic Performance as a Backing Material.

PubMed

Qiu, Yunfeng; Liu, Jingjing; Lu, Yue; Zhang, Rui; Cao, Wenwu; Hu, PingAn

2016-07-20

Backing materials play important role in enhancing the acoustic performance of an ultrasonic transducer. Most backing materials prepared by conventional methods failed to show both high acoustic impedance and attenuation, which however determine the bandwidth and axial resolution of acoustic transducer, respectively. In the present work, taking advantage of the structural feature of 3D graphene foam as a confined space for dense packing of tungsten spheres with the assistance of centrifugal force, the desired structural requirement for high impedance is obtained. Meanwhile, superior thermal conductivity of graphene contributes to the acoustic attenuation via the conversion of acoustic waves to thermal energy. The tight contact between tungstate spheres, epoxy matrix, or graphene makes the acoustic wave depleted easily for the absence of air barrier. The as-prepared 3DG/W80 wt %/epoxy film in 1 mm, prepared using ∼41 μm W spheres in diameter, not only displays acoustic impedance of 13.05 ± 0.11 MRayl but also illustrates acoustic attenuation of 110.15 ± 1.23 dB/cm MHz. Additionally, the composite film exhibits a high acoustic absorption coefficient, which is 94.4% at 1 MHz and 100% at 3 MHz, respectively. Present composite film outperforms most of the reported backing materials consisting of metal fillers/polymer blending in terms of the acoustic impedance and attenuation.

Anelastic attenuation structure of the southern Aegean subduction area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ventouzi, Chrisanthi; Papazachos, Constantinos; Papaioannou, Christos; Hatzidimitriou, Panagiotis

2014-05-01

The study of the anelastic attenuation structure plays a very important role for seismic wave propagation and provides not only valuable constraints for the Earth's interior (temperature, relative viscosity, slab dehydration and melt transport) but also significant information for the simulation of strong ground motions. In order to investigate the attenuation structure of the broader Southern Aegean subduction area, acceleration spectra of intermediate depth earthquakes produced from data provided by two local networks which operated in the area were used. More specifically, we employed data from approximately 400 intermediate-depth earthquakes, as these were recorded from the EGELADOS seismic monitoring project which consisted of 65 land stations and 24 OBS recorders and operated during 2005-2007, as well as data from the earlier installed CYCNET local network, which operated during 2002-2005. A frequency-independent path attenuation operator t* was computed for both P and S arrivals for each waveform, using amplitude spectra generated by the recorded data of the aforementioned networks. Initially, estimated P and S traveltimes were examined and modeled as a function of epicentral distance for different groups of focal depths, using data from the CYCNET network in order to obtain the expected arrival information when original arrival times were not available. Two approaches to assess the spectral-decay were adopted for t* determination. Initially, an automated approach was used, where t* was automatically calculated from the slope of the acceleration spectrum, assuming an ω2 source model for frequencies above the corner frequency, fc. Estimation of t* was performed in the frequency band of 0.2 to 25 Hz, using only spectra with a signal-to-noise ratio larger than 3 for a frequency range of at least 4Hz for P-waves and 1Hz for S-waves, respectively. In the second approach, the selection of the linearly-decaying part of the spectra where t* was calculated, was carried out manually, after a visual inspection by the user for optimal spectral fitting. The observed t* data from both approaches were examined against hypocentral distance. In general, no significant linear trend, revealing dependence of t* with distance, could be observed on the original data, clearly a result of the significant spatial and depth variations of the anelastic attenuation structure that superimposes the distance effect. In order to further investigate this issue, a spatial variation of t* values for different hypocentral-depth groups was performed. The obtained results show that along-arc stations exhibit very low values of t*, while back-arc stations present much larger values. The observed t* along-arc/back-arc differences becomes more significant as the depth of the earthquakes increases, indicating the effect of the high-attenuation (low-Q) mantle wedge beneath the volcanic arc. For a more detailed view of the spatial variations of the whole path attenuation operator, we performed preliminary spatial interpolation of t* values for different hypocentral depth ranges. For "shallower" hypocentral depths, low values of t*, appear to be sparsely observed mainly in the back-arc area, but as hypocentral depths increase, a much larger area with higher attenuation is identified along the volcanic arc. This work has been partly supported by the 3D-SEGMENTS project #1337 funded by EC European Social Fund and the Operational Programme "Education and Lifelong Learning" of the ARISTEIA-I call of the Greek Secretariat of Research and Technology.

Audible thunder characteristic and the relation between peak frequency and lightning parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuhua, Ouyang; Ping, Yuan

2012-02-01

In recent summers, some natural lightning optical spectra and audible thunder signals were observed. Twelve events on 15 August 2008 are selected as samples since some synchronizing information about them are obtained, such as lightning optical spectra, surface E-field changes, etc. By using digital filter and Fourier transform, thunder frequency spectra in observation location have been calculated. Then the two main propagation effects, finite amplitude propagation and attenuation by air, are calculated. Upon that we take the test thunder frequency spectra and work backward to recalculate the original frequency spectra near generation location. Thunder frequency spectra and the frequency distribution varying with distance are researched. According to the theories on plasma, the channel temperature and electron density are further calculated by transition parameters of lines in lightning optical spectra. Pressure and the average ionization degree of each discharge channel are obtained by using Saha equations, charge conservation equations and particle conservation equations. Moreover, the relationship between the peak frequency of each thunder and channel parameters of the lightning is studied.

Detection and assessment of flaws in friction stir welded metallic plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fakih, Mohammad Ali; Mustapha, Samir; Tarraf, Jaafar; Ayoub, Georges; Hamade, Ramsey

2017-04-01

Investigated is the ability of ultrasonic guided waves to detect flaws and assess the quality of friction stir welds (FSW). AZ31B magnesium plates were friction stir welded. While process parameters of spindle speed and tool feed were fixed, shoulder penetration depth was varied resulting in welds of varying quality. Ultrasonic waves were excited at different frequencies using piezoelectric wafers and the fundamental symmetric (S0) mode was selected to detect the flaws resulting from the welding process. The front of the first transmitted wave signal was used to capture the S0 mode. A damage index (DI) measure was defined based on the amplitude attenuation after wave interaction with the welded zone. Computed Tomography (CT) scanning was employed as a nondestructive testing (NDT) technique to assess the actual weld quality. Derived DI values were plotted against CT-derived flaw volume resulting in a perfectly linear fit. The proposed approach showed high sensitivity of the S0 mode to internal flaws within the weld. As such, this methodology bears great potential as a future predictive method for the evaluation of FSW weld quality.

Second-mode control in hypersonic boundary layers over assigned complex wall impedance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sousa, Victor; Patel, Danish; Chapelier, Jean-Baptiste; Scalo, Carlo

2017-11-01

The durability and aerodynamic performance of hypersonic vehicles greatly relies on the ability to delay transition to turbulence. Passive aerodynamic flow control devices such as porous acoustic absorbers are a very attractive means to damp ultrasonic second-mode waves, which govern transition in hypersonic boundary layers under idealized flow conditions (smooth walls, slender geometries, small angles of attack). The talk will discuss numerical simulations modeling such absorbers via the time-domain impedance boundary condition (TD-IBC) approach by Scalo et al. in a hypersonic boundary layer flow over a 7-degree wedge at freestream Mach numbers M∞ = 7.3 and Reynolds numbers Rem = 1.46 .106 . A three-parameter impedance model tuned to the second-mode waves is tested first with varying resistance, R, and damping ratio, ζ, revealing complete mode attenuation for R < 20. A realistic IBC is then employed, derived via an inverse Helmholtz solver analysis of an ultrasonically absorbing carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon ceramic sample used in recent hypersonic transition experiments by Dr. Wagner and co-workers at DLR-Göttingen.

Acoustic and mechanical response of reservoir rocks under variable saturation and effective pressure.

PubMed

Ravazzoli, C L; Santos, J E; Carcione, J M

2003-04-01

We investigate the acoustic and mechanical properties of a reservoir sandstone saturated by two immiscible hydrocarbon fluids, under different saturations and pressure conditions. The modeling of static and dynamic deformation processes in porous rocks saturated by immiscible fluids depends on many parameters such as, for instance, porosity, permeability, pore fluid, fluid saturation, fluid pressures, capillary pressure, and effective stress. We use a formulation based on an extension of Biot's theory, which allows us to compute the coefficients of the stress-strain relations and the equations of motion in terms of the properties of the single phases at the in situ conditions. The dry-rock moduli are obtained from laboratory measurements for variable confining pressures. We obtain the bulk compressibilities, the effective pressure, and the ultrasonic phase velocities and quality factors for different saturations and pore-fluid pressures ranging from normal to abnormally high values. The objective is to relate the seismic and ultrasonic velocity and attenuation to the microstructural properties and pressure conditions of the reservoir. The problem has an application in the field of seismic exploration for predicting pore-fluid pressures and saturation regimes.

Measuring predictability in ultrasonic signals: an application to scattering material characterization.

PubMed

Carrión, Alicia; Miralles, Ramón; Lara, Guillermo

2014-09-01

In this paper, we present a novel and completely different approach to the problem of scattering material characterization: measuring the degree of predictability of the time series. Measuring predictability can provide information of the signal strength of the deterministic component of the time series in relation to the whole time series acquired. This relationship can provide information about coherent reflections in material grains with respect to the rest of incoherent noises that typically appear in non-destructive testing using ultrasonics. This is a non-parametric technique commonly used in chaos theory that does not require making any kind of assumptions about attenuation profiles. In highly scattering media (low SNR), it has been shown theoretically that the degree of predictability allows material characterization. The experimental results obtained in this work with 32 cement probes of 4 different porosities demonstrate the ability of this technique to do classification. It has also been shown that, in this particular application, the measurement of predictability can be used as an indicator of the percentages of porosity of the test samples with great accuracy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of magnetic hydroxyapatite nanocomposite using ultrasonic irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopi, D.; Ansari, M. Thameem; Shinyjoy, E.; Kavitha, L.

2012-02-01

Nowadays magnetic hydroxyapatite (m-HAP) has potential applications in biomedicine more especially for bone cancer treatment. In this paper the functionalization of the hydroxyapatite (HAP) with magnetite nanoparticle (MNP) through ultrasonic irradiation technique is reported and its spectral investigation has been carried out. The ultrasonic irradiation with two different frequencies of 28 kHz and 35 kHz at the power of 150 and 320 W, respectively, was employed for the synthesis of m-HAP. The ultrasound irradiation of 35 kHz at 320 W shows the efficient diffusion of MNP to the HAP host matrix leads to the formation of m-HAP. The ultrasonic irradiation technique does not require stabilizers as in the case of coprecipitation method hence the final product of pure m-HAP is obtained. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows the formation of magnetite nanoparticles which are functionalized with hydroxyapatite host matrix. The vibrating sample magnetometer curve exhibits the super paramagnetic property of the samples and the saturation magnetization ( Ms) value of the functionalized magnetic hydroxyapatite. The Ms value is found to be much less than that of pure magnetite nanoparticle and this decrement in Ms is due to the hindrance of magnetic domain of the particles with HAP. The portrayed Raman spectra discriminate between the m-HAP and MNP with corresponding vibrational modes of frequencies. The transmission electron micrograph shows excellent morphology of functionalized m-HAP in nanometer range. The atomic force microscopic investigation shows the 3-dimensional view of crust and trench shape of m-HAP. All these results confirm the formation of magnetic hydroxyapatite nanocomposite with typical magnetic property for biological applications.

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of magnetic hydroxyapatite nanocomposite using ultrasonic irradiation.

PubMed

Gopi, D; Ansari, M Thameem; Shinyjoy, E; Kavitha, L

2012-02-15

Nowadays magnetic hydroxyapatite (m-HAP) has potential applications in biomedicine more especially for bone cancer treatment. In this paper the functionalization of the hydroxyapatite (HAP) with magnetite nanoparticle (MNP) through ultrasonic irradiation technique is reported and its spectral investigation has been carried out. The ultrasonic irradiation with two different frequencies of 28kHz and 35kHz at the power of 150 and 320W, respectively, was employed for the synthesis of m-HAP. The ultrasound irradiation of 35kHz at 320W shows the efficient diffusion of MNP to the HAP host matrix leads to the formation of m-HAP. The ultrasonic irradiation technique does not require stabilizers as in the case of coprecipitation method hence the final product of pure m-HAP is obtained. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows the formation of magnetite nanoparticles which are functionalized with hydroxyapatite host matrix. The vibrating sample magnetometer curve exhibits the super paramagnetic property of the samples and the saturation magnetization (M(s)) value of the functionalized magnetic hydroxyapatite. The M(s) value is found to be much less than that of pure magnetite nanoparticle and this decrement in M(s) is due to the hindrance of magnetic domain of the particles with HAP. The portrayed Raman spectra discriminate between the m-HAP and MNP with corresponding vibrational modes of frequencies. The transmission electron micrograph shows excellent morphology of functionalized m-HAP in nanometer range. The atomic force microscopic investigation shows the 3-dimensional view of crust and trench shape of m-HAP. All these results confirm the formation of magnetic hydroxyapatite nanocomposite with typical magnetic property for biological applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physics of ultrasonic wave propagation in bone and heart characterized using Bayesian parameter estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Christian Carl

This Dissertation explores the physics underlying the propagation of ultrasonic waves in bone and in heart tissue through the use of Bayesian probability theory. Quantitative ultrasound is a noninvasive modality used for clinical detection, characterization, and evaluation of bone quality and cardiovascular disease. Approaches that extend the state of knowledge of the physics underpinning the interaction of ultrasound with inherently inhomogeneous and isotropic tissue have the potential to enhance its clinical utility. Simulations of fast and slow compressional wave propagation in cancellous bone were carried out to demonstrate the plausibility of a proposed explanation for the widely reported anomalous negative dispersion in cancellous bone. The results showed that negative dispersion could arise from analysis that proceeded under the assumption that the data consist of only a single ultrasonic wave, when in fact two overlapping and interfering waves are present. The confounding effect of overlapping fast and slow waves was addressed by applying Bayesian parameter estimation to simulated data, to experimental data acquired on bone-mimicking phantoms, and to data acquired in vitro on cancellous bone. The Bayesian approach successfully estimated the properties of the individual fast and slow waves even when they strongly overlapped in the acquired data. The Bayesian parameter estimation technique was further applied to an investigation of the anisotropy of ultrasonic properties in cancellous bone. The degree to which fast and slow waves overlap is partially determined by the angle of insonation of ultrasound relative to the predominant direction of trabecular orientation. In the past, studies of anisotropy have been limited by interference between fast and slow waves over a portion of the range of insonation angles. Bayesian analysis estimated attenuation, velocity, and amplitude parameters over the entire range of insonation angles, allowing a more complete characterization of anisotropy. A novel piecewise linear model for the cyclic variation of ultrasonic backscatter from myocardium was proposed. Models of cyclic variation for 100 type 2 diabetes patients and 43 normal control subjects were constructed using Bayesian parameter estimation. Parameters determined from the model, specifically rise time and slew rate, were found to be more reliable in differentiating between subject groups than the previously employed magnitude parameter.

Rayleigh imaging in spectral mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berggren, Karl; Danielsson, Mats; Fredenberg, Erik

2016-03-01

Spectral imaging is the acquisition of multiple images of an object at different energy spectra. In mammography, dual-energy imaging (spectral imaging with two energy levels) has been investigated for several applications, in particular material decomposition, which allows for quantitative analysis of breast composition and quantitative contrast-enhanced imaging. Material decomposition with dual-energy imaging is based on the assumption that there are two dominant photon interaction effects that determine linear attenuation: the photoelectric effect and Compton scattering. This assumption limits the number of basis materials, i.e. the number of materials that are possible to differentiate between, to two. However, Rayleigh scattering may account for more than 10% of the linear attenuation in the mammography energy range. In this work, we show that a modified version of a scanning multi-slit spectral photon-counting mammography system is able to acquire three images at different spectra and can be used for triple-energy imaging. We further show that triple-energy imaging in combination with the efficient scatter rejection of the system enables measurement of Rayleigh scattering, which adds an additional energy dependency to the linear attenuation and enables material decomposition with three basis materials. Three available basis materials have the potential to improve virtually all applications of spectral imaging.

Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) Mapping Coupled with Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR) for Studying the Miscibility of Chlorobutyl Rubber/Polyamide-12 Blends.

PubMed

Tang, Yongjiao; Jing, Nan; Zhang, Pudun

2015-11-01

A series of chlorobutyl rubber/polyamide-12 (CIIR/PA-12) blends compatibilized by different amounts of maleic anhydride (MAH) grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) were investigated by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) mapping. Multivariate curve resolution (MCR) was used to process the FT-IR images. Both the spectra of pure components in the blends and their concentration distributions in a micro-region were acquired. Our results demonstrated that the blend with 15 parts per hundred rubber PP-g-MAH showed the best miscibility. An amide interphase and an imide interphase were inferred by analyzing the spectra of MCR component 3 of the blends with and without PP-g-MAH, respectively. Correspondingly, two different compatibilizing mechanisms were proposed for these blends.

Determination of nutritional parameters of yoghurts by FT Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czaja, Tomasz; Baranowska, Maria; Mazurek, Sylwester; Szostak, Roman

2018-05-01

FT-Raman quantitative analysis of nutritional parameters of yoghurts was performed with the help of partial least squares models. The relative standard errors of prediction for fat, lactose and protein determination in the quantified commercial samples equalled to 3.9, 3.2 and 3.6%, respectively. Models based on attenuated total reflectance spectra of the liquid yoghurt samples and of dried yoghurt films collected with the single reflection diamond accessory showed relative standard errors of prediction values of 1.6-5.0% and 2.7-5.2%, respectively, for the analysed components. Despite a relatively low signal-to-noise ratio in the obtained spectra, Raman spectroscopy, combined with chemometrics, constitutes a fast and powerful tool for macronutrients quantification in yoghurts. Errors received for attenuated total reflectance method were found to be relatively higher than those for Raman spectroscopy due to inhomogeneity of the analysed samples.

Photosynthetic action spectra and adaptation to spectral light distribution in a benthic cyanobacterial mat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jorgensen, B. B.; Cohen, Y.; Des Marais, D. J.

1987-01-01

We studied adaptation to spectral light distribution in undisturbed benthic communities of cyanobacterial mats growing in hypersaline ponds at Guerrero Negro, Baja California, Mexico. Microscale measurements of oxygen photosynthesis and action spectra were performed with microelectrodes; spectral radiance was measured with fiber-optic microprobes. The spatial resolution of all measurements was 0.1 mm, and the spectral resolution was 10 to 15 nm. Light attenuation spectra showed absorption predominantly by chlorophyll a (Chl a) (430 and 670 nm), phycocyanin (620 nm), and carotenoids (440 to 500 nm). Blue light (450 nm) was attenuated 10-fold more strongly than red light (600 nm). The action spectra of the surface film of diatoms accordingly showed activity over the whole spectrum, with maxima for Chl a and carotenoids. The underlying dense Microcoleus population showed almost exclusively activity dependent upon light harvesting by phycobilins at 550 to 660 nm. Maximum activity was at 580 and 650 nm, indicating absorption by phycoerythrin and phycocyanin as well as by allophycocyanin. Very little Chl a-dependent activity could be detected in the cyanobacterial action spectrum, even with additional 600-nm light to excite photosystem II. The depth distribution of photosynthesis showed detectable activity down to a depth of 0.8 to 2.5 mm, where the downwelling radiant flux at 600 nm was reduced to 0.2 to 0.6% of the surface flux.

Regional spectral analysis of three moderate earthquakes in Northeastern North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boatwright, John; Seekins, Linda C.

2011-01-01

We analyze Fourier spectra obtained from the horizontal components of broadband and accelerogram data from the 1997 Cap-Rouge, the 2002 Ausable Forks, and the 2005 Rivière-du-Loup earthquakes, recorded by Canadian and American stations sited on rock at hypocentral distances from 23 to 602 km. We check the recorded spectra closely for anomalies that might result from site resonance or source effects. We use Beresnev and Atkinson’s (1997) near-surface velocity structures and Boore and Joyner’s (1997) quarter-wave method to estimate site response at hard- and soft-rock sites. We revise the Street et al. (1975) model for geometrical spreading, adopting a crossover distance of ro=50 km instead of 100 km. We obtain an average attenuation of Q=410±25f0.50±0.03 for S+Lg+surface waves with ray paths in the Appalachian and southeastern Grenville Provinces. We correct the recorded spectra for attenuation and site response to estimate source spectral shape and radiated energy for these three earthquakes and the 1988 M 5.8 Saguenay earthquake. The Brune stress drops range from 130 to 419 bars, and the apparent stresses range from 39 to 63 bars. The corrected source spectral shapes of these earthquakes are somewhat variable for frequencies from 0.2 to 2 Hz, falling slightly below the fitted Brune spectra.

Using a fast-neutron spectrometer system to candle luggage for hidden explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefevre, Harlan W.; Rasmussen, R. J.; Chmelik, Michael S.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Sieger, G. E.; Overley, Jack C.

1997-02-01

A continuous spectrum of neutron switch energies up to 8.2 MeV is produced by a 4.2-MeV nanosecond-pulsed deuteron beam slowing down in a thick beryllium target. The spectrum form the locally shielded target is collimated to a horizontal fan-beam and delivered to a row of 16, 6-cm square plastic scintillators located 4 m from the neutron source. The scintillators are coupled to 12-stage photomultiplier tubes, constant-fraction discriminators, time-to-amplitude converters, analog-to-digital converters, and digital memories. Unattenuated neutron-source spectra and background spectra ar recorded. Luggage is stepped through the fan beam by an automated lift located 2 m from the neutron source. Transmission spectra are measured, and are transferred to a computer while the location is advanced one pixel width. As the next set of spectra is being measured, the computer calculates neutron attenuations for the previous set, deconvolutes attenuations into projected elemental number densities, and determines the explosive likelihood for each pixel. With a time-averaged deuteron beam current o 1(mu) A, a suitcase 60-cm long can be automatically imaged in 1600s. We will suggest that time can be reduced to 8s or less with straight-forward improvements. The following paper describes the explosives recognition algorithm and presents the results of teste with explosives.

Structural parameter study on polymer-based ultrasonic motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jiang; Mizuno, Yosuke; Nakamura, Kentaro

2017-11-01

Our previous study has shown that traveling-wave rotary ultrasonic motors using polymer-based vibrators can work in the same way as conventional motors with metal-based vibrators. It is feasible to enhance the performance, particularly output torques, of polymer-based motors by adjusting several key dimensions of their vibrators. In this study, poly phenylene sulfide, a functional polymer exhibiting low attenuation at ultrasonic frequency, is selected as the vibrating body, which is activated with a piezoelectric ceramic element bonded on its back surface. The optimal thicknesses of the polymer-based motors are higher than those of metal-based motors. When the same voltages were applied, the maximum torques and output powers available with the polymer-based motors were lower than the values of the metal-based motors with the same structures. The reasons for the lower torque were explained on the basis of vibration modes. First, the force factors of the polymer-based vibrators are lower than those of metal-based vibrators owing to the great difference in the mechanical constants between polymers and piezoelectric ceramics. Subsequently, though the force factors of polymer-based vibrators can be slightly enhanced by increasing their thicknesses, the unavoidable radial vibrations become higher and cause undesirable friction loss, which reduces the output torques. Though the polymer-based motors have rotation speeds comparable to those of metal-based motors, their output power are lower due to the low electromechanical coupling factors of the polymer-based vibrators.

Ultrasonic, microwave, and millimeter wave inspection techniques for adhesively bonded stacked open honeycomb core composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomson, Clint D.; Cox, Ian; Ghasr, Mohammad Tayeb Ahmed; Ying, Kuang P.; Zoughi, Reza

2015-03-01

Honeycomb sandwich composites are used extensively in the aerospace industry to provide stiffness and thickness to lightweight structures. A common fabrication method for thick, curved sandwich structures is to stack and bond multiple honeycomb layers prior to machining core curvatures. Once bonded, each adhesive layer must be inspected for delaminations and the presence of unwanted foreign materials. From a manufacturing and cost standpoint, it can be advantageous to inspect the open core prior to face sheet closeout in order to reduce end-article scrap rates. However, by nature, these honeycomb sandwich composite structures are primarily manufactured from low permittivity and low loss materials making detection of delamination and some of the foreign materials (which also are low permittivity and low loss) quite challenging in the microwave and millimeter wave regime. Likewise, foreign materials such as release film in adhesive layers can be sufficiently thin as to not cause significant attenuation in through-transmission ultrasonic signals, making them difficult to detect. This paper presents a collaborative effort intended to explore the efficacy of different non-contact NDI techniques for detecting flaws in a stacked open fiberglass honeycomb core panel. These techniques primarily included air-coupled through-transmission ultrasonics, single-sided wideband synthetic aperture microwave and millimeter-wave imaging, and lens-focused technique. The goal of this investigation has been to not only evaluate the efficacy of these techniques, but also to determine their unique advantages and limitations for evaluating parameters such as flaw type, flaw size, and flaw depth.

Ultrasonic Relaxation Study of 1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-Based Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Probing the Role of Alkyl Chain Length in the Cation.

PubMed

Zorębski, Michał; Zorębski, Edward; Dzida, Marzena; Skowronek, Justyna; Jężak, Sylwia; Goodrich, Peter; Jacquemin, Johan

2016-04-14

Ultrasound absorption spectra of four 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imides were determined as a function of the alkyl chain length on the cation from 1-propyl to 1-hexyl from 293.15 to 323.15 K at ambient pressure. Herein, the ultrasound absorption measurements were carried out using a standard pulse technique within a frequency range from 10 to 300 MHz. Additionally, the speed of sound, density, and viscosity have been measured. The presence of strong dissipative processes during the ultrasound wave propagation was found experimentally, i.e., relaxation processes in the megahertz range were observed for all compounds over the whole temperature range. The relaxation spectra (both relaxation amplitude and relaxation frequency) were shown to be dependent on the alkyl side chain length of the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ring. In most cases, a single-Debye model described the absorption spectra very well. However, a comparison of the determined spectra with the spectra of a few other imidazolium-based ionic liquids reported in the literature (in part recalculated in this work) shows that the complexity of the spectra increases rapidly with the elongation of the alkyl chain length on the cation. This complexity indicates that both the volume viscosity and the shear viscosity are involved in relaxation processes even in relatively low frequency ranges. As a consequence, the sound velocity dispersion is present at relatively low megahertz frequencies.

Novel laparoscopic narrow band imaging for real-time detection of bile leak during hepatectomy: proof of the concept in a porcine model.

PubMed

Diana, Michele; Usmaan, Hameed; Legnèr, Andras; Yu-Yin, Liu; D'Urso, Antonio; Halvax, Peter; Nagao, Yoshihiro; Pessaux, Patrick; Marescaux, Jacques

2016-07-01

Bile leakage is a serious complication occurring in up to 10 % of hepatic resections. Intraoperative detection of bile leakage is challenging, and concomitant blood oozing can mask the presence of bile. Intraductal dye injection [methylene blue or indocyanine green (ICG)] is a validated technique to detect bile leakage. However, this method is time-consuming, particularly in the laparoscopic setting. A novel narrow band imaging (NBI) modality (SPECTRA-A; Karl Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany) allows easy discrimination of the presence of bile, which appears in clear orange, by image processing. The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate SPECTRA-A ability to detect bile leakage. Twelve laparoscopic partial hepatectomies were performed in seven pigs. The common bile duct was clipped distally and dissected, and a catheter was inserted and secured with a suture or a clip. Liver dissection was achieved with an ultrasonic cutting device. Dissection surfaces were checked by frequently switching on the SPECTRA filter to identify the presence of bile leakage. Intraductal ICG injection through the catheter was performed to confirm SPECTRA findings. Three active bile leakages were obtained out of 12 hepatectomies and successfully detected intraoperatively by the SPECTRA. There was complete concordance between NBI and ICG fluorescence detection. No active leaks were found in the remaining cases with both techniques. The leaking area identified was sutured, and SPECTRA was used to assess the success of the repair. The SPECTRA laparoscopic image processing system allows for rapid detection of bile leaks following hepatectomy without any contrast injection.

Probing the EBL Evolution at High Redshift Using GRBs Detected with the Fermi-LAT

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

Desai, A.; Ajello, M.; Omodei, N.

The extragalactic background light (EBL), from ultraviolet to infrared wavelengths, is predominantly due to emission from stars, accreting black holes and reprocessed light due to Galactic dust. The EBL can be studied through the imprint it leaves, via γ–γ absorption of high-energy photons, in the spectra of distant γ-ray sources. The EBL has been probed through the search for the attenuation it produces in the spectra of BL Lacertae (BL Lac) objects and individual γ-ray bursts (GRBs). GRBs have significant advantages over blazars for the study of the EBL especially at high redshifts. Here we analyze a combined sample ofmore » 22 GRBs, detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope between 65 MeV and 500 GeV. We report a marginal detection (at the ~2.8σ level) of the EBL attenuation in the stacked spectra of the source sample. This measurement represents a first constraint of the EBL at an effective redshift of ~1.8. Here, we combine our results with prior EBL constraints and conclude that Fermi-LAT is instrumental to constrain the UV component of the EBL. We discuss the implications on existing empirical models of EBL evolution.« less

Probing the EBL Evolution at High Redshift Using GRBs Detected with the Fermi-LAT

DOE PAGES

Desai, A.; Ajello, M.; Omodei, N.; ...

2017-11-17

The extragalactic background light (EBL), from ultraviolet to infrared wavelengths, is predominantly due to emission from stars, accreting black holes and reprocessed light due to Galactic dust. The EBL can be studied through the imprint it leaves, via γ–γ absorption of high-energy photons, in the spectra of distant γ-ray sources. The EBL has been probed through the search for the attenuation it produces in the spectra of BL Lacertae (BL Lac) objects and individual γ-ray bursts (GRBs). GRBs have significant advantages over blazars for the study of the EBL especially at high redshifts. Here we analyze a combined sample ofmore » 22 GRBs, detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope between 65 MeV and 500 GeV. We report a marginal detection (at the ~2.8σ level) of the EBL attenuation in the stacked spectra of the source sample. This measurement represents a first constraint of the EBL at an effective redshift of ~1.8. Here, we combine our results with prior EBL constraints and conclude that Fermi-LAT is instrumental to constrain the UV component of the EBL. We discuss the implications on existing empirical models of EBL evolution.« less

Investigation of guided waves propagation in pipe buried in sand

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

Leinov, Eli; Cawley, Peter; Lowe, Michael J.S.

The inspection of pipelines by guided wave testing is a well-established method for the detection of corrosion defects in pipelines, and is currently used routinely in a variety of industries, e.g. petrochemical and energy. When the method is applied to pipes buried in soil, test ranges tend to be significantly compromised because of attenuation of the waves caused by energy radiating into the soil. Moreover, the variability of soil conditions dictates different attenuation characteristics, which in-turn results in different, unpredictable, test ranges. We investigate experimentally the propagation and attenuation characteristics of guided waves in pipes buried in fine sand usingmore » a well characterized full scale experimental apparatus. The apparatus consists of an 8 inch-diameter, 5.6-meters long steel pipe embedded over 3 meters of its length in a rectangular container filled with fine sand, and an air-bladder for the application of overburden pressure. Longitudinal and torsional guided waves are excited in the pipe and recorded using a transducer ring (Guided Ultrasonics Ltd). Acoustic properties of the sand are measured independently in-situ and used to make model predictions of wave behavior in the buried pipe. We present the methodology and the systematic measurements of the guided waves under a range of conditions, including loose and compacted sand. It is found that the application of overburden pressure modifies the compaction of the sand and increases the attenuation, and that the measurement of the acoustic properties of sand allows model prediction of the attenuation of guided waves in buried pipes with a high level of confidence.« less

Three Dimensional Modeling of the Attenuation Structure in the Part of the Kumaon Himalaya, India Using Strong Motion Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, A.; LAL, S.

2017-12-01

Attenuation property of the medium determines the amplitude of seismic waves at different locations during an earthquake. Attenuation can be defined by the inverse of the parameter known as quality factor `Q' (Knopoff, 1964). It has been observed that the peak ground acceleration in the strong motion accelerogram is associated with arrival of S-waves which is controlled mainly by the shear wave attenuation characteristics of the medium. In the present work attenuation structure is obtained using the modified inversion algorithm given by Joshi et al. (2010). The modified inversion algorithm is designed to provide three dimensional attenuation structure of the region at different frequencies. A strong motion network is installed in the Kumaon Himalaya by the Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee under a major research project sponsored by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. In this work the detailed three dimensional shear wave quality factor has been determined for the Kumaon Himalaya using strong motion data obtained from this network. In the present work 164 records from 26 events recorded at 15 stations located in an area of 129 km x 62 km has been used. The shear wave attenuation structure for the Kumaon Himalaya has been calculated by dividing the study region into 108 three dimensional rectangular blocks of size 22 km x 11 km x 5 km. The input to the inversion algorithm is the acceleration spectra of S wave identified from each record. A total of 164 spectra from equal number of accelerograms with sampling frequency of .024 Hz is used as an input to the algorithms. A total of 2048 three dimensional attenuation structure is obtained upto frequency of 50 Hz. The obtained structure at various frequencies is compared with the existing geological models in the region and it is seen that the obtained model correlated well with the geological model of the region. References: Joshi, A., Mohanty, M., Bansal, A. R., Dimri, V. P. and Chadha, R. K., 2010, Use of spectral acceleration data for determination of three dimensional attenuation structure in the Pithoragarh region of Kumaon Himalaya, J Seismol., 14, 247-272. Knopoff, L., 1964, Q, Reviews of Geophysics, 2, 625-660.

Structure Optimization of 21,23-Core-Modified Porphyrins Absorbing Long-Wavelength Light as Potential Photosensitizers Against Breast Cancer Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

recording singlet oxygen emission spectra. A diode -pumped solid-state laser (Millenia X, Spectra-Physics) at 532 nm was the excitation source. The sample...biological properties in vitro Youngjae You,a,* Scott L. Gibsonb and Michael R. Dettya aInstitute for Lasers , Photonics, and Biophotonics, Department...relative to the exciting laser beam. An additional long-pass filter (850LP) was used to attenuate the excitation laser and the fluorescence from the

Infrared Spectroscopy of Blood for Disease Identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichardo, J. L.; Huerta-Franco, R.; Álvarez, R. R.; Bernal, J.; Gutiérrez-Juárez, G.; Palomares-Anda, P.

2003-09-01

Total reflectance attenuated infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy was used to analyze blood samples. Plasma and red blood cells were separated by centrifugation. The spectra were recorded from 200 to 4000 cm-1 under the same conditions for all samples. Samples of healthy donors were compared with those patients with different diseases (polycythemia and high blood pressure). Patients were under medical control at the time of the study. However, the preliminary results reveal that blood samples from healthy subjects had different infrared spectra compared to the non healthy patients.

Variable-Depth Liner Evaluation Using Two NASA Flow Ducts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, M. G.; Nark, D. M.; Watson, W. R.; Howerton, B. M.

2017-01-01

Four liners are investigated experimentally via tests in the NASA Langley Grazing Flow Impedance Tube. These include an axially-segmented liner and three liners that use reordering of the chambers. Chamber reordering is shown to have a strong effect on the axial sound pressure level profiles, but a limited effect on the overall attenuation. It is also shown that bent chambers can be used to reduce the liner depth with minimal effects on the attenuation. A numerical study is also conducted to explore the effects of a planar and three higher-order mode sources based on the NASA Langley Curved Duct Test Rig geometry. A four-segment liner is designed using the NASA Langley CDL code with a Python-based optimizer. Five additional liner designs, four with rearrangements of the first liner segments and one with a redistribution of the individual chambers, are evaluated for each of the four sources. The liner configuration affects the sound pressure level profile much more than the attenuation spectra for the planar and first two higher-order mode sources, but has a much larger effect on the SPL profiles and attenuation spectra for the last higher-order mode source. Overall, axially variable-depth liners offer the potential to provide improved fan noise reduction, regardless of whether the axially variable depths are achieved via a distributed array of chambers (depths vary from chamber to chamber) or a group of zones (groups of chambers for which the depth is constant).

Fluorination, Defluorination, Derivatization and Solvation of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margrave, John L.

1999-10-01

Direct fluorination has been used to create fluoronanotubes which have active sites for derivatizing carbon nanotubes. A new technique using hydrazine and its derivatives has been used for defluorination of fluoronanotubes. The products include N2 and HF. Fluorinated species can be derivatized with R-Li or Grignard Reagents to form inorganic fluorides and derivatized products e.g., methyl, butyl or hexyl-nanotubes, (NH2)x-nanotubes, etc. Mass-spectra IR and Raman spectra along with electron microprobe analyses have been utilized, along with AFM, SEM and TEM to characterize the products. ``Fluorotubes" can be solvated as individual tubes in various alcohol solvents via ultrasonication. These solutions persist long enough (over a week) to permit solution phase chemistry to be carried out on the fluorotubes. For example, the solvated fluorotubes can be precipitated out of solution with hydrazine to yield normal, unfluorinated SWNTs or they can be reacted with sodium methoxide to yield methoxylated SWNTs.

Use of constant wavelength synchronous spectrofluorimetry for identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air particulate samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Homdutt; Jain, V. K.; Khan, Zahid H.

2013-05-01

We have developed a simple, rapid, inexpensive method for the identification of fluoranthene (Flan), benz(a)anthracene (BaA), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), benzo(k)fluoranthene (BkF), pyrene (Pyr), benz(ghi)perylene (BghiP) in suspended particulate matter in an urban environment of Delhi. Suspended particulate matter samples of 24 h duration were collected on glass fiber filter papers. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were extracted from the filter papers using dichloromethane (DCM) and hexane with ultrasonication method. Comparison of the characteristic emission of spectra of PAHs with standard spectra indicated the degree of condensation of aromatic compounds present in investigated mixtures. It was also possible to identify some individual compounds. However, this identification could be more effective with the use of the respective values of Δλ parameter for each particular component of the mixture.

Wind Noise Reduction in a Non-Porous Subsurface Windscreen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, Allan J.; Shams, Qamar A.; Knight, H. Keith

2012-01-01

Measurements of wind noise reduction were conducted on a box-shaped, subsurface windscreen made of closed cell polyurethane foam. The windscreen was installed in the ground with the lid flush with the ground surface. The wind was generated by means of a fan, situated on the ground, and the wind speed was measured at the center of the windscreen lid with an ultrasonic anemometer. The wind speed was controlled by moving the fan to selected distances from the windscreen. The wind noise was measured on a PCB Piezotronics 3†electret microphone. Wind noise spectra were measured with the microphone exposed directly to the wind (atop the windscreen lid) and with the microphone installed inside the windscreen. The difference between the two spectra comprises the wind noise reduction. At wind speeds of 3, 5, and 7 m/s, the wind noise reduction is typically 15 dB over the frequency range of 0.1-20 Hz.

Nondestructive ultrasonic characterization of armor grade silicon carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portune, Andrew Richard

Ceramic materials have traditionally been chosen for armor applications for their superior mechanical properties and low densities. At high strain rates seen during ballistic events, the behavior of these materials relies upon the total volumetric flaw concentration more so than any single anomalous flaw. In this context flaws can be defined as any microstructural feature which detriments the performance of the material, potentially including secondary phases, pores, or unreacted sintering additives. Predicting the performance of armor grade ceramic materials depends on knowledge of the absolute and relative concentration and size distribution of bulk heterogeneities. Ultrasound was chosen as a nondestructive technique for characterizing the microstructure of dense silicon carbide ceramics. Acoustic waves interact elastically with grains and inclusions in large sample volumes, and were well suited to determine concentration and size distribution variations for solid inclusions. Methodology was developed for rapid acquisition and analysis of attenuation coefficient spectra. Measurements were conducted at individual points and over large sample areas using a novel technique entitled scanning acoustic spectroscopy. Loss spectra were split into absorption and scattering dominant frequency regimes to simplify analysis. The primary absorption mechanism in polycrystalline silicon carbide was identified as thermoelastic in nature. Correlations between microstructural conditions and parameters within the absorption equation were established through study of commercial and custom engineered SiC materials. Nonlinear least squares regression analysis was used to estimate the size distributions of boron carbide and carbon inclusions within commercial SiC materials. This technique was shown to additionally be capable of approximating grain size distributions in engineered SiC materials which did not contain solid inclusions. Comparisons to results from electron microscopy exhibited favorable agreement between predicted and observed distributions. Developed techniques were applied to large sample areas using scanning acoustic spectroscopy to map variations in the size distribution and concentration of grains and solid inclusions within the bulk microstructure. The experiments performed in this thesis form the foundation of a novel characterization technique capable of mapping variations in sample composition which could be extended to a wide range of dense polycrystalline heterogeneous materials.

Processing of Microalgae: Acoustic Cavitation and Hydrothermal Conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenly, Justin Michael

The production of energy dense fuels from renewable algal biomass feedstocks -- if sustainably developed at a sufficiently large scale -- may reduce the consumption of petroleum from fossil fuels and provide many environmental benefits. Achieving economic feasibility has several technical engineering challenges that arise from dilute concentration of growing algae in aqueous media, small cell sizes, and durable cell walls. For microalgae to be a sustainable source of biofuels and co-products, efficient fractionation and conversion of the cellular contents is necessary. Research was carried out to address two processing options for efficient microalgae biofuel production: 1. Ultrasonic cavitation for cell disruption and 2. Hydrothermal conversion of a model algal triglyceride. 1. Ultrasonic cell disruption, which relies on cavitating bubbles in the suspension to produce damaging shock waves, was investigated experimentally over a range of concentrations and species types. A few seconds of high intensity sonication at fixed frequency yielded significant cell disruption, even for the more durable cells. At longer exposure times, effectiveness was seen to decline and was attributed, using acoustic measurements, to ultrasonic power attenuation in the ensuing cloud of cavitating bubbles. Processing at higher cell concentrations slowed cell disintegration marginally, but increased the effectiveness of dissipating ultrasonic energy. A theoretical study effectively predicted optimal conditions for a variety of parameters that were inaccessible in this experimental investigation. In that study, single bubble collapse was modeled to identify operating conditions that would increase cavitation, and thus cell disruption. Simulations were conducted by varying frequency and pressure amplitude of the ultrasound wave, and initial bubble size. The simulation results indicated that low frequency, high sound wave amplitudes, and small initial bubble size generate the highest shock wave pressures. 2. Hydrolysis of a pure model triglyceride compound was experimentally examined for the first time at hydrothermal conditions -- from 225 to 300°C. Lipid product composition assessed by GC-FID was compared to previous studies with mixed vegetable oils and used to develop a kinetic model for this oil phase reaction.

Ultrasonic characterization of silicate glasses, polymer composites and hydrogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Wan Jae

In many applications of material designing and engineering, high-frequency linear viscoelastic properties of materials are essential. Traditionally, the high-frequency properties are estimated through the time-temperature superposition (WLF equation) of low-frequency data, which are questionable because the existence of multi-phase in elastomer compounds. Moreover, no reliable data at high frequencies over MHz have been available thus far. Ultrasound testing is cost-effective for measuring high-frequency properties. Although both ultrasonic longitudinal and shear properties are necessary in order to fully characterize high-frequency mechanical properties of materials, longitudinal properties will be extensively explored in this thesis. Ultrasonic pulse echo method measures longitudinal properties. A precision ultrasonic measurement system has been developed in our laboratory, which allows us to monitor the in-situ bulk and/or surface properties of silicate glasses, polymer composites and even hydrogels. The system consists of a pulse-echo unit and an impedance measurement unit. A pulse echo unit is explored mainly. First, a systematic procedure was developed to obtain precise water wavespeed value. A calibration curve of water wavespeed as a function of temperature has been established, and water wavespeed at 23°C serves as a yardstick to tell whether or not a setup is properly aligned. Second, a sound protocol in calculating attenuation coefficient and beam divergence effects was explored using three kinds of silicate glass of different thicknesses. Then the system was applied to four composite slabs, two slabs for each type of fiberglass reinforced plastics, phenolic and polyester manufactured under different processing conditions: one was made by the normal procedures and the other with deliberate flaws such as voids, tapes and/or prepared at improper operation temperature and pressure. The experiment was conducted under the double blind test protocol. After carefully and methodically analyzing the data, we are able to detect defected specimens from all the specimens supplied to us, differentiate polyester-based composite from the phenolic-based composite and even recognized types of defects. Lastly, ultrasonic monitoring of advancement of the swollen-unswollen fronts, and hence monitor phase transition from glassy state to rubbery state, of poly(acrylic-acid) hydrogel of one of the three different crosslinking densities is performed. With ultrasonic measurement, swelling monitoring is possible since the structural and mechanical changes during swelling of a dry hydrogel are related to changes in density and elastic constants. Using our carefully developed methodology from previous chapters, we may obtain and monitor average acoustic properties of each layer of hydrogel as it swells.

Spectroscopy of carotenoids and its application to the investigation of autoxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finkelshtein, E. I.; Krasnokutskaya, I. S.; Vakulova, L. A.

1999-05-01

The electronic and attenuated total reflection IR spectra of β-carotene, canthaxanthin, lycopene, axerophtene, retinyl acetate, methyl retinoate, and retinal were recorded and investigated. The main specimens were thin (thickness of about 0.1 μ) amorphous films on the optically transparent supports. In most cases the electronic spectra of the films differ from the solution ones. Alterations of the spectra during the exposing of the films to oxygen permit to propose the sequence of the oxidation products formation. The compounds with short polyenic chains conjugated with β-ionone ring are formed. Polyperoxides are the primary oxidation products, and they gradually transform firstly into epoxy and then into carbonyl compounds.

Thermodynamic aspect in using modified Boltzmann model as an acoustic probe for URu2Si2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwang-Hua, Chu Rainer

2018-05-01

The approximate system of equations describing ultrasonic attenuation propagating in many electrons of the heavy-fermion materials URu2Si2 under high magnetic fields were firstly derived and then calculated based on the modified Boltzmann model considering the microscopic contributions due to electronic fluids. A system of nonlinear partial differential coupled with integral equations were linearized firstly and approximately solved considering the perturbed thermodynamic equilibrium states. Our numerical data were compared with previous measurements using non-dimensional or normalized physical values. The rather good fit of our numerical calculations with experimental measurements confirms our present approach.

Comparison of femtosecond laser ablation of aluminum in water and in air by time-resolved optical diagnosis.

PubMed

Hu, Haofeng; Liu, Tiegen; Zhai, Hongchen

2015-01-26

The dynamic process of material ejection and shock wave evolution during one single femtosecond laser pulse ablation of aluminum target in water and air is experimentally investigated by employing pump-probe technique. Shadowgraphs and digital holograms with high temporal resolution are recorded, which intuitively reveal the characteristics of femtosecond laser ablation in the water-confined environment. The experimental result indicates that the liquid significantly restrict the diffusion of the ejected material, and it has a considerable effect on the attenuation of the shock wave. In addition, the expansion Mach wave generated by the ultrasonic expansion of the shock wave is observed.

Rapid profiling of Swiss cheese by attenuated total reflectance (ATR) infrared spectroscopy and descriptive sensory analysis.

PubMed

Kocaoglu-Vurma, N A; Eliardi, A; Drake, M A; Rodriguez-Saona, L E; Harper, W J

2009-08-01

The acceptability of cheese depends largely on the flavor formed during ripening. The flavor profiles of cheeses are complex and region- or manufacturer-specific which have made it challenging to understand the chemistry of flavor development and its correlation with sensory properties. Infrared spectroscopy is an attractive technology for the rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput analysis of foods, providing information related to its composition and conformation of food components from the spectra. Our objectives were to establish infrared spectral profiles to discriminate Swiss cheeses produced by different manufacturers in the United States and to develop predictive models for determination of sensory attributes based on infrared spectra. Fifteen samples from 3 Swiss cheese manufacturers were received and analyzed using attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR). The spectra were analyzed using soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) to build a classification model. The cheeses were profiled by a trained sensory panel using descriptive sensory analysis. The relationship between the descriptive sensory scores and ATR-IR spectra was assessed using partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis. SIMCA discriminated the Swiss cheeses based on manufacturer and production region. PLSR analysis generated prediction models with correlation coefficients of validation (rVal) between 0.69 and 0.96 with standard error of cross-validation (SECV) ranging from 0.04 to 0.29. Implementation of rapid infrared analysis by the Swiss cheese industry would help to streamline quality assurance.

Pilot Study to Confirm that Fat and Liver can be Distinguished by Spectroscopic Tissue Response on a Medipix-All-Resolution System-CT (MARS-CT)

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

Berg, Kyra B.; Anderson, Nigel G.; Butler, Alexandra P.

2009-07-23

NAFLD, liver component of the 'metabolic' syndrome, has become the most common liver disease in western nations. Non-invasive imaging techniques exist, but have limitations, especially in detection and quantification of mild to moderate fatty liver. In this pilot study, we produced attenuation curves from biomedical-quality projection images of liver and fat using the MARS spectroscopic-CT scanner. Difficulties obtaining attenuation spectra after reconstruction demonstrated that standard reconstruction programs do not preserve spectral information.

Pilot Study to Confirm that Fat and Liver can be Distinguished by Spectroscopic Tissue Response on a Medipix-All-Resolution System-CT (MARS-CT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berg, Kyra B.; Carr, James M.; Clark, Michael J.; Cook, Nick J.; Anderson, Nigel G.; Scott, Nicola J.; Butler, Alexandra P.; Butler, Philip H.; Butler, Anthony P.

2009-07-01

NAFLD, liver component of the "metabolic" syndrome, has become the most common liver disease in western nations. Non-invasive imaging techniques exist, but have limitations, especially in detection and quantification of mild to moderate fatty liver. In this pilot study, we produced attenuation curves from biomedical-quality projection images of liver and fat using the MARS spectroscopic-CT scanner. Difficulties obtaining attenuation spectra after reconstruction demonstrated that standard reconstruction programs do not preserve spectral information.

Subsurface attenuation estimation using a novel hybrid method based on FWE function and power spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jingnan; Wang, Shangxu; Yang, Dengfeng; Tang, Genyang; Chen, Yangkang

2018-02-01

Seismic waves propagating in the subsurface suffer from attenuation, which can be represented by the quality factor Q. Knowledge of Q plays a vital role in hydrocarbon exploration. Many methods to measure Q have been proposed, among which the central frequency shift (CFS) and the peak frequency shift (PFS) are commonly used. However, both methods are under the assumption of a particular shape for amplitude spectra, which will cause systematic error in Q estimation. Recently a new method to estimate Q has been proposed to overcome this disadvantage by using frequency weighted exponential (FWE) function to fit amplitude spectra of different shapes. In the FWE method, a key procedure is to calculate the central frequency and variance of the amplitude spectrum. However, the amplitude spectrum is susceptible to noise, whereas the power spectrum is less sensitive to random noise and has better anti-noise performance. To enhance the robustness of the FWE method, we propose a novel hybrid method by combining the advantage of the FWE method and the power spectrum, which is called the improved FWE method (IFWE). The basic idea is to consider the attenuation of the power spectrum instead of the amplitude spectrum and to use a modified FWE function to fit power spectra, according to which we derive a new Q estimation formula. Tests of noisy synthetic data show that the IFWE are more robust than the FWE. Moreover, the frequency bandwidth selection in the IFWE can be more flexible than that in the FWE. The application to field vertical seismic profile data and surface seismic data further demonstrates its validity.

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

Ayob, M. T. M.; Ahmad, A. F.; Mohd, H. M. K.

Coral-spherical-shaped of copper oxide nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized with different ratios of triethanolamine:ethylenediamine surfactant under ultrasonic condition. By controlling the amplitude of the ultrasonic radiation and concentration of metal salt precursors and surfactant, the formation of CuO nanospheres was obtained. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrum confirmed that Cu and O are the only elementary components present with a ratio of approximately 1:1. Furthermore, X-ray powder diffraction spectra for all the examined ratios of CuO showed well crystalline structures. UV-Vis spectroscopy was utilized to estimate the band gap energies of the CuO nanoparticles produced, which were found to be in themore » range of 2.74 eV to 2.95 eV. The field emission scanning electron micrographs of these nanospheres showed that their dimensions were in the range of 5-30 nm. These results indicate that the triethanolamine:ethylenediamine ratio plays an important role in the formation of different sized CuO nanoparticles, displaying a decrement in particle size with the increment in amount of triethanolamine ratios. This might be the key to synthesizing nanoparticles with specific sizes for various applications.« less

Reduction of variance in spectral estimates for correction of ultrasonic aberration.

PubMed

Astheimer, Jeffrey P; Pilkington, Wayne C; Waag, Robert C

2006-01-01

A variance reduction factor is defined to describe the rate of convergence and accuracy of spectra estimated from overlapping ultrasonic scattering volumes when the scattering is from a spatially uncorrelated medium. Assuming that the individual volumes are localized by a spherically symmetric Gaussian window and that centers of the volumes are located on orbits of an icosahedral rotation group, the factor is minimized by adjusting the weight and radius of each orbit. Conditions necessary for the application of the variance reduction method, particularly for statistical estimation of aberration, are examined. The smallest possible value of the factor is found by allowing an unlimited number of centers constrained only to be within a ball rather than on icosahedral orbits. Computations using orbits formed by icosahedral vertices, face centers, and edge midpoints with a constraint radius limited to a small multiple of the Gaussian width show that a significant reduction of variance can be achieved from a small number of centers in the confined volume and that this reduction is nearly the maximum obtainable from an unlimited number of centers in the same volume.

Transmission mode adaptive beamforming for planar phased arrays and its application to 3D ultrasonic transcranial imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapoori, Kiyanoosh; Sadler, Jeffrey; Wydra, Adrian; Malyarenko, Eugene; Sinclair, Anthony; Maev, Roman G.

2013-03-01

A new adaptive beamforming method for accurately focusing ultrasound behind highly scattering layers of human skull and its application to 3D transcranial imaging via small-aperture planar phased arrays are reported. Due to its undulating, inhomogeneous, porous, and highly attenuative structure, human skull bone severely distorts ultrasonic beams produced by conventional focusing methods in both imaging and therapeutic applications. Strong acoustical mismatch between the skull and brain tissues, in addition to the skull's undulating topology across the active area of a planar ultrasonic probe, could cause multiple reflections and unpredictable refraction during beamforming and imaging processes. Such effects could significantly deflect the probe's beam from the intended focal point. Presented here is a theoretical basis and simulation results of an adaptive beamforming method that compensates for the latter effects in transmission mode, accompanied by experimental verification. The probe is a custom-designed 2 MHz, 256-element matrix array with 0.45 mm element size and 0.1mm kerf. Through its small footprint, it is possible to accurately measure the profile of the skull segment in contact with the probe and feed the results into our ray tracing program. The latter calculates the new time delay patterns adapted to the geometrical and acoustical properties of the skull phantom segment in contact with the probe. The time delay patterns correct for the refraction at the skull-brain boundary and bring the distorted beam back to its intended focus. The algorithms were implemented on the ultrasound open-platform ULA-OP (developed at the University of Florence).

Design of the biosonar simulator for dolphin's clicks waveform reproduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Ken; Akamatsu, Tomonari; Hatakeyama, Yoshimi

1992-03-01

The emitted clicks of Dall's porpoises consist of a pulse train of burst signals with an ultrasonic carrier frequency. The authors have designed a biosonar simulator to reproduce the waveforms associated with a dolphin's clicks underwater. The total reproduction system consists of a click signal acquisition block, a waveform analysis block, a memory unit, a click simulator, and a underwater, ultrasonic wave transmitter. In operation, data stored in an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) are read out sequentially by a fast clock and converted to analog output signals. Then an ultrasonic power amplifier reproduces these signals through a transmitter. The click signal replaying block is referred to as the BSS (Biosonar Simulator). This is what simulates the clicks. The details of the BSS are described in this report. A unit waveform is defined. The waveform is divided into a burst period and a waiting period. Clicks are a sequence based on a unit waveform, and digital data are sequentially read out from an EPROM of waveform data. The basic parameters of the BSS are as follows: (1) reading clock, 100 ns to 25.4 microseconds; (2) number of reading clock, 34 to 1024 times; (3) counter clock in a waiting period, 100 ns to 25.4 microseconds; (4) number of counter clock, zero to 16,777,215 times; (5) number of burst/waiting repetition cycle, one to 128 times; and (6) transmission level adjustment by a programmable attenuator, zero to 86.5 dB. These basic functions enable the BSS to replay clicks of Dall's porpoise precisely.

Ultrasound Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Peaches and Pumpkins

PubMed Central

Altemimi, Ammar; Watson, Dennis G.; Choudhary, Ruplal; Dasari, Mallika R.; Lightfoot, David A.

2016-01-01

The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method was used to optimize the extraction of phenolic compounds from pumpkins and peaches. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to study the effects of three independent variables each with three treatments. They included extraction temperatures (30, 40 and 50°C), ultrasonic power levels (30, 50 and 70%) and extraction times (10, 20 and 30 min). The optimal conditions for extractions of total phenolics from pumpkins were inferred to be a temperature of 41.45°C, a power of 44.60% and a time of 25.67 min. However, an extraction temperature of 40.99°C, power of 56.01% and time of 25.71 min was optimal for recovery of free radical scavenging activity (measured by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reduction). The optimal conditions for peach extracts were an extraction temperature of 41.53°C, power of 43.99% and time of 27.86 min for total phenolics. However, an extraction temperature of 41.60°C, power of 44.88% and time of 27.49 min was optimal for free radical scavenging activity (judged by from DPPH reduction). Further, the UAE processes were significantly better than solvent extractions without ultrasound. By electron microscopy it was concluded that ultrasonic processing caused damage in cells for all treated samples (pumpkin, peach). However, the FTIR spectra did not show any significant changes in chemical structures caused by either ultrasonic processing or solvent extraction. PMID:26885655

Development of a method for the determination of Fusarium fungi on corn using mid-infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection and chemometrics.

PubMed

Kos, Gregor; Lohninger, Hans; Krska, Rudolf

2003-03-01

A novel method, which enables the determination of fungal infection with Fusarium graminearum on corn within minutes, is presented. The ground sample was sieved and the particle size fraction between >250 and 100 microm was used for mid-infrared/attenuated total reflection (ATR) measurements. The sample was pressed onto the ATR crystal, and reproducible pressure was applied. After the spectra were recorded, they were subjected to principle component analysis (PCA) and classified using cluster analysis. Observed changes in the spectra reflected changes in protein, carbohydrate, and lipid contents. Ergosterol (for the total fungal biomass) and the toxin deoxynivalenol (DON; a secondary metabolite) of Fusarium fungi served as reference parameters, because of their relevance for the examination of corn based food and feed. The repeatability was highly improved by sieving prior to recording the spectra, resulting in a better clustering in PCA score/score plots. The developed method enabled the separation of samples with a toxin content of as low as 310 microg/kg from noncontaminated (blank) samples. Investigated concentration ranges were 880-3600 microg/kg for ergosterol and 310-2596 microg/kg for DON. The percentage of correctly classified samples was up to 100% for individual samples compared with a number of blank samples.

Rapid intra-operative diagnosis of kidney cancer by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy of tissue smears.

PubMed

Pucetaite, Milda; Velicka, Martynas; Urboniene, Vidita; Ceponkus, Justinas; Bandzeviciute, Rimante; Jankevicius, Feliksas; Zelvys, Arunas; Sablinskas, Valdas; Steiner, Gerald

2018-05-01

Herein, a technique to analyze air-dried kidney tissue impression smears by means of attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy is presented. Spectral tumor markers-absorption bands of glycogen-are identified in the ATR-IR spectra of the kidney tissue smear samples. Thin kidney tissue cryo-sections currently used for IR spectroscopic analysis lack such spectral markers as the sample preparation causes irreversible molecular changes in the tissue. In particular, freeze-thaw cycle results in degradation of the glycogen and reduction or complete dissolution of its content. Supervised spectral classification was applied to the recorded spectra of the smears and the test spectra were classified with a high accuracy of 92% for normal tissue and 94% for tumor tissue, respectively. For further development, we propose that combination of the method with optical fiber ATR probes could potentially be used for rapid real-time intra-operative tissue analysis without interfering with either the established protocols of pathological examination or the ordinary workflow of operating surgeon. Such approach could ensure easier transition of the method to clinical applications where it may complement the results of gold standard histopathology examination and aid in more precise resection of kidney tumors. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A New NIST Database for the Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA): Application to Angle-Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of HfO2, ZrO2, HfSiO4, and ZrSiO4 Films on Silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, C. J.; Smekal, W.; Werner, W. S. M.

2005-09-01

We describe a new NIST database for the Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA). This database provides data for the many parameters needed in quantitative Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, AES and XPS spectra can be simulated for layered samples. The simulated spectra, for layer compositions and thicknesses specified by the user, can be compared with measured spectra. The layer compositions and thicknesses can then be adjusted to find maximum consistency between simulated and measured spectra. In this way, AES and XPS can provide more detailed characterization of multilayer thin-film materials. We report on the use of SESSA for determining the thicknesses of HfO2, ZrO2, HfSiO4, and ZrSiO4 films on Si by angle-resolved XPS. Practical effective attenuation lengths (EALs) have been computed from SESSA as a function of film thickness and photoelectron emission angle (i.e., to simulate the effects of tilting the sample). These EALs have been compared with similar values obtained from the NIST Electron Effective-Attenuation-Length Database (SRD 82). Generally good agreement was found between corresponding EAL values, but there were differences for film thicknesses less than the inelastic mean free path of the photoelectrons in the overlayer film. These differences are due to a simplifying approximation in the algorithm used to compute EALs in SRD 82. SESSA, with realistic cross sections for elastic and inelastic scattering in the film and substrate materials, is believed to provide more accurate EALs than SRD 82 for thin-film thickness measurements, particularly in applications where the film and substrate have different electron-scattering properties.

A New NIST Database for the Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA): Application to Angle-Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of HfO2, ZrO2, HfSiO4, and ZrSiO4 Films on Silicon

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

Powell, C.J.; Smekal, W.; Werner, W.S.M.

2005-09-09

We describe a new NIST database for the Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA). This database provides data for the many parameters needed in quantitative Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, AES and XPS spectra can be simulated for layered samples. The simulated spectra, for layer compositions and thicknesses specified by the user, can be compared with measured spectra. The layer compositions and thicknesses can then be adjusted to find maximum consistency between simulated and measured spectra. In this way, AES and XPS can provide more detailed characterization of multilayer thin-film materials. Wemore » report on the use of SESSA for determining the thicknesses of HfO2, ZrO2, HfSiO4, and ZrSiO4 films on Si by angle-resolved XPS. Practical effective attenuation lengths (EALs) have been computed from SESSA as a function of film thickness and photoelectron emission angle (i.e., to simulate the effects of tilting the sample). These EALs have been compared with similar values obtained from the NIST Electron Effective-Attenuation-Length Database (SRD 82). Generally good agreement was found between corresponding EAL values, but there were differences for film thicknesses less than the inelastic mean free path of the photoelectrons in the overlayer film. These differences are due to a simplifying approximation in the algorithm used to compute EALs in SRD 82. SESSA, with realistic cross sections for elastic and inelastic scattering in the film and substrate materials, is believed to provide more accurate EALs than SRD 82 for thin-film thickness measurements, particularly in applications where the film and substrate have different electron-scattering properties.« less

Effect of noise spectra and a listening task upon passenger annoyance in a helicopter interior noise environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clevenson, S. A.; Leatherwood, J. D.

1979-01-01

The effects of helicopter interior noise on passenger annoyance were studied. Both reverie and listening situations were studied as well as the relative effectiveness of several descriptors (i.e., overall sound pressure level, A-weighted sound pressure level, and speech interference level) for quantifying annoyance response for these situations. The noise stimuli were based upon recordings of the interior noise of a civil helicopter research aircraft. These noises were presented at levels ranging from approximately 68 to 86 dB(A) with various gear clash tones selectively attenuated to give a range of spectra. Results indicated that annoyance during a listening condition is generally higher than annoyance during a reverie condition for corresponding interior noise environments. Attenuation of the planetary gear clash tone results in increases in listening performance but has negligible effect upon annoyance for a given noise level. The noise descriptor most effective for estimating annoyance response under conditions of reverie and listening situations is shown to be the A-weighted sound pressure level.

Optical properties of nucleobase thin films as studied by attenuated total reflection and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, MinSuk; Ham, Won Kyu; Kim, Wonyoung; Hwangbo, Chang Kwon; Choi, Eun Ha; Lee, Geon Joon

2018-04-01

Optical properties of nucleobase thin films were studied by attenuated total reflection (ATR) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Adenine and guanine films were deposited on fused silica and silver at room temperature by thermal evaporation, and the normal dispersion of refractive indices of transparent adenine and guanine films in the visible and near-infrared regions were analyzed. The measured ATR spectra of adenine (guanine) films and numerical simulations by optical transfer matrix formalism demonstrate that the shift of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) wavelength is approximately linearly proportional to the adenine (guanine) film thickness, indicating that SPR can be used for quantitative measurements of biomaterials. The Raman spectra indicated that the adenine (guanine) films can be deposited by thermal evaporation. The adenine (guanine) films on silver exhibited Raman intensity enhancement as compared to those on glass, which was attributed to the SPR effect of silver platform and might play a role as a hot plate for SERS detection of biomaterials.

A Finite-Element Method Model of Soft Tissue Response to Impulsive Acoustic Radiation Force

PubMed Central

Palmeri, Mark L.; Sharma, Amy C.; Bouchard, Richard R.; Nightingale, Roger W.; Nightingale, Kathryn R

2010-01-01

Several groups are studying acoustic radiation force and its ability to image the mechanical properties of tissue. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is one modality using standard diagnostic ultrasound scanners to generate localized, impulsive, acoustic radiation forces in tissue. The dynamic response of tissue is measured via conventional ultrasonic speckle-tracking methods and provides information about the mechanical properties of tissue. A finite-element method (FEM) model has been developed that simulates the dynamic response of tissues, with and without spherical inclusions, to an impulsive acoustic radiation force excitation from a linear array transducer. These FEM models were validated with calibrated phantoms. Shear wave speed, and therefore elasticity, dictates tissue relaxation following ARFI excitation, but Poisson’s ratio and density do not significantly alter tissue relaxation rates. Increased acoustic attenuation in tissue increases the relative amount of tissue displacement in the near field compared with the focal depth, but relaxation rates are not altered. Applications of this model include improving image quality, and distilling material and structural information from tissue’s dynamic response to ARFI excitation. Future work on these models includes incorporation of viscous material properties and modeling the ultrasonic tracking of displaced scatterers. PMID:16382621

Exploiting spatial degrees of freedom for high data rate ultrasound communication with implantable devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Max L.; Arbabian, Amin

2017-09-01

We propose and demonstrate an ultrasonic communication link using spatial degrees of freedom to increase data rates for deeply implantable medical devices. Low attenuation and millimeter wavelengths make ultrasound an ideal communication medium for miniaturized low-power implants. While a small spectral bandwidth has drastically limited achievable data rates in conventional ultrasonic implants, a large spatial bandwidth can be exploited by using multiple transducers in a multiple-input/multiple-output system to provide spatial multiplexing gain without additional power, larger bandwidth, or complicated packaging. We experimentally verify the communication link in mineral oil with a transmitter and a receiver 5 cm apart, each housing two custom-designed mm-sized piezoelectric transducers operating at the same frequency. Two streams of data modulated with quadrature phase-shift keying at 125 kbps are simultaneously transmitted and received on both channels, effectively doubling the data rate to 250 kbps with a measured bit error rate below 10-4. We also evaluate the performance and robustness of the channel separation network by testing the communication link after introducing position offsets. These results demonstrate the potential of spatial multiplexing to enable more complex implant applications requiring higher data rates.

Fabricating capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers with a novel silicon-nitride-based wafer bonding process.

PubMed

Logan, Andrew; Yeow, John T W

2009-05-01

We report the fabrication and experimental testing of 1-D 23-element capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays that have been fabricated using a novel wafer-bonding process whereby the membrane and the insulation layer are both silicon nitride. The membrane and cell cavities are deposited and patterned on separate wafers and fusion-bonded in a vacuum environment to create CMUT cells. A user-grown silicon-nitride membrane layer avoids the need for expensive silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers, reduces parasitic capacitance, and reduces dielectric charging. It allows more freedom in selecting the membrane thickness while also providing the benefits of wafer-bonding fabrication such as excellent fill factor, ease of vacuum sealing, and a simplified fabrication process when compared with the more standard sacrificial release process. The devices fabricated have a cell diameter of 22 microm, a membrane thickness of 400 nm, a gap depth of 150 nm, and an insulation thickness of 250 nm. The resonant frequency of the CMUT in air is 17 MHz and has an attenuation compensated center frequency of approximately 9 MHz in immersion with a -6 dB fractional bandwidth of 123%. This paper presents the fabrication process and some characterization results.

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

Praher, B., E-mail: bernhard.praher@jku.at, E-mail: klaus.straka@jku.at, E-mail: jesenka.usanovic@jku.at, E-mail: georg.steinbichler@jku.at; Straka, K., E-mail: bernhard.praher@jku.at, E-mail: klaus.straka@jku.at, E-mail: jesenka.usanovic@jku.at, E-mail: georg.steinbichler@jku.at; Usanovic, J., E-mail: bernhard.praher@jku.at, E-mail: klaus.straka@jku.at, E-mail: jesenka.usanovic@jku.at, E-mail: georg.steinbichler@jku.at

We developed novel non-invasive ultrasound based systems for the measurement of temperature distributions in the screw-ante chamber, the detection of unmelted granules and for the monitoring of the plasticizing process along the screw channel. The temperature of the polymer melt stored in the screw ante-chamber after the plasticization should be homogeneous. However, in reality the polymer melt in the screw ante-chamber is not homogeneous. Due to the fact the sound velocity in a polymer melt is temperature depending, we developed a tomography system using the measured transit times of ultrasonic pulses along different sound paths for calculating the temperature distributionmore » in radial direction of a polymer melt in the screw ante-chamber of an injection moulding machine. For the detection of unmelted granules in the polymer melt we implemented an ultrasound transmission measurement. By analyzing the attenuation of the received pulses it is possible to detect unwanted inclusions. For the monitoring of the plasticizing process in the channels of the screw an ultrasonic pulse is transmitted into the barrel. By analyzing the reflected pulses it is possible to estimate solid bed and melt regions in the screw channel. The proposed systems were tested for accuracy and validity by simulations and test measurements.« less

Structural and optical properties of Sb65Se35-xGex thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleh, S. A.; Al-Hajry, A.; Ali, H. M.

2011-07-01

Sb65Se35-xGex (x=0-20 at.%) thin films, prepared by the electron beam evaporation technique on ultrasonically cleaned glass substrates at 300 K, were investigated. The amorphous structure of the thin films was confirmed by x-ray diffraction analysis. The structure was deduced from the Raman spectra measured for all germanium contents in the Sb-Se-Ge matrix. The absorption coefficient (α) of the films was determined by optical transmission measurements. The compositional dependence of the optical band gap is discussed in light of topological and chemical ordered network models.

Nonlinear Wave Mixing Technique for Nondestructive Assessment of Infrastructure Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Taeho

To operate safely, structures and components need to be inspected or monitored either periodically or in real time for potential failure. For this purpose, ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques have been used extensively. Most of these ultrasonic NDE techniques utilize only the linear behavior of the ultrasound. These linear techniques are effective in detecting discontinuities in materials such as cracks, voids, interfaces, inclusions, etc. However, in many engineering materials, it is the accumulation of microdamage that leads to degradation and eventual failure of a component. Unfortunately, it is difficult for linear ultrasonic NDE techniques to characterize or quantify such damage. On the other hand, the acoustic nonlinearity parameter (ANLP) of a material is often positively correlated with such damage in a material. Thus, nonlinear ultrasonic NDE methods have been used in recently years to characterize cumulative damage such as fatigue in metallic materials, aging in polymeric materials, and degradation of cement-based materials due to chemical reactions. In this thesis, we focus on developing a suit of novel nonlinear ultrasonic NDE techniques based on the interactions of nonlinear ultrasonic waves, namely wave mixing. First, a noncollinear wave mixing technique is developed to detect localized damage in a homogeneous material by using a pair of noncollinear a longitudinal wave (L-wave) and a shear wave (S-wave). This pair of incident waves make it possible to conduct NDE from a single side of the component, a condition that is often encountered in practical applications. The proposed noncollinear wave mixing technique is verified experimentally by carrying out measurements on aluminum alloy (AA 6061) samples. Numerical simulations using the Finite Element Method (FEM) are also conducted to further demonstrate the potential of the proposed technique to detect localized damage in structural components. Second, the aforementioned nonlinear mixing technique is adapted to develop an NDE technique for characterizing thermal aging of adhesive joints. To this end, a nonlinear spring model is used to simulate the effect of the adhesive layer. Based on this nonlinear spring model, analytical expressions of the resonant wave generated by the adhesive layers is obtained through an asymptotic analysis when the adhesive layer thickness is much smaller than the pertinent wavelength. The solutions are expressed in terms of the properties of the adhesive layer. The nonlinear spring model shows a good agreement with the finite layer model solutions in the limit of a small thickness to wavelength ratio. Third, to demonstrate the effectiveness of this newly developed technique, measurements are conducted on adhesive joint samples made of two aluminum adherends bonded together by a polymer adhesive tape. The samples are aged in a thermal chamber to induce thermal ageing degradation in the adhesive layer. Using the developed wave-mixing technique in conjunction with the nonlinear spring model, we show that the thermal aging damage of the adhesive layer can be quantified from only one side of the sample. Finally, by mixing two L-waves, we develop a mixing technique to nondestructively evaluate the damage induced by alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in concrete. Experimental measurements are conducted on concrete prism samples that contain reactive aggregates and have been subjected to different ASR conditioning. This new technique takes into consideration of the significant attenuation caused by ASR-induced microcracks and scattering by the aggregates. The measurement results show that the ANLP has a much greater sensitivity to ASR damage than other parameters such as attenuation and wave speed. More remarkably, it is also found that the measured acoustic nonlinearity parameter is well-correlated with the reduction of the compressive strength induced by ASR damage. Thus, ANLP can be used to nondestructively track ASR damage in concrete.

Evidence for Secondary Emission as the Origin of Hard Spectra in TeV Blazars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Y. G.; Kang, T.

2013-02-01

We develop a model for the possible origin of hard, very high energy (VHE) spectra from a distant blazar. In the model, both the primary photons produced in the source and secondary photons produced outside it contribute to the observed high-energy γ-ray emission. That is, the primary photons are produced through the synchrotron self-Compton process, and the secondary photons are produced through high-energy proton interactions with background photons along the line of sight. We apply the model to a characteristic case of VHE γ-ray emission in the distant blazar 1ES 1101-232. Assuming suitable electron and proton spectra, we obtain excellent fits to the observed spectra of this blazar. This indicated that the surprisingly low attenuation of the high-energy γ-rays, especially the shape of the VHE γ-ray tail of the observed spectra, can be explained by secondary γ-rays produced in interactions of cosmic-ray protons with background photons in intergalactic space.

Temperature and baric dependence of nuclear quadruple resonance spectra in indium and gallium monoselenides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khandozhko, Victor; Raranskii, Nikolai; Balazjuk, Vitaly; Samila, Andriy; Kovalyuk, Zahar

2013-12-01

Pulsed radiospectroscopy method has been used to study nuclear quadruple resonance (NQR) spectra of 69Ga and 115In isotopes in the layered semiconductors GaSe and InSe. It has been found that in GaSe and InSe there is a considerable temperature dependence of NQR frequency which in the temperature range of 250 to 390 K is practically linear with conversion slope 1.54 kHz/degree for 69Ga and 2.35 kHz/degree for 115In. In the same crystals the effect of uniaxial pressure on NQR spectra applied along the optical axis с up to the values of 500 kg/сm2 has been studied. A strong attenuation of NQR spectra intensity with increase in pressure on layered crystal package has been established. The unvaried multiplicity of resonance spectra indicates the absence of structural transformations in these layered crystals over the investigated range of temperatures and pressures.