WorldWideScience

Sample records for high-altitude nuclear detonation

  1. Numerical simulation of the ionization effects of low- and high-altitude nuclear explosions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Zhengyu; Wang Xiang

    2007-01-01

    Low-altitude and high-altitude nuclear explosions are sources of intensive additional ionization in ionosphere. In this paper, in terms of the ionization equilibrium equation system and the equation of energy deposition of radiation in atmosphere, and considering the influence of atmosphere, the temporal and spatial distribution of ionization effects caused by atmospheric nuclear detonation are investigated. The calculated results show that the maximum of additional free electron density produced by low-altitude nuclear explosion is greater than that by the high-altitude nuclear burst. As to the influence of instant nuclear radiation, there is obvious difference between the low-altitude and the high-altitude explosions. The influence range and the continuance time caused by delayed nuclear radiation is less for the low-altitude nuclear detonation than that for the high-altitude one. (authors)

  2. Global dose to man from proposed NNTRP high altitude nuclear tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peterson, K.R.

    1975-05-01

    Radionuclide measurements from past high altitude nuclear testing have enabled development of a model to estimate surface deposition and doses from 400 kt of fission products injected in winter within the Pacific Test Area at altitudes in excess of 50 km. The largest 30-year average dose to man is about 10 millirem and occurs at 30 0 to 50 0 N latitude. The principal contributor to this dose is external gamma radiation from gross fission products. Individual doses from 90 Sr via the forage-cow-milk pathway and 137 Cs via the pasture-meat pathway are about 1/5 the gross fission product doses. The global 30-year population dose is 3 x 10 7 person-rem, which compares with a 30-year natural background population dose of 1 X 10 10 person-rem. Due in large part to the global distribution of population, over 98 percent of the global person-rem from the proposed high altitude tests is received in the Northern Hemisphere, while about 75 percent of the total population dose occurs within the 30 0 --50 0 N latitude belt. Detonations in summer would decrease the global dose by about a factor of three. (U.S.)

  3. A brief introduction to high altitude nuclear explosion and a review on high altitude nuclear tests of usa and former USSR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Jingwen

    1999-11-01

    The author briefly introduces some knowledge about high altitude nuclear explosion (HANE) and presents a general review on high altitude nuclear tests of USA and former USSR. Physical phenomenon generated by HANE is given. The effects of HANE on space flyer, artificial satellite and communication are discussed. Some aspects of a mechanism of antimissile for HANE are described and the effect and role of HANE for USA and USSR are reviewed

  4. Studies on the radioactive contamination due to nuclear detonations III. On the method of estimating the probable time of nuclear detonation from the measurements of gross-activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nishiwaki, Yasushi [Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo (Japan); Nuclear Reactor Laboratoroy, Kinki University, Fuse City, Osaka Precture (Japan)

    1961-11-25

    Since it has been observed in Spring of 1954 that a considerable amount of fission products mixture fell with the rain following a large scale nuclear detonation conducted in Bikini area in the South Pacific by the United States Atomic Energy Commission, it has become important, especially from the health physics standpoint, to estimate the effective average age of the fission products mixture after the nuclear detonation. If the energy transferred to the atmospheric air at the time of nuclear detonation is large enough (order of megaton at the distance of about 4000 km), the probable time and test site of nuclear detonation may be estimated with considerable accuracy, from the records of the pressure wave caused by the detonation in the microbarographs at different meteorological stations. Even in this case, in order to estimate the possible correlation between the artificial radioactivity observed in the rain and the probable detonation, it is often times desirable to estimate the effective age of the fission products mixture in the rain from the decay measurement of the radioactivity.

  5. Studies on the radioactive contamination due to nuclear detonations III. On the method of estimating the probable time of nuclear detonation from the measurements of gross-activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishiwaki, Yasushi

    1961-01-01

    Since it has been observed in Spring of 1954 that a considerable amount of fission products mixture fell with the rain following a large scale nuclear detonation conducted in Bikini area in the South Pacific by the United States Atomic Energy Commission, it has become important, especially from the health physics standpoint, to estimate the effective average age of the fission products mixture after the nuclear detonation. If the energy transferred to the atmospheric air at the time of nuclear detonation is large enough (order of megaton at the distance of about 4000 km), the probable time and test site of nuclear detonation may be estimated with considerable accuracy, from the records of the pressure wave caused by the detonation in the microbarographs at different meteorological stations. Even in this case, in order to estimate the possible correlation between the artificial radioactivity observed in the rain and the probable detonation, it is often times desirable to estimate the effective age of the fission products mixture in the rain from the decay measurement of the radioactivity

  6. A detonation model of high/low velocity detonation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Shaoming; Li, Chenfang; Ma, Yunhua; Cui, Junmin [Xian Modern Chemistry Research Institute, Xian, 710065 (China)

    2007-02-15

    A new detonation model that can simulate both high and low velocity detonations is established using the least action principle. The least action principle is valid for mechanics and thermodynamics associated with a detonation process. Therefore, the least action principle is valid in detonation science. In this model, thermodynamic equilibrium state is taken as the known final point of the detonation process. Thermodynamic potentials are analogous to mechanical ones, and the Lagrangian function in the detonation process is L=T-V. Under certain assumptions, the variation calculus of the Lagrangian function gives two solutions: the first one is a constant temperature solution, and the second one is the solution of an ordinary differential equation. A special solution of the ordinary differential equation is given. (Abstract Copyright [2007], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  7. Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Technology Roadmap

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casey, Leslie A.

    2014-01-01

    This GNDD Technology Roadmap is intended to provide guidance to potential researchers and help management define research priorities to achieve technology advancements for ground-based nuclear explosion monitoring science being pursued by the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Team within the Office of Nuclear Detonation Detection in the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Four science-based elements were selected to encompass the entire scope of nuclear monitoring research and development (R&D) necessary to facilitate breakthrough scientific results, as well as deliver impactful products. Promising future R&D is delineated including dual use associated with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Important research themes as well as associated metrics are identified along with a progression of accomplishments, represented by a selected bibliography, that are precursors to major improvements to nuclear explosion monitoring.

  8. Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Technology Roadmap

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Casey, Leslie A.

    2014-01-13

    This GNDD Technology Roadmap is intended to provide guidance to potential researchers and help management define research priorities to achieve technology advancements for ground-based nuclear explosion monitoring science being pursued by the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Team within the Office of Nuclear Detonation Detection in the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Four science-based elements were selected to encompass the entire scope of nuclear monitoring research and development (R&D) necessary to facilitate breakthrough scientific results, as well as deliver impactful products. Promising future R&D is delineated including dual use associated with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Important research themes as well as associated metrics are identified along with a progression of accomplishments, represented by a selected bibliography, that are precursors to major improvements to nuclear explosion monitoring.

  9. Hydrogen detonation and detonation transition data from the High-Temperature Combustion Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciccarelli, G.; Boccio, J.L.; Ginsberg, T.; Finfrock, C.; Gerlach, L.; Malliakos, A.

    1995-01-01

    The BNL High-Temperature Combustion Facility (HTCF) is an experimental research tool capable of investigating the effects of initial thermodynamic state on the high-speed combustion characteristic of reactive gas mixtures. The overall experimental program has been designed to provide data to help characterize the influence of elevated gas-mixture temperature (and pressure) on the inherent sensitivity of hydrogen-air-steam mixtures to undergo detonation, on the potential for flames accelerating in these mixtures to transition into detonations, on the effects of gas venting on the flame-accelerating process, on the phenomena of initiation of detonations in these mixtures by jets of hot reactant product,s and on the capability of detonations within a confined space to transmit into another, larger confined space. This paper presents results obtained from the completion of two of the overall test series that was designed to characterize high-speed combustion phenomena in initially high-temperature gas mixtures. These two test series are the intrinsic detonability test series and the deflagration-to-detonation (DDT) test series. A brief description of the facility is provided below

  10. Hydrogen detonation and detonation transition data from the High-Temperature Combustion Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciccarelli, G.; Boccio, J.L.; Ginsberg, T.; Finfrock, C.

    1996-01-01

    The BNL High-Temperature Combustion Facility (HTCF) is an experimental research tool capable of investigating the effects of initial thermodynamic state on the high-speed combustion characteristic of reactive gas mixtures. The overall experimental program has been designed to provide data to help characterize the influence of elevated gas-mixture temperature (and pressure) on the inherent sensitivity of hydrogen-air-steam mixtures to undergo detonation, on the potential for flames accelerating in these mixtures to transition into detonations, on the effects of gas venting on the flame-accelerating process, on the phenomena of initiation of detonations in these mixtures by jets of hot reactant products, and on the capability of detonations within a confined space to transmit into another, larger confined space. This paper presents results obtained from the completion of two of the overall test series that was designed to characterize high-speed combustion phenomena in initially high-temperature gas mixtures. These two test series are the intrinsic detonability test series and the deflagration-to-detonation (DDT) test series. A brief description of the facility is provided below

  11. Electromagnetic coupling of high-altitude, nuclear electromagnetic pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1984-01-01

    We have used scale models to measure the predicted coupling of electromagnetic fields simulating the effects of high-altitude nuclear electromagnetic pulses (HEMP) on the interior surfaces of electronic components. Predictive tools for exterior coupling are adequate. For interior coupling, however, such tools are in their infancy. Our methodological approach combines analytical, computational, and laboratory techniques in a complementary way to take advantage of their separate strengths. Computer models are a promising tool, as they can be used to treat complex objects with arbitrary shapes, dielectrics, and cables, and multiple apertures. Laboratory tests can expand the domain of investigation even further

  12. Sensor for electromagnetic waves caused by nuclear detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weischedel, R.C.

    1980-01-01

    An electronic sensor is disclosed, having circuits for identifying electromagnetic radiation signals caused by nuclear detonations. Circuits also are provided for discriminating against false indications due to electromagnetic radiation caused by lightning

  13. Calculations of hydrogen detonations in nuclear containments by the random choice method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delichatsios, M.A.; Genadry, M.B.

    1983-01-01

    Computer codes were developed for the prediction of pressure histories at different points of a nuclear containment wall due to postulated internal hydrogen detonations. These pressure histories are required to assess the structural response of a nuclear containment to hydrogen detonations. The compressible flow equations including detonation, which was treated as a sharp fluid discontinuity, were solved by the random choice method which reproduces maximum pressures and discontinuities sharply. The computer codes were validated by calculating pressure profiles and maximum wall pressures for plane and spherical geometries and comparing the results with exact analytic solutions. The two-dimensional axisymmetric program was used to calculate wall pressure histories in an actual nuclear containment. The numerical results for wall pressures are presented in a dimensionless form, which allows their use for different combinations of hydrogen concentration, and initial conditions. (orig.)

  14. Preliminary investigation for the development of surrogate debris from nuclear detonations in marine-urban environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seybert, A.G.; Auxier II, J.D.; University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN; Hall, H.L.; University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN; University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

    2017-01-01

    Since no nuclear weapon surface detonations have occurred in urban harbor environments, the nuclear forensic community has no actual debris from which to develop and validate analytical methods for radiochemistry analysis, making the development of surrogate debris representative of this a marine-urban detonation a vital undertaking. This work seeks to build a robust model that accounts for natural and manmade environmental variations in harbor environments and vessel compositions to statistically define the elemental composition of vaporized debris from a marine-urban nuclear detonation. This initial work is necessary for follow-on neutron-activation and debris formation analysis. (author)

  15. Necessary conditions for the initiation and propagation of nuclear-detonation waves in plane atmospheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weaver, T.A.; Wood, L.

    1979-01-01

    The basic conditions for the initiation of a nuclear-detonation wave in an atmosphere having plane symmetry (e.g., a thin, layered fluid envelope on a planet or star) are developed. Two classes of such a detonation are identified: those in which the temperature of the plasma is comparable to that of the electromagnetic radiation permeating it, and those in which the temperature of the plasma is much higher. Necessary conditions are developed for the propagation of such detonation waves for an arbitrarily great distance. The contribution of fusion chain reactions to these processes is evaluated. By means of these considerations, it is shown that neither the atmosphere nor oceans of the Earth may be made to undergo propagating nuclear detonation under any circumstances

  16. Meteorological requirements and operational fallout prediction techniques for Plowshare nuclear detonations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, H.F.

    1969-01-01

    Meteorological support requirements for Plowshare nuclear detonations are shown to depend on a number of factors. The importance of adequate support to the effective planning and safe conduct of a nuclear detonation is described. An example of the influence of atmospheric conditions on radioactive cloud development and local transport and fallout of radioactive debris is presented. Prediction of the future state of atmospheric wind structure, required for fallout predictions depends on an adequate definition of its initial state and its rate of change. This definition, in turn, is shown to depend on an upper wind-sounding network of appropriate station density. An operational technique currently used for nuclear cratering fallout predictions is described and shown to produce results of useful accuracy. (author)

  17. Meteorological requirements and operational fallout prediction techniques for Plowshare nuclear detonations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mueller, H F [Air Resources Laboratory, Environmental Science Services Administration, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

    1969-07-01

    Meteorological support requirements for Plowshare nuclear detonations are shown to depend on a number of factors. The importance of adequate support to the effective planning and safe conduct of a nuclear detonation is described. An example of the influence of atmospheric conditions on radioactive cloud development and local transport and fallout of radioactive debris is presented. Prediction of the future state of atmospheric wind structure, required for fallout predictions depends on an adequate definition of its initial state and its rate of change. This definition, in turn, is shown to depend on an upper wind-sounding network of appropriate station density. An operational technique currently used for nuclear cratering fallout predictions is described and shown to produce results of useful accuracy. (author)

  18. Evidence for a link between atmospheric thermonuclear detonations and nitric acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holdsworth, G

    1986-12-11

    Suitably located glacier cores, obtained from high-altitude, low-temperature sites, can reveal detailed information about atmospheric air chemistry at sub-annual resolution 1 . Such data may provide input to climate-change models, the study of acid precipitation patterns and many other phenomena. Here I present data from an ice core which show that during the era of intense atmospheric thermonuclear weapons testing (ATWT) a significant part of the nitrate content in the snow was modulated by the intensity of the nuclear detonations. The fixation of nitrogen by nuclear fireballs leads to NO x gases in the atmosphere 2 and ultimately to nitric acid in precipitation. At certain concentrations, these gases and the associated aerosols may perturb the climate 3,4 .

  19. GIS surface effects archive of underground nuclear detonations conducted at Yucca Flat and Pahute Mesa, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grasso, D.N.

    2001-01-01

    This report presents a new comprehensive, digital archive of more than 40 years of geologic surface effects maps produced at individual detonation sites throughout the Yucca Flat and Pahute Mesa nuclear testing areas of the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. The Geographic Information System (GIS) surface effects map archive on CD-ROM (this report) comprehensively documents the surface effects of underground nuclear detonations conducted at two of the most extensively used testing areas of the Nevada Test Site. Between 1951 and 1992, numerous investigators of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency meticulously mapped the surface effects caused by underground nuclear testing. Their work documented the effects of more than seventy percent of the underground nuclear detonations conducted at Yucca Flat and all of the underground nuclear detonations conducted at Pahute Mesa

  20. Approaches to the calculation of limitations on nuclear detonations for peaceful purposes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Whipple, G H [School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

    1969-07-01

    The long-term equilibrium levels of tritium, krypton- 85 and carbon-14 which are acceptable in the environment have been estimated on the following premises: 1) the three isotopes reach the environment and equilibrate throughout it in periods shorter than their half lives, 2) nuclear detonations and nuclear power constitute the dominant sources of these isotopes, 3) the doses from these three isotopes add to one another and to the doses from other radioactive isotopes released to the environment, and 4) the United States, by virtue of its population, is entitled to 6% of the world's capacity to accept radioactive wastes. These premises lead to the conclusion that U.S. nuclear detonations are limited by carbon-14 to 60 megatons per year. The corresponding limit for U.S. nuclear power appears to be set by krypton-85 at 100,000 electrical megawatts, although data for carbon-14 production by nuclear power are not available. It is noted that if the equilibration assumed in these estimates does not occur, the limits will in general be lower than those given above. (author)

  1. Approaches to the calculation of limitations on nuclear detonations for peaceful purposes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whipple, G.H.

    1969-01-01

    The long-term equilibrium levels of tritium, krypton- 85 and carbon-14 which are acceptable in the environment have been estimated on the following premises: 1) the three isotopes reach the environment and equilibrate throughout it in periods shorter than their half lives, 2) nuclear detonations and nuclear power constitute the dominant sources of these isotopes, 3) the doses from these three isotopes add to one another and to the doses from other radioactive isotopes released to the environment, and 4) the United States, by virtue of its population, is entitled to 6% of the world's capacity to accept radioactive wastes. These premises lead to the conclusion that U.S. nuclear detonations are limited by carbon-14 to 60 megatons per year. The corresponding limit for U.S. nuclear power appears to be set by krypton-85 at 100,000 electrical megawatts, although data for carbon-14 production by nuclear power are not available. It is noted that if the equilibration assumed in these estimates does not occur, the limits will in general be lower than those given above. (author)

  2. Comparative performance analysis of combined-cycle pulse detonation turbofan engines (PDTEs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudip Bhattrai

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Combined-cycle pulse detonation engines are promising contenders for hypersonic propulsion systems. In the present study, design and propulsive performance analysis of combined-cycle pulse detonation turbofan engines (PDTEs is presented. Analysis is done with respect to Mach number at two consecutive modes of operation: (1 Combined-cycle PDTE using a pulse detonation afterburner mode (PDA-mode and (2 combined-cycle PDTE in pulse detonation ramjet engine mode (PDRE-mode. The performance of combined-cycle PDTEs is compared with baseline afterburning turbofan and ramjet engines. The comparison of afterburning modes is done for Mach numbers from 0 to 3 at 15.24 km altitude conditions, while that of pulse detonation ramjet engine (PDRE is done for Mach 1.5 to Mach 6 at 18.3 km altitude conditions. The analysis shows that the propulsive performance of a turbine engine can be greatly improved by replacing the conventional afterburner with a pulse detonation afterburner (PDA. The PDRE also outperforms its ramjet counterpart at all flight conditions considered herein. The gains obtained are outstanding for both the combined-cycle PDTE modes compared to baseline turbofan and ramjet engines.

  3. HIGH-ALTITUDE ILLNESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwitya Elvira

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakHigh-altitude illness (HAI merupakan sekumpulan gejala paru dan otak yang terjadi pada orang yang baru pertama kali mendaki ke ketinggian. HAI terdiri dari acute mountain sickness (AMS, high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE dan high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE. Tujuan tinjauan pustaka ini adalah agar dokter dan wisatawan memahami risiko, tanda, gejala, dan pengobatan high-altitude illness. Perhatian banyak diberikan terhadap penyakit ini seiring dengan meningkatnya popularitas olahraga ekstrim (mendaki gunung tinggi, ski dan snowboarding dan adanya kemudahan serta ketersediaan perjalanan sehingga jutaan orang dapat terpapar bahaya HAI. Di Pherice, Nepal (ketinggian 4343 m, 43% pendaki mengalami gejala AMS. Pada studi yang dilakukan pada tempat wisata di resort ski Colorado, Honigman menggambarkan kejadian AMS 22% pada ketinggian 1850 m sampai 2750 m, sementara Dean menunjukkan 42% memiliki gejala pada ketinggian 3000 m. Aklimatisasi merupakan salah satu tindakan pencegahan yang dapat dilakukan sebelum pendakian, selain beberapa pengobatan seperti asetazolamid, dexamethasone, phosopodiestrase inhibitor, dan ginko biloba.Kata kunci: high-altitude illness, acute mountain sickness, edema cerebral, pulmonary edema AbstractHigh-altitude illness (HAI is symptoms of lung and brain that occurs in people who first climb to altitude. HAI includes acute mountain sickness (AMS, high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE and high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE. The objective of this review was to understand the risks, signs, symptoms, and treatment of high-altitude illness. The attention was given to this disease due to the rising popularity of extreme sports (high mountain climbing, skiing and snowboarding and the ease and availability of the current travelling, almost each year, millions of people could be exposed to the danger of HAI. In Pherice, Nepal (altitude 4343 m, 43% of climbers have symptoms of AMS. Furthermore, in a study conducted at sites in

  4. Characterization Of High Explosives Detonations Via Laser-Induced Plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Villa-Aleman, E. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2015-10-08

    One objective of the Department of Energy’s National Security Administration is to develop technologies that can help the United States government to detect foreign nuclear weapons development activities. The realm of high explosive (HE) experiments is one of the key areas to assess the nuclear ambitions of a country. SRNL has participated in the collection of particulates from HE experiments and characterized the material with the purpose to correlate particulate matter with HE. Since these field campaigns are expensive, on-demand simulated laboratory-scale explosion experiments are needed to further our knowledge of the chemistry and particle formation in the process. Our goal is to develop an experimental test bed in the laboratory to test measurement concepts and correlate particle formation processes with the observables from the detonation fireball. The final objective is to use this knowledge to tailor our experimental setups in future field campaigns. The test bed uses pulsed laser-induced plasmas to simulate micro-explosions, with the intent to study the temporal behavior of the fireball observed in field tests. During FY15, a plan was prepared and executed which assembled two laser ablation systems, procured materials for study, and tested a Step-Scan Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (SS-FTIR). Designs for a shadowgraph system for shock wave analysis, design for a micro-particulate collector from ablated pulse were accomplished. A novel spectroscopic system was conceived and a prototype system built for acquisition of spectral/temporal characterization of a high speed event such as from a high explosive detonation. Experiments and analyses will continue into FY16.

  5. Effects of nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP) on nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnes, P.R.; Manweiler, R.W.; Davis, R.R.

    1977-09-01

    The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from a high-altitude nuclear detonation consists of a transient pulse of high intensity electromagnetic fields. These intense fields induce current and voltage transients in electrical conductors. Although most nuclear power plant cables are not directly exposed to these fields, the attenuated EMP fields that propagate into the plant will couple some EMP energy to these cables. The report predicts the probable effects of the EMP transients that could be induced in critical circuits of safety-related systems. It was found that the most likely consequence of EMP for nuclear plants is an unscheduled shutdown. EMP could prolong the shutdown period by the unnecessary actuation of certain safety systems. In general, EMP could be a nuisance to nuclear power plants, but it is not considered a serious threat to plant safety

  6. High-order shock-fitted detonation propagation in high explosives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romick, Christopher M.; Aslam, Tariq D.

    2017-03-01

    A highly accurate numerical shock and material interface fitting scheme composed of fifth-order spatial and third- or fifth-order temporal discretizations is applied to the two-dimensional reactive Euler equations in both slab and axisymmetric geometries. High rates of convergence are not typically possible with shock-capturing methods as the Taylor series analysis breaks down in the vicinity of discontinuities. Furthermore, for typical high explosive (HE) simulations, the effects of material interfaces at the charge boundary can also cause significant computational errors. Fitting a computational boundary to both the shock front and material interface (i.e. streamline) alleviates the computational errors associated with captured shocks and thus opens up the possibility of high rates of convergence for multi-dimensional shock and detonation flows. Several verification tests, including a Sedov blast wave, a Zel'dovich-von Neumann-Döring (ZND) detonation wave, and Taylor-Maccoll supersonic flow over a cone, are utilized to demonstrate high rates of convergence to nontrivial shock and reaction flows. Comparisons to previously published shock-capturing multi-dimensional detonations in a polytropic fluid with a constant adiabatic exponent (PF-CAE) are made, demonstrating significantly lower computational error for the present shock and material interface fitting method. For an error on the order of 10 m /s, which is similar to that observed in experiments, shock-fitting offers a computational savings on the order of 1000. In addition, the behavior of the detonation phase speed is examined for several slab widths to evaluate the detonation performance of PBX 9501 while utilizing the Wescott-Stewart-Davis (WSD) model, which is commonly used in HE modeling. It is found that the thickness effect curve resulting from this equation of state and reaction model using published values is dramatically more steep than observed in recent experiments. Utilizing the present fitting

  7. Long-term worldwide effects of multiple nuclear weapons detonations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1984-01-01

    The NAS report, issued in 1975 shocked the scientific community by suggesting that detonation of a fraction of the world's nuclear arsenal (10 4 megatons) could produce a major, 30-70%, reduction in stratospheric ozone, lasting a year or more. The consequences of such a reduction in the natural barrier to solar ultraviolet radiation include the potential extinction of mammalian life. The summary section of the 1975 report is reprinted here

  8. Calculated concentrations of any radionuclide deposited on the ground by release from underground nuclear detonations, tests of nuclear rockets, and tests of nuclear ramjet engines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hicks, H.G.

    1981-11-01

    This report presents calculated gamma radiation exposure rates and ground deposition of related radionuclides resulting from three types of event that deposited detectable radioactivity outside the Nevada Test Site complex, namely, underground nuclear detonations, tests of nuclear rocket engines and tests of nuclear ramjet engines

  9. Athletes at High Altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodaee, Morteza; Grothe, Heather L; Seyfert, Jonathan H; VanBaak, Karin

    2016-01-01

    Athletes at different skill levels perform strenuous physical activity at high altitude for a variety of reasons. Multiple team and endurance events are held at high altitude and may place athletes at increased risk for developing acute high altitude illness (AHAI). Training at high altitude has been a routine part of preparation for some of the high level athletes for a long time. There is a general belief that altitude training improves athletic performance for competitive and recreational athletes. A review of relevant publications between 1980 and 2015 was completed using PubMed and Google Scholar. Clinical review. Level 3. AHAI is a relatively uncommon and potentially serious condition among travelers to altitudes above 2500 m. The broad term AHAI includes several syndromes such as acute mountain sickness (AMS), high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), and high altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Athletes may be at higher risk for developing AHAI due to faster ascent and more vigorous exertion compared with nonathletes. Evidence regarding the effects of altitude training on athletic performance is weak. The natural live high, train low altitude training strategy may provide the best protocol for enhancing endurance performance in elite and subelite athletes. High altitude sports are generally safe for recreational athletes, but they should be aware of their individual risks. Individualized and appropriate acclimatization is an essential component of injury and illness prevention.

  10. Analysis of GPS Satellite Allocation for the United States Nuclear Detonation Detection System (USNDS)

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bell, Aaron

    2002-01-01

    ...) satellites to detect atmospheric nuclear detonations. Though there are currently over 24 operational GPS satellites, USNDS ground based antennas are only capable of actively monitoring 24 satellites at a time...

  11. Measurements of radioactive dust in high altitude air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Mika; Kohara, Eri; Muronoi, Naohiro; Masuda, Yousuke; Midou, Tomotaka; Ishida, Yukiko; Shimizu, Toshihiko; Saga, Minoru; Endo, Hiromu

    2012-01-01

    The radioactivity in samples of airborne dust was measured. The samples had been collected at high altitude by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The data were obtained for the gross beta activity, gamma nuclide determination and radiochemical analysis. It was shown that there was no appreciable difference between the activity levels obtained in this time and in the year before. Seasonal variations were not very pronounced. It was found that the radioactivity at high altitude had been stable at a low level. Radioactive gases (gaseous radioiodine and xenon gas) were not detected. This report does not include the result on radionuclide measurements that Technical Research and Development Institute executed for examining the nuclear emergency situation at Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear power plants after Tohoku Region Pacific Ocean Earthquake on March 11, 2011. (author)

  12. High altitude illness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartman-Ksycińska, Anna; Kluz-Zawadzka, Jolanta; Lewandowski, Bogumił

    High-altitude illness is a result of prolonged high-altitude exposure of unacclimatized individuals. The illness is seen in the form of acute mountain sickness (AMS) which if not treated leads to potentially life-threatening high altitude pulmonary oedema and high-altitude cerebral oedema. Medical problems are caused by hypobaric hypoxia stimulating hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) release. As a result, the central nervous system, circulation and respiratory system function impairment occurs. The most important factor in AMS treatment is acclimatization, withdrawing further ascent and rest or beginning to descent; oxygen supplementation, and pharmacological intervention, and, if available, a portable hyperbaric chamber. Because of the popularity of high-mountain sports and tourism better education of the population at risk is essential.

  13. Medical lessons learned from chernobyl relative to nuclear detonations and failed nuclear reactors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dallas, Cham E

    2012-12-01

    The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 involved the largest airborne release of radioactivity in history, more than 100 times as much radioactivity as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs together. The resulting emergency response, administrative blunders, and subsequent patient outcomes from this large-scale radiological disaster provide a wealth of information and valuable lessons for those who may find themselves having to deal with the staggering consequences of nuclear war. Research findings, administrative strategies (successful and otherwise), and resulting clinical procedures from the Chernobyl experience are reviewed to determine a current utility in addressing the appropriate protocols for a medical response to nuclear war. As various myths are still widely associated with radiation exposure, attention is given to the realities of a mass casualty medical response as it would occur with a nuclear detonation.

  14. Analysis of sheltering and evacuation strategies for a national capital region nuclear detonation scenario.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoshimura, Ann S.; Brandt, Larry D.

    2011-12-01

    Development of an effective strategy for shelter and evacuation is among the most important planning tasks in preparation for response to a low yield, nuclear detonation in an urban area. Extensive studies have been performed and guidance published that highlight the key principles for saving lives following such an event. However, region-specific data are important in the planning process as well. This study examines some of the unique regional factors that impact planning for a 10 kT detonation in the National Capital Region. The work utilizes a single scenario to examine regional impacts as well as the shelter-evacuate decision alternatives at one exemplary point. For most Washington, DC neighborhoods, the excellent assessed shelter quality available make shelter-in-place or selective transit to a nearby shelter a compelling post-detonation strategy.

  15. Multistage reaction pathways in detonating high explosives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Ying; Kalia, Rajiv K.; Nakano, Aiichiro; Nomura, Ken-ichi; Vashishta, Priya

    2014-01-01

    Atomistic mechanisms underlying the reaction time and intermediate reaction products of detonating high explosives far from equilibrium have been elusive. This is because detonation is one of the hardest multiscale physics problems, in which diverse length and time scales play important roles. Here, large spatiotemporal-scale reactive molecular dynamics simulations validated by quantum molecular dynamics simulations reveal a two-stage reaction mechanism during the detonation of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine crystal. Rapid production of N 2 and H 2 O within ∼10 ps is followed by delayed production of CO molecules beyond ns. We found that further decomposition towards the final products is inhibited by the formation of large metastable carbon- and oxygen-rich clusters with fractal geometry. In addition, we found distinct unimolecular and intermolecular reaction pathways, respectively, for the rapid N 2 and H 2 O productions

  16. Multistage reaction pathways in detonating high explosives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Ying [Collaboratory for Advanced Computing and Simulations, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Computer Science, and Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0242 (United States); Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States); Kalia, Rajiv K.; Nakano, Aiichiro; Nomura, Ken-ichi; Vashishta, Priya [Collaboratory for Advanced Computing and Simulations, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Computer Science, and Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0242 (United States)

    2014-11-17

    Atomistic mechanisms underlying the reaction time and intermediate reaction products of detonating high explosives far from equilibrium have been elusive. This is because detonation is one of the hardest multiscale physics problems, in which diverse length and time scales play important roles. Here, large spatiotemporal-scale reactive molecular dynamics simulations validated by quantum molecular dynamics simulations reveal a two-stage reaction mechanism during the detonation of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine crystal. Rapid production of N{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O within ∼10 ps is followed by delayed production of CO molecules beyond ns. We found that further decomposition towards the final products is inhibited by the formation of large metastable carbon- and oxygen-rich clusters with fractal geometry. In addition, we found distinct unimolecular and intermolecular reaction pathways, respectively, for the rapid N{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O productions.

  17. Explosion and detonation of ozone in mixtures with carrier gases employed in nuclear technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weh, M.M.L.

    1988-09-01

    Explosive ozone is known to be formed during low temperature radiolysis of oxygen. Detailed knowledge on the explosion and the detonation of ozone is therefore required for safety considerations of nuclear installations such as proposed for the cryogenic separation of 85 krypton from the head end off gas of a reprocessing plant. The explosion properties of gaseous ozone in mixtures with oxygen, nitrogen, helium, argon, krypton, xenon and difluorodichloromethane were studied by varying the ozone concentration, the initial pressure and the shape of the vessel containing the gas. Detonation velocities were determined for gaseous mixtures of ozone with oxygen, argon, krypton or xenon as functions of the ozone concentration. In addition, the initial pressure was varied for ozone-xenon mixtures. The effect of a packing such as used in the 85 Kr-separation plant 'KRETA' in KfK on ozone-xenon detonation was investigated. In addition, the effect of low amounts of carbon monoxide, methane and nitrogen dioxide on the explosion (O 3 /Ar) and the detonation (O 3 /Xe) of an ozone-noble gas mixture was determined. (orig.) [de

  18. Brain Food at High Altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Vishal

    2016-01-01

    Scenic view at high altitude is a pleasure to the eyes, but it has some shortcoming effects as well. High altitude can be divided into different categories, i.e., high altitude (3000-5000 ft), very high altitude (5000-8000 ft), and extreme altitude (above 8000 ft). Much of the population resides at high altitude, and others go there for tourism. Military personnel are also posted there to defend boundaries. As we ascent to high altitude, partial pressure of oxygen reduces, whereas concentration remains the same; this reduces the availability of oxygen to different body parts. This pathophysiological condition is known as hypobaric hypoxia (HH) which leads to oxidative stress and further causes cognitive dysfunction in some cases. Hypoxia causes neurodegeneration in different brain regions; however, the hippocampus is found to be more prone in comparison to other brain regions. As the hippocampus is affected most, therefore, spatial memory is impaired most during such condition. This chapter will give a brief review of the damaging effect of high altitude on cognition and also throw light on possible herbal interventions at high altitude, which can improve cognitive performance as well as provide protection against the deteriorating effect of hypobaric hypoxia at high altitude.

  19. On the electromagnetic pulse generated by exo-atmospheric nuclear detonations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leuthaeuser, K.D.

    1983-01-01

    When gamma rays produced by high altitude nuclear weapons explosions interact with the atmosphere they generate an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) propagating towards the earth's surface. The EMP covers large areas of millions of km 2 and reaches peak electric fields of more than 50 kV/m which may couple into all kinds of conducting systems. The present paper deals with a simple model to calculate EMP fields basing on Maxwell's equations. (orig.)

  20. Detonation waves in melt-coolant interaction. Part 2. Applied analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolev, N.I.; Hulin, H.

    2001-01-01

    Making use of the detonation theory presented in part 1 for melt-water interaction, detonation solutions for different melt-water pairs at different conditions are compared to each other. Discussion is provided on the existence of detonation solutions for water droplet - melt droplet - gas systems. The conclusion is made that even if such solution can be realized in the nature, which is highly questionable, the resulting detonation pressures will be below 200 bar. This is an important result for judging the risk of the melt-water disperse mixtures in nuclear safety analysis. In addition, the detonation pressures for alumna-continuous water systems have been found to be stronger then those for urania-continuous water systems, in agreement with the experimental observations and seems to give finally the searched for a long time explanation why alumna-water systems detonate much more violent than urania-water systems. (orig.) [de

  1. Far Field Modeling Methods For Characterizing Surface Detonations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garrett, A. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2015-10-08

    Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) analyzed particle samples collected during experiments that were designed to replicate tests of nuclear weapons components that involve detonation of high explosives (HE). SRNL collected the particle samples in the HE debris cloud using innovative rocket propelled samplers. SRNL used scanning electronic microscopy to determine the elemental constituents of the particles and their size distributions. Depleted uranium composed about 7% of the particle contents. SRNL used the particle size distributions and elemental composition to perform transport calculations that indicate in many terrains and atmospheric conditions the uranium bearing particles will be transported long distances downwind. This research established that HE tests specific to nuclear proliferation should be detectable at long downwind distances by sampling airborne particles created by the test detonations.

  2. Thermonuclear detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feoktistov, L.P.

    1998-01-01

    The characteristics of, and energy transfer mechanisms involved in, thermonuclear detonation are discussed. What makes the fundamental difference between thermonuclear and chemical detonation is that the former has a high specific energy release and can therefore be employed for preliminary compressing the thermonuclear mixture ahead of the burning wave. Consequently, with moderate (mega joule) initiation energies, a steady-state detonation laboratory experiment with unlimited energy multiplication becomes a possibility

  3. The ionization effects from nuclear explosions in high-altitude and their effect to radio propagation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guan Rongsheng; Li Qin

    1997-01-01

    A high-altitude nuclear explosions releases large quantities of energetic particles and electromagnetic radiation capable of producing ionization in the atmosphere. These particles and rays radiation character in the atmosphere are discussed. Ionizations due to explosion X rays, γ rays, neutrons and β particles are considered separately. The time-space distribution of additional electron density is computed and its nature is analyzed. The effects of explosion-induced ionization on the absorption of radio wave is considered and the dependence of the absorption on explosion characteristics, distance from the earth's atmosphere, and frequency of the radio wave is determined

  4. Thermonuclear detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feoktistov, L P

    1998-01-01

    The characteristics of, and energy transfer mechanisms involved in, thermonuclear detonation are discussed. What makes the fundamental difference between thermonuclear and chemical detonation is that the former has a high specific energy release and can therefore be employed for preliminarily compressing the thermonuclear mixture ahead of the burning wave. Consequently, with moderate (megajoule) initiation energies, a steady-state detonation laboratory experiment with unlimited energy multiplication becomes a possibility. (from the history of physics)

  5. Sonication assisted dissolution of post-detonation nuclear debris using ammonium bifluoride

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mason, Christian A.; Brockman, John D. [Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO (United States). Research Reactor Center; Hubley, Nicholas T.; Wegge, Dana L. [Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Robertson, J. David [Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO (United States). Research Reactor Center; Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

    2017-07-01

    There is significant interest in reducing the timeline for post detonation nuclear debris examination. A critical need is rapid dissolution of refractory nuclear debris to facilitate measurement of key radioisotopes and isotope ratios. Field deployable, rapid dissolution and analysis methods could significantly shorten the attribution analysis timeline. The current practice uses HF in combination with other acids to attack silicates and other refractory minerals expected in debris samples. However, techniques requiring HF are not amenable to use in the field. The fluorinating agent ammonium bifluoride (ABF) is a potential field deployable substitute for HF. In this work we report on the use of in-direct sonication with ABF as a means to improve low-temperature acid digestion of seven USGS and NIST geological reference materials. Using this method, elemental recoveries for USGS reference materials DNC-1a Dolerite, QLO-1a Quartz Latite, SDC-1 Mica Schist, and BHVO-2 Hawaiian Basalt were quantitative while the recovery of elements in USGS AGV-2 Andesite and NIST SRM 278 Obsidian and 1413 High Alumina Sand were low.

  6. Rare Particle Searches with the high altitude SLIM experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Balestra, S; Fabbri, F; Giacomelli, G; Giacomelli, R; Giorgini, M; Kumar, A; Manzoor, S; McDonald, J; Margiotta, A; Medinaceli, E; Nogales, J; Patrizii, L; Popa, V; Quereshi, I; Saavedra, O; Sher, G; Shahzad, M; Spurio, M; Ticona, R; Togo, V; Velarde, A; Zanini, A

    2005-01-01

    The search for rare particles in the cosmic radiation remains one of the main aims of non-accelerator particle astrophysics. Experiments at high altitude allow lower mass thresholds with respect to detectors at sea level or underground. The SLIM experiment is a large array of nuclear track detectors located at the Chacaltaya High Altitude Laboratory (5290 m a.s.l.). The preliminary results from the analysis of a part of the first 236 sq.m exposed for more than 3.6 y are here reported. The detector is sensitive to Intermediate Mass Magnetic Monopoles and to SQM nuggets and Q-balls, which are possible Dark Matter candidates.

  7. High Altitude and Heart

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murat Yalcin

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, situations associated with high altitude such as mountaineering, aviation increasingly draw the attention of people. Gas pressure decreases and hypoxia is encountered when climbing higher. Physiological and pathological responses of human body to different heights are different. Therefore, physiological and pathological changes that may occur together with height and to know the clinical outcomes of these are important . Acute mountain sickness caused by high altitude and high altitude cerebral edema are preventable diseases with appropriate precautions. Atmospheric oxygen decreasing with height, initiates many adaptive mechanisms. These adaptation mechanisms and acclimatization vary widely among individuals because of reasons such as environmental factors, exercise and cold. High altitude causes different changes in the cardiovascular system with various mechanisms. Although normal individuals easily adapt to these changes, this situation can lead to undesirable results in people with heart disease. For this reason, it should be known the effective evaluation of the people with known heart disease before traveling to high altitude and the complications due to the changes with height and the recommendations can be made to these patients. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2011; 10(2.000: 211-222

  8. Studies on the radioactive contamination due to nuclear detonations I. Studies on the Radioactive dust due to nuclear detonation in Bikini on March 1, 1954

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nishiwaki, Yasushi [Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo (Japan); Nuclear Reactor Laboratoroy, Kinki University, Fuse City, Osaka Precture (Japan)

    1961-11-25

    A study has been made, from the health physics standpoint, of the radioactivity emitted from the dust collected from No. 5 Fukuryu Maru, which was showered by the strong radioactive ash at about 0-90 miles east of Bikini on March 1, 1954. The probable dose of external gamma radiation the crew might have received during their two weeks voyage may be estimated roughly about 500-800 rad. However,, judging from the strong radioactive contamination of the boat, it may be inferred that the crew might have received a considerable-degree of internal irradiation besides the external whole body gamma irradiation and the local beta irradiation on the skin where the radioactive dust directly contacted, The specific activity of the dust when it fell on the boat a few hours after the nuclear detonation may be estimated to be roughly about one curie per gram. From the radiochemical analysis and the beta-ray analysis, the major part of the radioactivity included in-the dust was found to be due to a mixture of various fission products, while the main chemical component of the dust (Bikini ash) itself consisted of a calcium compound. The alpha-ray was also detected by the use of an ionization chamber in that portion where transuranium elements, if present, were collected. The tuna fish and the shark fins which were brought back to Japan by No.5 Fukuryu Maru in the middle of March, 1954 were most strongly contaminated on the skin, but the fish caught later in the South Pacific were found to be contaminated more strongly in the internal organs rather than on the skin. The area in the Pacific where the radioactive contaminated fish were caught seemed to expand gradually with time. In the latter half of 1954, besides the ordinary fission products, the radioactive Zn{sup 65} which was not found in appreciable amount in the original Bikini ash has been detected from the internal organs of the contaminated fish. A possible production of Zn{sup 65} by the neutron activation of some metallic

  9. Studies on the radioactive contamination due to nuclear detonations I. Studies on the Radioactive dust due to nuclear detonation in Bikini on March 1, 1954

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishiwaki, Yasushi

    1961-01-01

    A study has been made, from the health physics standpoint, of the radioactivity emitted from the dust collected from No. 5 Fukuryu Maru, which was showered by the strong radioactive ash at about 0-90 miles east of Bikini on March 1, 1954. The probable dose of external gamma radiation the crew might have received during their two weeks voyage may be estimated roughly about 500-800 rad. However,, judging from the strong radioactive contamination of the boat, it may be inferred that the crew might have received a considerable-degree of internal irradiation besides the external whole body gamma irradiation and the local beta irradiation on the skin where the radioactive dust directly contacted, The specific activity of the dust when it fell on the boat a few hours after the nuclear detonation may be estimated to be roughly about one curie per gram. From the radiochemical analysis and the beta-ray analysis, the major part of the radioactivity included in-the dust was found to be due to a mixture of various fission products, while the main chemical component of the dust (Bikini ash) itself consisted of a calcium compound. The alpha-ray was also detected by the use of an ionization chamber in that portion where transuranium elements, if present, were collected. The tuna fish and the shark fins which were brought back to Japan by No.5 Fukuryu Maru in the middle of March, 1954 were most strongly contaminated on the skin, but the fish caught later in the South Pacific were found to be contaminated more strongly in the internal organs rather than on the skin. The area in the Pacific where the radioactive contaminated fish were caught seemed to expand gradually with time. In the latter half of 1954, besides the ordinary fission products, the radioactive Zn 65 which was not found in appreciable amount in the original Bikini ash has been detected from the internal organs of the contaminated fish. A possible production of Zn 65 by the neutron activation of some metallic part of

  10. Medical planning and response for a nuclear detonation: a practical guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, C Norman; Adams, Steven; Adrianopoli, Carl; Ansari, Armin; Bader, Judith L; Buddemeier, Brooke; Caro, J Jaime; Casagrande, Rocco; Case, Cullen; Caspary, Kevin; Chang, Arthur S; Chang, H Florence; Chao, Nelson; Cliffer, Kenneth D; Confer, Dennis; Deitchman, Scott; Derenzo, Evan G; Dobbs, Allen; Dodgen, Daniel; Donnelly, Elizabeth H; Gorman, Susan; Grace, Marcy Beth; Hatchett, Richard; Hick, John L; Hrdina, Chad; Jones, Robert; Kane, Elleen; Knebel, Ann; Koerner, John F; Laffan, Alison M; Larson, Leon; Livinski, Alicia; Mackinney, John; Maidment, Bert W; Manning, Ronald; Marinissen, Maria J; Martin, Colleen; Michael, Gretchen; Murrain-Hill, Paula; Nemhauser, Jeffrey B; Norwood, Ann E; Nystrom, Scott; Raheem, Murad; Redlener, Irwin; Sheehan, Kevin; Simon, Steven L; Taylor, Tammy P; Toner, Eric; Wallace, Katherine S; Wieder, Jessica; Weinstock, David M; Wiley, Albert L; Yeskey, Kevin; Miller, Charles W; Whitcomb, Robert C

    2012-12-01

    This article summarizes major points from a newly released guide published online by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The article reviews basic principles about radiation and its measurement, short-term and long-term effects of radiation, and medical countermeasures as well as essential information about how to prepare for and respond to a nuclear detonation. A link is provided to the manual itself, which in turn is heavily referenced for readers who wish to have more detail.

  11. High-altitude pulmonary hypertension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    X-Q. Xu

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available High-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH is a specific disease affecting populations that live at high elevations. The prevalence of HAPH among those residing at high altitudes needs to be further defined. Whereas reduction in nitric oxide production may be one mechanism for the development of HAPH, the roles of endothelin-1 and prostaglandin I2 pathways in the pathogenesis of HAPH deserve further study. Although some studies have suggested that genetic factors contribute to the pathogenesis of HAPH, data published to date are insufficient for the identification of a significant number of gene polymorphims in HAPH. The clinical presentation of HAPH is nonspecific. Exertional dyspnoea is the most common symptom and signs related to right heart failure are common in late stages of HAPH. Echocardiography is the most useful screening tool and right heart catheterisation is the gold standard for the diagnosis of HAPH. The ideal management for HAPH is migration to lower altitudes. Phosphodiesterase 5 is an attractive drug target for the treatment of HAPH. In addition, acetazolamide is a promising therapeutic agent for high-altitude pulmonary hypertension. To date, no evidence has confirmed whether endothelin-receptor antagonists have efficacy in the treatment of high-altitude pulmonary hypertension.

  12. A compilation of nuclear weapons test detonation data for U.S. Pacific ocean tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, S L; Robison, W L

    1997-07-01

    Prior to December 1993, the explosive yields of 44 of 66 nuclear tests conducted by the United States in the Marshall Islands were still classified. Following a request from the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the U.S. Department of Energy to release this information, the Secretary of Energy declassified and released to the public the explosive yields of the Pacific nuclear tests. This paper presents a synopsis of information on nuclear test detonations in the Marshall Islands and other locations in the mid-Pacific including dates, explosive yields, locations, weapon placement, and summary statistics.

  13. Oxidative DNA damage and repair in skeletal muscle of humans exposed to high-altitude hypoxia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundby, Carsten; Pilegaard, Henriette; van Hall, Gerrit

    2003-01-01

    Recent research suggests that high-altitude hypoxia may serve as a model for prolonged oxidative stress in healthy humans. In this study, we investigated the consequences of prolonged high-altitude hypoxia on the basal level of oxidative damage to nuclear DNA in muscle cells, a major oxygen-consuming...

  14. Shock and Detonation Physics at Los Alamos National Laboratory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robbins, David L [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Dattelbaum, Dana M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Sheffield, Steve A [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2012-08-22

    WX-9 serves the Laboratory and the Nation by delivering quality technical results, serving customers that include the Nuclear Weapons Program (DOE/NNSA), the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies. The scientific expertise of the group encompasses equations-of-state, shock compression science, phase transformations, detonation physics including explosives initiation, detonation propagation, and reaction rates, spectroscopic methods and velocimetry, and detonation and equation-of-state theory. We are also internationally-recognized in ultra-fast laser shock methods and associated diagnostics, and are active in the area of ultra-sensitive explosives detection. The facility capital enabling the group to fulfill its missions include a number of laser systems, both for laser-driven shocks, and spectroscopic analysis, high pressure gas-driven guns and powder guns for high velocity plate impact experiments, explosively-driven techniques, static high pressure devices including diamond anvil cells and dilatometers coupled with spectroscopic probes, and machine shops and target fabrication facilities.

  15. United States high-altitude test experiences. A review emphasizing the impact on the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoerlin, H.

    1976-06-01

    The US high-altitude nuclear explosions of the 1955-1962 period are listed chronologically; dates, locations, and yields are given. The major physical phases of the interactions of the weapon outputs with the atmosphere are described, such as the formation of fireballs at the low high-altitudes and the partition of energies and their distribution over very large spaces at the higher high-altitudes. The effects of these explosions on the normal activities of populations and the protective measures taken are documented. Many scientific observations, together with their significance and values, are reviewed. 109 refs

  16. Direct tropospheric transport of debris from nuclear weapon detonations at the Semipalatinsk test site to Western Europe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wendel, Cato C.; Oughton, Deborah H.; Lind, Ole Christian; Skipperud, Lindis; Salbu, Brit [CERAD CoE, Department of Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Aas (Norway); Fifield, L. Keith; Tims, Stephen G. [Department of Nuclear Physics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT0200 (Australia); Bartnicki, Jerzy [Norwegian Meteorological institute (met.no), Oslo (Norway); Hoeibraaten, Steinar [Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), Kjeller (Norway)

    2014-07-01

    During 7.11.1962 through 13.11.1962 a wave of highly elevated gross beta activities were registered at surveillance air filter stations situated in different regions of Norway. A selection of air filters collected daily during this time period, was screened for radioactive particles using digital autoradiography and analysed with respect to the concentrations and atom ratios of plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Elevated concentrations of {sup 236}U (1.4-20.1 nBq m{sup -3}) and {sup 239+240}Pu (5.6-782 μBq m{sup -3}) were found to be in good correlation with the observed gross beta activities (R{sup 2}>0.9), indicating the presence of fresh fallout from nuclear weapon detonations. The digital autoradiography images demonstrated the presence of radioactive particles in the filters. Low {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu (0.0517-0.083), {sup 241}Pu/{sup 239}Pu (0.00025-0.00062) and {sup 236}U/{sup 239}Pu (0.0188-0.046) atom ratios, characteristic of close-in and tropospheric fallout, were observed in filters collected during this incidence. Atmospheric transport modelling (NOAA HYSPLIT-4) using real-time meteorological data confirmed that long range transport to Norway of radioactive debris, including particles, from detonations 7 - 12 days earlier at the Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan during this period was plausible. The present work shows that direct tropospheric transport of fallout from atmospheric nuclear detonations periodically may have had much larger influence than previously anticipated on radionuclide air concentrations and deposition at locations far from the test site. (authors)

  17. Process for estimating likelihood and confidence in post detonation nuclear forensics.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Darby, John L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Craft, Charles M. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2014-07-01

    Technical nuclear forensics (TNF) must provide answers to questions of concern to the broader community, including an estimate of uncertainty. There is significant uncertainty associated with post-detonation TNF. The uncertainty consists of a great deal of epistemic (state of knowledge) as well as aleatory (random) uncertainty, and many of the variables of interest are linguistic (words) and not numeric. We provide a process by which TNF experts can structure their process for answering questions and provide an estimate of uncertainty. The process uses belief and plausibility, fuzzy sets, and approximate reasoning.

  18. Carbon Condensation during High Explosive Detonation with Time Resolved Small Angle X-ray Scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammons, Joshua; Bagge-Hansen, Michael; Nielsen, Michael; Lauderbach, Lisa; Hodgin, Ralph; Bastea, Sorin; Fried, Larry; May, Chadd; Sinclair, Nicholas; Jensen, Brian; Gustavsen, Rick; Dattelbaum, Dana; Watkins, Erik; Firestone, Millicent; Ilavsky, Jan; van Buuren, Tony; Willey, Trevor; Lawrence Livermore National Lab Collaboration; Los Alamos National Laboratory Collaboration; Washington State University/Advanced Photon Source Team

    Carbon condensation during high-energy detonations occurs under extreme conditions and on very short time scales. Understanding and manipulating soot formation, particularly detonation nanodiamond, has attracted the attention of military, academic and industrial research. An in-situ characterization of these nanoscale phases, during detonation, is highly sought after and presents a formidable challenge even with today's instruments. Using the high flux available with synchrotron X-rays, pink beam small angle X-ray scattering is able to observe the carbon phases during detonation. This experimental approach, though powerful, requires careful consideration and support from other techniques, such as post-mortem TEM, EELS and USAXS. We present a comparative survey of carbon condensation from different CHNO high explosives. This work was performed under the auspices of the US DOE by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  19. Acute high-altitude sickness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew M. Luks

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available At any point 1–5 days following ascent to altitudes ≥2500 m, individuals are at risk of developing one of three forms of acute altitude illness: acute mountain sickness, a syndrome of nonspecific symptoms including headache, lassitude, dizziness and nausea; high-altitude cerebral oedema, a potentially fatal illness characterised by ataxia, decreased consciousness and characteristic changes on magnetic resonance imaging; and high-altitude pulmonary oedema, a noncardiogenic form of pulmonary oedema resulting from excessive hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction which can be fatal if not recognised and treated promptly. This review provides detailed information about each of these important clinical entities. After reviewing the clinical features, epidemiology and current understanding of the pathophysiology of each disorder, we describe the current pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches to the prevention and treatment of these diseases.

  20. STUDY OF THE DETONATION PHASE IN THE GRAVITATIONALLY CONFINED DETONATION MODEL OF TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meakin, Casey A.; Townsley, Dean; Jordan, George C.; Truran, James; Lamb, Don; Seitenzahl, Ivo

    2009-01-01

    We study the gravitationally confined detonation (GCD) model of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) through the detonation phase and into homologous expansion. In the GCD model, a detonation is triggered by the surface flow due to single-point, off-center flame ignition in carbon-oxygen white dwarfs (WDs). The simulations are unique in terms of the degree to which nonidealized physics is used to treat the reactive flow, including weak reaction rates and a time-dependent treatment of material in nuclear statistical equilibrium (NSE). Careful attention is paid to accurately calculating the final composition of material which is burned to NSE and frozen out in the rapid expansion following the passage of a detonation wave over the high-density core of the WD; and an efficient method for nucleosynthesis postprocessing is developed which obviates the need for costly network calculations along tracer particle thermodynamic trajectories. Observational diagnostics are presented for the explosion models, including abundance stratifications and integrated yields. We find that for all of the ignition conditions studied here a self-regulating process comprised of neutronization and stellar expansion results in final 56 Ni masses of ∼1.1 M sun . But, more energetic models result in larger total NSE and stable Fe-peak yields. The total yield of intermediate mass elements is ∼0.1 M sun and the explosion energies are all around 1.5 x 10 51 erg. The explosion models are briefly compared to the inferred properties of recent SN Ia observations. The potential for surface detonation models to produce lower-luminosity (lower 56 Ni mass) SNe is discussed.

  1. Effects of hypothetical improvised nuclear detonation on the electrical infrastructure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barrett, Christopher L.; Eubank, Stephen; Evrenosoglu, C. Yaman; Marathe, Achla; Marathe, Madhav V.; Phadke, Arun; Thorp, James; Vullikanti, Anil

    2013-01-01

    We study the impacts of a hypothetical improvised nuclear detonation (IND) on the electrical infrastructure and its cascading effects on other urban inter-dependent infrastructures of a major metropolitan area in the US. We synthesize open source information, expert knowledge, commercial software and Google Earth data to derive a realistic electrical transmission and distribution network spanning the region. A dynamic analysis of the geo-located grid is carried out to determine the cause of malfunction of components, and their short-term and long-term effect on the stability of the grid. Finally a detailed estimate of the cost of damage to the major components of the infrastructure is provided.

  2. Effects of hypothetical improvised nuclear detonation on the electrical infrastructure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barrett, Christopher L.; Eubank, Stephen; Evrenosoglu, C. Yaman; Marathe, Achla; Marathe, Madhav V.; Phadke, Arun; Thorp, James; Vullikanti, Anil [Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (United States). Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Lab.

    2013-07-01

    We study the impacts of a hypothetical improvised nuclear detonation (IND) on the electrical infrastructure and its cascading effects on other urban inter-dependent infrastructures of a major metropolitan area in the US. We synthesize open source information, expert knowledge, commercial software and Google Earth data to derive a realistic electrical transmission and distribution network spanning the region. A dynamic analysis of the geo-located grid is carried out to determine the cause of malfunction of components, and their short-term and long-term effect on the stability of the grid. Finally a detailed estimate of the cost of damage to the major components of the infrastructure is provided.

  3. Dynamics of the formation of the condensed phase particles at detonation of high explosives

    CERN Document Server

    Evdokov, O V; Kulipanov, G N; Luckjanchikov, L A; Lyakhov, N Z; Mishnev, S I; Sharafutdinov, M R; Sheromov, M A; Ten, K A; Titov, V M; Tolochko, B P; Zubkov, P I

    2001-01-01

    The article presents the results of the experimental study SAXS on condensed carbon particles that appear at the detonation of a high explosive. It was shown that the SAXS signal rises for 1.5-4 mu s after the detonation front passing. The SAXS signal in trotyl and its alloys with hexogen starts just after the compression of the material in the detonation wave. In octogen, hexogen and PETN, the SAXS signal appears in 0.5 mu s and is much smaller than the signal at the detonation of trotyl and its alloys with hexogen.

  4. Analysis of sheltering and evacuation strategies for an urban nuclear detonation scenario.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoshimura, Ann S.; Brandt, Larry D.

    2009-05-01

    Development of an effective strategy for shelter and evacuation is among the most important planning tasks in preparation for response to a low yield, nuclear detonation in an urban area. This study examines shelter-evacuate policies and effectiveness focusing on a 10 kt scenario in Los Angeles. The goal is to provide technical insights that can support development of urban response plans. Results indicate that extended shelter-in-place can offer the most robust protection when high quality shelter exists. Where less effective shelter is available and the fallout radiation intensity level is high, informed evacuation at the appropriate time can substantially reduce the overall dose to personnel. However, uncertainties in the characteristics of the fallout region and in the exit route can make evacuation a risky strategy. Analyses indicate that only a relatively small fraction of the total urban population may experience significant dose reduction benefits from even a well-informed evacuation plan.

  5. Reducing the Consequences of a Nuclear Detonation.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Buddemeier, B R

    2007-11-09

    The 2002 National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction states that 'the United States must be prepared to respond to the use of WMD against our citizens, our military forces, and those of friends and allies'. Scenario No.1 of the 15 Department of Homeland Security national planning scenarios is an improvised nuclear detonation in the national capitol region. An effective response involves managing large-scale incident response, mass casualty, mass evacuation, and mass decontamination issues. Preparedness planning activities based on this scenario provided difficult challenges in time critical decision making and managing a large number of casualties within the hazard area. Perhaps even more challenging is the need to coordinate a large scale response across multiple jurisdictions and effectively responding with limited infrastructure and resources. Federal response planning continues to make improvements in coordination and recommending protective actions, but much work remains. The most critical life-saving activity depends on actions taken in the first few minutes and hours of an event. The most effective way to reduce the enormous national and international social and economic disruptions from a domestic nuclear explosion is through planning and rapid action, from the individual to the federal response. Anticipating response resources for survivors based on predicted types and distributions of injuries needs to be addressed.

  6. Diagnostic criteria of high-altitude de-adaptation for high-altitude migrants returning to the plains: a multicenter, randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qi-quan ZHOU

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective  To investigate the diagnostic method of high-altitude de-adaptation and constitute the diagnostic criteria of high-altitude de-adaptation for people returning to the plains from high-altitude. Methods  Epidemiological survey and clinical multicenter randomized controlled studies were used to determine/perform blood picture, routine urine analysis, routine stool examination, myocardial enzymes, liver and kidney functions, nerve function, sex hormone, microalbuminuria, ECG, echocardiography, pulmonary function tests, and so on, in 3011 subjects after they returned to the plains from high-altitude. The diagnostic criteria of high-altitude de-adaptation were formulated by a comparative analysis of the obtained data with those of healthy subjects living in the same area, altitude, and age. The regularity and characteristics of high-altitude de-adaptation syndrome were found and diagnostic criteria for high-altitude de-adaptation was established based on the results. Results  The investigative results showed that the incidence of high-altitude de-adaptation syndrome was found in 84.36% of population returning to the plains from high-altitude. About 60% of them were considered to have mild reactions, 30% medium, and only 10% were severe. The lower the altitude they returned to, the longer the duration of stay in highland, and the heavier the labor they engaged in high altitude, the higher the incidence rate of high-altitude de-adaptation syndrome was. Patients with high-altitude de-adaptation syndrome exhibited hematological abnormality and abnormal ventricular function, especially the right ventricular diastolic function after returning for 1 year to 5 years. Long-term hypoxia exposure often caused obvious change in cardiac morphology with left and right ventricular hypertrophy, particularly the right ventricle. In addition, low blood pressure and low pulse pressure were found at times. Microalbuminuria was found in some high-altitude de

  7. Utilization of the noble gases in studies of underground nuclear detonations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, C.F.

    1973-01-01

    The Livermore Gas Diagnostics Program employs a number of rare gas isotopes, both stable and radioactive, in its investigations of the phenomenology of underground nuclear detonations. Radioactive gases in a sample are radiochemically purified by elution chromatography, and the separated gases are radioassayed by gamma-ray spectrometry and by internal or thin-window beta proportional counting. Concentrations of the stable gases are determined by mass-spectrometry, following chemical removal of the reactive gases in the sample. The most general application of the noble gases is as device fraction indicators to provide a basis for estimating totals of chimney-gas components. All of the stable rare gases, except argon, have been used as tracers, as have xenon-127 and krypton-85. Argon-37 and krypton-85 have proven to be of particular value in the absence of a good tracer material as reference species for studies of chimney-gas chemistry. The rate of mixing of chimney gases, and the degree to which the sampled gas truly represents the underground gas mixture, can be studied with the aid of the fission-product gases. Radon-222 and helium are released to the cavity from the surrounding rock, and are, therefore, useful in studies of the interaction of the detonation with the surrounding medium

  8. Nuclear pulse. I - Awakening to the chaos factor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broad, W. J.

    1981-05-01

    The discovery of the significance of the high-voltage wave termed electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which occurs following the high-altitude detonation of a nuclear device, is discussed. The disruptions to the street lights, burglar alarms and circuit breakers of Hawaii caused by the detonation of a nuclear device 248 mi above Johnson Island in the Pacific in July, 1962 are described and attributed to the Compton electrons produced by the impact of gamma rays from the nuclear explosion on air in the upper atmosphere. It is pointed out, however, that at the time of the explosion, most communications systems were based on vacuum tube and electromechanical technology, which is about 10,000,000 times harder against EMP than integrated solid-state circuitry, and thus the threat posed by EMP to the power grid and communications capabilities was not apparent. Efforts undertaken to harden discrete (missile) and communications systems against EMP are outlined for the example of the Safeguard ABM system, and difficulties are pointed out. Soviet awareness of EMP is considered, and the discovery of vacuum tubes on board the state-of-the-art Foxbat MiG interceptor flown into Japan is noted as a possible indicator of this awareness. It is concluded that the problem of EMP will increase in significance as semiconductor electronics proliferates.

  9. Analysis of high-altitude de-acclimatization syndrome after exposure to high altitudes: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Binfeng; Wang, Jianchun; Qian, Guisheng; Hu, Mingdong; Qu, Xinming; Wei, Zhenghua; Li, Jin; Chen, Yan; Chen, Huaping; Zhou, Qiquan; Wang, Guansong

    2013-01-01

    The syndrome of high-altitude de-acclimatization commonly takes place after long-term exposure to high altitudes upon return to low altitudes. The syndrome severely affects the returnee's quality of life. However, little attention has been paid to careful characterization of the syndrome and their underlying mechanisms. Male subjects from Chongqing (n = 67, 180 m) and Kunming (n = 70, 1800 m) visited a high-altitude area (3650 m) about 6 months and then returned to low-altitude. After they came back, all subjects were evaluated for high-altitude de-acclimatization syndrome on the 3(rd), 50(th), and 100(th). Symptom scores, routine blood and blood gas tests, and myocardial zymograms assay were used for observation their syndrome. The results showed that the incidence and severity of symptoms had decreased markedly on the 50(th) and 100(th) days, compared with the 3(rd) day. The symptom scores and incidence of different symptoms were lower among subjects returning to Kunming than among those returning to Chongqing. On the 3(rd) day, RBC, Hb, Hct, CK, CK-MB, and LDH values were significantly lower than values recorded at high altitudes, but they were higher than baseline values. On the 50(th) day, these values were not different from baseline values, but LDH levels did not return to baseline until the 100(th) day. These data show that, subjects who suffered high-altitude de-acclimatization syndrome, the recovery fully processes takes a long time (≥ 100(th) days). The appearance of the syndrome is found to be related to the changes in RBC, Hb, Hct, CK, CK-MB, and LDH levels, which should be caused by reoxygenation after hypoxia.

  10. Improved estimates of separation distances to prevent unacceptable damage to nuclear power plant structures from hydrogen detonation for gaseous hydrogen storage. Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-05-01

    This report provides new estimates of separation distances for nuclear power plant gaseous hydrogen storage facilities. Unacceptable damage to plant structures from hydrogen detonations will be prevented by having hydrogen storage facilities meet separation distance criteria recommended in this report. The revised standoff distances are based on improved calculations on hydrogen gas cloud detonations and structural analysis of reinforced concrete structures. Also, the results presented in this study do not depend upon equivalencing a hydrogen detonation to an equivalent TNT detonation. The static and stagnation pressures, wave velocity, and the shock wave impulse delivered to wall surfaces were computed for several different size hydrogen explosions. Separation distance equations were developed and were used to compute the minimum separation distance for six different wall cases and for seven detonating volumes (from 1.59 to 79.67 lbm of hydrogen). These improved calculation results were compared to previous calculations. The ratio between the separation distance predicted in this report versus that predicted for hydrogen detonation in previous calculations varies from 0 to approximately 4. Thus, the separation distances results from the previous calculations can be either overconservative or unconservative depending upon the set of hydrogen detonation parameters that are used. Consequently, it is concluded that the hydrogen-to-TNT detonation equivalency utilized in previous calculations should no longer be used

  11. Shilajit: A panacea for high-altitude problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meena, Harsahay; Pandey, H K; Arya, M C; Ahmed, Zakwan

    2010-01-01

    High altitude problems like hypoxia, acute mountain sickness, high altitude cerebral edema, pulmonary edema, insomnia, tiredness, lethargy, lack of appetite, body pain, dementia, and depression may occur when a person or a soldier residing in a lower altitude ascends to high-altitude areas. These problems arise due to low atmospheric pressure, severe cold, high intensity of solar radiation, high wind velocity, and very high fluctuation of day and night temperatures in these regions. These problems may escalate rapidly and may sometimes become life-threatening. Shilajit is a herbomineral drug which is pale-brown to blackish-brown, is composed of a gummy exudate that oozes from the rocks of the Himalayas in the summer months. It contains humus, organic plant materials, and fulvic acid as the main carrier molecules. It actively takes part in the transportation of nutrients into deep tissues and helps to overcome tiredness, lethargy, and chronic fatigue. Shilajit improves the ability to handle high altitudinal stresses and stimulates the immune system. Thus, Shilajit can be given as a supplement to people ascending to high-altitude areas so that it can act as a "health rejuvenator" and help to overcome high-altitude related problems.

  12. Early history of high-altitude physiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, John B

    2016-02-01

    High-altitude physiology can be said to have begun in 1644 when Torricelli described the first mercury barometer and wrote the immortal words "We live submerged at the bottom of an ocean of the element air." Interestingly, the notion of atmospheric pressure had eluded his teacher, the great Galileo. Blaise Pascal was responsible for describing the fall in pressure with increasing altitude, and Otto von Guericke gave a dramatic demonstration of the enormous force that could be developed by atmospheric pressure. Robert Boyle learned of Guericke's experiment and, with Robert Hooke, constructed the first air pump that allowed small animals to be exposed to a low pressure. Hooke also constructed a small low-pressure chamber and exposed himself to a simulated altitude of about 2400 meters. With the advent of ballooning, humans were rapidly exposed to very low pressures, sometimes with tragic results. For example, the French balloon, Zénith, rose to over 8000 m, and two of the three aeronauts succumbed to the hypoxia. Paul Bert was the first person to clearly state that the deleterious effects of high altitude were caused by the low partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), and later research was accelerated by high-altitude stations and expeditions to high altitude. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

  13. Small-angle neutron scattering study of high-pressure sintered detonation nanodiamonds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kidalov, S. V.; Shakhov, F. M., E-mail: fedor.shakhov@mail.ioffe.ru [Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russian Federation); Lebedev, V. T.; Orlova, D. N.; Grushko, Yu. S. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Konstantinov St. Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (Russian Federation)

    2011-12-15

    The structure of detonation diamonds sintered at a high pressure (7 GPa) and temperatures of 1200-1700 Degree-Sign C has been investigated by small-angle neutron scattering. It is shown that sintering leads to an increase in the particle size from 6 to 30 nm and established that this increase is due to the chainlike oriented attachment of particles. This study supplements the oriented-attachment model, which was suggested based on the X-ray diffraction spectra of detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) sintered under the same conditions.

  14. Containment analysis for the simultaneous detonation of two nuclear explosives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terhune, R.W.; Glenn, H.D.; Burton, D.E.; Rambo, J.T.

    1977-01-01

    The explosive phenomenology associated with the simultaneous detonation of two 2.2-kt nuclear explosives is examined. A comprehensive spatial-time pictorial of the resultant shock-wave phenomenology is given. The explosives were buried at depths of 200 m and 280 m, corresponding to a separation of approximately 4 final cavity radii. Constitutive relations for the surrounding medium were derived from the geophysical logs and core samples taken from an actual emplacement configuration at the Nevada Test Site. Past calculational studies indicate that successful containment may depend upon the development of a strong tangential-stress field (or ''containment cage'') surrounding the cavity at late times. A series of conditions that must be met to insure formation of this cage are presented. Calculational results, based on one- and two-dimensional finite-difference codes of continuum mechanics, describe how each condition has been fulfilled and illustrate the dynamic sequence of events important to the formation of the containment cage. They also indicate, at least for the geological site chosen, that two nuclear explosives do not combine to threaten containment

  15. Calculational model for condensation of water vapor during an underground nuclear detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knox, R.J.

    1975-01-01

    An empirally derived mathematical model was developed to calculate the pressure and temperature history during condensation of water vapor in an underground-nuclear-explosion cavity. The condensation process is non-isothermal. Use has been made of the Clapeyron-Clausius equation as a basis for development of the model. Analytic fits to the vapor pressure and the latent heat of vaporization for saturated-water vapor, together with an estimated value for the heat-transfer coefficient, have been used to describe the phenomena. The calculated pressure-history during condensation has been determined to be exponential, with a time constant somewhat less than that observed during the cooling of the superheated steam from the explosion. The behavior of the calculated condensation-pressure compares well with the observed-pressure record (until just prior to cavity collapse) for a particular nuclear-detonation event for which data is available

  16. Comparison of electric dipole and magnetic dipole models for electromagnetic pulse generated by nuclear detonation in space

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Meng; Zhou Hui; Cheng Yinhui; Li Baozhong; Wu Wei; Li Jinxi; Ma Liang; Zhao Mo

    2013-01-01

    Electromagnetic pulse can be generated by the nuclear detonation in space via two radiation mechanisms. The electric dipole and magnetic dipole models were analyzed. The electric radiation in the far field generated by two models was calculated as well. Investigations show that in the case of one hundred TNT yield detonations, when electrons are emitted according to the Gaussian shape, two radiation models can give rise to the electric field in great distances with amplitudes of kV/m and tens of V/m, independently. Because the geomagnetic field in space is not strong and the electrons' angular motion is much weaker than the motion in the original direction, radiations from the magnetic dipole model are much weaker than those from the electric dipole model. (authors)

  17. Detonation mode and frequency analysis under high loss conditions for stoichiometric propane-oxygen

    KAUST Repository

    Jackson, Scott

    2016-03-24

    The propagation characteristics of galloping detonations were quantified with a high-time-resolution velocity diagnostic. Combustion waves were initiated in 30-m lengths of 4.1-mm inner diameter transparent tubing filled with stoichiometric propane-oxygen mixtures. Chemiluminescence from the resulting waves was imaged to determine the luminous wave front position and velocity every 83.3 μ. As the mixture initial pressure was decreased from 20 to 7 kPa, the wave was observed to become increasingly unsteady and transition from steady detonation to a galloping detonation. While wave velocities averaged over the full tube length smoothly decreased with initial pressure down to half of the Chapman-Jouguet detonation velocity (DCJ) at the quenching limit, the actual propagation mechanism was seen to be a galloping wave with a cycle period of approximately 1.0 ms, corresponding to a cycle length of 1.3-2.0 m or 317-488 tube diameters depending on the average wave speed. The long test section length of 7300 tube diameters allowed observation of up to 20 galloping cycles, allowing for statistical analysis of the wave dynamics. In the galloping regime, a bimodal velocity distribution was observed with peaks centered near 0.4 DCJ and 0.95 DCJ. Decreasing initial pressure increasingly favored the low velocity mode. Galloping frequencies ranged from 0.8 to 1.0 kHz and were insensitive to initial mixture pressure. Wave deflagration-to-detonation transition and detonation failure trajectories were found to be repeatable in a given test and also across different initial mixture pressures. The temporal duration of wave dwell at the low and high velocity modes during galloping was also quantified. It was found that the mean wave dwell duration in the low velocity mode was a weak function of initial mixture pressure, while the mean dwell time in the high velocity mode depended exponentially on initial mixture pressure. Analysis of the velocity histories using dynamical systems ideas

  18. Phenomenological Model for Infrared Emissions from High-Explosive Detonation Fireballs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-09-01

    meterological data collected near the time of this detonation event. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 6 Brilliant Flash II test geometry...from meterological data collected near the time of this detonation event. Most of the absorption features are due to water vapor; a few regions are noted...profile computed from meterological data collected near the time of this detonation event. of the instrument. Examination of the imaginary component does

  19. Aerial Mobile Radiation Survey Following Detonation of a Radiological Dispersal Device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinclair, Laurel E; Fortin, Richard; Buckle, John L; Coyle, Maurice J; Van Brabant, Reid A; Harvey, Bradley J A; Seywerd, Henry C J; McCurdy, Martin W

    2016-05-01

    A series of experiments was conducted in 2012 at the Defence Research and Development Canada's Suffield Research Centre in Alberta, Canada, during which three radiological dispersal devices were detonated. The detonations released radioactive (140)La into the air, which was then carried by winds and detectable over distances of up to 2 km. The Nuclear Emergency Response group of Natural Resources Canada conducted airborne radiometric surveys shortly following the explosions to map the pattern of radioactivity deposited on the ground. The survey instrument suite was based on large volume NaI(Tl) scintillation gamma radiation detectors, which were situated in a basket mounted exterior to the helicopter and oriented end-to-end to maximize the sensitivity. A standard geophysical data treatment was used to subtract backgrounds and to correct the data to produce counts due to (140)La at the nominal altitude. Sensitivity conversion factors obtained from Monte Carlo simulations were then applied to express the measurements in terms of surface activity concentration in kBq m(-2). Integrated over the survey area, the results indicate that only 20 to 25% of the bomb's original inventory of radioactive material is deposited within a 1.5-km radius of ground zero. These results can be accommodated with a simple model for the RDD behavior and atmospheric dispersion.

  20. Computer aided method of low voltage power distribution networks protection system against lightning and electromagnetic pulse generated by high altitude nuclear burst

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laroubine, J.

    1989-01-01

    The lightning creates an electromagnetic field which produces a slow duration and high energy pulse of current on low voltage power distribution networks. On the other hand an high altitude nuclear burst generates an electromagnetic pulse which causes fast and intense interferences. We describe here the specifications of a passive filter that can reject these interferences. We used a computer aided method of simulation to create a prototype. Experimental results confirm the validity of the model used for simulation [fr

  1. High Altitude Launch for a Practical SSTO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landis, Geoffrey A.; Denis, Vincent

    2003-01-01

    Existing engineering materials allow the constuction of towers to heights of many kilometers. Orbital launch from a high altitude has significant advantages over sea-level launch due to the reduced atmospheric pressure, resulting in lower atmospheric drag on the vehicle and allowing higher rocket engine performance. High-altitude launch sites are particularly advantageous for single-stage to orbit (SSTO) vehicles, where the payload is typically 2% of the initial launch mass. An earlier paper enumerated some of the advantages of high altitude launch of SSTO vehicles. In this paper, we calculate launch trajectories for a candidate SSTO vehicle, and calculate the advantage of launch at launch altitudes 5 to 25 kilometer altitudes above sea level. The performance increase can be directly translated into increased payload capability to orbit, ranging from 5 to 20% increase in the mass to orbit. For a candidate vehicle with an initial payload fraction of 2% of gross lift-off weight, this corresponds to 31% increase in payload (for 5-km launch altitude) to 122% additional payload (for 25-km launch altitude).

  2. Detonability of containment building atmospheres during core-meltdown accidents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaung, R.; Berlad, L.; Pratt, W.

    1983-01-01

    During Core-Meltdown Accidents in Light Water Reactors, significant quantities of combustible gases could be released to the containment building. The highest possible peak pressure fields that may occur through combustion processes are associated with detonation phenomena. Accordingly, it is necessary to understand and identify the possible ways in which detonations may or may not occur. Although no comprehensive theory of detonation is currently available, there are useful guidelines, which can be derived from current theoretical concepts and the body of experimental data. This paper examines these guidelines and indicates how they may be used to evaluate the possible occurrence of detonation-related combustion processes. In particular, this study identifies three features that an initiation source must achieve if it is to ultimately result in a stable detonation. One of these features requires post-shock initial conditions that lead to very short ignition delays. This concept is used to examine the possibility of achieving quasi-steady detonation phenomena in nuclear reactor containment buildings during postulated core-melt accidents

  3. Criteria for transition to detonation for hydrogen flames

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chan, C.K.

    1992-01-01

    During postulated loss-of-coolant accidents in a nuclear power reactor, the H 2 generated from a metal/steam reaction may leak into the containment building and form a combustible atmosphere. If the gas mixture is ignited, the potential damage to the containment building and equipment within the containment depends on whether the combustion is a deflagration or a detonation. Direct initiation of detonation requires a high-energy initiation source such as a solid explosive. Such a source is not likely to be present in a containment environment. However, a detonation can occur via a deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT). At the present time, the necessary conditions (or the criteria) for a DDT to occur have not been determined. It is not possible to predict a priori whether a transition can occur in a given situation. Recently, a few qualitative methods were proposed to assess the likelihood of a DDT. This paper reviews the current understanding of the transition phenomenon, and discusses the qualitative methods available for assessing the likelihood of a DDT. It briefly describes a recent study on turbulent/flame interaction to establish one of the necessary conditions for a DDT to occur. A new methodology for assessing DDT is also proposed to remove some of the conservatism that prevails in the other approaches

  4. Reduced detonation kinetics and detonation structure in one- and multi-fuel gaseous mixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fomin, P. A.; Trotsyuk, A. V.; Vasil'ev, A. A.

    2017-10-01

    Two-step approximate models of chemical kinetics of detonation combustion of (i) one-fuel (CH4/air) and (ii) multi-fuel gaseous mixtures (CH4/H2/air and CH4/CO/air) are developed for the first time. The models for multi-fuel mixtures are proposed for the first time. Owing to the simplicity and high accuracy, the models can be used in multi-dimensional numerical calculations of detonation waves in corresponding gaseous mixtures. The models are in consistent with the second law of thermodynamics and Le Chatelier’s principle. Constants of the models have a clear physical meaning. Advantages of the kinetic model for detonation combustion of methane has been demonstrated via numerical calculations of a two-dimensional structure of the detonation wave in a stoichiometric and fuel-rich methane-air mixtures and stoichiometric methane-oxygen mixture. The dominant size of the detonation cell, determines in calculations, is in good agreement with all known experimental data.

  5. A Manganin Thin Film Ultra-High Pressure Sensor for Microscale Detonation Pressure Measurement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guodong Zhang

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available With the development of energetic materials (EMs and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS initiating explosive devices, the measurement of detonation pressure generated by EMs in the microscale has become a pressing need. This paper develops a manganin thin film ultra-high pressure sensor based on MEMS technology for measuring the output pressure from micro-detonator. A reliable coefficient is proposed for designing the sensor’s sensitive element better. The sensor employs sandwich structure: the substrate uses a 0.5 mm thick alumina ceramic, the manganin sensitive element with a size of 0.2 mm × 0.1 mm × 2 μm and copper electrodes of 2 μm thick are sputtered sequentially on the substrate, and a 25 μm thick insulating layer of polyimide is wrapped on the sensitive element. The static test shows that the piezoresistive coefficient of manganin thin film is 0.0125 GPa−1. The dynamic experiment indicates that the detonation pressure of micro-detonator is 12.66 GPa, and the response time of the sensor is 37 ns. In a word, the sensor developed in this study is suitable for measuring ultra-high pressure in microscale and has a shorter response time than that of foil-like manganin gauges. Simultaneously, this study could be beneficial to research on ultra-high-pressure sensors with smaller size.

  6. DLR HABLEG- High Altitude Balloon Launched Experimental Glider

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wlach, S.; Schwarzbauch, M.; Laiacker, M.

    2015-09-01

    The group Flying Robots at the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics in Oberpfaffenhofen conducts research on solar powered high altitude aircrafts. Due to the high altitude and the almost infinite mission duration, these platforms are also denoted as High Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS). This paper highlights some aspects of the design, building, integration and testing of a flying experimental platform for high altitudes. This unmanned aircraft, with a wingspan of 3 m and a mass of less than 10 kg, is meant to be launched as a glider from a high altitude balloon in 20 km altitude and shall investigate technologies for future large HAPS platforms. The aerodynamic requirements for high altitude flight included the development of a launch method allowing for a safe transition to horizontal flight from free-fall with low control authority. Due to the harsh environmental conditions in the stratosphere, the integration of electronic components in the airframe is a major effort. For regulatory reasons a reliable and situation dependent flight termination system had to be implemented. In May 2015 a flight campaign was conducted. The mission was a full success demonstrating that stratospheric research flights are feasible with rather small aircrafts.

  7. High-altitude adaptations in vertebrate hemoglobins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weber, Roy E.

    2007-01-01

    Vertebrates at high altitude are subjected to hypoxic conditions that challenge aerobic metabolism. O2 transport from the respiratory surfaces to tissues requires matching between the O2 loading and unloading tensions and theO2-affinity of blood, which is an integrated function of hemoglobin......, birds and ectothermic vertebrates at high altitude....

  8. High-Altitude Illnesses: Physiology, Risk Factors, Prevention, and Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew T. Taylor

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available High-altitude illnesses encompass the pulmonary and cerebral syndromes that occur in non-acclimatized individuals after rapid ascent to high altitude. The most common syndrome is acute mountain sickness (AMS which usually begins within a few hours of ascent and typically consists of headache variably accompanied by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, disturbed sleep, fatigue, and dizziness. With millions of travelers journeying to high altitudes every year and sleeping above 2,500 m, acute mountain sickness is a wide-spread clinical condition. Risk factors include home elevation, maximum altitude, sleeping altitude, rate of ascent, latitude, age, gender, physical condition, intensity of exercise, pre-acclimatization, genetic make-up, and pre-existing diseases. At higher altitudes, sleep disturbances may become more profound, mental performance is impaired, and weight loss may occur. If ascent is rapid, acetazolamide can reduce the risk of developing AMS, although a number of high-altitude travelers taking acetazolamide will still develop symptoms. Ibuprofen can be effective for headache. Symptoms can be rapidly relieved by descent, and descent is mandatory, if at all possible, for the management of the potentially fatal syndromes of high-altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema. The purpose of this review is to combine a discussion of specific risk factors, prevention, and treatment options with a summary of the basic physiologic responses to the hypoxia of altitude to provide a context for managing high-altitude illnesses and advising the non-acclimatized high-altitude traveler.

  9. Fine Tuning the CJ Detonation Speed of a High Explosive products Equation of State

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Menikoff, Ralph [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2017-05-12

    For high explosive (HE) simulations, inaccuracies of a per cent or two in the detonation wave speed can result from not suficiently resolving the reaction zone width or from small inaccuracies in calibrating the products equation of state (EOS) or from variation of HE lots. More accurate detonation speeds can be obtained by ne tuning the equation of state to compensate. Here we show that two simple EOS transformations can be used to adjust the CJ detonation speed by a couple of per cent with minimal effect on the CJ release isentrope. The two transformations are (1) a shift in the energy origin and (2) a linear scaling of the speci c volume. The effectiveness of the transformations is demonstrated with simulations of the cylinder test for PBX 9502 starting with a products EOS for which the CJ detonation speed is 1 per cent too low.

  10. Shock-to-detonation transition of RDX and NTO based composite high explosives: experiments and modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baudin, Gerard; Roudot, Marie; Genetier, Marc

    2013-06-01

    Composite HMX and NTO based high explosives (HE) are widely used in ammunitions. Designing modern warheads needs robust and reliable models to compute shock ignition and detonation propagation inside HE. Comparing to a pressed HE, a composite HE is not porous and the hot-spots are mainly located at the grain - binder interface leading to a different behavior during shock-to-detonation transition. An investigation of how shock-to-detonation transition occurs inside composite HE containing RDX and NTO is proposed in this lecture. Two composite HE have been studied. The first one is HMX - HTPB 82:18. The second one is HMX - NTO - HTPB 12:72:16. These HE have been submitted to plane sustained shock waves at different pressure levels using a laboratory powder gun. Pressure signals are measured using manganin gauges inserted at several distances inside HE. The corresponding run-distances to detonation are determined using wedge test experiments where the plate impact is performed using a powder gun. Both HE exhibit a single detonation buildup curve in the distance - time diagram of shock-to-detonation transition. This feature seems a common shock-to-detonation behavior for composite HE without porosity. This behavior is also confirmed for a RDX - HTPB 85:15 based composite HE. Such a behavior is exploited to determine the heterogeneous reaction rate versus the shock pressure using a method based on the Cauchy-Riemann problem inversion. The reaction rate laws obtained allow to compute both run-distance to detonation and pressure signals.

  11. High-resolution electron microscopy of detonation nanodiamond

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iakoubovskii, K; Mitsuishi, K; Furuya, K

    2008-01-01

    The structure of individual nanodiamond grains produced by the detonation of carbon-based explosives has been studied with a high-vacuum aberration-corrected electron microscope. Many grains show a well-resolved cubic diamond lattice with negligible contamination, thereby demonstrating that the non-diamond shell, universally observed on nanodiamond particles, could be intrinsic to the preparation process rather than to the nanosized diamond itself. The strength of the adhesion between the nanodiamond grains, and the possibility of their patterning with sub-nanometer precision, are also demonstrated

  12. High-resolution electron microscopy of detonation nanodiamond

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iakoubovskii, K; Mitsuishi, K [Quantum Dot Research Center, National Institute for Materials Science, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0005 (Japan); Furuya, K [High Voltage Microscopy Station, National Institute for Materials Science, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0005 (Japan)], E-mail: Iakoubovskii.Konstantin@nims.go.jp

    2008-04-16

    The structure of individual nanodiamond grains produced by the detonation of carbon-based explosives has been studied with a high-vacuum aberration-corrected electron microscope. Many grains show a well-resolved cubic diamond lattice with negligible contamination, thereby demonstrating that the non-diamond shell, universally observed on nanodiamond particles, could be intrinsic to the preparation process rather than to the nanosized diamond itself. The strength of the adhesion between the nanodiamond grains, and the possibility of their patterning with sub-nanometer precision, are also demonstrated.

  13. Impulse generation by detonation tubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Marcia Ann

    Impulse generation with gaseous detonation requires conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy. This conversion process is well understood in rocket engines where the high pressure combustion products expand through a nozzle generating high velocity exhaust gases. The propulsion community is now focusing on advanced concepts that utilize non-traditional forms of combustion like detonation. Such a device is called a pulse detonation engine in which laboratory tests have proven that thrust can be achieved through continuous cyclic operation. Because of poor performance of straight detonation tubes compared to conventional propulsion systems and the success of using nozzles on rocket engines, the effect of nozzles on detonation tubes is being investigated. Although previous studies of detonation tube nozzles have suggested substantial benefits, up to now there has been no systematic investigations over a range of operating conditions and nozzle configurations. As a result, no models predicting the impulse when nozzles are used exist. This lack of data has severely limited the development and evaluation of models and simulations of nozzles on pulse detonation engines. The first experimental investigation measuring impulse by gaseous detonation in plain tubes and tubes with nozzles operating in varying environment pressures is presented. Converging, diverging, and converging-diverging nozzles were tested to determine the effect of divergence angle, nozzle length, and volumetric fill fraction on impulse. The largest increases in specific impulse, 72% at an environment pressure of 100 kPa and 43% at an environment pressure of 1.4 kPa, were measured with the largest diverging nozzle tested that had a 12° half angle and was 0.6 m long. Two regimes of nozzle operation that depend on the environment pressure are responsible for these increases and were first observed from these data. To augment this experimental investigation, all data in the literature regarding

  14. Can High Altitude Influence Cytokines and Sleep?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valdir de Aquino Lemos

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The number of persons who relocate to regions of high altitude for work, pleasure, sport, or residence increases every year. It is known that the reduced supply of oxygen (O2 induced by acute or chronic increases in altitude stimulates the body to adapt to new metabolic challenges imposed by hypoxia. Sleep can suffer partial fragmentation because of the exposure to high altitudes, and these changes have been described as one of the responsible factors for the many consequences at high altitudes. We conducted a review of the literature during the period from 1987 to 2012. This work explored the relationships among inflammation, hypoxia and sleep in the period of adaptation and examined a novel mechanism that might explain the harmful effects of altitude on sleep, involving increased Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β, Interleukin-6 (IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α production from several tissues and cells, such as leukocytes and cells from skeletal muscle and brain.

  15. Can High Altitude Influence Cytokines and Sleep?

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Aquino Lemos, Valdir; dos Santos, Ronaldo Vagner Thomatieli; Lira, Fabio Santos; Rodrigues, Bruno; Tufik, Sergio; de Mello, Marco Tulio

    2013-01-01

    The number of persons who relocate to regions of high altitude for work, pleasure, sport, or residence increases every year. It is known that the reduced supply of oxygen (O2) induced by acute or chronic increases in altitude stimulates the body to adapt to new metabolic challenges imposed by hypoxia. Sleep can suffer partial fragmentation because of the exposure to high altitudes, and these changes have been described as one of the responsible factors for the many consequences at high altitudes. We conducted a review of the literature during the period from 1987 to 2012. This work explored the relationships among inflammation, hypoxia and sleep in the period of adaptation and examined a novel mechanism that might explain the harmful effects of altitude on sleep, involving increased Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production from several tissues and cells, such as leukocytes and cells from skeletal muscle and brain. PMID:23690660

  16. Standing detonation wave engine

    KAUST Repository

    Kasimov, Aslan

    2015-01-01

    A detonation engine can detonate a mixture of fuel and oxidizer within a cylindrical detonation region to produce work. The detonation engine can have a first and a second inlet having ends fluidly connected from tanks to the detonation engine

  17. Detonation Wave Profile

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Menikoff, Ralph [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2015-12-14

    The Zel’dovich-von Neumann-Doering (ZND) profile of a detonation wave is derived. Two basic assumptions are required: i. An equation of state (EOS) for a partly burned explosive; P(V, e, λ). ii. A burn rate for the reaction progress variable; d/dt λ = R(V, e, λ). For a steady planar detonation wave the reactive flow PDEs can be reduced to ODEs. The detonation wave profile can be determined from an ODE plus algebraic equations for points on the partly burned detonation loci with a specified wave speed. Furthermore, for the CJ detonation speed the end of the reaction zone is sonic. A solution to the reactive flow equations can be constructed with a rarefaction wave following the detonation wave profile. This corresponds to an underdriven detonation wave, and the rarefaction is know as a Taylor wave.

  18. The Impact of Altitude on Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children Dwelling at High Altitude: A Crossover Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, Benjamin H; Brinton, John T; Ingram, David G; Halbower, Ann C

    2017-09-01

    Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent among children and is associated with adverse health outcomes. Worldwide, approximately 250 million individuals reside at altitudes higher than 2000 meters above sea level (masl). The effect of chronic high-altitude exposure on children with SDB is unknown. This study aims to determine the impact of altitude on sleep study outcomes in children with SDB dwelling at high altitude. A single-center crossover study was performed to compare results of high-altitude home polysomnography (H-PSG) with lower altitude laboratory polysomnography (L-PSG) in school-age children dwelling at high altitude with symptoms consistent with SDB. The primary outcome was apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), with secondary outcomes including obstructive AHI; central AHI; and measures of oxygenation, sleep quality, and pulse rate. Twelve participants were enrolled, with 10 included in the final analysis. Median altitude was 1644 masl on L-PSG and 2531 masl on H-PSG. Median AHI was 2.40 on L-PSG and 10.95 on H-PSG. Both obstructive and central respiratory events accounted for the difference in AHI. Oxygenation and sleep fragmentation were worse and pulse rate higher on H-PSG compared to L-PSG. These findings reveal a clinically substantial impact of altitude on respiratory, sleep, and cardiovascular outcomes in children with SDB who dwell at high altitude. Within this population, L-PSG underestimates obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea compared to H-PSG. Given the shortage of high-altitude pediatric sleep laboratories, these results suggest a role for home sleep apnea testing for children residing at high altitude. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. High-temperature hydrogen-air-steam detonation experiments in the BNL small-scale development apparatus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciccarelli, G.; Ginsburg, T.; Boccio, J.; Economos, C.; Finfrock, C.; Gerlach, L.; Sato, K.; Kinoshita, M.

    1994-08-01

    The Small-Scale Development Apparatus (SSDA) was constructed to provide a preliminary set of experimental data to characterize the effect of temperature on the ability of hydrogen-air-steam mixtures to undergo detonations and, equally important, to support design of the larger scale High-Temperature Combustion Facility (HTCF) by providing a test bed for solution of a number of high-temperature design and operational problems. The SSDA, the central element of which is a 10-cm inside diameter, 6.1-m long tubular test vessel designed to permit detonation experiments at temperatures up to 700K, was employed to study self-sustained detonations in gaseous mixtures of hydrogen, air, and steam at temperatures between 300K and 650K at a fixed initial pressure of 0.1 MPa. Hydrogen-air mixtures with hydrogen composition from 9 to 60 percent by volume and steam fractions up to 35 percent by volume were studied for stoichiometric hydrogen-air-steam mixtures. Detonation cell size measurements provide clear evidence that the effect of hydrogen-air gas mixture temperature, in the range 300K-650K, is to decrease cell size and, hence, to increase the sensitivity of the mixture to undergo detonations. The effect of steam content, at any given temperature, is to increase the cell size and, thereby, to decrease the sensitivity of stoichiometric hydrogen-air mixtures. The hydrogen-air detonability limits for the 10-cm inside diameter SSDA test vessel, based upon the onset of single-head spin, decreased from 15 percent hydrogen at 300K down to between 9 and 10 percent hydrogen at 650K. The one-dimensional ZND model does a very good job at predicting the overall trends in the cell size data over the range of hydrogen-air-steam mixture compositions and temperature studied in the experiments

  20. Fundamental Structure of High-Speed Reacting Flows: Supersonic Combustion and Detonation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-04-30

    interim, memorandum, master’s thesis , progress, quarterly, research, special, group study, etc. 3. DATES COVERED. Indicate the time during which the...liquid rocket engines, studied the concept of rotating detonation rocket engine in both gaseous and two-phase propellants . Recently, there have been...detonation waves. 4.2 Experimental Setup The linear model detonation engine (LDME) serves as an “unwrapped” RDE test bed, shown in Fig. 4.1. Design

  1. Detonation measurements on damaged LX-04

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hsu, Peter; Souers, P.C.; Chidester, Steve; Alvarez, John; De Haven, Martin; Garza, Raul; Harwood, Pat; Maienschein, Jon [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94551 (United States)

    2007-12-15

    We have applied thermal insults on LX-04 at 185 C and found that the material expanded significantly, resulting in a bulk density reduction of 12%. Subsequent detonation experiments (three cylinder tests) were conducted on the thermally damaged LX-04 samples and pristine low-density LX-04 samples and the results showed that the fractions reacted were close to 1.0. The thermally damaged LX-04 and pristine low-density LX-04 showed detonation velocities of 7.7-7.8 mm {mu}s{sup -1}, significantly lower than that (8.5 mm {mu}s{sup -1}) of pristine high-density LX-04. Detonation energy densities for the damaged LX-04, low-density pristine LX-04, and hot cylinder shot of LX-04 were 6.48, 6.62, and 6.58 kJ cm{sup -3}, respectively, lower than the detonation energy density of 8.11 kJ cm{sup -3} for the high density pristine LX-04. The break-out curves for the detonation fronts showed that the damaged LX-04 had longer edge lags than the high density pristine LX-04, indicating that the damaged explosive is less ideal. (Abstract Copyright [2007], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  2. Influence of carbon monoxide additions on the sensitivity of the dry hydrogen-air mixtures to detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magzumov, A.E.; Kirillov, I.A.; Fridman, A.A.; Rusanov, V.D.

    1995-01-01

    Under severe accident conditions of water cooled nuclear reactors the hydrogen-air detonation represents one of the most hazardous events which can result in the reactor containment damage. An important factor related with the measure of gas mixture detonability is the detonation cell size which correlates with the critical tube diameter and detonation initiation energy. A numerical kinetic study is presented of the influence of carbon monoxide admixtures (from 0 vol.% to 40 vol.%) upon the sensitivity (detonation cell size) of the dry hydrogen-air gas mixtures to detonation in post-accident containment atmosphere. (author). 3 refs., 3 figs

  3. Acute high-altitude illness | Hofmeyr | South African Medical Journal

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A substantial proportion of South Africa (SA)'s population lives at high altitude (>1 500 m), and many travel to very high altitudes (>3 500 m) for tourism, business, recreation or religious pilgrimages every year. Despite this, knowledge of acute altitude illnesses is poor among SA doctors. At altitude, the decreasing ambient ...

  4. Understanding the shock and detonation response of high explosives at the continuum and meso scales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handley, C. A.; Lambourn, B. D.; Whitworth, N. J.; James, H. R.; Belfield, W. J.

    2018-03-01

    The shock and detonation response of high explosives has been an active research topic for more than a century. In recent years, high quality data from experiments using embedded gauges and other diagnostic techniques have inspired the development of a range of new high-fidelity computer models for explosives. The experiments and models have led to new insights, both at the continuum scale applicable to most shock and detonation experiments, and at the mesoscale relevant to hotspots and burning within explosive microstructures. This article reviews the continuum and mesoscale models, and their application to explosive phenomena, gaining insights to aid future model development and improved understanding of the physics of shock initiation and detonation propagation. In particular, it is argued that "desensitization" and the effect of porosity on high explosives can both be explained by the combined effect of thermodynamics and hydrodynamics, rather than the traditional hotspot-based explanations linked to pressure-dependent reaction rates.

  5. The sleep of elite athletes at sea level and high altitude: a comparison of sea-level natives and high-altitude natives (ISA3600).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roach, Gregory D; Schmidt, Walter F; Aughey, Robert J; Bourdon, Pitre C; Soria, Rudy; Claros, Jesus C Jimenez; Garvican-Lewis, Laura A; Buchheit, Martin; Simpson, Ben M; Hammond, Kristal; Kley, Marlen; Wachsmuth, Nadine; Gore, Christopher J; Sargent, Charli

    2013-12-01

    Altitude exposure causes acute sleep disruption in non-athletes, but little is known about its effects in elite athletes. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of altitude on two groups of elite athletes, that is, sea-level natives and high-altitude natives. Sea-level natives were members of the Australian under-17 soccer team (n=14). High-altitude natives were members of a Bolivian under-20 club team (n=12). Teams participated in an 18-day (19 nights) training camp in Bolivia, with 6 nights at near sea level in Santa Cruz (430 m) and 13 nights at high altitude in La Paz (3600 m). Sleep was assessed on every day/night using activity monitors. The Australians' sleep was shorter, and of poorer quality, on the first night at altitude compared with sea level. Sleep quality returned to normal by the end of the first week at altitude, but sleep quantity had still not stabilised at its normal level after 2 weeks. The quantity and quality of sleep obtained by the Bolivians was similar, or greater, on all nights at altitude compared with sea level. The Australians tended to obtain more sleep than the Bolivians at sea level and altitude, but the quality of the Bolivians' sleep tended to be better than that of the Australians at altitude. Exposure to high altitude causes acute and chronic disruption to the sleep of elite athletes who are sea-level natives, but it does not affect the sleep of elite athletes who are high-altitude natives.

  6. Preacclimatization in hypoxic chambers for high altitude sojourns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Küpper, Thomas E A H; Schöffl, Volker

    2010-09-01

    Since hypoxic chambers are more and more available, they are used for preacclimatization to prepare for sojourns at high altitude. Since there are different protocols and the data differ, there is no general consensus about the standard how to perform preacclimatization by simulated altitude. The paper reviews the different types of exposure and focuses on the target groups which may benefit from preacclimatization. Since data about intermittent hypoxia for some hours per day to reduce the incidence of acute mountain sickness differ, it is suggested to perform preacclimatization by sleeping some nights at a simulated altitude which follows the altitude profile of the "gold standard" for high altitude acclimatization.

  7. High-Altitude-Induced alterations in Gut-Immune Axis: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khanna, Kunjan; Mishra, K P; Ganju, Lilly; Kumar, Bhuvnesh; Singh, Shashi Bala

    2018-03-04

    High-altitude sojourn above 8000 ft is increasing day by day either for pilgrimage, mountaineering, holidaying or for strategic reasons. In India, soldiers are deployed to these high mountains for their duty or pilgrims visit to the holy places, which are located at very high altitude. A large population also resides permanently in high altitude regions. Every year thousands of pilgrims visit Holy cave of Shri Amarnath ji, which is above 15 000 ft. The poor acclimatization to high altitude may cause alteration in immunity. The low oxygen partial pressure may cause alterations in gut microbiota, which may cause changes in gut immunity. Effect of high altitude on gut-associated mucosal system is new area of research. Many studies have been carried out to understand the physiology and immunology behind the high-altitude-induced gut problems. Few interventions have also been discovered to circumvent the problems caused due to high-altitude conditions. In this review, we have discussed the effects of high-altitude-induced changes in gut immunity particularly peyer's patches, NK cells and inflammatory cytokines, secretary immunoglobulins and gut microbiota. The published articles from PubMed and Google scholar from year 1975 to 2017 on high-altitude hypoxia and gut immunity are cited in this review.

  8. The sleep of elite athletes at sea level and high altitude: a comparison of sea-level natives and high-altitude natives (ISA3600)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roach, Gregory D; Schmidt, Walter F; Aughey, Robert J; Bourdon, Pitre C; Soria, Rudy; Claros, Jesus C Jimenez; Garvican-Lewis, Laura A; Buchheit, Martin; Simpson, Ben M; Hammond, Kristal; Kley, Marlen; Wachsmuth, Nadine; Gore, Christopher J; Sargent, Charli

    2013-01-01

    Background Altitude exposure causes acute sleep disruption in non-athletes, but little is known about its effects in elite athletes. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of altitude on two groups of elite athletes, that is, sea-level natives and high-altitude natives. Methods Sea-level natives were members of the Australian under-17 soccer team (n=14). High-altitude natives were members of a Bolivian under-20 club team (n=12). Teams participated in an 18-day (19 nights) training camp in Bolivia, with 6 nights at near sea level in Santa Cruz (430 m) and 13 nights at high altitude in La Paz (3600 m). Sleep was assessed on every day/night using activity monitors. Results The Australians’ sleep was shorter, and of poorer quality, on the first night at altitude compared with sea level. Sleep quality returned to normal by the end of the first week at altitude, but sleep quantity had still not stabilised at its normal level after 2 weeks. The quantity and quality of sleep obtained by the Bolivians was similar, or greater, on all nights at altitude compared with sea level. The Australians tended to obtain more sleep than the Bolivians at sea level and altitude, but the quality of the Bolivians’ sleep tended to be better than that of the Australians at altitude. Conclusions Exposure to high altitude causes acute and chronic disruption to the sleep of elite athletes who are sea-level natives, but it does not affect the sleep of elite athletes who are high-altitude natives. PMID:24282197

  9. Effects of ascent to high altitude on human antimycobacterial immunity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Eisen

    Full Text Available Tuberculosis infection, disease and mortality are all less common at high than low altitude and ascent to high altitude was historically recommended for treatment. The immunological and mycobacterial mechanisms underlying the association between altitude and tuberculosis are unclear. We studied the effects of altitude on mycobacteria and antimycobacterial immunity.Antimycobacterial immunity was assayed in 15 healthy adults residing at low altitude before and after they ascended to 3400 meters; and in 47 long-term high-altitude residents. Antimycobacterial immunity was assessed as the extent to which participants' whole blood supported or restricted growth of genetically modified luminescent Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG mycobacteria during 96 hours incubation. We developed a simplified whole blood assay that could be used by a technician in a low-technology setting. We used this to compare mycobacterial growth in participants' whole blood versus positive-control culture broth and versus negative-control plasma.Measurements of mycobacterial luminescence predicted the number of mycobacterial colonies cultured six weeks later. At low altitude, mycobacteria grew in blood at similar rates to positive-control culture broth whereas ascent to high altitude was associated with restriction (p ≤ 0.002 of mycobacterial growth to be 4-times less than in culture broth. At low altitude, mycobacteria grew in blood 25-times more than negative-control plasma whereas ascent to high altitude was associated with restriction (p ≤ 0.01 of mycobacterial growth to be only 6-times more than in plasma. There was no evidence of differences in antimycobacterial immunity at high altitude between people who had recently ascended to high altitude versus long-term high-altitude residents.An assay of luminescent mycobacterial growth in whole blood was adapted and found to be feasible in low-resource settings. This demonstrated that ascent to or residence at high altitude was

  10. Characterization of laser-induced plasmas as a complement to high-explosive large-scale detonations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clare Kimblin

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Experimental investigations into the characteristics of laser-induced plasmas indicate that LIBS provides a relatively inexpensive and easily replicable laboratory technique to isolate and measure reactions germane to understanding aspects of high-explosive detonations under controlled conditions. Spectral signatures and derived physical parameters following laser ablation of aluminum, graphite and laser-sparked air are examined as they relate to those observed following detonation of high explosives and as they relate to shocked air. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS reliably correlates reactions involving atomic Al and aluminum monoxide (AlO with respect to both emission spectra and temperatures, as compared to small- and large-scale high-explosive detonations. Atomic Al and AlO resulting from laser ablation and a cited small-scale study, decay within ∼10-5 s, roughly 100 times faster than the Al and AlO decay rates (∼10-3 s observed following the large-scale detonation of an Al-encased explosive. Temperatures and species produced in laser-sparked air are compared to those produced with laser ablated graphite in air. With graphite present, CN is dominant relative to N2+. In studies where the height of the ablating laser’s focus was altered relative to the surface of the graphite substrate, CN concentration was found to decrease with laser focus below the graphite surface, indicating that laser intensity is a critical factor in the production of CN, via reactive nitrogen.

  11. Evaluation of food contamination and health risks caused by radioactive fallout released from atmospheric nuclear detonation tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimada, Yoko; Ito, Yoshihiko; Yoneda, Minoru; Morisawa, Shinsuke

    2011-01-01

    Before Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, radionuclide like 137 Cs released from atmospheric nuclear detonation tests and Chernobyl disaster has been transported worldwide in the environment and finally taken up by humans through various pathways. In this research, dietary intake of 137 Cs and the related health risks to Japanese caused by chronic global radioactive food contamination from 1945 to 2010 were evaluated by using the mathematical model for the evaluation of global distribution of 137 Cs with food ingestion and domestic and international food supply model. The results of this evaluation can show a background situation before Fukushima disaster and give important information for the risk assessment of this disaster. (author)

  12. A novel method for the measurement of the von Neumann spike in detonating high explosives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sollier, A.; Bouyer, V.; Hébert, P.; Doucet, M.

    2016-06-01

    We present detonation wave profiles measured in T2 (97 wt. % TATB) and TX1 (52 wt. % TATB and 45 wt. % HMX) high explosives. The experiments consisted in initiating a detonation wave in a 15 mm diameter cylinder of explosive using an explosive wire detonator and an explosive booster. Free surface velocity wave profiles were measured at the explosive/air interface using a Photon Doppler Velocimetry system. We demonstrate that a comparison of these free surface wave profiles with those measured at explosive/window interfaces in similar conditions allows to bracket the von Neumann spike in a narrow range. For T2, our measurements show that the spike pressure lies between 35.9 and 40.1 GPa, whereas for TX1, it lies between 42.3 and 47.0 GPa. The numerical simulations performed in support to these measurements show that they can be used to calibrate reactive burn models and also to check the accuracy of the detonation products equation of state at low pressure.

  13. Reinforced concrete wall under hydrogen detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saarenheimo, A.

    2000-11-01

    The structural integrity of a reinforced concrete wall in the BWR reactor building under hydrogen detonation conditions has been analysed. Of particular interest is whether the containment integrity can be jeopardised by an external hydrogen detonation. The load carrying capacity of a reinforced concrete wall was studied. The detonation pressure loads were estimated with computerised hand calculations assuming a direct initiation of detonation and applying the strong explosion theory. The results can be considered as rough and conservative estimates for the first shock pressure impact induced by a reflecting detonation wave. Structural integrity may be endangered due to slow pressurisation or dynamic impulse loads associated with local detonations. The static pressure following the passage of a shock front may be relatively high, thus this static or slowly decreasing pressure after a detonation may damage the structure severely. The mitigating effects of the opening of a door on pressure history and structural response were also studied. The non-linear behaviour of the wall was studied under detonations corresponding a detonable hydrogen mass of 0.5 kg and 1.428 kg. Non-linear finite element analyses of the reinforced concrete structure were carried out by the ABAQUS/Explicit program. The reinforcement and its non-linear material behaviour and the tensile cracking of concrete were modelled. Reinforcement was defined as layers of uniformly spaced reinforcing bars in shell elements. In these studies the surrounding structures of the non-linearly modelled reinforced concrete wall were modelled using idealised boundary conditions. Especially concrete cracking and yielding of the reinforcement was monitored during the numerical simulation. (au)

  14. Standing detonation wave engine

    KAUST Repository

    Kasimov, Aslan

    2015-10-08

    A detonation engine can detonate a mixture of fuel and oxidizer within a cylindrical detonation region to produce work. The detonation engine can have a first and a second inlet having ends fluidly connected from tanks to the detonation engine. The first and second inlets can be aligned along a common axis. The inlets can be connected to nozzles and a separator can be positioned between the nozzles and along the common axis.

  15. [Hemoglobin and testosterone: importance on high altitude acclimatization and adaptation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzales, Gustavo F

    2011-03-01

    The different types of response mechanisms that the organism uses when exposed to hypoxia include accommodation, acclimatization and adaptation. Accommodation is the initial response to acute exposure to high altitude hypoxia and is characterized by an increase in ventilation and heart rate. Acclimatization is observed in individuals temporarily exposed to high altitude, and to some extent, it enables them to tolerate the high altitudes. In this phase, erythropoiesis is increased, resulting in higher hemoglobin and hematocrit levels to improve oxygen delivery capacity. Adaptation is the process of natural acclimatization where genetical variations and acclimatization play a role in allowing subjects to live without any difficulties at high altitudes. Testosterone is a hormone that regulates erythropoiesis and ventilation and could be associated to the processes of acclimatization and adaptation to high altitude. Excessive erythrocytosis, which leads to chronic mountain sickness, is caused by low arterial oxygen saturation, ventilatory inefficiency and reduced ventilatory response to hypoxia. Testosterone increases during acute exposure to high altitude and also in natives at high altitude with excessive erythrocytosis. Results of current research allow us to conclude that increase in serum testosterone and hemoglobin is adequate for acclimatization, as they improve oxygen transport, but not for high altitude adaptation, since high serum testosterone levels are associated to excessive erythrocytosis.

  16. Descriptive summary of airblast effects for buried cratering detonations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Snell, C.M.

    1976-01-01

    Detonation of a buried nuclear or high-explosive charge induces an airblast signal in the air above the explosion site. The waveform of this signal may be complex, involving features created by ground surface motion effects, venting and expansion of gas from the explosive cavity, and energy release through an unstemmed or partly stemmed emplacement hole. The basic physical mechanisms responsible for the airblast pulse and some of the techniques commonly used to predict airblast effects are described

  17. Pathology of high altitude pulmonary oedema

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saleem, N.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To describe autopsy findings in fatal cases of high altitude pulmonary oedema. Study Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out between 1999 and 2002 at an army field medical unit in Baltistan, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi and Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Patients and Methods:Autopsies were performed in 17 fatal cases of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) occurring among soldiers serving in Siachen. Results:All cases were males with a mean age of 26.8 years (19-35). The mean altitude at which HAPE occurred was 5192 meters (2895-6492), and the mean duration of stay at these altitudes was 15.3 days (1-30). Eleven individuals had undergone proper acclimatization. The commonest clinical findings were cough (70%), dyspnoea (53%), nausea (47%), headache (41%), vomiting (35%), chest pain (35%) and tightness in chest (24%). Cyanosis and frothy secretions in the nostrils and mouth were present in all but one case. Mean combined weight of lungs was 1470 grams (1070-1810). There was marked congestion of outer and cut surfaces. Interstitial oedema was present in all cases. RBCs and leukocyte infiltrates were seen in 13 and alveolar hyaline membranes in 9 cases. Thrombi were seen in 2 cases. Cerebral oedema was present in 9 cases. Conclusion:HAPE can occur after more than two weeks of stay at high altitudes despite proper acclimatization. Concomitant cerebral oedema is frequently present. Our autopsy findings are consistent with what has been reported previously. (author)

  18. Spall behaviors of high purity copper under sweeping detonation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Yang, E-mail: yangyanggroup@163.com [School of Material Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); National Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metals Material Science and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Zhi-qiang, Peng; Xing-zhi, Chen [School of Material Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metals Material Science and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Zhao-liang, Guo; Tie-gang, Tang; Hai-bo, Hu [Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Qing-ming, Zhang [National Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China)

    2016-01-10

    Suites of sweeping detonation experiments were conducted to assess the spall behavior of high purity copper samples with different heat treatment histories. Incipient spall samples were obtained at different sweeping detonation condition. Metallographic and Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) analyses were performed on the soft-recovered samples. The effects of grain boundaries, grain size, crystal orientation and loading direction on the spall behaviors were discussed. Spall plane branching was found in the main spall plane of the damage samples. For similar microstructure, the area of voids increase with the increase of shock stress, and the coalescence of voids also become more obvious. Results from EBSD analysis show that the grain sizes were decreased and the grains were elongated along the direction of the plate width. Triple junctions composed of two or more general high angle boundaries are the preferred locations for intergranular damage. Voids prefer to nucleate in the grain boundaries composed of grain with high Taylor Factor (TF) than other grains. The damage areas in the grains with high TF are more severe. Boundaries close to perpendicular to the loading direction are more susceptible to void nucleation than the boundaries close to parallel to the loading direction, but the difference of voids nucleated in these two boundaries is less significant than the results obtained by plate impact experiment. It would be caused by the obliquity between the shock loading direction and the plate normal.

  19. High altitude organic gold

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pouliot, Mariève; Pyakurel, Dipesh; Smith-Hall, Carsten

    2018-01-01

    Ethnopharmacological relevance Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) G.H.Sung, J.M.Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora, a high altitude Himalayan fungus-caterpillar product found in alpine meadows in China, Bhutan, Nepal, and India, has been used in the Traditional Chinese Medicine system for over 2000 years...

  20. Oxidative DNA damage and repair in skeletal muscle of humans exposed to high-altitude hypoxia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lundby, Carsten; Pilegaard, Henriette; Hall, Gerrit van; Sander, Mikael; Calbet, Jose; Loft, Steffen; Moeller, Peter

    2003-01-01

    Recent research suggests that high-altitude hypoxia may serve as a model for prolonged oxidative stress in healthy humans. In this study, we investigated the consequences of prolonged high-altitude hypoxia on the basal level of oxidative damage to nuclear DNA in muscle cells, a major oxygen-consuming tissue. Muscle biopsies from seven healthy humans were obtained at sea level and after 2 and 8 weeks of hypoxia at 4100 m.a.s.l. We found increased levels of strand breaks and endonuclease III-sensitive sites after 2 weeks of hypoxia, whereas oxidative DNA damage detected by formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG) protein was unaltered. The expression of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1), determined by quantitative RT-PCR of mRNA levels did not significantly change during high-altitude hypoxia, although the data could not exclude a minor upregulation. The expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was unaltered by prolonged hypoxia, in accordance with the notion that HO-1 is an acute stress response protein. In conclusion, our data indicate high-altitude hypoxia may serve as a good model for oxidative stress and that antioxidant genes are not upregulated in muscle tissue by prolonged hypoxia despite increased generation of oxidative DNA damage

  1. Goals, Objectives, and Requirements (GOR) of the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Team for the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casey, Leslie A.

    2014-01-01

    The goal, objectives, and requirements (GOR) presented in this document define a framework for describing research directed specifically by the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Team of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The intent of this document is to provide a communication tool for the GNDD Team with NNSA management and with its stakeholder community. It describes the GNDD expectation that much of the improvement in the proficiency of nuclear explosion monitoring will come from better understanding of the science behind the generation, propagation, recording, and interpretation of seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic, and radionuclide signals and development of 'game-changer' advances in science and technology.

  2. Goals, Objectives, and Requirements (GOR) of the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Team for the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Casey, Leslie A.

    2014-01-13

    The goal, objectives, and requirements (GOR) presented in this document define a framework for describing research directed specifically by the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Team of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The intent of this document is to provide a communication tool for the GNDD Team with NNSA management and with its stakeholder community. It describes the GNDD expectation that much of the improvement in the proficiency of nuclear explosion monitoring will come from better understanding of the science behind the generation, propagation, recording, and interpretation of seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic, and radionuclide signals and development of "game-changer" advances in science and technology.

  3. Why Are High Altitude Natives So Strong at High Altitude? Nature vs. Nurture: Genetic Factors vs. Growth and Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brutsaert, Tom

    Among high-altitude natives there is evidence of a general hypoxia tolerance leading to enhanced performance and/or increased capacity in several important domains. These domains likely include an enhanced physical work capacity, an enhanced reproductive capacity, and an ability to resist several common pathologies of chronic high-altitude exposure. The "strength" of the high-altitude native in this regard may have both a developmental and a genetic basis, although there is better evidence for the former (developmental effects) than for the latter. For example, early-life hypoxia exposure clearly results in lung growth and remodeling leading to an increased O2 diffusing capacity in adulthood. Genetic research has yet to reveal a population genetic basis for enhanced capacity in high-altitude natives, but several traits are clearly under genetic control in Andean and Tibetan populations e.g., resting and exercise arterial O2 saturation (SaO2). This chapter reviews the effects of nature and nurture on traits that are relevant to the process of gas exchange, including pulmonary volumes and diffusion capacity, the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), the SaO2, and the alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference (A-aDO2) during exercise.

  4. Modeling Hemispheric Detonation Experiments in 2-Dimensions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Howard, W M; Fried, L E; Vitello, P A; Druce, R L; Phillips, D; Lee, R; Mudge, S; Roeske, F

    2006-06-22

    Experiments have been performed with LX-17 (92.5% TATB and 7.5% Kel-F 800 binder) to study scaling of detonation waves using a dimensional scaling in a hemispherical divergent geometry. We model these experiments using an arbitrary Lagrange-Eulerian (ALE3D) hydrodynamics code, with reactive flow models based on the thermo-chemical code, Cheetah. The thermo-chemical code Cheetah provides a pressure-dependent kinetic rate law, along with an equation of state based on exponential-6 fluid potentials for individual detonation product species, calibrated to high pressures ({approx} few Mbars) and high temperatures (20000K). The parameters for these potentials are fit to a wide variety of experimental data, including shock, compression and sound speed data. For the un-reacted high explosive equation of state we use a modified Murnaghan form. We model the detonator (including the flyer plate) and initiation system in detail. The detonator is composed of LX-16, for which we use a program burn model. Steinberg-Guinan models5 are used for the metal components of the detonator. The booster and high explosive are LX-10 and LX-17, respectively. For both the LX-10 and LX-17, we use a pressure dependent rate law, coupled with a chemical equilibrium equation of state based on Cheetah. For LX-17, the kinetic model includes carbon clustering on the nanometer size scale.

  5. Transmission of an overdriven plane detonation in lean hydrogen-air mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desbordes, D.; Lannoy, A.

    1988-01-01

    This paper deals with hydrogen-air explosions hazards in nuclear power plants, if PWR Loss Of Coolant Accident occurs. The main objective concerns the determination of the size of the critical diameter of transmission of a detonation propagating in a near stoechiometric H 2 -Air mixture. In such a situation the diffracting detonation is an overdriven wave. Laboratory scale simulations are described which emphasize the importance of a negative step of concentration of combustible in a mixture (stoechio to lean) on plane detonation characteristics of the lean mixture, especially the drastric reduction (i) of the size of its inrinsic tridimensional structure and (ii) correlatively that of the critical diameter of transmission of the mixture

  6. Detonation mode and frequency analysis under high loss conditions for stoichiometric propane-oxygen

    KAUST Repository

    Jackson, Scott; Lee, Bok Jik; Shepherd, Joseph E.

    2016-01-01

    The propagation characteristics of galloping detonations were quantified with a high-time-resolution velocity diagnostic. Combustion waves were initiated in 30-m lengths of 4.1-mm inner diameter transparent tubing filled with stoichiometric propane

  7. CAMEX-4 ER-2 HIGH ALTITUDE DROPSONDE V1

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The CAMEX-4 ER-2 High Altitude Dropsonde dataset was collected by the ER-2 High Altitude Dropsonde System (EHAD), which used dropwinsondes fitted with Global...

  8. Planning and Response to the Detonation of an Improvised Nuclear Device: Past, Present, and Future Research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bentz, A

    2008-07-31

    While the reality of an improvised nuclear device (IND) being detonated in an American city is unlikely, its destructive power is such that the scenario must be planned for. Upon reviewing the academic literature on the effects of and response to IND events, this report looks to actual responders from around the country. The results from the meetings of public officials in the cities show where gaps exist between theoretical knowledge and actual practice. In addition to the literature, the meetings reveal areas where future research needs to be conducted. This paper recommends that local response planners: meet to discuss the challenges of IND events; offer education to officials, the public, and responders on IND events; incorporate 'shelter-first' into response plans; provide information to the public and responders using the 3 Cs; and engage the private sector (including media) in response plans. In addition to these recommendations for the response planners, the paper provides research questions that once answered will improve response plans around the country. By following the recommendations, both groups, response planners and researchers, can help the country better prepare for and mitigate the effects of an IND detonation.

  9. Planning and Response to the Detonation of an Improvised Nuclear Device: Past, Present, and Future Research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bentz, A.

    2008-01-01

    While the reality of an improvised nuclear device (IND) being detonated in an American city is unlikely, its destructive power is such that the scenario must be planned for. Upon reviewing the academic literature on the effects of and response to IND events, this report looks to actual responders from around the country. The results from the meetings of public officials in the cities show where gaps exist between theoretical knowledge and actual practice. In addition to the literature, the meetings reveal areas where future research needs to be conducted. This paper recommends that local response planners: meet to discuss the challenges of IND events; offer education to officials, the public, and responders on IND events; incorporate 'shelter-first' into response plans; provide information to the public and responders using the 3 Cs; and engage the private sector (including media) in response plans. In addition to these recommendations for the response planners, the paper provides research questions that once answered will improve response plans around the country. By following the recommendations, both groups, response planners and researchers, can help the country better prepare for and mitigate the effects of an IND detonation

  10. Determining the Coalescence of Hotspots into Uniform Detonation Fronts in High Explosives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steward, G. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Mays, R. O. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Converse, M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Baluyot, E. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Tringe, J. W. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Kane, R. J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2017-08-14

    Microwave Interferometry (MI) offers the advantage of a continuous time measurement of detonation front velocity from detonation initiation to disassembly, which is an important step to assure the quality of stockpile high explosives. However, the method is currently characterized by areas of poor signal strength, which lead to low confidence measurements. Experiments in inert materials were conducted to determine if reflective hot spots, pockets of plasma that form during detonation, are responsible due to varying hot spot concentrations. Instead, it was found that the copper tube used in a range of standard HE test configurations is the cause of the poor signal reception. Hot spots were represented by microwave reflective aluminum particles. The aluminum was mixed with Titanium Dioxide, a material electrically similar to the insensitive high explosive, triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB), in volume percent fractions (VPFs) between 0 and 100% aluminum, in increments of 10%. Reflectivity was measured based on input and reflection received from a test apparatus with a layer representing undetonated explosive and another representing an approaching shockwave. The results showed no correlation between VPF and measured reflectivity test cases while enclosed in the standard copper tube. Upon further testing, each sample’s measured reflectivity independent of the copper enclosure did correlate with VPF. This revealed that the test enclosure currently used for MI measurements is causing poor MI signal reception, and new methods must be developed to account for this aberration in MI measurements.

  11. Applicability of Machine-Learning Enabled LIBS in Post Irradiation Nuclear Forensic Analysis of High Level Nuclear Waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onkongi, J.; Maina, D.; Angeyo, H. K.

    2017-01-01

    Nuclear Forensics seeks Information to determine; Chemical Composition, Routes of transit, Origin (Provenance) and Intended use. Post Irradiation/Post detonation NF In a post-detonation event could you get clues/signatures from glass debris, minute sample sizes? Nuclear Forensic Technique Should be State-of -the art that is Rapid, Non-invasive, Remote ability and Non-destructive. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) unlike other Analytic Techniques that require tedious sample preparations such as Dissolution, digestion & matrix removal, which generate additional nuclear wastes that require proper Procedures for handling, storage & ultimate disposal, LIBS overcomes these limitations. Utility of Machine Learning Techniques employed include; Artificial Neural Networks, ANN (Regression/Modelling), Principal component Analysis, PCA (Classification) and Support Vector Machine SVM (Comparative study/Classification Machine Learning coupled with LIBS gives a state of the art analytic method. Utility of the technic in safeguards security and non-proliferation

  12. Critical velocities for deflagration and detonation triggered by voids in a REBO high explosive

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Herring, Stuart Davis [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Germann, Timothy C [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Jensen, Niels G [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2010-01-01

    The effects of circular voids on the shock sensitivity of a two-dimensional model high explosive crystal are considered. We simulate a piston impact using molecular dynamics simulations with a Reactive Empirical Bond Order (REBO) model potential for a sub-micron, sub-ns exothermic reaction in a diatomic molecular solid. The probability of initiating chemical reactions is found to rise more suddenly with increasing piston velocity for larger voids that collapse more deterministically. A void with radius as small as 10 nm reduces the minimum initiating velocity by a factor of 4. The transition at larger velocities to detonation is studied in a micron-long sample with a single void (and its periodic images). The reaction yield during the shock traversal increases rapidly with velocity, then becomes a prompt, reliable detonation. A void of radius 2.5 nm reduces the critical velocity by 10% from the perfect crystal. A Pop plot of the time-to-detonation at higher velocities shows a characteristic pressure dependence.

  13. Initiation of Gaseous Detonation by Conical Projectiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verreault, Jimmy

    Initiation and stabilization of detonation by hypersonic conical projectiles launched into combustible gas mixtures is investigated. This phenomenon must be understood for the design and optimization of specific hypersonic propulsion devices, such as the oblique detonation wave engine and the ram accelerator. The criteria for detonation initiation by a projectile is also related to fundamental aspects of detonation research, such as the requirement for direct initiation of a detonation by a blast wave. Experimental results of this problem also offer useful references for validation of numerical and theoretical modeling. Projectiles with cone half angles varying from 15° to 60° were launched into stoichiometric mixtures of hydrogen/oxygen with 70% argon dilution at initial pressures between 10 and 200 kPa. The projectiles were launched from a combustion-driven gas gun at velocities up to 2.2 km/s (corresponding to 133% of the Chapman Jouguet velocity). Pictures of the flowfields generated by the projectiles were taken via Schlieren photography. Five combustion regimes were observed about the projectile ranging from prompt and delayed oblique detonation wave formation, combustion instabilities, a wave splitting, and an inert shock wave. Two types of transition from the prompt oblique detonation wave regime to the inert shock regime were observed. The first (the delayed oblique detonation wave regime) showed an inert shock attached to the tip of the projectile followed by a sharp kink at the onset of an oblique detonation wave; this regime occurred by decreasing the cone angle at high mixture pressures. The second (the combustion instabilities regime) exhibited large density gradients due to combustion ignition and quenching phenomena; this regime occurred by decreasing the mixture pressure at large cone angles. A number of theoretical models were considered to predict critical conditions for the initiation of oblique detonations. The Lee-Vasiljev model agreed

  14. High-temperature hydrogen-air-steam detonation experiments in the BNL small-scale development apparatus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciccarelli, G.; Ginsberg, T.; Boccio, J.; Economos, C.; Finfrock, C.; Gerlach, L.; Sato, K.

    1994-01-01

    The Small-Scale Development Apparatus (SSDA) was constructed to provide a preliminary set of experimental data to characterize the effect of temperature on the ability of hydrogen-air-steam-mixtures to undergo detonations and, equally important, to support design of the larger-scale High-Temperature Combustion Facility (HTCF) by providing a test bed for solution of a number of high-temperature design and operational problems. The SSDA, the central element of which is 10-cm inside diameter, 6.1-m long tubular test vessel designed to permit detonation experiments at temperatures up to 700K, was employed to study self-sustained detonations in gaseous mixtures of hydrogen, air, and steam at temperature between 300K and 650K at a fixed pressure of 0.1 MPa. Detonation cell size measurements provide clear evidence that the effect of hydrogen-air gas mixture temperature, in the range 300K to 650K, is to decrease cell size and, hence, to increase the sensitivity of the mixture to undergo detonations. The effect of steam content, at any given temperature, is to increase the cell size and, thereby, to decrease the sensitivity of stoichiometric hydrogen-air mixtures. The one-dimensional ZND model does a very good job at predicting the overall trends in the cell size data over the range of hydrogen-air-steam mixture compositions and temperature studied in the experiments. Experiments were conducted to measure the rate of hydrogen oxidation in the absence of ignition sources at temperatures of 500K and 650K, for hydrogen-air mixtures of 15% and 50%, and for a mixture of equimolar hydrogen-air and 30% steam at 650K. The rate of hydrogen oxidation was found to be significant at 650K. Reduction of hydrogen concentration by chemical reaction from 50 to 44% hydrogen, and from 15 to 11% hydrogen, were observed on a time frame of minutes. The DeSoete rate equation predicts the 50% experiment very well, but greatly underestimates the reaction rate of the lean mixtures

  15. Effects of altitude and exercise on pulmonary capillary integrity: evidence for subclinical high-altitude pulmonary edema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eldridge, Marlowe W; Braun, Ruedi K; Yoneda, Ken Y; Walby, William F

    2006-03-01

    Strenuous exercise may be a significant contributing factor for development of high-altitude pulmonary edema, particularly at low or moderate altitudes. Thus we investigated the effects of heavy cycle ergometer exercise (90% maximal effort) under hypoxic conditions in which the combined effects of a marked increase in pulmonary blood flow and nonuniform hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction could add significantly to augment the mechanical stress on the pulmonary microcirculation. We postulated that intense exercise at altitude would result in an augmented permeability edema. We recruited eight endurance athletes and examined their bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for red blood cells (RBCs), protein, inflammatory cells, and soluble mediators at 2 and 26 h after intense exercise under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. After heavy exercise, under all conditions, the athletes developed a permeability edema with high BALF RBC and protein concentrations in the absence of inflammation. We found that exercise at altitude (3,810 m) caused significantly greater leakage of RBCs [9.2 (SD 3.1)x10(4) cells/ml] into the alveolar space than that seen with normoxic exercise [5.4 (SD 1.2)x10(4) cells/ml]. At altitude, the 26-h postexercise BALF revealed significantly higher RBC and protein concentrations, suggesting an ongoing capillary leak. Interestingly, the BALF profiles following exercise at altitude are similar to that of early high-altitude pulmonary edema. These findings suggest that pulmonary capillary disruption occurs with intense exercise in healthy humans and that hypoxia augments the mechanical stresses on the pulmonary microcirculation.

  16. Detonation cell size measurements in high-temperature hydrogen-air-steam mixtures at the BNL high-temperature combustion facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ciccarelli, G.; Ginsberg, T.; Boccio, J.L.

    1997-11-01

    The High-Temperature Combustion Facility (HTCF) was designed and constructed with the objective of studying detonation phenomena in mixtures of hydrogen-air-steam at initially high temperatures. The central element of the HTCF is a 27-cm inner-diameter, 21.3-m long cylindrical test vessel capable of being heating to 700K ± 14K. A unique feature of the HTCF is the 'diaphragmless' acetylene-oxygen gas driver which is used to initiate the detonation in the test gas. Cell size measurements have shown that for any hydrogen-air-steam mixture, increasing the initial mixture temperature, in the range of 300K to 650K, while maintaining the initial pressure of 0.1 MPa, decreases the cell size and thus makes the mixture more detonable. The effect of steam dilution on cell size was tested in stoichiometric and off-stoichiometric (e.g., equivalence ratio of 0.5) hydrogen-air mixtures. Increasing the steam dilution in hydrogen-air mixtures at 0.1 MPa initial pressure increases the cell size, irrespective of initial temperature. It is also observed that the desensitizing effect of steam diminished with increased initial temperature. A 1-dimensional, steady-state Zel'dovich, von Neumann, Doring (ZND) model, with full chemical kinetics, has been used to predict cell size for hydrogen-air-steam mixtures at different initial conditions. Qualitatively the model predicts the overall trends observed in the measured cell size versus mixture composition and initial temperature and pressure. It was found that the proportionality constant used to predict detonation cell size from the calculated ZND model reaction zone varies between 10 and 100 depending on the mixture composition and initial temperature. 32 refs., 35 figs

  17. Effect of oxygen supplementation in a hatchery at high altitude and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of oxygen supplementation on broiler eggs in a hatchery at high altitude on the growth performance and ascites syndrome of broilers reared at low altitude. The treatment groups were low altitude with no oxygen supplemented in the hatchery (LA-NOX); high altitude with ...

  18. Chernobyl radioactivity and high altitude air-particulate monitoring at Islamabad

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhatti, M.S.; Ihsanullah; Shafiq, M.; Perveen, N.; Orfi, S.D.

    1987-11-01

    High altitude sampling of air particulates for radioactivity monitoring was conducted at Islamabad after the CHERNOBYL accident. Smears from aeroplanes flying at varying altitudes were collected and analysed for fresh fission products mainly gamma emitters e.g. Ru-103 and Cs-137 etc. The maximum radioactivity observed was of the order of 15Bq/sample for Ru-103 and 9Bq/sample for Cs-137 respectively. The study was purely qualitative in nature indicated the presence of fresh fission radioactivity at high altitudes over Islamabad. For quantitative measurements at high altitudes sophisticated instrumentation/procedure needs to be adopted. (author)

  19. A Semi-analytic Criterion for the Spontaneous Initiation of Carbon Detonations in White Dwarfs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garg, Uma; Chang, Philip

    2017-01-01

    Despite over 40 years of active research, the nature of the white dwarf progenitors of SNe Ia remains unclear. However, in the last decade, various progenitor scenarios have highlighted the need for detonations to be the primary mechanism by which these white dwarfs are consumed, but it is unclear how these detonations are triggered. In this paper we study how detonations are spontaneously initiated due to temperature inhomogeneities, e.g., hotspots, in burning nuclear fuel in a simplified physical scenario. Following the earlier work by Zel’Dovich, we describe the physics of detonation initiation in terms of the comparison between the spontaneous wave speed and the Chapman–Jouguet speed. We develop an analytic expression for the spontaneous wave speed and utilize it to determine a semi-analytic criterion for the minimum size of a hotspot with a linear temperature gradient between a peak and base temperature for which detonations in burning carbon–oxygen material can occur. Our results suggest that spontaneous detonations may easily form under a diverse range of conditions, likely allowing a number of progenitor scenarios to initiate detonations that burn up the star.

  20. A Semi-analytic Criterion for the Spontaneous Initiation of Carbon Detonations in White Dwarfs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garg, Uma; Chang, Philip, E-mail: umagarg@uwm.edu, E-mail: chang65@uwm.edu [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 North Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States)

    2017-02-20

    Despite over 40 years of active research, the nature of the white dwarf progenitors of SNe Ia remains unclear. However, in the last decade, various progenitor scenarios have highlighted the need for detonations to be the primary mechanism by which these white dwarfs are consumed, but it is unclear how these detonations are triggered. In this paper we study how detonations are spontaneously initiated due to temperature inhomogeneities, e.g., hotspots, in burning nuclear fuel in a simplified physical scenario. Following the earlier work by Zel’Dovich, we describe the physics of detonation initiation in terms of the comparison between the spontaneous wave speed and the Chapman–Jouguet speed. We develop an analytic expression for the spontaneous wave speed and utilize it to determine a semi-analytic criterion for the minimum size of a hotspot with a linear temperature gradient between a peak and base temperature for which detonations in burning carbon–oxygen material can occur. Our results suggest that spontaneous detonations may easily form under a diverse range of conditions, likely allowing a number of progenitor scenarios to initiate detonations that burn up the star.

  1. Hemoglobin and testosterone: importance on high altitude acclimatization and adaptation

    OpenAIRE

    Gonzales, Gustavo F.; Jefe de la Unidad de Reproducción, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Altura y Jefe del Laboratorio de Endocrinología y Reproducción, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. Doctor en Medicina y Doctor en Ciencias. Especialista en Endocrinología.

    2011-01-01

    The different types of response mechanisms that the organism uses when exposed to hypoxia include accommodation, acclimatization and adaptation. Accommodation is the initial response to acute exposure to high altitude hypoxia and is characterized by an increase in ventilation and heart rate. Acclimatization is observed in individuals temporarily exposed to high altitude, and to some extent, it enables them to tolerate the high altitudes. In this phase, erythropoiesis is increased, resulti...

  2. Evaluation of Straight and Swept Ramp Obstacles on Enhancing Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition in Pulse Detonation Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-12-01

    This led to the work of H. Le Chatelier and E. Mallard, who in 1883 conducted experiments to examine the detonation process more closely. Their work...describes the history of research into detonation and the principles that govern detonation theory. A. DETONATION HISTORY 1. Early Research in...these favorable properties and for a propulsion system and is a principle means of detonation initiation in pulse detonation engines. DDT refers to a

  3. Evaluation of ammonium bifluoride fusion for rapid dissolution in post-detonation nuclear forensic analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hubley, Nicholas T.; Brockman, John D.; Robertson, J. David; Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO

    2017-01-01

    Dissolution of geological reference materials by fusion with ammonium bifluoride, NH_4HF_2 or ABF, was evaluated for its potential use in post-detonation nuclear forensics. The fusion procedure was optimized such that the total dissolution time was <3 h without compromising recovery. Geological reference materials containing various levels of silicates were dissolved and measured by ICP-MS to quantify elemental recovery. Dissolutions of NIST 278 obsidian and urban canyon matrix were performed with radiotracer spikes to measure potential loss of volatile elements during the fusion procedure via gamma-ray spectroscopy. Elemental percent recoveries obtained by ICP-MS were found to be 80-120% while recoveries of radiotracers were observed to be 90-100% with the exception of iodine.

  4. Evaluation of ammonium bifluoride fusion for rapid dissolution in post-detonation nuclear forensic analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hubley, Nicholas T. [Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Brockman, John D. [Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO (United States). Research Reactor Center; Robertson, J. David [Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO (United States). Research Reactor Center; Missouri Univ., Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

    2017-10-01

    Dissolution of geological reference materials by fusion with ammonium bifluoride, NH{sub 4}HF{sub 2} or ABF, was evaluated for its potential use in post-detonation nuclear forensics. The fusion procedure was optimized such that the total dissolution time was <3 h without compromising recovery. Geological reference materials containing various levels of silicates were dissolved and measured by ICP-MS to quantify elemental recovery. Dissolutions of NIST 278 obsidian and urban canyon matrix were performed with radiotracer spikes to measure potential loss of volatile elements during the fusion procedure via gamma-ray spectroscopy. Elemental percent recoveries obtained by ICP-MS were found to be 80-120% while recoveries of radiotracers were observed to be 90-100% with the exception of iodine.

  5. Can people with Raynaud's phenomenon travel to high altitude?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luks, Andrew M; Grissom, Colin K; Jean, Dominique; Swenson, Erik R

    2009-01-01

    To determine whether high altitude travel adversely affects mountain enthusiasts with Raynaud's phenomenon. Volunteers with Raynaud's phenomenon were recruited using announcements disseminated by organizations dedicated to climbing or wilderness travel and Internet discussion boards dedicated to mountain activities to complete an online, anonymous survey. Survey questions addressed demographic variables, aspects of their Raynaud's phenomenon, and features of their mountain activities. Respondents compared experiences with Raynaud's phenomenon between high (>2440 m; 8000 feet) and low elevations and rated agreement with statements concerning their disease and the effects of high altitude. One hundred forty-two people, 98% of whom had primary Raynaud's phenomenon, completed the questionnaire. Respondents spent 5 to 7 days per month at elevations above 2440 m and engaged in 5.4 +/- 2.0 different activities. Eighty-nine percent of respondents engaged in winter sports and only 22% reported changing their mountain activities because of Raynaud's phenomenon. Respondents reported a variety of tactics to prevent and treat Raynaud's attacks, but only 12% used prophylactic medications. Fifteen percent of respondents reported an episode of frostbite following a Raynaud's phenomenon attack at high altitude. There was considerable heterogeneity in participants' perceptions of the frequency, duration, and severity of attacks at high altitude compared to their home elevation. Motivated individuals with primary Raynaud's phenomenon, employing various prevention and treatment strategies, can engage in different activities, including winter sports, at altitudes above 2440 m. Frostbite may be common in this population at high altitude, and care must be taken to prevent its occurrence.

  6. Ocular morbidity among porters at high altitudes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gnyawali, Subodh; Shrestha, Gauri Shankar; Khanal, Safal; Dennis, Talisa; Spencer, John C

    2017-01-01

    High altitude, often characterized by settings over 2400m, can be detrimental to the human body and pose a significant risk to ocular health. Reports concerning various ocular morbidities occurring as a consequence of high altitude are limited in the current literature. This study was aimed at evaluating the ocular health of porters working at high altitudesof Himalayas in Nepal. A mobile eye clinic was set up in Ghat and patient data were collected from its out- patient unit by a team of seven optometrists which was run for five days. Ghat is a small village in north-eastern Nepal, located at 2860 m altitude. Travellers walking through the trekking route were invited to get their eyes checked at the clinic. Comprehensive ocular examinations were performed, including visual acuities, objective and subjective refraction, anterior and posterior segment evaluations, and intraocular pressure measurements; blood pressure and blood glucose levels were also measured as required. Ocular therapeutics, prescription glasses, sunglasses and ocular health referrals were provided free of cost as necessary. A total of 1890 people visited the eye clinic, among which 57.4% (n=1084) were porters. Almost half of the porters had an ocular morbidity. Correctable refractive error was most prevalent, with other ocular health-related complications, including dry eye disease, infectious disorders, glaucoma and cataract. Proper provision of regular and effective eye care services should be made more available for those residing at these high altitudes in Nepal. © NEPjOPH.

  7. Shape memory alloy resistance behaviour at high altitude for feedback control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, W. T.; Sedan, M. F.; Abdullah, E. J.; Azrad, S.; Harithuddin, A. S. M.

    2017-12-01

    Many recent aerospace technologies are using smart actuators to reduce the system's complexity and increase its reliability. One such actuator is shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator, which is lightweight, produces high force and large deflection. However, some disadvantages in using SMA actuators have been identified and they include nonlinear response of the strain to input current, hysteresis characteristic that results in inaccurate control and less than optimum system performance, high operating temperatures, slow response and also high requirement of electrical power to obtain the desired actuation forces. It is still unknown if the SMA actuators can perform effectively at high altitude with low surrounding temperature. The work presented here covers the preliminary process of verifying the feasibility of using resistance as feedback control at high altitude for aerospace applications. Temperature and resistance of SMA actuator at high altitude is investigated by conducting an experiment onboard a high altitude balloon. The results from the high altitude experiment indicate that the resistance or voltage drop of the SMA wire is not significantly affected by the low surrounding temperature at high altitude as compared to the temperature of SMA. Resistance feedback control for SMA actuators may be suitable for aerospace applications.

  8. A summary of hydrogen-air detonation experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guirao, C.M.; Knystautas, R.; Lee, J.H.

    1989-05-01

    Dynamic detonation parameters are reviewed for hydrogen-air-diluent detonations and deflagration-to-detonation transitions (DDT). These parameters include the characteristic chemical length scale, such as the detonation cell width, associated with the three-dimensional cellular structure of detonation waves, critical transmission conditions of confined detonations into unconfined environments, critical initiation energy for unconfined detonations, detonability limits, and critical conditions for DDT. The detonation cell width, which depends on hydrogen and diluent concentrations, pressure, and temperature, is an important parameter in the prediction of critical geometry-dependent conditions for the transmission of confined detonations into unconfined environments and the critical energies for the direct initiation of unconfined detonations. Detonability limits depend on both initial and boundary conditions and the limit has been defined as the onset of single head spin. Four flame propagation regimes have been identified and the criterion for DDT in a smooth tube is discussed. 108 refs., 28 figs., 5 tabs

  9. Detonation of hydrogen-air mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.H.S.; Knystautas, R.; Benedick, W.B.

    1983-01-01

    The detonation of a hydrogen-air cloud subsequent to an accidental release of hydrogen into ambient surroundings cannot be totally ruled out in view of the relative sensitivity of the hydrogen-air system. The present paper investigates the key parameters involved in hydrogen-air detonations and attempts to establish quantitative correlations between those that have important practical implications. Thus, for example, the characteristic length scale lambda describing the cellular structure of a detonation front is measured for a broad range of hydrogen-air mixtures and is quantitatively correlated with the key dynamic detonation properties such as detonability, transmission and initiation

  10. Phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia in vertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storz, Jay F; Scott, Graham R; Cheviron, Zachary A

    2010-12-15

    High-altitude environments provide ideal testing grounds for investigations of mechanism and process in physiological adaptation. In vertebrates, much of our understanding of the acclimatization response to high-altitude hypoxia derives from studies of animal species that are native to lowland environments. Such studies can indicate whether phenotypic plasticity will generally facilitate or impede adaptation to high altitude. Here, we review general mechanisms of physiological acclimatization and genetic adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia in birds and mammals. We evaluate whether the acclimatization response to environmental hypoxia can be regarded generally as a mechanism of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, or whether it might sometimes represent a misdirected response that acts as a hindrance to genetic adaptation. In cases in which the acclimatization response to hypoxia is maladaptive, selection will favor an attenuation of the induced phenotypic change. This can result in a form of cryptic adaptive evolution in which phenotypic similarity between high- and low-altitude populations is attributable to directional selection on genetically based trait variation that offsets environmentally induced changes. The blunted erythropoietic and pulmonary vasoconstriction responses to hypoxia in Tibetan humans and numerous high-altitude birds and mammals provide possible examples of this phenomenon. When lowland animals colonize high-altitude environments, adaptive phenotypic plasticity can mitigate the costs of selection, thereby enhancing prospects for population establishment and persistence. By contrast, maladaptive plasticity has the opposite effect. Thus, insights into the acclimatization response of lowland animals to high-altitude hypoxia can provide a basis for predicting how altitudinal range limits might shift in response to climate change.

  11. Measurement of critical energy for direct initiation of spherical detonations in stoichiometric high-pressure H{sub 2}-O{sub 2} mixtures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kamenskihs, Vsevolods; Lee, John H.S. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Ng, Hoi Dick [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

    2010-09-15

    In this study, the critical energy for direct initiation of spherical detonations in stoichiometric high-pressure hydrogen-oxygen mixtures are measured and investigated to look at the effect of explosion limits on the detonation sensitivity. Results up to an initial pressure of 20 atm are obtained. Experiments are carried out in a spherical bomb and direct initiation is achieved via spark ignition from a high-voltage capacitor discharge. A detailed description of different methods to obtain a good estimate of the correct amount of energy deposited into the mixture used to initiate the detonation, including the calorimeter method and current method, is provided. It is demonstrated that at elevated initial pressure, the second explosion limit effect plays a significant role leading to slow-branching reactions and the detonation sensitivity of hydrogen mixtures is comparable to other common hydrocarbon mixtures at such condition. (author)

  12. Estimating heats of detonation and detonation velocities of aromatic energetic compounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keshavarz, Mohammad Hossein [Department of Chemistry, Malek-ashtar University of Technology, Shahin-shahr, P. O. Box 83145/115 (Iran)

    2008-12-15

    A new method is introduced to predict reliable estimation of heats of detonation of aromatic energetic compounds. At first step, this procedure assumes that the heat of detonation of an explosive compound of composition C{sub a}H{sub b}N{sub c}O{sub d} can be approximated as the difference between the heat of formation of all H{sub 2}O-CO{sub 2} arbitrary (H{sub 2}O, CO{sub 2}, N{sub 2}) detonation products and that of the explosive, divided by the formula weight of the explosive. Overestimated results based on (H{sub 2}O-CO{sub 2} arbitrary) can be corrected in the next step. Predicted heats of detonation of pure energetic compounds with the product H{sub 2}O in the liquid state for 31 aromatic energetic compounds have a root mean square (rms) deviation of 2.08 and 0.34 kJ g{sup -1} from experiment for (H{sub 2}O-CO{sub 2} arbitrary) and new method, respectively. The new method also gives good results as compared to the second sets of decomposition products, which consider H{sub 2},N{sub 2}, H{sub 2}O,CO, and CO{sub 2} as major gaseous products. It is shown here how the predicted heats of detonation by the new method can be used to obtain reliable estimation of detonation velocity over a wide range of loading densities. (Abstract Copyright [2008], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  13. Gaseous detonation initiation via wave implosion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Scott Irving

    Efficient detonation initiation is a topic of intense interest to designers of pulse detonation engines. This experimental work is the first to detonate propane-air mixtures with an imploding detonation wave and to detonate a gas mixture with a non-reflected, imploding shock. In order to do this, a unique device has been developed that is capable of generating an imploding toroidal detonation wave inside of a tube from a single ignition point without any obstruction to the tube flow path. As part of this study, an initiator that creates a large-aspect-ratio planar detonation wave in gas-phase explosive from a single ignition point has also been developed. The effectiveness of our initiation devices has been evaluated. The minimum energy required by the imploding shock for initiation was determined to scale linearly with the induction zone length, indicating the presence of a planar initiation mode. The imploding toroidal detonation initiator was found to be more effective at detonation initiation than the imploding shock initiator, using a comparable energy input to that of current initiator tubes.

  14. Research progress on high altitude retinopathy and application of Traditional Chinese Medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hai-Xiang Huang

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available High altitude retinopathy(HARrefers to the body which can't adapt to the hypobaric hypoxia environment at high altitude leading to retinal diseases, which typically manifested as retinal hemorrhages, optic disc edema and cotton wool spots. With the development of high altitude medicine, HAR become a hot topic of eye research in recent years. New researches show a significantly higher incidence of HAR, and HAR has a close contact with acute mountain sickness, high altitude cerebral edema and high altitude pulmonary edema. A further study in pathogenesis and prevention measures of HAR will promote the prevention of altitude sickness. Traditional Chinese Medicine has achieved good effects in the prevention of altitude sickness, but the effect and mechanism of herbs on HAR has not been reported. Through read and summarize the relevant literatures and reports, the author will give an overview of the research advances on HAR's pathogenesis and application of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

  15. The hydrodynamic theory of detonation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langweiler, Heinz

    1939-01-01

    This report derives equations containing only directly measurable constants for the quantities involved in the hydrodynamic theory of detonation. The stable detonation speed, D, is revealed as having the lowest possible value in the case of positive material velocity, by finding the minimum of the Du curve (u denotes the speed of the gases of combustion). A study of the conditions of energy and impulse in freely suspended detonating systems leads to the disclosure of a rarefaction front traveling at a lower speed behind the detonation front; its velocity is computed. The latent energy of the explosive passes into the steadily growing detonation zone - the region between the detonation front and the rarefaction front. The conclusions lead to a new definition of the concept of shattering power. The calculations are based on the behavior of trinitrotoluene.

  16. Lightning-resistant, low-inductance detonator cables

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Druce, R.L.; Lee, R.S.; Moua, K.

    1994-04-01

    A lightning strike on a flat detonator cable in close proximity to a high explosive (HE) main charge poses a possible detonation hazard if the electrical explosion of the cable launches the dielectric cover coat of the cable at a high enough velocity to shock-initiate the HE. The detonator cable for the W87 system has been demonstrated to be incapable of initiating LX-17 main-charge explosive even for a 99 percentile negative lightning strike (1). The W87 cable is a relatively high inductance cable, unsuitable for use with low-inductance firesets. We have performed tests on a low-inductance cable designed for the W89 program, which show it to be marginal in its ability to withstand a lightning strike without the possibility of initiating a heated LX-17 main charge HE. A new cable design, proposed by R.E. Lee of LLNL has been tested and shown to be capable of withstanding a 99 percentile negative lightning strike without initiating LX-17 heated to 250{degree}C.

  17. Exploring the Limits of High Altitude GPS for Future Lunar Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashman, Benjamin W.; Parker, Joel J. K.; Bauer, Frank H.; Esswein, Michael

    2018-01-01

    An increasing number of spacecraft are relying on the Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation at altitudes near or above the GPS constellation itself - the region known as the Space Service Volume (SSV). While the formal definition of the SSV ends at geostationary altitude, the practical limit of high-altitude space usage is not known, and recent missions have demonstrated that signal availability is sufficient for operational navigation at altitudes halfway to the moon. This paper presents simulation results based on a high-fidelity model of the GPS constellation, calibrated and validated through comparisons of simulated GPS signal availability and strength with flight data from recent high-altitude missions including the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 16 (GOES-16) and the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. This improved model is applied to the transfer to a lunar near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) of the class being considered for the international Deep Space Gateway concept. The number of GPS signals visible and their received signal strengths are presented as a function of receiver altitude in order to explore the practical upper limit of high-altitude space usage of GPS.

  18. AltitudeOmics: Resetting of cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity following acclimatization to high altitude

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jui-Lin eFan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies reported enhanced cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity upon ascent to high altitude using linear models. However, there is evidence that this response may be sigmoidal in nature. Moreover, it was speculated that these changes at high altitude are mediated by alterations in acid-base buffering. Accordingly, we reanalyzed previously published data to assess middle cerebral blood flow velocity (MCAv responses to modified rebreathing at sea level (SL, upon ascent (ALT1 and following 16 days of acclimatization (ALT16 to 5,260 m in 21 lowlanders. Using sigmoid curve fitting of the MCAv responses to CO2, we found the amplitude (95% vs. 129%, SL vs. ALT1, 95% confidence intervals (CI [77, 112], [111, 145], respectively, P=0.024 and the slope of the sigmoid response (4.5 vs. 7.5 %/mmHg, SL vs. ALT1, 95% CIs [3.1, 5.9], [6.0, 9.0], respectively, P=0.026 to be enhanced at ALT1, which persisted with acclimatization at ALT16 (amplitude: 177%, 95% CI [139, 215], P<0.001; slope: 10.3 %/mmHg, 95% CI [8.2, 12.5], P=0.003 compared to SL. Meanwhile, the sigmoidal response midpoint was unchanged at ALT1 (SL: 36.5 mmHg; ALT1: 35.4 mmHg, 95% CIs [34.0, 39.0], [33.1, 37.7], respectively, P=0.982, while it was reduced by ~7 mmHg at ALT16 (28.6 mmHg, 95% CI [26.4, 30.8], P=0.001 vs. SL, indicating leftward shift of the cerebrovascular CO2 response to a lower arterial partial pressure of CO2 (PaCO2 following acclimatization to altitude. Sigmoid fitting revealed a leftward shift in the midpoint of the cerebrovascular response curve which could not be observed with linear fitting. These findings demonstrate that there is resetting of the cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity operating point to a lower PaCO2 following acclimatization to high altitude. This cerebrovascular resetting is likely the result of an altered acid-base buffer status resulting from prolonged exposure to the severe hypocapnia associated with ventilatory acclimatization to high altitude.

  19. Radiation exposure and high-altitude flight. NCRP Commentary No. 12

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-01-01

    Enhanced air crew and public radiation exposure while flying at current altitudes and speeds has not been adequately addressed. However, the commercial aircraft industry continues to expand with greater numbers of passengers and more air crews year by year. With the expected expansions in high-altitude flight in the next two decades there will be many more people exposed to higher levels of ionizing radiation than currently. The equivalent dose rates at the higher altitudes are of the order of two to three times those received at current aircraft altitudes, but are not known very well, partly because of limitations in the knowledge of the component radiations, especially the high-energy neutron component. The risks are also more uncertain than for low-LET exposures on the ground because of uncertainty in an average W R to use for high-LET radiations. Exposures of current air crew are presently comparable with the average exposures of other radiation workers on the ground (EPA, 1995). Substantially higher exposures must be expected at high altitudes to air crew (perhaps approaching or possibly exceeding the current limit for workers on the ground). Higher exposures to sensitive groups of the population such as the fetuses carried by pregnant women are of special concern. Therefore, steps must be taken to improve our knowledge base with respect to dose levels and risks at these high altitudes. Following acquisition of this knowledge, modifications in radiation protection practices with respect to air crew and passengers will need to be considered and recommended to assure that adequate radiation protection is provided with respect to high-altitude flight

  20. Autophagy Is a Promoter for Aerobic Exercise Performance during High Altitude Training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Zhang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available High altitude training is one of the effective strategies for improving aerobic exercise performance at sea level via altitude acclimatization, thereby improving oxygen transport and/or utilization. But its underlying molecular mechanisms on physiological functions and exercise performance of athletes are still vague. More recent evidence suggests that the recycling of cellular components by autophagy is an important process of the body involved in the adaptive responses to exercise. Whether high altitude training can activate autophagy or whether high altitude training can improve exercise performance through exercise-induced autophagy is still unclear. In this narrative review article, we will summarize current research advances in the improvement of exercise performance through high altitude training and its reasonable molecular mechanisms associated with autophagy, which will provide a new field to explore the molecular mechanisms of adaptive response to high altitude training.

  1. Glucose Homeostasis During Short-term and Prolonged Exposure to High Altitudes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ader, Marilyn; Bergman, Richard N.

    2015-01-01

    Most of the literature related to high altitude medicine is devoted to the short-term effects of high-altitude exposure on human physiology. However, long-term effects of living at high altitudes may be more important in relation to human disease because more than 400 million people worldwide reside above 1500 m. Interestingly, individuals living at higher altitudes have a lower fasting glycemia and better glucose tolerance compared with those who live near sea level. There is also emerging evidence of the lower prevalence of both obesity and diabetes at higher altitudes. The mechanisms underlying improved glucose control at higher altitudes remain unclear. In this review, we present the most current evidence about glucose homeostasis in residents living above 1500 m and discuss possible mechanisms that could explain the lower fasting glycemia and lower prevalence of obesity and diabetes in this population. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate and maintain the lower fasting glycemia in individuals who live at higher altitudes could lead to new therapeutics for impaired glucose homeostasis. PMID:25675133

  2. High-resolution Hydrodynamic Simulation of Tidal Detonation of a Helium White Dwarf by an Intermediate Mass Black Hole

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanikawa, Ataru

    2018-05-01

    We demonstrate tidal detonation during a tidal disruption event (TDE) of a helium (He) white dwarf (WD) with 0.45 M ⊙ by an intermediate mass black hole using extremely high-resolution simulations. Tanikawa et al. have shown tidal detonation in results of previous studies from unphysical heating due to low-resolution simulations, and such unphysical heating occurs in three-dimensional (3D) smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations even with 10 million SPH particles. In order to avoid such unphysical heating, we perform 3D SPH simulations up to 300 million SPH particles, and 1D mesh simulations using flow structure in the 3D SPH simulations for 1D initial conditions. The 1D mesh simulations have higher resolutions than the 3D SPH simulations. We show that tidal detonation occurs and confirm that this result is perfectly converged with different space resolution in both 3D SPH and 1D mesh simulations. We find that detonation waves independently arise in leading parts of the WD, and yield large amounts of 56Ni. Although detonation waves are not generated in trailing parts of the WD, the trailing parts would receive detonation waves generated in the leading parts and would leave large amounts of Si group elements. Eventually, this He WD TDE would synthesize 56Ni of 0.30 M ⊙ and Si group elements of 0.08 M ⊙, and could be observed as a luminous thermonuclear transient comparable to SNe Ia.

  3. Detonation Synthesis of Alpha-Variant Silicon Carbide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langenderfer, Martin; Johnson, Catherine; Fahrenholtz, William; Mochalin, Vadym

    2017-06-01

    A recent research study has been undertaken to develop facilities for conducting detonation synthesis of nanomaterials. This process involves a familiar technique that has been utilized for the industrial synthesis of nanodiamonds. Developments through this study have allowed for experimentation with the concept of modifying explosive compositions to induce synthesis of new nanomaterials. Initial experimentation has been conducted with the end goal being synthesis of alpha variant silicon carbide (α-SiC) in the nano-scale. The α-SiC that can be produced through detonation synthesis methods is critical to the ceramics industry because of a number of unique properties of the material. Conventional synthesis of α-SiC results in formation of crystals greater than 100 nm in diameter, outside nano-scale. It has been theorized that the high temperature and pressure of an explosive detonation can be used for the formation of α-SiC in the sub 100 nm range. This paper will discuss in detail the process development for detonation nanomaterial synthesis facilities, optimization of explosive charge parameters to maximize nanomaterial yield, and introduction of silicon to the detonation reaction environment to achieve first synthesis of nano-sized alpha variant silicon carbide.

  4. Light-initiated detonation systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Stafford S.; Malone, Philip G.; Bartholomew, Stephen W.; Necker, William J.

    1986-09-01

    Numerous light sources could be employed in detonation systems, but lasers have the most efficient coupling to optical fibers and can generate energetic light pulses required for detonation. Flash lamp-pumped, solid state lasers are presently the most useful light source for explosive initiation. Laser diodes in current production cannot generate enough energy for practical applications. The most useful optical fiber for blast line application is a step index fiber with a large core-to-cladding ratio. The large core minimizes energy losses due to misalignment core of fibers in connectors. Couplers that involve mechanically crimped connectors and cleaved fibers, rather than the epoxy-cemented connectors with polished fibers, provide superior energy transmission due to the reduced carbonization at the fiber end. Detonators for optical initiation systems are similar in basic construction to those employed in electrical initiation systems. Explosive and pyrotechnic charges can also be similar. Either primary or secondary explosives can be initiated in present laser-based systems. Two laser detonation systems are presently accessible; a multiple-shot laser with a single-shot, single fiber system designed for use with detonators containing primary explosives. Additional research related to development of low-energy, photoreactive detonators, continuity checking techniques and improved connectors and fibers can produce significant improvements in presently fielded systems.

  5. Detonation Jet Engine. Part 2--Construction Features

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulat, Pavel V.; Volkov, Konstantin N.

    2016-01-01

    We present the most relevant works on jet engine design that utilize thermodynamic cycle of detonative combustion. Detonation engines of various concepts, pulse detonation, rotational and engine with stationary detonation wave, are reviewed. Main trends in detonation engine development are discussed. The most important works that carried out…

  6. High Altitude Clear Air Turbulence Project

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory conducted the High Altitude Clear Air Turbulence Project in the mid 1960s with the intention of better understanding air...

  7. Hemorrhages and hemostasis in guinea-pigs exposed to irradiation at high altitude

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tartakovskij, V.N.; Daniyarov, S.B.

    1988-01-01

    Hemorrhagic intensity, hemostasis and blood vessel wall resistance to mechanical effects were studied in guinea-pigs exposed to whole-body irradiation (3.0 Gy). The animals were irradiated at low altitude (760 m above sea level) and at high altitude (3200 m above sea level) after 1 and 31 days of adaptation. It was demonstrated that hemorrhagic intensity in both groups of guinea-pigs irradiated at high altitude was significantly reduced in comparison with that at low altitude. The decrease of radiation-induced hemorrhages at high altitude is associated with less severe changes in thrombopoiesis, blood vessel wall and blood coagulation

  8. The characteristics of void distribution in spalled high purity copper cylinder under sweeping detonation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yang; Jiang, Zhi; Chen, Jixinog; Guo, Zhaoliang; Tang, Tiegang; Hu, Haibo

    2018-03-01

    The effects of different peak compression stresses (2-5 GPa) on the spallation behaviour of high purity copper cylinder during sweeping detonation were examined by Electron Backscatter Diffraction Microscopy, Doppler Pins System and Optical Microscopy techniques. The velocity history of inner surface and the characteristics of void distributions in spalled copper cylinder were investigated. The results indicated that the spall strength of copper in these experiments was less than that revealed in previous reports concerning plate impact loading. The geometry of cylindrical copper and the obliquity of incident shock during sweeping detonation may be the main reasons. Different loading stresses seemed to be responsible for the characteristics of the resultant damage fields, and the maximum damage degree increased with increasing shock stress. Spall planes in different cross-sections of sample loaded with the same shock stress of 3.29 GPa were found, and the distance from the initiation end has little effect on the maximum damage degree (the maximum damage range from 12 to 14%), which means that the spallation behaviour was stable along the direction parallel to the detonation propagation direction under the same shock stress.

  9. Eccentric H2 detonation in a nuclear power plant steel containment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maresca, G.; Pino, G.

    1992-01-01

    At present, studies are in progress at ENEA-DISP to assess the performance of a steel containment under hydrogen detonation. Although considered unprobable to occur, this event is studied as a load on the safe side challenging the containment. A complete model to simulate the shock wave behavior and the fluid-structure interaction between the containment atmosphere and the containment wall has been set up at ENEA-DISP and a monodimensional axisymmetric case already studied. In the present paper the two-dimensional extension of the numerical model has been used. A plane slice of the wall and of the atmosphere filling the containment is considered. A cylindrical detonation wave is supposed to start from a source located eccentrically with respect to the containment axis. Because of the exploratory nature of the numerical model, a period of only 20 msec has been considered, although 100 msec should be considered as a minimum in a large metal containment to exclude further growing of plastic strains produced by consecutive reflections. At variance with the axisymmetric case bending stresses are developed now. The use of the model in order to assess a strain failure criterion to be applied at the dynamic portion of the H 2 detonation load is considered. In the paper the influence of different initial values of the relevant parameters (pressure, temperature, hydrogen concentration and source location) is examined in order to assess a range of equivalent conditions

  10. Mechanisms of Memory Dysfunction during High Altitude Hypoxia Training in Military Aircrew.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nation, Daniel A; Bondi, Mark W; Gayles, Ellis; Delis, Dean C

    2017-01-01

    Cognitive dysfunction from high altitude exposure is a major cause of civilian and military air disasters. Pilot training improves recognition of the early symptoms of altitude exposure so that countermeasures may be taken before loss of consciousness. Little is known regarding the nature of cognitive impairments manifesting within this critical window when life-saving measures may still be taken. Prior studies evaluating cognition during high altitude simulation have predominantly focused on measures of reaction time and other basic attention or motor processes. Memory encoding, retention, and retrieval represent critical cognitive functions that may be vulnerable to acute hypoxic/ischemic events and could play a major role in survival of air emergencies, yet these processes have not been studied in the context of high altitude simulation training. In a series of experiments, military aircrew underwent neuropsychological testing before, during, and after brief (15 min) exposure to high altitude simulation (20,000 ft) in a pressure-controlled chamber. Acute exposure to high altitude simulation caused rapid impairment in learning and memory with relative preservation of basic visual and auditory attention. Memory dysfunction was predominantly characterized by deficiencies in memory encoding, as memory for information learned during high altitude exposure did not improve after washout at sea level. Retrieval and retention of memories learned shortly before altitude exposure were also impaired, suggesting further impairment in memory retention. Deficits in memory encoding and retention are rapidly induced upon exposure to high altitude, an effect that could impact life-saving situational awareness and response. (JINS, 2017, 23, 1-10).

  11. High altitude medicine education in China: exploring a new medical education reform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Yongjun; Luo, Rong; Li, Weiming; Huang, Jianjun; Zhou, Qiquan; Gao, Yuqi

    2012-03-01

    China has the largest plateau in the world, which includes the whole of Tibet, part of Qinghai, Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Sichuan. The plateau area is about 257.2×10(4) km(2), which accounts for about 26.8% of the total area of China. According to data collected in 2006, approximately twelve million people were living at high altitudes, between 2200 to 5200 m high, on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Therefore, there is a need for medical workers who are trained to treat individuals living at high altitudes. To train undergraduates in high altitude medicine, the College of High Altitude Military Medicine was set up at the Third Military Medical University (TMMU) in Chongqing in 1999. This is the only school to teach high altitude medicine in China. Students at TMMU study natural and social sciences, basic medical sciences, clinical medical sciences, and high altitude medicine. In their 5(th) year, students work as interns at the General Hospital of Tibet Military Command in Lhasa for 3 months, where they receive on-site teaching. The method of on-site teaching is an innovative approach for training in high altitude medicine for undergraduates. Three improvements were implemented during the on-site teaching component of the training program: (1) standardization of the learning progress; (2) integration of formal knowledge with clinical experience; and (3) coaching students to develop habits of inquiry and to engage in ongoing self-improvement to set the stage for lifelong learning. Since the establishment of the innovative training methods in 2001, six classes of high altitude medicine undergraduates, who received on-site teaching, have graduated and achieved encouraging results. This evidence shows that on-site teaching needs to be used more widely in high altitude medicine education.

  12. On the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) process with added energetic solid particles for pulse detonation engines (PDE)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, V. B.; Li, J.; Chang, P.-H.; Phan, Q. T.; Teo, C. J.; Khoo, B. C.

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, numerical simulations are performed to study the dynamics of the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in pulse detonation engines (PDE) using energetic aluminum particles. The DDT process and detonation wave propagation toward the unburnt hydrogen/air mixture containing solid aluminum particles is numerically studied using the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. A hybrid numerical methodology combined with appropriate sub-models is used to capture the gas dynamic characteristics, particle behavior, combustion characteristics, and two-way solid-particle-gas flow interactions. In our approach, the gas mixture is expressed in the Eulerian frame of reference, while the solid aluminum particles are tracked in the Lagrangian frame of reference. The implemented computer code is validated using published benchmark problems. The obtained results show that the aluminum particles not only shorten the DDT length but also reduce the DDT time. The improvement of DDT is primarily attributed to the heat released from surface chemical reactions on the aluminum particles. The temperatures associated with the DDT process are greater than the case of non-reacting particles added, with an accompanying rise in the pressure. For an appropriate range of particle volume fraction, particularly in this study, the higher volume fraction of the micro-aluminum particles added in the detonation chamber can lead to more heat energy released and more local instabilities in the combustion process (caused by the local high temperature), thereby resulting in a faster DDT process. In essence, the aluminum particles contribute to the DDT process of successfully transitioning to detonation waves for (failure) cases in which the fuel gas mixture can be either too lean or too rich. With a better understanding of the influence of added aluminum particles on the dynamics of the DDT and detonation process, we can apply it to modify the geometry of the detonation chamber (e.g., the length of

  13. Accuracy of Handheld Blood Glucose Meters at High Altitude

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Mol, Pieter; Krabbe, Hans G.; de Vries, Suzanna T.; Fokkert, Marion J.; Dikkeschei, Bert D.; Rienks, Rienk; Bilo, Karin M.; Bilo, Henk J. G.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Due to increasing numbers of people with diabetes taking part in extreme sports (e. g., high-altitude trekking), reliable handheld blood glucose meters (BGMs) are necessary. Accurate blood glucose measurement under extreme conditions is paramount for safe recreation at altitude. Prior

  14. Tissue kerma vs distance relationships for initial nuclear radiation from the atomic devices detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kerr, G.D.; Pace, J.V. III; Scott, W.H. Jr.

    1983-06-01

    Initial nuclear radiation is comprised of prompt neutrons and prompt primary gammas from an exploding nuclear device, prompt secondary gammas produced by neutron interactions in the environment, and delayed neutrons and delayed fission-product gammas from the fireball formed after the nuclear device explodes. These various components must all be considered in establishing tissue kerma vs distance relationships which describe the decrease of initial nuclear radiation with distance in Hiroshima and in Nagasaki. The tissue kerma at ground evel from delayed fission-product gammas and delayed neutrons was investigated using the NUIDEA code developed by Science Applications, Inc. This code incorporates very detailed models which can take into account such features as the rise of the fireball, the rapid radioactive decay of fission products in it, and the perturbation of the atmosphere by the explosion. Tissue kerma vs distance relationships obtained by summing results of these current state-of-the-art calculations will be discussed. Our results clearly show that the prompt secondary gammas and delayed fission-product gammas are the dominant components of total tissue kerma from initial nuclear radiation in the cases of the atomic (or pure-fission) devices detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki

  15. Combustion and Magnetohydrodynamic Processes in Advanced Pulse Detonation Rocket Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Lord Kahil

    A number of promising alternative rocket propulsion concepts have been developed over the past two decades that take advantage of unsteady combustion waves in order to produce thrust. These concepts include the Pulse Detonation Rocket Engine (PDRE), in which repetitive ignition, propagation, and reflection of detonations and shocks can create a high pressure chamber from which gases may be exhausted in a controlled manner. The Pulse Detonation Rocket Induced Magnetohydrodynamic Ejector (PDRIME) is a modification of the basic PDRE concept, developed by Cambier (1998), which has the potential for performance improvements based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) thrust augmentation. The PDRIME has the advantage of both low combustion chamber seeding pressure, per the PDRE concept, and efficient energy distribution in the system, per the rocket-induced MHD ejector (RIME) concept of Cole, et al. (1995). In the initial part of this thesis, we explore flow and performance characteristics of different configurations of the PDRIME, assuming quasi-one-dimensional transient flow and global representations of the effects of MHD phenomena on the gas dynamics. By utilizing high-order accurate solvers, we thus are able to investigate the fundamental physical processes associated with the PDRIME and PDRE concepts and identify potentially promising operating regimes. In the second part of this investigation, the detailed coupling of detonations and electric and magnetic fields are explored. First, a one-dimensional spark-ignited detonation with complex reaction kinetics is fully evaluated and the mechanisms for the different instabilities are analyzed. It is found that complex kinetics in addition to sufficient spatial resolution are required to be able to quantify high frequency as well as low frequency detonation instability modes. Armed with this quantitative understanding, we then examine the interaction of a propagating detonation and the applied MHD, both in one-dimensional and two

  16. Outdoor Activity and High Altitude Exposure During Pregnancy: A Survey of 459 Pregnancies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keyes, Linda E; Hackett, Peter H; Luks, Andrew M

    2016-06-01

    To evaluate whether women engage in outdoor activities and high altitude travel during pregnancy; the health care advice received regarding high altitude during pregnancy; and the association between high altitude exposure and self-reported pregnancy complications. An online survey of women with at least 1 pregnancy distributed on websites and e-mail lists targeting mothers and/or mountain activities. Outcome measures were outdoor activities during pregnancy, high altitude (>2440 m) exposure during pregnancy, and pregnancy and perinatal complications. Hiking, running, and swimming were the most common activities performed during pregnancy. Women traveled to high altitude in over half of the pregnancies (244/459), and most did not receive counseling regarding altitude (355, 77%), although a small proportion (14, 3%) were told not to go above 2440 m. Rates of miscarriage and most other complications were similar between pregnancies with and without travel above 2440 m. Pregnancies with high altitude exposure were more likely to have preterm labor (odds ratio [OR] 2.3; 95% CI 0.97-5.4; P = .05). Babies born to women who went to high altitude during pregnancy were more likely to need oxygen at birth (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.04-5.26; P sports and travel to high altitude have a low rate of complications. Given the limitations of our data, further research is necessary on the risks associated with high altitude travel and physical activity and how these apply to the general population. Copyright © 2016 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. HIGH ALTITUDES EFFECTS ON HEMATOLOGIC BLOOD PARAMETERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hasim Rushiti

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The approach and the objective of this experiment are consistent with the determination of changes of blood parameters after the stay of the students at an altitude of 1800-2300 meters, for a ten-day long ski course. In this paper are included a total of 64 students of the Faculty of Sport Sciences in Prishtina, of the age group of 19-25 (the average age is 21. All students previously have undergone a medical check for TA, arterial pulse and respiratory rate. In particular, the health situation is of subjects was examined, then, all students, at the same time, gave blood for analysis. In this experiment, three main hematologic parameters were taken in consideration: such as hemoglobin, hematocrit and red blood cells. The same analyses were carried out after the 10-day stay at a high altitude. The results of the experiment have shown significant changes after the ten-day stay at high altitude, despite the previous results that show changes only after the twenty-day stay in such elevations.

  18. [Physiological aspects of altitude training and the use of altitude simulators].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranković, Goran; Radovanović, Dragan

    2005-01-01

    Altitude training in various forms is widely practiced by athletes and coaches in an attempt to improve sea level endurance. Training at high altitude may improve performance at sea level through altitude acclimatisation, which improves oxygen transport and/or utilisation, or through hypoxia, which intensifies the training stimulus. This basic physiological aspect allows three training modalities: live high and train high (classic high-altitude training), live low and train high (training through hypoxia), and live high and train low (the new trend). In an effort to reduce the financial and logistical challenges of travelling to high-altitude training sites, scientists and manufactures have developed artificial high-altitude environments, which simulate the hypoxic conditions of moderate altitude (2000-3000 meters). Endurance athletes from many sports have recently started using nitrogen environments, or hypoxic rooms and tents as part of their altitude training programmes. The results of controlled studies on these modalities of high-altitude training, their practical approach, and ethics are summarised.

  19. Physiological aspects of altitude training and the use of altitude simulators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranković Goran

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Altitude training in various forms is widely practiced by athletes and coaches in an attempt to improve sea level endurance. Training at high altitude may improve performance at sea level through altitude acclimatization, which improves oxygen transport and/or utilization, or through hypoxia, which intensifies the training stimulus. This basic physiological aspect allows three training modalities: live high and train high (classic high-altitude training, live low and train high (training through hypoxia, and live high and train low (the new trend. In an effort to reduce the financial and logistical challenges of traveling to high-altitude training sites, scientists and manufactures have developed artificial high-altitude environments, which simulate the hypoxic conditions of moderate altitude (2000-3000 meters. Endurance athletes from many sports have recently started using nitrogen environments, or hypoxic rooms and tents as part of their altitude training programmes. The results of controlled studies on these modalities of high-altitude training, their practical approach, and ethics are summarized.

  20. Low-resolution ship detection from high-altitude aerial images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Shengxiang; Wu, Jianmin; Zhou, Qing; Kang, Minyang

    2018-02-01

    Ship detection from optical images taken by high-altitude aircrafts such as unmanned long-endurance airships and unmanned aerial vehicles has broad applications in marine fishery management, ship monitoring and vessel salvage. However, the major challenge is the limited capability of information processing on unmanned high-altitude platforms. Furthermore, in order to guarantee the wide detection range, unmanned aircrafts generally cruise at high altitudes, resulting in imagery with low-resolution targets and strong clutters suffered by heavy clouds. In this paper, we propose a low-resolution ship detection method to extract ships from these high-altitude optical images. Inspired by a recent research on visual saliency detection indicating that small salient signals could be well detected by a gradient enhancement operation combined with Gaussian smoothing, we propose the facet kernel filtering to rapidly suppress cluttered backgrounds and delineate candidate target regions from the sea surface. Then, the principal component analysis (PCA) is used to compute the orientation of the target axis, followed by a simplified histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) descriptor to characterize the ship shape property. Finally, support vector machine (SVM) is applied to discriminate real targets and false alarms. Experimental results show that the proposed method actually has high efficiency in low-resolution ship detection.

  1. The development and testing of pulsed detonation engine ground demonstrators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panicker, Philip Koshy

    2008-10-01

    The successful implementation of a PDE running on fuel and air mixtures will require fast-acting fuel-air injection and mixing techniques, detonation initiation techniques such as DDT enhancing devices or a pre-detonator, an effective ignition system that can sustain repeated firing at high rates and a fast and capable, closed-loop control system. The control system requires high-speed transducers for real-time monitoring of the PDE and the detection of the detonation wave speed. It is widely accepted that the detonation properties predicted by C-J detonation relations are fairly accurate in comparison to experimental values. The post-detonation flow properties can also be expressed as a function of wave speed or Mach number. Therefore, the PDE control system can use C-J relations to predict the post-detonation flow properties based on measured initial conditions and compare the values with those obtained from using the wave speed. The controller can then vary the initial conditions within the combustor for the subsequent cycle, by modulating the frequency and duty cycle of the valves, to obtain optimum air and fuel flow rates, as well as modulate the energy and timing of the ignition to achieve the required detonation properties. Five different PDE ground demonstrators were designed, built and tested to study a number of the required sub-systems. This work presents a review of all the systems that were tested, along with suggestions for their improvement. The PDE setups, ranged from a compact PDE with a 19 mm (3/4 in.) i.d., to two 25 mm (1 in.) i.d. setups, to a 101 mm (4 in.) i.d. dual-stage PDE setup with a pre-detonator. Propane-oxygen mixtures were used in the smaller PDEs. In the dual-stage PDE, propane-oxygen was used in the pre-detonator, while propane-air mixtures were used in the main combustor. Both rotary valves and solenoid valve injectors were studied. The rotary valves setups were tested at 10 Hz, while the solenoid valves were tested at up to 30 Hz

  2. Flow Visualization of a Rotating Detonation Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-05

    SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The rotating detonation engine ( RDE ) is a propulsion system that obtains thrust using continuously existing...2014 – 12/4/2015 Summary: The rotating detonation engine ( RDE ) is a propulsion system that obtains thrust using continuously existing detonation...structure. Studies have been conducted on rotating detonation engines ( RDE ) that obtain thrust from the continuously propagating detonation waves in the

  3. TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE: CAN CORIOLIS FORCE BREAK THE SYMMETRY OF THE GRAVITATIONAL CONFINED DETONATION EXPLOSION MECHANISM?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    García-Senz, D. [Departament de Física, UPC, Comte d’Urgell 187, E-08036 Barcelona (Spain); Cabezón, R. M.; Thielemann, F. K. [Departement Physik, Universität Basel. Klingelbergstrasse, 82, 4056 Basel (Switzerland); Domínguez, I., E-mail: domingo.garcia@upc.edu, E-mail: ruben.cabezon@unibas.ch [Departamento de Física, Teórica y del Cosmos, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada (Spain)

    2016-03-10

    Currently the number of models aimed at explaining the phenomena of type Ia supernovae is high and distinguishing between them is a must. In this work we explore the influence of rotation on the evolution of the nuclear flame that drives the explosion in the so-called gravitational confined detonation models. Assuming that the flame starts in a pointlike region slightly above the center of the white dwarf (WD) and adding a moderate amount of angular velocity to the star we follow the evolution of the deflagration using a smoothed particle hydrodynamics code. We find that the results are very dependent on the angle between the rotational axis and the line connecting the initial bubble of burned material with the center of the WD at the moment of ignition. The impact of rotation is larger for angles close to 90° because the Coriolis force on a floating element of fluid is maximum and its principal effect is to break the symmetry of the deflagration. Such symmetry breaking weakens the convergence of the nuclear flame at the antipodes of the initial ignition volume, changing the environmental conditions around the convergence region with respect to non-rotating models. These changes seem to disfavor the emergence of a detonation in the compressed volume at the antipodes and may compromise the viability of the so-called gravitational confined detonation mechanism.

  4. Fatalities in high altitude mountaineering: a review of quantitative risk estimates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinbruch, Stephan; Nordby, Karl-Christian

    2013-12-01

    Quantitative estimates for mortality in high altitude mountaineering are reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on the heterogeneity of the risk estimates and on confounding. Crude estimates for mortality are on the order of 1/1000 to 40/1000 persons above base camp, for both expedition members and high altitude porters. High altitude porters have mostly a lower risk than expedition members (risk ratio for all Nepalese peaks requiring an expedition permit: 0.73; 95 % confidence interval 0.59-0.89). The summit bid is generally the most dangerous part of an expedition for members, whereas most high altitude porters die during route preparation. On 8000 m peaks, the mortality during descent from summit varies between 4/1000 and 134/1000 summiteers (members plus porters). The risk estimates are confounded by human and environmental factors. Information on confounding by gender and age is contradictory and requires further work. There are indications for safety segregation of men and women, with women being more risk averse than men. Citizenship appears to be a significant confounder. Prior high altitude mountaineering experience in Nepal has no protective effect. Commercial expeditions in the Nepalese Himalayas have a lower mortality than traditional expeditions, though after controlling for confounding, the difference is not statistically significant. The overall mortality is increasing with increasing peak altitude for expedition members but not for high altitude porters. In the Nepalese Himalayas and in Alaska, a significant decrease of mortality with calendar year was observed. A few suggestions for further work are made at the end of the article.

  5. Detonability of H2-air-diluent mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tieszen, S.R.; Sherman, M.P.; Benedick, W.B.; Berman, M.

    1987-06-01

    This report describes the Heated Detonation Tube (HDT). Detonation cell width and velocity results are presented for H 2 -air mixtures, undiluted and diluted with CO 2 and H 2 O for a range of H 2 concentration, initial temperature and pressure. The results show that the addition of either CO 2 or H 2 O significantly increases the detonation cell width and hence reduces the detonability of the mixture. The results also show that the detonation cell width is reduced (detonability is increased) for increased initial temperature and/or pressure

  6. Exergetic efficiency analysis of hydrogen–air detonation in pulse detonation combustor using computational fluid dynamics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinku Debnath

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Exergy losses during the combustion process, heat transfer, and fuel utilization play a vital role in the analysis of the exergetic efficiency of combustion process. Detonation is thermodynamically more efficient than deflagration mode of combustion. Detonation combustion technology inside the pulse detonation engine using hydrogen as a fuel is energetic propulsion system for next generation. In this study, the main objective of this work is to quantify the exergetic efficiency of hydrogen–air combustion for deflagration and detonation combustion process. Further detonation parameters are calculated using 0.25, 0.35, and 0.55 of H2 mass concentrations in the combustion process. The simulations have been performed for converging the solution using commercial computational fluid dynamics package Ansys Fluent solver. The details of combustion physics in chemical reacting flows of hydrogen–air mixture in two control volumes were simulated using species transport model with eddy dissipation turbulence chemistry interaction. From these simulations it was observed that exergy loss in the deflagration combustion process is higher in comparison to the detonation combustion process. The major observation was that pilot fuel economy for the two combustion processes and augmentation of exergetic efficiencies are better in the detonation combustion process. The maximum exergetic efficiency of 55.12%, 53.19%, and 23.43% from deflagration combustion process and from detonation combustion process, 67.55%, 57.49%, and 24.89%, are obtained from aforesaid H2 mass fraction. It was also found that for lesser fuel mass fraction higher exergetic efficiency was observed.

  7. Increased insulin requirements during exercise at very high altitude in type 1 diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Mol, Pieter; de Vries, Suzanna T.; de Koning, Eelco J. P.; Gans, Rijk O. B.; Tack, Cees J.; Bilo, Henk J. G.

    OBJECTIVE-Safe, very high altitude trekking in subjects with type 1 diabetes requires understanding of glucose regulation at high altitude. We investigated insulin requirements, energy expenditure, and glucose levels at very high altitude in relation to acute mountain sickness (AMS) symptoms in

  8. Shock wave and flame front induced detonation in a rapid compression machine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Y.; Qi, Y.; Xiang, S.; Mével, R.; Wang, Z.

    2018-05-01

    The present study focuses on one mode of detonation initiation observed in a rapid compression machine (RCM). This mode is referred to as shock wave and flame front-induced detonation (SWFID). Experimental high-speed imaging and two-dimensional numerical simulations with skeletal chemistry are combined to unravel the dominant steps of detonation initiation under SWFID conditions. It is shown that the interaction between the shock wave generated by the end-gas auto-ignition and the spherical flame creates a region of high pressure and temperature which enables the acceleration of the flame front and the detonation onset. The experimental observation lacks adequate spatial and temporal resolution despite good reproducibility of the detonation onset. Based on the numerical results, phenomenological interpretation of the event within the framework of shock wave refraction indicates that the formation of a free-precursor shock wave at the transition between regular and irregular refraction may be responsible for detonation onset. The present results along with previous findings on shock wave reflection-induced detonation in the RCM indicate that super-knock occurs after the interaction of the shock wave generated by end-gas auto-ignition with the RCM walls, preignition flame, or another shock wave.

  9. Pulse Detonation Assessment for Alternative Fuels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Hanafi Azami

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The higher thermodynamic efficiency inherent in a detonation combustion based engine has already led to considerable interest in the development of wave rotor, pulse detonation, and rotating detonation engine configurations as alternative technologies offering improved performance for the next generation of aerospace propulsion systems, but it is now important to consider their emissions also. To assess both performance and emissions, this paper focuses on the feasibility of using alternative fuels in detonation combustion. Thus, the standard aviation fuels Jet-A, Acetylene, Jatropha Bio-synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene, Camelina Bio-synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene, Algal Biofuel, and Microalgae Biofuel are all asessed under detonation combustion conditions. An analytical model accounting for the Rankine-Hugoniot Equation, Rayleigh Line Equation, and Zel’dovich–von Neumann–Doering model, and taking into account single step chemistry and thermophysical properties for a stoichiometric mixture, is applied to a simple detonation tube test case configuration. The computed pressure rise and detonation velocity are shown to be in good agreement with published literature. Additional computations examine the effects of initial pressure, temperature, and mass flux on the physical properties of the flow. The results indicate that alternative fuels require higher initial mass flux and temperature to detonate. The benefits of alternative fuels appear significant.

  10. Influence of ignition energy, ignition location, and stoichiometry on the deflagration-to-detonation distance in a Pulse Detonation Engine

    OpenAIRE

    Robinson, John P.

    2000-01-01

    The feasibility of utilizing detonations for air-breathing propulsion is the subject of a significant research effort headed by the Office of Naval Research. Pulse Detonation Engines (PDE) have a theoretically greater efficiency than current combustion cycles. However, pulse detonation technology must mature beginning with research in the fundamental process of developing a detonation wave. This thesis explores various ignition conditions which minimize the deflagration-to- detonation transit...

  11. Mitochondrial function in human skeletal muscle following high-altitude exposure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobs, Robert A; Boushel, Robert; Wright-Paradis, Cynthia

    2013-01-01

    Studies regarding mitochondrial modifications in human skeletal muscle following acclimatization to high altitude are conflicting, and these inconsistencies may be due to the prevalence of representing mitochondrial function through static and isolated measurements of specific mitochondrial...... characteristics. The aim of this study, therefore, was to investigate mitochondrial function in response to high-altitude acclimatization through measurements of respiratory control in the vastus lateralis muscle. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from 10 lowland natives prior to and again after a total of 9......-11 days of exposure to 4559 m. High-resolution respirometry was performed on the muscle samples to compare respiratory chain function and respiratory capacities. Respirometric analysis revealed that mitochondrial function was largely unaffected, because high-altitude exposure did not affect the capacity...

  12. Pulsed nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David, C.V.

    1986-01-01

    This patent describes a nuclear power plant. This power plant consists of: 1.) a cavity; 2.) a detonatable nuclear device in a central region of the cavity; 3.) a working fluid inside of the cavity; 4.) a method to denote a nuclear device inside of the cavity; 5.) a mechanical projection from an interior wall of the cavity for recoiling to absorb a shock wave produced by the detonation of the nuclear device and thereby protecting the cavity from damage. A plurality of segments defines a shell within the cavity and a plurality of shock absorbers, each connecting a corresponding segment to a corresponding location on the wall of the cavity. Each of these shock absorbers regulate the recoil action of the segments; and 6.) means for permitting controlled extraction of a quantity of hot gases from the cavity produced by the vaporization of the working fluid upon detonation of the nuclear device. A method of generating power is also described. This method consists of: 1.) introducing a quantity of water in an underground cavity; 2.) heating the water in the cavity to form saturated steam; 3.) detonating a nuclear device at a central location inside the cavity; 4.) recoiling plate-like elements inside the cavity away from the central location in a mechanically regulated and controlled manner to absorb a shock wave produced by the nuclear device detonation and thereby protect the underground cavity against damage; 5.) extracting a quantity of superheated steam produced by the detonation of the nuclear device; and 6.) Converting the energy in the extracted superheated steam into electrical power

  13. Reduced oxygen at high altitude limits maximum size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peck, L S; Chapelle, G

    2003-11-07

    The trend towards large size in marine animals with latitude, and the existence of giant marine species in polar regions have long been recognized, but remained enigmatic until a recent study showed it to be an effect of increased oxygen availability in sea water of a low temperature. The effect was apparent in data from 12 sites worldwide because of variations in water oxygen content controlled by differences in temperature and salinity. Another major physical factor affecting oxygen content in aquatic environments is reduced pressure at high altitude. Suitable data from high-altitude sites are very scarce. However, an exceptionally rich crustacean collection, which remains largely undescribed, was obtained by the British 1937 expedition from Lake Titicaca on the border between Peru and Bolivia in the Andes at an altitude of 3809 m. We show that in Lake Titicaca the maximum length of amphipods is 2-4 times smaller than other low-salinity sites (Caspian Sea and Lake Baikal).

  14. High-altitude haematology: Quechua-Aymara comparisons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnaud, J; Quilici, J C; Rivière, G

    1981-01-01

    Haematological studies have been carried out at various altitudes between 450 m and 4800 m, on two separate human groups (Quechuas and Aymaras) living in South America. Changes in the haematological parameters do not develop linearly in relation to the attitude. Th impact of chronic hypoxia on erythropoiesis is greater above 3000 m. The haemogram varies quantitatively and not qualitatively (mean corpuscular volume and mean haemoglobin concentration remain constant). The haematological study also reveals the greater adaptability to high altitude of the Aymaras, an adaptability characterized by an increase in red cell count and concentration and a decrease in red cell volume. The adaptative phenomena observed in the Quechuas are reversible, whereas they persist in the Aymaras when they migrate to the lowlands (450 m).

  15. The radiation protection problems of high altitude and space flight

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fry, R.J.M.

    1993-01-01

    This paper considers the radiation environment in aircraft at high altitudes and spacecraft in low earth orbit and in deep space and the factors that influence the dose equivalents. Altitude, latitude and solar cycle are the major influences for flights below the radiation belts. In deep space, solar cycle and the occurrence of solar particle events are the factors of influence. The major radiation effects of concern are cancer and infertility in males. In high altitude aircraft the radiation consists mainly of protons and neutrons, with neutrons contributing about half the equivalent dose. The average dose rate at altitudes of transcontinental flights that approach the polar regions are greater by a factor of about 2.5 than on routes at low latitudes. Current estimates of does to air crews suggest they are well within the ICRP (1990) recommended dose limits for radiation workers

  16. Risk Stratification for Athletes and Adventurers in High-Altitude Environments: Recommendations for Preparticipation Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Aaron D; McIntosh, Scott E; Nyberg, Andy; Powell, Amy P; Schoene, Robert B; Hackett, Peter

    2015-12-01

    High-altitude athletes and adventurers face a number of environmental and medical risks. Clinicians often advise participants or guiding agencies before or during these experiences. Preparticipation evaluation (PPE) has the potential to reduce risk of high-altitude illnesses in athletes and adventurers. Specific conditions susceptible to high-altitude exacerbation also important to evaluate include cardiovascular and lung diseases. Recommendations by which to counsel individuals before participation in altitude sports and adventures are few and of limited focus. We reviewed the literature, collected expert opinion, and augmented principles of a traditional sport PPE to accommodate the high-altitude wilderness athlete/adventurer. We present our findings with specific recommendations on risk stratification during a PPE for the high-altitude athlete/adventurer. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Failure modes of a concrete nuclear-containment building subjected to hydrogen detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fugelso, L.E.; Butler, T.A.

    1983-01-01

    Calculated response for the Indian Point reactor containment building to static internal pressure and one case of a dynamic pressure representing hydrogen combustion and detonation are presented. Comparison of the potential failure modes is made. 9 figures

  18. Turbulent deflagrations, autoignitions, and detonations

    KAUST Repository

    Bradley, Derek

    2012-09-01

    Measurements of turbulent burning velocities in fan-stirred explosion bombs show an initial linear increase with the fan speed and RMS turbulent velocity. The line then bends over to form a plateau of high values around the maximum attainable burning velocity. A further increase in fan speed leads to the eventual complete quenching of the flame due to increasing localised extinctions because of the flame stretch rate. The greater the Markstein number, the more readily does flame quenching occur. Flame propagation along a duct closed at one end, with and without baffles to increase the turbulence, is subjected to a one-dimensional analysis. The flame, initiated at the closed end of the long duct, accelerates by the turbulent feedback mechanism, creating a shock wave ahead of it, until the maximum turbulent burning velocity for the mixture is attained. With the confining walls, the mixture is compressed between the flame and the shock plane up to the point where it might autoignite. This can be followed by a deflagration to detonation transition. The maximum shock intensity occurs with the maximum attainable turbulent burning velocity, and this defines the limit for autoignition of the mixture. For more reactive mixtures, autoignition can occur at turbulent burning velocities that are less than the maximum attainable one. Autoignition can be followed by quasi-detonation or fully developed detonation. The stability of ensuing detonations is discussed, along with the conditions that may lead to their extinction. © 2012 by Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.

  19. Nasal variation in relation to high-altitude adaptations among Tibetans and Andeans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butaric, Lauren N; Klocke, Ross P

    2018-05-01

    High-altitude (>2500 m) populations face several pressures, including hypoxia and cold-dry air, resulting in greater respiratory demand to obtain more oxygen and condition inspired air. While cardiovascular and pulmonary adaptations to high-altitude hypoxia have been extensively studied, adaptations of upper-respiratory structures, e.g., nasal cavity, remain untested. This study investigates whether nasal morphology presents adaptations to hypoxic (larger noses) and/or cold-dry (tall/narrow noses) conditions among high-altitude samples. CT scans of two high- and four low-altitude samples from diverse climates were collected (n = 130): high-altitude Tibetans and Peruvians; low-altitude Peruvians, Southern Chinese (temperate), Mongolian-Buriats (cold-dry), and Southeast Asians (hot-wet). Facial and nasal distances were calculated from 3D landmarks placed on digitally-modeled crania. Temperature, precipitation, and barometric pressure data were also obtained. Principal components analysis and analyses of variance primarily indicate size-related differences among the cold-dry (Mongolian-Buriats) and hot-wet (Southeast Asians) adapted groups. Two-block partial least squares (PLS) analysis show weak relationships between size-standardized nasal dimensions and environmental variables. However, among PLS1 (85.90% of covariance), Tibetans display relatively larger nasal cavities related to lower temperatures and barometric pressure; regression analyses also indicate high-altitude Tibetans possess relatively larger internal nasal breadths and heights for their facial size. Overall, nasal differences relate to climate among the cold-dry and hot-wet groups. Specific nasal adaptations were not identified among either Peruvian group, perhaps due to their relatively recent migration history and population structure. However, high-altitude Tibetans seem to exhibit a compromise in nasal morphology, serving in increased oxygen uptake, and air-conditioning processes. © 2018

  20. Mast cells in the human lung at high altitude

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heath, Donald

    1992-12-01

    Mast cell densities in the lung were measured in five native highlanders of La Paz (3600 m) and in one lowlander dying from high-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPO) at 3440 m. Two of the highlanders were mestizos with normal pulmonary arteries and the others were Aymara Indians with muscular remodelling of their pulmonary vasculature. The aim of the investigation was to determine if accumulation of mast cells in the lung at high altitude (HA) is related to alveolar hypoxia alone, to a combination of hypoxia and muscularization of the pulmonary arterial tree, or to oedema of the lung. The lungs of four lowlanders were used as normoxic controls. The results showed that the mast cell density of the two Mestizos was in the normal range of lowlanders (0.6-8.8 cells/mm2). In the Aymara Indians the mast cell counts were raised (25.6-26.0 cells/mm2). In the lowlander dying from HAPO the mast cell count was greatly raised to 70.1 cells/mm2 lung tissue. The results show that in native highlanders an accumulation of mast cells in the lung is not related to hypoxia alone but to a combination of hypoxia and muscular remodelling of the pulmonary arteries. However, the most potent cause of increased mast cell density in the lung at high altitude appears to be high-altitude pulmonary oedema.

  1. Evidence for a link between atmospheric thermonuclear detonations and nitric acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holdsworth, G.

    1986-01-01

    Data are presented for an ice core, which show that during the era of intense atmospheric thermonuclear weapons testing, a significant part of the nitrate content in the snow was modulated by the intensity of the nuclear detonations. The fixation of nitrogen by nuclear fireballs leads to NOsub(x) gases in the atmosphere and ultimately to nitric acid in precipitation. At certain concentrations, these gases and the associated aerosols may perturb the climate. (author)

  2. Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (PM) at high altitude cities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bravo Alvarez, H.; Sosa Echeverria, R.; Sanchez Alvarez, P.; Krupa, S.

    2013-01-01

    The Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (PM) at high altitude urban areas in different countries, must consider the pressure and temperature due to the effect that these parameters have on the breath volume. This paper shows the importance to correct Air Quality Standards for PM considering pressure and temperature at different altitudes. Specific factors were suggested to convert the information concerning PM, from local to standard conditions, and adjust the Air Quality Standards for different high altitudes cities. The correction factors ranged from: 1.03 for Santiago de Chile to 1.47 for El Alto Bolivia. Other cities in this study include: Mexico City, México; La Paz, Bolivia; Bogota, Cali and Medellin, Colombia; Quito, Ecuador and Cuzco, Peru. If these corrections are not considered, the atmospheric concentrations will be underestimated. - Highlights: ► AQS for particulate matter concentrations adjusted by pressure and temperature. ► Particulate matter concentrations can be underestimated in high altitude Cities. ► Particulate matter concentrations must be compared under the same conditions. - In order to compare high altitude atmospheric PM concentrations with AQS, one must consider T and P of the sampling site.

  3. Geometry-specific scaling of detonation parameters from front curvature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackson, Scott I.; Short, Mark

    2011-01-01

    It has previously been asserted that classical detonation curvature theory predicts that the critical diameter and the diameter-effect curve of a cylindrical high-explosive charge should scale with twice the thickness of an analogous two-dimensional explosive slab. The varied agreement of experimental results with this expectation have led some to question the ability of curvature-based concepts to predict detonation propagation in non-ideal explosives. This study addresses such claims by showing that the expected scaling relationship (hereafter referred to d = 2w) is not consistent with curvature-based Detonation Shock Dynamics (DSD) theory.

  4. Project Sterling. Project manager's report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1967-12-01

    The Sterling experiment, detonated Dec. 3, 1966, was the first decoupled underground nuclear detonation. This experiment used the existing Salmon cavity and the original Salmon emplacement hole. The principal purpose of the Sterling experiment was (1) to determine the extent of decoupling of a sprung cavity in salt; specifically, to determine the decoupling ratio as a function of frequency; (2) to determine the accuracy of decoupling calculations for a sprung cavity; and (3) to define any operational problems associated with the reuse of a cavity. Project Sterling is a part of the Vela Uniform program. Vela is the short title of a research and development program directed toward locating, detecting, and identifying underground, surface, and high altitude nuclear detonations. The administration, operational planning, public safety, engineering and construction and logistics performed by NVOO in support of the technical and scientific experiments carried out are presented. (TFD)

  5. Circulatory adaptation to long-term high altitude exposure in Aymaras and Caucasians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuber, Thomas; Scherrer, Urs

    2010-01-01

    About 30 million people live above 2500 m in the Andean Mountains of South America. Among them are 5.5 million Aymaras, an ethnic group with its own language, living on the altiplano of Bolivia, Peru, and northern Chile at altitudes of up to 4400 m. In this high altitude region traces of human population go back for more than 2000 years with constant evolutionary pressure on its residents for genetic adaptation to high altitude. Aymaras as the assumed direct descendents of the ancient cultures living in this region were the focus of much research interest during the last decades and several distinctive adaptation patterns to life at high altitude have been described in this ethnic group. The aim of this article was to review the physiology and pathophysiology of circulatory adaptation and maladaptation to longtime altitude exposure in Aymaras and Caucasians.

  6. Vulnerability assessment of a space based weapon platform electronic system exposed to a thermonuclear weapon detonation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez, C. L.; Johnson, J. O.

    Rapidly changing world events, the increased number of nations with inter-continental ballistic missile capability, and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technology will increase the number of nuclear threats facing the world today. Monitoring these nation's activities and providing an early warning and/or intercept system via reconnaissance and surveillance satellites and space based weapon platforms is a viable deterrent against a surprise nuclear attack. However, the deployment of satellite and weapon platform assets in space will subject the sensitive electronic equipment to a variety of natural and man-made radiation environments. These include Van Allen Belt protons and electrons; galactic and solar flare protons; and neutrons, gamma rays, and x-rays from intentionally detonated fission and fusion weapons. In this paper, the MASH vl.0 code system is used to estimate the dose to the critical electronics components of an idealized space based weapon platform from neutron and gamma-ray radiation emitted from a thermonuclear weapon detonation in space. Fluence and dose assessments were performed for the platform fully loaded, and in several stages representing limited engagement scenarios. The results indicate vulnerabilities to the Command, Control, and Communication bay instruments from radiation damage for a nuclear weapon detonation for certain source/platform orientations. The distance at which damage occurs will depend on the weapon yield (n,(gamma)/kiloton) and size (kilotons).

  7. Cerebral venous system and anatomical predisposition to high-altitude headache

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilson, Mark H.; Davagnanam, Indran; Holland, Graeme; Dattani, Raj S.; Tamm, Alexander; Hirani, Shashivadan P.; Kolfschoten, Nicky; Strycharczuk, Lisa; Green, Cathy; Thornton, John S.; Wright, Alex; Edsell, Mark; Kitchen, Neil D.; Sharp, David J.; Ham, Timothy E.; Murray, Andrew; Holloway, Cameron J.; Clarke, Kieran; Grocott, Mike P. W.; Montgomery, Hugh; Imray, Chris; Ahuja, V.; Aref-Adib, G.; Burnham, R.; Chisholm, A.; Clarke, K.; Coates, D.; Coates, M.; Cook, D.; Cox, M.; Dhillon, S.; Dougall, C.; Doyle, P.; Duncan, P.; Edsell, M.; Edwards, L.; Evans, L.; Gardiner, P.; Grocott, M.; Gunning, P.; Hart, N.; Harrington, J.; Harvey, J.; Holloway, C.; Howard, D.; Hurlbut, D.; Imray, C.; Ince, C.; Jonas, M.; van der Kaaij, J.

    2013-01-01

    As inspired oxygen availability falls with ascent to altitude, some individuals develop high-altitude headache (HAH). We postulated that HAH results when hypoxia-associated increases in cerebral blood flow occur in the context of restricted venous drainage, and is worsened when cerebral compliance

  8. Detonation velocity in poorly mixed gas mixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prokhorov, E. S.

    2017-10-01

    The technique for computation of the average velocity of plane detonation wave front in poorly mixed mixture of gaseous hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen is proposed. Here it is assumed that along the direction of detonation propagation the chemical composition of the mixture has periodic fluctuations caused, for example, by layered stratification of gas charge. The technique is based on the analysis of functional dependence of ideal (Chapman-Jouget) detonation velocity on mole fraction (with respect to molar concentration) of the fuel. It is shown that the average velocity of detonation can be significantly (by more than 10%) less than the velocity of ideal detonation. The dependence that permits to estimate the degree of mixing of gas mixture basing on the measurements of average detonation velocity is established.

  9. Training-dependent cognitive advantage is suppressed at high altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Peng; Zhang, Gang; You, Hai-Yan; Zheng, Ran; Gao, Yu-Qi

    2012-06-25

    Ascent to high altitude is associated with decreases in cognitive function and work performance as a result of hypoxia. Some workers with special jobs typically undergo intensive mental training because they are expected to be agile, stable and error-free in their job performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk to cognitive function acquired from training following hypoxic exposure. The results of WHO neurobehavioral core tests battery (WHO-NCTB) and Raven's standard progressive matrices (RSPM) tests of a group of 54 highly trained military operators were compared with those of 51 non-trained ordinary people and were investigated at sea level and on the fifth day after arrival at high altitudes (3900m). Meanwhile, the plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were examined. The result showed that at sea level, the trained group exhibited significantly better performance on neurobehavioral and RSPM tests. At high altitude, both groups had decreased accuracy in most cognitive tests and took longer to finish them. More importantly, the highly trained subjects showed more substantial declines than the non-trained subjects in visual reaction accuracy, auditory reaction speed, digit symbol scores, ability to report correct dots in a pursuit aiming test and total RSPM scores. This means that the training-dependent cognitive advantages in these areas were suppressed at high altitudes. The above phenomenon maybe associated with decreased BDNF and elevated inflammatory factor during hypoxia, and other mechanisms could not be excluded. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Are macroinvertebrates in high altitude streams affected by oxygen deficiency?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Dean; Rostgaard, S.; Vásconez, J. J.

    2003-01-01

    1. The solubility of oxygen in water increases with decreasing temperature. This has led to a general perception of cold, high mountain streams as more oxygen rich than warmer lowland streams, and that macroinvertebrates inhabiting high altitude streams have had no need to adapt to critical oxygen...... conditions. However, this fails to take into account that oxygen solubility declines with decreasing atmospheric pressure, which may be of importance at high altitudes. 2. Based on samples of macroinvertebrate benthos and in situ measurements of respiratory oxygen demand of macroinvertebrates in small...... the mean weight-specific respiratory rate of macroinvertebrates declined by only 50%, from 400 to 3800 m. We suggest that this disproportionately large gap between availability and demand of oxygen at high altitudes may imply a potential oxygen deficiency for the fauna, and we discuss how oxygen deficiency...

  11. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy ameliorates acute brain injury after porcine intracerebral hemorrhage at high altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Hai-tao; Bian, Chen; Yuan, Ji-chao; Liao, Xiao-jun; Liu, Wei; Zhu, Gang; Feng, Hua; Lin, Jiang-kai

    2015-06-15

    Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) at high altitude is not well understood to date. This study investigates the effects of high altitude on ICH, and examines the acute neuroprotection of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy against high-altitude ICH. Minipigs were placed in a hypobaric chamber for 72 h before the operation. ICH was induced by an infusion of autologous arterial blood (3 ml) into the right basal ganglia. Animals in the high-altitude ICH group received HBO therapy (2.5 ATA for 60 min) 30 min after ICH. Blood gas, blood glucose and brain tissue oxygen partial pressure (PbtO2) were monitored continuously for animals from all groups, as were microdialysis products including glucose, lactate, pyruvate and glutamate in perihematomal tissue from 3 to 12 h post-ICH. High-altitude ICH animals showed significantly lower PbtO2, higher lactate/pyruvate ratio (LPR) and glutamate levels than low-altitude ICH animals. More severe neurological deficits, brain edema and neuronal damage were also observed in high-altitude ICH. After HBO therapy, PbtO2 was significantly increased and LPR and glutamate levels were significantly decreased. Brain edema, neurological deficits and neuronal damage were also ameliorated. The data suggested a more serious disturbance of tissue oxygenation and cerebral metabolism in the acute stage after ICH at high altitude. Early HBO treatment reduced acute brain injury, perhaps through a mechanism involving the amelioration of the derangement of cerebral oxygenation and metabolism following high-altitude ICH.

  12. Cold induced peripheral vasodilation at high altitudes- a field study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Daanen, H.A.M.; Ruiten, H.J.A. van

    2000-01-01

    A significant reduction in cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) is observed at high altitudes. No agreement is found in the literature about acclimatization effects on CIVD. Two studies were performed to investigate the effect of altitude acclimatization on CIVD. In the first study 13 male subjects

  13. Stability of cosmological detonation fronts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mégevand, Ariel; Membiela, Federico Agustín

    2014-05-01

    The steady-state propagation of a phase-transition front is classified, according to hydrodynamics, as a deflagration or a detonation, depending on its velocity with respect to the fluid. These propagation modes are further divided into three types, namely, weak, Jouguet, and strong solutions, according to their disturbance of the fluid. However, some of these hydrodynamic modes will not be realized in a phase transition. One particular cause is the presence of instabilities. In this work we study the linear stability of weak detonations, which are generally believed to be stable. After discussing in detail the weak detonation solution, we consider small perturbations of the interface and the fluid configuration. When the balance between the driving and friction forces is taken into account, it turns out that there are actually two different kinds of weak detonations, which behave very differently as functions of the parameters. We show that the branch of stronger weak detonations are unstable, except very close to the Jouguet point, where our approach breaks down.

  14. Control of breathing and the circulation in high-altitude mammals and birds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivy, Catherine M; Scott, Graham R

    2015-08-01

    Hypoxia is an unremitting stressor at high altitudes that places a premium on oxygen transport by the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Phenotypic plasticity and genotypic adaptation at various steps in the O2 cascade could help offset the effects of hypoxia on cellular O2 supply in high-altitude natives. In this review, we will discuss the unique mechanisms by which ventilation, cardiac output, and blood flow are controlled in high-altitude mammals and birds. Acclimatization to high altitudes leads to some changes in respiratory and cardiovascular control that increase O2 transport in hypoxia (e.g., ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia). However, acclimatization or development in hypoxia can also modify cardiorespiratory control in ways that are maladaptive for O2 transport. Hypoxia responses that arose as short-term solutions to O2 deprivation (e.g., peripheral vasoconstriction) or regional variation in O2 levels in the lungs (i.e., hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction) are detrimental at in chronic high-altitude hypoxia. Evolved changes in cardiorespiratory control have arisen in many high-altitude taxa, including increases in effective ventilation, attenuation of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, and changes in catecholamine sensitivity of the heart and systemic vasculature. Parallel evolution of some of these changes in independent highland lineages supports their adaptive significance. Much less is known about the genomic bases and potential interactive effects of adaptation, acclimatization, developmental plasticity, and trans-generational epigenetic transfer on cardiorespiratory control. Future work to understand these various influences on breathing and circulation in high-altitude natives will help elucidate how complex physiological systems can be pushed to their limits to maintain cellular function in hypoxia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. EFFECT OF HIGH ALTITUDE ON ERECTILE FUNCTION IN OTHERWISE HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Usama Bin Zubair

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine the effect of high altitude on Erectile function in otherwise healthy individuals and associated socio demographic factors. Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: January 2014 to March 2014 at Goma, Siachin. Material and Methods: One hundred & twenty two married male subjects living at an altitude of more than 15000 feet for more than 3 month and less than one year were included in the study. Erectile dysfunction (ED was assessed using International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5. Age, education, smoking, monthly income, any drug intake, altitude, duration of stay and weather conditions were correlated independently with ED. Results: Out of 122, 26 (21.3% had no ED, 18 had mild, 28 (14.8% had mild to moderate, 36(29.5% had moderate and 14 (11.5% had severe ED. Advancing age, low monthly income, smoking, high altitude, cold weather and longer duration of stay had significant association with ED (p-value<0.05 while education and use of any drug were not found significantly associated in our study. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of erectile dysfunction among otherwise healthy individuals when exposed to high altitude. Special attention should be paid on individuals with more age, less income and those working or residing at higher altitudes in peak winter season. Smoking and stay for longer durations should also be discouraged.

  16. Rotary wave-ejector enhanced pulse detonation engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nalim, M. R.; Izzy, Z. A.; Akbari, P.

    2012-01-01

    The use of a non-steady ejector based on wave rotor technology is modeled for pulse detonation engine performance improvement and for compatibility with turbomachinery components in hybrid propulsion systems. The rotary wave ejector device integrates a pulse detonation process with an efficient momentum transfer process in specially shaped channels of a single wave-rotor component. In this paper, a quasi-one-dimensional numerical model is developed to help design the basic geometry and operating parameters of the device. The unsteady combustion and flow processes are simulated and compared with a baseline PDE without ejector enhancement. A preliminary performance assessment is presented for the wave ejector configuration, considering the effect of key geometric parameters, which are selected for high specific impulse. It is shown that the rotary wave ejector concept has significant potential for thrust augmentation relative to a basic pulse detonation engine.

  17. Qualitative and Asymptotic Theory of Detonations

    KAUST Repository

    Faria, Luiz

    2014-11-09

    Shock waves in reactive media possess very rich dynamics: from formation of cells in multiple dimensions to oscillating shock fronts in one-dimension. Because of the extreme complexity of the equations of combustion theory, most of the current understanding of unstable detonation waves relies on extensive numerical simulations of the reactive compressible Euler/Navier-Stokes equations. Attempts at a simplified theory have been made in the past, most of which are very successful in describing steady detonation waves. In this work we focus on obtaining simplified theories capable of capturing not only the steady, but also the unsteady behavior of detonation waves. The first part of this thesis is focused on qualitative theories of detonation, where ad hoc models are proposed and analyzed. We show that equations as simple as a forced Burgers equation can capture most of the complex phenomena observed in detonations. In the second part of this thesis we focus on rational theories, and derive a weakly nonlinear model of multi-dimensional detonations. We also show, by analysis and numerical simulations, that the asymptotic equations provide good quantitative predictions.

  18. Physiological aspects of altitude training and the use of altitude simulators

    OpenAIRE

    Ranković Goran; Radovanović Dragan

    2005-01-01

    Altitude training in various forms is widely practiced by athletes and coaches in an attempt to improve sea level endurance. Training at high altitude may improve performance at sea level through altitude acclimatization, which improves oxygen transport and/or utilization, or through hypoxia, which intensifies the training stimulus. This basic physiological aspect allows three training modalities: live high and train high (classic high-altitude training), live low and train high (training thr...

  19. Scientific Approach for Optimising Performance, Health and Safety in High-Altitude Observatories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Böcker, Michael; Vogy, Joachim; Nolle-Gösser, Tanja

    2008-09-01

    The ESO coordinated study “Optimising Performance, Health and Safety in High-Altitude Observatories” is based on a psychological approach using a questionnaire for data collection and assessment of high-altitude effects. During 2007 and 2008, data from 28 staff and visitors involved in APEX and ALMA were collected and analysed and the first results of the study are summarised. While there is a lot of information about biomedical changes at high altitude, relatively few studies have focussed on psychological changes, for example with respect to performance of mental tasks, safety consciousness and emotions. Both, biomedical and psychological changes are relevant factors in occupational safety and health. The results of the questionnaire on safety, health and performance issues demonstrate that the working conditions at high altitude are less detrimental than expected.

  20. Unchanged cerebral blood flow and oxidative metabolism after acclimatization to high altitude

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Kirsten; Paulson, Olaf B; Hornbein, Thomas F.

    2002-01-01

    The authors investigated the effect of acclimatization to high altitude on cerebral blood flow and oxidative metabolism at rest and during exercise. Nine healthy, native sea-level residents were studied 3 weeks after arrival at Chacaltaya, Bolivia (5,260 m) and after reacclimatization to sea level....... At high altitude at rest, arterial carbon dioxide tension, oxygen saturation, and oxygen tension were significantly reduced, and arterial oxygen content was increased because of an increase in hemoglobin concentration. Global cerebral blood flow was similar in the four conditions. Cerebral oxygen delivery...... and cerebral metabolic rates of oxygen and glucose also remained unchanged, whereas cerebral metabolic rates of lactate increased slightly but nonsignificantly at high altitude during exercise compared with high altitude at rest. Reaction time was unchanged. The data indicate that cerebral blood flow...

  1. Design study for remotely piloted, high-altitude airplanes powered by microwave energy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, C. E. K., Jr.

    1983-01-01

    A design study has been conducted for unmanned, microwave-powered airplanes that must fly with long endurance at high altitude. They are proposed to conduct communications-relay, observation, or various scientific missions above approximately 55,000 feet altitude. The special characteristics of the microwave-power system and high-altitude, low-speed vehicle are reviewed. Examples of both sizing and performance analysis are used to suggest design procedure guidelines.

  2. Development and testing of pulsed and rotating detonation combustors

    Science.gov (United States)

    St. George, Andrew C.

    Detonation is a self-sustaining, supersonic, shock-driven, exothermic reaction. Detonation combustion can theoretically provide significant improvements in thermodynamic efficiency over constant pressure combustion when incorporated into existing cycles. To harness this potential performance benefit, countless studies have worked to develop detonation combustors and integrate these devices into existing systems. This dissertation consists of a series of investigations on two types of detonation combustors: the pulse detonation combustor (PDC) and the rotating detonation combustor (RDC). In the first two investigations, an array of air-breathing PDCs is integrated with an axial power turbine. The system is initially operated with steady and pulsed cold air flow to determine the effect of pulsed flow on turbine performance. Various averaging approaches are employed to calculate turbine efficiency, but only flow-weighted (e.g., mass or work averaging) definitions have physical significance. Pulsed flow turbine efficiency is comparable to steady flow efficiency at high corrected flow rates and low rotor speeds. At these conditions, the pulse duty cycle expands and the variation of the rotor incidence angle is constrained to a favorable range. The system is operated with pulsed detonating flow to determine the effect of frequency, fill fraction, and rotor speed on turbine performance. For some conditions, output power exceeds the maximum attainable value from steady constant pressure combustion due to a significant increase in available power from the detonation products. However, the turbine component efficiency estimated from classical thermodynamic analysis is four times lower than the steady design point efficiency. Analysis of blade angles shows a significant penalty due to the detonation, fill, and purge processes simultaneously imposed on the rotor. The latter six investigations focus on fundamental research of the RDC concept. A specially-tailored RDC data

  3. The role of multidimensional instabilities in direct initiation of gaseous detonations in free space

    KAUST Repository

    Shen, Hua

    2017-01-20

    We numerically investigate the direct initiation of detonations driven by the propagation of a blast wave into a unconfined gaseous combustible mixture to study the role played by multidimensional instabilities in direct initiation of stable and unstable detonations. To this end, we first model the dynamics of unsteady propagation of detonation using the one-dimensional compressible Euler equations with a one-step chemical reaction model and cylindrical geometrical source terms. Subsequently, we use two-dimensional compressible Euler equations with just the chemical reaction source term to directly model cylindrical detonations. The one-dimensional results suggest that there are three regimes in the direct initiation for stable detonations, that the critical energy for mildly unstable detonations is not unique, and that highly unstable detonations are not self-sustainable. These phenomena agree well with one-dimensional theories and computations available in the literature. However, our two-dimensional results indicate that one-dimensional approaches are valid only for stable detonations. In mildly and highly unstable detonations, one-dimensional approaches break down because they cannot take the effects and interactions of multidimensional instabilities into account. In fact, instabilities generated in multidimensional settings yield the formation of strong transverse waves that, on one hand, increase the risk of failure of the detonation and, on the other hand, lead to the initiation of local over-driven detonations that enhance the overall self-sustainability of the global process. The competition between these two possible outcomes plays an important role in the direct initiation of detonations.

  4. High altitude pulmonary edema among "Amarnath Yatris"

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parvaiz A Koul

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Annual pilgrimage (Yatra to the cave shrine of Shri Amarnath Ji′ is a holy ritual among the Hindu devotees of Lord Shiva. Located in the Himalayan Mountain Range (altitude 13,000 ft in south Kashmir, the shrine is visited by thousands of devotees and altitude sickness is reportedly common. Materials and Methods: More than 600,000 pilgrims visited the cave shrine in 2011 and 2012 with 239 recorded deaths. Thirty one patients with suspected altitude sickness were referred from medical centers en-route the cave to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, a tertiary-care center in capital Srinagar (5,000 ft. The clinical features and the response to treatment were recorded. Results: Thirty-one patients (all lowlanders, 19 male; age 18-60 years, median 41 had presented with acute onset breathlessness of 1-4 days (median 1.9 d starting within 12-24 h of a rapid ascent; accompanied by cough (68%, headache (8%, dizziness and nausea (65%. Sixteen patients had associated encephalopathy. Clinical features on admission included tachypnea ( n = 31, tachycardia ( n = 23, bilateral chest rales ( n = 29, cyanosis ( n = 22 and grade 2-4 encephalopathy. Hypoxemia was demonstrable in 24 cases and bilateral infiltrates on radiologic imaging in 29. Ten patients had evidence of high-altitude cerebral edema. All patients were managed with oxygen, steroids, nifedipine, sildenafil and other supportive measures including invasive ventilation ( n = 3. Three patients died due to multiorgan dysfunction. Conclusions: Altitude sickness is common among Amaranath Yatris from the plains and appropriate educational strategies should be invoked for prevention and prompt treatment.

  5. Novel drugs in the management of acute mountain sickness and high altitude pulmonary edema

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sikri G

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Gaurav Sikri, Anirban Bhattacharya Department of Physiology, Armed Forces Medical College, Wanowarie, Pune, IndiaWe read with great interest the review article titled “Wilderness medicine at high altitude: recent developments in the field” by Shah et al.1 The authors have comprehensively summarized the recent advances in the field of high altitude medicine relevant to sports and travel medicine. However, Shah et al have described potential drugs for management of high-altitude illnesses, such as acute mountain sickness (AMS, high altitude cerebral edema, and high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE as one group under the section “Novel drug treatment for AMS”. The pathophysiologies of these two sets of diseases (AMS/high altitude cerebral edema as one and HAPE as another set are different2 and hence it would have been nice to have had the novel drugs described separately to elucidate the therapeutic approach for the two different classes of diseases.View original paper by Shah et al.

  6. Kajian Teknologi High Altitude Platform (HAP [Study of High Altitude Platform (HAP Technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amry Daulat Gultom

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available High Altitude Platform (HAP merupakan solusi alternatif untuk mengatasi keterbatasan infrastruktur terestrial maupun satelit. HAP merupakan pesawat ataupun balon udara yang ditempatkan pada ketinggian 20-50 km di atas permukaan bumi. Kelebihan yang utama dari HAP adalah kemudahan dalam penempatan, fleksibilitas, biaya operasionalnya rendah, delay  propagasi rendah, sudut elevasi lebar, cakupan yang luas. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui potensi HAP untuk komunikasi pita lebar dan perkembangannya di Indonesia. Analisis dilakukan secara deskriptif dengan mengolah data literatur yang didapat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa di Indonesia terdapat potensi teknologi HAP untuk komunikasi pita lebar dengan lebar pita 2x300 MHz di band 27,9-28,2 GHz dan 31-31,3 GHz. Namun, belum ada peraturan yang mengatur alokasi frekuensi untuk HAP secara khusus di Indonesia.*****High Altitude Platform (HAP has been developed as an alternative solution in order to overcome limitation of terrestrial and satellite communication system. HAP is an aircraft or balloon situated on 20-50 km above the earth. Main advantages of HAP are flexibility in deployment, low propagation delay, wide elevation angle and broad coverage. The research is conducted to gather HAP potential for broadband communication and its development in Indonesia. Analysis is conducted by descriptive analysis from literature study gather. The research result shows that in Indonesia, there is potential of HAP technology for broadband communication with 2x300 MHz bandwidth within 27,9-28,2 GHz and 31-31,3 GHz. Yet, there are no specific regulations managing frequency allocation for HAP in Indonesia.

  7. Detonation of high explosives in Lagrangian hydrodynamic codes using the programmed burn technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berger, M.E.

    1975-09-01

    Two initiation methods were developed for improving the programmed burn technique for detonation of high explosives in smeared-shock Lagrangian hydrodynamic codes. The methods are verified by comparing the improved programmed burn with existing solutions in one-dimensional plane, converging, and diverging geometries. Deficiencies in the standard programmed burn are described. One of the initiation methods has been determined to be better for inclusion in production hydrodynamic codes

  8. Detonation and fragmentation modeling for the description of large scale vapor explosions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buerger, M.; Carachalios, C.; Unger, H.

    1985-01-01

    The thermal detonation modeling of large-scale vapor explosions is shown to be indispensable for realistic safety evaluations. A steady-state as well as transient detonation model have been developed including detailed descriptions of the dynamics as well as the fragmentation processes inside a detonation wave. Strong restrictions for large-scale vapor explosions are obtained from this modeling and they indicate that the reactor pressure vessel would even withstand explosions with unrealistically high masses of corium involved. The modeling is supported by comparisons with a detonation experiment and - concerning its key part - hydronamic fragmentation experiments. (orig.) [de

  9. Difference in blood microcirculation recovery between normal frostbite and high-altitude frostbite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-ke JIAO

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective To determine the difference in blood microcirculation recovery between normal frostbite and high-altitude frostbite during the wound healing. Methods Twenty four male rats were randomly divided into control group (n=8, normal frostbite group (n=8, and high-altitude group (n=8. The normal frostbite group rats were frozen to produce mid-degree frostbite models by controlling the freezing time with liquid nitrogen penetration equipment. The high-altitude frostbite group rats were acclimated to a hypoxic and low-pressure environment for 1 week, and then the high-altitude frostbite models were constructed by the same way with liquid nitrogen penetration apparatus. On days 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, and 23 after modeling, the recovery situation of blood circulation of each group was observed with contrast ultrasonography by injecting SonoVue micro-bubble into rats' tail. Finally, the micro-bubble concentration (MC was calculated to confirm the blood circulation recovery with software Image Pro. Results At different time points, the wound area of the high-altitude frostbite group was bigger than that of the normal frostbite group, and the MC of control group was always about (27±0.2×109/ml. On day 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, and 23, the MC was significantly lower in the high-altitude frostbite group than in the control group and normal frostbite group (P<0.05. The MC of normal frostbite group was significantly lower than that of the control group on day 3, 7, 11, 15 and 19 (P<0.05. In addition, no obvious difference in MC was found between normal group and control group on the 23th day (P<0.05. Conclusion The blood microcirculation recovery after high-altitude frostbite is significantly slower than the normal frostbite. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2017.01.13

  10. Civilian Training in High-Altitude Flight Physiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-08-01

    A survey was conducted to determine if training in high-altitude physiology should : be required for civilian pilots; what the current status of such training was; and, : if required, what should be included in an ideal curriculum. The survey include...

  11. Novel uses of detonator diagnostics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gibson, John R. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Wilde, Zakary Robert [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Tasker, Douglas George [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Francois, Elizabeth Green [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Nakamoto, Teagan Kanakanui Junichi [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Smith, Dalton Kay [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Trujillo, Christopher J. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2017-09-15

    A novel combination of diagnostics is being used to research the physics of detonator initiation. The explosive PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate) commonly used in detonators, is also a piezo-electric material that, when sufficiently shocked, emits an electromagnetic field in the radio frequency (RF) range, along crystal fracture planes. In an effort to capture this RF signal, a new diagnostic was created. A copper foil, used as an RF antenna, was wrapped around a foam fixture encompassing a PETN pellet. Rogowski coils were used to obtain the change in current with respect to time (di/dt) the detonator circuit, in and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) stress sensors were used to capture shockwave arrival time. The goal of these experiments is to use these diagnostics to study the reaction response of a PETN pellet of known particle size to shock loading with various diagnostics including an antenna to capture RF emissions. Our hypothesis is that RF feedback may signify the rate of deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) or lack thereof. The new diagnostics and methods will be used to determine the timing of start of current, bridge burst, detonator breakout timing and RF generated from detonation. These data will be compared to those of currently used diagnostics in order to validate the accuracy of these new methods. Future experiments will incorporate other methods of validation including dynamic radiography, optical initiation and use of magnetic field sensors.

  12. Aspirated Compressors for High Altitude Engines, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Aurora Flight Sciences proposes to incorporate aspirated compressor technology into a high altitude, long endurance (HALE) concept engine. Aspiration has been proven...

  13. Study on Oxygen Supply Standard for Physical Health of Construction Personnel of High-Altitude Tunnels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun Guo

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The low atmospheric pressure and low oxygen content in high-altitude environment have great impacts on the functions of human body. Especially for the personnel engaged in complicated physical labor such as tunnel construction, high altitude can cause a series of adverse physiological reactions, which may result in multiple high-altitude diseases and even death in severe cases. Artificial oxygen supply is required to ensure health and safety of construction personnel in hypoxic environments. However, there are no provisions for oxygen supply standard for tunnel construction personnel in high-altitude areas in current tunnel construction specifications. As a result, this paper has theoretically studied the impacts of high-altitude environment on human bodies, analyzed the relationship between labor intensity and oxygen consumption in high-altitude areas and determined the critical oxygen-supply altitude values for tunnel construction based on two different standard evaluation systems, i.e., variation of air density and equivalent PIO2. In addition, it has finally determined the oxygen supply standard for construction personnel in high-altitude areas based on the relationship between construction labor intensity and oxygen consumption.

  14. Climate Change Impacts on High-Altitude Ecosystems

    OpenAIRE

    Harald Pauli

    2016-01-01

    Reviewed: Climate Change Impacts on High-Altitude Ecosystems By Münir Öztürk, Khalid Rehman Hakeem, I. Faridah-Hanum and Efe. Recep, Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2015. xvii + 696 pp. US$ 239.00. ISBN 978-3-319-12858-0.

  15. Effect of egg composition and oxidoreductase on adaptation of Tibetan chicken to high altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, C L; He, L J; Li, P C; Liu, H Y; Wei, Z H

    2016-07-01

    Tibetan chickens have good adaptation to hypoxic conditions, which can be reflected by higher hatchability than lowland breeds when incubated at high altitude. The objective of this trial was to study changes in egg composition and metabolism with regards the adaptation of Tibetan chickens to high altitude. We measured the dry weight of chicken embryos, egg yolk, and egg albumen, and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) in breast muscle, heart, and liver from embryos of Tibetan chicken and Dwarf chicken (lowland breed) incubated at high (2,900 m) and low (100 m) altitude. We found that growth of chicken embryos was restricted at high altitude, especially for Dwarf chicken embryos. In Tibetan chicken, the egg weight was lighter, but the dry weight of egg yolk was heavier than that of Dwarf chicken. The LDH activities of the three tissues from the high altitude groups were respectively higher than those of the lowland groups from d 15 to hatching, except for breast muscle of Tibetan chicken embryos on d 15. In addition, under the high altitude environment, the heart tissue from Tibetan chicken had lower LDH activity than that from Dwarf chicken at d 15 and 18. The lactic acid content of blood from Tibetan chicken embryos was lower than that of Dwarf chicken at d 12 and 15 of incubation at high altitude. There was no difference in SDH activity in the three tissues between the high altitude groups and the lowland groups except in three tissues of hatchlings and at d 15 of incubation in breast muscle, nor between the two breeds at high altitude except in the heart of hatchlings. Consequently, the adaptation of Tibetan chicken to high altitude may be associated with higher quantities of yolk in the egg and a low metabolic oxygen demand in tissue, which illuminate the reasons that the Tibetan chicken have higher hatchability with lower oxygen transport ability. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  16. Incidence and Symptoms of High Altitude Illness in South Pole Workers: Antarctic Study of Altitude Physiology (ASAP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul J. Anderson

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Each year, the US Antarctic Program rapidly transports scientists and support personnel from sea level (SL to the South Pole (SP, 2835 m providing a unique natural laboratory to quantify the incidence of acute mountain sickness (AMS, patterns of altitude related symptoms and the field effectiveness of acetazolamide in a highly controlled setting. We hypothesized that the combination of rapid ascent (3 hr, accentuated hypobarism (relative to altitude, cold, and immediate exertion would increase altitude illness risk. Methods Medically screened adults (N = 246, age = 37 ± 11 yr, 30% female, BMI = 26 ± 4 kg/m 2 were recruited. All underwent SL and SP physiological evaluation, completed Lake Louise symptom questionnaires (LLSQ, to define AMS, and answered additional symptom related questions (eg, exertional dyspnea, mental status, cough, edema and general health, during the 1st week at altitude. Acetazolamide, while not mandatory, was used by 40% of participants. Results At SP, the barometric pressure resulted in physiological altitudes that approached 3400 m, while T ° C averaged -42, humidity 0.03%. Arterial oxygen saturation averaged 89% ± 3%. Overall, 52% developed LLSQ defined AMS. The most common symptoms reported were exertional dyspnea-(87%, sleeping difficulty-(74%, headache-(66%, fatigue-(65%, and dizziness/lightheadedness-(46%. Symptom severity peaked on days 1-2, yet in >20% exertional dyspnea, fatigue and sleep problems persisted through day 7. AMS incidence was similar between those using acetazolamide and those abstaining (51 vs. 52%, P = 0.87. Those who used acetazolamide tended to be older, have less altitude experience, worse symptoms on previous exposures, and less SP experience. Conclusion The incidence of AMS at SP tended to be higher than previously reports in other geographic locations at similar altitudes. Thus, the SP constitutes a more intense altitude exposure than might be expected considering physical

  17. Butterflies of the high altitude Atacama Desert: habitat use and conservation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emma eDespland

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The butterfly fauna of the high-altitude desert of Northern Chile, though depauperate, shows high endemism, is poorly known and is of considerable conservation concern. This study surveys butterflies along the Andean slope between 2400 and 500 m asl (prepuna, puna and Andean steppe habitats as well as in high and low altitude wetlands and in the neoriparian vegetation of agricultural sites. We also include historical sightings from museum records. We compare abundances between altitudes, between natural and impacted sites, as well as between two sampling years with different precipitation regimes. The results confirm high altitudinal turnover and show greatest similarity between wetland and slope faunas at similar altitudes. Results also underscore vulnerability to weather fluctuations, particularly in the more arid low-altitude sites, where abundances were much lower in the low precipitation sampling season and several species were not observed at all. Finally, we show that some species have shifted to the neoriparian vegetation of the agricultural landscape, whereas others were only observed in less impacted habitats dominated by native plants. These results suggest that acclimation to novel habitats depends on larval host plant use. The traditional agricultural environment can provide habitat for many, but not all, native butterfly species, but an estimation of the value of these habitats requires better understanding of butterfly life-history strategies and relationships with host plants.

  18. Thermal stability of detonation-produced micro and nanodiamonds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Efremov, V. P.; Zakatilova, E. I.; Maklashova, I. V.; Shevchenko, N. V.

    2018-01-01

    Detonation nanodiamonds are produced at utilization of high explosives. When an explosive blasts in a water environment, the detonation products contain microdiamonds, and in a gaseous medium, nanodiamonds. It is known that with decreasing size the influence of the surface energy of particles on their properties increases. Thus, it is interesting to compare the properties of detonation nano and microdiamonds. In this study, we have examined the thermal stability of diamond materials by synchronous thermal analysis. The experiments were performed at atmospheric pressure in argon flow for different heating rates in a range from room temperature to 1500 °C. Samples of initial and annealed micro and nanomaterials were studied using electron microscopy, x-ray and x-ray-fluorescence analysis. It was established that thermal and structural properties of micro and nanodiamonds differ substantially.

  19. 28 CFR 79.33 - Proof of participation onsite during a period of atmospheric nuclear testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... number; (iv) The site at which the claimant participated in the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear... atmospheric detonation of a nuclear device. If the facts gathered by the DoD are insufficient to establish the... claimant was present onsite during the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear device as an employee of the AEC...

  20. High altitude-induced albuminuria in normal man is enhanced by infusion of low-dose dopamine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, J M; Kanstrup, I L; Richalet, J P

    1996-01-01

    -85) (median with quartiles in parentheses) at high altitude. High altitude hypoxia increased Ualb from 3.2 micrograms min-1 (2.7-3.5) to 5.0 micrograms min-1 (3.3-6.6) (p ... flow (ERPF) from 465 ml min-1 (412-503) to 410 ml min-1 (385-451) (p high altitude. Dopamine...... increased ERPF, GFR, CLi, CNa, and decreased the filtration fraction in both environments. Infusion of dopamine further increased Ualb to 10.5 micrograms min-1 (5.5-64.8) (p high altitude, but had no effect on Ualb at sea level. In conclusion, high altitude hypoxia per se increases the urinary...

  1. Climate Change Impacts on High-Altitude Ecosystems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harald Pauli

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Reviewed: Climate Change Impacts on High-Altitude Ecosystems By Münir Öztürk, Khalid Rehman Hakeem, I. Faridah-Hanum and Efe. Recep, Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2015. xvii + 696 pp. US$ 239.00. ISBN 978-3-319-12858-0.

  2. SPLENIC INFARCTION: an intriguing and important cause of pain abdomen in high altitude

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. K. Hota

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Patients with Sickle cell trait (SCT are usually asymptomatic. They are usually unaware of their condition unless they have a family history. There are specific situations, where these people suffer from the effects of sickle cell trait. Splenic syndrome at high altitude is one of the specific problems. It is usually seen after a patient with SCT has been inducted to high altitude like in case of mountaineers and military personnel deployed in high altitude warfare. Pain abdomen due to splenic infarction in individuals with SCT is one of the manifestations. These patients, if diagnosed in time, they can be spared from unnecessary surgical interventions. We present herewith our experience of splenic infarction due to SCT in high altitude and their management.

  3. Level set methods for detonation shock dynamics using high-order finite elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dobrev, V. A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Grogan, F. C. [Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Kolev, T. V. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Rieben, R [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Tomov, V. Z. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2017-05-26

    Level set methods are a popular approach to modeling evolving interfaces. We present a level set ad- vection solver in two and three dimensions using the discontinuous Galerkin method with high-order nite elements. During evolution, the level set function is reinitialized to a signed distance function to maintain ac- curacy. Our approach leads to stable front propagation and convergence on high-order, curved, unstructured meshes. The ability of the solver to implicitly track moving fronts lends itself to a number of applications; in particular, we highlight applications to high-explosive (HE) burn and detonation shock dynamics (DSD). We provide results for two- and three-dimensional benchmark problems as well as applications to DSD.

  4. Experimental StudyHigh Altitude Forced Convective Cooling of Electromechanical Actuation Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    34 Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 1989. [3] FedBizOps.Gov, " Integrated Vehicle Energy Technology (INVENT) Development Program for the 6th...AFRL-RQ-WP-TR-2016-0043 EXPERIMENTAL STUDY—HIGH ALTITUDE FORCED CONVECTIVE COOLING OF ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATION SYSTEMS Evan M. Racine...TITLE AND SUBTITLE EXPERIMENTAL STUDY—HIGH ALTITUDE FORCED CONVECTIVE COOLING OF ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATION SYSTEMS 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER In-house

  5. Detonation Jet Engine. Part 1--Thermodynamic Cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulat, Pavel V.; Volkov, Konstantin N.

    2016-01-01

    We present the most relevant works on jet engine design that utilize thermodynamic cycle of detonative combustion. The efficiency advantages of thermodynamic detonative combustion cycle over Humphrey combustion cycle at constant volume and Brayton combustion cycle at constant pressure were demonstrated. An ideal Ficket-Jacobs detonation cycle, and…

  6. Text mining and network analysis to find functional associations of genes in high altitude diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhasuran, Balu; Subramanian, Devika; Natarajan, Jeyakumar

    2018-05-02

    Travel to elevations above 2500 m is associated with the risk of developing one or more forms of acute altitude illness such as acute mountain sickness (AMS), high altitude cerebral edema (HACE) or high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Our work aims to identify the functional association of genes involved in high altitude diseases. In this work we identified the gene networks responsible for high altitude diseases by using the principle of gene co-occurrence statistics from literature and network analysis. First, we mined the literature data from PubMed on high-altitude diseases, and extracted the co-occurring gene pairs. Next, based on their co-occurrence frequency, gene pairs were ranked. Finally, a gene association network was created using statistical measures to explore potential relationships. Network analysis results revealed that EPO, ACE, IL6 and TNF are the top five genes that were found to co-occur with 20 or more genes, while the association between EPAS1 and EGLN1 genes is strongly substantiated. The network constructed from this study proposes a large number of genes that work in-toto in high altitude conditions. Overall, the result provides a good reference for further study of the genetic relationships in high altitude diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Cognitive Changes during Prolonged Stay at High Altitude and Its Correlation with C-Reactive Protein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheng Li Hu

    Full Text Available Hypersensitive C-reaction protein (hsCRP may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment resulting from Alzheimer's disease (AD, stroke, and vascular dementia. This study explored the correlation of peripheral blood hsCRP level with cognitive decline due to high altitude exposure. The study was conducted on 100 male military participants who had never been to high altitude. Cerebral oxygen saturation monitoring, event related potentials (P300, N200 detection, and neurocognitive assessment was performed and total hsCRP, interleukin-6 (IL-6, and homocysteine was estimated at 500 m altitude, 3650 m altitude, 3 day, 1, and 3 month post arriving at the base camp (4400 m, and 1 month after coming back to the 500 m altitude. High altitude increased brain oxygen saturation, prolonged P300 and N200 latencies, injured cognitive functions, and raised plasma hsCRP levels. But they all recovered in varying degrees at 1 and 3 month post arriving at the base camp (4400 m. P300 latencies and hsCRP levels were strongly correlated to cognitive performances. These results suggested that cognitive deterioration occurred during the acute period of exposure to high altitude and may recover probably owning to acclimatization after extended stay at high altitude. Plasma hsCRP is inversely correlated to neurological cognition and it may be a potential biomarker for the prediction of high altitude induced cognitive dysfunction.

  8. Functions and Design Scheme of Tibet High Altitude Test Base

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yu Yongqing; Guo Jian; Yin Yu; Mao Yan; Li Guangfan; Fan Jianbin; Lu Jiayu; Su Zhiyi; Li Peng; Li Qingfeng; Liao Weiming; Zhou Jun

    2010-01-01

    @@ The functional orientation of the Tibet High Altitude Test Base, subordinated to the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), is to serve power transmission projects in high altitude areas, especially to provide technical support for southwestern hydropower delivery projects by UHVDC transmission and Qinghai-Tibet grid interconnection project. This paper presents the matters concerned during siting and planning, functions,design scheme, the main performances and parameters of the test facilities, as well as the tests and research tasks already carried out.

  9. Study of radiation background at various high altitude locations in preparation for rare event search in cosmic rays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhattacharyya, R.; Dey, S.; Ghosh, Sanjay K.; Maulik, A.; Raha, Sibaji; Syam, D., E-mail: rupamoy@gmail.com, E-mail: dey_s2001@yahoo.com, E-mail: sanjay@jcbose.ac.in, E-mail: atanu.maulik@jcbose.ac.in, E-mail: sibaji.raha@jcbose.ac.in, E-mail: syam.debapriyo@gmail.com [Centre for Astroparticle Physics and Space Science, Bose Institute, Block-EN, Sector-V, Kolkata-700091 (India)

    2017-04-01

    Various phenomenological models presented over the years have hinted at the possible presence of strangelets, which are nuggets of Strange Quark Matter (SQM), in cosmic rays. One way to search for such rare events is through the deployment of large area Nuclear Track Detector (NTD) arrays at high mountain altitudes. Before the deployment of any such array can begin, a detailed study of the radiation background is essential. Also, a proper understanding of the response of detectors exposed to extreme weather conditions is necessary. With that aim, pilot studies were carried out at various high altitude locations in India such as Darjeeling (2200 m a.m.s.l), Ooty (2200 m a.m.s.l) and Hanle (4500 m a.m.s.l). Small arrays of CR-39 as well as high threshold Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) detectors were given open air exposures for periods ranging from three months to two years. The findings of such studies are reported in this paper.

  10. High speed radiometric measurements of IED detonation fireballs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spidell, Matthew T.; Gordon, J. Motos; Pitz, Jeremey; Gross, Kevin C.; Perram, Glen P.

    2010-04-01

    Continuum emission is predominant in fireball spectral phenomena and in some demonstrated cases, fine detail in the temporal evolution of infrared spectral emissions can be used to estimate size and chemical composition of the device. Recent work indicates that a few narrow radiometric bands may reveal forensic information needed for the explosive discrimination and classification problem, representing an essential step in moving from "laboratory" measurements to a rugged, fieldable system. To explore phenomena not observable in previous experiments, a high speed (10μs resolution) radiometer with four channels spanning the infrared spectrum observed the detonation of nine home made explosive (HME) devices in the 0.98) using blast model functional forms, suggesting that energy release could be estimated from single-pixel radiometric detectors. Comparison of radiometer-derived fireball size with FLIR infrared imagery indicate the Planckian intensity size estimates are about a factor of two smaller than the physical extent of the fireball.

  11. Effect of phosphate supplementation on oxygen delivery at high altitude

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, S. C.; Singh, M. V.; Rawal, S. B.; Sharma, V. M.; Divekar, H. M.; Tyagi, A. K.; Panwar, M. R.; Swamy, Y. V.

    1987-09-01

    In the present communication, effect of low doses of phosphate supplementation on short-term high altitude adaptation has been examined. Studies were carried out in 36 healthy, male, sea-level residents divided in a double blind fashion into drug and placebo treated groups. 3.2 mmol of phosphate were given orally to each subject of the drug treated group once a day for 4 days on arrival at an altitude of 3,500 m. Sequential studies were done in the subjects in both groups on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st day of their altitude stay. Haemoglobin, haematocrit, erythrocyte and reticulocyte counts increased to the similar extent in both groups. Blood pH, pO2 and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) did not differ between the two groups. On 3rd day of the altitude stay, inorganic phosphate and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG) levels in the drug treated group increased significantly as compared to the placebo group. No significant difference in inorganic phosphate and 2,3 DPG was observed later on in the two groups. Psychological and clinical tests also indicated that the drug treated subjects felt better as compared to the placebo treated subjects. The present study suggests that low doses of phosphate increases circulating 2,3-DPG concentration which in turn brings about beneficial effect towards short term high altitude adaptation.

  12. Evaluation of the effects of detonation in a spherical bomb

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurylo, J.; Oppenheim, A.K.

    1979-11-01

    An analysis is presented of the time-dependent pressure forces and impulse loadings on the walls of the hemispherical dome of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel arising from a centrally ignited hydrogen-oxygen detonation. Investigated in this context are the effects of richness of the detonable gas mixture as well as those due to the inclusion of water vapor. In the analysis the gas mixture was treated as a perfect gas, and the partial differential equations governing the gasdynamic flow were integrated using the CLOUD CODE - a finite-difference technique set in Lagrangian coordinates and incorporating the smoothing action of artificial viscosity. The most interesting results pertain to the ringing of pressure pulses at the walls. Their frequency is quite uniform, and their pressure peaks, at levels significantly higher than that of combustion at constant volume, decay at a negligible rate

  13. Numerical simulations of cellular detonation diffraction in a stable gaseous mixture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Li

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the diffraction phenomenon of gaseous cellular detonations emerging from a confined tube into a sudden open space is simulated using the reactive Euler equations with a two-step Arrhenius chemistry model. Both two-dimensional and axisymmetric configurations are used for modeling cylindrical and spherical expansions, respectively. The chemical parameters are chosen for a stable gaseous explosive mixture in which the cellular detonation structure is highly regular. Adaptive mesh refinement (AMR is used to resolve the detonation wave structure and its evolution during the transmission. The numerical results show that the critical channel width and critical diameter over the detonation cell size are about 13±1 and 25±1, respectively. These numerical findings are comparable with the experimental observation and confirm again that the critical channel width and critical diameter differ essentially by a factor close to 2, equal to the geometrical scaling based on front curvature theory. Unlike unstable mixtures where instabilities manifested in the detonation front structure play a significant role during the transmission, the present numerical results and the observed geometrical scaling provide again evidence that the failure of detonation diffraction in stable mixtures with a regular detonation cellular pattern is dominantly caused by the global curvature due to the wave divergence resulting in the global decoupling of the reaction zone with the expanding shock front.

  14. Nuclear forensics: Soil content

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beebe, Merilyn Amy

    2015-01-01

    Nuclear Forensics is a growing field that is concerned with all stages of the process of creating and detonating a nuclear weapon. The main goal is to prevent nuclear attack by locating and securing nuclear material before it can be used in an aggressive manner. This stage of the process is mostly paperwork; laws, regulations, treaties, and declarations made by individual countries or by the UN Security Council. There is some preliminary leg work done in the form of field testing detection equipment and tracking down orphan materials; however, none of these have yielded any spectacular or useful results. In the event of a nuclear attack, the first step is to analyze the post detonation debris to aid in the identification of the responsible party. This aspect of the nuclear forensics process, while reactive in nature, is more scientific. A rock sample taken from the detonation site can be dissolved into liquid form and analyzed to determine its chemical composition. The chemical analysis of spent nuclear material can provide valuable information if properly processed and analyzed. In order to accurately evaluate the results, scientists require information on the natural occurring elements in the detonation zone. From this information, scientists can determine what percentage of the element originated in the bomb itself rather than the environment. To this end, element concentrations in soils from sixty-nine different cities are given, along with activity concentrations for uranium, thorium, potassium, and radium in various building materials. These data are used in the analysis program Python.

  15. Nuclear forensics: Soil content

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beebe, Merilyn Amy [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2015-08-31

    Nuclear Forensics is a growing field that is concerned with all stages of the process of creating and detonating a nuclear weapon. The main goal is to prevent nuclear attack by locating and securing nuclear material before it can be used in an aggressive manner. This stage of the process is mostly paperwork; laws, regulations, treaties, and declarations made by individual countries or by the UN Security Council. There is some preliminary leg work done in the form of field testing detection equipment and tracking down orphan materials; however, none of these have yielded any spectacular or useful results. In the event of a nuclear attack, the first step is to analyze the post detonation debris to aid in the identification of the responsible party. This aspect of the nuclear forensics process, while reactive in nature, is more scientific. A rock sample taken from the detonation site can be dissolved into liquid form and analyzed to determine its chemical composition. The chemical analysis of spent nuclear material can provide valuable information if properly processed and analyzed. In order to accurately evaluate the results, scientists require information on the natural occurring elements in the detonation zone. From this information, scientists can determine what percentage of the element originated in the bomb itself rather than the environment. To this end, element concentrations in soils from sixty-nine different cities are given, along with activity concentrations for uranium, thorium, potassium, and radium in various building materials. These data are used in the analysis program Python.

  16. Applicability of Machine-Learning Enabled LIBS in Post Irradiation Nuclear Forensic Analysis of High Level Waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onkongi, J.; Maina, D.; Angeyo, H.K.

    2017-01-01

    Nuclear Forensics seeks Information to determine; Chemical Composition, Routes of transit, Origin (Provenance) and Intended use. Post Irradiation/Post detonation NF In a post-detonation event could you get clues/signatures from glass debris, minute sample sizes? Nuclear Forensic Technique Should be State-of -the art that is Rapid, Non-invasive, Remote ability and Non-destructive. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) unlike other Analytic Techniques that require tedious sample preparations such as Dissolution, digestion & matrix removal, which generate additional nuclear wastes that require proper Procedures for handling, storage & ultimate disposal, LIBS overcomes these limitations. Utility of Machine Learning Techniques employed include; Artificial Neural Networks, ANN (Regression/Modelling), Principal component Analysis, PCA (Classification) and Support Vector Machine SVM (Comparative study/Classification Machine Learning coupled with LIBS gives a state of the art analytic method. Utility of the technic in safeguards security and non-proliferation

  17. Shock-to-detonation transition of RDX, HMX and NTO based composite high explosives: experiments and modelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baudin, G; Roudot, M; Genetier, M; Mateille, P; Lefrançois, A

    2014-01-01

    HMX, RDX and NTO based cast-cured plastic bounded explosive (PBX) are widely used in insensitive ammunitions. Designing modern warheads needs robust and reliable models to compute shock ignition and detonation propagation inside PBX. Comparing to a pressed PBX, a cast-cured PBX is not porous and the hot-spots are mainly located at the grain-binder interface leading to a different burning behavior during shock-to-detonation transition. Here, we review the shock-to-detonation transition (SDT) and its modeling for cast-cured PBX containing HMX, RDX and NTO. Future direction is given in conclusion.

  18. Shock-to-detonation transition of RDX, HMX and NTO based composite high explosives: experiments and modelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baudin, G.; Roudot, M.; Genetier, M.; Mateille, P.; Lefrançois, A.

    2014-05-01

    HMX, RDX and NTO based cast-cured plastic bounded explosive (PBX) are widely used in insensitive ammunitions. Designing modern warheads needs robust and reliable models to compute shock ignition and detonation propagation inside PBX. Comparing to a pressed PBX, a cast-cured PBX is not porous and the hot-spots are mainly located at the grain-binder interface leading to a different burning behavior during shock-to-detonation transition. Here, we review the shock-to-detonation transition (SDT) and its modeling for cast-cured PBX containing HMX, RDX and NTO. Future direction is given in conclusion.

  19. Differentiation of pulmonary embolism from high altitude pulmonary edema

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, D.A.; Hashim, R.; Mirza, T.M.; Matloob-ur-Rehman, M.

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To differentiate the high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) from pulmonary embolism (PE) by clinical probability model of PE, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate transaminase (AST) and D-dimer assays at high altitude. Subjects and Methods: Consecutive 40 patients evacuated from height > 3000 meters with symptoms of PE or HAPE were included. Clinical pretest probabilities scores of PE, Minutex D-dimer assay (Biopool international) and cardiac enzymes estimation by IFCC approved methods, were used for diagnosis. Mann-Whitney U test was applied by using SPSS and level of significance was taken at (p 500 ng/ml. Plasma D-dimer of 500 ng/ml was considered as cut-off value; 6(66.7%) patients of PE could be diagnosed and 30 (96.7%) cases of HAPE excluded indicating very good negative predictive value. Serum LDH, AST and CK were raised above the reference ranges in 8 (89%), 7 (78%) and 3 (33%) patients of PE as compared to 11 (35%), 6 (19%) and 9 (29%) of HAPE respectively. Conclusion: Clinical assessment in combination with D-dimer assay, LDH and AST can be used for timely differentiation of PE from HAPE at high altitude where diagnostic imaging procedures are not available. (author)

  20. Coupling Detonation Shock Dynamics in a Consistent Manner to Equations of State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belfield, William

    2017-06-01

    In hydrocode simulations, detonating high explosives (HE) are often modelled using programmed burn. Each HE cell is assigned a ``burn time'' at which it should begin to behave as HE products in the subsequent simulation. Traditionally, these burn times were calculated using a Huygens construction to propagate the detonation wave at a constant speed corresponding to the planar Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) velocity. The Detonation Shock Dynamics (DSD) model improves upon this approach by treating the local detonation velocity as a function of wave curvature, reflecting that the detonation speed is not constant in reality. However, without alterations being made, this variable detonation velocity is inconsistent with the CJ velocity associated with the HE products equation of state (EOS). Previous work has shown that the inconsistency can be resolved by modifying the HE product EOS, but this treatment is empirical in nature and has only been applied to the JWL EOS. This work investigates different methods to resolve the inconsistency that are applicable both to JWL and to tabular HE product EOS, and their impact on hydrocode simulations.

  1. High Altitude Balloons as a Platform for Space Radiation Belt Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazzino, L.; Buttenschoen, A.; Farr, Q.; Hodgson, C.; Johnson, W.; Mann, I. R.; Rae, J.; University of Alberta High Altitude Balloons (UA-HAB)

    2011-12-01

    The goals of the University of Alberta High Altitude Balloons Program (UA-HAB) are to i) use low cost balloons to address space radiation science, and ii) to utilise the excitement of "space mission" involvement to promote and facilitate the recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students in physics, engineering, and atmospheric sciences to pursue careers in space science and engineering. The University of Alberta High Altitude Balloons (UA-HAB) is a unique opportunity for University of Alberta students (undergraduate and graduate) to engage in the hands-on design, development, build, test and flight of a payload to operate on a high altitude balloon at around 30km altitude. The program development, including formal design and acceptance tests, reports and reviews, mirror those required in the development of an orbital satellite mission. This enables the students to gain a unique insight into how space missions are flown. UA-HAB is a one and half year program that offers a gateway into a high-altitude balloon mission through hands on experience, and builds skills for students who may be attracted to participate in future space missions in their careers. This early education will provide students with the experience necessary to better assess opportunities for pursuing a career in space science. Balloons offer a low-cost alternative to other suborbital platforms which can be used to address radiation belt science goals. In particular, the participants of this program have written grant proposal to secure funds for this project, have launched several 'weather balloon missions', and have designed, built, tested, and launched their particle detector called "Maple Leaf Particle Detector". This detector was focussed on monitoring cosmic rays and space radiation using shielded Geiger tubes, and was flown as one of the payloads from the institutions participating in the High Altitude Student Platform (HASP), organized by the Louisiana State University and the Louisiana

  2. Sequencing of 50 human exomes reveals adaptation to high altitude

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yi, Xin; Liang, Yu; Huerta-Sanchez, Emilia

    2010-01-01

    Residents of the Tibetan Plateau show heritable adaptations to extreme altitude. We sequenced 50 exomes of ethnic Tibetans, encompassing coding sequences of 92% of human genes, with an average coverage of 18x per individual. Genes showing population-specific allele frequency changes, which repres...... in genetic adaptation to high altitude.......Residents of the Tibetan Plateau show heritable adaptations to extreme altitude. We sequenced 50 exomes of ethnic Tibetans, encompassing coding sequences of 92% of human genes, with an average coverage of 18x per individual. Genes showing population-specific allele frequency changes, which...... represent strong candidates for altitude adaptation, were identified. The strongest signal of natural selection came from endothelial Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain protein 1 (EPAS1), a transcription factor involved in response to hypoxia. One single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at EPAS1 shows a 78% frequency...

  3. Relative Match Intensities at High Altitude in Highly-Trained Young Soccer Players (ISA3600).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchheit, Martin; Hammond, Kristal; Bourdon, Pitre C; Simpson, Ben M; Garvican-Lewis, Laura A; Schmidt, Walter F; Gore, Christopher J; Aughey, Robert J

    2015-03-01

    To compare relative match intensities of sea-level versus high-altitude native soccer players during a 2-week camp at 3600 m, data from 7 sea-level (Australian U17 National team, AUS) and 6 high-altitude (a Bolivian U18 team, BOL) native soccer players were analysed. Two matches were played at sea-level and three at 3600 m on Days 1, 6 and 13. The Yo-Yo Intermittent recovery test (vYo-YoIR1) was performed at sea-level, and on Days 3 and 10. Match activity profiles were measured via 10-Hz GPS. Distance covered >14.4 km.h(-1) (D>14.4 km·h(-1)) and >80% of vYo-YoIR1 (D>80%vYo-YoIR1) were examined. Upon arrival at altitude, there was a greater decrement in vYo-YoIR1 (Cohen's d +1.0, 90%CL ± 0.8) and D>14.4 km·h(-1) (+0.5 ± 0.8) in AUS. D>14.4 km.h(-1) was similarly reduced relative to vYo-YoIR1 in both groups, so that D>80%vYo-YoIR1 remained similarly unchanged (-0.1 ± 0.8). Throughout the altitude sojourn, vYo-YoIR1 and D>14.4 km·h(-1) increased in parallel in AUS, so that D>80%vYo-YoIR1 remained stable in AUS (+6.0%/match, 90%CL ± 6.7); conversely D>80%vYo-YoIR1 decreased largely in BOL (-12.2%/match ± 6.2). In sea-level natives competing at high-altitude, changes in match running performance likely follow those in high-intensity running performance. Bolivian data confirm that increases in 'fitness' do not necessarily translate into greater match running performance, but rather in reduced relative exercise intensity. Key pointsWhen playing at high-altitude, players may alter their activities during matches in relation to their transient maximal physical capacities, possibly to maintain a 'tolerable' relative exercise intensity.While there is no doubt that running performance per se in not the main determinant of match outcomes (Carling, 2013), fitness levels influence relative match intensity (Buchheit et al., 2012, Mendez-Villanueva et al., 2013), which in-turn may impact on decision making and skill performance (Rampinini et al., 2008).In the context of

  4. Nutrição para os praticantes de exercício em grandes altitudes Nutritional strategy for exercising in high altitudes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Buss

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Quando o atleta ascende a uma grande altitude, ele é exposto a uma pressão barométrica reduzida, e os efeitos fisiológicos que acompanham estas mudanças da pressão atmosférica podem ter grande influência sobre o seu organismo e seu desempenho físico. Acredita-se que a hipóxia seja responsável pelo início de uma cascata de eventos sinalizadores que, ao final, levam à adaptação à altitude. A exposição aguda à hipóxia provoca sonolência, fadiga mental e muscular e prostração. Cefaléia, náusea e anorexia são sintomas provocados pela Doença Aguda das Montanhas, que pode ocorrer nos primeiros dias de permanência na altitude. Uma estratégia nutricional adequada é fundamental para que o organismo não sofra nenhum estresse adicional. O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar os principais efeitos da altitude sobre o organismo e sobre o desempenho físico, discutir e/ou sugerir recomendações nutricionais para esta situação e, se possível, apresentar uma orientação nutricional prática para o atleta na altitude. Algumas das principais conclusões encontradas foram: o consumo energético deve ser aumentado; é fundamental monitorar a quantidade de líquidos ingeridos e escolher alimentos agradáveis ao paladar, ricos em energia e nutrientes. Recomenda-se trabalhar com um nutricionista do esporte com antecedência, para que um plano alimentar individual seja elaborado e colocado em prática antes mesmo da viagem à altitude.When athletes are subject to high altitudes, they are exposed to a lower barometric pressure and the physiological effects that accompany these atmospheric pressure changes can have a strong influence on their bodies and performance. Hypoxia is thought to be responsible for triggering a cascade of signaling events that eventually leads to altitude acclimatization. Acute exposure to hypoxia causes sleepiness, mental and muscle fatigue and prostration. Headache, nausea and anorexia are some of the

  5. Feasibility study of a contained pulsed nuclear propulsion engine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parlos, A.G.; Metzger, J.D.

    1994-01-01

    The result of a feasibility analysis of a contained pulsed nuclear propulsion (CPNP) engine concept utilizing the enormously dense energy generated by small nuclear detonations is presented in this article. This concept was initially proposed and studied in the 1950s and 1960s under the program name HELIOS. The current feasibility of the concept is based upon materials technology that has advanced to a state that allows the design of pressure vessels required to contain the blast associated with small nuclear detonations. The impulsive nature of the energy source provides the means for circumventing the materials thermal barriers that are inherent in steady-state nuclear propulsion concepts. The rapid energy transfer to the propellant results in high thrust levels for times less than 1 s following the detonation. The preliminary feasibility analysis using off-the-shelf materials technology appears to indicate that the CPNP concept can have thrust-to-weight ratios on the order of 1 or greater. Though the specific impulse is not a good indicator for impulsive engines, an operating-cycle averaged specific impulse of approximately 1000 or greater seconds was calculated. 16 refs

  6. Development and application of theoretical models for Rotating Detonation Engine flowfields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fievisohn, Robert

    As turbine and rocket engine technology matures, performance increases between successive generations of engine development are becoming smaller. One means of accomplishing significant gains in thermodynamic performance and power density is to use detonation-based heat release instead of deflagration. This work is focused on developing and applying theoretical models to aid in the design and understanding of Rotating Detonation Engines (RDEs). In an RDE, a detonation wave travels circumferentially along the bottom of an annular chamber where continuous injection of fresh reactants sustains the detonation wave. RDEs are currently being designed, tested, and studied as a viable option for developing a new generation of turbine and rocket engines that make use of detonation heat release. One of the main challenges in the development of RDEs is to understand the complex flowfield inside the annular chamber. While simplified models are desirable for obtaining timely performance estimates for design analysis, one-dimensional models may not be adequate as they do not provide flow structure information. In this work, a two-dimensional physics-based model is developed, which is capable of modeling the curved oblique shock wave, exit swirl, counter-flow, detonation inclination, and varying pressure along the inflow boundary. This is accomplished by using a combination of shock-expansion theory, Chapman-Jouguet detonation theory, the Method of Characteristics (MOC), and other compressible flow equations to create a shock-fitted numerical algorithm and generate an RDE flowfield. This novel approach provides a numerically efficient model that can provide performance estimates as well as details of the large-scale flow structures in seconds on a personal computer. Results from this model are validated against high-fidelity numerical simulations that may require a high-performance computing framework to provide similar performance estimates. This work provides a designer a new

  7. Sub-Chandrasekhar-mass White Dwarf Detonations Revisited

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Ken J.; Kasen, Daniel; Miles, Broxton J.; Townsley, Dean M.

    2018-02-01

    The detonation of a sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf (WD) has emerged as one of the most promising Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) progenitor scenarios. Recent studies have suggested that the rapid transfer of a very small amount of helium from one WD to another is sufficient to ignite a helium shell detonation that subsequently triggers a carbon core detonation, yielding a “dynamically driven double-degenerate double-detonation” SN Ia. Because the helium shell that surrounds the core explosion is so minimal, this scenario approaches the limiting case of a bare C/O WD detonation. Motivated by discrepancies in previous literature and by a recent need for detailed nucleosynthetic data, we revisit simulations of naked C/O WD detonations in this paper. We disagree to some extent with the nucleosynthetic results of previous work on sub-Chandrasekhar-mass bare C/O WD detonations; for example, we find that a median-brightness SN Ia is produced by the detonation of a 1.0 {M}ȯ WD instead of a more massive and rarer 1.1 {M}ȯ WD. The neutron-rich nucleosynthesis in our simulations agrees broadly with some observational constraints, although tensions remain with others. There are also discrepancies related to the velocities of the outer ejecta and light curve shapes, but overall our synthetic light curves and spectra are roughly consistent with observations. We are hopeful that future multidimensional simulations will resolve these issues and further bolster the dynamically driven double-degenerate double-detonation scenario’s potential to explain most SNe Ia.

  8. High altitude dermatology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G K Singh

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Approximately, 140 million people worldwide live permanently at high altitudes (HAs and approximately another 40 million people travel to HA area (HAA every year for reasons of occupation, sports or recreation. In India, whole of Ladakh region, part of Northwest Kashmir, Northern part of Sikkim and Tenga valley of Arunachal are considered inhabited areas of HAA. The low quantity of oxygen, high exposure of ultraviolet (UV light, very low humidity, extreme subzero temperature in winter, high wind velocity, make this region difficult for lowlanders as well as for tourists. Acute mountain sickness, HA pulmonary edema, HA cerebral edema, and thromboembolic conditions are known to occur in HA. However, enough knowledge has not been shared on dermatoses peculiar to this region. Xerosis, UV-related skin disorders (tanning, photomelanosis, acute and chronic sunburn, polymorphic light eruption, chronic actinic dermatitis, actinic cheilitis, etc., cold injuries (frostbite, chilblains, acrocyanosis, erythrocyanosis, etc. nail changes (koilonychias, airborne contact dermatitis, insect bite reaction, and skin carcinoma (basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and also rarely malignant melanoma are the dermatoses seen in HAAs. Early diagnosis and knowledge of HA dermatoses may prevent serious consequences of disease and improve the quality of life for the visitors as well as for native of the place.

  9. Maximal exercise and muscle oxygen extraction in acclimatizing lowlanders and high altitude natives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundby, Carsten; Sander, Mikael; van Hall, Gerrit

    2006-01-01

    , and is the focus of the present study. We have studied six lowlanders during maximal exercise at sea level (SL) and with acute (AH) exposure to 4,100 m altitude, and again after 2 (W2) and 8 weeks (W8) of altitude sojourn, where also eight high altitude native (Nat) Aymaras were studied. Fractional arterial muscle...... O(2) extraction at maximal exercise was 90.0+/-1.0% in the Danish lowlanders at sea level, and remained close to this value in all situations. In contrast to this, fractional arterial O(2) extraction was 83.2+/-2.8% in the high altitude natives, and did not change with the induction of normoxia....... The capillary oxygen conductance of the lower extremity, a measure of oxygen diffusing capacity, was decreased in the Danish lowlanders after 8 weeks of acclimatization, but was still higher than the value obtained from the high altitude natives. The values were (in ml min(-1) mmHg(-1)) 55.2+/-3.7 (SL), 48...

  10. Wilderness medicine at high altitude: recent developments in the field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shah NM

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Neeraj M Shah,1 Sidra Hussain,2 Mark Cooke,3 John P O’Hara,3 Adrian Mellor3,4 1Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King’s College London, UK; 2School of Medicine, University College London, London, UK; 3Research Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK; 4Academic Department of Military Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK Abstract: Travel to high altitude is increasingly popular. With this comes an increased incidence of high-altitude illness and therefore an increased need to improve our strategies to prevent and accurately diagnose these. In this review, we provide a summary of recent advances of relevance to practitioners who may be advising travelers to altitude. Although the Lake Louise Score is now widely used as a diagnostic tool for acute mountain sickness (AMS, increasing evidence questions the validity of doing so, and of considering AMS as a single condition. Biomarkers, such as brain natriuretic peptide, are likely correlating with pulmonary artery systolic pressure, thus potential markers of the development of altitude illness. Established drug treatments include acetazolamide, nifedipine, and dexamethasone. Drugs with a potential to reduce the risk of developing AMS include nitrate supplements, propagators of nitric oxide, and supplemental iron. The role of exercise in the development of altitude illness remains hotly debated, and it appears that the intensity of exercise is more important than the exercise itself. Finally, despite copious studies demonstrating the value of preacclimatization in reducing the risk of altitude illness and improving performance, an optimal protocol to preacclimatize an individual remains elusive. Keywords: hypoxia, acute mountain sickness, acclimatization, biomarkers, preacclimatization

  11. Detonation in supersonic radial outflow

    KAUST Repository

    Kasimov, Aslan R.

    2014-11-07

    We report on the structure and dynamics of gaseous detonation stabilized in a supersonic flow emanating radially from a central source. The steady-state solutions are computed and their range of existence is investigated. Two-dimensional simulations are carried out in order to explore the stability of the steady-state solutions. It is found that both collapsing and expanding two-dimensional cellular detonations exist. The latter can be stabilized by putting several rigid obstacles in the flow downstream of the steady-state sonic locus. The problem of initiation of standing detonation stabilized in the radial flow is also investigated numerically. © 2014 Cambridge University Press.

  12. Modification of the colony tower for the Rio Blanco detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blume, J.A.; Freeman, S.A.; Honda, K.K.; Lee, L.A.

    1975-01-01

    Supplemental structural bracing was designed and installed for the 180-ft-tall Colony Tower, an experimental oil shale processing retort structure, in anticipation of its lateral response to the Rio Blanco detonation. The tower is a steel structure with both horizontal and vertical diagonal bracing. Data obtained from the earlier Project Rulison detonation indicated that an evaluation study was necessary. Design criteria that would provide an adequate margin of safety were developed based on predicted Rio Blanco ground motion. The evaluation of the unmodified structure showed that several bracing members would be subjected to forces exceeding their yield strength, and some would reach a level at which failure could occur. Further analyses were made with assumed modified bracing members. A final scheme for modified vertical bracing was established and installed. After modification, the response of the tower during the Rio Blanco detonation was measured by instruments on the ground and at various locations on the tower, and no evidence of damage was discovered. The modification of the Colony Tower and the procedures used to determine these modifications show the usefulness of current ground motion and structural response prediction technology for forecasting dynamic behavior of important structures subjected to ground motion from underground nuclear explosions. (auth)

  13. Physiological Changes to the Cardiovascular System at High Altitude and Its Effects on Cardiovascular Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, Callum James; Gavin, Matthew

    2017-06-01

    Riley, Callum James, and Matthew Gavin. Physiological changes to the cardiovascular system at high altitude and its effects on cardiovascular disease. High Alt Med Biol. 18:102-113, 2017.-The physiological changes to the cardiovascular system in response to the high altitude environment are well understood. More recently, we have begun to understand how these changes may affect and cause detriment to cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, the increasing availability of altitude simulation has dramatically improved our understanding of the physiology of high altitude. This has allowed further study on the effect of altitude in those with cardiovascular disease in a safe and controlled environment as well as in healthy individuals. Using a thorough PubMed search, this review aims to integrate recent advances in cardiovascular physiology at altitude with previous understanding, as well as its potential implications on cardiovascular disease. Altogether, it was found that the changes at altitude to cardiovascular physiology are profound enough to have a noteworthy effect on many forms of cardiovascular disease. While often asymptomatic, there is some risk in high altitude exposure for individuals with certain cardiovascular diseases. Although controlled research in patients with cardiovascular disease was largely lacking, meaning firm conclusions cannot be drawn, these risks should be a consideration to both the individual and their physician.

  14. Detonation engine fed by acetylene-oxygen mixture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smirnov, N. N.; Betelin, V. B.; Nikitin, V. F.; Phylippov, Yu. G.; Koo, Jaye

    2014-11-01

    The advantages of a constant volume combustion cycle as compared to constant pressure combustion in terms of thermodynamic efficiency has focused the search for advanced propulsion on detonation engines. Detonation of acetylene mixed with oxygen in various proportions is studied using mathematical modeling. Simplified kinetics of acetylene burning includes 11 reactions with 9 components. Deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) is obtained in a cylindrical tube with a section of obstacles modeling a Shchelkin spiral; the DDT takes place in this section for a wide range of initial mixture compositions. A modified ka-omega turbulence model is used to simulate flame acceleration in the Shchelkin spiral section of the system. The results of numerical simulations were compared with experiments, which had been performed in the same size detonation chamber and turbulent spiral ring section, and with theoretical data on the Chapman-Jouguet detonation parameters.

  15. High altitude environmental monitoring: the SHARE project and CEOP-HE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tartari, G.

    2009-04-01

    Mountain areas above 2,500 m a.s.l. constitute about 25% of the Earth's surface and play a fundamental role in the global water balance, while influencing global climate and atmospheric circulation systems. Several millions, including lowlanders, are directly affected by the impacts of climate change on glaciers and water resource distribution. Mountains and high altitude plateaus are subject to the highest rate of temperature increase (e.g., Tibetan Plateau) and are recognized as particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In spite of this, the number of permanent monitoring sites in the major environmental networks decreases with altitude. On a sample of two hundred high altitude automatic weather stations located above 2,500 m a.s.l., less than 20% are over 4,000 m, while there are only 24 stations in the world that could be considered "complete" high altitude observatories. Furthermore, entire mountain areas are left uncovered, creating significant data gaps which make reliable modelling and forecasting nearly impossible. In response to these problems, Ev-K2-CNR has developed the project SHARE (Stations at High Altitude for Research on the Environment) with the support of the Italian government and in collaboration with UNEP. This integrated environmental monitoring and research project aims to improve knowledge on the local, regional and global consequences of climate change in mountain regions and on the influence of high elevations on climate, atmospheric circulation and hydrology. SHARE today boasts a network of 13 permanent monitoring stations between 2,165 m and 8,000 m. Affiliated researchers have produced over 150 scientific publications in atmospheric sciences, meteorology and climate, glaciology, limnology and paleolimnology and geophysics. SHARE network data is also contributed to international programs (UNEP-ABC, WMO-GAW, WCRP-GEWEX-CEOP, NASA-AERONET, ILTER, EU-EUSAAR, EU-ACCENT). Within this context, the CEOP-High Elevations (CEOP

  16. Turbojet Performance and Operation at High Altitudes with Hydrogen and Jp-4 Fuels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, W A; Kaufman, H R; Harp, J L , Jr; Chelko, L J

    1956-01-01

    Two current turbojet engines were operated with gaseous-hydrogen and JP-4 fuels at very high altitudes and a simulated Mach number of 0.8. With gaseous hydrogen as the fuel stable operation was obtained at altitudes up to the facility limit of about 90,000 feet and the specific fuel consumption was only 40 percent of that with JP-4 fuel. With JP-4 as the fuel combustion was unstable at altitudes above 60,000 to 65,000 feet and blowout limits were reached at 75,000 to 80,000 feet. Over-all performance, component efficiencies, and operating range were reduced considerable at very high altitudes with both fuels.

  17. Laser-shocked energetic materials with metal additives: evaluation of detonation performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottfried, Jennifer; Bukowski, Eric

    A focused, nanosecond-pulsed laser with sufficient energy to exceed the breakdown threshold of a material generates a laser-induced plasma with high peak temperatures, pressures, and shock velocities. Depending on the laser parameters and material properties, nanograms to micrograms of material is ablated, atomized, ionized and excited in the laser-induced plasma. The subsequent shock wave expansion into the air above the sample has been monitored using high-speed schlieren imaging in a recently developed technique, laser-induced air shock from energetic materials (LASEM). The estimated detonation velocities using LASEM agree well with published experimental values. A comparison of the measured shock velocities for various energetic materials including RDX, DNTF, and LLM-172 doped with Al or B to the detonation velocities predicted by CHEETAH for inert or active metal participation demonstrates that LASEM has potential for predicting the early time participation of metal additives in detonation events. The LASEM results show that reducing the amount of hydrogen present in B formulations increases the resulting detonation velocities

  18. Metabolic characteristics and response to high altitude in Phrynocephalus erythrurus (Lacertilia: Agamidae, a lizard dwell at altitudes higher than any other living lizards in the world.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaolong Tang

    Full Text Available Metabolic response to high altitude remains poorly explored in reptiles. In the present study, the metabolic characteristics of Phrynocephaluserythrurus (Lacertilia: Agamidae, which inhabits high altitudes (4500 m and Phrynocephalusprzewalskii (Lacertilia: Agamidae, which inhabits low altitudes, were analysed to explore the metabolic regulatory strategies for lizards living at high-altitude environments. The results indicated that the mitochondrial respiratory rates of P. erythrurus were significantly lower than those of P. przewalskii, and that proton leak accounts for 74~79% of state 4 and 7~8% of state3 in P. erythrurus vs. 43~48% of state 4 and 24~26% of state3 in P. przewalskii. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH activity in P. erythrurus was lower than in P. przewalskii, indicating that at high altitude the former does not, relatively, have a greater reliance on anaerobic metabolism. A higher activity related to β-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase (HOAD and the HOAD/citrate synthase (CS ratio suggested there was a possible higher utilization of fat in P. erythrurus. The lower expression of PGC-1α and PPAR-γ in P. erythrurus suggested their expression was not influenced by cold and low PO2 at high altitude. These distinct characteristics of P. erythrurus are considered to be necessary strategies in metabolic regulation for living at high altitude and may effectively compensate for the negative influence of cold and low PO2.

  19. Method and system for making integrated solid-state fire-sets and detonators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Brien, Dennis W. (Livermore, CA); Druce, Robert L. (Union City, CA); Johnson, Gary W. (Livermore, CA); Vogtlin, George E. (Fremont, CA); Barbee, Jr., Troy W. (Palo Alto, CA); Lee, Ronald S. (Livermore, CA)

    1998-01-01

    A slapper detonator comprises a solid-state high-voltage capacitor, a low-jitter dielectric breakdown switch and trigger circuitry, a detonator transmission line, an exploding foil bridge, and a flier material. All these components are fabricated in a single solid-state device using thin film deposition techniques.

  20. The GRAD high-altitude balloon flight over Antarctica

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eichhorn, G.; Coldwell, R.L.; Dunnam, F.E.; Rester, A.C.; Trombka, J.I.; Starr, R.; Lasche, G.P.

    1989-01-01

    The Gamma Ray Advanced Detector(GRAD) consists of a n-type germanium detector inside an active bismuth-germanate Compton and charged particle shield with additional active plastic shielding across the aperture. It will be flown on a high altitude balloon at 36 km altitude at a latitude of 78 degree S over Antarctica for observations of gamma radiation emitted by the radioactive decay of 56 Co in the Supernova SN1987A, for assessment of the performance of bismuth-germanate scintillation material in the radiation environment of near space, for gathering information on the gamma-ray background over Antarctica, and for testing fault-tolerant software

  1. The analysis of thermal stability of detonation nanodiamond

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Efremov, V P; Zakatilova, E I

    2016-01-01

    The detonation nanodiamond is a new perspective material. Ammunition recycling with use of high explosives and obtaining nanodiamond as the result of the detonation synthesis have given a new motivation for searching of their application areas. In this work nanodiamond powder has been investigated by the method of synchronous thermal analysis. Experiments have been carried out at atmospheric pressure in the environment of argon. Nanodiamond powder has been heated in the closed corundum crucible at the temperature range of 30-1500 °C. The heating rates were varied from 2 K/min to 20 K/min. After the heat treatment, the samples have been studied by the x-ray diffraction and the electron microscopy. As one of the results of this work, it has been found that the detonation nanodiamond has not started the transition into graphite at the temperature below 800 °C. (paper)

  2. The analysis of thermal stability of detonation nanodiamond

    Science.gov (United States)

    Efremov, V. P.; Zakatilova, E. I.

    2016-11-01

    The detonation nanodiamond is a new perspective material. Ammunition recycling with use of high explosives and obtaining nanodiamond as the result of the detonation synthesis have given a new motivation for searching of their application areas. In this work nanodiamond powder has been investigated by the method of synchronous thermal analysis. Experiments have been carried out at atmospheric pressure in the environment of argon. Nanodiamond powder has been heated in the closed corundum crucible at the temperature range of 30-1500 °C. The heating rates were varied from 2 K/min to 20 K/min. After the heat treatment, the samples have been studied by the x-ray diffraction and the electron microscopy. As one of the results of this work, it has been found that the detonation nanodiamond has not started the transition into graphite at the temperature below 800 °C.

  3. HERMES: A Model to Describe Deformation, Burning, Explosion, and Detonation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reaugh, J E

    2011-11-22

    HERMES (High Explosive Response to MEchanical Stimulus) was developed to fill the need for a model to describe an explosive response of the type described as BVR (Burn to Violent Response) or HEVR (High Explosive Violent Response). Characteristically this response leaves a substantial amount of explosive unconsumed, the time to reaction is long, and the peak pressure developed is low. In contrast, detonations characteristically consume all explosive present, the time to reaction is short, and peak pressures are high. However, most of the previous models to describe explosive response were models for detonation. The earliest models to describe the response of explosives to mechanical stimulus in computer simulations were applied to intentional detonation (performance) of nearly ideal explosives. In this case, an ideal explosive is one with a vanishingly small reaction zone. A detonation is supersonic with respect to the undetonated explosive (reactant). The reactant cannot respond to the pressure of the detonation before the detonation front arrives, so the precise compressibility of the reactant does not matter. Further, the mesh sizes that were practical for the computer resources then available were large with respect to the reaction zone. As a result, methods then used to model detonations, known as {beta}-burn or program burn, were not intended to resolve the structure of the reaction zone. Instead, these methods spread the detonation front over a few finite-difference zones, in the same spirit that artificial viscosity is used to spread the shock front in inert materials over a few finite-difference zones. These methods are still widely used when the structure of the reaction zone and the build-up to detonation are unimportant. Later detonation models resolved the reaction zone. These models were applied both to performance, particularly as it is affected by the size of the charge, and to situations in which the stimulus was less than that needed for reliable

  4. Coca: High Altitude Remedy of the Ancient Incas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biondich, Amy Sue; Joslin, Jeremy D

    2015-12-01

    The use of coca leaf for medicinal purposes is a centuries-old tradition of the native peoples of South America. Coca products are thought by many laypersons to provide risk-free benefits to users participating in strenuous activities at high altitude. Physiologic studies of coca have increased understanding of its possible mechanism of action as well as its potential impact on high altitude activities. This present work explores the role of coca throughout the history of the Andean peoples and explores whether this ancient remedy has a place in modern medicine. A focused summary of research articles with particular relevance to the field of wilderness medicine is also included to better provide the reader with lessons not only from history but also from another culture. Copyright © 2015 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. White Mountain Research Station: 25 years of high-altitude research. [organization and functions of test facility for high altitude research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pace, N.

    1973-01-01

    The organization and functions of a test facility for conducting research projects at high altitudes are discussed. The projects conducted at the facility include the following: (1) bird physiology, (2) cardiorespiratory physiology, (3) endocrinological studies, (4) neurological studies, (5) metabolic studies, and (6) geological studies.

  6. Effects of injection nozzle exit width on rotating detonation engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jian; Zhou, Jin; Liu, Shijie; Lin, Zhiyong; Cai, Jianhua

    2017-11-01

    A series of numerical simulations of RDE modeling real injection nozzles with different exit widths are performed in this paper. The effects of nozzle exit width on chamber inlet state, plenum flowfield and detonation propagation are analyzed. The results are compared with that using an ideal injection model. Although the ideal injection model is a good approximation method to model RDE inlet, the two-dimensional effects of real nozzles are ignored in the ideal injection model so that some complicated phenomena such as the reflected waves caused by the nozzle walls and the reversed flow into the nozzles can not be modeled accurately. Additionally, the ideal injection model overpredicts the block ratio. In all the cases that stabilize at one-wave mode, the block ratio increases as the nozzle exit width gets smaller. The dual-wave mode case also has a relatively high block ratio. A pressure oscillation in the plenum with the same main frequency with the rotating detonation wave is observed. A parameter σ is applied to describe the non-uniformity in the plenum. σ increases as the nozzle exit width gets larger. Under some condition, the heat release on the interface of fresh premixed gas layer and detonation products can be strong enough to induce a new detonation wave. A spontaneous mode-transition process is observed for the smallest exit width case. Due to the detonation products existing in the premixed gas layer before the detonation wave, the detonation wave will propagate through reactants and products alternately, and therefore its strength will vary with time, especially near the chamber inlet. This tendency gets weaker as the injection nozzle exit width increases.

  7. Method and system for making integrated solid-state fire-sets and detonators

    Science.gov (United States)

    O`Brien, D.W.; Druce, R.L.; Johnson, G.W.; Vogtlin, G.E.; Barbee, T.W. Jr.; Lee, R.S.

    1998-03-24

    A slapper detonator comprises a solid-state high-voltage capacitor, a low-jitter dielectric breakdown switch and trigger circuitry, a detonator transmission line, an exploding foil bridge, and a flier material. All these components are fabricated in a single solid-state device using thin film deposition techniques. 13 figs.

  8. High Altitude Warfare: The Kargil Conflict and the Future

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Acosta, Marcus

    2003-01-01

    The unique combination of thin air, freezing temperatures, and mountainous terrain that forms the high altitude environment has resisted advances in military technology for centuries, The emergence...

  9. Critical deflagration waves leading to detonation onset under different boundary conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Wei; Zhou Jin; Lin Zhi-Yong; Fan Xiao-Hua

    2015-01-01

    High-speed turbulent critical deflagration waves before detonation onset in H 2 –air mixture propagated into a square cross section channel, which was assembled of optional rigid rough, rigid smooth, or flexible walls. The corresponding propagation characteristic and the influence of the wall boundaries on the propagation were investigated via high-speed shadowgraph and a high-frequency pressure sampling system. As a comprehensive supplement to the different walls effect investigation, the effect of porous absorbing walls on the detonation propagation was also investigated via smoke foils and the high-frequency pressure sampling system. Results are as follows. In the critical deflagration stage, the leading shock and the closely following turbulent flame front travel at a speed of nearly half the CJ detonation velocity. In the preheated zone, a zonary flame arises from the overlapping part of the boundary layer and the pressure waves, and then merges into the mainstream flame. Among these wall boundary conditions, the rigid rough wall plays a most positive role in the formation of the zonary flame and thus accelerates the transition of the deflagration to detonation (DDT), which is due to the boost of the boundary layer growth and the pressure wave reflection. Even though the flexible wall is not conducive to the pressure wave reflection, it brings out a faster boundary layer growth, which plays a more significant role in the zonary flame formation. Additionally, the porous absorbing wall absorbs the transverse wave and yields detonation decay and velocity deficit. After the absorbing wall, below some low initial pressure conditions, no re-initiation occurs and the deflagration propagates in critical deflagration for a relatively long distance. (paper)

  10. Lens autofluorescence is not increased at high altitude

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kessel, Line; Kofoed, Peter Kristian; Zubieta-Calleja, Gustavo

    2010-01-01

    in Denmark. RESULTS: No significant differences in lens fluorescence or transmittance were found between Bolivian and Danish volunteers. CONCLUSION: Age-corrected lens fluorescence and transmittance were comparable for healthy participants living at high altitude near the equator and healthy volunteers...

  11. THE DETONATION MECHANISM OF THE PULSATIONALLY ASSISTED GRAVITATIONALLY CONFINED DETONATION MODEL OF Type Ia SUPERNOVAE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jordan, G. C. IV; Graziani, C.; Weide, K.; Norris, J.; Hudson, R.; Lamb, D. Q. [Flash Center for Computational Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Fisher, R. T. [Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02740 (United States); Townsley, D. M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 (United States); Meakin, C. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Reid, L. B. [NTEC Environmental Technology, Subiaco WA 6008 (Australia)

    2012-11-01

    We describe the detonation mechanism composing the 'pulsationally assisted' gravitationally confined detonation (GCD) model of Type Ia supernovae. This model is analogous to the previous GCD model reported in Jordan et al.; however, the chosen initial conditions produce a substantively different detonation mechanism, resulting from a larger energy release during the deflagration phase. The resulting final kinetic energy and {sup 56}Ni yields conform better to observational values than is the case for the 'classical' GCD models. In the present class of models, the ignition of a deflagration phase leads to a rising, burning plume of ash. The ash breaks out of the surface of the white dwarf, flows laterally around the star, and converges on the collision region at the antipodal point from where it broke out. The amount of energy released during the deflagration phase is enough to cause the star to rapidly expand, so that when the ash reaches the antipodal point, the surface density is too low to initiate a detonation. Instead, as the ash flows into the collision region (while mixing with surface fuel), the star reaches its maximally expanded state and then contracts. The stellar contraction acts to increase the density of the star, including the density in the collision region. This both raises the temperature and density of the fuel-ash mixture in the collision region and ultimately leads to thermodynamic conditions that are necessary for the Zel'dovich gradient mechanism to produce a detonation. We demonstrate feasibility of this scenario with three three-dimensional (3D), full star simulations of this model using the FLASH code. We characterized the simulations by the energy released during the deflagration phase, which ranged from 38% to 78% of the white dwarf's binding energy. We show that the necessary conditions for detonation are achieved in all three of the models.

  12. 30 CFR 56.6402 - Deenergized circuits near detonators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Electric Blasting § 56.6402 Deenergized circuits near detonators. Electrical distribution circuits within 50 feet of electric detonators at the blast site shall be deenergized. Such circuits need not be deenergized between 25 to 50 feet of the electric detonators if stray current tests, conducted as frequently...

  13. 30 CFR 57.6402 - Deenergized circuits near detonators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Electric Blasting-Surface and Underground § 57.6402 Deenergized circuits near detonators. Electrical distribution circuits within 50 feet of electric detonators at the blast site shall be deenergized. Such circuits need not be deenergized between 25 to 50 feet of the electric detonators if stray current tests...

  14. Solar Cell Short Circuit Current Errors and Uncertainties During High Altitude Calibrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, David D.

    2012-01-01

    High altitude balloon based facilities can make solar cell calibration measurements above 99.5% of the atmosphere to use for adjusting laboratory solar simulators. While close to on-orbit illumination, the small attenuation to the spectra may result in under measurements of solar cell parameters. Variations of stratospheric weather, may produce flight-to-flight measurement variations. To support the NSCAP effort, this work quantifies some of the effects on solar cell short circuit current (Isc) measurements on triple junction sub-cells. This work looks at several types of high altitude methods, direct high altitude meas urements near 120 kft, and lower stratospheric Langley plots from aircraft. It also looks at Langley extrapolation from altitudes above most of the ozone, for potential small balloon payloads. A convolution of the sub-cell spectral response with the standard solar spectrum modified by several absorption processes is used to determine the relative change from AMO, lscllsc(AMO). Rayleigh scattering, molecular scatterin g from uniformly mixed gases, Ozone, and water vapor, are included in this analysis. A range of atmosph eric pressures are examined, from 0. 05 to 0.25 Atm to cover the range of atmospheric altitudes where solar cell calibrations a reperformed. Generally these errors and uncertainties are less than 0.2%

  15. 30 CFR 75.1311 - Transporting explosives and detonators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... noncombustible materials. (c) When explosives and detonators are transported on conveyor belts— (1) Containers of... explosives or detonators, a person shall be at each transfer point between belts and at the unloading location; and (4) Conveyor belts shall be stopped before explosives or detonators are loaded or unloaded...

  16. 30 CFR 57.6400 - Compatibility of electric detonators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Electric Blasting-Surface and Underground § 57.6400 Compatibility of electric detonators. All electric detonators to be fired in a round shall be from the same manufacturer and shall have similar electrical... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Compatibility of electric detonators. 57.6400...

  17. 30 CFR 56.6400 - Compatibility of electric detonators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Electric Blasting § 56.6400 Compatibility of electric detonators. All electric detonators to be fired in a round shall be from the same manufacturer and shall have similar electrical firing characteristics. ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Compatibility of electric detonators. 56.6400...

  18. Development of a Detonation Profile Test for Studying Aging Effects in LX-17

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tran, T; Lewis, P; Tarver, C; Maienschein, J; Druce, R; Lee, R; Roeske, F

    2002-01-01

    A new small-scale Detonation Profile Test (DPT) is being developed to investigate aging effects on the detonation behavior of insensitive high explosives. The experiment involves initiating a small LX-17 cylindrical charge (12.7-19.1 mm diameter x 25.4-33 mm long) and measuring the velocity and curvature of the emerging detonation wave using a streak camera. Results for 12.7 mm diameter unconfined LX-17 charges show detonation velocity in the range between 6.79 and 7.06 km/s for parts up to 33 mm long. Since LX-17 can not sustain detonation at less than 7.3 km/s, these waves were definitely failing. Experiments with confined 12.7 mm diameter and unconfined 19.1 mm diameter samples showed wave velocities in the range of 7.4-7.6 km/s, values approaching steady state conditions at infinite diameter. Experiments with unconfined 19.1 mm diameter specimens are expected to provide reproducible and useful range of detonation parameters suitable for studying aging effects

  19. Development of a Detonation Profile Test for Studying Aging Effects in LX-17

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tran, T; Lewis, P; Tarver, C; Maienschein, J; Druce, R; Lee, R; Roeske, F

    2002-03-25

    A new small-scale Detonation Profile Test (DPT) is being developed to investigate aging effects on the detonation behavior of insensitive high explosives. The experiment involves initiating a small LX-17 cylindrical charge (12.7-19.1 mm diameter x 25.4-33 mm long) and measuring the velocity and curvature of the emerging detonation wave using a streak camera. Results for 12.7 mm diameter unconfined LX-17 charges show detonation velocity in the range between 6.79 and 7.06 km/s for parts up to 33 mm long. Since LX-17 can not sustain detonation at less than 7.3 km/s, these waves were definitely failing. Experiments with confined 12.7 mm diameter and unconfined 19.1 mm diameter samples showed wave velocities in the range of 7.4-7.6 km/s, values approaching steady state conditions at infinite diameter. Experiments with unconfined 19.1 mm diameter specimens are expected to provide reproducible and useful range of detonation parameters suitable for studying aging effects.

  20. Right ventricular morphology and function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients living at high altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Güvenç, Tolga Sinan; Erer, Hatice Betül; Kul, Seref; Perinçek, Gökhan; Ilhan, Sami; Sayar, Nurten; Yıldırım, Binnaz Zeynep; Doğan, Coşkun; Karabağ, Yavuz; Balcı, Bahattin; Eren, Mehmet

    2013-01-01

    Pulmonary vasculature is affected in patients with chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD). As a result of increased pulmonary resistance, right ventricular morphology and function are altered in COPD patients. High altitude and related hypoxia causes pulmonary vasoconstriction, thereby affecting the right ventricle. We aimed to investigate the combined effects of COPD and altitude-related chronic hypoxia on right ventricular morphology and function. Forty COPD patients living at high altitude (1768 m) and 41 COPD patients living at sea level were enrolled in the study. All participants were diagnosed as COPD by a pulmonary diseases specialist depending on symptoms, radiologic findings and pulmonary function test results. Detailed two-dimensional echocardiography was performed by a cardiologist at both study locations. Oxygen saturation and mean pulmonary artery pressure were higher in the high altitude group. Right ventricular end diastolic diameter, end systolic diameter, height and end systolic area were significantly higher in the high altitude group compared to the sea level group. Parameters of systolic function, including tricuspid annular systolic excursion, systolic velocity of tricuspid annulus and right ventricular isovolumic acceleration were similar between groups, while fractional area change was significantly higher in the sea level groups compared to the high altitude group. Indices of diastolic function and myocardial performance index were similar between groups. An increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular dimensions are observed in COPD patients living at high altitude. Despite this increase, systolic and diastolic functions of the right ventricle, as well as global right ventricular performance are similar in COPD patients living at high altitude and sea level. Altitude-related adaptation to chronic hypoxia could explain these findings. Copyright © 2012 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic

  1. The evolution of Titan's high-altitude aerosols under ultraviolet irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrasco, Nathalie; Tigrine, Sarah; Gavilan, Lisseth; Nahon, Laurent; Gudipati, Murthy S.

    2018-04-01

    The Cassini-Huygens space mission revealed that Titan's thick brownish haze is initiated high in the atmosphere at an altitude of about 1,000 km, before a slow transportation down to the surface. Close to the surface, at altitudes below 130 km, the Huygens probe provided information on the chemical composition of the haze. So far, we have not had insights into the possible photochemical evolution of the aerosols making up the haze during their descent. Here, we address this atmospheric aerosol aging process, simulating in the laboratory how solar vacuum ultraviolet irradiation affects the aerosol optical properties as probed by infrared spectroscopy. An important evolution was found that could explain the apparent contradiction between the nitrogen-poor infrared spectroscopic signature observed by Cassini below 600 km of altitude in Titan's atmosphere and a high nitrogen content as measured by the aerosol collector and pyrolyser of the Huygens probe at the surface of Titan.

  2. High altitude and hemoglobin function in the vultures Gyps rueppelli and Aegypius monachus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weber, Roy E.; Hiebl, Inge; Braunitzer, Gerhard

    1988-01-01

    Functional characteristics of the stripped composite hemoglobins (Hbs) of lhevultures Gyps rueppellii and Aegypills monachus that can fly at extremely high altitudes, and of component Hbs of G. rueppellii are reported, in relation to influences of pH, temperalure and inositol hexaphosphate. G...... structures of the constituent polypeptide chains to trace molecular adaptations to high-altitude respiration, and to physiological factors (pulmonary hypoxia and hypocapnia, body temperature shifts, and lung and nasal gas and heat exchange) to discern their possible survival value at altitudes of 11300 m....

  3. Confined detonations with cylindrical and spherical symmetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linan, A.; Lecuona, A.

    1979-01-01

    An imploding spherical or cylindrical detonation, starting in the interface of the detonantion with an external inert media, used as a reflector, creates on it a strong shock wave moving outward from the interface. An initially weak shock wave appears in the detonated media that travels toward the center, and it could reach the detonation wave, enforcing it in its process of implosion. To describe the fluid field, the Euler s equations are solved by means of expansions valid for the early stages of the process. Isentropic of the type P/pγ-K for the detonated and compressed inert media are used. For liquid or solid reflectors a more appropriate equation is used. (Author) 8 refs

  4. Advanced Electrodynamic Tether Systems: Modeling of Scattering and Unsteady Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-06-06

    spacecraft and satellites. A high altitude nuclear detonation would likely create a new high energy electron belt and increase the radiation risk to...our tether has no reason to roll, making O=0, and thus cosO =1. The y-component of the torque is thus expressed: < = < =< = FF cossin3 222 ’ (S...ions from the integral limits to manageable levels. Our goal is to isolate the permutations of initial velocities and impact parameters such that

  5. Characterizing the energy output generated by a standard electric detonator using shadowgraph imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petr, V.; Lozano, E.

    2017-09-01

    This paper overviews a complete method for the characterization of the explosive energy output from a standard detonator. Measurements of the output of explosives are commonly based upon the detonation parameters of the chemical energy content of the explosive. These quantities provide a correct understanding of the energy stored in an explosive, but they do not provide a direct measure of the different modes in which the energy is released. This optically based technique combines high-speed and ultra-high-speed imaging to characterize the casing fragmentation and the detonator-driven shock load. The procedure presented here could be used as an alternative to current indirect methods—such as the Trauzl lead block test—because of its simplicity, high data accuracy, and minimum demand for test repetition. This technique was applied to experimentally measure air shock expansion versus time and calculating the blast wave energy from the detonation of the high explosive charge inside the detonator. Direct measurements of the shock front geometry provide insight into the physics of the initiation buildup. Because of their geometry, standard detonators show an initial ellipsoidal shock expansion that degenerates into a final spherical wave. This non-uniform shape creates variable blast parameters along the primary blast wave. Additionally, optical measurements are validated using piezoelectric pressure transducers. The energy fraction spent in the acceleration of the metal shell is experimentally measured and correlated with the Gurney model, as well as to several empirical formulations for blasts from fragmenting munitions. The fragment area distribution is also studied using digital particle imaging analysis and correlated with the Mott distribution. Understanding the fragmentation distribution plays a critical role when performing hazard evaluation from these types of devices. In general, this technique allows for characterization of the detonator within 6-8% error

  6. Nutritional Strategies for the Preservation of Fat Free Mass at High Altitude

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stacie L. Wing-Gaia

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Exposure to extreme altitude presents many physiological challenges. In addition to impaired physical and cognitive function, energy imbalance invariably occurs resulting in weight loss and body composition changes. Weight loss, and in particular, loss of fat free mass, combined with the inherent risks associated with extreme environments presents potential performance, safety, and health risks for those working, recreating, or conducting military operations at extreme altitude. In this review, contributors to muscle wasting at altitude are highlighted with special emphasis on protein turnover. The article will conclude with nutritional strategies that may potentially attenuate loss of fat free mass during high altitude exposure.

  7. Photographic investigation into the mechanism of combustion in irregular detonation waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiyanda, C. B.; Higgins, A. J.

    2013-03-01

    Irregular detonations are supersonic combustion waves in which the inherent multi-dimensional structure is highly variable. In such waves, it is questionable whether auto-ignition induced by shock compression is the only combustion mechanism present. Through the use of high-speed schlieren and self-emitted light photography, the velocity of the different components of detonation waves in a {{ CH}}_4+2{ O}_2 mixture is analyzed. The observed burn-out of unreacted pockets is hypothesized to be due to turbulent combustion.

  8. Laser driven detonation waves above a solid target

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emmony, D.C.

    1975-01-01

    The interaction of a TEA CO 2 laser pulse with a carbon target in an argon atmosphere (p approximately mmHg) is shown to produce a double detonation wave system. The laser driven detonation wave becomes the most important as the gas pressure is increased. Calculation of the energy in the detonation waves is in good agreement with the incident laser energy at different times during the main laser pulse and the long tail. The observation of the incident laser detonation wave accounts for the anomalous energies reported previously. (Auth.)

  9. Iron supplementation at high altitudes induces inflammation and oxidative injury to lung tissues in rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Salama, Samir A., E-mail: salama.3@buckeyemail.osu.edu [High Altitude Research Center, Taif University, Al-Haweiah, Taif 21974 (Saudi Arabia); Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11751 (Egypt); Department of Pharmacology and GTMR Unit, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Taif University, Al-Haweiah, Taif 21974 (Saudi Arabia); Omar, Hany A. [Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514 (Egypt); Maghrabi, Ibrahim A. [Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Taif University, Al-Haweiah, Taif 21974 (Saudi Arabia); AlSaeed, Mohammed S. [Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taif University, Al-Haweiah, Taif 21974 (Saudi Arabia); EL-Tarras, Adel E. [High Altitude Research Center, Taif University, Al-Haweiah, Taif 21974 (Saudi Arabia)

    2014-01-01

    Exposure to high altitudes is associated with hypoxia and increased vulnerability to oxidative stress. Polycythemia (increased number of circulating erythrocytes) develops to compensate the high altitude associated hypoxia. Iron supplementation is, thus, recommended to meet the demand for the physiological polycythemia. Iron is a major player in redox reactions and may exacerbate the high altitudes-associated oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to explore the potential iron-induced oxidative lung tissue injury in rats at high altitudes (6000 ft above the sea level). Iron supplementation (2 mg elemental iron/kg, once daily for 15 days) induced histopathological changes to lung tissues that include severe congestion, dilatation of the blood vessels, emphysema in the air alveoli, and peribronchial inflammatory cell infiltration. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), lipid peroxidation product and protein carbonyl content in lung tissues were significantly elevated. Moreover, the levels of reduced glutathione and total antioxidant capacity were significantly reduced. Co-administration of trolox, a water soluble vitamin E analog (25 mg/kg, once daily for the last 7 days of iron supplementation), alleviated the lung histological impairments, significantly decreased the pro-inflammatory cytokines, and restored the oxidative stress markers. Together, our findings indicate that iron supplementation at high altitudes induces lung tissue injury in rats. This injury could be mediated through excessive production of reactive oxygen species and induction of inflammatory responses. The study highlights the tissue injury induced by iron supplementation at high altitudes and suggests the co-administration of antioxidants such as trolox as protective measures. - Highlights: • Iron supplementation at high altitudes induced lung histological changes in rats. • Iron induced oxidative stress in lung tissues of rats at high altitudes. • Iron

  10. Iron supplementation at high altitudes induces inflammation and oxidative injury to lung tissues in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salama, Samir A.; Omar, Hany A.; Maghrabi, Ibrahim A.; AlSaeed, Mohammed S.; EL-Tarras, Adel E.

    2014-01-01

    Exposure to high altitudes is associated with hypoxia and increased vulnerability to oxidative stress. Polycythemia (increased number of circulating erythrocytes) develops to compensate the high altitude associated hypoxia. Iron supplementation is, thus, recommended to meet the demand for the physiological polycythemia. Iron is a major player in redox reactions and may exacerbate the high altitudes-associated oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to explore the potential iron-induced oxidative lung tissue injury in rats at high altitudes (6000 ft above the sea level). Iron supplementation (2 mg elemental iron/kg, once daily for 15 days) induced histopathological changes to lung tissues that include severe congestion, dilatation of the blood vessels, emphysema in the air alveoli, and peribronchial inflammatory cell infiltration. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), lipid peroxidation product and protein carbonyl content in lung tissues were significantly elevated. Moreover, the levels of reduced glutathione and total antioxidant capacity were significantly reduced. Co-administration of trolox, a water soluble vitamin E analog (25 mg/kg, once daily for the last 7 days of iron supplementation), alleviated the lung histological impairments, significantly decreased the pro-inflammatory cytokines, and restored the oxidative stress markers. Together, our findings indicate that iron supplementation at high altitudes induces lung tissue injury in rats. This injury could be mediated through excessive production of reactive oxygen species and induction of inflammatory responses. The study highlights the tissue injury induced by iron supplementation at high altitudes and suggests the co-administration of antioxidants such as trolox as protective measures. - Highlights: • Iron supplementation at high altitudes induced lung histological changes in rats. • Iron induced oxidative stress in lung tissues of rats at high altitudes. • Iron

  11. Insensitive detonator apparatus for initiating large failure diameter explosives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, III, William Leroy

    2015-07-28

    A munition according to a preferred embodiment can include a detonator system having a detonator that is selectively coupled to a microwave source that functions to selectively prime, activate, initiate, and/or sensitize an insensitive explosive material for detonation. The preferred detonator can include an explosive cavity having a barrier within which an insensitive explosive material is disposed and a waveguide coupled to the explosive cavity. The preferred system can further include a microwave source coupled to the waveguide such that microwaves enter the explosive cavity and impinge on the insensitive explosive material to sensitize the explosive material for detonation. In use the preferred embodiments permit the deployment and use of munitions that are maintained in an insensitive state until the actual time of use, thereby substantially preventing unauthorized or unintended detonation thereof.

  12. 14 CFR 33.47 - Detonation test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Detonation test. 33.47 Section 33.47 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: AIRCRAFT ENGINES Block Tests; Reciprocating Aircraft Engines § 33.47 Detonation test. Each engine...

  13. Experimental study of detonation of large-scale powder-droplet-vapor mixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, C.-H.; Wang, Y.; Xue, K.; Wang, L.-F.

    2018-05-01

    Large-scale experiments were carried out to investigate the detonation performance of a 1600-m3 ternary cloud consisting of aluminum powder, fuel droplets, and vapor, which were dispersed by a central explosive in a cylindrically stratified configuration. High-frame-rate video cameras and pressure gauges were used to analyze the large-scale explosive dispersal of the mixture and the ensuing blast wave generated by the detonation of the cloud. Special attention was focused on the effect of the descending motion of the charge on the detonation performance of the dispersed ternary cloud. The charge was parachuted by an ensemble of apparatus from the designated height in order to achieve the required terminal velocity when the central explosive was detonated. A descending charge with a terminal velocity of 32 m/s produced a cloud with discernably increased concentration compared with that dispersed from a stationary charge, the detonation of which hence generates a significantly enhanced blast wave beyond the scaled distance of 6 m/kg^{1/3}. The results also show the influence of the descending motion of the charge on the jetting phenomenon and the distorted shock front.

  14. Effects of erythrocyte infusion on VO2max at high altitude

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Young, Jette Feveile; Sawka, M N; Muza, S R

    1996-01-01

    This study investigated whether autologous erythrocyte infusion would ameliorate the decrement in maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) experienced by lowlanders when they ascend to high altitude. VO2max was measured in 16 men (treadmill running) at sea level (SL) and on the 1st (HA1) and 9th (HA9) days...... of high-altitude (4,300 m) residence. After VO2max was measured at SL, subjects were divided into two matched groups (n = 8). Twenty-four hours before ascent to high altitude, the experimental group received a 700-ml infusion of autologous erythrocytes and saline (42% hematocrit), whereas the control...... group received only saline. The VO2max of erythrocyte-infused [54 +/- 1 (SE) ml.kg-1.min-1] and control subjects (52 +/- 2 ml.kg-1.min-1) did not differ at SL before infusion. The decrement in VO2max on HA1 did not differ between groups, averaging 26% overall, despite higher (P

  15. Natural Selection on Genes Related to Cardiovascular Health in High-Altitude Adapted Andeans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crawford, Jacob E; Amaru, Ricardo; Song, Jihyun; Julian, Colleen G; Racimo, Fernando; Cheng, Jade Yu; Guo, Xiuqing; Yao, Jie; Ambale-Venkatesh, Bharath; Lima, João A; Rotter, Jerome I; Stehlik, Josef; Moore, Lorna G; Prchal, Josef T; Nielsen, Rasmus

    2017-11-02

    The increase in red blood cell mass (polycythemia) due to the reduced oxygen availability (hypoxia) of residence at high altitude or other conditions is generally thought to be beneficial in terms of increasing tissue oxygen supply. However, the extreme polycythemia and accompanying increased mortality due to heart failure in chronic mountain sickness most likely reduces fitness. Tibetan highlanders have adapted to high altitude, possibly in part via the selection of genetic variants associated with reduced polycythemic response to hypoxia. In contrast, high-altitude-adapted Quechua- and Aymara-speaking inhabitants of the Andean Altiplano are not protected from high-altitude polycythemia in the same way, yet they exhibit other adaptive features for which the genetic underpinnings remain obscure. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing to scan high-altitude Andeans for signals of selection. The genes showing the strongest evidence of selection-including BRINP3, NOS2, and TBX5-are associated with cardiovascular development and function but are not in the response-to-hypoxia pathway. Using association mapping, we demonstrated that the haplotypes under selection are associated with phenotypic variations related to cardiovascular health. We hypothesize that selection in response to hypoxia in Andeans could have vascular effects and could serve to mitigate the deleterious effects of polycythemia rather than reduce polycythemia itself. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. The use of HANDIDET reg-sign non-electric detonator assemblies to reduce blast-induced overpressure at AECL's Underground Research Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onagi, D.P.; Keith, S.G.; Kuzyk, G.W.

    1996-01-01

    A number of aspects of the Canadian concept for nuclear fuel waste disposal are being assessed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in a series of experiments at its Underground Research Laboratory (URL) near Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, Canada. One of the major objectives of the work being carried out at the URL is to develop and evaluate the methods and technology to ensure safe, permanent disposal of Canada's nuclear fuel waste. In 1994, AECL excavated access tunnels and a laboratory room for the Quarried Block Fracture Migration Experiment (QBFME) at the 240 Level of the URL. This facility will be used to study the transport of radionuclides in natural fractures in quarried blocks of granite under in-situ groundwater conditions. The experiment is being carried out under a cooperative agreement with the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The excavation of the QBFME access tunnels and laboratory was carried out using controlled blasting techniques that minimized blast-induced overpressure which could have damaged or interrupted other ongoing experiments in the vicinity. The majority of the blasts used conventional long delay non-electric detonators but a number of blasts were carried out using HANDIDET 250/6000 non-electric long delay detonator assemblies and HTD reg-sign non-electric short delay trunkline detonator assemblies. The tunnel and laboratory excavation was monitored to determine the levels of blast-induced overpressure. This paper describes the blasting and monitoring results of the blasts using HANDIDET non-electric detonator assemblies and the effectiveness of these detonators in reducing blast-induced overpressure

  17. Thoracic skeletal morphology and high-altitude hypoxia in Andean prehistory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinstein, Karen J

    2007-09-01

    Living humans from the highland Andes exhibit antero-posteriorly and medio-laterally enlarged chests in response to high-altitude hypoxia. This study hypothesizes that morphological responses to high-altitude hypoxia should also be evident in pre-Contact Andean groups. Thoracic skeletal morphology in four groups of human skeletons (N = 347) are compared: two groups from coastal regions (Ancón, Peru, n = 79 and Arica, Chile, n = 123) and two groups from high altitudes (San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, n = 102 and Machu Picchu and Cuzco, Peru, n = 43). Osteometric variables that represent proportions of chest width and depth include sternal and clavicular lengths and breadths and rib length, curvature, and area. Each variable was measured relative to body size, transformed into logarithmic indices, and compared across sex-specific groups using ANOVA and Tukey multiple comparison tests. Atacama highlanders have the largest sternal and clavicular proportions and ribs with the greatest area and least amount of curvature, features that suggest an antero-posteriorly deep and mediolaterally wide thoracic skeleton. Ancón lowlanders exhibit proportions indicating narrower and shallower chests. Machu Picchu and Cuzco males cluster with the other highland group in rib curvature and area at the superior levels of the thorax, whereas chest proportions in Machu Picchu and Cuzco females resemble those of lowlanders. The variation in Machu Picchu and Cuzco males and females is interpreted as the result of population migrations. The presence of morphological traits indicative of enlarged chests in some highland individuals suggests that high-altitude hypoxia was an environmental stressor shaping the biology of highland Andean groups during the pre-Contact period. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  18. Towards Integrated Pulse Detonation Propulsion and MHD Power

    Science.gov (United States)

    Litchford, Ron J.; Thompson, Bryan R.; Lineberry, John T.

    1999-01-01

    The interest in pulse detonation engines (PDE) arises primarily from the advantages that accrue from the significant combustion pressure rise that is developed in the detonation process. Conventional rocket engines, for example, must obtain all of their compression from the turbopumps, while the PDE provides additional compression in the combustor. Thus PDE's are expected to achieve higher I(sub sp) than conventional rocket engines and to require smaller turbopumps. The increase in I(sub sp) and the decrease in turbopump capacity must be traded off against each other. Additional advantages include the ability to vary thrust level by adjusting the firing rate rather than throttling the flow through injector elements. The common conclusion derived from these aggregated performance attributes is that PDEs should result in engines which are smaller, lower in cost, and lighter in weight than conventional engines. Unfortunately, the analysis of PDEs is highly complex due to their unsteady operation and non-ideal processes. Although the feasibility of the basic PDE concept has been proven in several experimental and theoretical efforts, the implied performance improvements have yet to be convincingly demonstrated. Also, there are certain developmental issues affecting the practical application of pulse detonation propulsion systems which are yet to be fully resolved. Practical detonation combustion engines, for example, require a repetitive cycle of charge induction, mixing, initiation/propagation of the detonation wave, and expulsion/scavenging of the combustion product gases. Clearly, the performance and power density of such a device depends upon the maximum rate at which this cycle can be successfully implemented. In addition, the electrical energy required for direct detonation initiation can be significant, and a means for direct electrical power production is needed to achieve self-sustained engine operation. This work addresses the technological issues associated

  19. Metabolic Effects of High Altitude Trekking in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Mol, Pieter; Fokkert, Marion J.; de Vries, Suzanna T.; de Koning, Eelco J. P.; Dikkeschei, Bert D.; Gans, Rijnold O. B.; Tack, Cees J.; Bilo, Henk J. G.

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE-Limited information is available regarding the metabolic effects of high altitude trekking in patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-Thirteen individuals with type 2 diabetes took part, in a 12-day expedition to the summit of Mount Toubkal (altitude, 4,167 m), Morocco,

  20. Metabolic effects of high altitude trekking in patients with type 2 diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mol, P. de; Fokkert, M.J.; Vries, S.T. de; Koning, E.J. de; Dikkeschei, B.D.; Gans, R.O.; Tack, C.J.J.; Bilo, H.J.

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Limited information is available regarding the metabolic effects of high altitude trekking in patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Thirteen individuals with type 2 diabetes took part in a 12-day expedition to the summit of Mount Toubkal (altitude, 4,167 m), Morocco,

  1. Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning protects against traumatic brain injury at high altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, S L; Hu, R; Li, F; Liu, Z; Xia, Y Z; Cui, G Y; Feng, H

    2008-01-01

    Recent studies have shown that preconditioning with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) can reduce ischemic and hemorrhagic brain injury. We investigated effects of HBO preconditioning on traumatic brain injury (TBI) at high altitude and examined the role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in such protection. Rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: HBO preconditioning group (HBOP; n = 13), high-altitude group (HA; n = 13), and high-altitude sham operation group (HASO; n = 13). All groups were subjected to head trauma by weight-drop device, except for HASO group. HBOP rats received 5 sessions of HBO preconditioning (2.5 ATA, 100% oxygen, 1 h daily) and then were kept in hypobaric chamber at 0.6 ATA (to simulate pressure at 4000m altitude) for 3 days before operation. HA rats received control pretreatment (1 ATA, room air, 1 h daily), then followed the same procedures as HBOP group. HASO rats were subjected to skull opening only without brain injury. Twenty-four hours after TBI, 7 rats from each group were examined for neurological function and brain water content; 6 rats from each group were killed for analysis by H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. Neurological outcome in HBOP group (0.71 +/- 0.49) was better than HA group (1.57 +/- 0.53; p < 0.05). Preconditioning with HBO significantly reduced percentage of brain water content (86.24 +/- 0.52 vs. 84.60 +/- 0.37; p < 0.01). Brain morphology and structure seen by light microscopy was diminished in HA group, while fewer pathological injuries occurred in HBOP group. Compared to HA group, pretreatment with HBO significantly reduced the number of MMP-9-positive cells (92.25 +/- 8.85 vs. 74.42 +/- 6.27; p < 0.01). HBO preconditioning attenuates TBI in rats at high altitude. Decline in MMP-9 expression may contribute to HBO preconditioning-induced protection of brain tissue against TBI.

  2. Increased Cardiometabolic Risk and Worsening Hypoxemia at High Altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miele, Catherine H; Schwartz, Alan R; Gilman, Robert H; Pham, Luu; Wise, Robert A; Davila-Roman, Victor G; Jun, Jonathan C; Polotsky, Vsevolod Y; Miranda, J Jaime; Leon-Velarde, Fabiola; Checkley, William

    2016-06-01

    Miele, Catherine H., Alan R. Schwartz, Robert H. Gilman, Luu Pham, Robert A. Wise, Victor G. Davila-Roman, Jonathan C. Jun, Vsevolod Y. Polotsky, J. Jaime Miranda, Fabiola Leon-Velarde, and William Checkley. Increased cardiometabolic risk and worsening hypoxemia at high altitude. High Alt Med Biol. 17:93-100, 2016.-Metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, diabetes, and dyslipidemia are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. While excessive erythrocytosis is associated with cardiovascular complications, it is unclear how worsening hypoxemia of any degree affects cardiometabolic risk factors in high-altitude populations. We studied the relationship between daytime resting oxyhemoglobin saturation and cardiometabolic risk factors in adult participants living in Puno, Peru (3825 m above sea level). We used multivariable logistic regression models to study the relationship between having a lower oxyhemoglobin saturation and markers of cardiometabolic risk. Nine hundred and fifty-four participants (mean age 55 years, 52% male) had information available on pulse oximetry and markers of cardiometabolic risk. Average oxyhemoglobin saturation was 90% (interquartile range 88%-92%) and 43 (4.5%) had excessive erythrocytosis. Older age, decreased height-adjusted lung function, and higher body mass index (BMI) were associated with having an oxyhemoglobin saturation ≤85%. When adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, having excessive erythrocytosis, and site, we found that each 5% decrease in oxyhemoglobin saturation was associated with a higher adjusted odds of metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.07-1.72, p 2 mass units (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.00-1.67, p < 0.05), hemoglobin A1c ≥6.5% (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.09-2.51, p < 0.04), and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) ≥3 mg/L (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.09-1.96, p < 0.01). In high-altitude populations in Puno, Peru, a higher BMI and lower pulmonary function were

  3. Numerical Investigation on the Propagation Mechanism of Steady Cellular Detonations in Curved Channels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jian; Ning Jian-Guo; Zhao Hui; Wang Cheng; Hao Li

    2015-01-01

    The propagation mechanism of steady cellular detonations in curved channels is investigated numerically with a detailed chemical reaction mechanism. The numerical results demonstrate that as the radius of the curvature decreases, detonation fails near the inner wall due to the strong expansion effect. As the radius of the curvature increases, the detonation front near the inner wall can sustain an underdriven detonation. In the case where detonation fails, a transverse detonation downstream forms and re-initiates the quenched detonation as it propagates toward the inner wall. Two kinds of propagation modes exist as the detonation is propagating in the curved channel. One is that the detonation fails first, and then a following transverse detonation initiates the quenched detonation and this process repeats itself. The other one is that without detonation failure and re-initiation, a steady detonation exists which consists of an underdriven detonation front near the inner wall subject to the diffraction and an overdriven detonation near the outer wall subject to the compression. (paper)

  4. Systems Design and Experimental Evaluation of a High-Altitude Relight Test Facility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paxton, Brendan

    Novel advances in gas turbine engine combustor technology, led by endeavors into fuel efficiency and demanding environmental regulations, have been fraught with performance and safety concerns. While the majority of low emissions gas turbine engine combustor technology has been necessary for power generation applications, the push for ultra-low NOx combustion in aircraft jet engines has been ever present. Recent state-of-the-art combustor designs notably tackle historic emissions challenges by operating at fuel-lean conditions, which are characterized by an increase in the amount of air flow sent to the primary combustion zone. While beneficial in reducing NOx emissions, the fuel-lean mechanisms that characterize these combustor designs rely heavily upon high-energy and high-velocity air flows to sufficiently mix and atomize fuel droplets, ultimately leading to flame stability concerns during low-power operation. When operating at high-altitude conditions, these issues are further exacerbated by the presence of low ambient air pressures and temperatures, which can lead to engine flame-out situations and hamper engine relight attempts. To aid academic and industrial research ventures into improving the high-altitude lean blow-out and relight performance of modern gas turbine engine combustor technologies, the High-Altitude Relight Test Facility (HARTF) was designed and constructed at the University of Cincinnati (UC) Combustion and Fire Research Laboratory (CFRL). Following its construction, an experimental evaluation of its abilities to facilitate optically-accessible ignition, combustion, and spray testing for gas turbine engine combustor hardware at simulated high-altitude conditions was performed. In its evaluation, performance limit references were established through testing of the HARTF vacuum and cryogenic air-chilling capabilities. These tests were conducted with regard to end-user control---the creation and the maintenance of a realistic high-altitude

  5. Numerical Computation of Detonation Stability

    KAUST Repository

    Kabanov, Dmitry

    2018-06-03

    Detonation is a supersonic mode of combustion that is modeled by a system of conservation laws of compressible fluid mechanics coupled with the equations describing thermodynamic and chemical properties of the fluid. Mathematically, these governing equations admit steady-state travelling-wave solutions consisting of a leading shock wave followed by a reaction zone. However, such solutions are often unstable to perturbations and rarely observed in laboratory experiments. The goal of this work is to study the stability of travelling-wave solutions of detonation models by the following novel approach. We linearize the governing equations about a base travelling-wave solution and solve the resultant linearized problem using high-order numerical methods. The results of these computations are postprocessed using dynamic mode decomposition to extract growth rates and frequencies of the perturbations and predict stability of travelling-wave solutions to infinitesimal perturbations. We apply this approach to two models based on the reactive Euler equations for perfect gases. For the first model with a one-step reaction mechanism, we find agreement of our results with the results of normal-mode analysis. For the second model with a two-step mechanism, we find that both types of admissible travelling-wave solutions exhibit the same stability spectra. Then we investigate the Fickett’s detonation analogue coupled with a particular reaction-rate expression. In addition to the linear stability analysis of this model, we demonstrate that it exhibits rich nonlinear dynamics with multiple bifurcations and chaotic behavior.

  6. ACUTE PHASE PROTEIN INCREASE IN HIGH ALTITUDE MOUNTAINEERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tolga Saka

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Introduction: Many middle-aged Turks go hiking in mountains to breathe some fresh air or to maintain fitness. Objective: This study investigated the effects of regular high altitude mountain climbing on the metabolic and hematological responses of mountaineers. Methods: Hematological and biochemical parameters were studied, as well as some hormonal values of 21 mountaineers and 16 healthy age-matched sedentary volunteers. Results: The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR was significantly lower (p<0.04 in mountaineers compared with the sedentary group. Total protein (p<0.001 and albumin (p<0.001 were lower, while the levels of ferritin (p<0.04, creatine (p<0.03 and creatine phosphokinase (p<0.01 were higher in mountaineers. Other hematological and biochemical parameters, i.e., erythrocytes, leukocytes, hemoglobin and hematocrit, did not change significantly. Conclusion: Our results show that regular exposure to high altitude increased the serum levels of some acute phase proteins with anti-inflammatory properties.

  7. Radio controlled detonators and sequential real time blast applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bernard, T.; Laboz, J.M. [Delta Caps International, Nice (France)

    1995-12-31

    Among the numerous technical evolutions in the blasting environment the authors are going to describe below the concept of electronic detonator sequenced by radio waves, and also its numerous applications. Three major technologies are used in the initiation environment: fused-initiated detonators; electric detonators; and non-electric detonators. The last two technologies were made available under multiple variants. Two major innovations are going to substantially change the way traditional detonators operate: pyrotechnic delays are replaced by electronic delays (greater accuracy); and triggering orders, passing through a cable, is now replaced by radio-waves transmission (possibility to do real time delay pattern). Such a new product provided all the features offered by current detonators, but also allows mastering specific cases that were difficult to control with the current technology, such as: vibration control; underground blast; and building demolition.

  8. Science 101: Why Does It Take Longer to Boil Potatoes at High Altitudes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Bill

    2017-01-01

    Why Does It Take Longer to Boil Potatoes at High Altitudes? This column provides background science information for elementary teachers. This month's issue looks at why water boils at different temperatures at different altitudes.

  9. A comparison of multiple behavior models in a simulation of the aftermath of an improvised nuclear detonation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parikh, Nidhi; Hayatnagarkar, Harshal G; Beckman, Richard J; Marathe, Madhav V; Swarup, Samarth

    2016-11-01

    We describe a large-scale simulation of the aftermath of a hypothetical 10kT improvised nuclear detonation at ground level, near the White House in Washington DC. We take a synthetic information approach, where multiple data sets are combined to construct a synthesized representation of the population of the region with accurate demographics, as well as four infrastructures: transportation, healthcare, communication, and power. In this article, we focus on the model of agents and their behavior, which is represented using the options framework. Six different behavioral options are modeled: household reconstitution, evacuation, healthcare-seeking, worry, shelter-seeking, and aiding & assisting others. Agent decision-making takes into account their health status, information about family members, information about the event, and their local environment. We combine these behavioral options into five different behavior models of increasing complexity and do a number of simulations to compare the models.

  10. A library of prompt detonation reaction zone data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Souers, P. C., LLNL

    1998-06-01

    Tables are given listing literature data that allows calculation of sonic reaction zones at or near steady-state for promptly detonating explosive cylinders. The data covers homogeneous, heterogeneous, composite, inorganic and binary explosives and allows comparison across the entire explosive field. Table 1 lists detonation front curvatures. Table 2 lists Size Effect data, i.e. the change of detonation velocity with cylinder radius. Table 3 lists failure radii and detonation velocities. Table 4 lists explosive compositions. A total of 51 references dating back into the 1950`s are given. Calculated reaction zones, radii of curvature and growth rate coefficients are listed.

  11. Syndrome of Acute Anxiety Among Marines After Recent Arrival at High Altitude

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-05-01

    Naval Health Research Center Syndrome of Acute Anxiety Among Marines After Recent Arrival at High Altitude Michael K. Sracic Darren Thomas...Allen Pate Jacob Norris Marc Norman, Jeffrey H. Gertsch Report No. 13-29 The views expressed in this article are those of the authors...MEDICINE, 179, 5:559, 2014 Syndrome of Acute Anxiety Among Marines After Recent Arrival at High Altitude LT Michael K. Sracic, MC USN*; LT Darren Thomas

  12. Confined Detonations and Pulse Detonation Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-01-01

    detonation. Actes du Colloque International Berthelot-Vieille- Mallard- Le Chatelier Proceedings. Bordeaux, France 2:437-42. 13. Edwards, D., G. Hooper, and R...A.A. Vasil’ev 1 Introduction ... ... .... ... .... . .. .. .. .. 41 2 Principles of DDT Acceleration ............... 42 3 Construction of DDT...Universit6 de Poitiers 1, Avenue Clement Ader E. DANIAU BP 40109, 86961 Futuroscope Cedex, France MBDA-F 8, rue Le Brix, BP 35 S.M. FROLOV 18020

  13. Investigations on detonation shock dynamics and related topics. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stewart, D.S. [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States). Dept. of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics

    1993-11-01

    This document is a final report that summarizes the research findings and research activities supported by the subcontract DOE-LANL-9-XG8-3931P-1 between the University of Illinois (D. S. Stewart Principal Investigator) and the University of California (Los Alamos National Laboratory, M-Division). The main focus of the work has been on investigations of Detonation Shock Dynamics. A second emphasis has been on modeling compaction of energetic materials and deflagration to detonation in those materials. The work has led to a number of extensions of the theory of Detonation Shock Dynamics (DSD) and its application as an engineering design method for high explosive systems. The work also enhanced the hydrocode capabilities of researchers in M-Division by modifications to CAVEAT, an existing Los Alamos hydrocode. Linear stability studies of detonation flows were carried out for the purpose of code verification. This work also broadened the existing theory for detonation. The work in this contract has led to the development of one-phase models for dynamic compaction of porous energetic materials and laid the groundwork for subsequent studies. Some work that modeled the discrete heterogeneous behavior of propellant beds was also performed. The contract supported the efforts of D. S. Stewart and a Postdoctoral student H. I. Lee at the University of Illinois.

  14. Deflagration-to-detonation transition in gases in tubes with cavities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smirnov, N. N.; Nikitin, V. F.; Phylippov, Yu. G.

    2010-12-01

    The existence of a supersonic second combustion mode — detonation — discovered by Mallard and Le Chatelier and by Berthélot and Vieille in 1881 posed the question of mechanisms for transition from one mode to the other. In the period 1959-1969, experiments by Salamandra, Soloukhin, Oppenheim, and their coworkers provided insights into this complex phenomenon. Since then, among all the phenomena related to combustion processes, deflagration-to-detonation transition is, undoubtedly, the most intriguing one. Deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in gases is connected with gas and vapor explosion safety issues. Knowing mechanisms of detonation onset control is of major importance for creating effective mitigation measures addressing two major goals: to prevent DDT in the case of mixture ignition, or to arrest the detonation wave in the case where it has been initiated. A new impetus to the increase in interest in deflagration-to-detonation transition processes was given by the recent development of pulse detonation devices. The probable application of these principles to creation of a new generation of engines put the problem of effectiveness of pulse detonating devices at the top of current research needs. The effectiveness of the pulse detonation cycle turned out to be the key factor characterizing the Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE), whose operation modes were shown to be closely related to periodical onset and degeneration of a detonation wave. Those unsteady-state regimes should be self-sustained to guarantee a reliable operation of devices using the detonation mode of burning fuels as a constitutive part of their working cycle. Thus deflagration-to-detonation transition processes are of major importance for the issue. Minimizing the predetonation length and ensuring stability of the onset of detonation enable one to increase the effectiveness of a PDE. The DDT turned out to be the key factor characterizing the PDE operating cycle. Thus, the problem of

  15. Efficient numerical simulation of the deflagration-to-detonation transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ettner, Florian Anton

    2013-01-01

    In order to improve safety analyses of nuclear power plants, it is necessary to investigate if hydrogen-air mixtures (created in severe accidents) burn in a deflagrative manner or whether a deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) occurs. In this work a CFD solver has been developed for the simulation of a complete combustion process including DDT. The density-based solver incorporates a deflagration model and an auto-ignition model which are coupled via a progress variable. The application to both homogeneous and inhomogeneous mixtures shows very good agreement with experiments. Depending on the boundary conditions the presence of a hydrogen concentration gradient can either increase or decrease the probability of DDT when compared to a homogeneous mixture. Under certain circumstances extremely high pressure loads occur even in areas of low hydrogen content. This should be taken into consideration in future safety analyses.

  16. Shock wave interactions with detonable clouds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ripley, R.C.; Josey, T.; Donahue, L.; Whitehouse, D.R.

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents results from the numerical simulation of compressible multi-species gases in an unstructured mesh CFD code called Chinook. Multiple species gases are significant to a wide range of CFD applications that involve chemical reactions, in particular detonation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interaction of shock waves with localized regions of reactive and non-reactive gas species. Test cases are chosen to highlight shock reflection and acceleration through combustion products resulting from the detonation of an explosive charge, and detonation wave propagation through a fuel-air cloud. Computations are performed in a 2D axi-symmetric framework. (author)

  17. Climate effects of a hypothetical regional nuclear war: Sensitivity to emission duration and particle composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pausata, Francesco S. R.; Lindvall, Jenny; Ekman, Annica M. L.; Svensson, Gunilla

    2016-11-01

    Here, we use a coupled atmospheric-ocean-aerosol model to investigate the plume development and climate effects of the smoke generated by fires following a regional nuclear war between emerging third-world nuclear powers. We simulate a standard scenario where 5 Tg of black carbon (BC) is emitted over 1 day in the upper troposphere-lower stratosphere. However, it is likely that the emissions from the fires ignited by bomb detonations include a substantial amount of particulate organic matter (POM) and that they last more than 1 day. We therefore test the sensitivity of the aerosol plume and climate system to the BC/POM ratio (1:3, 1:9) and to the emission length (1 day, 1 week, 1 month). We find that in general, an emission length of 1 month substantially reduces the cooling compared to the 1-day case, whereas taking into account POM emissions notably increases the cooling and the reduction of precipitation associated with the nuclear war during the first year following the detonation. Accounting for POM emissions increases the particle size in the short-emission-length scenarios (1 day/1 week), reducing the residence time of the injected particle. While the initial cooling is more intense when including POM emission, the long-lasting effects, while still large, may be less extreme compared to the BC-only case. Our study highlights that the emission altitude reached by the plume is sensitive to both the particle type emitted by the fires and the emission duration. Consequently, the climate effects of a nuclear war are strongly dependent on these parameters.

  18. Energy management strategy for solar-powered high-altitude long-endurance aircraft

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, Xian-Zhong; Hou, Zhong-Xi; Guo, Zheng; Liu, Jian-Xia; Chen, Xiao-Qian

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► A new Energy Management Strategy (EMS) for high-altitude solar-powered aircraft is purposed. ► The simulations show that the aircraft can always keep the altitude above 16 km with the proposed EMS. ► The proposed EMS is capable to alleviate the power consumed for aircraft during night. ► The main technologies to improve the flight performance of aircraft are analyzed. - Abstract: Development of solar-powered High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) aircraft has a great impact on both military and civil aviation industries since its features in high-altitude and energy source can be considered inexhaustible. Owing to the development constraints of rechargeable batteries, the solar-powered HALE aircraft must take amount of rechargeable batteries to fulfill the energy requirement in night, which greatly limits the operation altitude of aircraft. In order to solve this problem, a new Energy Management Strategy (EMS) is proposed based on the idea that the solar energy can be partly stored in gravitational potential in daytime. The flight path of HALE aircraft is divided into three stages. During the stage 1, the solar energy is stored in both lithium–sulfur battery and gravitational potential. The gravitational potential is released in stage 2 by gravitational gliding and the required power in stage 3 is supplied by lithium–sulfur battery. Correspondingly, the EMS is designed for each stage. The simulation results show that the aircraft can always keep the altitude above 16 km with the proposed EMS, and the power consumed during night can be also alleviated. Comparing with the current EMS, about 23.5% energy is remained in batteries with the proposed EMS during one day–night cycle. The sensitivities of the improvement of crucial technologies to the performance of aircraft are also analyzed. The results show that the enhancement of control and structural system, lithium–sulfur battery, and solar cell are ranked in descending order for the

  19. Peripheral blood lymphocytes: a model for monitoring physiological adaptation to high altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mariggiò, Maria A; Falone, Stefano; Morabito, Caterina; Guarnieri, Simone; Mirabilio, Alessandro; Pilla, Raffaele; Bucciarelli, Tonino; Verratti, Vittore; Amicarelli, Fernanda

    2010-01-01

    Depending on the absolute altitude and the duration of exposure, a high altitude environment induces various cellular effects that are strictly related to changes in oxidative balance. In this study, we used in vitro isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes as biosensors to test the effect of hypobaric hypoxia on seven climbers by measuring the functional activity of these cells. Our data revealed that a 21-day exposure to high altitude (5000 m) (1) increased intracellular Ca(2+) concentration, (2) caused a significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, and (3) despite possible transient increases in intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species, did not significantly change the antioxidant and/or oxidative damage-related status in lymphocytes and serum, assessed by measuring Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase activity, vitamin levels, and oxidatively modified proteins and lipids. Overall, these results suggest that high altitude might cause an impairment in adaptive antioxidant responses. This, in turn, could increase the risk of oxidative-stress-induced cellular damage. In addition, this study corroborates the use of peripheral blood lymphocytes as an easily handled model for monitoring adaptive response to environmental challenge.

  20. Near-limit propagation of gaseous detonations in narrow annular channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Y.; Ng, H. D.; Lee, J. H. S.

    2017-03-01

    New results on the near-limit behaviors of gaseous detonations in narrow annular channels are reported in this paper. Annular channels of widths 3.2 and 5.9 mm were made using circular inserts in a 50.8 mm-diameter external tube. The length of each annular channel was 1.8 m. Detonations were initiated in a steel driver tube where a small volume of a sensitive C2H2+ 2.5O2 mixture was injected to facilitate detonation initiation. A 2 m length of circular tube with a 50.8 mm diameter preceded the annular channel so that a steady Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) detonation was established prior to entering the annular channel. Four detonable mixtures of C2H2 {+} 2.5O2 {+} 85 % Ar, C2H2 {+} 2.5O2 {+} 70 % Ar, C3H8 {+} 5O2, and CH4 {+} 2O2 were used in the present study. Photodiodes spaced 10 cm throughout the length of both the annular channel and circular tube were used to measure the detonation velocity. In addition, smoked foils were inserted into the annular channel to monitor the cellular structure of the detonation wave. The results show that, well within the detonability limits, the detonation wave propagates along the channel with a small local velocity fluctuation and an average global velocity can be deduced. The average detonation velocity has a small deficit of 5-15 % far from the limits and the velocity rapidly decreases to 0.7V_{CJ}-0.8V_{CJ} when the detonation propagates near the limit. Subsequently, the fluctuation of local velocity also increases as the decreasing initial pressure approaches the limit. In the two annular channels used in this work, no galloping detonations were observed for both the stable and unstable mixtures tested. The present study also confirms that single-headed spinning detonation occurs at the limit, as in a circular tube, rather than the up and down "zig zag" mode in a two-dimensional, rectangular channel.

  1. The Laddermill : Innovative Wind Energy from High Altitudes in Holland and Australia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lansdorp, B.; Williams, P.

    2006-01-01

    The Laddermill is a novel concept to harvest electricity from high altitude winds. The concept's operating principle is to drive an electric generator using tethered kites. Several kites are deployed to altitudes of more than 1 km by means of a single cable that is connected to a drum on the

  2. The structure of high altitude O+ energization and outflow: a case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Nilsson

    2004-07-01

    Full Text Available Multi-spacecraft observations from the CIS ion spectrometers on board the Cluster spacecraft have been used to study the structure of high-altitude oxygen ion energization and outflow. A case study taken from 12 April 2004 is discussed in more detail. In this case the spacecraft crossed the polar cap, mantle and high-altitude cusp region at altitudes between 4RE and 8RE and 2 of the spacecraft provided data. The oxygen ions were seen as a beam with narrow energy distribution, and increasing field-aligned velocity and temperature at higher altitude further in the upstream flow direction. The peak O+ energy was typically just above the highest energy of observed protons. The observed energies reached the upper limit of the CIS ion spectrometer, i.e. 38keV. Moment data from the spacecraft have been cross-correlated to determine cross-correlation coefficients, as well as the phase delay between the spacecraft. Structures in ion density, temperature and field-aligned flow appear to drift with the observed field-perpendicular drift. This, together with a velocity dispersion analysis, indicates that much of the structure can be explained by transverse heating well below the spacecraft. However, temperature isotropy and the particle flux as a function of field-aligned velocity are inconsistent with a single altitude Maxwellian source. Heating over extended altitude intervals, possibly all the way up to the observation point, seem consistent with the observations.

  3. Position and volume estimation of atmospheric nuclear detonations from video reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitt, Daniel T.

    Recent work in digitizing films of foundational atmospheric nuclear detonations from the 1950s provides an opportunity to perform deeper analysis on these historical tests. This work leverages multi-view geometry and computer vision techniques to provide an automated means to perform three-dimensional analysis of the blasts for several points in time. The accomplishment of this requires careful alignment of the films in time, detection of features in the images, matching of features, and multi-view reconstruction. Sub-explosion features can be detected with a 67% hit rate and 22% false alarm rate. Hotspot features can be detected with a 71.95% hit rate, 86.03% precision and a 0.015% false positive rate. Detected hotspots are matched across 57-109 degree viewpoints with 76.63% average correct matching by defining their location relative to the center of the explosion, rotating them to the alternative viewpoint, and matching them collectively. When 3D reconstruction is applied to the hotspot matching it completes an automated process that has been used to create 168 3D point clouds with 31.6 points per reconstruction with each point having an accuracy of 0.62 meters with 0.35, 0.24, and 0.34 meters of accuracy in the x-, y- and z-direction respectively. As a demonstration of using the point clouds for analysis, volumes are estimated and shown to be consistent with radius-based models and in some cases improve on the level of uncertainty in the yield calculation.

  4. Haemocompatibility Of Non-Functionalized And Plasmachemical Functionalized Detonation Nanodiamond Particles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitura K.

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present the innovative design of microwave plasma system for modification of detonation nanodiamond particles (DNP using a special rotating drum placed inside the reactor. Nanodiamond particles manufactured by detonation method reveal the biological activity depending on surface functionalization. Plasmachemical modification of detonation nanodiamond particles gives the possibility of controlling surface of nanodiamonds particles in biological tests. In this paper we would like to compare detonation nanodiamond (the grain sizes from 2 to 5 nm with modified detonation nanodiamond in rotary reactor chamber, by microwave plasma activated chemical vapour deposition (MW PACVD method in materials research (Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy and in vitro examinations with full of human blood. The results indicate haemocompatibility of non-modified detonation nanodiamond and modified nanodiamond by MW PACVD method in rotary reactor chamber (modified ND-3 and the presence of haemolysis in commercial detonation nanodiamond.

  5. Bright and photostable nitrogen-vacancy fluorescence from unprocessed detonation nanodiamond.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reineck, P; Capelli, M; Lau, D W M; Jeske, J; Field, M R; Ohshima, T; Greentree, A D; Gibson, B C

    2017-01-05

    Bright and photostable fluorescence from nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers is demonstrated in unprocessed detonation nanodiamond particle aggregates. The optical properties of these particles is analyzed using confocal fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, time resolved fluorescence decay measurements, and optically detected magnetic resonance experiments. Two particle populations with distinct optical properties are identified and compared to high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) fluorescent nanodiamonds. We find that the brightness of one detonation nanodiamond particle population is on the same order as that of highly processed fluorescent 100 nm HPHT nanodiamonds. Our results may open the path to a simple and up-scalable route for the production of fluorescent NV nanodiamonds for use in bioimaging applications.

  6. Hydroxyapatite Reinforced Coatings with Incorporated Detonationally Generated Nanodiamonds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pramatarova, L.; Pecheva, E.; Hikov, T.; Fingarova, D.; Dimitrova, R.; Spassov, T.; Krasteva, N.; Mitev, D.

    2010-01-01

    We studied the effect of the substrate chemistry on the morphology of hydroxyapatite-detonational nanodiamond composite coatings grown by a biomimetic approach (immersion in a supersaturated simulated body fluid). When detonational nanodiamond particles were added to the solution, the morphology of the grown for 2 h composite particles was porous but more compact then that of pure hydroxyapatite particles. The nanodiamond particles stimulated the hydroxyapatite growth with different morphology on the various substrates (Ti, Ti alloys, glasses, Si, opal). Biocompatibility assay with MG63 osteoblast cells revealed that the detonational nanodiamond water suspension with low and average concentration of the detonational nanodiamond powder is not toxic to living cells.

  7. Station blackout at nuclear power plants: Radiological implications for nuclear war

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shapiro, C.S.

    1986-12-01

    Recent work on station blackout is reviewed its radiological implications for a nuclear war scenario is explored. The major conclusion is that the effects of radiation from many nuclear weapon detonations in a nuclear war would swamp those from possible reactor accidents that result from station blackout

  8. Exhaust Gas Emissions from a Rotating Detonation-wave Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kailasanath, Kazhikathra; Schwer, Douglas

    2015-11-01

    Rotating detonation-wave engines (RDE) are a form of continuous detonation-wave engines. They potentially provide further gains in performance than an intermittent or pulsed detonation-wave engine (PDE). The overall flow field in an idealized RDE, primarily consisting of two concentric cylinders, has been discussed in previous meetings. Because of the high pressures involved and the lack of adequate reaction mechanisms for this regime, previous simulations have typically used simplified chemistry models. However, understanding the exhaust species concentrations in propulsion devices is important for both performance considerations as well as estimating pollutant emissions. Progress towards addressing this need will be discussed in this talk. In this approach, an induction parameter model is used for simulating the detonation but a more detailed finite-chemistry model including NOx chemistry is used in the expansion flow region, where the pressures are lower and the uncertainties in the chemistry model are greatly reduced. Results show that overall radical concentrations in the exhaust flow are substantially lower than from earlier predictions with simplified models. The performance of a baseline hydrogen/air RDE increased from 4940 s to 5000 s with the expansion flow chemistry, due to recombination of radicals and more production of H2O, resulting in additional heat release. Work sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.

  9. The use of HANDIDET{reg_sign} non-electric detonator assemblies to reduce blast-induced overpressure at AECL`s Underground Research Laboratory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Onagi, D.P.; Keith, S.G.; Kuzyk, G.W. [AECL, Pinawa, Manitoba (Canada). Underground Research Lab.; Proudfoot, D.F. [ICI Explosives Canada, North Delta, British Columbia (Canada)

    1996-12-01

    A number of aspects of the Canadian concept for nuclear fuel waste disposal are being assessed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in a series of experiments at its Underground Research Laboratory (URL) near Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, Canada. One of the major objectives of the work being carried out at the URL is to develop and evaluate the methods and technology to ensure safe, permanent disposal of Canada`s nuclear fuel waste. In 1994, AECL excavated access tunnels and a laboratory room for the Quarried Block Fracture Migration Experiment (QBFME) at the 240 Level of the URL. This facility will be used to study the transport of radionuclides in natural fractures in quarried blocks of granite under in-situ groundwater conditions. The experiment is being carried out under a cooperative agreement with the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The excavation of the QBFME access tunnels and laboratory was carried out using controlled blasting techniques that minimized blast-induced overpressure which could have damaged or interrupted other ongoing experiments in the vicinity. The majority of the blasts used conventional long delay non-electric detonators but a number of blasts were carried out using HANDIDET 250/6000 non-electric long delay detonator assemblies and HTD{reg_sign} non-electric short delay trunkline detonator assemblies. The tunnel and laboratory excavation was monitored to determine the levels of blast-induced overpressure. This paper describes the blasting and monitoring results of the blasts using HANDIDET non-electric detonator assemblies and the effectiveness of these detonators in reducing blast-induced overpressure.

  10. Nuclear terrorism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    Recent reports of alleged terrorist plans to build a 'dirty bomb' have heightened longstanding concerns about nuclear terrorism. This briefing outlines possible forms of attack, such as: detonation of a nuclear weapon; attacks involving radioactive materials; attacks on nuclear facilities. Legislation addressing these risks and the UK's strategy for coping with them are also considered

  11. Effects of Injection Scheme on Rotating Detonation Engine Operation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chacon, Fabian; Duvall, James; Gamba, Mirko

    2017-11-01

    In this work, we experimentally investigate the operation and performance characteristics of a rotating detonation engine (RDE) operated with different fuel injection schemes and operating conditions. In particular, we investigate the detonation and operation characteristics produced with an axial flow injector configuration and semi-impinging injector configurations. These are compared to the characteristics produced with a canonical radial injection system (AFRL injector). Each type produces a different flowfield and mixture distribution, leading to a different detonation initiation, injector dynamic response, and combustor pressure rise. By using a combination of diagnostics, we quantify the pressure loses and gains in the system, the ability to maintain detonation over a range of operating points, and the coupling between the detonation and the air/fuel feed lines. We particularly focus on how this coupling affects both the stability and the performance of the detonation wave. This work is supported by the DOE/UTSR program under project DE-FE0025315.

  12. Turbulent flame acceleration and detonation quenching and reinitiation - modelling and validation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fischer, M.; Kratzel, T.; Pantow, E.

    1997-01-01

    For both, the reactor safety in an accidental release of hydrogen into containment compartments and also for the industrial safety of the production, storage and transport of combustibles like hydrogen, propane, methane and others in the Petroleum, Petrochemical and Pharmaceutical Industries, it is of great interest to know how the pressure forces of fast hydrogen combustion processes can be reduced. The numerical study of highly turbulent or detonation driven flame propagation processes is relatively recent because it depends on the availability of high performance computers and specialized numerical algorithms to solve the governing equations of reactive fluid dynamic processes. Numerical simulation can be used at a number of levels to study turbulent combustion and detonations. What is needed is both, to use modelling and numerical simulation to investigate fundamental interactions, and using modelling and numerical simulation as a tool to predict turbulent flame accelerating processes and decoupling or re-initiation of detonation waves in complex geometries of technical applications. Today, modelling and simulation show good agreement with a variety of fast combustion phenomena observed in experiments. Results of reactive computational fluid dynamics codes deliver inputs to reduce experimental parameters and provide the basis for an innovative design of arresters for deflagration and detonation processes. (author)

  13. Numerical research on the thermal performance of high altitude scientific balloons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dai, Qiumin; Xing, Daoming; Fang, Xiande; Zhao, Yingjie

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A model is presented to evaluate the IR radiation between translucent surfaces. • Comprehensive ascent and thermal models of balloons are established. • The effect of IR transmissivity on film temperature distribution is unneglectable. • Atmospheric IR radiation is the primary thermal factor of balloons at night. • Solar radiation is the primary thermal factor of balloons during the day. - Abstract: Internal infrared (IR) radiation is an important factor that affects the thermal performance of high altitude balloons. The internal IR radiation is commonly neglected or treated as the IR radiation between opaque gray bodies. In this paper, a mathematical model which considers the IR transmissivity of the film is proposed to estimate the internal IR radiation. Comprehensive ascent and thermal models for high altitude scientific balloons are established. Based on the models, thermal characteristics of a NASA super pressure balloon are simulated. The effects of film IR property on the thermal behaviors of the balloon are discussed in detail. The results are helpful for the design and operation of high altitude scientific balloons.

  14. Pulse Detonation Physiochemical and Exhaust Relaxation Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-05-01

    based on total time to detonation and detonation percentage. Nomenclature A = Arrehenius Constant Ea = Activation Energy Ecrit = Critical...the precision uncertainties vary for each data point. Therefore, the total experimental uncertainty will vary by data point. A comprehensive bias

  15. Multidimensional Analysis of Nuclear Detonations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-09-17

    Training Command in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Robert C. Slaughter, B.S., M.S. Captain, USAF 16...15-S-029 Abstract Digitized versions of atmospheric nuclear testing films represent a unique data set that enables the scientific community to create...temperature distribution of a nuclear fireball using digitized film . This temperature analysis underwent verification using the Digital Imaging and Remote

  16. Geologic surface effects of underground nuclear testing, Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nevada; TOPICAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grasso, D.N.

    2000-01-01

    This report presents a new Geographic Information System composite map of the geologic surface effects caused by underground nuclear testing in the Yucca Flat Physiographic Area of the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. The Nevada Test Site (NTS) was established in 1951 as a continental location for testing nuclear devices (Allen and others, 1997, p.3). Originally known as the ''Nevada Proving Ground'', the NTS hosted a total of 928 nuclear detonations, of which 828 were conducted underground (U.S. Department of Energy, 1994). Three principal testing areas of the NTS were used: (1) Yucca Flat, (2) Pahute Mesa, and (3) Rainier Mesa including Aqueduct Mesa. Underground detonations at Yucca Flat and Pahute Mesa were typically emplaced in vertical drill holes, while others were tunnel emplacements. Of the three testing areas, Yucca Flat was the most extensively used, hosting 658 underground tests (747 detonations) located at 719 individual sites (Allen and others, 1997, p.3-4). Figure 1 shows the location of Yucca Flat and other testing areas of the NTS. Figure 2 shows the locations of underground nuclear detonation sites at Yucca Flat. Table 1 lists the number of underground nuclear detonations conducted, the number of borehole sites utilized, and the number of detonations mapped for surface effects at Yucca Flat by NTS Operational Area

  17. Dose-response of altitude training: how much altitude is enough?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Benjamin D; Stray-Gundersen, James

    2006-01-01

    Altitude training continues to be a key adjunctive aid for the training of competitive athletes throughout the world. Over the past decade, evidence has accumulated from many groups of investigators that the "living high--training low" approach to altitude training provides the most robust and reliable performance enhancements. The success of this strategy depends on two key features: 1) living high enough, for enough hours per day, for a long enough period of time, to initiate and sustain an erythropoietic effect of high altitude; and 2) training low enough to allow maximal quality of high intensity workouts, requiring high rates of sustained oxidative flux. Because of the relatively limited access to environments where such a strategy can be practically applied, numerous devices have been developed to "bring the mountain to the athlete," which has raised the key issue of the appropriate "dose" of altitude required to stimulate an acclimatization response and performance enhancement. These include devices using molecular sieve technology to provide a normobaric hypoxic living or sleeping environment, approaches using very high altitudes (5,500m) for shorter periods of time during the day, and "intermittent hypoxic training" involving breathing very hypoxic gas mixtures for alternating 5 minutes periods over the course of 60-90 minutes. Unfortunately, objective testing of the strategies employing short term (less than 4 hours) normobaric or hypobaric hypoxia has failed to demonstrate an advantage of these techniques. Moreover individual variability of the response to even the best of living high--training low strategies has been great, and the mechanisms behind this variability remain obscure. Future research efforts will need to focus on defining the optimal dosing strategy for these devices, and determining the underlying mechanisms of the individual variability so as to enable the individualized "prescription" of altitude exposure to optimize the performance of

  18. No Change in Running Mechanics With Live High-Train Low Altitude Training in Elite Distance Runners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stickford, Abigail S L; Wilhite, Daniel P; Chapman, Robert F

    2017-01-01

    Investigations into ventilatory, metabolic, and hematological changes with altitude training have been completed; however, there is a lack of research exploring potential gait-kinematic changes after altitude training, despite a common complaint of athletes being a lack of leg "turnover" on return from altitude training. To determine if select kinematic variables changed in a group of elite distance runners after 4 wk of altitude training. Six elite male distance runners completed a 28-d altitude-training intervention in Flagstaff, AZ (2150 m), following a modified "live high-train low" model, wherein higherintensity runs were performed at lower altitudes (945-1150 m) and low-intensity sessions were completed at higher altitudes (1950-2850 m). Gait parameters were measured 2-9 d before departure to altitude and 1 to 2 d after returning to sea level at running speeds of 300-360 m/min. No differences were found in ground-contact time, swing time, or stride length or frequency after altitude training (P > .05). Running mechanics are not affected by chronic altitude training in elite distance runners. The data suggest that either chronic training at altitude truly has no effect on running mechanics or completing the live high-train low model of altitude training, where higher-velocity workouts are completed at lower elevations, mitigates any negative mechanical adaptations that may be associated with chronic training at slower speeds.

  19. Theory of weakly nonlinear self-sustained detonations

    KAUST Repository

    Faria, Luiz

    2015-11-03

    We propose a theory of weakly nonlinear multidimensional self-sustained detonations based on asymptotic analysis of the reactive compressible Navier-Stokes equations. We show that these equations can be reduced to a model consisting of a forced unsteady small-disturbance transonic equation and a rate equation for the heat release. In one spatial dimension, the model simplifies to a forced Burgers equation. Through analysis, numerical calculations and comparison with the reactive Euler equations, the model is demonstrated to capture such essential dynamical characteristics of detonations as the steady-state structure, the linear stability spectrum, the period-doubling sequence of bifurcations and chaos in one-dimensional detonations and cellular structures in multidimensional detonations.

  20. Analysis of the Hybrid Power System for High-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kangwen Sun

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The application of single solar array on high-altitude unmanned aircraft will waste energy because of its low conversion efficiency. Furthermore, since its energy utilization is limited, the surface temperature of solar array will rise to 70°C due to the waste solar energy, thus reducing the electrical performance of the solar array. In order to reuse the energy converted into heat by solar array, a hybrid power system is presented in this paper. In the hybrid power system, a new electricity-generating method is adopted to spread the photovoltaic cell on the wing surface and arrange photothermal power in the wing box section. Because the temperature on the back of photovoltaic cell is high, it can be used as the high-temperature heat source. The lower wing surface can be a low-temperature cold source. A high-altitude unmanned aircraft was used to analyze the performances of pure solar-powered aircraft and hybrid powered aircraft. The analysis result showed that the hybrid system could reduce the area of wing by 19% and that high-altitude unmanned aircraft with a 35 m or less wingspan could raise the utilization rate of solar energy per unit area after adopting the hybrid power system.

  1. Genomic analysis of natural selection and phenotypic variation in high-altitude mongolians.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinchuan Xing

    Full Text Available Deedu (DU Mongolians, who migrated from the Mongolian steppes to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau approximately 500 years ago, are challenged by environmental conditions similar to native Tibetan highlanders. Identification of adaptive genetic factors in this population could provide insight into coordinated physiological responses to this environment. Here we examine genomic and phenotypic variation in this unique population and present the first complete analysis of a Mongolian whole-genome sequence. High-density SNP array data demonstrate that DU Mongolians share genetic ancestry with other Mongolian as well as Tibetan populations, specifically in genomic regions related with adaptation to high altitude. Several selection candidate genes identified in DU Mongolians are shared with other Asian groups (e.g., EDAR, neighboring Tibetan populations (including high-altitude candidates EPAS1, PKLR, and CYP2E1, as well as genes previously hypothesized to be associated with metabolic adaptation (e.g., PPARG. Hemoglobin concentration, a trait associated with high-altitude adaptation in Tibetans, is at an intermediate level in DU Mongolians compared to Tibetans and Han Chinese at comparable altitude. Whole-genome sequence from a DU Mongolian (Tianjiao1 shows that about 2% of the genomic variants, including more than 300 protein-coding changes, are specific to this individual. Our analyses of DU Mongolians and the first Mongolian genome provide valuable insight into genetic adaptation to extreme environments.

  2. Prevalence of high altitude pulmonary hypertension among the natives of Spiti Valley--a high altitude region in Himachal Pradesh, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negi, Prakash Chand; Marwaha, Rajeev; Asotra, Sanjeev; Kandoria, Arvind; Ganju, Neeraj; Sharma, Rajesh; Kumar, Ravi V; Bhardwaj, Rajeev

    2014-12-01

    The study aimed to determine the prevalence of high altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH) and its predisposing factors among natives of Spiti Valley. A cross-sectional survey study was done on the permanent natives of Spiti Valley residing at an altitude of 3000 m to 4200 m. Demographic characteristics, health behavior, anthropometrics, and blood pressure were recorded. Investigations included recording of 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG), SaO2 with pulse oximeter, spirometry and echocardiography study, and measurement of Hb levels using the cynmethhemoglobin method. HAPH was diagnosed using criteria; tricuspid regurgitation (TR) gradient of ≥46 mmHg. ECG evidence of RV overload on 12 lead ECG was documented based on presence of 2 out of 3 criteria; R>S in V1, right axis deviation or RV strain, T wave inversion in V1 and V2. Data of 1087 subjects were analyzed who were free of cardiorespiratory diseases to determine the prevalence of HAPH and its predisposing factors. HAPH was recorded in 3.23% (95% C.I. of 0.9-8.1%) and ECG evidence of right ventricular (RV) overload was 1.5% in the study population. Prevalence of HAPH was not different in men and women 2.63% vs. 3.54% p<0.2. Age (Z statistics of 3.4 p<0.0006), hypoxemia (Z statistics of 2.9 p<0.002), and erythrocythemia (Z statistics of 4.7 p<0.003) were independently associated with HAPH. Altitude of residence was not found to be significantly associated with HAPH, although there was a trend of increasing prevalence with increasing altitude. It can be concluded that HAPH is prevalent in 3.23% of natives of Spiti Valley. Increasing age, erythrocythemia and hypoxemia are independent predisposing factors.

  3. Tests of the Daimler D-IVa Engine at a High Altitude Test Bench

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noack, W G

    1920-01-01

    Reports of tests of a Daimler IVa engine at the test-bench at Friedrichshafen, show that the decrease of power of that engine, at high altitudes, was established, and that the manner of its working when air is supplied at a certain pressure was explained. These tests were preparatory to the installation of compressors in giant aircraft for the purpose of maintaining constant power at high altitudes.

  4. Asthma in Patients Climbing to High and Extreme Altitudes in the Tibetan Everest Region

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huismans, Henrike K.; Douma, W. Rob; Kerstjens, Huib A. M.; Renkema, Tineke E. J.

    Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of asthma in patients traveling to high and extreme altitudes. Methods: Twenty-four Dutch patients with mild asthma did a trekking at high and extreme altitudes (up to 6410 m = 21030 ft) in the Tibetan Everest region. Asthma symptoms,

  5. Fast Hydrogen-Air Flames for Turbulence Driven Deflagration to Detonation Transition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chambers, Jessica; Ahmed, Kareem

    2016-11-01

    Flame acceleration to Detonation produces several combustion modes as the Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition (DDT) is initiated, including fast deflagration, auto-ignition, and quasi-detonation. Shock flame interactions and turbulence levels in the reactant mixture drive rapid flame expansion, formation of a leading shockwave and post-shock conditions. An experimental study to characterize the developing shock and flame front behavior of propagating premixed hydrogen-air flames in a square channel is presented. To produce each flame regime, turbulence levels and flame propagation velocity are controlled using perforated plates in several configurations within the experimental facility. High speed optical diagnostics including Schlieren and Particle Image Velocimetry are used to capture the flow field. In-flow pressure measurements acquired post-shock, detail the dynamic changes that occur in the compressed gas directly ahead of the propagating flame. Emphasis on characterizing the turbulent post-shock environment of the various flame regimes helps identify the optimum conditions to initiate the DDT process. The study aims to further the understanding of complex physical mechanisms that drive transient flame conditions for detonation initiation. American Chemical Society.

  6. SLAG CHARACTERIZATION AND REMOVAL USING PULSE DETONATION TECHNOLOGY DURING COAL GASIFICATION

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DR. DANIEL MEI; DR. JIANREN ZHOU; DR. PAUL O. BINEY; DR. ZIAUL HUQUE

    1998-07-30

    Pulse detonation technology for the purpose of removing slag and fouling deposits in coal-fired utility power plant boilers offers great potential. Conventional slag removal methods including soot blowers and water lances have great difficulties in removing slags especially from the down stream areas of utility power plant boilers. The detonation wave technique, based on high impact velocity with sufficient energy and thermal shock on the slag deposited on gas contact surfaces offers a convenient, inexpensive, yet efficient and effective way to supplement existing slag removal methods. A slight increase in the boiler efficiency, due to more effective ash/deposit removal and corresponding reduction in plant maintenance downtime and increased heat transfer efficiency, will save millions of dollars in operational costs. Reductions in toxic emissions will also be accomplished due to reduction in coal usage. Detonation waves have been demonstrated experimentally to have exceptionally high shearing capability, important to the task of removing slag and fouling deposits. The experimental results describe the parametric study of the input parameters in removing the different types of slag and operating condition. The experimental results show that both the single and multi shot detonation waves have high potential in effectively removing slag deposit from boiler heat transfer surfaces. The results obtained are encouraging and satisfactory. A good indication has also been obtained from the agreement with the preliminary computational fluid dynamics analysis that the wave impacts are more effective in removing slag deposits from tube bundles rather than single tube. This report presents results obtained in effectively removing three different types of slag (economizer, reheater, and air-heater) t a distance of up to 20 cm from the exit of the detonation tube. The experimental results show that the softer slags can be removed more easily. Also closer the slag to the exit of

  7. rhoCentralRfFoam: An OpenFOAM solver for high speed chemically active flows - Simulation of planar detonations -

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez Marcantoni, L. F.; Tamagno, J.; Elaskar, S.

    2017-10-01

    A new solver developed within the framework of OpenFOAM 2.3.0, called rhoCentralRfFoam which can be interpreted like an evolution of rhoCentralFoam, is presented. Its use, performing numerical simulations on initiation and propagation of planar detonation waves in combustible mixtures H2-Air and H2-O2-Ar, is described. Unsteady one dimensional (1D) Euler equations coupled with sources to take into account chemical activity, are numerically solved using the Kurganov, Noelle and Petrova second order scheme in a domain discretized with finite volumes. The computational code can work with any number of species and its corresponding reactions, but here it was tested with 13 chemically active species (one species inert), and 33 elementary reactions. A gaseous igniter which acts like a shock-tube driver, and powerful enough to generate a strong shock capable of triggering exothermic chemical reactions in fuel mixtures, is used to start planar detonations. The following main aspects of planar detonations are here, treated: induction time of combustible mixtures cited above and required mesh resolutions; convergence of overdriven detonations to Chapman-Jouguet states; detonation structure (ZND model); and the use of reflected shocks to determine induction times experimentally. The rhoCentralRfFoam code was verified comparing numerical results and it was validated, through analytical results and experimental data.

  8. A method for sampling microbial aerosols using high altitude balloons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryan, N C; Stewart, M; Granger, D; Guzik, T G; Christner, B C

    2014-12-01

    Owing to the challenges posed to microbial aerosol sampling at high altitudes, very little is known about the abundance, diversity, and extent of microbial taxa in the Earth-atmosphere system. To directly address this knowledge gap, we designed, constructed, and tested a system that passively samples aerosols during ascent through the atmosphere while tethered to a helium-filled latex sounding balloon. The sampling payload is ~ 2.7 kg and comprised of an electronics box and three sampling chambers (one serving as a procedural control). Each chamber is sealed with retractable doors that can be commanded to open and close at designated altitudes. The payload is deployed together with radio beacons that transmit GPS coordinates (latitude, longitude and altitude) in real time for tracking and recovery. A cut mechanism separates the payload string from the balloon at any desired altitude, returning all equipment safely to the ground on a parachute. When the chambers are opened, aerosol sampling is performed using the Rotorod® collection method (40 rods per chamber), with each rod passing through 0.035 m3 per km of altitude sampled. Based on quality control measurements, the collection of ~ 100 cells rod(-1) provided a 3-sigma confidence level of detection. The payload system described can be mated with any type of balloon platform and provides a tool for characterizing the vertical distribution of microorganisms in the troposphere and stratosphere. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of detonation products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie Yun

    2005-01-01

    Different sampling and different injection method were used during analyzing unknown detonation products in a obturator. The sample analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrum. Qualitative analysis was used with CO, NO, C 2 H 2 , C 6 H 6 and so on, qualitative analysis was used with C 3 H 5 N, C 10 H 10 , C 8 H 8 N 2 and so on. The method used in the article is feasible. The results show that the component of detonation in the study is negative oxygen balance, there were many pollutants in the detonation products. (authors)

  10. Investigation of hydrogen-deflagration/-detonation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Breitung, W.; Redlinger, R.; Werle, H.; Moeschke, M.

    1992-01-01

    The static and dynamic loads of a PWR-containment from hydrogen combustion are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The primary goal is the determination of realistic, not too conservative, upper bounds. The load data are needed to define design requirements for a core-melt resistant containment structure. The following work was performed in 1991: balloon tests; design of a medium scale detonation tube; development of a 1D detonation code; analytical study with SNL/Albuquerque, USA and documentation and presentation of results. (orig./DG)

  11. Optimization long hole blast fragmentation techniques and detonating circuit underground uranium mine stope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Qin; Yang Lizhi; Song Lixia; Qin De'en; Xue Yongshe; Wang Zhipeng

    2012-01-01

    Aim at high rate of large blast fragmentation, a big difficulty in long hole drilling and blasting underground uranium mine stope, it is pointed out at the same time of taking integrated technical management measures, the key is to optimize the drilling and blasting parameters and insure safety the act of one that primes, adopt 'minimum burden' blasting technique, renew the stope fragmentation process, and use new process of hole bottom indirect initiation fragmentation; optimize the detonating circuit and use safe, reliable and economically rational duplex non-electric detonating circuit. The production practice shows that under the guarantee of strictly controlled construction quality, the application of optimized blast fragmentation technique has enhanced the reliability of safety detonation and preferably solved the problem of high rate of large blast fragments. (authors)

  12. Laser-Supported Detonation Concept as a Space Thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujiwara, Toshi; Miyasaka, Takeshi

    2004-01-01

    Similar to the concept of pulse detonation engine (PDE), a detonation generated in the 'combustion chamber' due to incoming laser absorption can produce the thrust basically much higher than the one that a laser-supported deflagration wave can provide. Such a laser-supported detonation wave concept has been theoretically studied by the first author for about 20 years in view of its application to space propulsion. The entire work is reviewed in the present paper. The initial condition for laser absorption can be provided by increasing the electron density using electric discharge. Thereafter, once a standing/running detonation wave is formed, the laser absorption can continuously be performed by the classical absorption mechanism called Inverse Bremsstrahlung behind a strong shock wave

  13. Signatures of electric fields from high and low altitude particle distributions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mizera, P.F.; Fennell, J.F.

    1977-01-01

    Measurements of high altitude (<1.3 R/sub e/) ions and electrons at auroral energies are used to provide evidence of parallel electric field acceleration over the dusk to midnight auroral regions for both the north and south hemispheres. The data, taken on August 12, 1976 by charged particle spectrometers on the S3-3 satellite, show evidence of potential differences of approx.2 kV below and approx.1 kV above a satellite altitude of 7300 km

  14. Certification and safety aspects relating to the transport of passengers on high altitude balloons in Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenmaker, Annelie

    2014-07-01

    High-altitude balloons typically fly between 25 and 50 km in altitude, which, while below the Karman line of 100 km, is yet far above the altitudes typically flown by aircraft. For example, the highest-flying commercial aircraft - the Concorde - had a maximum cruising altitude of only 18 km. zero2infinity, a Spanish company, is currently developing a pressurized pod named “bloon” which will be capable of lifting six people, including two pilot crew members and four paying passengers, to an altitude of 36 km through the use of high-altitude balloons. The boundary between Airspace and Outer Space has never been legally defined, mostly because of the lack of activities taking place between the altitude where airplanes fly and the lowest orbiting spacecraft. High-altitude balloons do fly at these in-between altitudes and the prospect of commercializing access to these parts of the stratosphere poses some questions in a new light. Given the relatively low altitude at which they fly, it may well be that these types of balloons would be considered to operate exclusively within air space. However, given the technology involved in crewed high altitude balloon flights, which is more similar to spacecraft engineering than to traditional hot-air or gas ballooning, it is necessary to evaluate the various legal regimes, codes, and regulations that would apply to such flights, especially regarding licenses and liabilities. For high altitude balloon flights commencing in Europe, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) would very likely be the competent certification or licensing agency for these flights, although there would likely be input from various national aviation authorities as well. However, because the European Commission (EC) has not yet issued regulations regarding commercial spaceflight, particularly the use of high altitude balloons, new rules and regulations governing such flights may still need to be drafted and promulgated. With the development of

  15. S-40: Acute Phase Protein Increse in High Altitude Mountaineers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tolga Saka

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available “Erciyes Tigers” are an elite group of high altitude climbers. They have been climbing ErciyesMountain (3500 m, in Kayseri, Turkey once a week at least for ten years. When they climb Erciyes in winter, they also take a snow bath. This study investigated the effects of regular high altitude climbing on the metabolic and hematological responses of mountaineers. Venous blood samples were taken to investigate hematological, biochemical parameters and some hormone values from 21 mountaineers and 16 healthy age-matched sedentary volunteers at resting condition. The neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L ratio was calculated. The N/L was associated with an increased risk of long-term mortality and it could provide a good measure of exercise stress and subsequent recovery. Most of the hematological and biochemical parameters i.e., erythrocyte, leukocyte, hemoglobin and hematocrit values did not change significantly. The neutrophil to lymphocyte (N/L ratio was significantly (p<0.04 decreased in the mountaineer compared with the sedentary group. Total protein (p<0.000 and albumin (0.001 were lower, while ferritin (p<0.04, creatine (p<0.03 and creatine phosphokinase levels (p<0.01 were higher in mountaineers. Our results show that regular high altitude climbing increased serum levels of some acute-phase proteins and these increments were not transient.

  16. Role of Air-Breathing Pulse Detonation Engines in High Speed Propulsion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Povinelli, Louis A.; Lee, Jin-Ho; Anderberg, Michael O.

    2001-01-01

    In this paper, the effect of flight Mach number on the relative performance of pulse detonation engines and gas turbine engines is investigated. The effect of ram and mechanical compression on combustion inlet temperature and the subsequent sensible heat release is determined. Comparison of specific thrust, fuel consumption and impulse for the two engines show the relative benefits over the Mach number range.

  17. Research on laser detonation pulse circuit with low-power based on super capacitor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hao-yu; Hong, Jin; He, Aifeng; Jing, Bo; Cao, Chun-qiang; Ma, Yue; Chu, En-yi; Hu, Ya-dong

    2018-03-01

    According to the demand of laser initiating device miniaturization and low power consumption of weapon system, research on the low power pulse laser detonation circuit with super capacitor. Established a dynamic model of laser output based on super capacitance storage capacity, discharge voltage and programmable output pulse width. The output performance of the super capacitor under different energy storage capacity and discharge voltage is obtained by simulation. The experimental test system was set up, and the laser diode of low power pulsed laser detonation circuit was tested and the laser output waveform of laser diode in different energy storage capacity and discharge voltage was collected. Experiments show that low power pulse laser detonation based on super capacitor energy storage circuit discharge with high efficiency, good transient performance, for a low power consumption requirement, for laser detonation system and low power consumption and provide reference light miniaturization of engineering practice.

  18. Water level changes of high altitude lakes in Himalaya–Karakoram ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2Department of Geology, University of Pune, Pune 411 007, India. 3Chhattisgarh Council of .... influenced by three climate patterns as categorized by precipitation regime: (1) ... Water level changes of high altitude lakes in Himalaya–Karakoram. 1535 ...... mate warming and growth of high elevation inland lakes on the ...

  19. Numerical investigation of unsteady detonation waves in combustion chamber using Shchelkin spirals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Repaka Ramesh

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available : Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE is considered to be a propulsive system of future air vehicles. The main objective is to minimizing the Deflagration to Detonation transition run-up distance and time by placing Shchelkin spiral with varying pitch length. Here we have considered blockage-area ratio is 0.5 as optimal value from review of previous studies. In the present study the detonation initiation and propagation is modeled numerically using commercial CFD codes GAMBIT and FLUENT. The unsteady and two-dimensional compressible Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equation is used to simulate the model. Fuel-air mixture of Hydrogen-air is used for better efficiency of PDE. It is very simple straight tube with Shchelkin spirals, one of the methods which is used to initiate detonation is creation of high pressure and temperature chamber region with 0.5cm from closed end of tube where shock will generate and transition into low pressure and temperature region propagates towards end of the tube. Two different zones namely high and low pressure zones are used as interface in modeling and patching has been used to fill the zones with hydrogen and oxygen with different pressure and temperatures hence shock leads to propagate inside the combustion chamber.

  20. Defining the "dose" of altitude training: how high to live for optimal sea level performance enhancement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Robert F; Karlsen, Trine; Resaland, Geir K; Ge, R-L; Harber, Matthew P; Witkowski, Sarah; Stray-Gundersen, James; Levine, Benjamin D

    2014-03-15

    Chronic living at altitudes of ∼2,500 m causes consistent hematological acclimatization in most, but not all, groups of athletes; however, responses of erythropoietin (EPO) and red cell mass to a given altitude show substantial individual variability. We hypothesized that athletes living at higher altitudes would experience greater improvements in sea level performance, secondary to greater hematological acclimatization, compared with athletes living at lower altitudes. After 4 wk of group sea level training and testing, 48 collegiate distance runners (32 men, 16 women) were randomly assigned to one of four living altitudes (1,780, 2,085, 2,454, or 2,800 m). All athletes trained together daily at a common altitude from 1,250-3,000 m following a modified live high-train low model. Subjects completed hematological, metabolic, and performance measures at sea level, before and after altitude training; EPO was assessed at various time points while at altitude. On return from altitude, 3,000-m time trial performance was significantly improved in groups living at the middle two altitudes (2,085 and 2,454 m), but not in groups living at 1,780 and 2,800 m. EPO was significantly higher in all groups at 24 and 48 h, but returned to sea level baseline after 72 h in the 1,780-m group. Erythrocyte volume was significantly higher within all groups after return from altitude and was not different between groups. These data suggest that, when completing a 4-wk altitude camp following the live high-train low model, there is a target altitude between 2,000 and 2,500 m that produces an optimal acclimatization response for sea level performance.

  1. Food Abundance Is the Main Determinant of High-Altitude Range Use in Snub-Nosed Monkeys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cyril C. Grueter

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available High-altitude dwelling primates have to optimize navigating a space that contains both a vertical and horizontal component. Black-and-white or Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti are extreme by primate standards in inhabiting relatively cold subalpine temperate forests at very high altitudes where large seasonal variation in climate and food availability is expected to profoundly modulate their ranging strategies so as to ensure a positive energy balance. A “semi-nomadic” group of R. bieti was followed for 20 months in the montane Samage Forest, Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve, Yunnan, PRC, which consisted of evergreen conifers, oaks, and deciduous broadleaf trees. The aim of this study was to disentangle the effects of climate and phenology on patterns of altitudinal range use. Altitude used by the group ranged from a maximum of 3550 m in July 2007 to a minimum of 3060 m in April 2006. The proportional use of lichen, the monkeys’ staple fallback food, in the diet explained more variation in monthly use of altitudes than climatic factors and availability of flush and fruit. The abundance of lichens at high altitudes, the lack of alternative foods in winter, and the need to satisfy the monkey's basal energetic requirements explain the effect of lichenivory on use of altitudes.

  2. The lactate paradox revisited in lowlanders during acclimatization to 4100 m and in high-altitude natives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Van Hall, Gerrit; Lundby, C; Araoz, M

    2009-01-01

    Chronic hypoxia has been proposed to induce a closer coupling in human skeletal muscle between ATP utilization and production in both lowlanders (LN) acclimatizing to high altitude and high-altitude natives (HAN), linked with an improved match between pyruvate availability and its use...... and remained at this higher level during the acclimatization period. HAN had similar high values; however, at the moment of exhaustion their muscle lactate, ADP and IMP content and Cr/PCr ratio were higher than in LN. In conclusion, sea-level residents in the course of acclimatization to high altitude did...... not exhibit a reduced capacity for the active muscle to produce lactate. Thus, the lactate paradox concept could not be demonstrated. High-altitude natives from the Andes actually exhibit a higher anaerobic energy production than lowlanders after 8 weeks of acclimatization reflected by an increased muscle...

  3. Rapid detonation initiation by sparks in a short duct: a numerical study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Z. M.; Dou, H. S.; Khoo, B. C.

    2010-06-01

    Rapid onset of detonation can efficiently increase the working frequency of a pulse detonation engine (PDE). In the present study, computations of detonation initiation in a duct are conducted to investigate the mechanisms of detonation initiation. The governing equations are the Euler equations and the chemical kinetic model consists of 19 elementary reactions and nine species. Different techniques of initiation have been studied for the purpose of accelerating detonation onset with a relatively weak ignition energy. It is found that detonation ignition induced by means of multiple sparks is applicable to auto-ignition for a PDE. The interaction among shock waves, flame fronts and the strip of pre-compressed fresh (unburned) mixture plays an important role in rapid onset of detonation.

  4. Investigations on deflagration to detonation transition in porous energetic materials. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stewart, D.S. [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States)

    1999-07-01

    The research carried out by this contract was part of a larger effort funded by LANL in the areas of deflagration to detonation in porous energetic materials (DDT) and detonation shock dynamics in high explosives (DSD). In the first three years of the contract the major focus was on DDT. However, some researchers were carried out on DSD theory and numerical implementation. In the last two years the principal focus of the contract was on DSD theory and numerical implementation. However, during the second period some work was also carried out on DDT. The paper discusses DDT modeling and DSD modeling. Abstracts are included on the following topics: modeling deflagration to detonation; DSD theory; DSD wave front tracking; and DSD program burn implementation.

  5. Statistics of high-altitude and high-latitude O+ ion outflows observed by Cluster/CIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Korth

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available The persistent outflows of O+ ions observed by the Cluster CIS/CODIF instrument were studied statistically in the high-altitude (from 3 up to 11 RE and high-latitude (from 70 to ~90 deg invariant latitude, ILAT polar region. The principal results are: (1 Outflowing O+ ions with more than 1keV are observed above 10 RE geocentric distance and above 85deg ILAT location; (2 at 6-8 RE geocentric distance, the latitudinal distribution of O+ ion outflow is consistent with velocity filter dispersion from a source equatorward and below the spacecraft (e.g. the cusp/cleft; (3 however, at 8-12 RE geocentric distance the distribution of O+ outflows cannot be explained by velocity filter only. The results suggest that additional energization or acceleration processes for outflowing O+ ions occur at high altitudes and high latitudes in the dayside polar region. Keywords. Magnetospheric physics (Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics, Solar wind-magnetosphere interactions

  6. Mechanisms of detonation formation due to a temperature gradient

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapila, A. K.; Schwendeman, D. W.; Quirk, J. J.; Hawa, T.

    2002-12-01

    Emergence of a detonation in a homogeneous, exothermically reacting medium can be deemed to occur in two phases. The first phase processes the medium so as to create conditions ripe for the onset of detonation. The actual events leading up to preconditioning may vary from one experiment to the next, but typically, at the end of this stage the medium is hot and in a state of nonuniformity. The second phase consists of the actual formation of the detonation wave via chemico-gasdynamic interactions. This paper considers an idealized medium with simple, rate-sensitive kinetics for which the preconditioned state is modelled as one with an initially prescribed linear gradient of temperature. Accurate and well-resolved numerical computations are carrried out to determine the mode of detonation formation as a function of the size of the initial gradient. For shallow gradients, the result is a decelerating supersonic reaction wave, a weak detonation, whose trajectory is dictated by the initial temperature profile, with only weak intervention from hydrodynamics. If the domain is long enough, or the gradient less shallow, the wave slows down to the Chapman-Jouguet speed and undergoes a swift transition to the ZND structure. For sharp gradients, gasdynamic nonlinearity plays a much stronger role. Now the path to detonation is through an accelerating pulse that runs ahead of the reaction wave and rearranges the induction-time distribution there to one that bears little resemblance to that corresponding to the initial temperature gradient. The pulse amplifies and steepens, transforming itself into a complex consisting of a lead shock, an induction zone, and a following fast deflagration. As the pulse advances, its three constituent entities attain progressively higher levels of mutual coherence, to emerge as a ZND detonation. For initial gradients that are intermediate in size, aspects of both the extreme scenarios appear in the path to detonation. The novel aspect of this study

  7. Influence of external-detonation-generated plasmas on the performance of semi-confined explosive charges

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Udy, L.L.

    1979-02-01

    External-detonation-generated plasmas, highly ionized zones of reacting material ejected from the surface of detonating explosive charges, are shown to be the cause of channel desensitization, i.e., the self-quenching of a detonating explosive column loaded in a borehole with an air annulus between the explosive and the borehole wall. The effects of this phenomenon on several explosive compositions and types are demonstrated and discussed. The explosives tested include aluminum-sensitized and explosive-sensitized slurries, ANFO, liquid explosives and dynamites. Various techniques are described that can be used to reduce or eliminate the plasma effect.

  8. Limnology and cyanobacterial diversity of high altitude lakes of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Limnological data of four high altitude lakes from the cold desert region of Himachal Pradesh, India, has been correlated with cyanobacterial diversity. Physico-chemical characteristics and nutrient contents of the studied lakes revealed that Sissu Lake is mesotrophic while Chandra Tal, Suraj Tal and Deepak Tal are ...

  9. Construction of the effluent shaft at the Flamanville EPR plant. An example where electronic detonators are used

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Couvrat, Jean-Francois

    2012-01-01

    This paper gives some details on the mining procedure using electronic detonators for the mining of the effluent shaft on a highly sensitive site, the EPR reactor of Flamanville in France. The special constraints and issues associated with the use of electronic detonators are reviewed (close explosive charges, humidity and marine atmosphere, connection and current leaks, sensitization phenomena). The main advantage of electronic detonators is limiting the vibration levels

  10. Assessing thermochromatography as a separation method for nuclear forensics. Current capability vis-a-vis forensic requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanson, D.E.; Garrison, J.R.; Hall, H.L.

    2011-01-01

    Nuclear forensic science has become increasingly important for global nuclear security. However, many current laboratory analysis techniques are based on methods developed without the imperative for timely analysis that underlies the post-detonation forensics mission requirements. Current analysis of actinides, fission products, and fuel-specific materials requires time-consuming chemical separation coupled with nuclear counting or mass spectrometry. High-temperature gas-phase separations have been used in the past for the rapid separation of newly created elements/isotopes and as a basis for chemical classification of that element. We are assessing the utility of this method for rapid separation in the gas-phase to accelerate the separations of radioisotopes germane to post-detonation nuclear forensic investigations. The existing state of the art for thermo chromatographic separations, and its applicability to nuclear forensics, will be reviewed. (author)

  11. Simulating sympathetic detonation using the hydrodynamic models and constitutive equations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Bo Hoon; Kim, Min Sung; Yoh, Jack J. [Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Sun, Tae Boo [Hanwha Corporation Defense Rand D Center, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-12-15

    A Sympathetic detonation (SD) is a detonation of an explosive charge by a nearby explosion. Most of times it is unintended while the impact of blast fragments or strong shock waves from the initiating donor explosive is the cause of SD. We investigate the SD of a cylindrical explosive charge (64 % RDX, 20 % Al, 16 % HTPB) contained in a steel casing. The constitutive relations for high explosive are obtained from a thermo-chemical code that provides the size effect data without the rate stick data typically used for building the rate law and equation of state. A full size SD test of eight pallet-packaged artillery shells is performed that provides the pressure data while the hydrodynamic model with proper constitutive relations for reactive materials and the fragmentation model for steel casing is conducted to replicate the experimental findings. The work presents a novel effort to accurately model and reproduce the sympathetic detonation event with a reduced experimental effort.

  12. Detonation-synthesis nanodiamonds: synthesis, structure, properties and applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dolmatov, Valerii Yu [Federal State Unitary Enterprise Special Design-Technology Bureau (FSUE SDTB) ' ' Tekhnolog' ' at the St Petersburg State Institute of Technology (Technical University) (Russian Federation)

    2007-04-30

    The review outlines the theoretical foundations and industrial implementations of modern detonation synthesis of nanodiamonds and chemical purification of the nanodiamonds thus obtained. The structure, key properties and promising fields of application of detonation-synthesis nanodiamonds are considered.

  13. Detonation-synthesis nanodiamonds: synthesis, structure, properties and applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dolmatov, Valerii Yu

    2007-01-01

    The review outlines the theoretical foundations and industrial implementations of modern detonation synthesis of nanodiamonds and chemical purification of the nanodiamonds thus obtained. The structure, key properties and promising fields of application of detonation-synthesis nanodiamonds are considered.

  14. Novel drugs in the management of acute mountain sickness and high altitude pulmonary edema

    OpenAIRE

    Gaurav Sikri, Gaurav; Bhattacharya,Anirban

    2015-01-01

    Gaurav Sikri, Anirban Bhattacharya Department of Physiology, Armed Forces Medical College, Wanowarie, Pune, IndiaWe read with great interest the review article titled “Wilderness medicine at high altitude: recent developments in the field” by Shah et al.1 The authors have comprehensively summarized the recent advances in the field of high altitude medicine relevant to sports and travel medicine. However, Shah et al have described potential drugs for management of high-alti...

  15. Sub-Scale Re-entry Capsule Drop via High Altitude Balloons

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The project objective is to develop and test a sub-scale version of the Maraia Entry Capsule on a high altitude balloon. The capsule is released at 100,000 ft. The...

  16. High-altitude adaptation of Tibetan chicken from MT-COI and ATP-6 perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xiaoling; Wu, Nan; Zhu, Qing; Gaur, Uma; Gu, Ting; Li, Diyan

    2016-09-01

    The problem of hypoxia adaptation in high altitudes is an unsolved brainteaser in the field of life sciences. As one of the best chicken breeds with adaptability to highland environment, the Tibetan chicken, is genetically different from lowland chicken breeds. In order to gain a better understanding of the mechanism of hypoxic adaptability in high altitude, in the present study, we focused on the MT-COI together with ATP-6 gene to explore the regulatory mechanisms for hypoxia adaptability in Tibet chicken. Here, we sequenced MT-COI of 29 Tibetan chickens and 30 Chinese domestic chickens and ATP-6 gene of 28 Tibetan chickens and 29 Chinese domestic chickens. In MT-COI gene, 9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected though none of these was a missense mutation, confirming the fact that MT-COI gene is a largely conservative sequence. In ATP-6 gene, 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected and we found a missense mutation (m.9441G > A) in the ATP-6 gene of Tibetan chicken resulting in an amino acid substitution. Due to the critical role of ATP-6 gene in the proton translocation and energy metabolism, we speculated the possibility of this mutation playing an important role in easier energy conversion and metabolism in Tibetan chickens than Chinese domestic chickens so as to better adapt to the harsh environment of the high-altitude areas. The Median-joining profile also suggested that haplotype Ha2 has the ancestral position to the other haplotypes and has significant relationship with high-altitude adaptation in ATP-6 gene. Therefore, we considered that the polymorphism (m.9441G > A) in the ATP-6 gene may affect the specific functions of ATP-6 enzyme relating to high-altitude adaptation of Tibetan chicken and MT-COI gene is a largely conservative sequence.

  17. On investigation of optical and spin properties of NV centers in aggregates of detonation nanodiamonds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolshedvorskii, S. V.; Vorobyov, V. V.; Soshenko, V. V.; Zeleneev, A.; Sorokin, V. N.; Smolyaninov, A. N.; Akimov, A. V.

    2018-02-01

    Quickly developing application of nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond sets demands on cheap and high optical and spin properties nanodiamonds. Among other types, detonation nanodiamonds are easiest for production but often show no NV color centers inside. In this work we show, that aggregates of detonation nanodiamonds could be as good, or even better in terms of brightness and spin properties, than more expensive single crystal nanodiamonds. This way aggregates of detonation nanodiamonds could efficiently serve as cheap and bright source of single photon radiation or sensitive element of biocompatible sensor.

  18. Chemical kinetics of detonation in some liquid mixtures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Raikova, Vlada M.; Likholatov, Evgeny A. [Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2005-09-01

    The main objective of this work is to study the chemical kinetics of detonation reactions in some nitroester mixtures and solutions of nitrocompounds in concentrated nitric acid. The main source of information on chemical kinetics in the detonation wave was the experimental dependence of failure diameter on composition of mixtures. Calculations were carried out in terms of classic theory of Dremin using the SGKR computer code. Effective values for the activation energies and pre-exponential factors for detonation reactions in the mixtures under investigation have been defined. (Abstract Copyright [2005], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  19. Flight Control of the High Altitude Wind Power System

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Podgaets, A.R.; Ockels, W.J.

    2007-01-01

    Closed loop Laddermill flight control problem is considered in this paper. Laddermill is a high altitude kites system for energy production. The kites have been simulated as rigid bodies and the cable as a thin elastic line. Euler angles and cable speed are controls. Flight control is written as a

  20. Predator-prey interaction reveals local effects of high-altitude insect migration

    Science.gov (United States)

    High-altitude nocturnal insect migrations represent significant pulses of resources, yet are difficult to study and poorly understood. Predator-prey interactions, specifically migratory moth consumption by high-flying bats, potentially reveal flows of migratory insects across a landscape. In North...

  1. Key issues of ultraviolet radiation of OH at high altitudes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Yuhuai; Wan, Tian; Jiang, Jianzheng; Fan, Jing [State Key Laboratory of High Temperature Gasdynamics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

    2014-12-09

    Ultraviolet (UV) emissions radiated by hydroxyl (OH) is one of the fundamental elements in the prediction of radiation signature of high-altitude and high-speed vehicle. In this work, the OH A{sup 2}Σ{sup +}→X{sup 2}Π ultraviolet emission band behind the bow shock is computed under the experimental condition of the second bow-shock ultraviolet flight (BSUV-2). Four related key issues are discussed, namely, the source of hydrogen element in the high-altitude atmosphere, the formation mechanism of OH species, efficient computational algorithm of trace species in rarefied flows, and accurate calculation of OH emission spectra. Firstly, by analyzing the typical atmospheric model, the vertical distributions of the number densities of different species containing hydrogen element are given. According to the different dominating species containing hydrogen element, the atmosphere is divided into three zones, and the formation mechanism of OH species is analyzed in the different zones. The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method and the Navier-Stokes equations are employed to compute the number densities of the different OH electronically and vibrationally excited states. Different to the previous work, the trace species separation (TSS) algorithm is applied twice in order to accurately calculate the densities of OH species and its excited states. Using a non-equilibrium radiation model, the OH ultraviolet emission spectra and intensity at different altitudes are computed, and good agreement is obtained with the flight measured data.

  2. Qualitative modeling of the dynamics of detonations with losses

    KAUST Repository

    Faria, Luiz; Kasimov, Aslan R.

    2015-01-01

    We consider a simplified model for the dynamics of one-dimensional detonations with generic losses. It consists of a single partial differential equation that reproduces, at a qualitative level, the essential properties of unsteady detonation waves, including pulsating and chaotic solutions. In particular, we investigate the effects of shock curvature and friction losses on detonation dynamics. To calculate steady-state solutions, a novel approach to solving the detonation eigenvalue problem is introduced that avoids the well-known numerical difficulties associated with the presence of a sonic point. By using unsteady numerical simulations of the simplified model, we also explore the nonlinear stability of steady-state or quasi-steady solutions. © 2014 The Combustion Institute.

  3. High Altitude Remains Associated with Elevated Suicide Rates after Adjusting for Socioeconomic Status: A Study from South Korea

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Jaelim; Choi, Nari; Lee, Yu-Jin; An, Hyonggin; Kim, Namkug; Yoon, Ho-Kyoung; Lee, Heon-Jeong

    2014-01-01

    There have been several studies supporting a possible relationship between high suicide rate and high altitude. However socioeconomic status may confound this association because low socioeconomic status, which is known to be related to a high suicide rate, is also associated with living at high altitude. This study aims to explore whether the relationship between high altitude and high suicide rate remains after adjusting for socioeconomic status in South Korea. We collected demographic data...

  4. Ben Macdhui High Altitude Trace Gas and Aerosol Transport Experiment

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Piketh, SJ

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available The Ben Macdhui High Altitude Aerosol and Trace Gas Transport Experiment (BHATTEX) was started to characterize the nature and magnitude of atmospheric, aerosol and trace gas transport paths recirculation over and exiting from southern Africa...

  5. Evolved changes in the intracellular distribution and physiology of muscle mitochondria in high-altitude native deer mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahalingam, Sajeni; McClelland, Grant B; Scott, Graham R

    2017-07-15

    Mitochondrial function changes over time at high altitudes, but the potential benefits of these changes for hypoxia resistance remains unclear. We used high-altitude-adapted populations of deer mice, which exhibit enhanced aerobic performance in hypoxia, to examine whether changes in mitochondrial physiology or intracellular distribution in the muscle contribute to hypoxia resistance. Permeabilized muscle fibres from the gastrocnemius muscle had higher respiratory capacities in high-altitude mice than in low-altitude mice. Highlanders also had higher mitochondrial volume densities, due entirely to an enriched abundance of subsarcolemmal mitochondria, such that more mitochondria were situated near the cell membrane and adjacent to capillaries. There were several effects of hypoxia acclimation on mitochondrial function, some of which were population specific, but they differed from the evolved changes in high-altitude natives, which probably provide a better indication of adaptive traits that improve performance and hypoxia resistance at high altitudes. High-altitude natives that have evolved to live in hypoxic environments provide a compelling system to understand how animals can overcome impairments in oxygen availability. We examined whether these include changes in mitochondrial physiology or intracellular distribution that contribute to hypoxia resistance in high-altitude deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Mice from populations native to high and low altitudes were born and raised in captivity, and as adults were acclimated to normoxia or hypobaric hypoxia (equivalent to 4300 m elevation). We found that highlanders had higher respiratory capacities in the gastrocnemius (but not soleus) muscle than lowlanders (assessed using permeabilized fibres with single or multiple inputs to the electron transport system), due in large part to higher mitochondrial volume densities in the gastrocnemius. The latter was attributed to an increased abundance of subsarcolemmal

  6. Detonation of Meta-stable Clusters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuhl, Allen; Kuhl, Allen L.; Fried, Laurence E.; Howard, W. Michael; Seizew, Michael R.; Bell, John B.; Beckner, Vincent; Grcar, Joseph F.

    2008-05-31

    We consider the energy accumulation in meta-stable clusters. This energy can be much larger than the typical chemical bond energy (~;;1 ev/atom). For example, polymeric nitrogen can accumulate 4 ev/atom in the N8 (fcc) structure, while helium can accumulate 9 ev/atom in the excited triplet state He2* . They release their energy by cluster fission: N8 -> 4N2 and He2* -> 2He. We study the locus of states in thermodynamic state space for the detonation of such meta-stable clusters. In particular, the equilibrium isentrope, starting at the Chapman-Jouguet state, and expanding down to 1 atmosphere was calculated with the Cheetah code. Large detonation pressures (3 and 16 Mbar), temperatures (12 and 34 kilo-K) and velocities (20 and 43 km/s) are a consequence of the large heats of detonation (6.6 and 50 kilo-cal/g) for nitrogen and helium clusters respectively. If such meta-stable clusters could be synthesized, they offer the potential for large increases in the energy density of materials.

  7. Research on design and firing performance of Si-based detonator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui-zhen Xie

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available For the chip integration of MEMS (micro-electromechanical system safety and arming device, a miniature detonator needs to be developed to reduce the weight and volume of explosive train. A Si-based micro-detonator is designed and fabricated, which meets the requirement of MEMS safety and arming device. The firing sensitivity of micro-detonator is tested according to GJB/z377A-94 sensitivity test methods: Langlie. The function time of micro-detonator is measured using wire probe and photoelectric transducer. The result shows the average firing voltage is 6.4 V when the discharge capacitance of firing electro-circuit is 33 μF. And the average function time is 5.48 μs. The firing energy actually utilized by Si-based micro-detonator is explored.

  8. Ultrafast Fiber Bragg Grating Interrogation for Sensing in Detonation and Shock Wave Experiments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, George; Gilbertson, Steve M

    2017-01-27

    Chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) sensors coupled to high speed interrogation systems are described as robust diagnostic approaches to monitoring shock wave and detonation front propagation tracking events for use in high energy density shock physics applications. Taking advantage of the linear distributed spatial encoding of the spectral band in single-mode CFBGs, embedded fiber systems and associated photonic interrogation methodologies are shown as an effective approach to sensing shock and detonation-driven loading processes along the CFBG length. Two approaches, one that detects spectral changes in the integrated spectrum of the CFBG and another coherent pulse interrogation approach that fully resolves its spectral response, shows that 100-MHz-1-GHz interrogation rates are possible with spatial resolution along the CFBG in the 50 µm to sub-millimeter range depending on the combination of CFBG parameters (i.e., length, chirp rate, spectrum) and interrogator design specifics. Results from several dynamic tests are used to demonstrate the performance of these high speed systems for shock and detonation propagation tracking under strong and weak shock pressure loading: (1) linear detonation front tracking in the plastic bonded explosive (PBX) PBX-9501; (2) tracking of radial decaying shock with crossover to non-destructive CFBG response; (3) shock wave tracking along an aluminum cylinder wall under weak loading accompanied by dynamic strain effects in the CFBG sensor.

  9. NEURO ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY TO ACCELERATE THE HUMAN ADAPTATION TO HIGH ALTITUDE HYPOXIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukhamed T. Shaov

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. The aim is to study the influence of neuro-information signals modulated by pulse hypoxia on the rhythm of cardiac contractions in low-mountain and high-mountain conditions. Methods. Heart rate was measured using the pulse oxymetry device ELOX-01M2. The impact analysis of information-wave signals was carried out with the help of the neuro-protector "Anthropotherapist", non-invasively (remotely at a distance of up to 5 meters for 5 min. /day during 10 days. The investigations were carried out in lowmountain conditions (city of Nalchik, 550 m above sea level and highlands, Mount Elbrus (site of "Garabashi", 3780 m. above sea level. Participants in the study were divided into groups: control group – 18 participants; experimental group - 18 participants. In the low-mountain and high-mountain conditions, the control group was not affected by the neuro-protector. In high-mountain conditions, the participants in the control group experienced only the effects of high-altitude hypoxia sessions. The experimental group was exposed to the neuro-information signals from the neuro-protector. High-altitude studies were carried out in the following mode: heart rate was recorded at the altitudes of Nalchik - exit to Elbrus – on the way to the site of "Garabashi" - return route to Nalchik. Results. It was found that with frequency exposure, there is a significant decrease and fluctuations in heart rate in low-mountain inhabitants. The stability of these changes in the rhythm of cardiac activity can also be seen in conditions of high-altitude hypoxia. Conclusion. Consequently, the proposed mode of frequency impact, implemented using the "Anthropotherapist" neuro-protector technology, can form a stage of adaptation to hypoxia and unfavorable climatic and environmental factors.

  10. Simulation of hydrogen deflagration and detonation in a BWR reactor building

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manninen, M.; Silde, A.; Lindholm, I.; Huhtanen, R.; Sjoevall, H.

    2002-01-01

    A systematic study was carried out to investigate the hydrogen behaviour in a BWR reactor building during a severe accident. BWR core contains a large amount of Zircaloy and the containment is relatively small. Because containment leakage cannot be totally excluded, hydrogen can build up in the reactor building, where the atmosphere is normal air. The objective of the work was to investigate, whether hydrogen can form flammable and detonable mixtures in the reactor building, evaluate the possibility of onset of detonation and assess the pressure loads under detonation conditions. The safety concern is, whether the hydrogen in the reactor building can detonate and whether the external detonation can jeopardize the containment integrity. The analysis indicated that the possibility of flame acceleration and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in the reactor building could not be ruled out in case of a 20 mm 2 leakage from the containment. The detonation analyses indicated that maximum pressure spike of about 7 MPa was observed in the reactor building room selected for the analysis

  11. Phenylethanoid glycosides of Pedicularis muscicola Maxim ameliorate high altitude-induced memory impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Baozhu; Li, Maoxing; Cao, Xinyuan; Zhang, Quanlong; Liu, Yantong; Ma, Qiang; Qiu, Yan; Luan, Fei; Wang, Xianmin

    2016-04-01

    Exposure to hypobaric hypoxia causes oxidative stress, neuronal degeneration and apoptosis that leads to memory impairment. Though oxidative stress contributes to neuronal degeneration and apoptosis in hypobaric hypoxia, the ability for phenylethanoid glycosides of Pedicularis muscicola Maxim (PhGs) to reverse high altitude memory impairment has not been studied. Rats were supplemented with PhGs orally for a week. After the fourth day of drug administration, rats were exposed to a 7500 m altitude simulation in a specially designed animal decompression chamber for 3 days. Spatial memory was assessed by the 8-arm radial maze test before and after exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. Histological assessment of neuronal degeneration was performed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Changes in oxidative stress markers and changes in the expression of the apoptotic marker, caspase-3, were assessed in the hippocampus. Our results demonstrated that after exposure to hypobaric hypoxia, PhGs ameliorated high altitude memory impairment, as shown by the decreased values obtained for reference memory error (RME), working memory error (WME), and total error (TE). Meanwhile, administration of PhGs decreased hippocampal reactive oxygen species levels and consequent lipid peroxidation by elevating reduced glutathione levels and enhancing the free radical scavenging enzyme system. There was also a decrease in the number of pyknotic neurons and a reduction in caspase-3 expression in the hippocampus. These findings suggest that PhGs may be used therapeutically to ameliorate high altitude memory impairment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Deflagration to Detonation Transition (DDT) Simulations of HMX Powder Using the HERMES Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Bradley; Reaugh, John; Tringe, Joseph

    2017-06-01

    We performed computer simulations of DDT experiments with Class I HMX powder using the HERMES model (High Explosive Response to MEchanical Stimulus) in ALE3D. Parameters for the model were fitted to the limited available mechanical property data of the low-density powder, and to the Shock to Detonation Transition (SDT) test results. The DDT tests were carried out in steel-capped polycarbonate tubes. This arrangement permits direct observation of the event using both flash X-ray radiography and high speed camera imaging, and provides a stringent test of the model. We found the calculated detonation transition to be qualitatively similar to experiment. Through simulation we also explored the effects of confinement strength, the HMX particle size distribution and porosity on the computed detonation transition location. This work was performed under the auspices of the US DOE by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  13. Post detonation nuclear forensics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davis, Jay [The Hertz Foundation, 2300 First Street, Suite 250, Livermore, California (United States)

    2014-05-09

    The problem of working backwards from the debris of a nuclear explosion to attempt to attribute the event to a particular actor is singularly difficult technically. However, moving from physical information of any certainty through the political steps that would lead to national action presents daunting policy questions as well. This monograph will outline the operational and physical components of this problem and suggest the difficulty of the policy questions that remain.

  14. Post detonation nuclear forensics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, Jay

    2014-01-01

    The problem of working backwards from the debris of a nuclear explosion to attempt to attribute the event to a particular actor is singularly difficult technically. However, moving from physical information of any certainty through the political steps that would lead to national action presents daunting policy questions as well. This monograph will outline the operational and physical components of this problem and suggest the difficulty of the policy questions that remain

  15. Comparative study of acetazolamide and spironolactone on body fluid compartments on induction to high altitude

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, M. V.; Jain, S. C.; Rawal, S. B.; Divekar, H. M.; Parshad, Rajinder; Tyagi, A. K.; Sinha, K. C.

    1986-03-01

    Studies were conducted on 29 male healthy subjects having no previous experience of living at high altitude. These subjects were divided into three groups, i.e., subjects treated with placebo, acetazolamide and spironolactone. These subjects were first studied in Delhi. The drug schedule was started 24 hour prior to the airlift of these subjects to an altitude of 3,500 m and was continued for 48 hour after arrival at high altitude. Total body water, extra cellular water, plasma volume, blood electrolytes, pH, pO2, pCO2 and blood viscosity were determined on 3rd and 12th day of their stay at high altitude. Total body water, extra cellular water intracellular water and plasma volume decreased on high altitude exposure. There was a further slight decrease in these compartments with acetazolamide and spironolactone. It was also observed that spironolactone drives out more water from the extracellular compartment. Loss of plasma water was also confirmed by increased plasma osmolality. Increase in arterial blood pH was noticed on hypoxic exposure but the increase was found less in acetazolamide and spironolactone cases. This decrease in pH is expected to result in better oxygen delivery to the tissues at the low oxygen tension. It was also confirmed because blood pO2 increased in both the groups. No significant change in plasma electrolytes was observed in subjects of various groups. Blood viscosity slightly increased on exposure to high altitude. The degree of rise was found less in the group treated with spironolactone. This study suggests that both the drugs are likely to be beneficial in ameliorating/prevention of AMS syndrome.

  16. Rhodiola crenulata- and Cordyceps sinensis-based supplement boosts aerobic exercise performance after short-term high altitude training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chung-Yu; Hou, Chien-Wen; Bernard, Jeffrey R; Chen, Chiu-Chou; Hung, Ta-Cheng; Cheng, Lu-Ling; Liao, Yi-Hung; Kuo, Chia-Hua

    2014-09-01

    High altitude training is a widely used strategy for improving aerobic exercise performance. Both Rhodiola crenulata (R) and Cordyceps sinensis (C) supplements have been reported to improve exercise performance. However, it is not clear whether the provision of R and C during high altitude training could further enhance aerobic endurance capacity. In this study, we examined the effect of R and C based supplementation on aerobic exercise capacity following 2-week high altitude training. Alterations to autonomic nervous system activity, circulatory hormonal, and hematological profiles were investigated. Eighteen male subjects were divided into two groups: Placebo (n=9) and R/C supplementation (RC, n=9). Both groups received either RC (R: 1400 mg+C: 600 mg per day) or the placebo during a 2-week training period at an altitude of 2200 m. After 2 weeks of altitude training, compared with Placebo group, the exhaustive run time was markedly longer (Placebo: +2.2% vs. RC: +5.7%; paltitude training (paltitude training provides greater training benefits in improving aerobic performance. This beneficial effect of RC treatment may result from better maintenance of PNS activity and accelerated physiological adaptations during high altitude training.

  17. Emergency response guidance for the first 48 hours after the outdoors detonation of an explosive radiological dispersal device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harper, Frederick Taylor; Musolino, Stephen V.

    2006-01-01

    Strategies and decisions to protect emergency responders, the public, and critical infrastructure against the effects of a radiological dispersal device detonated outdoors must be made in the planning stage, not in the early period just after an attack. This contrasts with planning for small-scale types of radiological or nuclear emergencies, or for a large-scale nuclear-power-type accident that evolves over many hours or days before radioactivity is released to the environment, such that its effects can be prospectively modeled and analyzed. By the time it is known an attack has occurred, most likely there will have been casualties, all the radioactive material will have been released, plume growth will be progressing, and there will be no time left for evaluating possible countermeasures. This paper offers guidance to planners, first responders, and senior decision makers to assist them in developing strategies for protective actions and operational procedures for the first 48 hours after an explosive radiological dispersal device has been detonated

  18. Circulation, metabolism, and ventilation during prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide and to high altitude

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klausen, K.; Rasmussen, B; Gjellerod, H.; Madsen, H.; Petersen, E.

    1968-01-01

    Eight volunteers were exposed to CO (13% COHb) or high altitude (3454 m). There was no change in circulation, metabolism, or ventilation during CO exposure. With similar arterial O/sub 2/ concentration from high-altitude, V/sub e/ (BTPS) increased, Pa/sub CO/sub 2// decreased. Regulating mechanisms respond to a decrease in Pa/sub CO/sub 2// rather than a gereral lack in tissue O/sub 2/ per se.

  19. Toward a microscopic theory of detonations in energetic crystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peyrard, M.; Odiot, S.

    1991-01-01

    Investigations of microscopic structure of detonation waves are useful for extending our basic understanding of the solid state. In a detonation wave, a crystal cell can be compressed to one-half of its equilibrium size. As a result, detonations probe regions of the atom-atom interaction potential curves that can hardly be investigated by any other means. In this paper the authors describe the first investigations of energetic materials after discussing briefly the molecular dynamics techniques themselves and presenting their application to shock waves in solids. We then focus on two particular topics in which molecular dynamics has brought new insights to the propagation of a detonation wave in a crystal, the role of the crystal structure, and the effects of the different steps in the chemistry. Section V presents a new approach that combines a model for the chemistry with standard molecular dynamics techniques, an approach that extends the domain of investigation of the numerical simulations and provides a step toward a microscopic theory of the propagation of a detonation wave. Section VI discusses the results and the future of these approaches

  20. Increase of cerebral blood flow at high altitude

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lassen, N A

    1992-01-01

    but rather somewhat sharpened over five days at almost 4000 meters of altitude. This, along with other evidence, shows that CBF does not in itself adapt to chronic hypoxia. Nevertheless, a decrease in CBF is seen over days at constant altitude primarily due to increase in the hematocrit. The cerebral...

  1. Ignition Study on a Rotary-valved Air-breathing Pulse Detonation Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yuwen; Han, Qixiang; Shen, Yujia; Zhao, Wei

    2017-05-01

    In the present study, the ignition effect on detonation initiation was investigated in the air-breathing pulse detonation engine. Two kinds of fuel injection and ignition methods were applied. For one method, fuel and air was pre-mixed outside the PDE and then injected into the detonation tube. The droplet sizes of mixtures were measured. An annular cavity was used as the ignition section. For the other method, fuel-air mixtures were mixed inside the PDE, and a pre-combustor was utilized as the ignition source. At firing frequency of 20 Hz, transition to detonation was obtained. Experimental results indicated that the ignition position and initial flame acceleration had important effects on the deflagration-to-detonation transition.

  2. Prediction of gamma exposure rates in large nuclear craters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tami, Thomas M; Day, Walter C [U.S. Army Engineer Nuclear Cratering Group, Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States)

    1970-05-15

    In many civil engineering applications of nuclear explosives there is the need to reenter the crater and lip area as soon as possible after the detonation to carry out conventional construction activities. These construction activities, however, must be delayed until the gamma dose rate, or exposure rate, in and around the crater decays to acceptable levels. To estimate the time of reentry for post-detonation construction activities, the exposure rate in the crater and lip areas must be predicted as a function of time after detonation. An accurate prediction permits a project planner to effectively schedule post-detonation activities.

  3. Usefulness of training camps at high altitude for well-trained adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiří Suchý

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Opinions on the suitability of sports training at altitudes of 1800-2200 m above sea level (ASL for increasing performance in youth are not unanimous. The objective of this study was to test the influence of a ten day altitude training camp on performance in well-trained adolescent cross-country skiers. Methods: A running test of 3 × 2 km (aerobic, anaerobic and critical intensity was used with a rest interval of 10 minutes. The test was performed 4 times - an initial test at a lowland (900 m ASL prior to departure for altitude, two tests at altitude (1850 m ASL, a final test ten days after returning to lower altitudes. The aerobic, anaerobic and critical load intensities were set by graded a load test. For all individual tests, the participants maintained the same heart rate individually defined for the various segments using a heart rate monitor. Changes in speed between the tests were compared. The body's internal response was also monitored by the concentration of lactate (2 and 8 minutes after each exertion. Participants: Well-trained adolescent cross-country skiers (N = 11, age: 14.4 ± 1.2 years, weight: 54.4 ± 8.6 kg, height: 170 ± 7 cm, fat: 13 ± 2.6%. Results: The average times attained in the first altitude test for aerobic and anaerobic load were higher (p < .05 than in the entry test at low altitude. In the second altitude test the average times for all intensities were significantly (p < .05 higher than in the first altitude test. In the tests after returning to the lower altitudes the times attained for all intensities were on average higher than at altitude. The average lactate concentration levels following the various intensities were similar (p > .05. The dynamics of the cool-down monitored via the lactate value at the eighth minute after completing the relevant segment showed that at altitude the adolescents cooled down significantly (p < .05 slower rate following the aerobic and anaerobic intensity than at

  4. The STAR Data Reporting Guidelines for Clinical High Altitude Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brodmann Maeder, Monika; Brugger, Hermann; Pun, Matiram; Strapazzon, Giacomo; Dal Cappello, Tomas; Maggiorini, Marco; Hackett, Peter; Bärtsch, Peter; Swenson, Erik R; Zafren, Ken

    2018-03-01

    Brodmann Maeder, Monika, Hermann Brugger, Matiram Pun, Giacomo Strapazzon, Tomas Dal Cappello, Marco Maggiorini, Peter Hackett, Peter Baärtsch, Erik R. Swenson, Ken Zafren (STAR Core Group), and the STAR Delphi Expert Group. The STARdata reporting guidelines for clinical high altitude research. High AltMedBiol. 19:7-14, 2018. The goal of the STAR (STrengthening Altitude Research) initiative was to produce a uniform set of key elements for research and reporting in clinical high-altitude (HA) medicine. The STAR initiative was inspired by research on treatment of cardiac arrest, in which the establishment of the Utstein Style, a uniform data reporting protocol, substantially contributed to improving data reporting and subsequently the quality of scientific evidence. The STAR core group used the Delphi method, in which a group of experts reaches a consensus over multiple rounds using a formal method. We selected experts in the field of clinical HA medicine based on their scientific credentials and identified an initial set of parameters for evaluation by the experts. Of 51 experts in HA research who were identified initially, 21 experts completed both rounds. The experts identified 42 key parameters in 5 categories (setting, individual factors, acute mountain sickness and HA cerebral edema, HA pulmonary edema, and treatment) that were considered essential for research and reporting in clinical HA research. An additional 47 supplemental parameters were identified that should be reported depending on the nature of the research. The STAR initiative, using the Delphi method, identified a set of key parameters essential for research and reporting in clinical HA medicine.

  5. Equations of state of detonation products: ammonia and methane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, John; Dattelbaum, Dana; Goodwin, Peter; Garcia, Daniel; Coe, Joshua; Leiding, Jeffery; Gibson, Lloyd; Bartram, Brian

    2015-06-01

    Ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) are two principal product gases resulting from explosives detonation, and the decomposition of other organic materials under shockwave loading (such as foams). Accurate thermodynamic descriptions of these gases are important for understanding the detonation performance of high explosives. However, shock compression data often do not exist for molecular species in the dense gas phase, and are limited in the fluid phase. Here, we present equation of state measurements of elevated initial density ammonia and methane gases dynamically compressed in gas-gun driven plate impact experiments. Pressure and density of the shocked gases on the principal Hugoniot were determined from direct particle velocity and shock wave velocity measurements recorded using optical velocimetry (Photonic Doppler velocimetry (PDV) and VISAR (velocity interferometer system for any reflector)). Streak spectroscopy and 5-color pyrometry were further used to measure the emission from the shocked gases, from which the temperatures of the shocked gases were estimated. Up to 0.07 GPa, ammonia was not observed to ionize, with temperature remaining below 7000 K. These results provide quantitative measurements of the Hugoniot locus for improving equations of state models of detonation products.

  6. The role of oxygen-increased respirator in humans ascending to high altitude

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shen Guanghao

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Acute mountain sickness (AMS is common for people who live in low altitude areas ascending to the high altitude. Many instruments have been developed to treat mild cases of AMS. However, long-lasting and portable anti-hypoxia equipment for individual is not yet available. Methods Oxygen-increased respirator (OIR has been designed to reduce the risk of acute mountain sickness in acute exposure to low air pressure. It can increase the density of oxygen by increasing total atmospheric pressure in a mask. Male subjects were screened, and eighty-eight were qualified to perform the experiments. The subjects were divided into 5 groups and were involved in some of the tests at 4 different altitudes (Group 1, 2: 3700 m; Group 3,4,5: 4000 m, 4700 m, 5380 m with and without OIR. These tests include heart rate, saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2, malondialdehyde (MDA, superoxide dismutase (SOD, blood lactate (BLA and PWC (physical work capacity -170. Results The results showed that higher SpO2, lower heart rate (except during exercise and better recovery of heart rate were observed from all the subjects ’with OIR’ compared with ’without OIR’ (P Conclusions We suggested that OIR may play a useful role in protecting people ascending to high altitude before acclimatization.

  7. Numerical Study on Critical Wedge Angle of Cellular Detonation Reflections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gang, Wang; Kai-Xin, Liu; De-Liang, Zhang

    2010-01-01

    The critical wedge angle (CWA) for the transition from regular reflection (RR) to Mach reflection (MR) of a cellular detonation wave is studied numerically by an improved space-time conservation element and solution element method together with a two-step chemical reaction model. The accuracy of that numerical way is verified by simulating cellular detonation reflections at a 19.3° wedge. The planar and cellular detonation reflections over 45°–55° wedges are also simulated. When the cellular detonation wave is over a 50° wedge, numerical results show a new phenomenon that RR and MR occur alternately. The transition process between RR and MR is investigated with the local pressure contours. Numerical analysis shows that the cellular structure is the essential reason for the new phenomenon and the CWA of detonation reflection is not a certain angle but an angle range. (fundamental areas of phenomenology(including applications))

  8. Pathophysiology of acute mountain sickness and high altitude pulmonary oedema

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sutton, J R; Lassen, N

    1979-01-01

    We review the evidence that acute mountain sickness (AMS) and high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPO) occur together more often than is realized. We hypothesize that AMS and HAPO have a common pathophysiological basis: both are due to increased pressure and flow in the microcirculation, causing...

  9. The paradox of extreme high-altitude migration in bar-headed geese Anser indicus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkes, L. A.; Balachandran, S.; Batbayar, N.; Butler, P. J.; Chua, B.; Douglas, D. C.; Frappell, P. B.; Hou, Y.; Milsom, W. K.; Newman, S. H.; Prosser, D. J.; Sathiyaselvam, P.; Scott, G. R.; Takekawa, J. Y.; Natsagdorj, T.; Wikelski, M.; Witt, M. J.; Yan, B.; Bishop, C. M.

    2013-01-01

    Bar-headed geese are renowned for migratory flights at extremely high altitudes over the world's tallest mountains, the Himalayas, where partial pressure of oxygen is dramatically reduced while flight costs, in terms of rate of oxygen consumption, are greatly increased. Such a mismatch is paradoxical, and it is not clear why geese might fly higher than is absolutely necessary. In addition, direct empirical measurements of high-altitude flight are lacking. We test whether migrating bar-headed geese actually minimize flight altitude and make use of favourable winds to reduce flight costs. By tracking 91 geese, we show that these birds typically travel through the valleys of the Himalayas and not over the summits. We report maximum flight altitudes of 7290 m and 6540 m for southbound and northbound geese, respectively, but with 95 per cent of locations received from less than 5489 m. Geese travelled along a route that was 112 km longer than the great circle (shortest distance) route, with transit ground speeds suggesting that they rarely profited from tailwinds. Bar-headed geese from these eastern populations generally travel only as high as the terrain beneath them dictates and rarely in profitable winds. Nevertheless, their migration represents an enormous challenge in conditions where humans and other mammals are only able to operate at levels well below their sea-level maxima. PMID:23118436

  10. Increased Cardiometabolic Risk and Worsening Hypoxemia at High Altitude

    OpenAIRE

    Miele, Catherine H.; Schwartz, Alan R.; Gilman, Robert H.; Pham, Luu; Wise, Robert A.; Davila-Roman, Victor G.; Jun, Jonathan C.; Polotsky, Vsevolod Y.; Miranda, J. Jaime; Leon-Velarde, Fabiola; Checkley, William

    2016-01-01

    Miele, Catherine H., Alan R. Schwartz, Robert H. Gilman, Luu Pham, Robert A. Wise, Victor G. Davila-Roman, Jonathan C. Jun, Vsevolod Y. Polotsky, J. Jaime Miranda, Fabiola Leon-Velarde, and William Checkley. Increased cardiometabolic risk and worsening hypoxemia at high altitude. High Alt Med Biol. 17:93���100, 2016.���Metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, diabetes, and dyslipidemia are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. While excessive erythrocytosis is associated...

  11. Effect of pre-combustion characteristics in pulse detonation engine using shchelkin spiral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. T. Dheeraj Kumar Singh

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Pulse detonation engines are the modern propulsive device which provides high thrust. They are unsteady propulsive devices which has multi cycle operations in it. In this multi cycle process for every cycle fuel and air are initiated and a shock wave is generated in combustion chamber in form of deflagration. Combustion chamber is maintained with high pressure and high temperature which leads to combustion of reactants. This deflagration transmits to detonation with high velocity and increasing Mach number. Deflagration propagates forward by taking all unburned species and products formed after combustion. Propagation of Deflagration – Detonation Transition (DDT shock wave studies is a pioneering research concept. In the present study, simulation of PDE with Shchelkin spiral geometry is considered with two mass flow inlets has been used in which one is for fuel inlet and other for oxidizer. Geometry and meshing has been done in Gambit. Fuel used is gaseous fuel hydrogen and oxidizer is air mixture of O2, N2 work has been performed for different mass flow rates of fuel and oxidizer. Energy equation, Species transport equation to be solved in Fluent. Comparison results of DDT in parameters of mach number, velocity, pressure and temperatures depending on different time steps have been observed

  12. Perseus A High Altitude Remotely Piloted Aircraft being Towed in Flight

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-01-01

    Perseus A, a remotely piloted, high-altitude research vehicle designed by Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., takes off from Rogers Dry Lake at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Perseus was towed into the air by a ground vehicle. At about 700 ft. the aircraft was released and the engine turned the propeller to take the plane to its desired altitude. Perseus B is a remotely piloted aircraft developed as a design-performance testbed under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project. Perseus is one of several flight vehicles involved in the ERAST project. A piston engine, propeller-powered aircraft, Perseus was designed and built by Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, Manassas, Virginia. The objectives of Perseus B's ERAST flight tests have been to reach and maintain horizontal flight above altitudes of 60,000 feet and demonstrate the capability to fly missions lasting from 8 to 24 hours, depending on payload and altitude requirements. The Perseus B aircraft established an unofficial altitude record for a single-engine, propeller-driven, remotely piloted aircraft on June 27, 1998. It reached an altitude of 60,280 feet. In 1999, several modifications were made to the Perseus aircraft including engine, avionics, and flight-control-system improvements. These improvements were evaluated in a series of operational readiness and test missions at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Perseus is a high-wing monoplane with a conventional tail design. Its narrow, straight, high-aspect-ratio wing is mounted atop the fuselage. The aircraft is pusher-designed with the propeller mounted in the rear. This design allows for interchangeable scientific-instrument payloads to be placed in the forward fuselage. The design also allows for unobstructed airflow to the sensors and other devices mounted in the payload compartment. The Perseus B that underwent test and development in 1999 was the third generation of the

  13. Finite element analysis of Polymer reinforced CRC columns under close-in detonation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riisgaard, Benjamin

    2007-01-01

    Polymer reinforced Compact Reinforced Composite, PCRC, is a Fiber reinforced Densified Small Particle system, FDSP, combined with a high strength longitudinal flexural rebar arrangement laced together with polymer lacing to avoid shock initiated disintegration of the structural element under blast...... load. Experimental and numerical results of two PCRC columns subjected to close-in detonation are presented in this paper. Additionally, a LS-DYNA material model suitable for predicting the response of Polymer reinforced Compact Reinforced Concrete improved for close-in detonation and a description...

  14. Munitions having an insensitive detonator system for initiating large failure diameter explosives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, III, William Leroy

    2015-08-04

    A munition according to a preferred embodiment can include a detonator system having a detonator that is selectively coupled to a microwave source that functions to selectively prime, activate, initiate, and/or sensitize an insensitive explosive material for detonation. The preferred detonator can include an explosive cavity having a barrier within which an insensitive explosive material is disposed and a waveguide coupled to the explosive cavity. The preferred system can further include a microwave source coupled to the waveguide such that microwaves enter the explosive cavity and impinge on the insensitive explosive material to sensitize the explosive material for detonation. In use the preferred embodiments permit the deployment and use of munitions that are maintained in an insensitive state until the actual time of use, thereby substantially preventing unauthorized or unintended detonation thereof.

  15. Integrated Modelling of an Unmanned High-Altitude Solar-Powered Aircraft for Control Law Design Analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Klöckner, Andreas; Leitner, Martin; Schlabe, Daniel; Looye, Gertjan

    2013-01-01

    Solar-powered high-altitude unmanned platforms are highly optimized and integrated aircraft. In order to account for the complex, multi-physical interactions between their systems, we propose using integrated simulation models throughout the aircraft’s life cycle. Especially small teams with limited ressources should benefit from this approach. In this paper, we describe our approach to an integrated model of the Electric High-Altitude Solar-Powered Aircraft ELHASPA. It includes aspects of th...

  16. Isothermal pumping analysis for high-altitude tethered balloons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuo, Kirsty A; Hunt, Hugh E M

    2015-06-01

    High-altitude tethered balloons have potential applications in communications, surveillance, meteorological observations and climate engineering. To maintain balloon buoyancy, power fuel cells and perturb atmospheric conditions, fluids could be pumped from ground level to altitude using the tether as a hose. This paper examines the pumping requirements of such a delivery system. Cases considered include delivery of hydrogen, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and powders as fluid-based slurries. Isothermal analysis is used to determine the variation of pressures and velocities along the pipe length. Results show that transport of small quantities of hydrogen to power fuel cells and maintain balloon buoyancy can be achieved at pressures and temperatures that are tolerable in terms of both the pipe strength and the current state of pumping technologies. To avoid solidification, transport of SO2 would require elevated temperatures that cannot be tolerated by the strength fibres in the pipe. While the use of particle-based slurries rather than SO2 for climate engineering can reduce the pipe size significantly, the pumping pressures are close to the maximum bursting pressure of the pipe.

  17. Human nutrition in cold and high terrestrial altitudes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, K. K.; Kumar, Ratan

    1992-03-01

    The calorie and nutritional requirements for a man working in an alien hostile environment of cold regions and high altitude are described and compared to those of normal requirements. Carbohydrates, fats and vitamins fulfilling the caloric and nutritional requirements are generally available in adequate amounts except under conditions of appetite loss. However, the proteins and amino acids should be provided in such a way as to meet the altered behavioral and metabolic requirements. Work in extreme cold requires fulfilling enhanced calorie needs. In high mountainous regions, cold combined with hypoxia produced loss of appetite and necessitated designing of special foods.

  18. Short-term adaptation and chronic cardiac remodelling to high altitude in lowlander natives and Himalayan Sherpa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stembridge, Mike; Ainslie, Philip N; Shave, Rob

    2015-11-01

    What is the topic of this review? At high altitude, the cardiovascular system must adapt in order to meet the metabolic demand for oxygen. This review summarizes recent findings relating to short-term and life-long cardiac adaptation to high altitude in the context of exercise capacity. What advances does it highlight? Both Sherpa and lowlanders exhibit smaller left ventricular volumes at high altitude; however, myocardial relaxation, as evidenced by diastolic untwist, is reduced only in Sherpa, indicating that short-term hypoxia does not impair diastolic relaxation. Potential remodelling of systolic function, as evidenced by lower left ventricular systolic twist in Sherpa, may facilitate the requisite sea-level mechanical reserve required during exercise, although this remains to be confirmed. Both short-term and life-long high-altitude exposure challenge the cardiovascular system to meet the metabolic demand for O2 in a hypoxic environment. As the demand for O2 delivery increases during exercise, the circulatory component of oxygen transport is placed under additional stress. Acute adaptation and chronic remodelling of cardiac structure and function may occur to facilitate O2 delivery in lowlanders during sojourn to high altitude and in permanent highland residents. However, our understanding of cardiac structural and functional adaption in Sherpa remains confined to a higher maximal heart rate, lower pulmonary vascular resistance and no differences in resting cardiac output. Ventricular form and function are intrinsically linked through the left ventricular (LV) mechanics that facilitate efficient ejection, minimize myofibre stress during contraction and aid diastolic recoil. Recent examination of LV mechanics has allowed detailed insight into fundamental cardiac adaptation in high-altitude Sherpa. In this symposium report, we review recent advances in our understanding of LV function in both lowlanders and Sherpa at rest and discuss the potential consequences

  19. A feasibility study for a contained pulsed nuclear propulsion concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parlos, A.G.; Metzger, J.D.

    1993-01-01

    A preliminary analysis of a pulsed propulsion concept is performed utilizing the enormously dense energy generated by small nuclear detonations. The concept feasibility is based on the premise that current materials technology has undergone significant breakthroughs, allowing design of pressure vessels capable of containing the blast associated with such detonations. Furthermore, the rapid energy transfer to the propellant, allows generation of high thrust levels for up to 10 ms following the detonation. Preliminary reevaluation of the concept using off-the-shelf materials technology appears to indicate that the contained pulsed nuclear propulsion concept has no major flaws, and it can provide thrust levels resulting in average thrust-to-weight ratios on the order of 2--2.5 over an engine operating cycle. Furthermore, even though the specific impulse is not a good performance indicator for impulsive engines, operating-cycle-averaged specific impulse of approximately 1800 s has been calculated. The engine mass associated with this performance is on the order of 50 Mg. The concept appears attractive for a number of missions planned for the Space Exploration Initiative, however, there are still a number of issues that must be addressed

  20. Effect of the oxygen balance on ignition and detonation properties of liquid explosive mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Genetier, M; Osmont, A; Baudin, G

    2014-01-01

    The objective is to compare the ignition and detonation properties of various liquid high explosives having negative up to positive oxygen balance (OB): nitromethane (OB < 0), saccharose and hydrogen peroxide based mixture (quasi nil OB), hydrogen peroxide with more than 90% purity (OB > 0). The decomposition kinetic rates and the equations of state (EOS) for the liquid mixtures and detonation products (DP) are the input data for a detonation model. EOS are theoretically determined using the Woolfolk et al. universal liquid polar shock law and thermochemical computations for DP. The decomposition kinetic rate laws are determined to reproduce the shock to detonation transition for the mixtures submitted to planar plate impacts. Such a model is not sufficient to compute open field explosions. The aerial overpressure is well reproduced in the first few microseconds, however, after it becomes worse at large expansion of the fireball and the impulse is underestimated. The problem of the DP EOS alone is that it takes only the detonation into account, the secondary combustion DP – air is not considered. To solve this problem a secondary combustion model has been developed to take the OB effect into account. The detonation model has been validated on planar plate impact experiments. The secondary combustion parameters were deduced from thermochemical computations. The whole model has been used to predict the effects of the oxygen balance on open air blast effects of spherical charges.

  1. Aero-thermo-dynamic analysis of the Spaceliner-7.1 vehicle in high altitude flight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuppardi, Gennaro; Morsa, Luigi; Sippel, Martin; Schwanekamp, Tobias

    2014-12-01

    SpaceLiner, designed by DLR, is a visionary, extremely fast passenger transportation concept. It consists of two stages: a winged booster, a vehicle. After separation of the two stages, the booster makes a controlled re-entry and returns to the launch site. According to the current project, version 7-1 of SpaceLiner (SpaceLiner-7.1), the vehicle should be brought at an altitude of 75 km and then released, undertaking the descent path. In the perspective that the vehicle of SpaceLiner-7.1 could be brought to altitudes higher than 75 km, e.g. 100 km or above and also for a speculative purpose, in this paper the aerodynamic parameters of the SpaceLiner-7.1 vehicle are calculated in the whole transition regime, from continuum low density to free molecular flows. Computer simulations have been carried out by three codes: two DSMC codes, DS3V in the altitude interval 100-250 km for the evaluation of the global aerodynamic coefficients and DS2V at the altitude of 60 km for the evaluation of the heat flux and pressure distributions along the vehicle nose, and the DLR HOTSOSE code for the evaluation of the global aerodynamic coefficients in continuum, hypersonic flow at the altitude of 44.6 km. The effectiveness of the flaps with deflection angle of -35 deg. was evaluated in the above mentioned altitude interval. The vehicle showed longitudinal stability in the whole altitude interval even with no flap. The global bridging formulae verified to be proper for the evaluation of the aerodynamic coefficients in the altitude interval 80-100 km where the computations cannot be fulfilled either by CFD, because of the failure of the classical equations computing the transport coefficients, or by DSMC because of the requirement of very high computer resources both in terms of the core storage (a high number of simulated molecules is needed) and to the very long processing time.

  2. Detonation and combustion of explosives: A selected bibliography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dobratz, B. [comp.

    1998-08-01

    This bibliography consists of citations pertinent to the subjects of combustion and detonation of energetic materials, especially, but not exclusively, of secondary solid high explosives. These references were selected from abstracting sources, conference proceedings, reviews, and also individual works. The entries are arranged alphabetically by first author and numbered sequentially. A keyword index is appended.

  3. Shock wave science and technology reference library. Vol. 4. Heterogeneous detonation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Fan (ed.) [Defence Research and Development Canada, Suffield, AB (Canada)

    2009-07-01

    This book, as a volume of the Shock Wave Science and Technology Reference Library, is primarily concerned with detonation waves or compression shock waves in reactive heterogeneous media, including mixtures of solid, liquid and gas phases. The topics involve a variety of energy release and control processes in such media - a contemporary research field that has found wide applications in propulsion and power, hazard prevention as well as military engineering. The six extensive chapters contained in this volume are: - Spray Detonation (SB Murray and PA Thibault) - Detonation of Gas-Particle Flow (F Zhang) - Slurry Detonation (DL Frost and F Zhang) - Detonation of Metalized Composite Explosives (MF Gogulya and MA Brazhnikov) - Shock-Induced Solid-Solid Reactions and Detonations (YA Gordopolov, SS Batsanov, and VS Trofimov) - Shock Ignition of Particles (SM Frolov and AV Fedorov). Each chapter is self-contained and can be read independently of the others, though, they are thematically interrelated. They offer a timely reference, for graduate students as well as professional scientists and engineers, by laying out the foundations and discussing the latest developments including yet unresolved challenging problems. (orig.)

  4. Characterization of initiation and detonation by Lagrange gage techniques. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cowperthwaite, M.

    1983-08-01

    The work on reactive flow Lagrange analysis (RFLA) was concerned with Lagrange particle velocity histories that exhibit double maxima similar to those recorded in RX26 and PBX9404. Conditions for particle velocity histories to exhibit extrema were formulated in terms of envelopes formed by Lagrange pressure histories. Lagrange analysis of the flow produced by the expansion of a detonation wave at a free surface was proposed to extend the determination of the release adiabat of detonation products from the Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) state to zero pressure. Solutions were constructed for steady-state nonideal detonation waves propagating in polytropic explosive with two reacting components. Overdriven detonation was treated both as a reactive discontinuity and as a Zeldovich-von Neumann-Doering (ZND) wave. The Rankine-Hugoniot (RH) jump conditions were used to calculate the first and second derivatives on the detonation velocity versus particle velocity Hugoniot at the CJ point. Methods of differential geometry were used to determine the conditions that allow the flow equations and RH boundary conditions to admit similarity solutions for overdriven detonation waves

  5. Nuclear terrorism and reality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    St Sauver, J.E.

    1983-01-01

    Unlike conventional terrorist violence, bona-fide nuclear terrorism is a self-publicizing phenomenon. It is a public event by the very scope of its impact. Apocalyptic and catastrophically destructive, a nuclear explosion is the ideal instrument of mass terror. Rational nuclear insurgents would not inform authorities that a nuclear device is about to be detonated. Advance warning of an impending nuclear explosion would reduce the maximum potential effectiveness of any response to such an event

  6. [Arterial hypertension due to altitude].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domej, Wolfgang; Trapp, Michael; Miggitsch, Eva Maria; Krakher, Tiziana; Riedlbauer, Rita; Roher, Peter; Schwaberger, Günther

    2008-01-01

    The behavior of blood pressure under hypoxic conditions depends on individual factors, altitude and duration of stay at altitude. While most humans are normotensive at higher altitudes, a few will react with moderate hypertension or hypotension. Excessive elevation of arterial blood pressure is not even to be expected below 4,000 m. Rather, several weeks' stay at higher altitude will decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure at rest as well as during physical exertion. A high-altitude treatment for rehabilitation purposes at moderate altitude may be recommended for patients with cardio-circulatory disorders. Improvements can last several months even after returning to accustomed altitudes. Furthermore, endurance-trained hypertensive patients with pharmacologically controlled arterial blood pressure might be able to participate in mountain treks without additional health risk.

  7. Parasympathetic neural activity accounts for the lowering of exercise heart rate at high altitude

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boushel, Robert Christopher; Calbet, J A; Rådegran, G

    2001-01-01

    In chronic hypoxia, both heart rate (HR) and cardiac output (Q) are reduced during exercise. The role of parasympathetic neural activity in lowering HR is unresolved, and its influence on Q and oxygen transport at high altitude has never been studied.......In chronic hypoxia, both heart rate (HR) and cardiac output (Q) are reduced during exercise. The role of parasympathetic neural activity in lowering HR is unresolved, and its influence on Q and oxygen transport at high altitude has never been studied....

  8. Molecular mechanisms regulating oxygen transport and consumption in high altitude and hibernating mammals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Revsbech, Inge Grønvall

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this thesis is to broaden the knowledge of molecular mechanisms of adjustment in oxygen (O2) uptake, conduction, delivery and consumption in mammals adapted to extreme conditions. For this end, I have worked with animals living at high altitude as an example of environmental hypoxia...... of the repeatedly found adaptive traits in animals living at high altitude and in hibernating mammals during hibernation compared with the active state. Factors that affect O2 affinity of Hb include temperature, H+/CO2 via the Bohr effect as well as Cl- and organic phosphates, in mammals mainly 2...

  9. Rationale and operational plan for a U.S. high-altitude magnetic survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hildenbrand, Thomas G.; Acuna, Mario; Bracken, Robert E.; Hardwick, Doug; Hinze, William J.; Keller, Gordon R.; Phillips, Jeff; Roest, Walter

    2002-01-01

    On August 8, 2002, twenty-one scientists from the federal, private and academic sectors met at a workshop in Denver, Co., to discuss the feasibility of collecting magnetic anomaly data on a Canberra aircraft (Figure 1). The need for this 1-day workshop arose because of an exciting and cost-effective opportunity to collect invaluable magnetic anomaly data during a Canberra mission over the U.S. in 2003 and 2004. High Altitude Mapping Missions (HAMM) is currently planning a mission to collect Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) imagery at an altitude of about 15 km and with a flight-line spacing of about 18 km over the conterminous U.S. and Alaska. The additional collection of total and vector magnetic field data would represent a secondary mission objective (i.e., a "piggy-back" magnetometer system). Because HAMM would fund the main flight costs of the mission, the geomagnetic community would obtain invaluable magnetic data at a nominal cost. These unique data would provide new insights on fundamental tectonic and thermal processes and give a new view of the structural and lithologic framework of the crust and possibly the upper mantle. This document highlights: (1) the reasons to conduct this national survey and (2) a preliminary operational plan to collect high-altitude magnetic data of a desired quality and for the expected resources. Although some operational plan issues remain to be resolved, the important conclusions of the workshop are that the Canberra is a very suitable platform to measure the magnetic field and that the planned mission will result in quality high-altitude magnetic data to greatly expand the utility of our national magnetic database.

  10. Short-term cardiorespiratory adaptation to high altitude in children compared with adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kriemler, S; Radtke, T; Bürgi, F; Lambrecht, J; Zehnder, M; Brunner-La Rocca, H P

    2016-02-01

    As short-term cardiorespiratory adaptation to high altitude (HA) exposure has not yet been studied in children, we assessed acute mountain sickness (AMS), hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) at rest and maximal exercise capacity (CPET) at low altitude (LA) and HA in pre-pubertal children and their fathers. Twenty father-child pairs (11 ± 1 years and 44 ± 4 years) were tested at LA (450 m) and HA (3450 m) at days 1, 2, and 3 after fast ascent (HA1/2/3). HVR was measured at rest and CPET was performed on a cycle ergometer. AMS severity was mild to moderate with no differences between generations. HVR was higher in children than adults at LA and increased at HA similarly in both groups. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) relative to body weight was similar in children and adults at LA and decreased significantly by 20% in both groups at HA; maximal heart rate did not change at HA in children while it decreased by 16% in adults (P < 0.001). Changes in HVR and VO2 peak from LA to HA were correlated among the biological child-father pairs. In conclusion, cardiorespiratory adaptation to altitude seems to be at least partly hereditary. Even though children and their fathers lose similar fractions of aerobic capacity going to high altitude, the mechanisms might be different. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. High altitude pulmonary edema. Report of a case with familiar history

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Velasquez, Jurg Niederbacher; Rueda Manrique, Adriana L; Sanabria Pico, Carmen E

    1998-01-01

    We report the case of a ten years old child, who presented a high altitude pulmonary edema. His father had the same disorder ten years ago. In addition we review the physiopathology, diagnosis and management of this disease

  12. Amelioration of rCBF and PbtO2 following TBI at high altitude by hyperbaric oxygen pre-conditioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Shengli; Li, Fei; Luo, Haishui; Xia, Yongzhi; Zhang, Jiuquan; Hu, Rong; Cui, Gaoyu; Meng, Hui; Feng, Hua

    2010-03-01

    Hypobaric hypoxia at high altitude can lead to brain damage and pre-conditioning with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) can reduce ischemic/hypoxic brain injury. This study investigates the effects of high altitude on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and examines the neuroprotection provided by HBO preconditioning against TBI. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: HBO pre-conditioning group (HBOP, n=10), high altitude group (HA, n=10), plain control group (PC, n=10) and plain sham operation group (sham, n=10). All groups were subjected to head trauma by weight drop device except for the sham group. Rats from each group were examined for neurological function, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and brain tissue oxygen pressure (PbtO(2)) and were killed for analysis by transmission electron microscope. The score of neurological deficits in the HA group was highest, followed by the HBOP group and the PC group, respectively. Both rCBF and PbtO(2) were the lowest in the HA group. Brain morphology and structure seen via the transmission electron microscope was diminished in the HA group, while fewer pathological injuries occurred in the HBOP and PC groups. High altitude aggravates TBI significantly and HBO pre-conditioning can attenuate TBI in rats at high altitude by improvement of rCBF and PbtO(2). Pre-treatment with HBO might be beneficial for people traveling to high altitude locations.

  13. Studies on radioactivities of dust samples in the air at high altitudes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kohara, Eri; Muronoi, Naohiro

    2015-01-01

    The radioactivity concentrations of airborne dust samples were studied. The samples had been collected at high altitude by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force from April 2013 to March 2014. The obtained data were used for gross beta radioactivity analysis and gamma nuclide analysis. It is shown that cesium 137 was mainly detected at the 10 km and 3 km altitude of central area of Japan in several samples. Gaseous radioiodine was not detected in all the samples. Radioactive xenon was detected but the concentration did not show significant difference to the background level. (author)

  14. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c ) and fasting plasma glucose relationships in sea-level and high-altitude settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazo-Alvarez, J C; Quispe, R; Pillay, T D; Bernabé-Ortiz, A; Smeeth, L; Checkley, W; Gilman, R H; Málaga, G; Miranda, J J

    2017-06-01

    Higher haemoglobin levels and differences in glucose metabolism have been reported among high-altitude residents, which may influence the diagnostic performance of HbA 1c . This study explores the relationship between HbA 1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in populations living at sea level and at an altitude of > 3000 m. Data from 3613 Peruvian adults without a known diagnosis of diabetes from sea-level and high-altitude settings were evaluated. Linear, quadratic and cubic regression models were performed adjusting for potential confounders. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and concordance between HbA 1c and FPG was assessed using a Kappa index. At sea level and high altitude, means were 13.5 and 16.7 g/dl (P > 0.05) for haemoglobin level; 41 and 40 mmol/mol (5.9% and 5.8%; P < 0.01) for HbA 1c ; and 5.8 and 5.1 mmol/l (105 and 91.3 mg/dl; P < 0.001) for FPG, respectively. The adjusted relationship between HbA 1c and FPG was quadratic at sea level and linear at high altitude. Adjusted models showed that, to predict an HbA 1c value of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%), the corresponding mean FPG values at sea level and high altitude were 6.6 and 14.8 mmol/l (120 and 266 mg/dl), respectively. An HbA 1c cut-off of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) had a sensitivity for high FPG of 87.3% (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 76.5 to 94.4) at sea level and 40.9% (95% CI 20.7 to 63.6) at high altitude. The relationship between HbA 1c and FPG is less clear at high altitude than at sea level. Caution is warranted when using HbA 1c to diagnose diabetes mellitus in this setting. © 2017 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Diabetes UK.

  15. Glucose intolerance associated with hypoxia in people living at high altitudes in the Tibetan highland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okumiya, Kiyohito; Sakamoto, Ryota; Ishimoto, Yasuko; Kimura, Yumi; Fukutomi, Eriko; Ishikawa, Motonao; Suwa, Kuniaki; Imai, Hissei; Chen, Wenling; Kato, Emiko; Nakatsuka, Masahiro; Kasahara, Yoriko; Fujisawa, Michiko; Wada, Taizo; Wang, Hongxin; Dai, Qingxiang; Xu, Huining; Qiao, Haisheng; Ge, Ri-Li; Norboo, Tsering; Tsering, Norboo; Kosaka, Yasuyuki; Nose, Mitsuhiro; Yamaguchi, Takayoshi; Tsukihara, Toshihiro; Ando, Kazuo; Inamura, Tetsuya; Takeda, Shinya; Ishine, Masayuki; Otsuka, Kuniaki; Matsubayashi, Kozo

    2016-02-23

    To clarify the association between glucose intolerance and high altitudes (2900-4800 m) in a hypoxic environment in Tibetan highlanders and to verify the hypothesis that high altitude dwelling increases vulnerability to diabetes mellitus (DM) accelerated by lifestyle change or ageing. Cross-sectional epidemiological study on Tibetan highlanders. We enrolled 1258 participants aged 40-87 years. The rural population comprised farmers in Domkhar (altitude 2900-3800 m) and nomads in Haiyan (3000-3100 m), Ryuho (4400 m) and Changthang (4300-4800 m). Urban area participants were from Leh (3300 m) and Jiegu (3700 m). Participants were classified into six glucose tolerance-based groups: DM, intermediate hyperglycaemia (IHG), normoglycaemia (NG), fasting DM, fasting IHG and fasting NG. Prevalence of glucose intolerance was compared in farmers, nomads and urban dwellers. Effects of dwelling at high altitude or hypoxia on glucose intolerance were analysed with the confounding factors of age, sex, obesity, lipids, haemoglobin, hypertension and lifestyle, using multiple logistic regression. The prevalence of DM (fasting DM)/IHG (fasting IHG) was 8.9% (6.5%)/25.1% (12.7%), respectively, in all participants. This prevalence was higher in urban dwellers (9.5% (7.1%)/28.5% (11.7%)) and in farmers (8.5% (6.1%)/28.5% (18.3%)) compared with nomads (8.2% (5.7%)/15.7% (9.7%)) (p=0.0140/0.0001). Dwelling at high altitude was significantly associated with fasting IHG+fasting DM/fasting DM (ORs for >4500 and 3500-4499 m were 3.59/4.36 and 2.07/1.76 vs intolerance. Socioeconomic factors, hypoxaemia and the effects of altitudes >3500 m play a major role in the high prevalence of glucose intolerance in highlanders. Tibetan highlanders may be vulnerable to glucose intolerance, with polycythaemia as a sign of poor hypoxic adaptation, accelerated by lifestyle change and ageing. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please

  16. On the High Altitude Platform (HAP W-CDMA System Capacity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. de Haro-Ariet

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available The performance of a downlink power control model, based on a n-thpower distance law, is evaluated for high altitude platform station(HAPS W-CDMA systems. The downlink capacity using this model iscompared with the uplink capacity. It is shown that the uplink capacityis higher than the downlink capacity.

  17. Atmospheric Sampling of Aerosols to Stratospheric Altitudes using High Altitude Balloons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jerde, E. A.; Thomas, E.

    2010-12-01

    Although carbon dioxide represents a long-lived atmospheric component relevant to global climate change, it is also understood that many additional contributors influence the overall climate of Earth. Among these, short-lived components are more difficult to incorporate into models due to uncertainties in the abundances of these both spatially and temporally. Possibly the most significant of these short-lived components falls under the heading of “black carbon” (BC). There are numerous overlapping definitions of BC, but it is basically carbonaceous in nature and light absorbing. Due to its potential as a climate forcer, an understanding of the BC population in the atmosphere is critical for modeling of radiative forcing. Prior measurements of atmospheric BC generally consist of airplane- and ground-based sampling, typically below 5000 m and restricted in time and space. Given that BC has a residence time on the order of days, short-term variability is easily missed. Further, since the radiative forcing is a result of BC distributed through the entire atmospheric column, aircraft sampling is by definition incomplete. We are in the process of planning a more comprehensive sampling of the atmosphere for BC using high-altitude balloons. Balloon-borne sampling is a highly reliable means to sample air through the entire troposphere and into the lower stratosphere. Our system will incorporate a balloon and a flight train of two modules. One module will house an atmospheric sampler. This sampler will be single-stage (samples all particle sizes together), and will place particles directly on an SEM sample stub for analysis. The nozzle depositing the sample will be offset from the center of the stub, placing the aerosol particles toward the edge. At various altitudes, the stub will be rotated 45 degrees, providing 6-8 sample “cuts” of particle populations through the atmospheric column. The flights will reach approximately 27 km altitude, above which the balloons

  18. Cardiovascular Effects of Altitude on Performance Athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Ankit B; Coplan, Neil

    Altitude plays an important role in cardiovascular performance and training for athletes. Whether it is mountaineers, skiers, or sea-level athletes trying to gain an edge by training or living at increased altitude, there are many potential benefits and harms of such endeavors. Echocardiographic studies done on athletes at increased altitude have shown evidence for right ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, but no change in left ventricular ejection fraction. In addition, 10% of athletes are susceptible to pulmonary hypertension and high-altitude pulmonary edema. Some studies suggest that echocardiography may be able to identify athletes susceptible to high-altitude pulmonary edema prior to competing or training at increased altitudes. Further research is needed on the long-term effects of altitude training, as repeated, transient episodes of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction may have long-term implications. Current literature suggests that performance athletes are not at higher risk for ventricular arrhythmias when training or competing at increased altitudes. For sea-level athletes, the optimal strategy for attaining the benefits while minimizing the harms of altitude training still needs to be clarified, although-for now-the "live high, train low" approach appears to have the most rationale.

  19. Anti-hypotensive treatment and endothelin blockade synergistically antagonize exercise fatigue in rats under simulated high altitude.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Radiloff

    Full Text Available Rapid ascent to high altitude causes illness and fatigue, and there is a demand for effective acute treatments to alleviate such effects. We hypothesized that increased oxygen delivery to the tissue using a combination of a hypertensive agent and an endothelin receptor A antagonist drugs would limit exercise-induced fatigue at simulated high altitude. Our data showed that the combination of 0.1 mg/kg ambrisentan with either 20 mg/kg ephedrine or 10 mg/kg methylphenidate significantly improved exercise duration in rats at simulated altitude of 4,267 m, whereas the individual compounds did not. In normoxic, anesthetized rats, ephedrine alone and in combination with ambrisentan increased heart rate, peripheral blood flow, carotid and pulmonary arterial pressures, breathing rate, and vastus lateralis muscle oxygenation, but under inspired hypoxia, only the combination treatment significantly enhanced muscle oxygenation. Our results suggest that sympathomimetic agents combined with endothelin-A receptor blockers offset altitude-induced fatigue in rats by synergistically increasing the delivery rate of oxygen to hypoxic muscle by concomitantly augmenting perfusion pressure and improving capillary conductance in the skeletal muscle. Our findings might therefore serve as a basis to develop an effective treatment to prevent high-altitude illness and fatigue in humans.

  20. The Effect of Sex on Heart Rate Variability at High Altitude.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boos, Christopher John; Vincent, Emma; Mellor, Adrian; O'Hara, John; Newman, Caroline; Cruttenden, Richard; Scott, Phylip; Cooke, Mark; Matu, Jamie; Woods, David Richard

    2017-12-01

    There is evidence suggesting that high altitude (HA) exposure leads to a fall in heart rate variability (HRV) that is linked to the development of acute mountain sickness (AMS). The effects of sex on changes in HRV at HA and its relationship to AMS are unknown. HRV (5-min single-lead ECG) was measured in 63 healthy adults (41 men and 22 women) 18-56 yr of age at sea level (SL) and during a HA trek at 3619, 4600, and 5140 m, respectively. The main effects of altitude (SL, 3619 m, 4600 m, and 5140 m) and sex (men vs women) and their potential interaction were assessed using a factorial repeated-measures ANOVA. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the ability of HRV to predict AMS. Men and women were of similar age (31.2 ± 9.3 vs 31.7 ± 7.5 yr), ethnicity, and body and mass index. There was main effect for altitude on heart rate, SD of normal-to-normal (NN) intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), number of pairs of successive NN differing by >50 ms (NN50), NN50/total number of NN, very low-frequency power, low-frequency (LF) power, high-frequency (HF) power, and total power (TP). The most consistent effect on post hoc analysis was reduction in these HRV measures between 3619 and 5140 m at HA. Heart rate was significantly lower and SDNN, RMSSD, LF power, HF power, and TP were higher in men compared with women at HA. There was no interaction between sex and altitude for any of the HRV indices measured. HRV was not predictive of AMS development. Increasing HA leads to a reduction in HRV. Significant differences between men and women emerge at HA. HRV was not predictive of AMS.

  1. Equations of state for detonation products of high energy PBX explosives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, E. L.; Helm, F. H.; Finger, M.; Walton, J. R.

    1977-08-01

    It has become apparent that the accumulated changes in the analysis of cylinder test data, in the material specifications, and in the hydrodynamic code simulation of the cylinder test necessitated an update of the detonation product EOS description for explosives in common use at LLL. The explosives reviewed are PBX-9404-3, LX-04-1, LX-10-1, LX-14-0 and LX-09-1. In order to maintain the proper relation of predicted performance of these standard explosives, they have been revised as a single set.

  2. Effect of solar radiation (UV and visible) at high altitude on CAM-cycling and phenolic compound biosynthesis in Sedum album

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bachereau, F.; Marigo, G.; Asta, J.

    1998-01-01

    The field experiment was carried out in order to compare the response of a CAM plant, Sedum album L., to solar radiation at a high altitude (2 100 m) with that at a low altitude location with respect to CAM and phenolic content. Treatment sites included (1) sun-exposed, low altitude, (2) sun-exposed, high altitude with different light treatments, including UV-B and UV-B + A screening, and (3) shade at high altitude. After a 70-day treatment period, CAM-cycling and phenolic compound content were analysed, and high altitude treatments were compared to the low altitude control. The sun-exposed low altitude control was characterized by CAM-cycling and a low phenolic compound content during the experiment. In plants transplanted to the high altitude, only the shaded group maintained a CAM-cycling and a phenolic compound content similar to those of the sun-exposed low altitude control. Samples under UV-B and UV-B + A filters showed similar responses, suggesting the absence of a specific UV-A radiation effect. The screening of UV-B or UV-B + A radiation allowed plants to partially maintain a CAM-cycling and induced a decrease in phenolic compound content. These responses under UV filters were, however, intermediate between those observed in sun-exposed and shaded groups. These results demonstrate a specific effect of radiation from both visible (400–800 nm) and UV-B (280–320 nm) bands on both CAM-cycling and phenolic biosynthesis in S. album L. plants. These light-dependent effects are discussed on a physiological basis and a possible interaction between CAM-cycling and phenolic metabolism is suggested. (author)

  3. Escalation and propagation of thermal detonation in the corium-water systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melikhov, O.I.; Melikhov, V.I.; Sokolin, A.V.

    2001-01-01

    The thermal detonation taking into account micro-interaction processes model has been applied to study thermal detonation wave escalation and propagation in the corium-water mixture. Transient escalation stage and subsequent steady-state propagation stage of the thermal detonation have been calculated. The essential decrease of the escalation length in comparison with the previous results calculated without micro-interaction concept has been obtained. (authors)

  4. [Splenic infarction at high altitude, Huaraz-Peru (3,100 masl)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    López de Guimaraes, Douglas; Menacho López, Julio; Villanueva Palacios, Jovita; Mosquera Vásquez, Vitaliano

    2009-01-01

    We report three cases of splenic infarction in healthy men for the first time that amounted to high altitudes, observed in the hospital "Victor Ramos Guardia" Huaraz (3100 m). Case 1 (1995) of 55 years, born in Cuba, from Lima, caucasian suddenly presented acute abdominal pain in epigastrium, distension, nausea and vomiting, was laparotomized for acute abdomen and surgical pathology revealed thrombosis with splenic infarction splenic artery and vein. During follow-up in Lima, hemoglobin electrophoresis showed that it was heterozygous carrier of the sickle trait (Hb A: 57% Hb S: 38.5%). Case 2 (1998) of 23 years, born in Cuba, from Lima, Black said acute abdominal pain in left hypochondrium, shortness of breath and chest pain, clinical examination and radiography of the abdomen showed the spleen volume increased. Case 3 (2006) of 17 years, natural and from Lima, mestizo, who came on tour promotion, acute abdominal pain referred onset in the epigastrium and left hypochondrium, headache, increase heat, nausea and vomiting, pharyngitis was found acute and painful, and spleen increased in size by clinical and x-ray of abdomen simple stand. None had no history of hemoglobinopathy and anemia. In general, medical management was supportive and cases 2 and 3 are recommended hemoglobin electrophoresis. We conclude that we must think of splenic infarction associated with height in any healthy person who is first at high altitude (> 3000m) and having a sudden acute abdominal pain in epigastrium and / or left hypochondrium, pain and palpable spleen and radiological study compatible with image. In this case is indicated by hemoglobin electrophoresis to determine whether there is an individual heterozygous carrier of the sickle trait. splenic infarction, high altitude, sickle trait, Huaraz.

  5. Sun, Ocean, Nuclear Bombs, and Fossil Fuels: Radiocarbon Variations and Implications for High-Resolution Dating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Koushik

    2016-06-01

    Radiocarbon, or 14C, is a radiometric dating method ideally suited for providing a chronological framework in archaeology and geosciences for timescales spanning the last 50,000 years. 14C is easily detectable in most common natural organic materials and has a half-life (5,730±40 years) relevant to these timescales. 14C produced from large-scale detonations of nuclear bombs between the 1950s and the early 1960s can be used for dating modern organic materials formed after the 1950s. Often these studies demand high-resolution chronology to resolve ages within a few decades to less than a few years. Despite developments in modern, high-precision 14C analytical methods, the applicability of 14C in high-resolution chronology is limited by short-term variations in atmospheric 14C in the past. This article reviews the roles of the principal natural drivers (e.g., solar magnetic activity and ocean circulation) and the anthropogenic perturbations (e.g., fossil fuel CO2 and 14C from nuclear and thermonuclear bombs) that are responsible for short-term 14C variations in the environment. Methods and challenges of high-resolution 14C dating are discussed.

  6. Fit for high altitude: are hypoxic challenge tests useful?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthys Heinrich

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Altitude travel results in acute variations of barometric pressure, which induce different degrees of hypoxia, changing the gas contents in body tissues and cavities. Non ventilated air containing cavities may induce barotraumas of the lung (pneumothorax, sinuses and middle ear, with pain, vertigo and hearing loss. Commercial air planes keep their cabin pressure at an equivalent altitude of about 2,500 m. This leads to an increased respiratory drive which may also result in symptoms of emotional hyperventilation. In patients with preexisting respiratory pathology due to lung, cardiovascular, pleural, thoracic neuromuscular or obesity-related diseases (i.e. obstructive sleep apnea an additional hypoxic stress may induce respiratory pump and/or heart failure. Clinical pre-altitude assessment must be disease-specific and it includes spirometry, pulsoximetry, ECG, pulmonary and systemic hypertension assessment. In patients with abnormal values we need, in addition, measurements of hemoglobin, pH, base excess, PaO2, and PaCO2 to evaluate whether O2- and CO2-transport is sufficient. Instead of the hypoxia altitude simulation test (HAST, which is not without danger for patients with respiratory insufficiency, we prefer primarily a hyperoxic challenge. The supplementation of normobaric O2 gives us information on the acute reversibility of the arterial hypoxemia and the reduction of ventilation and pulmonary hypertension, as well as about the efficiency of the additional O2-flow needed during altitude exposure. For difficult judgements the performance of the test in a hypobaric chamber with and without supplemental O2-breathing remains the gold standard. The increasing numbers of drugs to treat acute pulmonary hypertension due to altitude exposure (acetazolamide, dexamethasone, nifedipine, sildenafil or to other etiologies (anticoagulants, prostanoids, phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitors, endothelin receptor antagonists including mechanical aids to

  7. Fit for high altitude: are hypoxic challenge tests useful?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthys, Heinrich

    2011-02-28

    Altitude travel results in acute variations of barometric pressure, which induce different degrees of hypoxia, changing the gas contents in body tissues and cavities. Non ventilated air containing cavities may induce barotraumas of the lung (pneumothorax), sinuses and middle ear, with pain, vertigo and hearing loss. Commercial air planes keep their cabin pressure at an equivalent altitude of about 2,500 m. This leads to an increased respiratory drive which may also result in symptoms of emotional hyperventilation. In patients with preexisting respiratory pathology due to lung, cardiovascular, pleural, thoracic neuromuscular or obesity-related diseases (i.e. obstructive sleep apnea) an additional hypoxic stress may induce respiratory pump and/or heart failure. Clinical pre-altitude assessment must be disease-specific and it includes spirometry, pulsoximetry, ECG, pulmonary and systemic hypertension assessment. In patients with abnormal values we need, in addition, measurements of hemoglobin, pH, base excess, PaO2, and PaCO2 to evaluate whether O2- and CO2-transport is sufficient.Instead of the hypoxia altitude simulation test (HAST), which is not without danger for patients with respiratory insufficiency, we prefer primarily a hyperoxic challenge. The supplementation of normobaric O2 gives us information on the acute reversibility of the arterial hypoxemia and the reduction of ventilation and pulmonary hypertension, as well as about the efficiency of the additional O2-flow needed during altitude exposure. For difficult judgements the performance of the test in a hypobaric chamber with and without supplemental O2-breathing remains the gold standard. The increasing numbers of drugs to treat acute pulmonary hypertension due to altitude exposure (acetazolamide, dexamethasone, nifedipine, sildenafil) or to other etiologies (anticoagulants, prostanoids, phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitors, endothelin receptor antagonists) including mechanical aids to reduce periodical or

  8. Increasing alpine transit traffic through Switzerland will considerably enhance high altitude alpine pollutant levels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prevot, A S.H.; Dommen, J; Furger, M; Graber, W K [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

    1999-08-01

    Within the EU-Project VOTALP (Vertical Ozone Transports in the Alps), we have shown that deep alpine valleys like the Mesolcina Valley very efficiently transport air out of the polluted valley up to altitudes between 2000 and near 4000 m asl (above sea level). Pollutants emitted in these valleys are very efficiently transported up to high altitudes. (author) 2 figs., 1 tab., 2 refs.

  9. The effect of chronic erythrocytic polycythemia and high altitude upon plasma and blood volumes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, R. R.; Smith, A. H.

    1972-01-01

    Comparison of two kinds of physiological chronic erythrocytic polycythemias in order to differentiate the specific effect of erythrocytic polycythemia from the general effects of high altitude upon the plasma volume. The two kinds were produced hormonally in female chickens, at sea level, or by protracted high-altitude exposures. It appears that the vascular system of the body may account for an increase in red blood cell mass either by reduction in plasma volume, or by no change in plasma volume, resulting in differential changes in total blood volumes.

  10. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Progress Toward Meeting High Altitude Endurance Aircraft Price Goals

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1998-01-01

    ...) High Altitude Endurance (HAE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program to determine whether the average flyaway cost for the Global Hawk and DarkStar HAE alr vehicles will be within DOD's cost goal...

  11. A statistical study of high-altitude electric fields measured on the Viking satellite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lindqvist, P.A.; Marklund, G.T.

    1990-01-01

    Characteristics of high-altitude data from the Viking electric field instrument are presented in a statistical study based on 109 Viking orbits. The study is focused in particular on the signatures of and relationships between various parameters measured by the electric field instrument, such as the parallel and transverse (to B) components of the electric field instrument, such as electric field variability. A major goal of the Viking mission was to investigate the occurrence and properties of parallel electric fields and their role in the auroral acceleration process. The results in this paper on the altitude distribution of the electric field variability confirm earlier findings on the distribution of small-scale electric fields and indicate the presence of parallel fields up to about 11,000 km altitude. The directly measured parallel electric field is also investigated in some detail. It is in general directed upward with an average value of 1 mV/m, but depends on, for example, altitude and plasma density. Possible sources of error in the measurement of the parallel field are also considered and accounted for

  12. On a stabilization mechanism for low-velocity detonations

    KAUST Repository

    Sow, Aliou; Semenko, Roman E.; Kasimov, Aslan R.

    2017-01-01

    We use numerical simulations of the reactive Lula equations to analyse the nonlinear stability of steady-state one-dimensional solutions for gaseous detonations in the presence of both momentum and heat losses. Our results point to a possible stabilization mechanism for the low-velocity detonations in such systems. The mechanism stems from the existence of a one-parameter family of solutions found in Semenko el al.

  13. Carbon deflagration supernova, an alternative to carbon detonation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nomoto, K; Sugimoto, D [Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Coll. of General Education; Neo, S [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Physics

    1976-02-01

    As an alternative to the carbon detonation, a carbon deflagration supernova model is presented by a full hydrodynamic computation. A deflagration wave, which propagates through the core due to convective heat transport, does not grow into detonation. Though it results in a complete disruption of the star, the difficulty of overproduction of iron peak elements can be avoided if the deflagration is relatively slow.

  14. On a stabilization mechanism for low-velocity detonations

    KAUST Repository

    Sow, Aliou

    2017-03-08

    We use numerical simulations of the reactive Lula equations to analyse the nonlinear stability of steady-state one-dimensional solutions for gaseous detonations in the presence of both momentum and heat losses. Our results point to a possible stabilization mechanism for the low-velocity detonations in such systems. The mechanism stems from the existence of a one-parameter family of solutions found in Semenko el al.

  15. The Universal Role of Tubulence in the Propagation of Strong Shocks and Detonation Waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, John H.

    2001-06-01

    The passage of a strong shock wave usually results in irreversible physical and chemical changes in the medium. If the chemical reactions are sufficiently exothermic, the shock wave can be self-propagating, i.e., sustained by the chemical energy release via the expansion work of the reaction products. Although shocks and detonations can be globally stable and propagate at constant velocities (in the direction of motion), their structure may be highly unstable and exhibit large hydrodynamic fluctuations, i.e., turbulence. Recent investigations on plastic deformation of polycrystalline material behind shock waves have revealed particle velocity dispersion at the mesoscopic level, a result of vortical rotational motion similar to that of turbulent fluid flows at high Reynolds number.1 Strong ionizing shocks in noble gases2, as well as dissociating shock waves in carbon dioxide,3 also demonstrate a turbulent density fluctuation in the non-equilibrium shock transition zone. Perhaps the most thoroughly investigated unstable structure is that of detonation waves in gaseous explosives.4 Detonation waves in liquid explosives such as nitromethane also take on similar unstable structure as gaseous detonations.5 There are also indications that detonations in solid explosives have a similar unsteady structure under certain conditions. Thus, it appears that it is more of a rule than an exception that the structure of strong shocks and detonations are unstable and exhibit turbulent-like fluctuations as improved diagnostics now permit us to look more closely at the meso- and micro-levels. Increasing attention is now devoted to the understanding of the shock waves at the micro-scale level in recent years. This is motivated by the need to formulate physical and chemical models that contain the correct physics capable of describing quantitatively the shock transition process. It should be noted that, in spite of its unstable 3-D structure, the steady 1-D conservation laws (in the

  16. A discussion of the kamlet-jacobs formula for the detonation pressure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kazandjian, Luc; Danel, Jean-Francois [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Centre CEA-DIF, B. P. 12, F-91680 Bruyeres-le-Chatel (France)

    2006-02-15

    The main features of the Kamlet-Jacobs formula for the detonation pressure of C-H-N-O explosives are analytically derived from a BKW (Becker-Kistiakowsky-Wilson) equation of state of the detonation products. In the derivation, well-known typical values at the Chapman-Jouguet state, in particular the nearly constant value of the relative volume of the detonation products, are used. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  17. Tritium labeling of detonation nanodiamonds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girard, Hugues A; El-Kharbachi, Abdelouahab; Garcia-Argote, Sébastien; Petit, Tristan; Bergonzo, Philippe; Rousseau, Bernard; Arnault, Jean-Charles

    2014-03-18

    For the first time, the radioactive labeling of detonation nanodiamonds was efficiently achieved using a tritium microwave plasma. According to our measurements, the total radioactivity reaches 9120 ± 120 μCi mg(-1), with 93% of (3)H atoms tightly bonded to the surface and up to 7% embedded into the diamond core. Such (3)H doping will ensure highly stable radiolabeled nanodiamonds, on which surface functionalization is still allowed. This breakthrough opens the way to biodistribution and pharmacokinetics studies of nanodiamonds, while this approach can be scalable to easily treat bulk quantities of nanodiamonds at low cost.

  18. Detonation Propagation in Slabs and Axisymmetric Rate Sticks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romick, Christopher; Aslam, Tariq

    Insensitive high explosives (IHE) have many benefits; however, these IHEs exhibit longer reaction zones than more conventional high explosives (HE). This makes IHEs less ideal explosives and more susceptible to edge effects as well as other performance degradation issues. Thus, there is a resulting reduction in the detonation speed within the explosive. Many HE computational models, e. g. WSD, SURF, CREST, have shock-dependent reaction rates. This dependency places a high value on having an accurate shock speed. In the common practice of shock-capturing, there is ambiguity in the shock-state due to smoothing of the shock-front. Moreover, obtaining an accurate shock speed with shock-capturing becomes prohibitively computationally expensive in multiple dimensions. The use of shock-fitting removes the ambiguity of the shock-state as it is one of the boundaries. As such, the required resolution for a given error in the detonation speed is less than with shock-capturing. This allows for further insight into performance degradation. A two-dimensional shock-fitting scheme has been developed for unconfined slabs and rate sticks of HE. The HE modeling is accomplished by Euler equations utilizing several models with single-step irreversible kinetics in slab and rate stick geometries. Department of Energy - LANL.

  19. Mammals of the high altitudes of western Arunachal Pradesh, eastern Himalaya: an assessment of threats and conservation needs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mishra, C.; Madhusudan, M.D.; Datta, A.

    2006-01-01

    he high altitudes of Arunachal Pradesh, India, located in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, remain zoologically unexplored and unprotected. We report results of recent mammal surveys in the high altitude habitats of western Arunachal Pradesh. A total of 35 mammal species (including 12

  20. Flight simulation program for high altitude long endurance unmanned vehicle; Kokodo mujinki no hiko simulation program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzuki, H.; Hashidate, M. [National Aerospace Laboratory, Tokyo (Japan)

    1995-11-01

    An altitude of about 20 km has the atmospheric density too dilute for common aircraft, and the air resistance too great for satellites. Attention has been drawn in recent years on a high-altitude long-endurance unmanned vehicle that flies at this altitude for a long period of time to serve as a wave relaying base and perform traffic control. Therefore, a development was made on a flight simulation program to evaluate and discuss the guidance and control laws for the high-altitude unmanned vehicle. Equations of motion were derived for three-dimensional six freedom and three-dimensional three freedom. Aerodynamic characteristics of an unmanned vehicle having a Rectenna wing were estimated, and formulation was made according to the past research results on data of winds that the unmanned vehicle is anticipated to encounter at an altitude of 20 km. Noticing the inside of a horizontal plane, a proposal was given on a guidance law that follows a given path. A flight simulation was carried out to have attained a prospect that the unmanned vehicle may be enclosed in a limited space even if the vehicle is encountered with a relatively strong wind. 18 refs., 20 figs., 1 tab.

  1. Nike Black Brant V high altitude dynamic instability characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montag, W. H.; Walker, L. L., Jr.

    1979-01-01

    Flight experience on the Nike Black Brant V has demonstrated the existence of plume induced flow separation over the fins and aft body of the Black Brant V motor. Modelling of the forces associated with this phenomenon as well as analysis of the resultant vehicle coning motion and its effect on the velocity vector heading are presented. A summary of Nike Black Brant V flight experience with high altitude dynamic instability is included.

  2. High-Altitude Platforms — Present Situation and Technology Trends

    OpenAIRE

    d’Oliveira, Flavio Araripe; Melo, Francisco Cristovão Lourenço de; Devezas, Tessaleno Campos

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT High-altitude platforms (HAPs) are aircraft, usually unmanned airships or airplanes positioned above 20 km, in the stratosphere, in order to compose a telecommunications network or perform remote sensing. In the 1990 and 2000 decades, several projects were launched, but very few had continued. In 2014, 2 major Internet companies (Google and Facebook) announced investments in new HAP projects to provide Internet access in regions without communication infrastructure (terrestrial or sa...

  3. Effects of high-altitude environment on cognitive function and ultrastructure in CA1 region of hippocampus of rats after sleep deprivation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiang-hua SI

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective To investigate the effects of high-altitude environment on cognitive function and ultrastructure in CA1 region of the hippocampus of Wistar rats in sleep deprivation (SD.  Methods SD was induced in Wistar rats by employing "flower pot" technique. Sixty-four rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: Lanzhou group (at an altitude of 1520 m and Kekexili group (at an altitude of 4767 m, and each group was further divided into 4 subgroups according to the time of SD (0, 1, 3 and 5 d. The behaviors of rats were studied by Morris water maze test at given time points. The ultrastructure of hippocampal neurons was observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM.  Results 1 Compared with Lanzhou group, rat behavior of Kekexili group presented excitement-irritation-suppression changes with the extension of SD time, but the extent was weakened gradually, and time of sleepiness increased obviously. 2 Compared with Lanzhou group, neurons in CA1 region of hippocampus showed enlarged cell body, disappeared nuclear membrane, shrunken nuclei and decreased organelle. End-feet of glia cells sticking to capillaries swelled and ruptured, and the typical synaptic structure disappeared. 3 Morris water maze test: as compared with Lanzhou group, the escape latency of Kekexili group prolonged (P < 0.05, for all, the ability of distance exploration increased (P < 0.05, for all, and the times across plot decreased (P < 0.05, for all in 1, 3 and 5 d of SD.  Conclusions High-altitude environment may significantly influence the cognitive function of rats in SD, and there was close correlation between the cognitive disorders and the changes in the ultrastructure of hippocampal CA1 region. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2014.04.012

  4. Modeling of Air Attenuation Effects on Gamma Detection at Altitude

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Detwiler, R. S.

    2002-01-01

    This paper focuses on modeling the detection capabilities of NaI sensor systems at high altitudes for ground sources. The modeling was done with the Monte Carlo N-Transport (MCNP) code developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The specific systems modeled were the fixed wing and helicopter aircraft sensor systems, assets of the U. S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office (NNSA/NV) Aerial Measuring System (AMS). In previous (2001) modeling, Sodium Iodine (NaI) detector responses were simulated for both point and distributed surface sources as a function of gamma energy and altitude. For point sources, photo-peak efficiencies were calculated for a zero radial distance and an offset equal to the altitude. For distributed sources approximating an infinite plane, gross count efficiencies were calculated and normalized to a uniform surface deposition of 1 (micro)Ci/m 2 . To validate the calculations, benchmark measurements were made for simple source-detector configurations. The 2002 continuation of the modeling presented here includes checking models against available data, and modifications to allow more effective and accurate directional biasing of ground point and distributed sources. Fixed-wing data results will be shown for two point sources as a function of altitude

  5. Delayed signatures of underground nuclear explosions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrigan, Charles R.; Sun, Yunwei; Hunter, Steven L.; Ruddle, David G.; Wagoner, Jeffrey L.; Myers, Katherine B. L.; Emer, Dudley F.; Drellack, Sigmund L.; Chipman, Veraun D.

    2016-03-01

    Radionuclide signals from underground nuclear explosions (UNEs) are strongly influenced by the surrounding hydrogeologic regime. One effect of containment is delay of detonation-produced radioxenon reaching the surface as well as lengthening of its period of detectability compared to uncontained explosions. Using a field-scale tracer experiment, we evaluate important transport properties of a former UNE site. We observe the character of signals at the surface due to the migration of gases from the post-detonation chimney under realistic transport conditions. Background radon signals are found to be highly responsive to cavity pressurization suggesting that large local radon anomalies may be an indicator of a clandestine UNE. Computer simulations, using transport properties obtained from the experiment, track radioxenon isotopes in the chimney and their migration to the surface. They show that the chimney surrounded by a fractured containment regime behaves as a leaky chemical reactor regarding its effect on isotopic evolution introducing a dependence on nuclear yield not previously considered. This evolutionary model for radioxenon isotopes is validated by atmospheric observations of radioxenon from a 2013 UNE in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Our model produces results similar to isotopic observations with nuclear yields being comparable to seismic estimates.

  6. Deaggregation, Modification, and Developing Applications for Detonation Nanodiamond

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mochalin, Vadym

    2017-06-01

    Nanodiamond powder (ND) is one of the most promising materials for advanced composites and biomedical applications. It is also a commercial precursor for carbon nanoonions - material for high power micrometer size supercapacitors and potentially, Li-ion batteries. ND is produced by detonation of explosives with negative oxygen balance in a closed chamber, where extremely high pressures and temperatures develop during detonation. ND consists of diamond particles of 5 nm diameter, combining fully accessible large surface and rich and tailorable surface chemistry. ND has unique properties including optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical, and is biocompatible and non-toxic. Due to numerous surface functional groups, ND has catalytic and electrochemical activity. Several techniques have been proposed for ND deaggregation based on milling with costly ceramic microbeads, leaving difficult to remove contaminations in the resulting ND suspension. We have recently discovered a novel, green technique for ND deaggregation using sonication in aqueous sodium chloride slurry. Upon completion of the process sodium chloride can be easily washed out with water leaving behind no contaminants and yielding stable single-digit ND colloids. Modification and development of applications for ND in composites, drug delivery, biomedical imaging, etc., will be also discussed.

  7. Long-Term Intermittent Work at High Altitude: Right Heart Functional and Morphological Status and Associated Cardiometabolic Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brito, Julio; Siques, Patricia; López, Rosario; Romero, Raul; León-Velarde, Fabiola; Flores, Karen; Lüneburg, Nicole; Hannemann, Juliane; Böger, Rainer H

    2018-01-01

    Background: Living at high altitude or with chronic hypoxia implies functional and morphological changes in the right ventricle and pulmonary vasculature with a 10% prevalence of high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). The implications of working intermittently (day shifts) at high altitude (hypobaric hypoxia) over the long term are still not well-defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the right cardiac circuit status along with potentially contributory metabolic variables and distinctive responses after long exposure to the latter condition. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 120 healthy miners working at an altitude of 4,400-4,800 m for over 5 years in 7-day commuting shifts was designed. Echocardiography was performed on day 2 at sea level. Additionally, biomedical and biochemical variables, Lake Louise scores (LLSs), sleep disturbances and physiological variables were measured at altitude and at sea level. Results: The population was 41.8 ± 0.7 years old, with an average of 14 ± 0.5 (range 5-29) years spent at altitude. Most subjects still suffered from mild to moderate symptoms of acute mountain sickness (mild was an LLS of 3-5 points, including cephalea; moderate was LLS of 6-10 points) (38.3%) at the end of day 1 of the shift. Echocardiography showed a 23% mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >25 mmHg, 9% HAPH (≥30 mmHg), 85% mild increase in right ventricle wall thickness (≥5 mm), 64% mild right ventricle dilation, low pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and fairly good ventricle performance. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) (OR 8.84 (1.18-66.39); p Working intermittently at high altitude involves a distinctive pattern. The most relevant and novel characteristics are a greater prevalence of elevated mPAP and HAPH than previously reported at chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH), which is accompanied by subsequent morphological characteristics. These findings are associated with cardiometabolic factors (insulin and ADMA

  8. Effect of Surface Chemistry on the Fluorescence of Detonation Nanodiamonds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reineck, Philipp; Lau, Desmond W M; Wilson, Emma R; Fox, Kate; Field, Matthew R; Deeleepojananan, Cholaphan; Mochalin, Vadym N; Gibson, Brant C

    2017-11-28

    Detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) have unique physical and chemical properties that make them invaluable in many applications. However, DNDs are generally assumed to show weak fluorescence, if any, unless chemically modified with organic molecules. We demonstrate that detonation nanodiamonds exhibit significant and excitation-wavelength-dependent fluorescence from the visible to the near-infrared spectral region above 800 nm, even without the engraftment of organic molecules to their surfaces. We show that this fluorescence depends on the surface functionality of the DND particles. The investigated functionalized DNDs, produced from the same purified DND as well as the as-received polyfunctional starting material, are hydrogen, hydroxyl, carboxyl, ethylenediamine, and octadecylamine-terminated. All DNDs are investigated in solution and on a silicon wafer substrate and compared to fluorescent high-pressure high-temperature nanodiamonds. The brightest fluorescence is observed from octadecylamine-functionalized particles and is more than 100 times brighter than the least fluorescent particles, carboxylated DNDs. The majority of photons emitted by all particle types likely originates from non-diamond carbon. However, we locally find bright and photostable fluorescence from nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond in hydrogenated, hydroxylated, and carboxylated detonation nanodiamonds. Our results contribute to understanding the effects of surface chemistry on the fluorescence of DNDs and enable the exploration of the fluorescent properties of DNDs for applications in theranostics as nontoxic fluorescent labels, sensors, nanoscale tracers, and many others where chemically stable and brightly fluorescent nanoparticles with tailorable surface chemistry are needed.

  9. Estimation of maximum credible atmospheric radioactivity concentrations and dose rates from nuclear tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Telegadas, K.

    1979-01-01

    A simple technique is presented for estimating maximum credible gross beta air concentrations from nuclear detonations in the atmosphere, based on aircraft sampling of radioactivity following each Chinese nuclear test from 1964 to 1976. The calculated concentration is a function of the total yield and fission yield, initial vertical radioactivity distribution, time after detonation, and rate of horizontal spread of the debris with time. calculated maximum credible concentrations are compared with the highest concentrations measured during aircraft sampling. The technique provides a reasonable estimate of maximum air concentrations from 1 to 10 days after a detonation. An estimate of the whole-body external gamma dose rate corresponding to the maximum credible gross beta concentration is also given. (author)

  10. Propagation and Breaking at High Altitudes of Gravity Waves Excited by Tropospheric Forcing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prusa, Joseph M.; Smolarkiewicz, Piotr K.; Garcia, Rolando R.

    1996-01-01

    An anelastic approximation is used with a time-variable coordinate transformation to formulate a two-dimensional numerical model that describes the evolution of gravity waves. The model is solved using a semi-Lagrangian method with monotone (nonoscillatory) interpolation of all advected fields. The time-variable transformation is used to generate disturbances at the lower boundary that approximate the effect of a traveling line of thunderstorms (a squall line) or of flow over a broad topographic obstacle. The vertical propagation and breaking of the gravity wave field (under conditions typical of summer solstice) is illustrated for each of these cases. It is shown that the wave field at high altitudes is dominated by a single horizontal wavelength; which is not always related simply to the horizontal dimension of the source. The morphology of wave breaking depends on the horizontal wavelength; for sufficiently short waves, breaking involves roughly one half of the wavelength. In common with other studies, it is found that the breaking waves undergo "self-acceleration," such that the zonal-mean intrinsic frequency remains approximately constant in spite of large changes in the background wind. It is also shown that many of the features obtained in the calculations can be understood in terms of linear wave theory. In particular, linear theory provides insights into the wavelength of the waves that break at high altitudes, the onset and evolution of breaking. the horizontal extent of the breaking region and its position relative to the forcing, and the minimum and maximum altitudes where breaking occurs. Wave breaking ceases at the altitude where the background dissipation rate (which in our model is a proxy for molecular diffusion) becomes greater than the rate of dissipation due to wave breaking, This altitude, in effect, the model turbopause, is shown to depend on a relatively small number of parameters that characterize the waves and the background state.

  11. Effect of Mixture Pressure and Equivalence Ratio on Detonation Cell Size for Hydrogen-Air Mixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-06-01

    In order to design combustion chambers for detonating engines, specifically PDEs and RDEs , the cell size is needed. Higher than atmospheric...8 Figure 4. RDE dimensions ................................................................................................ 11...Technology DDT Deflagration to Detonation MAPE Mean Absolute Percent Error PDE Pulsed Detonation Engine RDE Rotating Detonation Engine ZND

  12. Preventing High Altitude Cerebral Edema in Rats with Repurposed Anti-Angiogenesis Pharmacotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarshis, Samantha; Maltzahn, Joanne; Loomis, Zoe; Irwin, David C

    2016-12-01

    High altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is a fulminant, deadly, and yet still unpredictable brain disease. A new prophylactic treatment for HACE and its predecessor, acute mountain sickness (AMS), needs to be developed without the contraindications or adverse effect profiles of acetazolamide and dexamethasone. Since neovascularization signals are likely key contributors to HACE/AMS, our approach was to examine already existing anti-angiogenic drugs to inhibit potential initiating HACE pathway(s). This approach can also reveal crucial early steps in the frequently debated mechanism of HACE/AMS pathogenesis. We exposed four rat cohorts to hypobaric hypoxia and one to sea level (hyperbaric) conditions. The cohorts were treated with saline controls, an anti-angiogenesis drug (motesanib), a pro-angiogenesis drug (deferoxamine), or an intraperitoneal version of the established AMS prophylaxis drug, acetazolamide (benzolamide). Brain tissue was analyzed for cerebrovascular leak using the Evans Blue Dye (EVBD) protocol. We observed significantly increased EVBD in the altitude control and pro-angiogenesis (deferoxamine) cohorts, and significantly decreased EVBD in the anti-angiogenesis (motesanib), established treatment (benzolamide), and sea-level cohorts. Anti-angiogenesis-treated cohorts demonstrated less cerebrovascular extravasation than the altitude control and pro-angiogenesis treated rats, suggesting promise as an alternative prophylactic HACE/AMS treatment. The leak exacerbation with pro-angiogenesis treatment and improvement with anti-angiogenesis treatment support the hypothesis of early neovascularization signals provoking HACE. We demonstrate statistically significant evidence to guide further investigation for VEGF- and HIF-inhibitors as HACE/AMS prophylaxis, and as elucidators of still unknown HACE pathogenesis.Tarshis S, Maltzahn J, Loomis Z, Irwin DC. Preventing high altitude cerebral edema in rats with repurposed anti-angiogenesis pharmacotherapy. Aerosp Med

  13. Chemical Kinetics in the expansion flow field of a rotating detonation-wave engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kailasanath, Kazhikathra; Schwer, Douglas

    2014-11-01

    Rotating detonation-wave engines (RDE) are a form of continuous detonation-wave engines. They potentially provide further gains in performance than an intermittent or pulsed detonation-wave engine (PDE). The overall flow field in an idealized RDE, primarily consisting of two concentric cylinders, has been discussed in previous meetings. Because of the high pressures involved and the lack of adequate reaction mechanisms for this regime, previous simulations have typically used simplified chemistry models. However, understanding the exhaust species concentrations in propulsion devices is important for both performance considerations as well as estimating pollutant emissions. A key step towards addressing this need will be discussed in this talk. In this approach, an induction parameter model is used for simulating the detonation but a more detailed finite-chemistry model is used in the expansion flow region, where the pressures are lower and the uncertainties in the chemistry model are greatly reduced. Results show that overall radical concentrations in the exhaust flow are substantially lower than from earlier predictions with simplified models. The performance of a baseline hydrogen/air RDE increased from 4940 s to 5000 s with the expansion flow chemistry, due to recombination of radicals and more production of H2O, resulting in additional heat release.

  14. Unsteady Specific Work and Isentropic Efficiency of a Radial Turbine Driven by Pulsed Detonations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-14

    rotating detonation combustor RDE = rotating detonation engine SDC = steady deflagration combustor SiC = silicon carbide TDLAS = tunable diode...rotating detonation engine ( RDE ) configuration, illustrated in Fig. 80, has been proposed as an alternative to the axial pulsed detonation tube...arrangement (Bykovskii, et al. 2006; Daniau, et al. 2005; Hayashi, et al. 2009). The RDE contains an annular duct with one open end for exhausting

  15. High-altitude hypoxia as a therapeutic factor in the management of X-ray and cytostatic lymphocytopenias in cancer patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulish, u.P.; Galkina, K.A.; Karabekova, Z.K.; Kudryavtsev, V.I.; Gudi, T.P.

    1984-01-01

    An attempt is made to clarify possibilities of high-altitude conditions use in clinics to restore hematological indices deteriorating as a result of antitumoral radiation or cytostatic therapy. Using conventional methods the content of hemoglobin, the number of erythrocytes and leukocytes, leukocytic formula in the blood of patients have been determined. Using the method of hemocultures the ability of the blood serum to affect leukocyte migration of practically healthy people (donors) has been studied and by the method of amperometric titration the content of SH-groups in the blood is determined. In patients examined under high-altitude conditions the content of hemoglobin and the number of erythrocytes in blood increased, the level of total SH-groups of blood also grew. Blood serum of patients with the expressed lymphocytopenia instead of suppressing effect on leukocyte migration, observed under low-altitude conditions (Frunze), under high-altitude conditions attained the ability to increase leukocyte migration. The conclusion is made that high-altitude hypoxia is a positive factor in the treatment of radiation and cytostatic lymphopenias in cancer patients

  16. High-altitude diving in river otters: coping with combined hypoxic stresses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crait, Jamie R; Prange, Henry D; Marshall, Noah A; Harlow, Henry J; Cotton, Clark J; Ben-David, Merav

    2012-01-15

    River otters (Lontra canadensis) are highly active, semi-aquatic mammals indigenous to a range of elevations and represent an appropriate model for assessing the physiological responses to diving at altitude. In this study, we performed blood gas analyses and compared blood chemistry of river otters from a high-elevation (2357 m) population at Yellowstone Lake with a sea-level population along the Pacific coast. Comparisons of oxygen dissociation curves (ODC) revealed no significant difference in hemoglobin-oxygen (Hb-O(2)) binding affinity between the two populations - potentially because of demands for tissue oxygenation. Instead, high-elevation otters had greater Hb concentrations (18.7 g dl(-1)) than sea-level otters (15.6 g dl(-1)). Yellowstone otters displayed higher levels of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO), and half the concentration of the serum protein albumin, possibly to compensate for increased blood viscosity. Despite compensation in several hematological and serological parameters, theoretical aerobic dive limits (ADL) were similar between high-elevation and sea-level otters because of the lower availability of O(2) at altitude. Our results suggest that recent disruptions to the Yellowstone Lake food web could be detrimental to otters because at this high elevation, constraints on diving may limit their ability to switch to prey in a deep-water environment.

  17. [Physical performance of older adults living in rural areas at sea level and at high altitude in Peru].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estela-Ayamamani, David; Espinoza-Figueroa, Jossué; Columbus-Morales, Mauricio; Runzer-Colmenares, Fernando; Parodi, José F; Mayta-Tristán, Percy

    2015-01-01

    Living at high altitudes requires the inhabitants to adapt biologically and socially to the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the difference in physical performance (PP) in rural populations at sea level and at high altitude. A cross-sectional study was conducted in rural communities in Ancash, Peru, located at 3.345 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) and also in communities located in coastal areas at 6m.a.s.l. PP was measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and other associated factors. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were calculated. A total of 130 older adults were assessed in the high altitude communities and 129 on the coast. The median age was 71.4 years, and 55.6% were female. Low physical performance (SPPB ≤ 6) was 10.0% at high altitude and 19.4% on the coast (p<0.05). Factors associated with low physical performance were residing at the coast (aPR: 2.10, 95% CI 1.02 to 4.33), self-reported poor health (aPR: 2.48, 95% CI 1.21 -5.08), hypertension (aPR: 1.73, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.98), and age (aPR: 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.07), while being a farmer (aPR: 0.49, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.97), and being independent (aPR: 0.37, 95% CI 0,20-, 072) were found to be protective factors. It was also found that the inhabitants of the coast have a mean of 0.86 points lower total SPPB than the high altitude ones (p=0.004). There is an association between altitude of residence and PP in older adults. The prevalence of a low PP in older adults in rural areas at sea level is twice as high compared to those living in high altitude rural communities. Copyright © 2014 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  18. Radiation Safety Issues in High Altitude Commercial Aircraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, John W.; Cucinotta, Francis A.; Shinn, Judy L.

    1995-01-01

    The development of a global economy makes the outlook for high speed commercial intercontinental flight feasible, and the development of various configurations operating from 20 to 30 km have been proposed. In addition to the still unresolved issues relating to current commercial operations (12-16 km), the higher dose rates associated with the higher operating altitudes makes il imperative that the uncertainties in the atmospheric radiation environment and the associated health risks be re-examined. Atmospheric radiation associated with the galactic cosmic rays forms a background level which may, under some circumstances, exceed newly recommended allowable exposure limits proposed on the basis of recent evaluations of the A -bomb survivor data (due to increased risk coefficients). These larger risk coefficients, within the context of the methodology for estimating exposure limits, are resulting in exceedingly low estimated allowable exposure limits which may impact even present day flight operations and was the reason for the CEC workshop in Luxembourg (1990). At higher operating altitudes, solar particles events can produce exposures many orders of magnitude above background levels and pose significant health risks to the most sensitive individuals (such as during pregnancy). In this case the appropriate quality factors are undefined, and some evidence exists which indicates that the quality factor for stochastic effects is a substantial underestimate.

  19. Isolated psychosis during exposure to very high and extreme altitude - characterisation of a new medical entity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hüfner, Katharina; Brugger, Hermann; Kuster, Eva; Dünsser, Franziska; Stawinoga, Agnieszka E; Turner, Rachel; Tomazin, Iztok; Sperner-Unterweger, Barbara

    2017-12-05

    Psychotic episodes during exposure to very high or extreme altitude have been frequently reported in mountain literature, but not systematically analysed and acknowledged as a distinct clinical entity. Episodes reported above 3500 m altitude with possible psychosis were collected from the lay literature and provide the basis for this observational study. Dimensional criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders were used for psychosis, and the Lake Louise Scoring criteria for acute mountain sickness and high-altitude cerebral oedema (HACE). Eighty-three of the episodes collected underwent a cluster analysis to identify similar groups. Ratings were done by two independent, trained researchers (κ values 0.6-1). Findings Cluster 1 included 51% (42/83) episodes without psychosis; cluster 2 22% (18/83) cases with psychosis, plus symptoms of HACE or mental status change from other origins; and cluster 3 28% (23/83) episodes with isolated psychosis. Possible risk factors of psychosis and associated somatic symptoms were analysed between the three clusters and revealed differences regarding the factors 'starvation' (χ2 test, p = 0.002), 'frostbite' (p = 0.024) and 'supplemental oxygen' (p = 0.046). Episodes with psychosis were reversible but associated with near accidents and accidents (p = 0.007, odds ratio 4.44). Episodes of psychosis during exposure to high altitude are frequently reported, but have not been specifically examined or assigned to medical diagnoses. In addition to the risk of suffering from somatic mountain illnesses, climbers and workers at high altitude should be aware of the potential occurrence of psychotic episodes, the associated risks and respective coping strategies.

  20. GPU-based simulation of the two-dimensional unstable structure of gaseous oblique detonations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Teng, H.H.; Kiyanda, C.B.; Ng, H.D. [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8 (Canada); Morgan, G.H.; Nikiforakis, N. [Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE (United Kingdom)

    2015-03-10

    In this paper, the two-dimensional structure of unstable oblique detonations induced by the wedge from a supersonic combustible gas flow is simulated using the reactive Euler equations with a one-step Arrhenius chemistry model. A wide range of activation energy of the combustible mixture is considered. Computations are performed on the Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) to reduce the simulation runtimes. A large computational domain covered by a uniform mesh with high grid resolution is used to properly capture the development of instabilities and the formation of different transverse wave structures. After the initiation point, where the oblique shock transits into a detonation, an instability begins to manifest and in all cases, the left-running transverse waves first appear, followed by the subsequent emergence of right-running transverse waves forming the dual-head triple point structure. This study shows that for low activation energies, a long computational length must be carefully considered to reveal the unstable surface due to the slow growth rate of the instability. For high activation energies, the flow behind the unstable oblique detonation features the formation of unburnt gas pockets and strong vortex-pressure wave interaction resulting in a chaotic-like vortical structure.