Introduction: energy and the subsurface.

PubMed

Christov, Ivan C; Viswanathan, Hari S

2016-10-13

This theme issue covers topics at the forefront of scientific research on energy and the subsurface, ranging from carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration to the recovery of unconventional shale oil and gas resources through hydraulic fracturing. As such, the goal of this theme issue is to have an impact on the scientific community, broadly, by providing a self-contained collection of articles contributing to and reviewing the state-of-the-art of the field. This collection of articles could be used, for example, to set the next generation of research directions, while also being useful as a self-study guide for those interested in entering the field. Review articles are included on the topics of hydraulic fracturing as a multiscale problem, numerical modelling of hydraulic fracture propagation, the role of computational sciences in the upstream oil and gas industry and chemohydrodynamic patterns in porous media. Complementing the reviews is a set of original research papers covering growth models for branched hydraulic crack systems, fluid-driven crack propagation in elastic matrices, elastic and inelastic deformation of fluid-saturated rock, reaction front propagation in fracture matrices, the effects of rock mineralogy and pore structure on stress-dependent permeability of shales, topographic viscous fingering and plume dynamics in porous media convection.This article is part of the themed issue 'Energy and the subsurface'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Introduction: energy and the subsurface

PubMed Central

Viswanathan, Hari S.

2016-01-01

This theme issue covers topics at the forefront of scientific research on energy and the subsurface, ranging from carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration to the recovery of unconventional shale oil and gas resources through hydraulic fracturing. As such, the goal of this theme issue is to have an impact on the scientific community, broadly, by providing a self-contained collection of articles contributing to and reviewing the state-of-the-art of the field. This collection of articles could be used, for example, to set the next generation of research directions, while also being useful as a self-study guide for those interested in entering the field. Review articles are included on the topics of hydraulic fracturing as a multiscale problem, numerical modelling of hydraulic fracture propagation, the role of computational sciences in the upstream oil and gas industry and chemohydrodynamic patterns in porous media. Complementing the reviews is a set of original research papers covering growth models for branched hydraulic crack systems, fluid-driven crack propagation in elastic matrices, elastic and inelastic deformation of fluid-saturated rock, reaction front propagation in fracture matrices, the effects of rock mineralogy and pore structure on stress-dependent permeability of shales, topographic viscous fingering and plume dynamics in porous media convection. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Energy and the subsurface’. PMID:27597784

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction requires connexin 40–mediated endothelial signal conduction

PubMed Central

Wang, Liming; Yin, Jun; Nickles, Hannah T.; Ranke, Hannes; Tabuchi, Arata; Hoffmann, Julia; Tabeling, Christoph; Barbosa-Sicard, Eduardo; Chanson, Marc; Kwak, Brenda R.; Shin, Hee-Sup; Wu, Songwei; Isakson, Brant E.; Witzenrath, Martin; de Wit, Cor; Fleming, Ingrid; Kuppe, Hermann; Kuebler, Wolfgang M.

2012-01-01

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) is a physiological mechanism by which pulmonary arteries constrict in hypoxic lung areas in order to redirect blood flow to areas with greater oxygen supply. Both oxygen sensing and the contractile response are thought to be intrinsic to pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells. Here we speculated that the ideal site for oxygen sensing might instead be at the alveolocapillary level, with subsequent retrograde propagation to upstream arterioles via connexin 40 (Cx40) endothelial gap junctions. HPV was largely attenuated by Cx40-specific and nonspecific gap junction uncouplers in the lungs of wild-type mice and in lungs from mice lacking Cx40 (Cx40–/–). In vivo, hypoxemia was more severe in Cx40–/– mice than in wild-type mice. Real-time fluorescence imaging revealed that hypoxia caused endothelial membrane depolarization in alveolar capillaries that propagated to upstream arterioles in wild-type, but not Cx40–/–, mice. Transformation of endothelial depolarization into vasoconstriction involved endothelial voltage-dependent α1G subtype Ca2+ channels, cytosolic phospholipase A2, and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. Based on these data, we propose that HPV originates at the alveolocapillary level, from which the hypoxic signal is propagated as endothelial membrane depolarization to upstream arterioles in a Cx40-dependent manner. PMID:23093775

Turbulence, combustion, pollutant, and stability characterization of a premixed, step combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganji, A. T.; Sawyer, R. F.

1980-01-01

A two dimensional combustion tunnel was constructed to study a lean premixed turbulent propane/air flame stablized behind a rearward facing step. Studied were: (1) the existence and importance of large coherent structures in turbulent reacting and nonreacting free shear layers behind the steps; (2) the effect of inlet temperature and reference velocity on combustion efficiency; (3) CO, NO2 and NO sub x production in the flame; and (4) the blowout and upstream propagation of the flame. In the ranges studied, the large coherent structures dominated both the reacting and the nonreacting free shear layers behind the step. The growth of the vortices and the propagation of the flamer were intimately linked. Vortex pairing was observed to be one of the mechanisms for introduction of fresh reactants into the shear layer and growth of the shear layer. Probe composition measurements of the flame showed that, in the recirculation zone, the reaction was above 99 percent complete, CO and unburnt hydrocarbons were above the equilibrium level NO sub x concentration was far below the equilibrium level and NO2 comprised a negligible fraction of NO sub x.

Effect of Aluminium Confinement on ANFO Detonation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Short, Mark; Jackson, Scott; Kiyanda, Charles; Shinas, Mike; Hare, Steve; Briggs, Matt

2013-06-01

Detonations in confined non-ideal high explosives often have velocities below the confiner sound speed. The effect on detonation propagation of the resulting subsonic flow in the confiner (such as confiner stress waves traveling ahead of the main detonation front or upstream wall deflection into the HE) has yet to be fully understood. Previous work by Sharpe and Bdzil (J. Eng. Math, 2006) has shown that for subsonic confiner flow, there is no limiting thickness for which the detonation dynamics are uninfluenced by further increases in wall thickness. The critical parameters influencing detonation behavior are the wall thickness relative to the HE reaction zone size, and the difference in the detonation velocity and confiner sound speed. Additional possible outcomes of subsonic flow are that for increasing thickness, the confiner is increasingly deflected into the HE upstream of the detonation, and that for sufficiently thick confiners, the detonation speed could be driven up to the sound speed in the confiner. We report here on a further series of experiments in which a mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO) is detonated in aluminum confiners with varying HE charge diameter and confiner thickness, and compare the results with the outcomes suggested by Sharpe and Bdzil.

Shock Characteristics Measured Upstream of Both a Forward-Swept and an Aft-Swept Fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Podboy, Gary G.; Krupar, Martin J.; Sutliff, Daniel L.; Horvath, Csaba

2007-01-01

Three different types of diagnostic data-blade surface flow visualization, shroud unsteady pressure, and laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV)--were obtained on two fans, one forward-swept and one aft-swept, in order to learn more about the shocks which propagate upstream of these rotors when they are operated at transonic tip speeds. Flow visualization data are presented for the forward-swept fan operating at 13831 rpm(sub c), and for the aft-swept fan operating at 12500 and 13831 rpm(sub c) (corresponding to tip rotational Mach numbers of 1.07 and 1.19, respectively). The flow visualization data identify where the shocks occur on the suction side of the rotor blades. These data show that at the takeoff speed, 13831 rpm(sub c), the shocks occurring in the tip region of the forward-swept fan are further downstream in the blade passage than with the aft-swept fan. Shroud unsteady pressure measurements were acquired using a linear array of 15 equally-spaced pressure transducers extending from two tip axial chords upstream to 0.8 tip axial chords downstream of the static position of the tip leading edge of each rotor. Such data are presented for each fan operating at one subsonic and five transonic tip speeds. The unsteady pressure data show relatively strong detached shocks propagating upstream of the aft-swept rotor at the three lowest transonic tip speeds, and weak, oblique pressure disturbances attached to the tip of the aft-swept fan at the two highest transonic tip speeds. The unsteady pressure measurements made with the forward-swept fan do not show strong shocks propagating upstream of that rotor at any of the tested speeds. A comparison of the forward-swept and aft-swept shroud unsteady pressure measurements indicates that at any given transonic speed the pressure disturbance just upstream of the tip of the forward-swept fan is much weaker than that of the aft-swept fan. The LDV data suggest that at 12500 and 13831 rpm(sub c), the forward-swept fan swallowed the passage shocks occurring in the tip region of the blades, whereas the aft-swept fan did not. Due to this difference, the flows just upstream of the two fans were found to be quite different at both of these transonic speeds. Nevertheless, despite distinct differences just upstream of the two rotors, the two fan flows were much more alike about one axial blade chord further upstream. As a result, the LDV data suggest that it is unwise to attempt to determine the effect that the shocks have on far field noise by focusing only on measurements (or CFD predictions) made very near the rotor. Instead, these data suggest that it is important to track the shocks throughout the inlet.

Interplanetary fast shock diagnosis with the radio receiver on Ulysses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoang, S.; Pantellini, F.; Harvey, C. C.; Lacombe, C.; Mangeney, A.; Meuer-Vernet, N.; Perche, C.; Steinberg, J.-L.; Lengyel-Frey, D.; Macdowall, R. J.

1992-01-01

The radio receiver on Ulysses records the quasi-thermal noise which allows a determination of the density and temperature of the cold (core) electrons of the solar wind. Seven interplanetary fast forward or reverse shocks are identified from the density and temperature profiles, together with the magnetic field profile from the Magnetometer experiment. Upstream of the three strongest shocks, bursts of nonthermal waves are observed at the electron plasma frequency f(peu). The more perpendicular the shock, the longer the time interval during which these upstream bursts are observed. For one of the strongest shocks we also observe two kinds of upstream electromagnetic radiation: radiation at 2 f(peu), and radiation at the downstream electron plasma frequency, which propagates into the less dense upstream regions.

Propagation of Tidal and Subtidal Free Surface Oscillations into River Channels from the South Atlantic Bight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyer, S. K.; Cloarec, M.; Yankovsky, A. E.

2014-12-01

Tidal sea level oscillations propagate from continental shelves into river channels in the form of long gravity waves well beyond the limits of salt intrusion. These dynamics were a focus of numerous recent studies, which led to the development of the "tidal river" concept. Subtidal oscillations in the "weather" frequency band (periods from a few days to a few weeks) can exhibit similar propagation upstream the river channel, but have so far attracted less attention from researchers. In this work, we analyze data obtained from USGS stream gauge stations at several rivers flowing into the South Atlantic Bight along with NOAA tide gauge stations located on the adjacent coastline. Subtidal free surface oscillations in river channels decay at a slower rate than tidal oscillations (referenced to their amplitude on the coast), while their propagation speed is lower than at tidal frequencies. Potential to kinetic energy ratio sufficiently far upstream in the river channel becomes comparable for tidal and subtidal oscillations, as effects of earth's rotation become negligible. The results suggest that a coastal storm surge can cause more severe flooding inland along the river channel than tides with comparable coastal amplitude.

Interplanetary Circumstances of Quasi-Perpendicular Interplanetary Shocks in 1996-2005

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, I. G.; Cane, H. V.

2010-01-01

The angle (theta(sub Bn)) between the normal to an interplanetary shock front and the upstream magnetic field direction, though often thought of as a property "of the shock," is also determined by the configuration of the magnetic field immediately upstream of the shock. We investigate the interplanetary circumstances of 105 near-Earth quasi-perpendicular shocks during 1996-2005 identified by theta(sub Bn) greater than or equal to 80 degrees and/or by evidence of shock drift particle acceleration. Around 87% of these shocks were driven by interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs); the remainder were probably the forward shocks of corotating interaction regions. For around half of the shocks, the upstream field was approximately perpendicular to the radial direction, either east-west or west-east or highly inclined to the ecliptic. Such field directions will give quasi-perpendicular configurations for radially propagating shocks. Around 30% of the shocks were propagating through, or closely followed, ICMEs at the time of observation. Another quarter were propagating through the heliospheric plasma sheet (HPS), and a further quarter occurred in slow solar wind that did not have characteristics of the HPS. Around 11% were observed in high-speed streams, and 7% in the sheaths following other shocks. The fraction of shocks found in high-speed streams is around a third of that expected based on the fraction of the time when such streams were observed at Earth. Quasi-perpendicular shocks are found traveling through ICMEs around 2-3 times more frequently than expected. In addition, shocks propagating through ICMEs are more likely to have larger values of theta(sub Bn) than shocks outside ICMEs.

A Mechanistic Model of Waterfall Plunge Pool Erosion into Bedrock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheingross, Joel S.; Lamb, Michael P.

2017-11-01

Landscapes often respond to changes in climate and tectonics through the formation and upstream propagation of knickzones composed of waterfalls. Little work has been done on the mechanics of waterfall erosion, and instead most landscape-scale models neglect waterfalls or use rules for river erosion, such as stream power, that may not be applicable to waterfalls. Here we develop a physically based model to predict waterfall plunge pool erosion into rock by abrasion from particle impacts and test the model against flume experiments. Both the model and experiments show that evolving plunge pools have initially high vertical erosion rates due to energetic particle impacts, and erosion slows and eventually ceases as pools deepen and deposition protects the pool floor from further erosion. Lateral erosion can continue after deposition on the pool floor, but it occurs at slow rates that become negligible as pools widen. Our work points to the importance of vertical drilling of successive plunge pools to drive upstream knickzone propagation in homogenous rock, rather than the classic mechanism of headwall undercutting. For a series of vertically drilling waterfalls, we find that upstream knickzone propagation is faster under higher combined water and sediment fluxes and for knickzones composed of many waterfalls that are closely spaced. Our model differs significantly from stream-power-based erosion rules in that steeper knickzones can retreat faster or more slowly depending on the number and spacing of waterfalls within a knickzone, which has implications for interpreting climatic and tectonic history through analysis of river longitudinal profiles.

Numerical Simulations of Upstream Propagating Solitary Waves and Wave Breaking In A Stratified Fjord

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stastna, M.; Peltier, W. R.

In this talk we will discuss ongoing numerical modeling of the flow of a stratified fluid over large scale topography motivated by observations in Knight Inlet, a fjord in British Columbia, Canada. After briefly surveying the work done on the topic in the past we will discuss our latest set of simulations in which we have observed the gener- ation and breaking of three different types of nonlinear internal waves in the lee of the sill topography. The first type of wave observed is a large lee wave in the weakly strat- ified main portion of the water column, The second is an upward propagating internal wave forced by topography that breaks in the strong, near-surface pycnocline. The third is a train of upstream propagating solitary waves that, in certain circumstances, form as breaking waves consisting of a nearly solitary wave envelope and a highly unsteady core near the surface. Time premitting, we will comment on the implications of these results for our long term goal of quantifying tidally driven mixing in Knight Inlet.

Properties of ultra low frequency upstream waves at Venus and Saturn: A comparison

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orlowski, D. S.; Russell, C. T.; Krauss-Varban, D.; Omidi, N.

1995-01-01

The upstream regions of all planets, except Pluto, have been investigated, using in situ spacecraft measurements and a variety of analysis techniques. The detailed studies at Earth indicate that these waves are generated locally in the magnetically connected solar wind by the interaction with ions backstreaming from the shock. However, since the properties of the solar wind vary with heliocentric distance and since properties of planetary shocks depend on plasma beta, interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) spiral angle and Mach number, the amount of heating, acceleration efficiencies, etc. significantly change with heliocentric distance. In turn the waves seen at each planet propagate not in the same but different (physical) propagation modes. In this paper we compare the ULF wave observations at an outer and an inner planet. We use the results of the ratio, quantites easily derivable with sufficient accuracy at each planet. We use the full electromagnetic dispersion relation for comparison with theoretical predictions.

Simple model of inhibition of chain-branching combustion processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babushok, Valeri I.; Gubernov, Vladimir V.; Minaev, Sergei S.; Miroshnichenko, Taisia P.

2017-11-01

A simple kinetic model has been suggested to describe the inhibition and extinction of flame propagation in reaction systems with chain-branching reactions typical for hydrocarbon systems. The model is based on the generalised model of the combustion process with chain-branching reaction combined with the one-stage reaction describing the thermal mode of flame propagation with the addition of inhibition reaction steps. Inhibitor addition suppresses the radical overshoot in flame and leads to the change of reaction mode from the chain-branching reaction to a thermal mode of flame propagation. With the increase of inhibitor the transition of chain-branching mode of reaction to the reaction with straight-chains (non-branching chain reaction) is observed. The inhibition part of the model includes a block of three reactions to describe the influence of the inhibitor. The heat losses are incorporated into the model via Newton cooling. The flame extinction is the result of the decreased heat release of inhibited reaction processes and the suppression of radical overshoot with the further decrease of the reaction rate due to the temperature decrease and mixture dilution. A comparison of the results of modelling laminar premixed methane/air flames inhibited by potassium bicarbonate (gas phase model, detailed kinetic model) with the results obtained using the suggested simple model is presented. The calculations with the detailed kinetic model demonstrate the following modes of combustion process: (1) flame propagation with chain-branching reaction (with radical overshoot, inhibitor addition decreases the radical overshoot down to the equilibrium level); (2) saturation of chemical influence of inhibitor, and (3) transition to thermal mode of flame propagation (non-branching chain mode of reaction). The suggested simple kinetic model qualitatively reproduces the modes of flame propagation with the addition of the inhibitor observed using detailed kinetic models.

Computations of steady-state and transient premixed turbulent flames using pdf methods

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

Hulek, T.; Lindstedt, R.P.

1996-03-01

Premixed propagating turbulent flames are modeled using a one-point, single time, joint velocity-composition probability density function (pdf) closure. The pdf evolution equation is solved using a Monte Carlo method. The unclosed terms in the pdf equation are modeled using a modified version of the binomial Langevin model for scalar mixing of Valino and Dopazo, and the Haworth and Pope (HP) and Lagrangian Speziale-Sarkar-Gatski (LSSG) models for the viscous dissipation of velocity and the fluctuating pressure gradient. The source terms for the presumed one-step chemical reaction are extracted from the rate of fuel consumption in laminar premixed hydrocarbon flames, computed usingmore » a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism. Steady-state and transient solutions are obtained for planar turbulent methane-air and propane-air flames. The transient solution method features a coupling with a Finite Volume (FV) code to obtain the mean pressure field. The results are compared with the burning velocity measurements of Abdel-Gayed et al. and with velocity measurements obtained in freely propagating propane-air flames by Videto and Santavicca. The effects of different upstream turbulence fields, chemical source terms (different fuels and strained/unstrained laminar flames) and the influence of the velocity statistics models (HP and LSSG) are assessed.« less

Inward propagating chemical waves in Taylor vortices.

PubMed

Thompson, Barnaby W; Novak, Jan; Wilson, Mark C T; Britton, Melanie M; Taylor, Annette F

2010-04-01

Advection-reaction-diffusion (ARD) waves in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction in steady Taylor-Couette vortices have been visualized using magnetic-resonance imaging and simulated using an adapted Oregonator model. We show how propagating wave behavior depends on the ratio of advective, chemical and diffusive time scales. In simulations, inward propagating spiral flamelets are observed at high Damköhler number (Da). At low Da, the reaction distributes itself over several vortices and then propagates inwards as contracting ring pulses--also observed experimentally.

Thermal Theory of Combustion and Explosion. 3; Theory of Normal Flame Propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Semenov, N. N.

1942-01-01

The technical memorandum covers experimental data on flame propagation, the velocity of flame propagation, analysis of the old theoretical views of flame propagation, confirmation of the theory for simple reactions (theory of combustion of explosive substances and in particular nitroglycol), and check of the theory by example of a chain oxidizing reaction (theory of flame propagation in carbon monoxide, air and carbon monoxide - oxygen mixtures).

Analysis of an existing experiment on the interaction of acoustic waves with a laminar boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schopper, M. R.

1982-01-01

The hot-wire anemometer amplitude data contained in the 1977 report of P. J. Shapiro entitled, ""The Influence of Sound Upon Laminar Boundary'' were reevaluated. Because the low-Reynolds number boundary layer disturbance data were misinterpreted, an effort was made to improve the corresponding disturbance growth rate curves. The data are modeled as the sum of upstream and downstream propagating acoustic waves and a wave representing the Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) wave. The amplitude and phase velocity of the latter wave were then adjusted so that the total signal reasonably matched the amplitude and phase angle hot-wire data along the plate laminar boundary layer. The revised rates show growth occurring further upstream than Shapiro found. It appears that the premature growth is due to the adverse pressure gradient created by the shape of the plate. Basic elements of sound propagation in ducts and the experimental and theoretical acoustic-stability literature are reviewed.

Potential disturbance interactions with a single IGV in an F109 turbofan engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirk, Joel F.

A common cause of aircraft engine failure is the high cycle fatigue of engine blades and stators. One of the primary causes of these failures is due to blade row interactions, which cause an aerodynamic excitation to be resonant with a mechanical natural frequency. Traditionally, the primary source of such aerodynamic excitations has been practically limited to viscous wakes from upstream components. However, more advanced designs require that blade rows be very highly loaded and closely spaced. This results in aerodynamic excitation from potential fields of down stream engine components, in addition to the known wake excitations. An experimental investigation of the potential field from the fan of a Honeywell F109 turbofan engine has been completed. The investigation included velocity measurements upstream of the fan, addition of an airfoil shaped probe upstream of the fan on which surface pressure measurements were acquired, and measurement of the velocity in the interaction region between the probe and the fan. This investigation sought to characterize the response on the upstream probe due to the fan potential field and the interaction between a viscous wake and the potential field; as such, all test conditions were for subsonic fan speeds. The results from the collected data show that fan-induced potential disturbances propagate upstream at acoustic velocities, to produce vane surface-pressure amplitudes as high as 40 percent Joel F. Kirk of the inlet, mean total pressure. Further, these fan-induced pressure amplitudes display large variations between the two vane surfaces. An argument is made that the structure of the pressure response is consistent with the presence of two distinct sources of unsteady forcing disturbances. The disturbances on the incoming-rotation-facing surface of the IGV propagated upstream at a different speed than those on the outgoing-rotation-facing surface, indicating that one originated from a rotating source and the other from a stationary source. An argument is made to suggest that the stationary source is due to the rotor blades cutting through the wake of the IGV.

Upstream waves in Saturn's foreshock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bavassano Cattaneo, M. B.; Cattaneo, P.; Moreno, G.; Lepping, R. P.

1991-01-01

An analysis based on plasma and magnetic-field data obtained from Voyager 1 during its Saturn encounter is reported. The plasma data provided every 96 sec and magnetic-field data averaged over 48 sec are utilized. The evidence of upstream waves at Saturn are detected. The waves have a period, in the spacecraft frame, of about 550 sec and a relative amplitude larger than 0.3, are left- and right-hand elliptically polarized, and propagate at about 30 deg with respect to the average magnetic field. The appearance of the waves is correlated with the spacecraft being magnetically connected to the bow shock.

Understanding Rossby wave trains forced by the Indian Ocean Dipole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIntosh, Peter C.; Hendon, Harry H.

2018-04-01

Convective variations over the tropical Indian Ocean associated with ENSO and the Indian Ocean Dipole force a Rossby wave train that appears to emanate poleward and eastward to the south of Australia and which causes climate variations across southern Australia and more generally throughout the Southern Hemisphere extratropics. However, during austral winter, the subtropical jet that extends from the eastern Indian Ocean into the western Pacific at Australian latitudes should effectively prohibit continuous propagation of a stationary Rossby wave from the tropics into the extratropics because the meridional gradient of mean absolute vorticity goes to zero on its poleward flank. The observed wave train indeed exhibits strong convergence of wave activity flux upon encountering this region of vanishing vorticity gradient and with some indication of reflection back into the tropics, indicating the continuous propagation of the stationary Rossby wave train from low to high latitudes is inhibited across the south of Australia. However, another Rossby wave train appears to emanate upstream of Australia on the poleward side of the subtropical jet and propagates eastward along the waveguide of the eddy-driven (sub-polar) jet into the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean. This combination of evanescent wave train from the tropics and eastward propagating wave train emanating from higher latitudes upstream of Australia gives the appearance of a continuous Rossby wave train propagating from the tropical Indian Ocean into higher southern latitudes. The extratropical Rossby wave source on the poleward side of the subtropical jet stems from induced changes in transient eddy activity in the main storm track of the Southern Hemisphere. During austral spring, when the subtropical jet weakens, the Rossby wave train emanating from Indian Ocean convection is explained more traditionally by direct dispersion from divergence forcing at low latitudes.

The Interaction of Turbulence with Parallel and Perpendicular Shocks: Theory and Observations at 1 au

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, L.; Zank, G. P.; Hunana, P.; Hu, Q.

2016-12-01

Shocks are thought to be responsible for the amplification of turbulence as well as for generating turbulence throughout the heliosphere. We study the interaction of turbulence with parallel and perpendicular shock waves using the six-coupled-equation turbulence transport model of Zank et al. We model a 1D stationary shock wave using a hyperbolic tangent function and the Rankine-Hugoniot conditions for both a reduced model with four coupled equations and the full model. Eight quasi-parallel and five quasi-perpendicular events in the WIND spacecraft data sets are identified, and we compute the fluctuating magnetic and kinetic energy, the energy in forward and backward propagating modes, the total turbulent energy, the normalized residual energy, and the normalized cross helicity upstream and downstream of the observed shocks. We compare the observed fitted values upstream and downstream of the shock with numerical solutions to our model equations. The comparison shows that our theoretical results are in reasonable agreement with observations for both quasi-parallel and perpendicular shocks. We find that (1) the total turbulent energy, the energy in forward and backward propagating modes, and the normalized residual energy increase across the shock, (2) the normalized cross helicity increases or decreases across the shock, and (3) the correlation length increases upstream and downstream of the shock, and slightly flattens or decreases across the shock.

THE INTERACTION OF TURBULENCE WITH PARALLEL AND PERPENDICULAR SHOCKS: THEORY AND OBSERVATIONS AT 1 au

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

Adhikari, L.; Zank, G. P.; Hunana, P.

Shocks are thought to be responsible for the amplification of turbulence as well as for generating turbulence throughout the heliosphere. We study the interaction of turbulence with parallel and perpendicular shock waves using the six-coupled-equation turbulence transport model of Zank et al. We model a 1D stationary shock wave using a hyperbolic tangent function and the Rankine–Hugoniot conditions for both a reduced model with four coupled equations and the full model. Eight quasi-parallel and five quasi-perpendicular events in the WIND spacecraft data sets are identified, and we compute the fluctuating magnetic and kinetic energy, the energy in forward and backwardmore » propagating modes, the total turbulent energy, the normalized residual energy, and the normalized cross helicity upstream and downstream of the observed shocks. We compare the observed fitted values upstream and downstream of the shock with numerical solutions to our model equations. The comparison shows that our theoretical results are in reasonable agreement with observations for both quasi-parallel and perpendicular shocks. We find that (1) the total turbulent energy, the energy in forward and backward propagating modes, and the normalized residual energy increase across the shock, (2) the normalized cross helicity increases or decreases across the shock, and (3) the correlation length increases upstream and downstream of the shock, and slightly flattens or decreases across the shock.« less

Development of a numerical tool to study the mixing phenomenon occurring during mode one operation of a multi-mode ejector-augmented pulsed detonation rocket engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Joshua

A novel multi-mode implementation of a pulsed detonation engine, put forth by Wilson et al., consists of four modes; each specifically designed to capitalize on flow features unique to the various flow regimes. This design enables the propulsion system to generate thrust through the entire flow regime. The Multi-Mode Ejector-Augmented Pulsed Detonation Rocket Engine operates in mode one during take-off conditions through the acceleration to supersonic speeds. Once the mixing chamber internal flow exceeds supersonic speed, the propulsion system transitions to mode two. While operating in mode two, supersonic air is compressed in the mixing chamber by an upstream propagating detonation wave and then exhausted through the convergent-divergent nozzle. Once the velocity of the air flow within the mixing chamber exceeds the Chapman-Jouguet Mach number, the upstream propagating detonation wave no longer has sufficient energy to propagate upstream and consequently the propulsive system shifts to mode three. As a result of the inability of the detonation wave to propagate upstream, a steady oblique shock system is established just upstream of the convergent-divergent nozzle to initiate combustion. And finally, the propulsion system progresses on to mode four operation, consisting purely of a pulsed detonation rocket for high Mach number flight and use in the upper atmosphere as is needed for orbital insertion. Modes three and four appear to be a fairly significant challenge to implement, while the challenge of implementing modes one and two may prove to be a more practical goal in the near future. A vast number of potential applications exist for a propulsion system that would utilize modes one and two, namely a high Mach number hypersonic cruise vehicle. There is particular interest in the dynamics of mode one operation, which is the subject of this research paper. Several advantages can be obtained by use of this technology. Geometrically the propulsion system is fairly simple and as a result of the rapid combustion process the engine cycle is more efficient compared to its combined cycle counterparts. The flow path geometry consists of an inlet system, followed just downstream by a mixing chamber where an ejector structure is placed within the flow path. Downstream of the ejector structure is a duct leading to a convergent-divergent nozzle. During mode one operation and within the ejector, products from the detonation of a stoichiometric hydrogen/air mixture are exhausted directly into the surrounding secondary air stream. Mixing then occurs between both the primary and secondary flow streams, at which point the air mass containing the high pressure, high temperature reaction products is convected downstream towards the nozzle. The engine cycle is engineered to a specific number of detonations per second, creating the pulsating characteristic of the primary flow. The pulsing nature of the primary flow serves as a momentum augmentation, enhancing the thrust and specific impulse at low speeds. Consequently it is necessary to understand the transient mixing process between the primary and secondary flow streams occurring during mode one operation. Using OPENFOAMRTM, an analytic tool is developed to simulate the dynamics of the turbulent detonation process along with detailed chemistry in order to understand the physics involved with the stream interactions. The computational code has been developed within the framework of OPENFOAMRTM, an open-source alternative to commercial CFD software. A conservative formulation of the Farve averaged Navier-Stokes equations is implemented to facilitate programming and numerical stability. Time discretization is accomplished by using the Crank-Nicolson method, achieving second order convergence in time. Species mass fraction transport equations are implemented and a Seulex ODE solver was used to resolve the system of ordinary differential equations describing the hydrogen-air reaction mechanism detailed in Appendix A. The Seulex ODE solution algorithm is an extrapolation method based on the linearly implicit Euler method with step size control. A second order total variation diminishing method with a modified Sweby flux limiter was used for space discretization. And finally the use of operator splitting (PISO algorithm, and chemical kinetics) is essential due to the significant differences in characteristic time scales evolving simultaneously in turbulent reactive flow. Capturing the turbulent nature of the combustion process was done using the k-o-SST turbulence model, as formulated by Mentor [1]. Mentor's formulation is well suited to resolve the boundary layer while remaining relatively insensitive to freestream conditions, blending the merits of both the k-o and k-epsilon models. Further development of the tool is possible, most notably with the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation application. NPSS allows the user to take advantage of a "zooming" functionality in which high fidelity models of engine components can be integrated into NPSS models, allowing for a more robust propulsion system simulation.

Excitation and propagation of nonlinear waves in a rotating fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanazaki, Hideshi

1993-09-01

A numerical study of the nonlinear waves excited in an axisymmetric rotating flow through a circular tube is described. The waves are excited by either an undulation of the tube wall or an obstacle on the axis of the tube. The results are compared with the weakly nonlinear theory (forced KdV equation). The computations are done when the upstream swirling velocity is that of Burgers' vortex type. The flow behaves like the solution of the forced KdV equation, and the upstream advancing of the waves appear even when the flow is critical or slightly supercritical to the fastest inertial wave mode.

Correlation of wave propagation modes in helicon plasma with source tube lengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Chen; Zhao, Gao; Wang, Yu; Liu, Zhongwei; Chen, Qiang

2017-01-01

Helicon wave plasma demonstrates lots of advantages in high coupling efficiency, high density, and low magnetic field. However, the helicon wave plasma still meets challenges in applications of material deposition, surface treatment, and electromagnetic thrusters owing to the changeable coupled efficiency and the remarkable non-uniformity. In this paper, we explore the wave propagation characterization by the B-dot probe in various lengths of source tubes. We find that in a long source tube the standing wave appears under the antenna zone, while the traveling wave is formed out of the antenna region. The apparent modulation of wave amplitude is formed in upstream rather than in downstream of the antenna. In a short source tube, however, there is only standing wave propagation.

Blade-to-Blade Variations in Shocks Upstream of Both a Forward-Swept and an Aft-Swept Fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Podboy, Gary G.; Krupar, Martin J.

2006-01-01

Detailed laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) flow field measurements were made upstream of two fans, one forward-swept and one aft-swept, in order to learn more about the shocks which propagate upstream of these rotors when they are operated at supersonic tip speeds. The blade-to-blade variations in the flows associated with these shocks are thought to be responsible for generating Multiple Pure Tone (MPT) noise. The measured blade-to-blade variations are documented in this report through a series of slideshows which show relative Mach number contours computed from the velocity measurements. Data are presented for the forward-swept fan operating at three speeds (corresponding to tip relative Mach numbers of 0.817, 1.074, and 1.189), and for the aft-swept fan operating at two (tip relative Mach numbers of 1.074 and 1.189). These LDV data illustrate how the perturbations in the upstream flow field created by the rotating blades vary with axial position, radial position and rotor speed. As expected, at the highest tested speed the forward-swept fan swallowed the shocks which occur in the tip region, whereas the aftswept fan did not. This resulted in a much smaller flow disturbance just upstream of the tip of the forward-swept fan. Nevertheless, further upstream the two fan flows were much more similar.

Experimental evidence of nonthermal acceleration of relativistic electrons by an intensive laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuramitsu, Y.; Nakanii, N.; Kondo, K.; Sakawa, Y.; Mori, Y.; Miura, E.; Tsuji, K.; Kimura, K.; Fukumochi, S.; Kashihara, M.; Tanimoto, T.; Nakamura, H.; Ishikura, T.; Takeda, K.; Tampo, M.; Kodama, R.; Kitagawa, Y.; Mima, K.; Tanaka, K. A.; Hoshino, M.; Takabe, H.

2011-02-01

Nonthermal acceleration of relativistic electrons is investigated with an intensive laser pulse. An energy distribution function of energetic particles in the universe or cosmic rays is well represented by a power-law spectrum, therefore, nonthermal acceleration is essential to understand the origin of cosmic rays. A possible candidate for the origin of cosmic rays is wakefield acceleration at relativistic astrophysical perpendicular shocks. The wakefield is considered to be excited by large-amplitude precursor light waves in the upstream of the shocks. Substituting an intensive laser pulse for the large amplitude light waves, we performed a model experiment of the shock environments in a laboratory plasma. An intensive laser pulse was propagated in a plasma tube created by imploding a hollow polystyrene cylinder, as the large amplitude light waves propagated in the upstream plasma at an astrophysical shock. Nonthermal electrons were generated, and the energy distribution functions of the electrons have a power-law component with an index of ~2. We described the detailed procedures to obtain the nonthermal components from data obtained by an electron spectrometer.

A Self-Propagating Foaming Process of Porous Al-Ni Intermetallics Assisted by Combustion Reactions

PubMed Central

Kobashi, Makoto; Kanetake, Naoyuki

2009-01-01

The self-propagating foaming process of porous Al-Ni intermetallics was investigated. Aluminum and nickel powders were blended, and titanium and boron carbide powders were added as reactive exothermic agents. The blended powder was extruded to make a rod-shape precursor. Only one end of the rod precursor was heated to ignite the reaction. The reaction propagated spontaneously throughout the precursor. Pore formation took place at the same time as the reaction occurred. Adding the exothermic agent was effective to increase the porosity. Preheating the precursor before the ignition was also very effective to produce porous Al-Ni intermetallics with high porosity.

Method For Enhanced Gas Monitoring In High Density Flow Streams

DOEpatents

Von Drasek, William A.; Mulderink, Kenneth A.; Marin, Ovidiu

2005-09-13

A method for conducting laser absorption measurements in high temperature process streams having high levels of particulate matter is disclosed. An impinger is positioned substantially parallel to a laser beam propagation path and at upstream position relative to the laser beam. Beam shielding pipes shield the beam from the surrounding environment. Measurement is conducted only in the gap between the two shielding pipes where the beam propagates through the process gas. The impinger facilitates reduced particle presence in the measurement beam, resulting in improved SNR (signal-to-noise) and improved sensitivity and dynamic range of the measurement.

Experimental study on flame propagation characteristics of Hydrogen premixed gas in gas pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Danzhu; Li, Zhuang; Jia, Fengrui; Li, Zhou

2018-06-01

Hydrogen is the cleanest high-energy gas fuel, and also is the main industrial material. However, hydrogen is more explosive and more powerful than conventional gas fuels, which restricts its application. In particular, the expansion of premixed combustion under a strong constraint is more complicated, the reaction spreads faster. The flame propagation characteristics of premixed hydrogen/air were investigated by experiment. The mechanism of reaction acceleration is discussed, and then the speed of the flame propagation and the reaction pressure were tested and analysed.

Coexistence of wave propagation and oscillation in the photosensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction on a circular route.

PubMed

Nakata, Satoshi; Morishima, Sayaka; Ichino, Takatoshi; Kitahata, Hiroyuki

2006-12-21

The photosensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction was investigated on a circular ring, which was drawn using computer software and then projected on a film soaked with BZ solution using a liquid-crystal projector. Under the initial conditions, a chemical wave propagated with a constant velocity on the black ring under a bright background. When the background was rapidly changed to dark, coexistence of the oscillation on part of the ring and propagation of the chemical wave on the other part was observed. These experimental results are discussed in relation to the nature of the photosensitive BZ reaction and theoretically reproduced based on a reaction-diffusion system using the modified Oregonator model.

Identification and characterization of mutant clones with enhanced propagation rates from phage-displayed peptide libraries.

PubMed

Nguyen, Kieu T H; Adamkiewicz, Marta A; Hebert, Lauren E; Zygiel, Emily M; Boyle, Holly R; Martone, Christina M; Meléndez-Ríos, Carola B; Noren, Karen A; Noren, Christopher J; Hall, Marilena Fitzsimons

2014-10-01

A target-unrelated peptide (TUP) can arise in phage display selection experiments as a result of a propagation advantage exhibited by the phage clone displaying the peptide. We previously characterized HAIYPRH, from the M13-based Ph.D.-7 phage display library, as a propagation-related TUP resulting from a G→A mutation in the Shine-Dalgarno sequence of gene II. This mutant was shown to propagate in Escherichia coli at a dramatically faster rate than phage bearing the wild-type Shine-Dalgarno sequence. We now report 27 additional fast-propagating clones displaying 24 different peptides and carrying 14 unique mutations. Most of these mutations are found either in or upstream of the gene II Shine-Dalgarno sequence, but still within the mRNA transcript of gene II. All 27 clones propagate at significantly higher rates than normal library phage, most within experimental error of wild-type M13 propagation, suggesting that mutations arise to compensate for the reduced virulence caused by the insertion of a lacZα cassette proximal to the replication origin of the phage used to construct the library. We also describe an efficient and convenient assay to diagnose propagation-related TUPS among peptide sequences selected by phage display. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knickpoint formation, rapid propagation, and landscape response following coastal cliff retreat at last-interglacial sea-level highstand: Kaua'i, Hawai'i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, Michael; Mackey, Ben; Scheingross, Joel; Farley, Ken

2013-04-01

The propagation of knickpoints through a landscape is recognized as a highly efficient mechanism of channel incision, and exerts a first-order control in communicating changes in base level throughout a landscape. However, few settings allow reconstruction of the long-term rate of knickpoint retreat. Here, we use cosmogenic 3He exposure dating of olivine within basalt to document the retreat rate of a waterfall in Ka'ula'ula Valley, a small catchment on the Na Pali coast of Kaua'i, Hawai'i. We constrained the exposure age of 18 features (in-channel boulders, stable boulders on terraces, and in-channel bedrock) along the length of the channel that allow us to discriminate between models of knickpoint propagation. Cosmogenic exposure ages are oldest near the coast (120 ka) and systematically decrease with upstream distance towards the waterfall (<10 ka). Upstream of the knickpoint, cosmogenic ages are approximately constant (10-20 ka). This data indicates that the waterfall has migrated 4 km up valley over the past 120 ka at an average rate of 33 mm/yr. Steady-state vertical erosion appears to dominate upstream of the waterfall, where the channel has incised ~100 m into the original surface of the shield volcano. Our results indicate the lateral rate of knickpoint retreat exceeds rates of vertical channel incision by three orders of magnitude, and that knickpoints may be the primary driver of relief generation in Hawaiian catchments. Submarine landslides have been proposed as the cause of knickpoints in Kaua'i streams; however, the bathymetry off the northwest Kaua'i coast lacks evidence for large submarine flank collapse. Alternatively, we propose substantial cliff erosion during the last interglacial sea-level highstand generated a waterfall at the coast, which has subsequently propagated inland. Superimposing Kaua'i's subsidence history and Pleistocene sea level fluctuations indicate that the only time waves could have eroded cliffs at Ka'ula'ula Valley's entrance over the past 1.5 Ma was during the last interglacial, ~130-120 ka. Knickpoint generation during sea level high stands, as opposed to the typical case of sea-level fall, may be an important relief-generating mechanism on other ocean islands and stable or subsiding coasts.

Influence of upstream disturbance on the draft-tube flow of Francis turbine under part-load conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ting; Zheng, Xianghao; Zhang, Yu-ning; Li, Shengcai

2018-02-01

Owing to the part-load operations for the enhancement of grid flexibility, the Francis turbine often suffers from severe low-frequency and large-amplitude hydraulic instability, which is mostly pertinent to the highly unsteady swirling vortex rope in the draft tube. The influence of disturbances in the upstream (e.g., large-scale vortex structures in the spiral casing) on the draft-tube vortex flow is not well understood yet. In the present paper, the influence of the upstream disturbances on the vortical flow in the draft tube is studied based on the vortex identification method and the analysis of several important parameters (e.g., the swirl number and the velocity profile). For a small guide vane opening (representing the part-load condition), the vortices triggered in the spiral casing propagate downstream and significantly affect the swirling vortex-rope precession in the draft tube, leading to the changes of the intensity and the processional frequency of the swirling vortex rope. When the guide vane opening approaches the optimum one (representing the full-load condition), the upstream disturbance becomes weaker and thus its influences on the downstream flow are very limited.

Near-field shock formation in noise propagation from a high-power jet aircraft.

PubMed

Gee, Kent L; Neilsen, Tracianne B; Downing, J Micah; James, Michael M; McKinley, Richard L; McKinley, Robert C; Wall, Alan T

2013-02-01

Noise measurements near the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter at military power are analyzed via spatial maps of overall and band pressure levels and skewness. Relative constancy of the pressure waveform skewness reveals that waveform asymmetry, characteristic of supersonic jets, is a source phenomenon originating farther upstream than the maximum overall level. Conversely, growth of the skewness of the time derivative with distance indicates that acoustic shocks largely form through the course of near-field propagation and are not generated explicitly by a source mechanism. These results potentially counter previous arguments that jet "crackle" is a source phenomenon.

Mechanism to preserve phrenic nerve function during photosensitization reaction: drug uptake and photosensitization reaction effect on electric propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Haruka; Hamada, Risa; Ogawa, Emiyu; Arai, Tsunenori

2018-02-01

To study a mechanism of phrenic nerve preservation phenomena during a photosensitization reaction, we investigated an uptake of talaporfin sodium and photosensitization reaction effect on an electric propagation. Right phrenic nerve was completely preserved after superior vena cava isolations using the photosensitization reaction in canine animal experiments, in spite of adjacent myocardium was electrically blocked. We predicted that low drug uptake and/or low photosensitization reaction effect on the nerve might be a mechanism of that phenomena. To investigate uptake to various nerve tissue, a healthy extracted crayfish ventral nerve cord and an extracted porcine phrenic nerve were immersed in 20 μg/ml talaporfin sodium solution for 0-240 min. The mean talaporfin sodium fluorescence brightness increased depending on the immersion time. This brightness saturated around the immersion time of 120 min. We found that talaporfin sodium uptake inside the perineurium which directly related to the electric propagation function was lower than that of outside in the porcine phrenic nerve. To investigate photosensitization reaction effect on electric propagation, the crayfish nerve was immersed into the same solution for 15 min and irradiated by a 663 nm laser light with 120 mW/cm2. Since we found the action potential disappeared when the irradiation time was 25-65 s, we consider that the crayfish nerve does not tolerant to the photosensitization reaction on electric propagation function at atmospheric pressure. From these results, we think that the low uptake of talaporfin sodium inside the perineurium and low oxygen partial pressure of nerve might be the possible mechanism to preserve phrenic nerve in vivo.

A numerical study of nonlinear waves in a transcritical flow of stratified fluid past an obstacle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanazaki, Hideshi

1992-10-01

A numerical study of the flow of stratified fluid past an obstacle in a horizontal channel is described. Upstream advancing of waves near critically (resonance) appears in the case of ordinary two-layer flow, in which case the flow is described well by the solution of the forced extended Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation which has a cubic nonlinear term. It is shown theoretically that the upstream waves in the general two-layer flow cannot be well described by the forced KdV equation except when the wave amplitude is very small. The critical-level flow is also governed by the forced extended KdV equation. However, because of the smallness of the coefficient of the quadratic nonlinear term, the bore cannot propagate upstream at exact resonance. The results for the linearly stratified Boussinesq flow show good agreement with the solution of the Grimshaw and Yi (1991) equation, at least for exact resonance.

Optimal frequency-response sensitivity of compressible flow over roughness elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fosas de Pando, Miguel; Schmid, Peter J.

2017-04-01

Compressible flow over a flat plate with two localised and well-separated roughness elements is analysed by global frequency-response analysis. This analysis reveals a sustained feedback loop consisting of a convectively unstable shear-layer instability, triggered at the upstream roughness, and an upstream-propagating acoustic wave, originating at the downstream roughness and regenerating the shear-layer instability at the upstream protrusion. A typical multi-peaked frequency response is recovered from the numerical simulations. In addition, the optimal forcing and response clearly extract the components of this feedback loop and isolate flow regions of pronounced sensitivity and amplification. An efficient parametric-sensitivity framework is introduced and applied to the reference case which shows that first-order increases in Reynolds number and roughness height act destabilising on the flow, while changes in Mach number or roughness separation cause corresponding shifts in the peak frequencies. This information is gained with negligible effort beyond the reference case and can easily be applied to more complex flows.

A test of the Hall-MHD model: Application to low-frequency upstream waves at Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orlowski, D. S.; Russell, C. T.; Krauss-Varban, D.; Omidi, N.

1994-01-01

Early studies suggested that in the range of parameter space where the wave angular frequency is less than the proton gyrofrequency and the plasma beta, the ratio of the thermal to magnetic pressure, is less than 1 magnetohydrodynamics provides an adequate description of the propagating modes in a plasma. However, recently, Lacombe et al. (1992) have reported significant differences between basic wave characteristics of the specific propagation modes derived from linear Vlasov and Hall-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theories even when the waves are only weakly damped. In this paper we compare the magnetic polarization and normalization magnetic compression ratio of ultra low frequency (ULF) upstream waves at Venus with magnetic polarization and normalized magnetic compression ratio derived from both theories. We find that while the 'kinetic' approach gives magnetic polarization and normalized magnetic compression ratio consistent with the data in the analyzed range of beta (0.5 less than beta less than 5) for the fast magnetosonic mode, the same wave characteristics derived from the Hall-MHD model strongly depend on beta and are consistent with the data only at low beta for the fast mode and at high beta for the intermediate mode.

Acoustic far-field of shroud-lip-scattered instability modes of supersonic co-flowing jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samanta, Arnab; Freund, Jonathan B.

2013-11-01

We consider the acoustic radiation of instability modes in dual-stream jets, with the inner nozzle buried within the outer shroud, particularly the upstream scattering into acoustic modes that occurs at the shroud lip. For supersonic core jets, several families of instability waves are possible, beyond the regular Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) mode, with very different modal shapes and propagation characteristics, which are candidates for changing the sound character of very high-speed jets. The co-axial shear layers are modeled as vortex sheets, with the Wiener-Hopf method used to compute these modes coupled with an asymptotic solution for the far-field radiation. A broadband mode spectra as well as single propagating modes are considered as incident and scattered waves. The resulting far-field directivity patterns are quantified, to show the efficiency of some of these radiation mechanisms, particularly in the upstream direction, which is not directly affected by the Mach-wave-like sound that is radiated from these modes irrespective of any scattering surface. A full Kutta condition, which provides the usual boundary condition at the shroud lip, is altered to examine how vortex shedding, perhaps controllable at the lip, affects the radiated sound.

Cloning Should Be Simple: Escherichia coli DH5α-Mediated Assembly of Multiple DNA Fragments with Short End Homologies

PubMed Central

Richardson, Ruth E.; Suzuki, Yo

2015-01-01

Numerous DNA assembly technologies exist for generating plasmids for biological studies. Many procedures require complex in vitro or in vivo assembly reactions followed by plasmid propagation in recombination-impaired Escherichia coli strains such as DH5α, which are optimal for stable amplification of the DNA materials. Here we show that despite its utility as a cloning strain, DH5α retains sufficient recombinase activity to assemble up to six double-stranded DNA fragments ranging in size from 150 bp to at least 7 kb into plasmids in vivo. This process also requires surprisingly small amounts of DNA, potentially obviating the need for upstream assembly processes associated with most common applications of DNA assembly. We demonstrate the application of this process in cloning of various DNA fragments including synthetic genes, preparation of knockout constructs, and incorporation of guide RNA sequences in constructs for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genome editing. This consolidated process for assembly and amplification in a widely available strain of E. coli may enable productivity gain across disciplines involving recombinant DNA work. PMID:26348330

Biophysically Inspired Rational Design of Structured Chimeric Substrates for DNAzyme Cascade Engineering

PubMed Central

Lakin, Matthew R.; Brown, Carl W.; Horwitz, Eli K.; Fanning, M. Leigh; West, Hannah E.; Stefanovic, Darko; Graves, Steven W.

2014-01-01

The development of large-scale molecular computational networks is a promising approach to implementing logical decision making at the nanoscale, analogous to cellular signaling and regulatory cascades. DNA strands with catalytic activity (DNAzymes) are one means of systematically constructing molecular computation networks with inherent signal amplification. Linking multiple DNAzymes into a computational circuit requires the design of substrate molecules that allow a signal to be passed from one DNAzyme to another through programmed biochemical interactions. In this paper, we chronicle an iterative design process guided by biophysical and kinetic constraints on the desired reaction pathways and use the resulting substrate design to implement heterogeneous DNAzyme signaling cascades. A key aspect of our design process is the use of secondary structure in the substrate molecule to sequester a downstream effector sequence prior to cleavage by an upstream DNAzyme. Our goal was to develop a concrete substrate molecule design to achieve efficient signal propagation with maximal activation and minimal leakage. We have previously employed the resulting design to develop high-performance DNAzyme-based signaling systems with applications in pathogen detection and autonomous theranostics. PMID:25347066

Numerical Optimisation in Non Reacting Conditions of the Injector Geometry for a Continuous Detonation Wave Rocket Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaillard, T.; Davidenko, D.; Dupoirieux, F.

2015-06-01

The paper presents the methodology and the results of a numerical study, which is aimed at the investigation and optimisation of different means of fuel and oxidizer injection adapted to rocket engines operating in the rotating detonation mode. As the simulations are achieved at the local scale of a single injection element, only one periodic pattern of the whole geometry can be calculated so that the travelling detonation waves and the associated chemical reactions can not be taken into account. Here, separate injection of fuel and oxidizer is considered because premixed injection is handicapped by the risk of upstream propagation of the detonation wave. Different associations of geometrical periodicity and symmetry are investigated for the injection elements distributed over the injector head. To analyse the injection and mixing processes, a nonreacting 3D flow is simulated using the LES approach. Performance of the studied configurations is analysed using the results on instantaneous and mean flowfields as well as by comparing the mixing efficiency and the total pressure recovery evaluated for different configurations.

Retroactivity in the Context of Modularly Structured Biomolecular Systems

PubMed Central

Pantoja-Hernández, Libertad; Martínez-García, Juan Carlos

2015-01-01

Synthetic biology has intensively promoted the technical implementation of modular strategies in the fabrication of biological devices. Modules are considered as networks of reactions. The behavior displayed by biomolecular systems results from the information processes carried out by the interconnection of the involved modules. However, in natural systems, module wiring is not a free-of-charge process; as a consequence of interconnection, a reactive phenomenon called retroactivity emerges. This phenomenon is characterized by signals that propagate from downstream modules (the modules that receive the incoming signals upon interconnection) to upstream ones (the modules that send the signals upon interconnection). Such retroactivity signals, depending of their strength, may change and sometimes even disrupt the behavior of modular biomolecular systems. Thus, analysis of retroactivity effects in natural biological and biosynthetic systems is crucial to achieve a deeper understanding of how this interconnection between functionally characterized modules takes place and how it impacts the overall behavior of the involved cell. By discussing the modules interconnection in natural and synthetic biomolecular systems, we propose that such systems should be considered as quasi-modular. PMID:26137457

Finite-time barriers to reaction front propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Locke, Rory; Mahoney, John; Mitchell, Kevin

2015-11-01

Front propagation in advection-reaction-diffusion systems gives rise to rich geometric patterns. It has been shown for time-independent and time-periodic fluid flows that invariant manifolds, termed burning invariant manifolds (BIMs), serve as one-sided dynamical barriers to the propagation of reaction front. More recently, theoretical work has suggested that one-sided barriers, termed burning Lagrangian Coherent structures (bLCSs), exist for fluid velocity data prescribed over a finite time interval, with no assumption on the time-dependence of the flow. In this presentation, we use a time-varying fluid ``wind'' in a double-vortex channel flow to demonstrate that bLCSs form the (locally) most attracting or repelling fronts.

Propagation failures, breathing pulses, and backfiring in an excitable reaction-diffusion system.

PubMed

Manz, Niklas; Steinbock, Oliver

2006-09-01

We report results from experiments with a pseudo-one-dimensional Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction that employs 1,4-cyclohexanedione as its organic substrate. This excitable system shows traveling oxidation pulses and pulse trains that can undergo complex sequences of propagation failures. Moreover, we present examples for (i) breathing pulses that undergo periodic changes in speed and size and (ii) backfiring pulses that near their back repeatedly generate new pulses propagating in opposite direction.

Intracellular signal propagation in a two-dimensional autocatalytic reaction model.

PubMed

Castiglione, F; Bernaschi, M; Succi, S; Heinrich, R; Kirschner, M W

2002-09-01

We study a simple reaction scheme in a two-dimensional lattice of particles or molecules with a refractory state. We analyze the dynamics of the propagating front as a function of physical-chemical properties of the host medium. The anisotropy of the medium significantly affects the smoothness of the wave front. Similarly, if particles or molecules may diffuse slowly to neighboring sites, then the front wave is more likely to be irregular. Both situations affect the ability of the whole system to relax to the original state, which is a required feature in the biological cells. Attempts to map this simple reaction scheme to reactions involved in the intracellular pathways suggest that, in some cases, signal transduction might take both connotation of a random walk and a propagating wave, depending on the local density of the medium. In particular, a sufficient condition for the appearance of waves in high-density regions of the media, is the existence of at least one autocatalytic reaction in the chain of reactions characterizing the pathway.

Premixed Supersonic Combustion (Rev)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-20

the effects of equivalence ratio and inflow gas temperature on flame ignition, propagation, and flameout. This study was performed in collaboration...6 combustor. CFD analysis indicates this feature promotes flame holding in the combustor. The cavity spans the width of the duct and has an...Fig. 1). Figure 2 shows results from a RANS CFD study of several potential strategies based on fuel injection at the upstream end of the isolator

Mechanisms of flame stabilisation at low lifted height in a turbulent lifted slot-jet flame

DOE PAGES

Karami, Shahram; Hawkes, Evatt R.; Talei, Mohsen; ...

2015-07-23

A turbulent lifted slot-jet flame is studied using direct numerical simulation (DNS). A one-step chemistry model is employed with a mixture-fraction-dependent activation energy which can reproduce qualitatively the dependence of the laminar burning rate on the equivalence ratio that is typical of hydrocarbon fuels. The basic structure of the flame base is first examined and discussed in the context of earlier experimental studies of lifted flames. Several features previously observed in experiments are noted and clarified. Some other unobserved features are also noted. Comparison with previous DNS modelling of hydrogen flames reveals significant structural differences. The statistics of flow andmore » relative edge-flame propagation velocity components conditioned on the leading edge locations are then examined. The results show that, on average, the streamwise flame propagation and streamwise flow balance, thus demonstrating that edge-flame propagation is the basic stabilisation mechanism. Fluctuations of the edge locations and net edge velocities are, however, significant. It is demonstrated that the edges tend to move in an essentially two-dimensional (2D) elliptical pattern (laterally outwards towards the oxidiser, then upstream, then inwards towards the fuel, then downstream again). It is proposed that this is due to the passage of large eddies, as outlined in Suet al.(Combust. Flame, vol. 144 (3), 2006, pp. 494–512). However, the mechanism is not entirely 2D, and out-of-plane motion is needed to explain how flames escape the high-velocity inner region of the jet. Finally, the time-averaged structure is examined. A budget of terms in the transport equation for the product mass fraction is used to understand the stabilisation from a time-averaged perspective. The result of this analysis is found to be consistent with the instantaneous perspective. The budget reveals a fundamentally 2D structure, involving transport in both the streamwise and transverse directions, as opposed to possible mechanisms involving a dominance of either one direction of transport. Furthermore, it features upstream transport balanced by entrainment into richer conditions, while on the rich side, upstream turbulent transport and entrainment from leaner conditions balance the streamwise convection.« less

Propagation of Cutaneous Thermal Injury: A Mathematical Model

PubMed Central

Xue, Chuan; Chou, Ching-Shan; Kao, Chiu-Yen; Sen, Chandan K.; Friedman, Avner

2012-01-01

Cutaneous burn wounds represent a significant public health problem with 500,000 patients per year in the U.S. seeking medical attention. Immediately after skin burn injury, the volume of the wound burn expands due to a cascade of chemical reactions, including lipid peroxidation chain reactions. Based on these chemical reactions, the present paper develops for the first time a three-dimensional mathematical model to quantify the propagation of tissue damage within 12 hours post initial burn. We use the model to investigate the effect of supplemental antioxidant vitamin E for stopping the propagation. We show, for example, that if the production rate of vitamin E is increased, post burn, by five times the natural production in a healthy tissue, then this would slow down the lipid peroxide propagation by at least 50%. Our model is formulated in terms of differential equations, and sensitivity analysis is performed on the parameters to ensure the robustness of the results. PMID:22211391

Investigation of transient ignition process in a cavity based scramjet combustor using combined ethylene injectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiao; Cai, Zun; Tong, Yiheng; Zheng, Hongtao

2017-08-01

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and experiment were employed to investigate the transient ignition and flame propagation process in a rearwall-expansion cavity scramjet combustor using combined fuel injection schemes. The compressible supersonic solver and three ethylene combustion mechanisms were first validated against experimental data and results show in reasonably good agreement. Fuel injection scheme combining transverse and direct injectors in the cavity provides a benefit mixture distribution and could achieve a successful ignition. Four stages are illustrated in detail from both experiment and LES. After forced ignition in the cavity, initial flame kernel propagates upstream towards the cavity front edge and ignites the mixture, which acts as a continuous pilot flame, and then propagates downstream along the cavity shear layer rapidly to the combustor exit. Cavity shear layer flame stabilization mode can be concluded from the heat release rate and local high temperature distribution during the combustion process.

Relative role of subinertial and superinertial modes in the coastal long wave response forced by the landfall of a tropical cyclone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Ziming; Yankovsky, Alexander E.

2011-06-01

A set of numerical experiments has been performed in order to analyze the long-wave response of the coastal ocean to a translating mesoscale atmospheric cyclone approaching the coastline at a normal angle. An idealized two-slope shelf topography is chosen. The model is forced by a radially symmetric atmospheric pressure perturbation with a corresponding gradient wind field. The cyclone's translation speed, radius, and the continental shelf width are considered as parameters whose impact on the long wave period, modal structure, and amplitude is studied. Subinertial continental shelf waves (CSW) dominate the response under typical forcing conditions and on the narrower shelves. They propagate in the downstream (in the sense of Kelvin wave propagation) direction. Superinertial edge wave modes have higher free surface amplitudes and faster phase speeds than the CSW modes. While potentially more dangerous, edge waves are not as common as subinertial shelf waves because their generation requires a wide, gently sloping shelf and a storm system translating at a relatively high (˜10 m s -1 or faster) speed. A relatively smaller size of an atmospheric cyclone also favors edge wave generation. Edge waves with the highest amplitude (up to 60% of the forced storm surge) propagate upstream. They are produced by a storm system with an Eulerian time scale equal to the period of a zero-mode edge wave with the wavelength of the storm spatial scale. Large amplitude edge waves were generated during Hurricane Wilma's landfall (2005) on the West Florida shelf with particularly severe flooding occurring upstream of the landfall site.

Detection of direct and indirect noise generated by synthetic hot spots in a duct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Domenico, Francesca; Rolland, Erwan O.; Hochgreb, Simone

2017-04-01

Sound waves in a combustor are generated from fluctuations in the heat release rate (direct noise) or the acceleration of entropy, vorticity or compositional perturbations through nozzles or turbine guide vanes (indirect or entropy noise). These sound waves are transmitted downstream as well as reflected upstream of the acceleration point, contributing to the overall noise emissions, or triggering combustion instabilities. Previous experiments attempted to isolate indirect noise by generating thermoacoustic hot spots electrically and measuring the transmitted acoustic waves, yet there are no measurements on the backward propagating entropy and acoustic waves. This work presents the first measurements which clearly separate the direct and indirect noise contributions to pressure fluctuations upstream of the acceleration point. Synthetic entropy spots are produced by unsteady electrical heating of a grid of thin wires located in a tube. Compression waves (direct noise) are generated from this heating process. The hot spots are then advected with the mean flow and finally accelerated through an orifice plate located at the end of the tube, producing a strong acoustic signature which propagates upstream (indirect noise). The convective time is selected to be longer than the heating pulse length, in order to obtain a clear time separation between direct and indirect noise in the overall pressure trace. The contribution of indirect noise to the overall noise is shown to be non-negligible either in subsonic or sonic throat conditions. However, the absolute amplitude of direct noise is larger than the corresponding fraction of indirect noise, explaining the difficulty in clearly identifying the two contributions when they are merged. Further, the work shows the importance of using appropriate pressure transducer instrumentation and correcting for the respective transfer functions in order to account for low frequency effects in the determination of pressure fluctuations.

Effect of impinging plate geometry on the self-excitation of subsonic impinging jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinoth, B. R.; Rathakrishnan, E.

2011-11-01

In the generation of discrete tones by subsonic impinging jets, there exists a difference of opinion as how the feedback is achieved, i.e., the path of the feedback acoustic waves is whether inside the jet or outside the jet? The only available model (Tam and Ahuja model) for the prediction of an average subsonic jet impingement tone frequency assumes that the upstream part of the feedback loop is closed by an upstream propagating neutral wave of the jet. But, there is no information about the plate geometry in the model. The present study aims at understanding the effect of the plate geometry (size and co-axial hole in the plate) on the self-excitation process of subsonic impinging jets and the path of the acoustic feedback to the nozzle exit. The present results show that there is no effect of plate diameter on the frequency of the self-excitation. A new type of tones is generated for plates with co-axial hole (hole diameter is equal to nozzle exit diameter) for Mach numbers 0.9 and 0.95, in addition to the axisymmetric and helical mode tones observed for plates without co-axial hole. The stability results show that the Strouhal number of the least dispersive upstream propagating neutral waves match with the average Strouhal number of the new tones observed in the present experiments. The present study extends the validity of the model of Tam and Ahuja to a plate with co-axial hole (annular plate) and by doing so, we indirectly confirmed that the major acoustic feedback path to the nozzle exit is inside the jet.

Computation of Feedback Aeroacoustic System by the CE/SE Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loh, Ching Y.; Wang, Xiao Y.; Chang, Sin-Chung; Jorgenson, Philip C. E.

2000-01-01

It is well known that due to vortex shedding in high speed flow over cutouts, cavities, and gaps, intense noise may be generated. Strong tonal oscillations occur in a feedback cycle in which the vortices shed from the upstream edge of the cavity convect downstream and impinge on the cavity lip, generating acoustic waves that propagate upstream to excite new vortices. Numerical simulation of such a complicated process requires a scheme that can: (1) resolve acoustic waves with low dispersion and numerical dissipation, (2) handle nonlinear and discontinuous waves (e.g. shocks), and (3) have an effective (near field) nonreflecting boundary condition (NRBC). The new space time conservation element and solution element method, or CE/SE for short, is a numerical method that meets the above requirements.

Experimental investigation of sound generation by a protuberance in a laminar boundary layer

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

Kobayashi, M.; Asai, M.; Inasawa, A.

2014-08-15

Sound radiation from a two-dimensional protuberance glued on the wall in a laminar boundary layer was investigated experimentally at low Mach numbers. When the protuberance was as high as the boundary-layer thickness, a feedback-loop mechanism set in between protuberance-generated sound and Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) waves generated by the leading-edge receptivity to the upstream-propagating sound. Although occurrence of a separation bubble immediately upstream of the protuberance played important roles in the evolution of instability waves into vortices interacting with the protuberance, the frequency of tonal vortex sound was determined by the selective amplification of T-S waves in the linear instability stage upstreammore » of the separation bubble and was not affected by the instability of the separation bubble.« less

Introduction to Blueweb: A Decentralized Scatternet Formation Algorithm for Bluetooth Ad Hoc Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Chih-Min; Huang, Chia-Chi

In this letter, a decentralized scatternet formation algorithm called Bluelayer is proposed. First, Bluelayer uses a designated root to construct a tree-shaped subnet and propagates an integer variable k1 called counter limit as well as a constant k in its downstream direction to determine new roots. Then each new root asks its upstream master to start a return connection procedure to convert the tree-shaped subnet into a web-shaped subnet for its immediate upstream root. At the same time, each new root repeats the same procedure as the root to build its own subnet until the whole scatternet is formed. Simulation results show that Bluelayer achieves good network scalability and generates an efficient scatternet configuration for various sizes of Bluetooth ad hoc network.

Re-forming supercritical quasi-parallel shocks. II - Mechanism for wave generation and front re-formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winske, D.; Thomas, V. A.; Omidi, N.; Quest, K. B.

1990-01-01

This paper continues the study of Thomas et al. (1990) in which hybrid simulations of quasi-parallel shocks were performed in one and two spatial dimensions. To identify the wave generation processes, the electromagnetic structure of the shock is examined by performing a number of one-dimensional hybrid simulations of quasi-parallel shocks for various upstream conditions. In addition, numerical experiments were carried out in which the backstreaming ions were removed from calculations to show their fundamental importance in reformation process. The calculations show that the waves are excited before ions can propagate far enough upstream to generate resonant modes. At some later times, the waves are regenerated at the leading edge of the interface, with properties like those of their initial interactions.

Microstructure of wave propagation during combustion synthesis of advanced materials: Experiments and theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Stephen

Combustion synthesis (CS) is an attractive method for producing advanced materials, including ceramics, intermetallics, and composites. In this process, after initiation by an external heat source, a highly exothermic reaction propagates through the sample in a self-sustained combustion wave. The process offers the possibility of producing materials with novel structures and properties. At conventional magnifications and imaging rates, the combustion wave appears to propagate in a planar, steady manner. However, using higher magnifications (>400X) and imaging rates (1000 frames/sec), fluctuations in the shape and propagation of the combustion front were observed. These variations in local conditions (i.e., the microstructure of the combustion wave) can influence the microstructure and properties of materials produced by combustion synthesis. In this work, the microstructure of wave propagation during combustion synthesis is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Using microscopic high-speed imaging, the spatial and temporal fluctuations of the combustion front shape and propagation were investigated. New image analysis methods were developed to characterize the heterogeneity of the combustion front quantitatively. The initial organization of the reaction medium was found to affect the heterogeneity of the combustion wave. Moreover, at the microscopic level, two different regimes of combustion propagation were observed. In the quasihomogeneous mechanism, the microstructure of the combustion wave resembles what is viewed macroscopically, and steady, planar propagation is observed. In the relay-race mechanism, while planar at the macroscopic level, the combustion front profiles are irregularly shaped, with arc-shaped convexities and concavities at the microscopic level. Also, the reaction front propagates as a series of rapid jumps and hesitations. Based on the combustion wave microstructure, new criteria were developed to determine the boundaries between quasihomogeneous and relay-race mechanisms, as functions of the initial organization of the reaction medium (i.e. particle size and porosity). In conjunction with the experiments, a microheterogeneous cell model was developed that simulates the local propagation of the combustion wave. Accounting for the stochastically organized medium with non-uniform properties, calculated results for the microstructural parameters of the combustion wave, and their dependence on density and reactant particle size, were in good qualitative agreement with experimental data.

Shock initiated thermal and chemical responses of HMX crystal from ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation.

PubMed

Zhou, Tingting; Song, Huajie; Liu, Yi; Huang, Fenglei

2014-07-21

To gain an atomistic-level understanding of the thermal and chemical responses of condensed energetic materials under thermal shock, we developed a thermal shock reactive dynamics (TS-RD) computational protocol using molecular dynamics simulation coupled with ReaxFF force field. β-Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX) was selected as a a target explosive due to its wide usage in the military and industry. The results show that a thermal shock initiated by a large temperature gradient between the "hot" region and the "cold" region results in thermal expansion of the particles and induces a thermal-mechanical wave propagating back and forth in the system with an averaged velocity of 3.32 km s(-1). Heat propagating along the direction of thermal shock leads to a temperature increment of the system and thus chemical reaction initiation. Applying a continuum reactive heat conduction model combined with the temperature distribution obtained from the RD simulation, a heat conduction coefficient is derived as 0.80 W m(-1) K(-1). The chemical reaction mechanisms during thermal shock were analyzed, showing that the reaction is triggered by N-NO2 bond breaking followed by HONO elimination and ring fission. The propagation rates of the reaction front and reaction center are obtained to be 0.069 and 0.038 km s(-1), based on the time and spatial distribution of NO2. The pressure effect on the thermal shock was also investigated by employing uniaxial compression before the thermal shock. We find that compression significantly accelerates thermal-mechanical wave propagation and heat conduction, resulting in higher temperature and more excited molecules and thus earlier initiation and faster propagation of chemical reactions.

Reaction propagation test. Evaluation of the behavior of nonmetallic materials in hydrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, I. D.

1972-01-01

Results of tests conducted to evaluate the behavior of nonmetallic materials in hydrogen are described. The reaction propagation test simulates the conditions resulting from the interaction of an electrical wire in an overload condition in contract with a material in the test medium. The test is designed to evaluate the behavior of a material subjected to an energy input (usually heat) sufficient to cause a reaction which propagates to consume larger quantities of the material. Ten nonmetallic materials were evaluated to establish baseline data on the behavior of nonmetallic materials in hydrogen and to characterize, on an initial basis, one mode of material failure considered to be a factor pertinent to the safe use of a material in hydrogen.

A HIGHWAY MODEL FOR THE ADVECTION, DIFFUSION AND CHEMICAL REACTION OF POLLUTANTS RELEASED BY AUTOMOBILES: PART I. ADVECTION AND DIFFUSION OF SF6 TRACER GAS

EPA Science Inventory

A two-dimensional, finite-difference model simulating a highway has been developed which is able to handle linear and nonlinear chemical reactions. Transport of the pollutants is accomplished by use of an upstream-flux-corrected algorithm developed at the Naval Research Laborator...

Reaction patterns in a blinking vortex flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nugent, Carolyn

2005-11-01

We study the patterns formed by the excitable Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction in a blinking vortex flow produced by magnetohydrodynamic forcing. Mixing in this flow is chaotic, as has been documented extensively in previous studies. The reaction is triggered by a silver wire, and the result is a pulse (``trigger wave'') that propagates through the system. We investigate the patterns formed by the propagating pulse and compare them with theoriesootnotetextT. Tel, A. de Moura, C. Grebogi and G. Karolyi, Phys. Rep. 413, 91 (2005). that predict fractal patterns determined by the unstable manifolds of the flow. We also consider ``burn-like'' reaction fronts, and compare the results with previous experiments for patterns of oscillatory reactions in this flow.

Combustion Characteristics in a Non-Premixed Cool-Flame Regime of n-Heptane in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, Fumiaki; Katta, Viswanath R.; Hicks, Michael C.

2015-01-01

A series of distinct phenomena have recently been observed in single-fuel-droplet combustion tests performed on the International Space Station (ISS). This study attempts to simulate the observed flame behavior numerically using a gaseous n-heptane fuel source in zero gravity and a time-dependent axisymmetric (2D) code, which includes a detailed reaction mechanism (127 species and 1130 reactions), diffusive transport, and a radiation model (for CH4, CO, CO2, H2O, and soot). The calculated combustion characteristics depend strongly on the air velocity around the fuel source. In a near-quiescent air environment (< or = 2 mm/s), with a sufficiently large fuel injection velocity (1 cm/s), a growing spherical diffusion flame extinguishes at ˜1200 K due to radiative heat losses. This is typically followed by a transition to the low-temperature (cool-flame) regime with a reaction zone (at ˜700 K) in close proximity to the fuel source. The 'cool flame' regime is formed due to the negative temperature coefficient in the low-temperature chemistry. After a relatively long period (˜18 s) of the cool flame regime, a flash re-ignition occurs, associated with flame-edge propagation and subsequent extinction of the re-ignited flame. In a low-speed (˜3 mm/s) airstream (which simulates the slight droplet movement), the diffusion flame is enhanced upstream and experiences a local extinction downstream at ˜1200 K, followed by steady flame pulsations (˜0.4 Hz). At higher air velocities (4-10 mm/s), the locally extinguished flame becomes steady state. The present axisymmetric computational approach helps in revealing the non-premixed 'cool flame' structure and 2D flame-flow interactions observed in recent microgravity droplet combustion experiments.

The behavior of mineral inclusions during host decomposition. A SEM-STEM study of rutile inclusions at a natural propagating corundum-spinel interface.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldwin, Lisa; Li, Chen; Habler, Gerlinde; Abart, Rainer

2017-04-01

When two neighbor phases are not in chemical equilibrium, they may react and produce a reaction rim at their interface, separating the mutually incompatible phases. At constant P-T-X conditions, such a reaction will continue until one of the reactants is completely consumed. Reaction rim growth involves transfer of chemical components across the growing rim by long-range diffusion and localized interface reactions on either side of the growing rim. Consequently, the thickness of the reaction rim will be a function of time. Yet, in order to quantify and interpret such corona structures and to define a reaction rate law, the kinetics and mechanism of rim formation must be well constrained. In particular, the coupling between long-range diffusion, and interface reaction must be known. In this contribution we focus on potential complexities associated with interface reactions. Many natural minerals contain inclusions of other phases, which in turn may influence the reaction interface propagation kinetics during host phase decomposition (Ashby et al. 1969), as a propagating reaction interface dissipates more free energy when bypassing a mineral inclusion, resulting in a locally decelerated reaction rate. Here, we report results of a SEM-STEM study of the interface between natural rutile-bearing corundum and a polycrystalline ferromagnesio-aluminate spinel that grew topotactically with respect to the corundum precursor as a consequence of its reaction with FeO and MgO from basaltic melt. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) crystal orientation imaging revealed that the spinel rim is polycrystalline and exhibits (111) twinning that is parallel to the corundum (0001) plane. The rutile inclusions in corundum are elongated perpendicular to the corundum [0001] axis and are randomly oriented in the (0001) plane. Furthermore, they follow an oscillatory grain size distribution zonation with grain sizes being either a few tens of nanometers, or about 500 to 800 nanometers in the elongated axis. The behavior of the rutile inclusions as they are encountered by the propagating corundum-spinel reaction interface strongly depends on the inclusion size. The nano-inclusions are incorporated into the spinel rim, where -after a recrystallization and coarsening step at the reaction interface- they have a size of > 1 micrometer. There, rutiles form inclusions within spinel grains or accumulate at grain- or twin boundaries within the spinel reaction rim. In contrast, larger inclusions in corundum are collected at the reaction interface, leaving behind a largely rutile-free spinel rim. From our investigations, we conclude that the inclusion size plays an important role in the effective mechanisms of interface propagation during precursor phase decomposition. Contrastingly, the reactive interface orientation with respect to certain crystallographic planes of corundum seems not to influence the inclusion behavior.

Analytical Solution for Transport with Bimolecular Reactions in Fracture-Matrix Systems with Application to In-Situ Chemical Oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajaram, H.; Arshadi, M.

2016-12-01

In-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) is an effective strategy for remediation of DNAPL contamination in fractured rock. During ISCO, an oxidant (e.g. permanganate) is typically injected through fractures and is consumed by bimolecular reactions with DNAPLs such as TCE and natural organic matter in the fracture and the adjacent rock matrix. Under these conditions, moving reaction fronts form and propagate along the fracture and into the rock matrix. The propagation of these reaction fronts is strongly influenced by the heterogeneity/discontinuity across the fracture-matrix interface (advective transport dominates in the fractures, while diffusive transport dominates in the rock matrix). We present analytical solutions for the concentrations of the oxidant, TCE and natural organic matter; and the propagation of the reaction fronts in a fracture-matrix system. Our approximate analytical solutions assume advection and reaction dominate over diffusion/dispersion in the fracture and neglect the latter. Diffusion and reaction with both TCE and immobile natural organic matter in the rock matrix are considered. The behavior of the reaction-diffusion equations in the rock matrix is posed as a Stefan problem where the diffusing oxidant reacts with both diffusing (TCE) and immobile (natural organic matter) reductants. Our analytical solutions establish that the reaction fronts propagate diffusively (i.e. as the square root of time) in both the matrix and the fracture. Our analytical solutions agree very well with numerical simulations for the case of uniform advection in the fracture. We also present extensions of our analytical solutions to non-uniform flows in the fracture by invoking a travel-time transformation. The non-uniform flow solutions are relevant to field applications of ISCO. The approximate analytical solutions are relevant to a broad class of reactive transport problems in fracture-matrix systems where moving reaction fronts occur.

Emission of Sound from Turbulence Convected by a Parallel Mean Flow in the Presence of a Confining Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, Marvin E.; Leib, Stewart J.

1999-01-01

An approximate method for calculating the noise generated by a turbulent flow within a semi-infinite duct of arbitrary cross section is developed. It is based on a previously derived high-frequency solution to Lilley's equation, which describes the sound propagation in a transversely-sheared mean flow. The source term is simplified by assuming the turbulence to be axisymmetric about the mean flow direction. Numerical results are presented for the special case of a ring source in a circular duct with an axisymmetric mean flow. They show that the internally generated noise is suppressed at sufficiently large upstream angles in a hard walled duct, and that acoustic liners can significantly reduce the sound radiated in both the upstream and downstream regions, depending upon the source location and Mach number of the flow.

Emission of Sound From Turbulence Convected by a Parallel Mean Flow in the Presence of a Confining Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, Marvin E.; Leib, Stewart J.

1999-01-01

An approximate method for calculating the noise generated by a turbulent flow within a semi-infinite duct of arbitrary cross section is developed. It is based on a previously derived high-frequency solution to Lilley's equation, which describes the sound propagation in transversely-sheared mean flow. The source term is simplified by assuming the turbulence to be axisymmetric about the mean flow direction. Numerical results are presented for the special case of a ring source in a circular duct with an axisymmetric mean flow. They show that the internally generated noise is suppressed at sufficiently large upstream angles in a hard walled duct, and that acoustic liners can significantly reduce the sound radiated in both the upstream and downstream regions, depending upon the source location and Mach number of the flow.

Ignitable heterogeneous stratified structure for the propagation of an internal exothermic chemical reaction along an expanding wavefront and method of making same

DOEpatents

Barbee, T.W. Jr.; Weihs, T.

1996-07-23

A multilayer structure has a selectable, (1) propagating reaction front velocity V, (2) reaction initiation temperature attained by application of external energy, and (3) amount of energy delivered by a reaction of alternating unreacted layers of the multilayer structure. Because V is selectable and controllable, a variety of different applications for the multilayer structures are possible, including but not limited to their use as igniters, in joining applications, in fabrication of new materials, as smart materials and in medical applications and devices. The multilayer structure has a period D, and an energy release rate constant K. Two or more alternating unreacted layers are made of different materials and separated by reacted zones. The period D is equal to a sum of the widths of each single alternating reaction layer of a particular material, and also includes a sum of reacted zone widths, t{sub i}, in the period D. The multilayer structure has a selectable propagating reaction front velocity V, where V=K(1/D{sup n}){times}[1-(t{sub i}/D)] and n is about 0.8 to 1.2. 8 figs.

Ignitable heterogeneous stratified structure for the propagation of an internal exothermic chemical reaction along an expanding wavefront and method of making same

DOEpatents

Barbee, Jr., Troy W.; Weihs, Timothy

1996-01-01

A multilayer structure has a selectable, (i) propagating reaction front velocity V, (ii) reaction initiation temperature attained by application of external energy and (iii) amount of energy delivered by a reaction of alternating unreacted layers of the multilayer structure. Because V is selectable and controllable, a variety of different applications for the multilayer structures are possible, including but not limited to their use as ignitors, in joining applications, in fabrication of new materials, as smart materials and in medical applications and devices. The multilayer structure has a period D, and an energy release rate constant K. Two or more alternating unreacted layers are made of different materials and separated by reacted zones. The period D is equal to a sum of the widths of each single alternating reaction layer of a particular material, and also includes a sum of reacted zone widths, t.sub.i, in the period D. The multilayer structure has a selectable propagating reaction front velocity V, where V=K(1/D.sup.n).times.[1-(t.sub.i /D)] and n is about 0.8 to 1.2.

Laser Light Scattering by Shock Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panda, J.; Adamovsky, G.

1995-01-01

Scattering of coherent light as it propagates parallel to a shock wave, formed in front of a bluff cylindrical body placed in a supersonic stream, is studied experimentally and numerically. Two incident optical fields are considered. First, a large diameter collimated beam is allowed to pass through the shock containing flow. The light intensity distribution in the resultant shadowgraph image, measured by a low light CCD camera, shows well-defined fringes upstream and downstream of the shadow cast by the shock. In the second situation, a narrow laser beam is brought to a grazing incidence on the shock and the scattered light, which appears as a diverging sheet from the point of interaction, is visualized and measured on a screen placed normal to the laser path. Experiments are conducted on shocks formed at various free-stream Mach numbers, M, and total pressures, P(sub 0). It is found that the widths of the shock shadows in a shadowgraph image become independent of M and P(sub 0) when plotted against the jump in the refractive index, (Delta)n, created across the shock. The total scattered light measured from the narrow laser beam and shock interaction also follows the same trend. In the numerical part of the study, the shock is assumed to be a 'phase object', which introduces phase difference between the upstream and downstream propagating parts of the light disturbances. For a given shape and (Delta)n of the bow shock the phase and amplitude modulations are first calculated by ray tracing. The wave front is then propagated to the screen using the Fresnet diffraction equation. The calculated intensity distribution, for both of the incident optical fields, shows good agreement with the experimental data.

pH Wave-Front Propagation in the Urea-Urease Reaction

PubMed Central

Wrobel, Magdalena M.; Bánsági, Tamás; Scott, Stephen K.; Taylor, Annette F.; Bounds, Chris O.; Carranza, Arturo; Pojman, John A.

2012-01-01

The urease-catalyzed hydrolysis of urea displays feedback that results in a switch from acid (pH ∼3) to base (pH ∼9) after a controllable period of time (from 10 to >5000 s). Here we show that the spatially distributed reaction can support pH wave fronts propagating with a speed of the order of 0.1−1 mm min−1. The experimental results were reproduced qualitatively in reaction-diffusion simulations including a Michaelis-Menten expression for the urease reaction with a bell-shaped rate-pH dependence. However, this model fails to predict that at lower enzyme concentrations, the unstirred reaction does not always support fronts when the well-stirred reaction still rapidly switches to high pH. PMID:22947878

Cloning should be simple: Escherichia coli DH5α-mediated assembly of multiple DNA fragments with short end homologies

DOE PAGES

Kostylev, Maxim; Otwell, Anne E.; Richardson, Ruth E.; ...

2015-09-08

Numerous DNA assembly technologies exist for generating plasmids for biological studies. Many procedures require complex in vitro or in vivo assembly reactions followed by plasmid propagation in recombination-impaired Escherichia coli strains such as DH5α, which are optimal for stable amplification of the DNA materials. Here we show that despite its utility as a cloning strain, DH5α retains sufficient recombinase activity to assemble up to six doublestranded DNA fragments ranging in size from 150 bp to at least 7 kb into plasmids in vivo. This process also requires surprisingly small amounts of DNA, potentially obviating the need for upstream assembly processesmore » associated with most common applications of DNA assembly. In addition, we demonstrate the application of this process in cloning of various DNA fragments including synthetic genes, preparation of knockout constructs, and incorporation of guide RNA sequences in constructs for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genome editing. This consolidated process for assembly and amplification in a widely available strain of E. coli may enable productivity gain across disciplines involving recombinant DNA work.« less

Cloning should be simple: Escherichia coli DH5α-mediated assembly of multiple DNA fragments with short end homologies

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

Kostylev, Maxim; Otwell, Anne E.; Richardson, Ruth E.

Numerous DNA assembly technologies exist for generating plasmids for biological studies. Many procedures require complex in vitro or in vivo assembly reactions followed by plasmid propagation in recombination-impaired Escherichia coli strains such as DH5α, which are optimal for stable amplification of the DNA materials. Here we show that despite its utility as a cloning strain, DH5α retains sufficient recombinase activity to assemble up to six doublestranded DNA fragments ranging in size from 150 bp to at least 7 kb into plasmids in vivo. This process also requires surprisingly small amounts of DNA, potentially obviating the need for upstream assembly processesmore » associated with most common applications of DNA assembly. In addition, we demonstrate the application of this process in cloning of various DNA fragments including synthetic genes, preparation of knockout constructs, and incorporation of guide RNA sequences in constructs for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genome editing. This consolidated process for assembly and amplification in a widely available strain of E. coli may enable productivity gain across disciplines involving recombinant DNA work.« less

Characterization of ROP18 alleles in human toxoplasmosis.

PubMed

Sánchez, Víctor; de-la-Torre, Alejandra; Gómez-Marín, Jorge Enrique

2014-04-01

The role of the virulent gene ROP18 polymorphisms is not known in human toxoplasmosis. A total of 320 clinical samples were analyzed. In samples positive for ROP18 gene, we determined by an allele specific PCR, if patients got the upstream insertion positive ROP18 sequence Toxoplasma strain (mouse avirulent strain) or the upstream insertion negative ROP18 sequence Toxoplasma strain (mouse virulent strain). We designed an ELISA assay for antibodies against ROP18 derived peptides from the three major clonal lineages of Toxoplasma. 20 clinical samples were of quality for ROP18 allele analysis. In patients with ocular toxoplasmosis, a higher inflammatory reaction on eye was associated to a PCR negative result for the upstream region of ROP18. 23.3%, 33% and 16.6% of serums from individuals with ocular toxoplasmosis were positive for type I, type II and type III ROP18 derived peptides, respectively but this assay was affected by cross reaction. The absence of Toxoplasma ROP18 promoter insertion sequence in ocular toxoplasmosis was correlated with severe ocular inflammatory response. Determination of antibodies against ROP18 protein was not useful for serotyping in human toxoplasmosis. © 2013.

Diffusion Driven Combustion Waves in Porous Media

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldushin, A. P.; Matkowsky, B. J.

2000-01-01

Filtration of gas containing oxidizer, to the reaction zone in a porous medium, due, e.g., to a buoyancy force or to an external pressure gradient, leads to the propagation of Filtration combustion (FC) waves. The exothermic reaction occurs between the fuel component of the solid matrix and the oxidizer. In this paper, we analyze the ability of a reaction wave to propagate in a porous medium without the aid of filtration. We find that one possible mechanism of propagation is that the wave is driven by diffusion of oxidizer from the environment. The solution of the combustion problem describing diffusion driven waves is similar to the solution of the Stefan problem describing the propagation of phase transition waves, in that the temperature on the interface between the burned and unburned regions is constant, the combustion wave is described by a similarity solution which is a function of the similarity variable x/square root of(t) and the wave velocity decays as 1/square root of(t). The difference between the two problems is that in the combustion problem the temperature is not prescribed, but rather, is determined as part of the solution. We will show that the length of samples in which such self-sustained combustion waves can occur, must exceed a critical value which strongly depends on the combustion temperature T(sub b). Smaller values of T(sub b) require longer sample lengths for diffusion driven combustion waves to exist. Because of their relatively small velocity, diffusion driven waves are considered to be relevant for the case of low heat losses, which occur for large diameter samples or in microgravity conditions, Another possible mechanism of porous medium combustion describes waves which propagate by consuming the oxidizer initially stored in the pores of the sample. This occurs for abnormally high pressure and gas density. In this case, uniformly propagating planar waves, which are kinetically controlled, can propagate, Diffusion of oxidizer decreases the wave velocity. In addition to the reaction and diffusion layers, the uniformly propagating wave structure includes a layer with a pressure gradient, where the gas motion is induced by the production or consumption of the gas in the reaction as well as by thermal expansion of the gas. The width of this zone determines the scale of the combustion wave in the porous medium.

Physarum machines: encapsulating reaction-diffusion to compute spanning tree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamatzky, Andrew

2007-12-01

The Physarum machine is a biological computing device, which employs plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum as an unconventional computing substrate. A reaction-diffusion computer is a chemical computing device that computes by propagating diffusive or excitation wave fronts. Reaction-diffusion computers, despite being computationally universal machines, are unable to construct certain classes of proximity graphs without the assistance of an external computing device. I demonstrate that the problem can be solved if the reaction-diffusion system is enclosed in a membrane with few ‘growth points’, sites guiding the pattern propagation. Experimental approximation of spanning trees by P. polycephalum slime mold demonstrates the feasibility of the approach. Findings provided advance theory of reaction-diffusion computation by enriching it with ideas of slime mold computation.

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

PubMed Central

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

2011-01-01

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

Numerical Study of Wave Propagation in a Non-Uniform Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povitsky, Alex; Bushnell, Dennis M. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The propagation of acoustic waves originating from cylindrical and spherical pulses, in a non-uniform mean flow, and in the presence of a reflecting wall is investigated by Hardin and Pope approach using compact approximation of spatial derivatives. The 2-D and 3-D stagnation flows and a flow around a cylinder are taken as prototypes of real world flows with strong gradients of mean pressure and velocity. The intensity and directivity of acoustic wave patterns appear to be quite different from the benchmark solutions obtained in a static environment for the same geometry. The physical reasons for amplification and weakening of sound are discussed in terms of dynamics of wave profile and redistribution of acoustic energy and its potential and kinetic components. For an acoustic wave in the flow around a cylinder, the observed mean acoustic pressure is approximately doubled (upstream pulse position) and halved (downstream pulse position) in comparison with the sound propagation in static ambient conditions.

Experiments Developed to Study Microgravity Smoldering Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vergilii, Franklin

2001-01-01

The overall objective of the Microgravity Smoldering Combustion (MSC) research program is to understand and predict smoldering combustion under normal and microgravity (near-zero-gravity) conditions to help prevent and control smolder-originated fires, in both environments. Smoldering is defined as a nonflaming, self-sustaining, propagating, exothermic surface reaction. If a material is sufficiently permeable, smoldering is not confined to its outer surface, but can propagate as a reaction wave through the interior of the material. The MSC program will accomplish its goals by conducting smolder experiments on the ground and in a space-based laboratory, and developing theoretical models of the process. Space-based experiments are necessary because smoldering is a very slow process and, consequently, its study in a microgravity environment requires extended periods of time that can only be achieved in space. Smoldering can occur in a variety of processes ranging from the smolder of porous insulating materials to underground coal combustion. Many materials can sustain smoldering, including wood, cloth, foams, tobacco, other dry organic materials, and charcoal. The ignition, propagation, transition to flaming, and extinction of the smolder reaction are controlled by complex, thermochemical mechanisms that are not well understood. As with many forms of combustion, gravity affects the availability of the oxidizer and the transport of heat, and therefore, the rate of combustion. The smoldering combustion of porous materials has been studied both experimentally and theoretically, usually in the context of fire safety. Smoldering encompasses a number of fundamental processes, including heat and mass transfer in a porous media; endothermic pyrolysis of combustible material; ignition, propagation, and extinction of heterogeneous exothermic reactions at the solid-gas pore interface; and the onset of gas phase reactions (flaming) from existing surface reactions. Smoldering presents a serious fire risk because the combustion can propagate slowly in a material's interior and go undetected for long periods of time. It typically yields a substantially higher conversion of fuel to toxic compounds than does flaming (though more slowly), and may undergo a sudden transition to flaming.

Mesoscale simulations of shockwave energy dissipation via chemical reactions.

PubMed

Antillon, Edwin; Strachan, Alejandro

2015-02-28

We use a particle-based mesoscale model that incorporates chemical reactions at a coarse-grained level to study the response of materials that undergo volume-reducing chemical reactions under shockwave-loading conditions. We find that such chemical reactions can attenuate the shockwave and characterize how the parameters of the chemical model affect this behavior. The simulations show that the magnitude of the volume collapse and velocity at which the chemistry propagates are critical to weaken the shock, whereas the energetics in the reactions play only a minor role. Shock loading results in transient states where the material is away from local equilibrium and, interestingly, chemical reactions can nucleate under such non-equilibrium states. Thus, the timescales for equilibration between the various degrees of freedom in the material affect the shock-induced chemistry and its ability to attenuate the propagating shock.

Propagation of detonations in hydrazine vapor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinrich, H. J.

1985-01-01

In the range of greater hydrazine vapor pressure, detonation speed depends exclusively on the extent of the ammonia decomposition in the second reaction stage. As vapor pressure decreases, the ammonia disintegration speed becomes increasingly slower and the reaction reached in the reaction zone increasingly decreases until finally, in the vapor pressure range between 53 and 16 Torr, the contribution of the second stage to detonation propagation disappears, and only the first stage remains active. Since the disintegration speed of the hydrazine in this pressure range has decreased markedly as well, no level, but rather only spinning, detonations occur. Temporary separations of the impact front and the reaction zone in the process lead to fluctuations of the detonation speed.

Unique determination of stratified steady water waves from pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Robin Ming; Walsh, Samuel

2018-01-01

Consider a two-dimensional stratified solitary wave propagating through a body of water that is bounded below by an impermeable ocean bed. In this work, we study how such a wave can be recovered from data consisting of the wave speed, upstream and downstream density and velocity profile, and the trace of the pressure on the bed. In particular, we prove that this data uniquely determines the wave, both in the (real) analytic and Sobolev regimes.

Influence of flow and pressure on wave propagation in the canine aorta.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Histand, M. B.; Anliker, M.

1973-01-01

Data on wave speed acquired from 20 anesthetized dogs showed that the thoracic aorta was essentially nondispersive for small artificially generated pressure waves traveling in the downstream or the upstream direction and having frequencies between 40 and 120 Hz. The amplitude of these waves decayed exponentially with the distance traveled. Theoretical studies are cited which have shown that changes in wave speed due to variations in pressure and flow produce marked nonlinear effects in hemodynamics.

Absolute and Convective Instability of a Liquid Jet in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Sung P.; Vihinen, I.; Honohan, A.; Hudman, Michael D.

1996-01-01

The transition from convective to absolute instability is observed in the 2.2 second drop tower of the NASA Lewis Research Center. In convective instability the disturbance grows spatially as it is convected downstream. In absolute instability the disturbance propagates both downstream and upstream, and manifests itself as an expanding sphere. The transition Reynolds numbers are determined for two different Weber numbers by use of Glycerin and a Silicone oil. Preliminary comparisons with theory are made.

Amphitheater-headed canyons formed by megaflooding at Malad Gorge, Idaho

PubMed Central

Lamb, Michael P.; Mackey, Benjamin H.; Farley, Kenneth A.

2014-01-01

Many bedrock canyons on Earth and Mars were eroded by upstream propagating headwalls, and a prominent goal in geomorphology and planetary science is to determine formation processes from canyon morphology. A diagnostic link between process and form remains highly controversial, however, and field investigations that isolate controls on canyon morphology are needed. Here we investigate the origin of Malad Gorge, Idaho, a canyon system cut into basalt with three remarkably distinct heads: two with amphitheater headwalls and the third housing the active Wood River and ending in a 7% grade knickzone. Scoured rims of the headwalls, relict plunge pools, sediment-transport constraints, and cosmogenic (3He) exposure ages indicate formation of the amphitheater-headed canyons by large-scale flooding ∼46 ka, coeval with formation of Box Canyon 18 km to the south as well as the eruption of McKinney Butte Basalt, suggesting widespread canyon formation following lava-flow diversion of the paleo-Wood River. Exposure ages within the knickzone-headed canyon indicate progressive upstream younging of strath terraces and a knickzone propagation rate of 2.5 cm/y over at least the past 33 ka. Results point to a potential diagnostic link between vertical amphitheater headwalls in basalt and rapid erosion during megaflooding due to the onset of block toppling, rather than previous interpretations of seepage erosion, with implications for quantifying the early hydrosphere of Mars. PMID:24344293

Density currents in the Chicago River: Characterization, effects on water quality, and potential sources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jackson, P. Ryan; Garcia, Carlos M.; Oberg, Kevin A.; Johnson, Kevin K.; Garcia, Marcelo H.

2008-01-01

Bidirectional flows in a river system can occur under stratified flow conditions and in addition to creating significant errors in discharge estimates, the upstream propagating currents are capable of transporting contaminants and affecting water quality. Detailed field observations of bidirectional flows were made in the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois in the winter of 2005-06. Using multiple acoustic Doppler current profilers simultaneously with a water-quality profiler, the formation of upstream propagating density currents within the Chicago River both as an underflow and an overflow was observed on three occasions. Density differences driving the flow primarily arise from salinity differences between intersecting branches of the Chicago River, whereas water temperature is secondary in the creation of these currents. Deicing salts appear to be the primary source of salinity in the North Branch of the Chicago River, entering the waterway through direct runoff and effluent from a wastewater-treatment plant in a large metropolitan area primarily served by combined sewers. Water-quality assessments of the Chicago River may underestimate (or overestimate) the impairment of the river because standard water-quality monitoring practices do not account for density-driven underflows (or overflows). Chloride concentrations near the riverbed can significantly exceed concentrations at the river surface during underflows indicating that full-depth parameter profiles are necessary for accurate water-quality assessments in urban environments where application of deicing salt is common.

Nonlinear Monte Carlo model of superdiffusive shock acceleration with magnetic field amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bykov, Andrei M.; Ellison, Donald C.; Osipov, Sergei M.

2017-03-01

Fast collisionless shocks in cosmic plasmas convert their kinetic energy flow into the hot downstream thermal plasma with a substantial fraction of energy going into a broad spectrum of superthermal charged particles and magnetic fluctuations. The superthermal particles can penetrate into the shock upstream region producing an extended shock precursor. The cold upstream plasma flow is decelerated by the force provided by the superthermal particle pressure gradient. In high Mach number collisionless shocks, efficient particle acceleration is likely coupled with turbulent magnetic field amplification (MFA) generated by the anisotropic distribution of accelerated particles. This anisotropy is determined by fast particle transport, making the problem strongly nonlinear and multiscale. Here, we present a nonlinear Monte Carlo model of collisionless shock structure with superdiffusive propagation of high-energy Fermi accelerated particles coupled to particle acceleration and MFA, which affords a consistent description of strong shocks. A distinctive feature of the Monte Carlo technique is that it includes the full angular anisotropy of the particle distribution at all precursor positions. The model reveals that the superdiffusive transport of energetic particles (i.e., Lévy-walk propagation) generates a strong quadruple anisotropy in the precursor particle distribution. The resultant pressure anisotropy of the high-energy particles produces a nonresonant mirror-type instability that amplifies compressible wave modes with wavelengths longer than the gyroradii of the highest-energy protons produced by the shock.

Correlation between discrete probability and reaction front propagation rate in heterogeneous mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naine, Tarun Bharath; Gundawar, Manoj Kumar

2017-09-01

We demonstrate a very powerful correlation between the discrete probability of distances of neighboring cells and thermal wave propagation rate, for a system of cells spread on a one-dimensional chain. A gamma distribution is employed to model the distances of neighboring cells. In the absence of an analytical solution and the differences in ignition times of adjacent reaction cells following non-Markovian statistics, invariably the solution for thermal wave propagation rate for a one-dimensional system with randomly distributed cells is obtained by numerical simulations. However, such simulations which are based on Monte-Carlo methods require several iterations of calculations for different realizations of distribution of adjacent cells. For several one-dimensional systems, differing in the value of shaping parameter of the gamma distribution, we show that the average reaction front propagation rates obtained by a discrete probability between two limits, shows excellent agreement with those obtained numerically. With the upper limit at 1.3, the lower limit depends on the non-dimensional ignition temperature. Additionally, this approach also facilitates the prediction of burning limits of heterogeneous thermal mixtures. The proposed method completely eliminates the need for laborious, time intensive numerical calculations where the thermal wave propagation rates can now be calculated based only on macroscopic entity of discrete probability.

Implicit approximate-factorization schemes for the low-frequency transonic equation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballhaus, W. F.; Steger, J. L.

1975-01-01

Two- and three-level implicit finite-difference algorithms for the low-frequency transonic small disturbance-equation are constructed using approximate factorization techniques. The schemes are unconditionally stable for the model linear problem. For nonlinear mixed flows, the schemes maintain stability by the use of conservatively switched difference operators for which stability is maintained only if shock propagation is restricted to be less than one spatial grid point per time step. The shock-capturing properties of the schemes were studied for various shock motions that might be encountered in problems of engineering interest. Computed results for a model airfoil problem that produces a flow field similar to that about a helicopter rotor in forward flight show the development of a shock wave and its subsequent propagation upstream off the front of the airfoil.

A comparison of experimental and computer model results on the charge-exchange plasma flow from a 30 cm mercury ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gabriel, S. B.; Kaufman, H. R.

1982-01-01

Ion thrusters can be used in a variety of primary and auxiliary space-propulsion applications. A thruster produces a charge-exchange plasma which can interact with various systems on the spacecraft. The propagation of the charge-exchange plasma is crucial in determining the interaction of that plasma with the spacecraft. This paper compares experimental measurements with computer model predictions of the propagation of the charge-exchange plasma from a 30 cm mercury ion thruster. The plasma potentials, and ion densities, and directed energies are discussed. Good agreement is found in a region upstream of, and close to, the ion thruster optics. Outside of this region the agreement is reasonable in view of the modeling difficulties.

Estimation of the activation energy in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction by temperature effect on excitable waves.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinzhong; Zhou, Luqun; Ouyang, Qi

2007-02-15

We report the temperature effect on the propagation of excitable traveling waves in a quasi-two-dimensional Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction-diffusion system. The onset of excitable waves as a function of the sulfuric acid concentration and temperature is identified, on which the sulfuric acid concentration exhibits an Arrhenius dependence on temperature. On the basis of this experimental data, the activation energy of the self-catalyzed reaction in the Oregonator model is estimated to be 83-113 kJ/mol, which is further supported by our numerical simulations. The estimation proceeds without analyzing detailed reaction steps but rather through observing the global dynamic behaviors in the BZ reaction. For a supplement, the wave propagation velocities are calculated based on our results and compared with the experimental observations.

Predictions of lithium interactions with earth's bow shock in the presence of wave activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decker, R. B.; Lui, A. T. Y.; Vlahos, L.

1984-01-01

The results of a test-particle simulation studying the movement of a lithium tracer ion injected upstream of the bow shock are reported. Wave activity consists of parallel and antiparallel propagating Alfven waves characterized by a frequency power spectrum within a frequency or range of amplitudes defined separately in the upstream and downstream regions. The results show that even a moderate level of wave activity can substantially change the results obtained in the absence of waves. Among the effects observed are: (1) increased ion transmission; (2) both the average energy gain and spread about the average are increased for transmitted and reflected particles; (3) the average final pitch angle for transmitted particles tends to 90 deg, and the spread of reflected particles is reduced; and (4) the spatial dispersion of the ions on the bow shock after a single encounter is increased.

Relationship between wave energy and free energy from pickup ions in the Comet Halley environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huddleston, D. E.; Johnstone, A. D.

1992-01-01

The free energy available from the implanted heavy ion population at Comet Halley is calculated by assuming that the initial unstable velocity space ring distribution of the ions evolves toward a bispherical shell. Ultimately this free energy adds to the turbulence in the solar wind. Upstream and downstream free energies are obtained separately for the conditions observed along the Giotto spacecraft trajectory. The results indicate that the waves are mostly upstream propagating in the solar wind frame. The total free energy density always exceeds the measured wave energy density because, as expected in the nonlinear process of ion scattering, the available energy is not all immediately released. An estimate of the amount which has been released can be obtained from the measured oxygen ion distributions and again it exceeds that observed. The theoretical analysis is extended to calculate the k spectrum of the cometary-ion-generated turbulence.

Analysis of the Giacobini-Zinner bow wave

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, E. J.; Slavin, J. A.; Bame, S. J.; Thomsen, M. F.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Richardson, I. G.; Hovestadt, D.; Ipavich, F. M.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Coplan, M. A.

1986-01-01

The cometary bow wave of P/Giacobini-Zinner has been analyzed using the complete set of ICE field and particle observations to determine if it is a shock. Changes in the magnetic field and plasma flow velocities from upstream to downstream have been analyzed to determine the direction of the normal and the propagation velocity of the bow wave. The velocity has then been compared with the fast magnetosonic wave speed upstream to derive the Mach number and establish whether it is supersonic, i.e., a shock, or subsonic, i.e., a large amplitude wave. The various measurements have also been compared with values derived from a Rankine-Hugoniot analysis. The results indicate that, inbound, the bow wave is a shock with M = 1.5. Outbound, a subsonic Mach number is obtained, however, arguments are presented that the bow wave is also likely to be a shock at this location.

Self-formed waterfall plunge pools in homogeneous rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheingross, Joel S.; Lo, Daniel Y.; Lamb, Michael P.

2017-01-01

Waterfalls are ubiquitous, and their upstream propagation can set the pace of landscape evolution, yet no experimental studies have examined waterfall plunge pool erosion in homogeneous rock. We performed laboratory experiments, using synthetic foam as a bedrock simulant, to produce self-formed waterfall plunge pools via particle impact abrasion. Plunge pool vertical incision exceeded lateral erosion by approximately tenfold until pools deepened to the point that the supplied sediment could not be evacuated and deposition armored the pool bedrock floor. Lateral erosion of plunge pool sidewalls continued after sediment deposition, but primarily at the downstream pool wall, which might lead to undermining of the plunge pool lip, sediment evacuation, and continued vertical pool floor incision in natural streams. Undercutting of the upstream pool wall was absent, and our results suggest that vertical drilling of successive plunge pools is a more efficient waterfall retreat mechanism than the classic model of headwall undercutting and collapse in homogeneous rock.

Whistler mode waves observed by MGF search coil magnetometer -Polarization and wave normal features of upstream waves near the bow-shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, K.; Matsui, H.; Kawano, H.; Yamamoto, T.; Kokubun, S.

1994-12-01

Whistler mode waves observed in the upstream region very close to the bow-shock is focused from the initial survey for magnetic fed data in a frequency range between 1Hz and 50Hz observed by the search coil magnetometer on board the Geotail satellite. Based on the three component wave form data polarization and wave-normal characteristics of foreshock waves is first shown as dynamic spectra for the whole Fourier components of the 50 Hz band width. Intense whistler mode waves generated in the foot region of the bow-shock are found strongly controlled in the observed polarization dependent on the angle between directions of the wave propagation and the solar wind flow but not very dependent on frequency. Our simple scheme to derive the ware characteristics which is effective to survey large amount of data continuously growing is also introduced.

Reply to Gopalswamy et al.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cane, H. V.; Richardson, I. G.

2003-01-01

The comment of Gopalswamy et al. (thereafter GMY) relates to a letter discussing coronal mass ejections (CMEs), interplanetary ejecta and geomagnetic storms. GMY contend that Cane et al. incorrectly identified ejecta (interplanetary CMEs) and hypothesize that this is because Cane et al. fail to understand how to separate ejecta from "shock sheaths" when interpreting solar wind and energetic particle data sets. They (GMY) are wrong be cause the relevant section of the paper was concerned with the propagation time to 1 AU of any potentially geoeffective structures caused by CMEs, i.e. upstream compression regions with or without shocks, or ejecta. In other words, the travel times used by Cane et al. were purposefully and deliberately distinct from ejecta travel times (except for those slow ejecta, approx. 30% of their events, which generated no upstream features), and no error in identification was involved. The confusion of GMY stems from the description did not characterize the observations sufficiently clearly.

Deterministic chaos in a model of a simple delta network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salter, G.; Voller, V. R.; Paola, C.

2017-12-01

An important aspect of delta dynamics is how sediment flux is partitioned to different parts of the delta through time, affecting patterns of land-building/loss, and the formation of stratigraphy. Here, we present results from a model of a simple distributary network consisting of two orders of bifurcations: an upstream channel splits into two branches, each of which splits into two additional branches. The 1D bed elevation profiles of each branch are modeled through time, and a nodal condition accounting for a transverse bed slope just upstream of the bifurcation is used to partition the flow at bifurcations. The model generates surprisingly complex dynamics despite its simplicity. Constrained by the need to distribute sediment evenly between branches in the long-run, the system undergoes repeated full and partial avulsions. We find that the solution to the system is aperiodic, but bounded. We also observe a sensitive dependence on the initial conditions: simulations started with slightly different initial conditions diverge exponentially. These observations are the hallmark of chaos, summarized by Edward Lorenz as "where the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future." In our model, chaos results from the two-way coupling between upstream and downstream bifurcations. We find that a single bifurcation may be periodic, but it is never chaotic. However, when coupled, avulsions in the upstream channel change the upstream boundary conditions for the downstream bifurcations, and conversely, avulsions in the downstream bifurcations affect the slope of their feeder channel, propagating upstream to the first bifurcation. We explore how the system generates stratigraphy, using the Shields stress at the time of deposition as a proxy. We compare the stratigraphy to the single bifurcation case, which is periodic rather than chaotic. We also examine stratigraphic completeness, and find that hiatuses in the upstream portion of the domain tend to be erosional, whereas hiatuses further downstream tend to represent pauses. Our work suggests that deltas have a limited window of predictability, and indicates that chaotic and cyclic avulsion sequences should be distinguishable in the stratigraphic record.

A downslope propagating thermal front over the continental slope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Haren, Hans; Hosegood, Phil J.

2017-04-01

In the ocean, internal frontal bores above sloping topography have many appearances, depending on the local density stratification, and on the angle and source of generation of the carrier wave. However, their common characteristics are a backward breaking wave, strong sediment resuspension, and relatively cool (denser) water moving more or less upslope underneath warm (less dense) water. In this paper, we present a rare example of a downslope moving front of cold water moving over near-bottom warm water. Large backscatter is observed in the downslope moving front's trailing edge, rather than the leading edge as is common in upslope moving fronts. Time series observations have been made during a fortnight in summer, using a 101 m long array of high-resolution temperature sensors moored with an acoustic Doppler current profiler at 396 m depth in near-homogeneous waters, near a small canyon in the continental slope off the Malin shelf (West-Scotland, UK). Occurring between fronts that propagate upslope with tidal periodicity, the rare downslope propagating one resembles a gravity current and includes strong convective turbulence coming from the interior rather than the more usual frictionally generated turbulence arising from interaction with the seabed. Its turbulence is 3-10 times larger than that of more common upslope propagating fronts. As the main turbulence is in the interior with a thin stratified layer close to the bottom, little sediment is resuspended by a downslope propagating front. The downslope propagating front is suggested to be generated by oblique propagation of internal (tidal) waves and flow over a nearby upstream promontory.

Hydraulics of outburst floods spilling over a steep-walled canyon: Implications for paleo-discharges on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapotre, Mathieu; Lamb, Michael

2013-04-01

Canyons carved by outburst floods are common landforms on Earth and Mars. These canyons are generally found in fractured basalts and jointed sedimentary rocks. Flood-carved canyons commonly have steep headwalls and a roughly constant width, and are often thought to have formed from upstream headwall propagation due to waterfall erosion. Because morphology is readily available from satellite imagery, these canyons offer a unique opportunity to quantify the discharge of rare, catastrophic paleo-floods on Earth and Mars. However, mechanistic relationships that relate canyon size to flood discharge have yet to be developed. We propose that the width of a canyon headwall in fractured rock is set by the spatial distribution of erosion around the rim of the canyon, which is controlled by the distribution of shear stresses induced by the overflowing water as it is focused into the canyon head. We test this hypothesis by performing a series of numerical simulations of flood-water focusing using ANUGA Hydro, a 2D-depth averaged, fully turbulent, hydraulic numerical modeling suite allowing for Froude-number transitions. The numerical simulations were designed to explore five dimensionless variables: the aspect ratio of the canyon (length normalized by width), the canyon width to flood-water width ratio, the canyon width to normal-flow depth ratio, the Froude number, and the topographic gradient upstream of the canyon. Preliminary results show that flow focusing leads to increased shear stresses at the canyon head compared to the sides of the canyon for subcritical floods and higher canyon aspect ratios. This suggests that proto-canyons start growing from a topographic defect in all directions until they reach a critical length for the side walls to dry. Once this critical length is attained, canyons focus most of the flood waters into their heads, and propagate upstream only, maintaining roughly constant widths. Preliminary results suggest that canyon width may be used to reconstruct the discharge of paleo-flood events on Mars and Earth.

Familial 46,XY sex reversal without campomelic dysplasia caused by a deletion upstream of the SOX9 gene

PubMed Central

Layman, Lawrence C.; Ullmann, Reinhard; Shen, Yiping; Ha, Kyungsoo; Rehman, Khurram; Looney, Stephen; McDonough, Paul G.; Kim, Hyung-Goo; Carr, Bruce R.

2014-01-01

Background 46,XY sex reversal is a rare disorder and familial cases are even more rare. The purpose of the present study was to determine the molecular basis for a family with three affected siblings who had 46,XY sex reversal. Methods DNA was extracted from three females with 46,XY sex reversal, two normal sisters, and both unaffected parents. All protein coding exons of the SRY and NR5A1 genes were subjected to PCR-based DNA sequencing. In addition, array comparative genomic hybridization was performed on DNA from all seven family members. A deletion was confirmed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Expression of SOX9 gene was quantified using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results A 349kb heterozygous deletion located 353kb upstream of the SOX9 gene on the long arm of chromosome 17 was discovered in the father and three affected siblings, but not in the mother. The expression of SOX9 was significantly decreased in the affected siblings. Two of three affected sisters had gonadoblastomas. Conclusion This is the first report of 46,XY sex reversal in three siblings who have a paternally inherited deletion upstream of SOX9 associated with reduced SOX9 mRNA expression. PMID:24907458

Disposable world-to-chip interface for digital microfluidics

DOEpatents

Van Dam, R. Michael; Shah, Gaurav; Keng, Pei-Yuin

2017-05-16

The present disclosure sets forth incorporating microfluidic chips interfaces for use with digital microfluidic processes. Methods and devices according to the present disclosure utilize compact, integrated platforms that interface with a chip upstream and downstream of the reaction, as well as between intermediate reaction steps if needed. In some embodiments these interfaces are automated, including automation of a multiple reagent process. Various reagent delivery systems and methods are also disclosed.

Front propagation in a vortex lattice: dependence on boundary conditions and vortex depth.

PubMed

Beauvier, E; Bodea, S; Pocheau, A

2016-11-04

We experimentally address the propagation of reaction-diffusion fronts in vortex lattices by combining, in a Hele-Shaw cell and at low Reynolds number, forced electroconvective flows and an autocatalytic reaction in solution. We consider both vortex chains and vortex arrays, the former referring to mixed free/rigid boundary conditions for vortices and the latter to free boundary conditions. Varying the depth of the fluid layer, we observe no variation of the mean front velocities for vortex arrays and a noticeable variation for vortex chains. This questions the two-dimensional character of front propagation in low Reynolds number vortex lattices, as well as the mechanisms of this dependence.

Loss of regularity in the {K(m, n)} equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zilburg, Alon; Rosenau, Philip

2018-06-01

Using a priori estimates we prove that initially nonnegative, smooth and compactly supported solutions of the equations must lose their smoothness within a finite time. Formation of a singularity is a prerequisite for the subsequent emergence of compactons. Numerical studies are presented that demonstrate two manifestations of the emerging singularity: either propagation of the right front downstream or the formation of an oscillatory tail upstream. Formation of one type of motion does not preclude the possible formation of the other at a later time.

Monte Carlo analysis of uncertainty propagation in a stratospheric model. 2: Uncertainties due to reaction rates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolarski, R. S.; Butler, D. M.; Rundel, R. D.

1977-01-01

A concise stratospheric model was used in a Monte-Carlo analysis of the propagation of reaction rate uncertainties through the calculation of an ozone perturbation due to the addition of chlorine. Two thousand Monte-Carlo cases were run with 55 reaction rates being varied. Excellent convergence was obtained in the output distributions because the model is sensitive to the uncertainties in only about 10 reactions. For a 1 ppby chlorine perturbation added to a 1.5 ppby chlorine background, the resultant 1 sigma uncertainty on the ozone perturbation is a factor of 1.69 on the high side and 1.80 on the low side. The corresponding 2 sigma factors are 2.86 and 3.23. Results are also given for the uncertainties, due to reaction rates, in the ambient concentrations of stratospheric species.

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

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

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

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

Cationic cure kinetics of a polyoxometalate loaded epoxy nanocomposite

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

Anderson, Benjamin J.

2012-08-06

The reaction cure kinetics of a novel polyoxometalate (POM) loaded epoxy nanocomposite is described. The POM is dispersed in the epoxy resin up to volume fractions of 0.1. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements show the cure of the epoxy resin to be sensitive to the POM loading. A kinetics study of the cure exotherm confirms that POM acts as a catalyst promoting cationic homopolymerization of the epoxy resin. The cure reaction is shown to propagate through two cure regimes. A fast cure at short time is shown to be propagation by the activated chain end (ACE) mechanism. A slow cure atmore » long time is shown to be propagation by the activated monomer (AM) mechanism. The activation energies for the fast and slow cure regimes agree well with other epoxy based systems that have been confirmed to propagate by the ACE and AM mechanisms.« less

Wave reflection in a reaction-diffusion system: breathing patterns and attenuation of the echo.

PubMed

Tsyganov, M A; Ivanitsky, G R; Zemskov, E P

2014-05-01

Formation and interaction of the one-dimensional excitation waves in a reaction-diffusion system with the piecewise linear reaction functions of the Tonnelier-Gerstner type are studied. We show that there exists a parameter region where the established regime of wave propagation depends on initial conditions. Wave phenomena with a complex behavior are found: (i) the reflection of waves at a growing distance (the remote reflection) upon their collision with each other or with no-flux boundaries and (ii) the periodic transformation of waves with the jumping from one regime of wave propagation to another (the periodic trigger wave).

Wave reflection in a reaction-diffusion system: Breathing patterns and attenuation of the echo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsyganov, M. A.; Ivanitsky, G. R.; Zemskov, E. P.

2014-05-01

Formation and interaction of the one-dimensional excitation waves in a reaction-diffusion system with the piecewise linear reaction functions of the Tonnelier-Gerstner type are studied. We show that there exists a parameter region where the established regime of wave propagation depends on initial conditions. Wave phenomena with a complex behavior are found: (i) the reflection of waves at a growing distance (the remote reflection) upon their collision with each other or with no-flux boundaries and (ii) the periodic transformation of waves with the jumping from one regime of wave propagation to another (the periodic trigger wave).

An Investigation of the Sub-Microsecond Features of Dynamic Crack Propagation in PMMA and the Rdx-Based Explosive PBX 9205

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washabaugh, P. D.; Hill, L. G.

2007-12-01

A dynamic crack propagating in a brittle material releases enough thermal energy to produce visible light. The dynamic fracture of even macroscopically amorphous materials becomes unsteady as the crack propagation velocity approaches the material wave-speeds. The heat generated at a crack-tip, especially as it jumps, may be a mechanism to initiate a self-sustaining reaction in an energetic material. Experiments were conducted in specimens to simulate an infinite plate for ˜10 μs. The initial specimens were 152 mm square by 6 mm thick acrylic sheets, and were fabricated to study non-steady near-wave-speed crack propagation. A variant of this specimen embedded a 25 mm×3 mm PBX 9205 pellet to explore the influence of dynamic Mode-I cracks in these materials. The crack was initiated by up to 0.24 g of Detasheet placed along a precursor 50 mm long notch, with a shield to contain the reaction products and prevent propagation along the fractured surfaces. The crack was studied by means of a streak camera and a Fourier-filter of the light reflecting off the newly minted surfaces. The sub-microsecond behavior of holes initiating, preceding and coalescing with the main crack were observed in the PMMA samples. The embedding and mechanical loading of explosives by this technique did not initiate a self-sustaining reaction in preliminary testing.

An initial investigation of the sub-microsecond features of dynamic crack propagation in PMMA and the RDX-based explosive PBX 9205

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washabaugh, Peter; Hill, Larry

2007-06-01

A dynamic crack propagating in a brittle material releases enough thermal energy to produce visible light. The dynamic fracture of even macroscopically amorphous materials becomes unsteady as the crack propagation velocity approaches the material wave-speeds. The heat generated at a crack-tip, especially as it jumps, may be a mechanism to initiate a self-sustaining reaction in an energetic material. Experiments were conducted in specimens to simulate an infinite plate for 20 μs. The initial specimens were 152 mm square by 6 mm thick acrylic sheets, and were fabricated to study non-steady near-wave-speed crack propagation. A variant of this specimen embedded a 25 mm x 3 mm PBX 9205 pellet to explore the influence of dynamic Mode-I cracks in these materials. The crack was initiated by up to 0.2 g of Detasheet placed along a precursor 50 mm long notch, with a shield to contain the reaction products and prevent propagation along the fractured surfaces. The crack was studied by means of a streak camera and a Fourier-filter of the light reflecting off the newly minted surfaces. The sub-microsecond behavior of holes initiating, preceding and coalescing with the main crack were observed in the PMMA samples. The embedding and mechanical loading of explosives by this technique did not initiate a self-sustaining reaction in preliminary testing.

Measurement of stimulated Hawking emission in an analogue system.

PubMed

Weinfurtner, Silke; Tedford, Edmund W; Penrice, Matthew C J; Unruh, William G; Lawrence, Gregory A

2011-01-14

Hawking argued that black holes emit thermal radiation via a quantum spontaneous emission. To address this issue experimentally, we utilize the analogy between the propagation of fields around black holes and surface waves on moving water. By placing a streamlined obstacle into an open channel flow we create a region of high velocity over the obstacle that can include surface wave horizons. Long waves propagating upstream towards this region are blocked and converted into short (deep-water) waves. This is the analogue of the stimulated emission by a white hole (the time inverse of a black hole), and our measurements of the amplitudes of the converted waves demonstrate the thermal nature of the conversion process for this system. Given the close relationship between stimulated and spontaneous emission, our findings attest to the generality of the Hawking process.

Nonlinear theory of shocked sound propagation in a nearly choked duct flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, M. K.; Callegari, A. J.

1982-01-01

The development of shocks in the sound field propagating through a nearly choked duct flow is analyzed by extending a quasi-one dimensional theory. The theory is applied to the case in which sound is introduced into the flow by an acoustic source located in the vicinity of a near-sonic throat. Analytical solutions for the field are obtained which illustrate the essential features of the nonlinear interaction between sound and flow. Numerical results are presented covering ranges of variation of source strength, throat Mach number, and frequency. It is found that the development of shocks leads to appreciable attenuation of acoustic power transmitted upstream through the near-sonic flow. It is possible, for example, that the power loss in the fundamental harmonic can be as much as 90% of that introduced at the source.

Explosion suppression system

DOEpatents

Sapko, Michael J.; Cortese, Robert A.

1992-01-01

An explosion suppression system and triggering apparatus therefor are provided for quenching gas and dust explosions. An electrically actuated suppression mechanism which dispenses an extinguishing agent into the path ahead of the propagating flame is actuated by a triggering device which is light powered. This triggering device is located upstream of the propagating flame and converts light from the flame to an electrical actuation signal. A pressure arming device electrically connects the triggering device to the suppression device only when the explosion is sensed by a further characteristic thereof beside the flame such as the pioneer pressure wave. The light powered triggering device includes a solar panel which is disposed in the path of the explosion and oriented between horizontally downward and vertical. Testing mechanisms are also preferably provided to test the operation of the solar panel and detonator as well as the pressure arming mechanism.

Electromagnetic ion/ion cyclotron instability - Theory and simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winske, D.; Omidi, N.

1992-01-01

Linear theory and 1D and 2D hybrid simulations are employed to study electromagnetic ion/ion cyclotron (EMIIC) instability driven by the relative streaming of two field-aligned ion beams. The characteristics of the instability are studied as a function of beam density, propagation angle, electron-ion temperature ratios, and ion beta. When the propagation angle is near 90 deg the EMIIC instability has the characteristics of an electrostatic instability, while at smaller angles electromagnetic effects play a significant role as does strong beam coupling. The 2D simulations point to a narrowing of the wave spectrum and accompanying coherent effects during the linear growth stage of development. The EMIIC instability is an important effect where ion beta is low such as in the plasma-sheet boundary layer and upstream of slow shocks in the magnetotail.

Propagating Molecular Recognition Events through Highly Integrated Sense-Response Chemical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

Propagating Molecular Recognition Events through Highly Integrated Sense-Response Chemical Systems The views, opinions and/or findings contained in...University of California - San Diego Title: Propagating Molecular Recognition Events through Highly Integrated Sense-Response Chemical Systems Report Term...including enzymatic reactions , occurring at the aqueous interfaces of thermotropic LCs show promise as the basis of biomolecular triggers of LC

Free-Propagator Reweighting Integrator for Single-Particle Dynamics in Reaction-Diffusion Models of Heterogeneous Protein-Protein Interaction Systems

PubMed Central

Hummer, Gerhard

2015-01-01

We present a new algorithm for simulating reaction-diffusion equations at single-particle resolution. Our algorithm is designed to be both accurate and simple to implement, and to be applicable to large and heterogeneous systems, including those arising in systems biology applications. We combine the use of the exact Green's function for a pair of reacting particles with the approximate free-diffusion propagator for position updates to particles. Trajectory reweighting in our free-propagator reweighting (FPR) method recovers the exact association rates for a pair of interacting particles at all times. FPR simulations of many-body systems accurately reproduce the theoretically known dynamic behavior for a variety of different reaction types. FPR does not suffer from the loss of efficiency common to other path-reweighting schemes, first, because corrections apply only in the immediate vicinity of reacting particles and, second, because by construction the average weight factor equals one upon leaving this reaction zone. FPR applications include the modeling of pathways and networks of protein-driven processes where reaction rates can vary widely and thousands of proteins may participate in the formation of large assemblies. With a limited amount of bookkeeping necessary to ensure proper association rates for each reactant pair, FPR can account for changes to reaction rates or diffusion constants as a result of reaction events. Importantly, FPR can also be extended to physical descriptions of protein interactions with long-range forces, as we demonstrate here for Coulombic interactions. PMID:26005592

Instability of an infiltration-driven dissolution-precipitation front with a nonmonotonic porosity profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondratiuk, Paweł; Dutka, Filip; Szymczak, Piotr

2016-04-01

Infiltration of a rock by an external fluid very often drives it out of chemical equilibrium. As a result, alteration of the rock mineral composition occurs. It does not however proceed uniformly in the entire rock volume. Instead, one or more reaction fronts are formed, which are zones of increased chemical activity, separating the altered (product) rock from the yet unaltered (primary) one. The reaction fronts propagate with velocities which are usually much smaller than those of the infiltrating fluid. One of the simplest examples of such alteration is the dissolution of some of the minerals building the primary rock. For instance, calcium carbonate minerals in the rock matrix can be dissolved by infiltrating acidic fluids. In such a case the product rock has higher porosity and permeability than the primary one. Due to positive feedbacks between the reactant transport, fluid flow, and porosity generation, the reaction fronts in porosity-generating replacement systems are inherently unstable. An arbitrarily small protrusion of the front gets magnified and develops into a highly porous finger-like or funnel-like structure. This feature of dissolution fronts, dubbed the "reactive-infiltration instability" [1], is responsible for the formation of a number of geological patterns, such as solution pipes or various karst forms. It is also of practical importance, since spontaneous front breakup and development of localized highly porous flow paths (a.k.a. "wormholes") is favourable by petroleum engineers, who apply acidization to oil-bearing reservoirs in order to increase their permeability. However, more complex chemical reactions might occur during infiltration of a rock by a fluid. In principle, the products of dissolution might react with other species present either in the fluid or in the rock and reprecipitate [2]. The dissolution and precipitation fronts develop and and begin to propagate with equal velocities, forming a single dissolution-precipitation front. The porosity profile is not monotonic as in the case of pure dissolution, but it typically has a minimum in the vicinity of the front. Additionally, the porosity difference between the initial rock far-downstream and the well-developed secondary rock far-upstream can be either negative or positive, which either destabilizes of stabilized the front. We propose a theoretical model of a simple infiltration-driven dissolution-precipitation system and find the morphology of the resulting planar reaction front. By performing linear stability analysis of the stationary planar solutions we show that the front can be unstable for a wide range of control parameters, even if the porosity of the secondary rock is lower than the porosity of the primary rock. Next, by numerical simulations of the full nonlinear model we present the long-term evolution of the system. [1] D. Chadam et al., IMA J. Appl. Math. 36, 207-221, 1986. [2] A. Putnis, Rev. Mineral. Geochemistry, 70(1), 87-124, 2009.

γ-Secretase inhibitor–resistant glioblastoma stem cells require RBPJ to propagate

PubMed Central

Fan, Xing

2016-01-01

Targeting glioblastoma stem cells with γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) disrupts the Notch pathway and has shown some benefit in both pre-clinical models and in patients during phase I/II clinical trials. However, it is largely unknown why some glioblastoma (GBM) does not respond to GSI treatment. In this issue of the JCI, Xie et al. determined that GSI-resistant brain tumor–initiating cells (BTICs) from GBM express a higher level of the gene RBPJ, which encodes a mediator of canonical Notch signaling, compared to non-BTICs. Knockdown of RBPJ in BTICs decreased propagation in vitro and in vivo by inducing apoptosis. Interestingly, RBPJ was shown to regulate a different transcription program than Notch in BTICs by binding CDK9, thereby affecting Pol II–regulated transcript elongation. Targeting CDK9 or c-MYC, an upstream regulator of RBPJ, with small molecules also decreased BTIC propagation, and prolonged survival in mice bearing orthotopic GBM xenografts. This study not only provides a mechanism for GSI treatment resistance, but also identifies two potential therapeutic strategies to target GSI-resistant BTICs. PMID:27322058

γ-Secretase inhibitor-resistant glioblastoma stem cells require RBPJ to propagate.

PubMed

Fan, Xing

2016-07-01

Targeting glioblastoma stem cells with γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) disrupts the Notch pathway and has shown some benefit in both pre-clinical models and in patients during phase I/II clinical trials. However, it is largely unknown why some glioblastoma (GBM) does not respond to GSI treatment. In this issue of the JCI, Xie et al. determined that GSI-resistant brain tumor-initiating cells (BTICs) from GBM express a higher level of the gene RBPJ, which encodes a mediator of canonical Notch signaling, compared to non-BTICs. Knockdown of RBPJ in BTICs decreased propagation in vitro and in vivo by inducing apoptosis. Interestingly, RBPJ was shown to regulate a different transcription program than Notch in BTICs by binding CDK9, thereby affecting Pol II-regulated transcript elongation. Targeting CDK9 or c-MYC, an upstream regulator of RBPJ, with small molecules also decreased BTIC propagation, and prolonged survival in mice bearing orthotopic GBM xenografts. This study not only provides a mechanism for GSI treatment resistance, but also identifies two potential therapeutic strategies to target GSI-resistant BTICs.

Radio-loud AGN Variability from Propagating Relativistic Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yutong; Schuh, Terance; Wiita, Paul J.

2018-06-01

The great majority of variable emission in radio-loud AGNs is understood to arise from the relativistic flows of plasma along two oppositely directed jets. We study this process using the Athena hydrodynamics code to simulate propagating three-dimensional relativistic jets for a wide range of input jet velocities and jet-to-ambient matter density ratios. We then focus on those simulations that remain essentially stable for extended distances (60-120 times the jet radius). Adopting results for the densities, pressures and velocities from these propagating simulations we estimate emissivities from each cell. The observed emissivity from each cell is strongly dependent upon its variable Doppler boosting factor, which depends upon the changing bulk velocities in those zones with respect to our viewing angle to the jet. We then sum the approximations to the fluxes from a large number of zones upstream of the primary reconfinement shock. The light curves so produced are similar to those of blazars, although turbulence on sub-grid scales is likely to be important for the variability on the shortest timescales.

Mechanism of Air Oxidation of the Fragrance Terpene Geraniol.

PubMed

Bäcktorp, Carina; Hagvall, Lina; Börje, Anna; Karlberg, Ann-Therese; Norrby, Per-Ola; Nyman, Gunnar

2008-01-01

The fragrance terpene geraniol autoxidizes upon air exposure and forms a mixture of oxidation products, some of which are skin sensitizers. Reactions of geraniol with O2 have been studied with DFT (B3LYP) and the computational results compared to experimentally observed product ratios. The oxidation is initiated by hydrogen abstraction, forming an allylic radical which combines with an O2 molecule to yield an intermediate peroxyl radical. In the subsequent step, geraniol differs from previously studied cases, in which the radical chain reaction is propagated through intermolecular hydrogen abstraction. The hydroxy-substituted allylic peroxyl radical prefers an intramolecular rearrangement, producing observable aldehydes and the hydroperoxyl radical, which in turn can propagate the radical reaction. Secondary oxidation products like epoxides and formates were also considered, and plausible reaction pathways for formation are proposed.

Remediation of Coal Tar by STAR: Self-Sustaining Propagation Across Clean Gaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerhard, J.; Brown, J.; Torero, J. L.; Grant, G.

2016-12-01

Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) is an emerging remediation technique which utilizes a subsurface smouldering reaction to destroy non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL) in situ. The reaction is self-sustaining in that, once ignited, the destructive smouldering front will propagate outwards using only the energy embedded in the contaminant. However, it is known that coal tar can occur as both a continuous pool as well as in distinct seams separated by clean intervals. This study evaluated the hypothesis that the smouldering reaction can cross or `jump' clean gaps by transferring enough heat through the gap to re-ignite the reaction in the contaminated region beyond. Column and 2D box experiments were performed at two scales to determine the maximum clean gap which could be jumped vertically and horizontally. Once the maximum gap had been determined, sensitivity to various in situ and engineering control parameters were explored including: coal tar layer thickness, soil permeability, moisture content, NAPL saturation, and air injection flowrate. High resolution thermocouples informed the progress of the reaction, continuous gas emissions analysis revealed when the reaction was active and dormant, and detailed excavation mapped the extent of remediation and whether gaps were successfully jumped. The work demonstrated that substantial clean gaps, approaching the limit of the laboratory scale, can be jumped by the smouldering reaction using convective heat transfer. Also observed in some cases was the mobilization of pre-heated coal tar into the clean gaps and the reaction's ability to propagate through and destroy coal tar both adjacent to and within the gaps. This work is providing new insights into the robust nature of the technology for in situ applications, and indicating how extreme the heterogeneity has to be before the reaction is interrupted and a new ignition location would be required.

Flow of a falling liquid curtain onto a moving substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yekun; Itoh, Masahiro; Kyotoh, Harumichi

2017-10-01

In this study, we investigate a low-Weber-number flow of a liquid curtain bridged between two vertical edge guides and the upper surface of a moving substrate. Surface waves are observed on the liquid curtain, which are generated due to a large pressure difference between the inner and outer region of the meniscus on the substrate, and propagate upstream. They are categorized as varicose waves that propagate upstream on the curtain and become stationary because of the downstream flow. The Kistler’s equation, which governs the flow in thin liquid curtains, is solved under the downstream boundary conditions, and the numerical solutions are studied carefully. The solutions are categorized into three cases depending on the boundary conditions. The stability of the varicose waves is also discussed as wavelets were observed on these waves. The two types of modes staggered and peak-valley patterns are considered in the present study, and they depend on the Reynolds number, the Weber number, and the amplitude of the surface waves. The former is observed in our experiment, while the latter is predicted by our calculation. Both the types of modes can be derived using the equations with periodic coefficients that originated from the periodic base flow due to the varicose waves. The stability analysis of the waves shows that the appearance of the peak-valley pattern requires a significantly greater amplitude of the waves, and a significantly higher Weber number and Reynolds number compared to the condition in which the staggered pattern is observed.

Transcritical flow of a stratified fluid over topography: analysis of the forced Gardner equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamchatnov, A. M.; Kuo, Y.-H.; Lin, T.-C.; Horng, T.-L.; Gou, S.-C.; Clift, R.; El, G. A.; Grimshaw, R. H. J.

2013-12-01

Transcritical flow of a stratified fluid past a broad localised topographic obstacle is studied analytically in the framework of the forced extended Korteweg--de Vries (eKdV), or Gardner, equation. We consider both possible signs for the cubic nonlinear term in the Gardner equation corresponding to different fluid density stratification profiles. We identify the range of the input parameters: the oncoming flow speed (the Froude number) and the topographic amplitude, for which the obstacle supports a stationary localised hydraulic transition from the subcritical flow upstream to the supercritical flow downstream. Such a localised transcritical flow is resolved back into the equilibrium flow state away from the obstacle with the aid of unsteady coherent nonlinear wave structures propagating upstream and downstream. Along with the regular, cnoidal undular bores occurring in the analogous problem for the single-layer flow modeled by the forced KdV equation, the transcritical internal wave flows support a diverse family of upstream and downstream wave structures, including solibores, rarefaction waves, reversed and trigonometric undular bores, which we describe using the recent development of the nonlinear modulation theory for the (unforced) Gardner equation. The predictions of the developed analytic construction are confirmed by direct numerical simulations of the forced Gardner equation for a broad range of input parameters.

Non-axisymmetric flow characteristics in centrifugal compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Leilei; Lao, Dazhong; Liu, Yixiong; Yang, Ce

2015-06-01

The flow field distribution in centrifugal compressor is significantly affected by the non-axisymmetric geometry structure of the volute. The experimental and numerical simulation methods were adopted in this work to study the compressor flow field distribution with different flow conditions. The results show that the pressure distributionin volute is characterized by the circumferential non-uniform phenomenon and the pressure fluctuation on the high static pressure zone propagates reversely to upstream, which results in the non-axisymmetric flow inside the compressor. The non-uniform level of pressure distribution in large flow condition is higher than that in small flow condition, its effect on the upstream flow field is also stronger. Additionally, the non-uniform circumferential pressure distribution in volute brings the non-axisymmetric flow at impeller outlet. In different flow conditions,the circumferential variation of the absolute flow angle at impeller outlet is also different. Meanwhile, the non-axisymmetric flow characteristics in internal impeller can be also reflected by the distribution of the mass flow. The high static pressure region of the volute corresponds to the decrease of mass flow in upstream blade channel, while the low static pressure zone of the volute corresponds to the increase of the mass flow. In small flow condition, the mass flow difference in the blade channel is bigger than that in the large flow condition.

Enhanced noise tolerance for 10 Gb/s Bi-directional cross-wavelength reuse colorless WDM-PON by using spectrally shaped OFDM signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhury, Pallab K.

2018-05-01

Spectrally shaped orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal for symmetric 10 Gb/s cross-wavelength reuse reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) based colorless wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network (WDM-PON) is proposed and further analyzed to support broadband services of next generation high speed optical access networks. The generated OFDM signal has subcarriers in separate frequency ranges for downstream and upstream, such that the re-modulation noise can be effectively minimized in upstream data receiver. Moreover, the cross wavelength reuse approach improves the tolerance against Rayleigh backscattering noise due to the propagation of different wavelengths in the same feeder fiber. The proposed WDM-PON is successfully demonstrated for 25 km fiber with 16-QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) OFDM signal having bandwidth of 2.5 GHz for 10 Gb/s operation and subcarrier frequencies in 3-5.5 GHz and DC-2.5 GHz for downstream (DS) and upstream (US) transmission respectively. The result shows that the proposed scheme maintains a good bit error rate (BER) performance below the forward error correction (FEC) limit of 3.8 × 10-3 at acceptable receiver sensitivity and provides a high resilience against re-modulation and Rayleigh backscattering noises as well as chromatic dispersion.

Optimization of biodiesel production in a hydrodynamic cavitation reactor using used frying oil.

PubMed

Ghayal, Dyneshwar; Pandit, Aniruddha B; Rathod, Virendra K

2013-01-01

The present work demonstrates the application of a hydrodynamic cavitation reactor for the synthesis of biodiesel with used frying oil as a feedstock. The synthesis involved the transesterification of used frying oil (UFO) with methanol in the presence of potassium hydroxide as a catalyst. The effect of geometry and upstream pressure of a cavitating orifice plate on the rate of transesterification reaction has been studied. It is observed that the micro level turbulence created by hydrodynamic cavitation somewhat overcomes the mass transfer limitations for triphasic transesterification reaction. The significant effects of upstream pressure on the rate of formation of methyl esters have been seen. It has been observed that flow geometry of orifice plate plays a crucial role in process intensification. With an optimized plate geometry of 2mm hole diameter and 25 holes, more than 95% of triglycerides have been converted to methyl esters in 10 min of reaction time with cavitational yield of 1.28 × 10(-3) (Grams of methyl esters produced per Joule of energy supplied). The potential of UFO to produce good quality methyl esters has been demonstrated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pore Fluid Extraction by Reactive Solitary Waves in 3-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omlin, Samuel; Malvoisin, Benjamin; Podladchikov, Yury Y.

2017-09-01

In the lower crust, viscous compaction is known to produce solitary porosity and fluid pressure waves. Metamorphic (de)volatilization reactions can also induce porosity changes in response to the propagating fluid pressure anomalies. Here we present results from high-resolution simulations using Graphic Processing Unit parallel processing with a model that includes both viscous (de)compaction and reaction-induced porosity changes. Reactive porosity waves propagate in a manner similar to viscous porosity waves, but through a different mechanism involving fluid release and trap in the solid by reaction. These waves self-generate from red noise or an ellipsoidal porosity anomaly with the same characteristic size and abandon their source region to propagate at constant velocity. Two waves traveling at different velocities pass through each other in a soliton-like fashion. Reactive porosity waves thus provide an additional mechanism for fluid extraction at shallow depths with implications for ore formation, diagenesis, metamorphic veins formation, and fluid extraction from subduction zones.

Numerical simulation of premixed flame propagation in a closed tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzuu, Kazuto; Ishii, Katsuya; Kuwahara, Kunio

1996-08-01

Premixed flame propagation of methane-air mixture in a closed tube is estimated through a direct numerical simulation of the three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes equations coupled with chemical reaction. In order to deal with a combusting flow, an extended version of the MAC method, which can be applied to a compressible flow with strong density variation, is employed as a numerical method. The chemical reaction is assumed to be an irreversible single step reaction between methane and oxygen. The chemical species are CH 4, O 2, N 2, CO 2, and H 2O. In this simulation, we reproduce a formation of a tulip flame in a closed tube during the flame propagation. Furthermore we estimate not only a two-dimensional shape but also a three-dimensional structure of the flame and flame-induced vortices, which cannot be observed in the experiments. The agreement between the calculated results and the experimental data is satisfactory, and we compare the phenomenon near the side wall with the one in the corner of the tube.

A Role of the Reaction Kernel in Propagation and Stabilization of Edge Diffusion Flames of C1-C3 Hydrocarbons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, Fumiaki; Katta, Viswanath R.

2003-01-01

Diffusion flame stabilization is of essential importance in both Earth-bound combustion systems and spacecraft fire safety. Local extinction, re-ignition, and propagation processes may occur as a result of interactions between the flame zone and vortices or fire-extinguishing agents. By using a computational fluid dynamics code with a detailed chemistry model for methane combustion, the authors have revealed the chemical kinetic structure of the stabilizing region of both jet and flat-plate diffusion flames, predicted the flame stability limit, and proposed diffusion flame attachment and detachment mechanisms in normal and microgravity. Because of the unique geometry of the edge of diffusion flames, radical back-diffusion against the oxygen-rich entrainment dramatically enhanced chain reactions, thus forming a peak reactivity spot, i.e., reaction kernel, responsible for flame holding. The new results have been obtained for the edge diffusion flame propagation and attached flame structure using various C1-C3 hydrocarbons.

Multiple pure tone noise prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Fei; Sharma, Anupam; Paliath, Umesh; Shieh, Chingwei

2014-12-01

This paper presents a fully numerical method for predicting multiple pure tones, also known as “Buzzsaw” noise. It consists of three steps that account for noise source generation, nonlinear acoustic propagation with hard as well as lined walls inside the nacelle, and linear acoustic propagation outside the engine. Noise generation is modeled by steady, part-annulus computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. A linear superposition algorithm is used to construct full-annulus shock/pressure pattern just upstream of the fan from part-annulus CFD results. Nonlinear wave propagation is carried out inside the duct using a pseudo-two-dimensional solution of Burgers' equation. Scattering from nacelle lip as well as radiation to farfield is performed using the commercial solver ACTRAN/TM. The proposed prediction process is verified by comparing against full-annulus CFD simulations as well as against static engine test data for a typical high bypass ratio aircraft engine with hardwall as well as lined inlets. Comparisons are drawn against nacelle unsteady pressure transducer measurements at two axial locations as well as against near- and far-field microphone array measurements outside the duct. This is the first fully numerical approach (no experimental or empirical input is required) to predict multiple pure tone noise generation, in-duct propagation and far-field radiation. It uses measured blade coordinates to calculate MPT noise.

Experimental Study on Reaction Characteristics of PTFE/Ti/W Energetic Materials under Explosive Loading

PubMed Central

Li, Yan; Jiang, Chunlan; Wang, Zaicheng; Luo, Puguang

2016-01-01

Metal/fluoropolymer composites represent a new category of energetic structural materials that release energy through exothermic chemical reactions initiated under shock loading conditions. This paper describes an experiment designed to study the reaction characteristics of energetic materials with low porosity under explosive loading. Three PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)/Ti/W mixtures with different W contents are processed through pressing and sintering. An inert PTFE/W mixture without reactive Ti particles is also prepared to serve as a reference. Shock-induced chemical reactions are recorded by high-speed video through a narrow observation window. Related shock parameters are calculated based on experimental data, and differences in energy release are discussed. The results show that the reaction propagation of PTFE/Ti/W energetic materials with low porosity under explosive loading is not self-sustained. As propagation distance increases, the energy release gradually decreases. In addition, reaction failure distance in PTFE/Ti/W composites is inversely proportional to the W content. Porosity increased the failure distance due to higher shock temperature. PMID:28774056

Bayesian inversion analysis of nonlinear dynamics in surface heterogeneous reactions.

PubMed

Omori, Toshiaki; Kuwatani, Tatsu; Okamoto, Atsushi; Hukushima, Koji

2016-09-01

It is essential to extract nonlinear dynamics from time-series data as an inverse problem in natural sciences. We propose a Bayesian statistical framework for extracting nonlinear dynamics of surface heterogeneous reactions from sparse and noisy observable data. Surface heterogeneous reactions are chemical reactions with conjugation of multiple phases, and they have the intrinsic nonlinearity of their dynamics caused by the effect of surface-area between different phases. We adapt a belief propagation method and an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm to partial observation problem, in order to simultaneously estimate the time course of hidden variables and the kinetic parameters underlying dynamics. The proposed belief propagation method is performed by using sequential Monte Carlo algorithm in order to estimate nonlinear dynamical system. Using our proposed method, we show that the rate constants of dissolution and precipitation reactions, which are typical examples of surface heterogeneous reactions, as well as the temporal changes of solid reactants and products, were successfully estimated only from the observable temporal changes in the concentration of the dissolved intermediate product.

Efficient kinetic Monte Carlo method for reaction-diffusion problems with spatially varying annihilation rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, Karsten; Rieger, Heiko

2013-03-01

We present an efficient Monte Carlo method to simulate reaction-diffusion processes with spatially varying particle annihilation or transformation rates as it occurs for instance in the context of motor-driven intracellular transport. Like Green's function reaction dynamics and first-passage time methods, our algorithm avoids small diffusive hops by propagating sufficiently distant particles in large hops to the boundaries of protective domains. Since for spatially varying annihilation or transformation rates the single particle diffusion propagator is not known analytically, we present an algorithm that generates efficiently either particle displacements or annihilations with the correct statistics, as we prove rigorously. The numerical efficiency of the algorithm is demonstrated with an illustrative example.

Propagation and scattering of acoustic-vorticity waves in annular swirling flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golubev, Vladimir Viktorovich

1997-08-01

The dissertation presents a fundamental extension of unsteady aerodynamic theory developed to predict fluctuating forces on aircraft structural components. These excitations may result from a variety of upstream flow non-uniformities such as atmospheric turbulence, airframe tip vortices and wakes, engine inlet distortions and secondary flows. In the frame of reference of a downstream aircraft component, an upstream flow non- uniformity appears as a propagating vorticity wave (a gust). Classical treatment of gust interaction problems developed for uniform, potential upstream mean flows is based on the fact that it is possible to consider separately incident or scattered acoustic, entropic and vortical modes of unsteady flow motion. A purely vortical gust remains 'frozen' as it convects with the flow. The coupling between different unsteady components may occur only at the surface of a solid structure, or in the close vicinity of a lifting body. The classical approach, however, is not justified for an aircraft engine system where the internal turbomachinery flow is non-uniform and non-potential as it exhibits a strong swirling motion. In such a flow, acting centrifugal and Coriolis forces couple the various unsteady modes which thus can no longer be determined independently of each other. The new developed theory follows the decomposition of unsteady velocity field into vortical and potential components. In spite of the modal coupling, this decomposition elucidates the physical phenomena associated with unsteady swirling motion by indicating the degree of interaction between the various modes. It paves the way for generalizing the classical definition of a gust for vortical swirling flows. The concept of a generalized gust is developed based on the eigenmode pseudospectral analysis of the coupled equations of unsteady swirling motion. This analysis reveals two distinct regions of eigenvalues corresponding to pressure-dominated nearly-sonic and vorticity- dominated nearly-convected eigenmodes. A compact discrete spectrum of nearly-convected eigenvalues clusters with infinitely increasing density approaching an accumulation convected critical layer. The generalized gust is then identified with the nearly-convected eigenspectrum and formulated in terms of a non-amplifying nearly-convected wave and an instability wave growing in the critical layer. Based on the generalized gust model, a boundary-value problem of unsteady three-dimensional acoustic-vorticity waves propagating in a vortical swirling flow and impinging on a turbomachinery blading is formulated and solved numerically. A set of benchmark results reveals a significant effect of swirling flow motion on aerodynamic and acoustic response of the annular cascade.

CEM2k and LAQGSM Codes as Event-Generators for Space Radiation Shield and Cosmic Rays Propagation Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mashnik, S. G.; Gudima, K. K.; Sierk, A. J.; Moskalenko, I. V.

2002-01-01

Space radiation shield applications and studies of cosmic ray propagation in the Galaxy require reliable cross sections to calculate spectra of secondary particles and yields of the isotopes produced in nuclear reactions induced both by particles and nuclei at energies from threshold to hundreds of GeV per nucleon. Since the data often exist in a very limited energy range or sometimes not at all, the only way to obtain an estimate of the production cross sections is to use theoretical models and codes. Recently, we have developed improved versions of the Cascade-Exciton Model (CEM) of nuclear reactions: the codes CEM97 and CEM2k for description of particle-nucleus reactions at energies up to about 5 GeV. In addition, we have developed a LANL version of the Quark-Gluon String Model (LAQGSM) to describe reactions induced both by particles and nuclei at energies up to hundreds of GeVhucleon. We have tested and benchmarked the CEM and LAQGSM codes against a large variety of experimental data and have compared their results with predictions by other currently available models and codes. Our benchmarks show that CEM and LAQGSM codes have predictive powers no worse than other currently used codes and describe many reactions better than other codes; therefore both our codes can be used as reliable event-generators for space radiation shield and cosmic ray propagation applications. The CEM2k code is being incorporated into the transport code MCNPX (and several other transport codes), and we plan to incorporate LAQGSM into MCNPX in the near future. Here, we present the current status of the CEM2k and LAQGSM codes, and show results and applications to studies of cosmic ray propagation in the Galaxy.

Achieving a golden mean: mechanisms by which coronaviruses ensure synthesis of the correct stoichiometric ratios of viral proteins.

PubMed

Plant, Ewan P; Rakauskaite, Rasa; Taylor, Deborah R; Dinman, Jonathan D

2010-05-01

In retroviruses and the double-stranded RNA totiviruses, the efficiency of programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting is critical for ensuring the proper ratios of upstream-encoded capsid proteins to downstream-encoded replicase enzymes. The genomic organizations of many other frameshifting viruses, including the coronaviruses, are very different, in that their upstream open reading frames encode nonstructural proteins, the frameshift-dependent downstream open reading frames encode enzymes involved in transcription and replication, and their structural proteins are encoded by subgenomic mRNAs. The biological significance of frameshifting efficiency and how the relative ratios of proteins encoded by the upstream and downstream open reading frames affect virus propagation has not been explored before. Here, three different strategies were employed to test the hypothesis that the -1 PRF signals of coronaviruses have evolved to produce the correct ratios of upstream- to downstream-encoded proteins. Specifically, infectious clones of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus harboring mutations that lower frameshift efficiency decreased infectivity by >4 orders of magnitude. Second, a series of frameshift-promoting mRNA pseudoknot mutants was employed to demonstrate that the frameshift signals of the SARS-associated coronavirus and mouse hepatitis virus have evolved to promote optimal frameshift efficiencies. Finally, we show that a previously described frameshift attenuator element does not actually affect frameshifting per se but rather serves to limit the fraction of ribosomes available for frameshifting. The findings of these analyses all support a "golden mean" model in which viruses use both programmed ribosomal frameshifting and translational attenuation to control the relative ratios of their encoded proteins.

Satellite Altimetry based River Forecasting of Transboundary Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, F.; Siddique-E-Akbor, A.; Lee, H.; Shum, C.; Biancamaria, S.

2012-12-01

Forecasting of this transboundary flow in downstream nations however remains notoriously difficult due to the lack of basin-wide in-situ hydrologic measurements or its real-time sharing among nations. In addition, human regulation of upstream flow through diversion projects and dams, make hydrologic models less effective for forecasting on their own. Using the Ganges-Brahmaputra (GB) basin as an example, this study assesses the feasibility of using JASON-2 satellite altimetry for forecasting such transboundary flow at locations further inside the downstream nation of Bangladesh by propagating forecasts derived from upstream (Indian) locations through a hydrodynamic river model. The 5-day forecast of river levels at upstream boundary points inside Bangladesh are used to initialize daily simulation of the hydrodynamic river model and yield the 5-day forecast river level further downstream inside Bangladesh. The forecast river levels are then compared with the 5-day-later "now cast" simulation by the river model based on in-situ river level at the upstream boundary points in Bangladesh. Future directions for satellite-based forecasting of flow are also briefly overviewed.round tracks or virtual stations of JASON-2 (J2) altimeter over the GB basin shown in yellow lines. The locations where the track crosses a river and used for deriving forecasting rating curves is shown with a circle and station number (magenta- Brahmaputra basin; blue - Ganges basin). Circles without a station number represent the broader view of sampling by JASON-2 if all the ground tracks on main stem rivers and neighboring tributaries of Ganges and Brahmaputra are considered.

Effects of equivalence ratio variation on lean, stratified methane-air laminar counterflow flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, E. S.; Granet, V. E.; Eyssartier, A.; Chen, J. H.

2010-11-01

The effects of equivalence ratio variations on flame structure and propagation have been studied computationally. Equivalence ratio stratification is a key technology for advanced low emission combustors. Laminar counterflow simulations of lean methane-air combustion have been presented which show the effect of strain variations on flames stabilized in an equivalence ratio gradient, and the response of flames propagating into a mixture with a time-varying equivalence ratio. 'Back supported' lean flames, whose products are closer to stoichiometry than their reactants, display increased propagation velocities and reduced thickness compared with flames where the reactants are richer than the products. The radical concentrations in the vicinity of the flame are modified by the effect of an equivalence ratio gradient on the temperature profile and thermal dissociation. Analysis of steady flames stabilized in an equivalence ratio gradient demonstrates that the radical flux through the flame, and the modified radical concentrations in the reaction zone, contribute to the modified propagation speed and thickness of stratified flames. The modified concentrations of radical species in stratified flames mean that, in general, the reaction rate is not accurately parametrized by progress variable and equivalence ratio alone. A definition of stratified flame propagation based upon the displacement speed of a mixture fraction dependent progress variable was seen to be suitable for stratified combustion. The response times of the reaction, diffusion, and cross-dissipation components which contribute to this displacement speed have been used to explain flame response to stratification and unsteady fluid dynamic strain.

Evaluation of electrical propagation delay with cardiomyocytes by photosensitization reaction in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doi, Marika; Ogawa, Emiyu; Arai, Tsunenori

2017-02-01

In order to study cardiomyocyte electrical conduction damage by a photosensitization reaction (PR) mostly comes from outside of the cells in a few minutes after the PR, we studied propagation delay of contact action potential with cardiomyocyte by the PR. To determine appropriate PR condition for tachyarrhythmia ablation, a precise electrophysiological experiment in vitro has been preferable. We measured the contact action potential using a microelectrode array system of which information may be correct than conventional Ca2+ measurement. We investigated the propagation delays of an evoked potential to evaluate the electrical conduction damage by the PR. Rat cardiomyocytes were cultivated for 5-7 days on a dish with which 64 electrodes were patterned, in an incubator controlled to 37°C, 5% CO2. The following conditions were used for the PR: 40 μg/ml talapordfin sodium and 290 mW/cm2, 40-78 J/cm2 for an irradiation. A 2D map was obtained to visualize the propagation delays of the evoked potential. The propagation speed, which was calculated based on the measured propagation delays, was decreased by about 30-50% on average of all electrodes after the PR. Therefore, we think 2D propagation delays measurement of the evoked potential with contact action potential measuring system might be available to evaluate the acute electrical conduction damage of cardiomyocyte by the PR.

A computational study of pyrolysis reactions of lignin model compounds

Treesearch

Thomas Elder

2010-01-01

Enthalpies of reaction for the initial steps in the pyrolysis of lignin have been evaluated at the CBS-4m level of theory using fully substituted b-O-4 dilignols. Values for competing unimolecular decomposition reactions are consistent with results previously published for phenethyl phenyl ether models, but with lowered selectivity. Chain propagating reactions of free...

The role of upstream distal electrodes in mitigating electrochemical degradation of ionic liquid ion sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brikner, Natalya; Lozano, Paulo C.

2012-11-01

Ionic liquid ion sources produce molecular ions from micro-tip emitters wetted with room-temperature molten salts. When a single ion polarity is extracted, counterions accumulate and generate electrochemical reactions that limit the source lifetime. The dynamics of double layer formation are reviewed and distal electrode contacts are introduced to resolve detrimental electrochemical decomposition effects at the micro-tip apex. By having the emitter follow the ionic liquid potential, operation can be achieved for an extended period of time with no apparent degradation of the material, indicating that electrochemistry can be curtailed and isolated to the upstream distal electrode.

Effects of Buoyancy on the Flowfields of Lean Premixed Turbulent V-Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, R. K.; Bedat, B.; Yegian, D. T.; Greenberg, P.

1999-01-01

Open laboratory turbulent flames used for investigating fundamental flame turbulence interactions are greatly affected by buoyancy. Though much of our current knowledge is based on observations made in open flames, buoyancy effects are usually not considered in data interpretation, numerical analysis or theories. This inconsistency remains an obstacle to merging experimental observations and theoretical predictions. To better understanding the effects of buoyancy, our research focuses on steady lean premixed flames propagating in fully developed turbulence. We hypothesize that the most significant role of buoyancy forces on these flames is to influence their flowfields through a coupling with the mean and the fluctuating pressure fields. This coupling relates to the elliptical problem that emphasizes the importance of the upstream, wall and downstream boundary conditions in determining all aspects of flame propagation. Therefore, buoyancy has the same significance as other parameters such as flow configuration, and flame geometry.

Fracture propagation and stability of ice shelves governed by ice shelf heterogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borstad, Chris; McGrath, Daniel; Pope, Allen

2017-05-01

Tabular iceberg calving and ice shelf retreat occurs after full-thickness fractures, known as rifts, propagate across an ice shelf. A quickly evolving rift signals a threat to the stability of Larsen C, the Antarctic Peninsula's largest ice shelf. Here we reveal the influence of ice shelf heterogeneity on the growth of this rift, with implications that challenge existing notions of ice shelf stability. Most of the rift extension has occurred in bursts after overcoming the resistance of suture zones that bind together neighboring glacier inflows. We model the stresses in the ice shelf to determine potential rift trajectories. Calving perturbations to ice flow will likely reach the grounding line. The stability of Larsen C may hinge on a single suture zone that stabilizes numerous upstream rifts. Elevated fracture toughness of suture zones may be the most important property that allows ice shelves to modulate Antarctica's contribution to sea level rise.

Plasma ion stratification by weak planar shocks

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

Simakov, Andrei N.; Keenan, Brett D.; Taitano, William T.

We derive fluid equations for describing steady-state planar shocks of a moderate strength (0 < M - 1 ≲ 1 with M the shock Mach number) propagating through an unmagnetized quasineutral collisional plasma comprising two separate ion species. In addition to the standard fluid shock quantities, such as the total mass density, mass-flow velocity, and electron and average ion temperatures, the equations describe shock stratification in terms of variations in the relative concentrations and temperatures of the two ion species along the shock propagation direction. We have solved these equations analytically for weak shocks (0 < M - 1 <

Plasma Ion Stratification by Weak Planar Shocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simakov, A. N.; Keenan, B. D.; Taitano, W. T.; Chacón, L.

2017-10-01

We derive fluid equations for describing steady-state planar shocks of a moderate strength (0

Plasma ion stratification by weak planar shocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simakov, Andrei N.; Keenan, Brett D.; Taitano, William T.; Chacón, Luis

2017-09-01

We derive fluid equations for describing steady-state planar shocks of a moderate strength ( 0

Plasma ion stratification by weak planar shocks

DOE PAGES

Simakov, Andrei N.; Keenan, Brett D.; Taitano, William T.; ...

2017-08-01

We derive fluid equations for describing steady-state planar shocks of a moderate strength (0 < M - 1 ≲ 1 with M the shock Mach number) propagating through an unmagnetized quasineutral collisional plasma comprising two separate ion species. In addition to the standard fluid shock quantities, such as the total mass density, mass-flow velocity, and electron and average ion temperatures, the equations describe shock stratification in terms of variations in the relative concentrations and temperatures of the two ion species along the shock propagation direction. We have solved these equations analytically for weak shocks (0 < M - 1 <

Analysis and modeling of localized invariant solutions in pipe flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritter, Paul; Zammert, Stefan; Song, Baofang; Eckhardt, Bruno; Avila, Marc

2018-01-01

Turbulent spots surrounded by laminar flow are a landmark of transitional shear flows, but the dependence of their kinematic properties on spatial structure is poorly understood. We here investigate this dependence in pipe flow for Reynolds numbers between 1500 and 5000. We compute spatially localized relative periodic orbits in long pipes and show that their upstream and downstream fronts decay exponentially towards the laminar profile. This allows us to model the fronts by employing the linearized Navier-Stokes equations, and the resulting model yields the spatial decay rate and the front velocity profiles of the periodic orbits as a function of Reynolds number, azimuthal wave number, and propagation speed. In addition, when applied to a localized turbulent puff, the model is shown to accurately approximate the spatial decay rate of its upstream and downstream tails. Our study provides insight into the relationship between the kinematics and spatial structure of localized turbulence and more generally into the physics of localization.

Generation of forerunner electron beam during interaction of ion beam pulse with plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hara, Kentaro; Kaganovich, Igor D.; Startsev, Edward A.

2018-01-01

The long-time evolution of the two-stream instability of a cold tenuous ion beam pulse propagating through the background plasma with density much higher than the ion beam density is investigated using a large-scale one-dimensional electrostatic kinetic simulation. The three stages of the instability are investigated in detail. After the initial linear growth and saturation by the electron trapping, a portion of the initially trapped electrons becomes detrapped and moves ahead of the ion beam pulse forming a forerunner electron beam, which causes a secondary two-stream instability that preheats the upstream plasma electrons. Consequently, the self-consistent nonlinear-driven turbulent state is set up at the head of the ion beam pulse with the saturated plasma wave sustained by the influx of the cold electrons from upstream of the beam that lasts until the final stage when the beam ions become trapped by the plasma wave. The beam ion trapping leads to the nonlinear heating of the beam ions that eventually extinguishes the instability.

Cavity ignition of liquid kerosene in supersonic flow with a laser-induced plasma.

PubMed

Li, Xiaohui; Yang, Leichao; Peng, Jiangbo; Yu, Xin; Liang, Jianhan; Sun, Rui

2016-10-31

We have for the first time achieved cavity ignition and sustainable combustion of liquid kerosene in supersonic flow of Mach number 2.52 using a laser-induced plasma (LIP) on a model supersonic combustor equipped with dual cavities in tandem as flameholders. The liquid kerosene of ambient temperature is injected from the front wall of the upstream cavity, while the ignitions have been conducted in both cavities. High-speed chemiluminescence imaging shows that the flame kernel initiated in the downstream cavity can propagate contraflow into upstream cavity and establish full sustainable combustion. Based on the qualitative distribution of the kerosene vapor in the cavity, obtained using the kerosene planar laser-induced fluorescence technique, we find that the fuel atomization and evaporation, local hydrodynamic and mixing conditions in the vicinity of the ignition position and in the leading edge area of the cavity have combined effects on the flame kernel evolution and the eventual ignition results.

On the upstream boundary of electron foreshocks in the solar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimbardo, G.; Veltri, P.

1995-01-01

The upstream boundary of electron foreshocks is defined as the path of the fastest electrons reflected by collisionless shocks and moving along the magnetic field in the solar wind. Considerable levels of magnetic fluctuations are found in these regions of the solar wind, and their effect is to create both a broadening and a fine structure of the electron foreshock boundary. The magnetic structure is studied by means of a 3-D numerical simulation of a turbulent magnetic field. Enhanced, anomalous diffusion is found, (Delta x(exp 2)) varies as s(sup alpha), where alpha is greater than 1 for typical values of the parameters (here, Delta x(exp 2) is the mean square width of the tangent magnetic surface and s is the field line length). This corresponds to a Levy flight regime for the magnetic field line random walk, and allows very efficient electron propagation perpendicular to the magnetic field. Implications on the observations of planetary foreshocks and of the termination shock foreshock are considered.

Large amplitude MHD waves upstream of the Jovian bow shock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, M. L.; Smith, C. W.; Matthaeus, W. H.

1983-01-01

Observations of large amplitude magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) waves upstream of Jupiter's bow shock are analyzed. The waves are found to be right circularly polarized in the solar wind frame which suggests that they are propagating in the fast magnetosonic mode. A complete spectral and minimum variance eigenvalue analysis of the data was performed. The power spectrum of the magnetic fluctuations contains several peaks. The fluctuations at 2.3 mHz have a direction of minimum variance along the direction of the average magnetic field. The direction of minimum variance of these fluctuations lies at approximately 40 deg. to the magnetic field and is parallel to the radial direction. We argue that these fluctuations are waves excited by protons reflected off the Jovian bow shock. The inferred speed of the reflected protons is about two times the solar wind speed in the plasma rest frame. A linear instability analysis is presented which suggests an explanation for many of the observed features of the observations.

Active control of reheat buzz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dowling, A. P.; Hooper, N.; Langhorne, P. J.; Bloxsidge, G. J.

1987-01-01

Reheat buzz is a low-frequency combustion instability involving the propagation of longitudinal pressure waves inside a duct in which a flame is anchored. Active control has been successfully applied to this instability. The controller alters the upstream acoustic boundary condition and thereby changes the energy balance in duct. Control is found to reduce the peak in the pressure spectrum due to the combustion instability by 20 dB. The acoustic energy in the whole 0-800-Hz bandwidth is reduced to about 10 percent of its uncontrolled value. A comparison with numerical calculations is presented.

Influence of water mist on propagation and suppression of laminar premixed flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyakov, Nikolay S.; Babushok, Valeri I.; Minaev, Sergei S.

2018-03-01

The combustion of premixed gas mixtures containing micro droplets of water was studied using one-dimensional approximation. The dependencies of the burning velocity and flammability limits on the initial conditions and on the properties of liquid droplets were analyzed. Effects of droplet size and concentration of added liquid were studied. It was demonstrated that the droplets with smaller diameters are more effective in reducing the flame velocity. For droplets vaporizing in the reaction zone, the burning velocity is independent of droplet size, and it depends only on the concentration of added liquid. With further increase of the droplet diameter the droplets are passing through the reaction zone with completion of vaporization in the combustion products. It was demonstrated that for droplets above a certain size there are two stable stationary modes of flame propagation with transition of hysteresis type. The critical conditions of the transition are due to the appearance of the temperature maximum at the flame front and the temperature gradient with heat losses from the reaction zone to the products, as a result of droplet vaporization passing through the reaction zone. The critical conditions are similar to the critical conditions of the classical flammability limits of flame with the thermal mechanism of flame propagation. The maximum decrease in the burning velocity and decrease in the combustion temperature at the critical turning point corresponds to predictions of the classical theories of flammability limits of Zel'dovich and Spalding. The stability analysis of stationary modes of flame propagation in the presence of water mist showed the lack of oscillatory processes in the frames of the assumed model.

Predicting effects of structural stress in a genome-reduced model bacterial metabolism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güell, Oriol; Sagués, Francesc; Serrano, M. Ángeles

2012-08-01

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a human pathogen recently proposed as a genome-reduced model for bacterial systems biology. Here, we study the response of its metabolic network to different forms of structural stress, including removal of individual and pairs of reactions and knockout of genes and clusters of co-expressed genes. Our results reveal a network architecture as robust as that of other model bacteria regarding multiple failures, although less robust against individual reaction inactivation. Interestingly, metabolite motifs associated to reactions can predict the propagation of inactivation cascades and damage amplification effects arising in double knockouts. We also detect a significant correlation between gene essentiality and damages produced by single gene knockouts, and find that genes controlling high-damage reactions tend to be expressed independently of each other, a functional switch mechanism that, simultaneously, acts as a genetic firewall to protect metabolism. Prediction of failure propagation is crucial for metabolic engineering or disease treatment.

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

J-M. Laget

Exclusive reactions induced at high momentum transfer in few body systems provide us with an original way to study the production and propagation of hadrons in cold nuclear matter. In very well-defined parts of the phase space, the reaction amplitude develops a logarithmic singularity. It is on solid ground since it depends on only on-shell elementary amplitudes and on low momentum components of the nuclear wave function. This is the best window for studying the propagation of exotic configurations of hadrons such as the onset of color transparency. It may appear earlier in meson-photoproduction reactions, more particularly in the strangemore » sector, than in the more classical quasi-elastic scattering of electrons. More generally, those reactions provide us with the best tool to determine the cross section of the scattering of various hadrons (strange particles, vector mesons) from the nucleon and to obtain the production of possible exotic states.« less

Burning invariant manifolds for reaction fronts in three-dimensional fluid flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Kevin; Solomon, Tom

2017-11-01

The geometry of reaction fronts that propagate in fully three-dimensional (3D) fluid flows is studied using the tools of dynamical systems theory. The evolution of an infinitesimal front element is modeled as a six-dimensional ODE-three dimensions for the position of the front element and three for the orientation of its unit normal. This generalizes an earlier approach to understanding front propagation in two-dimensional (2D) fluid flows. As in 2D, the 3D system exhibits prominent burning invariant manifolds (BIMs). In 3D, BIMs are two-dimensional dynamically defined surfaces that form one-way barriers to the propagation of reaction fronts within the fluid. Due to the third dimension, BIMs in 3D exhibit a richer topology than their cousins in 2D. In particular, whereas BIMs in both 2D and 3D can originate from fixed points of the dynamics, BIMs in 3D can also originate from limit cycles. Such BIMs form robust tube-like channels that guide and constrain the evolution of the front within the bulk of the fluid. Supported by NSF Grant CMMI-1201236.

Co-ordinated spatial propagation of blood plasma clotting and fibrinolytic fronts

PubMed Central

Zhalyalov, Ansar S.; Panteleev, Mikhail A.; Gracheva, Marina A.; Ataullakhanov, Fazoil I.

2017-01-01

Fibrinolysis is a cascade of proteolytic reactions occurring in blood and soft tissues, which functions to disintegrate fibrin clots when they are no more needed. In order to elucidate its regulation in space and time, fibrinolysis was investigated using an in vitro reaction-diffusion experimental model of blood clot formation and dissolution. Clotting was activated by a surface with immobilized tissue factor in a thin layer of recalcified blood plasma supplemented with tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), urokinase plasminogen activator or streptokinase. Formation and dissolution of fibrin clot was monitored by videomicroscopy. Computer systems biology model of clot formation and lysis was developed for data analysis and experimental planning. Fibrin clot front propagated in space from tissue factor, followed by a front of clot dissolution propagating from the same source. Velocity of lysis front propagation linearly depended on the velocity clotting front propagation (correlation r2 = 0.91). Computer model revealed that fibrin formation was indeed the rate-limiting step in the fibrinolysis front propagation. The phenomenon of two fronts which switched the state of blood plasma from liquid to solid and then back to liquid did not depend on the fibrinolysis activator. Interestingly, TPA at high concentrations began to increase lysis onset time and to decrease lysis propagation velocity, presumably due to plasminogen depletion. Spatially non-uniform lysis occurred simultaneously with clot formation and detached the clot from the procoagulant surface. These patterns of spatial fibrinolysis provide insights into its regulation and might explain clinical phenomena associated with thrombolytic therapy. PMID:28686711

Solutions to time variant problems of real-time expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeh, Show-Way; Wu, Chuan-Lin; Hung, Chaw-Kwei

1988-01-01

Real-time expert systems for monitoring and control are driven by input data which changes with time. One of the subtle problems of this field is the propagation of time variant problems from rule to rule. This propagation problem is even complicated under a multiprogramming environment where the expert system may issue test commands to the system to get data and to access time consuming devices to retrieve data for concurrent reasoning. Two approaches are used to handle the flood of input data. Snapshots can be taken to freeze the system from time to time. The expert system treats the system as a stationary one and traces changes by comparing consecutive snapshots. In the other approach, when an input is available, the rules associated with it are evaluated. For both approaches, if the premise condition of a fired rule is changed to being false, the downstream rules should be deactivated. If the status change is due to disappearance of a transient problem, actions taken by the fired downstream rules which are no longer true may need to be undone. If a downstream rule is being evaluated, it should not be fired. Three mechanisms for solving this problem are discussed: tracing, backward checking, and censor setting. In the forward tracing mechanism, when the premise conditions of a fired rule become false, the premise conditions of downstream rules which have been fired or are being evaluated due to the firing of that rule are reevaluated. A tree with its root at the rule being deactivated is traversed. In the backward checking mechanism, when a rule is being fired, the expert system checks back on the premise conditions of the upstream rules that result in evaluation of the rule to see whether it should be fired. The root of the tree being traversed is the rule being fired. In the censor setting mechanism, when a rule is to be evaluated, a censor is constructed based on the premise conditions of the upstream rules and the censor is evaluated just before the rule is fired. Unlike the backward checking mechanism, this one does not search the upstream rules. This paper explores the details of implementation of the three mechanisms.

Robust information propagation through noisy neural circuits

PubMed Central

Pouget, Alexandre

2017-01-01

Sensory neurons give highly variable responses to stimulation, which can limit the amount of stimulus information available to downstream circuits. Much work has investigated the factors that affect the amount of information encoded in these population responses, leading to insights about the role of covariability among neurons, tuning curve shape, etc. However, the informativeness of neural responses is not the only relevant feature of population codes; of potentially equal importance is how robustly that information propagates to downstream structures. For instance, to quantify the retina’s performance, one must consider not only the informativeness of the optic nerve responses, but also the amount of information that survives the spike-generating nonlinearity and noise corruption in the next stage of processing, the lateral geniculate nucleus. Our study identifies the set of covariance structures for the upstream cells that optimize the ability of information to propagate through noisy, nonlinear circuits. Within this optimal family are covariances with “differential correlations”, which are known to reduce the information encoded in neural population activities. Thus, covariance structures that maximize information in neural population codes, and those that maximize the ability of this information to propagate, can be very different. Moreover, redundancy is neither necessary nor sufficient to make population codes robust against corruption by noise: redundant codes can be very fragile, and synergistic codes can—in some cases—optimize robustness against noise. PMID:28419098

Ducted-Fan Engine Acoustic Predictions using a Navier-Stokes Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rumsey, C. L.; Biedron, R. T.; Farassat, F.; Spence, P. L.

1998-01-01

A Navier-Stokes computer code is used to predict one of the ducted-fan engine acoustic modes that results from rotor-wake/stator-blade interaction. A patched sliding-zone interface is employed to pass information between the moving rotor row and the stationary stator row. The code produces averaged aerodynamic results downstream of the rotor that agree well with a widely used average-passage code. The acoustic mode of interest is generated successfully by the code and is propagated well upstream of the rotor; temporal and spatial numerical resolution are fine enough such that attenuation of the signal is small. Two acoustic codes are used to find the far-field noise. Near-field propagation is computed by using Eversman's wave envelope code, which is based on a finite-element model. Propagation to the far field is accomplished by using the Kirchhoff formula for moving surfaces with the results of the wave envelope code as input data. Comparison of measured and computed far-field noise levels show fair agreement in the range of directivity angles where the peak radiation lobes from the inlet are observed. Although only a single acoustic mode is targeted in this study, the main conclusion is a proof-of-concept: Navier-Stokes codes can be used both to generate and propagate rotor/stator acoustic modes forward through an engine, where the results can be coupled to other far-field noise prediction codes.

Diffraction-based analysis of tunnel size for a scaled external occulter testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirbu, Dan; Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Vanderbei, Robert J.

2016-07-01

For performance verification of an external occulter mask (also called a starshade), scaled testbeds have been developed to measure the suppression of the occulter shadow in the pupil plane and contrast in the image plane. For occulter experiments the scaling is typically performed by maintaining an equivalent Fresnel number. The original Princeton occulter testbed was oversized with respect to both input beam and shadow propagation to limit any diffraction effects due to finite testbed enclosure edges; however, to operate at realistic space-mission equivalent Fresnel numbers an extended testbed is currently under construction. With the longer propagation distances involved, diffraction effects due to the edge of the tunnel must now be considered in the experiment design. Here, we present a diffraction-based model of two separate tunnel effects. First, we consider the effect of tunnel-edge induced diffraction ringing upstream from the occulter mask. Second, we consider the diffraction effect due to clipping of the output shadow by the tunnel downstream from the occulter mask. These calculations are performed for a representative point design relevant to the new Princeton occulter experiment, but we also present an analytical relation that can be used for other propagation distances.

Sea level forecasts for Pacific Islands based on Satellite Altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, H.; Merrifield, M. A.; Thompson, P. R.; Widlansky, M. J.; Marra, J. J.

2017-12-01

Coastal flooding at tropical Pacific Islands often occurs when positive sea level anomalies coincide with high tides. To help mitigate this risk, a forecast tool for daily-averaged sea level anomalies is developed that can be added to predicted tides at tropical Pacific Island sites. The forecast takes advantage of the observed westward propagation that sea level anomalies exhibit over a range of time scales. The daily near-real time altimetry gridded data from Archiving, Validation, and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic (AVISO) is used to specify upstream sea level at each site, with lead times computed based on mode-one baroclinic Rossby wave speeds. To validate the forecast, hindcasts are compared to tide gauge and nearby AVISO gridded time series. The forecast skills exceed persistence at most stations out to a month or more lead time. The skill is highest at stations where eddy variability is relatively weak. The impacts on the forecasts due to varying propagation speed, decay time, and smoothing of the AVISO data are examined. In addition, the inclusion of forecast winds in a forced wave equation is compared to the freely propagating results. Case studies are presented for seasonally high tide events throughout the Pacific Island region.

Identification of temporal and spatial signatures of broadband shock-associated noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez Arroyo, C.; Daviller, G.; Puigt, G.; Airiau, C.; Moreau, S.

2018-02-01

Broadband shock-associated noise (BBSAN) is a particular high-frequency noise that is generated in imperfectly expanded jets. BBSAN results from the interaction of turbulent structures and the series of expansion and compression waves which appears downstream of the convergent nozzle exit of moderately under-expanded jets. This paper focuses on the impact of the pressure waves generated by BBSAN from a large eddy simulation of a non-screeching supersonic round jet in the near-field. The flow is under-expanded and is characterized by a high Reynolds number Re_j = 1.25× 10^6 and a transonic Mach number M_j=1.15 . It is shown that BBSAN propagates upstream outside the jet and enters the supersonic region leaving a characteristic pattern in the physical plane. This pattern, also called signature, travels upstream through the shock-cell system with a group velocity between the acoustic speed Uc-a_∞ and the sound speed a_∞ in the frequency-wavenumber domain (U_c is the convective jet velocity). To investigate these characteristic patterns, the pressure signals in the jet and the near-field are decomposed into waves traveling downstream (p^+ ) and waves traveling upstream (p^- ). A novel study based on a wavelet technique is finally applied on such signals in order to extract the BBSAN signatures generated by the most energetic events of the supersonic jet.

Detection of a novel human coronavirus by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.

PubMed

Corman, V M; Eckerle, I; Bleicker, T; Zaki, A; Landt, O; Eschbach-Bludau, M; van Boheemen, S; Gopal, R; Ballhause, M; Bestebroer, T M; Muth, D; Müller, M A; Drexler, J F; Zambon, M; Osterhaus, A D; Fouchier, R M; Drosten, C

2012-09-27

We present two real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assays for a novel human coronavirus (CoV), targeting regions upstream of the E gene (upE) or within open reading frame (ORF)1b, respectively. Sensitivity for upE is 3.4 copies per reaction (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.5–6.9 copies) or 291 copies/mL of sample. No cross-reactivity was observed with coronaviruses OC43, NL63, 229E, SARS-CoV, nor with 92 clinical specimens containing common human respiratory viruses. We recommend using upE for screening and ORF1b for confirmation.

Achieving a Golden Mean: Mechanisms by Which Coronaviruses Ensure Synthesis of the Correct Stoichiometric Ratios of Viral Proteins▿

PubMed Central

Plant, Ewan P.; Rakauskaitė, Rasa; Taylor, Deborah R.; Dinman, Jonathan D.

2010-01-01

In retroviruses and the double-stranded RNA totiviruses, the efficiency of programmed −1 ribosomal frameshifting is critical for ensuring the proper ratios of upstream-encoded capsid proteins to downstream-encoded replicase enzymes. The genomic organizations of many other frameshifting viruses, including the coronaviruses, are very different, in that their upstream open reading frames encode nonstructural proteins, the frameshift-dependent downstream open reading frames encode enzymes involved in transcription and replication, and their structural proteins are encoded by subgenomic mRNAs. The biological significance of frameshifting efficiency and how the relative ratios of proteins encoded by the upstream and downstream open reading frames affect virus propagation has not been explored before. Here, three different strategies were employed to test the hypothesis that the −1 PRF signals of coronaviruses have evolved to produce the correct ratios of upstream- to downstream-encoded proteins. Specifically, infectious clones of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus harboring mutations that lower frameshift efficiency decreased infectivity by >4 orders of magnitude. Second, a series of frameshift-promoting mRNA pseudoknot mutants was employed to demonstrate that the frameshift signals of the SARS-associated coronavirus and mouse hepatitis virus have evolved to promote optimal frameshift efficiencies. Finally, we show that a previously described frameshift attenuator element does not actually affect frameshifting per se but rather serves to limit the fraction of ribosomes available for frameshifting. The findings of these analyses all support a “golden mean” model in which viruses use both programmed ribosomal frameshifting and translational attenuation to control the relative ratios of their encoded proteins. PMID:20164235

Modeling deflagration waves out of hot spots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partom, Yehuda

2017-01-01

It is widely accepted that shock initiation and detonation of heterogeneous explosives comes about by a two-step process known as ignition and growth. In the first step a shock sweeping through an explosive cell (control volume) creates hot spots that become ignition sites. In the second step, deflagration waves (or burn waves) propagate out of those hot spots and transform the reactant in the cell into reaction products. The macroscopic (or average) reaction rate of the reactant in the cell depends on the speed of those deflagration waves and on the average distance between neighboring hot spots. Here we simulate the propagation of deflagration waves out of hot spots on the mesoscale in axial symmetry using a 2D hydrocode, to which we add heat conduction and bulk reaction. The propagation speed of the deflagration waves may depend on both pressure and temperature. It depends on pressure for quasistatic loading near ambient temperature, and on temperature at high temperatures resulting from shock loading. From the simulation we obtain deflagration fronts emanating out of the hot spots. For 8 to 13 GPa shocks, the emanating fronts propagate as deflagration waves to consume the explosive between hot spots. For higher shock levels deflagration waves may interact with the sweeping shock to become detonation waves on the mesoscale. From the simulation results we extract average deflagration wave speeds.

The classification of magnetohydrodynamic regimes of thermonuclear combustion

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

Remming, Ian S.; Khokhlov, Alexei M.

2014-10-10

Physical properties of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) reaction fronts are studied as functions of the thermodynamic conditions, and the strength and orientation of the magnetic field in the unburned matter through which the fronts propagate. We determine the conditions for the existence of the various types of MHD reaction fronts and the character of the changes in physical quantities across these reaction fronts. The analysis is carried out in general for a perfect gas equation of state and a constant energy release, and then extended to thermonuclear reaction fronts in degenerate carbon-oxygen mixtures and degenerate helium in conditions typical of Type Iamore » supernova explosions. We find that as unburned matter enters perpendicular to a reaction front, the release of energy through burning generates shear velocity in the reacting gas that, depending on the type of reaction front, strengthens or weakens the magnetic field. In addition, we find that the steady-state propagation of a reaction front is impossible for certain ranges of magnetic field direction. Our results provide insight into the phenomena of MHD thermonuclear combustion that is relevant to the interpretation of future simulations of SN Ia explosions that have magnetic fields systematically incorporated.« less

Chlorine dioxide-induced and Congo red-inhibited Marangoni effect on the chlorite-trithionate reaction front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Ren, Xingfeng; Pan, Changwei; Zheng, Ting; Yuan, Ling; Zheng, Juhua; Gao, Qingyu

2017-10-01

Hydrodynamic flows can exert multiple effects on an exothermal autocatalytic reaction, such as buoyancy and the Marangoni convection, which can change the structure and velocity of chemical waves. Here we report that in the chlorite-trithionate reaction, the production and consumption of chlorine dioxide can induce and inhibit Marangoni flow, respectively, leading to different chemo-hydrodynamic patterns. The horizontal propagation of a reaction-diffusion-convection front was investigated with the upper surface open to the air. The Marangoni convection, induced by gaseous chlorine dioxide on the surface, produced from chlorite disproportionation after the proton autocatalysis, has the same effect as the heat convection. When the Marangoni effect is removed by the reaction of chlorine dioxide with the Congo red (CR) indicator, an oscillatory propagation of the front tip is observed under suitable conditions. Replacing CR with bromophenol blue (BPB) distinctly enhanced the floating, resulting in multiple vortexes, owing to the coexistence between BPB and chlorine dioxide. Using the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations coupled with reaction-diffusion and heat conduction equations, we numerically obtain various experimental scenarios of front instability for the exothermic autocatalytic reaction coupled with buoyancy-driven convection and Marangoni convection.

Propagation of a Chemical Reaction through Heterogeneous Lithium- Polytetrafluoroethylene Mixtures

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-12-11

Condensed Phases ........... ............... 9 1.2.1 Lithium-Gas Surface Reactions. .......... 10 1.2.2 Composite Solid Propellant Combustion. . .. 13...f:- the o:cu:=ence _A a surface reaction was developed, but no analyti7al reaction zate model was presented- 1.2.2 Composite S’-lid Propellant...Combustion Composite solid propellants are plastic-like materials consisting of small oxidizer particles embedded in a fuel matrix. Ammonium perchlorate is

Modeling and simulation of pressure waves generated by nano-thermite reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martirosyan, Karen S.; Zyskin, Maxim; Jenkins, Charles M.; (Yuki) Horie, Yasuyuki

2012-11-01

This paper reports the modeling of pressure waves from the explosive reaction of nano-thermites consisting of mixtures of nanosized aluminum and oxidizer granules. Such nanostructured thermites have higher energy density (up to 26 kJ/cm3) and can generate a transient pressure pulse four times larger than that from trinitrotoluene (TNT) based on volume equivalence. A plausible explanation for the high pressure generation is that the reaction times are much shorter than the time for a shock wave to propagate away from the reagents region so that all the reaction energy is dumped into the gaseous products almost instantaneously and thereby a strong shock wave is generated. The goal of the modeling is to characterize the gas dynamic behavior for thermite reactions in a cylindrical reaction chamber and to model the experimentally measured pressure histories. To simplify the details of the initial stage of the explosive reaction, it is assumed that the reaction generates a one dimensional shock wave into an air-filled cylinder and propagates down the tube in a self-similar mode. Experimental data for Al/Bi2O3 mixtures were used to validate the model with attention focused on the ratio of specific heats and the drag coefficient. Model predictions are in good agreement with the measured pressure histories.

A Novel Application of Ultrasonic Imaging to Study Smoldering Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tse, S. D.; Anthenien, R. A.; Fernandez-Pello, A. Carlos; Miyasaka, K.

1997-01-01

An ultrasonic imaging technique has been developed to examine the propagation of a smolder reaction within a porous combustible material. The technique provides information about the location of a propagating smolder front, as well as line-of-sight average permeability variations of the smoldering material. The method utilizes the observation that transmission of an ultrasonic signal through a porous material increases with permeability. Since a propagating smolder reaction leaves behind char with a higher permeability than the original material, ultrasound transmission can be employed to monitor smolder progress. The technique can also be used to track the char evolution as it continues to react. Experiments are presented where the technique is applied to smoldering combustion in a two-dimensional geometry. The results have furthered the understanding of two-dimensional smolder, especially in identifying the controlling mechanisms leading to the transition from smoldering to flaming. The applicability of ultrasonic tomography to smoldering combustion has also been investigated.

Welding bulk metallic glass using nanostructured reactive multilayer foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trenkle, Jonathan C.

We have used Al/Ni reactive foils to weld Zr57Ti 5Cu20Ni8Al10 metallic glasses. The welds are a composite morphology comprised of glass ligaments and intermetallic AlNi (the product of the reactive foil). The presence of the presumably brittle intermetallic (in lieu of the glass) is expected to limit the mechanical properties of the welds. Based on fracture toughness measurements and the crack propagation paths, we conclude that virtually all of the toughness can be ascribed to the presence of the metallic glass ligaments. Increasing the pressure applied during welding increases the fraction of the joint made of these ligaments and so increases the fracture toughness as well. To eliminate the intermetallic from the weld altogether, we attempted to fabricate reactive mulitlayer foils that form an amorphous product by melting and cooling rapidly during a self-propagating reaction. We began with reactive foils with overall composition Zr2Ni but quickly determined that the foils did not fully melt. We then attempted to lower the melting temperature and increase the glass forming ability and the heat of mixing by adding Al and Cu. These foils again did not fully melt. Finally we systematically determined that foils of overall compositions Hf37Ni63, Ni 80P20, and Ni60P40, which are all known binary metallic glasses, will potentially melt during a self-propagating reaction. Knowledge of the phase transformations during a self-propagating reaction is necessary to engineer reactive foils for future applications. Furthermore, reactive foils provide an opportunity to study phase transformations under high heating rates not easily achievable. Characterizing the processes in the reaction zone however is challenging, requiring both temporal resolution better than ˜ 100 mus (the time required for the reaction front to pass a fixed location) and spatial resolution of < 100 mum (the approximate width of the reaction zone). Using synchrotron x-ray radiation, we have studied these phase transformations in situ in Al/Ni multilayers. Unlike previous annealing and quenching studies in these multilayers, we observed no metastable or intermediate phases.

Observations from the Microgravity Smoldering Combustion (MSC) Ultrasound Imaging System (UIS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walther, D.C.; Fernandez-Pello, A. C.; Anthenien, R. A.; Urban, D. L.

1999-01-01

The Microgravity Smoldering Combustion (MSC) experiment is a study of the smolder characteristics of porous combustible materials in a microgravity environment. The objective of the study is to provide a better understanding of the controlling mechanisms of smolder, both in microgravity and normal earth gravity. Experiments have been conducted aboard the NASA Space Shuttle in the GAS-CAN, an apparatus requiring completely remote operation. Future GAS-CAN experiments will utilize an ultrasound imaging system (UIS). Thermocouples are currently used to measure temperature and reaction front velocities, but a less intrusive method is desirable, as smolder is affected by heat transfer along the thermocouple. It is expected that the UIS will eventually replace the existing array of thermocouples as a non-intrusive technique without compromising data acquisition. Smoldering is defined as a non-flaming, self-sustaining, propagating, exothermic, surface reaction, deriving its principal heat from heterogeneous oxidation of the fuel. Smolder of cable insulation is of particular concern in the space program; to date there have been a few minor incidents of overheated and charred cables and electrical components reported on Space Shuttle flights. Recently, the establishment of the International Space Station and other space facilities has increased interest in the study of smoldering in microgravity because of the need to preempt the possibility, and/or to minimize the effect of a smolder initiated fire during the operation of these facilities. The ignition and propagation of smolder are examined using both thermocouples and the UIS. The UIS has been implemented into the MSC flight hardware. The system provides information about local permeability variations within a smoldering sample, which can, in turn, be interpreted to track the propagation of the smolder reaction. The method utilizes the observation that transmission of an ultrasonic signal through a porous material increases with increasing permeability. Since a propagating smolder reaction leaves behind a char that is higher in permeability than the original (unburnt) material, ultrasonic transmission can be employed to monitor the progress of the primary reaction front, char evolution (i.e. material left by the smolder reaction), pyrolysis, and condensation fronts.

Control of wave propagation in a biological excitable medium by an external electric field.

PubMed

Sebestikova, Lenka; Slamova, Elena; Sevcikova, Hana

2005-03-01

We present an experimental evidence of effects of external electric fields (EFs) on the velocity of pulse waves propagating in a biological excitable medium. The excitable medium used is formed by a layer of starving cells of Dictyostelium discoideum through which the waves of increased concentration of cAMP propagate by reaction-diffusion mechanism. External dc EFs of low intensities (up to 5 V/cm) are shown to speed up the propagation of cAMP waves towards the positive electrode and slow it down towards the negative electrode. Electric fields were also found to support an emergence of new centers, emitting cAMP waves, in front of cAMP waves propagating towards the negative electrode.

Melting of municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash by waste-derived thermite reaction.

PubMed

Wang, Kuen-Sheng; Lin, Kae-Long; Lee, Ching-Hwa

2009-02-15

This work describes a novel approach for melting municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash, based on self-propagating reactions, by using energy-efficient simulated waste-derived thermite. The self-propagating characteristics, the properties of the recycled alloy and slag and the partitioning of heavy metals during the process are also studied. Experimental results demonstrate that the mix ratio of fly ash to the starting mixture of less than 30% supports the development of the self-propagating reaction with a melting temperature of 1350-2200 degrees C. Furthermore, metallic iron (or alloy) and the slag were retrieved after activation of the thermite reactions among the starting mixtures. It was noted that more than 91wt.% of iron was retrieved as alloy and the rest of non-reductive oxides as slag. During the thermite reactions, the partition of heavy metals to the SFA and flue gas varied with the characteristics of the target metals: Cd was mainly partitioned to flue gas (75-82%), and partition slightly increased with the increasing fly ash ratio; Pb and Zn, were mainly partitioned to the SFA, and the partition increased with increasing fly ash ratio; Cu was partitioned to the SFA (18-31%) and was not found in the flue gas; and moreover stable Cr and Ni were not identified in both the SFA and flue gas. On the other hand, the determined TCLP leaching concentrations were all well within the current regulatory thresholds, despite the various FA ratios. This suggests that the vitrified fly ash samples were environmental safe in heavy metal leaching. The results of this study suggested that melting of municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash by waste-derived thermite reactions was a feasible approach not only energy-beneficial but also environmental-safe.

Method for fabricating an ignitable heterogeneous stratified metal structure

DOEpatents

Barbee, T.W. Jr.; Weihs, T.

1996-08-20

A multilayer structure has a selectable: (1) propagating reaction front velocity V; (2) reaction initiation temperature attained by application of external energy; and (3) amount of energy delivered by a reaction of alternating unreacted layers of the multilayer structure. Because V is selectable and controllable, a variety of different applications for the multilayer structures are possible, including but not limited to their use as igniters, in joining applications, in fabrication of new materials, as smart materials and in medical applications and devices. The multilayer structure has a period D, and an energy release rate constant K. Two or more alternating unreacted layers are made of different materials and separated by reacted zones. The period D is equal to a sum of the widths of each single alternating reaction layer of a particular material, and also includes a sum of reacted zone widths, t{sub i}, in the period D. The multilayer structure has a selectable propagating reaction front velocity V, where V=K(1/D{sup n}){times}[1-(t{sub i}/D)] and n is about 0.8 to 1.2. 8 figs.

Method for fabricating an ignitable heterogeneous stratified metal structure

DOEpatents

Barbee, Jr., Troy W.; Weihs, Timothy

1996-01-01

A multilayer structure has a selectable, (i) propagating reaction front velocity V, (ii) reaction initiation temperature attained by application of external energy and (iii) amount of energy delivered by a reaction of alternating unreacted layers of the multilayer structure. Because V is selectable and controllable, a variety of different applications for the multilayer structures are possible, including but not limited to their use as ignitors, in joining applications, in fabrication of new materials, as smart materials and in medical applications and devices. The multilayer structure has a period D, and an energy release rate constant K. Two or more alternating unreacted layers are made of different materials and separated by reacted zones. The period D is equal to a sum of the widths of each single alternating reaction layer of a particular material, and also includes a sum of reacted zone widths, t.sub.i, in the period D. The multilayer structure has a selectable propagating reaction front velocity V, where V=K(1/D.sup.n).times.[1-(t.sub.i /D)]and n is about 0.8 to 1.2.

A Strategy for Minimizing Background Signal in Autoinductive Signal Amplification Reactions for Point-of-Need Assays.

PubMed

Brooks, Adam D; Yeung, Kimy; Lewis, Gregory G; Phillips, Scott T

2015-09-07

Rapid point-of-need assays are used to detect abundant biomarkers. The development of in situ signal amplification reactions could extend these assays to screening and triaging of patients for trace levels of biomarkers, even in resource-limited settings. We, and others, have developed small molecule-based in situ signal amplification reactions that eventually may be useful in this context. Herein we describe a design strategy for minimizing background signal that may occur in the absence of the target analyte, thus moving this in situ signal amplification approach one step closer to practical applications. Specifically, we describe allylic ethers as privileged connectors for linking detection and propagating functionality in a small molecule signal amplification reagent. Allylic ethers minimize background reactions while still enabling controlled release of a propagating signal in order to continue the signal amplification reaction. This paper characterizes the ability of allylic ethers to provide an amplified response, and offers insight into additional design considerations that are needed before in situ small molecule-based signal amplification becomes a viable strategy for point-of-need diagnostics.

A Strategy for Minimizing Background Signal in Autoinductive Signal Amplification Reactions for Point-of-Need Assays

PubMed Central

Brooks, Adam D.; Yeung, Kimy; Lewis, Gregory G.

2015-01-01

Rapid point-of-need assays are used to detect abundant biomarkers. The development of in situ signal amplification reactions could extend these assays to screening and triaging of patients for trace levels of biomarkers, even in resource-limited settings. We, and others, have developed small molecule-based in situ signal amplification reactions that eventually may be useful in this context. Herein we describe a design strategy for minimizing background signal that may occur in the absence of the target analyte, thus moving this in situ signal amplification approach one step closer to practical applications. Specifically, we describe allylic ethers as privileged connectors for linking detection and propagating functionality in a small molecule signal amplification reagent. Allylic ethers minimize background reactions while still enabling controlled release of a propagating signal in order to continue the signal amplification reaction. This paper characterizes the ability of allylic ethers to provide an amplified response, and offers insight into additional design considerations that are needed before in situ small molecule-based signal amplification becomes a viable strategy for point-of-need diagnostics. PMID:26604988

Remodelling of cellular excitation (reaction) and intercellular coupling (diffusion) by chronic atrial fibrillation represented by a reaction-diffusion system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Henggui; Garratt, Clifford J.; Kharche, Sanjay; Holden, Arun V.

2009-06-01

Human atrial tissue is an excitable system, in which myocytes are excitable elements, and cell-to-cell electrotonic interactions are via diffusive interactions of cell membrane potentials. We developed a family of excitable system models for human atrium at cellular, tissue and anatomical levels for both normal and chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) conditions. The effects of AF-induced remodelling of cell membrane ionic channels (reaction kinetics) and intercellular gap junctional coupling (diffusion) on atrial excitability, conduction of excitation waves and dynamics of re-entrant excitation waves are quantified. Both ionic channel and gap junctional coupling remodelling have rate dependent effects on atrial propagation. Membrane channel conductance remodelling allows the propagation of activity at higher rates than those sustained in normal tissue or in tissue with gap junctional remodelling alone. Membrane channel conductance remodelling is essential for the propagation of activity at rates higher than 300/min as seen in AF. Spatially heterogeneous gap junction coupling remodelling increased the risk of conduction block, an essential factor for the genesis of re-entry. In 2D and 3D anatomical models, the dynamical behaviours of re-entrant excitation waves are also altered by membrane channel modelling. This study provides insights to understand the pro-arrhythmic effects of AF-induced reaction and diffusion remodelling in atrial tissue.

Propagation of neutron-reaction uncertainties through multi-physics models of novel LWR's

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez-Solis, Augusto; Sjöstrand, Henrik; Helgesson, Petter

2017-09-01

The novel design of the renewable boiling water reactor (RBWR) allows a breeding ratio greater than unity and thus, it aims at providing for a self-sustained fuel cycle. The neutron reactions that compose the different microscopic cross-sections and angular distributions are uncertain, so when they are employed in the determination of the spatial distribution of the neutron flux in a nuclear reactor, a methodology should be employed to account for these associated uncertainties. In this work, the Total Monte Carlo (TMC) method is used to propagate the different neutron-reactions (as well as angular distributions) covariances that are part of the TENDL-2014 nuclear data (ND) library. The main objective is to propagate them through coupled neutronic and thermal-hydraulic models in order to assess the uncertainty of important safety parameters related to multi-physics, such as peak cladding temperature along the axial direction of an RBWR fuel assembly. The objective of this study is to quantify the impact that ND covariances of important nuclides such as U-235, U-238, Pu-239 and the thermal scattering of hydrogen in H2O have in the deterministic safety analysis of novel nuclear reactors designs.

Ultrasensitivity by Molecular Titration in Spatially Propagating Enzymatic Reactions

PubMed Central

Semenov, Sergey N.; Markvoort, Albert J.; Gevers, Wouter B.L.; Piruska, Aigars; de Greef, Tom F.A.; Huck, Wilhelm T.S.

2013-01-01

Delineating design principles of biological systems by reconstitution of purified components offers a platform to gauge the influence of critical physicochemical parameters on minimal biological systems of reduced complexity. Here we unravel the effect of strong reversible inhibitors on the spatiotemporal propagation of enzymatic reactions in a confined environment in vitro. We use micropatterned, enzyme-laden agarose gels which are stamped on polyacrylamide films containing immobilized substrates and reversible inhibitors. Quantitative fluorescence imaging combined with detailed numerical simulations of the reaction-diffusion process reveal that a shallow gradient of enzyme is converted into a steep product gradient by addition of strong inhibitors, consistent with a mathematical model of molecular titration. The results confirm that ultrasensitive and threshold effects at the molecular level can convert a graded input signal to a steep spatial response at macroscopic length scales. PMID:23972857

Drought propagation in the Paraná Basin, Brazil: from rainfall deficits to impacts on reservoir storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melo, D. D.; Wendland, E.

2017-12-01

The sensibility and resilience of hydrologic systems to climate changes are crucial for estimating potential impacts of droughts, responsible for major economic and human losses globally. Understanding how droughts propagate is a key element to develop a predictive understanding for future management and mitigation strategies. In this context, this study investigated the drought propagation in the Paraná Basin (PB), Southeast Brazil, a major hydroelectricity producing region with 32 % (60 million people) of the country's population. Reservoir storage (RESS), river discharge (Q) and rainfall (P) data were used to assess the linkages between meteorological and hydrological droughts, characterized by the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and Streamflow Drought Index (SDI), respectively. The data are from 37 sub-basins within the PB, consisting of contributing areas of 37 reservoirs (250 km3 of stored water) within the PB for the period between 1995 and 2015. The response time (RT) of the hydrologic system to droughts, given as the time lag between P, Q and RESS, was quantified using a non-parametric statistical method that combines cumulative sums and Bootstrap resampling technique. Based on our results, the RTs of the hydrologic system of the PB varies from 0 to 6 months, depending on a number of aspects: lithology, topography, dam operation, etc. Linkages between SPI and SDI indicated that the anthropogenic control (dam operation) plays an important role in buffering drought impacts to downstream sub-basins: SDI decreased from upstream to downstream despite similar SPI values over the whole area. Comparisons between sub-basins, with variable drainage sizes (5,000 - 50,000 km2), confirmed the benefice of upstream reservoirs in reducing hydrological droughts. For example, the RT for a 4,800 km2 basin was 6 months between P and Q and 9 months between Q and RESS, under anthropogenic control. Conversely, the RT to precipitation for a reservoir subjected to natural controls only (no major human influence on storage and routing) was less than 1 month for both Q and RESS. This study underscores the importance of the reservoirs in the Paraná basin in reducing drought impacts on water supply and energy generation.

Discrete modelling of front propagation in backward piping erosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Duc-Kien; Prime, Noémie; Froiio, Francesco; Callari, Carlo; Vincens, Eric

2017-06-01

A preliminary discrete numerical model of a REV at the front region of an erosion pipe in a cohesive granular soil is briefly presented. The results reported herein refer to a simulation carried out by coupling the Discrete Element Method (DEM) with the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) for the representation of the granular and fluid phases, respectively. The numerical specimen, consisiting of bonded grains, is tested under fully-saturated conditions and increasing pressure difference between the inlet (confined) and the outlet (unconfined) flow regions. The key role of compression arches of force chains that transversely cross the sample and carry most part of the hydrodynamic actions is pointed out. These arches partition the REV into an upstream region that remains almost intact and a downstream region that gradually degrades and is subsequently eroded in the form of a cluster. Eventually, the collapse of the compression arches causes the upstream region to be also eroded, abruptly, as a whole. A complete presentation of the numerical model and of the results of the simulation can be found in [12].

Generation of forerunner electron beam during interaction of ion beam pulse with plasma

DOE PAGES

Hara, Kentaro; Kaganovich, Igor D.; Startsev, Edward A.

2018-01-01

The long-time evolution of the two-stream instability of a cold tenuous ion beam pulse propagating through the background plasma with density much higher than the ion beam density is investigated using a large-scale one-dimensional electrostatic kinetic simulation. The three stages of the instability are investigated in detail. After the initial linear growth and saturation by the electron trapping, a portion of the initially trapped electrons becomes detrapped and moves ahead of the ion beam pulse forming a forerunner electron beam, which causes a secondary two-stream instability that preheats the upstream plasma electrons. Consequently, the self-consistent nonlinear-driven turbulent state is setmore » up at the head of the ion beam pulse with the saturated plasma wave sustained by the influx of the cold electrons from upstream of the beam that lasts until the final stage when the beam ions become trapped by the plasma wave. Finally, the beam ion trapping leads to the nonlinear heating of the beam ions that eventually extinguishes the instability.« less

Investigating the influence of haemodynamic stimuli on intracranial aneurysm inception.

PubMed

Chen, Haoyu; Selimovic, Alisa; Thompson, Harry; Chiarini, Alessandro; Penrose, Justin; Ventikos, Yiannis; Watton, Paul N

2013-07-01

We propose a novel method to reconstruct the hypothetical geometry of the healthy vasculature prior to intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation: a Frenet frame is calculated along the skeletonization of the arterial geometry; upstream and downstream boundaries of the aneurysmal segment are expressed in terms of the local Frenet frame basis vectors; the hypothetical healthy geometry is then reconstructed by propagating a closed curve along the skeleton using the local Frenet frames so that the upstream boundary is smoothly morphed into the downstream boundary. This methodology takes into account the tortuosity of the arterial vasculature and requires minimal user subjectivity. The method is applied to 22 clinical cases depicting IAs. Computational fluid dynamic simulations of the vasculature without IA are performed and the haemodynamic stimuli in the location of IA formation are examined. We observe that locally elevated wall shear stress (WSS) and gradient oscillatory number (GON) are highly correlated (20/22 for WSS and 19/22 for GON) with regions susceptible to sidewall IA formation whilst haemodynamic indices associated with the oscillation of the WSS vectors have much lower correlations.

Generation of forerunner electron beam during interaction of ion beam pulse with plasma

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

Hara, Kentaro; Kaganovich, Igor D.; Startsev, Edward A.

The long-time evolution of the two-stream instability of a cold tenuous ion beam pulse propagating through the background plasma with density much higher than the ion beam density is investigated using a large-scale one-dimensional electrostatic kinetic simulation. The three stages of the instability are investigated in detail. After the initial linear growth and saturation by the electron trapping, a portion of the initially trapped electrons becomes detrapped and moves ahead of the ion beam pulse forming a forerunner electron beam, which causes a secondary two-stream instability that preheats the upstream plasma electrons. Consequently, the self-consistent nonlinear-driven turbulent state is setmore » up at the head of the ion beam pulse with the saturated plasma wave sustained by the influx of the cold electrons from upstream of the beam that lasts until the final stage when the beam ions become trapped by the plasma wave. Finally, the beam ion trapping leads to the nonlinear heating of the beam ions that eventually extinguishes the instability.« less

Adaptive two-regime method: Application to front propagation

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

Robinson, Martin, E-mail: martin.robinson@maths.ox.ac.uk; Erban, Radek, E-mail: erban@maths.ox.ac.uk; Flegg, Mark, E-mail: mark.flegg@monash.edu

2014-03-28

The Adaptive Two-Regime Method (ATRM) is developed for hybrid (multiscale) stochastic simulation of reaction-diffusion problems. It efficiently couples detailed Brownian dynamics simulations with coarser lattice-based models. The ATRM is a generalization of the previously developed Two-Regime Method [Flegg et al., J. R. Soc., Interface 9, 859 (2012)] to multiscale problems which require a dynamic selection of regions where detailed Brownian dynamics simulation is used. Typical applications include a front propagation or spatio-temporal oscillations. In this paper, the ATRM is used for an in-depth study of front propagation in a stochastic reaction-diffusion system which has its mean-field model given in termsmore » of the Fisher equation [R. Fisher, Ann. Eugen. 7, 355 (1937)]. It exhibits a travelling reaction front which is sensitive to stochastic fluctuations at the leading edge of the wavefront. Previous studies into stochastic effects on the Fisher wave propagation speed have focused on lattice-based models, but there has been limited progress using off-lattice (Brownian dynamics) models, which suffer due to their high computational cost, particularly at the high molecular numbers that are necessary to approach the Fisher mean-field model. By modelling only the wavefront itself with the off-lattice model, it is shown that the ATRM leads to the same Fisher wave results as purely off-lattice models, but at a fraction of the computational cost. The error analysis of the ATRM is also presented for a morphogen gradient model.« less

Ignition and Combustion of Bulk Metals in a Microgravity Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Branch, Melvyn C.; Daily, John W.; Abbud-Madrid, Angel

1999-01-01

Results of a study of heterogeneous and homogeneous combustion of metals in reduced gravity are presented. Cylindrical titanium and magnesium samples are radiatively ignited in pure-oxygen at 1 atm. Qualitative observations, propagation rates, and burning times are extracted from high-speed cinematography. Time-resolved emission spectra of gas-phase reactions are acquired with an imaging spectrograph. Lower propagation rates of the reacting mass on titanium and of ignition waves on magnesium are obtained at reduced gravity. These rates are compared to theoretical results from fire-spread analyses with a diffusion/convection controlled reaction. The close agreement found between experimental and theoretical propagation rates indicates the strong influence of natural-convection-enhanced oxygen transp6rt on burning rates. Lower oxygen flux and lack of condensed product removal appear to be responsible for longer burning times of magnesium gas-phase diffusion flames in reduced gravity. Spherically symmetric explosions in magnesium flames at reduced gravity (termed radiation-induced metal explosions, or RIME) may be driven by increased radiation heat transfer from accumulated condensed products to an evaporating metal core covered by a porous, flexible oxide coating. In titanium specimens, predominantly heterogeneous burning characterizes the initial steady propagation of the molten mass, while homogeneous gas-phase reactions are detected around particles ejected from the molten mixture. In magnesium specimens, band and line reversal of all the UV spectral systems of Mg and MgO are attributed to the interaction between small oxide particles and the principal gaseous emitters.

Mapping the Interactions between Shocks and Mixing Layers in a 3-Stream Supersonic Jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewalle, Jacques; Ruscher, Christopher; Kan, Pinqing; Tenney, Andrew; Gogineni, Sivaram; Kiel, Barry

2015-11-01

Pressure is obtained from an LES calculation of the supersonic jet (Ma1 = 1 . 6) issuing from a rectangular nozzle in a low-subsonic co-flow; a tertiary flow, also rectangular with Ma3 = 1 insulates the primary jet from an aft-deck plate. The developing jet exhibits complex three-dimensional interactions between oblique shocks, multiple mixing layers and corner vortices, which collectively act as a skeleton for the flow. Our study is based on several plane sections through the pressure field, with short signals (0.1 s duration at 80 kHz sampling rate). Using wavelet-based band-pass filtering and cross-correlations, we map the directions of propagation of information among the various ``bones'' in the skeleton. In particular, we identify upstream propagation in some frequency bands, 3-dimensional interactions between the various shear layers, and several key bones from which the pressure signals, when taken as reference, provide dramatic phase-locking for parts of the skeleton. We acknowledge the support of AFRL through an SBIR grant.

[Spectral investigation of atmospheric pressure plasma column].

PubMed

Li, Xue-Chen; Chang, Yuan-Yuan; Xu, Long-Fei

2012-07-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma column has many important applications in plasma stealth for aircraft. In the present paper, a plasma column with a length of 65 cm was generated in argon at atmospheric pressure by using dielectric barrier discharge device with water electrodes in coaxial configurations. The discharge mechanism of the plasma column was studied by optical method and the result indicates that a moving layer of light emission propagates in the upstream region. The propagation velocity of the plasma bullet is about 0.6 x 10(5) m x s(-1) through optical measurement. Spectral intensity ratios as functions of the applied voltage and driving frequency were also investigated by spectroscopic method. The variation in spectral intensity ratio implies a change in the averaged electron energy. Results show that the averaged electron energy increases with the increase in the applied voltage and the driving frequency. These results have significant values for industrial applications of the atmospheric pressure discharge and have extensive application potentials in stealth for military aircraft.

Bi-directional triplexer with butterfly MMI coupler using SU-8 polymer waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mareš, David; Jeřábek, Vítězslav; Prajzler, Václav

2015-01-01

We report about a design of a bi-directional planar optical multiplex/demultiplex filter (triplexer) for the optical part of planar hybrid WDM bi-directional transceiver in fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) PON applications. The triplex lightwave circuit is based on the Epoxy Novolak Resin SU-8 waveguides on the silica-on-silicon substrate with Polymethylmethacrylate cladding layer. The triplexer is comprised of a linear butterfly concept of multimode interference (MMI) coupler separating downstream optical signals of 1490 nm and 1550 nm. For the upstream channel of 1310 nm, an additional directional coupler (DC) is used to add optical signal of 1310 nm propagating in opposite direction. The optical triplexer was designed and optimized using beam propagation method. The insertion losses, crosstalk attenuation, and extinction ratio for all three inputs/outputs were investigated. The intended triplexer was designed using the parameters of the separated DC and MMI filter to approximate the idealized direct connection of both devices.

Excitation of nonlinear wave patterns in flowing complex plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaiswal, S.; Bandyopadhyay, P.; Sen, A.

2018-01-01

We describe experimental observations of nonlinear wave structures excited by a supersonic mass flow of dust particles over an electrostatic potential hill in a dusty plasma medium. The experiments have been carried out in a Π- shaped experimental (DPEx) device in which micron sized Kaolin particles are embedded in a DC glow discharge Argon plasma. An equilibrium dust cloud is formed by maintaining the pumping speed and gas flow rate and the dust flow is induced either by suddenly reducing the height of a potential hill or by suddenly reducing the gas flow rate. For a supersonic flow of the dust fluid precursor solitons are seen to propagate in the upstream direction while wake structures propagate in the downstream direction. For flow speeds with a Mach number greater than 2 the dust particles flowing over the potential hill give rise to dispersive dust acoustic shock waves. The experimental results compare favorably with model theories based on forced K-dV and K-dV Burger's equations.

Asymmetric crack propagation near waterfall cliff and its influence on the waterfall lip shape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vastola, G.

2011-11-01

By means of Finite Element Method (FEM) calculations and fatigue fracture mechanics analysis, we show that crack propagation in bedrocks close to the waterfall cliff is preferential towards the cliff face rather than upstream the river. Based on this effect, we derive the corresponding expression for the velocity of recession vr of the waterfall lip, and find that vr has a quadratic dependence on the hydrostatic pressure. Quantitatively, this erosion mechanism generates recession rates of the order of ~cm-dm/y, consistent with the recession rates of well-known waterfalls. We enclose our expression for vr into a growth model to investigate the time evolution of a waterfall lip subject to this erosional mechanism. Because of the dependence on hydrostatic pressure, the shape of the waterfall is influenced by the transverse profile of the river that generates the waterfall. If the river has a transverse concavity, the waterfall evolves a curved shape. Evolution for the case of meanders with asymmetric transverse profile is also given.

Bm65 is essential for the propagation of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus.

PubMed

Tang, Qi; Li, Guohui; Yao, Qin; Chen, Liang; Feng, Fan; Yuan, Yi; Chen, Keping

2013-01-01

Orf65 (Bm65) of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a highly conserved gene that encodes an unknown 104-amino acid protein. In the present study, we have shown the role of Bm65 in the baculovirus life cycle. 5'-RACE analysis showed that the transcription start site of Bm65 was 14 nucleotides upstream of the start codon ATG. The transcription profile of Bm65 was detected from 6 to 72 h postinfection (p. i.) by RT-PCR. A Bm65-knockout bacmid was constructed by homologous recombination to characterize the role of Bm65 in viral life cycle. Fluorescence microscopy showed that Bm65-knockout virus was unable to generate infectious budded virus in BmN cells. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that Bm65 deletion did not affect the viral DNA replication. To conclude, Bm65 is essential for the propagation of BmNPV, but is unnecessary for the replication of viral DNA.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2013-08-01

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

Propagation of modulated electron and X-ray beams through matter and interactions with radio-frequency structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, J. R.; Miller, R. B.

2018-02-01

The generation and evolution of modulated particle beams and their interactions with resonant radiofrequency (RF) structures are of fundamental interest for both particle accelerator and vacuum electronic systems. When the constraint of propagation in a vacuum is removed, the evolution of such beams can be greatly affected by interactions with matter including scattering, absorption, generation of atmospheric plasma, and the production of multiple generations of secondary particles. Here, we study the propagation of 21 MeV and 25 MeV electron beams produced in S-band and L-band linear accelerators, and their interaction with resonant RF structures, under a number of combinations of geometry, including transmission through both air and metal. Both resonant and nonresonant interactions were observed, with the resonant interactions indicating that the RF modulation on the electron beam is at least partially preserved as the beam propagates through air and metal. When significant thicknesses of metal are placed upstream of a resonant structure, preventing any primary beam electrons from reaching the structure, RF signals could still be induced in the structures. This indicated that the RF modulation present on the electron beam was also impressed onto the x-rays generated when the primary electrons were stopped in the metal, and that this RF modulation was also present on the secondary electrons generated when the x-rays struck the resonant structures. The nature of these interactions and their sensitivities to changes in system configurations will be discussed.

Knickpoint formation and landscape response following coastal cliff retreat at last-interglacial sea-level highstand: Kaua';i, Hawai';i (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, M. P.; Mackey, B. H.; Farley, K. A.; Scheingross, J. S.

2013-12-01

The upstream propagation of knickpoints is an important mechanism for channel incision and communicates changes in climate, sea level and tectonics throughout a landscape. Here, we use cosmogenic 3He exposure dating to document the retreat rate of a waterfall in Ka'ula'ula Valley, Kaua';i, Hawai';i, an often-used site for knickpoint-erosion modeling. Exposure ages of terraces are oldest near the coast (120 ka) and systematically decrease with upstream distance towards the waterfall (<10 ka) suggesting that the waterfall migrated 4 km over the past 120 ka at an average rate of 33 mm/yr. Upstream of the knickpoint, cosmogenic nuclide concentrations in channel are approximately uniform and indicate steady-state vertical erosion at a rate of ~0.03 mm/yr. Field observations and topographic analyses suggest that waterfall retreat is dominated by block toppling, with sediment transport below the waterfall actively occurring by debris flows. Knickpoint initiation was previously attributed to a submarine landslide ca. 4 Ma; however, our dating results, bathymetric analysis, and landscape-evolution modeling support knickpoint generation by wave-induced seacliff erosion during the last interglacial sea-level high stand. We illustrate that knickpoint generation during sea-level high stands, as opposed to the typical case of sea-level fall, is an important relief-generating mechanism on steep coasts with stable or subsiding coasts, and likely drives transient pulses of significant source-to-sink sediment flux.

Electric reaction arising in bone subjected to mechanical loadings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murasawa, Go; Cho, Hideo; Ogawa, Kazuma

2006-03-01

The aim of present study is the investigation of the electric reaction arising in bone subjected to mechanical loadings. Firstly, specimen was fabricated from femur of cow, and ultrasonic propagation in bone was measured by ultrasonic technique. Secondary, 4-point bending test was conducted up to fracture, and electric reaction arising in bone was measured during loading. Thirdly, cyclic 4-point bending test was conducted to investigate the effect of applied displacement speed on electric reaction.

Desensitizing Flame Structure and Exhaust Emissions to Flow Parameters in an Ultra-Compact Combustor

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

fuel .... 9 Figure 2.4: UNICORN model of hydrogen in air flame front propagation under the loading condition (a) 10 g’s and (b) 500 g’s...Lean Blowout ...................................................................................8 UNICORN Unsteady Ignition and Combustion with...computationally recreate Lewis’ experimental results. Using the Unsteady Ignition and 9 Combustion with Reactions ( UNICORN ) code, flame propagation

Protein labeling reactions in electrochemical microchannel flow: Numerical simulation and uncertainty propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debusschere, Bert J.; Najm, Habib N.; Matta, Alain; Knio, Omar M.; Ghanem, Roger G.; Le Maître, Olivier P.

2003-08-01

This paper presents a model for two-dimensional electrochemical microchannel flow including the propagation of uncertainty from model parameters to the simulation results. For a detailed representation of electroosmotic and pressure-driven microchannel flow, the model considers the coupled momentum, species transport, and electrostatic field equations, including variable zeta potential. The chemistry model accounts for pH-dependent protein labeling reactions as well as detailed buffer electrochemistry in a mixed finite-rate/equilibrium formulation. Uncertainty from the model parameters and boundary conditions is propagated to the model predictions using a pseudo-spectral stochastic formulation with polynomial chaos (PC) representations for parameters and field quantities. Using a Galerkin approach, the governing equations are reformulated into equations for the coefficients in the PC expansion. The implementation of the physical model with the stochastic uncertainty propagation is applied to protein-labeling in a homogeneous buffer, as well as in two-dimensional electrochemical microchannel flow. The results for the two-dimensional channel show strong distortion of sample profiles due to ion movement and consequent buffer disturbances. The uncertainty in these results is dominated by the uncertainty in the applied voltage across the channel.

Assessment and management of the performance risk of a pilot reclaimed water disinfection process.

PubMed

Zhou, Guangyu; Zhao, Xinhua; Zhang, Lei; Wu, Qing

2013-10-01

Chlorination disinfection has been widely used in reclaimed water treatment plants to ensure water quality. In order to assess the downstream quality risk of a running reclaimed water disinfection process, a set of dynamic equations was developed to simulate reactions in the disinfection process concerning variables of bacteria, chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia and monochloramine. The model was calibrated by the observations obtained from a pilot disinfection process which was designed to simulate the actual process in a reclaimed water treatment plant. A Monte Carlo algorithm was applied to calculate the predictive effluent quality distributions that were used in the established hierarchical assessment system for the downstream quality risk, and the key factors affecting the downstream quality risk were defined using the Regional Sensitivity Analysis method. The results showed that the seasonal upstream quality variation caused considerable downstream quality risk; the effluent ammonia was significantly influenced by its upstream concentration; the upstream COD was a key factor determining the process effluent risk of bacterial, COD and residual disinfectant indexes; and lower COD and ammonia concentrations in the influent would mean better downstream quality.

Physics of Acoustic Radiation from Jet Engine Inlets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tam, Christopher K. W.; Parrish, Sarah A.; Envia, Edmane; Chien, Eugene W.

2012-01-01

Numerical simulations of acoustic radiation from a jet engine inlet are performed using advanced computational aeroacoustics (CAA) algorithms and high-quality numerical boundary treatments. As a model of modern commercial jet engine inlets, the inlet geometry of the NASA Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) is used. Fan noise consists of tones and broadband sound. This investigation considers the radiation of tones associated with upstream propagating duct modes. The primary objective is to identify the dominant physical processes that determine the directivity of the radiated sound. Two such processes have been identified. They are acoustic diffraction and refraction. Diffraction is the natural tendency for an acoustic wave to follow a curved solid surface as it propagates. Refraction is the turning of the direction of propagation of sound waves by mean flow gradients. Parametric studies on the changes in the directivity of radiated sound due to variations in forward flight Mach number and duct mode frequency, azimuthal mode number, and radial mode number are carried out. It is found there is a significant difference in directivity for the radiation of the same duct mode from an engine inlet when operating in static condition and in forward flight. It will be shown that the large change in directivity is the result of the combined effects of diffraction and refraction.

Nuclear data uncertainty propagation by the XSUSA method in the HELIOS2 lattice code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wemple, Charles; Zwermann, Winfried

2017-09-01

Uncertainty quantification has been extensively applied to nuclear criticality analyses for many years and has recently begun to be applied to depletion calculations. However, regulatory bodies worldwide are trending toward requiring such analyses for reactor fuel cycle calculations, which also requires uncertainty propagation for isotopics and nuclear reaction rates. XSUSA is a proven methodology for cross section uncertainty propagation based on random sampling of the nuclear data according to covariance data in multi-group representation; HELIOS2 is a lattice code widely used for commercial and research reactor fuel cycle calculations. This work describes a technique to automatically propagate the nuclear data uncertainties via the XSUSA approach through fuel lattice calculations in HELIOS2. Application of the XSUSA methodology in HELIOS2 presented some unusual challenges because of the highly-processed multi-group cross section data used in commercial lattice codes. Currently, uncertainties based on the SCALE 6.1 covariance data file are being used, but the implementation can be adapted to other covariance data in multi-group structure. Pin-cell and assembly depletion calculations, based on models described in the UAM-LWR Phase I and II benchmarks, are performed and uncertainties in multiplication factor, reaction rates, isotope concentrations, and delayed-neutron data are calculated. With this extension, it will be possible for HELIOS2 users to propagate nuclear data uncertainties directly from the microscopic cross sections to subsequent core simulations.

Spatiotemporal pattern in somitogenesis: a non-Turing scenario with wave propagation.

PubMed

Nagahara, Hiroki; Ma, Yue; Takenaka, Yoshiko; Kageyama, Ryoichiro; Yoshikawa, Kenichi

2009-08-01

Living organisms maintain their lives under far-from-equilibrium conditions by creating a rich variety of spatiotemporal structures in a self-organized manner, such as temporal rhythms, switching phenomena, and development of the body. In this paper, we focus on the dynamical process of morphogens in somitogenesis in mice where propagation of the gene expression level plays an essential role in creating the spatially periodic patterns of the vertebral columns. We present a simple discrete reaction-diffusion model which includes neighboring interaction through an activator, but not diffusion of an inhibitor. We can produce stationary periodic patterns by introducing the effect of spatial discreteness to the field. Based on the present model, we discuss the underlying physical principles that are independent of the details of biomolecular reactions. We also discuss the framework of spatial discreteness based on the reaction-diffusion model in relation to a cellular array, by comparison with an actual experimental observation.

Free-Energy Landscape of the Dissolution of Gibbsite at High pH.

PubMed

Shen, Zhizhang; Kerisit, Sebastien N; Stack, Andrew G; Rosso, Kevin M

2018-04-05

The individual elementary reactions involved in the dissolution of a solid into solution remain mostly speculative due to a lack of direct experimental probes. In this regard, we have applied atomistic simulations to map the free-energy landscape of the dissolution of gibbsite from a step edge as a model of metal hydroxide dissolution. The overall reaction combines kink formation and kink propagation. Two individual reactions were found to be rate-limiting for kink formation, that is, the displacement of Al from a step site to a ledge adatom site and its detachment from ledge/terrace adatom sites into the solution. As a result, a pool of mobile and labile adsorbed species, or adatoms, exists before the release of Al into solution. Because of the quasi-hexagonal symmetry of gibbsite, kink site propagation can occur in multiple directions. Overall, our results will enable the development of microscopic mechanistic models of metal oxide dissolution.

Propagating gene expression fronts in a one-dimensional coupled system of artificial cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tayar, Alexandra M.; Karzbrun, Eyal; Noireaux, Vincent; Bar-Ziv, Roy H.

2015-12-01

Living systems employ front propagation and spatiotemporal patterns encoded in biochemical reactions for communication, self-organization and computation. Emulating such dynamics in minimal systems is important for understanding physical principles in living cells and in vitro. Here, we report a one-dimensional array of DNA compartments in a silicon chip as a coupled system of artificial cells, offering the means to implement reaction-diffusion dynamics by integrated genetic circuits and chip geometry. Using a bistable circuit we programmed a front of protein synthesis propagating in the array as a cascade of signal amplification and short-range diffusion. The front velocity is maximal at a saddle-node bifurcation from a bistable regime with travelling fronts to a monostable regime that is spatially homogeneous. Near the bifurcation the system exhibits large variability between compartments, providing a possible mechanism for population diversity. This demonstrates that on-chip integrated gene circuits are dynamical systems driving spatiotemporal patterns, cellular variability and symmetry breaking.

Convection induced by thermal gradients on thin reaction fronts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-09-01

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

Notch-mediated lateral inhibition regulates proneural wave propagation when combined with EGF-mediated reaction diffusion

PubMed Central

Sato, Makoto; Yasugi, Tetsuo; Minami, Yoshiaki; Miura, Takashi; Nagayama, Masaharu

2016-01-01

Notch-mediated lateral inhibition regulates binary cell fate choice, resulting in salt and pepper patterns during various developmental processes. However, how Notch signaling behaves in combination with other signaling systems remains elusive. The wave of differentiation in the Drosophila visual center or “proneural wave” accompanies Notch activity that is propagated without the formation of a salt and pepper pattern, implying that Notch does not form a feedback loop of lateral inhibition during this process. However, mathematical modeling and genetic analysis clearly showed that Notch-mediated lateral inhibition is implemented within the proneural wave. Because partial reduction in EGF signaling causes the formation of the salt and pepper pattern, it is most likely that EGF diffusion cancels salt and pepper pattern formation in silico and in vivo. Moreover, the combination of Notch-mediated lateral inhibition and EGF-mediated reaction diffusion enables a function of Notch signaling that regulates propagation of the wave of differentiation. PMID:27535937

A Kinetic Approach to Propagation and Stability of Detonation Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monaco, R.; Bianchi, M. Pandolfi; Soares, A. J.

2008-12-01

The problem of the steady propagation and linear stability of a detonation wave is formulated in the kinetic frame for a quaternary gas mixture in which a reversible bimolecular reaction takes place. The reactive Euler equations and related Rankine-Hugoniot conditions are deduced from the mesoscopic description of the process. The steady propagation problem is solved for a Zeldovich, von Neuman and Doering (ZND) wave, providing the detonation profiles and the wave thickness for different overdrive degrees. The one-dimensional stability of such detonation wave is then studied in terms of an initial value problem coupled with an acoustic radiation condition at the equilibrium final state. The stability equations and their initial data are deduced from the linearized reactive Euler equations and related Rankine-Hugoniot conditions through a normal mode analysis referred to the complex disturbances of the steady state variables. Some numerical simulations for an elementary reaction of the hydrogen-oxygen chain are proposed in order to describe the time and space evolution of the instabilities induced by the shock front perturbation.

Experimental Investigation of Inlet Distortion in a Multistage Axial Compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusu, Razvan

The primary objective of this research is to present results and methodologies used to study total pressure inlet distortion in a multi-stage axial compressor environment. The study was performed at the Purdue 3-Stage Axial Compressor Facility (P3S) which models the final three stages of a production turbofan engine's high-pressure compressor (HPC). The goal of this study was twofold; first, to design, implement, and validate a circumferentially traversable total pressure inlet distortion generation system, and second, to demonstrate data acquisition methods to characterize the inter-stage total pressure flow fields to study the propagation and attenuation of a one-per-rev total pressure distortion. The datasets acquired for this study are intended to support the development and validation of novel computational tools and flow physics models for turbomachinery flow analysis. Total pressure inlet distortion was generated using a series of low-porosity wire gauze screens placed upstream of the compressor in the inlet duct. The screens are mounted to a rotatable duct section that can be precisely controlled. The P3S compressor features fixed instrumentation stations located at the aerodynamic interface plane (AIP) and downstream and upstream of each vane row. Furthermore, the compressor features individually indexable stator vanes which can be traverse by up to two vane passages. Using a series of coordinated distortion and vane traverses, the total pressure flow field at the AIP and subsequent inter-stage stations was characterized with a high circumferential resolution. The uniformity of the honeycomb carrier was demonstrated by characterizing the flow field at the AIP while no distortion screens where installed. Next, the distortion screen used for this study was selected following three iterations of porosity reduction. The selected screen consisted of a series of layered screens with a 100% radial extent and a 120° circumferential extent. A detailed total pressure flow field characterization of the AIP was performed using the selected screen at nominal, low, and high compressor loading. Thermal anemometry was used to characterize the spatial variation in turbulence intensity at the AIP in an effort to further define inlet boundary conditions for future computational investigations. Two data acquisition methods for the study of distortion propagation and attenuation were utilized in this study. The first method approximated the bulk flow through each vane passage using a single rake measurement positioned near the center of the passage. All vane passages were measured virtually by rotating the distortion upstream by an increment equal to one vane passage. This method proved successful in tracking the distortion propagation and attenuation from the AIP up until the compressor exit. A second, more detailed, inter-stage flow field characterization method was used that generated a total pressure field with a circumferential resolution of 880 increments, or one every 0.41°. The resulting fields demonstrated the importance of secondary flows in the propagation of a total pressure distortion at the different loading conditions investigated. A second objective of this research was to document proposals and design efforts to outfit the existing P3S research compressor with a strain gage telemetry system. The purpose of this system is to validate and supplement existing blade tip timing data on the embedded rotor stage to support the development and validation of novel aeromechanical analysis tools. Integration strategies and telemetry considerations are discussed based on proposals and consultation provided by suppliers.

Convective instabilities in traveling fronts of addition polymerization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pojman, John A.; Jones, Chris E.; Khan, Akhtar M.

1993-01-01

An autocatalytic reaction in an unstirred vessel can support a constant velocity wavefront resulting from the coupling of diffusion to the chemical reaction. A flare front is a common example in which heat is the autocatalytic species that diffuses into unreacted regions stimulating a reaction that produces more heat. Traveling fronts were studied in synthetic polymerization reactions under high pressure by workers in the former USSR. More recently, propagating fronts of methacrylic acid polymerization were studied under ambient conditions, both with video techniques and by NMR.

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of a continuously rotating detonation in the annular combustion chamber with a wide gap and separate delivery of fuel and oxidizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frolov, S. M.; Dubrovskii, A. V.; Ivanov, V. S.

2016-07-01

The possibility of integrating the Continuous Detonation Chamber (CDC) in a gas turbine engine (GTE) is demonstrated by means of three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations, i. e., the feasibility of the operation process in the annular combustion chamber with a wide gap and with separate feeding of fuel (hydrogen) and oxidizer (air) is proved computationally. The CDC with an upstream isolator damping pressure disturbances propagating towards the compressor is shown to exhibit a gain in the total pressure of 15% as compared with the same combustion chamber operating in the deflagration mode.

Initial condition effect on pressure waves in an axisymmetric jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, Jeffrey H.; Raman, Ganesh

1988-01-01

A pair of microphones (separated axially by 5.08 cm and laterally by 1.3 cm) are placed on either side of the jet centerline to investigate coherent pressure fluctuations in an axisymmetric jet at Strouhal numbers less than unity. Auto-spectra, transfer-function, and coherence measurements are made for a tripped and untripped boundary layer initial condition. It was found that coherent acoustic pressure waves originating in the upstream plenum chamber propagate a greater distance downstream for the tripped initial condition than for the untripped initial condition. In addition, for the untripped initial condition the development of the coherent hydrodynamic pressure waves shifts downstream.

Detailed design of a quiet high flow fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soltau, J. D.; Orelup, M. J.; Beguhn, A. A.; Wiles, F. M.; Anderson, M. J.

1977-01-01

A single stage fan was designed to demonstrate the noise abatement properties of near-sonic inlet flow and long-chord stator vanes for the reduction of both upstream and downstream propagated fan source noise. It is designed to produce a pressure ratio of 1.653:1 with an adiabatic efficiency of 83.9%. The fan has a 508 mm inlet diameter with a hub/tip ratio of 0.426 and a design tip speed of 533.4 m/sec. The design inlet specific flow rate is 219.71 kg/sec sq m and there are 10 tandem stator vanes with a combined aspect ratio of 0.54.

Biogas Laminar Burning Velocity and Flammability Characteristics in Spark Ignited Premix Combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anggono, Willyanto; Wardana, I. N. G.; Lawes, M.; Hughes, K. J.; Wahyudi, Slamet; Hamidi, Nurkholis; Hayakawa, Akihiro

2013-04-01

Spherically expanding flames propagating at constant pressure were employed to determine the laminar burning velocity and flammability characteristics of biogas-air mixtures in premixed combustion to uncover the fundamental flame propagation characteristics of a new alternative and renewable fuel. The results are compared with those from a methane-air flame. Biogas is a sustainable and renewable fuel that is produced in digestion facilities. The composition of biogas discussed in this paper consists of 66.4% methane, 30.6% carbon dioxide and 3% nitrogen. Burning velocity was measured at various equivalence ratios (phi) using a photographic technique in a high pressure fan-stirred bomb, the initial condition being at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The flame for methane-air mixtures propagates from phi=0.6 till phi=1.3. The flame at phi >= 1.4 does not propagate because the combustion reaction is quenched by the larger mass of fuel. At phi<=0.5, it does not propagate as well since the heat of reaction is insufficient to burn the mixtures. The flame for biogas-air mixtures propagates in a narrower range, that is from phi=0.6 to phi=1.2. Different from the methane flame, the biogas flame does not propagate at phi>=1.3 because the heat absorbed by inhibitors strengthens the quenching effect by the larger mass of fuel. As in the methane flame, the biogas flame at phi<=0.5 does not propagate. This shows that the effect of inhibitors in extremely lean mixtures is small. Compared to a methane-air mixture, the flammability characteristic (flammable region) of biogas becomes narrower in the presence of inhibitors (carbon dioxide and nitrogen) and the presence of inhibitors causes a reduction in the laminar burning velocity. The inhibitor gases work more effectively at rich mixtures because the rich biogas-air mixtures have a higher fraction of carbon dioxide and nitrogen components compared to the lean biogas-air mixtures.

Kinetics of Chemical Reactions in Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeldovich, Y.; Semenov, N.

1946-01-01

In part I of the paper the theory of flame propagation is developed along the lines followed by Frank-Kamenetsky and one of the writers. The development of chain processes in flames is considered. A basis is given for the application of the method of stationary concentrations to reactions in flames; reactions with branching chains are analyzed. The case of a diffusion coefficient different from the coefficient of temperature conductivity is considered.

Thermally integrated staged methanol reformer and method

DOEpatents

Skala, Glenn William; Hart-Predmore, David James; Pettit, William Henry; Borup, Rodney Lynn

2001-01-01

A thermally integrated two-stage methanol reformer including a heat exchanger and first and second reactors colocated in a common housing in which a gaseous heat transfer medium circulates to carry heat from the heat exchanger into the reactors. The heat transfer medium comprises principally hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methanol vapor and water vapor formed in a first stage reforming reaction. A small portion of the circulating heat transfer medium is drawn off and reacted in a second stage reforming reaction which substantially completes the reaction of the methanol and water remaining in the drawn-off portion. Preferably, a PrOx reactor will be included in the housing upstream of the heat exchanger to supplement the heat provided by the heat exchanger.

Transcriptional Changes That Characterize the Immune Reactions of Leprosy

PubMed Central

Dupnik, Kathryn M.; Bair, Thomas B.; Maia, Andressa O.; Amorim, Francianne M.; Costa, Marcos R.; Keesen, Tatjana S. L.; Valverde, Joanna G.; Queiroz, Maria do Carmo A. P.; Medeiros, Lúcio L.; de Lucena, Nelly L.; Wilson, Mary E.; Nobre, Mauricio L.; Johnson, Warren D.; Jeronimo, Selma M. B.

2015-01-01

Background. Leprosy morbidity is increased by 2 pathologic immune reactions, reversal reaction (RR) and erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL). Methods. To discover host factors related to immune reactions, global transcriptional profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were compared between 11 RR, 11 ENL, and 19 matched control patients, with confirmation by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Encoded proteins were investigated in skin biopsy specimens by means of immunohistochemistry. Results. There were 275 genes differentially expressed in RR and 517 differentially expressed in ENL on the microarray. Pathway analysis showed immunity-related pathways represented in RR and ENL transcriptional profiles, with the “complement and coagulation” pathway common to both. Interferon γ was identified as a significant upstream regulator of the expression changes for RR and ENL. Immunohistochemical staining of skin lesions showed increased C1q in both RR and ENL. Conclusions. These data suggest a previously underrecognized role for complement in the pathogenesis of both RR and ENL, and we propose new hypotheses for reaction pathogenesis. PMID:25398459

Nonequiatomic NiTi Alloy Produced by Self Propagating High Temperature Synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassani, P.; Bassani, E.; Tuissi, A.; Giuliani, P.; Zanotti, C.

2014-07-01

Shape memory alloy NiTi in porous form is of high interest as implantable material, as low apparent elastic modulus, comparable to that of bone, can be achieved. This condition, combined with proper pore size, allows good osteointegration. Porous NiTi can be produced by self propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS), starting from mixed powders of pure Ni and Ti. Process parameters, among which powder compaction degree and preheating temperature, strongly influence the reaction temperature and the resulting product: at low reaction temperatures, high quantity of secondary phases are formed, which are generally considered detrimental for biocompatibility. On the contrary, at higher reaction temperatures, the powders melt and crystallize in ingots. The porous structure is lost and huge pores are formed. Mechanical activation of powders through ball milling and addition of TiH x are investigated as means to reduce reaction temperature and overheating, in order to preserve high porosity and limit secondary phases content. Both processes affect SHS reaction, and require adjustment of parameters such as heating rate. Changes in porous shape and size were observed especially for TiH x additions: the latter could be a promising route to obtain shaped porous products of improved quality.

Soft tissue deformation modelling through neural dynamics-based reaction-diffusion mechanics.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinao; Zhong, Yongmin; Gu, Chengfan

2018-05-30

Soft tissue deformation modelling forms the basis of development of surgical simulation, surgical planning and robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. This paper presents a new methodology for modelling of soft tissue deformation based on reaction-diffusion mechanics via neural dynamics. The potential energy stored in soft tissues due to a mechanical load to deform tissues away from their rest state is treated as the equivalent transmembrane potential energy, and it is distributed in the tissue masses in the manner of reaction-diffusion propagation of nonlinear electrical waves. The reaction-diffusion propagation of mechanical potential energy and nonrigid mechanics of motion are combined to model soft tissue deformation and its dynamics, both of which are further formulated as the dynamics of cellular neural networks to achieve real-time computational performance. The proposed methodology is implemented with a haptic device for interactive soft tissue deformation with force feedback. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed methodology exhibits nonlinear force-displacement relationship for nonlinear soft tissue deformation. Homogeneous, anisotropic and heterogeneous soft tissue material properties can be modelled through the inherent physical properties of mass points. Graphical abstract Soft tissue deformation modelling with haptic feedback via neural dynamics-based reaction-diffusion mechanics.

On the fundamental unsteady fluid dynamics of shock-induced flows through ducts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, Nicole Renee

Unsteady shock wave propagation through ducts has many applications, ranging from blast wave shelter design to advanced high-speed propulsion systems. The research objective of this study was improved fundamental understanding of the transient flow structures during unsteady shock wave propagation through rectangular ducts with varying cross-sectional area. This research focused on the fluid dynamics of the unsteady shock-induced flow fields, with an emphasis placed on understanding and characterizing the mechanisms behind flow compression (wave structures), flow induction (via shock waves), and enhanced mixing (via shock-induced viscous shear layers). A theoretical and numerical (CFD) parametric study was performed, in which the effects of these parameters on the unsteady flow fields were examined: incident shock strength, area ratio, and viscous mode (inviscid, laminar, and turbulent). Two geometries were considered: the backward-facing step (BFS) geometry, which provided a benchmark and conceptual framework, and the splitter plate (SP) geometry, which was a canonical representation of the engine flow path. The theoretical analysis was inviscid, quasi-1 D and quasi-steady; and the computational analysis was fully 2D, time-accurate, and VISCOUS. The theory provided the wave patterns and primary wave strengths for the BFS geometry, and the simulations verified the wave pattems and quantified the effects of geometry and viscosity. It was shown that the theoretical wave patterns on the BFS geometry can be used to systematically analyze the transient, 20, viscous flows on the SP geometry. This work also highlighted the importance and the role of oscillating shock and expansion waves in the development of these unsteady flows. The potential for both upstream and downstream flow induction was addressed. Positive upstream flow induction was not found in this study due to the persistent formation of an upstream-moving shock wave. Enhanced mixing was addressed by examining the evolution of the unsteady shear layer, its instability, and their effects on the flow field. The instability always appeared after the reflected shock interaction, and was exacerbated in the laminar cases and damped out in the turbulent cases. This research provided new understanding of the long-term evolution of these confined flows. Lastly, the turbulent work is one of the few turbulent studies on these flows.

A Novel Computational Method to Reduce Leaky Reaction in DNA Strand Displacement.

PubMed

Li, Xin; Wang, Xun; Song, Tao; Lu, Wei; Chen, Zhihua; Shi, Xiaolong

2015-01-01

DNA strand displacement technique is widely used in DNA programming, DNA biosensors, and gene analysis. In DNA strand displacement, leaky reactions can cause DNA signals decay and detecting DNA signals fails. The mostly used method to avoid leakage is cleaning up after upstream leaky reactions, and it remains a challenge to develop reliable DNA strand displacement technique with low leakage. In this work, we address the challenge by experimentally evaluating the basic factors, including reaction time, ratio of reactants, and ion concentration to the leakage in DNA strand displacement. Specifically, fluorescent probes and a hairpin structure reporting DNA strand are designed to detect the output of DNA strand displacement, and thus can evaluate the leakage of DNA strand displacement reactions with different reaction time, ratios of reactants, and ion concentrations. From the obtained data, mathematical models for evaluating leakage are achieved by curve derivation. As a result, it is obtained that long time incubation, high concentration of fuel strand, and inappropriate amount of ion concentration can weaken leaky reactions. This contributes to a method to set proper reaction conditions to reduce leakage in DNA strand displacement.

Front propagation in one-dimensional spatially periodic bistable media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Löber, Jakob; Bär, Markus; Engel, Harald

2012-12-01

Front propagation in heterogeneous bistable media is studied using the Schlögl model as a representative example. Spatially periodic modulations in the parameters of the bistable kinetics are taken into account perturbatively. Depending on the ratio L/l (L is the spatial period of the heterogeneity, l is the front width), appropriate singular perturbation techniques are applied to derive an ordinary differential equation for the position of the front in the presence of the heterogeneities. From this equation, the dependence of the average propagation speed on L/l as well as on the modulation amplitude is calculated. The analytical results obtained predict velocity overshoot, different cases of propagation failure, and the propagation speed for very large spatial periods in quantitative agreement with the results of direct numerical simulations of the underlying reaction-diffusion equation.

Synthesis and molecular structure of the 5-methoxycarbonylpentyl a-Glycoside of the upstream, terminal moiety of the O-specific polysaccharide of vibrio cholerae O1, serotype inaba

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) catalyzed reaction of methyl 6-hydroxyhexanoate with 3-O-benzyl-4-(2,4-di-O-acetyl-3-deoxy-L-glycero-tetronamido)-4,6-dideoxy-2-O-levulinoyl-'-D-mannopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate followed by two-step deprotection (hydrogenolysis over Pd/C catalyst ...

Skeletal mechanism generation for surrogate fuels using directed relation graph with error propagation and sensitivity analysis

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

Niemeyer, Kyle E.; Sung, Chih-Jen; Raju, Mandhapati P.

2010-09-15

A novel implementation for the skeletal reduction of large detailed reaction mechanisms using the directed relation graph with error propagation and sensitivity analysis (DRGEPSA) is developed and presented with examples for three hydrocarbon components, n-heptane, iso-octane, and n-decane, relevant to surrogate fuel development. DRGEPSA integrates two previously developed methods, directed relation graph-aided sensitivity analysis (DRGASA) and directed relation graph with error propagation (DRGEP), by first applying DRGEP to efficiently remove many unimportant species prior to sensitivity analysis to further remove unimportant species, producing an optimally small skeletal mechanism for a given error limit. It is illustrated that the combination ofmore » the DRGEP and DRGASA methods allows the DRGEPSA approach to overcome the weaknesses of each, specifically that DRGEP cannot identify all unimportant species and that DRGASA shields unimportant species from removal. Skeletal mechanisms for n-heptane and iso-octane generated using the DRGEP, DRGASA, and DRGEPSA methods are presented and compared to illustrate the improvement of DRGEPSA. From a detailed reaction mechanism for n-alkanes covering n-octane to n-hexadecane with 2115 species and 8157 reactions, two skeletal mechanisms for n-decane generated using DRGEPSA, one covering a comprehensive range of temperature, pressure, and equivalence ratio conditions for autoignition and the other limited to high temperatures, are presented and validated. The comprehensive skeletal mechanism consists of 202 species and 846 reactions and the high-temperature skeletal mechanism consists of 51 species and 256 reactions. Both mechanisms are further demonstrated to well reproduce the results of the detailed mechanism in perfectly-stirred reactor and laminar flame simulations over a wide range of conditions. The comprehensive and high-temperature n-decane skeletal mechanisms are included as supplementary material with this article. (author)« less

A semelparous fish continues upstream migration when exposed to alarm cue, but adjusts movement speed and timing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luhring, Thomas M; Meckley, Trevor D.; Johnson, Nicholas S.; Siefkes, Michael J.; Hume, John B.; Wagner, C. Michael

2016-01-01

Animals make trade-offs between predation risk and pursuit of opportunities such as foraging and reproduction. Trade-offs between antipredator behaviours and foraging are well suited to manipulation in laboratory and field settings and have generated a vast compendium of knowledge. However, much less is known about how animals manage trade-offs between predation risk and pursuit of reproductive opportunities in the absence of the confounding effects of foraging. In the present study, we investigated how the nonfeeding migratory life stage of sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, responds to odour from dead conspecifics (a cue that induces avoidance behaviours in laboratory and field studies). We released groups of PIT-tagged sea lamprey 65 m from the shore of Lake Michigan or 287 m upstream in Carp Lake River and used antennas to detect their movements in the river. As the breeding season progressed, sea lamprey initiated upstream movement earlier and were more likely to enter the river. Sea lamprey that began the night in Lake Michigan entered Carp Lake River at higher rates and accelerated upstream when exposed to high concentrations of alarm cue, consistent with animals attempting to minimize time spent in risky areas. Sea lampreys that began the night in the river delayed upstream movement when exposed to alarm cue, consistent with animals sheltering and gathering information about a source of risk. We attribute this context-specific reaction to alarm cue to differences in perceived vulnerability to predation in sheltered positions in the river versus exposed positions in the lake. Once in the river, the vast majority of sea lamprey moved upstream independent of alarm cue or Julian date. Although life-history-induced time and energy budgets place rigid constraints on the direction of migration, sea lamprey attend to predation risk by modifying movement timing and speed.

Prediction of Chain Propagation Rate Constants of Polymerization Reactions in Aqueous NIPAM/BIS and VCL/BIS Systems.

PubMed

Kröger, Leif C; Kopp, Wassja A; Leonhard, Kai

2017-04-06

Microgels have a wide range of possible applications and are therefore studied with increasing interest. Nonetheless, the microgel synthesis process and some of the resulting properties of the microgels, such as the cross-linker distribution within the microgels, are not yet fully understood. An in-depth understanding of the synthesis process is crucial for designing tailored microgels with desired properties. In this work, rate constants and reaction enthalpies of chain propagation reactions in aqueous N-isopropylacrylamide/N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide and aqueous N-vinylcaprolactam/N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide systems are calculated to identify the possible sources of an inhomogeneous cross-linker distribution in the resulting microgels. Gas-phase reaction rate constants are calculated from B2PLYPD3/aug-cc-pVTZ energies and B3LYPD3/tzvp geometries and frequencies. Then, solvation effects based on COSMO-RS are incorporated into the rate constants to obtain the desired liquid-phase reaction rate constants. The rate constants agree with experiments within a factor of 2-10, and the reaction enthalpies deviate less than 5 kJ/mol. Further, the effect of rate constants on the microgel growth process is analyzed, and it is shown that differences in the magnitude of the reaction rate constants are a source of an inhomogeneous cross-linker distribution within the resulting microgel.

Excitable dynamics in high-Lewis number premixed gas combustion at normal and microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearlman, Howard

1995-01-01

Freely-propagating, premixed gas flames in high-Lewis (Le) number, quiescent mixtures are studied experimentally in tubes of various diameter at normal (lg) and microgravity (mu g). A premixture of lean butane and oxygen diluted with helium, argon, neon, nitrogen or a mixture of multiple diluents is examined such that the thermal diffusivity of the mixture (and to a lesser extent, the mass diffusivity of the rate-limiting component) is systematically varied. In effect, different diluents allow variation of the Le without changing the chemistry. The flames are recorded with high speed cinematography and their stability is visually assessed. Different modes of propagation were observed depending on the diameter of the tubes (different conductive heat loss), the composition of the mixture and the g-level. At 1g, four modes of propagation were observed in small and intermediate diameter tubes (large conductive heat loss): (1) steadily propagating flames, (2) radial and longitudinal pulsating flames, (3) 'wavering' flames, and (4) rotating spiral flames. As the diameter of the tube increases, the radial modes become more pronounced while the longitudinal modes systematically disappear. Also, multiple, simultaneous, spatially-separated 'pacemaker' sites are observed in intermediate and large diameter tubes. Each site starts as a small region of high luminosity and develops into a flamelet which assumes the form of one of the fore mentioned modes. These flamelets eventually interact, annihilate each other in their regions of intersection and merge at their newly created free-ends. For very large tubes, radially-propagating wave-trains (believed to be 'trigger waves') are observed. These are analogous to the radial pulsations observed in the smaller diameter tubes. At mu g, three modes of propagation have been observed: (1) steadily propagating flames, (2) radial and longitudinal pulsating flames, and (3) multi-armed, rotating flames. Since the pulsating mode exists at mu g and 1g, buoyant flicker is not the mechanism which drives the pulsations. Moreover, all of the instabilities at 1g and mu g have characteristic frequencies on the O(100Hz). This value is lower than the fundamental, longitudinal acoustic frequencies of the tubes which suggests that the instabilities are not acoustically driven. The patterns formed by this reaction bear remarkable similarities with the patterns formed in most excitable media when the behavior of the system is driven by couplings between chemical reaction and diffusion (e.g., Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, Patterns in slime molds, spiral waves in the retina of a bird's eye). While it is recognized that the chemical mechanism associated with this premixed gas reaction is exponentially sensitive to temperature and undoubtedly different from those which govern previously observed excitable media (most are isothermal, or weakly exothermic, liquid phase reactions), similar spatial and temporal patterns should not come as a complete surprise considering heat and mass diffusion are self similar. It is concluded that this premixed gas system is a definitive example of a diffusive-thermal, gas-phase oscillator based on these experimental results and their favorable comparison with theory.

Lag-driven motion in front propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amor, Daniel R.; Fort, Joaquim

2013-10-01

Front propagation is a ubiquitous phenomenon. It arises in physical, biological and cross-disciplinary systems as diverse as flame propagation, superconductors, virus infections, cancer spread or transitions in human prehistory. Here we derive a single, approximate front speed from three rather different time-delayed reaction-diffusion models, suggesting a general law. According to our approximate speed, fronts are crucially driven by the lag times (periods during which individuals or particles do not move). Rather surprisingly, the approximate speed is able to explain the observed spread rates of completely different biophysical systems such as virus infections, the Neolithic transition in Europe, and postglacial tree recolonizations.

Continuous measurements of water surface height and width along a 6.5km river reach for discharge algorithm development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuozzolo, S.; Durand, M. T.; Pavelsky, T.; Pentecost, J.

2015-12-01

The upcoming Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite will provide measurements of river width and water surface elevation and slope along continuous swaths of world rivers. Understanding water surface slope and width dynamics in river reaches is important for both developing and validating discharge algorithms to be used on future SWOT data. We collected water surface elevation and river width data along a 6.5km stretch of the Olentangy River in Columbus, Ohio from October to December 2014. Continuous measurements of water surface height were supplemented with periodical river width measurements at twenty sites along the study reach. The water surface slope of the entire reach ranged from during 41.58 cm/km at baseflow to 45.31 cm/km after a storm event. The study reach was also broken into sub-reaches roughly 1km in length to study smaller scale slope dynamics. The furthest upstream sub-reaches are characterized by free-flowing riffle-pool sequences, while the furthest downstream sub-reaches were directly affected by two low-head dams. In the sub-reaches immediately upstream of each dam, baseflow slope is as low as 2 cm/km, while the furthest upstream free-flowing sub-reach has a baseflow slope of 100 cm/km. During high flow events the backwater effect of the dams was observed to propagate upstream: sub-reaches impounded by the dams had increased water surface slopes, while free flowing sub-reaches had decreased water surface slopes. During the largest observed flow event, a stage change of 0.40 m affected sub-reach slopes by as much as 30 cm/km. Further analysis will examine height-width relationships within the study reach and relate cross-sectional flow area to river stage. These relationships can be used in conjunction with slope data to estimate discharge using a modified Manning's equation, and are a core component of discharge algorithms being developed for the SWOT mission.

Invariantly propagating dissolution fingers in finite-width systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutka, Filip; Szymczak, Piotr

2016-04-01

Dissolution fingers are formed in porous medium due to positive feedback between transport of reactant and chemical reactions [1-4]. We investigate two-dimensional semi-infinite systems, with constant width W in one direction. In numerical simulations we solve the Darcy flow problem combined with advection-dispersion-reaction equation for the solute transport to track the evolving shapes of the fingers and concentration of reactant in the system. We find the stationary, invariantly propagating finger shapes for different widths of the system, flow and reaction rates. Shape of the reaction front, turns out to be controlled by two dimensionless numbers - the (width-based) Péclet number PeW = vW/Dφ0 and Damköhler number DaW = ksW/v, where k is the reaction rate, s - specific reactive surface area, v - characteristic flow rate, D - diffusion coefficient of the solute, and φ0 - initial porosity of the rock matrix. Depending on PeW and DaW stationary shapes can be divided into seperate classes, e.g. parabolic-like and needle-like structures, which can be inferred from theoretical predictions. In addition we determine velocity of propagating fingers in time and concentration of reagent in the system. Our simulations are compared with natural forms (solution pipes). P. Ortoleva, J. Chadam, E. Merino, and A. Sen, Geochemical self-organization II: the reactive-infiltration instability, Am. J. Sci, 287, 1008-1040 (1987). M. L. Hoefner, and H. S. Fogler. Pore evolution and channel formation during flow and reaction in porous media, AIChE Journal 34, 45-54 (1988). C. E. Cohen, D. Ding, M. Quintard, and B. Bazin, From pore scale to wellbore scale: impact of geometry on wormhole growth in carbonate acidization, Chemical Engineering Science 63, 3088-3099 (2008). P. Szymczak and A. J. C. Ladd, Reactive-infiltration nstabilities in rocks. Part II: Dissolution of a porous matrix, J. Fluid Mech. 738, 591-630 (2014).

Dynamic Analysis of a Reaction-Diffusion Rumor Propagation Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Hongyong; Zhu, Linhe

2016-06-01

The rapid development of the Internet, especially the emergence of the social networks, leads rumor propagation into a new media era. Rumor propagation in social networks has brought new challenges to network security and social stability. This paper, based on partial differential equations (PDEs), proposes a new SIS rumor propagation model by considering the effect of the communication between the different rumor infected users on rumor propagation. The stabilities of a nonrumor equilibrium point and a rumor-spreading equilibrium point are discussed by linearization technique and the upper and lower solutions method, and the existence of a traveling wave solution is established by the cross-iteration scheme accompanied by the technique of upper and lower solutions and Schauder’s fixed point theorem. Furthermore, we add the time delay to rumor propagation and deduce the conditions of Hopf bifurcation and stability switches for the rumor-spreading equilibrium point by taking the time delay as the bifurcation parameter. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to illustrate the theoretical results.

Investigation of flame structure in plasma-assisted turbulent premixed methane-air flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hualei, ZHANG; Liming, HE; Jinlu, YU; Wentao, QI; Gaocheng, CHEN

2018-02-01

The mechanism of plasma-assisted combustion at increasing discharge voltage is investigated in detail at two distinctive system schemes (pretreatment of reactants and direct in situ discharge). OH-planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique is used to diagnose the turbulent structure methane-air flame, and the experimental apparatus consists of dump burner, plasma-generating system, gas supply system and OH-PLIF system. Results have shown that the effect of pretreatment of reactants on flame can be categorized into three regimes: regime I for voltage lower than 6.6 kV; regime II for voltage between 6.6 and 11.1 kV; and regime III for voltage between 11.1 and 12.5 kV. In regime I, aerodynamic effect and slower oxidation of higher hydrocarbons generated around the inner electrode tip plays a dominate role, while in regime III, the temperature rising effect will probably superimpose on the chemical effect and amplify it. For wire-cylinder dielectric barrier discharge reactor with spatially uneven electric field, the amount of radicals and hydrocarbons are decreased monotonically in radial direction which affects the flame shape. With regard to in situ plasma discharge in flames, the discharge pattern changes from streamer type to glow type. Compared with the case of reactants pretreatment, the flame propagates further in the upstream direction. In the discharge region, the OH intensity is highest for in situ plasma assisted combustion, indicating that the plasma energy is coupled into flame reaction zone.

Thermal-diffusional Instability in White Dwarf Flames: Regimes of Flame Pulsation

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

Xing, Guangzheng; Zhao, Yibo; Zhou, Cheng

Thermal-diffusional pulsation behaviors in planar as well as outwardly and inwardly propagating white dwarf (WD) carbon flames are systematically studied. In the 1D numerical simulation, the asymptotic degenerate equation of state and simplified one-step reaction rates for nuclear reactions are used to study the flame propagation and pulsation in WDs. The numerical critical Zel’dovich numbers of planar flames at different densities ( ρ = 2, 3, and 4 × 10{sup 7} g cm{sup −3}) and of spherical flames (with curvature c = −0.01, 0, 0.01, and 0.05) at a particular density ( ρ = 2 × 10{sup 7} g cm{supmore » −3}) are presented. Flame front pulsation in different environmental densities and temperatures are obtained to form the regime diagram of pulsation, showing that carbon flames pulsate in the typical density of 2 × 10{sup 7} g cm{sup −3} and temperature of 0.6 × 10{sup 9} K. While being stable at higher temperatures, at relatively lower temperatures, the amplitude of the flame pulsation becomes larger. In outwardly propagating spherical flames the pulsation instability is enhanced and flames are also easier to quench due to pulsation at small radius, while the inwardly propagating flames are more stable.« less

Fluctuation Effects on Propagating Waves of Self-Assembly in Organosilane Monolayers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, Jack

2008-03-01

Wavefronts associated with reaction--diffusion and self-assembly processes are ubiquitous in the natural world. For example, propagating fronts arise in crystallization and diverse other thermodynamic ordering processes, in polymerization fronts involved in cell movement and division, as well as in the competitive social interactions and population dynamics of animals at much larger scales. Although it is often claimed that self-sustaining or autocatalytic front propagation is well described by mean-field ``reaction-- diffusion'' or ``phase field'' ordering models, it has recently become appreciated from simulations and theoretical arguments that fluctuation effects in lower spatial dimensions can lead to appreciable deviations from the classical mean-field theory (MFT) of this type of front propagation. The present work explores these fluctuation effects in a real physical system. In particular, we consider a high-resolution near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) study of the spontaneous frontal self-assembly of organosilane (OS) molecules into self-assembled monolayer (SAM) surface-energy gradients on oxidized silicon wafers. We find that these layers organize from the wafer edge as propagating wavefronts having well defined velocities. In accordance with two-dimensional simulations of this type of front propagation that take fluctuation effects into account, we find that the interfacial widths w(t) of these SAM self-assembly fronts exhibit a power-law broadening of in time w(t) ˜ t^β, rather than the constant width predicted by MFT. Moreover, the observed exponent values accord rather well with previous simulation and theoretical estimates. These observations have significant implications for diverse types of ordering fronts that occur under confinement conditions in biological or materials-processing contexts.

Nonlinear Wave-Particle Interaction: Implications for Newborn Planetary and Backstreaming Proton Velocity Distribution Functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanelli, N.; Mazelle, C.; Meziane, K.

2018-02-01

Seen from the solar wind (SW) reference frame, the presence of newborn planetary protons upstream from the Martian and Venusian bow shocks and SW protons reflected from each of them constitutes two sources of nonthermal proton populations. In both cases, the resulting proton velocity distribution function is highly unstable and capable of giving rise to ultralow frequency quasi-monochromatic electromagnetic plasma waves. When these instabilities take place, the resulting nonlinear waves are convected by the SW and interact with nonthermal protons located downstream from the wave generation region (upstream from the bow shock), playing a predominant role in their dynamics. To improve our understanding of these phenomena, we study the interaction between a charged particle and a large-amplitude monochromatic circularly polarized electromagnetic wave propagating parallel to a background magnetic field, from first principles. We determine the number of fix points in velocity space, their stability, and their dependence on different wave-particle parameters. Particularly, we determine the temporal evolution of a charged particle in the pitch angle-gyrophase velocity plane under nominal conditions expected for backstreaming protons in planetary foreshocks and for newborn planetary protons in the upstream regions of Venus and Mars. In addition, the inclusion of wave ellipticity effects provides an explanation for pitch angle distributions of suprathermal protons observed at the Earth's foreshock, reported in previous studies. These analyses constitute a mean to evaluate if nonthermal proton velocity distribution functions observed at these plasma environments present signatures that can be understood in terms of nonlinear wave-particle processes.

Meteotsunami ("Marrobbio") of 25-26 June 2014 on the Southwestern Coast of Sicily, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šepić, Jadranka; Vilibić, Ivica; Rabinovich, Alexander; Tinti, Stefano

2018-04-01

A major tsunami-like event, locally known as `marrobbio', impacted the southwestern coast of Sicily on 25-26 June 2014. The event was part of a chain of hazardous episodes in the Mediterranean and Black seas during the last week of June 2014 resulting from an anomalous atmospheric system ("tumultuous atmosphere") propagating eastward over the region. The synoptic patterns and vertical structure of the atmosphere over Sicily at the time of the event indicate that atmospheric wave ducting was responsible for the generation of tsunamigenic air pressure disturbances that produced especially high sea level responses ("meteotsunamis") at certain sites along the Sicilian coast. The strongest sea level oscillations were observed at Mazara del Vallo, where a 1-m meteotsunami bore, propagating upstream in the Mazaro River, was generated. The combined effects of external resonance (Proudman resonance on the western Sicilian shelf) and internal resonant conditions (bathymetric and topographic characteristics of specific sites) were found to be the key factors that caused the meteotsunami (marrobbio phenomenon) on the coast of Sicily and the meteobore at Mazara del Vallo.

Time-resolved PIV investigation of flashback in stratified swirl flames of hydrogen-rich fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranjan, Rakesh; Clemens, Noel

2016-11-01

Hydrogen is one of the promising alternative fuels to achieve greener power generation. However, susceptibility of flashback in swirl flames of hydrogen-rich fuels acts as a major barrier to its adoption in gas turbine combustors. The current study seeks to understand the flow-flame interaction during the flashback of the hydrogen-rich flame in stratified conditions. Flashback experiments are conducted with a model combustor equipped with an axial swirler and a center-body. Fuel is injected in the main swirl flow via the fuel ports on the swirler vanes. To achieve mean radial stratification, these fuel ports are located at a radial location closer to the outer wall of the mixing tube. Stratification in the flow is assessed by employing Anisole PLIF imaging. Flashback is triggered by a rapid increase in the global equivalence ratio. The upstream propagation of the flame is investigated by employing time-resolved stereoscopic PIV and chemiluminescence imaging. Stratification leads to substantially different flame propagation behavior as well as increased flame surface wrinkling. We gratefully acknowledge the sponsorship by the DOE NETL under Grant DEFC2611-FE0007107.

Mechanisms of the 40-70 Day Variability in the Yucatan Channel Volume Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Westen, René M.; Dijkstra, Henk A.; Klees, Roland; Riva, Riccardo E. M.; Slobbe, D. Cornelis; van der Boog, Carine G.; Katsman, Caroline A.; Candy, Adam S.; Pietrzak, Julie D.; Zijlema, Marcel; James, Rebecca K.; Bouma, Tjeerd J.

2018-02-01

The Yucatan Channel connects the Caribbean Sea with the Gulf of Mexico and is the main outflow region of the Caribbean Sea. Moorings in the Yucatan Channel show high-frequent variability in kinetic energy (50-100 days) and transport (20-40 days), but the physical mechanisms controlling this variability are poorly understood. In this study, we show that the short-term variability in the Yucatan Channel transport has an upstream origin and arises from processes in the North Brazil Current. To establish this connection, we use data from altimetry and model output from several high resolution global models. A significant 40-70 day variability is found in the sea surface height in the North Brazil Current retroflection region with a propagation toward the Lesser Antilles. The frequency of variability is generated by intrinsic processes associated with the shedding of eddies, rather than by atmospheric forcing. This sea surface height variability is able to pass the Lesser Antilles, it propagates westward with the background ocean flow in the Caribbean Sea and finally affects the variability in the Yucatan Channel volume transport.

Meteotsunami ("Marrobbio") of 25-26 June 2014 on the Southwestern Coast of Sicily, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šepić, Jadranka; Vilibić, Ivica; Rabinovich, Alexander; Tinti, Stefano

2018-03-01

A major tsunami-like event, locally known as `marrobbio', impacted the southwestern coast of Sicily on 25-26 June 2014. The event was part of a chain of hazardous episodes in the Mediterranean and Black seas during the last week of June 2014 resulting from an anomalous atmospheric system ("tumultuous atmosphere") propagating eastward over the region. The synoptic patterns and vertical structure of the atmosphere over Sicily at the time of the event indicate that atmospheric wave ducting was responsible for the generation of tsunamigenic air pressure disturbances that produced especially high sea level responses ("meteotsunamis") at certain sites along the Sicilian coast. The strongest sea level oscillations were observed at Mazara del Vallo, where a 1-m meteotsunami bore, propagating upstream in the Mazaro River, was generated. The combined effects of external resonance (Proudman resonance on the western Sicilian shelf) and internal resonant conditions (bathymetric and topographic characteristics of specific sites) were found to be the key factors that caused the meteotsunami (marrobbio phenomenon) on the coast of Sicily and the meteobore at Mazara del Vallo.

Parallelization of Catalytic Packed-Bed Microchannels with Pressure-Drop Microstructures for Gas-Liquid Multiphase Reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakami, Sunao; Ohtaki, Kenichiro; Matsumoto, Sohei; Inoue, Tomoya

2012-06-01

High-throughput and stable treatments are required to achieve the practical production of chemicals with microreactors. However, the flow maldistribution to the paralleled microchannels has been a critical problem in achieving the productive use of multichannel microreactors for multiphase flow conditions. In this study, we newly designed and fabricated a glass four-channel catalytic packed-bed microreactor for the scale-up of gas-liquid multiphase chemical reactions. We embedded microstructures generating high pressure losses at the upstream side of each packed bed, and experimentally confirmed the efficacy of the microstructures in decreasing the maldistribution of the gas-liquid flow to the parallel microchannels.

Characterization of the Environmentally Induced Chemical Transformations of Uranium Tetrafluoride

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

Wellons, M.

A key challenge with nuclear safeguards environmental sampling is identification of the materials post release due to subsequent chemical reactions with ambient water and oxygen. Uranium Tetrafluoride (UF4) is of interest as an intermediate in both the upstream and downstream portions of uranium feedstock and metal production processes used in nuclear fuel production; however minimal published research exists relating to UF4 hydrolysis. FY16 efforts were dedicated to in-situ Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction characterization of UF4 during exposure to various relative humidity conditions. This effort mapped several hydrolysis reaction pathways and identified both intermediate, and terminal progeny species.

The Effect of Gravity on the Combustion Synthesis of Porous Ceramics and Metal Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, J. J.; Woodger, T. C.; Wolanski, T.; Yi, H. C.; Guigne, J. Y.

1997-01-01

Combustion synthesis (self propagating, high temperature synthesis-SHS) is a novel technique that is capable of producing many advanced materials. The ignition temperature (Tig) of such combustion synthesis reactions is often coincident with that of the lowest melting point reactant. The resultant liquid metal wets and spreads around the other solid reactant particles of higher melting points, thereby improving the reactant contact and kinetics, followed by formation of the required compounds. This ignition initiates a combustion propagating wave whose narrow reaction front rapidly travels through the reactants. Since this process is highly exothermic, the heat released by combustion often melts the reactant particles ahead of the combustion front and ignites the adjacent reactant layer, resulting in a self-sustaining reaction. Whenever a fluid phase (liquid or gas) is generated by the reaction system, gravity-driven phenomena can occur. Such phenomena include convective flows of fluid by conventional or unstable convection and settling of the higher density phases. A combustion process is often associated with various kinds of fluid flow. For instance, if the SHS reaction is carried out under inert or reactive gas atmospheres, or a volatile, e.g., B2O3, is deliberately introduced as a reactant, convective flows of the gas will occur due to a temperature gradient existing in the atmosphere when a combustion wave is initiated. The increased gas flow will produce a porous (or expanded) SHS product. Owing to the highly exothermic nature of many SHS reactions, liquid phase(s) can also form before, at, or after the combustion front. The huge temperature gradient at the combustion front can induce convective flows (conventional or unstable) of the liquid phase. Each of these types of convective fluid flow can change the combustion behavior of the synthesizing reaction, and, therefore, the resultant product microstructure. In addition, when two or more phases of different density are produced at or ahead of the propagating combustion front settling of the higher density phase will occur resulting in a non-uniform product microstructure and properties.

A Generic Microdisturbanace Transmissibility Model For Reaction Wheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penate Castro, Jose; Seiler, Rene

2012-07-01

The increasing demand for space missions with high- precision pointing requirements for their payload instruments is underlining the importance of studying the impact of micro-level disturbances on the overall performance of spacecraft. For example, a satellite with an optical telescope taking high-resolution images might be very sensitive to perturbations, generated by moving equipment and amplified by the structure of the equipment itself as well as that of the host spacecraft that is accommodating both, the sources of mechanical disturbances and sensitive payload instruments. One of the major sources of mechanical disturbances inside a satellite may be found with reaction wheels. For investigation of their disturbance generation and propagation characteristics, a finite element model with parametric geometry definition has been developed. The model covers the main structural features of typical reaction wheel assemblies and can be used for a transmissibility representation of the equipment. With the parametric geometry definition approach, a wide range of different reaction wheel types and sizes can be analysed, without the need for (re-)defining an individual reaction wheel configuration from scratch. The reaction wheel model can be combined with a finite element model of the spacecraft structure and the payload for an end-to-end modelling and simulation of the microdisturbance generation and propagation. The finite element model has been generated in Patran® Command Language (PCL), which provides a powerful and time-efficient way to change parameters in the model, for creating a new or modifying an existing geometry, without requiring comprehensive manual interactions in the modelling pre-processor. As part of the overall modelling approach, a tailored structural model of the mechanical ball bearings has been implemented, which is one of the more complex problems to deal with, among others, due to the anisotropic stiffness and damping characteristics. Together, with the time and frequency domain representations of the local sources of the disturbance forces and moments (e.g. due to rotor unbalance), the new model enables adequate estimation of the disturbances at the mechanical interface of a reaction wheel with a transmissibility representation, furthermore the analysis of their propagation in a host structure and their effects on a payload item.

Laser Initiation of PETN containing Nickel Inclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aduev, B. P.; Zvekov, A. A.; Nurmukhametov, D. R.; Nikitin, A. P.

2017-01-01

The spectral and kinetic characteristics of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) containing nickel nanoparticles glow initiated by laser pulses was studied with high temporal resolution. It was shown that glow which is chemiluminescence arises as a result of chemical reaction initiation. We suggest that the glow is concerned on excited nitrogen dioxide NO2 luminescence. The reaction propagation leads to the explosion in the microsecond time range that is accompanied by thermal glow of the reaction products with temperature T=4300 K.

Free-Energy Landscape of the Dissolution of Gibbsite at High pH

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

Shen, Zhizhang; Kerisit, Sebastien N.; Stack, Andrew G.

The individual elementary reactions involved in the dissolution of a solid into solution remain mostly speculative due to a lack of suitable, direct experimental probes. In this regard, we have applied atomistic simulations to map the free energy landscape of the dissolution of gibbsite from a step edge, as a model of metal hydroxide dissolution. The overall reaction combines kink site formation and kink site propagation. Two individual reactions were found to be rate-limiting for kink site formation, that is, the displacement of Al from a step site to a ledge adatom site and its detachment from ledge/terrace adatom sitesmore » into the solution. As a result, a pool of mobile and labile Al adsorbed species, or adatoms, exists before the release of Al into solution. Because of the quasi-hexagonal symmetry of gibbsite, kink site propagation can occur in multiple directions. Overall, the simulation results will enable the development of microscopic mechanistic models of metal oxide dissolution.« less

Forward Propagation Analysis for determining the 16O(n,α)13C Reaction Cross Section at LANSCE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purcell, Zachary; Lee, Hye Young; Davison, Jacob

2017-09-01

Oxygen is present in many materials and the uncertainties in its nuclear data can have a significant impact on applications. In particular, neutron-absorption reactions reduceavailable neutrons in applications. Thus,high precision in knowledge of this reaction cross sectionis required. To decreasethe systematic uncertainty, we developed a framework that uses Forward Propagation Analysis (FPA) for determining the 16O(n,α)13C reaction cross section from data measured at LANSCE. The Low Energy NZ (LENZ) instrument was used to detectreaction alphas on the Ta2 O5 solid target with silicon strip detectors. The FPA was performed in GEANT4. The geometry, efficiency, and resolution functions of LENZ werevalidated by comparing with the alpha emitting Th-229 source measurement. To reproduce experimental yields in silicon strip detectors, the energy dependent neutron beam flux distribution, the 16O(n,a) reaction differential cross sections, and the 2-body kinematics calculations were implemented in the simulation. We present results from the FPA on LENZ data anddiscuss the improved data analysis [LA-UR-17-26436]. This work has benefited from the use of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, is funded by the US Department of Energy and operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC under Contract DE-AC52-06NA25396.

Unified path integral approach to theories of diffusion-influenced reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prüstel, Thorsten; Meier-Schellersheim, Martin

2017-08-01

Building on mathematical similarities between quantum mechanics and theories of diffusion-influenced reactions, we develop a general approach for computational modeling of diffusion-influenced reactions that is capable of capturing not only the classical Smoluchowski picture but also alternative theories, as is here exemplified by a volume reactivity model. In particular, we prove the path decomposition expansion of various Green's functions describing the irreversible and reversible reaction of an isolated pair of molecules. To this end, we exploit a connection between boundary value and interaction potential problems with δ - and δ'-function perturbation. We employ a known path-integral-based summation of a perturbation series to derive a number of exact identities relating propagators and survival probabilities satisfying different boundary conditions in a unified and systematic manner. Furthermore, we show how the path decomposition expansion represents the propagator as a product of three factors in the Laplace domain that correspond to quantities figuring prominently in stochastic spatially resolved simulation algorithms. This analysis will thus be useful for the interpretation of current and the design of future algorithms. Finally, we discuss the relation between the general approach and the theory of Brownian functionals and calculate the mean residence time for the case of irreversible and reversible reactions.

Propagating Qualitative Values Through Quantitative Equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulkarni, Deepak

1992-01-01

In most practical problems where traditional numeric simulation is not adequate, one need to reason about a system with both qualitative and quantitative equations. In this paper, we address the problem of propagating qualitative values represented as interval values through quantitative equations. Previous research has produced exponential-time algorithms for approximate solution of the problem. These may not meet the stringent requirements of many real time applications. This paper advances the state of art by producing a linear-time algorithm that can propagate a qualitative value through a class of complex quantitative equations exactly and through arbitrary algebraic expressions approximately. The algorithm was found applicable to Space Shuttle Reaction Control System model.

Target Patterns in Reaction-Diffusion Systems,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

Riol. 37 (1974), 225-235. 8. M. H. COHEN AND S. A. ROBERTSON, Wave propagation in the early stages of aggregation of cellular slime molds . J. Theoret...the Zaikin-Zhabotinskii-Winfree reagent, Chem. Educ. 56 (1979), 574. 5. F. ALCANTARA AND M. MONK, Signal propagation during aggregation in the slime ... mold Dit’resteltu n discoideum. J. Gen. Microbiol. 85 (1974). 321-334. 6. M. S. COHEN AND P. S. HAGAN, Diffusion induced morphogenesis in the

Wave-number spectra and intermittency in the terrestrial foreshock region.

PubMed

Narita, Y; Glassmeier, K-H; Treumann, R A

2006-11-10

Wave-number spectra of magnetic field fluctuations are directly determined in the terrestrial foreshock region (upstream of a quasiparallel collisionless shock wave) using four-point Cluster spacecraft measurements. The spectral curve is characterized by three ranges reminiscent of turbulence: energy injection, inertial, and dissipation range. The spectral index for the inertial range spectrum is close to Kolmogorov's slope, -5/3. On the other hand, the fluctuations are highly anisotropic and intermittent perpendicular to the mean magnetic field direction. These results suggest that the foreshock is in a weakly turbulent and intermittent state in which parallel propagating Alfvén waves interact with one another, resulting in the phase coherence or the intermittency.

A Novel Computational Method to Reduce Leaky Reaction in DNA Strand Displacement

PubMed Central

Li, Xin; Wang, Xun; Song, Tao; Lu, Wei; Chen, Zhihua; Shi, Xiaolong

2015-01-01

DNA strand displacement technique is widely used in DNA programming, DNA biosensors, and gene analysis. In DNA strand displacement, leaky reactions can cause DNA signals decay and detecting DNA signals fails. The mostly used method to avoid leakage is cleaning up after upstream leaky reactions, and it remains a challenge to develop reliable DNA strand displacement technique with low leakage. In this work, we address the challenge by experimentally evaluating the basic factors, including reaction time, ratio of reactants, and ion concentration to the leakage in DNA strand displacement. Specifically, fluorescent probes and a hairpin structure reporting DNA strand are designed to detect the output of DNA strand displacement, and thus can evaluate the leakage of DNA strand displacement reactions with different reaction time, ratios of reactants, and ion concentrations. From the obtained data, mathematical models for evaluating leakage are achieved by curve derivation. As a result, it is obtained that long time incubation, high concentration of fuel strand, and inappropriate amount of ion concentration can weaken leaky reactions. This contributes to a method to set proper reaction conditions to reduce leakage in DNA strand displacement. PMID:26491602

Steady-state flow distribution and monthly flow duration in selected branches of St. Clair and Detroit rivers within the Great Lakes waterway

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holtschlag, D.J.; Koschik, J.A.

2001-01-01

St. Clair and Detroit Rivers are connecting channels between Lake Huron and Lake Erie in the Great Lakes waterway, and form part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. St. Clair River, the upper connecting channel, drains 222,400 square miles and has an average flow of about 182,000 cubic feet per second. Water from St. Clair River combines with local inflows and discharges into Lake St. Clair before flowing into Detroit River. In some reaches of St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, islands and dikes split the flow into two to four branches. Even when the flow in a reach is known, proportions of flows within individual branches of a reach are uncertain. Simple linear regression equations, subject to a flow continuity constraint, are developed to provide estimators of these proportions and flows. The equations are based on 533 paired measurements of flow in 13 reaches forming 31 branches. The equations provide a means for computing the expected values and uncertainties of steady-state flows on the basis of flow conditions specified at the upstream boundaries of the waterway. In 7 upstream reaches, flow is considered fixed because it can be determined on the basis of flows specified at waterway boundaries and flow continuity. In these reaches, the uncertainties of flow proportions indicated by the regression equations can be used directly to determine the uncertainties of the corresponding flows. In the remaining 6 downstream reaches, flow is considered uncertain because these reaches do not receive flow from all the branches of an upstream reach, or they receive flow from some branches of more than one upstream reach. Monte Carlo simulation analysis is used to quantify this increase in uncertainty associated with the propagation of uncertainties from upstream reaches to downstream reaches. To eliminate the need for Monte Carlo simulations for routine calculations, polynomial regression equations are developed to approximate the variation in uncertainties as a function of flow at the headwaters of St. Clair River. Finally, monthly flow-duration data on the main channels of St. Clair and Detroit Rivers are used with the equations developed in this report to estimate the steady-state flow-duration characteristics of selected branches.

A Time-Dependent Quantum Dynamics Study of the H2 + CH3 yields H + CH4 Reaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Dunyou; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We present a time-dependent wave-packet propagation calculation for the H2 + CH3 yields H + CH4 reaction in six degrees of freedom and for zero total angular momentum. Initial state selected reaction probability for different initial rotational-vibrational states are presented in this study. The cumulative reaction probability (CRP) is obtained by summing over initial-state-selected reaction probability. The energy-shift approximation to account for the contribution of degrees of freedom missing in the 6D calculation is employed to obtain an approximate full-dimensional CRP. Thermal rate constant is compared with different experiment results.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of turbulent premixed flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azzazy, M. T. F.

1982-11-01

A model is proposed to describe the propagation of a plane oblique flame into a turbulent flow of premixed reactants. The model incorporates a transport equation for the single or joint PDF's of passive scalers, in addition to the conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy and K.E. of turbulence. In the first phase of developing the model, the reaction mechanism was treated as a single step irreversible exothermic reaction. In this case, the PDF of the progress variable was parameterized and solved with the conservation equations. The second phase considered a two step reaction mechanism in an attempt to explore the role played by the radicals in the propagation of turbulent premixed flames. For both the two phases, the flame speed and angle are eigenvalues of the solution. Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIFS) was used to measure the PDF of OH concentration in a laboratory scale burner simulating the flame studied by the model. The premixed methane-air flame is stabilized on a rod flame holder downstream of a turbulence producing grid. The experimentally observed PDF's of the hydroxil radical concentration, and the statistical moments, used to describe and compare the PDF's and moments of the two reaction model.

A Luenberger observer for reaction-diffusion models with front position data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collin, Annabelle; Chapelle, Dominique; Moireau, Philippe

2015-11-01

We propose a Luenberger observer for reaction-diffusion models with propagating front features, and for data associated with the location of the front over time. Such models are considered in various application fields, such as electrophysiology, wild-land fire propagation and tumor growth modeling. Drawing our inspiration from image processing methods, we start by proposing an observer for the eikonal-curvature equation that can be derived from the reaction-diffusion model by an asymptotic expansion. We then carry over this observer to the underlying reaction-diffusion equation by an ;inverse asymptotic analysis;, and we show that the associated correction in the dynamics has a stabilizing effect for the linearized estimation error. We also discuss the extension to joint state-parameter estimation by using the earlier-proposed ROUKF strategy. We then illustrate and assess our proposed observer method with test problems pertaining to electrophysiology modeling, including with a realistic model of cardiac atria. Our numerical trials show that state estimation is directly very effective with the proposed Luenberger observer, while specific strategies are needed to accurately perform parameter estimation - as is usual with Kalman filtering used in a nonlinear setting - and we demonstrate two such successful strategies.

A Chebyshev method for state-to-state reactive scattering using reactant-product decoupling: OH + H2 → H2O + H.

PubMed

Cvitaš, Marko T; Althorpe, Stuart C

2013-08-14

We extend a recently developed wave packet method for computing the state-to-state quantum dynamics of AB + CD → ABC + D reactions [M. T. Cvitaš and S. C. Althorpe, J. Phys. Chem. A 113, 4557 (2009)] to include the Chebyshev propagator. The method uses the further partitioned approach to reactant-product decoupling, which uses artificial decoupling potentials to partition the coordinate space of the reaction into separate reactant, product, and transition-state regions. Separate coordinates and basis sets can then be used that are best adapted to each region. We derive improved Chebyshev partitioning formulas which include Mandelshtam-and-Taylor-type decoupling potentials, and which are essential for the non-unitary discrete variable representations that must be used in 4-atom reactive scattering calculations. Numerical tests on the fully dimensional OH + H2 → H2O + H reaction for J = 0 show that the new version of the method is as efficient as the previously developed split-operator version. The advantages of the Chebyshev propagator (most notably the ease of parallelization for J > 0) can now be fully exploited in state-to-state reactive scattering calculations on 4-atom reactions.

Generalized Pseudo-Reaction Zone Model for Non-Ideal Explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wescott, B. L.

2007-12-01

The pseudo-reaction zone model was proposed to improve engineering scale simulations with high explosives that have a slow reaction component. In this work an extension of the pseudo-reaction zone model is developed for non-ideal explosives that propagate well below the steady-planar Chapman-Jouguet velocity. A programmed burn method utilizing Detonation Shock Dynamics (DSD) and a detonation velocity dependent pseudo-reaction rate has been developed for non-ideal explosives and applied to the explosive mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO). The pseudo-reaction rate is calibrated to the experimentally obtained normal detonation velocity—shock curvature relation. Cylinder test simulations predict the proper expansion to within 1% even though significant reaction occurs as the cylinder expands.

Stress corrosion-controlled rates of mode I fracture propagation in calcareous bedrock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voigtlaender, Anne; Leith, Kerry; Krautblatter, Michael

2014-05-01

Surface bedrock on natural rock slopes is subject to constant and cyclic environmental stresses (wind, water, wave, ice, seismic or gravitational). Studies indicate that these stresses range up to several hundred kPa, generally too low to cause macroscopic changes in intact rock, although clear evidence of fracture generation, crack propagation and weathering of bedrock illustrates the effect of environmental stresses at the Earth's surface. We suggest that material degradation and its extent, is likely to be controlled by the rate of stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Stress corrosion is a fluid-material reaction, where fluids preferentially react with strained atomic bonds at the tip of developing fractures. Stress corrosion in ferrous and siliceous materials is often accepted as the fracture propagation and degradation rate-controlling process where materials are subject to stresses and fluids. Although evidence for chemical weathering in propagating bedrock fractures is clear in natural environments, the physical system and quantification of stress corrosion in natural rocks is yet to be addressed. Here, we present preliminary data on the relationship between stresses at levels commonly present on natural rock slopes, and material damage resulting from stress corrosion under constant or cyclic tensile loading. We undertake single notch three-point bending tests (SNBT) on fresh calcareous bedrock specimens (1100x100x100mm) over a two-month period. Two beams containing an artificial notch are stressed to 75% of their ultimate strength, and a constant supply of weak acid is applied at the notch tip to enhance chemical reactions. A third, unloaded, beam is also exposed to weak acid in order to elucidate the contribution of stress corrosion cracking to the material degradation. Stresses at the tip of propagating cracks affect the kinetics of the chemical reaction in the specimen exposed to both loading and corrosion, leading to an increase in degradation, and greater stress relaxation. These changes in material properties are monitored using strain gauges, acoustic emission sensors, changes in P-wave velocity, and records of time to failure where appropriate. Our preliminary studies indicate changes in material properties are concentrated in the region of predicted tensile stress intensification. Reactions seem to favourably occur at the stressed bonds around the crack tip. The rate of chemical dissolution and further propagation of the fracture at the notch tip appears to be enhanced by the level of stress applied to the specimen. This provides the foundation for a suite of repeated experiments in which we plan to test corrosion-controlled rates of degradation across a range of loading conditions. The improved understanding into micro-mechanical controls, will contribute to the assessment of rock fall production rates and erosion processes in natural environments as well as natural building stones.

Mathematical modeling of planar cell polarity signaling in the Drosophila melanogaster wing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amonlirdviman, Keith

Planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling refers to the coordinated polarization of cells within the plane of various epithelial tissues to generate sub-cellular asymmetry along an axis orthogonal to their apical-basal axes. For example, in the Drosophila wing, PCP is seen in the parallel orientation of hairs that protrude from each of the approximately 30,000 epithelial cells to robustly point toward the wing tip. Through a poorly understood mechanism, cell clones mutant for some PCP signaling components, including some, but not all alleles of the receptor frizzled, cause polarity disruptions of neighboring, wild-type cells, a phenomenon referred to as domineering nonautonomy. Previous models have proposed diffusible factors to explain nonautonomy, but no such factors have yet been found. This dissertation describes the mathematical modeling of PCP in the Drosophila wing, based on a contact dependent signaling hypothesis derived from experimental results. Intuition alone is insufficient to deduce that this hypothesis, which relies on a local feedback loop acting at the cell membrane, underlies the complex patterns observed in large fields of cells containing mutant clones, and others have argued that it cannot account for observed phenotypes. Through reaction-diffusion, partial differential equation modeling and simulation, the feedback loop is shown to fully reproduce PCP phenotypes, including domineering nonautonomy. The sufficiency of this model and the experimental validation of model predictions argue that previously proposed diffusible factors need not be invoked to explain PCP signaling and reveal how specific protein-protein interactions lead to autonomy or domineering nonautonomy. Based on these results, an ordinary differential equation model is derived to study the relationship of the feedback loop with upstream signaling components. The cadherin Fat transduces a cue to the local feedback loop, biasing the polarity direction of each cell toward the wing tip. The feedback loop then amplifies and propagates PCP across the pupal wing, but polarity information does not always propagate correctly across cells lacking Fat function. Using the simplified model, the presence and severity of polarity defects in fat clones is shown to be an inherent consequence of the feedback loop when confronted with irregular variations in cell geometry.

Generalized Pseudo-Reaction Zone Model for Non-Ideal Explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wescott, Bradley

2007-06-01

The pseudo-reaction zone model was proposed to improve engineering scale simulations when using Detonation Shock Dynamics with high explosives that have a slow reaction component. In this work an extension of the pseudo-reaction zone model is developed for non-ideal explosives that propagate well below their steady-planar Chapman-Jouguet velocity. A programmed burn method utilizing Detonation Shock Dynamics and a detonation velocity dependent pseudo-reaction rate has been developed for non-ideal explosives and applied to the explosive mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO). The pseudo-reaction rate is calibrated to the experimentally obtained normal detonation velocity---shock curvature relation. The generalized pseudo-reaction zone model proposed here predicts the cylinder expansion to within 1% by accounting for the slow reaction in ANFO.

Initiation and Modification of Reaction by Energy Addition: Kinetic and Transport Phenomena

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-01

ignition- delay time ranges from about 2 to 100 ps. The results of a computer- modeling calcu- lation of the chemical kinetics suggest that the...Page PROGRAM INFORMATION iii 1.0 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 2.0 ANALYSIS 2 3.0 EXPERIMENT 7 REFERENCES 8 APPENDIX I. Evaluating a Simple Model for Laminar...Flame-Propagation I-1 Rates. I. Planar Geometry. APPENDIX II. Evaluating a Simple Model for Laminar-Flame-Propagation II-1 Rates. II. Spherical

Noise Propagation and Uncertainty Quantification in Hybrid Multiphysics Models: Initiation and Reaction Propagation in Energetic Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-23

general model for heterogeneous granular media under compaction and (ii) the lack of a reliable multiscale discrete -to-continuum framework for...dynamics. These include a continuum- discrete model of heat dissipation/diffusion and a continuum- discrete model of compaction of a granular material with...the lack of a general model for het- erogeneous granular media under compac- tion and (ii) the lack of a reliable multi- scale discrete -to-continuum

Barium Depletion in Hollow Cathode Emitters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polk, James E.; Capece, Angela M.; Mikellides, Ioannis G.; Katz, Ira

2009-01-01

The effect of tungsten erosion, transport and redeposition on the operation of dispenser hollow cathodes was investigated in detailed examinations of the discharge cathode inserts from an 8200 hour and a 30,352 hour ion engine wear test. Erosion and subsequent re-deposition of tungsten in the electron emission zone at the downstream end of the insert reduces the porosity of the tungsten matrix, preventing the ow of barium from the interior. This inhibits the interfacial reactions of the barium-calcium-aluminate impregnant with the tungsten in the pores. A numerical model of barium transport in the internal xenon discharge plasma shows that the barium required to reduce the work function in the emission zone can be supplied from upstream through the gas phase. Barium that flows out of the pores of the tungsten insert is rapidly ionized in the xenon discharge and pushed back to the emitter surface by the electric field and drag from the xenon ion flow. This barium ion flux is sufficient to maintain a barium surface coverage at the downstream end greater than 0.6, even if local barium production at that point is inhibited by tungsten deposits. The model also shows that the neutral barium pressure exceeds the equilibrium vapor pressure of the impregnant decomposition reaction over much of the insert length, so the reactions are suppressed. Only a small region upstream of the zone blocked by tungsten deposits is active and supplies the required barium. These results indicate that hollow cathode failure models based on barium depletion rates in vacuum dispenser cathodes are very conservative.

Tungsten and Barium Transport in the Internal Plasma of Hollow Cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polk, James E.; Mikellides, Ioannis G.; Katz, Ira; Capece, Angela M.

2008-01-01

The effect of tungsten erosion, transport and redeposition on the operation of dispenser hollow cathodes was investigated in detailed examinations of the discharge cathode inserts from an 8200 hour and a 30,352 hour ion engine wear test. Erosion and subsequent re-deposition of tungsten in the electron emission zone at the downstream end of the insert reduces the porosity of the tungsten matrix, preventing the flow of barium from the interior. This inhibits the interfacial reactions of the barium-calcium-aluminate impregnant with the tungsten in the pores. A numerical model of barium transport in the internal xenon discharge plasma shows that the barium required to reduce the work function in the emission zone can be supplied from upstream through the gas phase. Barium that flows out of the pores of the tungsten insert is rapidly ionized in the xenon discharge and pushedback to the emitter surface by the electric field and drag from the xenon ion flow. Thisbarium ion flux is sufficient to maintain a barium surface coverage at the downstream endgreater than 0.6, even if local barium production at that point is inhibited by tungsten deposits. The model also shows that the neutral barium pressure exceeds the equilibrium vapor pressure of the impregnant decomposition reaction over much of the insert length,so the reactions are suppressed. Only a small region upstream of the zone blocked by tungsten deposits is active and supplies the required barium. These results indicate that hollowcathode failure models based on barium depletion rates in vacuum dispenser cathodes are very conservative.

Experimental investigations of mechanical and reaction responses for drop-weight impacted energetic particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Xiao-Wei; Wu, Yan-Qing; Wang, Ming-Yang; Huang, Feng-Lei

2017-02-01

Low-velocity drop-weight impact experiments on individual and multiple Cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX) energetic particles were performed using a modified drop-weight machine equipped with high-speed photography components. Multiple particles experienced more severe burning reactions than an individual particle. Comparisons between impacted salt and HMX particle show that jetting in HMX is mainly due to the motion of fragmented particles driven by gaseous reaction products. Velocity of jetting, flame propagation, and area expansion were measured via image processing, making it possible to quantify the chemical reaction or mechanical deformation violence at different stages.

The Application of Social Characteristic and L1 Optimization in the Error Correction for Network Coding in Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Zhang, Guangzhi; Cai, Shaobin; Xiong, Naixue

2018-01-01

One of the remarkable challenges about Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) is how to transfer the collected data efficiently due to energy limitation of sensor nodes. Network coding will increase network throughput of WSN dramatically due to the broadcast nature of WSN. However, the network coding usually propagates a single original error over the whole network. Due to the special property of error propagation in network coding, most of error correction methods cannot correct more than C/2 corrupted errors where C is the max flow min cut of the network. To maximize the effectiveness of network coding applied in WSN, a new error-correcting mechanism to confront the propagated error is urgently needed. Based on the social network characteristic inherent in WSN and L1 optimization, we propose a novel scheme which successfully corrects more than C/2 corrupted errors. What is more, even if the error occurs on all the links of the network, our scheme also can correct errors successfully. With introducing a secret channel and a specially designed matrix which can trap some errors, we improve John and Yi’s model so that it can correct the propagated errors in network coding which usually pollute exactly 100% of the received messages. Taking advantage of the social characteristic inherent in WSN, we propose a new distributed approach that establishes reputation-based trust among sensor nodes in order to identify the informative upstream sensor nodes. With referred theory of social networks, the informative relay nodes are selected and marked with high trust value. The two methods of L1 optimization and utilizing social characteristic coordinate with each other, and can correct the propagated error whose fraction is even exactly 100% in WSN where network coding is performed. The effectiveness of the error correction scheme is validated through simulation experiments. PMID:29401668

The Application of Social Characteristic and L1 Optimization in the Error Correction for Network Coding in Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Zhang, Guangzhi; Cai, Shaobin; Xiong, Naixue

2018-02-03

One of the remarkable challenges about Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) is how to transfer the collected data efficiently due to energy limitation of sensor nodes. Network coding will increase network throughput of WSN dramatically due to the broadcast nature of WSN. However, the network coding usually propagates a single original error over the whole network. Due to the special property of error propagation in network coding, most of error correction methods cannot correct more than C /2 corrupted errors where C is the max flow min cut of the network. To maximize the effectiveness of network coding applied in WSN, a new error-correcting mechanism to confront the propagated error is urgently needed. Based on the social network characteristic inherent in WSN and L1 optimization, we propose a novel scheme which successfully corrects more than C /2 corrupted errors. What is more, even if the error occurs on all the links of the network, our scheme also can correct errors successfully. With introducing a secret channel and a specially designed matrix which can trap some errors, we improve John and Yi's model so that it can correct the propagated errors in network coding which usually pollute exactly 100% of the received messages. Taking advantage of the social characteristic inherent in WSN, we propose a new distributed approach that establishes reputation-based trust among sensor nodes in order to identify the informative upstream sensor nodes. With referred theory of social networks, the informative relay nodes are selected and marked with high trust value. The two methods of L1 optimization and utilizing social characteristic coordinate with each other, and can correct the propagated error whose fraction is even exactly 100% in WSN where network coding is performed. The effectiveness of the error correction scheme is validated through simulation experiments.

Effects of H{sub 2} enrichment on the propagation characteristics of CH{sub 4}-air triple flames

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

Briones, Alejandro M.; Aggarwal, Suresh K.; Katta, Viswanath R.

The effects of H{sub 2} enrichment on the propagation of laminar CH{sub 4}-air triple flames in axisymmetric coflowing jets are numerically investigated. A comprehensive, time-dependent computational model, which employs a detailed description of chemistry and transport, is used to simulate the transient ignition and flame propagation phenomena. Flames are ignited in a jet-mixing layer far downstream of the burner. Following ignition, a well-defined triple flame is formed that propagates upstream along the stoichiometric mixture fraction line with a nearly constant displacement velocity. As the flame approaches the burner, it transitions to a double flame, and subsequently to a burner-stabilized nonpremixedmore » flame. Predictions are validated using measurements of the displacement flame velocity. As the H{sub 2} concentration in the fuel blend is increased, the displacement flame velocity and local triple flame speed increase progressively due to the enhanced chemical reactivity, diffusivity, and preferential diffusion caused by H{sub 2} addition. In addition, the flammability limits associated with the triple flames are progressively extended with the increase in H{sub 2} concentration. The flame structure and flame dynamics are also markedly modified by H{sub 2} enrichment, which substantially increases the flame curvature and mixture fraction gradient, as well as the hydrodynamic and curvature-induced stretch near the triple point. For all the H{sub 2}-enriched methane-air flames investigated in this study, there is a negative correlation between flame speed and stretch, with the flame speed decreasing almost linearly with stretch, consistent with previous studies. The H{sub 2} addition also modifies the flame sensitivity to stretch, as it decreases the Markstein number (Ma), implying an increased tendency toward diffusive-thermal instability (i.e. Ma {yields} 0). These results are consistent with the previously reported experimental results for outwardly propagating spherical flames burning a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen. (author)« less

Forced Forward Smoldering Experiments Aboard The Space Shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fernandez-Pello, A. C.; Bar-Ilan, A.; Rein, G.; Urban, D. L.; Torero, J. L.

2003-01-01

Smoldering is a basic combustion problem that presents a fire risk because it is initiated at low temperatures and because the reaction can propagate slowly in the material interior and go undetected for long periods of time. It yields a higher conversion of fuel to toxic compounds than does flaming, and may undergo a transition to flaming. To date there have been a few minor incidents of overheated and charred cables and electrical components reported on Space Shuttle flights. With the establishment of the International Space Station, and the planning of a potential manned mission to Mars, there has been an increased interest in the study of smoldering in microgravity. The Microgravity Smoldering Combustion (MSC) experiment is part of a study of the smolder characteristics of porous combustible materials in a spacecraft environment. The aim of the experiment is to provide a better fundamental understanding of the controlling mechanisms of smoldering combustion under normal- and microgravity conditions. This in turn will aid in the prevention and control of smolder originated fires, both on earth and in spacecrafts. The microgravity smoldering experiments have to be conducted in a space-based facility because smoldering is a very slow process and consequently its study in a microgravity environment requires extended periods of time. The microgravity experiments reported here were conducted aboard the Space Shuttle. The most recent tests were conducted during the STS-105 and STS-108 missions. The results of the forward smolder experiments from these flights are reported here. In forward smolder, the reaction front propagates in the same direction as the oxidizer flow. The heat released by the heterogeneous oxidation reaction is transferred ahead of the reaction heating the unreacted fuel. The resulting increase of the virgin fuel temperature leads to the onset of the smolder reaction, and propagates through the fuel. The MSC data are compared with normal gravity data to determine the effect of gravity on smolder.

Lytic and inhibition responses to bacteriophages among marine bacteria, with special reference to the origin of phage-host systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moebus, K.

1983-12-01

The results of phage-host cross-reaction tests reported by Moebus & Nattkemper (1981) were re-examined using serially diluted bacteriophage suspensions to elicit the actual type of reaction between the bacteria and phage lysates tested. More than 1450 phage-host systems were studied at 25 °C incubation temperature. Among the nearly 300 phage strains used, 29 were identified as temperate ones. In about 65 % of the phage-host systems bacteriophage propagation was indicated by plaque formation. The remaining systems were characterized by the “inhibition” reaction of bacteria to phage lysates indicated by homogenously reduced bacterial growth within the test area without production of progeny phages. Since crude phage lysates had to be used, it remains obscure whether agents other than infective phage particles (defective ones or bacteriocins) caused this reaction. Among 269 systems of the inhibition type which were also tested at 5° and 15 °C, 54 were observed to propagate phages at one of or both the lower temperatures. Plaques produced at 15 °C with several phage-host systems were found to yield only few progeny phages which generally could not be propagated to produce high-titer phage stocks. With one system temperature-sensitive phage mutants were isolated. The probability of inhibition reactions occurring was found to be higher with phage-host systems isolated east of the Azores than with systems derived from the western Atlantic. With systems from the last mentioned area the proportion of inhibition versus lytic responses of bacteria to phages was observed to increase with the distance between the stations where both parts of the systems were derived. The latter findings are discussed in view of the assumption that bacterial and bacteriophage populations undergo genetic changes while being transported from west to east.

Modelling Waterfall Retreat in Heterogenous Bedrock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Attal, M.; Hodge, R. A.; Williams, R.; Baynes, E.

2016-12-01

Bedrock rivers are the mediators of environmental change through mountainous landscapes. In response to an increase in uplift rate for example, a "knickpoint" (often materialised as a waterfall) will propagate upstream, separating a domain downstream where the river and its adjacent hillslopes have steepened in response to the change from a "relict" domain upstream which is adjusted to the conditions before the change (Crosby and Whipple 2006). Many studies assume that knickpoint propagation rate scales with drainage area, based on the stream power theory. However, recent studies in a range of locations have found no obvious relationship between knickpoint retreat rate and drainage area, potentially resulting from the stream power law neglecting (i) the influence of sediment on the processes associated with waterfall migration and (ii) thresholds for bedrock detachment (Cook et al. 2013; Mackey et al. 2014; DiBiase et al. 2015; Baynes et al. 2015; Brocard et al. 2016). In this study, we develop a 1D model of waterfall retreat in horizontally bedded bedrock with varying joint spacing. In the model, knickpoint migration is based on two rules: a waterfall will start migrating once the threshold flow depth (a function of knickpoint height and joint spacing) has been exceeded (Lamb and Dietrich 2009), and the migration rate will then be a function of the water-depth-to-waterfall-height ratio, based on experimental results by Baynes (2015). Using a hydrograph based on a Poisson rectangular pulse rainfall simulator (Tucker and Bras 2001), we demonstrate the importance of structure in controlling the speed at which waterfalls migrate but also their number and the length over which they are distributed (Fig. 1). The model is applied to the Jökulsá á Fjöllum, NE Iceland, where rapid migration of waterfalls as a result of discrete events has been identified (Baynes et al. 2015), using new constraints on joint spacing derived from high resolution lidar survey of the gorge walls.

First simultaneous measurements of waves generated at the bow shock in the solar wind, the magnetosphere and on the ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clausen, L. B. N.; Yeoman, T. K.; Fear, R. C.; Behlke, R.; Lucek, E. A.; Engebretson, M. J.

2009-01-01

On 5 September 2002 the Geotail satellite observed the cone angle of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) change to values below 30° during a 56 min interval between 18:14 and 19:10 UT. This triggered the generation of upstream waves at the bow shock, 13 RE downstream of the position of Geotail. Upstream generated waves were subsequently observed by Geotail between 18:30 and 18:48 UT, during times the IMF cone angle dropped below values of 10°. At 18:24 UT all four Cluster satellites simultaneously observed a sudden increase in wave power in all three magnetic field components, independent of their position in the dayside magnetosphere. We show that the 10 min delay between the change in IMF direction as observed by Geotail and the increase in wave power observed by Cluster is consistent with the propagation of the IMF change from the Geotail position to the bow shock and the propagation of the generated waves through the bow shock, magnetosheath and magnetosphere towards the position of the Cluster satellites. We go on to show that the wave power recorded by the Cluster satellites in the component containing the poloidal and compressional pulsations was broadband and unstructured; the power in the component containing toroidal oscillations was structured and shows the existence of multi-harmonic Alfvénic continuum waves on field lines. Model predictions of these frequencies fit well with the observations. An increase in wave power associated with the change in IMF direction was also registered by ground based magnetometers which were magnetically conjunct with the Cluster satellites during the event. To the best of our knowledge we present the first simultaneous observations of waves created by backstreaming ions at the bow shock in the solar wind, the dayside magnetosphere and on the ground.

Thermal mechanisms responsible for the irreversible degradation of superconductivity in commercial superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanovskii, V. R.

2017-08-01

Conditions for the irreversible propagation of thermal instabilities in commercial superconductors subjected to intense and soft cooling have been formulated. An analysis has been conducted using two types of the superconductor's I-V characteristics, i.e., an ideal I-V characteristic, which assumes a step superconducting-to-normal transition, and a continuous I-V characteristic, which is described by a power law. The propagation rate of thermal instabilities along the superconducting composite has been determined. Calculations have been made for both subcritical and supercritical values of the current. It has been shown that they propagate along a commercial superconductor in the form of a switching wave. In rapidly cooled commercial superconductors, the steady-state rate of thermal instability propagation in the longitudinal direction can only be positive because there is no region of steady stabilization. It has been proved that, in the case of thermal instability irreversible propagation, the rise in the commercial superconductor temperature is similar to diffusion processes that occur in explosive chain reactions.

Initiation of rotors by fast propagation regions in excitable media: A theoretical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xiang; Krekhov, Alexei; Zykov, Vladimir; Bodenschatz, Eberhard

2018-02-01

We study the effect of geometry of a fast propagation region (FPR) in an excitable medium on the rotor initiation using a generic two-dimensional reaction-diffusion model. We find that, while the flat boundary of a rectangularly shaped FPR may block the propagation of the excitation wave, a large local curvature at the rounded corners of the FPR would prevent the blockage and thus initiate a rotor. Our simulations demonstrate that the prerequisites for the rotor initiation are the degree of the heterogeneity, its shape and size. These results may explain the incidence of arrhythmias by local heterogeneities induced, for example, by a cardiac tissue remodeling.

Geomorphic responses to large check-dam removal on a mountain river in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Stark, C. P.; Cook, K. L.; Kuo, W.

2011-12-01

Dam removal has become an important aspect of river restoration in recent years, but studies documenting the physical and ecological response to dam removal are still lacking - particularly in mountain rivers and following major floods. This presentation documents the recent removal of a large dam on a coarse-grained, steep (an order of magnitude greater than on the Marmot) mountain channel in Taiwan. The Chijiawan river, a tributary of the Tachia River draining a 1236 km2 watershed, is the only habitat in Taiwan of the endangered Formosan landlocked salmon. The habitat of this fish has been cut significantly since the 1960s following construction of check dams designed to prevent reservoir sedimentation downstream. The largest and lowermost barrier on Chijiawan creek is the 15m high, "No. 1 Check Dam" built in 1971. Forty years later, in early 2011, the sediment wedge behind the dam had reached an estimated 0.2 million m3 and the dam toe had been scoured about 4m below its foundation, posing a serious risk of dam failure. For these reasons, the Shei-Pa National Park removed the dam in late May 2011. To monitor the response of the river to dam removal, we installed video cameras, time-lapse cameras, stage recorders, and turbidity sensors, conducted surveys of grain size distributions and longitudinal profiles, and carried out repeat photography. Channel changes were greatest immediately following removal as a result of the high stream power, steep energy slope, and unconsolidated alluvial fill behind the dam. Headcut propagation caused immediate removal of the sand-grade sediment and progressive channel widening. One month after dam removal, a minor flood event excavated a big wedge of sediment from the impoundment. Most of the subsequent downstream deposition occurred within 500m of the dam, with alluviation reaching up to 0.5m in places. Two months after dam removal, erosion had propagated 300m upstream into the impounded sediment along a bed profile of gradient at 1.4% at a headcut with a local gradient of 5.1%. The change in grain size was a fining of the sediment at the two downstream sites and a slight coarsening at the upstream site from April 2010 to July 2011. This is likely due to the increase in energy upstream of the dam post-removal, which has transported the fine-grained sediments downstream. As the river adjusts over coming months and years, we anticipate that observations such as these will help generate an important resource for all those concerned with dam removal and river restoration.

Assessing impacts of dike construction on the flood dynamics of the Mekong Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Dung Duc; van Halsema, Gerardo; Hellegers, Petra J. G. J.; Phi Hoang, Long; Quang Tran, Tho; Kummu, Matti; Ludwig, Fulco

2018-03-01

Recent flood dynamics of the Mekong Delta have raised concerns about an increased flood risk downstream in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Accelerated high dike building on the floodplains of the upper delta to allow triple cropping of rice has been linked to higher river water levels in the downstream city of Can Tho. This paper assesses the hydraulic impacts of upstream dike construction on the flood hazard downstream in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. We combined the existing one-dimensional (1-D) Mekong Delta hydrodynamic model with a quasi-two-dimensional (2-D) approach. First we calibrated and validated the model using flood data from 2011 and 2013. We then applied the model to explore the downstream water dynamics under various scenarios of high dike construction in An Giang Province and the Long Xuyen Quadrangle. Calculations of water balances allowed us to trace the propagation and distribution of flood volumes over the delta under the different scenarios. Model results indicate that extensive construction of high dikes on the upstream floodplains has had limited effect on peak river water levels downstream in Can Tho. Instead, the model shows that the impacts of dike construction, in terms of peak river water levels, are concentrated and amplified in the upstream reaches of the delta. According to our water balance analysis, river water levels in Can Tho have remained relatively stable, as greater volumes of floodwater have been diverted away from the Long Xuyen Quadrangle than the retention volume lost due to dike construction. Our findings expand on previous work on the impacts of water control infrastructure on flood risk and floodwater regimes across the delta.

Fluid flow and reaction fronts: characterization of physical processes at the microscale using SEM analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaudoin, Nicolas; Koehn, Daniel; Toussaint, Renaud; Gomez-Rivas, Enrique; Bons, Paul; Chung, Peter; Martín-Martín, Juan Diego

2014-05-01

Fluid migrations are the principal agent for mineral replacement in the upper crust, leading to dramatic changes in the porosity and permeability of rocks over several kilometers. Consequently, a better understanding of the physical parameters leading to mineral replacement is required to better understand and model fluid flow and rock reservoir properties. Large-scale dolostone bodies are one of the best and most debated examples of such fluid-related mineral replacement. These formations received a lot of attention lately, and although genetic mechanics and implications for fluid volume are understood, the mechanisms controlling the formation and propagation of the dolomitization reaction front remain unclear. This contribution aims at an improvement of the knowledge about how this replacement front propagates over space and time. We study the front sharpness on hand specimen and thin section scale and what the influence of advection versus diffusion of material is on the front development. In addition, we demonstrate how preexisting heterogeneities in the host rock affect the propagation of the reaction front. The rock is normally not homogeneous but contains grain boundaries, fractures and stylolites, and such structures are important on the scale of the front width. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Raman Spectroscopy we characterized the reaction front chemistry and morphology in different context. Specimens of dolomitization fronts, collected from carbonate sequences of the southern Maestrat Basin, Spain and the Southwestern Scottish Highlands suggest that the front thickness is about several mm being relatively sharp. Fluid infiltrated grain boundaries and fractures forming mm-scale transition zone. We study the structure of the reaction zone in detail and discuss implications for fluid diffusion-advection models and mineral replacement. In addition we formulate a numerical model taking into account fluid flow, diffusion and advection of the mobile reactive species, reaction rates, disorder in the location of the potential replacement seeds, and permeability heterogeneities. The goal of this model is to compare the shape of the resulting patterns, notably in terms of thickness, and eventually roughness or fractal dimension.

Method and apparatus for producing synthesis gas

DOEpatents

Hemmings, John William; Bonnell, Leo; Robinson, Earl T.

2010-03-03

A method and apparatus for reacting a hydrocarbon containing feed stream by steam methane reforming reactions to form a synthesis gas. The hydrocarbon containing feed is reacted within a reactor having stages in which the final stage from which a synthesis gas is discharged incorporates expensive high temperature materials such as oxide dispersed strengthened metals while upstream stages operate at a lower temperature allowing the use of more conventional high temperature alloys. Each of the reactor stages incorporate reactor elements having one or more separation zones to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing feed to support combustion of a fuel within adjacent combustion zones, thereby to generate heat to support the endothermic steam methane reforming reactions.

Prize to a Faculty Member for Research in an Undergraduate: Chaotic mixing and front propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solomon, Tom

2014-03-01

We present results from a series of experiments - all done with undergraduate students - on chaotic fluid mixing and the effects of fluid flows on the behavior of reaction systems. Simple, well-ordered laminar fluid flows can give rise to fluid mixing with complexity far beyond that of the underlying flow, with tracers that separate exponentially in time and invariant manifolds that act as barriers to transport. Recently, we have studied how fluid mixing affects the propagation of reaction fronts in a flow. This is an issue with applications to a wide range of systems including microfluidic chemical reactors, blooms of phytoplankton in the oceans, and the spreading of a disease in a moving population. To analyze and predict the behavior of the fronts, we generalize tools developed to describe passive mixing. In particular, the concept of an invariant manifold is expanded to account for reactive burning. ``Burning invariant manifolds'' (BIMs) are predicted and measured experimentally as structures in the flow that act as one-way barriers that block the motion of reaction fronts. We test these ideas experimentally in three fluid flows: (a) and chain of alternating vortices; (b) an extended, spatially-random pattern of vortices; and (c) a time-independent, three-dimensional, nested vortex flow. The reaction fronts are produced chemically with variations of the well-known Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction. Supported by Research Corporation and the National Science Foundation.

Ionospheric research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Data from research on ionospheric D, E, and F, regions are reported. Wave propagation, mass spectrometer measurements, and atmospheric reactions of HO2 with NO and NO2 and NH2 with NO and O2 are summarized.

The Gaseous Explosive Reaction : the Effect of Pressure on the Rate of Propagation of the Reaction Zone and upon the Rate of Molecular Transformation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, F W

1932-01-01

This study of gaseous explosive reaction has brought out a number of important fundamental characteristics of the explosive reaction indicating that the basal processes of the transformation are much simpler and corresponds more closely to the general laws and principles of ordinary transformations than is usually supposed. The report calls attention to the point that the rate of molecular transformation within the zone was found in all cases to be proportional to pressure, that the transformation within the zone is the result of binary impacts. This result is of unusual interest in the case of the reaction of heavy hydrocarbon fuels and the reaction mechanism proposed by the recent kinetic theory of chain reactions.

Reaction-diffusion waves in neuronal tissue and the window of cortical excitability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahlem, M. A.; Müller, S. C.

2004-07-01

Spreading depression (SD) is a dynamic wave phenomenon occurring in all gray matter regions of the central nervous systems (CNS). It is characterized by a sudden breakdown of neuronal activity and accompanied by a massive influx and efflux of ions across the membrane of neurons. The retina is a constituent of the CNS in which one can easily observe the dynamic behavior of the SD wave fronts, because SD changes the optical properties of the tissue. There is ample evidence that SD belongs to the self-organization processes due to the coupling of reaction with diffusion in excitable medium. It is assumed that the occurrence of SD is associated with some neurological symptoms of migraine with aura. A frequently reported aura symptom is a traveling visual blind region (scotoma) with a preceding figure of scintillating line segments. The characteristic form and development of the scotoma suggests that the underlying phenomenon is a wave propagating through the primary visual cortex, most likely the cortical spreading depression. In this article we discuss similarities between SD waves and the migraine aura on the basis of properties of reaction-diffusion waves known from other excitable media. In particular, the propagation velocities, the shape and the dynamics of the waves are compared with each other. We find that the assumption of the neuronal tissue to be in a state of only weak excitability explains some properties of the migraine aura, such as the confined appearance and its propagation with a stable velocity.

Numerical study of transient evolution of lifted jet flames: partially premixed flame propagation and influence of physical dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhi; Ruan, Shaohong; Swaminathan, Nedunchezhian

2016-07-01

Three-dimensional (3D) unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations of a spark-ignited turbulent methane/air jet flame evolving from ignition to stabilisation are conducted for different jet velocities. A partially premixed combustion model is used involving a correlated joint probability density function and both premixed and non-premixed combustion mode contributions. The 3D simulation results for the temporal evolution of the flame's leading edge are compared with previous two-dimensional (2D) results and experimental data. The comparison shows that the final stabilised flame lift-off height is well predicted by both 2D and 3D computations. However, the transient evolution of the flame's leading edge computed from 3D simulation agrees reasonably well with experiment, whereas evident discrepancies were found in the previous 2D study. This difference suggests that the third physical dimension plays an important role during the flame transient evolution process. The flame brush's leading edge displacement speed resulting from reaction, normal and tangential diffusion processes are studied at different typical stages after ignition in order to understand the effect of the third physical dimension further. Substantial differences are found for the reaction and normal diffusion components between 2D and 3D simulations especially in the initial propagation stage. The evolution of reaction progress variable scalar gradients and its interaction with the flow and mixing field in the 3D physical space have an important effect on the flame's leading edge propagation.

Wave propagation in a quasi-chemical equilibrium plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fang, T.-M.; Baum, H. R.

1975-01-01

Wave propagation in a quasi-chemical equilibrium plasma is studied. The plasma is infinite and without external fields. The chemical reactions are assumed to result from the ionization and recombination processes. When the gas is near equilibrium, the dominant role describing the evolution of a reacting plasma is played by the global conservation equations. These equations are first derived and then used to study the small amplitude wave motion for a near-equilibrium situation. Nontrivial damping effects have been obtained by including the conduction current terms.

Regular Wave Propagation Out of Noise in Chemical Active Media

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

Alonso, S.; Sendina-Nadal, I.; Perez-Munuzuri, V.

2001-08-13

A pacemaker, regularly emitting chemical waves, is created out of noise when an excitable photosensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky medium, strictly unable to autonomously initiate autowaves, is forced with a spatiotemporal patterned random illumination. These experimental observations are also reproduced numerically by using a set of reaction-diffusion equations for an activator-inhibitor model, and further analytically interpreted in terms of genuine coupling effects arising from parametric fluctuations. Within the same framework we also address situations of noise-sustained propagation in subexcitable media.

Gene encoding γ-carbonic anhydrase is cotranscribed with argC and induced in response to stationary phase and high CO2 in Azospirillum brasilense Sp7

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is a ubiquitous enzyme catalyzing the reversible hydration of CO2 to bicarbonate, a reaction underlying diverse biochemical and physiological processes. Gamma class carbonic anhydrases (γ-CAs) are widespread in prokaryotes but their physiological roles remain elusive. At present, only γ-CA of Methanosarcina thermophila (Cam) has been shown to have CA activity. Genome analysis of a rhizobacterium Azospirillum brasilense, revealed occurrence of ORFs encoding one β-CA and two γ-CAs. Results One of the putative γ-CA encoding genes of A. brasilense was cloned and overexpressed in E. coli. Electrometric assays for CA activity of the whole cell extracts overexpressing recombinant GCA1 did not show CO2 hydration activity. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis indicated that gca1 in A. brasilense is co-transcribed with its upstream gene annotated as argC, which encodes a putative N-acetyl-γ-glutamate-phosphate reductase. 5'-RACE also demonstrated that there was no transcription start site between argC and gca1, and the transcription start site located upstream of argC transcribed both the genes (argC-gca1). Using transcriptional fusions of argC-gca1 upstream region with promoterless lacZ, we further demonstrated that gca1 upstream region did not have any promoter and its transcription occurred from a promoter located in the argC upstream region. The transcription of argC-gca1 operon was upregulated in stationary phase and at elevated CO2 atmosphere. Conclusions This study shows lack of CO2 hydration activity in a recombinant protein expressed from a gene predicted to encode a γ-carbonic anhydrase in A. brasilense although it cross reacts with anti-Cam antibody raised against a well characterized γ-CA. The organization and regulation of this gene along with the putative argC gene suggests its involvement in arginine biosynthetic pathway instead of the predicted CO2 hydration. PMID:20598158

Gene encoding gamma-carbonic anhydrase is cotranscribed with argC and induced in response to stationary phase and high CO2 in Azospirillum brasilense Sp7.

PubMed

Kaur, Simarjot; Mishra, Mukti N; Tripathi, Anil K

2010-07-04

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is a ubiquitous enzyme catalyzing the reversible hydration of CO2 to bicarbonate, a reaction underlying diverse biochemical and physiological processes. Gamma class carbonic anhydrases (gamma-CAs) are widespread in prokaryotes but their physiological roles remain elusive. At present, only gamma-CA of Methanosarcina thermophila (Cam) has been shown to have CA activity. Genome analysis of a rhizobacterium Azospirillum brasilense, revealed occurrence of ORFs encoding one beta-CA and two gamma-CAs. One of the putative gamma-CA encoding genes of A. brasilense was cloned and overexpressed in E. coli. Electrometric assays for CA activity of the whole cell extracts overexpressing recombinant GCA1 did not show CO2 hydration activity. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis indicated that gca1 in A. brasilense is co-transcribed with its upstream gene annotated as argC, which encodes a putative N-acetyl-gamma-glutamate-phosphate reductase. 5'-RACE also demonstrated that there was no transcription start site between argC and gca1, and the transcription start site located upstream of argC transcribed both the genes (argC-gca1). Using transcriptional fusions of argC-gca1 upstream region with promoterless lacZ, we further demonstrated that gca1 upstream region did not have any promoter and its transcription occurred from a promoter located in the argC upstream region. The transcription of argC-gca1 operon was upregulated in stationary phase and at elevated CO2 atmosphere. This study shows lack of CO2 hydration activity in a recombinant protein expressed from a gene predicted to encode a gamma-carbonic anhydrase in A. brasilense although it cross reacts with anti-Cam antibody raised against a well characterized gamma-CA. The organization and regulation of this gene along with the putative argC gene suggests its involvement in arginine biosynthetic pathway instead of the predicted CO2 hydration.

Process and continuous apparatus for chemical conversion of materials

DOEpatents

Rugg, Barry; Stanton, Robert

1983-01-01

A process and apparatus for the acid hydrolysis of waste cellulose to glucose of the type wherein waste cellulose is continuously fed into an inlet port of a twin screw extruder, water is continuously fed into reaction zone in the extruder, downstream of the inlet port, the cellulose is continuously reacted with water in the presence of an acid catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure in the reaction zone while being continuously conveyed to an outlet port of the extruder having a given diameter and the reacted cellulose is discharged from the extruder while the elevated temperature and pressure in the reaction zone is maintained. The elevated pressure is maintained by forming a dynamic seal zone at the upstream end of the reaction and continuously discharging the reacted material downstream of the outlet port at a predetermined volume rate of flow to maintain the pressure by passing the discharge through an orifice pipe having a smaller diameter than the given diameter of the outlet port.

Gas Suppression via Copper Interlayers in Magnetron Sputtered Al-Cu2O Multilayers.

PubMed

Kinsey, Alex H; Slusarski, Kyle; Sosa, Steven; Weihs, Timothy P

2017-07-05

The use of thin-foil, self-propagating thermite reactions to bond components successfully depends on the ability to suppress gas generation and avoid pore formation during the exothermic production of brazes. To study the mechanisms of vapor production in diluted thermites, thin film multilayer Al-Cu-Cu 2 O-Cu foils are produced via magnetron sputtering, where the Cu layer thickness is systematically increased from 0 to 100 nm in 25 nm increments. The excess Cu layers act as diffusion barriers, limiting the transport of oxygen from the oxide to the Al fuel, as determined by slow heating differential scanning calorimetry experiments. Furthermore, by adding excess Cu to the system, the temperature of the self-propagating thermite reactions drops below the boiling point of Cu, eliminating the metal vapor production. It is determined that Cu vapor production can be eliminated by increasing the Cu interlayer thickness above 50 nm. However, the porous nature of the final products suggests that only metal vapor production is suppressed via dilution. Gas generation via oxygen release is still capable of producing a porous reaction product.

Boundary mediated position control of traveling waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Steffen; Ziepke, Alexander; Engel, Harald

Reaction control is an essential task in biological systems and chemical process industry. Often, the excitable medium supporting wave propagation exhibits an irregular shape and/or is limited in size. In particular, the analytic treatment of wave phenomena is notoriously difficult due to the spatial modulation of the domain's. Recently, we have provided a first systematic treatment by applying asymptotic perturbation analysis leading to an approximate description that involves a reduction of dimensionality; the 3D RD equation with spatially dependent NFBCs on the reactants reduces to a 1D reaction-diffusion-advection equation. Here, we present a novel method to control the position ϕ (t) of traveling waves in modulated domains according to a prespecified protocol of motion. Given this protocol, the ``optimal'' geometry of reactive domains Q (x) is found as the solution of the perturbatively derived equation of motion. Noteworthy, such a boundary control can be expressed in terms of the uncontrolled wave profile and its propagation velocity, rendering detailed knowledge of the reaction kinetics unnecessary. German Science Foundation DFG through the SFB 910 ''Control of Self-Organizing Nonlinear Systems''.

Heat and mass transfer in combustion - Fundamental concepts and analytical techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Law, C. K.

1984-01-01

Fundamental combustion phenomena and the associated flame structures in laminar gaseous flows are discussed on physical bases within the framework of the three nondimensional parameters of interest to heat and mass transfer in chemically-reacting flows, namely the Damkoehler number, the Lewis number, and the Arrhenius number which is the ratio of the reaction activation energy to the characteristic thermal energy. The model problems selected for illustration are droplet combustion, boundary layer combustion, and the propagation, flammability, and stability of premixed flames. Fundamental concepts discussed include the flame structures for large activation energy reactions, S-curve interpretation of the ignition and extinctin states, reaction-induced local-similarity and non-similarity in boundary layer flows, the origin and removal of the cold boundary difficulty in modeling flame propagation, and effects of flame stretch and preferential diffusion on flame extinction and stability. Analytical techniques introduced include the Shvab-Zeldovich formulation, the local Shvab-Zeldovich formulation, flame-sheet approximation and the associated jump formulation, and large activation energy matched asymptotic analysis. Potentially promising research areas are suggested.

The Annual Glaciohydrology Cycle in the Ablation Zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet: Part 2. Observed and Modeled Ice Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colgan, William Terence; Rajaram, Harihar; Anderson, Robert S.; Steffen, Konrad; Zwally, H. Jay; Phillips, Thomas; Abdalati, Waleed

2012-01-01

Ice velocities observed in 2005/06 at three GPS stations along the Sermeq Avannarleq flowline, West Greenland, are used to characterize an observed annual velocity cycle. We attempt to reproduce this annual ice velocity cycle using a 1-D ice-flow model with longitudinal stresses coupled to a 1-D hydrology model that governs an empirical basal sliding rule. Seasonal basal sliding velocity is parameterized as a perturbation of prescribed winter sliding velocity that is proportional to the rate of change of glacier water storage. The coupled model reproduces the broad features of the annual basal sliding cycle observed along this flowline, namely a summer speed-up event followed by a fall slowdown event. We also evaluate the hypothesis that the observed annual velocity cycle is due to the annual calving cycle at the terminus. We demonstrate that the ice acceleration due to a catastrophic calving event takes an order of magnitude longer to reach CU/ETH ('Swiss') Camp (46km upstream of the terminus) than is observed. The seasonal acceleration observed at Swiss Camp is therefore unlikely to be the result of velocity perturbations propagated upstream via longitudinal coupling. Instead we interpret this velocity cycle to reflect the local history of glacier water balance.

Perturbed-input-data ensemble modeling of magnetospheric dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morley, S.; Steinberg, J. T.; Haiducek, J. D.; Welling, D. T.; Hassan, E.; Weaver, B. P.

2017-12-01

Many models of Earth's magnetospheric dynamics - including global magnetohydrodynamic models, reduced complexity models of substorms and empirical models - are driven by solar wind parameters. To provide consistent coverage of the upstream solar wind these measurements are generally taken near the first Lagrangian point (L1) and algorithmically propagated to the nose of Earth's bow shock. However, the plasma and magnetic field measured near L1 is a point measurement of an inhomogeneous medium, so the individual measurement may not be sufficiently representative of the broader region near L1. The measured plasma may not actually interact with the Earth, and the solar wind structure may evolve between L1 and the bow shock. To quantify uncertainties in simulations, as well as to provide probabilistic forecasts, it is desirable to use perturbed input ensembles of magnetospheric and space weather forecasting models. By using concurrent measurements of the solar wind near L1 and near the Earth, we construct a statistical model of the distributions of solar wind parameters conditioned on their upstream value. So that we can draw random variates from our model we specify the conditional probability distributions using Kernel Density Estimation. We demonstrate the utility of this approach using ensemble runs of selected models that can be used for space weather prediction.

Unsteady drag following shock wave impingement on a dense particle curtain measured using pulse-burst PIV

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

DeMauro, Edward Paisley; Wagner, Justin L.; Beresh, Steven J.

High-speed, time-resolved particle image velocimetry with a pulse-burst laser was used to measure the gas-phase velocity upstream and downstream of a shock wave–particle curtain interaction at three shock Mach numbers (1.22, 1.40, and 1.45) at a repetition rate of 37.5 kHz. The particle curtain was formed from free-falling soda-lime particles resulting in volume fractions of 9% or 23% at mid-height, depending on particle diameter (106–125 and 300–355 μm, respectively). Following impingement by a shock wave, a pressure difference was created between the upstream and downstream sides of the curtain, which accelerated flow through the curtain. Jetting of flow through themore » curtain was observed downstream once deformation of the curtain began, demonstrating a long-term unsteady effect. Using a control volume approach, the unsteady drag on the curtain was estimated from velocity and pressure data. The drag imposed on the curtain has a strong volume fraction dependence with a prolonged unsteadiness following initial shock impingement. Additionally, the data suggest that the resulting pressure difference following the propagation of the reflected and transmitted shock waves is the primary component to curtain drag.« less

On the role of acoustic feedback in boundary-layer instability.

PubMed

Wu, Xuesong

2014-07-28

In this paper, the classical triple-deck formalism is employed to investigate two instability problems in which an acoustic feedback loop plays an essential role. The first concerns a subsonic boundary layer over a flat plate on which two well-separated roughness elements are present. A spatially amplifying Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) wave between the roughness elements is scattered by the downstream roughness to emit a sound wave that propagates upstream and impinges on the upstream roughness to regenerate the T-S wave, thereby forming a closed feedback loop in the streamwise direction. Numerical calculations suggest that, at high Reynolds numbers and for moderate roughness heights, the long-range acoustic coupling may lead to absolute instability, which is characterized by self-sustained oscillations at discrete frequencies. The dominant peak frequency may jump from one value to another as the Reynolds number, or the distance between the roughness elements, is varied gradually. The second problem concerns the supersonic 'twin boundary layers' that develop along two well-separated parallel flat plates. The two boundary layers are in mutual interaction through the impinging and reflected acoustic waves. It is found that the interaction leads to a new instability that is absent in the unconfined boundary layer. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Effect of Upstream ULF Waves on the Energetic Ion Diffusion at the Earth's Foreshock. I. Theory and Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otsuka, Fumiko; Matsukiyo, Shuichi; Kis, Arpad; Nakanishi, Kento; Hada, Tohru

2018-02-01

Field-aligned diffusion of energetic ions in the Earth’s foreshock is investigated by using the quasi-linear theory (QLT) and test particle simulation. Non-propagating MHD turbulence in the solar wind rest frame is assumed to be purely transverse with respect to the background field. We use a turbulence model based on a multi-power-law spectrum including an intense peak that corresponds to upstream ULF waves resonantly generated by the field-aligned beam (FAB). The presence of the ULF peak produces a concave shape of the diffusion coefficient when it is plotted versus the ion energy. The QLT including the effect of the ULF wave explains the simulation result well, when the energy density of the turbulent magnetic field is 1% of that of the background magnetic field and the power-law index of the wave spectrum is less than 2. The numerically obtained e-folding distances from 10 to 32 keV ions match with the observational values in the event discussed in the companion paper, which contains an intense ULF peak in the spectra generated by the FAB. Evolution of the power spectrum of the ULF waves when approaching the shock significantly affects the energy dependence of the e-folding distance.

Unsteady drag following shock wave impingement on a dense particle curtain measured using pulse-burst PIV

DOE PAGES

DeMauro, Edward Paisley; Wagner, Justin L.; Beresh, Steven J.; ...

2017-06-08

High-speed, time-resolved particle image velocimetry with a pulse-burst laser was used to measure the gas-phase velocity upstream and downstream of a shock wave–particle curtain interaction at three shock Mach numbers (1.22, 1.40, and 1.45) at a repetition rate of 37.5 kHz. The particle curtain was formed from free-falling soda-lime particles resulting in volume fractions of 9% or 23% at mid-height, depending on particle diameter (106–125 and 300–355 μm, respectively). Following impingement by a shock wave, a pressure difference was created between the upstream and downstream sides of the curtain, which accelerated flow through the curtain. Jetting of flow through themore » curtain was observed downstream once deformation of the curtain began, demonstrating a long-term unsteady effect. Using a control volume approach, the unsteady drag on the curtain was estimated from velocity and pressure data. The drag imposed on the curtain has a strong volume fraction dependence with a prolonged unsteadiness following initial shock impingement. Additionally, the data suggest that the resulting pressure difference following the propagation of the reflected and transmitted shock waves is the primary component to curtain drag.« less

Limitations of the Weissler reaction as a model reaction for measuring the efficiency of hydrodynamic cavitation.

PubMed

Morison, K R; Hutchinson, C A

2009-01-01

The Weissler reaction in which iodide is oxidised to a tri-iodide complex (I(3)(-)) has been widely used for measurement of the intensity of ultrasonic and hydrodynamic cavitation. It was used in this work to compare ultrasonic cavitation at 24 kHz with hydrodynamic cavitation using two different devices, one a venturi and the other a sudden expansion, operated up to 8.7 bar. Hydrodynamic cavitation had a maximum efficiency of about 5 x 10(-11) moles of I(3)(-) per joule of energy compared with the maximum of almost 8 x 10(-11) mol J(-1) for ultrasonic cavitation. Hydrodynamic cavitation was found to be most effective at 10 degrees C compared with 20 degrees C and 30 degrees C and at higher upstream pressures. However, it was found that in hydrodynamic conditions, even without cavitation, I(3)(-) was consumed at a rapid rate leading to an equilibrium concentration. It was concluded that the Weissler reaction was not a good model reaction for the assessment of the effectiveness of hydrodynamic cavitation.

Manipulating Traveling Brain Waves with Electric Fields: From Theory to Experiment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gluckman, Bruce J.

2004-03-01

Activity waves in disinhibited neocortical slices have been used as a biological model for epileptic seizure propagation [1]. Such waves have been mathematically modeled with integro-differential equations [2] representing non-local reaction diffusion dynamics of an excitable medium with an excitability threshold. Stability and propagation speed of traveling pulse solutions depend strongly on the threshold in the following manner: propagation speed should decrease with increased threshold over a finite range, beyond which the waves become unstable. Because populations of neurons can be polarized with an applied electric field that effectively shifts their threshold for action potential initiation [3], we predicted, and have experimentally verified, that electric fields could be used globally or locally to speed up, slow down and even block wave propagation. [1] Telfeian and Conners, Epilepsia, 40, 1499-1506, 1999. [2] Pinto and Ermentrout, SIAM J. App. Math, 62, 206-225, 2001. [3] Gluckman, et. al. J Neurophysiol. 76, 4202-5, 1996.

Frequency lock-in and phase synchronization of vortex shedding behind circular cylinder due to surface waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunnoo, Hans; Abcha, Nizar; Ezersky, Alexander

2016-02-01

The influence of harmonic surface wave on non-regular Karman Vortex Street is investigated. In our experiments, Karman Street arises behind a vertical circular cylinder in a water flow and harmonic surface waves propagating upstream. It is found that surface waves can modify regimes of shedding in Karman Street: frequency lock-in and synchronization of vortex shedding can arise. Intensive surface waves can excite symmetric vortex street instead of chess-like street, and completely suppress shedding behind the cylinder. It is shown experimentally that such effects occur if frequency of harmonic surface wave is approximately twice higher than the frequency of vortex shedding. Region of frequency lock-in is found on the plane amplitude-frequency of surface wave.

Fragment-based drug discovery of potent and selective MKK3/6 inhibitors.

PubMed

Adams, Mark; Kobayashi, Toshitake; Lawson, J David; Saitoh, Morihisa; Shimokawa, Kenichiro; Bigi, Simone V; Hixon, Mark S; Smith, Christopher R; Tatamiya, Takayuki; Goto, Masayuki; Russo, Joseph; Grimshaw, Charles E; Swann, Steven

2016-02-01

The MAPK signaling cascade, comprised of several linear and intersecting pathways, propagates signaling into the nucleus resulting in cytokine and chemokine release. The Map Kinase Kinase isoforms 3 and 6 (MKK3 and MKK6) are responsible for the phosphorylation and activation of p38, and are hypothesized to play a key role in regulating this pathway without the redundancy seen in downstream effectors. Using FBDD, we have discovered efficient and selective inhibitors of MKK3 and MKK6 that can serve as tool molecules to help further understand the role of these kinases in MAPK signaling, and the potential impact of inhibiting kinases upstream of p38. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-flight source noise of an advanced full-scale single-rotation propeller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodward, Richard P.; Loffler, Irvin J.

1991-01-01

Flight tests to define the far-field tone source at cruise conditions have been completed on the full-scale SR-7L advanced turboprop, which was installed on the left wing of a Gulfstream II aircraft. These measurements defined source levels for input into long-distance propagation models to predict en route noise. Infight data were taken for seven test cases. The sideline directivities measured showed expected maximum levels near 105 deg from the propeller upstream axis. However, azimuthal directivities based on the maximum observed sideline tone levels showed highest levels below the aircraft. The tone level reduction associated with reductions in propeller tip speed is shown to be more significant in the horizontal plane than below the aircraft.

Fluid dynamic aspects of jet noise generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The location of the noise sources within jet flows, their relative importance to the overall radiated field, and the mechanisms by which noise generation occurs, are studied by detailed measurements of the level and spectral composition of the radiated sound in the far field. Directional microphones are used to isolate the contribution to the radiated sound of small regions of the flow, and for cross-correlation between the radiated acoustic field and either the velocity fluctuations or the pressure fluctuations in the source field. Acquired data demonstrate the supersonic convection of the acoustic field and the resulting limited upstream influence of the signal source, as well as a possible increase of signal strength as it propagates toward the centerline of the flow.

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

Weidl, Martin S.; Winske, Dan; Jenko, Frank

We present two-dimensional hybrid kinetic/magnetohydrodynamic simulations of planned laser-ablation experiments in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD). Our results, based on parameters which have been validated in previous experiments, show that a parallel collisionless shock can begin forming within the available space. Carbon-debris ions that stream along the magnetic- eld direction with a blow-o speed of four times the Alfv en velocity excite strong magnetic uctuations, eventually transfering part of their kinetic energy to the surrounding hydrogen ions. This acceleration and compression of the background plasma creates a shock front, which satis es the Rankine{Hugoniot conditions and can therefore propagate onmore » its own. Furthermore, we analyze the upstream turbulence and show that it is dominated by the right-hand resonant instability.« less

Bifurcation analysis of a delay reaction-diffusion malware propagation model with feedback control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Linhe; Zhao, Hongyong; Wang, Xiaoming

2015-05-01

With the rapid development of network information technology, information networks security has become a very critical issue in our work and daily life. This paper attempts to develop a delay reaction-diffusion model with a state feedback controller to describe the process of malware propagation in mobile wireless sensor networks (MWSNs). By analyzing the stability and Hopf bifurcation, we show that the state feedback method can successfully be used to control unstable steady states or periodic oscillations. Moreover, formulas for determining the properties of the bifurcating periodic oscillations are derived by applying the normal form method and center manifold theorem. Finally, we conduct extensive simulations on large-scale MWSNs to evaluate the proposed model. Numerical evidences show that the linear term of the controller is enough to delay the onset of the Hopf bifurcation and the properties of the bifurcation can be regulated to achieve some desirable behaviors by choosing the appropriate higher terms of the controller. Furthermore, we obtain that the spatial-temporal dynamic characteristics of malware propagation are closely related to the rate constant for nodes leaving the infective class for recovered class and the mobile behavior of nodes.

Propagation speed of a starting wave in a queue of pedestrians.

PubMed

Tomoeda, Akiyasu; Yanagisawa, Daichi; Imamura, Takashi; Nishinari, Katsuhiro

2012-09-01

The propagation speed of a starting wave, which is a wave of people's successive reactions in the relaxation process of a queue, has an essential role for pedestrians and vehicles to achieve smooth movement. For example, a queue of vehicles with appropriate headway (or density) alleviates traffic jams since the delay of reaction to start is minimized. In this paper, we have investigated the fundamental relation between the propagation speed of a starting wave and the initial density by both our mathematical model built on the stochastic cellular automata and experimental measurements. Analysis of our mathematical model implies that the relation is characterized by the power law αρ-β (β≠1), and the experimental results verify this feature. Moreover, when the starting wave is characterized by the power law (β>1), we have revealed the existence of optimal density, where the required time, i.e., the sum of the waiting time until the starting wave reaches the last pedestrian in a queue and his/her travel time to pass the head position of the initial queue, is minimized. This optimal density inevitably plays a significant role in achieving a smooth movement of crowds and vehicles in a queue.

On the spectrum of stable secondary nuclei in cosmic rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blasi, P.

2017-10-01

The ratio of the fluxes of secondary and primary nuclei in cosmic rays has long been used as an indicator of the grammage traversed in the journey of cosmic ray particles throughout the Galaxy. The basic idea is that primary particles are accelerated in astrophysical sources, such as supernova remnant shocks and eventually propagate in the Galactic volume, occasionally interacting with gas, mainly in the disc of the Galaxy, and there they produce secondary nuclei through spallation. At sufficiently high energy, typically ≳100 GeV/n, the ratio of fluxes of the secondary nucleus to that of the main primary nucleus is found to scale as Ek^{-δ }, where Ek is the energy per nucleon (a conserved quantity in spallation reactions) and δ identifies the energy dependence of the diffusion coefficient. The same shock waves that may be responsible for cosmic ray acceleration in the first place also pick up any other charged particle in the upstream, provided being above threshold for injection. The secondary nuclei produced by spallation in the interstellar medium are no exception, hence they also get accelerated. This effect is unavoidable, only its strength may be subject of debate. We compute the spectrum of secondary elements such as boron and lithium taking into account shock reacceleration and compare our predictions with the recent observations of the B/C ratio and preliminary measurements of the boron and lithium flux. Both these sets of data seem to confirm that reacceleration of secondary nuclei indeed plays an important role, thereby affecting the validity of those scaling rules that are often used in cosmic ray physics.

Theory of Type 3 and Type 2 Solar Radio Emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, P. A.; Cairns, I. H.

2000-01-01

The main features of some current theories of type III and type II bursts are outlined. Among the most common solar radio bursts, type III bursts are produced at frequencies of 10 kHz to a few GHz when electron beams are ejected from solar active regions, entering the corona and solar wind at typical speeds of 0.1c. These beams provide energy to generate Langmuir waves via a streaming instability. In the current stochastic-growth theory, Langmuir waves grow in clumps associated with random low-frequency density fluctuations, leading to the observed spiky waves. Nonlinear wave-wave interactions then lead to secondary emission of observable radio waves near the fundamental and harmonic of the plasma frequency. Subsequent scattering processes modify the dynamic radio spectra, while back-reaction of Langmuir waves on the beam causes it to fluctuate about a state of marginal stability. Theories based on these ideas can account for the observed properties of type III bursts, including the in situ waves and the dynamic spectra of the radiation. Type 11 bursts are associated with shock waves propagating through the corona and interplanetary space and radiating from roughly 30 kHz to 1 GHz. Their basic emission mechanisms are believed to be similar to those of type III events and radiation from Earth's foreshock. However, several sub-classes of type II bursts may exist with different source regions and detailed characteristics. Theoretical models for type II bursts are briefly reviewed, focusing on a model with emission from a foreshock region upstream of the shock for which observational evidence has just been reported.

Barriers to front propagation in laminar, three-dimensional fluid flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doan, Minh; Simons, J. J.; Lilienthal, Katherine; Solomon, Tom; Mitchell, Kevin A.

2018-03-01

We present experiments on one-way barriers that block reaction fronts in a fully three-dimensional (3D) fluid flow. Fluorescent Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction fronts are imaged with laser-scanning in a laminar, overlapping vortex flow. The barriers are analyzed with a 3D extension to burning invariant manifold (BIM) theory that was previously applied to two-dimensional advection-reaction-diffusion processes. We discover tube and sheet barriers that guide the front evolution. The experimentally determined barriers are explained by BIMs calculated from a model of the flow.

SAR Observation and Numerical Simulation of Internal Solitary Wave Refraction and Reconnection Behind the Dongsha Atoll

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, T.; Liang, J. J.; Li, X.-M.; Sha, J.

2018-01-01

The refraction and reconnection of internal solitary waves (ISWs) around the Dongsha Atoll (DSA) in the northern South China Sea (SCS) are investigated based on spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) observations and numerical simulations. In general, a long ISW front propagating from the deep basin of the northern SCS splits into northern and southern branches when it passes the DSA. In this study, the statistics of Envisat Advanced SAR (ASAR) images show that the northern and southern wave branches can reconnect behind the DSA, but the reconnection location varies. A previously developed nonlinear refraction model is set up to simulate the refraction and reconnection of the ISWs behind the DSA, and the model is used to evaluate the effects of ocean stratification, background currents, and incoming ISW characteristics at the DSA on the variation in reconnection locations. The results of the first realistic simulation agree with consecutive TerraSAR-X (TSX) images captured within 12 h of each other. Further sensitivity simulations show that ocean stratification, background currents, and initial wave amplitudes all affect the phase speeds of wave branches and therefore shift their reconnection locations while shapes and locations of incoming wave branches upstream of the DSA profoundly influence the subsequent propagation paths. This study clarifies the variation in reconnection locations of ISWs downstream of the DSA and reveals the important mechanisms governing the reconnection process, which can improve our understanding of the propagation of ISWs near the DSA.

The Prediction of Broadband Shock-Associated Noise Including Propagation Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Steven; Morris, Philip J.

2011-01-01

An acoustic analogy is developed based on the Euler equations for broadband shock- associated noise (BBSAN) that directly incorporates the vector Green's function of the linearized Euler equations and a steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes solution (SRANS) as the mean flow. The vector Green's function allows the BBSAN propagation through the jet shear layer to be determined. The large-scale coherent turbulence is modeled by two-point second order velocity cross-correlations. Turbulent length and time scales are related to the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation. An adjoint vector Green's function solver is implemented to determine the vector Green's function based on a locally parallel mean flow at streamwise locations of the SRANS solution. However, the developed acoustic analogy could easily be based on any adjoint vector Green's function solver, such as one that makes no assumptions about the mean flow. The newly developed acoustic analogy can be simplified to one that uses the Green's function associated with the Helmholtz equation, which is consistent with the formulation of Morris and Miller (AIAAJ 2010). A large number of predictions are generated using three different nozzles over a wide range of fully expanded Mach numbers and jet stagnation temperatures. These predictions are compared with experimental data from multiple jet noise labs. In addition, two models for the so-called 'fine-scale' mixing noise are included in the comparisons. Improved BBSAN predictions are obtained relative to other models that do not include the propagation effects, especially in the upstream direction of the jet.

Numerical study of innovative scramjet inlets coupled to combustors using hydrocarbon-air mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malo-Molina, Faure Joel

The research objective is to use high-fidelity multi-physics Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis to characterize 3-D scramjet flowfields in two novel streamline traced circular configurations without axisymmetric profiles. This work builds on a body of research conducted over the past several years. In addition, this research provides the modeling and simulation support, prior to ground (wind tunnel) and flight experiment programs. Two innovative inlets, Jaws and Scoop, are analyzed and compared to a Baseline inlet, a current state of the art rectangular inlet used as a baseline for on/off-design conditions. The flight trajectory conditions selected were Mach 6 and a dynamic pressure of 1,500 psf (71.82 kPa), corresponding to a static pressure of 43.7 psf (2.09 kPa) and temperature of 400.8 R° (222.67 C°). All inlets are designed for equal flight conditions, equal contraction ratios and exit cross-sectional areas, thus facilitating their comparison and integration to a common combustor design. Analysis of these hypersonic inlets was performed to investigate distortion effects downstream in common generic combustors. These combustors include a single cavity acting as flame holder and strategically positioned fuel injection ports. This research not only seeks to identify the most successful integrated scramjet inlet/combustor design, but also investigates the flow physics and quantifies the integrated performance impact of the two novel scramjet inlet designs. It contributes to the hypersonic air-breathing community by providing analysis and predictions on directly-coupled combustor numerical experiments for developing pioneering inlets or nozzles for scramjets. Several validations and verifications of General Propulsion Analysis Chemical-kinetic and Two-phase (GPACT), the CFD tool, were conducted throughout the research. In addition, this study uses 13 gaseous species and 20 reactions for an Ethylene/air finite-rate chemical model. The key conclusions of this research are: (1) Flow distortion in the innovative inlets is similar to some of the distortion in the Baseline inlet, despite design differences. In both innovative inlets, the resulting flowfield distortions were due to shock boundary layer interactions similar to those found in the Baseline. The Baseline and Jaws performance attributes are stronger than Scoop, but Jaws accomplishes this while eradicating the cowl lip interaction, and lessening the total drag and spillage penalties. (2) The innovative inlets work best on-design, whereas for off-design, the traditional inlet yields a higher performance. Although the innovative inlets' designs mitigated some of the issues encountered in traditional configurations, they underperform at off-design conditions. The strategy used in Jaws was less prone to interaction with the near wall flow, and yields lesser pressure losses and higher efficiency at on-design conditions compared to the others. In general, the overall values for Scoop seem lowest of all due to lesser entrainment. Its drag coefficient and thrust to mass capture ratios are higher than the Baseline configuration. (3) Early pressure losses and flow distortions actually aid downstream combustion in all cases. Although interactions captured by the viscous simulations for the on-design conditions increase losses in the inlets, they enhance turbulence in the isolator, favoring the mixing of air and fuel, and improving the overall factor of the system. Jaws inlet demonstrates the most valuable design with higher performance, but its factor later in the combustor drops relative to its rectangular counterpart. (4) A parametric study of the location and direction of injection is conducted to select the configuration for fuel penetration, mixing factor (factor) and other combustion qualities. Although the trends observed with and without chemical reactions are the same, the former yields roughly 10% higher mixing factor. Unlike at frozen conditions, when chemical reactions are considered, a high compression area was observed upstream of the cavity, not present when modeling Jaws. The upstream reactions from the cavity have a significant impact on the development of the shear layers and downstream development of the entire combustion. (5) Steady and unsteady simulations are conducted to characterize the ignition process, flame anchoring and flashback effects. This unsteadiness enlarges the circulation region in and around the cavity, allowing the reactions to propagate forward through the shear layer, and increases the mixing factor. In Scoop, these effects are exacerbated due to the thicker low energy profile surrounding the walls and most of the lower section of the combustor. In the steady assumptions, the forward reactions and their effects are positioned farthest upstream, closest to the combustor entrance. (6) Unsteady Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (URANS) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) modeling are compared to explore overall flow structure and for comparison of individual numerical methods. In URANS, the flashback effects are midway between the entrance and the step, whereas in LES, this effect is near the edge of the step in addition to yielding a higher combustion factor. Thus, the turbulence model and inflow assumptions can critically affect the total outcome of such devices.

Emulsion Polymerization of Butyl Acrylate: Spin Trapping and EPR Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, S.; Westmoreland, D.

1994-01-01

The propagating radical in the emulsion polymerization reaction of butyl acrylate was detected by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy using two spin trapping agents, 2-methyl-2nitrosopropane and alpha -N-tert-butylnitrone.

Ionospheric research. [E region, F region, D region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Progress is reported in the following areas: D-region theory; E and F-region; wave propagation; mass spectrometer measurements; and atmospheric reactions. Various supporting operations are included: design and construction of instrumentation; and programming.

Class of self-limiting growth models in the presence of nonlinear diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kar, Sandip; Banik, Suman Kumar; Ray, Deb Shankar

2002-06-01

The source term in a reaction-diffusion system, in general, does not involve explicit time dependence. A class of self-limiting growth models dealing with animal and tumor growth and bacterial population in a culture, on the other hand, are described by kinetics with explicit functions of time. We analyze a reaction-diffusion system to study the propagation of spatial front for these models.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of turbulent premixed flames

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

Azzazy, M.T.F.

1982-01-01

A model is proposed to describe the propagation of a plane oblique flame into a turbulent flow of premixed reactants. The model incorporates a transport equation for the single or joint PDF's of passive scalers, in addition to the conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy and K.E. of turbulence. In the first phase of developing the model, the reaction mechanism was treated as a single step irreversible exothermic reaction. In this case, the PDF of the progress variable was parameterized and solved with the conservation equations. The second phase considered a two step reaction mechanism in an attempt to exploremore » the role played by the radicals in the propagation of turbulent premixed flames. For both the two phases, the flame speed and angle are Eigenvalues of the solution. Laser Induced Fluoresence Spectroscopy (LIFS) was used to measure the PDF of OH concentration in a laboratory scale burner simulating the flame studied by the model. The premixed Methane-Air flame was stabilized on a rod flame holder downstream of a turbulence producing grid. Measurements in both the streamwise and transverse directions were made for a variety of flow conditions. The experimentally observed PDF's of the hydroxil radical concentration, and the statistical moments, were used to describe and compare the PDF's and moments of the two reaction model.« less

Very high pressure combustion; Reaction propagation rates of nitromethane within a diamond anvil cell

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

Rice, S.F.; Foltz, M.F.

1991-11-01

This paper reports on the combustion-front propagation rate of nitromethane that has been examined to pressures of 40 GPa. A new and general technique involving pulsed laser ignition of an energetic material within a diamond anvil cell and a method for monitoring the rapid decomposition of nitromethane and other explosives to more stable chemical products is described in detail. Nitromethane is shown to exhibit a flame propagation rate that increases smoothly to 100 m/s at 30 GPa as a function of pressure. Above 30 GPa, the final solid-state combustion products change dramatically and the flame propagation rate begins to decrease.more » The combustion-front propagation rate is analyzed in terms of an existing condensed-phase model that predicts a relationship between the front propagation rate, U, and the pressure derivative of the chemical kinetic activation energy, dE{sub a}/dP, such that a plot of logU{sup 2} vs. P should be linear. The activation energy is analyzed to yield an effective volume of activation, {Delta}V, of {minus}3.4 ml/mol. The chemical kinetic parameters determined from the combustion-front propagation rate analysis of solid high-pressure nitromethane is compared with results from other thermal decomposition studies of this prototypic molecular explosive.« less

On the zigzagging causality EPR model: Answer to Vigier and coworkers and to Sutherland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa de Beauregard, O.

1987-08-01

The concept of “propagation in time” of Vigier and co-workers (V et al.) implies the idea of a supertime; it is thus alien to most Minkowskian pictures and certainly to mine. From this stems much of V et al.'s misunderstandings of my position. In steady motion of a classical fluid nobody thinks that “momentum conservation is violated,” or that “momentum is shot upstream without cause” because of the suction from the sinks! Similarly with momentum-energy in space-time and the acceptance of an advanced causality. As for the CT invariance of the Feynman propagator, the causality asymmetry it entails is factlike, not lawlike. The geometrical counterpart of the symmetry between prediction and retrodiction and between retarded and advanced waves, as expressed in the alternative expressions == for a transition amplitude between a preparation |A> and a measurement |B>, is CPT-invariant, not PT-invariant. These three expressions respectively illustrate the collapse, the retrocollapse, and the symmetric collapse-and-retrocollapse concepts. As for Sutherland's argument, what it “falsifies” is not my retrocausation concept but the hidden-variables assumption he has unwittingly made.

Zigzagging causality EPR model: answer to Vigier and coworkers and to Sutherland

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

de Beauregard, O.C.

1987-08-01

The concept of propagation in time of Vigier and co-workers (V et al.) implies the ideal of a supertime; it is thus alien to most Minkowskian pictures and certainly to the authors. From this stems much of V et al.'s misunderstandings of his position. In steady motion of a classical fluid nobody thinks that momentum conservation is violated, or that momentum is shot upstream without cause because of the suction from the sinks. Similarly with momentum-energy in spacetime and the acceptance of an advanced causality. As for the CT invariance of the Feynman propagator, the causality asymmetry it entails ismore » factlike, not lawlike. The geometrical counterpart of the symmetry between prediction and retrodiction and between retarded and advanced waves, as expressed in the alternative expressions = = for a transition amplitude between a preparation lt. slashA> and a measurement lt. slashB>, is CPT-invariant, not PT-invariant. These three expressions respectively illustrate the collapse, the retrocollapse, and the symmetric collapse-and-retrocollapse concepts. As for Sutherland's argument, what it falsifies is not the authors retrocausation concept but the hidden-variables assumption he has unwittingly made.« less

Aeroacoustic Analysis of Turbofan Noise Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Harold D.; Envia, Edmane

1996-01-01

This report provides an updated version of analytical documentation for the V072 Rotor Wake/Stator Interaction Code. It presents the theoretical derivation of the equations used in the code and, where necessary, it documents the enhancements and changes made to the original code since its first release. V072 is a package of FORTRAN computer programs which calculate the in-duct acoustic modes excited by a fan/stator stage operating in a subsonic mean flow. Sound is generated by the stator vanes interacting with the mean wakes of the rotor blades. In this updated version, only the tonal noise produced at the blade passing frequency and its harmonics, is described. The broadband noise component analysis, which was part of the original report, is not included here. The code provides outputs of modal pressure and power amplitudes generated by the rotor-wake/stator interaction. The rotor/stator stage is modeled as an ensemble of blades and vanes of zero camber and thickness enclosed within an infinite hard-walled annular duct. The amplitude of each propagating mode is computed and summed to obtain the harmonics of sound power flux within the duct for both upstream and downstream propagating modes.

Development of flexible, free-standing, thin films for additive manufacturing and localized energy generation

DOE PAGES

Clark, Billy; McCollum, Jena; Pantoya, Michelle L.; ...

2015-08-01

Film energetics are becoming increasingly popular because a variety of technologies are driving a need for localized energy generation in a stable, safe and flexible form. Aluminum (Al) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) composites were mixed into a silicon binder and extruded using a blade casting technique to form flexible free-standing films ideal for localized energy generation. Since this material can be extruded onto a surface it is well suited to additive manufacturing applications. This study examines the influence of 0-35% by mass potassium perchlorate (KClO₄) additive on the combustion behavior of these energetic films. Without KClO₄ the film exhibits thermalmore » instabilities that produce unsteady energy propagation upon reaction. All films were cast at a thickness of 1 mm with constant volume percent solids to ensure consistent rheological properties. The films were ignited and flame propagation was measured. The results show that as the mass percent KClO₄ increased, the flame speed increased and peaked at 0.43 cm/s and 30 wt% KClO₄. Thermochemical equilibrium simulations show that the heat of combustion increases with increasing KClO₄ concentration up to a maximum at 20 wt% when the heat of combustion plateaus, indicating that the increased chemical energy liberated by the additional KClO₄ promotes stable energy propagation. Differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis show that the silicone binder participates as a fuel and reacts with KClO₄ adding energy to the reaction and promoting propagation.« less

Vacuum birefringence in strong magnetic fields: (II) Complex refractive index from the lowest Landau level

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

Hattori, Koichi, E-mail: khattori@yonsei.ac.kr; Itakura, Kazunori, E-mail: kazunori.itakura@kek.jp; Department of Particle and Nuclear Studies, Graduate University for Advanced Studies

2013-07-15

We compute the refractive indices of a photon propagating in strong magnetic fields on the basis of the analytic representation of the vacuum polarization tensor obtained in our previous paper. When the external magnetic field is strong enough for the fermion one-loop diagram of the polarization tensor to be approximated by the lowest Landau level, the propagating mode in parallel to the magnetic field is subject to modification: The refractive index deviates from unity and can be very large, and when the photon energy is large enough, the refractive index acquires an imaginary part indicating decay of a photon intomore » a fermion–antifermion pair. We study dependences of the refractive index on the propagating angle and the magnetic-field strength. It is also emphasized that a self-consistent treatment of the equation which defines the refractive index is indispensable for accurate description of the refractive index. This self-consistent treatment physically corresponds to consistently including the effects of back reactions of the distorted Dirac sea in response to the incident photon. -- Highlights: •Vacuum birefringence and photon decay are described by the complex refractive index. •Resummed photon vacuum polarization tensor in the lowest Landau level is used. •Back reactions from the distorted Dirac sea are self-consistently taken into account. •Self-consistent treatment drastically changes structure in photon energy dependence. •Dependences on photon propagation angle and magnetic-field strength are presented.« less

SURF Model Calibration Strategy

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

Menikoff, Ralph

2017-03-10

SURF and SURFplus are high explosive reactive burn models for shock initiation and propagation of detonation waves. They are engineering models motivated by the ignition & growth concept of high spots and for SURFplus a second slow reaction for the energy release from carbon clustering. A key feature of the SURF model is that there is a partial decoupling between model parameters and detonation properties. This enables reduced sets of independent parameters to be calibrated sequentially for the initiation and propagation regimes. Here we focus on a methodology for tting the initiation parameters to Pop plot data based on 1-Dmore » simulations to compute a numerical Pop plot. In addition, the strategy for tting the remaining parameters for the propagation regime and failure diameter is discussed.« less

Cycom 977-2 Composite Material: Impact Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engel, Carl D.; Herald, Stephen; Watkins, Casey

2005-01-01

The reaction frequency data from 13A testing by MSFC and WSTF appear well behaved for the sample number used by each and exhibit the same type of energy level dependency. The reaction frequency shift in energy level is unexplained at this time. All the 13A data suggest that only a small amount of material is consumed when reactions take place. At ambient pressure, most of not all reactions are quenched as indicated by the small mass loss. As test pressure is increased in LOX using 13B results. Cycom does not support initiation of reactions or propagations of reactions in GOX at 100 psis based on tests at MSFC and WSTF at 72 ft-lb impact energy. No batch effect was identified in LOX or GOX.

Simulated countercurrent moving bed chromatographic reactor and method for use thereof

DOEpatents

Carr, Robert W.; Tonkovich, Anna Lee Y.

2001-01-01

A method and apparatus for continuously reacting a feed gas to form a product and separating the product from unreacted feed gas is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of compartments and means for connecting the compartments in a series, with the last compartment in the series being connected to the first compartment in the series to provide a closed loop. Each compartment may include an upstream reaction zone and a downstream separation zone.

The Role of elF4E Activity in Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

protein; ORF, open reading frame; qPCR, quantitative PCR; RACE, rapid amplification of cDNA ends; RT, reverse transcriptase ; uORF, upstream ORF; UTR...Reactions were also performed using template lacking RT ( reverse transcriptase ): products were either undetectable or greatly reduced (>30000-fold less...that a 5’UTR expressed from the human AXIN2 gene contains a sixty nucleotide sequence that is predicted to form a stable stem-loop structure6. This

Effect of flow on the acoustic performance of extended reaction lined ducts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hersh, A. S.; Walker, B.

1983-01-01

A model is developed for the effects of uniform and boundary-layer mean flow on the attenuation and propagation of harmonically excited sound waves in an extended reaction lined cylindrical duct. A duct geometry consisting of an annular outer region of bulk material surrounding an inner cylinder of air is utilized. A numerical solution is obtained for the coupled wave equations governing the motion of the sound in both the inner and annular regions. It is found that the numerically predicted attenuation and propagations constants are in excellent agreement with measured values using Kevlar as the liner material for plane-wave mode (O,O) excitation over a wide range of mean flows and sound frequency. The boundary-layer effects are determined to be unimportant, at least for plane-wave sound. In addition, numerical studies indicate small differences between the use of either the radial velocity or the radial displacement boundary conditions.

Recent dynamic changes on Fleming Glacier after the disintegration of Wordie Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedl, Peter; Seehaus, Thorsten C.; Wendt, Anja; Braun, Matthias H.; Höppner, Kathrin

2018-04-01

The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the world's regions most affected by climate change. Several ice shelves have retreated, thinned or completely disintegrated during recent decades, leading to acceleration and increased calving of their tributary glaciers. Wordie Ice Shelf, located in Marguerite Bay at the south-western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, completely disintegrated in a series of events between the 1960s and the late 1990s. We investigate the long-term dynamics (1994-2016) of Fleming Glacier after the disintegration of Wordie Ice Shelf by analysing various multi-sensor remote sensing data sets. We present a dense time series of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) surface velocities that reveals a rapid acceleration of Fleming Glacier in 2008 and a phase of further gradual acceleration and upstream propagation of high velocities in 2010-2011.The timing in acceleration correlates with strong upwelling events of warm circumpolar deep water (CDW) into Wordie Bay, most likely leading to increased submarine melt. This, together with continuous dynamic thinning and a deep subglacial trough with a retrograde bed slope close to the terminus probably, has induced unpinning of the glacier tongue in 2008 and gradual grounding line retreat between 2010 and 2011. Our data suggest that the glacier's grounding line had retreated by ˜ 6-9 km between 1996 and 2011, which caused ˜ 56 km2 of the glacier tongue to go afloat. The resulting reduction in buttressing explains a median speedup of ˜ 1.3 m d-1 ( ˜ 27 %) between 2008 and 2011, which we observed along a centre line extending between the grounding line in 1996 and ˜ 16 km upstream. Current median ice thinning rates (2011-2014) along profiles in areas below 1000 m altitude range between ˜ 2.6 to 3.2 m a-1 and are ˜ 70 % higher than between 2004 and 2008. Our study shows that Fleming Glacier is far away from approaching a new equilibrium and that the glacier dynamics are not primarily controlled by the loss of the former ice shelf anymore. Currently, the tongue of Fleming Glacier is grounded in a zone of bedrock elevation between ˜ -400 and -500 m. However, about 3-4 km upstream modelled bedrock topography indicates a retrograde bed which transitions into a deep trough of up to ˜ -1100 m at ˜ 10 km upstream. Hence, this endangers upstream ice masses, which can significantly increase the contribution of Fleming Glacier to sea level rise in the future.

A diffusion-reaction scheme for modeling ignition and self-propagating reactions in Al/CuO multilayered thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahiner, Guillaume; Nicollet, Andrea; Zapata, James; Marín, Lorena; Richard, Nicolas; Rouhani, Mehdi Djafari; Rossi, Carole; Estève, Alain

2017-10-01

Thermite multilayered films have the potential to be used as local high intensity heat sources for a variety of applications. Improving the ability of researchers to more rapidly develop Micro Electro Mechanical Systems devices based on thermite multilayer films requires predictive modeling in which an understanding of the relationship between the properties (ignition and flame propagation), the multilayer structure and composition (bilayer thicknesses, ratio of reactants, and nature of interfaces), and aspects related to integration (substrate conductivity and ignition apparatus) is achieved. Assembling all these aspects, this work proposes an original 2D diffusion-reaction modeling framework to predict the ignition threshold and reaction dynamics of Al/CuO multilayered thin films. This model takes into consideration that CuO first decomposes into Cu2O, and then, released oxygen diffuses across the Cu2O and Al2O3 layers before reacting with pure Al to form Al2O3. This model is experimentally validated from ignition and flame velocity data acquired on Al/CuO multilayers deposited on a Kapton layer. This paper discusses, for the first time, the importance of determining the ceiling temperature above which the multilayers disintegrate, possibly before their complete combustion, thus severely impacting the reaction front velocity and energy release. This work provides a set of heating surface areas to obtain the best ignition conditions, i.e., with minimal ignition power, as a function of the substrate type.

Final Project Report for ER15351 “A Study of New Actinide Zintl Ion Materials”

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

Peter K. Dorhout

2007-11-12

The structural chemistry of actinide main-group metal materials provides the fundamental basis for the understanding of structural coordination chemistry and the formation of materials with desired or predicted structural features. The main-group metal building blocks, comprising sulfur-group, phosphorous-group, or silicon-group elements, have shown versatility in oxidation state, coordination, and bonding preferences. These building blocks have allowed us to elucidate a series of structures that are unique to the actinide elements, although we can find structural relationships to transition metal and 4f-element materials. In the past year, we investigated controlled metathesis and self-propagating reactions between actinide metal halides and alkali metalmore » salts of main-group metal chalcogenides such as K-P-S salts. Ternary plutonium thiophosphates have resulted from these reactions at low temperature in sealed ampules. we have also focused efforts to examine reactions of Th, U, and Pu halide salts with other alkali metal salts such as Na-Ge-S and Na-Si-Se and copper chloride to identify if self-propagating reactions may be used as a viable reaction to prepare new actinide materials and we prepared a series of U and Th copper chalcogenide materials. Magnetic measurements continued to be a focus of actinide materials prepared in our laboratory. We also contributed to the XANES work at Los Alamos by preparing materials for study and for comparison with environmental samples.« less

Propagation of gaseous detonation waves in a spatially inhomogeneous reactive medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mi, XiaoCheng; Higgins, Andrew J.; Ng, Hoi Dick; Kiyanda, Charles B.; Nikiforakis, Nikolaos

2017-05-01

Detonation propagation in a compressible medium wherein the energy release has been made spatially inhomogeneous is examined via numerical simulation. The inhomogeneity is introduced via step functions in the reaction progress variable, with the local value of energy release correspondingly increased so as to maintain the same average energy density in the medium and thus a constant Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) detonation velocity. A one-step Arrhenius rate governs the rate of energy release in the reactive zones. The resulting dynamics of a detonation propagating in such systems with one-dimensional layers and two-dimensional squares are simulated using a Godunov-type finite-volume scheme. The resulting wave dynamics are analyzed by computing the average wave velocity and one-dimensional averaged wave structure. In the case of sufficiently inhomogeneous media wherein the spacing between reactive zones is greater than the inherent reaction zone length, average wave speeds significantly greater than the corresponding CJ speed of the homogenized medium are obtained. If the shock transit time between reactive zones is less than the reaction time scale, then the classical CJ detonation velocity is recovered. The spatiotemporal averaged structure of the waves in these systems is analyzed via a Favre-averaging technique, with terms associated with the thermal and mechanical fluctuations being explicitly computed. The analysis of the averaged wave structure identifies the super-CJ detonations as weak detonations owing to the existence of mechanical nonequilibrium at the effective sonic point embedded within the wave structure. The correspondence of the super-CJ behavior identified in this study with real detonation phenomena that may be observed in experiments is discussed.

Asymptotic analysis of dissipative waves with applications to their numerical simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hagstrom, Thomas

1990-01-01

Various problems involving the interplay of asymptotics and numerics in the analysis of wave propagation in dissipative systems are studied. A general approach to the asymptotic analysis of linear, dissipative waves is developed. It was applied to the derivation of asymptotic boundary conditions for numerical solutions on unbounded domains. Applications include the Navier-Stokes equations. Multidimensional traveling wave solutions to reaction-diffusion equations are also considered. A preliminary numerical investigation of a thermo-diffusive model of flame propagation in a channel with heat loss at the walls is presented.

Buoyancy-driven convection around chemical fronts traveling in covered horizontal solution layers.

PubMed

Rongy, L; Goyal, N; Meiburg, E; De Wit, A

2007-09-21

Density differences across an autocatalytic chemical front traveling horizontally in covered thin layers of solution trigger hydrodynamic flows which can alter the concentration profile. We theoretically investigate the spatiotemporal evolution and asymptotic dynamics resulting from such an interplay between isothermal chemical reactions, diffusion, and buoyancy-driven convection. The studied model couples the reaction-diffusion-convection evolution equation for the concentration of an autocatalytic species to the incompressible Stokes equations ruling the evolution of the flow velocity in a two-dimensional geometry. The dimensionless parameter of the problem is a solutal Rayleigh number constructed upon the characteristic reaction-diffusion length scale. We show numerically that the asymptotic dynamics is one steady vortex surrounding, deforming, and accelerating the chemical front. This chemohydrodynamic structure propagating at a constant speed is quite different from the one obtained in the case of a pure hydrodynamic flow resulting from the contact between two solutions of different density or from the pure reaction-diffusion planar traveling front. The dynamics is symmetric with regard to the middle of the layer thickness for positive and negative Rayleigh numbers corresponding to products, respectively, lighter or heavier than the reactants. A parametric study shows that the intensity of the flow, the propagation speed, and the deformation of the front are increasing functions of the Rayleigh number and of the layer thickness. In particular, the asymptotic mixing length and reaction-diffusion-convection speed both scale as square root Ra for Ra>5. The velocity and concentration fields in the asymptotic dynamics are also found to exhibit self-similar properties with Ra. A comparison of the dynamics in the case of a monostable versus bistable kinetics is provided. Good agreement is obtained with experimental data on the speed of iodate-arsenous acid fronts propagating in horizontal capillaries. We furthermore compare the buoyancy-driven dynamics studied here to Marangoni-driven deformation of traveling chemical fronts in solution open to the air in the absence of gravity previously studied in the same geometry [L. Rongy and A. De Wit, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 164705 (2006)].

Quantum dynamics study of H+NH3-->H2+NH2 reaction.

PubMed

Zhang, Xu Qiang; Cui, Qian; Zhang, John Z H; Han, Ke Li

2007-06-21

We report in this paper a quantum dynamics study for the reaction H+NH3-->NH2+H2 on the potential energy surface of Corchado and Espinosa-Garcia [J. Chem. Phys. 106, 4013 (1997)]. The quantum dynamics calculation employs the semirigid vibrating rotor target model [J. Z. H. Zhang, J. Chem. Phys. 111, 3929 (1999)] and time-dependent wave packet method to propagate the wave function. Initial state-specific reaction probabilities are obtained, and an energy correction scheme is employed to account for zero point energy changes for the neglected degrees of freedom in the dynamics treatment. Tunneling effect is observed in the energy dependency of reaction probability, similar to those found in H+CH4 reaction. The influence of rovibrational excitation on reaction probability and stereodynamical effect are investigated. Reaction rate constants from the initial ground state are calculated and are compared to those from the transition state theory and experimental measurement.

Electronic processes in fast thermite chemical reactions: a first-principles molecular dynamics study.

PubMed

Shimojo, Fuyuki; Nakano, Aiichiro; Kalia, Rajiv K; Vashishta, Priya

2008-06-01

Rapid reaction of a molten metal with an oxide is the key to understanding recently discovered fast reactions in nanothermite composites. We have investigated the thermite reaction of Fe2O3 with aluminum by molecular dynamics simulations with interatomic forces calculated quantum mechanically in the framework of the density functional theory. A redox reaction to form iron metal and Al2O3 initiates with the rapid formation of Al-O bonds at the interface within 1 ps, followed by the propagation of the combustion front with a velocity of 70 m/s for at least 5 ps at 2000 K. The reaction time for an oxygen atom to change character from Fe2O3 type to Al2O3 type at the interface is estimated to be 1.7+/-0.9 ps , and bond-overlap population analysis has been used to calculate reaction rates.

A murC gene from coryneform bacteria.

PubMed

Wachi, M; Wijayarathna, C D; Teraoka, H; Nagai, K

1999-02-01

The upstream flanking region of the ftsQ and ftsZ genes of Brevibacterium flavum MJ233, which belongs to the coryneform bacteria, was amplified by the inverse polymerase chain reaction method and cloned in Escherichia coli. Complementation analysis of E. coli mutant with a defective cell-wall synthesis mechanism with the cloned fragment and its DNA sequencing indicated the presence of the murC gene, encoding UDP-N-acetylmuramate:L-alanine ligase involved in peptidoglycan synthesis, just upstream from the ftsQ gene. The B. flavum murC gene could encode a protein of 486 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 51 198 Da. A 50-kDa protein was synthesized by the B. flavum murC gene in an in vitro transcription/translation system using E. coli S30 lysate. These results indicate that the genes responsible for cell-wall synthesis and cell division are located as a cluster in B. flavum similar to the E. coli mra region.

Reformer assisted lean NO.sub.x catalyst aftertreatment system and method

DOEpatents

Kalyanaraman, Mohan [Media, PA; Park, Paul W [Peoria, IL; Ragle, Christie S [Havana, IL

2010-06-29

A method and apparatus for catalytically processing a gas stream passing therethrough to reduce the presence of NO.sub.x therein, wherein the apparatus includes a first catalyst composed of a silver-containing alumina that is adapted for catalytically processing the gas stream at a first temperature range, a second catalyst composed of a copper-containing zeolite located downstream from the first catalyst, wherein the second catalyst is adapted for catalytically processing the gas stream at a lower second temperature range relative to the first temperature range, a hydrocarbon compound for injection into the gas stream upstream of the first catalyst to provide a reductant, and a reformer for reforming a portion of the hydrocarbon compound into H.sub.2 and/or oxygenated hydrocarbon for injection into the gas stream upstream of the first catalyst. The second catalyst is adapted to facilitate the reaction of reducing NOx into N.sub.2, whereby the intermediates are produced via the first catalyst reacting with NOx and hydrocarbons.

Catalytic diversity in self-propagating peptide assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omosun, Tolulope O.; Hsieh, Ming-Chien; Childers, W. Seth; Das, Dibyendu; Mehta, Anil K.; Anthony, Neil R.; Pan, Ting; Grover, Martha A.; Berland, Keith M.; Lynn, David G.

2017-08-01

The protein-only infectious agents known as prions exist within cellular matrices as populations of assembled polypeptide phases ranging from particles to amyloid fibres. These phases appear to undergo Darwinian-like selection and propagation, yet remarkably little is known about their accessible chemical and biological functions. Here we construct simple peptides that assemble into well-defined amyloid phases and define paracrystalline surfaces able to catalyse specific enantioselective chemical reactions. Structural adjustments of individual amino acid residues predictably control both the assembled crystalline order and their accessible catalytic repertoire. Notably, the density and proximity of the extended arrays of enantioselective catalytic sites achieve template-directed polymerization of new polymers. These diverse amyloid templates can now be extended as dynamic self-propagating templates for the construction of even more complex functional materials.

Hysteresis of mode transition in a dual-struts based scramjet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Zhang; Shaohua, Zhu; Bing, Chen; Xu, Xu

2016-11-01

Tests and numerical simulations were performed to investigate the combustion performance of a dual-staged scramjet combustor. High enthalpy vitiated inflow at a total temperature of 1231 K was supplied using a hydrogen-combustion heater. The inlet Mach number was 2.0. Liquid kerosene was injected into the combustor using the dual crossed struts. Three-dimensional Reynolds averaged reacting flow was solved using a two-equation k-ω SST turbulence model to calculate the effect of turbulent stress, and a partial-premixed flamelet model to model the effects of turbulence-chemistry interactions. The discrete phase model was utilized to simulate the fuel atomization and vaporization. For simplicity, the n-decane was chosen as the surrogate fuel with a reaction mechanism of 40 species and 141 steps. The predicted wall pressure profiles at three fuel injection schemes basically captured the axial varying trend of the experimental data. With the downstream equivalence ratio held constant, the upstream equivalence ratio was numerically increased from 0.1 to 0.4 until a steady combustion was obtained. Subsequently, the upstream equivalence ratio was decreased from 0.4 to 0.1 once again. Two ramjet modes with different wall pressure profiles and corresponding flow structures were captured under the identical upstream equivalence ratio of 0.1, illustrating an obvious hysteresis phenomenon. The mechanism of this hysteresis was explained by the transition hysteresis of the pre-combustion shock train in the isolator.

Numerical Simulation of Noise from Supersonic Jets Passing Through a Rigid Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kandula, Max

2012-01-01

The generation, propagation and radiation of sound from a perfectly expanded Mach 2.5 cold supersonic jet flowing through an enclosed rigid-walled duct with an upstream J-deflector have been numerically simulated with the aid of OVERFLOW Navier-Stokes CFD code. A one-equation turbulence model is considered. While the near-field sound sources are computed by the CFD code, the far-field sound is evaluated by Kirchhoff surface integral formulation. Predictions of the farfield directivity of the OASPL (Overall Sound Pressure Level) agree satisfactorily with the experimental data previously reported by the author. Calculations also suggest that there is significant entrainment of air into the duct, with the mass flow rate of entrained air being about three times the jet exit mass flow rate.

Double shock front formation in cylindrical radiative blast waves produced by laser irradiation of krypton gas

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

Kim, I.; Quevedo, H. J.; Feldman, S.

2013-12-15

Radiative blast waves were created by irradiating a krypton cluster source from a supersonic jet with a high intensity femtosecond laser pulse. It was found that the radiation from the shock surface is absorbed in the optically thick upstream medium creating a radiative heat wave that travels supersonically ahead of the main shock. As the blast wave propagates into the heated medium, it slows and loses energy, and the radiative heat wave also slows down. When the radiative heat wave slows down to the transonic regime, a secondary shock in the ionization precursor is produced. This paper presents experimental datamore » characterizing both the initial and secondary shocks and numerical simulations to analyze the double-shock dynamics.« less

Ion Acceleration by Flux Transfer Events in the Terrestrial Magnetosheath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarvinen, R.; Vainio, R.; Palmroth, M.; Juusola, L.; Hoilijoki, S.; Pfau-Kempf, Y.; Ganse, U.; Turc, L.; von Alfthan, S.

2018-02-01

We report ion acceleration by flux transfer events in the terrestrial magnetosheath in a global two-dimensional hybrid-Vlasov polar plane simulation of Earth's solar wind interaction. In the model we find that propagating flux transfer events created in magnetic reconnection at the dayside magnetopause drive fast-mode bow waves in the magnetosheath, which accelerate ions in the shocked solar wind flow. The acceleration at the bow waves is caused by a shock drift-like acceleration process under stationary solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field upstream conditions. Thus, the energization is not externally driven but results from plasma dynamics within the magnetosheath. Energetic proton populations reach the energy of 30 keV, and their velocity distributions resemble time-energy dispersive ion injections observed by the Cluster spacecraft in the magnetosheath.

Hybrid simulations of a parallel collisionless shock in the large plasma device

DOE PAGES

Weidl, Martin S.; Winske, Dan; Jenko, Frank; ...

2016-12-01

We present two-dimensional hybrid kinetic/magnetohydrodynamic simulations of planned laser-ablation experiments in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD). Our results, based on parameters which have been validated in previous experiments, show that a parallel collisionless shock can begin forming within the available space. Carbon-debris ions that stream along the magnetic- eld direction with a blow-o speed of four times the Alfv en velocity excite strong magnetic uctuations, eventually transfering part of their kinetic energy to the surrounding hydrogen ions. This acceleration and compression of the background plasma creates a shock front, which satis es the Rankine{Hugoniot conditions and can therefore propagate onmore » its own. Furthermore, we analyze the upstream turbulence and show that it is dominated by the right-hand resonant instability.« less

Influence of obstacle disturbance in a duct on explosion characteristics of coal gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Cheng; Ma, Tianbao; Lu, Jie

2010-02-01

In combination with experimental research, numerical simulation is performed to investigate the influence law of the obstacles in a duct on the explosion flame of premixed coal gas and air. The numerical method uses upwind WENO scheme and two-step chemical reaction model. The interaction mechanism is addressed between the compression wave from reflection on the right end of the duct and flame propagation. The reflected wave is found to result in the decrease of flame velocity. On this basis, we analyze the mechanism of the obstacles on flame as well as the law of flow field variation thus caused. The results suggest that, due to the obstacles, deflagration wave is repeatedly reflected, combustible gas mixture is fully compressed, temperature and pressure rise, chemical reaction speed increases, and hence flame intensity is strengthened. At the same time, a tripe point forms as a result of wall reflection of the deflagration wave from the obstacles and furthermore local flame speed increases. As the triple point propagates forward, the flame speed gradually decreases due to dissipation of energy. These conclusions provide a valuable theoretical foundation for the prediction of explosion field, prevention of fire and explosion and effective control of the combustion speed and flame propagation speed in detonation propulsion.

Nonlinear magnetoacoustic wave propagation with chemical reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margulies, Timothy Scott

2002-11-01

The magnetoacoustic problem with an application to sound wave propagation through electrically conducting fluids such as the ocean in the Earth's magnetic field, liquid metals, or plasmas has been addressed taking into account several simultaneous chemical reactions. Using continuum balance equations for the total mass, linear momentum, energy; as well as Maxwell's electrodynamic equations, a nonlinear beam equation has been developed to generalize the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov (KZK) equation for a fluid with linear viscosity but nonlinear and diffraction effects. Thermodynamic parameters are used and not tailored to only an adiabatic fluid case. The chemical kinetic equations build on a relaxing media approach presented, for example, by K. Naugolnukh and L. Ostrovsky [Nonlinear Wave Processes in Acoustics (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 1998)] for a linearized single reaction and thermodynamic pressure equation of state. Approximations for large and small relaxation times and for magnetohydrodynamic parameters [Korsunskii, Sov. Phys. Acoust. 36 (1990)] are examined. Additionally, Cattaneo's equation for heat conduction and its generalization for a memory process rather than a Fourier's law are taken into account. It was introduced for the heat flux depends on the temperature gradient at an earlier time to generate heat pulses of finite speed.

Analytical solution of reaction-diffusion equations for calcium wave propagation in a starburst amacrine cell.

PubMed

Poznanski, R R

2010-09-01

A reaction-diffusion model is presented to encapsulate calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) as a potential mechanism for somatofugal bias of dendritic calcium movement in starburst amacrine cells. Calcium dynamics involves a simple calcium extrusion (pump) and a buffering mechanism of calcium binding proteins homogeneously distributed over the plasma membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum within starburst amacrine cells. The system of reaction-diffusion equations in the excess buffer (or low calcium concentration) approximation are reformulated as a nonlinear Volterra integral equation which is solved analytically via a regular perturbation series expansion in response to calcium feedback from a continuously and uniformly distributed calcium sources. Calculation of luminal calcium diffusion in the absence of buffering enables a wave to travel at distances of 120 μm from the soma to distal tips of a starburst amacrine cell dendrite in 100 msec, yet in the presence of discretely distributed calcium-binding proteins it is unknown whether the propagating calcium wave-front in the somatofugal direction is further impeded by endogenous buffers. If so, this would indicate CICR to be an unlikely mechanism of retinal direction selectivity in starburst amacrine cells.

Emissivity corrected pyrometry of reactive multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrow, Darcie; Abere, Michael; Rupper, Stephen; Conwell, Thomas; Tappan, Alexander; Adams, David

2017-06-01

Ignition of sputter deposited nano-laminates results in rapid, self-propagating reactions. Due to high (10's of m/s) reaction front velocities, temperatures in the 1,000's of °K, and rapid phase changes occurring during reaction, direct measurement of temperature has proven difficult. This work presents a pyrometry technique with sub-microsecond time resolution, 10-6 m spatial resolution, and real time calculation of emissivity. By modulating a laser at 100 kHz and then Fourier processing the summed signal of emission and modulated reflectance, this emissivity corrected pyrometer overcomes the traditional limitations of two-color pyrometery for samples that do not follow the grey body approximation. The instrument has allowed for the direct measurement of temperature in NiAl and AlPt flame fronts, which allows for a determination of heat loss from an adiabatic condition. Further, a bilayer thickness dependence study has shown the relationship between front propagation velocity and flame temperature. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Mechanical and chemical responses of low-velocity impacted RDX and HMX explosive powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yanqing; Guo, Hongfu; Huang, Fenglei; Bao, Xiaowei; Explosion; damage Team

2017-06-01

The experimental analyses of mechanical and chemical responses of RDX and HMX particles were performed based on the optimized drop-weight experimental system equipped with the High-Speed Camera (HSC). It has been found that Jetting phenomenon observed by HSC is the result of the energy released by gaseous products, which push the pulverized or melted explosives to splash radially. Jetting is the only and the most obvious difference between reactive and inert particles prior to combustion so that jetting can be regarded as the sign of ignition. Area expansion velocity, jetting velocity, and flame propagation velocity have been estimated via image processing, making it possible to characterize mechanical deformation and violence of reaction of each stage. Hot-spots coalescence promotes flame propagation whose velocity reflects the violence of deflagration reaction. Jetting appearance time can be used to determine time-to-ignition more accurately than other ways. For RDX, molten phase plays an important role to the formation of the hot-spots. Multiple particles experienced more severe burning reactions than an individual particle. China National Nature Science Foundation (11572045), ``Science Challenging Program'' (JCKY2016212A501),opening fund from Safety ammunition research and Development Center (RMC2015B03).

On the exhaust of electromagnetic drive

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

Grahn, Patrick, E-mail: patrick.grahn@comsol.fi; Annila, Arto, E-mail: arto.annila@helsinki.fi; Department of Biosciences, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki

2016-06-15

Recent reports about propulsion without reaction mass have been met on one hand with enthusiasm and on the other hand with some doubts. Namely, closed metal cavities, when fueled with microwaves, have delivered thrust that could eventually maintain satellites on orbits using solar power. However, the measured thrust appears to be without any apparent exhaust. Thus the Law of Action-Reaction seems to have been violated. We consider the possibility that the exhaust is in a form that has so far escaped both experimental detection and theoretical attention. In the thruster’s cavity microwaves interfere with each other and invariably some photonsmore » will also end up co-propagating with opposite phases. At the destructive interference electromagnetic fields cancel. However, the photons themselves do not vanish for nothing but continue in propagation. These photon pairs without net electromagnetic field do not reflect back from the metal walls but escape from the resonator. By this action momentum is lost from the cavity which, according to the conservation of momentum, gives rise to an equal and opposite reaction. We examine theoretical corollaries and practical concerns that follow from the paired-photon conclusion.« less

Wave propagation as a marker of structural and topographic properties of human skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djaghloul, M.; Abdouni, A.; Thieulin, C.; Zahouani, H.

2018-06-01

Chronological skin ageing is a phenomenon which imposes structural and functional changes on the cutaneous tissue. Mechanically, these changes can be related to structural rearrangements of the cutaneous tissue on surface and in volume (layers thickness). At the micro-structural level, the constitutional elements of the skin, collagen and elastin fibres, undergo also this rearrangement. The evolution of skin’s mechanical properties at this level is the origin of a primordial in-vivo mechanical characteristic known as the natural pretension. In the context of understanding the in-vivo skin mechanical behaviour, related to the natural pretension, a lot of instrumentations have been demonstrated in the literature. They are mainly based on the interaction between dynamic adapted solicitation and the observed reaction on the skin. In this study, we evaluate the mechanical behaviour of human skin, following an impact which induces wave propagation. The use of impact solicitation allows the direct correlation between the dynamic induced reaction (vibration, and wave propagation) of the cutaneous tissue and its mechanical property. In our development, impact solicitation is contactless, with an air blast as generator of local deformation. The estimation of the speed of wave propagation enables the characterization of the mechanical behaviour of the skin. In order to validate the developed approaches, to understand the chronological ageing, gender and anisotropy effects on the skin properties, measurements have been realized on 77 healthy volunteers separated in five age groups. The obtained results are consistent with earlier works and confirm the efficiency of the developed instrumentation to estimate the changes of mechanical behaviour of the skin under age and gender effects.

Development of flexible, free-standing, thin films for additive manufacturing and localized energy generation

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

Clark, Billy; McCollum, Jena; Pantoya, Michelle L., E-mail: michelle.pantoya@ttu.edu

2015-08-15

Film energetics are becoming increasingly popular because a variety of technologies are driving a need for localized energy generation in a stable, safe and flexible form. Aluminum (Al) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO{sub 3}) composites were mixed into a silicon binder and extruded using a blade casting technique to form flexible free-standing films ideal for localized energy generation. Since this material can be extruded onto a surface it is well suited to additive manufacturing applications. This study examines the influence of 0-35% by mass potassium perchlorate (KClO{sub 4}) additive on the combustion behavior of these energetic films. Without KClO{sub 4} themore » film exhibits thermal instabilities that produce unsteady energy propagation upon reaction. All films were cast at a thickness of 1 mm with constant volume percent solids to ensure consistent rheological properties. The films were ignited and flame propagation was measured. The results show that as the mass percent KClO{sub 4} increased, the flame speed increased and peaked at 0.43 cm/s and 30 wt% KClO{sub 4}. Thermochemical equilibrium simulations show that the heat of combustion increases with increasing KClO{sub 4} concentration up to a maximum at 20 wt% when the heat of combustion plateaus, indicating that the increased chemical energy liberated by the additional KClO{sub 4} promotes stable energy propagation. Differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis show that the silicone binder participates as a fuel and reacts with KClO{sub 4} adding energy to the reaction and promoting propagation.« less

The role of correlations in uncertainty quantification of transportation relevant fuel models

DOE PAGES

Fridlyand, Aleksandr; Johnson, Matthew S.; Goldsborough, S. Scott; ...

2017-02-03

Large reaction mechanisms are often used to describe the combustion behavior of transportation-relevant fuels like gasoline, where these are typically represented by surrogate blends, e.g., n-heptane/iso-octane/toluene. We describe efforts to quantify the uncertainty in the predictions of such mechanisms at realistic engine conditions, seeking to better understand the robustness of the model as well as the important reaction pathways and their impacts on combustion behavior. In this work, we examine the importance of taking into account correlations among reactions that utilize the same rate rules and those with multiple product channels on forward propagation of uncertainty by Monte Carlo simulations.more » Automated means are developed to generate the uncertainty factor assignment for a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism, by first uniquely identifying each reacting species, then sorting each of the reactions based on the rate rule utilized. Simulation results reveal that in the low temperature combustion regime for iso-octane, the majority of the uncertainty in the model predictions can be attributed to low temperature reactions of the fuel sub-mechanism. The foundational, or small-molecule chemistry (C 0-C 4) only contributes significantly to uncertainties in the predictions at the highest temperatures (Tc=900 K). Accounting for correlations between important reactions is shown to produce non-negligible differences in the estimates of uncertainty. Including correlations among reactions that use the same rate rules increases uncertainty in the model predictions, while accounting for correlations among reactions with multiple branches decreases uncertainty in some cases. Significant non-linear response is observed in the model predictions depending on how the probability distributions of the uncertain rate constants are defined.Finally, we concluded that care must be exercised in defining these probability distributions in order to reduce bias, and physically unrealistic estimates in the forward propagation of uncertainty for a range of UQ activities.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

1994-05-01

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

Fibers innovative burning and reuse by Self-propagating High temperature Synthesis (SHS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caratto, Valentina; Belfortini, Claudio; Musi, Luigi; Gaggero, Laura; Ferretti, Maurizio

2016-04-01

The treatment of asbestos containing waste deriving from civil building and industrial applications is a social alert and an environmental problem. The project LIFE12 ENV/IT 000295 FIBERS "Fibers innovative burning and reuse by Self-propagating High temperature Synthesis (SHS)" has developed an innovative technique alternative to conventional high T processes. The University of Genoa has developed an apparatus and a technique for triggering the breakdown reaction of chrysotile by means of an alumino-thermic reaction in a process of combustion synthesis well known as Self-propagating High temperature Synthesis or SHS. This approach yielded interesting results and allowed the development of an efficient method for inerting natural asbestos fibers and man-made products carrying fibers at the scale of some grams [1]. The experiments were based on the couples Fe2O3/Mg by implementation of two prototype plants. The varying parameters were: 1) different Asbestos-Containing Waste (ACW) massive (Eternit, linoleum) and friable asbestos; 2) ACW abundance; 3) size of the pellet 4) under two triggering systems (induction by a W coil and oxyacetylene torch). The reactions were carried in two configurations: a) discontinuous, allowed us to obtain data for the development and fine-tuning of the reaction, b) continuous, was indispensable for the development and fine-tuning of the process parameters towards industrial scale up. After the combustive reaction all samples were characterized by SEM-EDS and XRPD analysis. All experiments demonstrated effective in destructing the fibrous habit of chrysotile, turning its composition to stubby olivine grains. We optimized the parameters to achieve complete conversion of the asbestos to mineral grains in all the cases. The efficiency of the SHS reaction in the discontinuous and continuous configurations was highlighted by the characterization of the post-combustion material under SEM-EDS and XRPD that verified the absence of fibers within the limits established by the regulations. The SHS process in comparison with conventional thermal treatments, due to fast reaction time, low activation energy, particularly advantages the asbestos inertization and positively reflects into time and costs of the process. Finally, the product of this transformation is liable to be re-used, e.g. as abrasive, or refractory material; this represents the end of waste status and a second life as secondary raw material. This work was carried out in the frame of LIFE12 ENV/IT/000295 FIBERS co-funded by the European Commission. [1] Gaggero L., Ferretti M., Belfortini C., Isola E. (2010) GE2010A000032

Autogenic incision and terrace formation resulting from abrupt late-glacial base-level fall, lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faulkner, Douglas J.; Larson, Phillip H.; Jol, Harry M.; Running, Garry L.; Loope, Henry M.; Goble, Ronald J.

2016-08-01

A paucity of research exists regarding the millennial-scale response of inland alluvial streams to abrupt base-level fall. Studies of modern systems indicate that, over short time scales, the response is a diffusion-like process of upstream-propagating incision. In contrast, evidence from the lower Chippewa River (LCR), located in the upper Midwest of the USA, suggests that autogenic controls operating over time scales of several millennia can overwhelm diffusion, resulting in incision that is prolonged and episodic. During the Last Glacial Maximum, the LCR drained the Chippewa Lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet to the glacial upper Mississippi River (UMR). As a meltwater stream, it aggraded and filled its valley with glacial outwash, as did its largest tributaries, which were also meltwater streams. Its nonglacial tributaries aggraded, too, filling their valleys with locally derived sediment. During deglaciation, the UMR incised at least twice, abruptly lowering the LCR's base level - 15 m at 16 ka or earlier and an additional 40 m at ca. 13.4 ka. Each of these base-level falls initiated incision of the LCR, led by upstream migrating knickpoints. The propagation of incision has, however, been a lengthy process. The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages of terrace alluvium indicate that, by 13.5 ka, incision had advanced up the LCR only 15 km, and by 9 ka, only 55 km. The process has also been episodic, resulting in the formation of fill-cut terraces (inferred from GPR surveys and exposures of terrace alluvium) that are younger and more numerous in the upstream direction. Autogenic increases in sediment load and autogenic bed armoring, the result of periodic tributary-stream rejuvenation and preferential winnowing of fines by the incising river, may have periodically caused knickpoint migration and incision to slow and possibly stop, allowing lateral erosion and floodplain formation to dominate. A decline in sediment flux from stabilizing incised tributary stream systems would have led to renewed knickpoint migration and incision when floods of sufficient magnitude to breach the channel armor occurred. Minimal floodplain development along the upper section of the present-day LCR, along with the channel morphology of an unstable wandering gravel-bed river immediately downstream from it, suggest that the river is still responding to the base-level falls that happened many millennia ago. The autogenic controls on the LCR's response to UMR incision are a direct consequence of the thick fills of noncohesive sediment that accumulated in its valley and the valleys of its tributary streams during the Late Wisconsinan, making the LCR a prime example of a former proglacial river that remains a paraglacial fluvial system.

Self-Formed Meanders (With Cutoffs) in a Laboratory Flume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braudrick, C. A.; Leverich, G. T.; Sklar, L. S.; Dietrich, W. E.

2005-12-01

The development of a mechanistic understanding of channel geometry and morphodynamics has been inhibited by the inability to create self-formed, freely meandering, single thread channels in a laboratory flume. By being able to reliably generate such channels, studies of the influence of sediment supply and flow dynamics as well as bank strength on channel morphology can be experimentally explored. We have found that the key experimental controls are: 1) ratio of bank strength to boundary shear stress exerted on the bank; 2) bedload and suspended load rates; and 3) variable flow discharge. We have been able to create meandering channels in a sand bedded laboratory flume using alfalfa sprouts. The alfalfa sprouts decrease the bank erosion rate so that bank erosion would occur at approximately the same pace as bar growth. The addition of coarse suspended load was necessary to cause deposition on bars to grow to the floodplain height. The sprouts contributed to deposition by creating a rough floodplain surface. Steady discharge failed to produced meandering, apparently due to the lack of suspended load deposition on the bar surface. The channels were created in a 3.6-m wide and 6.1-m long flume with an adjustable slope set at 0.01. We introduced both bedload (sand) and suspended load (crushed silica) into the top of the flume, which has an initial channel with either one or two bends carved into the floodplain. Runs lasted between 1 and 4 hours and occurred once per week. Alfalfa seeds were spread evenly outside the low flow channel following each run and are allowed to grow between runs. With the same material and flow conditions, the channel rapidly braided without the alfalfa sprouts. Braided was also favored under steady flow conditions. Under dynamic flows with banks strengthened by sprouts, the resulting experimental channels had many of the features observed in meandering streams such as oxbow lakes and meander cutoffs. The cutoffs occurred during overbank flows when high flow channels were reoccupied. As the portion of the flow passing through the reoccupied channel increased, an upstream-propagating headcut was initiated. Once the headcut propagated past the upstream junction with the main channel, sediment deposition blocked the upstream end of a secondary channel. The cutoffs became oxbow lakes when rapid bar growth promoted lateral channel migration away from the downstream junction with the cutoff channel. With these results in hand we are completing the construction of a larger flume in which we will set forth experiments on the influence of sediment supply, discharge magnitude and duration, grain size and bank strength on channel geometry.

Evolution of the shock front and turbulence structures in the shock/turbulence interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kevlahan, N.; Mahesh, K.; Lee, S.

1992-01-01

The interaction of a weak shock front with isotropic turbulence has been investigated using Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS). Two problems were considered: the ability of the field equation (the equation for a propagating surface) to model the shock; and a quantitative study of the evolution of turbulence structure using the database generated by Lee et al. Field equation model predictions for front shape have been compared with DNS results; good agreement is found for shock wave interaction with 2D turbulence and for a single steady vorticity wave. In the interaction of 3D isotropic turbulence with a normal shock, strong alignment of vorticity with the intermediate eigenvector of the rate of strain tensor (S(sup *)(sub ij) = S(sub ij) - (1/3)(delta(sub ij))(S(sub kk))) is seen to develop upstream of the shock and to be further amplified on passage through the shock. Vorticity tends to align at 90 deg to the largest eigenvector, but there is no preferred alignment with the smallest eigenvector. Upstream of the shock, the alignments continue to develop even after the velocity derivative skewness saturates. There is a significant tendency, which increases with time throughout the computational domain, for velocity to align with vorticity. The alignment between velocity and vorticity is strongest in eddy regions and weakest in convergence regions.

Improved Performance of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays via Swarm Priming.

PubMed

Martineau, Rhett L; Murray, Sarah A; Ci, Shufang; Gao, Weimin; Chao, Shih-Hui; Meldrum, Deirdre R

2017-01-03

This work describes an enhancement to the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction which results in improved performance. Enhancement is achieved by adding a new set of primers to conventional LAMP reactions. These primers are termed "swarm primers" based on their relatively high concentration and their ability to create new amplicons despite the theoretical lack of single-stranded annealing sites. The primers target a region upstream of the FIP/BIP primer recognition sequences on opposite strands, substantially overlapping F1/B1 sites. Thus, despite the addition of a new primer set to an already complex assay, no significant increase in assay complexity is incurred. Swarm priming is presented for three DNA templates: Lambda phage, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 rbcL gene, and human HFE. The results of adding swarm primers to conventional LAMP reactions include increased amplification speed, increased indicator contrast, and increased reaction products. For at least one template, minor improvements in assay repeatability are also shown. In addition, swarm priming is shown to be effective at increasing the reaction speed for RNA amplification via RT-LAMP. Collectively, these results suggest that the addition of swarm primers will likely benefit most if not all existing LAMP assays based on state-of-the-art, six-primer reactions.

Analysis of Flow Migration in an Ultra-Compact Combustor

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

Computational Fluid Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 UNICORN Unsteady Ignition and Combustion with Reactions . . . . 8 LBO Lean Blowout...the magnitude of enhanced flame speeds due to g- loading using the UNICORN CFD code. The study examined flame propagation for a hydrogen-air mixture in

Detection of Strawberry Viruses in Egypt

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As part of a USAID-MERC funded project, ‘Disease-indexing and mass propagation of superior strawberry cultivars’, an effort was made to evaluate the virus status of strawberries in Egypt. Diagnostic reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for Strawberry mottle, Strawberry cri...

Thermal synthesis apparatus

DOEpatents

Fincke, James R [Idaho Falls, ID; Detering, Brent A [Idaho Falls, ID

2009-08-18

An apparatus for thermal conversion of one or more reactants to desired end products includes an insulated reactor chamber having a high temperature heater such as a plasma torch at its inlet end and, optionally, a restrictive convergent-divergent nozzle at its outlet end. In a thermal conversion method, reactants are injected upstream from the reactor chamber and thoroughly mixed with the plasma stream before entering the reactor chamber. The reactor chamber has a reaction zone that is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature. The resulting heated gaseous stream is then rapidly cooled by passage through the nozzle, which "freezes" the desired end product(s) in the heated equilibrium reaction stage, or is discharged through an outlet pipe without the convergent-divergent nozzle. The desired end products are then separated from the gaseous stream.

Reactive multilayers fabricated by vapor deposition. A critical review

DOE PAGES

Adams, D. P.

2014-10-02

The reactive multilayer thin films are a class of energetic materials that continue to attract attention for use in joining applications and as igniters. Generally composed of two reactants, these heterogeneous solids can be stimulated by an external source to promptly release stored chemical energy in a sudden emission of light and heat. In our critical review article, results from recent investigations of these materials are discussed. Discussion begins with a brief description of the vapor deposition techniques that provide accurate control of layer thickness and film composition. More than 50 reactive film compositions have been reported to date, withmore » most multilayers fabricated by magnetron sputter deposition or electron-beam evaporation. In later sections, we review how multilayer ignition threshold, reaction rate, and total heat are tailored via thin film design. For example, planar multilayers with nanometer-scale periodicity exhibit rapid, self-sustained reactions with wavefront velocities up to 100 m/s. Numeric and analytical models have elucidated many of the fundamental processes that underlie propagating exothermic reactions while demonstrating how reaction rates vary with multilayer design. Recent, time-resolved diffraction and imaging studies have further revealed the phase transformations and the wavefront dynamics associated with propagating chemical reactions. Many reactive multilayers (e.g., Co/Al) form product phases that are consistent with published equilibrium phase diagrams, yet a few systems, such as Pt/Al, develop metastable products. The final section highlights current and emerging applications of reactive multilayers. Examples include reactive Ni(V)/Al and Pd/Al multilayers which have been developed for localized soldering of heat-sensitive components.« less

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

Menikoff, Ralph

SURFplus is a reactive burn model for high explosives aimed at modelling shock initiation and propagation of detonation waves. It utilizes the SURF model for the fast hot-spot reaction plus a slow reaction for the energy released by carbon clustering. A feature of the SURF model is that there is a partially decoupling between burn rate parameters and detonation wave properties. Previously, parameters for PBX 9502 that control shock ini- tiation had been calibrated to Pop plot data (distance-of-run to detonation as a function of shock pressure initiating the detonation). Here burn rate parameters for the high pres- sure regimemore » are adjusted to t the failure diameter and the limiting detonation speed just above the failure diameter. Simulated results are shown for an uncon ned rate stick when the 9502 diameter is slightly above and slightly below the failure diameter. Just above the failure diameter, in the rest frame of the detonation wave, the front is sonic at the PBX/air interface. As a consequence, the lead shock in the neighborhood of the interface is supported by the detonation pressure in the interior of the explosive rather than the reaction immediately behind the front. In the interior, the sonic point occurs near the end of the fast hot-spot reaction. Consequently, the slow carbon clustering reaction can not a ect the failure diameter. Below the failure diameter, the radial extent of the detonation front decreases starting from the PBX/air interface. That is, the failure starts at the PBX boundary and propagates inward to the axis of the rate stick.« less

Modelling wildland fire propagation by tracking random fronts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagnini, G.; Mentrelli, A.

2013-11-01

Wildland fire propagation is studied in literature by two alternative approaches, namely the reaction-diffusion equation and the level-set method. These two approaches are considered alternative each other because the solution of the reaction-diffusion equation is generally a continuous smooth function that has an exponential decay and an infinite support, while the level-set method, which is a front tracking technique, generates a sharp function with a finite support. However, these two approaches can indeed be considered complementary and reconciled. Turbulent hot-air transport and fire spotting are phenomena with a random character that are extremely important in wildland fire propagation. As a consequence the fire front gets a random character, too. Hence a tracking method for random fronts is needed. In particular, the level-set contourn is here randomized accordingly to the probability density function of the interface particle displacement. Actually, when the level-set method is developed for tracking a front interface with a random motion, the resulting averaged process emerges to be governed by an evolution equation of the reaction-diffusion type. In this reconciled approach, the rate of spread of the fire keeps the same key and characterizing role proper to the level-set approach. The resulting model emerges to be suitable to simulate effects due to turbulent convection as fire flank and backing fire, the faster fire spread because of the actions by hot air pre-heating and by ember landing, and also the fire overcoming a firebreak zone that is a case not resolved by models based on the level-set method. Moreover, from the proposed formulation it follows a correction for the rate of spread formula due to the mean jump-length of firebrands in the downwind direction for the leeward sector of the fireline contour.

Turbulent diffusion of chemically reacting flows: Theory and numerical simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elperin, T.; Kleeorin, N.; Liberman, M.; Lipatnikov, A. N.; Rogachevskii, I.; Yu, R.

2017-11-01

The theory of turbulent diffusion of chemically reacting gaseous admixtures developed previously [T. Elperin et al., Phys. Rev. E 90, 053001 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevE.90.053001] is generalized for large yet finite Reynolds numbers and the dependence of turbulent diffusion coefficient on two parameters, the Reynolds number and Damköhler number (which characterizes a ratio of turbulent and reaction time scales), is obtained. Three-dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNSs) of a finite-thickness reaction wave for the first-order chemical reactions propagating in forced, homogeneous, isotropic, and incompressible turbulence are performed to validate the theoretically predicted effect of chemical reactions on turbulent diffusion. It is shown that the obtained DNS results are in good agreement with the developed theory.

Turbulent diffusion of chemically reacting flows: Theory and numerical simulations.

PubMed

Elperin, T; Kleeorin, N; Liberman, M; Lipatnikov, A N; Rogachevskii, I; Yu, R

2017-11-01

The theory of turbulent diffusion of chemically reacting gaseous admixtures developed previously [T. Elperin et al., Phys. Rev. E 90, 053001 (2014)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.90.053001] is generalized for large yet finite Reynolds numbers and the dependence of turbulent diffusion coefficient on two parameters, the Reynolds number and Damköhler number (which characterizes a ratio of turbulent and reaction time scales), is obtained. Three-dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNSs) of a finite-thickness reaction wave for the first-order chemical reactions propagating in forced, homogeneous, isotropic, and incompressible turbulence are performed to validate the theoretically predicted effect of chemical reactions on turbulent diffusion. It is shown that the obtained DNS results are in good agreement with the developed theory.

Test of LOX compatibility for asphalt and concrete runway materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moyers, C. V.; Bryan, C. J.; Lockhart, B. J.

1973-01-01

A literature survey and a telephone canvass of producers and users of LOX is reported which yielded one report of an accident resulting from a LOX spill on asphalt, one discussion of hazardous conditions, and an unreferenced mention of an incident. Laboratory tests using standard LOX impact apparatus yielded reactions with both old and new alphalt, but none with concrete. In the final test, using a larger sample of asphalt, the reaction caused extensive damage to equipment. Initial field experiments using 2-meter square asphalt slabs covered with LOX, conducted during rainy weather, achieved no reaction with plummets, and limited reaction with a blasting cap as a reaction initiator. In a final plummet-initiated test on a dry slab, a violent reaction, which appeared to have propagated over the entire slab surface, destroyed the plummet fixture and threw fragments as far as 48 meters.

Periodic sequence of stabilized wave segments in an excitable medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zykov, V. S.; Bodenschatz, E.

2018-03-01

Numerical computations show that a stabilization of a periodic sequence of wave segments propagating through an excitable medium is possible only in a restricted domain within the parameter space. By application of a free-boundary approach, we demonstrate that at the boundary of this domain the parameter H introduced in our Rapid Communication is constant. We show also that the discovered parameter predetermines the propagation velocity and the shape of the wave segments. The predictions of the free-boundary approach are in good quantitative agreement with results from numerical reaction-diffusion simulations performed on the modified FitzHugh-Nagumo model.

The Use of Combustion Reactions for Processing Mineral Raw Materials: Metallothermy and Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis (Review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urakaev, Farit Kh.; Akmalaev, Kenzhebek A.; Orynbekov, Eljan S.; Balgysheva, Beykut D.; Zharlykasimova, Dinar N.

2016-02-01

The use of metallothermy (MT) and self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) is considered for processing different geological and technogenic materials. Traditional MT and SHS processes for production of various metals and nonmetal materials are widely known. Another rapidly developing direction is that connected with the use of ores, concentrates, minerals, and technogenic waste products as one of the components of a thermite mixture, both for the treatment of mineral raw by means of MT or SHS resulting in semi-products and for technological, analytical, and ecological purposes.

Discreteness effects in a reacting system of particles with finite interaction radius.

PubMed

Berti, S; López, C; Vergni, D; Vulpiani, A

2007-09-01

An autocatalytic reacting system with particles interacting at a finite distance is studied. We investigate the effects of the discrete-particle character of the model on properties like reaction rate, quenching phenomenon, and front propagation, focusing on differences with respect to the continuous case. We introduce a renormalized reaction rate depending both on the interaction radius and the particle density, and we relate it to macroscopic observables (e.g., front speed and front thickness) of the system.

Direct Observations of Reaction Zone Structure in Propagating Detonations

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-02-08

with sufficient spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio were achieved by using a tunable KrF laser with a pulse energy of 450 mJ exciting the OH...self-sustaining waves within the test section. The detonation reaction zone has been visualized by exciting OH fluorescence at about 284 nm with a...in some tests. The UV light for excitation of the OH molecules is produced by frequency dou- bling the output of an excimer-pumped dye laser. The

Hydrogen Generation from Ammonia Borane and Water Through the Combustion Reactions with Mechanically Alloyed Al/Mg Powder

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-11

generated through a self-sustained propagation of the reaction wave over the generator’s chemical core. The project objective is to determine the...iodine (I2, chips, Sigma Aldrich, 99% pure), at 4 wt% of the initial powder load. The 9.5 mm balls were removed and replaced with the same mass of...of boron (nominal size 0.7 Engineers). The nanocomposite powders were prepared in this project using a sequence of two milling steps. In the first

Large enhancement in the heterogeneous oxidation rate of organic aerosols by hydroxyl radicals in the presence of nitric oxide

DOE PAGES

Richards-Henderson, Nicole K.; Goldstein, Allen H.; Wilson, Kevin R.

2015-10-27

In this paper we report an unexpectedly large acceleration in the effective heterogeneous OH reaction rate in the presence of NO. This 10–50 fold acceleration originates from free radical chain reactions, propagated by alkoxy radicals that form inside the aerosol by the reaction of NO with peroxy radicals, which do not appear to produce chain terminating products (e.g., alkyl nitrates), unlike gas phase mechanisms. Lastly, a kinetic model, constrained by experiments, suggests that in polluted regions heterogeneous oxidation plays a much more prominent role in the daily chemical evolution of organic aerosol than previously believed.

Propagation of Cosmic Rays: Nuclear Physics in Cosmic-ray Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moskalenko, Igor V.; Strong, Andrew W.; Mashnik, Stepan G.

2004-01-01

The nuclei fraction in cosmic rays (CR) far exceeds the fraction of other CR species, such as antiprotons, electrons, and positrons. Thus the majority of information obtained from CR studies is based on interpretation of isotopic abundances using CR propagation models where the nuclear data and isotopic production cross sections in p- and alpha-induced reactions are the key elements. This paper presents an introduction to the astrophysics of CR and diffuse gamma-rays and dimsses some of the puzzles that have emerged recently due to more precise data and improved propagation models. Merging with cosmology and particle physics, astrophysics of CR has become a very dynamic field with a large potential of breakthrough and discoveries in the near fume. Exploiting the data collected by the CR experiments to the fullest requires accurate nuclear cross sections.

The Structure of the Heliosphere with Solar Cycle and Its Effect on the Conditions in the Local ISM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Opher, M.; Drake, J. F.; Toth, G.; Swisdak, M.; Michael, A.; Kornbleuth, M. Z.; Zieger, B.

2017-12-01

We argued (Opher et al. 2015, Drake et al. 2015) that the magnetic tension of the solar magnetic field plays a crucial role in organizing the solar wind in the heliosheath into two jet-like structures. The heliosphere then has a "croissant"-like shape where the distance to the heliopause downtail is almost the same as towards the nose. Regardless of whether the heliospheric tail is split in two or has a long comet shape there is consensus that the magnetic field in the heliosheath behaves differently than previously expected - it has a "slinky" structure and is turbulent. In this presentation, we will discuss several aspects related with this new model. We will show that this structure persists when the solar magnetic field is treated as a dipole. We show how the heliosphere, with its "Croissant" shape, evolves when the solar wind with solar cycle conditions are included and when the neutrals are treated kinetically (with our new MHD-Kinetic code). Due to reconnection (and turbulence of the jets) there is a substantial amount of heliosheath material sitting on open field lines. We will discuss the impact of artificial dissipation of the magnetic field in driving mixing and how it evolves with the solar cycle. We will discuss as well the development of turbulence in the jets and its role in mixing the plasma in the heliosheath and LISM and controlling the global structure of the heliosphere. We will discuss how the conditions upstream of the heliosphere, in the local interstellar medium are affected by reconnection in the tail and how it evolves with solar cycle. Recently we established (Opher et al. 2017) that reconnection in the eastern flank of the heliosphere is responsible for the twist of the interstellar magnetic field (BISM) acquiring a strong east-west component as it approaches the Heliopause. Reconnection drives a rotational discontinuity (RD) that twists the BISM into the -T direction and propagates upstream in the interstellar medium toward the nose. The consequence is that the N component of BISM is reduced in a band upstream of the HP. We show how the location of the RD upstream of the heliopause is affected by the solar cycle.

Dynamic Inland Propagation of Thinning Due to Ice Loss at the Margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Wei Li; Li, Jun J.; Zwally, H. Jay

2012-01-01

Mass-balance analysis of the Greenland ice sheet based on surface elevation changes observed by the European Remote-sensing Satellite (ERS) (1992-2002) and Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) (2003-07) indicates that the strongly increased mass loss at lower elevations (<2000 m) of the ice sheet, as observed during 2003-07, appears to induce interior ice thinning at higher elevations. In this paper, we perform a perturbation experiment with a three-dimensional anisotropic ice-flow model (AIF model) to investigate this upstream propagation. Observed thinning rates in the regions below 2000m elevation are used as perturbation inputs. The model runs with perturbation for 10 years show that the extensive mass loss at the ice-sheet margins does in fact cause interior thinning on short timescales (i.e. decadal). The modeled pattern of thinning over the ice sheet agrees with the observations, which implies that the strong mass loss since the early 2000s at low elevations has had a dynamic impact on the entire ice sheet. The modeling results also suggest that even if the large mass loss at the margins stopped, the interior ice sheet would continue thinning for 300 years and would take thousands of years for full dynamic recovery.

Numerical investigation on the self-induced unsteadiness in tip leakage flow of a micro-axial fan rotor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jinxin; Lai, Huanxin

2015-06-01

The self-induced unsteadiness in tip leakage flow (TLF) of a micro-axial fan rotor is numerically studied by solvingReynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The micro-axial fan, which is widely used in cooling systems of electronic devices, has a tip clearance of 6% of the axial chord length of the blade. At the design rotation speed, four cases near the peak efficiency point (PEP) with self-induced unsteadiness and four steady cases which have much weaker pressure fluctuations are investigated Using the "interface" separating the incoming main flow and the TLF defined by Du et al. [1], an explanation based on the propagation of the low energy spot and its multi-passing through the high gradient zone of the relativetotal pressure, is proposed to clarify the originating mechanism of the unsteadiness. At the operating points near the PEP, the main flow is weaker than the TLF and the interface moves upstream. The low energy spot which propagates along in the close behind of the interface has opportunity to circulate in the circumferential direction and passes through the sensitive interfaces several times, a slight perturbation therefore may be magnified significantlyand develops into the self-induced unsteadiness. The explanation is demonstrated by numerical results

Solar Wind - Magnetosheath - Magnetopause Interactions in Global Hybrid-Vlasov Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoilijoki, S.; Pfau-Kempf, Y.; Ganse, U.; Hietala, H.; Cassak, P.; Walsh, B.; Juusola, L.; Jarvinen, R.; von Alfthan, S.; Palmroth, M.

2017-12-01

We present results of interactions of solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere in global hybrid-Vlasov simulations carried out using the Vlasiator model. Vlasiator propagates ions as velocity distribution functions by solving the Vlasov equation and electrons are treated as charge-neutralizing massless fluid. Vlasiator simulations show a strong coupling between the ion scale and global scale physics. Global scale phenomena affect the local physics and the local phenomena impact the global system. Our results have shown that mirror mode waves growing in the quasi-perpendicular magnetosheath have an impact on the local reconnection rates at the dayside magnetopause. Furthermore, multiple X-line reconnection at the dayside magnetopause leads to the formation of magnetic islands (2D flux transfer events), which launch bow waves upstream propagating through the magnetosheath. These steep bow waves have the ability to accelerate ions in the magnetosheath. When the bow waves reach the bow shock they are able to bulge the shock locally. The bulge in the shock decreases the angle between the interplanetary magnetic field and the shock normal and allows ions to be reflected back to the solar wind along the magnetic field lines. Consequently, Vlasiator simulations show that magnetosheath fluctuations affect magnetopause reconnection and reconnection may influence particle acceleration and reflection in the magnetosheath and solar wind.

Flash X-Ray measurements on the shock-induced dispersal of a dense particle curtain

DOE PAGES

Wagner, Justin L.; Kearney, Sean P.; Beresh, Steven J.; ...

2015-11-23

The interaction of a Mach 1.67 shock wave with a dense particle curtain is quantified using flash radiography. These new data provide a view of particle transport inside a compressible, dense gas–solid flow of high optical opacity. The curtain, composed of 115-µm glass spheres, initially spans 87 % of the test section width and has a streamwise thickness of about 2 mm. Radiograph intensities are converted to particle volume fraction distributions using the Beer–Lambert law. The mass in the particle curtain, as determined from the X-ray data, is in reasonable agreement with that given from a simpler method using amore » load cell and particle imaging. Following shock impingement, the curtain propagates downstream and the peak volume fraction decreases from about 23 to about 4 % over a time of 340 µs. The propagation occurs asymmetrically, with the downstream side of the particle curtain experiencing a greater volume fraction gradient than the upstream side, attributable to the dependence of particle drag on volume fraction. Bulk particle transport is quantified from the time-dependent center of mass of the curtain. Furthermore, the bulk acceleration of the curtain is shown to be greater than that predicted for a single 115-µm particle in a Mach 1.67 shock-induced flow.« less

Flash X-Ray measurements on the shock-induced dispersal of a dense particle curtain

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

Wagner, Justin L.; Kearney, Sean P.; Beresh, Steven J.

The interaction of a Mach 1.67 shock wave with a dense particle curtain is quantified using flash radiography. These new data provide a view of particle transport inside a compressible, dense gas–solid flow of high optical opacity. The curtain, composed of 115-µm glass spheres, initially spans 87 % of the test section width and has a streamwise thickness of about 2 mm. Radiograph intensities are converted to particle volume fraction distributions using the Beer–Lambert law. The mass in the particle curtain, as determined from the X-ray data, is in reasonable agreement with that given from a simpler method using amore » load cell and particle imaging. Following shock impingement, the curtain propagates downstream and the peak volume fraction decreases from about 23 to about 4 % over a time of 340 µs. The propagation occurs asymmetrically, with the downstream side of the particle curtain experiencing a greater volume fraction gradient than the upstream side, attributable to the dependence of particle drag on volume fraction. Bulk particle transport is quantified from the time-dependent center of mass of the curtain. Furthermore, the bulk acceleration of the curtain is shown to be greater than that predicted for a single 115-µm particle in a Mach 1.67 shock-induced flow.« less

Sheath-accumulating Propagation of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Takuya; Shibata, Kazunari

2017-03-01

Fast interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are the drivers of strong space weather storms such as solar energetic particle events and geomagnetic storms. The connection between the space-weather-impacting solar wind disturbances associated with fast ICMEs at Earth and the characteristics of causative energetic CMEs observed near the Sun is a key question in the study of space weather storms, as well as in the development of practical space weather prediction. Such shock-driving fast ICMEs usually expand at supersonic speeds during the propagation, resulting in the continuous accumulation of shocked sheath plasma ahead. In this paper, we propose a “sheath-accumulating propagation” (SAP) model that describes the coevolution of the interplanetary sheath and decelerating ICME ejecta by taking into account the process of upstream solar wind plasma accumulation within the sheath region. Based on the SAP model, we discuss (1) ICME deceleration characteristics; (2) the fundamental condition for fast ICMEs at Earth; (3) the thickness of interplanetary sheaths; (4) arrival time prediction; and (5) the super-intense geomagnetic storms associated with huge solar flares. We quantitatively show that not only the speed but also the mass of the CME are crucial for discussing the above five points. The similarities and differences between the SAP model, the drag-based model, and the“snow-plow” model proposed by Tappin are also discussed.

Flash X-ray measurements on the shock-induced dispersal of a dense particle curtain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Justin L.; Kearney, Sean P.; Beresh, Steven J.; DeMauro, Edward P.; Pruett, Brian O.

2015-12-01

The interaction of a Mach 1.67 shock wave with a dense particle curtain is quantified using flash radiography. These new data provide a view of particle transport inside a compressible, dense gas-solid flow of high optical opacity. The curtain, composed of 115-µm glass spheres, initially spans 87 % of the test section width and has a streamwise thickness of about 2 mm. Radiograph intensities are converted to particle volume fraction distributions using the Beer-Lambert law. The mass in the particle curtain, as determined from the X-ray data, is in reasonable agreement with that given from a simpler method using a load cell and particle imaging. Following shock impingement, the curtain propagates downstream and the peak volume fraction decreases from about 23 to about 4 % over a time of 340 µs. The propagation occurs asymmetrically, with the downstream side of the particle curtain experiencing a greater volume fraction gradient than the upstream side, attributable to the dependence of particle drag on volume fraction. Bulk particle transport is quantified from the time-dependent center of mass of the curtain. The bulk acceleration of the curtain is shown to be greater than that predicted for a single 115-µm particle in a Mach 1.67 shock-induced flow.

Microwave plasma generation of arsine from hydrogen and solid arsenic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omstead, Thomas R.; Annapragada, Ananth V.; Jensen, Klavs F.

1990-12-01

The generation of arsine from the reactions of hydrogen and elemental arsenic in a microwave plasma reactor is described. The arsenic is evaporated from a solid source upstream and carried into the microwave plasma region by a mixture of hydrogen and argon. Stable reaction products, arsine and diarsine are observed by molecular beam sampled mass spectroscopy along with partially hydrogenated species (e.g., AsH and AsH2). The effect of composition and flow rate of the argon/hydrogen carrier gas mixture on the amount of arsine generated is investigated. The arsine production reaches a maximum for an argon-to-hydrogen ratio of unity indicating that metastable argon species act as energy transfer intermediates in the overall reaction. The generation of arsine and diarsine from easily handled solid arsenic by this technique makes it attractive as a possible arsenic source for the growth of compound semiconductors by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition.

Maximal Predictability Approach for Identifying the Right Descriptors for Electrocatalytic Reactions.

PubMed

Krishnamurthy, Dilip; Sumaria, Vaidish; Viswanathan, Venkatasubramanian

2018-02-01

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are being routinely used to identify new material candidates that approach activity near fundamental limits imposed by thermodynamics or scaling relations. DFT calculations are associated with inherent uncertainty, which limits the ability to delineate materials (distinguishability) that possess high activity. Development of error-estimation capabilities in DFT has enabled uncertainty propagation through activity-prediction models. In this work, we demonstrate an approach to propagating uncertainty through thermodynamic activity models leading to a probability distribution of the computed activity and thereby its expectation value. A new metric, prediction efficiency, is defined, which provides a quantitative measure of the ability to distinguish activity of materials and can be used to identify the optimal descriptor(s) ΔG opt . We demonstrate the framework for four important electrochemical reactions: hydrogen evolution, chlorine evolution, oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution. Future studies could utilize expected activity and prediction efficiency to significantly improve the prediction accuracy of highly active material candidates.

Microwave heating and joining of ceramic cylinders: A mathematical model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booty, Michael R.; Kriegsmann, Gregory A.

1994-01-01

A thin cylindrical ceramic sample is placed in a single mode microwave applicator in such a way that the electric field strength is allowed to vary along its axis. The sample can either be a single rod or two rods butted together. We present a simple mathematical model which describes the microwave heating process. It is built on the assumption that the Biot number of the material is small, and that the electric field is known and uniform throughout the cylinder's cross-section. The model takes the form of a nonlinear parabolic equation of reaction-diffusion type, with a spatially varying reaction term that corresponds to the spatial variation of the electromagnetic field strength in the waveguide. The equation is analyzed and a solution is found which develops a hot spot near the center of the cylindrical sample and which then propagates outwards until it stabilizes. The propagation and stabilization phenomenon concentrates the microwave energy in a localized region about the center where elevated temperatures may be desirable.

Frontal Polymerization in Microgravity: Bubble Behavior and Convection on the KC-135 Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pojman, John A.; Ainsworth, William; Chekanov, Yuri; Masere, Jonathan; Volpert, Vitaly; Dumont, Thierry; Wilke, Hermann

2001-01-01

Frontal polymerization is a mode of converting monomer into polymer via a localized exothermic reaction zone that propagates through the coupling of thermal diffusion and Arrhenius reaction kinetics. Frontal polymerization was discovered in Russia by Chechilo and Enikolopyan in 1972. The macrokinetics and dynamics of frontal polymerization have been examined in detail and applications for materials synthesis considered. Large temperature and concentration gradients that occur in the front lead to large density gradients. A schematic is presented for a liquid monomer, usually a monoacrylate, being converted to a liquid (thermoplastic) polymer. The velocity can be controlled by the initiator concentration but is on the order of a cm/min. If the liquid monomer is multifunctional, then a solid (thermoset) polymer is formed. Convection can occur with all types of monomers if the front propagates up a tube. Bowden et al. studied liquid/solid systems. McCaughey et al. studied liquid polymer systems. Descending fronts in thermoplastic systems are also susceptible to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

The Fisher-KPP problem with doubly nonlinear diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Audrito, Alessandro; Vázquez, Juan Luis

2017-12-01

The famous Fisher-KPP reaction-diffusion model combines linear diffusion with the typical KPP reaction term, and appears in a number of relevant applications in biology and chemistry. It is remarkable as a mathematical model since it possesses a family of travelling waves that describe the asymptotic behaviour of a large class solutions 0 ≤ u (x , t) ≤ 1 of the problem posed in the real line. The existence of propagation waves with finite speed has been confirmed in some related models and disproved in others. We investigate here the corresponding theory when the linear diffusion is replaced by the "slow" doubly nonlinear diffusion and we find travelling waves that represent the wave propagation of more general solutions even when we extend the study to several space dimensions. A similar study is performed in the critical case that we call "pseudo-linear", i.e., when the operator is still nonlinear but has homogeneity one. With respect to the classical model and the "pseudo-linear" case, the "slow" travelling waves exhibit free boundaries.

Effects of episodic sediment supply on bedload transport rate in mountain rivers. Detecting debris flow activity using continuous monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Taro; Sakurai, Wataru; Iuchi, Takuma; Izumiyama, Hiroaki; Borgatti, Lisa; Marcato, Gianluca; Pasuto, Alessandro

2018-04-01

Monitoring of sediment transport from hillslopes to channel networks as a consequence of floods with suspended and bedload transport, hyperconcentrated flows, debris and mud flows is essential not only for scientific issues, but also for prevention and mitigation of natural disasters, i.e. for hazard assessment, land use planning and design of torrent control interventions. In steep, potentially unstable terrains, ground-based continuous monitoring of hillslope and hydrological processes is still highly localized and expensive, especially in terms of manpower. In recent years, new seismic and acoustic methods have been developed for continuous bedload monitoring in mountain rivers. Since downstream bedload transport rate is controlled by upstream sediment supply from tributary channels and bed-external sources, continuous bedload monitoring might be an effective tool for detecting the sediments mobilized by debris flow processes in the upper catchment and thus represent an indirect method to monitor slope instability processes at the catchment scale. However, there is poor information about the effects of episodic sediment supply from upstream bed-external sources on downstream bedload transport rate at a single flood time scale. We have examined the effects of sediment supply due to upstream debris flow events on downstream bedload transport rate along the Yotagiri River, central Japan. To do this, we have conducted continuous bedload observations using a hydrophone (Japanese pipe microphone) located 6.4 km downstream the lower end of a tributary affected by debris flows. Two debris flows occurred during the two-years-long observation period. As expected, bedload transport rate for a given flow depth showed to be larger after storms triggering debris flows. That is, although the magnitude of sediment supply from debris flows is not large, their effect on bedload is propagating >6 km downstream at a single flood time scale. This indicates that continuous bedload observations could be effective for detecting sediment supply as a consequence of debris flow events.

Recombinant Prion Protein Refolded with Lipid and RNA Has the Biochemical Hallmarks of a Prion but Lacks In Vivo Infectivity

PubMed Central

Timmes, Andrew G.; Moore, Roger A.; Fischer, Elizabeth R.; Priola, Suzette A.

2013-01-01

During prion infection, the normal, protease-sensitive conformation of prion protein (PrPC) is converted via seeded polymerization to an abnormal, infectious conformation with greatly increased protease-resistance (PrPSc). In vitro, protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) uses PrPSc in prion-infected brain homogenates as an initiating seed to convert PrPC and trigger the self-propagation of PrPSc over many cycles of amplification. While PMCA reactions produce high levels of protease-resistant PrP, the infectious titer is often lower than that of brain-derived PrPSc. More recently, PMCA techniques using bacterially derived recombinant PrP (rPrP) in the presence of lipid and RNA but in the absence of any starting PrPSc seed have been used to generate infectious prions that cause disease in wild-type mice with relatively short incubation times. These data suggest that lipid and/or RNA act as cofactors to facilitate the de novo formation of high levels of prion infectivity. Using rPrP purified by two different techniques, we generated a self-propagating protease-resistant rPrP molecule that, regardless of the amount of RNA and lipid used, had a molecular mass, protease resistance and insolubility similar to that of PrPSc. However, we were unable to detect prion infectivity in any of our reactions using either cell-culture or animal bioassays. These results demonstrate that the ability to self-propagate into a protease-resistant insoluble conformer is not unique to infectious PrP molecules. They suggest that the presence of RNA and lipid cofactors may facilitate the spontaneous refolding of PrP into an infectious form while also allowing the de novo formation of self-propagating, but non-infectious, rPrP-res. PMID:23936256

Reaction of atomic hydrogen with formic acid.

PubMed

Cao, Qian; Berski, Slawomir; Latajka, Zdzislaw; Räsänen, Markku; Khriachtchev, Leonid

2014-04-07

We study the reaction of atomic hydrogen with formic acid and characterize the radical products using IR spectroscopy in a Kr matrix and quantum chemical calculations. The reaction first leads to the formation of an intermediate radical trans-H2COOH, which converts to the more stable radical trans-cis-HC(OH)2via hydrogen atom tunneling on a timescale of hours at 4.3 K. These open-shell species are observed for the first time as well as a reaction between atomic hydrogen and formic acid. The structural assignment is aided by extensive deuteration experiments and ab initio calculations at the UMP2 and UCCSD(T) levels of theory. The simplest geminal diol radical trans-cis-HC(OH)2 identified in the present work as the final product of the reaction should be very reactive, and further reaction channels are of particular interest. These reactions and species may constitute new channels for the initiation and propagation of more complex organic species in the interstellar clouds.

To address surface reaction network complexity using scaling relations machine learning and DFT calculations

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

Ulissi, Zachary W.; Medford, Andrew J.; Bligaard, Thomas

Surface reaction networks involving hydrocarbons exhibit enormous complexity with thousands of species and reactions for all but the very simplest of chemistries. We present a framework for optimization under uncertainty for heterogeneous catalysis reaction networks using surrogate models that are trained on the fly. The surrogate model is constructed by teaching a Gaussian process adsorption energies based on group additivity fingerprints, combined with transition-state scaling relations and a simple classifier for determining the rate-limiting step. The surrogate model is iteratively used to predict the most important reaction step to be calculated explicitly with computationally demanding electronic structure theory. Applying thesemore » methods to the reaction of syngas on rhodium(111), we identify the most likely reaction mechanism. Lastly, propagating uncertainty throughout this process yields the likelihood that the final mechanism is complete given measurements on only a subset of the entire network and uncertainty in the underlying density functional theory calculations.« less

To address surface reaction network complexity using scaling relations machine learning and DFT calculations

DOE PAGES

Ulissi, Zachary W.; Medford, Andrew J.; Bligaard, Thomas; ...

2017-03-06

Surface reaction networks involving hydrocarbons exhibit enormous complexity with thousands of species and reactions for all but the very simplest of chemistries. We present a framework for optimization under uncertainty for heterogeneous catalysis reaction networks using surrogate models that are trained on the fly. The surrogate model is constructed by teaching a Gaussian process adsorption energies based on group additivity fingerprints, combined with transition-state scaling relations and a simple classifier for determining the rate-limiting step. The surrogate model is iteratively used to predict the most important reaction step to be calculated explicitly with computationally demanding electronic structure theory. Applying thesemore » methods to the reaction of syngas on rhodium(111), we identify the most likely reaction mechanism. Lastly, propagating uncertainty throughout this process yields the likelihood that the final mechanism is complete given measurements on only a subset of the entire network and uncertainty in the underlying density functional theory calculations.« less

Resonant interactions between cometary ions and low frequency electromagnetic waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thorne, Richard M.; Tsurutani, Bruce T.

1987-01-01

The conditions for resonant wave amplification in a plasma with a ring-beam distribution which is intended to model pick-up ions in a cometary environment are investigated. The inclination between the interplanetary field and the solar wind is found to play a crucial role in governing both the resonant frequency and the growth rate of any unstable mode. It is suggested that the low-frequency MHD mode should experience the most rapid amplification for intermediate inclination. In the frame of the solar wind, such waves should propagate along the field in the direction upstream toward the sun with a phase speed lower than the beaming velocity of the pick-up ions. This mechanism may account for the presence of the interior MHD waves noted by satellites over a region surrounding comets Giacobini-Zinner and Halley.

Resonant interactions between cometary ions and low frequency electromagnetic waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorne, R. M.; Tsurutani, B. T.

1987-12-01

The conditions for resonant wave amplification in a plasma with a ring-beam distribution which is intended to model pick-up ions in a cometary environment are investigated. The inclination between the interplanetary field and the solar wind is found to play a crucial role in governing both the resonant frequency and the growth rate of any unstable mode. It is suggested that the low-frequency MHD mode should experience the most rapid amplification for intermediate inclination. In the frame of the solar wind, such waves should propagate along the field in the direction upstream toward the sun with a phase speed lower than the beaming velocity of the pick-up ions. This mechanism may account for the presence of the interior MHD waves noted by satellites over a region surrounding comets Giacobini-Zinner and Halley.

Oxidation mechanism of diethyl ether: a complex process for a simple molecule.

PubMed

Di Tommaso, Stefania; Rotureau, Patricia; Crescenzi, Orlando; Adamo, Carlo

2011-08-28

A large number of organic compounds, such as ethers, spontaneously form unstable peroxides through a self-propagating process of autoxidation (peroxidation). Although the hazards of organic peroxides are well known, the oxidation mechanisms of peroxidizable compounds like ethers reported in the literature are vague and often based on old experiments, carried out in very different conditions (e.g. atmospheric, combustion). With the aim to (partially) fill the lack of information, in this paper we present an extensive Density Functional Theory (DFT) study of autoxidation reaction of diethyl ether (DEE), a chemical that is largely used as solvent in laboratories, and which is considered to be responsible for various accidents. The aim of the work is to investigate the most probable reaction paths involved in the autoxidation process and to identify all potential hazardous intermediates, such as peroxides. Beyond the determination of a complex oxidation mechanism for such a simple molecule, our results suggest that the two main reaction channels open in solution are the direct decomposition (β-scission) of DEE radical issued of the initiation step and the isomerization of the peroxy radical formed upon oxygen attack (DEEOO˙). A simple kinetic evaluation of these two competing reaction channels hints that radical isomerization may play an unexpectedly important role in the global DEE oxidation process. Finally industrial hazards could be related to the hydroperoxide formation and accumulation during the chain propagation step. The resulting information may contribute to the understanding of the accidental risks associated with the use of diethyl ether.

The Role of Tim50 in Chemoresistance and Oncogenesis of Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

digested with Hind III and Kpn I and ligated into the pGL3 vector (Promega, Madison WI) upstream of the luciferase reporter gene. This construct was...expressing vector (HC5) or mutant p53-R273H (3 x 106) were cross-linked with 1% formaldehyde for 15 min and the reaction stopped by addition of glycine to...10 mg/ml) and treated with proteinase K (20 mg/ml). Proteins were removed by phenol – chloroform extraction and the DNA isolated by ethanol

Ground-water-quality assessment of the Carson River basin, Nevada and California; analysis of available water-quality data through 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welch, A.H.; Plume, R.W.; Frick, E.A.; Hughes, J.L.

1989-01-01

Data on groundwater quality, hydrogeology, and land and water use for the Carson River basin, Nevada and California were analyzed as part of the U. S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program. The basin consists of six hydrographic areas--a mountainous headwaters area and five downstream areas interconnected by the Carson River. Each valley contains one or more basin-fill aquifers. The data on groundwater quality came from several agencies and were screened to verify site location and to avoid analyses of treated water. The screened data are stored in the U. S. Geological Survey National Water Information System data base. Differences in sample-collection and preservation procedures among some of the data-collection agencies restrict use of the data to a descriptive analysis. Drinking water standards were employed as the basis for evaluating reported concentrations. Frequencies with which primary or secondary standards are exceeded increase from upstream parts of the basin to downstream parts. Primary standards commonly exceeded are fluoride in upstream areas and arsenic and fluoride in downstream areas. Secondary standards commonly exceeded are iron and manganese in upstream areas and chloride, dissolved solids, iron, manganese, and sulfate in downstream areas. The poorer-quality groundwater generally is a result of natural geochemical reactions, rather than the introduction of chemicals by man. Limited data indicate, however , that manmade organic compounds are present, mostly at or near urban land. (USGS)

S-matrix decomposition, natural reaction channels, and the quantum transition state approach to reactive scattering

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

Manthe, Uwe, E-mail: uwe.manthe@uni-bielefeld.de; Ellerbrock, Roman, E-mail: roman.ellerbrock@uni-bielefeld.de

2016-05-28

A new approach for the quantum-state resolved analysis of polyatomic reactions is introduced. Based on the singular value decomposition of the S-matrix, energy-dependent natural reaction channels and natural reaction probabilities are defined. It is shown that the natural reaction probabilities are equal to the eigenvalues of the reaction probability operator [U. Manthe and W. H. Miller, J. Chem. Phys. 99, 3411 (1993)]. Consequently, the natural reaction channels can be interpreted as uniquely defined pathways through the transition state of the reaction. The analysis can efficiently be combined with reactive scattering calculations based on the propagation of thermal flux eigenstates. Inmore » contrast to a decomposition based straightforwardly on thermal flux eigenstates, it does not depend on the choice of the dividing surface separating reactants from products. The new approach is illustrated studying a prototypical example, the H + CH{sub 4} → H{sub 2} + CH{sub 3} reaction. The natural reaction probabilities and the contributions of the different vibrational states of the methyl product to the natural reaction channels are calculated and discussed. The relation between the thermal flux eigenstates and the natural reaction channels is studied in detail.« less

Quantum Dynamics Study of the Isotopic Effect on Capture Reactions: HD, D2 + CH3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Dunyou; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Time-dependent wave-packet-propagation calculations are reported for the isotopic reactions, HD + CH3 and D2 + CH3, in six degrees of freedom and for zero total angular momentum. Initial state selected reaction probabilities for different initial rotational-vibrational states are presented in this study. This study shows that excitations of the HD(D2) enhances the reactivities; whereas the excitations of the CH3 umbrella mode have the opposite effects. This is consistent with the reaction of H2 + CH3. The comparison of these three isotopic reactions also shows the isotopic effects in the initial-state-selected reaction probabilities. The cumulative reaction probabilities (CRP) are obtained by summing over initial-state-selected reaction probabilities. The energy-shift approximation to account for the contribution of degrees of freedom missing in the six dimensionality calculation is employed to obtain approximate full-dimensional CRPs. The rate constant comparison shows H2 + CH3 reaction has the biggest reactivity, then HD + CH3, and D2 + CH3 has the smallest.

Soil organic matter-hydrogen peroxide dynamics in the treatment of contaminated soils and groundwater using catalyzed H2O2 propagations (modified Fenton's reagent).

PubMed

Bissey, Lauren L; Smith, Jeffrey L; Watts, Richard J

2006-07-01

The interactions between catalyzed H(2)O(2) propagations (CHP-i.e. modified Fenton's reagent) and soil organic matter (SOM) during the treatment of contaminated soils and groundwater was studied in a well-characterized surface soil. The fate of two fractions of SOM, particulate organic matter (POM) and nonparticulate organic matter (NPOM), during CHP reactions was evaluated using concentrations of hydrogen peroxide from 0.5 to 3M catalyzed by soluble iron (III), an iron (III)-ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelate, or naturally-occurring soil minerals. The destruction of total SOM in CHP systems was directly proportional to the hydrogen peroxide dosage, and was significantly greater at pH 3 than at neutral pH; furthermore, SOM destruction occurred predominantly in the NPOM fraction. At pH 3, SOM did not affect hydrogen peroxide decomposition rates or hydroxyl radical activity in CHP reactions. However, at neutral pH, increasing the mass of SOM decreased the hydrogen peroxide decomposition rate and increased the rate of hydroxyl radical generation in CHP systems. These results show that, while CHP reactions destroy some of the organic carbon pools, SOM does not have a significant effect on the CHP treatment of soils and groundwater.

Microstructural effects on ignition sensitivity in Ni/Al systems subjected to high strain rate impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeves, Robert; Mukasyan, Alexander; Son, Steven

2011-06-01

The effect of microstructural refinement on the sensitivity of the Ni/Al (1:1 at%) system to ignition via high strain rate impacts is investigated. The tested microstructures include compacts of irregularly convoluted lamellar structures with nanometric features created through high-energy ball milling (HEBM) of micron size Ni/Al powders and compacts of nanometric Ni and Al powders. The test materials were subjected to high strain rate impacts through Asay shear experiments powered by a light gas gun. Muzzle velocities up to 1.1 km/s were used. It was found that the nanometric powder exhibited a greater sensitivity to ignition via impact than the HEBM material, despite greater thermal sensitivity of the HEBM. A previously unseen fast reaction mode where the reaction front traveled at the speed of the input stress wave was also observed in the nanometric mixtures at high muzzle energies. This fast mode is considered to be a mechanically induced thermal explosion mode dependent on the magnitude of the traveling stress wave, rather than a self-propagating detonation, since its propagation rate decreases rapidly across the sample. A similar mode is not exhibited by HEBM samples, although local, nonpropagating reaction zones occur in shear bands formed during the impact event.

Microstructural effects on ignition sensitivity in Ni/Al systems subjected to high strain rate impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeves, Robert V.; Mukasyan, Alexander S.; Son, Steven

2012-03-01

The effect of microstructural refinement on the sensitivity of the Ni/Al (1:1 mol%) system to ignition via high strain rate impacts is investigated. The tested microstructures include compacts of irregularly convoluted lamellar structures with nanometric features created through high-energy ball milling (HEBM) of micron size Ni/Al powders and compacts of nanometric Ni and Al powders. The test materials were subjected to high strain rate impacts through Asay shear experiments powered by a light gas gun. Muzzle velocities up to 1.1 km/s were used. It was found that the nanometric powder exhibited a greater sensitivity to ignition via impact than the HEBM material, despite greater thermal sensitivity of the HEBM. A previously unseen fast reaction mode where the reaction front traveled at the speed of the input stress wave was also observed in the nanometric mixtures at high muzzle energies. This fast mode is considered to be a mechanically induced thermal explosion mode dependent on the magnitude of the traveling stress wave, rather than a self-propagating detonation, since its propagation rate decreases rapidly across the sample. A similar mode is not exhibited by HEBM samples, although local, nonpropagating reaction zones shear bands formed during the impact event are observed.

The Nanoconfined Free Radical Polymerization: Reaction Kinetics and Thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Haoyu; Simon, Sindee

The reaction kinetics and thermodynamics of nanoconfined free radical polymerizations are investigated for methyl methacrylate (MMA) and ethyl methacrylate (EMA) monomers using differential scanning calorimetry. Controlled pore glass is used as the confinement medium with pore diameters as small as 7.5 nm; the influence of both hydrophobic (silanized such that trimethylsilyl groups cover the surface) and hydrophilic (native silanol) surfaces is investigated. Propagation rates increase when monomers are reacted in the hydrophilic pores presumably due to the specific interactions between the carbonyl and silanol groups; however, the more flexible EMA monomer shows weaker effects. On the other hand, initial rates of polymerization in hydrophobic pores are unchanged from the bulk. In both pores, the onset of autoacceleration occurs earlier due to the reduced diffusivity of confined chains, which may be compensated at high temperatures. In addition to changes in kinetics, the reaction thermodynamics can be affected under nanoconfinement. Specifically, the ceiling temperature (Tc) is shifted to lower temperatures in nanopores, with pore surface chemistry showing no significant effects; the equilibrium conversion is also reduced at high temperatures below Tc. These observations are attributed to a larger negative change in entropy on propagation for the confined system, with the MMA system again showing greater effects. Funding from ACS PRF is gratefully acknowledged.

X-ray driven reaction front dynamics at calcite-water interfaces

DOE PAGES

Laanait, Nouamane; Callagon, Erika Blanca R.; Zhang, Zhan; ...

2015-09-18

The interface of minerals with aqueous solutions is central to geochemical reactivity, hosting processes that span multiple spatiotemporal scales. Understanding such processes requires spatially and temporally resolved observations, and experimental controls that precisely manipulate the interfacial thermodynamic state. Using the intense radiation fields of a focused synchrotron X-ray beam, we drove dissolution at the calcite-aqueous interface and simultaneously probed the dynamics of the propagating reaction fronts using surface X-ray microscopy. Evolving surface structures are controlled by the time-dependent solution composition as characterized by a kinetic reaction model. At extreme disequilibria, the onset of reaction front instabilities was observed with velocitiesmore » of >30 nanometers per second. As a result, these instabilities are identified as a signature of transport-limited dissolution of calcite under extreme disequilibrium.« less

Three-dimensional numerical and experimental studies on transient ignition of hybrid rocket motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Hui; Yu, Ruipeng; Zhu, Hao; Wu, Junfeng; Cai, Guobiao

2017-11-01

This paper presents transient simulations and experimental studies of the ignition process of the hybrid rocket motors (HRMs) using 90% hydrogen peroxide (HP) as the oxidizer and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and Polyethylene (PE) as fuels. A fluid-solid coupling numerically method is established based on the conserved form of the three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations, considering gas fluid with chemical reactions and heat transfer between the fluid and solid region. Experiments are subsequently conducted using high-speed camera to record the ignition process. The flame propagation, chamber pressurizing process and average fuel regression rate of the numerical simulation results show good agreement with the experimental ones, which demonstrates the validity of the simulations in this study. The results also indicate that the flame propagation time is mainly affected by fluid dynamics and it increases with an increasing grain port area. The chamber pressurizing process begins when the flame propagation completes in the grain port. Furthermore, the chamber pressurizing time is about 4 times longer than the time of flame propagation.

Multiphysics modeling of non-linear laser-matter interactions for optically active semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraczek, Brent; Kanp, Jaroslaw

Development of photonic devices for sensors and communications devices has been significantly enhanced by computational modeling. We present a new computational method for modelling laser propagation in optically-active semiconductors within the paraxial wave approximation (PWA). Light propagation is modeled using the Streamline-upwind/Petrov-Galerkin finite element method (FEM). Material response enters through the non-linear polarization, which serves as the right-hand side of the FEM calculation. Maxwell's equations for classical light propagation within the PWA can be written solely in terms of the electric field, producing a wave equation that is a form of the advection-diffusion-reaction equations (ADREs). This allows adaptation of the computational machinery developed for solving ADREs in fluid dynamics to light-propagation modeling. The non-linear polarization is incorporated using a flexible framework to enable the use of multiple methods for carrier-carrier interactions (e.g. relaxation-time-based or Monte Carlo) to enter through the non-linear polarization, as appropriate to the material type. We demonstrate using a simple carrier-carrier model approximating the response of GaN. Supported by ARL Materials Enterprise.

Effects of side chains in helix nucleation differ from helix propagation

PubMed Central

Miller, Stephen E.; Watkins, Andrew M.; Kallenbach, Neville R.; Arora, Paramjit S.

2014-01-01

Helix–coil transition theory connects observable properties of the α-helix to an ensemble of microstates and provides a foundation for analyzing secondary structure formation in proteins. Classical models account for cooperative helix formation in terms of an energetically demanding nucleation event (described by the σ constant) followed by a more facile propagation reaction, with corresponding s constants that are sequence dependent. Extensive studies of folding and unfolding in model peptides have led to the determination of the propagation constants for amino acids. However, the role of individual side chains in helix nucleation has not been separately accessible, so the σ constant is treated as independent of sequence. We describe here a synthetic model that allows the assessment of the role of individual amino acids in helix nucleation. Studies with this model lead to the surprising conclusion that widely accepted scales of helical propensity are not predictive of helix nucleation. Residues known to be helix stabilizers or breakers in propagation have only a tenuous relationship to residues that favor or disfavor helix nucleation. PMID:24753597

Finite-rate chemistry effects in a Mach 2 reacting flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, T. S.; Wehrmeyer, J. A.; Pitz, R. W.; Jarrett, O., Jr.; Northam, G. B.

1991-01-01

UV spontaneous vibrational Raman scattering and laser-induced predissociative fluorescence (LIPF) are combined and applied to a supersonic flame. For the first time, simultaneous measurements of temperature, major species (H2, O2, N2, H2O), and minor species (OH) concentrations are obtained with a 'single' excimer laser in a supersonic-lifted hydrogen-air diffusion flame. In the supersonic flame, a small amount of reaction occurs upstream of the lifted flame base, due to shock wave interactions and mixing with hot vitiated air. The strong turbulent mixing and high total enthalpy fluctuations lead to nonequilibrium values of temperature, and major and minor species concentrations. Combustion occurs farther downstream of the lifted region where slow three-body recombination reactions result in superequilibrium OH concentrations that depress the temperatures below their equilibrium values. Farther downstream, ambient air entrainment contaminates flame properties.

Flame behaviors of propane/air premixed flame propagation in a closed rectangular duct with a 90-deg bend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xuechao; Sun, Jinhua; Yuen, K. K.; Ding, Yibin; Chen, Sining

2008-11-01

Experiments of flame propagation in a small, closed rectangular duct with a 90° bend were performed for a propane-air mixture. The high speed camera and Schlieren techniques were used to record images of flame propagation process in the combustion pipe. Meanwhile, the fine thermocouples and ion current probes were applied to measure the temperature distribution and reaction intensity of combustion. The characteristics of propane-air flame and its microstructure were analyzed in detail by the experimental results. In the test, the special tulip flame formation was observed. Around the bend, the flame tip proceeded more quickly at the lower side with the flame front elongated toward the axial direction. And transition to turbulent flame occurred. It was suggested that fluctuations of velocity, ion current and temperature were mainly due to the comprehensive effects of multi-wave and the intense of turbulent combustion.

Langevin approach to a chemical wave front: Selection of the propagation velocity in the presence of internal noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemarchand, A.; Lesne, A.; Mareschal, M.

1995-05-01

The reaction-diffusion equation associated with the Fisher chemical model A+B-->2A admits wave-front solutions by replacing an unstable stationary state with a stable one. The deterministic analysis concludes that their propagation velocity is not prescribed by the dynamics. For a large class of initial conditions the velocity which is spontaneously selected is equal to the minimum allowed velocity vmin, as predicted by the marginal stability criterion. In order to test the relevance of this deterministic description we investigate the macroscopic consequences, on the velocity and the width of the front, of the intrinsic stochasticity due to the underlying microscopic dynamics. We solve numerically the Langevin equations, deduced analytically from the master equation within a system size expansion procedure. We show that the mean profile associated with the stochastic solution propagates faster than the deterministic solution at a velocity up to 25% greater than vmin.

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

Carranza, Arturo; Gewin, Mariah; Pojman, John A., E-mail: japojman@lsu.edu

In this study, we present an inexpensive and practical method that allows the monitoring and visualization of front polymerization, propagation, and dynamics. Commercially available europium-doped aluminum oxide powders were combined with video imaging to visualize free-radical propagating polymer fronts. In order to demonstrate the applicability of this method, frontal copolymerization reactions of propoxylated glycerin triacrylate (EB53), pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA), and pentaerythritol tetra-acrylate (PETEA) with 1,1-Bis(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane (Luperox 231®) as an initiator were studied and compared to the results obtained by IR imaging. Systems exhibiting higher filler loading, higher EB53 content, and less acrylated monomers showed a marked decrease in front velocity,more » while those with more acrylated monomers and higher crosslinking density showed a marked increase in front velocity. Finally, in order to show the potential of the imaging technique, we studied fronts propagating in planar and spherical geometries.« less

Mitigate the tent-induced perturbation in ignition capsules by supersonic radiation propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Zhensheng; Gu, Jianfa; Zheng, Wudi

2017-10-01

In the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) scheme, to trap the alpha particle products of the D-T reaction, the capsules needs to be imploded and compressed with high symmetry In the laser indirect drive scheme, the capsules are held at the center of high-Z hohlraums by thin membranes (tents). However, the tents are recognized as one of the most important contributors to hot spot asymmetries, areal density perturbations and reduced performance. To improve the capsule implosion performance, various alternatives such as the micro-scale rods, a larger fill-tube and a low-density foam layer around the capsule have been presented. Our simulations show that the radiation propagates supersonically in the low-density foam layer and starts to ablate the capsule before the perturbations induced by the tents reach the ablating fronts. The tent induced perturbations are remarkably weakened when they are propagating in the blow-off plasma.

Failure of feedback as a putative common mechanism of spreading depolarizations in migraine and stroke

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahlem, Markus A.; Schneider, Felix M.; Schöll, Eckehard

2008-06-01

The stability of cortical function depends critically on proper regulation. Under conditions of migraine and stroke a breakdown of transmembrane chemical gradients can spread through cortical tissue. A concomitant component of this emergent spatio-temporal pattern is a depolarization of cells detected as slow voltage variations. The propagation velocity of ˜3mm/min indicates a contribution of diffusion. We propose a mechanism for spreading depolarizations (SD) that rests upon a nonlocal or noninstantaneous feedback in a reaction-diffusion system. Depending upon the characteristic space and time scales of the feedback, the propagation of cortical SD can be suppressed by shifting the bifurcation line, which separates the parameter regime of pulse propagation from the regime where a local disturbance dies out. The optimization of this feedback is elaborated for different control schemes and ranges of control parameters.

Modeling the neuroanatomic propagation of ALS in the spinal cord

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drawert, Brian; Thakore, Nimish; Mitchell, Brian; Pioro, Erik; Ravits, John; Petzold, Linda R.

2017-07-01

Recent hypotheses of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression have posited a point-source origin of motor neuron death with neuroanatomic propagation either contiguously to adjacent regions, or along networks via axonal and synaptic connections. Although the molecular mechanisms of propagation are unknown, one leading hypothesis is a "prion-like" spread of misfolded and aggregated proteins, including SOD1 and TDP-43. We have developed a mathematical model representing cellular and molecular spread of ALS in the human spinal cord. Our model is based on the stochastic reaction-diffusion master equation approach using a tetrahedral discretized space to capture the complex geometry of the spinal cord. Domain dimension and shape was obtained by reconstructing human spinal cord from high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) images and known gross and histological neuroanatomy. Our preliminary results qualitatively recapitulate the clinically observed pattern of spread of ALS thorough the spinal cord.

Research on self-propagating high temperature synthesis prepared ZrC-ZrB2 composite ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yong, Cheng; Xunjia, Su; Genliang, Hou; YaKun, Xing

2013-03-01

ZrC-ZrB2 composite ceramic material is prepared by self-propagating high temperature synthesis, using Zr powders, CrO2 powders and Al powders as raw materials. Samples are studied by XRD and SEM, the results show that: ZrC-ZrB2 composite ceramic is attained after self-propagating high-temperature reaction, with Zr+ B4C as the main reactive system, and which is added respectively different content (CrO3 + Al) system. The study finds that the ceramic composite products are mainly composed of ZrC and ZrB2 phase, and other subphase. Compared to the main reactive system composite ceramic, composite ceramic grains grow up obviously, after introduction of the highly exothermic system (CrO3 + Al) in the main reactive system, and with the gradual increase of the content (CrO3 + Al).

Reduction of turbomachinery noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waitz, Ian A. (Inventor); Hayden, Belva J. (Inventor); Ingard, K. Uno (Inventor); Brookfield, John M. (Inventor); Sell, Julian (Inventor)

1999-01-01

In the invention, propagating broad band and tonal acoustic components of noise characteristic of interaction of a turbomachine blade wake, produced by a turbomachine blade as the blade rotates, with a turbomachine component downstream of the rotating blade, are reduced. This is accomplished by injection of fluid into the blade wake through a port in the rotor blade. The mass flow rate of the fluid injected into the blade wake is selected to reduce the momentum deficit of the wake to correspondingly increase the time-mean velocity of the wake and decrease the turbulent velocity fluctuations of the wake. With this fluid injection, reduction of both propagating broad band and tonal acoustic components of noise produced by interaction of the blade wake with a turbomachine component downstream of the rotating blade is achieved. In a further noise reduction technique, boundary layer fluid is suctioned into the turbomachine blade through a suction port on the side of the blade that is characterized as the relatively low-pressure blade side. As with the fluid injection technique, the mass flow rate of the fluid suctioned into the blade is here selected to reduce the momentum deficit of the wake to correspondingly increase the time-mean velocity of the wake and decrease the turbulent velocity fluctuations of the wake; reduction of both propagating broad band and tonal acoustic components of noise produced by interaction of the blade wake with a turbomachine component downstream of the rotating blade is achieved with this suction technique. Blowing and suction techniques are also provided in the invention for reducing noise associated with the wake produced by fluid flow around a stationary blade upstream of a rotating turbomachine.

The neural dynamics of song syntax in songbirds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Dezhe

2010-03-01

Songbird is ``the hydrogen atom'' of the neuroscience of complex, learned vocalizations such as human speech. Songs of Bengalese finch consist of sequences of syllables. While syllables are temporally stereotypical, syllable sequences can vary and follow complex, probabilistic syntactic rules, which are rudimentarily similar to grammars in human language. Songbird brain is accessible to experimental probes, and is understood well enough to construct biologically constrained, predictive computational models. In this talk, I will discuss the structure and dynamics of neural networks underlying the stereotypy of the birdsong syllables and the flexibility of syllable sequences. Recent experiments and computational models suggest that a syllable is encoded in a chain network of projection neurons in premotor nucleus HVC (proper name). Precisely timed spikes propagate along the chain, driving vocalization of the syllable through downstream nuclei. Through a computational model, I show that that variable syllable sequences can be generated through spike propagations in a network in HVC in which the syllable-encoding chain networks are connected into a branching chain pattern. The neurons mutually inhibit each other through the inhibitory HVC interneurons, and are driven by external inputs from nuclei upstream of HVC. At a branching point that connects the final group of a chain to the first groups of several chains, the spike activity selects one branch to continue the propagation. The selection is probabilistic, and is due to the winner-take-all mechanism mediated by the inhibition and noise. The model predicts that the syllable sequences statistically follow partially observable Markov models. Experimental results supporting this and other predictions of the model will be presented. We suggest that the syntax of birdsong syllable sequences is embedded in the connection patterns of HVC projection neurons.

Nitric oxide signaling: systems integration of oxygen balance in defense of cell integrity.

PubMed

Gong, Li; Pitari, Giovanni M; Schulz, Stephanie; Waldman, Scott A

2004-01-01

Nitric oxide has emerged as a ubiquitous signaling molecule subserving diverse pathophysiologic processes, including cardiovascular homeostasis and its decompensation in atherogenesis. Recent insights into molecular mechanisms regulating nitric oxide generation and the rich diversity of mechanisms by which it propagates signals reveal the role of this simple gas as a principle mediator of systems integration of oxygen balance. The molecular lexicon by which nitric oxide propagates signals encompasses the elements of posttranslational modification of proteins by redox-based nitrosylation of transition metal centers and free thiols. Spatial and temporal precision and specificity of signal initiation, amplification, and propagation are orchestrated by dynamic assembly of supramolecular complexes coupling nitric oxide production to upstream and downstream components in specific subcellular compartments. The concept of local paracrine signaling by nitric oxide over subcellular distances for short durations has expanded to include endocrine-like effects over anatomic spatial and temporal scales. From these insights emerges a role for nitric oxide in integrating system responses controlling oxygen supply and demand to defend cell integrity in the face of ischemic challenge. In this context, nitric oxide coordinates the respiratory cycle to acquire and deliver oxygen to target tissues by regulating hemoglobin function and vascular smooth muscle contractility and matches energy supply and demand by down-regulating energy-requiring functions while shifting metabolism to optimize energy production. Insights into mechanisms regulating nitric oxide production and signaling and their integration into responses mediating homeostasis place into specific relief the role of those processes in pathophysiology. Indeed, endothelial dysfunction associated with altered production of nitric oxide regulating tissue integrity contributes to the pathogenesis underlying atherogenesis. Moreover, this central role in pathophysiology identifies nitric oxide signaling as a key target for novel therapeutic interventions to minimize irreversible tissue damage associated with ischemic cardiovascular disease.

Thermal Conductivity Effects on SHS (Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis Reactions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

charcoal , soot and lampblack also exist. Actually these so called amorphous carbons are microcrystalline forms of graphite sometimes containing only a few...in Chemical Technology and Metallurgy , pp. 174, Moscow, USSR, 1975. 24. The word APPLE is a registered trademark of APPLE COMPUTER INC., 10260 Bandley

Some Fundamental Issues of Mathematical Simulation in Biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razzhevaikin, V. N.

2018-02-01

Some directions of simulation in biology leading to original formulations of mathematical problems are overviewed. Two of them are discussed in detail: the correct solvability of first-order linear equations with unbounded coefficients and the construction of a reaction-diffusion equation with nonlinear diffusion for a model of genetic wave propagation.

Density profiles around A+B→C reaction-diffusion fronts in partially miscible systems: A general classification.

PubMed

Loodts, V; Trevelyan, P M J; Rongy, L; De Wit, A

2016-10-01

Various spatial density profiles can develop in partially miscible stratifications when a phase A dissolves with a finite solubility into a host phase containing a dissolved reactant B. We investigate theoretically the impact of an A+B→C reaction on such density profiles in the host phase and classify them in a parameter space spanned by the ratios of relative contributions to density and diffusion coefficients of the chemical species. While the density profile is either monotonically increasing or decreasing in the nonreactive case, reactions combined with differential diffusivity can create eight different types of density profiles featuring up to two extrema in density, at the reaction front or below it. We use this framework to predict various possible hydrodynamic instability scenarios inducing buoyancy-driven convection around such reaction fronts when they propagate parallel to the gravity field.

3D DNS of Turbulent Premixed Flame with over 50 Species and 300 Elementary Reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimura, Masayasu; Yenerdag, Basmil; Naka, Yoshitsugu; Nada, Yuzuru; Tanahashi, Mamoru

2014-11-01

Three-dimensional direct numerical simulation of methane-air premixed planar flame propagating in homogenous isotropic turbulence is conducted to investigate local flame structure in thin reaction zones. Detailed kinetic mechanism, GRI-Mech 3.0 which includes 53 species and 325 elementary reactions, is used to represent methane-air reaction, and temperature dependences of transport and thermal properties are considered. For a better understanding of the local flame structure in thin reaction zones regime, distributions of mass fractions of major species, heat release rate, temperature and turbulent structures are investigated. Characteristic flame structures, such as radical fingering and multi-layered-like flame structures, are observed. The most expected maximum heat release rate in flame elements is lower than that of laminar flame with same mixture. To clarify mechanism of the decrease in local heat release rate, effects of strain rates tangential to flame front on local heat release rate are investigated.

Study on monostable and bistable reaction-diffusion equations by iteration of travelling wave maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Taishan; Chen, Yuming

2017-12-01

In this paper, based on the iterative properties of travelling wave maps, we develop a new method to obtain spreading speeds and asymptotic propagation for monostable and bistable reaction-diffusion equations. Precisely, for Dirichlet problems of monostable reaction-diffusion equations on the half line, by making links between travelling wave maps and integral operators associated with the Dirichlet diffusion kernel (the latter is NOT invariant under translation), we obtain some iteration properties of the Dirichlet diffusion and some a priori estimates on nontrivial solutions of Dirichlet problems under travelling wave transformation. We then provide the asymptotic behavior of nontrivial solutions in the space-time region for Dirichlet problems. These enable us to develop a unified method to obtain results on heterogeneous steady states, travelling waves, spreading speeds, and asymptotic spreading behavior for Dirichlet problem of monostable reaction-diffusion equations on R+ as well as of monostable/bistable reaction-diffusion equations on R.

NO formation in the burnout region of a partially premixed methane-air flame with upstream heat loss

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

Mokhov, A.V.; Levinsky, H.B.

Measurements of temperature and NO concentration in laminar, partially premixed methane-air flames stabilized on a ceramic burner in coflow are reported. The NO concentration and temperature were determined by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), respectively. Upstream heat loss to the burner was varied by changing the exit velocity of the fuel-air mixture at a constant equivalence ratio of 1,3; this alters the structure of the flame from an axisymmetric Bunsen-type to a strongly stabilized flat flame. To facilitate analysis of the results, a method is derived for separating the effects of dilution from those of chemicalmore » reaction based on the relation between the measured temperature and the local mixture fraction, including the effects of upstream heat loss. Using this method, the amount of NO formed during burnout of the hot, fuel-rich combustion products can be ascertained. In the Bunsen-type flame, it is seen that {approximately}40 ppm of NO are produced in this burnout region, at temperatures between {approximately}2,100 K and {approximately}1,900 K, probably via the Zeldovich mechanism. Reducing the exit velocity of 12 cm/s reduces the flame temperature substantially, and effectively eliminates this contribution. At velocities of 12 and 8 cm/s, {approximately}10 ppm of NO are formed in the burnout region, even though the gas temperatures are too low for Zeldovich NO to be significant. Although the mechanism responsible for these observations is as yet unclear, the results are consistent with the idea that the low temperatures in the fuel-rich gases caused by upstream heat loss retard the conversion of HCN (formed via the Fenimore mechanism) to NO, with this residual HCN then being converted to NO during burnout.« less

Characterization of the energy-dependent uncertainty and correlation in silicon neutron displacement damage metrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffin, Patrick; Rochman, Dimitri; Koning, Arjan

2017-09-01

A rigorous treatment of the uncertainty in the underlying nuclear data on silicon displacement damage metrics is presented. The uncertainty in the cross sections and recoil atom spectra are propagated into the energy-dependent uncertainty contribution in the silicon displacement kerma and damage energy using a Total Monte Carlo treatment. An energy-dependent covariance matrix is used to characterize the resulting uncertainty. A strong correlation between different reaction channels is observed in the high energy neutron contributions to the displacement damage metrics which supports the necessity of using a Monte Carlo based method to address the nonlinear nature of the uncertainty propagation.

Testing of Gyroless Estimation Algorithms for the Fuse Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harman, R.; Thienel, J.; Oshman, Yaakov

2004-01-01

This paper documents the testing and development of magnetometer-based gyroless attitude and rate estimation algorithms for the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). The results of two approaches are presented, one relies on a kinematic model for propagation, a method used in aircraft tracking, and the other is a pseudolinear Kalman filter that utilizes Euler's equations in the propagation of the estimated rate. Both algorithms are tested using flight data collected over a few months after the failure of two of the reaction wheels. The question of closed-loop stability is addressed. The ability of the controller to meet the science slew requirements, without the gyros, is analyzed.

Proteome-wide characterization of signalling interactions in the hippocampal CA4/DG subfield of patients with Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Ho Kim, Jae; Franck, Julien; Kang, Taewook; Heinsen, Helmut; Ravid, Rivka; Ferrer, Isidro; Hee Cheon, Mi; Lee, Joo-Yong; Shin Yoo, Jong; Steinbusch, Harry W; Salzet, Michel; Fournier, Isabelle; Mok Park, Young

2015-01-01

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia; however, mechanisms and biomarkers remain unclear. Here, we examined hippocampal CA4 and dentate gyrus subfields, which are less studied in the context of AD pathology, in post-mortem AD and control tissue to identify possible biomarkers. We performed mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis combined with label-free quantification for identification of differentially expressed proteins. We identified 4,328 proteins, of which 113 showed more than 2-fold higher or lower expression in AD hippocampi than in control tissues. Five proteins were identified as putative AD biomarkers (MDH2, PCLO, TRRAP, YWHAZ, and MUC19 isoform 5) and were cross-validated by immunoblotting, selected reaction monitoring, and MALDI imaging. We also used a bioinformatics approach to examine upstream signalling interactions of the 113 regulated proteins. Five upstream signalling (IGF1, BDNF, ZAP70, MYC, and cyclosporin A) factors showed novel interactions in AD hippocampi. Taken together, these results demonstrate a novel platform that may provide new strategies for the early detection of AD and thus its diagnosis. PMID:26059363

A conserved catalytic residue in the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme family

PubMed Central

Wu, Pei-Ying; Hanlon, Mary; Eddins, Michael; Tsui, Colleen; Rogers, Richard S.; Jensen, Jane P.; Matunis, Michael J.; Weissman, Allan M.; Wolberger, Cynthia P.; Pickart, Cecile M.

2003-01-01

Ubiquitin (Ub) regulates diverse functions in eukaryotes through its attachment to other proteins. The defining step in this protein modification pathway is the attack of a substrate lysine residue on Ub bound through its C-terminus to the active site cysteine residue of a Ub-conjugating enzyme (E2) or certain Ub ligases (E3s). So far, these E2 and E3 cysteine residues are the only enzyme groups known to participate in the catalysis of conjugation. Here we show that a strictly conserved E2 asparagine residue is critical for catalysis of E2- and E2/RING E3-dependent isopeptide bond formation, but dispensable for upstream and downstream reactions of Ub thiol ester formation. In constrast, the strictly conserved histidine and proline residues immediately upstream of the asparagine are dispensable for catalysis of isopeptide bond formation. We propose that the conserved asparagine side chain stabilizes the oxyanion intermediate formed during lysine attack. The E2 asparagine is the first non-covalent catalytic group to be proposed in any Ub conjugation factor. PMID:14517261

Mode-locking in advection-reaction-diffusion systems: An invariant manifold perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Locke, Rory A.; Mahoney, John R.; Mitchell, Kevin A.

2018-01-01

Fronts propagating in two-dimensional advection-reaction-diffusion systems exhibit a rich topological structure. When the underlying fluid flow is periodic in space and time, the reaction front can lock to the driving frequency. We explain this mode-locking phenomenon using the so-called burning invariant manifolds (BIMs). In fact, the mode-locked profile is delineated by a BIM attached to a relative periodic orbit (RPO) of the front element dynamics. Changes in the type (and loss) of mode-locking can be understood in terms of local and global bifurcations of the RPOs and their BIMs. We illustrate these concepts numerically using a chain of alternating vortices in a channel geometry.

Pyrotechnic hazards classification and evaluation program. Run-up reaction testing in pyrotechnic dust suspensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

A preliminary investigation of the parameters included in run-up dust reactions is presented. Two types of tests were conducted: (1) ignition criteria of large bulk pyrotechnic dusts, and (2) optimal run-up conditions of large bulk pyrotechnic dusts. These tests were used to evaluate the order of magnitude and gross scale requirements needed to induce run-up reactions in pyrotechnic dusts and to simulate at reduced scale an accident that occurred in a manufacturing installation. Test results showed that propagation of pyrotechnic dust clouds resulted in a fireball of relatively long duration and large size. In addition, a plane wave front was observed to travel down the length of the gallery.

Combustion synthesis of ceramic and metal-matrix composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, John J.; Feng, Heng J.; Hunter, Kevin J.; Wirth, David G.

1993-01-01

Combustion synthesis or self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) is effected by heating a reactant mixture, to above the ignition temperature (Tig) whereupon an exothermic reaction is initiated which produces a maximum or combustion temperature, Tc. These SHS reactions are being used to produce ceramics, intermetallics, and composite materials. One of the major limitations of this process is that relatively high levels of porosity, e.g., 50 percent, remain in the product. Conducting these SHS reactions under adiabatic conditions, the maximum temperature is the adiabatic temperature, Tad, and delta H (Tad) = 0, Tad = Tc. If the reactants or products go through a phase change, the latent heat of transformation needs to be taken into account.

Convective instability and boundary driven oscillations in a reaction-diffusion-advection model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidal-Henriquez, Estefania; Zykov, Vladimir; Bodenschatz, Eberhard; Gholami, Azam

2017-10-01

In a reaction-diffusion-advection system, with a convectively unstable regime, a perturbation creates a wave train that is advected downstream and eventually leaves the system. We show that the convective instability coexists with a local absolute instability when a fixed boundary condition upstream is imposed. This boundary induced instability acts as a continuous wave source, creating a local periodic excitation near the boundary, which initiates waves travelling both up and downstream. To confirm this, we performed analytical analysis and numerical simulations of a modified Martiel-Goldbeter reaction-diffusion model with the addition of an advection term. We provide a quantitative description of the wave packet appearing in the convectively unstable regime, which we found to be in excellent agreement with the numerical simulations. We characterize this new instability and show that in the limit of high advection speed, it is suppressed. This type of instability can be expected for reaction-diffusion systems that present both a convective instability and an excitable regime. In particular, it can be relevant to understand the signaling mechanism of the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum that may experience fluid flows in its natural habitat.

A Database for Propagation Models and Conversion to C++ Programming Language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kantak, Anil V.; Angkasa, Krisjani; Rucker, James

1996-01-01

The telecommunications system design engineer generally needs the quantification of effects of the propagation medium (definition of the propagation channel) to design an optimal communications system. To obtain the definition of the channel, the systems engineer generally has a few choices. A search of the relevant publications such as the IEEE Transactions, CCIR's, NASA propagation handbook, etc., may be conducted to find the desired channel values. This method may need excessive amounts of time and effort on the systems engineer's part and there is a possibility that the search may not even yield the needed results. To help the researcher and the systems engineers, it was recommended by the conference participants of NASA Propagation Experimenters (NAPEX) XV (London, Ontario, Canada, June 28 and 29, 1991) that a software should be produced that would contain propagation models and the necessary prediction methods of most propagation phenomena. Moreover, the software should be flexible enough for the user to make slight changes to the models without expending a substantial effort in programming. In the past few years, a software was produced to fit these requirements as best as could be done. The software was distributed to all NAPEX participants for evaluation and use, the participant reactions, suggestions etc., were gathered and were used to improve the subsequent releases of the software. The existing database program is in the Microsoft Excel application software and works fine within the guidelines of that environment, however, recently there have been some questions about the robustness and survivability of the Excel software in the ever changing (hopefully improving) world of software packages.

Radiation reaction studies in an all-optical set-up: experimental limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samarin, G. M.; Zepf, M.; Sarri, G.

2018-06-01

The recent development of ultra-high intensity laser facilities is finally opening up the possibility of studying high-field quantum electrodynamics in the laboratory. Arguably, one of the central phenomena in this area is that of quantum radiation reaction experienced by an ultra-relativistic electron beam as it propagates through the tight focus of a laser beam. In this paper, we discuss the major experimental challenges that are to be faced in order to extract meaningful and quantitative information from this class of experiments using existing and near-term laser facilities.

Development of new microsatellite loci and multiplex reactions for muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloss, Brian L.; Franckowiak, R.P.; Murphy, E.L.

2008-01-01

The muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) is a valued fisheries species throughout its native range. Numerous studies have documented performance and phenotypic differences among muskellunge populations, but genetic markers for assessment have been lacking. We characterized 14 microsatellite loci and developed five multiplex polymerase chain reactions. Successful amplification of northern pike (Esox lucius) was observed for seven loci. These microsatellites will be useful for analysing population structure, performance characteristics of propagated strains, and helping to develop and monitor hatchery management guidelines for muskellunge. ?? 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Expression of chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor I (COUP-TFI) in bladder transitional cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Ham, Won Sik; Lee, Joo Hyoung; Yu, Ho Song; Choi, Young Deuk

2008-10-01

An analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and the surrounding urothelium to help identify what lies behind the mechanism of multifocal tumor development has not yet been performed. We sought to find a new DEG related to the development of bladder TCC. Thirty-nine bladder TCC tissues paired with normal-appearing urothelium tissues obtained from the same patient were used as subjects. Initially, we compared the messenger RNA (mRNA) profiles between normal-appearing urothelium and TCC tissue of 1 patient by using annealing control primer (ACP)-based GeneFishing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and selective amplification of family members (SAFM) PCR to identify potential DEGs. To validate the results of the ACP data, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed on those of all 39 patients. Among the several DEGs discovered in the ACP data, 1 DEG was chosen as the candidate for the RT-PCR, that is present or markedly upregulated in normal-appearing urothelial tissue compared with TCC tissue. Gene sequence searching revealed that this DEG is chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor I (COUP-TFI). Downregulation of COUP-TFI mRNA expression in TCC tissue compared to normal-appearing urothelium tissue of the same patient, irrespective of tumor stage and grade, was confirmed by RT-PCR in 39 patients. Our results suggest that the loss of COUP-TFI may play a role in the transition from normal epithelium to TCC. Further characterization of the COUP-TFI gene is expected to give us informations about bladder TCC tumorigenesis.

A Case Study of Urbanization Impact on Summer Precipitation in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area. Urban Heat Island Versus Aerosol Effects

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

Zhong, Shi; Qian, Yun; Zhao, Chun

Convection-resolving ensemble simulations using the WRF-Chem model coupled with a single-layer Urban Canopy Model (UCM) are conducted to investigate the individual and combined impacts of land use and anthropogenic pollutant emissions from urbanization on a heavy rainfall event in the Greater Beijing Metropolitan Area (GBMA) in China. The simulation with the urbanization effect included generally captures the spatial pattern and temporal variation of the rainfall event. An improvement of precipitation is found in the experiment including aerosol effect on both clouds and radiation. The expanded urban land cover and increased aerosols have an opposite effect on precipitation processes, with themore » latter playing a more dominant role, leading to suppressed convection and rainfall over the upstream (northwest) area, and enhanced convection and more precipitation in the downstream (southeast) region of the GBMA. In addition, the influence of aerosol indirect effect is found to overwhelm that of direct effect on precipitation in this rainfall event. Increased aerosols induce more cloud droplets with smaller size, which favors evaporative cooling and reduce updrafts and suppress convection over the upstream (northwest) region in the early stage of the rainfall event. As the rainfall system propagates southeastward, more latent heat is released due to the freezing of larger number of smaller cloud drops that are lofted above the freezing level, which is responsible for the increased updraft strength and convective invigoration over the downstream (southeast) area.« less

Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in and near Humboldt Wildlife Management Area, Churchill and Pershing Counties, Nevada, 1990-91

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seiler, R.L.; Ekechukwu, G.A.; Hallock, R.J.

1993-01-01

A reconnaissance investigation was begun in 1990 to determine whether the quality of irrigation drainage in and near the Humboldt Wildlife Management Area, Nevada, has caused or has the potential to cause harmful effects on human health, fish, and wildlife or to impair beneficial uses of water. Samples of surface and ground water, bottom sediment, and biota collected from sites upstream and downstream from the Lovelock agricultural area were analyzed for potentially toxic trace elements. Also analyzed were radioactive substances, major dissolved constitu- ents, and nutrients in water, as well as pesticide residues in bottom sediment and biota. In samples from areas affected by irrigation drainage, the following constituents equaled or exceeded baseline concentrations or recommended standards for protection of aquatic life or propagation of wildlife--in water: arsenic, boron, dissolved solids, mercury, molybdenum, selenium, sodium, and un-ionized ammonia; in bottom sediment; arsenic and uranium; and in biota; arsenic, boron, and selenium. Selenium appears to be biomagnified in the Humboldt Sink wetlands. Biological effects observed during the reconnaissance included reduced insect diversity in sites receiving irrigation drainage and acute toxicity of drain water and sediment to test organisms. The current drought and upstream consumption of water for irrigation have reduced water deliveries to the wetlands and caused habitat degradation at Humboldt Wildlife Management Area. During this investigation. Humboldt and Toulon Lakes evaporated to dryness because of the reduced water deliveries.

Interpreting Beryllium-7 and Lead-210 fluxes and ratios for age dating fluvial sediments in Difficult Run Watershed, Virginia, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karwan, D. L.; Pizzuto, J. E.; Skalak, K.; Benthem, A.

2016-12-01

The sources and transport of suspended sediments within watersheds of varying sizes remain an important area of study within the geosciences. Short term fallout radionuclides, such as Beryllium-7 (7Be) and Lead-210 (210Pb), and their ratios can be a valuable tool for gaining insight into suspended sediment transport dynamics. We use these techniques in combination with other sediment exchange and transport models to estimate residence and transport time of suspended sediment in nested reaches of the Difficult Run watershed (Virginia, USA) on timescales from storm events to centuries and longer. During several winter and spring 2015-2016 precipitation events, Beryllium-7 to excess Lead-210 ratios vary from 0.4 - 2.5 in direct channel precipitation and 0.2 - 1 on suspended sediment. Previously published age dating models would suggest that the suspended sediments were originally "tagged" by, or in contact with wet fallout of, by Beryllium7 fallout approximately 20-80 days before sampling. Sediments at the upstream reach (watershed size 14 km2) tend to be older ( 75 days), while sediments at the downstream reach (watershed size 117 km2) tend to be newer ( 20 days). We use multiple sediment transport models and hypothesize that fluvial sediments are tagged with direct channel precipitation between the upstream and downstream reach, explaining their apparently younger age. Our analysis includes error propagation as well as a comparison of radioisotope gamma analyses from different labs across multiple institutions.

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

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

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

2011-06-15

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

Divertor-localized fluctuations in NSTX-U L-mode discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scotti, Filippo; Soukhanovskii, V. A.; Zweben, S.; Myra, J.; Baver, D.; Sabbagh, S. A.

2017-10-01

The 3-D structure of divertor turbulence is characterized in NSTX-U by means of fast camera imaging. Edge and divertor turbulence can be important in determining the heat flux width in fusion devices. Field-aligned filaments are found on the divertor legs via imaging of C III and D- α emission in NBI-heated diverted L-mode discharges, similar to observations in Alcator C-Mod and MAST. These flute-like fluctuations of up to 10-20% in RMS/mean are radially localized around the separatrix and limited to the region below the X-point. Poloidal and parallel correlation lengths are a few cm (10-50ρi) and several meters, respectively. For the outer leg filaments, poloidal correlation lengths decrease along the leg away from the strike point and typical effective toroidal mode numbers are in the range of 10-20. Opposite toroidal rotation is observed for inner (co-current rotation) and outer leg (counter-current rotation) filaments with apparent poloidal propagation of 1 km/s. The poloidal motion of outer leg filaments is opposite to the one typically observed for NSTX upstream blobs in the scrape-off layer. The shape, dynamics and absence of correlation with upstream turbulence suggest that these fluctuations are generated and localized in the divertor region. Supported by US DOE DE-AC52-07NA27344, DE-AC02-09CH11466, DE-FG02- 02ER54678, DE-FG02-99ER54524.

An experimental study of geyser-like flows induced by a pressurized air pocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elayeb, I. S.; Leon, A.; Choi, Y.; Alnahit, A. O.

2015-12-01

Previous studies argues that the entrapment of pressurized air pockets within combined sewer systems can produce geyser flows, which is an oscillating jetting of a mixture of gas-liquid flows. To verify that pressurized air pockets can effectively produce geysers, laboratory experiments were conducted. However, past experiments were conducted in relatively small-scale apparatus (i.e. maximum φ2" vertical shaft). This study conducted a set of experiments in a larger apparatus. The experimental setup consists of an upstream head tank, a downstream head tank, a horizontal pipe (46.5ft long, φ6") and a vertical pipe (10ft long, φ6"). The initial condition for the experiments is constant flow discharge through the horizontal pipe. The experiments are initiated by injecting an air pocket with pre-determined volume and pressure at the upstream end of the horizontal pipe. The air pocket propagates through the horizontal pipe until it arrives to the vertical shaft, where it is released producing a geyser-like flow. Three flow rates in the horizontal pipe and three injected air pressures were tested. The variables measured were pressure at two locations in the horizontal pipe and two locations in the vertical pipe. High resolution videos at two regions in the vertical shaft were also recorded. To gain further insights in the physics of air-water interaction, the laboratory experiments were complemented with numerical simulations conducted using a commercial 3D CFD model, previously validated with experiments.

Modeling fecal contamination in the Aljezur coastal stream (Portugal)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues, Marta; Oliveira, Anabela; Guerreiro, Martha; Fortunato, André Bustorff; Menaia, José; David, Luís Mesquita; Cravo, Alexandra

2011-06-01

This study aims at understanding the fecal contamination behavior in a small coastal stream (Aljezur, Portugal), which has significant economic and ecological values. Like in most small coastal systems, circulation and water renewal in the Aljezur stream exhibit a strong variability due to their dependence on tides, waves, intermittent river flows, and a highly variable morphology. Hence, the problem was approached through a combination of field surveys and the development and application of a hard-coupled three-dimensional hydrodynamic and fecal contamination model. Salinity and temperature results have shown that mixing and transport in the stream are very sensitive to the river flow and wind forcing. The model is able to represent the main patterns and trends observed in Escherichia coli and fecal enterococcus concentrations along the stream, for different environmental and contamination conditions, suggesting die-off rates on the order of 0.50-0.55 day-1. Die-off rate and the representation of the sediment-associated processes were identified as the major remaining sources of uncertainty in the model. Results show that, owing to the processes that occur along the stream, fecal bacteria reach the beaches water in numbers that comply with the European Bathing Waters Directive, even during the summer periods when the upstream concentrations are larger. In particular, results suggest a direct relation between the tidal propagation upstream and the reduction of the fecal bacteria concentrations along the stream that can be relevant for the development of a strategy for the management of the system's water safety.

Filling gaps in a large reserve network to address freshwater conservation needs.

PubMed

Hermoso, Virgilio; Filipe, Ana Filipa; Segurado, Pedro; Beja, Pedro

2015-09-15

Freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity are among the most threatened at global scale, but efforts for their conservation have been mostly peripheral to terrestrial conservation. For example, Natura 2000, the world's largest network of protected areas, fails to cover adequately the distribution of rare and endangered aquatic species, and lacks of appropriate spatial design to make conservation for freshwater biodiversity effective. Here, we develop a framework to identify a complementary set of priority areas and enhance the conservation opportunities of Natura 2000 for freshwater biodiversity, using the Iberian Peninsula as a case study. We use a systematic planning approach to identify a minimum set of additional areas that would help i) adequately represent all freshwater fish, amphibians and aquatic reptiles at three different target levels, ii) account for key ecological processes derived from riverscape connectivity, and iii) minimize the impact of threats, both within protected areas and propagated from upstream unprotected areas. Addressing all these goals would need an increase in area between 7 and 46%, depending on the conservation target used and strength of connectivity required. These new priority areas correspond to subcatchments inhabited by endangered and range restricted species, as well as additional subcatchments required to improve connectivity among existing protected areas and to increase protection against upstream threats. Our study should help guide future revisions of the design of Natura 2000, while providing a framework to address deficiencies in reserve networks for adequately protecting freshwater biodiversity elsewhere. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental and theoretical study of combustion jet ignition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, D. Y.; Ghoniem, A. F.; Oppenheim, A. K.

1983-01-01

A combustion jet ignition system was developed to generate turbulent jets of combustion products containing free radicals and to discharge them as ignition sources into a combustible medium. In order to understand the ignition and the inflammation processes caused by combustion jets, the studies of the fluid mechanical properties of turbulent jets with and without combustion were conducted theoretically and experimentally. Experiments using a specially designed igniter, with a prechamber to build up and control the stagnation pressure upstream of the orifice, were conducted to investigate the formation processes of turbulent jets of combustion products. The penetration speed of combustion jets has been found to be constant initially and then decreases monotonically as turbulent jets of combustion products travel closer to the wall. This initial penetration speed to combustion jets is proportional to the initial stagnation pressure upstream of the orifice for the same stoichiometric mixture. Computer simulations by Chorin's Random Vortex Method implemented with the flame propagation algorithm for the theoretical model of turbulent jets with and without combustion were performed to study the turbulent jet flow field. In the formation processes of the turbulent jets, the large-scale eddy structure of turbulence, the so-called coherent structure, dominates the entrainment and mixing processes. The large-scale eddy structure of turbulent jets in this study is constructed by a series of vortex pairs, which are organized in the form of a staggered array of vortex clouds generating local recirculation flow patterns.

Mach 4 Test Results of a Dual-Flowpath, Turbine Based Combined Cycle Inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albertson, Cindy w.; Emami, Saied; Trexler, Carl A.

2006-01-01

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the performance of a turbine based combined cycle (TBCC) inlet concept, consisting of a low speed turbojet inlet and high speed dual-mode scramjet inlet. The main objectives of the study were (1) to identify any interactions between the low and the high speed inlets during the mode transition phase in which both inlets are operating simultaneously and (2) to determine the effect of the low speed inlet operation on the performance of the high speed inlet. Tests were conducted at a nominal freestream Mach number of 4 using an 8 percent scale model representing a single module of a TBCC inlet. A flat plate was installed upstream of the model to produce a turbulent boundary layer which simulated the full-scale vehicle forebody boundary layer. A flowmeter/back pressure device, with remote actuation, was attached aft of the high speed inlet isolator to simulate the back pressure resulting from dual-mode scramjet combustion. Results indicate that the inlets did not interact with each other sufficiently to affect inlet operability. Flow spillage resulting from a high speed inlet unstart did not propagate far enough upstream to affect the low speed inlet. Also, a low speed inlet unstart did not cause the high speed inlet to unstart. The low speed inlet improved the performance of the high speed inlet at certain conditions by diverting a portion of the boundary layer generated on the forebody plate.

Rapid acceleration of protons upstream of earthward propagating dipolarization fronts

PubMed Central

Ukhorskiy, AY; Sitnov, MI; Merkin, VG; Artemyev, AV

2013-01-01

[1] Transport and acceleration of ions in the magnetotail largely occurs in the form of discrete impulsive events associated with a steep increase of the tail magnetic field normal to the neutral plane (Bz), which are referred to as dipolarization fronts. The goal of this paper is to investigate how protons initially located upstream of earthward moving fronts are accelerated at their encounter. According to our analytical analysis and simplified two-dimensional test-particle simulations of equatorially mirroring particles, there are two regimes of proton acceleration: trapping and quasi-trapping, which are realized depending on whether the front is preceded by a negative depletion in Bz. We then use three-dimensional test-particle simulations to investigate how these acceleration processes operate in a realistic magnetotail geometry. For this purpose we construct an analytical model of the front which is superimposed onto the ambient field of the magnetotail. According to our numerical simulations, both trapping and quasi-trapping can produce rapid acceleration of protons by more than an order of magnitude. In the case of trapping, the acceleration levels depend on the amount of time particles stay in phase with the front which is controlled by the magnetic field curvature ahead of the front and the front width. Quasi-trapping does not cause particle scattering out of the equatorial plane. Energization levels in this case are limited by the number of encounters particles have with the front before they get magnetized behind it. PMID:26167430

Control of serpentinisation rate by reaction-induced cracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malvoisin, Benjamin; Brantut, Nicolas; Kaczmarek, Mary-Alix

2017-10-01

Serpentinisation of mantle rocks requires the generation and maintenance of transport pathways for water. The solid volume increase during serpentinisation can lead to stress build-up and trigger cracking, which ease fluid penetration into the rock. The quantitative effect of this reaction-induced cracking mechanism on reactive surface generation is poorly constrained, thus hampering our ability to predict serpentinisation rate in geological environments. Here we use a combined approach with numerical modelling and observations in natural samples to provide estimates of serpentinisation rate at mid-ocean ridges. We develop a micromechanical model to quantify the propagation of serpentinisation-induced cracks in olivine. The maximum crystallisation pressure deduced from thermodynamic calculations reaches several hundreds of megapascals but does not necessary lead to crack propagation if the olivine grain is subjected to high compressive stresses. The micromechanical model is then coupled to a simple geometrical model to predict reactive surface area formation during grain splitting, and thus bulk reaction rate. Our model reproduces quantitatively experimental kinetic data and the typical mesh texture formed during serpentinisation. We also compare the model results with olivine grain size distribution data obtained on natural serpentinised peridotites from the Marum ophiolite and the Papuan ultramafic belt (Papua New Guinea). The natural serpentinised peridotites show an increase of the number of olivine grains for a decrease of the mean grain size by one order of magnitude as reaction progresses from 5 to 40%. These results are in agreement with our model predictions, suggesting that reaction-induced cracking controls the serpentinisation rate. We use our model to estimate that, at mid-ocean ridges, serpentinisation occurs up to 12 km depth and reaction-induced cracking reduces the characteristic time of serpentinisation by one order of magnitude, down to values comprised between 10 and 1000 yr. The increase of effective pressure with depth also prevents cracking, which positions the peak in serpentinisation rate at shallower depths, 4 km above previous predictions.

Oxidation of UC: An in situ high temperature environmental scanning electron microscopy study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasparrini, Claudia; Podor, Renaud; Horlait, Denis; Rushton, Michael J. D.; Fiquet, Olivier; Lee, William Edward

2017-10-01

In situ HT-ESEM oxidation of sintered UC fragments revealed the morphological changes occurring during the transformation between UC to UO2 and UO2 to U3O8 at 723-848 K and in an atmosphere of 10-100 Pa O2. Two main oxidation pathways were revealed. Oxidation at 723 K in atmospheres ≤25 Pa O2 showed the transformation from UC to UO2+x, as confirmed by post mortem HRTEM analysis. This oxidation pathway was comprised of three steps: (i) an induction period, where only surface UC particles oxidised, (ii) a sample area expansion accompanied by crack formation and propagation, (iii) a stabilisation of the total crack length inferring that crack propagation had stopped. Samples oxidised under 50 Pa O2 at 723 K and at 773-848 K for 10-100 Pa O2 showed an "explosive" oxidation pathway: (i) sample area expansion occurred as soon as oxygen was inserted into the chamber and crack propagation and crack length followed an exponential law; (ii) cracks propagated as a network and the oxide layer fragmented, (iii) an "explosion" occurred causing a popcorn-like transformation, typical for oxidation from UO2 to U3O8. HRTEM characterisation revealed U3O8 preferentially grow in the [001] direction. The explosive growth, triggered by ignition of UC, proceeded as a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis reaction, with a propagation speed of 150-500 ± 50 μm/s.

An experimental and numerical study of the inwardly-propagating premixed flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibarreta, Alfonso F.

Flame stretch, described as the time rate of change of the flame surface area, can cause large changes in burning velocity of laminar premixed flames. Many experimental studies have been conducted to quantify the effects of flame stretch, but most only deal with the hydrodynamic strain component of stretch rate. In this thesis, a new experimental technique was used to study the inwardly-propagating premixed flame. This flame configuration is significant because it is subjected to the curvature component of stretch rate without the competing effects of hydrodynamic strain. Inwardly-propagating premixed flames were formed using a vortex to wrinkle a flame and create a pocket of reactants. Experiments using lean propane/air mixtures were run at both one-g and microgravity conditions to optimize the formation of large pockets of reactants. Numerical simulations of the inwardly-propagating flame (IPF) and outwardly-propagating flame (OPF) were performed for lean propane/air, methane/air and hydrogen/air mixtures. Complex chemistry as well as three different one-step reaction models were employed. Markstein numbers obtained from the experiments and computations were compared to OPF experimental data available in the literature. Researchers have used different definitions of flame location and burning velocity; the effects of these differences on the Markstein number were assessed. Experimental and numerical results indicate that the Markstein numbers obtained for the IPF are typically two to three times larger than those for the OPF. It was concluded that the observed difference in Markstein number was not caused by the IPF flame-flame interaction or the presence of intermediate species. Analysis of results obtained from the one-step reaction models identified the reasons for the difference between IPFs and OPFs: (A) the thermo-diffusive mechanism, (B) the pure curvature mechanism and (C) gas expansion. The consumption speed (Sc) was found to depend only on the thermo-diffusive mechanism and to be less sensitive to the flame geometry than the displacement velocity (Su). Observed differences between IPF and OPF results lead to the conclusion that the effects of curvature and strain cannot be grouped into a single term, but two separate Markstein numbers should be defined, one for curvature and one for strain.

Investigating dynamic underground coal fires by means of numerical simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wessling, S.; Kessels, W.; Schmidt, M.; Krause, U.

2008-01-01

Uncontrolled burning or smoldering of coal seams, otherwise known as coal fires, represents a worldwide natural hazard. Efficient application of fire-fighting strategies and prevention of mining hazards require that the temporal evolution of fire propagation can be sufficiently precise predicted. A promising approach for the investigation of the temporal evolution is the numerical simulation of involved physical and chemical processes. In the context of the Sino-German Research Initiative `Innovative Technologies for Detection, Extinction and Prevention of Coal Fires in North China,' a numerical model has been developed for simulating underground coal fires at large scales. The objective of such modelling is to investigate observables, like the fire propagation rate, with respect to the thermal and hydraulic parameters of adjacent rock. In the model, hydraulic, thermal and chemical processes are accounted for, with the last process complemented by laboratory experiments. Numerically, one key challenge in modelling coal fires is to circumvent the small time steps resulting from the resolution of fast reaction kinetics at high temperatures. In our model, this problem is solved by means of an `operator-splitting' approach, in which transport and reactive processes of oxygen are independently calculated. At high temperatures, operator-splitting has the decisive advantage of allowing the global time step to be chosen according to oxygen transport, so that time-consuming simulation through the calculation of fast reaction kinetics is avoided. Also in this model, because oxygen distribution within a coal fire has been shown to remain constant over long periods, an additional extrapolation algorithm for the coal concentration has been applied. In this paper, we demonstrate that the operator-splitting approach is particularly suitable for investigating the influence of hydraulic parameters of adjacent rocks on coal fire propagation. A study shows that dynamic propagation strongly depends on permeability variations. For the assumed model, no fire exists for permeabilities k < 10-10m2, whereas the fire propagation velocity ranges between 340ma-1 for k = 10-8m2, and drops to lower than 3ma-1 for k = 5 × 10-10m2. Additionally, strong temperature variations are observed for the permeability range 5 × 10-10m2 < k < 10-8m2.

Autoignition of hydrogen and air using direct numerical simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doom, Jeffrey; Mahesh, Krishnan

2008-11-01

Direct numerical simulation (DNS) is used to study to auto--ignition in laminar vortex rings and turbulent diffusion flames. A novel, all--Mach number algorithm developed by Doom et al (J. Comput. Phys. 2007) is used. The chemical mechanism is a nine species, nineteen reaction mechanism for H2 and Air from Mueller at el (Int. J. Chem. Kinet. 1999). The vortex ring simulations inject diluted H2 at ambient temperature into hot air, and study the effects of stroke ratio, air to fuel ratio and Lewis number. At smaller stroke ratios, ignition occurs in the wake of the vortex ring and propagates into the vortex core. At larger stroke ratios, ignition occurs along the edges of the trailing column before propagating towards the vortex core. The turbulent diffusion flame simulations are three--dimensional and consider the interaction of initially isotropic turbulence with an unstrained diffusion flame. The simulations examine the nature of distinct ignition kernels, the relative roles of chemical reactions, and the relation between the observed behavior and laminar flames and the perfectly stirred reactor problem. These results will be discussed.

Setting initial conditions for inflation with reaction-diffusion equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagchi, Partha; Das, Arpan; Dave, Shreyansh S.; Sengupta, Srikumar; Srivastava, Ajit M.

2018-03-01

We discuss the issue of setting appropriate initial conditions for inflation. Specifically, we consider natural inflation model and discuss the fine tuning required for setting almost homogeneous initial conditions over a region of order several times the Hubble size which is orders of magnitude larger than any relevant correlation length for field fluctuations. We then propose to use the special propagating front solutions of reaction-diffusion equations for localized field domains of smaller sizes. Due to very small velocities of these propagating fronts we find that the inflaton field in such a field domain changes very slowly, contrary to naive expectation of rapid roll down to the true vacuum. Continued expansion leads to the energy density in the Hubble region being dominated by the vacuum energy, thereby beginning the inflationary phase. Our results show that inflation can occur even with a single localized field domain of size smaller than the Hubble size. We discuss possible extensions of our results for different inflationary models, as well as various limitations of our analysis (e.g. neglecting self gravity of the localized field domain).

Effect of Vertical Concentration Gradient on Globally Planar Detonation with Detailed Reaction Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Qingguana; Wang, Cheng; Han, Yong; Gao, Dayuan; Duan, Yingliang

2017-06-01

Since detonation often initiates and propagates in the non-homogeneous mixtures, investigating its behavior in non-uniform mixtures is significant not only for the industrial explosion in the leakage combustible gas, but also for the experimental investigations with a vertical concentration gradient caused by the difference in the molecular weight of gas mixture. Objective of this work is to show the detonation behavior in the mixture with different concentration gradients with detailed chemical reaction mechanism. A globally planar detonation in H2-O2 system is simulated by a high-resolution code based on the fifth-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme in spatial discretization and the third-order Additive Runge-Kutta schemes in time discretization. The different shocked combustion modes appear in the rich-fuel and poor-fuel layers due to the concentration gradient effect. Globally, for the cases with the lower gradient detonation can be sustained in a way of the alternation of the multi-heads mode and single-head mode, whereas for the cases with the higher gradient detonation propagates with a single-head mode. Institute of Chemical Materials, CAEP.

Some applications of equilibrium thermodynamic properties to continuum gasdynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The speed of sound for the propagation of isentropic disturbances in a gas is developed, including corrections for chemical reaction. The term zero frequency is used to describe this isentropic limit sound speed; the term signifies that change in the gasdynamic variables are all very slow compared with the chemical rate changes in the gas. A faster, nonisentropic speed of propagation occurs for disturbances where the changes in gasdynamic variables are fast compared with the chemical rate changes. In the limit, this is known as the infinite frequency or frozen sound speed - the former term calling attention to the very high frequency of the disturbance, the latter term calling attention to the frozen character of the chemical reactions under such rapid changes of state. The true sound speed for a disturbance of finite frequency is shown to be between these two limits and is expressed in terms of the chemical relaxation time. The Riemann invariants that are useful in determining the changes in flow speed along characteristic directions in supersonic flow are derived in terms of integrations of acoustic impedance, and example results are given for air.

Microstructural analysis of the 2195 aluminum-lithium alloy welds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Talia, George E.

1993-01-01

The principal objective of this research was to explain a tendency of 2195 Al-Li alloy to crack at elevated temperature during welding. Therefore, a study was made on the effect of welding and thermal treatment on the microstructure of Al-Li Alloy 2195. The critical roles of precipitates, boundaries, phases, and other features of the microstructure were inferred from the crack propagation paths and the morphology of fracture surface of the alloy with different microstructures. Particular emphasis was placed on the microstructures generated by the welding process and the mechanisms of crack propagation in such structures. Variation of the welding parameters and thermal treatments were used to alter the micro/macro structures, and they were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. A theoretical model is proposed to explain changes in the microstructure of welded material. This model proposes a chemical reaction in which gases from the air (i.e., nitrogen) release hydrogen inside the alloy. Such a reaction could generate large internal stresses capable to induce porosity and crack-like delamination in the material.

Inflight source noise of an advanced full-scale single-rotation propeller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodward, Richard P.; Loeffler, Irvin J.

1991-01-01

Flight tests to define the far field tone source at cruise conditions were completed on the full scale SR-7L advanced turboprop which was installed on the left wing of a Gulfstream II aircraft. This program, designated Propfan Test Assessment (PTA), involved aeroacoustic testing of the propeller over a range of test conditions. These measurements defined source levels for input into long distance propagation models to predict en route noise. Inflight data were taken for 7 test cases. The sideline directivities measured by the Learjet showed expected maximum levels near 105 degrees from the propeller upstream axis. However, azimuthal directivities based on the maximum observed sideline tone levels showed highest levels below the aircraft. An investigation of the effect of propeller tip speed showed that the tone level of reduction associated with reductions in propeller tip speed is more significant in the horizontal plane than below the aircraft.

Fan noise reduction achieved by removing tip flow irregularities behind the rotor - forward arc test configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittmar, J. H.; Woodward, R. P.; Mackinnon, M. J.

1984-01-01

The noise source caused by the interaction of the rotor tip flow irregularities (vortices and velocity defects) with the downstream stator vanes was studied. Fan flow was removed behind a 0.508 meter (20 in.) diameter model turbofan through an outer wall slot between the rotor and stator. Noise measurements were made with far-field microphones positioned in an arc about the fan inlet and with a pressure transducer in the duct behind the stator. Little tone noise reduction was observed in the forward arc during flow removal; possibly because the rotor-stator interaction noise did not propagate upstream through the rotor. Noise reductions were maded in the duct behind the stator and the largest decrease occurred with the first increment of flow removal. This result indicates that the rotor tip flow irregularity-stator interaction is as important a noise producing mechanism as the normally considered rotor wake-stator interaction.

Wave-optics modeling of the optical-transport line for passive optical stochastic cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andorf, M. B.; Lebedev, V. A.; Piot, P.; Ruan, J.

2018-03-01

Optical stochastic cooling (OSC) is expected to enable fast cooling of dense particle beams. Transition from microwave to optical frequencies enables an achievement of stochastic cooling rates which are orders of magnitude higher than ones achievable with the classical microwave based stochastic cooling systems. A subsystemcritical to the OSC scheme is the focusing optics used to image radiation from the upstream "pickup" undulator to the downstream "kicker" undulator. In this paper, we present simulation results using wave-optics calculation carried out with the SYNCHROTRON RADIATION WORKSHOP (SRW). Our simulations are performed in support to a proof-of-principle experiment planned at the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) at Fermilab. The calculations provide an estimate of the energy kick received by a 100-MeV electron as it propagates in the kicker undulator and interacts with the electromagnetic pulse it radiated at an earlier time while traveling through the pickup undulator.

Narrow sidebranch arrays for low frequency duct noise control.

PubMed

Tang, S K

2012-11-01

The present study investigates the sound transmission loss across a section of an infinitely long duct where one or more narrow sidebranch tubes are installed flushed with the duct wall. The finite-element method is used to compute the wave propagation characteristics, and a simplified theoretical analysis is carried out at the same time to explain the wave mechanism at frequencies of high sound reduction. Results show that the high sound transmission loss at a particular frequency is due to the concerted actions of three consecutive sidebranch tubes with the most upstream one in the resonant state. The expansion chamber effect of the setup also plays a role in enhancing sound attenuation at non-resonance frequencies. Broadband performance of the device can be greatly enhanced by appropriate arrangements of tube lengths and/or by coupling arrays on the two sides of the duct.

Filter Bank Multicarrier (FBMC) for long-reach intensity modulated optical access networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saljoghei, Arsalan; Gutiérrez, Fernando A.; Perry, Philip; Barry, Liam P.

2017-04-01

Filter Bank Multi Carrier (FBMC) is a modulation scheme which has recently attracted significant interest in both wireless and optical communications. The interest in optical communications arises due to FBMC's capability to operate without a Cyclic Prefix (CP) and its high resilience to synchronisation errors. However, the operation of FBMC in optical access networks has not been extensively studied either in downstream or upstream. In this work we use experimental work to investigate the operation of FBMC in intensity modulated Passive Optical Networks (PONs) employing direct detection in conjunction with both direct and external modulation schemes. The data rates and propagation lengths employed here vary from 8.4 to 14.8 Gb/s and 0-75 km. The results suggest that by using FBMC it is possible to accomplish CP-Less transmission up to 75 km of SSMF in passive links using cost effective intensity modulation and detection schemes.

A program of data synthesis from the ALSEP/CPLEE ALSEP/SIDE, and Explorer 35 magnetometer to investigate lunar terminator and nightside particle fluxes and surface interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reasoner, D. L.

1976-01-01

Lunar nightside electron fluxes were studied with the aid of the ALSEP/CPLEE and other instruments. The flux events were shown to be due to (a) electrons propagating upstream from the earth's bow shock, (b) electrons thermalized and scattered to the lunar surface by disturbances along the boundary of the lunar solarwind cavity, and (c) solar wind electrons scattered to the lunar surface by lunar limb shocks and/or compressional disturbances. These electrons were identified as a cause of the high night surface negative potentials observed in tha ALSEP/SIDE ion data. A study was also made of the shadowing of magnetotail plasma sheet electrons by interactions between the lunar body and the ambient magnetic field and by interactions between charged particles and lunar remnant magnetic fields. These shadowing effects were shown to modify lunar surface and near-lunar potential distributions.

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

Andorf, M. B.; Lebedev, V. A.; Piot, P.

Optical stochastic cooling (OSC) is expected to enable fast cooling of dense particle beams. Transition from microwave to optical frequencies enables an achievement of stochastic cooling rates which are orders of magnitude higher than ones achievable with the classical microwave based stochastic cooling systems. A subsystemcritical to the OSC scheme is the focusing optics used to image radiation from the upstream “pickup” undulator to the downstream “kicker” undulator. In this paper, we present simulation results using wave-optics calculation carried out with the Synchrotron Radiation Workshop (SRW). Our simulations are performed in support to a proof-of-principle experiment planned at the Integrablemore » Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) at Fermilab. The calculations provide an estimate of the energy kick received by a 100-MeV electron as it propagates in the kicker undulator and interacts with the electromagnetic pulse it radiated at an earlier time while traveling through the pickup undulator.« less

The acoustic and instability waves of jets confined inside an acoustically lined rectangular duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Fang Q.

1993-01-01

An analysis of linear wave modes associated with supersonic jets confined inside an acoustically lined rectangular duct is presented. Mathematical formulations are given for the vortex-sheet model and continuous mean flow model of the jet flow profiles. Detailed dispersion relations of these waves in a two-dimensional confined jet as well as an unconfined free jet are computed. Effects of the confining duct and the liners on the jet instability and acoustic waves are studied numerically. It is found that the effect of the liners is to attenuate waves that have supersonic phase velocities relative to the ambient flow. Numerical results also show that the growth rates of the instability waves could be reduced significantly by the use of liners. In addition, it is found that the upstream propagating neutral waves of an unconfined jet could become attenuated when the jet is confined.

Relativistic shock waves in an electron-positron plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsintsadze, Levan N.

1995-12-01

The equations describing the detailed structure of radiation electromagnetic hydrodynamics for a relativistically hot electron-positron plasma are derived. Various discontinuities are studied by these equations. It is shown that the dependence of the electron (positron) mass on the temperature changes the structure of discontinuities, including shock waves, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Steady radiative shocks are considered, which can arise in steady flows, and which also can be used to describe the propagation of shocks when the shock thickness is very small as compared to the characteristic length over which the ambient medium changes significantly. First, the magnetohydrodynamic shock wave is treated as a discontinuity and jump relations, which relate the equilibrium states of the upstream and downstream plasma far from the front, are derived. Then the structure of the front itself is considered and tangential, contact (or entropy) and rotational discontinuities are investigated.

Hydraulic jump and Bernoulli equation in nonlinear shallow water model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Wen-Yih

2018-06-01

A shallow water model was applied to study the hydraulic jump and Bernoulli equation across the jump. On a flat terrain, when a supercritical flow plunges into a subcritical flow, discontinuity develops on velocity and Bernoulli function across the jump. The shock generated by the obstacle may propagate downstream and upstream. The latter reflected from the inflow boundary, moves downstream and leaves the domain. Before the reflected wave reaching the obstacle, the short-term integration (i.e., quasi-steady) simulations agree with Houghton and Kasahara's results, which may have unphysical complex solutions. The quasi-steady flow is quickly disturbed by the reflected wave, finally, flow reaches steady and becomes critical without complex solutions. The results also indicate that Bernoulli function is discontinuous but the potential of mass flux remains constant across the jump. The latter can be used to predict velocity/height in a steady flow.

Full-dimensional quantum dynamics study on the mode-specific unimolecular dissociation reaction of HFCO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Takeshi; Kato, Shigeki

2000-05-01

The mode specificity of the unimolecular reaction of HFCO is studied by six-dimensional quantum dynamics calculations. The energy and mode dependency of the dissociation rate is examined by propagating a number of wave packets with a small energy dispersion representing highly excited states with respect to a specific vibrational mode. The wave packets are generated by applying a set of filter operators onto a source vibrational state. All the information necessary for propagating the wave packets is obtained from a single propagation of the source state, thus allowing a significant decrease of computational effort. The relevant spectral peaks are assigned using the three-dimensional CH chromophore Hamiltonian. The resulting dissociation rate of the CH stretching excited state is in agreement with that obtained from a statistical theory, while the rates of the out-of-plane bending excited states are about one order of magnitude smaller than the statistical rates. A local-mode analysis also shows that the relaxation of the out-of-plane excitation proceeds very slowly within 3 ps. These results clearly indicate weak couplings of the out-of-plane bending excited states with other in-plane vibrational states, which is in qualitative agreement with experimental findings. From a computational point of view, a parallel supercomputer is utilized efficiently to handle an ultra large basis set of an order of 108, and 200 Gflops rate on average is achieved in the dynamics calculations.

Large Eddy Simulation of High-Speed, Premixed Ethylene Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramesh, Kiran; Edwards, Jack R.; Chelliah, Harsha; Goyne, Christopher; McDaniel, James; Rockwell, Robert; Kirik, Justin; Cutler, Andrew; Danehy, Paul

2015-01-01

A large-eddy simulation / Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (LES/RANS) methodology is used to simulate premixed ethylene-air combustion in a model scramjet designed for dual mode operation and equipped with a cavity for flameholding. A 22-species reduced mechanism for ethylene-air combustion is employed, and the calculations are performed on a mesh containing 93 million cells. Fuel plumes injected at the isolator entrance are processed by the isolator shock train, yielding a premixed fuel-air mixture at an equivalence ratio of 0.42 at the cavity entrance plane. A premixed flame is anchored within the cavity and propagates toward the opposite wall. Near complete combustion of ethylene is obtained. The combustor is highly dynamic, exhibiting a large-scale oscillation in global heat release and mass flow rate with a period of about 2.8 ms. Maximum heat release occurs when the flame front reaches its most downstream extent, as the flame surface area is larger. Minimum heat release is associated with flame propagation toward the cavity and occurs through a reduction in core flow velocity that is correlated with an upstream movement of the shock train. Reasonable agreement between simulation results and available wall pressure, particle image velocimetry, and OH-PLIF data is obtained, but it is not yet clear whether the system-level oscillations seen in the calculations are actually present in the experiment.

Sheath-accumulating Propagation of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection

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

Takahashi, Takuya; Shibata, Kazunari, E-mail: takahasi@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Fast interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are the drivers of strong space weather storms such as solar energetic particle events and geomagnetic storms. The connection between the space-weather-impacting solar wind disturbances associated with fast ICMEs at Earth and the characteristics of causative energetic CMEs observed near the Sun is a key question in the study of space weather storms, as well as in the development of practical space weather prediction. Such shock-driving fast ICMEs usually expand at supersonic speeds during the propagation, resulting in the continuous accumulation of shocked sheath plasma ahead. In this paper, we propose a “sheath-accumulating propagation”more » (SAP) model that describes the coevolution of the interplanetary sheath and decelerating ICME ejecta by taking into account the process of upstream solar wind plasma accumulation within the sheath region. Based on the SAP model, we discuss (1) ICME deceleration characteristics; (2) the fundamental condition for fast ICMEs at Earth; (3) the thickness of interplanetary sheaths; (4) arrival time prediction; and (5) the super-intense geomagnetic storms associated with huge solar flares. We quantitatively show that not only the speed but also the mass of the CME are crucial for discussing the above five points. The similarities and differences between the SAP model, the drag-based model, and the“snow-plow” model proposed by Tappin are also discussed.« less

Bm91 is an envelope component of ODV but is dispensable for the propagation of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus.

PubMed

Tang, Qi; Li, Guohui; Yao, Qin; Chen, Liang; Lv, Peng; Lian, Chaoqun; Chen, Keping

2013-05-01

Orf91 (Bm91) of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a highly conserved gene that encodes a predicted 105-amino-acid protein, but its function remains unknown. In the current study, 5'-RACE revealed that the transcription initiation site of Bm91 was - 12 nucleotides upstream of the start codon ATG, transcription of Bm91 was detected from 12 to 96 h postinfection (p.i.) and Bm91 protein was detected from 24 to 96 h p.i. in BmNPV-infected BmN cells. Furthermore, Western blot analysis revealed that Bm91 was in occlusion-derived virus (ODV) but not in budded virus (BV). To investigate the role of Bm91 in baculovirus life cycle, a Bm91-knockout virus was constructed by bacmid recombination in E. coli. Fluorescence and light microscopy showed that the production of BV and occlusion bodies (OBs) in Bm91-deficient-virus-infected BmN cells were similar to those in wild-type-virus-infected ones. Bioassay results showed that genetic deletion of Bm91 did not significantly affect BmNPV infectivity, but extended the median lethal time (LT50). Taken together, these results indicate that Bm91 is not essential for viral propagation in vitro, but absence of the gene may affect the virulence of ODVs in silkworm larvae. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anomalous Streamflow and Groundwater-Level Changes Before the 1999 M7.6 Chi-Chi Earthquake in Taiwan: Possible Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Chi-Yu; Chia, Yeeping

2017-12-01

Streamflow recorded by a stream gauge located 4 km from the epicenter of the 1999 M7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake in central Taiwan showed a large and rapid anomalous increase of 124 m3/s starting 4 days before the earthquake. This increase was followed by a comparable co-seismic drop to below the background level for 8 months. In addition, groundwater-levels recorded at a well 1.5 km east of the seismogenic fault showed an anomalous rise 2 days before the earthquake, and then a unique 4-cm drop beginning 3 h before the earthquake. The anomalous streamflow increase is attributed to gravity-driven groundwater discharge into the creek through the openings of existing fractures in the steep creek banks crossed by the upstream Shueilikun fault zone, as a result of pre-earthquake crustal buckling. The continued tectonic movement and buckling, together with the downward flow of water in the crust, may have triggered the occurrence of some shallow slow-slip events in the Shueilikun and other nearby fault zones. When these events propagate down-dip to decollement, where the faults merges with the seismogenic Chelungpu fault, they may have triggered other slow-slip events propagating toward the asperity at the hypocenter and the Chelungpu fault. These events may then have caused the observed groundwater-level anomaly and helped to trigger the earthquake.

Exploration of upstream and downstream process for microwave assisted sustainable biodiesel production from microalgae Chlorella vulgaris.

PubMed

Sharma, Amit Kumar; Sahoo, Pradeepta Kumar; Singhal, Shailey; Joshi, Girdhar

2016-09-01

The present study explores the integrated approach for the sustainable production of biodiesel from Chlorella vulgaris microalgae. The microalgae were cultivated in 10m(2) open raceway pond at semi-continuous mode with optimum volumetric and areal production of 28.105kg/L/y and 71.51t/h/y, respectively. Alum was used as flocculent for harvesting the microalgae and optimized at different pH. Lipid was extracted using chloroform: methanol (2:1) and having 12.39% of FFA. Effect of various reaction conditions such as effect of catalyst, methanol:lipid ratio, reaction temperature and time on biodiesel yields were studied under microwave irradiation; and 84.01% of biodiesel yield was obtained under optimized reaction conditions. A comparison was also made between the biodiesel productions under conventional heating and microwave irradiation. The synthesized biodiesel was characterized by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, FTIR and GC; however, fuel properties of biodiesel were also studied using specified test methods as per ASTM and EN standards. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Circular RNAs: diversity of form and function.

PubMed

Lasda, Erika; Parker, Roy

2014-12-01

It is now clear that there is a diversity of circular RNAs in biological systems. Circular RNAs can be produced by the direct ligation of 5' and 3' ends of linear RNAs, as intermediates in RNA processing reactions, or by "backsplicing," wherein a downstream 5' splice site (splice donor) is joined to an upstream 3' splice site (splice acceptor). Circular RNAs have unique properties including the potential for rolling circle amplification of RNA, the ability to rearrange the order of genomic information, protection from exonucleases, and constraints on RNA folding. Circular RNAs can function as templates for viroid and viral replication, as intermediates in RNA processing reactions, as regulators of transcription in cis, as snoRNAs, and as miRNA sponges. Herein, we review the breadth of circular RNAs, their biogenesis and metabolism, and their known and anticipated functions. © 2014 Lasda and Parker; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

Circular RNAs: diversity of form and function

PubMed Central

Lasda, Erika

2014-01-01

It is now clear that there is a diversity of circular RNAs in biological systems. Circular RNAs can be produced by the direct ligation of 5′ and 3′ ends of linear RNAs, as intermediates in RNA processing reactions, or by “backsplicing,” wherein a downstream 5′ splice site (splice donor) is joined to an upstream 3′ splice site (splice acceptor). Circular RNAs have unique properties including the potential for rolling circle amplification of RNA, the ability to rearrange the order of genomic information, protection from exonucleases, and constraints on RNA folding. Circular RNAs can function as templates for viroid and viral replication, as intermediates in RNA processing reactions, as regulators of transcription in cis, as snoRNAs, and as miRNA sponges. Herein, we review the breadth of circular RNAs, their biogenesis and metabolism, and their known and anticipated functions. PMID:25404635