An automated and integrated framework for dust storm detection based on ogc web processing services

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, F.; Shea, G. Y. K.; Wong, M. S.; Campbell, J.

2014-11-01

Dust storms are known to have adverse effects on public health. Atmospheric dust loading is also one of the major uncertainties in global climatic modelling as it is known to have a significant impact on the radiation budget and atmospheric stability. The complexity of building scientific dust storm models is coupled with the scientific computation advancement, ongoing computing platform development, and the development of heterogeneous Earth Observation (EO) networks. It is a challenging task to develop an integrated and automated scheme for dust storm detection that combines Geo-Processing frameworks, scientific models and EO data together to enable the dust storm detection and tracking processes in a dynamic and timely manner. This study develops an automated and integrated framework for dust storm detection and tracking based on the Web Processing Services (WPS) initiated by Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). The presented WPS framework consists of EO data retrieval components, dust storm detecting and tracking component, and service chain orchestration engine. The EO data processing component is implemented based on OPeNDAP standard. The dust storm detecting and tracking component combines three earth scientific models, which are SBDART model (for computing aerosol optical depth (AOT) of dust particles), WRF model (for simulating meteorological parameters) and HYSPLIT model (for simulating the dust storm transport processes). The service chain orchestration engine is implemented based on Business Process Execution Language for Web Service (BPEL4WS) using open-source software. The output results, including horizontal and vertical AOT distribution of dust particles as well as their transport paths, were represented using KML/XML and displayed in Google Earth. A serious dust storm, which occurred over East Asia from 26 to 28 Apr 2012, is used to test the applicability of the proposed WPS framework. Our aim here is to solve a specific instance of a complex EO data

A Dynamic Enhancement With Background Reduction Algorithm: Overview and Application to Satellite-Based Dust Storm Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Steven D.; Bankert, Richard L.; Solbrig, Jeremy E.; Forsythe, John M.; Noh, Yoo-Jeong; Grasso, Lewis D.

2017-12-01

This paper describes a Dynamic Enhancement Background Reduction Algorithm (DEBRA) applicable to multispectral satellite imaging radiometers. DEBRA uses ancillary information about the clear-sky background to reduce false detections of atmospheric parameters in complex scenes. Applied here to the detection of lofted dust, DEBRA enlists a surface emissivity database coupled with a climatological database of surface temperature to approximate the clear-sky equivalent signal for selected infrared-based multispectral dust detection tests. This background allows for suppression of false alarms caused by land surface features while retaining some ability to detect dust above those problematic surfaces. The algorithm is applicable to both day and nighttime observations and enables weighted combinations of dust detection tests. The results are provided quantitatively, as a detection confidence factor [0, 1], but are also readily visualized as enhanced imagery. Utilizing the DEBRA confidence factor as a scaling factor in false color red/green/blue imagery enables depiction of the targeted parameter in the context of the local meteorology and topography. In this way, the method holds utility to both automated clients and human analysts alike. Examples of DEBRA performance from notable dust storms and comparisons against other detection methods and independent observations are presented.

Quantitative detection of settled coal dust over green canopy

Science.gov (United States)

Brook, Anna; Sahar, Nir

2017-04-01

The main task of environmental and geoscience applications are efficient and accurate quantitative classification of earth surfaces and spatial phenomena. In the past decade, there has been a significant interest in employing spectral unmixing in order to retrieve accurate quantitative information latent in in situ data. Recently, the ground-truth and laboratory measured spectral signatures promoted by advanced algorithms are proposed as a new path toward solving the unmixing problem in semi-supervised fashion. This study presents a practical implementation of field spectroscopy as a quantitative tool to detect settled coal dust over green canopy in free/open environment. Coal dust is a fine powdered form of coal, which is created by the crushing, grinding, and pulverizing of coal. Since the inelastic nature of coal, coal dust can be created during transportation, or by mechanically handling coal. Coal dust, categorized at silt-clay particle size, of particular concern due to heavy metals (lead, mercury, nickel, tin, cadmium, mercury, antimony, arsenic, isotopes of thorium and strontium) which are toxic also at low concentrations. This hazard exposes risk on both environment and public health. It has been identified by medical scientist around the world as causing a range of diseases and health problems, mainly heart and respiratory diseases like asthma and lung cancer. It is due to the fact that the fine invisible coal dust particles (less than 2.5 microns) long lodge in the lungs and are not naturally expelled, so long-term exposure increases the risk of health problems. Numerus studies reported that data to conduct study of geographic distribution of the very fine coal dust (smaller than PM 2.5) and related health impacts from coal exports, is not being collected. Sediment dust load in an indoor environment can be spectrally assessed using reflectance spectroscopy (Chudnovsky and Ben-Dor, 2009). Small amounts of particulate pollution that may carry a signature

Impact of Aerosol Dust on xMAP Multiplex Detection of Different Class Pathogens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denis A. Kleymenov

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Environmental or city-scale bioaerosol surveillance can provide additional value for biodefense and public health. Efficient bioaerosol monitoring should rely on multiplex systems capable of detecting a wide range of biologically hazardous components potentially present in air (bacteria, viruses, toxins and allergens. xMAP technology from LuminexTM allows multiplex bead-based detection of antigens or nucleic acids, but its use for simultaneous detection of different classes of pathogens (bacteria, virus, toxin is questionable. Another problem is the detection of pathogens in complex matrices, e.g., in the presence of dust. In the this research, we developed the model xMAP multiplex test-system aiRDeTeX 1.0, which enables detection of influenza A virus, Adenovirus type 6 Salmonella typhimurium, and cholera toxin B subunit representing RNA virus, DNA virus, gram-negative bacteria and toxin respectively as model organisms of biologically hazardous components potentially present in or spreadable through the air. We have extensively studied the effect of matrix solution (PBS, distilled water, environmental dust and ultrasound treatment for monoplex and multiplex detection efficiency of individual targets. All targets were efficiently detectable in PBS and in the presence of dust. Ultrasound does not improve the detection except for bacterial LPS.

The nature of (sub-)micrometre cometary dust particles detected with MIDAS

Science.gov (United States)

Mannel, T.; Bentley, M. S.; Torkar, K.; Jeszenszky, H.; Romstedt, J.; Schmied, R.

2015-10-01

The MIDAS Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) onboard Rosetta collects dust particles and produces three-dimensional images with nano- to micrometre resolution. To date, several tens of particles have been detected, allowing determination of their properties at the smallest scale. The key features will be presented, including the particle size, their fragile character, and their morphology. These findings will be compared with the results of other Rosetta dust experiments.

Disk Detective: Discovery of New Circumstellar Disk Candidates through Citizen Science

OpenAIRE

Kuchner, Marc J.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; Garcia, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L.; Rebull, Luisa M.; Wisniewski, John P.; Nesvold, Erika

2016-01-01

The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μm excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectr...

Early Science with the Large Millimeter Telescope: Detection of Dust Emission in Multiple Images of a Normal Galaxy at z > 4 Lensed by a Frontier Fields Cluster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pope, Alexandra; Battisti, Andrew; Wilson, Grant W.; Calzetti, Daniela; Cybulski, Ryan; Giavalisco, Mauro; Kirkpatrick, Allison; Montaña, Alfredo; Aretxaga, Itziar; Hughes, David; Limousin, Marceau; Marchesini, Danilo; Kado-Fong, Erin; Alberts, Stacey; Avila-Reese, Vladimir; Bermejo-Climent, José Ramón; Brammer, Gabriel; Bravo-Alfaro, Hector; Chary, Ranga-Ram; Keller, Erica

2017-01-01

We directly detect dust emission in an optically detected, multiply imaged galaxy lensed by the Frontier Fields cluster MACSJ0717.5+3745. We detect two images of the same galaxy at 1.1 mm with the AzTEC camera on the Large Millimeter Telescope leaving no ambiguity in the counterpart identification. This galaxy, MACS0717-Az9, is at z > 4 and the strong lensing model ( μ = 7.5) allows us to calculate an intrinsic IR luminosity of 9.7 × 10 10 L ⊙ and an obscured star formation rate of 14.6 ± 4.5 M ⊙ yr −1 . The unobscured star formation rate from the UV is only 4.1 ± 0.3 M ⊙ yr −1 , which means the total star formation rate (18.7 ± 4.5 M ⊙ yr −1 ) is dominated (75%–80%) by the obscured component. With an intrinsic stellar mass of only 6.9 × 10 9 M ⊙ , MACS0717-Az9 is one of only a handful of z > 4 galaxies at these lower masses that is detected in dust emission. This galaxy lies close to the estimated star formation sequence at this epoch. However, it does not lie on the dust obscuration relation (IRX- β ) for local starburst galaxies and is instead consistent with the Small Magellanic Cloud attenuation law. This remarkable lower mass galaxy, showing signs of both low metallicity and high dust content, may challenge our picture of dust production in the early universe.

Early Science with the Large Millimeter Telescope: Detection of Dust Emission in Multiple Images of a Normal Galaxy at z > 4 Lensed by a Frontier Fields Cluster

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pope, Alexandra; Battisti, Andrew; Wilson, Grant W.; Calzetti, Daniela; Cybulski, Ryan; Giavalisco, Mauro; Kirkpatrick, Allison [Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 (United States); Montaña, Alfredo; Aretxaga, Itziar; Hughes, David [Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE), Luis Enrique Erro 1, Sta. Ma. Tonantzintla, 72840 Puebla (Mexico); Limousin, Marceau [Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d' Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille (France); Marchesini, Danilo; Kado-Fong, Erin [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155 (United States); Alberts, Stacey [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Avila-Reese, Vladimir [Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 70-264, 04510, CDMX (Mexico); Bermejo-Climent, José Ramón [Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna. Vía Láctea s/n, La Laguna 38200, Tenerife (Spain); Brammer, Gabriel [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Bravo-Alfaro, Hector [Departamento de Astronomia, Universidad de Guanajuato, Apdo. Postal 144, Guanajuato 36000 (Mexico); Chary, Ranga-Ram [Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, MS314-6, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Keller, Erica, E-mail: pope@astro.umass.edu [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); and others

2017-04-01

We directly detect dust emission in an optically detected, multiply imaged galaxy lensed by the Frontier Fields cluster MACSJ0717.5+3745. We detect two images of the same galaxy at 1.1 mm with the AzTEC camera on the Large Millimeter Telescope leaving no ambiguity in the counterpart identification. This galaxy, MACS0717-Az9, is at z > 4 and the strong lensing model ( μ = 7.5) allows us to calculate an intrinsic IR luminosity of 9.7 × 10{sup 10} L {sub ⊙} and an obscured star formation rate of 14.6 ± 4.5 M {sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}. The unobscured star formation rate from the UV is only 4.1 ± 0.3 M {sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}, which means the total star formation rate (18.7 ± 4.5 M {sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}) is dominated (75%–80%) by the obscured component. With an intrinsic stellar mass of only 6.9 × 10{sup 9} M {sub ⊙}, MACS0717-Az9 is one of only a handful of z > 4 galaxies at these lower masses that is detected in dust emission. This galaxy lies close to the estimated star formation sequence at this epoch. However, it does not lie on the dust obscuration relation (IRX- β ) for local starburst galaxies and is instead consistent with the Small Magellanic Cloud attenuation law. This remarkable lower mass galaxy, showing signs of both low metallicity and high dust content, may challenge our picture of dust production in the early universe.

Lithium Wall Conditioning And Surface Dust Detection On NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skinner, C.H.; Allain, J.P.; Bell, M.G.; Friesen, F.Q.L.; Heim, B.; Jaworski, M.A.; Kugel, H.; Maingi, R.; Rais, B.; Taylor, C.N.

2011-01-01

Lithium evaporation onto NSTX plasma facing components (PFC) has resulted in improved energy confinement, and reductions in the number and amplitude of edge-localized modes (ELMs) up to the point of complete ELM suppression. The associated PFC surface chemistry has been investigated with a novel plasma material interface probe connected to an in-vacuo surface analysis station. Analysis has demonstrated that binding of D atoms to the polycrystalline graphite material of the PFCs is fundamentally changed by lithium - in particular deuterium atoms become weakly bonded near lithium atoms themselves bound to either oxygen or the carbon from the underlying material. Surface dust inside NSTX has been detected in real-time using a highly sensitive electrostatic dust detector. In a separate experiment, electrostatic removal of dust via three concentric spiral-shaped electrodes covered by a dielectric and driven by a high voltage 3-phase waveform was evaluated for potential application to fusion reactors

Reducing uncertainty in dust monitoring to detect aeolian sediment transport responses to land cover change

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, N.; Chappell, A.; Van Zee, J.; Toledo, D.; Duniway, M.; Billings, B.; Tedela, N.

2017-12-01

Anthropogenic land use and land cover change (LULCC) influence global rates of wind erosion and dust emission, yet our understanding of the magnitude of the responses remains poor. Field measurements and monitoring provide essential data to resolve aeolian sediment transport patterns and assess the impacts of human land use and management intensity. Data collected in the field are also required for dust model calibration and testing, as models have become the primary tool for assessing LULCC-dust cycle interactions. However, there is considerable uncertainty in estimates of dust emission due to the spatial variability of sediment transport. Field sampling designs are currently rudimentary and considerable opportunities are available to reduce the uncertainty. Establishing the minimum detectable change is critical for measuring spatial and temporal patterns of sediment transport, detecting potential impacts of LULCC and land management, and for quantifying the uncertainty of dust model estimates. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of common sampling designs (e.g., simple random sampling, systematic sampling) used to measure and monitor aeolian sediment transport rates. Using data from the US National Wind Erosion Research Network across diverse rangeland and cropland cover types, we demonstrate how only large changes in sediment mass flux (of the order 200% to 800%) can be detected when small sample sizes are used, crude sampling designs are implemented, or when the spatial variation is large. We then show how statistical rigour and the straightforward application of a sampling design can reduce the uncertainty and detect change in sediment transport over time and between land use and land cover types.

DUST PROPERTIES OF LOCAL DUST-OBSCURED GALAXIES WITH THE SUBMILLIMETER ARRAY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Ho Seong; Andrews, Sean M.; Geller, Margaret J.

2013-01-01

We report Submillimeter Array observations of the 880 μm dust continuum emission for four dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) in the local universe. Two DOGs are clearly detected with S ν (880 μm) =10-13 mJy and S/N > 5, but the other two are not detected with 3σ upper limits of S ν (880 μm) =5-9 mJy. Including an additional two local DOGs with submillimeter data from the literature, we determine the dust masses and temperatures for six local DOGs. The infrared luminosities and dust masses for these DOGs are in the ranges of 1.2-4.9 × 10 11 (L ☉ ) and 4-14 × 10 7 (M ☉ ), respectively. The dust temperatures derived from a two-component modified blackbody function are 23-26 K and 60-124 K for the cold and warm dust components, respectively. Comparison of local DOGs with other infrared luminous galaxies with submillimeter detections shows that the dust temperatures and masses do not differ significantly among these objects. Thus, as argued previously, local DOGs are not a distinctive population among dusty galaxies, but simply represent the high-end tail of the dust obscuration distribution

DUST PROPERTIES OF LOCAL DUST-OBSCURED GALAXIES WITH THE SUBMILLIMETER ARRAY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Ho Seong; Andrews, Sean M.; Geller, Margaret J., E-mail: hhwang@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: sandrews@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: mgeller@cfa.harvard.edu [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2013-11-01

We report Submillimeter Array observations of the 880 μm dust continuum emission for four dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) in the local universe. Two DOGs are clearly detected with S{sub ν}(880 μm) =10-13 mJy and S/N > 5, but the other two are not detected with 3σ upper limits of S{sub ν}(880 μm) =5-9 mJy. Including an additional two local DOGs with submillimeter data from the literature, we determine the dust masses and temperatures for six local DOGs. The infrared luminosities and dust masses for these DOGs are in the ranges of 1.2-4.9 × 10{sup 11}(L{sub ☉}) and 4-14 × 10{sup 7}(M{sub ☉}), respectively. The dust temperatures derived from a two-component modified blackbody function are 23-26 K and 60-124 K for the cold and warm dust components, respectively. Comparison of local DOGs with other infrared luminous galaxies with submillimeter detections shows that the dust temperatures and masses do not differ significantly among these objects. Thus, as argued previously, local DOGs are not a distinctive population among dusty galaxies, but simply represent the high-end tail of the dust obscuration distribution.

Electrostatic Dust Detector with Improved Sensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyle, D.P.; Skinner, C.H.; Roquemore, A.L.

2008-01-01

Methods to measure the inventory of dust particles and to remove dust if it approaches safety limits will be required in next-step tokamaks such as ITER. An electrostatic dust detector, based on a fine grid of interlocking circuit traces, biased to 30 or 50 V, has been developed for the detection of dust on remote surfaces in air and vacuum environments. Gaining operational experience of dust detection on surfaces in tokamaks is important, however the level of dust generated in contemporary short-pulse tokamaks is comparatively low and high sensitivity is necessary to measure dust on a shot-by-shot basis. We report on modifications in the detection electronics that have increased the sensitivity of the electrostatic dust detector by a factor of up to 120, - a level suitable for measurements on contemporary tokamaks.

An Enhanced Satellite-Based Algorithm for Detecting and Tracking Dust Outbreaks by Means of SEVIRI Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Marchese

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Dust outbreaks are meteorological phenomena of great interest for scientists and authorities (because of their impact on the climate, environment, and human activities, which may be detected, monitored, and characterized from space using different methods and procedures. Among the recent dust detection algorithms, the RSTDUST multi-temporal technique has provided good results in different geographic areas (e.g., Mediterranean basin; Arabian Peninsula, exhibiting a better performance than traditional split window methods, in spite of some limitations. In this study, we present an optimized configuration of this technique, which better exploits data provided by Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI aboard Meteosat Second Generation (MSG satellites to address those issues (e.g., sensitivity reduction over arid and semi-arid regions; dependence on some meteorological clouds. Three massive dust events affecting Europe and the Mediterranean basin in May 2008/2010 are analysed in this work, using information provided by some independent and well-established aerosol products to assess the achieved results. The study shows that the proposed algorithm, christened eRSTDUST (i.e., enhanced RSTDUST, which provides qualitative information about dust outbreaks, is capable of increasing the trade-off between reliability and sensitivity. The results encourage further experimentations of this method in other periods of the year, also exploiting data provided by different satellite sensors, for better evaluating the advantages arising from the use of this dust detection technique in operational scenarios.

INFRARED LUMINOSITIES AND DUST PROPERTIES OF z ∼ 2 DUST-OBSCURED GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bussmann, R. S.; Dey, Arjun; Jannuzi, B. T.; Borys, C.; Desai, V.; Sheth, K.; Soifer, B. T.; Le Floc'h, E.; Melbourne, J.

2009-01-01

We present SHARC-II 350 μm imaging of twelve 24 μm bright (F 24μm > 0.8 mJy) Dust-Obscured Galaxies (DOGs) and Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) 1 mm imaging of a subset of two DOGs. These objects are selected from the Booetes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey. Detections of four DOGs at 350 μm imply infrared (IR) luminosities which are consistent to within a factor of 2 of expectations based on a warm-dust spectral energy distribution (SED) scaled to the observed 24 μm flux density. The 350 μm upper limits for the 8 non-detected DOGs are consistent with both Mrk 231 and M82 (warm-dust SEDs), but exclude cold dust (Arp 220) SEDs. The two DOGs targeted at 1 mm were not detected in our CARMA observations, placing strong constraints on the dust temperature: T dust > 35-60 K. Assuming these dust properties apply to the entire sample, we find dust masses of ∼3 x 10 8 M sun . In comparison to other dusty z ∼ 2 galaxy populations such as submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) and other Spitzer-selected high-redshift sources, this sample of DOGs has higher IR luminosities (2 x 10 13 L sun versus 6 x 10 12 L sun for the other galaxy populations) that are driven by warmer dust temperatures (>35-60 K versus ∼30 K) and lower inferred dust masses (3 x 10 8 M sun versus 3 x 10 9 M sun ). Wide-field Herschel and Submillimeter Common-User Bolometer Array-2 surveys should be able to detect hundreds of these power-law-dominated DOGs. We use the existing Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer/InfraRed Array Camera data to estimate stellar masses of these sources and find that the stellar to gas mass ratio may be higher in our 24 μm bright sample of DOGs than in SMGs and other Spitzer-selected sources. Although much larger sample sizes are needed to provide a definitive conclusion, the data are consistent with an evolutionary trend in which the formation of massive galaxies at z ∼ 2 involves a submillimeter bright, cold-dust, and star

Sahara Dust Cloud

Science.gov (United States)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Dust Particles Click on the image for Quicktime movie from 7/15-7/24 A continent-sized cloud of hot air and dust originating from the Sahara Desert crossed the Atlantic Ocean and headed towards Florida and the Caribbean. A Saharan Air Layer, or SAL, forms when dry air and dust rise from Africa's west coast and ride the trade winds above the Atlantic Ocean. These dust clouds are not uncommon, especially during the months of July and August. They start when weather patterns called tropical waves pick up dust from the desert in North Africa, carry it a couple of miles into the atmosphere and drift westward. In a sequence of images created by data acquired by the Earth-orbiting Atmospheric Infrared Sounder ranging from July 15 through July 24, we see the distribution of the cloud in the atmosphere as it swirls off of Africa and heads across the ocean to the west. Using the unique silicate spectral signatures of dust in the thermal infrared, AIRS can detect the presence of dust in the atmosphere day or night. This detection works best if there are no clouds present on top of the dust; when clouds are present, they can interfere with the signal, making it much harder to detect dust as in the case of July 24, 2005. In the Quicktime movie, the scale at the bottom of the images shows +1 for dust definitely detected, and ranges down to -1 for no dust detected. The plots are averaged over a number of AIRS observations falling within grid boxes, and so it is possible to obtain fractional numbers. [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Total Water Vapor in the Atmosphere Around the Dust Cloud Click on the image for Quicktime movie The dust cloud is contained within a dry adiabatic layer which originates over the Sahara Desert. This Saharan Air Layer (SAL) advances Westward over the Atlantic Ocean, overriding the cool, moist air nearer the surface. This burst of very dry air is visible in the AIRS retrieved total water

Dust Devil Tracks

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

(Released 8 May 2002) The Science This image, centered near 50.0 S and 17.7 W displays dust devil tracks on the surface. Most of the lighter portions of the image likely have a thin veneer of dust settled on the surface. As a dust devil passes over the surface, it acts as a vacuum and picks up the dust, leaving the darker substrate exposed. In this image there is a general trend of many of the tracks running from east to west or west to east, indicating the general wind direction. There is often no general trend present in dust devil tracks seen in other images. The track patterns are quite ephemeral and can completely change or even disappear over the course of a few months. Dust devils are one of the mechanisms that Mars uses to constantly pump dust into the ubiquitously dusty atmosphere. This atmospheric dust is one of the main driving forces of the present Martian climate. The Story Vrrrrooooooooom. Think of a tornado, the cartoon Tasmanian devil, or any number of vacuum commercials that powerfully suck up swirls of dust and dirt. That's pretty much what it's like on the surface of Mars a lot of the time. Whirlpools of wind called

Dust diseases and the legacy of corporate manipulation of science and law.

Science.gov (United States)

Egilman, David; Bird, Tess; Lee, Caroline

2014-01-01

The dust diseases silicosis and asbestosis were the first occupational diseases to have widespread impact on workers. Knowledge that asbestos and silica were hazardous to health became public several decades after the industry knew of the health concerns. This delay was largely influenced by the interests of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife) and other asbestos mining and product manufacturing companies. To understand the ongoing corporate influence on the science and politics of asbestos and silica exposure, including litigation defense strategies related to historical manipulation of science. We examined previously secret corporate documents, depositions and trial testimony produced in litigation; as well as published literature. Our analysis indicates that companies that used and produced asbestos have continued and intensified their efforts to alter the asbestos-cancer literature and utilize dust-exposure standards to avoid liability and regulation. Organizations of asbestos product manufacturers delayed the reduction of permissible asbestos exposures by covering up the link between asbestos and cancer. Once the decline of the asbestos industry in the US became inevitable, the companies and their lawyers designed the state of the art (SOA) defense to protect themselves in litigation and to maintain sales to developing countries. Asbestos product companies would like the public to believe that there was a legitimate debate surrounding the dangers of asbestos during the twentieth century, particularly regarding the link to cancer, which delayed adequate regulation. The asbestos-cancer link was not a legitimate contestation of science; rather the companies directly manipulated the scientific literature. There is evidence that industry manipulation of scientific literature remains a continuing problem today, resulting in inadequate regulation and compensation and perpetuating otherwise preventable worker and consumer injuries and deaths.

Formation and dissociation of dust molecules in dusty plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jia; Feng, Fan; Liu, Fucheng; Dong, Lifang; He, Yafeng

2016-09-01

Dust molecules are observed in a dusty plasma experiment. By using measurements with high spatial resolution, the formation and dissociation of the dust molecules are studied. The ion cloud in the wake of an upper dust grain attracts the lower dust grain nearby. When the interparticle distance between the upper dust grain and the lower one is less than a critical value, the two dust grains would form a dust molecule. The upper dust grain always leads the lower one as they travel. When the interparticle distance between them is larger than the critical value, the dust molecule would dissociate. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11205044 and 11405042), the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China (Grant Nos. A2011201006 and A2012201015), the Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hebei Province, China (Grant No. Y2012009), the Program for Young Principal Investigators of Hebei Province, China, and the Midwest Universities Comprehensive Strength Promotion Project, China.

Development of A Microbalance System For Water and Dust Detection In Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Battaglia, R.; Palomba, E.; Palumbo, P.; Colangeli, L.

The cycle of dust on Mars is a key component of current climate, is relevant in the dynamic and thermodynamic evolution of atmosphere, and is directly involved in the water cloud formation. Furthermore, dust suspended in the atmosphere is a major driver of atmospheric motions at all scales and is suspected of having had great in- fluence on the morphological evolution of the Martian surface. The dust dispersed in the atmosphere thermally influences the behaviour of the lower atmosphere. Most of information on the nature of small particle on Mars is derived from Viking Lander data and Mars Pathfinder observations, even if the Viking orbiter IRTM instrument also was able to provide estimates of particle size distribution of Martian soil. On the other hand water is important as indicator of global climate changes on long time- scale. Seasonal variations in the column abundance are due to the combined effect of exchange of H2O between atmosphere and water reservoirs (e.g. polar caps, re- golith) and atmospheric transport. The Viking orbiters collected accurate information during the period 1976-1979 and much of what we know about water circulation in the Martian atmosphere derives from the observations by the Mars Atmospheric Wa- ter Detection experiments (MAWD). Despite the low absolute water content (0,03%), relative humidity can exceed 100%, leading to the formation of near surface fog and condensation clouds, thanks to low typical Mars temperatures. The typical value of 6.1 mbar (coincident with the triple point in the water phase diagram) of the surficial pressure, makes rather difficult the persistence of liquid water at the surface of Mars. This means that the water is present exclusively in a gaseous and (when the conditions are favourable) solid state. In this context, it is extremely important to study the role of the different contributions to the production of atmospheric water and to the forma- tion of water ice clouds by the three main reservoirs, i

Quantitative detection of settled dust over green canopy

Science.gov (United States)

Brook, Anna

2016-04-01

NMF (SS-NMF), 6) Alternating Least-Square (ALS), and 2) Lin's Projected Gradient (LPG). The performance is evaluated on real hyperspectral imagery data via detailed experimental assessment. The study showed that in certain compression tasks content-adapted sparse representation is provided by state-of-the-art solutions. The NMF algorithm estimates endmembers that are used to remove spurious information. If computationally feasible, it should include interaction terms to make the model more flexible. The optimal NMF algorithms, such as ALS and LPG, are assumed to be the simplest methods that achieve the minimum error on the test set. In summary, this work shows that sediment dust can be assessed using airborne HSI data, making it a potentially powerful tool for environmental studies. References Keshava, N., Mustard, J. (2002). Spectral unmixing. IEEE Signal Process. Mag., 19(1), 44-57. Chudnovsky, A., & Ben-Dor, E. (2009). Reflectance spectroscopy as a tool for settled dust monitoring in office environment. International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 4(1), 32-49. Brook, A. (2014). Quantitative Detection of Settled dust over Green Canopy using Sparse Unmixing of Airborne Hyperspectral Data. IEEE-Whispers 6th Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing: Evolution in Remote Sensing, 2014, Switzerland, 4-8. Keshava, N., Mustard, J. (2002). Spectral unmixing. IEEE Signal Process. Mag., 19(1), 44-57. Bioucas-Dias et al. (2012). Hyperspectral unmixing overview: Geometrical, statistical, and sparse regression-based approaches, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 5(2), 354 -379.

Detection of Dust Condensations in the Orion Bar Photon-dominated Region

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Keping; Xie, Zeqiang; Zhang, Qizhou

2018-03-01

We report Submillimeter Array dust continuum and molecular spectral line observations toward the Orion Bar photon-dominated region (PDR). The 1.2 mm continuum map reveals, for the first time, a total of nine compact (r < 0.01 pc) dust condensations located within a distance of ∼0.03 pc from the dissociation front of the PDR. Part of the dust condensations are also seen in spectral line emissions of CS (5–4) and H2CS (71,7–61,6), though the CS map also reveals dense gas further away from the dissociation front. We also detect compact emissions in H2CS (60,6–50,5), (62,4–52,3) and C34S, C33S (4–3) toward bright dust condensations. The line ratio of H2CS (60,6–50,5)/(62,4–52,3) suggests a temperature of 73 ± 58 K. A nonthermal velocity dispersion of ∼0.25–0.50 km s‑1 is derived from the high spectral resolution C34S data and indicates a subsonic to transonic turbulence in the condensations. The masses of the condensations are estimated from the dust emission, and range from 0.03 to 0.3 M ⊙, all significantly lower than any critical mass that is required for self-gravity to play a crucial role. Thus the condensations are not gravitationally bound, and could not collapse to form stars. In cooperating with recent high-resolution observations of the compressed surface layers of the molecular cloud in the Bar, we speculate that the condensations are produced as a high-pressure wave induced by the expansion of the H II region compresses and enters the cloud. A velocity gradient along a direction perpendicular to the major axis of the Bar is seen in H2CS (71,7–61,6), and is consistent with the scenario that the molecular gas behind the dissociation front is being compressed.

Attempt to detect diamagnetic anisotropy of dust-sized crystal orientated to investigate the origin of interstellar dust alignment

Science.gov (United States)

Takeuchi, T.; Hisayoshi, K.; Uyeda, C.

2013-03-01

Diamagnetic anisotropy Δ χ dia was detected on a submillimeter-sized calcite crystal by observing the rotational oscillation of its magnetically stable axis with respect to the magnetic field direction. The crystal was released in an area of microgravity generated by a 1.5-m-long drop shaft. When the oscillations are observable, the present method can measure Δ χ dia of crystal grains irrespective of how small they are without measuring the sample mass. In conventional Δ χ measurements, the background signal from the sample holder and the difficulty in measuring the sample mass prevent measurement of Δ χ dia for small samples. The present technique of observing Δ χ dia of a submillimeter-sized single crystal is a step toward realizing Δ χ dia measurements of micron-sized grains. The Δ χ dia values of single micron-sized grains can be used to assess the validity of a dust alignment model based on magnetic torque that originates from the Δ χ dia of individual dust particles.

Dust Measurements in Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudakov, D; Yu, J; Boedo, J; Hollmann, E; Krasheninnikov, S; Moyer, R; Muller, S; Yu, A; Rosenberg, M; Smirnov, R; West, W; Boivin, R; Bray, B; Brooks, N; Hyatt, A; Wong, C; Fenstermacher, M; Groth, M; Lasnier, C; McLean, A; Stangeby, P; Ratynskaia, S; Roquemore, A; Skinner, C; Solomon, W M

2008-01-01

Dust production and accumulation impose safety and operational concerns for ITER. Diagnostics to monitor dust levels in the plasma as well as in-vessel dust inventory are currently being tested in a few tokamaks. Dust accumulation in ITER is likely to occur in hidden areas, e.g. between tiles and under divertor baffles. A novel electrostatic dust detector for monitoring dust in these regions has been developed and tested at PPPL. In DIII-D tokamak dust diagnostics include Mie scattering from Nd:YAG lasers, visible imaging, and spectroscopy. Laser scattering resolves size of particles between 0.16-1.6 (micro)m in diameter; the total dust content in the edge plasmas and trends in the dust production rates within this size range have been established. Individual dust particles are observed by visible imaging using fast-framing cameras, detecting dust particles of a few microns in diameter and larger. Dust velocities and trajectories can be determined in 2D with a single camera or 3D using multiple cameras, but determination of particle size is problematic. In order to calibrate diagnostics and benchmark dust dynamics modeling, pre-characterized carbon dust has been injected into the lower divertor of DIII-D. Injected dust is seen by cameras, and spectroscopic diagnostics observe an increase of carbon atomic, C2 dimer, and thermal continuum emissions from the injected dust. The latter observation can be used in the design of novel dust survey diagnostics

Carbohydrate and protein contents of grain dusts in relation to dust morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Dashek, W V; Olenchock, S A; Mayfield, J E; Wirtz, G H; Wolz, D E; Young, C A

1986-01-01

Grain dusts contain a variety of materials which are potentially hazardous to the health of workers in the grain industry. Because the characterization of grain dusts is incomplete, we are defining the botanical, chemical, and microbial contents of several grain dusts collected from grain elevators in the Duluth-Superior regions of the U.S. Here, we report certain of the carbohydrate and protein contents of dusts in relation to dust morphology. Examination of the gross morphologies of the dusts revealed that, except for corn, each dust contained either husk or pericarp (seed coat in the case of flax) fragments in addition to respirable particles. When viewed with the light microscope, the fragments appeared as elongated, pointed structures. The possibility that certain of the fragments within corn, settled, and spring wheat were derived from cell walls was suggested by the detection of pentoses following colorimetric assay of neutralized 2 N trifluoroacetic acid hydrolyzates of these dusts. The presence of pentoses together with the occurrence of proteins within water washings of grain dusts suggests that glycoproteins may be present within the dusts. With scanning electron microscopy, each dust was found to consist of a distinct assortment of particles in addition to respirable particles. Small husk fragments and "trichome-like" objects were common to all but corn dust. Images FIGURE 4. FIGURE 5. PMID:3709476

Spirit Feels Dust Gust

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

On sol 1149 (March 28, 2007) of its mission, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit caught a wind gust with its navigation camera. A series of navigation camera images were strung together to create this movie. The front of the gust is observable because it was strong enough to lift up dust. From assessing the trajectory of this gust, the atmospheric science team concludes that it is possible that it passed over the rover. There was, however, no noticeable increase in power associated with this gust. In the past, dust devils and gusts have wiped the solar panels of dust, making it easier for the solar panels to absorb sunlight.

An investigation of Martian and terrestrial dust devils

Science.gov (United States)

Ringrose, Timothy John

2004-10-01

It is the purpose of this work to provide an insight into the theoretical and practical dynamics of dust devils and how they are detected remotely from orbit or in situ on planetary surfaces. There is particular interest in the detection of convective vortices on Mars; this has been driven by involvement in the development of the Beagle 2 Environmental Sensor Suite. This suite of sensors is essentially a martian weather station and will be the first planetary lander experiment specifically looking for the presence of dust devils on Mars. Dust devils are characterised by their visible dusty core and intense rotation. The physics of particle motion, including dust lofting and the rotational dynamics within convective vortices are explained and modelled. This modelling has helped in identifying dust devils in meteorological data from both terrestrial and martian investigations. An automated technique for dust devil detection using meteorological data has been developed. This technique searches data looking for the specific vortex signature as well as detecting other transient events. This method has been tested on both terrestrial and martian data with surprising results. 38 possible convective vortices were detected in the first 60 sols of the Viking Lander 2 meteorological data. Tests were also carried out on data from a terrestrial dust devil campaign, which provided conclusive evidence from visual observations of the reliability of this technique. A considerable amount of this work does focus on terrestrial vortices. This is to aid in the understanding of dust devils, specifically how, why and when they form. Both laboratory and terrestrial fieldwork is investigated, providing useful data on the general structure of dust devils.

Dust evolution in protoplanetary disks

OpenAIRE

Gonzalez , Jean-François; Fouchet , Laure; T. Maddison , Sarah; Laibe , Guillaume

2007-01-01

6 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of IAU Symp. 249: Exoplanets: Detection, Formation and Dynamics (Suzhou, China); International audience; We investigate the behaviour of dust in protoplanetary disks under the action of gas drag using our 3D, two-fluid (gas+dust) SPH code. We present the evolution of the dust spatial distribution in global simulations of planetless disks as well as of disks containing an already formed planet. The resulting dust structures vary strongly with pa...

Hypervelocity Dust Impacts in Space and the Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Horanyi, Mihaly; Colorado CenterLunar Dust; Atmospheric Studies (CCLDAS) Team

2013-10-01

Interplanetary dust particles continually bombard all objects in the solar system, leading to the excavation of material from the target surfaces, the production of secondary ejecta particles, plasma, neutral gas, and electromagnetic radiation. These processes are of interest to basic plasma science, planetary and space physics, and engineering to protect humans and instruments against impact damages. The Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies (CCLDAS) has recently completed a 3 MV dust accelerator, and this talk will summarize our initial science results. The 3 MV Pelletron contains a dust source, feeding positively charged micron and sub-micron sized particles into the accelerator. We will present the technical details of the facility and its capabilities, as well as the results of our initial experiments for damage assessment of optical devices, and penetration studies of thin films. We will also report on the completion of our dust impact detector, the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX), is expected to be flying onboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission by the time of this presentation. LDEX was tested, and calibrated at our dust accelerator. We will close by offering the opportunity to use this facility by the planetary, space and plasma physics communities.

Quantifying Anthropogenic Dust Emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Nicholas P.; Pierre, Caroline

2018-02-01

Anthropogenic land use and land cover change, including local environmental disturbances, moderate rates of wind-driven soil erosion and dust emission. These human-dust cycle interactions impact ecosystems and agricultural production, air quality, human health, biogeochemical cycles, and climate. While the impacts of land use activities and land management on aeolian processes can be profound, the interactions are often complex and assessments of anthropogenic dust loads at all scales remain highly uncertain. Here, we critically review the drivers of anthropogenic dust emission and current evaluation approaches. We then identify and describe opportunities to: (1) develop new conceptual frameworks and interdisciplinary approaches that draw on ecological state-and-transition models to improve the accuracy and relevance of assessments of anthropogenic dust emissions; (2) improve model fidelity and capacity for change detection to quantify anthropogenic impacts on aeolian processes; and (3) enhance field research and monitoring networks to support dust model applications to evaluate the impacts of disturbance processes on local to global-scale wind erosion and dust emissions.

SOFIA OBSERVATIONS OF SN 2010jl: ANOTHER NON-DETECTION OF THE 9.7 μm SILICATE DUST FEATURE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, Brian J.; Fox, Ori D.

2015-01-01

We present photometric observations from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) at 11.1 μm of the Type IIn supernova (SN IIn) 2010jl. The SN is undetected by SOFIA, but the upper limits obtained, combined with new and archival detections from Spitzer at 3.6 and 4.5 μm, allow us to characterize the composition of the dust present. Dust in other SN IIn has been shown in previous works to reside in a circumstellar shell of material ejected by the progenitor system in the few millenia prior to explosion. Our model fits show that the dust in the system shows no evidence for the strong, ubiquitous 9.7 μm feature from silicate dust, suggesting the presence of carbonaceous grains. The observations are best fit with 0.01–0.05 M ⊙ of carbonaceous dust radiating at a temperature of ∼550–620 K. The dust composition may reveal clues concerning the nature of the progenitor system, which remains ambiguous for this subclass. Most of the single star progenitor systems proposed for SNe IIn, such as luminous blue variables, red supergiants, yellow hypergiants, and B[e] stars, all clearly show silicate dust in their pre-SN outflows. However, this post-SN result is consistent with the small sample of SNe IIn with mid-IR observations, none of which show signs of emission from silicate dust in their IR spectra

SOFIA OBSERVATIONS OF SN 2010jl: ANOTHER NON-DETECTION OF THE 9.7 μm SILICATE DUST FEATURE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Brian J. [CRESST and X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory, NASA/GSFC, Code 662, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD (United States); Fox, Ori D., E-mail: brian.j.williams@nasa.gov [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States)

2015-07-20

We present photometric observations from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) at 11.1 μm of the Type IIn supernova (SN IIn) 2010jl. The SN is undetected by SOFIA, but the upper limits obtained, combined with new and archival detections from Spitzer at 3.6 and 4.5 μm, allow us to characterize the composition of the dust present. Dust in other SN IIn has been shown in previous works to reside in a circumstellar shell of material ejected by the progenitor system in the few millenia prior to explosion. Our model fits show that the dust in the system shows no evidence for the strong, ubiquitous 9.7 μm feature from silicate dust, suggesting the presence of carbonaceous grains. The observations are best fit with 0.01–0.05 M{sub ⊙} of carbonaceous dust radiating at a temperature of ∼550–620 K. The dust composition may reveal clues concerning the nature of the progenitor system, which remains ambiguous for this subclass. Most of the single star progenitor systems proposed for SNe IIn, such as luminous blue variables, red supergiants, yellow hypergiants, and B[e] stars, all clearly show silicate dust in their pre-SN outflows. However, this post-SN result is consistent with the small sample of SNe IIn with mid-IR observations, none of which show signs of emission from silicate dust in their IR spectra.

Large Aperture Electrostatic Dust Detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skinner, C.H.; Hensley, R.; Roquemore, A.L.

2007-01-01

Diagnosis and management of dust inventories generated in next-step magnetic fusion devices is necessary for their safe operation. A novel electrostatic dust detector, based on a fine grid of interlocking circuit traces biased to 30 or 50 v has been developed for the detection of dust particles on remote surfaces in air and vacuum environments. Impinging dust particles create a temporary short circuit and the resulting current pulse is recorded by counting electronics. Up to 90% of the particles are ejected from the grid or vaporized suggesting the device may be useful for controlling dust inventories. We report measurements of the sensitivity of a large area (5x5 cm) detector to microgram quantities of dust particles and review its applications to contemporary tokamaks and ITER.

INVESTIGATION OF SAHARAN DUST TRANSPORT ON THE BASIS OF AEROLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. TÓTH

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The Sahara Desert is the largest dust source on Earth. Its dust is frequently emitted into the Mediterranean atmosphere and transported by the winds sometimes as far north as Central Europe. The accumulated particles contribute to soil forming processes, while the atmospheric mineral dust has an impact on the radiation budget, cloud forming processes, the pH of precipitation and biogeochemical cycles of marine ecosystems. The PM (particulate matter in ambient air does not contain only primary particles but secondary particles formed in the atmosphere from precursor gases as well. Especially these latter ones have significant negative impacts to human health. There are in average four-five Saharan dust episodes annually in Hungary, sometimes in form of colour precipitation (brown rainfall, red snow. There are several possibilities for providing evidence for the Saharan origin of the dust observed in our country: back-trajectories using NOAA HYSPLIT model, TOMS satellite maps of NASA, maps of aerosol index of Ozone Monitoring Instrument, observations of spectral aerosol optical depth of Aerosol Robotic Network, satellite maps of EUMETSAT, elemental analysis of dust samples. In this study we try to reveal the suitability of the upper-air wind fields in detection of Saharan dust episodes in Central Europe. We deployed the global upper-air data base of the last 41 years that is available by courtesy of College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at University of Wyoming. We apply this method also for tracking air pollution of vegetation fires.

A critical evaluation of combustible/explosible dust testing methods-part 1

Science.gov (United States)

Tests were conducted by the Center for Agricultural Air Quality Engineering and Science (CAAQES) and by Safety Consulting Engineers Inc. (SCE) to determine if dust found in cotton gins (gin dust) would serve as fuel for dust explosions. In other words, is gin dust explosible? The laboratory tests us...

Gathering dust: A galaxy-wide study of dust emission from cloud complexes in NGC 300

Science.gov (United States)

Riener, M.; Faesi, C. M.; Forbrich, J.; Lada, C. J.

2018-05-01

Aims: We use multi-band observations by the Herschel Space Observatory to study the dust emission properties of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 300. We compile a first catalogue of the population of giant dust clouds (GDCs) in NGC 300, including temperature and mass estimates, and give an estimate of the total dust mass of the galaxy. Methods: We carried out source detection with the multiwavelength source extraction algorithm getsources. We calculated physical properties, including mass and temperature, of the GDCs from five-band Herschel PACS and SPIRE observations from 100 to 500 μm; the final size and mass estimates are based on the observations at 250 μm that have an effective spatial resolution of 170 pc. We correlated our final catalogue of GDCs to pre-existing catalogues of HII regions to infer the number of GDCs associated with high-mass star formation and determined the Hα emission of the GDCs. Results: Our final catalogue of GDCs includes 146 sources, 90 of which are associated with known HII regions. We find that the dust masses of the GDCs are completely dominated by the cold dust component and range from 1.1 × 103 to 1.4 × 104 M⊙. The GDCs have effective temperatures of 13-23 K and show a distinct cold dust effective temperature gradient from the centre towards the outer parts of the stellar disk. We find that the population of GDCs in our catalogue constitutes 16% of the total dust mass of NGC 300, which we estimate to be about 5.4 × 106 M⊙. At least about 87% of our GDCs have a high enough average dust mass surface density to provide sufficient shielding to harbour molecular clouds. We compare our results to previous pointed molecular gas observations in NGC 300 and results from other nearby galaxies and also conclude that it is very likely that most of our GDCs are associated with complexes of giant molecular clouds. The catalogue is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http

Diagnostics of mobile dust in scrape-off layer plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ratynskaia, S; Castaldo, C; Bergsaaker, H; Rudakov, D

2011-01-01

Dust production and accumulation pose serious safety and operational implications for the next generation fusion devices. Mobile dust particles can result in core plasma contamination with impurities, and those with high velocities can significantly contribute to the wall erosion. Diagnostics for monitoring dust in tokamaks during plasma discharges are hence important as they can provide information on dust velocity and size, and-in some cases-on dust composition. Such measurements are also valuable as an input for theoretical models of dust dynamics in scrape-off layer plasmas. Existing in situ dust diagnostics, focusing on the range of dust parameters they can detect, are reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the diagnostics which allow us to detect tails of the dust velocity and size distributions, e.g. small and very fast particles. Some of the techniques discussed have been adopted from space-related research and have been shown to be feasible and useful for tokamak applications as well.

Real-time PCR detection of toxigenic Fusarium in airborne and settled grain dust and associations with trichothecene mycotoxins.

Science.gov (United States)

Halstensen, Anne Straumfors; Nordby, Karl-Christian; Eduard, Wijnand; Klemsdal, Sonja Sletner

2006-12-01

Inhalation of immunomodulating mycotoxins produced by Fusarium spp. that are commonly found in grain dust may imply health risks for grain farmers. Airborne Fusarium and mycotoxin exposure levels are mainly unknown due to difficulties in identifying Fusarium and mycotoxins in personal aerosol samples. We used a novel real-time PCR method to quantify the fungal trichodiene synthase gene (tri5) and DNA specific to F. langsethiae and F. avenaceum in airborne and settled grain dust, determined the personal inhalant exposure level to toxigenic Fusarium during various activities, and evaluated whether quantitative measurements of Fusarium-DNA could predict trichothecene levels in grain dust. Airborne Fusarium-DNA was detected in personal samples even from short tasks (10-60 min). The median Fusarium-DNA level was significantly higher in settled than in airborne grain dust (p dust (r(s) = 0.20, p = 0.003). Both F. langsethiae-DNA and tri5-DNA were associated with HT-2 and T-2 toxins (r(s) = 0.24-0.71, p dust, and could thus be suitable as indicators for HT-2 and T-2. The median personal inhalant exposure to specific toxigenic Fusarium spp. was less than 1 genome m(-3), but the exposure ranged from 0-10(5) genomes m(-3). This study is the first to apply real-time PCR on personal samples of inhalable grain dust for the quantification of tri5 and species-specific Fusarium-DNA, which may have potential for risk assessments of inhaled trichothecenes.

Observation of Asian dust properties by using multi-wavelength LIDAR system at anmyeon island, Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sung Chul; Ko, Do Kyeoung; Lee, Jong Min; Kim, Young Joon; Noh, Young Min

2004-01-01

The Asian dust affect climate both directly and indirectly because they act as effective ice nuclei and forms ice cloud. However, little is known about spatial distribution and trajectory because few measurement data are available in the free troposphere over East Asia, where a large amount of Asian dust are transported form desert regions in Asian continent. LIDAR system is an effective tool for remotely measuring the vertical distribution of aerosol optical properties. For measurement of Asian dust optical properties, a multi-wavelength LIDAR system developed by the Advanced Environment Monitoring Research Center (ADEMRC), Gwangju Institute Science and Technology (GIST), Korea. This paper presents the results of ground-based multi-wavelength LIDAR measurements of the Asian dust aerosol over Anmyeon Island (36.40N, 126.10E) during the spring of 2004. To discriminate between Asian dust and cloud, depolarization ratio is useful for the detection of these particles and the LIDAR ratio. Also, we discuss the relationship between LIDAR ratio and other optical properties from LIDAR measurement, i.e., the depolarization ratio, aerosol extinction coefficient and LIDAR ratio

DISK DETECTIVE: DISCOVERY OF NEW CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK CANDIDATES THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuchner, Marc J.; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, Code 667 Greenbelt, MD 21230 (United States); Silverberg, Steven M.; Wisniewski, John P. [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy The University of Oklahoma 440 W. Brooks St. Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Bans, Alissa S. [Valparaiso University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Neils Science Center, 1610 Campus Drive East, Valparaiso, IN 46383 (United States); Bhattacharjee, Shambo [International Space University 1 Rue Jean-Dominique Cassini F-67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden (France); Kenyon, Scott J. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 60 Garden Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Debes, John H. [Space Telescope Science Institute 3700 San Martin Dr. Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Currie, Thayne [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan 650 N A’ohokhu Place Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); García, Luciano [Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Laprida 854, X5000BGR, Córdoba (Argentina); Jung, Dawoon [Korea Aerospace Research Institute Lunar Exploration Program Office 169-84 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34133 (Korea, Republic of); Lintott, Chris [Denys Wilkinson Building Keble Road Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Rebull, Luisa M. [Infrared Processing and Analaysis Center Caltech M/S 314-6 1200 E. California Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Nesvold, Erika, E-mail: Marc.Kuchner@nasa.gov, E-mail: michael.w.mcelwain@nasa.gov, E-mail: deborah.l.padgett@nasa.gov, E-mail: carol.a.grady@nasa.gov, E-mail: silverberg@ou.edu, E-mail: wisniewski@ou.edu [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015-1305 (United States); Collaboration: Disk Detective Collaboration; and others

2016-10-20

The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μ m excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectroscopy on the FLWO Tillinghast telescope. This approach should allow us to unleash the full potential of WISE for finding new debris disks and protoplanetary disks. We announce a first list of 37 new disk candidates discovered by the project, and we describe our vetting and follow-up process. One of these systems appears to contain the first debris disk discovered around a star with a white dwarf companion: HD 74389. We also report four newly discovered classical Be stars (HD 6612, HD 7406, HD 164137, and HD 218546) and a new detection of 22 μ m excess around the previously known debris disk host star HD 22128.

DISK DETECTIVE: DISCOVERY OF NEW CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK CANDIDATES THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuchner, Marc J.; McElwain, Michael; Padgett, Deborah L.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Wisniewski, John P.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; García, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris; Rebull, Luisa M.; Nesvold, Erika

2016-01-01

The Disk Detective citizen science project aims to find new stars with 22 μ m excess emission from circumstellar dust using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) mission. Initial cuts on the AllWISE catalog provide an input catalog of 277,686 sources. Volunteers then view images of each source online in 10 different bands to identify false positives (galaxies, interstellar matter, image artifacts, etc.). Sources that survive this online vetting are followed up with spectroscopy on the FLWO Tillinghast telescope. This approach should allow us to unleash the full potential of WISE for finding new debris disks and protoplanetary disks. We announce a first list of 37 new disk candidates discovered by the project, and we describe our vetting and follow-up process. One of these systems appears to contain the first debris disk discovered around a star with a white dwarf companion: HD 74389. We also report four newly discovered classical Be stars (HD 6612, HD 7406, HD 164137, and HD 218546) and a new detection of 22 μ m excess around the previously known debris disk host star HD 22128.

Disk Detective: Discovery of New Circumstellar Disk Candidates Through Citizen Science

Science.gov (United States)

Kuchner, Marc J.; Silverberg, Steven M.; Bans, Alissa S.; Bhattacharjee, Shambo; Kenyon, Scott J.; Debes, John H.; Currie, Thayne; Garcia, Luciano; Jung, Dawoon; Lintott, Chris;

PERSPECTIVE: Dust, fertilization and sources

Science.gov (United States)

Remer, Lorraine A.

2006-11-01

between a model and observations J. Geophys. Res. 111 D06207 (doi:10.1029/2005JD005791) [5] Ginoux P et al 2001 Sources and distribution of dust aerosol simulated with the GOCART model J. Geophys. Res. 106 20255-74 (doi:10.1029/2000JD000053) [6] Prospero J M, Ginoux P, Torres O, Nicholson S E and Gill T E 2002 Environmental characterization of global sources of atmospheric soil dust identified with the NIMBUS 7 total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) absorbing aerosol product Rev. Geophys. 40 (1) 1002 (doi:10.1029/2000RG000095) [7] Koren I, Kaufman Y J, Washington R, Todd M C, Rudich Y, Martins J V and Rosenfeld D 2006 The Bodélé depression: a single spot in the Sahara that provides most of the mineral dust to the Amazon forest Environ. Res Lett. 1 014005 (doi:10.1088/1748-9326/1/1/014005) Photo of Lorraine A Remer Lorraine A Remer received a BS degree in atmospheric science from the University of California, Davis, in 1980, an MS degree in oceanography from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, in 1983, and a PhD degree, also in atmospheric science from the University of California, Davis, in 1991. She became involved with the MODIS retrievals of atmospheric aerosols in 1991, first as a Research Scientist with Science Systems and Applications, Inc., and subsequently with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which she joined in 1998. She is an Associate Member of the MODIS Science Team and a Member of the Global Aerosol Climatology Project Science Team.

Effect of prior dust collection on detection, counting efficiency, and energy resolution for alpha continuous air monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newton, G.J.; Hoover, M.D.

1994-01-01

For the past several years, we have supported the DOE Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project by evaluating the capabilities and performance of the Eberline Alpha 6 continuous air monitor (CAM). This evalution has focused on the ability of the CAM to correctly report plutonium in the presence of salt dust. Tests involving the simultaneous collection of plutonium and salt have shown that burial by salt can degrade the detection of plutonium, but that this interference is negligible when salt concentrations are below about 0.2 mg/m 3 . Throughout the evalution, it has been assumed that salt burial is a concern for slow, chronic release of plutonium, but that any acute release of plutonium would be collected on the top surface of the filter or salt and would be unattenuated. The spectral quality of alpha radiation detection on membrane filters is observed to improve with filter loading. This is attributed to the probability that accumulations of dust tend to fill in surface irregularities of the collection filter at a a faster rate than they create additional surface irregularities. The validity of these assumptions about the improved detection of plutonium on salt-layer surfaces has recently been questioned. Based on electron micrographic examination of salt-laden filters, it has been speculated that collection of salt dust on a membrane filter results in formation of pores, fissures, and dendritic shapes of salt on the filter surface. If plutonium were collected, particles could penetrate into the pores and fissures, resulting in a degraded or lost signal from the plutonium. Because no experimental evidence existed to answer the concern, the purpose of the current study was to quantify any differences between detection of plutonium on clean or salt-laden filters

The Lunar Dust Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Szalay, Jamey Robert

Planetary bodies throughout the solar system are continually bombarded by dust particles, largely originating from cometary activities and asteroidal collisions. Surfaces of bodies with thick atmospheres, such as Venus, Earth, Mars and Titan are mostly protected from incoming dust impacts as these particles ablate in their atmospheres as 'shooting stars'. However, the majority of bodies in the solar system have no appreciable atmosphere and their surfaces are directly exposed to the flux of high speed dust grains. Impacts onto solid surfaces in space generate charged and neutral gas clouds, as well as solid secondary ejecta dust particles. Gravitationally bound ejecta clouds forming dust exospheres were recognized by in situ dust instruments around the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, and had not yet been observed near bodies with refractory regolith surfaces before NASA's Lunar Dust and Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission. In this thesis, we first present the measurements taken by the Lunar Dust Explorer (LDEX), aboard LADEE, which discovered a permanently present, asymmetric dust cloud surrounding the Moon. The global characteristics of the lunar dust cloud are discussed as a function of a variety of variables such as altitude, solar longitude, local time, and lunar phase. These results are compared with models for lunar dust cloud generation. Second, we present an analysis of the groupings of impacts measured by LDEX, which represent detections of dense ejecta plumes above the lunar surface. These measurements are put in the context of understanding the response of the lunar surface to meteoroid bombardment and how to use other airless bodies in the solar system as detectors for their local meteoroid environment. Third, we present the first in-situ dust measurements taken over the lunar sunrise terminator. Having found no excess of small grains in this region, we discuss its implications for the putative population of electrostatically lofted dust.

Numerical Prediction of Dust. Chapter 10

Science.gov (United States)

Benedetti, Angela; Baldasano, J. M.; Basart, S.; Benincasa, F.; Boucher, O.; Brooks, M.; Chen, J. P.; Colarco, P. R.; Gong, S.; Huneeus, N.;

Pluto's interaction with its space environment: Solar wind, energetic particles, and dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagenal, F; Horányi, M; McComas, D J; McNutt, R L; Elliott, H A; Hill, M E; Brown, L E; Delamere, P A; Kollmann, P; Krimigis, S M; Kusterer, M; Lisse, C M; Mitchell, D G; Piquette, M; Poppe, A R; Strobel, D F; Szalay, J R; Valek, P; Vandegriff, J; Weidner, S; Zirnstein, E J; Stern, S A; Ennico, K; Olkin, C B; Weaver, H A; Young, L A

2016-03-18

The New Horizons spacecraft carried three instruments that measured the space environment near Pluto as it flew by on 14 July 2015. The Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument revealed an interaction region confined sunward of Pluto to within about 6 Pluto radii. The region's surprisingly small size is consistent with a reduced atmospheric escape rate, as well as a particularly high solar wind flux. Observations from the Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation (PEPSSI) instrument suggest that ions are accelerated and/or deflected around Pluto. In the wake of the interaction region, PEPSSI observed suprathermal particle fluxes equal to about 1/10 of the flux in the interplanetary medium and increasing with distance downstream. The Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter, which measures grains with radii larger than 1.4 micrometers, detected one candidate impact in ±5 days around New Horizons' closest approach, indicating an upper limit of <4.6 kilometers(-3) for the dust density in the Pluto system. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

A SUBMILLIMETER CONTINUUM SURVEY OF LOCAL DUST-OBSCURED GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Chul; Hwang, Ho Seong; Lee, Gwang-Ho

2016-01-01

We conduct a 350 μ m dust continuum emission survey of 17 dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) at z = 0.05–0.08 with the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO). We detect 14 DOGs with S 350μm = 114–650 mJy and signal-to-noise > 3. By including two additional DOGs with submillimeter data in the literature, we are able to study dust content for a sample of 16 local DOGs, which consist of 12 bump and four power-law types. We determine their physical parameters with a two-component modified blackbody function model. The derived dust temperatures are in the range 57–122 K and 22–35 K for the warm and cold dust components, respectively. The total dust mass and the mass fraction of the warm dust component are 3–34 × 10 7 M ⊙ and 0.03%–2.52%, respectively. We compare these results with those of other submillimeter-detected infrared luminous galaxies. The bump DOGs, the majority of the DOG sample, show similar distributions of dust temperatures and total dust mass to the comparison sample. The power-law DOGs show a hint of smaller dust masses than other samples, but need to be tested with a larger sample. These findings support that the reason DOGs show heavy dust obscuration is not an overall amount of dust content, but probably the spatial distribution of dust therein.

A SUBMILLIMETER CONTINUUM SURVEY OF LOCAL DUST-OBSCURED GALAXIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jong Chul [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, 776 Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Ho Seong [School of Physics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, 85 Hoegiro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02455 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Gwang-Ho, E-mail: jclee@kasi.re.kr [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-20

We conduct a 350 μ m dust continuum emission survey of 17 dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) at z = 0.05–0.08 with the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO). We detect 14 DOGs with S{sub 350μm} = 114–650 mJy and signal-to-noise > 3. By including two additional DOGs with submillimeter data in the literature, we are able to study dust content for a sample of 16 local DOGs, which consist of 12 bump and four power-law types. We determine their physical parameters with a two-component modified blackbody function model. The derived dust temperatures are in the range 57–122 K and 22–35 K for the warm and cold dust components, respectively. The total dust mass and the mass fraction of the warm dust component are 3–34 × 10{sup 7} M {sub ⊙} and 0.03%–2.52%, respectively. We compare these results with those of other submillimeter-detected infrared luminous galaxies. The bump DOGs, the majority of the DOG sample, show similar distributions of dust temperatures and total dust mass to the comparison sample. The power-law DOGs show a hint of smaller dust masses than other samples, but need to be tested with a larger sample. These findings support that the reason DOGs show heavy dust obscuration is not an overall amount of dust content, but probably the spatial distribution of dust therein.

The HOSTS Survey—Exozodiacal Dust Measurements for 30 Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Ertel, S.; Defrère, D.; Hinz, P.; Mennesson, B.; Kennedy, G. M.; Danchi, W. C.; Gelino, C.; Hill, J. M.; Hoffmann, W. F.; Rieke, G.; Shannon, A.; Spalding, E.; Stone, J. M.; Vaz, A.; Weinberger, A. J.; Willems, P.; Absil, O.; Arbo, P.; Bailey, V. P.; Beichman, C.; Bryden, G.; Downey, E. C.; Durney, O.; Esposito, S.; Gaspar, A.; Grenz, P.; Haniff, C. A.; Leisenring, J. M.; Marion, L.; McMahon, T. J.; Millan-Gabet, R.; Montoya, M.; Morzinski, K. M.; Pinna, E.; Power, J.; Puglisi, A.; Roberge, A.; Serabyn, E.; Skemer, A. J.; Stapelfeldt, K.; Su, K. Y. L.; Vaitheeswaran, V.; Wyatt, M. C.

2018-05-01

The Hunt for Observable Signatures of Terrestrial Systems survey searches for dust near the habitable zones (HZs) around nearby, bright main-sequence stars. We use nulling interferometry in the N band to suppress the bright stellar light and to probe for low levels of HZ dust around the 30 stars observed so far. Our overall detection rate is 18%, including four new detections, among which are the first three around Sun-like stars and the first two around stars without any previously known circumstellar dust. The inferred occurrence rates are comparable for early-type and Sun-like stars, but decrease from {60}-21+16% for stars with previously detected cold dust to {8}-3+10% for stars without such excess, confirming earlier results at higher sensitivity. For completed observations on individual stars, our sensitivity is five to ten times better than previous results. Assuming a lognormal excess luminosity function, we put upper limits on the median HZ dust level of 13 zodis (95% confidence) for a sample of stars without cold dust and of 26 zodis when focusing on Sun-like stars without cold dust. However, our data suggest that a more complex luminosity function may be more appropriate. For stars without detectable Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) excess, our upper limits are almost reduced by a factor of two, demonstrating the strength of LBTI target vetting for future exo-Earth imaging missions. Our statistics are limited so far, and extending the survey is critical to informing the design of future exo-Earth imaging surveys.

Dust coma of Halley comet: measurements with the dust counter and mass analyzer (DUSMA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, J.A.; Sagdeev, R.Z.; Tuzzolino, A.J.; AN SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Kosmicheskikh Issledovanij)

1986-01-01

The paper represents a preliminary report on measurements of spatial and temporal distribution of mass and flows of dust particles coming from comet nucleus performed by means of devices constructed on the new principle of detecting comet dust specks. The device has a high time resolution (∼ 4 μs) in the wide range of mass and dust flows. On the base of a preliminary analysis the following conclusions are drawn: dust coma in quiet state (''Vega-2'') as well as at the presence of considerable emissions (''Vega-1'') manifests the presence of important short-term out-bursts having by time a quasi-periodic structure. Integral mass spectra show flows intensity growth with the decrease of measured mass (which contradicts some theoretical models). Flow levels lie approximately in the region previously determined by ground observations. The coma is extremely dynamic both in space and in time which proves the complex structure of regions of dust emission from the nucleus

Is there dust in galactic haloes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenberg, J.M.; Ferrini, F.; Pisa Univ.; Barsella, B.; Aiello, S.

1987-01-01

The ubiquitous presence of dust within the disks of spiral galaxies is well established. The authors predict that the presence of dust in these regions may be revealed in bright edge-on galaxies, especially by using the polarization of the scattered light from the symmetric lanes. The detection of scattered light above the galactic plane may be an indicator that the parent galaxy has not suffered close encounters with other galaxies at least within the timescale required to establish the dust layers. (author)

Straightforward fabrication of black nano silica dusting powder for latent fingerprint imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Komalasari, Isna; Krismastuti, Fransiska Sri Herwahyu; Elishian, Christine; Handayani, Eka Mardika; Nugraha, Willy Cahya; Ketrin, Rosi

2017-11-01

Imaging of latent fingerprint pattern (aka fingermark) is one of the most important and accurate detection methods in forensic investigation because of the characteristic of individual fingerprint. This detection technique relies on the mechanical adherence of fingerprint powder to the moisture and oily component of the skin left on the surface. The particle size of fingerprint powder is one of the critical parameter to obtain excellent fingerprint image. This study develops a simple, cheap and straightforward method to fabricate Nano size black dusting fingerprint powder based on Nano silica and applies the powder to visualize latent fingerprint. The nanostructured silica was prepared from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and then modified with Nano carbon, methylene blue and sodium acetate to color the powder. Finally, as a proof-of-principle, the ability of this black Nano silica dusting powder to image latent fingerprint is successfully demonstrated and the results show that this fingerprint powder provides clearer fingerprint pattern compared to the commercial one highlighting the potential application of the nanostructured silica in forensic science.

Magnetically aligned dust and SiO maser polarisation in the envelope of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Vlemmings, W. H. T.; Khouri, T.; Martí-Vidal, I.; Tafoya, D.; Baudry, A.; Etoka, S.; Humphreys, E. M. L.; Jones, T. J.; Kemball, A.; O'Gorman, E.; Pérez-Sánchez, A. F.; Richards, A. M. S.

2017-07-01

Aims: Polarisation observations of circumstellar dust and molecular (thermal and maser) lines provide unique information about dust properties and magnetic fields in circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars. Methods: We use Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Band 5 science verification observations of the red supergiant VY CMa to study the polarisation of SiO thermal/maser lines and dust continuum at 1.7 mm wavelength. We analyse both linear and circular polarisation and derive the magnetic field strength and structure, assuming the polarisation of the lines originates from the Zeeman effect, and that of the dust originates from aligned dust grains. We also discuss other effects that could give rise to the observed polarisation. Results: We detect, for the first time, significant polarisation ( 3%) of the circumstellar dust emission at millimeter wavelengths. The polarisation is uniform with an electric vector position angle of 8°. Varying levels of linear polarisation are detected for the J = 4 - 328SiO v = 0, 1, 2, and 29SiO v = 0, 1 lines, with the strongest polarisation fraction of 30% found for the 29SiO v = 1 maser. The linear polarisation vectors rotate with velocity, consistent with earlier observations. We also find significant (up to 1%) circular polarisation in several lines, consistent with previous measurements. We conclude that the detection is robust against calibration and regular instrumental errors, although we cannot yet fully rule out non-standard instrumental effects. Conclusions: Emission from magnetically aligned grains is the most likely origin of the observed continuum polarisation. This implies that the dust is embedded in a magnetic field >13 mG. The maser line polarisation traces the magnetic field structure. The magnetic field in the gas and dust is consistent with an approximately toroidal field configuration, but only higher angular resolution observations will be able to reveal more detailed field structure. If the

He Puff System For Dust Detector Upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rais, B.; Skinner, C.H.; Roquemore, A.L.

2010-01-01

Local detection of surface dust is needed for the safe operation of next-step magnetic fusion devices such as ITER. An electrostatic dust detector, based on a 5 cm x 5 cm grid of interlocking circuit traces biased to 50 V, has been developed to detect dust on remote surfaces and was successfully tested for the first time on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). We report on a helium puff system that clears residual dust from this detector and any incident debris or fibers that might cause a permanent short circuit. The entire surface of the detector was cleared of carbon particles by two consecutive helium puffs delivered by three nozzles of 0.45 mm inside diameter. The optimal configuration was found to be with the nozzles at an angle of 30o with respect to the surface of the detector and a helium backing pressure of 6 bar.

Development of electrochemical biosensor for detection of pathogenic microorganism in Asian dust events.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Min-Sang; Shin, Minguk; Kim, Younghun; Jang, Min; Choi, Yoon-E; Park, Si Jae; Choi, Jonghoon; Lee, Jinyoung; Park, Chulhwan

2017-05-01

We developed a single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-based electrochemical biosensor for the detection of Bacillus subtilis, one of the microorganisms observed in Asian dust events, which causes respiratory diseases such as asthma and pneumonia. SWCNTs plays the role of a transducer in biological antigen/antibody reaction for the electrical signal while 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succinimidyl ester (1-PBSE) and ant-B. subtilis were performed as a chemical linker and an acceptor, respectively, for the adhesion of target microorganism in the developed biosensor. The detection range (10 2 -10 10  CFU/mL) and the detection limit (10 2  CFU/mL) of the developed biosensor were identified while the response time was 10 min. The amount of target B. subtilis was the highest in the specificity test of the developed biosensor, compared with the other tested microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Flavobacterium psychrolimnae, and Aquabacterium commune). In addition, target B. subtilis detected by the developed biosensor was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating A Novel Flame Retardant Known as V6: Measurements in Baby Products, House Dust and Car Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Mingliang; Webster, Thomas F.; Gooden, David; Cooper, Ellen M.; McClean, Michael D.; Carignan, Courtney; Makey, Colleen; Stapleton, Heather M.

2013-01-01

With the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, the use of new and alternate flame retardants has been increasing. 2,2-bis(chloromethyl)propane-1,3-diyltetrakis(2-chloroethyl) bisphosphate, known as V6, is a flame retardant applied to polyurethane foam commonly found in furniture and automobile foam. However, to the authors’ knowledge, no research has been conducted on V6 levels in the environment. The intention of this study was to measure the concentration of V6 in foam collected from baby products where it was recently detected, and measure levels in dust samples collected from homes and automobiles in the Boston, MA area. To accomplish this a pure V6 commercial standard was purchased from a Chinese manufacturer and purified (> 98%). An analytical method to measure V6 in dust samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) was developed. Extraction was conducted using Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) and extracts were purified using an ENVI-Florisil SPE column (500 mg, 3mL). V6 was measured in foam samples collected from baby products with a concentration ranging from 24,500,000 to 59,500,000 ng/g of foam (n = 12, average ± sd: 46,500,000 ± 12,000,000 ng/g; i.e., on average, 4.6 % of the foam mass was V6). V6 was also detected in 19 of 20 car dust samples and 14 of 20 house dust samples analyzed. The concentration of V6 in the house dust ranged from car dust with a median of 103.0 ng/g. Concentrations in car dust were significantly higher than the house dust, potentially indicating higher use of V6 in automobiles compared to products found in the home. Furthermore, tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), a known carcinogen, was found in the V6 commercial mixture (14% by weight) as an impurity and was consistently detected with V6 in the foam samples analyzed. A significant correlation was also observed between V6 and TCEP in the dust samples, suggesting that the use of V6 is a significant source of TCEP

Migration of Interplanetary Dust and Comets

Science.gov (United States)

Ipatov, S. I.; Mather, J. C.

. The fraction of particles started from Encke-type comets is not large (<0.15) in order to fit the observational distributions of particles over their distances from the Sun. Studies of velocities of MgI line and corresponding eccentricities and inclinations in our runs showed that the mean eccentricity of zodiacal dust particles is about 0.5. [1] Ipatov S.I. and Mather J.C. (2004) Annals of the New York Acad. of Sciences, 1017, 46- 65. [2] Ipatov S.I., Mather J.C., and Taylor P. (2004) Annals of the New York Acad. of Sciences, 1017, 66-80. [3] Ipatov S.I. and Mather J.C. (2006) Advances in Space Research, 37, 126-137. [4] Ipatov S.I. et al. (2006) 37th LPSC, #1471.

Investigations of Wind/WAVES Dust Impacts

Science.gov (United States)

St Cyr, O. C.; Wilson, L. B., III; Rockcliffe, K.; Mills, A.; Nieves-Chinchilla, T.; Adrian, M. L.; Malaspina, D.

2017-12-01

The Wind spacecraft launched in November 1994 with a primary goal to observe and understand the interaction between the solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere. The waveform capture detector, TDS, of the radio and plasma wave investigation, WAVES [Bougeret et al., 1995], onboard Wind incidentally detected micron-sized dust as electric field pulses from the recollection of the impact plasma clouds (an unintended objective). TDS has detected over 100,000 dust impacts spanning almost two solar cycles; a dataset of these impacts has been created and was described in Malaspina & Wilson [2016]. The spacecraft continues to collect data about plasma, energetic particles, and interplanetary dust impacts. Here we report on two investigations recently conducted on the Wind/WAVES TDS database of dust impacts. One possible source of dust particles is the annually-recurring meteor showers. Using the nine major showers defined by the American Meteor Society, we compared dust count rates before, during, and after the peak of the showers using averaging windows of varying duration. However, we found no statistically significant change in the dust count rates due to major meteor showers. This appears to be an expected result since smaller grains, like the micron particles that Wind is sensitive to, are affected by electromagnetic interactions and Poynting-Robertson drag, and so are scattered away from their initial orbits. Larger grains tend to be more gravitationally dominated and stay on the initial trajectory of the parent body so that only the largest dust grains (those that create streaks as they burn up in the atmosphere) are left in the orbit of the parent body. Ragot and Kahler [2003] predicted that coronal mass ejections (CMEs) near the Sun could effectively scatter dust grains of comparable size to those observed by Wind. Thus, we examined the dust count rates immediately before, during, and after the passage of the 350 interplanetary CMEs observed by Wind over its 20+ year

Air-conditioner filters enriching dust mites allergen.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Xiaodong; Li, Chaopin; Xu, Haifeng; Xu, Pengfei; Zhu, Haibin; Diao, Jidong; Li, Na; Zhao, Beibei

2015-01-01

We detected the concentration of dust mites allergen (Der f1 & Der p1) in the air of different places before and after the starting of air-conditioners in Wuhu City, Anhui, China, and to discuss the relation between the dust mites allergen in air-conditioner filters and the asthma attack. The dust samples were collected from the air-conditioner filters in dining rooms, shopping malls, hotels and households respectively. Concentrations of dust mites major group allergen 1 (Der f 1, Der p1) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the dust mite immune activities were determined by dot-ELISA. The concentration of Der f1 in dining rooms, shopping malls, hotels and households was 1.52 μg/g, 1.24 μg/g, 1.31 μg/g and 1.46 μg/g respectively, and the concentration of Der p1 in above-mentioned places was 1.23 μg/g, 1.12 μg/g, 1.16 μg/g and 1.18 μg/g respectively. The concentration of Der f1 & Der p1 in air was higher after the air-conditioners starting one hours later, and the difference was significant (Pair-conditioner filters can enrich dust mites major group allergen, and the allergens can induce asthma. The air-conditioner filters shall be cleaned or replaced regularly to prevent or reduce accumulation of the dust mites and its allergens.

Investigating the use of the Saharan dust index as a tool for the detection of volcanic ash in SEVIRI imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Isabelle; Mackie, Shona; Watson, Matthew

2015-10-01

Despite the similar spectral signatures of ash and desert dust, relatively little has been done to explore the application of dust detection techniques to the problem of volcanic ash detection. The Saharan dust index (SDI) is routinely implemented for dust monitoring at some centres and could be utilised for volcanic ash detection with little computational expense, thereby providing a product that forecasters already have some familiarity with to complement the suite of existing ash detection tools. We illustrate one way in which the index could be implemented for the purpose of ash detection by applying it to three scenes containing volcanic ash from the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, Iceland and the 2011 eruption of Puyehue, Chile. It was also applied to an image acquired over Etna in January 2011, where a volcanic plume is clearly visible but is unlikely to contain any ash. These examples demonstrate the potential of the SDI as a tool for ash monitoring under different environmental and atmospheric conditions. In addition to presenting a valuable qualitative product to aid monitoring, this work includes a quantitative assessment of the detection skill using a manually constructed expert ash mask. The optimum implementation of any technique is likely to be dependent on both atmospheric conditions and on the properties of the imaged ash (which is often unknown in a real-time situation). Here we take advantage of access to a 'truth' rarely available in a real-time situation and calculate an ash mask based on the optimum threshold for the specific scene, which is then used to demonstrate the potential of the SDI. The SDI mask is compared to masks calculated from a simplistic implementation of the more traditional split window method, again exploiting our access to the 'truth' to set the most appropriate threshold for each scene, and to a probabilistic method that is implemented without reference to the 'truth' and which provides useful insights into the likely

Dust analysis on board the Destiny+ mission to 3200 Phaethon

Science.gov (United States)

Krüger, H.; Kobayashi, M.; Arai, T.; Srama, R.; Sarli, B. V.; Kimura, H.; Moragas-Klostermeyer, G.; Soja, R.; Altobelli, N.; Grün, E.

2017-09-01

The Japanese Destiny+ spacecraft will be launched to the active asteroid 3200 Phaethon in 2022. Among the proposed core payload is an in-situ dust instrument based on the Cassini Cosmic Dust Analyzer. We use the ESA Interplanetary Meteoroid Engineering Model (IMEM), to study detection conditions and fluences of interplanetary and interstellar dust with a dust analyzer on board Destiny+.

On-line automatic detection of wood pellets in pneumatically conveyed wood dust flow

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Duo; Yan, Yong; Carter, Robert M.; Gao, Lingjun; Qian, Xiangchen; Lu, Gang

2014-04-01

This paper presents a piezoelectric transducer based system for on-line automatic detection of wood pellets in wood dust flow in pneumatic conveying pipelines. The piezoelectric transducer senses non-intrusively the collisions between wood pellets and the pipe wall. Wavelet-based denoising is adopted to eliminate environmental noise and recover the collision events. Then the wood pellets are identified by sliding a time window through the denoised signal with a suitable threshold. Experiments were carried out on a laboratory test rig and on an industrial pneumatic conveying pipeline to assess the effectiveness and operability of the system.

Radio Interferometric Detection of TiO and TiO_2 in VY Canis Majoris: "seeds" of Inorganic Dust Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Brunken, S.; Muller, H. S. P.; Kaminski, T.; Menten, K. M.; Gott-Lieb, C. A.; Patel, N. A.; Young, K. H.; McCarthy, M. C.; Winters, J. M.; Decin, L.

2013-06-01

Circumstellar envelopes around late-type stars harbour a rich variety of molecular gas and copious amounts of dust, originating from the mass-loss of the central star during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) or the red supergiant phase. The formation of dust in these objects, in particular the first nucleation stages out of gas phase molecules, is still poorly understood. Here we report the first detection of pure rotational transitions of the two simplest titanium oxides, TiO and TiO_2, towards the oxygen-rich red supergiant VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa). This actually represents the first secure identification of TiO_2 in space. Observations of several rotational emission lines of both species with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) in the 345 GHz-band and with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) around 220 GHz confirm the presence of these refractory species in the cool (<1000 K) circumstellar envelope in a region several times the size of the dust formation zone. The role of Ti oxides as "seeds" of inorganic dust formation in oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes will be discussed in view of the present observations.

Novel diagnostics for dust in space, Laboratory and fusion plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castaldo, C.

2011-01-01

In situ diagnostics for mobile dust, based on dust impact ionization phenomena, as well as silica aerogel dust collectors are discussed for applications to space and fusion plasmas. The feasibility of an electro-optical probe to detect hypervelocity (>1 km/s) dust particles in tokamaks is evaluated. For quiescent plasmas, a diagnostic of submicron dust based on measurements of plasma fluctuation spectra can be used (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Dust-forming molecules in VY Canis Majoris (and Betelgeuse)

Science.gov (United States)

Kamiński, T.; Gottlieb, C. A.; Schmidt, M. R.; Patel, N. A.; Young, K. H.; Menten, K. M.; Brünken, S.; Müller, H. S. P.; Winters, J. M.; McCarthy, M. C.

2013-05-01

The formation of inorganic dust in circumstellar environments of evolved stars is poorly understood. Spectra of molecules thought to be most important for the nucleation, i.e. AlO, TiO, and TiO2, have been recently detected in the red supergiant VY CMa. These molecules are effectively formed in VY CMa and the observations suggest that non-equilibrium chemistry must be involved in their formation and nucleation into dust. In addition to exploring the recent observations of VY CMa, we briefly discuss the possibility of detecting these molecules in the "dust-poor" circumstellar environment of Betelgeuse.

Laboratory Studies of the Formation of Interstellar Dust from Molecular Precursors

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras, Cesar S.; Salama, Farid

2009-06-01

The study of the formation and the destruction processes of cosmic dust is essential to understand and to quantify the budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. Interstellar dust presents a continuous size distribution from large molecules, radicals and ions to nanometer-sized particles to micron-sized grains. The lower end of the carbonaceous dust size distribution is thought to be responsible for the ubiquitous spectral features that are seen in emission in the IR (UIBs) and in absorption in the visible (DIBs). The higher end of the dust-size distribution is thought to be responsible for the continuum emission plateau that is seen in the IR and for the strong absorption seen in the interstellar UV extinction curve. All these spectral signatures are characteristic of cosmic organic materials that are ubiquitous and present in various forms from gas-phase molecules to solid-state grains and all are expected to exhibit FIR spectral signatures. Space observations from the UV (HST) to the IR (ISO, Spitzer) help place size constraints on the molecular component of carbonaceous IS dust and its contribution to the IS features in the UV and in the IR. Studies of large molecular and nano-sized IS dust analogs formed from PAH precursors have been performed in our laboratory under conditions that simulate interstellar and circumstellar environments. The species (molecules, molecular fragments, ions, nanoparticles, etc...) formed in the pulsed discharge nozzle (PDN) plasma source are detected and characterized with a high-sensitivity cavity ringdown spectrometer (CRDS) coupled to a Reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ReTOF-MS). We will present new experimental results that indicate that nanoparticles are generated in the plasma. From these unique measurements, we derive information on the nature, the size and the structure of interstellar dust particles, the growth and the destruction processes of IS dust and the resulting budget of extraterrestrial organic

Extinction and dust properties in a clumpy medium

OpenAIRE

Scicluna, P.; Siebenmorgen, R.

2015-01-01

(abridged) The dust content of the universe is primarily explored via its interaction with stellar photons, producing interstellar extinction. However, owing to the physical extension of the observing beam, observations may detect scattered photons, resulting in a change in the observed (or effective) extinction, depending on the spatial distribution of the dust and the resolution of the instrument. We investigate the influence of clumpy dust distributions on effective extinction toward embed...

Dust Dynamics Near Planetary Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Colwell, Joshua; Hughes, Anna; Grund, Chris

streams observed by Apollo astronauts and potentially also by the Clementine spacecraft. In addition to the Surveyor images of lunar horizon glow and the high altitude streamer measurements, the Apollo 17 Lunar Ejecta and Meteorite surface package detected signals consistent with the impact of relatively slow-moving dust particles that may have been charged dust electrostatically levitated from the surface. There is renewed interest in this near-surface dust environment with plans to return robotic landers and astronauts to the lunar surface. No Apollo-era instruments were specifically designed to detect or measure dust levitated off the lunar surface. One new experiment under study is the Autonomous Lunar Dust Observer (ALDO). ALDO is a high-sensitivity scanning lidar (laser radar) that autonomously maps and records its 3-D dust environment. Flexibility of programmable scan pattern enables ALDO to characterize the dust context in and around experiment sites. Repeated shallow angle scans in a vertical plane enable high vertical resolution studies of dust levitation near the ground. Single elevation angle sector or full azimuth scans enable large-area statistical surveys of the frequency and size of ejecta plumes from micrometeoroid impacts, and vertical or fixed-angle stares enable very high sensitivity dust profiles to extended ranges. It is estimated that backscatter from dust concentrations as low as 1/cm3 can be measured. The concept is equally applicable to surface and atmospheric studies of other airless bodies.

Can we detect Galactic spiral arms? 3D dust distribution in the Milky Way

Science.gov (United States)

Rezaei Kh., Sara; Bailer-Jones, Coryn A. L.; Fouesneau, Morgan; Hanson, Richard

2018-04-01

We present a model to map the 3D distribution of dust in the Milky Way. Although dust is just a tiny fraction of what comprises the Galaxy, it plays an important role in various processes. In recent years various maps of dust extinction have been produced, but we still lack a good knowledge of the dust distribution. Our presented approach leverages line-of-sight extinctions towards stars in the Galaxy at measured distances. Since extinction is proportional to the integral of the dust density towards a given star, it is possible to reconstruct the 3D distribution of dust by combining many lines-of-sight in a model accounting for the spatial correlation of the dust. Such a technique can be used to infer the most probable 3D distribution of dust in the Galaxy even in regions which have not been observed. This contribution provides one of the first maps which does not show the ``fingers of God'' effect. Furthermore, we show that expected high precision measurements of distances and extinctions offer the possibility of mapping the spiral arms in the Galaxy.

Investigating a novel flame retardant known as V6: measurements in baby products, house dust, and car dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Mingliang; Webster, Thomas F; Gooden, David; Cooper, Ellen M; McClean, Michael D; Carignan, Courtney; Makey, Colleen; Stapleton, Heather M

2013-05-07

With the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, the use of new and alternate flame retardants has been increasing. 2,2-bis(chloromethyl)propane-1,3-diyltetrakis(2-chloroethyl) bisphosphate, known as V6, is a flame retardant applied to polyurethane foam commonly found in furniture and automobile foam. However, to the authors' knowledge, no research has been conducted on V6 levels in the environment. The intention of this study was to measure the concentration of V6 in foam collected from baby products where it was recently detected and measure levels in dust samples collected from homes and automobiles in the Boston, MA area. To accomplish this, a pure V6 commercial standard was purchased from a Chinese manufacturer and purified (>98%). An analytical method to measure V6 in dust samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) was developed. Extraction was conducted using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and extracts were purified using an ENVI-Florisil SPE column (500 mg, 3 mL). V6 was measured in foam samples collected from baby products with a concentration ranging from 24,500,000 to 59,500,000 ng/g of foam (n = 12, average ± sd: 46,500,000 ± 12,000,000 ng/g; i.e., on average, 4.6% of the foam mass was V6). V6 was also detected in 19 of 20 car dust samples and 14 of 20 house dust samples analyzed. The concentration of V6 in the house dust ranged from <5 ng/g to 1110 ng/g with a median of 12.5 ng/g, and <5 ng/g to 6160 ng/g in the car dust with a median of 103.0 ng/g. Concentrations in car dust were significantly higher than in the house dust potentially indicating higher use of V6 in automobiles compared to products found in the home. Furthermore, tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), a known carcinogen, was found in the V6 commercial mixture (14% by weight) as an impurity and was consistently detected with V6 in the foam samples analyzed. A significant correlation was also observed between V6 and TCEP in

Measurement of nicotine in household dust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sungroul; Aung, Ther; Berkeley, Emily; Diette, Gregory B.; Breysse, Patrick N.

2008-01-01

An analytical method of measuring nicotine in house dust was optimized and associations among three secondhand smoking exposure markers were evaluated, i.e., nicotine concentrations of both house dust and indoor air, and the self-reported number of cigarettes smoked daily in a household. We obtained seven house dust samples from self-reported nonsmoking homes and 30 samples from smoking homes along with the information on indoor air nicotine concentrations and the number of cigarettes smoked daily from an asthma cohort study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment. House dust nicotine was analyzed by isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Using our optimized method, the median concentration of nicotine in the dust of self-reported nonsmoking homes was 11.7 ng/mg while that of smoking homes was 43.4 ng/mg. We found a substantially positive association (r=0.67, P<0.0001) between house dust nicotine concentrations and the numbers of cigarettes smoked daily. Optimized analytical methods showed a feasibility to detect nicotine in house dust. Our results indicated that the measurement of nicotine in house dust can be used potentially as a marker of longer term SHS exposure

Dust-Tolerant Intelligent Electrical Connection System

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Mark; Dokos, Adam; Perotti, Jose; Calle, Carlos; Mueller, Robert; Bastin, Gary; Carlson, Jeffrey; Townsend, Ivan, III; Immer, Chirstopher; Medelius, Pedro

2012-01-01

Faults in wiring systems are a serious concern for the aerospace and aeronautic (commercial, military, and civilian) industries. Circuit failures and vehicle accidents have occurred and have been attributed to faulty wiring created by open and/or short circuits. Often, such circuit failures occur due to vibration during vehicle launch or operation. Therefore, developing non-intrusive fault-tolerant techniques is necessary to detect circuit faults and automatically route signals through alternate recovery paths while the vehicle or lunar surface systems equipment is in operation. Electrical connector concepts combining dust mitigation strategies and cable diagnostic technologies have significant application for lunar and Martian surface systems, as well as for dusty terrestrial applications. The dust-tolerant intelligent electrical connection system has several novel concepts and unique features. It combines intelligent cable diagnostics (health monitoring) and automatic circuit routing capabilities into a dust-tolerant electrical umbilical. It retrofits a clamshell protective dust cover to an existing connector for reduced gravity operation, and features a universal connector housing with three styles of dust protection: inverted cap, rotating cap, and clamshell. It uses a self-healing membrane as a dust barrier for electrical connectors where required, while also combining lotus leaf technology for applications where a dust-resistant coating providing low surface tension is needed to mitigate Van der Waals forces, thereby disallowing dust particle adhesion to connector surfaces. It also permits using a ruggedized iris mechanism with an embedded electrodynamic dust shield as a dust barrier for electrical connectors where required.

Density currents as a desert dust mobilization mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Solomos

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The formation and propagation of density currents are well studied processes in fluid dynamics with many applications in other science fields. In the atmosphere, density currents are usually meso-β/γ phenomena and are often associated with storm downdrafts. These storms are responsible for the formation of severe dust episodes (haboobs over desert areas. In the present study, the formation of a convective cool pool and the associated dust mobilization are examined for a representative event over the western part of Sahara desert. The physical processes involved in the mobilization of dust are described with the use of the integrated atmospheric-air quality RAMS/ICLAMS model. Dust is effectively produced due to the development of near surface vortices and increased turbulent mixing along the frontal line. Increased dust emissions and recirculation of the elevated particles inside the head of the density current result in the formation of a moving "dust wall". Transport of the dust particles in higher layers – outside of the density current – occurs mainly in three ways: (1 Uplifting of preexisting dust over the frontal line with the aid of the strong updraft (2 Entrainment at the upper part of the density current head due to turbulent mixing (3 Vertical mixing after the dilution of the system. The role of the dust in the associated convective cloud system was found to be limited. Proper representation of convective processes and dust mobilization requires the use of high resolution (cloud resolving model configuration and online parameterization of dust production. Haboob-type dust storms are effective dust sources and should be treated accordingly in dust modeling applications.

Mimicking Martian dust: An in-vacuum dust deposition system for testing the ultraviolet sensors on the Curiosity rover

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobrado, J. M.; Martín-Soler, J.; Martín-Gago, J. A.

2015-01-01

We have designed and developed an in-vacuum dust deposition system specifically conceived to simulate and study the effect of accumulation of Martian dust on the electronic instruments of scientific planetary exploration missions. We have used this device to characterize the dust effect on the UV sensor of the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station in the Mars science Laboratory mission of NASA in similar conditions to those found on Mars surface. The UV sensor includes six photodiodes for measuring the radiation in all UV wavelengths (direct incidence and reflected); it is placed on the body of Curiosity rover and it is severely affected by the dust deposited on it. Our experimental setup can help to estimate the duration of reliable reading of this instrument during operation. We have used an analogous of the Martian dust in chemical composition (magnetic species), color, and density, which has been characterized by X-ray spectroscopy. To ensure a Brownian motion of the dust during its fall and a homogeneous coverage on the instrumentation, the operating conditions of the vacuum vessel, determined by partial pressures and temperature, have to be modified to account for the different gravities of Mars with respect to Earth. We propose that our designed device and operational protocol can be of interest to test optoelectronic instrumentation affected by the opacity of dust, as can be the degradation of UV photodiodes in planetary exploration

Mimicking Martian dust: An in-vacuum dust deposition system for testing the ultraviolet sensors on the Curiosity rover

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sobrado, J. M., E-mail: sobradovj@inta.es; Martín-Soler, J. [Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid (Spain); Martín-Gago, J. A. [Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid (Spain); Instituto de Ciencias de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM–CSIC), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

2015-10-15

We have designed and developed an in-vacuum dust deposition system specifically conceived to simulate and study the effect of accumulation of Martian dust on the electronic instruments of scientific planetary exploration missions. We have used this device to characterize the dust effect on the UV sensor of the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station in the Mars science Laboratory mission of NASA in similar conditions to those found on Mars surface. The UV sensor includes six photodiodes for measuring the radiation in all UV wavelengths (direct incidence and reflected); it is placed on the body of Curiosity rover and it is severely affected by the dust deposited on it. Our experimental setup can help to estimate the duration of reliable reading of this instrument during operation. We have used an analogous of the Martian dust in chemical composition (magnetic species), color, and density, which has been characterized by X-ray spectroscopy. To ensure a Brownian motion of the dust during its fall and a homogeneous coverage on the instrumentation, the operating conditions of the vacuum vessel, determined by partial pressures and temperature, have to be modified to account for the different gravities of Mars with respect to Earth. We propose that our designed device and operational protocol can be of interest to test optoelectronic instrumentation affected by the opacity of dust, as can be the degradation of UV photodiodes in planetary exploration.

House dust mites in the city of Lima, Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Croce, M; Costa-Manso, E; Baggio, D; Croce, J

2000-01-01

Since mites are the most common house dust allergens, knowledge about the species most prevalent in a region is important for diagnostic and specific immunotherapy purposes. In order to establish the prevalence of house dust mites in different city districts, 100 house dust samples were collected from different parts of Lima. Lima is a city of tropical climate located along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The relative air humidity is 80-90% and the various districts studied are located at altitudes ranging from 37-355 meters. The mite Blomia tropicalis was the organism most frequently detected, being present in 59% of the house dust samples. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus occupied second place (15.9%), followed by Chortoglyphus arcuatus and Tyrophagus putrescentiae. These four mites, taken together, represented more than 90% of the mites detected. No specimen of the species Dermatophagoides farinae was detected. We conclude that B. tropicalis and D. pteronyssinus are the most common house dust mites in Lima. Considering the high prevalence of B. tropicalis in Lima and the fact that its cross-reactivity with antigens of the mites of the family Pyroglyphidae is minimal, we conclude that sensitization to this mite should be investigated separately in allergic patients living in Lima.

First Results from NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE)

Science.gov (United States)

Elphic, R. C.; Colaprete, A.; Horanyi, M.; Mahaffy, P. R.; Delory, G. T.; Noble, S. K.; Boroson, D.; Hine, B.; Salute, J.

2013-12-01

days in the event of contingencies. Following commissioning, the 100-day Science Phase is performed at an orbit with periapsis between 20-60 km. This orbit must be constantly managed due to the Moon's highly inhomogeneous gravity field. During the Science Phase, the moon will rotate more than three times underneath the LADEE orbit. LADEE employs a high heritage instrument payload: a Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS) from Goddard Space Flight Center, an Ultraviolet/Visible Spectrometer (UVS) from Ames Research Center, and a dust detection experiment (LDEX) from the University of Colorado/LASP. It will also carry the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD) as a technology demonstration. The LLCD is funded by the Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), managed by GSFC, and built by the MIT Lincoln Lab. Contingent upon LADEE's successful lunar orbit insertion and checkout, we will report the early results from the science investigations.

Dust extinction in high-z galaxies with gamma-ray burst afterglow spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elíasdóttir, Á.; Fynbo, J. P. U.; Hjorth, J.

2009-01-01

We report the clear detection of the 2175 Å dust absorption feature in the optical afterglow spectrum of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) GRB 070802 at a redshift of z = 2.45. This is the highest redshift for a detected 2175 Å dust bump to date, and it is the first clear detection of the 2175 Å bump...

Pixel-based dust-extinction mapping in nearby galaxies: A new approach to lifting the veil of dust

Science.gov (United States)

Tamura, Kazuyuki

In the first part of this dissertation, I explore a new approach to mapping dust extinction in galaxies, using the observed and estimated dust-free flux- ratios of optical V -band and mid-IR 3.6 micro-meter emission. Inferred missing V -band flux is then converted into an estimate of dust extinction. While dust features are not clearly evident in the observed ground-based images of NGC 0959, the target of my pilot study, the dust-map created with this method clearly traces the distribution of dust seen in higher resolution Hubble images. Stellar populations are then analyzed through various pixel Color- Magnitude Diagrams and pixel Color-Color Diagrams (pCCDs), both before and after extinction correction. The ( B - 3.6 microns) versus (far-UV - U ) pCCD proves particularly powerful to distinguish pixels that are dominated by different types of or mixtures of stellar populations. Mapping these pixel- groups onto a pixel-coordinate map shows that they are not distributed randomly, but follow genuine galactic structures, such as a previously unrecognized bar. I show that selecting pixel-groups is not meaningful when using uncorrected colors, and that pixel-based extinction correction is crucial to reveal the true spatial variations in stellar populations. This method is then applied to a sample of late-type galaxies to study the distribution of dust and stellar population as a function of their morphological type and absolute magnitude. In each galaxy, I find that dust extinction is not simply decreasing radially, but that is concentrated in localized clumps throughout a galaxy. I also find some cases where star-formation regions are not associated with dust. In the second part, I describe the application of astronomical image analysis tools for medical purposes. In particular, Source Extractor is used to detect nerve fibers in the basement membrane images of human skin-biopsies of obese subjects. While more development and testing is necessary for this kind of work

Paleo-dust insights onto dust-climate interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Albani, S.; Mahowald, N. M.

2017-12-01

Mineral dust emissions are affected by changing climate conditions, and in turn dust impacts the atmospheric radiation budget, clouds and biogeochemical cycles. Climate and public health dust-related issues call for attention on the fate of the dust cycle in the future, and the representation of the dust cycle is now part of the strategy of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project phase 4 and the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (PMIP4-CMIP6). Since mineral aerosols are one of the most important natural aerosols, understanding past dust responses to climate in the paleoclimate will allow us to better understand mineral aerosol feedbacks with climate and biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene. Modern observations and paleoclimate records offer the possibility of multiple, complementary views on the global dust cycle, and allow to validate and/or constrain the numerical representation of dust in climate and Earth system models. We present our results from a set of simulations with the Community Earth System Model for different climate states, including present and past climates such as the pre-industrial, the mid-Holocene and the Last Glacial Maximum. A set of simulations including a prognostic dust cycle was thoroughly compared with a wide set of present day observations from different platforms and regions, in order to realistically constrain the magnitude of dust load, surface concentration, deposition, optical properties, and particle size distributions. The magnitude of emissions for past climate regimes was constrained based on compilations of paleodust mass accumulation rates and size distributions, as well as based on information on dust provenance. The comparison with a parallel set of simulations without dust allows estimating the impacts of dust on surface climate. We analyze impacts of dust on the mean and variability of surface temperature and precipitation in each climate state, as well as the impacts that changing dust emissions had

The effects of variable dust size and charge on dust acoustic waves propagating in a hybrid Cairns–Tsallis complex plasma

Science.gov (United States)

El-Taibany, W. F.; El-Siragy, N. M.; Behery, E. E.; Elbendary, A. A.; Taha, R. M.

2018-05-01

The propagation characteristics of dust acoustic waves (DAWs) in a dusty plasma consisting of variable size dust grains, hybrid Cairns-Tsallis-distributed electrons, and nonthermal ions are studied. The charging of the dust grains is described by the orbital-motion-limited theory and the size of the dust grains obeys the power law dust size distribution. To describe the nonlinear propagation of the DAWs, a Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation is derived using a reductive perturbation method. It is found that the nonthermal and nonextensive parameters influence the main properties of DAWs. Moreover, our results reveal that the rarefactive waves can propagate mainly in the proposed plasma model while compressive waves can be detected for a very small range of the distribution parameters of plasma species, and the DAWs are faster and wider for smaller size dust grains. Applications of the present results to dusty plasma observations are briefly discussed.

Guilt by Association: The 13 Micron Dust Emission Feature and Its Correlation to Other Gas and Dust Features

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, G. C.; Kraemer, Kathleen E.; Goebel, J. H.; Price, Stephan D.

2003-09-01

A study of all full-scan spectra of optically thin oxygen-rich circumstellar dust shells in the database produced by the Short Wavelength Spectrometer on ISO reveals that the strength of several infrared spectral features correlates with the strength of the 13 μm dust feature. These correlated features include dust features at 19.8 and 28.1 μm and the bands produced by warm carbon dioxide molecules (the strongest of which are at 13.9, 15.0, and 16.2 μm). The database does not provide any evidence for a correlation of the 13 μm feature with a dust feature at 32 μm, and it is more likely that a weak emission feature at 16.8 μm arises from carbon dioxide gas rather than dust. The correlated dust features at 13, 20, and 28 μm tend to be stronger with respect to the total dust emission in semiregular and irregular variables associated with the asymptotic giant branch than in Mira variables or supergiants. This family of dust features also tends to be stronger in systems with lower infrared excesses and thus lower mass-loss rates. We hypothesize that the dust features arise from crystalline forms of alumina (13 μm) and silicates (20 and 28 μm). Based on observations with the ISO, a European Space Agency (ESA) project with instruments funded by ESA member states (especially the Principal Investigator countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom) and with the participation of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Detection of Micrometeoroids with LISA Pathfinder

Science.gov (United States)

Thorpe, Ira; Littenberg, Tyson; Janchez, Diego; Baker, John; The LISA Pathfinder Team Team

2017-01-01

The LISA Pathfinder mission (LPF), a joint ESA/NASA technology demonstration mission currently operating at the Sun-Earth L1 point, contains the most precise accelerometry system ever flown. Analysis suggests that LPF should have sufficient sensitivity to detect impacts of small micrometeoroids and dust through their transfer of momentum to the spacecraft. Moreover, LPF's ability to fully resolve both the linear and angular momentum transfer in three dimensions allows a magnitude, direction, and location to be estimated for each impact. We present preliminary results from a systematic search of the LISA Pathfinder data for such impacts and discuss the prospects for using these and future results to inform models of the formation and evolution of dust populations in the inner solar system. These models have wide applicability to both pure and applied space science, ranging from the physics of planet formation and dynamics of minor Solar System bodies to estimates of the micrometeorite hazard for future spacecraft. 2017 NASA Science Innovation Fund.

A SEARCH FOR DUST EMISSION IN THE LEO INTERGALACTIC CLOUD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bot, Caroline; Helou, George; Puget, Jeremie; Latter, William B.; Schneider, Stephen; Terzian, Yervant

2009-01-01

We present a search for infrared dust emission associated with the Leo cloud, a large intergalactic cloud in the M96 group. Mid-infrared and far-infrared images were obtained with the InfraRed Array Camera and the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Our analysis of these maps is done at each wavelength relative to the H I spatial distribution. We observe a probable detection at 8 μm and a marginal detection at 24 μm associated with the highest H I column densities in the cloud. At 70 and 160 μm, upper limits on the dust emission are deduced. The level of the detection is low so that the possibility of a fortuitous cirrus clump or of an overdensity of extragalactic sources along the line of sight cannot be excluded. If this detection is confirmed, the quantities of dust inferred imply a dust-to-gas ratio in the intergalactic cloud up to a few times solar but no less than 1/20 solar. A confirmed detection would therefore exclude the possibility that the intergalactic cloud has a primordial origin. Instead, this large intergalactic cloud could therefore have been formed through interactions between galaxies in the group.

Respirable dust measured downwind during rock dust application.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, M L; Organiscak, J; Klima, S; Perera, I E

2017-05-01

The Pittsburgh Mining Research Division of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted underground evaluations in an attempt to quantify respirable rock dust generation when using untreated rock dust and rock dust treated with an anticaking additive. Using personal dust monitors, these evaluations measured respirable rock dust levels arising from a flinger-type application of rock dust on rib and roof surfaces. Rock dust with a majority of the respirable component removed was also applied in NIOSH's Bruceton Experimental Mine using a bantam duster. The respirable dust measurements obtained downwind from both of these tests are presented and discussed. This testing did not measure miners' exposure to respirable coal mine dust under acceptable mining practices, but indicates the need for effective continuous administrative controls to be exercised when rock dusting to minimize the measured amount of rock dust in the sampling device.

Detection of radioactive dust from the British nuclear bombs of October 1953

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryder, N V; Watson-Munro, C N

1954-01-01

The dust collected from the atmosphere showed an absence of ..cap alpha..-activity and a ..beta..-activity characteristic of fission products. The material was collected in Wellington, approximately 3500 km from Woomera, Australia, the explosion site. The initial dust activity was found approximately 30 hours after the test.

In Situ Sampling of Relative Dust Devil Particle Loads and Their Vertical Grain Size Distributions.

Science.gov (United States)

Raack, Jan; Reiss, Dennis; Balme, Matthew R; Taj-Eddine, Kamal; Ori, Gian Gabriele

2017-04-19

During a field campaign in the Sahara Desert in southern Morocco, spring 2012, we sampled the vertical grain size distribution of two active dust devils that exhibited different dimensions and intensities. With these in situ samples of grains in the vortices, it was possible to derive detailed vertical grain size distributions and measurements of the lifted relative particle load. Measurements of the two dust devils show that the majority of all lifted particles were only lifted within the first meter (∼46.5% and ∼61% of all particles; ∼76.5 wt % and ∼89 wt % of the relative particle load). Furthermore, ∼69% and ∼82% of all lifted sand grains occurred in the first meter of the dust devils, indicating the occurrence of "sand skirts." Both sampled dust devils were relatively small (∼15 m and ∼4-5 m in diameter) compared to dust devils in surrounding regions; nevertheless, measurements show that ∼58.5% to 73.5% of all lifted particles were small enough to go into suspension (grain size classification). This relatively high amount represents only ∼0.05 to 0.15 wt % of the lifted particle load. Larger dust devils probably entrain larger amounts of fine-grained material into the atmosphere, which can have an influence on the climate. Furthermore, our results indicate that the composition of the surface, on which the dust devils evolved, also had an influence on the particle load composition of the dust devil vortices. The internal particle load structure of both sampled dust devils was comparable related to their vertical grain size distribution and relative particle load, although both dust devils differed in their dimensions and intensities. A general trend of decreasing grain sizes with height was also detected. Key Words: Mars-Dust devils-Planetary science-Desert soils-Atmosphere-Grain sizes. Astrobiology 17, xxx-xxx.

Modern Meteor Science An Interdisciplinary View

CERN Document Server

Hawkes, Robert; Brown, Peter

2005-01-01

This volume represents a blend of leading edge research and authoritative reviews in meteor science. It provides a comprehensive view of meteoroid research including the dynamics, sources and distribution of these bodies, and their chemistry and physical processes in the interplanetary medium and the Earth’s atmosphere. Techniques for investigation of meteor phenomena in the book include conventional and large aperture radar systems, spacecraft detection, optical systems, spectral measurements, and laboratory based interplanetary dust particle studies. The book will be of interest to researchers and students in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmochemistry, space engineering and space science. Cover photograph was taken by Masayuki Toda.

Modelling of mid-infrared interferometric signature of hot exozodiacal dust emission

Science.gov (United States)

Kirchschlager, Florian; Wolf, Sebastian; Brunngräber, Robert; Matter, Alexis; Krivov, Alexander V.; Labdon, Aaron

2018-01-01

Hot exozodiacal dust emission was detected in recent surveys around two dozen main-sequence stars at distances of less than 1 au using the H- and K-band interferometry. Due to the high contrast as well as the small angular distance between the circumstellar dust and the star, direct observation of this dust component is challenging. An alternative way to explore the hot exozodiacal dust is provided by mid-infrared interferometry. We analyse the L, M and N bands interferometric signature of this emission in order to find stronger constraints for the properties and the origin of the hot exozodiacal dust. Considering the parameters of nine debris disc systems derived previously, we model the discs in each of these bands. We find that the M band possesses the best conditions to detect hot dust emission, closely followed by L and N bands. The hot dust in three systems - HD 22484 (10 Tau), HD 102647 (β Leo) and HD 177724 (ζ Aql) - shows a strong signal in the visibility functions, which may even allow one to constrain the dust location. In particular, observations in the mid-infrared could help to determine whether the dust piles up at the sublimation radius or is located at radii up to 1 au. In addition, we explore observations of the hot exozodiacal dust with the upcoming mid-infrared interferometer Multi AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment (MATISSE) at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer.

Polarized Light Imaging of the HD 142527 Transition Disk with the Gemini Planet Imager: Dust around the Close-in Companion

Science.gov (United States)

Rodigas, Timothy J.; Follette, Katherine B.; Weinberger, Alycia; Close, Laird; Hines, Dean C.

2014-08-01

When giant planets form, they grow by accreting gas and dust. HD 142527 is a young star that offers a scaled-up view of this process. It has a broad, asymmetric ring of gas and dust beyond ~100 AU and a wide inner gap. Within the gap, a low-mass stellar companion orbits the primary star at just ~12 AU, and both the primary and secondary are accreting gas. In an attempt to directly detect the dusty counterpart to this accreted gas, we have observed HD 142527 with the Gemini Planet Imager in polarized light at Y band (0.95-1.14 μm). We clearly detect the companion in total intensity and show that its position and photometry are generally consistent with the expected values. We also detect a point source in polarized light that may be spatially separated by ~ a few AU from the location of the companion in total intensity. This suggests that dust is likely falling onto or orbiting the companion. Given the possible contribution of scattered light from this dust to previously reported photometry of the companion, the current mass limits should be viewed as upper limits only. If the dust near the companion is eventually confirmed to be spatially separated, this system would resemble a scaled-up version of the young planetary system inside the gap of the transition disk around LkCa 15. Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), Ministrio da Cincia, Tecnologia e Inovao (Brazil), and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnologa e Innovacin Productiva (Argentina).

Control of dust production in ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Rodrigo, L.; Ciattaglia, S.; Elbez-Uzan, J.

2006-01-01

dust, as well as production, transport, localisation, detection and cleaning studies, which are in a research phase mainly in Europe and USA. It is also pointed out that dust production itself is a study to be performed in ITER and that validation by R-and-D of simulation codes relevant from the safety point of view needs to be deepened. The strategy and needs for future R-and-D on dust production, transport and characterisation, diagnostics for production control, cleaning systems, and evaluation of dust risk explosion is discussed. (author)

A statistical procedure for the qualification of indoor dust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scapin, Valdirene O.; Scapin, Marcos A.; Ribeiro, Andreza P.; Sato, Ivone M.

2009-01-01

The materials science advance has contributed to the humanity. Notwithstanding, serious environmental and human health problems are often observed. Thereby, many worldwide researchers have focused their work to diagnose, assess and monitor several environmental systems. In this work, a statistical procedure (on a 0.05 significance level) that allows verifying if indoor dust samples have characteristics of soil/sediment is presented. Dust samples were collected from 69 residences using a domestic vacuum cleaner in four neighborhoods of the Sao Paulo metropolitan region, Brazil, between 2006 and 2008. The samples were sieved in the fractions of 150-75 (C), 75-63 (M) and <63 μm (F). The elemental concentrations were determined by X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF). Afterwards, the indoor samples results (group A) were compared to the group of 109 certificated reference materials, which included different kinds of geological matrices, such as clay, sediment, sand and sludge (group B) and to the continental crust values (group C). Initially, the Al/Si ratio was calculated for the groups (A, B, C). The variance analysis (ANOVA), followed by Tukey test, was used to find out if there was a significant difference between the concentration means of the considered groups. According to the statistical tests; the group B presented results that are considered different from others. The interquartile range (IQR) was used to detected outlier values. ANOVA was applied again and the results (p ≥ 0.05) showed equality between ratios means of the three groups. Accordingly, the results suggest that the indoor dust samples have characteristic of soil/sediment. The statistical procedure may be used as a tool to clear the information about contaminants in dust samples, since they have characteristic of soil and may be compared with values reported by environmental control organisms. (author)

ALMA observations of anisotropic dust mass loss in the inner circumstellar environment of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

O'Gorman, E.; Vlemmings, W.; Richards, A. M. S.; Baudry, A.; De Beck, E.; Decin, L.; Harper, G. M.; Humphreys, E. M.; Kervella, P.; Khouri, T.; Muller, S.

2015-01-01

The processes leading to dust formation and the subsequent role it plays in driving mass loss in cool evolved stars is an area of intense study. Here we present high resolution ALMA Science Verification data of the continuum emission around the highly evolved oxygen-rich red supergiant VY CMa. These data enable us to study the dust in its inner circumstellar environment at a spatial resolution of 129 mas at 321 GHz and 59 mas at 658 GHz, thus allowing us to trace dust on spatial scales down to 11 R⋆ (71 AU). Two prominent dust components are detected and resolved. The brightest dust component, C, is located 334 mas (61 R⋆) southeast of the star and has a dust mass of at least 2.5 × 10-4 M⊙. It has a dust emissivity spectral index of β = -0.1 at its peak, implying that it is optically thick at these frequencies with a cool core of Td ≲ 100 K. Interestingly, not a single molecule in the ALMA data has emission close to the peak of this massive dust clump. The other main dust component, VY, is located at the position of the star and contains a total dust mass of 4.0 × 10-5 M⊙. It also contains a weaker dust feature extending over 60 R⋆ to the north with the total component having a typical dust emissivity spectral index of β = 0.7. We find that at least 17% of the dust mass around VY CMa is located in clumps ejected within a more quiescent roughly spherical stellar wind, with a quiescent dust mass loss rate of 5 × 10-6 M⊙yr-1. The anisotropic morphology of the dust indicates a continuous, directed mass loss over a few decades, suggesting that this mass loss cannot be driven by large convection cells alone. Appendices are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Near Real-Time Dust Aerosol Detection with Support Vector Machines for Regression

Science.gov (United States)

Rivas-Perea, P.; Rivas-Perea, P. E.; Cota-Ruiz, J.; Aragon Franco, R. A.

2015-12-01

Remote sensing instruments operating in the near-infrared spectrum usually provide the necessary information for further dust aerosol spectral analysis using statistical or machine learning algorithms. Such algorithms have proven to be effective in analyzing very specific case studies or dust events. However, very few make the analysis open to the public on a regular basis, fewer are designed specifically to operate in near real-time to higher resolutions, and almost none give a global daily coverage. In this research we investigated a large-scale approach to a machine learning algorithm called "support vector regression". The algorithm uses four near-infrared spectral bands from NASA MODIS instrument: B20 (3.66-3.84μm), B29 (8.40-8.70μm), B31 (10.78-11.28μm), and B32 (11.77-12.27μm). The algorithm is presented with ground truth from more than 30 distinct reported dust events, from different geographical regions, at different seasons, both over land and sea cover, in the presence of clouds and clear sky, and in the presence of fires. The purpose of our algorithm is to learn to distinguish the dust aerosols spectral signature from other spectral signatures, providing as output an estimate of the probability of a data point being consistent with dust aerosol signatures. During modeling with ground truth, our algorithm achieved more than 90% of accuracy, and the current live performance of the algorithm is remarkable. Moreover, our algorithm is currently operating in near real-time using NASA's Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) servers, providing a high resolution global overview including 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, and 1km. The near real-time analysis of our algorithm is now available to the general public at http://dust.reev.us and archives of the results starting from 2012 are available upon request.

Asian dust events of April 1998

Science.gov (United States)

Husar, R.B.; Tratt, D.M.; Schichtel, B.A.; Falke, S.R.; Li, F.; Jaffe, D.; Gasso, S.; Gill, T.; Laulainen, N.S.; Lu, F.; Reheis, M.C.; Chun, Y.; Westphal, D.; Holben, B.N.; Gueymard, C.; McKendry, I.; Kuring, N.; Feldman, G.C.; McClain, C.; Frouin, R.J.; Merrill, J.; DuBois, D.; Vignola, F.; Murayama, T.; Nickovic, S.; Wilson, W.E.; Sassen, K.; Sugimoto, N.; Malm, W.C.

2001-01-01

On April 15 and 19, 1998, two intense dust storms were generated over the Gobi desert by springtime low-pressure systems descending from the northwest. The windblown dust was detected and its evolution followed by its yellow color on SeaWiFS satellite images, routine surface-based monitoring, and through serendipitous observations. The April 15 dust cloud was recirculating, and it was removed by a precipitating weather system over east Asia. The April 19 dust cloud crossed the Pacific Ocean in 5 days, subsided to the surface along the mountain ranges between British Columbia and California, and impacted severely the optical and the concentration environments of the region. In east Asia the dust clouds increased the albedo over the cloudless ocean and land by up to 10-20%, but it reduced the near-UV cloud reflectance, causing a yellow coloration of all surfaces. The yellow colored backscattering by the dust eludes a plausible explanation using simple Mie theory with constant refractive index. Over the West Coast the dust layer has increased the spectrally uniform optical depth to about 0.4, reduced the direct solar radiation by 30-40%, doubled the diffuse radiation, and caused a whitish discoloration of the blue sky. On April 29 the average excess surface-level dust aerosol concentration over the valleys of the West Coast was about 20-50 ??g/m3 with local peaks >100 ??g/m3. The dust mass mean diameter was 2-3 ??m, and the dust chemical fingerprints were evident throughout the West Coast and extended to Minnesota. The April 1998 dust event has impacted the surface aerosol concentration 2-4 times more than any other dust event since 1988. The dust events were observed and interpreted by an ad hoc international web-based virtual community. It would be useful to set up a community-supported web-based infrastructure to monitor the global aerosol pattern for such extreme aerosol events, to alert and to inform the interested communities, and to facilitate collaborative

Ground and satellite-based remote sensing of mineral dust using AERI spectra and MODIS thermal infrared window brightness temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Hansell, Richard Allen, Jr.

The radiative effects of dust aerosol on our climate system have yet to be fully understood and remain a topic of contemporary research. To investigate these effects, detection/retrieval methods for dust events over major dust outbreak and transport areas have been developed using satellite and ground-based approaches. To this end, both the shortwave and longwave surface radiative forcing of dust aerosol were investigated. The ground-based remote sensing approach uses the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer brightness temperature spectra to detect mineral dust events and to retrieve their properties. Taking advantage of the high spectral resolution of the AERI instrument, absorptive differences in prescribed thermal IR window sub-band channels were exploited to differentiate dust from cirrus clouds. AERI data collected during the UAE2 at Al-Ain UAE was employed for dust retrieval. Assuming a specified dust composition model a priori and using the light scattering programs of T-matrix and the finite difference time domain methods for oblate spheroids and hexagonal plates, respectively, dust optical depths have been retrieved and compared to those inferred from a collocated and coincident AERONET sun-photometer dataset. The retrieved optical depths were then used to determine the dust longwave surface forcing during the UAE2. Likewise, dust shortwave surface forcing is investigated employing a differential technique from previous field studies. The satellite-based approach uses MODIS thermal infrared brightness temperature window data for the simultaneous detection/separation of mineral dust and cirrus clouds. Based on the spectral variability of dust emissivity at the 3.75, 8.6, 11 and 12 mum wavelengths, the D*-parameter, BTD-slope and BTD3-11 tests are combined to identify dust and cirrus. MODIS data for the three dust-laden scenes have been analyzed to demonstrate the effectiveness of this detection/separation method. Detected daytime dust and cloud

Earlier vegetation green-up has reduced spring dust storms.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Bihang; Guo, Li; Li, Ning; Chen, Jin; Lin, Henry; Zhang, Xiaoyang; Shen, Miaogen; Rao, Yuhan; Wang, Cong; Ma, Lei

2014-10-24

The observed decline of spring dust storms in Northeast Asia since the 1950s has been attributed to surface wind stilling. However, spring vegetation growth could also restrain dust storms through accumulating aboveground biomass and increasing surface roughness. To investigate the impacts of vegetation spring growth on dust storms, we examine the relationships between recorded spring dust storm outbreaks and satellite-derived vegetation green-up date in Inner Mongolia, Northern China from 1982 to 2008. We find a significant dampening effect of advanced vegetation growth on spring dust storms (r = 0.49, p = 0.01), with a one-day earlier green-up date corresponding to a decrease in annual spring dust storm outbreaks by 3%. Moreover, the higher correlation (r = 0.55, p storm outbreak ratio (the ratio of dust storm outbreaks to times of strong wind events) indicates that such effect is independent of changes in surface wind. Spatially, a negative correlation is detected between areas with advanced green-up dates and regional annual spring dust storms (r = -0.49, p = 0.01). This new insight is valuable for understanding dust storms dynamics under the changing climate. Our findings suggest that dust storms in Inner Mongolia will be further mitigated by the projected earlier vegetation green-up in the warming world.

3 MV hypervelocity dust accelerator at the Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Anthony; Collette, Andrew; Drake, Keith; Grün, Eberhard; Horányi, Mihály; Kempf, Sascha; Mocker, Anna; Munsat, Tobin; Northway, Paige; Srama, Ralf; Sternovsky, Zoltán; Thomas, Evan

2012-07-01

A hypervelocity dust accelerator for studying micrometeorite impacts has been constructed at the Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies (CCLDAS) at the University of Colorado. Based on the Max-Planck-Institüt für Kernphysik (MPI-K) accelerator, this accelerator is capable of emitting single particles of a specific mass and velocity selected by the user. The accelerator consists of a 3 MV Pelletron generator with a dust source, four image charge pickup detectors, and two interchangeable target chambers: a large high-vacuum test bed and an ultra-high vacuum impact study chamber. The large test bed is a 1.2 m diameter, 1.5 m long cylindrical vacuum chamber capable of pressures as low as 10(-7) torr while the ultra-high vacuum chamber is a 0.75 m diameter, 1.1 m long chamber capable of pressures as low as 10(-10) torr. Using iron dust of up to 2 microns in diameter, final velocities have been measured up to 52 km/s. The spread of the dust particles and the effect of electrostatic focusing have been measured using a long exposure CCD and a quartz target. Furthermore, a new technique of particle selection is being developed using real time digital filtering techniques. Signals are digitized and then cross-correlated with a shaped filter, resulting in a suppressed noise floor. Improvements over the MPI-K design, which include a higher operating voltage and digital filtering for detection, increase the available parameter space of dust emitted by the accelerator. The CCLDAS dust facility is a user facility open to the scientific community to assist with instrument calibrations and experiments.

3 MV hypervelocity dust accelerator at the Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shu, Anthony; Horanyi, Mihaly; Kempf, Sascha; Thomas, Evan [Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309 (United States); Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, 1234 Innovation Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Collette, Andrew; Drake, Keith; Northway, Paige [Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, 1234 Innovation Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Gruen, Eberhard [Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); MPI fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Mocker, Anna [Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); MPI fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); IRS, Universitaet Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 31, D-70569 Stuttgart (Germany); Munsat, Tobin [Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States); Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309 (United States); Srama, Ralf [MPI fuer Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); IRS, Universitaet Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 31, D-70569 Stuttgart (Germany); and others

2012-07-15

A hypervelocity dust accelerator for studying micrometeorite impacts has been constructed at the Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies (CCLDAS) at the University of Colorado. Based on the Max-Planck-Instituet fuer Kernphysik (MPI-K) accelerator, this accelerator is capable of emitting single particles of a specific mass and velocity selected by the user. The accelerator consists of a 3 MV Pelletron generator with a dust source, four image charge pickup detectors, and two interchangeable target chambers: a large high-vacuum test bed and an ultra-high vacuum impact study chamber. The large test bed is a 1.2 m diameter, 1.5 m long cylindrical vacuum chamber capable of pressures as low as 10{sup -7} torr while the ultra-high vacuum chamber is a 0.75 m diameter, 1.1 m long chamber capable of pressures as low as 10{sup -10} torr. Using iron dust of up to 2 microns in diameter, final velocities have been measured up to 52 km/s. The spread of the dust particles and the effect of electrostatic focusing have been measured using a long exposure CCD and a quartz target. Furthermore, a new technique of particle selection is being developed using real time digital filtering techniques. Signals are digitized and then cross-correlated with a shaped filter, resulting in a suppressed noise floor. Improvements over the MPI-K design, which include a higher operating voltage and digital filtering for detection, increase the available parameter space of dust emitted by the accelerator. The CCLDAS dust facility is a user facility open to the scientific community to assist with instrument calibrations and experiments.

DustEM: Dust extinction and emission modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Compiègne, M.; Verstraete, L.; Jones, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Boulanger, F.; Flagey, N.; Le Bourlot, J.; Paradis, D.; Ysard, N.

2013-07-01

DustEM computes the extinction and the emission of interstellar dust grains heated by photons. It is written in Fortran 95 and is jointly developed by IAS and CESR. The dust emission is calculated in the optically thin limit (no radiative transfer) and the default spectral range is 40 to 108 nm. The code is designed so dust properties can easily be changed and mixed and to allow for the inclusion of new grain physics.

Direct HST Dust Lane Detection in Powerful Narrow-Line Radio Galaxies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramírez, Edgar A.; Aretxaga, Itziar [Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Puebla (Mexico); Tadhunter, Clive N. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Lopez-Rodriguez, Enrique [NASA Ames Research Center, SOFIA Science Center, SOFIA/USRA, Mountain View, CA (United States); Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (United States); McDonald Observatory, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (United States); Packham, Chris, E-mail: e.ramirez@inaoep.mx [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX (United States); National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo (Japan)

2017-11-22

We present the analysis of near-infrared Hubble Space Telescope imaging of 10 Fanaroff Riley II powerful radio galaxies at low redshift (0.03 < z < 0.11) optically classified as narrow-line radio galaxies. The photometric properties of the host galaxy are measured using galfit, and compared with those from the literature. Our high resolution near-infrared observations provide new and direct information on the central kpc-scale dust lanes in our sample that could be connected to the pc-scale torus structure. Moreover, analyzing the infrared spectrograph Spitzer spectra of our sample, we suggest properties of the dust size of the torus.

A Wealth of Dust Grains in Quasar Winds

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Click on image for larger poster version This plot of data captured by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals dust entrained in the winds rushing away from a quasar, or growing black hole. The quasar, called PG2112+059, is located deep inside a galaxy 8 billion light-years away. Astronomers believe the dust might have been forged in the winds, which would help explain where dust in the very early universe came from. The data were captured by Spitzer's infrared spectrograph, an instrument that splits apart light from the quasar into a spectrum that reveals telltale signs of different minerals. Each type of mineral, or dust grain, has a unique signature, as can be seen in the graph, or spectrum, above. The strongest features are from the mineral amorphous olivine, or glass (purple); the mineral forsterite found in sand (blue); and the mineral corundum found in rubies (light blue). The detection of forsterite and corundum is highly unusual in galaxies without quasars. Therefore, their presence is a key clue that these grains might have been created in the quasar winds and not by dying stars as they are in our Milky Way galaxy. Forsterite is destroyed quickly in normal galaxies by radiation, so it must be continually produced to be detected by Spitzer. Corundum is hard, and provides a seed that softer, more common minerals usually cover up. As a result, corundum is usually not seen in spectra of galaxies. Since Spitzer did detect the mineral, it is probably forming in a clumpy environment, which is expected in quasar winds. All together, the signatures of the unusual minerals in this spectrum point towards dust grains forming in the winds blowing away from quasars.

Mid-Infrared Spectrum of the Zodiacal Emission: Detection of Crystalline Silicates in Interplanetary Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Ootsubo, T.; Onaka, T.; Yamamura, I.; Ishihara, D.; Tanabe, T.; Roellig, T. L.

2003-01-01

Within a few astronomical units of the Sun the solar system is filled with interplanetary dust, which is believed to be dust of cometary and asteroidal origin. Spectroscopic observations of the zodiacal emission with moderate resolution provide key information on the composition and size distribution of the dust in the interplanetary space. They can be compared directly to laboratory measurements of candidate materials, meteorites, and dust particles collected in the stratosphere. Recently mid-infrared spectroscopic observations of the zodiacal emission have been made by two instruments on board the Infrared Space Observatory; the camera (ISOCAM) and the spectrophotometer (ISOPHOT-S). A broad excess emission feature in the 9-11 micron range is reported in the ISOCAM spectrum, whereas the ISOPHOT-S spectra in 6-12 microns can be well fitted by a blackbody radiation without spectral features.

Mapping the three-dimensional dust extinction towards the supernova remnant S147 - the S147 dust cloud

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, B.-Q.; Liu, X.-W.; Ren, J.-J.; Yuan, H.-B.; Huang, Y.; Yu, B.; Xiang, M.-S.; Wang, C.; Tian, Z.-J.; Zhang, H.-W.

2017-12-01

We present a three-dimensional (3D) extinction analysis in the region towards the supernova remnant (SNR) S147 (G180.0-1.7) using multiband photometric data from the Xuyi Schmidt Telescope Photometric Survey of the Galactic Anticentre (XSTPS-GAC), 2MASS and WISE. We isolate a previously unrecognized dust structure likely to be associated with SNR S147. The structure, which we term as 'S147 dust cloud', is estimated to have a distance d = 1.22 ± 0.21 kpc, consistent with the conjecture that S147 is associated with pulsar PSR J0538 + 2817. The cloud includes several dense clumps of relatively high extinction that locate on the radio shell of S147 and coincide spatially with the CO and gamma-ray emission features. We conclude that the usage of CO measurements to trace the SNR associated MCs is unavoidably limited by the detection threshold, dust depletion and the difficulty of distance estimates in the outer Galaxy. 3D dust extinction mapping may provide a better way to identify and study SNR-MC interactions.

An Infrared Census of DUST in Nearby Galaxies with Spitzer (DUSTiNGS). IV. Discovery of High-redshift AGB Analogs

Science.gov (United States)

Boyer, M. L.; McQuinn, K. B. W.; Groenewegen, M. A. T.; Zijlstra, A. A.; Whitelock, P. A.; van Loon, J. Th.; Sonneborn, G.; Sloan, G. C.; Skillman, E. D.; Meixner, M.; McDonald, I.; Jones, O. C.; Javadi, A.; Gehrz, R. D.; Britavskiy, N.; Bonanos, A. Z.

2017-12-01

The survey for DUST in Nearby Galaxies with Spitzer (DUSTiNGS) identified several candidate Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars in nearby dwarf galaxies and showed that dust can form even in very metal-poor systems ({\\boldsymbol{Z}}∼ 0.008 {Z}ȯ ). Here, we present a follow-up survey with WFC3/IR on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), using filters that are capable of distinguishing carbon-rich (C-type) stars from oxygen-rich (M-type) stars: F127M, F139M, and F153M. We include six star-forming DUSTiNGS galaxies (NGC 147, IC 10, Pegasus dIrr, Sextans B, Sextans A, and Sag DIG), all more metal-poor than the Magellanic Clouds and spanning 1 dex in metallicity. We double the number of dusty AGB stars known in these galaxies and find that most are carbon rich. We also find 26 dusty M-type stars, mostly in IC 10. Given the large dust excess and tight spatial distribution of these M-type stars, they are most likely on the upper end of the AGB mass range (stars undergoing Hot Bottom Burning). Theoretical models do not predict significant dust production in metal-poor M-type stars, but we see evidence for dust excess around M-type stars even in the most metal-poor galaxies in our sample (12+{log}({{O}}/{{H}})=7.26{--}7.50). The low metallicities and inferred high stellar masses (up to ∼10 {M}ȯ ) suggest that AGB stars can produce dust very early in the evolution of galaxies (∼30 Myr after they form), and may contribute significantly to the dust reservoirs seen in high-redshift galaxies. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with program GO-14073.

Geochemical evidence for diversity of dust sources in the southwestern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Reheis, M.C.; Budahn, J.R.; Lamothe, P.J.

2002-01-01

Several potential dust sources, including generic sources of sparsely vegetated alluvium, playa deposits, and anthropogenic emissions, as well as the area around Owens Lake, California, affect the composition of modern dust in the southwestern United States. A comparison of geochemical analyses of modern and old (a few thousand years) dust with samples of potential local sources suggests that dusts reflect four primary sources: (1) alluvial sediments (represented by Hf, K, Rb, Zr, and rare-earth elements, (2) playas, most of which produce calcareous dust (Sr, associated with Ca), (3) the area of Owens (dry) Lake, a human-induced playa (As, Ba, Li, Pb, Sb, and Sr), and (4) anthropogenic and/or volcanic emissions (As, Cr, Ni, and Sb). A comparison of dust and source samples with previous analyses shows that Owens (dry) Lake and mining wastes from the adjacent Cerro Gordo mining district are the primary sources of As, Ba, Li, and Pb in dusts from Owens Valley. Decreases in dust contents of As, Ba, and Sb with distance from Owens Valley suggest that dust from southern Owens Valley is being transported at least 400 km to the east. Samples of old dust that accumulated before European settlement are distinctly lower in As, Ba, and Sb abundances relative to modern dust, likely due to modern transport of dust from Owens Valley. Thus, southern Owens Valley appears to be an important, geochemically distinct, point source for regional dust in the southwestern United States. Copyright ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Dust acoustic shock wave at high dust density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Samiran; Sarkar, Susmita; Khan, Manoranjan; Avinash, K.; Gupta, M. R.

2003-01-01

Dust acoustic (DA) shock wave at high dust density, i.e., the dust electroacoustic (DEA) or dust Coulomb (DC) shock wave has been investigated incorporating the nonadiabatic dust charge variation. The nonlinear DEA (DC) shock wave is seen to be governed by the Korteweg-de Vries Burger equation, in which the Burger term is proportional to the nonadiabaticity generated dissipation. It is seen that the shock strength decreases but after reaching minimum, it increases as the dust space charge density |q d n d | increases and the shock strength of DA wave is greater than that of DEA (DC) wave. Moreover the DEA (DC) shock width increases appreciably with increase mass m i of the ion component of the dusty plasma but for DA shock wave the effect is weak

Rapid formation of large dust grains in the luminous supernova 2010jl.

Science.gov (United States)

Gall, Christa; Hjorth, Jens; Watson, Darach; Dwek, Eli; Maund, Justyn R; Fox, Ori; Leloudas, Giorgos; Malesani, Daniele; Day-Jones, Avril C

2014-07-17

The origin of dust in galaxies is still a mystery. The majority of the refractory elements are produced in supernova explosions, but it is unclear how and where dust grains condense and grow, and how they avoid destruction in the harsh environments of star-forming galaxies. The recent detection of 0.1 to 0.5 solar masses of dust in nearby supernova remnants suggests in situ dust formation, while other observations reveal very little dust in supernovae in the first few years after explosion. Observations of the spectral evolution of the bright SN 2010jl have been interpreted as pre-existing dust, dust formation or no dust at all. Here we report the rapid (40 to 240 days) formation of dust in its dense circumstellar medium. The wavelength-dependent extinction of this dust reveals the presence of very large (exceeding one micrometre) grains, which resist destruction. At later times (500 to 900 days), the near-infrared thermal emission shows an accelerated growth in dust mass, marking the transition of the dust source from the circumstellar medium to the ejecta. This provides the link between the early and late dust mass evolution in supernovae with dense circumstellar media.

Cometary Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Levasseur-Regourd, Anny-Chantal; Agarwal, Jessica; Cottin, Hervé; Engrand, Cécile; Flynn, George; Fulle, Marco; Gombosi, Tamas; Langevin, Yves; Lasue, Jérémie; Mannel, Thurid; Merouane, Sihane; Poch, Olivier; Thomas, Nicolas; Westphal, Andrew

2018-04-01

This review presents our understanding of cometary dust at the end of 2017. For decades, insight about the dust ejected by nuclei of comets had stemmed from remote observations from Earth or Earth's orbit, and from flybys, including the samples of dust returned to Earth for laboratory studies by the Stardust return capsule. The long-duration Rosetta mission has recently provided a huge and unique amount of data, obtained using numerous instruments, including innovative dust instruments, over a wide range of distances from the Sun and from the nucleus. The diverse approaches available to study dust in comets, together with the related theoretical and experimental studies, provide evidence of the composition and physical properties of dust particles, e.g., the presence of a large fraction of carbon in macromolecules, and of aggregates on a wide range of scales. The results have opened vivid discussions on the variety of dust-release processes and on the diversity of dust properties in comets, as well as on the formation of cometary dust, and on its presence in the near-Earth interplanetary medium. These discussions stress the significance of future explorations as a way to decipher the formation and evolution of our Solar System.

[Gohieria fusca found in dust of air-conditioner filters].

Science.gov (United States)

Qiang, Chai; Xiao-Dong, Zhan; Wei, Guo; Chao-Pin, Li

2017-09-25

To investigate the pollution status of Gohieria fusca in the air conditioner-filters of different places in Wuhu City. The dust samples were collected from the filters of air-conditioners in dining rooms, shopping malls, hotels and households between June and September, 2013, and G. fusca was detected in the dust samples. There were 430 dust samples collected and 98 were G. fusca positive with the breeding rate of 22.79%. The difference of breeding rates of G. fusca were statistically significant among the different places ( χ 2 =18.294, P air-conditioner filters in Wuhu City gravely.

Dust modelling and forecasting in the Barcelona Supercomputing Center: Activities and developments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez, C; Baldasano, J M; Jimenez-Guerrero, P; Jorba, O; Haustein, K; Basart, S [Earth Sciences Department. Barcelona Supercomputing Center. Barcelona (Spain); Cuevas, E [Izanaa Atmospheric Research Center. Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia, Tenerife (Spain); Nickovic, S [Atmospheric Research and Environment Branch, World Meteorological Organization, Geneva (Switzerland)], E-mail: carlos.perez@bsc.es

2009-03-01

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) is the National Supercomputer Facility in Spain, hosting MareNostrum, one of the most powerful Supercomputers in Europe. The Earth Sciences Department of BSC operates daily regional dust and air quality forecasts and conducts intensive modelling research for short-term operational prediction. This contribution summarizes the latest developments and current activities in the field of sand and dust storm modelling and forecasting.

Dust modelling and forecasting in the Barcelona Supercomputing Center: Activities and developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, C; Baldasano, J M; Jimenez-Guerrero, P; Jorba, O; Haustein, K; Basart, S; Cuevas, E; Nickovic, S

2009-01-01

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) is the National Supercomputer Facility in Spain, hosting MareNostrum, one of the most powerful Supercomputers in Europe. The Earth Sciences Department of BSC operates daily regional dust and air quality forecasts and conducts intensive modelling research for short-term operational prediction. This contribution summarizes the latest developments and current activities in the field of sand and dust storm modelling and forecasting.

Toxicity of lunar dust assessed in inhalation-exposed rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Chiu-wing; Scully, Robert R; Zhang, Ye; Renne, Roger A; Hunter, Robert L; McCluskey, Richard A; Chen, Bean T; Castranova, Vincent; Driscoll, Kevin E; Gardner, Donald E; McClellan, Roger O; Cooper, Bonnie L; McKay, David S; Marshall, Linda; James, John T

2013-10-01

Humans will again set foot on the moon. The moon is covered by a layer of fine dust, which can pose a respiratory hazard. We investigated the pulmonary toxicity of lunar dust in rats exposed to 0, 2.1, 6.8, 20.8 and 60.6 mg/m(3) of respirable-size lunar dust for 4 weeks (6 h/day, 5 days/week); the aerosols in the nose-only exposure chambers were generated from a jet-mill ground preparation of a lunar soil collected during the Apollo 14 mission. After 4 weeks of exposure to air or lunar dust, groups of five rats were euthanized 1 day, 1 week, 4 weeks or 13 weeks after the last exposure for assessment of pulmonary toxicity. Biomarkers of toxicity assessed in bronchoalveolar fluids showed concentration-dependent changes; biomarkers that showed treatment effects were total cell and neutrophil counts, total protein concentrations and cellular enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, glutamyl transferase and aspartate transaminase). No statistically significant differences in these biomarkers were detected between rats exposed to air and those exposed to the two low concentrations of lunar dust. Dose-dependent histopathology, including inflammation, septal thickening, fibrosis and granulomas, in the lung was observed at the two higher exposure concentrations. No lesions were detected in rats exposed to ≤6.8 mg/m(3). This 4-week exposure study in rats showed that 6.8 mg/m(3) was the highest no-observable-adverse-effect level (NOAEL). These results will be useful for assessing the health risk to humans of exposure to lunar dust, establishing human exposure limits and guiding the design of dust mitigation systems in lunar landers or habitats.

Dust Measurements in the Coma of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Inbound to the Sun Between 3.7 and 3.4 AU

Science.gov (United States)

Rotundi, Alessandra; Della Corte, Vincenzo; Fulle, Marco; Ferrari, Marco; Sordini, Roberto; Ivanovski, Stavro; Accolla, Mario; Lucarelli, Francesca; Zakharov, Vladimir; Mazzotta Epifani, Elena; López-Moreno, José J.; Rodríguez, Julio; Colangeli, Luigi; Palumbo, Pasquale; Bussoletti, Ezio; Crifo, Jean-Francois; Esposito, Francesca; Green, Simon F.; Grün, Eberhard; Lamy, Philippe L.

2015-04-01

data on grain speed and its optical cross section. The IS grain momentum measurement, when combined with the GDS detection time, provides a direct measurement of grain speed and mass. These combined measurements characterize single grain dust dynamics in the coma of 67P/CG. The first grain was detected on 1 August 2014 at 814 km from the comet nucleus. Between then and 13 Septem-ber 2014 GIADA detected 35 grains ranging in mass from ~ 5 x 10-10 to 8 x 10-8 kg. Including complementary data from the OSIRIS narrow angle camera, the dust mass loss was calculated over an additional three orders of magni-tude in mass, extending the ejected dust grain sizes up to 2 cm. Combined with data from the MIRO and the ROSINA instruments onboard Rosetta we find a dust/gas mass ratio of 4 +/- 2 averaged over the sunlit nucleus sur-face. The dust to gas ratio may change as the comet approaches closer to the Sun. Acknowledgments: GIADA was built by a consortium led by the Univ. Napoli "Parthenope" & INAF- Oss. Astr. Capodimonte, in collabo-ration with the Inst. de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Selex-ES, FI and SENER. GIADA is presently managed & operated by Ist. di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-INAF, IT. GIADA was funded and managed by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, IT, with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science MEC, ES. GIADA was developed from a PI proposal from the University of Kent; sci. & tech. contribution were pro-vided by CISAS, IT, Lab. d'Astr. Spat., FR, and Institutions from UK, IT, FR, DE and USA. We thank the RSGS/ESAC, RMOC/ESOC & Rosetta Project/ESTEC for their outstanding work. Science support provided was by NASA through the US Rosetta Project managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology. GIADA calibrated data will be available through ESA's PSA web site(www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=PSA&page=in dex). We would like to thank Angioletta Coradini for her contribution as a GIADA Co-I. We thank the MIRO, OSIRIS and

Atmospheric dust additions as a soil formation factor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diaz-Hernandez, J. L.; Ruoss, J.

2009-07-01

The Mediterranean area is distinguished by a least four features that determine the nature of its soils. These are its climate, its mountains, the addition of exogenous dust and ongoing anthropogenic effects. We here present three cases in which the influence of atmospheric dust additions can be detected in the soils of representative circum-Saharan contexts the Canary Islands, Betic intramontane depressions, and the Sierra Bermeja peridotite massif (Malaga). The unique position of the Canary Islands determines important rates of dust deposit, largely depending on position on the relief. the nature of the dust contrasts with the rocky substratum of the islands, and the marine and volcanic context can also affect the nature of the deposits. The numerous, extensive intramontane basins of the Betic Cordilleras act as large captors of atmospheric dust, with rates similar to those found in the Canary archipelago. The carbonate content of these exogenous additions represents a significant components that should be taken into account when establishing the carbonate accumulation regime in these soils. (Author) 13 refs.

Use of SEVIRI images and derived products in a WMO Sand and dust Storm Warning System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MartInez, M A; Ruiz, J; Cuevas, E [Agencia Estatal de MeteorologIa (AEMET) (Spain)], E-mail: mig@inm.es

2009-03-01

The Visible/IR images of SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager), on board Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites, are used to monitor dust events. Satellite-based detection of dust is a difficult problem due in part to the observing-system limitations. The main difficulty is that the dust can be confused with water/ice clouds. SEVIRI is not as optimal for the viewing of dust as SEAWIFS or MODIS, due to the fact that both of them count with additional short-wavelength channels. However, the SEVIRI 15-minute loop images can detect small dust plumes as well as subtle changes from one image to the next. A description of how the AEMET, former INM, is developing the environment to support MSG satellite imagery to the WMO/GEO Sand and Dust Storm Warning System (SDS WS) for Europe, Africa and Middle East Regional Centre will be briefly presented, together with some on-going operational developments to best monitor dust events.

ALMA Maps of Dust and Warm Dense Gas Emission in the Starburst Galaxy IC 5179

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yinghe; Lu, Nanyao; Díaz-Santos, Tanio; Xu, C. Kevin; Gao, Yu; Charmandaris, Vassilis; van der Werf, Paul; Zhang, Zhi-Yu; Cao, Chen

2017-08-01

We present our high-resolution (0.″15 × 0.″13, ˜34 pc) observations of the CO (6-5) line emission, which probes the warm and dense molecular gas, and the 434 μm dust continuum emission in the nuclear region of the starburst galaxy IC 5179, conducted with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). The CO (6-5) emission is spatially distributed in filamentary structures with many dense cores and shows a velocity field that is characteristic of a circumnuclear rotating gas disk, with 90% of the rotation speed arising within a radius of ≲150 pc. At the scale of our spatial resolution, the CO (6-5) and dust emission peaks do not always coincide, with their surface brightness ratio varying by a factor of ˜10. This result suggests that their excitation mechanisms are likely different, as further evidenced by the southwest to northeast spatial gradient of both CO-to-dust continuum ratio and Pa-α equivalent width. Within the nuclear region (radius ˜ 300 pc) and with a resolution of ˜34 pc, the CO line flux (dust flux density) detected in our ALMA observations is 180 ± 18 Jy km s-1 (71 ± 7 mJy), which accounts for 22% (2.4%) of the total value measured by Herschel. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Dust devil track survey at Elysium Planitia, Mars: Implications for the InSight landing sites

Science.gov (United States)

Reiss, Dennis; Lorenz, Ralph D.

2016-03-01

The InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) robotic lander is scheduled to land in Elysium Planitia on Mars in September 2016. InSight will perform the first comprehensive surface-based geophysical investigation including seismic measurements. Knowledge about encounter rates of dust devils with the InSight lander are important for two main reasons: (1) dust devils will affect the scientific measurements, i.e., wind-induced seismic noise, and (2) the power-supply of the InSight lander and instruments is provided by solar arrays and previous landers and rovers on Mars were affected by a steady decline in electrical power output due to atmospheric dust deposition on the solar panels. Long term science operations were only made possible by dust clearing events of the solar arrays caused by wind gusts and dust devils. In this study we analyzed dust devil tracks (DDTs) at the final InSight landing site region in Elysium Planitia. Formation of DDTs is caused by the removal of a layer of dust by passing dust devils, hence in principle the same process as clearing of dust from solar panels. We mapped the number, size (width and length), and orientation of DDTs in repeat observations using High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images covering the exact same surface area acquired within a relatively short time span (solar panel clearing recurrence interval estimate of ∼11 Mars years using the mean annual DDT formation rate, and the mean DDT width and length from all measured DDTs. Due to several uncertainties this solar panel clearing recurrence interval for the InSight landing should be seen as an upper limit estimate.

Investigating dust trapping in transition disks with millimeter-wave polarization

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, A.; Kataoka, A.; Pinilla, P.; Dullemond, C. P.; Henning, Th.; Birnstiel, T.

2016-08-01

Context. Spatially resolved polarized (sub-)mm emission has been observed for example in the protoplanetary disk around HL Tau. Magnetically aligned grains are commonly interpreted as the source of polarization. However, self-scattering by large dust grains with a high enough albedo is another polarization mechanism, which is becoming a compelling method independent of the spectral index to constrain the dust grain size in protoplanetary disks. Aims: We study the dust polarization at mm wavelengths in the dust trapping scenario proposed for transition disks, when a giant planet opens a gap in the disk. We investigate the characteristic polarization patterns and their dependence on disk inclination, dust size evolution, planet position, and observing wavelength. Methods: We combine two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of planet-disk interactions with self-consistent dust growth models. These size-dependent dust density distributions are used for follow-up three-dimensional radiative transfer calculations to predict the polarization degree at ALMA bands due to scattered thermal emission. Results: Dust self-scattering has been proven to be a viable mechanism for producing polarized mm-wave radiation. We find that the polarization pattern of a disk with a planetary gap after 1 Myr of dust evolution shows a distinctive three-ring structure. Two narrow inner rings are located at the planet gap edges. A third wider ring of polarization is situated in the outer disk beyond 100 au. For increasing observing wavelengths, all three rings change their position slightly, where the innermost and outermost rings move inward. This distance is detectable when comparing the results at ALMA bands 3, 6, and 7. Within the highest polarized intensity regions the polarization vectors are oriented in the azimuthal direction. For an inclined disk there is an interplay between polarization originating from a flux gradient and inclination-induced quadrupole polarization. For

Laboratory investigation of antenna signals from dust impacts on spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Sternovsky, Zoltan; Collette, Andrew; Malaspina, David M.; Thayer, Frederick

2016-04-01

Electric field and plasma wave instruments act as dust detectors picking up voltage pulses induced by impacts of particulates on the spacecraft body. These signals enable the characterization of cosmic dust environments even with missions without dedicated dust instruments. For example, the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft performed the first detection of dust particles near Uranus, Neptune, and in the outer solar system [Gurnett et al., 1987, 1991, 1997]. The two STEREO spacecraft observed distinct signals at high rate that were interpreted as nano-sized particles originating from near the Sun and accelerated to high velocities by the solar wind [MeyerVernet et al, 2009a, Zaslavsky et al., 2012]. The MAVEN spacecraft is using the antennas onboard to characterize the dust environment of Mars [Andersson et al., 2014] and Solar Probe Plus will do the same in the inner heliosphere. The challenge, however, is the correct interpretation of the impact signals and calculating the mass of the dust particles. The uncertainties result from the incomplete understanding of the signal pickup mechanisms, and the variation of the signal amplitude with impact location, the ambient plasma environment, and impact speed. A comprehensive laboratory study of impact generated antenna signals has been performed recently using the IMPACT dust accelerator facility operated at the University of Colorado. Dust particles of micron and submicron sizes with velocities of tens of km/s are generated using a 3 MV electrostatic analyzer. A scaled down model spacecraft is exposed to the dust impacts and one or more antennas, connected to sensitive electronics, are used to detect the impact signals. The measurements showed that there are three clearly distinct signal pickup mechanisms due to spacecraft charging, antenna charging and antenna pickup sensing space charge from the expanding plasma cloud. All mechanisms vary with the spacecraft and antenna bias voltages and, furthermore, the latter two

Adapting MODIS Dust Mask Algorithm to Suomi NPP VIIRS for Air Quality Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ciren, P.; Liu, H.; Kondragunta, S.; Laszlo, I.

2012-12-01

Despite pollution reduction control strategies enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), large regions of the United States are often under exceptional events such as biomass burning and dust outbreaks that lead to non-attainment of particulate matter standards. This has warranted the National Weather Service (NWS) to provide smoke and dust forecast guidance to the general public. The monitoring and forecasting of dust outbreaks relies on satellite data. Currently, Aqua/MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectrometer) and Terra/MODIS provide measurements needed to derive dust mask and Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) products. The newly launched Suomi NPP VIIRS (Visible/Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instrument has a Suspended Matter (SM) product that indicates the presence of dust, smoke, volcanic ash, sea salt, and unknown aerosol types in a given pixel. The algorithm to identify dust is different over land and ocean but for both, the information comes from AOT retrieval algorithm. Over land, the selection of dust aerosol model in the AOT retrieval algorithm indicates the presence of dust and over ocean a fine mode fraction smaller than 20% indicates dust. Preliminary comparisons of VIIRS SM to CALIPSO Vertical Feature Mask (VFM) aerosol type product indicate that the Probability of Detection (POD) is at ~10% and the product is not mature for operational use. As an alternate approach, NESDIS dust mask algorithm developed for NWS dust forecast verification that uses MODIS deep blue, visible, and mid-IR channels using spectral differencing techniques and spatial variability tests was applied to VIIRS radiances. This algorithm relies on the spectral contrast of dust absorption at 412 and 440 nm and an increase in reflectivity at 2.13 μm when dust is present in the atmosphere compared to a clear sky. To avoid detecting bright desert surface as airborne dust, the algorithm uses the reflectances at 1.24 μm and 2.25 μm to flag bright pixels. The

Impact of dust filter installation in ironworks and construction on brownfield area on the toxic metal concentration in street and house dust (Celje, Slovenia).

Science.gov (United States)

Zibret, Gorazd

2012-05-01

This article presents the impact of the ecological investment in ironworks (dust filter installation) and construction works at a highly contaminated brownfield site on the chemical composition of household dust (HD) and street sediment (SS) in Celje, Slovenia. The evaluation is based on two sampling campaigns: the first was undertaken 1 month before the ecological investment became operational and the second 3 years later. The results show that dust filter installations reduced the content of Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, W and Zn on average by 58% in HD and by 51% in SS. No reduction was observed at sampling points in the upwind direction from the ironworks. By contrast, the impact of the construction works on the highly contaminated brownfield site was detected by a significant increase (on average by 37%) of elements connected to the brownfield contamination in SS. Such increase was not detected in HD.

An overview of mineral dust modeling over East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Siyu; Huang, Jianping; Qian, Yun; Zhao, Chun; Kang, Litai; Yang, Ben; Wang, Yong; Liu, Yuzhi; Yuan, Tiangang; Wang, Tianhe; Ma, Xiaojun; Zhang, Guolong

2017-08-01

East Asian dust (EAD) exerts considerable impacts on the energy balance and climate/climate change of the earth system through its influence on solar and terrestrial radiation, cloud properties, and precipitation efficiency. Providing an accurate description of the life cycle and climate effects of EAD is therefore critical to better understanding of climate change and socioeconomic development in East Asia and even worldwide. Dust modeling has undergone substantial development since the late 1990s, associated with improved understanding of the role of EAD in the earth system. Here, we review the achievements and progress made in recent decades in terms of dust modeling research, including dust emissions, long-range transport, radiative forcing (RF), and climate effects of dust particles over East Asia. Numerous efforts in dust/EAD modeling have been directed towards furnishing more sophisticated physical and chemical processes into the models on higher spatial resolutions. Meanwhile, more systematic observations and more advanced retrieval methods for instruments that address EAD related science issues have made it possible to evaluate model results and quantify the role of EAD in the earth system, and to further reduce the uncertainties in EAD simulations. Though much progress has been made, large discrepancies and knowledge gaps still exist among EAD simulations. The deficiencies and limitations that pertain to the performance of the EAD simulations referred to in the present study are also discussed.

Cometary dust at the nanometre scale - the MIDAS view after perihelion

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, M. S.; Torkar, K.; Jeszenszky, H.; Romstedt, J.; Schmied, R.; Mannel, T.

2015-10-01

The MIDAS instrument on-board the Rosetta orbiter [1] is a unique combination of a dust collection and handling system and a high resolution Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). By building three-dimensional images of the dust particle topography with nano- to micrometre resolution, MIDAS addresses a range of fundamental questions in Solar System and cometary sciences. The greatest number of particles is expected to be collected around perihelion and the initial results of imaging these will be presented.

Quantitative detection of mass concentration of sand-dust storms via wind-profiling radar and analysis of Z- M relationship

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Minzhong; Ming, Hu; Ruan, Zheng; Gao, Lianhui; Yang, Di

2018-02-01

With the aim to achieve quantitative monitoring of sand-dust storms in real time, wind-profiling radar is applied to monitor and study the process of four sand-dust storms in the Tazhong area of the Taklimakan Desert. Through evaluation and analysis of the spatial-temporal distribution of reflectivity factor, it is found that reflectivity factor ranges from 2 to 18 dBz under sand-dust storm weather. Using echo power spectrum of radar vertical beams, sand-dust particle spectrum and sand-dust mass concentration at the altitude of 600 ˜ 1500 m are retrieved. This study shows that sand-dust mass concentration reaches 700 μg/m3 under blowing sand weather, 2000 μg/m3 under sand-dust storm weather, and 400 μg/m3 under floating dust weather. The following equations are established to represent the relationship between the reflectivity factor and sand-dust mass concentration: Z = 20713.5 M 0.995 under floating dust weather, Z = 22988.3 M 1.006 under blowing sand weather, and Z = 24584.2 M 1.013 under sand-dust storm weather. The retrieval results from this paper are almost consistent with previous monitoring results achieved by former researchers; thus, it is implied that wind-profiling radar can be used as a new reference device to quantitatively monitor sand-dust storms.

Coal Mine Dust Desquamative Chronic Interstitial Pneumonia: A Precursor of Dust-Related Diffuse Fibrosis and of Emphysema.

Science.gov (United States)

Jelic, Tomislav M; Estalilla, Oscar C; Sawyer-Kaplan, Phyllis R; Plata, Milton J; Powers, Jeremy T; Emmett, Mary; Kuenstner, John T

2017-07-01

Diseases associated with coal mine dust continue to affect coal miners. Elucidation of initial pathological changes as a precursor of coal dust-related diffuse fibrosis and emphysema, may have a role in treatment and prevention. To identify the precursor of dust-related diffuse fibrosis and emphysema. Birefringent silica/silicate particles were counted by standard microscope under polarized light in the alveolar macrophages and fibrous tissue in 25 consecutive autopsy cases of complicated coal worker's pneumoconiosis and in 21 patients with tobacco-related respiratory bronchiolitis. Coal miners had 331 birefringent particles/high power field while smokers had 4 (pcoal miner had intra-alveolar macrophages with silica/silicate particles and interstitial fibrosis ranging from minimal to extreme. All coal miners, including those who never smoked, had emphysema. Fibrotic septa of centrilobular emphysema contained numerous silica/silicate particles while only a few were present in adjacent normal lung tissue. In coal miners who smoked, tobacco-associated interstitial fibrosis was replaced by fibrosis caused by silica/silicate particles. The presence of silica/silicate particles and anthracotic pigment-laden macrophages inside the alveoli with various degrees of interstitial fibrosis indicated a new disease: coal mine dust desquamative chronic interstitial pneumonia, a precursor of both dust-related diffuse fibrosis and emphysema. In studied coal miners, fibrosis caused by smoking is insignificant in comparison with fibrosis caused by silica/silicate particles. Counting birefringent particles in the macrophages from bronchioalveolar lavage may help detect coal mine dust desquamative chronic interstitial pneumonia, and may initiate early therapy and preventive measures.

Mass transfer of PBDEs from plastic TV casing to indoor dust via three migration pathways — A test chamber investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rauert, C.; Harrad, S.

2015-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely detected in humans with substantial exposure thought to occur in indoor environments and particularly via contact with indoor dust. Despite this, knowledge of how PBDEs migrate to indoor dust from products within which they are incorporated is scarce. This study utilises an in-house designed and built test chamber to investigate the relative significance of different mechanisms via which PBDEs transfer from source materials to dust, using a plastic TV casing treated with the Deca-BDE formulation as a model source. Experiments at both room temperature and 60 °C revealed no detectable transfer of PBDEs from the TV casing to dust via volatilisation and subsequent partitioning. In contrast, substantial transfer of PBDEs to dust was detected when the TV casing was abraded using a magnetic stirrer bar. Rapid and substantial PBDE transfer to dust was also observed in experiments in which dust was placed in direct contact with the source. Based on these experiments, we suggest that for higher molecular weight PBDEs like BDE-209; direct dust:source contact is the principal pathway via which source-to-dust transfer occurs. - Highlights: • Transfer from a TV casing to dust of high molecular weight PBDEs examined. • Direct source:dust contact effected rapid and most substantial transfer. • Substantial source:dust transfer also occurred via abrasion of source

Experimental and modeling researches of dust particles in the HL-2A tokamak

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Zhi-Hui; Yan, Long-Wen; Tomita, Yukihiro; Feng, Zhen; Cheng, Jun; Hong, Wen-Yu; Pan, Yu-Dong; Yang, Qing-Wei; Duan, Xu-Ru

2015-02-01

The investigation of dust particle characteristics in fusion devices has become more and more imperative. In the HL-2A tokamak, the morphologies and compositions of dust particles are analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) with mapping. The results indicate that the sizes of dust particles are in a range from 1 μm to 1 mm. Surprisingly, stainless steel spheres with a diameter of 2.5 μm-30 μm are obtained. The production mechanisms of dust particles include flaking, disintegration, agglomeration, and arcing. In addition, dynamic characteristics of the flaking dust particles are observed by a CMOS fast framing camera and simulated by a computer program. Both of the results display that the ion friction force is dominant in the toroidal direction, while the centrifugal force is crucial in the radial direction. Therefore, the visible dust particles are accelerated toriodally by the ion friction force and migrated radially by the centrifugal force. The averaged velocity of the grain is on the order of ˜ 100 m/s. These results provide an additional supplement for one of critical plasma-wall interaction (PWI) issues in the framework of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) programme. Project supported by the National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Science Program of China (Grant Nos. 2014GB107000 and 2013GB112008), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11320101005, 11175060, 11375054, and 11075046), and the China-Korean Joint Foundation (Grant No. 2012DFG02230).

A smart dust biosensor powered by kinesin motors.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Thorsten; Agarwal, Ashutosh; Hess, Henry

2009-03-01

Biosensors can be miniaturized by either injecting smaller volumes into micro- and nanofluidic devices or immersing increasingly sophisticated particles known as 'smart dust' into the sample. The term 'smart dust' originally referred to cubic-millimetre wireless semiconducting sensor devices that could invisibly monitor the environment in buildings and public spaces, but later it also came to include functional micrometre-sized porous silicon particles used to monitor yet smaller environments. The principal challenge in designing smart dust biosensors is integrating transport functions with energy supply into the device. Here, we report a hybrid microdevice that is powered by ATP and relies on antibody-functionalized microtubules and kinesin motors to transport the target analyte into a detection region. The transport step replaces the wash step in traditional double-antibody sandwich assays. Owing to their small size and autonomous function, we envision that large numbers of such smart dust biosensors could be inserted into organisms or distributed into the environment for remote sensing.

Tetrabromobisphenol A in Indoor Dust from Houses and Internet Cafes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ma. Pythias B. Espino

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Tetrabromobisphenol A or TBBPA is a widely used brominated flame retardant in modern materials such as electronic products, plastics and building materials. TBBPA can leach out of flame retardant-treated products during production, use, reuse, and final disposal of these consumer products. It has thus become a contemporary environmental contaminant. This study reports the levels of TBBPA in indoor dust from houses (n=4 and internet cafes (n=5 in Angono and Quezon City, in the Philippines. TBBPA in indoor dust was analyzed by ultrasonication-assisted hexane extraction and HPLC-UV determination. The instrument and method detection limits were 0.004 ng uL-1 and 1275 ng g-1, respectively. The standard calibration solutions ranged from 0.03 to 0.30 ng uL-1 (r2=0.9956. The extraction recovery was 78% (n=3. TBBPA was found in six of the nine indoor dust samples studied where the concentrations ranged from not detected to 4916 ng g-1. The occurrence and levels of TBBPA in indoor dusts are significant and suggest the need for further investigations especially in other microenvironments where people may be exposed to this contaminant.

Missing dust signature in the cosmic microwave background

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vavryčuk, Václav

2017-01-01

Roč. 470, č. 1 (2017), L44-L48 ISSN 0035-8711 Institutional support: RVO:67985530 Keywords : dust, extinction * galaxies: high redshift * galaxies: ISM * intergalactic medium * cosmic background radiation * early Universe Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 4.961, year: 2016

Method development for analysis of urban dust using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry to detect the possible presence of world trade center dust constituents

Science.gov (United States)

Bern, A.M.; Lowers, H.A.; Meeker, G.P.; Rosati, J.A.

2009-01-01

The collapse of the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, 2001, sent dust and debris across much of Manhattan and in the surrounding areas. Indoor and outdoor dust samples were collected and characterized by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists using scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry (SEM/EDS). From this characterization, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and USGS developed a particulate screening method to determine the presence of residual World Trade Center dust in the indoor environment using slag wool as a primary "signature". The method describes a procedure that includes splitting, ashing, and sieving of collected dust. From one split, a 10 mg/mL dust/ isopropanol suspension was prepared and 10-30 ??L aliquots of the suspension placed on an SEM substrate. Analyses were performed using SEM/EDS manual point counting for slag wool fibers. Poisson regression was used to identify some of the sources of uncertainty, which are directly related to the small number of fibers present on each sample stub. Preliminary results indicate that the procedure is promising for screening urban background dust for the presence of WTC dust. Consistent sample preparation of reference materials and samples must be performed by each laboratory wishing to use this method to obtain meaningful and accurate results. ?? 2009 American Chemical Society.

IS DUST FORMING ON THE RED GIANT BRANCH IN 47 Tuc?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyer, Martha L.; Gordon, Karl D.; Meixner, Margaret; Sewilo, Marta; Shiao, Bernie; Van Loon, Jacco Th.; McDonald, Iain; Babler, Brian; Bracker, Steve; Meade, Marilyn; Block, Miwa; Engelbracht, Charles; Misselt, Karl; Hora, Joe; Indebetouw, Remy; Whitney, Barbara

2010-01-01

Using Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) observations from the SAGE-SMC Legacy program and archived Spitzer IRAC data, we investigate dust production in 47 Tuc, a nearby massive Galactic globular cluster. A previous study detected infrared excess, indicative of circumstellar dust, in a large population of stars in 47 Tuc, spanning the entire red giant branch (RGB). We show that those results suffered from effects caused by stellar blending and imaging artifacts and that it is likely that no stars below ∼1 mag from the tip of the RGB are producing dust. The only stars that appear to harbor dust are variable stars, which are also the coolest and most luminous stars in the cluster.

THE DISTORTION OF THE COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND SPECTRUM DUE TO INTERGALACTIC DUST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Imara, Nia; Loeb, Abraham, E-mail: nimara@cfa.harvard.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2016-07-10

Infrared emission from intergalactic dust might compromise the ability of future experiments to detect subtle spectral distortions in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) from the early universe. We provide the first estimate of foreground contamination of the CMB signal due to diffuse dust emission in the intergalactic medium. We use models of the extragalactic background light to calculate the intensity of intergalactic dust emission and find that emission by intergalactic dust at z ≲ 0.5 exceeds the sensitivity of the planned Primordial Inflation Explorer to CMB spectral distortions by 1–3 orders of magnitude. In the frequency range ν = 150–2400 GHz, we place an upper limit of 0.06% on the contribution to the far-infrared background from intergalactic dust emission.

Coal Mine Dust Desquamative Chronic Interstitial Pneumonia: A Precursor of Dust-Related Diffuse Fibrosis and of Emphysema

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomislav M Jelic

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Diseases associated with coal mine dust continue to affect coal miners. Elucidation of initial pathological changes as a precursor of coal dust-related diffuse fibrosis and emphysema, may have a role in treatment and prevention. Objective: To identify the precursor of dust-related diffuse fibrosis and emphysema. Methods: Birefringent silica/silicate particles were counted by standard microscope under polarized light in the alveolar macrophages and fibrous tissue in 25 consecutive autopsy cases of complicated coal worker's pneumoconiosis and in 21 patients with tobacco-related respiratory bronchiolitis. Results: Coal miners had 331 birefringent particles/high power field while smokers had 4 (p<0.001. Every coal miner had intra-alveolar macrophages with silica/silicate particles and interstitial fibrosis ranging from minimal to extreme. All coal miners, including those who never smoked, had emphysema. Fibrotic septa of centrilobular emphysema contained numerous silica/silicate particles while only a few were present in adjacent normal lung tissue. In coal miners who smoked, tobacco-associated interstitial fibrosis was replaced by fibrosis caused by silica/silicate particles. Conclusion: The presence of silica/silicate particles and anthracotic pigment-laden macrophages inside the alveoli with various degrees of interstitial fibrosis indicated a new disease: coal mine dust desquamative chronic interstitial pneumonia, a precursor of both dust-related diffuse fibrosis and emphysema. In studied coal miners, fibrosis caused by smoking is insignificant in comparison with fibrosis caused by silica/silicate particles. Counting birefringent particles in the macrophages from bronchioalveolar lavage may help detect coal mine dust desquamative chronic interstitial pneumonia, and may initiate early therapy and preventive measures.

Fipronil and its degradates in indoor and outdoor dust

Science.gov (United States)

Mahler, B.J.; Van Metre, P.C.; Wilson, J.T.; Musgrove, M.; Zaugg, S.D.; Burkhardt, M.R.

2009-01-01

Fipronil is a potent insecticide used for control of termites, fleas, roaches, ants, and other pests. We measured fipronil, fipronil sulfide, and desulfinyl fipronil concentrations in indoor and outdoor dust from 24 residences in Austin, Texas. At least one of these three fipronil compounds was detected in every sample. Fipronil accounted for most of the total fipronil (T-fipronil; fipronil+desulfinyl fipronil+fipronil sulfide), followed by desulfinyl fipronil and fipronil sulfide. Nineteen of 24 samples of indoor dust had T-fipronil concentrations less than 270 ??g/kg; the remaining five had concentrations from 1320 to 14,200 ??g/kg. All three of the residences with a dog on which a flea-control product containing fipronil was used were among the five residences with elevated fipronil concentrations. In outdoor dust, all concentrations of T-fipronil were less than 70??g/kg with one exception (430??g/kg). For every residence, the concentration of T-fipronil in indoor dust exceeded that in outdoor dust, and the median concentration of T-fipronil was 15 times higher indoors than outdoors.

Dust confinement and dust acoustic waves in a magnetized plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Piel, A.

2005-10-01

Systematic laboratory experiments on dust acoustic waves require the confinement of dust particles. Here we report on new experiments in a magnetized plasma region in front of an additional positively biased disk electrode in a background plasma which is generated in argon at 27MHz between a disk and grid electrode. The plasma diffuses through the grid along the magnetic field. The three-dimensional dust distribution is measured with a horizontal sheet of laser light and a CCD camera, which are mounted on a vertical translation stage. Depending on magnetic field and discharge current, cigar or donut-shaped dust clouds are generated, which tend to rotate about the magnetic field direction. Measurements with emissive probes show that the axial confinement of dust particles with diameters between 0.7-2 μm is achieved by a balance of ion-drag force and electric field force. Dust levitation and radial confinement is due to a strong radial electric field. Dust acoustic waves are destabilized by the ion flow or can be stimulated by a periodic bias on the disk electrode. The observed wave dispersion is compared with fluid and kinetic models of the dust acoustic wave.

Allergies, asthma, and dust

Science.gov (United States)

Reactive airway disease - dust; Bronchial asthma - dust; Triggers - dust ... Things that make allergies or asthma worse are called triggers. Dust is a common trigger. When your asthma or allergies become worse due to dust, you are ...

Stardust@home: An Interactive Internet-based Search for Interstellar Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez, B. J.; Westphal, A. J.; Butterworth, A. L.; Craig, N.

2006-12-01

On January 15, 2006, NASA's Stardust mission returned to Earth after nearly seven years in interplanetary space. During its journey, Stardust encountered comet Wild 2, collecting dust particles from it in a special material called aerogel. At two other times in the mission, aerogel collectors were also opened to collect interstellar dust. The Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector is being scanned by an automated microscope at the Johnson Space Center. There are approximately 700,000 fields of view needed to cover the entire collector, but we expect only a few dozen total grains of interstellar dust were captured within it. Finding these particles is a daunting task. We have recruited many thousands of volunteers from the public to aid in the search for these precious pieces of space dust trapped in the collectors. We call the project Stardust@home. Through Stardust@home, volunteers from the public search fields of view from the Stardust aerogel collector using a web-based Virtual Microscope. Volunteers who discover interstellar dust particles have the privilege of naming them. The interest and response to this project has been extraordinary. Many people from all walks of life are very excited about space science and eager to volunteer their time to contribute to a real research project such as this. We will discuss the progress of the project and the education and outreach activities being carried out for it.

Exploring the Dust Content of Galactic Winds with Herschel. II. Nearby Dwarf Galaxies*

Science.gov (United States)

McCormick, Alexander; Veilleux, Sylvain; Meléndez, Marcio; Martin, Crystal L.; Bland-Hawthorn, Joss; Cecil, Gerald; Heitsch, Fabian; Müller, Thomas; Rupke, David S. N.; Engelbracht, Chad

2018-03-01

We present results from analysis of deep Herschel Space Observatory observations of six nearby dwarf galaxies known to host galactic-scale winds. The superior far-infrared sensitivity and angular resolution of Herschel have allowed detection of cold circumgalactic dust features beyond the stellar components of the host galaxies traced by Spitzer 4.5 μm images. Comparisons of these cold dust features with ancillary data reveal an imperfect spatial correlation with the ionized gas and warm dust wind components. We find that typically ˜10-20% of the total dust mass in these galaxies resides outside of their stellar disks, but this fraction reaches ˜60% in the case of NGC 1569. This galaxy also has the largest metallicity (O/H) deficit in our sample for its stellar mass. Overall, the small number of objects in our sample precludes drawing strong conclusions on the origin of the circumgalactic dust. We detect no statistically significant trends with star formation properties of the host galaxies, as might be expected if the dust were lifted above the disk by energy inputs from on-going star formation activity. Although a case for dust entrained in a galactic wind is seen in NGC 1569, in all cases, we cannot rule out the possibility that some of the circumgalactic dust might be associated instead with gas accreted or removed from the disk by recent galaxy interaction events, or that it is part of the outer gas-rich portion of the disk that lies below the sensitivity limit of the Spitzer 4.5 μm data.

Detection of cometary dust particles by atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruedenauer, F.G.; Fehringer, H.M.

1995-08-01

This report contains a collection of manuscripts written by ARCS personnell which have been used in the formulation of the instrument proposal 'Micro - Imaging Dust Analysis System (MIDAS)' for the comet orbiter of the ESA - mission ROSETTA. Since in the proposal itself the scientific problems can only be expounded in a very compressed form, this collection of manuscripts is intended to serve as a basis for extended investigations necessary in the course of the MIDAS project. (author)

Modeling the Dynamics of Comet Hale-Bopp's Dust at Large Heliocentric Distances

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Emily A.; Fernandez, Y. R.; Kelley, M. S.; Woodney, L. M.; Lisse, C. M.

2010-10-01

Comet Hale-Bopp has provided an unprecedented opportunity to observe a bright comet over a wide range of heliocentric distances. We present here Spitzer Space Telescope observations of Hale-Bopp from 2005 and 2008 that show a distinct coma and tail, which is uncommon given its heliocentric distance -- 21.6 AU and 27.2 AU, respectively. These 24 um images (obtained with MIPS, the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer) show thermal emission from the dust, and are being studied using dynamical models [1, 2] to explain the dust morphology and constrain the dust's properties. Preliminary work suggests that the motion of the dust cannot be solely due to the effects of gravity and radiation pressure. We investigate the role of other possible driving forces, including the so-called rocket force [3]. Our initial analysis also shows that: (1) there is no trail lying along the orbit plane, as Spitzer saw for many other comets [4]; (2) the position angle of the tail changed by about 50º between 2005 and 2008; (3) the faintness and shape of the tail in 2008 compared to 2005 cannot solely be due to the change in observing geometry. These points suggest that even though Hale-Bopp is far from the Sun its tail is made of relatively recently-released grains. Our science goals are to understand the comet's activity mechanism, constrain the age of the dust, find the size of the grains, and compare properties of the dust seen now to those of the dust seen in the 1990s. We acknowledge support from the NSF, NASA and the Spitzer Science Center for this work. References: [1] Kelley, M.S., et al.  2008, Icarus 193, 572, [2] Lisse, C.M., et al. 1998, ApJ 496, 971, [3] Reach, W.T., et al. 2009, Icarus 203, 571, [4] Reach, W.T., et al. 2007, Icarus 191, 298.

Phthalate and PAH concentrations in dust collected from Danish homes and daycare centers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langer, Sarka; Weschler, Charles J.; Fischer, Andreas

2010-01-01

(diethyl phthalate (DEP), di(n-butyl) phthalate (DnBP), di(isobutyl) phthalate (DiBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)) and three PAHs (pyrene, benz[a]anthracene (B[a]A) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)). The three PAHs and DEHP were detected in dust samples from all sites, while...... DEP. DnBP, DiBP and BBzP were detected in more than 75% of the bedrooms and more than 90% of the daycare centers. The dust mass-fractions of both phthalates and PAHs were log-normally distributed. With the exception of DEP, the mass-fractions of phthalates in dust were higher in daycare centers than...... homes: PAH mass-fractions in dust were similar in the two locations. There was no correlation among the different phthalates in either homes or daycare centers. In contrast, the PAH were correlated with one another more strongly so in homes (R-2 = 0.80-0.90) than in daycare centers (R-2 = 0...

Measuring Dust Emission from the Mojave Desert (USA) by Daily Remote-Camera Observations and Wind-Erosion Measurements: Bearing on "Unseen" Sources and Global Dust Abundance

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, R. L.; Urban, F.; Goldstein, H. L.; Fulton, R.

2017-12-01

A large gap in understanding the effects of atmospheric dust at all spatial scales is uncertainty about how much and whence dust is emitted annually. Digital recording of dust emission at high spatial and temporal resolution would, together with periodic flux measurements, support improved estimates of local-scale dust flux where infrastructure could support remote internet enabled cameras. Such recording would also elucidate wind-erosion dynamics when combined with meteorological data. Remote camera recording of dust-emitting settings on and around Soda Lake (Mojave Desert) was conducted every 15 minutes during daylight between 10 Nov. 2010 and 31 Dec. 2016 and images uploaded to a web server. Examination of 135,000 images revealed frequent dust events, termed "dust days" when plumes obscured mountains beyond source areas. Such days averaged 68 (sd=10) per year (2011 through 2016). We examined satellite retrievals (MODIS, GOES) for dust events during six cloudless days of highest and longest duration dust emission but none were observed. From Apr. 2000 through May 2013, aeolian sediments collected at three sites were sampled and weighed. Estimates of the emitted mass of silt- and clay-size fractions were made on the basis of measured horizontal mass flux, particle sizes of sediment in collectors, and roughly determined areas of dust generation. Over this period, nearly 4 Tg yr-1 of dust (as particulate matter flood in the basin in late Dec. 2010 that deposited flood sediment across the lake basin. Increased emission was likely related to the availability of fresh, unanchored flood sediment. Within the Mojave and Great Basin deserts of North America, many settings akin to those at Soda Lake similarly emit dust that is rarely detected in satellite retrievals. These findings strongly imply that local and regional dust emissions from western North America are far underestimated and that, by extension to relatively small dust-source areas across all drylands, global

Asian Dust Storm Outbreaks: A Satellite-Surface Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Tsay, Si-Chee

2006-01-01

Airborne dusts from northern China contribute a significant part of the air quality problem and, to some extent, regional climatic impact in Asia during springtime. Asian dust typically originates in desert areas far from polluted urban regions. During the transport, dust layers can interact with anthropogenic sulfate and soot aerosols from heavily polluted urban areas. Added to the complex effects of clouds and natural marine aerosols, dust particles reaching the marine environment can have drastically different properties than those from the source. Thus, understanding the unique temporal and spatial variations of Asian dust is of special importance in regional-to-global climate issues (e.g., radiative forcing, hydrological cycle, and primary biological productivity in the mid-Pacific Ocean, etc.), as well as societal concerns (e.g., adverse health effects to humans). The Asian dust and air pollution aerosols can be detected by its colored appearance on current Earth observing satellites (e.g., MODIS, SeaWiFS, TOMS, etc.) and its evolution monitored by satellites and surface network (e.g. AERONET, SKY NET, MPLNET, etc.). Recently, many field campaigns (e.g., ACE-Asia-2001, TRACEP-2001, ADE-2002 & -2003, APEX-2001 & -2003, etc.) were designed and executed to study the compelling variability in spatial and temporal scale of both pollution-derived and naturally occurring aerosols, which often exist in high concentrations over eastern Asia and along the rim of the western Pacific. I will present an overview of the outbreak of Asian dust storms from space and surface observations and to address the climatic effects and societal impacts.

Cometary dust: the diversity of primitive refractory grains.

Science.gov (United States)

Wooden, D H; Ishii, H A; Zolensky, M E

2017-07-13

Comet dust is primitive and shows significant diversity. Our knowledge of the properties of primitive cometary particles has expanded significantly through microscale investigations of cosmic dust samples (anhydrous interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), chondritic porous (CP) IDPs and UltraCarbonaceous Antarctic micrometeorites, Stardust and Rosetta ), as well as through remote sensing ( Spitzer IR spectroscopy). Comet dust are aggregate particles of materials unequilibrated at submicrometre scales. We discuss the properties and processes experienced by primitive matter in comets. Primitive particles exhibit a diverse range of: structure and typology; distribution of constituents; concentration and form of carbonaceous and refractory organic matter; Mg- and Fe-contents of the silicate minerals; sulfides; existence/abundance of type II chondrule fragments; high-temperature calcium-aluminium inclusions and ameboid-olivine aggregates; and rarely occurring Mg-carbonates and magnetite, whose explanation requires aqueous alteration on parent bodies. The properties of refractory materials imply there were disc processes that resulted in different comets having particular selections of primitive materials. The diversity of primitive particles has implications for the diversity of materials in the protoplanetary disc present at the time and in the region where the comets formed.This article is part of the themed issue 'Cometary science after Rosetta'. © 2017 The Authors.

GIOTTO DUST IMPACT DETECTOR SYSTEM DATA V1.0

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Dust Impact Detection System (DIDSY) consists of six independent subsystems with the primary aim of registering the impacts of all particulates of significant mass...

Formation and Evolution of Interstellar Dust - Bridging Astronomy and Laboratory Astrophysics.

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras, Cesar; Ricketts, C. L.; Salama, F.

2010-05-01

The study of the formation and the destruction processes of cosmic dust are essential to understand and to quantify the budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. PAHs are important chemical building blocks of interstellar (IS) dust. They are detected in Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and in meteoritic samples. Additionally, observational, laboratory, and theoretical studies have shown that PAHs, in their neutral and ionized forms, are an important, ubiquitous component of the interstellar medium. Carbonaceous materials extracts from mixtures of hydrocarbons (C2H2, C2H4, and benzene) contain a high variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). (From Jager et al. Carbon 45 (2007) 2981-2994). Studies of large molecular and nano-sized interstellar dust analogs formed from PAH precursors have been performed in our laboratory under conditions that simulate interstellar and circumstellar environments. The species (molecules, molecular fragments, ions, nanoparticles, etc...) formed in the pulsed discharge nozzle (PDN) plasma source are detected and characterized with a high-sensitivity cavity ringdown spectrometer (CRDS) coupled to a Reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ReTOF-MS), thus providing both spectroscopic and ion mass information in-situ. We will present new experimental results that indicate that nanoparticles are generated in the plasma. From these unique measurements, we derive information on the nature, the size and the structure of interstellar dust particles, the growth and the destruction processes of IS dust and the resulting budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. Acknowledgments: This research is supported by NASA APRA (Laboratory Astrophysics Program). C. S. C. & C. L. R. acknowledge the support of the NASA Postdoctoral Program.

Identification of Dust and Ice Cloud Formation from A-Train Datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, D. S.; Liou, K. N.

2014-12-01

Dust aerosols are effective ice nuclei for clouds and instances of nucleation have been well studied in laboratory experiments. We used CALIOP/CALIPSO, MODIS/Aqua, and CloudSat on the A-Train to find collocated instances of clouds characterized as water by MODIS, but contain ice water as indicated by CloudSat. The vertical profiles of CALIPSO detect the presence of dust and polluted dust near clouds. This study concentrates on high dust aerosol areas including the regions surrounding the Sahara Desert as well as South Asia including the Tibetan Plateau. These cases display the effects of dust acting as ice nuclei in the time frame between MODIS overpass and CloudSat overpass (~45 seconds). Utilizing available datasets, we then carried out radiative transfer calculations to understand spectral radiative forcing differences between water and ice clouds, particularly over snow surfaces at the Tibetan Plateau.

Kuiper Belt Dust Grains as a Source of Interplanetary Dust Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Liou, Jer-Chyi; Zook, Herbert A.; Dermott, Stanley F.

1996-01-01

The recent discovery of the so-called Kuiper belt objects has prompted the idea that these objects produce dust grains that may contribute significantly to the interplanetary dust population. In this paper, the orbital evolution of dust grains, of diameters 1 to 9 microns, that originate in the region of the Kuiper belt is studied by means of direct numerical integration. Gravitational forces of the Sun and planets, solar radiation pressure, as well as Poynting-Robertson drag and solar wind drag are included. The interactions between charged dust grains and solar magnetic field are not considered in the model. Because of the effects of drag forces, small dust grains will spiral toward the Sun once they are released from their large parent bodies. This motion leads dust grains to pass by planets as well as encounter numerous mean motion resonances associated with planets. Our results show that about 80% of the Kuiper belt grains are ejected from the Solar System by the giant planets, while the remaining 20% of the grains evolve all the way to the Sun. Surprisingly, the latter dust grains have small orbital eccentricities and inclinations when they cross the orbit of the Earth. This makes them behave more like asteroidal than cometary-type dust particles. This also enhances their chances of being captured by the Earth and makes them a possible source of the collected interplanetary dust particles; in particular, they represent a possible source that brings primitive/organic materials from the outer Solar System to the Earth. When collisions with interstellar dust grains are considered, however, Kuiper belt dust grains around 9 microns appear likely to be collisionally shattered before they can evolve toward the inner part of the Solar System. The collision destruction can be applied to Kuiper belt grains up to about 50 microns. Therefore, Kuiper belt dust grains within this range may not be a significant part of the interplanetary dust complex in the inner Solar

Inactivation of dust mites, dust mite allergen, and mold from carpet.

Science.gov (United States)

Ong, Kee-Hean; Lewis, Roger D; Dixit, Anupma; MacDonald, Maureen; Yang, Mingan; Qian, Zhengmin

2014-01-01

Carpet is known to be a reservoir for biological contaminants, such as dust mites, dust mite allergen, and mold, if it is not kept clean. The accumulation of these contaminants in carpet might trigger allergies or asthma symptoms in both children and adults. The purpose of this study is to compare methods for removal of dust mites, dust mite allergens, and mold from carpet. Carpets were artificially worn to simulate 1 to 2 years of wear in a four-person household. The worn carpets were inoculated together with a common indoor mold (Cladosporium species) and house dust mites and incubated for 6 weeks to allow time for dust mite growth on the carpet. The carpets were randomly assigned to one of the four treatment groups. Available treatment regimens for controlling carpet contaminants were evaluated through a literature review and experimentation. Four moderately low-hazard, nondestructive methods were selected as treatments: vacuuming, steam-vapor, Neem oil (a natural tree extract), and benzalkonium chloride (a quaternary ammonium compound). Steam vapor treatment demonstrated the greatest dust mite population reduction (p 0.05) for both physical and chemical methods. The steam-vapor treatment effectively killed dust mites and denatured dust mite allergen in the laboratory environment.

Laboratory Studies of the Formation of Carbonaceous Cosmic Dust from PAH Precursors

Science.gov (United States)

Salama, Farid; Contreras, C. S.

2012-05-01

The study of the formation and destruction processes of cosmic dust is essential to understand and to quantify the budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. Although dust with all its components plays an important role in the evolution of interstellar chemistry and in the formation of organic molecules, little is known on the formation and destruction processes of carbonaceous dust. PAHs are important chemical building blocks of interstellar dust. They are detected in interplanetary dust particles and in meteoritic samples and are an important, ubiquitous component of the interstellar medium. The formation of PAHs from smaller molecules has not been extensively studied. Therefore, it is imperative that laboratory experiments be conducted to study the dynamic processes of carbon grain formation from PAH precursors. Studies of interstellar dust analogs formed from a variety of PAH and hydrocarbon precursors as well as species that include O, N, and S, have recently been performed using the COSmIC facility in our laboratory under conditions that simulate interstellar and circumstellar environments. The species formed in the pulsed discharge nozzle (PDN) plasma source are detected and characterized with high-sensitivity cavity ringdown spectroscopy coupled to a Reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ReTOF-MS), thus providing both spectroscopic and ion mass information in-situ. We report the measurements obtained in these experiments. Studies with hydrocarbon precursors show the feasibility of specific molecules to form PAHs, while studies with carbon ring systems (benzene and derivatives, PAHs) precursors provide information on pathways toward larger carbonaceous molecules. From these unique measurements, we derive information on the size and the structure of interstellar dust grain particles, the growth and the destruction processes of interstellar dust and the resulting budget of extraterrestrial organic molecules. Acknowledgements: This research is

Asian Dust particles impacts on air quality and radiative forcing over Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Y J; Noh, Y M; Song, C H; Yoon, S C; Han, J S

2009-01-01

Asian Dust particles originated from the deserts and loess areas of the Asian continent are often transported over Korea, Japan, and the North Pacific Ocean during spring season. Major air mass pathway of Asian dust storm to Korea is from either north-western Chinese desert regions or north-eastern Chinese sandy areas. The local atmospheric environment condition in Korea is greatly impacted by Asian dust particles transported by prevailing westerly wind. Since these Asian dust particles pass through heavily populated urban and industrial areas in China before it reach Korean peninsular, their physical, chemical and optical properties vary depending on the atmospheric conditions and air mass pathway characteristics. An integrated system approach has been adopted at the Advanced Environment Monitoring Research Center (ADEMRC), Gwangju Institute Science and Technology (GIST), Korea for effective monitoring of atmospheric aerosols utilizing various in-situ and optical remote sensing methods, which include a multi-channel Raman LIDAR system, sunphotometer, satellite, and in-situ instruments. Results from recent studies on impacts of Asian dust particles on local air quality and radiative forcing over Korea are summarized here.

Dust modelling of fast flyby missions - Implications of in situ measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, W. C.; McDonnell, J. A. M.

Using the Divine approach to modelling of cometary dust distributions within the dust envelope, together with the Reference Model parameters established by the Comet Halley Environment Working Group, predicted flux and fluence values are presented for each of the Giotto Dust Impact Detection System (DIDSY) subsystems. Implications for returned DIDSY data are discussed with particular reference to mass-size distribution and particle fluence as a function of time. It is also shown that the first particle impact event recorded by any of the DIDSY subsystems is likely to be of sufficient mass to penetrate the front shield of the Giotto spacecraft.

The case study on elemental analyses of Asian dust particles by using an analytical scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeuchi, Jo; Masaki, Kazushige; Emoto, Yuji

2009-01-01

The individual particle analyses of suspended particulate matter (SPM: particles less than 10 μm in size) collected on tape filters during April 17-18, 2006, in Kawasaki, Japan, were carried out. The chemical elements present in aerosol particles were investigated by using a scanning electron microscope with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The fraction of chemical elements detected in the particles collected on April 18, 2006, except for S, was in good agreement with that in Asian dust particles from the Loess Plateau, China. S was not detected in Asian dust particles but was detected in the particles collected on April 18, 2006. Therefore, it was concluded that the particles collected in April 18, 2006, in Kawasaki were Asian dust particles transported from the Asian continent, and the absorption of SO 2 or the coagulation of sulfate occurred during the transportation of Asian dust particles. (author)

Whither Cometary Dust?

Science.gov (United States)

Lisse, Carey M.

2010-10-01

In this paper I will discuss recent findings that have important implications for our understanding of the formation and evolution of primitive solar system dust, including: - Nesvorny et al. (2010), following up on their dynamical analyses of the zodiacal dust bands as sourced by the breakup of the Karin (5Mya) and Veritas (8Mya) asteroid families, argue that over 90% of the interplanetary dust cloud at 1 AU comes from JFC comets with near-circularized, low inclination orbits. This implies that the noted IPD collections of anhydrous and hydrous dust particles are likely to be from Oort cloud and JFC comets, respectively, not from asteroids and comets as thought in the past. Hydrous dust particles from comets like 85P/Wild2 and 9P/Tempel 1 would be consistent with results from the STARDUST and Deep Impact experiments. - Estimates of the dust particle size distributions (PSDs) in the comae of 85P/Wild2 (Green et al. 2004, 2007) and 73P/SW-3 (Sitko et al. 2010, Vaubaillon & Reach 2010) and in the trails of comets (Reach et al. 2007) have broken power law structure, with a plateau enhancement of particles of 1 mm - 1 cm in size. This size is also the size of most chondritic inclusions, and the predicted size range of the "aggregational barrier", where collisions between dust particles become destructive. - Studies of the albedo and polarization properties of cometary dust (Kolokolova et al. 2007) suggest there are 2 major groupings, one with low scattering capability and one with high. While these families could possibly have been explained by systematics in the PSDs of the emitted dust, independent work by Lisse et al. (2008) on the mineralogy of a number of highly dusty comets has shown evidence for one family of comets with highly crystalline dust and another with highly amorphous dust.

Development of an Electrostatic Dust Detector for use in a Tokamak Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bader, A.; Skinner, C.H.; Roquemore, A.L.; Langish, S.

2003-01-01

Initial results from a novel device to detect dust particles settling on remote surfaces are presented. Dust particle inventories are a concern in next-step fusion devices. The increase in duty cycle will lead to a scale-up in the amount of particles generated by plasma material interactions. These particles will be chemically and radiologically hazardous and it will be important to establish that the in-vessel particle inventory is within regulatory limits. The detection device consists of two interlocking combs of closely spaced conductive traces on a Teflon circuit board. When a DC bias is applied impinging dust creates a transient short circuit between the traces. The increase in bias current generates a signal pulse that is counted by standard nuclear counting electronics. We present data on the response of the device in air and vacuum to carbon particles

Integrative Analysis of Desert Dust Size and Abundance Suggests Less Dust Climate Cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Kok, Jasper F.; Ridley, David A.; Zhou, Qing; Miller, Ron L.; Zhao, Chun; Heald, Colette L.; Ward, Daniel S.; Albani, Samuel; Haustein, Karsten

2017-01-01

Desert dust aerosols affect Earths global energy balance through interactions with radiation, clouds, and ecosystems. But the magnitudes of these effects are so uncertain that it remains unclear whether atmospheric dust has a net warming or cooling effect on global climate. Consequently, it is still uncertain whether large changes in atmospheric dust loading over the past century have slowed or accelerated anthropogenic climate change, and the climate impact of possible future alterations in dust loading is similarly disputed. Here we use an integrative analysis of dust aerosol sizes and abundance to constrain the climatic impact of dust through direct interactions with radiation. Using a combination of observational, experimental, and model data, we find that atmospheric dust is substantially coarser than represented in current climate models. Since coarse dust warms global climate, the dust direct radiative effect (DRE) is likely less cooling than the 0.4 W m superscript 2 estimated by models in a current ensemble. We constrain the dust DRE to -0.20 (-0.48 to +0.20) W m superscript 2, which suggests that the dust DRE produces only about half the cooling that current models estimate, and raises the possibility that dust DRE is actually net warming the planet.

Remote sensing of mineral dust aerosol using AERI during the UAE2: A modeling and sensitivity study

Science.gov (United States)

Hansell, R. A.; Liou, K. N.; Ou, S. C.; Tsay, S. C.; Ji, Q.; Reid, J. S.

2008-09-01

Numerical simulations and sensitivity studies have been performed to assess the potential for using brightness temperature spectra from a ground-based Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) during the United Arab Emirates Unified Aerosol Experiment (UAE2) for detecting/retrieving mineral dust aerosol. A methodology for separating dust from clouds and retrieving the dust IR optical depths was developed by exploiting differences between their spectral absorptive powers in prescribed thermal IR window subbands. Dust microphysical models were constructed using in situ data from the UAE2 and prior field studies while composition was modeled using refractive index data sets for minerals commonly observed around the UAE region including quartz, kaolinite, and calcium carbonate. The T-matrix, finite difference time domain (FDTD), and Lorenz-Mie light scattering programs were employed to calculate the single scattering properties for three dust shapes: oblate spheroids, hexagonal plates, and spheres. We used the Code for High-resolution Accelerated Radiative Transfer with Scattering (CHARTS) radiative transfer program to investigate sensitivity of the modeled AERI spectra to key dust and atmospheric parameters. Sensitivity studies show that characterization of the thermodynamic boundary layer is crucial for accurate AERI dust detection/retrieval. Furthermore, AERI sensitivity to dust optical depth is manifested in the strong subband slope dependence of the window region. Two daytime UAE2 cases were examined to demonstrate the present detection/retrieval technique, and we show that the results compare reasonably well to collocated AERONET Sun photometer/MPLNET micropulse lidar measurements. Finally, sensitivity of the developed methodology to the AERI's estimated MgCdTe detector nonlinearity was evaluated.

Exploring the dust content of galactic winds with Herschel - II. Nearby dwarf galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

McCormick, Alexander; Veilleux, Sylvain; Meléndez, Marcio; Martin, Crystal L.; Bland-Hawthorn, Joss; Cecil, Gerald; Heitsch, Fabian; Müller, Thomas; Rupke, David S. N.; Engelbracht, Chad

2018-06-01

We present the results from an analysis of deep Herschel Space Observatory observations of six nearby dwarf galaxies known to host galactic-scale winds. The superior far-infrared sensitivity and angular resolution of Herschel have allowed detection of cold circumgalactic dust features beyond the stellar components of the host galaxies traced by Spitzer 4.5 μm images. Comparisons of these cold dust features with ancillary data reveal an imperfect spatial correlation with the ionized gas and warm dust wind components. We find that typically ˜10-20 per cent of the total dust mass in these galaxies resides outside of their stellar discs, but this fraction reaches ˜60 per cent in the case of NGC 1569. This galaxy also has the largest metallicity (O/H) deficit in our sample for its stellar mass. Overall, the small number of objects in our sample precludes drawing strong conclusions on the origin of the circumgalactic dust. We detect no statistically significant trends with star formation properties of the host galaxies, as might be expected if the dust were lifted above the disc by energy inputs from ongoing star formation activity. Although a case for dust entrained in a galactic wind is seen in NGC 1569, in all cases, we cannot rule out the possibility that some of the circumgalactic dust might be associated instead with gas accreted or removed from the disc by recent galaxy interaction events, or that it is part of the outer gas-rich portion of the disc that lies below the sensitivity limit of the Spitzer 4.5 μm data.

Dust appearance rates during neutral beam injection and after oxygen bake in the DIII-D tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, J.H.; Smirnov, R.D.; Rudakov, D.L.

2011-01-01

A simple model to quantify source and sink terms of dust observed in tokamaks using fast visible imaging is presented. During neutral beam injection (NBI), dust appearance rates increase in front of the neutral beam port by up to a factor of 5. The images show dust streaming from the port box as previously settled dust becomes mobilized during beam injection. Following an oxygen bake and vent, the dust observation rate is a factor of 2 lower than that after a vessel entry vent with no oxygen bake. Detected dust levels decay on a shot-to-shot basis in a roughly exponential fashion, with a decay time of approximately 20 s of plasma exposure. Appearance rates of dust mass are estimated using assumed lognormal and power law functional forms for the dust size distribution. The two dust size distributions differ significantly on the amount the dust material carried by the largest particles, highlighting the need for further dust studies in order to make accurate forecasts to ITER.

Application of wind-profiling radar data to the analysis of dust weather in the Taklimakan Desert.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Minzhong; Wei, Wenshou; Ruan, Zheng; He, Qing; Ge, Runsheng

2013-06-01

The Urumqi Institute of Desert Meteorology of the China Meteorological Administration carried out an atmospheric scientific experiment to detect dust weather using a wind-profiling radar in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert in April 2010. Based on the wind-profiling data obtained from this experiment, this paper seeks to (a) analyze the characteristics of the horizontal wind field and vertical velocity of a breaking dust weather in a desert hinterland; (b) calculate and give the radar echo intensity and vertical distribution of a dust storm, blowing sand, and floating dust weather; and (c) discuss the atmosphere dust counts/concentration derived from the wind-profiling radar data. Studies show that: (a) A wind-profiling radar is an upper-air atmospheric remote sensing system that effectively detects and monitors dust. It captures the beginning and ending of a dust weather process as well as monitors the sand and dust being transported in the air in terms of height, thickness, and vertical intensity. (b) The echo intensity of a blowing sand and dust storm weather episode in Taklimakan is about -1~10 dBZ while that of floating dust -1~-15 dBZ, indicating that the dust echo intensity is significantly weaker than that of precipitation but stronger than that of clear air. (c) The vertical shear of horizontal wind and the maintenance of low-level east wind are usually dynamic factors causing a dust weather process in Taklimakan. The moment that the low-level horizontal wind field finds a shear over time, it often coincides with the onset of a sand blowing and dust storm weather process. (d) When a blowing sand or dust storm weather event occurs, the atmospheric vertical velocity tends to be of upward motion. This vertical upward movement of the atmosphere supported with a fast horizontal wind and a dry underlying surface carries dust particles from the ground up to the air to form blown sand or a dust storm.

Dust Destruction in the ISM: A Re-Evaluation of Dust Lifetimes

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, A. P.; Nuth, J. A., III

2011-01-01

There is a long-standing conundrum in interstellar dust studies relating to the discrepancy between the time-scales for dust formation from evolved stars and the apparently more rapid destruction in supernova-generated shock waves. Aims. We re-examine some of the key issues relating to dust evolution and processing in the interstellar medium. Methods. We use recent and new constraints from observations, experiments, modelling and theory to re-evaluate dust formation in the interstellar medium (ISM). Results. We find that the discrepancy between the dust formation and destruction time-scales may not be as significant as has previously been assumed because of the very large uncertainties involved. Conclusions. The derived silicate dust lifetime could be compatible with its injection time-scale, given the inherent uncertainties in the dust lifetime calculation. The apparent need to re-form significant quantities of silicate dust in the tenuous interstellar medium may therefore not be a strong requirement. Carbonaceous matter, on the other hand, appears to be rapidly recycled in the ISM and, in contrast to silicates, there are viable mechanisms for its re-formation in the ISM.

Dust-forming molecules in VY Canis Majoris (and Betelgeuse)

OpenAIRE

Kaminski, T.; Gottlieb, C. A.; Schmidt, M. R.; Patel, N. A.; Young, K. H.; Menten, K. M.; Brunken, S.; Muller, H. S. P.; Winters, J. M.; McCarthy, M. C.

2013-01-01

The formation of inorganic dust in circumstellar environments of evolved stars is poorly understood. Spectra of molecules thought to be most important for the nucleation, i.e. AlO, TiO, and TiO2, have been recently detected in the red supergiant VY CMa. These molecules are effectively formed in VY CMa and the observations suggest that non-equilibrium chemistry must be involved in their formation and nucleation into dust. In addition to exploring the recent observations of VY CMa, we briefly d...

Dusting Off the Shelves: Getting the Most Value Out of Vocational Education and Training Equity Resources. Support Document

Science.gov (United States)

Mawer, Giselle; Jackson, Elaine

2006-01-01

This document accompanies the report, "Dusting Off the Shelves: Getting The Most Value Out of Vocational Education and Training Equity Resources." Included in this document are: (1) Consultations; and (2) Questionnaires. [This document was produced with funding provided through the Department of Education, Science and Training. For "Dusting Off…

Effect of cigarette smoking on the detection of small radiographic opacities in inorganic dust diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanc, P.D.; Gamsu, G.

1988-01-01

Whether cigarette smoking can cause radiographic opacities indistinguishable from those due to pneumoconiosis remains controversial. The situation becomes clearer when one limits the abnormalities to those that can be standardized under the International Labour Office (ILO) classification system. The bulk of the evidence indicates that, using the ILO system, cigarette smoking alone is not associated with radiographic opacities that would be mistaken for pneumoconiosis with sufficient frequency to be of any practical importance. The effects of cigarette smoking, as a cofactor, in conjunction with occupational dust exposure depend on the type of dust. No relationship has been convincingly demonstrated for coal dust or silica. Only with asbestos exposure does there appear to be a significant cigarette smoking-associated increase in the frequency of irregular radiographic opacities. This increase does not appear to translate into a restrictive impairment in pulmonary function. The limited information available indicates that the features of asbestosis on high-resolution computed tomography are not similarly related to cigarette smoking. Additional research is needed to substantiate the relationship between smoking and occupational exposure to dust of many types, and also the possible imaging and pathophysiologic significance of their interactions. 47 references

Toxigenic Fusarium spp. as determinants of trichothecene mycotoxins in settled grain dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Halstensen, Anne Straumfors; Nordby, Karl-Christian; Klemsdal, Sonja Sletner; Elen, Oleif; Clasen, Per-Erik; Eduard, Wijnand

2006-12-01

Trichothecenes are immunosuppressive mycotoxins produced mainly by Fusarium spp. and often are detected as natural contaminants of grain and other agricultural products. Exposure to trichothecenes through inhalation during grain work may represent possible health risks for grain farmers. We aimed, therefore, to investigate the level of Fusarium spp. and trichothecenes in settled grain dust collected during work on 92 Norwegian farms. Mycotoxins were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, whereas the Fusarium spp. were identified and quantified both by species-specific semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by cultivation. All potential trichothecene-producing molds in the grain dust were quantified using a PCR assay specific for tri5, the gene coding for trichodiene synthase that catalyzes the first step in the trichothecene biosynthesis. We performed correlation analysis between mold-DNA and mycotoxins to assess whether the PCR-detected DNA could be used as indicators of the mycotoxins. The methodological problem of detecting small amounts of airborne mycotoxins during grain work may then be avoided. Whereas the trichothecene-producing Fusarium species in grain dust could not be identified or quantified to a sufficient extent by cultivation, all investigated Fusarium spp. could be specifically detected by PCR and quantified from the DNA agarose gel band intensities. Furthermore, we observed a strong correlation between the trichothecenes HT-2 toxin (HT-2) or T-2 toxin (T-2) and DNA specific for tri5 (r = 0.68 for HT-2 and r = 0.50 for T-2; p grain dust during work, but the use of Fusarium-DNA as indicators for trichothecenes should be used cautiously.

Thermomagnetic identification of manganese and iron minerals present in soils and industrial dusts

Science.gov (United States)

Wawer, Małgorzata; Rachwał, Marzena; Jabłońska, Mariola; Krzykawski, Tomasz; Magiera, Tadeusz

2017-04-01

Many industries (e.g. metallurgy, power, cement, and coking plants) constitute a sources of industrial dusts containing technogenic magnetic particles (TMP). TMP are mostly iron oxides with ferrimagnetic or antiferromagnetic properties, therefore their presence in dusts, soils and sediments can be easily detected by magnetic susceptibility measurements. TMP, thanks their specific mineral and magnetic properties, and well developed specific surface area, are characterized by a chemical affinity for some elements like heavy metals. The main objective of this study was identification of manganese and iron (hydro)oxides occurring in industrial dusts and soils being under their deposition for long time period. In principle, Mn and Fe (hydro)oxides present in these samples originate from high-temperature technological processes. Soils samples (collected from different soil horizons) taken from surroundings of power station, iron/steel and non-ferrous plants as well as metallurgical dusts and fly ashes from power stations were subjected to investigation. During the studies temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements and X-ray powder diffraction analyses were applied. Thermomagnetic analyses (K-T) revealed differences between samples from particular industries, however an inflexion at 450-500°C of all curves was observed indicating a probable occurrence of maghemite- or titanomagnetite-like phases. The curves of TMP emitted by power plants have inflection at 580 °C indicating that magnetite was the main magnetic phase. In case of TMP originated from non-ferrous metal smelting additional curve deflection at 130 and 210 °C occurred relating to intermediate titanomagnetite or iron sulfides. X-ray diffraction proved the occurrence of magnetite and maghemite in almost all samples, especially connected with power industry and iron/steel metallurgy. Mineral analysis revealed that kind of industrial process influenced on the dominating mineral forms found in

Geochemical characterization of critical dust source regions in the American West

Science.gov (United States)

Aarons, Sarah M.; Blakowski, Molly A.; Aciego, Sarah M.; Stevenson, Emily I.; Sims, Kenneth W. W.; Scott, Sean R.; Aarons, Charles

2017-10-01

The generation, transport, and deposition of mineral dust are detectable in paleoclimate records from land, ocean, and ice, providing valuable insight into earth surface conditions and cycles on a range of timescales. Dust deposited in marine and terrestrial ecosystems can provide critical nutrients to nutrient-limited ecosystems, and variations in dust provenance can indicate changes in dust production, sources and transport pathways as a function of climate variability and land use change. Thus, temporal changes in locations of dust source areas and transport pathways have implications for understanding interactions between mineral dust, global climate, and biogeochemical cycles. This work characterizes dust from areas in the American West known for dust events and/or affected by increasing human settlement and livestock grazing during the last 150 years. Dust generation and uplift from these dust source areas depends on climate and land use practices, and the relative contribution of dust has likely changed since the expansion of industrialization and agriculture into the western United States. We present elemental and isotopic analysis of 28 potential dust source area samples analyzed using Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) for 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd composition and Multi-Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) for 176Hf/177Hf composition, and ICPMS for major and trace element concentrations. We find significant variability in the Sr, Nd, and Hf isotope compositions of potential source areas of dust throughout western North America, ranging from 87Sr/86Sr = 0.703699 to 0.740236, εNd = -26.6 to 2.4, and εHf = -21.7 to -0.1. We also report differences in the trace metal and phosphorus concentrations in the geologic provinces sampled. This research provides an important resource for the geochemical tracing of dust sources and sinks in western North America, and will aid in modeling the biogeochemical impacts of increased

A SPITZER SURVEY FOR DUST IN TYPE IIn SUPERNOVAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fox, Ori D.; Chevalier, Roger A.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Soderberg, Alicia M.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Ganeshalingam, Mohan; Silverman, Jeffrey M.; Smith, Nathan; Steele, Thea N.

2011-01-01

Recent observations suggest that Type IIn supernovae (SNe IIn) may exhibit late-time (>100 days) infrared (IR) emission from warm dust more than other types of core-collapse SNe. Mid-IR observations, which span the peak of the thermal spectral energy distribution, provide useful constraints on the properties of the dust and, ultimately, the circumstellar environment, explosion mechanism, and progenitor system. Due to the low SN IIn rate (<10% of all core-collapse SNe), few IR observations exist for this subclass. The handful of isolated studies, however, show late-time IR emission from warm dust that, in some cases, extends for five or six years post-discovery. While previous Spitzer/IRAC surveys have searched for dust in SNe, none have targeted the Type IIn subclass. This paper presents results from a warm Spitzer/IRAC survey of the positions of all 68 known SNe IIn within a distance of 250 Mpc between 1999 and 2008 that have remained unobserved by Spitzer more than 100 days post-discovery. The detection of late-time emission from 10 targets (∼15%) nearly doubles the database of existing mid-IR observations of SNe IIn. Although optical spectra show evidence for new dust formation in some cases, the data show that in most cases the likely origin of the mid-IR emission is pre-existing dust, which is continuously heated by optical emission generated by ongoing circumstellar interaction between the forward shock and circumstellar medium. Furthermore, an emerging trend suggests that these SNe decline at ∼1000-2000 days post-discovery once the forward shock overruns the dust shell. The mass-loss rates associated with these dust shells are consistent with luminous blue variable progenitors.

The Origin and Evolution of Interstellar Dust in the Local and High-redshift Universe

Science.gov (United States)

Dwek, Eliahu

2012-01-01

In this talk I will begin by reviewing our current state of knowledge regarding the origin and evolution of dust in the local solar neighborhood. using chemical evolution models, I will discuss their many different input parameters and their uncertainties. An important consequence of these models is the delayed injection of dust from AGB stars, compared to supernova-condensed dust, into the interstellar medium. I will show that these stellar evolutionary effects on dust composition are manifested in the infrared spectra of local galaxies. The delayed production of dust in AGB stars has also important consequences for the origin of the large amount of dust detected in high-redshift galaxies, when the universe was less that approx. 1 Gyr old. Supernovae may have been the only viable dust sources in those galaxies. Recent observations of sN1987a show a significant mass of dust in the ejecta of this SN. Is that production rate high enough to account for the observed dust mass in these galaxies? If not, what are the alternative viable sources of dust, and how do they depend on the nature of the galaxy (starburst or AGN) and its star formation history .

HERSCHEL OBSERVATIONS OF GAS AND DUST IN THE UNUSUAL 49 Ceti DEBRIS DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberge, A. [Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 667, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Kamp, I. [Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, 9700 AV Groningen (Netherlands); Montesinos, B. [Departamento de Astrofisica, Centro de Astrobiologia (INTA-CSIC), ESAC Campus, PO Box 78, E-28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid (Spain); Dent, W. R. F. [ALMA, Avda Apoquindo 3846, Piso 19, Edificio Alsacia, Las Condes, Santiago (Chile); Meeus, G.; Eiroa, C. [Departmento Fisica Teorica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Donaldson, J. K. [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Olofsson, J. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117, Heidelberg (Germany); Moor, A. [Konkoly Observatory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 67, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary); Augereau, J.-C.; Thi, W.-F. [UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planetologie et d' Astrophysique de Grenoble, UMR 5274, F-38041, Grenoble (France); Howard, C.; Sandell, G. [SOFIA-USRA, NASA Ames Research Center, Building N232, PO Box 1, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Ardila, D. R. [NASA Herschel Science Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Mail Stop 220-6, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Woitke, P., E-mail: Aki.Roberge@nasa.gov [University of Vienna, Department of Astronomy, Tuerkenschanzstr. 17, A-1180, Vienna (Austria)

2013-07-01

We present far-IR/sub-mm imaging and spectroscopy of 49 Ceti, an unusual circumstellar disk around a nearby young A1V star. The system is famous for showing the dust properties of a debris disk, but the gas properties of a low-mass protoplanetary disk. The data were acquired with the Herschel Space Observatory PACS and SPIRE instruments, largely as part of the ''Gas in Protoplanetary Systems'' (GASPS) Open Time Key Programme. Disk dust emission is detected in images at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 {mu}m; 49 Cet is significantly extended in the 70 {mu}m image, spatially resolving the outer dust disk for the first time. Spectra covering small wavelength ranges centered on eight atomic and molecular emission lines were obtained, including [O I] 63 {mu}m and [C II] 158 {mu}m. The C II line was detected at the 5{sigma} level-the first detection of atomic emission from the disk. No other emission lines were seen, despite the fact that the O I line is the brightest one observed in Herschel protoplanetary disk spectra. We present an estimate of the amount of circumstellar atomic gas implied by the C II emission. The new far-IR/sub-mm data fills in a large gap in the previous spectral energy distribution (SED) of 49 Cet. A simple model of the new SED confirms the two-component structure of the disk: warm inner dust and cold outer dust that produces most of the observed excess. Finally, we discuss preliminary thermochemical modeling of the 49 Cet gas/dust disk and our attempts to match several observational results simultaneously. Although we are not yet successful in doing so, our investigations shed light on the evolutionary status of the 49 Cet gas, which might not be primordial gas but rather secondary gas coming from comets.

ANALYSIS OF SOIL AND DUST SAMPLES FOR POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS BY ENZYME LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY (ELISA)

Science.gov (United States)

An inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in house dust and soil. Soil and house dust samples were analyzed for PCB by both gas chromatography/electron capture detection (GC/ECD) and ELISA methods. A correlati...

Measuring the incombustible content of mine dust using backscatter of low energy gamma rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, R.F.; Martin, J.W.

1970-01-01

Low energy gamma radiation directionally applied in a method, and by an adjustable apparatus to a layer of mine dust produces scattered gammas whose reflected radiation detected at a predetermined distance from the mine dust acts to cause the generation of an electrical control input for a meter indicating the incombustible content of the mine dust substantially independently of the effects on such indicating which are normally due to its bulk density and any moisture content thereof. (U.S.)

A method for combined Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic analysis of <10 mg dust samples: implication for ice core science

Science.gov (United States)

Ujvari, Gabor; Wegner, Wencke; Klötzli, Urs

2017-04-01

Aeolian mineral dust particles below the size of 10-20 μm often experience longer distance transport in the atmosphere, and thus Aeolian dust is considered an important tracer of large-scale atmospheric circulation. Since ice core dust is purely Aeolian in origin, discrimination of its potential source region(s) can contribute to a better understanding of past dust activity and climatic/environmental causes. Furthermore, ice core dust source information provides critical experimental constraints for model simulations of past atmospheric circulation patterns [1,2]. However, to identify dust sources in past dust archives such as ice cores, the mineralogy and geochemistry of the wind-blown dust material must be characterized. While the amount of dust in marine cores or common terrestrial archives is sufficient for different types of analyses and even for multiple repeat measurements, dust content in ice cores is usually extremely low even for the peak dusty periods such as the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) (5-8 mg dust/kg ice; [3]). Since the most powerful dust fingerprinting methods, such as REE composition and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic analyses are destructive there is a clear need to establish sequential separation techniques of Sr, Nd, Pb and other REEs to get the most information out of small (5-10 mg) dust samples recovered from ice cores. Although Hf isotopes have recently been added as a robust tool of aerosol/dust source discrimination (e.g. [4,5,6,7]), precise Hf isotopic measurements of small (reliable 176Hf/177Hf (and also 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd) ratios. Along with the standards 50, 10 and 5 mg aliquots of the fine (affected by acid treatment and these signatures are extremely stable both within run (0.000008 variability for the three aliquots, i.e. 0.15 ɛNd unit) and between runs of different laboratories (0.00006, ca 1 ɛNd unit). Hf isotopic compositions varied within 1 (NUS) and 5 ɛHf units (BEI) between the three aliquots, but the BEI sample always gave more

Reinventing Image Detective: An Evidence-Based Approach to Citizen Science Online

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, C.; Graff, P. V.; Runco, S.

2017-12-01

Usability studies demonstrate that web users are notoriously impatient, spending as little as 15 seconds on a home page. How do you get users to stay long enough to understand a citizen science project? How do you get users to complete complex citizen science tasks online?Image Detective, a citizen science project originally developed by scientists and science engagement specialists at the NASA Johnson Space center to engage the public in the analysis of images taken from space by astronauts to help enhance NASA's online database of astronaut imagery, partnered with the CosmoQuest citizen science platform to modernize, offering new and improved options for participation in Image Detective. The challenge: to create a web interface that builds users' skills and knowledge, creating engagement while learning complex concepts essential to the accurate completion of tasks. The project team turned to usability testing for an objective understanding of how users perceived Image Detective and the steps required to complete required tasks. A group of six users was recruited online for unmoderated and initial testing. The users followed a think-aloud protocol while attempting tasks, and were recorded on video and audio. The usability test examined users' perception of four broad areas: the purpose of and context for Image Detective; the steps required to successfully complete the analysis (differentiating images of Earth's surface from those showing outer space and identifying common surface features); locating the image center point on a map of Earth; and finally, naming geographic locations or natural events seen in the image.Usability test findings demonstrated that the following best practices can increase participation in Image Detective and can be applied to the successful implementation of any citizen science project:• Concise explanation of the project, its context, and its purpose;• Including a mention of the funding agency (in this case, NASA);• A preview of

Collisionless damping of nonlinear dust ion acoustic wave due to dust charge fluctuation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Samiran; Chaudhuri, Tushar K.; Sarkar, Susmita; Khan, Manoranjan; Gupta, M.R.

2002-01-01

A dissipation mechanism for the damping of the nonlinear dust ion acoustic wave in a collisionless dusty plasma consisting of nonthermal electrons, ions, and variable charge dust grains has been investigated. It is shown that the collisionless damping due to dust charge fluctuation causes the nonlinear dust ion acoustic wave propagation to be described by the damped Korteweg-de Vries equation. Due to the presence of nonthermal electrons, the dust ion acoustic wave admits both positive and negative potential and it suffers less damping than the dust acoustic wave, which admits only negative potential

Bounded dust-acoustic waves in a cylindrically bounded collisional dusty plasma with dust charge variation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Nanxia; Xue Jukui

2006-01-01

Taking into account the boundary, particle collisions, and dust charging effects, dust-acoustic waves in a uniform cylindrically bounded dusty plasma is investigated analytically, and the dispersion relation for the dust-acoustic wave is obtained. The effects of boundary, dust charge variation, particle collision, and dust size on the dust-acoustic wave are discussed in detail. Due to the bounded cylindrical boundary effects, the radial wave number is discrete, i.e., the spectrum is discrete. It is shown that the discrete spectrum, the adiabatic dust charge variation, dust grain size, and the particle collision have significant effects on the dust-acoustic wave

The Role of Jet Adjustment Processes in Subtropical Dust Storms

Science.gov (United States)

Pokharel, Ashok Kumar; Kaplan, Michael L.; Fiedler, Stephanie

2017-11-01

Meso-α/β/γ scale atmospheric processes of jet dynamics responsible for generating Harmattan, Saudi Arabian, and Bodélé Depression dust storms are analyzed with observations and high-resolution modeling. The analysis of the role of jet adjustment processes in each dust storm shows similarities as follows: (1) the presence of a well-organized baroclinic synoptic scale system, (2) cross mountain flows that produced a leeside inversion layer prior to the large-scale dust storm, (3) the presence of thermal wind imbalance in the exit region of the midtropospheric jet streak in the lee of the respective mountains shortly after the time of the inversion formation, (4) dust storm formation accompanied by large magnitude ageostrophic isallobaric low-level winds as part of the meso-β scale adjustment process, (5) substantial low-level turbulence kinetic energy (TKE), and (6) emission and uplift of mineral dust in the lee of nearby mountains. The thermally forced meso-γ scale adjustment processes, which occurred in the canyons/small valleys, may have been the cause of numerous observed dust streaks leading to the entry of the dust into the atmosphere due to the presence of significant vertical motion and TKE generation. This study points to the importance of meso-β to meso-γ scale adjustment processes at low atmospheric levels due to an imbalance within the exit region of an upper level jet streak for the formation of severe dust storms. The low level TKE, which is one of the prerequisites to deflate the dust from the surface, cannot be detected with the low resolution data sets; so our results show that a high spatial resolution is required for better representing TKE as a proxy for dust emission.

Exploring Dust around HD 142527 down to 0.″025 (4 au) Using SPHERE/ZIMPOL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Avenhaus, H.; Quanz, S. P.; Schmid, H. M.; Szulágyi, J.; Bazzon, A. [ETH Zurich, Institute for Astronomy, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 27, CH-8093, Zurich (Switzerland); Dominik, C.; Stolker, T. [Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam (Netherlands); Ginski, C.; De Boer, J. [Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands); Garufi, A. [Universidad Autonónoma de Madrid, Dpto. Física Teórica, Módulo 15, Facultad de Ciencias, Campus de Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Zurlo, A. [Millennium Nucleus “Protoplanetary Disk”, Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 36-D, Santiago (Chile); Hagelberg, J.; Benisty, M.; Ménard, F. [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Henning, T. [Max-Planck-Institut fur Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Meyer, M. R. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 1085 S. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Baruffolo, A. [INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Beuzit, J. L. [Université Grenoble Alpes, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Costille, A.; Dohlen, K., E-mail: havenhaus@gmail.com [Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille) UMR 7326, F-13388, Marseille (France); and others

2017-07-01

We have observed the protoplanetary disk of the well-known young Herbig star HD 142527 using ZIMPOL polarimetric differential imaging with the very broad band (∼600–900 nm) filter. We obtained two data sets in 2015 May and 2016 March. Our data allow us to explore dust scattering around the star down to a radius of ∼0.″025 (∼4 au). The well-known outer disk is clearly detected at higher resolution than before and shows previously unknown substructures, including spirals going inward into the cavity. Close to the star, dust scattering is detected at high signal-to-noise ratio, but it is unclear whether the signal represents the inner disk, which has been linked to the two prominent local minima in the scattering of the outer disk that are interpreted as shadows. An interpretation of an inclined inner disk combined with a dust halo is compatible with both our and previous observations, but other arrangements of the dust cannot be ruled out. Dust scattering is also present within the large gap between ∼30 and ∼140 au. The comparison of the two data sets suggests rapid evolution of the inner regions of the disk, potentially driven by the interaction with the close-in M-dwarf companion, around which no polarimetric signal is detected.

Food allergens in mattress dust in Norwegian homes - a potentially important source of allergen exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertelsen, R J; Faeste, C K; Granum, B; Egaas, E; London, S J; Carlsen, K-H; Lødrup Carlsen, K C; Løvik, M

2014-01-01

Sensitization to food allergens and food allergic reactions are mostly caused by ingesting the allergen, but can also occur from exposure via the respiratory tract or the skin. Little is known about exposure to food allergens in the home environment. The objective of this study was firstly to describe the frequency of detection of allergens from fish, egg, milk, and peanut in mattress dust collected from homes of 13-year-old adolescents and secondly to identify home characteristics associated with the presence of food allergen contamination in dust. Food allergens were measured by dot blot analysis in mattress dust from 143 homes in Oslo, Norway. We analysed associations between home characteristics (collected by parental questionnaires and study technicians) and food allergens by multivariate regression models. Fish allergen was detected in 46%, peanut in 41%, milk in 39%, and egg allergen in 22% of the mattress dust samples; only three samples contained none of these allergens. All four food allergens were more frequently detected in mattresses in small dwellings (Food allergens occurred frequently in beds in Norwegian homes, with dwelling size and proximity of kitchen and bedroom as the most important determinants. Due to the amount of time children spent in the bedroom, mattress dust may be an important source of exposure to food allergens. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Saharan dust contribution to PM levels: The EC LIFE+ DIAPASON project

Science.gov (United States)

Gobbi, G. P.; Wille, H.; Sozzi, R.; Angelini, F.; Barnaba, F.; Costabile, F.; Frey, S.; Bolignano, A.; Di Giosa, A.

2012-04-01

The contribution of Saharan-dust advections to both daily and annual PM average values can be significant all over Southern Europe. The most important effects of dust on the number of PM exceedances are mostly observed in polluted areas and large cities. While a wide literature exists documenting episodes of Saharan dust transport towards the Euro-Mediterranean region and Europe in general, a limited number of studies are still available providing statistically significant results on the impact of Saharan dust on the particulate matter loads over the continent. A four-year (2001-2004) study performed in Rome (Italy) found these events to contribute to the average ground PM10 with about 15±10 µg/m3 on about 17% of the days in a year. Since the PM10 yearly average of many traffic stations in Rome is close to 40 μg/m3, these events can cause the PM10 concentration to exceed air quality limit values (50 μg/m3 as daily average) set by the EU Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC. Although the European legislation allows Member States to subtract the contribution of natural sources before counting PM10 exceedances, definition of an optimal methodology to quantitatively assess such contribution is still in progress. On the basis of the current European Guidelines on the assessment of natural contributions to PM, the DIAPASON project ("Desert-dust Impact on Air quality through model-Predictions and Advanced Sensors ObservatioNs", recently funded under the EC LIFE+ program) has been formulated to provide a robust, user-oriented methodology to assess the presence of desert dust and its contribution to PM levels. To this end, in addition to satellite-based data and model forecasts, the DIAPASON methodology will employ innovative and affordable technologies, partly prototyped within the project itself, as an operational Polarization Lidar-Ceilometer (laser radar) capable of detecting and profiling dust clouds from the ground up to 10 km altitude. The DIAPASON Project (2011

DETECTION OF REMNANT DUST CLOUD ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2007 OUTBURST OF 17P/HOLMES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishiguro, Masateru; Kim, Yoonyoung; Kwon, Yuna G.; Sarugaku, Yuki; Kuroda, Daisuke; Maehara, Hiroyuki; Hanayama, Hidekazu; Takahashi, Jun; Terai, Tsuyoshi; Usui, Fumihiko; Vaubaillon, Jeremie J.; Morokuma, Tomoki; Kobayashi, Naoto; Watanabe, Jun-ichi

2016-01-01

This article reports a new optical observation of 17P/Holmes one orbital period after the historical outburst event in 2007. We detected not only a common dust tail near the nucleus but also a long narrow structure that extended along the position angle 274.°6 ± 0.°1 beyond the field of view (FOV) of the Kiso Wide Field Camera, i.e., >0.°2 eastward and >2.°0 westward from the nuclear position. The width of the structure decreased westward with increasing distance from the nucleus. We obtained the total cross section of the long extended structure in the FOV, C FOV  = (2.3 ± 0.5) × 10 10 m 2 . From the position angle, morphology, and mass, we concluded that the long narrow structure consists of materials ejected during the 2007 outburst. On the basis of the dynamical behavior of dust grains in the solar radiation field, we estimated that the long narrow structure would be composed of 1 mm–1 cm grains having an ejection velocity of >50 m s −1 . The velocity was more than one order of magnitude faster than that of millimeter–centimeter grains from typical comets around a heliocentric distance r h of 2.5 AU. We considered that sudden sublimation of a large amount of water-ice (≈10 30 mol s −1 ) would be responsible for the high ejection velocity. We finally estimated a total mass of M TOT  = (4–8) × 10 11 kg and a total kinetic energy of E TOT  = (1–6) × 10 15 J for the 2007 outburst ejecta, which are consistent with those of previous studies that were conducted soon after the outburst

Coupling Mars' Dust and Water Cycles: Effects on Dust Lifting Vigor, Spatial Extent and Seasonality

Science.gov (United States)

Kahre, M. A.; Hollingsworth, J. L.; Haberle, R. M.; Montmessin, F.

2012-01-01

The dust cycle is an important component of Mars' current climate system. Airborne dust affects the radiative balance of the atmosphere, thus greatly influencing the thermal and dynamical state of the atmosphere. Dust raising events on Mars occur at spatial scales ranging from meters to planet-wide. Although the occurrence and season of large regional and global dust storms are highly variable from one year to the next, there are many features of the dust cycle that occur year after year. Generally, a low-level dust haze is maintained during northern spring and summer, while elevated levels of atmospheric dust occur during northern autumn and winter. During years without global-scale dust storms, two peaks in total dust loading were observed by MGS/TES: one peak occurred before northern winter solstice at Ls 200-240, and one peak occurred after northern winter solstice at L(sub s) 305-340. These maxima in dust loading are thought to be associated with transient eddy activity in the northern hemisphere, which has been observed to maximize pre- and post-solstice. Interactive dust cycle studies with Mars General Circulation Models (MGCMs) have included the lifting, transport, and sedimentation of radiatively active dust. Although the predicted global dust loadings from these simulations capture some aspects of the observed dust cycle, there are marked differences between the simulated and observed dust cycles. Most notably, the maximum dust loading is robustly predicted by models to occur near northern winter solstice and is due to dust lifting associated with down slope flows on the flanks of the Hellas basin. Thus far, models have had difficulty simulating the observed pre- and post- solstice peaks in dust loading. Interactive dust cycle studies typically have not included the formation of water ice clouds or their radiative effects. Water ice clouds can influence the dust cycle by scavenging dust from atmosphere and by interacting with solar and infrared radiation

Image computing techniques to extrapolate data for dust tracking in case of an experimental accident simulation in a nuclear fusion plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Camplani, M; Malizia, A; Gelfusa, M; Barbato, F; Antonelli, L; Poggi, L A; Ciparisse, J F; Salgado, L; Richetta, M; Gaudio, P

2016-01-01

In this paper, a preliminary shadowgraph-based analysis of dust particles re-suspension due to loss of vacuum accident (LOVA) in ITER-like nuclear fusion reactors has been presented. Dust particles are produced through different mechanisms in nuclear fusion devices, one of the main issues is that dust particles are capable of being re-suspended in case of events such as LOVA. Shadowgraph is based on an expanded collimated beam of light emitted by a laser or a lamp that emits light transversely compared to the flow field direction. In the STARDUST facility, the dust moves in the flow, and it causes variations of refractive index that can be detected by using a CCD camera. The STARDUST fast camera setup allows to detect and to track dust particles moving in the vessel and then to obtain information about the velocity field of dust mobilized. In particular, the acquired images are processed such that per each frame the moving dust particles are detected by applying a background subtraction technique based on the mixture of Gaussian algorithm. The obtained foreground masks are eventually filtered with morphological operations. Finally, a multi-object tracking algorithm is used to track the detected particles along the experiment. For each particle, a Kalman filter-based tracker is applied; the particles dynamic is described by taking into account position, velocity, and acceleration as state variable. The results demonstrate that it is possible to obtain dust particles' velocity field during LOVA by automatically processing the data obtained with the shadowgraph approach.

Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Earth System Science; Volume 113; Issue 3 ... in an area presently devoid of drainage bespeaks of occasional high-energy fluvial regime, ... The present studies indicate that aeolian dust or rainwater are minor ...

Paradigm shifts about dust on the Moon: From Apollo 11 to Chang'e-4

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Brian J.

2018-07-01

Strategic purposes of this DAP-2017 report are to update our DAP-2010 report on movements of inescapable fine lunar dust, to summarise key new measurements and to assist rigorous focus. Lunar dust is defined here in two sciences, Apollo dust and Ejecta dust, to end several confusions. The Kuhn Cycle is introduced to stimulate progression of a science about movements of Apollo dust which lacks an agreed paradigm to supply puzzles for scientists to solve and tools for their solution. We populate the cycle with two paradigm shifts. The first was serendipitous invention in 1966 of the Apollo Dust Detector Experiment (DDE), 3 orthogonal solar cells each with a thermometer, which on Apollo 12 measured cause and effect, collective movements of billions to trillions of low-energy Apollo dust particles and changes in temperature they cause. In contrast, Apollo 17 LEAM and LADEE LDEX experiments follow traditions to measure impacts of high-velocity Ejecta dust particles, one by one. In 2015, Apollo 12 DDE discoveries of sunrise-driven storms of Apollo dust stimulated a measurement-based 5-step model of dust transport at astronaut waist height. The discoveries solve (i) 50-year-old mysteries of Horizon Glow, (ii) 30-year-old uncertainties about levitated dust, (iii) processes leading to lunar surfaces being smooth and (iv) immobilisation of the Chang'e-3 lunar rover Yutu in 2014 after its first sunrise. The IAC-2017 Website Abstract of a withdrawn Chang'e-3 presentation may support our views that sunrise-mobilised dust caused immobilisation of Yutu. A precursor to a second paradigm shift was May 2016 announced revision of Chang'e-4 scientific priorities. Using Kuhn terminology of scientific progress, a second shift would follow our "revolution" in 2015 that sunrise-driven dust storms caused the 2014 ″crisis" of immobilisation of Chang'e-3 lunar rover Yutu. No such sequence occurred previously with lunar dust. Measurement-based evidence from Apollo 11 to Chang'e-3 confirms

Fractal dust grains in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, F.; Peng, R. D.; Liu, Y. H.; Chen, Z. Y.; Ye, M. F.; Wang, L.

2012-01-01

Fractal dust grains of different shapes are observed in a radially confined magnetized radio frequency plasma. The fractal dimensions of the dust structures in two-dimensional (2D) horizontal dust layers are calculated, and their evolution in the dust growth process is investigated. It is found that as the dust grains grow the fractal dimension of the dust structure decreases. In addition, the fractal dimension of the center region is larger than that of the entire region in the 2D dust layer. In the initial growth stage, the small dust particulates at a high number density in a 2D layer tend to fill space as a normal surface with fractal dimension D = 2. The mechanism of the formation of fractal dust grains is discussed.

A Spitzer Survey for Dust in Type IIn Supernovae

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Ori D.; Chevalier, Roger A.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Soderberg, Alicia M.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Ganeshalingam, Mohan; Silverman, Jeffrey M.; Smith, Nathan; Steele, Thea N.

2011-01-01

Recent observations suggest that Type IIn supernovae (SNe IIn) may exhibit late-time (greater than 100 days) infrared (IR) emission from warm dust more than other types of core-collapse SNe. Mid-IR observations, which span the peak of the thermal spectral energy distribution, provide useful constraints on the properties of the dust and, ultimately, the circumstellar environment, explosion mechanism, and progenitor system. Due to the low SN IIn rate (less than 10% of all core-collapse SNe), few IR observations exist for this subclass. The handful of isolated studies, however, show late-time IR emission from warm dust that, in some cases, extends for five or six years post-discovery. While previous Spitzer/IRAC surveys have searched for dust in SNe, none have targeted the Type IIn subclass. This article presents results from a warm Spitzer/IRAC survey of the positions of all 68 known SNe IIn within a distance of 250 Mpc between 1999 and 2008 that have remained unobserved by Spitzer more than 100 days postdiscovery. The detection of late-time emission from ten targets (approximately 15%) nearly doubles the database of existing mid-IR observations of SNe IIn. Although optical spectra show evidence for new dust formation in some cases, the data show that in most cases the likely origin of the mid-IR emission is pre-existing dust, which is continuously heated by optical emission generated by ongoing circumstellar interaction between the forward shock and circumstellar medium. Furthermore, an emerging trend suggests that these SNe decline at approximately 1000-2000 days post-discovery once the forward shock overruns the dust shell. The mass-loss rates associated with these dust shells are consistent with luminous blue variable (LBV) progenitors.

Design and development of a dust dispersion chamber to quantify the dispersibility of rock dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Perera, Inoka E; Sapko, Michael J; Harris, Marcia L; Zlochower, Isaac A; Weiss, Eric S

2016-01-01

Dispersible rock dust must be applied to the surfaces of entries in underground coal mines in order to inert the coal dust entrained or made airborne during an explosion and prevent propagating explosions. 30 CFR. 75.2 states that "… [rock dust particles] when wetted and dried will not cohere to form a cake which will not be dispersed into separate particles by a light blast of air …" However, a proper definition or quantification of "light blast of air" is not provided. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has, consequently, designed a dust dispersion chamber to conduct quantitative laboratory-scale dispersibility experiments as a screening tool for candidate rock dusts. A reproducible pulse of air is injected into the chamber and across a shallow tray of rock dust. The dust dispersed and carried downwind is monitored. The mass loss of the dust tray and the airborne dust measurements determine the relative dispersibility of the dust with respect to a Reference rock dust. This report describes the design and the methodology to evaluate the relative dispersibility of rock dusts with and without anti-caking agents. Further, the results of this study indicate that the dispersibility of rock dusts varies with particle size, type of anti-caking agent used, and with the untapped bulk density. Untreated rock dusts, when wetted and dried forming a cake that was much less dispersible than the reference rock dust used in supporting the 80% total incombustible content rule.

Wood Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Learn about wood dust, which can raise the risk of cancers of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. High amounts of wood dust are produced in sawmills, and in the furniture-making, cabinet-making, and carpentry industries.

Thirteen years of Aeolian dust dynamics in a desert region (Negev desert, Israel): analysis of horizontal and vertical dust flux, vertical dust distribution and dust grain size

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Offer, Z.Y.; Goossens, D.

2004-01-01

At Sede Boqer (northern Negev desert, Israel), aeolian dust dynamics have been measured during the period 1988–2000. This study focuses on temporal records of the vertical and horizontal dust flux, the vertical distribution of the dust particles in the atmosphere, and the grain size of the

Synergistic Use of Remote Sensing and Modeling for Tracing Dust Storms in the Mediterranean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. G. Kaskaoutis

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This study focuses on the detection of the dust source region and monitoring of the transport of the dust plume from its primary outflow to final deposition. The application area is the Sahara desert and the eastern Mediterranean, where two dust events occurred during the period 4–6 February 2009, an unusual event for a winter period. The Aqua-MODIS and OMI observations clearly define the spatial distribution of the dust plumes, while the CALIPSO observations of total attenuated backscatter (TAB at 532 nm, depolarization ratio (DR, and attenuated color ratio (1064/532 nm on 5 February 2009 provide a clear view and vertical structure of the dust-laden layer. The dust source region is defined to be near the Chad-Niger-Libyan borders, using satellite observations and model (DREAM output. This dust plume is vertically extended up to 2.5 km and is observed as a mass plume of dust from surface level to that altitude, where the vertical variation of TAB (0.002 to 0.2 and DR (0.2–0.5 implies dust-laden layer with non-spherical particles. CALIPSO profiles show that after the dust plume reached at its highest level, the dust particles start to be deposited over the Mediterranean and the initial dust plume was strongly attenuated, while features of dust were limited below about 1–1.5 km for latitudes northern of ~36° (Greek territory.

The WIRED Survey. IV. New Dust Disks from the McCook & Sion White Dwarf Catalog

Science.gov (United States)

Hoard, D.W.; Debes, John H.; Wachter, Stefanie; Leisawitz, David T.; Cohen, Martin

2013-01-01

We have compiled photometric data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer All Sky Survey and other archival sources for the more than 2200 objects in the original McCook & Sion Catalog of Spectroscopically Identified White Dwarfs. We applied color-selection criteria to identify 28 targets whose infrared spectral energy distributions depart from the expectation for the white dwarf photosphere alone. Seven of these are previously known white dwarfs with circumstellar dust disks, five are known central stars of planetary nebulae, and six were excluded for being known binaries or having possible contamination of their infrared photometry. We fit white dwarf models to the spectral energy distributions of the remaining ten targets, and find seven new candidates with infrared excess suggesting the presence of a circumstellar dust disk. We compare the model dust disk properties for these new candidates with a comprehensive compilation of previously published parameters for known white dwarfs with dust disks. It is possible that the current census of white dwarfs with dust disks that produce an excess detectable at K-band and shorter wavelengths is close to complete for the entire sample of known WDs to the detection limits of existing near-IR all-sky surveys. The white dwarf dust disk candidates now being found using longer wavelength infrared data are drawn from a previously underrepresented region of parameter space, in which the dust disks are overall cooler, narrower in radial extent, and/or contain fewer emitting grains.

Radio Emissions from Electrical Activity in Martian Dust Storms

Science.gov (United States)

Majid, W.; Arabshahi, S.; Kocz, J.; Schulter, T.; White, L.

2017-12-01

Dust storms on Mars are predicted to be capable of producing electrostatic fields and discharges, even larger than those in dust storms on Earth. There are three key elements in the characterization of Martian electrostatic discharges: dependence on Martian environmental conditions, event rate, and the strength of the generated electric fields. The detection and characterization of electric activity in Martian dust storms has important implications for habitability, and preparations for human exploration of the red planet. Furthermore, electrostatic discharges may be linked to local chemistry and plays an important role in the predicted global electrical circuit. Because of the continuous Mars telecommunication needs of NASA's Mars-based assets, the Deep Space Network (DSN) is the only facility in the world that combines long term, high cadence, observing opportunities with large sensitive telescopes, making it a unique asset worldwide in searching for and characterizing electrostatic activity from large scale convective dust storms at Mars. We will describe a newly inaugurated program at NASA's Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex to carry out a long-term monitoring campaign to search for and characterize the entire Mars hemisphere for powerful discharges during routine tracking of spacecraft at Mars on an entirely non-interfering basis. The ground-based detections will also have important implications for the design of a future instrument that could make similar in-situ measurements from orbit or from the surface of Mars, with far greater sensitivity and duty cycle, opening up a new window in our understanding of the Martian environment.

A COOL DUST FACTORY IN THE CRAB NEBULA: A HERSCHEL STUDY OF THE FILAMENTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez, H. L.; Clark, C. J. R.; Gomez, E. L.; Gear, W. K. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, The Parade, Cardiff CF24 3AA (United Kingdom); Krause, O.; Besel, M.-A.; Bouwman, J.; Henning, Th. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Barlow, M. J.; Swinyard, B. M.; Owen, P. J.; Matsuura, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Rho, J. [SOFIA Science Center, Universities Space Research Association, NASA Ames Research Center, MS 232, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Ivison, R. J.; Sibthorpe, B. [UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Polehampton, E. T. [Space Science and Technology Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX (United Kingdom)

2012-11-20

Whether supernovae are major sources of dust in galaxies is a long-standing debate. We present infrared and submillimeter photometry and spectroscopy from the Herschel Space Observatory of the Crab Nebula between 51 and 670 {mu}m as part of the Mass Loss from Evolved StarS program. We compare the emission detected with Herschel with multiwavelength data including millimeter, radio, mid-infrared, and archive optical images. We carefully remove the synchrotron component using the Herschel and Planck fluxes measured in the same epoch. The contribution from line emission is removed using Herschel spectroscopy combined with Infrared Space Observatory archive data. Several forbidden lines of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen are detected where multiple velocity components are resolved, deduced to be from the nitrogen-depleted, carbon-rich ejecta. No spectral lines are detected in the SPIRE wavebands; in the PACS bands, the line contribution is 5% and 10% at 70 and 100 {mu}m and negligible at 160 {mu}m. After subtracting the synchrotron and line emission, the remaining far-infrared continuum can be fit with two dust components. Assuming standard interstellar silicates, the mass of the cooler component is 0.24{sup +0.32} {sub -0.08} M {sub Sun} for T = 28.1{sup +5.5} {sub -3.2} K. Amorphous carbon grains require 0.11 {+-} 0.01 M {sub Sun} of dust with T = 33.8{sup +2.3} {sub -1.8} K. A single temperature modified blackbody with 0.14 M {sub Sun} and 0.08 M {sub Sun} for silicate and carbon dust, respectively, provides an adequate fit to the far-infrared region of the spectral energy distribution but is a poor fit at 24-500 {mu}m. The Crab Nebula has condensed most of the relevant refractory elements into dust, suggesting the formation of dust in core-collapse supernova ejecta is efficient.

The origin of low mass particles within and beyond the dust coma envelopes of Comet Halley

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, J. A.; Rabinowitz, D.; Tuzzolino, A. J.; Ksanfomality, L. V.; Sagdeev, R. Z.

1987-01-01

Measurements from the Dust Counter and Mass Analyzer (DUCMA) instruments on VEGA-1 and -2 revealed unexpected fluxes of low mass (up to 10 to the minus 13th power g) dust particles at very great distances from the nucleus (300,000 to 600,000 km). These particles are detected in clusters (10 sec duration), preceded and followed by relatively long time intervals during which no dust is detected. This cluster phenomenon also occurs inside the envelope boundaries. Clusters of low mass particles are intermixed with the overall dust distribution throughout the coma. The clusters account for many of the short-term small-scale intensity enhancements previously ascribed to microjets in the coma. The origin of these clusters appears to be emission from the nucleus of large conglomerates which disintegrate in the coma to yield clusters of discrete, small particles continuing outward to the distant coma.

Simulation of W dust transport in the KSTAR tokamak, comparison with fast camera data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Autricque

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, dust transport in tokamak plasmas is studied through both experimental and modeling aspects. Image processing routines allowing dust tracking on CCD camera videos are presented. The DUMPRO (DUst Movie PROcessing code features a dust detection method and a trajectory reconstruction algorithm. In addition, a dust transport code named DUMBO (DUst Migration in a plasma BOundary is briefly described. It has been developed at CEA in order to simulate dust grains transport in tokamaks and to evaluate the contribution of dust to the impurity inventory of the plasma. Like other dust transport codes, DUMBO integrates the Orbital Motion Limited (OML approach for dust/plasma interactions modeling. OML gives direct expressions for plasma ions and electrons currents, forces and heat fluxes on a dust grain. The equation of motion is solved, giving access to the dust trajectory. An attempt of model validation is made through comparison of simulated and measured trajectories on the 2015 KSTAR dust injection experiment, where W dust grains were successfully injected in the plasma using a gun-type injector. The trajectories of the injected particles, estimated using the DUMPRO routines applied on videos from the fast CCD camera in KSTAR, show two distinct general dust behaviors, due to different dust sizes. Simulations were made with DUMBO to match the measurements. Plasma parameters were estimated using different diagnostics during the dust injection experiment plasma discharge. The experimental trajectories show longer lifetimes than the simulated ones. This can be due to the substitution of a boiling/sublimation point to the usual vaporization/sublimation cooling, OML limitations (eventual potential barriers in the vicinity of a dust grain are neglected and/or to the lack of a vapor shielding model in DUMBO.

Detection and monitoring of two dust storm events by multispectral modis images.

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mehta P.S.; Kunte, P.D.

of Oman, over Arabian Sea to the coast of Pakistan. The dust storm lasted over the Arabian Sea till 30^th March. MODIS sensors on both Terra and Aqua Satellites captured images of both events. From the difference in emissive/transmissive nature...

Pulmonary function evaluations of dogs exposed to uranium ore dust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loscutoff, S.M.; Buschbom, R.L.; Palmer, R.F.; Cross, F.T.

1980-01-01

Pulmonary function evaluations were conducted on dogs exposed to carnotite uranium ore dust. Significant changes were detected in the slope of the single-breath N 2 washout curve, suggesting an uneven distribution of ventilation

Climate change implications and use of early warning systems for global dust storms

Science.gov (United States)

Harriman, Lindsey M.

2014-01-01

With increased changes in land cover and global climate, early detection and warning of dust storms in conjunction with effective and widespread information broadcasts will be essential to the prevention and mitigation of future risks and impacts. Human activities, seasonal variations and long-term climatic patterns influence dust storms. More research is needed to analyse these factors of dust mobilisation to create more certainty for the fate of vulnerable populations and ecosystems in the future. Early warning and communication systems, when in place and effectively implemented, can offer some relief to these vulnerable areas. As an issue that affects many regions of the world, there is a profound need to understand the potential changes and ultimately create better early warning systems for dust storms.

Identification of mineral dust layers in high alpine snow packs

Science.gov (United States)

Greilinger, Marion; Kau, Daniela; Schauer, Gerhard; Kasper-Giebl, Anne

2017-04-01

allow a retrospective evaluation of previous snow chemistry data of snow packs of previous years or different locations. Thus the unique time of almost 30 years of snow chemistry data from glaciers surrounding the Sonnblick observatory [5] can be evaluated, focusing on the intensity and frequency of the occurance of Saharan dust layers in high alpine snow packs. Literature: [1] Boucher, O., Randall, D., Artaxo, P., Bretherton, C., Feingold, G., Forster, P., Kerminen, V.M., Kondo, Y., Liao, H., Lohmann, U., Rasch, P., Satheesh, S.K., Sherwood, S., Stevens, B., Zhang, X.Y., 2013. Clouds and aerosols. In: Stocker, T.F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor, M., Allen, S.K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., Midgley, P.M. (Eds.), Climate Change 2013: the Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA. [2] Prospero, J.M., 1996. Saharan Dust Transport Over the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean: An Overview, in: Guerzoni, S., Chester, R. (Eds.), The Impact of Desert Dust Across the Mediterranean, Environmental Science and Technology Library. Springer Netherlands, pp. 133-151. [3] Avila, A., Rod_a, F., 1991. Red rains as major contributors of nutrients and alkalinity to terrestrial ecosystems at Montseny (NE Spain). Orsis Org. Sist. 6, 215e229. [4] Miles, L.J., Yost, K.J., 1982. Quality analysis of USGS precipitation chemistry data for New York. Atmos. Environ. 1967 (16), 2889e2898. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ 0004-6981(82)90039-7. [5] Greilinger, Marion, et al. "Temporal changes of inorganic ion deposition in the seasonal snow cover for the Austrian Alps (1983-2014)." Atmospheric Environment 132 (2016): 141-152.

Building an industry-wide occupational exposure database for respirable mineral dust - experiences from the IMA dust monitoring programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houba, Remko; Jongen, Richard; Vlaanderen, Jelle; Kromhout, Hans

2009-01-01

Building an industry-wide database with exposure measurements of respirable mineral dust is a challenging operation. The Industrial Minerals Association (IMA-Europe) took the initiative to create an exposure database filled with data from a prospective and ongoing dust monitoring programme that was launched in 2000. More than 20 industrial mineral companies have been collecting exposure data following a common protocol since then. Recently in 2007 ArboUnie and IRAS evaluated the quality of the collected exposure data for data collected up to winter 2005/2006. The data evaluated was collected in 11 sampling campaigns by 24 companies at 84 different worksites and considered about 8,500 respirable dust measurements and 7,500 respirable crystalline silica. In the quality assurance exercise four criteria were used to evaluate the existing measurement data: personal exposure measurements, unique worker identity, sampling duration not longer than one shift and availability of a limit of detection. Review of existing exposure data in the IMA dust monitoring programme database showed that 58% of collected respirable dust measurements and 62% of collected respirable quartz could be regarded as 'good quality data' meeting the four criteria mentioned above. Only one third of the measurement data included repeated measurements (within a sampling campaign) that would allow advanced statistical analysis incorporating estimates of within- and between-worker variability in exposure to respirable mineral dust. This data came from 7 companies comprising measurements from 23 sites. Problematic data was collected in some specific countries and to a large extent this was due to local practices and legislation (e.g. allowing 40-h time weighted averages). It was concluded that the potential of this unique industry-wide exposure database is very high, but that considerable improvements can be made. At the end of 2006 relatively small but essential changes were made in the dust monitoring

Dust storm events over Delhi: verification of dust AOD forecasts with satellite and surface observations

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Aditi; Iyengar, Gopal R.; George, John P.

2016-05-01

Thar desert located in northwest part of India is considered as one of the major dust source. Dust storms originate in Thar desert during pre-monsoon season, affects large part of Indo-Gangetic plains. High dust loading causes the deterioration of the ambient air quality and degradation in visibility. Present study focuses on the identification of dust events and verification of the forecast of dust events over Delhi and western part of IG Plains, during the pre-monsoon season of 2015. Three dust events have been identified over Delhi during the study period. For all the selected days, Terra-MODIS AOD at 550 nm are found close to 1.0, while AURA-OMI AI shows high values. Dust AOD forecasts from NCMRWF Unified Model (NCUM) for the three selected dust events are verified against satellite (MODIS) and ground based observations (AERONET). Comparison of observed AODs at 550 nm from MODIS with NCUM predicted AODs reveals that NCUM is able to predict the spatial and temporal distribution of dust AOD, in these cases. Good correlation (~0.67) is obtained between the NCUM predicted dust AODs and location specific observations available from AERONET. Model under-predicted the AODs as compared to the AERONET observations. This may be mainly because the model account for only dust and no anthropogenic activities are considered. The results of the present study emphasize the requirement of more realistic representation of local dust emission in the model both of natural and anthropogenic origin, to improve the forecast of dust from NCUM during the dust events.

DUST-BATHING BEHAVIORS OF AFRICAN HERBIVORES AND THE POTENTIAL RISK OF INHALATIONAL ANTHRAX.

Science.gov (United States)

Barandongo, Zoe R; Mfune, John K E; Turner, Wendy C

2018-01-01

:  Anthrax in herbivorous wildlife and livestock is generally assumed to be transmitted via ingestion or inhalation of Bacillus anthracis spores. Although recent studies have highlighted the importance of the ingestion route for anthrax transmission, little is known about the inhalational route in natural systems. Dust bathing could aerosolize soilborne pathogens such as B. anthracis, exposing dust-bathing individuals to inhalational infections. We investigated the potential role of dust bathing in the transmission of inhalational anthrax to herbivorous wildlife in Etosha National Park, Namibia, an area with endemic seasonal anthrax outbreaks. We 1) cultured soils from dust-bathing sites for the presence and concentration of B. anthracis spores, 2) monitored anthrax carcass sites, the locations with the highest B. anthracis concentrations, for evidence of dust bathing, including a site where a zebra died of anthrax on a large dust bath, and 3) characterized the ecology and seasonality of dust bathing in plains zebra ( Equus quagga), blue wildebeest ( Connochaetes taurinus), and African savanna elephant ( Loxodonta africana) using a combination of motion-sensing camera traps and direct observations. Only two out of 83 dust-bath soils were positive for B. anthracis, both with low spore concentrations (≤20 colony-forming units per gram). We also detected no evidence of dust baths occurring at anthrax carcass sites, perhaps due to carcass-induced changes in soil composition that may deter dust bathing. Finally, despite observing some seasonal variation in dust bathing, preliminary evidence suggests that the seasonality of dust bathing and anthrax mortalities are not correlated. Thus, although dust bathing creates a dramatic cloud of aerosolized soil around an individual, our microbiologic, ecologic, and behavioral results in concert demonstrate that dust bathing is highly unlikely to transmit inhalational anthrax infections.

In-situ detection of micron-sized dust particles in near-Earth space

Science.gov (United States)

Gruen, E.; Zook, H. A.

1985-01-01

In situ detectors for micron sized dust particles based on the measurement of impact ionization have been flown on several space missions (Pioneer 8/9, HEOS-2 and Helios 1/2). Previous measurements of small dust particles in near-Earth space are reviewed. An instrument is proposed for the measurement of micron sized meteoroids and space debris such as solid rocket exhaust particles from on board an Earth orbiting satellite. The instrument will measure the mass, speed, flight direction and electrical charge of individually impacting debris and meteoritic particles. It is a multicoincidence detector of 1000 sq cm sensitive area and measures particle masses in the range from 10 to the -14th power g to 10 to the -8th power g at an impact speed of 10 km/s. The instrument is lightweight (5 kg), consumes little power (4 watts), and requires a data sampling rate of about 100 bits per second.

2-methylanthraquinone as a marker of occupational exposure to teak wood dust in boatyards.

Science.gov (United States)

Gori, Giampaolo; Carrieri, Mariella; Scapellato, Maria Luisa; Parvoli, Giorgio; Ferrara, Daniela; Rella, Rocco; Sturaro, Alberto; Bartolucci, Giovanni Battista

2009-01-01

A new gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method was developed to detect 2-methylanthraquinone (2-MeA) in wood dust. 2-MeA is present in teak wood (a suspected human carcinogen) but not in oak, beech, mahogany, birch, ash or pine. The method involved collection of workplace dust on filters and extraction of 2-MeA with methanol and GC/MS analysis. The method was tested on teak wood dust samples (n = 43) collected on polyvinylchloride membrane filters during various work operations in four small factories making furniture and fittings for leisure craft and boatyards (air teak wood dust concentration: range 0.32-14.32 mg m(-3)). A high correlation coefficient for the content of 2-MeA versus teak dust was obtained (logarithmic correlation: y = 1.5308x + 0.0998, r = 0.9215). Determination of airborne 2-MeA is a useful technique to confirm occupational exposure to teak wood dust.

THE ORIGIN OF DUST IN EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ACCRETION ONTO SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martini, Paul [Department of Astronomy and Center for Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Dicken, Daniel [Institut de Astrophysique Spatiale, Paris (France); Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Goncalves 9500, Caixa Postal 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

2013-04-01

We have conducted an archival Spitzer study of 38 early-type galaxies in order to determine the origin of the dust in approximately half of this population. Our sample galaxies generally have good wavelength coverage from 3.6 {mu}m to 160 {mu}m, as well as visible-wavelength Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images. We use the Spitzer data to estimate dust masses, or establish upper limits, and find that all of the early-type galaxies with dust lanes in the HST data are detected in all of the Spitzer bands and have dust masses of {approx}10{sup 5}-10{sup 6.5} M{sub Sun }, while galaxies without dust lanes are not detected at 70 {mu}m and 160 {mu}m and typically have <10{sup 5} M{sub Sun} of dust. The apparently dust-free galaxies do have 24 {mu}m emission that scales with the shorter-wavelength flux, yet substantially exceeds the expectations of photospheric emission by approximately a factor of three. We conclude this emission is dominated by hot, circumstellar dust around evolved stars that does not survive to form a substantial interstellar component. The order-of-magnitude variations in dust masses between galaxies with similar stellar populations rule out a substantial contribution from continual, internal production in spite of the clear evidence for circumstellar dust. We demonstrate that the interstellar dust is not due to purely external accretion, unless the product of the merger rate of dusty satellites and the dust lifetime is at least an order of magnitude higher than expected. We propose that dust in early-type galaxies is seeded by external accretion, yet the accreted dust is maintained by continued growth in externally accreted cold gas beyond the nominal lifetime of individual grains. The several Gyr depletion time of the cold gas is long enough to reconcile the fraction of dusty early-type galaxies with the merger rate of gas-rich satellites. As the majority of dusty early-type galaxies are also low-luminosity active galactic nuclei and likely fueled

Mesospheric dust and its secondary effects as observed by the ESPRIT payload

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Havnes

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The dust detector on the ESPRIT rocket detected two extended dust/aerosol layers during the launch on 1 July 2006. The lower layer at height ~81.5–83 km coincided with a strong NLC and PMSE layer. The maximum dust charge density was ~−3.5×109 e m−3 and the dust layer was characterized by a few strong dust layers where the dust charge density at the upper edges changed by factors 2–3 over a distance of ≲10 m, while the same change at their lower edges were much more gradual. The upper edge of this layer is also sharp, with a change in the probe current from zero to IDC=−10−11 A over ~10 m, while the same change at the low edge occurs over ~500 m. The second dust layer at ~85–92 km was in the height range of a comparatively weak PMSE layer and the maximum dust charge density was ~−108 e m−3. This demonstrates that PMSE can be formed even if the ratio of the dust charge density to the electron density P=NdZd /n_e≲0.01. In spite of the dust detector being constructed to reduce possible secondary charging effects from dust impacts, it was found that they were clearly present during the passage through both layers. The measured secondary charging effects confirm recent results that dust in the NLC and PMSE layers can be very effective in producing secondary charges with up to ~50 to 100 electron charges being rubbed off by one impacting large dust particle, if the impact angle is θi≳20–35°. This again lends support to the suggested model for NLC and PMSE dust particles (Havnes and Næsheim, 2007 as a loosely bound water-ice clump interspersed with a considerable number of sub-nanometer-sized meteoric smoke particles, possibly also contaminated with meteoric atomic species.

Mesospheric dust and its secondary effects as observed by the ESPRIT payload

Science.gov (United States)

Havnes, O.; Surdal, L. H.; Philbrick, C. R.

2009-03-01

The dust detector on the ESPRIT rocket detected two extended dust/aerosol layers during the launch on 1 July 2006. The lower layer at height ~81.5-83 km coincided with a strong NLC and PMSE layer. The maximum dust charge density was ~-3.5×109 e m-3 and the dust layer was characterized by a few strong dust layers where the dust charge density at the upper edges changed by factors 2-3 over a distance of ≲10 m, while the same change at their lower edges were much more gradual. The upper edge of this layer is also sharp, with a change in the probe current from zero to IDC=-10-11 A over ~10 m, while the same change at the low edge occurs over ~500 m. The second dust layer at ~85-92 km was in the height range of a comparatively weak PMSE layer and the maximum dust charge density was ~-108 e m-3. This demonstrates that PMSE can be formed even if the ratio of the dust charge density to the electron density P=NdZd /n_e≲0.01. In spite of the dust detector being constructed to reduce possible secondary charging effects from dust impacts, it was found that they were clearly present during the passage through both layers. The measured secondary charging effects confirm recent results that dust in the NLC and PMSE layers can be very effective in producing secondary charges with up to ~50 to 100 electron charges being rubbed off by one impacting large dust particle, if the impact angle is θi≳20-35°. This again lends support to the suggested model for NLC and PMSE dust particles (Havnes and Næsheim, 2007) as a loosely bound water-ice clump interspersed with a considerable number of sub-nanometer-sized meteoric smoke particles, possibly also contaminated with meteoric atomic species.

Experimental demonstration and visual observation of dust trapping in an electron storage ring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasunori Tanimoto

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Sudden decreases in the beam lifetime, which are attributed to the dust trappings, sometimes occur at the electron storage ring Photon Factory Advanced Ring (PF-AR. Since these dust events cause difficulties in user operations, we have been carefully observing this phenomenon for many years. Our observations indicated that the dust trappings could be caused by electric discharges in vacuum ducts. In order to demonstrate this hypothesis experimentally, we designed a new vacuum device that intentionally generates electric discharges and installed it in PF-AR. Using this device, we could repeatedly induce sudden decreases in the beam lifetime because of the generated electric discharge. We also detected decreases in the beam lifetime caused by mechanical movement of the electrodes in the device. Moreover, we could visually observe the dust trapping phenomenon; the trapped dust particle was observed by two video cameras and appeared as a luminous body that resembled a shooting star. This was the first direct observation of a luminous dust particle trapped by the electron beam.

Parameterizing the interstellar dust temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Hocuk, S.; Szűcs, L.; Caselli, P.; Cazaux, S.; Spaans, M.; Esplugues, G. B.

2017-08-01

The temperature of interstellar dust particles is of great importance to astronomers. It plays a crucial role in the thermodynamics of interstellar clouds, because of the gas-dust collisional coupling. It is also a key parameter in astrochemical studies that governs the rate at which molecules form on dust. In 3D (magneto)hydrodynamic simulations often a simple expression for the dust temperature is adopted, because of computational constraints, while astrochemical modelers tend to keep the dust temperature constant over a large range of parameter space. Our aim is to provide an easy-to-use parametric expression for the dust temperature as a function of visual extinction (AV) and to shed light on the critical dependencies of the dust temperature on the grain composition. We obtain an expression for the dust temperature by semi-analytically solving the dust thermal balance for different types of grains and compare to a collection of recent observational measurements. We also explore the effect of ices on the dust temperature. Our results show that a mixed carbonaceous-silicate type dust with a high carbon volume fraction matches the observations best. We find that ice formation allows the dust to be warmer by up to 15% at high optical depths (AV> 20 mag) in the interstellar medium. Our parametric expression for the dust temperature is presented as Td = [ 11 + 5.7 × tanh(0.61 - log 10(AV) ]χuv1/5.9, where χuv is in units of the Draine (1978, ApJS, 36, 595) UV field.

How large is the cosmic dust flux into the Earth's atmosphere?

Science.gov (United States)

Plane, John; Janches, Diego; Gomez-Martin, Juan Carlos; Bones, David; Diego Carrillo-Sanchez, Juan; James, Sandy; Nesvorny, David; Pokorny, Petr

2016-07-01

, ionization and radar detection can be used to compute the probability of detecting a specified meteoroid in the Arecibo beam; an upper limit to the cosmic dust input of 16 t d ^{-1} has been obtained from the radar observations. Underpinning this modelling work is a novel laboratory experiment at the University of Leeds, where a novel Meteor Ablation Simulator is used to study the evaporation of metals from cosmic dust particles that are flash heated to over 3000 K. Finally, rocket-borne measurements of charged meteoric smoke particles indicate that about 5 t d ^{-1} of this cosmic dust ablates in the atmosphere, and another 6 t d ^{-1} fall to the surface as cosmic spherules.

Physics of interstellar dust

CERN Document Server

Krugel, Endrik

2002-01-01

The dielectric permeability; How to evaluate grain cross sections; Very small and very big particles; Case studies of Mie calculus; Particle statistics; The radiative transition probability; Structure and composition of dust; Dust radiation; Dust and its environment; Polarization; Grain alignment; PAHs and spectral features of dust; Radiative transport; Diffuse matter in the Milky Way; Stars and their formation; Emission from young stars. Appendices Mathematical formulae; List of symbols.

Impact of mineral dust on nitrate, sulfate, and ozone in transpacific Asian pollution plumes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. D. Fairlie

2010-04-01

Full Text Available We use a 3-D global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem to interpret aircraft observations of nitrate and sulfate partitioning in transpacific dust plumes during the INTEX-B campaign of April–May 2006. The model includes explicit transport of size-resolved mineral dust and its alkalinity, nitrate, and sulfate content. The observations show that particulate nitrate is primarily associated with dust, sulfate is primarily associated with ammonium, and Asian dust remains alkaline across the Pacific. This can be reproduced in the model by using a reactive uptake coefficient for HNO₃ on dust (γ(HNO₃ ~10⁻³ much lower than commonly assumed in models and possibly reflecting limitation of uptake by dust dissolution. The model overestimates gas-phase HNO₃ by a factor of 2–3, typical of previous model studies; we show that this cannot be corrected by uptake on dust. We find that the fraction of aerosol nitrate on dust in the model increases from ~30% in fresh Asian outflow to 80–90% over the Northeast Pacific, reflecting in part the volatilization of ammonium nitrate and the resulting transfer of nitrate to the dust. Consumption of dust alkalinity by uptake of acid gases in the model is slow relative to the lifetime of dust against deposition, so that dust does not acidify (at least not in the bulk. This limits the potential for dust iron released by acidification to become bio-available upon dust deposition. Observations in INTEX-B show no detectable ozone depletion in Asian dust plumes, consistent with the model. Uptake of HNO₃ by dust, suppressing its recycling to NO_x, reduces Asian pollution influence on US surface ozone in the model by 10–15% or up to 1 ppb.

Dust as a surfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ignatov, A M; Schram, P P J M; Trigger, S A

2003-01-01

We argue that dust immersed in a plasma sheath acts as a surfactant. By considering the momentum balance in a plasma sheath, we evaluate the dependence of the plasma surface pressure on the dust density. It is shown that the dust may reduce the surface pressure, giving rise to a sufficiently strong tangential force. The latter is capable of confining the dust layer inside the sheath in the direction perpendicular to the ion flow

Lunar Dust Mitigation Screens

Science.gov (United States)

Knutson, Shawn; Holloway, Nancy

With plans for the United States to return to the moon, and establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface many issues must be successfully overcome. Lunar dust is one of a number of issues with the potential to create a myriad of problems if not adequately addressed. Samples of dust brought back from Apollo missions show it to be soft, yet sharp and abrasive. The dust consists of a variety of morphologies including spherical, angular blocks, shards, and a number of irregular shapes. One of the main issues with lunar dust is its attraction to stick to anything it comes in contact with (i.e. astronauts, equipment, habitats, etc.). Ionized radiation from the sun strikes the moon's surface and creates an electrostatic charge on the dust. Further, the dust harbors van der Waals forces making it especially difficult to separate once it sticks to a surface. During the Apollo missions, it was discovered that trying to brush the lunar dust from spacesuits was not effective, and rubbing it caused degradation of the suit material. Further, when entering the lunar module after moonwalks, the astronauts noted that the dust was so prolific inside the cabin that they inhaled and ingested it, causing at least one of them, Harrison "Jack" Schmidt, to report irritation of the throat and lungs. It is speculated that the dust could also harm an astronaut's nervous and cardiovascular systems, especially during an extended stay. In addition to health issues, the dust can also cause problems by scouring reflective coatings off of thermal blankets, and roughening surfaces of windows and optics. Further, panels on solar cells and photovoltaics can also be compromised due to dust sticking on the surfaces. Lunar dust has the capacity to penetrate seals, interfere with connectors, as well as mechanisms on digging machines, all of which can lead to problems and failure. To address lunar dust issues, development of electrostatic screens to mitigate dust on sur-faces is currently

Extracting lunar dust parameters from image charge signals produced by the Lunar Dust Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Stanley, J.; Kempf, S.; Horanyi, M.; Szalay, J.

2015-12-01

The Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX) onboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is an impact ionization dust detector used to characterize the lunar dust exosphere generated by the impacts of large interplanetary particles and meteor streams (Horanyi et al., 2015). In addition to the mass and speed of these lofted particles, LDEX is sensitive to their charge. The resulting signatures of impact events therefore provide valuable information about not only the ambient plasma environment, but also the speed vectors of these dust grains. Here, impact events produced from LDEX's calibration at the Dust Accelerator Laboratory are analyzed using an image charge model derived from the electrostatic simulation program, Coulomb. We show that parameters such as dust grain speed, size, charge, and position of entry into LDEX can be recovered and applied to data collected during LADEE's seven-month mission.

Identification of dust outbreaks on infrared MSG-SEVIRI data by using a Robust Satellite Technique (RST)

Science.gov (United States)

Sannazzaro, Filomena; Filizzola, Carolina; Marchese, Francesco; Corrado, Rosita; Paciello, Rossana; Mazzeo, Giuseppe; Pergola, Nicola; Tramutoli, Valerio

2014-01-01

Dust storms are meteorological phenomena of great interest for scientific community because of their potential impact on climate changes, for the risk that may pose to human health and due to other issues as desertification processes and reduction of the agricultural production. Satellite remote sensing, thanks to global coverage, high frequency of observation and low cost data, may highly contribute in monitoring these phenomena, provided that proper detection methods are used. In this work, the known Robust Satellite Techniques (RST) multitemporal approach, used for studying and monitoring several natural/environmental hazards, is tested on some important dust events affecting Mediterranean region in May 2004 and Arabian Peninsula in February 2008. To perform this study, data provided by the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) have been processed, comparing the generated dust maps to some independent satellite-based aerosol products. Outcomes of this work show that the RST technique can be profitably used for detecting dust outbreaks from space, providing information also about areas characterized by a different probability of dust presence. They encourage further improvements of this technique in view of its possible implementation in the framework of operational warning systems.

Observation of Dust in DIII-D Divertor and SOL by Visible Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudakov, D L; West, W P; Groth, M; Yu, J H; Wong, C C; Boedo, J A; Brooks, N H; Evans, T E; Fenstermacher, M E; Hollmann, E M; Hyatt, A W; Lasnier, C J; McLean, A G; Moyer, R A; Pigarov, A; Smirnov, R; Solomon, W M; Watkins, J G

2007-01-01

Dust is commonly found in fusion devices. Though generally of no concern in the present day machines, dust may pose serious safety and operational concerns for ITER. Micron-size dust usually dominates the samples collected from tokamaks. During a plasma discharge micron-size dust particles can become highly mobile and travel over distances of a few meters. Once inside the plasma, dust particles heat up to over 3000 K and emit thermal radiation that can be detected by visible imaging techniques. Observations of naturally occurring and artificially introduced dusts have been performed in DIII-D divertor and scrape-off layer (SOL) using standard frame rate CMOS cameras, a gated-intensified CID camera, and a fast-framing CMOS camera. In the first 2-3 plasma discharges after a vent with personnel entry inside the vacuum vessel ('dirty vent') dust levels were quite high with thousands of particles observed in each discharge. Individual particles moving at velocities of up to a few hundred m/s and breakup of larger particles into pieces were observed. After about 15 discharges dust was virtually gone during the stationary portion of a discharge, and appeared at much reduced levels during the plasma initiation and termination phases. After a few days of plasma operations (about 70 discharges) dust levels were further reduced to just a few observed events per discharge except in discharges with current disruptions that produced significant amounts of dust. An injection of a few milligram of micron-size (6 micron median diameter) carbon dust into a high-power lower single-null ELMing H-mode discharge with strike points swept across the lower divertor floor was performed. A significant increase of the core carbon radiation was observed for about 250 ms after the injection, as the total radiated power increased twofold. Dust particles from the injection were observed by the fast framing camera in the outboard SOL near the midplane. The amount of dust observed by the fast

Prototype detector development for measurement of high altitude Martian dust using a future orbiter platform

Science.gov (United States)

Pabari, Jayesh; Patel, Darshil; Chokhawala, Vimmi; Bogavelly, Anvesh

2016-07-01

Dust devils mostly occur during the mid of Southern hemisphere summer on Mars and play a key role in the background dust opacity. Due to continuous bombardment of micrometeorites, secondary ejecta come out from the Moons of the Mars and can easily escape. This phenomenon can contribute dust around the Moons and therefore, also around the Mars. Similar to the Moons of the Earth, the surfaces of the Martian Moons get charged and cause the dust levitation to occur, adding to the possible dust source. Also, interplanetary dust particles may be able to reach the Mars and contribute further. It is hypothesized that the high altitude Martian dust could be in the form of a ring or tori around the Mars. However, no such rings have been detected to the present day. Typically, width and height of the dust torus is ~5 Mars radii wide (~16950 km) in both the planes as reported in the literature. Recently, very high altitude dust at about 1000 km has been found by MAVEN mission and it is expected that the dust may be concentrated at about 150 to 500 km. However, a langmuir probe cannot explain the source of such dust particles. It is a puzzling question to the space scientist how dust has reached to such high altitudes. A dedicated dust instrument on future Mars orbiter may be helpful to address such issues. To study origin, abundance, distribution and seasonal variation of Martian dust, a Mars Orbit Dust Experiment (MODEX) is proposed. In order to measure the Martian dust from a future orbiter, design of a prototype of an impact ionization dust detector has been initiated at PRL. This paper presents developmental aspects of the prototype dust detector and initial results. The further work is underway.

THE DUST PROPERTIES OF z ∼ 3 MIPS-LBGs FROM PHOTOCHEMICAL MODELS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, X. L.; Pipino, A.; Matteucci, F.

2013-01-01

The stacked spectral energy distribution (SED) 24 μm Lyman break galaxies (MIPS-LBGs) detected by the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) is fitted by means of the spectrophotometric model GRASIL with an ''educated'' fitting approach which benefits from the results of chemical evolution models. The star formation rate-age-metallicity degeneracies of SED modeling are broken by using star formation history (SFH) and chemical enrichment history suggested by chemical models. The dust mass, dust abundance, and chemical pattern of elements locked in the dust component are also directly provided by chemical models. Using our new ''fitting'' approach, we derive the total mass M tot , stellar mass M * , gas mass M g , dust mass M d , age, and star formation rate (SFR) of the stacked MIPS-LBG in a self-consistent way. Our estimate of M * = 8 × 10 10 of the stacked MIPS-LBG agrees with other works based on UV-optical SED fitting. We suggest that the MIPS-LBGs at z ∼ 3 are young (0.3-0.6 Gyr), massive (M tot ∼ 10 11 M ☉ ), dusty (M d ∼ 10 8 M ☉ ), and metal-rich (Z ∼ Z ☉ ) progenitors of elliptical galaxies undergoing a strong burst of star formation (SFR ∼ 200 M ☉ yr –1 ). Our estimate of M d = 7 × 10 7 M ☉ of the stacked MIPS-LBG is about a factor of eight lower than the estimated value based on single temperature graybody fitting, suggesting that self-consistent SED models are needed to estimate dust mass. By comparing with Milky Way molecular cloud and dust properties, we suggest that denser and dustier environments and flatter dust size distribution are likely in high-redshift massive star-forming galaxies. These dust properties, as well as the different types of SFHs, can cause different SED shapes between high-redshift star-forming ellipticals and local starburst templates. This discrepancy of SED shapes could in turn explain the non-detection at submillimeter wavelengths of IR luminous (L IR ⪰10 12 L ☉ ) MIPS-LBGs.

Comparison of air samples, nasal swabs, ear-skin swabs and environmental dust samples for detection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in pig herds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agersø, Yvonne; Vigre, Håkan; Cavaco, Lina

2014-01-01

To identify a cost-effective and practical method for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in pig herds, the relative sensitivity of four sample types: nasal swabs, ear-skin (skin behind the ears) swabs, environmental dust swabs and air was compared. Moreover, dependency......-herd prevalence ⩾25%]. The results indicate that taking swabs of skin behind the ears (ten pools of five) was even more sensitive than taking nasal swabs (ten pools of five) at the herd level and detected significantly more positive samples. spa types t011, t034 and t4208 were observed. In conclusion, MRSA...... detection by air sampling is easy to perform, reduces costs and analytical time compared to existing methods, and is recommended for initial testing of herds. Ear-skin swab sampling may be more sensitive for MRSA detection than air sampling or nasal swab sampling....

Mid-infrared spectra of cometary dust: the evasion of its silicate mineralogy

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, H.; Chigai, T.; Yamamoto, T.

2008-04-01

Infrared spectra of dust in cometary comae provide a way to identify its silicate constituents, and this is crucial for correctly understanding the condition under which our planetary system is formed. Recent studies assign a newly detected peak at a wavelength of 9.3 μm to pyroxenes and regard them as the most abundant silicate minerals in comets. Here we dispense with this pyroxene hypothesis to numerically reproduce the infrared features of cometary dust in the framework of our interstellar dust models. Presolar interstellar dust in a comet is modeled as fluffy aggregates consisting of submicrometer-sized organic grains with an amorphous-silicate core that undergoes nonthermal crystallization in a coma. We assert that forsterite (Mg2SiO4) is the carrier of all the observed features, including the 9.3 μm peak and that the major phase of iron is sulfides rather than iron-rich silicates.

Universal instability of dust ion-sound waves and dust-acoustic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsytovich, V.N.; Watanabe, K.

2002-01-01

It is shown that the dust ion-sound waves (DISW) and the dust-acoustic waves (DAW) are universally unstable for wave numbers less than some critical wave number. The basic dusty plasma state is assumed to be quasi-neutral with balance of the plasma particle absorption on the dust particles and the ionization with the rate proportional to the electron density. An analytical expression for the critical wave numbers, for the frequencies and for the growth rates of DISW and DAW are found using the hydrodynamic description of dusty plasma components with self-consistent treatment of the dust charge variations and by taking into account the change of the ion and electron distributions in the dust charging process. Most of the previous treatment do not take into account the latter process and do not treat the basic state self-consistently. The critical lengths corresponding to these critical wave numbers can be easily achieved in the existing experiments. It is shown that at the wave numbers larger than the critical ones DISW and DAW have a large damping which was not treated previously and which can be also measured. The instabilities found in the present work on their non linear stage can lead to formation of different types of dust self-organized structures. (author)

Cometary dust at the smallest scale - latest results of the MIDAS Atomic Force Microscope onboard Rosetta

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, Mark; Torkar, Klaus; Jeszenszky, Harald; Romstedt, Jens; Schmied, Roland; Mannel, Thurid

2015-04-01

The MIDAS instrument onboard the Rosetta orbit is a unique combination of a dust collection and handling system and a high resolution Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). By building three-dimensional images of the dust particle topography, MIDAS addresses a range of fundamental questions in Solar System and cometary science. The first few months of dust collection and scanning revealed a deficit of smaller (micron and below) particles but eventually several 10 µm-class grains were discovered. In fact these were unexpectedly large and close to the limit of what is observable with MIDAS. As a result the sharp tip used by the AFM struck the particles from the side, causing particle breakage and distortion. Analyses so far suggest that the collected particles are fluffy aggregates of smaller sub-units, although determination of the size of these sub-units and high resolution re-imaging remains to be done. The latest findings will be presented here, including a description of the particles collected and the implications of these observations for cometary science and the Rosetta mission at comet 67P.

MEDUSA: The ExoMars experiment for in-situ monitoring of dust and water vapour

Science.gov (United States)

Colangeli, L.; Lopez-Moreno, J. J.; Nørnberg, P.; Della Corte, V.; Esposito, F.; Mazzotta Epifani, E.; Merrison, J.; Molfese, C.; Palumbo, P.; Rodriguez-Gomez, J. F.; Rotundi, A.; Visconti, G.; Zarnecki, J. C.; The International Medusa Team

2009-07-01

Dust and water vapour are fundamental components of the Martian atmosphere. In view of tracing the past environmental conditions on Mars, that possibly favoured the appearing of life forms, it is important to study the present climate and its evolution. Here dust and water vapour have (and have had) strong influence. Of major scientific interest is the quantity and physical, chemical and electrical properties of dust and the abundance of water vapour dispersed in the atmosphere and their exchange with the surface. Moreover, in view of the exploration of the planet with automated systems and in the future by manned missions, it is of primary importance to analyse the hazards linked to these environmental factors. The Martian Environmental Dust Systematic Analyser (MEDUSA) experiment, included in the scientific payload of the ESA ExoMars mission, accommodates a complement of sensors, based on optical detection and cumulative mass deposition, that aims to study dust and water vapour in the lower Martian atmosphere. The goals are to study, for the first time, in-situ and quantitatively, physical properties of the airborne dust, including the cumulative dust mass flux, the dust deposition rate, the physical and electrification properties, the size distribution of sampled particles and the atmospheric water vapour abundance versus time.

Scattering Properties of Large Irregular Cosmic Dust Particles at Visible Wavelengths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar-Cerezo, J.; Palmer, C.; Muñoz, O.; Moreno, F.; Penttilä, A.; Muinonen, K.

2017-01-01

The effect of internal inhomogeneities and surface roughness on the scattering behavior of large cosmic dust particles is studied by comparing model simulations with laboratory measurements. The present work shows the results of an attempt to model a dust sample measured in the laboratory with simulations performed by a ray-optics model code. We consider this dust sample as a good analogue for interplanetary and interstellar dust as it shares its refractive index with known materials in these media. Several sensitivity tests have been performed for both structural cases (internal inclusions and surface roughness). Three different samples have been selected to mimic inclusion/coating inhomogeneities: two measured scattering matrices of hematite and white clay, and a simulated matrix for water ice. These three matrices are selected to cover a wide range of imaginary refractive indices. The selection of these materials also seeks to study astrophysical environments of interest such as Mars, where hematite and clays have been detected, and comets. Based on the results of the sensitivity tests shown in this work, we perform calculations for a size distribution of a silicate-type host particle model with inclusions and surface roughness to reproduce the experimental measurements of a dust sample. The model fits the measurements quite well, proving that surface roughness and internal structure play a role in the scattering pattern of irregular cosmic dust particles.

Scattering Properties of Large Irregular Cosmic Dust Particles at Visible Wavelengths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escobar-Cerezo, J.; Palmer, C.; Muñoz, O.; Moreno, F. [Instituto de Astrofìsica de Andalucìa, CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomìa s/n, E-18008 Granada (Spain); Penttilä, A.; Muinonen, K. [Department of Physics, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 University of Helsinki (Finland)

2017-03-20

The effect of internal inhomogeneities and surface roughness on the scattering behavior of large cosmic dust particles is studied by comparing model simulations with laboratory measurements. The present work shows the results of an attempt to model a dust sample measured in the laboratory with simulations performed by a ray-optics model code. We consider this dust sample as a good analogue for interplanetary and interstellar dust as it shares its refractive index with known materials in these media. Several sensitivity tests have been performed for both structural cases (internal inclusions and surface roughness). Three different samples have been selected to mimic inclusion/coating inhomogeneities: two measured scattering matrices of hematite and white clay, and a simulated matrix for water ice. These three matrices are selected to cover a wide range of imaginary refractive indices. The selection of these materials also seeks to study astrophysical environments of interest such as Mars, where hematite and clays have been detected, and comets. Based on the results of the sensitivity tests shown in this work, we perform calculations for a size distribution of a silicate-type host particle model with inclusions and surface roughness to reproduce the experimental measurements of a dust sample. The model fits the measurements quite well, proving that surface roughness and internal structure play a role in the scattering pattern of irregular cosmic dust particles.

Dust remobilization experiments on the COMPASS tokamak.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Weinzettl, Vladimír; Matějíček, Jiří; Ratynskaia, S.; Tolias, P.; De Angeli, M.; Riva, G.; Dimitrova, Miglena; Havlíček, Josef; Adámek, Jiří; Seidl, Jakub; Tomeš, Matěj; Cavalier, Jordan; Imríšek, Martin; Havránek, Aleš; Pánek, Radomír; Peterka, Matěj

2017-01-01

Roč. 124, November (2017), s. 446-449 ISSN 0920-3796. [SOFT 2016: Symposium on Fusion Technology /29./. Prague, 05.09.2016-09.09.2016] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-12837S; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-10723S; GA MŠk(CZ) LM2015045 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Dust remobilization * Tungsten * Disruption * ELM * Plasma * Tokamak Subject RIV: JF - Nuclear Energetics OBOR OECD: Nuclear related engineering Impact factor: 1.319, year: 2016 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920379617300650

DETECTION OF REMNANT DUST CLOUD ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2007 OUTBURST OF 17P/HOLMES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishiguro, Masateru; Kim, Yoonyoung; Kwon, Yuna G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Gwanak, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Sarugaku, Yuki [Kiso Observatory, Institute of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Mitake, Kiso-machi, Kiso, Nagano 397-0101 (Japan); Kuroda, Daisuke; Maehara, Hiroyuki [Okayama Astrophysical Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Asakuchi, Okayama 719-0232 (Japan); Hanayama, Hidekazu [Ishigakijima Astronomical Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 1024-1 Arakawa, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907-0024 (Japan); Takahashi, Jun [Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory, Center for Astronomy, University of Hyogo, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5313 (Japan); Terai, Tsuyoshi [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Usui, Fumihiko [Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Vaubaillon, Jeremie J. [Observatoire de Paris, I.M.C.C.E., Denfert Rochereau, Bat. A., F-75014 Paris (France); Morokuma, Tomoki; Kobayashi, Naoto [Institute of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0015 (Japan); Watanabe, Jun-ichi [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

2016-01-20

This article reports a new optical observation of 17P/Holmes one orbital period after the historical outburst event in 2007. We detected not only a common dust tail near the nucleus but also a long narrow structure that extended along the position angle 274.°6 ± 0.°1 beyond the field of view (FOV) of the Kiso Wide Field Camera, i.e., >0.°2 eastward and >2.°0 westward from the nuclear position. The width of the structure decreased westward with increasing distance from the nucleus. We obtained the total cross section of the long extended structure in the FOV, C{sub FOV} = (2.3 ± 0.5) × 10{sup 10} m{sup 2}. From the position angle, morphology, and mass, we concluded that the long narrow structure consists of materials ejected during the 2007 outburst. On the basis of the dynamical behavior of dust grains in the solar radiation field, we estimated that the long narrow structure would be composed of 1 mm–1 cm grains having an ejection velocity of >50 m s{sup −1}. The velocity was more than one order of magnitude faster than that of millimeter–centimeter grains from typical comets around a heliocentric distance r{sub h} of 2.5 AU. We considered that sudden sublimation of a large amount of water-ice (≈10{sup 30} mol s{sup −1}) would be responsible for the high ejection velocity. We finally estimated a total mass of M{sub TOT} = (4–8) × 10{sup 11} kg and a total kinetic energy of E{sub TOT} = (1–6) × 10{sup 15} J for the 2007 outburst ejecta, which are consistent with those of previous studies that were conducted soon after the outburst.

HIDING IN THE SHADOWS. II. COLLISIONAL DUST AS EXOPLANET MARKERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobinson, Jack; Leinhardt, Zoë M.; Lines, Stefan; Carter, Philip J.; Dodson-Robinson, Sarah E.; Teanby, Nick A.

2016-01-01

Observations of the youngest planets (∼1–10 Myr for a transitional disk) will increase the accuracy of our planet formation models. Unfortunately, observations of such planets are challenging and time-consuming to undertake, even in ideal circumstances. Therefore, we propose the determination of a set of markers that can preselect promising exoplanet-hosting candidate disks. To this end, N-body simulations were conducted to investigate the effect of an embedded Jupiter-mass planet on the dynamics of the surrounding planetesimal disk and the resulting creation of second-generation collisional dust. We use a new collision model that allows fragmentation and erosion of planetesimals, and dust-sized fragments are simulated in a post-process step including non-gravitational forces due to stellar radiation and a gaseous protoplanetary disk. Synthetic images from our numerical simulations show a bright double ring at 850 μm for a low-eccentricity planet, whereas a high-eccentricity planet would produce a characteristic inner ring with asymmetries in the disk. In the presence of first-generation primordial dust these markers would be difficult to detect far from the orbit of the embedded planet, but would be detectable inside a gap of planetary origin in a transitional disk

Dust, Climate, and Human Health

Science.gov (United States)

Maynard, Nancy G.

2003-01-01

Air pollution from both natural and anthropogenic causes is considered to be one of the most serious world-wide environment-related health problems, and is expected to become worse with changes in the global climate. Dust storms from the atmospheric transport of desert soil dust that has been lifted and carried by the winds - often over significant distances - have become an increasingly important emerging air quality issue for many populations. Recent studies have shown that the dust storms can cause significant health impacts from the dust itself as well as the accompanying pollutants, pesticides, metals, salt, plant debris, and other inorganic and organic materials, including viable microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and fungi). For example, thousands of tons of Asian desert sediments, some containing pesticides and herbicides from farming regions, are commonly transported into the Arctic during dust storm events. These chemicals have been identified in animal and human tissues among Arctic indigenous populations. Millions of tons of airborne desert dust are being tracked by satellite imagery, which clearly shows the magnitude as well as the temporal and spatial variability of dust storms across the "dust belt" regions of North Africa, the Middle East, and China. This paper summarizes the most recent findings on the effects of airborne desert dust on human health as well as potential climate influences on dust and health.

K-ras mutations in sinonasal cancers in relation to wood dust exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bornholdt, Jette; Vogel, Ulla; Husgafvel-Pursiainen, Kirsti; Wallin, Håkan; Hansen, Johnni; Steiniche, Torben; Dictor, Michael; Antonsen, Annemarie; Wolff, Henrik; Schlünssen, Vivi; Holmila, Reetta; Luce, Danièle

2008-01-01

Cancer in the sinonasal tract is rare, but persons who have been occupationally exposed to wood dust have a substantially increased risk. It has been estimated that approximately 3.6 million workers are exposed to inhalable wood dust in EU. In previous small studies of this cancer, ras mutations were suggested to be related to wood dust exposure, but these studies were too limited to detect statistically significant associations. We examined 174 cases of sinonasal cancer diagnosed in Denmark in the period from 1991 to 2001. To ensure uniformity, all histological diagnoses were carefully reviewed pathologically before inclusion. Paraffin embedded tumour samples from 58 adenocarcinomas, 109 squamous cell carcinomas and 7 other carcinomas were analysed for K-ras codon 12, 13 and 61 point mutations by restriction fragment length polymorphisms and direct sequencing. Information on occupational exposure to wood dust and to potential confounders was obtained from telephone interviews and from registry data. Among the patients in this study, exposure to wood dust was associated with a 21-fold increased risk of having an adenocarcinoma than a squamous cell carcinoma compared to unexposed [OR = 21.0, CI = 8.0–55.0]. K-ras was mutated in 13% of the adenocarcinomas (seven patients) and in 1% of squamous cell carcinomas (one patient). Of these eight mutations, five mutations were located in the codon 12. The exact sequence change of remaining three could not be identified unambiguously. Among the five identified mutations, the G→A transition was the most common, and it was present in tumour tissue from two wood dust exposed adenocarcinoma patients and one patient with unknown exposure. Previously published studies of sinonasal cancer also identify the GGT → GAT transition as the most common and often related to wood dust exposure. Patients exposed to wood dust seemed more likely to develop adenocarcinoma compared to squamous cell carcinomas. K-ras mutations were detected

Engineering-scale dust control experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winberg, M.R.; Pawelko, R.J.; Jacobs, N.C.; Thompson, D.N.

1990-12-01

This report presents the results of engineering scale dust-control experiments relating to contamination control during handling of transuranic waste. These experiments focused on controlling dust during retrieval operations of buried waste where waste and soil are intimately mixed. Sources of dust generation during retrieval operations include digging, dumping, and vehicle traffic. Because contaminants are expected to attach to soil particles and move with the generated dust, control of the dust spread may be the key to contamination control. Dust control techniques examined in these experiments include the use of misting systems, soil fixatives, and dust suppression agents. The Dryfog Ultrasonic Misting Head, manufactured by Sonics, Incorporated, and ENTAC, an organic resin derived from tree sap manufactured by ENTAC Corporation, were tested. The results of the experiments include product performance and recommended application methods. 19 figs., 7 refs., 6 tabs

Mesospheric dust and its secondary effects as observed by the ESPRIT payload

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Havnes, O. [Department of Physics and Technology, University of Tromsoe, Tromsoe (Norway); Surdal, L.H. [Narvik University College, Norvik, and Andoeya Rocket Range, Andenes (Norway); Philbrick, C.R. [Pennsylvania State University, Electrical Engineering Department (United States)

2009-07-01

The dust detector on the ESPRIT rocket detected two extended dust/aerosol layers during the launch on 1 July 2006. The lower layer at height {proportional_to}81.5-83 km coincided with a strong NLC and PMSE layer. The maximum dust charge density was {proportional_to}-3.5 x 10{sup 9} e m{sup -3} and the dust layer was characterized by a few strong dust layers where the dust charge density at the upper edges changed by factors 2-3 over a distance of dust layer at {proportional_to}85-92 km was in the height range of a comparatively weak PMSE layer and the maximum dust charge density was {proportional_to}-10{sup 8} e m{sup -3}. This demonstrates that PMSE can be formed even if the ratio of the dust charge density to the electron density P=N{sub d}Z{sub d}/n{sub e}dust detector being constructed to reduce possible secondary charging effects from dust impacts, it was found that they were clearly present during the passage through both layers. The measured secondary charging effects confirm recent results that dust in the NLC and PMSE layers can be very effective in producing secondary charges with up to {proportional_to}50 to 100 electron charges being rubbed off by one impacting large dust particle, if the impact angle is {theta}{sub i}>or similar 20-35 . This again lends support to the suggested model for NLC and PMSE dust particles (Havnes and Naesheim, 2007) as a loosely bound water-ice clump interspersed with a considerable number of sub-nanometer-sized meteoric smoke particles, possibly also contaminated with meteoric atomic species.

Determinants of manganese levels in house dust samples from the CHAMACOS cohort

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gunier, R.B., E-mail: gunier@berkeley.edu [Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Jerrett, M. [Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Smith, D.R.; Jursa, T. [Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States); Yousefi, P.; Camacho, J.; Hubbard, A.; Eskenazi, B.; Bradman, A. [Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2014-11-01

Introduction: Manganese (Mn) is an essential nutrient, but at high exposure levels Mn is a neurotoxicant. The fungicides maneb and mancozeb are approximately 21% Mn by weight and more than 150,000 kg are applied each year to crops in the Salinas Valley, California. It is not clear, however, whether agricultural use of these fungicides increases Mn levels in homes. Materials and methods: We collected house dust samples from 378 residences enrolled in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study with a second sample collected approximately nine months later from 90 of the residences. House dust samples were analyzed for Mn using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Information from interviews, home inspections, and pesticide use reports was used to identify potential predictors of Mn dust concentrations and loadings. Results: Mn was detectable in all dust samples. The median Mn concentration was 171 μg/g and median Mn loading was 1,910 μg/m{sup 2} at first visit. In multivariable models, Mn dust concentrations and loadings increased with the number of farmworkers in the home and the amount of agricultural Mn fungicides applied within three kilometers of the residence during the month prior to dust sample collection. Dust concentrations of Mn and other metals (lead, cadmium and chromium) were higher in residences located in the southern Salinas Valley compared those located in other areas of the Salinas Valley. Dust loadings of Mn and other metals were also higher in residences located on Antioch Loam soil than other soil types, and in homes with poor or average housekeeping practices. Conclusions: Agricultural use of Mn containing fungicides was associated with Mn dust concentrations and loadings in nearby residences and farmworker homes. Housekeeping practices and soil type at residence were also important factors related to dust metal concentrations and loadings. - Highlights: • Manganese dust

Mite fauna and fungal flora in house dust from homes of asthmatic children.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, A; Takaoka, M; Ichinoe, M; Kabasawa, Y; Ouchi, T

1979-12-01

Mite fauna and fungal flora in the house dust from homes of asthmatic children with positive and negative skin test to house dust allergen and non-asthmatic controls were examined. There was no conspicuous difference in mite species distribution among the three groups. Pyroglyphid mites dominate the mite fauna in house dust more than half of which being Dermatophagoides: D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae. There was no statistically significant difference in numbers between the two species and either species could dominate depending on the conditions of the individual houses. The average number of acarina in 0.5 g of fine dust did not differ statistically among the three groups; however, mite number per square meter floor differed between patients with positive skin test and negative skin test. The results suggest that house-cleaning might influence the possible sensitization of children. The genetic distribution of mould fungi in house dust was largely similar to that of airborne fungi. The average number of fungal colonies detected in 0.5 g of dust did not differ statistically among the three groups. Wallemia with its minute spores may cause sensitization but has so far been insufficiently investigated.

Persistent organic contaminants in Saharan dust air masses in West Africa, Cape Verde and the eastern Caribbean

Science.gov (United States)

Garrison, Virginia H.; Majewski, Michael S.; Foreman, William T.; Genualdi, Susan A.; Mohammed, Azad; Massey Simonich, Stacy L.

2014-01-01

Anthropogenic semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate, are toxic at low concentrations, and undergo long-range atmospheric transport (LRT) were identified and quantified in the atmosphere of a Saharan dust source region (Mali) and during Saharan dust incursions at downwind sites in the eastern Caribbean (U.S. Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago) and Cape Verde. More organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides (OCPPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were detected in the Saharan dust region than at downwind sites. Seven of the 13 OCPPs detected occurred at all sites: chlordanes, chlorpyrifos, dacthal, dieldrin, endosulfans, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and trifluralin. Total SOCs ranged from 1.9–126 ng/m3 (mean = 25 ± 34) at source and 0.05–0.71 ng/m3 (mean = 0.24 ± 0.18) at downwind sites during dust conditions. Most SOC concentrations were 1–3 orders of magnitude higher in source than downwind sites. A Saharan source was confirmed for sampled air masses at downwind sites based on dust particle elemental composition and rare earth ratios, atmospheric back trajectory models, and field observations. SOC concentrations were considerably below existing occupational and/or regulatory limits; however, few regulatory limits exist for these persistent organic compounds. Long-term effects of chronic exposure to low concentrations of SOCs are unknown, as are possible additive or synergistic effects of mixtures of SOCs, biologically active trace metals, and mineral dust particles transported together in Saharan dust air masses.

Gravimetric dust sampling for control purposes and occupational dust sampling.

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Unsted, AD

1997-02-01

Full Text Available Prior to the introduction of gravimetric dust sampling, konimeters had been used for dust sampling, which was largely for control purposes. Whether or not absolute results were achievable was not an issue since relative results were used to evaluate...

Analysis of proton irradiation products in simulated interstellar dusts by mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasamatsu, Takashi; Kaneko, Takeo; Tsuchiya, Masahiko; Kobayashi, Kensei

1996-01-01

It is known that various kinds of organic compounds exist in space. In order to study the possibility of the formation of organic compounds in comets or their precursory bodies (interstellar dust grains), ice mixtures of carbon monoxide (or methane), ammonia and water made in a cryostat at 10 K ('simulated cometary ices') were irradiated with high energy protons. Irradiated ice products were warmed up to room temperature, while sublimed gases were analyzed with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Some hydrocarbons and alcohols were detected. 'Amino acid precursors' (compounds yielding amino acids after hydrolysis) were detected in non-volatile products remaining on the substrate at room temperature. These results suggest the possible formation of organic compounds in interstellar dust grains by cosmic radiation. (author)

DUST AND GAS IN THE DISK OF HL TAURI: SURFACE DENSITY, DUST SETTLING, AND DUST-TO-GAS RATIO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinte, C.; Ménard, F. [UMI-FCA, CNRS/INSU, France (UMI 3386), and Dept. de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Santiago (Chile); Dent, W. R. F.; Hales, A.; Hill, T.; Cortes, P.; Gregorio-Monsalvo, I. de, E-mail: christophe.pinte@obs.ujf-grenoble.fr [Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array, Joint ALMA Observatory, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura 763-0355, Santiago (Chile)

2016-01-01

The recent ALMA observations of the disk surrounding HL Tau reveal a very complex dust spatial distribution. We present a radiative transfer model accounting for the observed gaps and bright rings as well as radial changes of the emissivity index. We find that the dust density is depleted by at least a factor of 10 in the main gaps compared to the surrounding rings. Ring masses range from 10–100 M{sub ⊕} in dust, and we find that each of the deepest gaps is consistent with the removal of up to 40 M{sub ⊕} of dust. If this material has accumulated into rocky bodies, these would be close to the point of runaway gas accretion. Our model indicates that the outermost ring is depleted in millimeter grains compared to the central rings. This suggests faster grain growth in the central regions and/or radial migration of the larger grains. The morphology of the gaps observed by ALMA—well separated and showing a high degree of contrast with the bright rings over all azimuths—indicates that the millimeter dust disk is geometrically thin (scale height ≈1 AU at 100 AU) and that a large amount of settling of large grains has already occurred. Assuming a standard dust settling model, we find that the observations are consistent with a turbulent viscosity coefficient of a few 10{sup −4}. We estimate the gas/dust ratio in this thin layer to be of the order of 5 if the initial ratio is 100. The HCO{sup +} and CO emission is consistent with gas in Keplerian motion around a 1.7 M{sub ⊙} star at radii from ≤10–120 AU.

Respiratory Toxicity of Lunar Highland Dust

Science.gov (United States)

James, John T.; Lam, Chiu-wing; Wallace, William T.

2009-01-01

Lunar dust exposures occurred during the Apollo missions while the crew was on the lunar surface and especially when microgravity conditions were attained during rendezvous in lunar orbit. Crews reported that the dust was irritating to the eyes and in some cases respiratory symptoms were elicited. NASA s vision for lunar exploration includes stays of 6 months on the lunar surface hence the health effects of periodic exposure to lunar dust need to be assessed. NASA has performed this assessment with a series of in vitro and in vivo tests on authentic lunar dust. Our approach is to "calibrate" the intrinsic toxicity of lunar dust by comparison to a nontoxic dust (TiO2) and a highly toxic dust (quartz) using intratrachael instillation of the dusts in mice. A battery of indices of toxicity is assessed at various time points after the instillations. Cultures of selected cells are exposed to test dusts to assess the adverse effects on the cells. Finally, chemical systems are used to assess the nature of the reactivity of various dusts and to determine the persistence of reactivity under various environmental conditions that are relevant to a space habitat. Similar systems are used to assess the dissolution of the dust. From these studies we will be able to set a defensible inhalation exposure standard for aged dust and predict whether we need a separate standard for reactive dust. Presently-available data suggest that aged lunar highland dust is slightly toxic, that it can adversely affect cultured cells, and that the surface reactivity induced by grinding the dust persists for a few hours after activation.

Assessing the Performance of a Machine Learning Algorithm in Identifying Bubbles in Dust Emission

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Duo; Offner, Stella S. R.

2017-12-01

Stellar feedback created by radiation and winds from massive stars plays a significant role in both physical and chemical evolution of molecular clouds. This energy and momentum leaves an identifiable signature (“bubbles”) that affects the dynamics and structure of the cloud. Most bubble searches are performed “by eye,” which is usually time-consuming, subjective, and difficult to calibrate. Automatic classifications based on machine learning make it possible to perform systematic, quantifiable, and repeatable searches for bubbles. We employ a previously developed machine learning algorithm, Brut, and quantitatively evaluate its performance in identifying bubbles using synthetic dust observations. We adopt magnetohydrodynamics simulations, which model stellar winds launching within turbulent molecular clouds, as an input to generate synthetic images. We use a publicly available three-dimensional dust continuum Monte Carlo radiative transfer code, HYPERION, to generate synthetic images of bubbles in three Spitzer bands (4.5, 8, and 24 μm). We designate half of our synthetic bubbles as a training set, which we use to train Brut along with citizen-science data from the Milky Way Project (MWP). We then assess Brut’s accuracy using the remaining synthetic observations. We find that Brut’s performance after retraining increases significantly, and it is able to identify yellow bubbles, which are likely associated with B-type stars. Brut continues to perform well on previously identified high-score bubbles, and over 10% of the MWP bubbles are reclassified as high-confidence bubbles, which were previously marginal or ambiguous detections in the MWP data. We also investigate the influence of the size of the training set, dust model, evolutionary stage, and background noise on bubble identification.

Emissions of road dust by winter tyres and the contributions of different road dust sources in road side particle samples; Talvirenkaiden poelypaeaestoet ja eri katupoelylaehteiden osuudet kadunvarrella keraetyissae hiukkasnaeytteissae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kupiainen, K.; Pirjola, L.; Ritola, R.; Stojiljkovic, A.; Malinen, A.

2013-09-01

material deposited on the road surface. Resuspension is detected in street conditions throughout the year, but the seasonal variation is high. The measurements conducted in early April represented the situation at high resuspension levels. Emissions were 15-20-fold greater than during low resuspension conditions. No significant differences in the emission levels of the different winter tires were detected. Initial conditions of the resuspension were so high that the increment emissions from pavement wear by studs were not detectable. At low resuspension conditions, still approximately 50 -60 percent of the studded tyre's overall emissions were explained by resuspension. The remaining 40 - 50 percent was accounted to the pavement wear by studs. Reducing the number of studs per tyre reduced also the PM{sub 10} emission. The tyre that complied with the new studded tyre requirements that will enter into force in July 2013 reduced the emissions by 10 - 28 percent. The results obtained in low resuspension conditions demonstrate that studded tires increase the formation of dust compared to non-studded tires. Tire wear was observed to change its particulate emissions significantly. Increasing tread wear reduced the tyre's PM{sub 10} emissions. Tyre wear resulted in changes in both resuspension and pavement wear emissions. Further studies on factors affecting the PM10 emissions of worn tires should be conducted. (orig.)

Estimating dust distances to Type Ia supernovae from colour excess time evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Bulla, M.; Goobar, A.; Amanullah, R.; Feindt, U.; Ferretti, R.

2018-01-01

We present a new technique to infer dust locations towards reddened Type Ia supernovae and to help discriminate between an interstellar and a circumstellar origin for the observed extinction. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the time evolution of the light-curve shape and especially of the colour excess E(B - V) places strong constraints on the distance between dust and the supernova. We apply our approach to two highly reddened Type Ia supernovae for which dust distance estimates are available in the literature: SN 2006X and SN 2014J. For the former, we obtain a time-variable E(B - V) and from this derive a distance of 27.5^{+9.0}_{-4.9} or 22.1^{+6.0}_{-3.8} pc depending on whether dust properties typical of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) or the Milky Way (MW) are used. For the latter, instead, we obtain a constant E(B - V) consistent with dust at distances larger than ∼50 and 38 pc for LMC- and MW-type dust, respectively. Values thus extracted are in excellent agreement with previous estimates for the two supernovae. Our findings suggest that dust responsible for the extinction towards these supernovae is likely to be located within interstellar clouds. We also discuss how other properties of reddened Type Ia supernovae - such as their peculiar extinction and polarization behaviour and the detection of variable, blue-shifted sodium features in some of these events - might be compatible with dust and gas at interstellar-scale distances.

Dust-cyclotron and dust-lower-hybrid modes in self-gravitating ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

cantly modifies the dispersion properties of these two electrostatic modes. The implications of these results to some space and astrophysical dusty plasma systems, especially to planetary ring-systems and cometary tails, are briefly mentioned. Keywords. Dusty plasmas; dust-cyclotron waves; dust-lower-hybrid waves.

Video tracking and post-mortem analysis of dust particles from all tungsten ASDEX Upgrade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endstrasser, N., E-mail: Nikolaus.Endstrasser@ipp.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Insitut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmannstrasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Brochard, F. [Institut Jean Lamour, Nancy-Universite, Bvd. des Aiguillettes, F-54506 Vandoeuvre (France); Rohde, V., E-mail: Volker.Rohde@ipp.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Insitut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmannstrasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Balden, M. [Max-Planck-Insitut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmannstrasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Lunt, T.; Bardin, S.; Briancon, J.-L. [Institut Jean Lamour, Nancy-Universite, Bvd. des Aiguillettes, F-54506 Vandoeuvre (France); Neu, R. [Max-Planck-Insitut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmannstrasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany)

2011-08-01

2D dust particle trajectories are extracted from fast framing camera videos of ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) by a new time- and resource-efficient code and classified into stationary hot spots, single-frame events and real dust particle fly-bys. Using hybrid global and local intensity thresholding and linear trajectory extrapolation individual particles could be tracked up to 80 ms. Even under challenging conditions such as high particle density and strong vacuum vessel illumination all particles detected for more than 50 frames are tracked correctly. During campaign 2009 dust has been trapped on five silicon wafer dust collectors strategically positioned within the vacuum vessel of the full tungsten AUG. Characterisation of the outer morphology and determination of the elemental composition of 5 x 10{sup 4} particles were performed via automated SEM-EDX analysis. A dust classification scheme based on these parameters was defined with the goal to link the particles to their most probable production sites.

Modelling dust transport in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, J.D.; Martin, J.D.; Bacharis, M.; Coppins, M.; Counsell, G.F.; Allen, J.E.; Counsell, G.F.

2008-01-01

The DTOKS code, which models dust transport through tokamak plasmas, is described. The floating potential and charge of a dust grain in a plasma and the fluxes of energy to and from it are calculated. From this model, the temperature of the dust grain can be estimated. A plasma background is supplied by a standard tokamak edge modelling code (B2SOLPS5.0), and dust transport through MAST (the Mega-Amp Spherical Tokamak) and ITER plasmas is presented. We conclude that micron-radius tungsten dust can reach the separatrix in ITER. (authors)

Control of harmful dust in coal mines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goddard, B; Bower, K; Mitchell, D

1973-01-01

This handbook consists of a series of short chapters devoted to: sources of airborne dust; dust standards and methods of sampling; dust prevention on mechanized faces; ventilation and dust extraction; distribution and use of water; dust control on mechanized faces; dust control in drivages and headings; drilling and shotfiring; dust control in transport; some outbye dust control techniques (hygroscopic salts, impingement curtains); water infusion; personal protective equipment. (CIS Abstr.)

Effect of non-Maxwellian particle trapping and dust grain charging on dust acoustic solitary waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubab, N.; Murtaza, G.; Mushtaq, A.

2006-01-01

The role of adiabatic trapped ions on a small but finite amplitude dust acoustic wave, including the effect of adiabatic dust charge variation, is investigated in an unmagnetized three-component dusty plasma consisting of electrons, ions and massive micron sized negatively charged dust particulates. We have assumed that electrons and ions obey (r,q) velocity distribution while the dust species is treated fluid dynamically. It is found that the dynamics of dust acoustic waves is governed by a modified r dependent Korteweg-de Vries equation. Further, the spectral indices (r,q) affect the charge fluctuation as well as the trapping of electrons and ions and consequently modify the dust acoustic solitary wave

The global distribution of mineral dust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tegen, I; Schepanski, K

2009-01-01

Dust aerosol particles produced by wind erosion in arid and semi arid regions affect climate and air quality, but the magnitude of these effects is largely unquantified. The major dust source regions include the Sahara, the Arabian and Asian deserts; global annual dust emissions are currently estimated to range between 1000 and 3000 Mt/yr. Dust aerosol can be transported over long distances of thousands of kilometers, e.g. from source regions in the Saharan desert over the North Atlantic, or from the Asian deserts towards the Pacific Ocean. The atmospheric dust load varies considerably on different timescales. While dust aerosol distribution and dust effects are important on global scales, they strongly depend on dust emissions that are controlled on small spatial and temporal scales.

Dust in the Diffuse Neutral Interstellar Medium

Science.gov (United States)

Sofia, Ulysses J.

2008-05-01

Studies of interstellar dust have always relied heavily upon Laboratory Astrophysics for interpretation. Laboratory values, in the broad sense that includes theory, are needed for the most basic act of measuring interstellar abundances, to the more complex determination of what grains are responsible for particular extinction. The symbiotic relationship between astronomical observations and Laboratory Astrophysics has prompted both fields to move forward, especially in the era of high-resolution ultraviolet spectroscopy when new elemental species could be interpreted and observations were able to show the limits of laboratory determinations. Thanks to this synergy, we currently have a good idea of the quantity of the most abundant elements incorporated into dust in diffuse neutral interstellar clouds: carbon, oxygen, iron, silicon and magnesium. Now the task is to figure out how, chemically and physically, those elements are integrated into interstellar grains. We can do this by comparing extinction curves to grain populations in radiative transfer models. The limitation at the present time is the availability of optical constants in the infrared through ultraviolet for species that are likely to exist in dust, i.e., those that are easy to form in the physical environments around stars and in molecular clouds. Extinction in some lines of sight can be fit within current abundance limits and with the optical constants that are available. However the inability to reproduce other extinction curves suggests that optical constants can be improved, either in quality for compounds that have been measured, or quantity in the sense of providing data for more materials. This talk will address the current state and the future of dust studies in the diffuse neutral interstellar medium. This work is supported by the grant HST-AR-10979.01-A from the Space Telescope Science Institute to Whitman College.

Dust in H II regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isobe, S.

1977-01-01

Several pieces of evidence indicate that H II regions may contain dust: 1) the continuum light scattered by dust grains (O'Dell and Hubbard, 1965), 2) thermal radiation from dust grains at infrared wavelengths (Ney and Allen, 1969), 3) the abnormal helium abundance in some H II regions (Peimbert and Costero, 1969), etc. Although observations of the scattered continuum suggest that the H II region cores may be dust-free, dust grains and gas must be well mixed in view of the infrared observations. This difficulty may be solved by introducing globules with sizes approximately 0.001 pc. These globules and the molecular clouds adjacent to H II regions are the main sources supplying dust to H II regions. (Auth.)

The Spatial Variation of Dust Particulate Matter Concentrations during Two Icelandic Dust Storms in 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Particulate matter mass concentrations and size fractions of PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, and PM15 measured in transversal horizontal profile of two dust storms in southwestern Iceland are presented. Images from a camera network were used to estimate the visibility and spatial extent of measured dust events. Numerical simulations were used to calculate the total dust flux from the sources as 180,000 and 280,000 tons for each storm. The mean PM15 concentrations inside of the dust plumes varied from 10 to 1600 µg·m−3 (PM10 = 7 to 583 µg·m−3. The mean PM1 concentrations were 97–241 µg·m−3 with a maximum of 261 µg·m−3 for the first storm. The PM1/PM2.5 ratios of >0.9 and PM1/PM10 ratios of 0.34–0.63 show that suspension of volcanic materials in Iceland causes air pollution with extremely high PM1 concentrations, similar to polluted urban areas in Europe or Asia. Icelandic volcanic dust consists of a higher proportion of submicron particles compared to crustal dust. Both dust storms occurred in relatively densely inhabited areas of Iceland. First results on size partitioning of Icelandic dust presented here should challenge health authorities to enhance research in relation to dust and shows the need for public dust warning systems.

Dust in Snow in the Colorado River Basin: Spatial Variability in Dust Concentrations, Radiative Forcing, and Snowmelt Rates

Science.gov (United States)

Skiles, M.; Painter, T.; Deems, J. S.; Landry, C.; Bryant, A.

2012-12-01

Since the disturbance of the western US that began with the Anglo settlement in the mid 19th century, the mountain snow cover of the Colorado River Basin (CRB) has been subject to five-fold greater dust loading. This dust deposition accelerates snowmelt through its direct reduction of albedo and its further reduction of albedo by accelerating the growth of snow effective grain size. We have previously quantified the impacts of dust in snow using a 6-year record of dust concentration and energy balance fluxes at the alpine and subalpine towers in the Senator Beck Basin Study Area (SBBSA), San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado, USA. Dust loading exhibited interannual variability, and end of year dust concentrations were not necessarily related to the number of dust deposition events. Radiative forcing enhanced springtime melt by 21 to 51 days with the magnitude of advanced loss being linearly related to total dust concentration at the end of snow cover. To expand our understanding of dust on snow deposition patterns we utilize collections of dust concentration at the Colorado Dust on Snow (CODOS) study sites, established in 2009 along the western side of the CRB, to assess spatial variability in dust loading. In situ sampling of dust stratigraphy and concentration occurs twice each season, once over peak snow water equivalent (15 April), and again during melt (15 May). Dust loading occurs at all sites; dust concentrations are always higher in May, vary between sites, and the highest and lowest dust years were 2009 and 2012, respectively. In the absence of regular sampling and energy balance instrumentation these sites do not allow us to quantify the advanced melt due to dust. To facilitate this a new energy balance site, Grand Mesa Study plot (GMSP), was established for water year 2010 in west central Colorado, 150 km north of SBBSA. Back trajectories indicate similar Colorado Plateau dust sources at both SBBSA and GMSP, yet GMSP exhibits slightly lower dust

Dust control at Yucca Mountain project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kissell, F.; Jurani, R.; Dresel, R.; Reaux, C.

1999-01-01

This report describes actions taken to control silica dust at the Yucca Mountain Exploratory Studies Facility, a tunnel located in Southern Nevada that is part of a scientific program to determine site suitability for a potential nuclear waste repository. The rock is a volcanic tuff containing significant percentages of both quartz and cristobalite. Water use for dust control was limited because of scientific test requirements, and this limitation made dust control a difficult task. Results are reported for two drifts, called the Main Loop Drift and the Cross Drift. In the Main Loop Drift, dust surveys and tracer gas tests indicated that air leakage from the TBM head, the primary ventilation duct, and movement of the conveyor belt were all significant sources of dust. Conventional dust control approaches yielded no significant reductions in dust levels. A novel alternative was to install an air cleaning station on a rear deck of the TBM trailing gear. It filtered dust from the contaminated intake air and discharged clean air towards the front of the TBM. The practical effect was to produce dust levels below the exposure limit for all TBM locations except close to the head. In the Cross Drift, better ventilation and an extra set of dust seals on the TBM served to cut down the leakage of dust from the TBM cutter head. However, the conveyor belt was much dustier than the belt in the main loop drift. The problem originated with dirt on the bottom of the belt return side and much spillage from the belt top side. Achieving lower dust levels in hard rock tunneling operations will require new approaches as well as a more meticulous application of existing technology. Planning for dust control will require specific means to deal with dust that leaks from the TBM head, dust that originates with leaky ventilation systems, and dust that comes from conveyor belts. Also, the application of water could be more efficient if automatic controls were used to adjust the water flow

Comparison of methods to evaluate the fungal biomass in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Biyeyeme Bi Mve, Marie-Jeanne; Cloutier, Yves; Lacombe, Nancy; Lavoie, Jacques; Debia, Maximilien; Marchand, Geneviève

2016-12-01

Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems contain dust that can be contaminated with fungal spores (molds), which may have harmful effects on the respiratory health of the occupants of a building. HVAC cleaning is often based on visual inspection of the quantity of dust, without taking the mold content into account. The purpose of this study is to propose a method to estimate fungal contamination of dust in HVAC systems. Comparisons of different analytical methods were carried out on dust deposited in a controlled-atmosphere exposure chamber. Sixty samples were analyzed using four methods: culture, direct microscopic spore count (DMSC), β-N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) dosing and qPCR. For each method, the limit of detection, replicability, and repeatability were assessed. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the methods were also evaluated. Depending on the analytical method, mean spore concentrations per 100 cm 2 of dust ranged from 10,000 to 682,000. Limits of detection varied from 120 to 217,000 spores/100 cm 2 . Replicability and repeatability were between 1 and 15%. Pearson correlation coefficients varied from -0.217 to 0.83. The 18S qPCR showed the best sensitivity and precision, as well as the best correlation with the culture method. PCR targets only molds, and a total count of fungal DNA is obtained. Among the methods, mold DNA amplification by qPCR is the method suggested for estimating the fungal content found in dust of HVAC systems.

Statistical simulations of the dust foreground to cosmic microwave background polarization

Science.gov (United States)

Vansyngel, F.; Boulanger, F.; Ghosh, T.; Wandelt, B.; Aumont, J.; Bracco, A.; Levrier, F.; Martin, P. G.; Montier, L.

2017-07-01

The characterization of the dust polarization foreground to the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is a necessary step toward the detection of the B-mode signal associated with primordial gravitational waves. We present a method to simulate maps of polarized dust emission on the sphere that is similar to the approach used for CMB anisotropies. This method builds on the understanding of Galactic polarization stemming from the analysis of Planck data. It relates the dust polarization sky to the structure of the Galactic magnetic field and its coupling with interstellar matter and turbulence. The Galactic magnetic field is modeled as a superposition of a mean uniform field and a Gaussian random (turbulent) component with a power-law power spectrum of exponent αM. The integration along the line of sight carried out to compute Stokes maps is approximated by a sum over a small number of emitting layers with different realizations of the random component of the magnetic field. The model parameters are constrained to fit the power spectra of dust polarization EE, BB, and TE measured using Planck data. We find that the slopes of the E and B power spectra of dust polarization are matched for αM = -2.5, an exponent close to that measured for total dust intensity but larger than the Kolmogorov exponent - 11/3. The model allows us to compute multiple realizations of the Stokes Q and U maps for different realizations of the random component of the magnetic field, and to quantify the variance of dust polarization spectra for any given sky area outside of the Galactic plane. The simulations reproduce the scaling relation between the dust polarization power and the mean total dust intensity including the observed dispersion around the mean relation. We also propose a method to carry out multifrequency simulations, including the decorrelation measured recently by Planck, using a given covariance matrix of the polarization maps. These simulations are well suited to optimize

Level and distribution of employee exposures to total and respirable wood dust in two Canadian sawmills.

Science.gov (United States)

Teschke, K; Hertzman, C; Morrison, B

1994-03-01

Personal respirable (N = 230) and total (N = 237) dust measurements were made in two coastal British Columbia sawmills using a sampling strategy that randomly selected workers from all jobs in the mills over two seasons. Information about job title, department, season, weather conditions, location of the job relative to wood-cutting machines, and control measures also was collected at the time of sampling. Only 16 respirable wood dust samples were above the detection limit of 0.08 mg/m3; all 16 had levels industry, but most sawmill investigations report mean wood dust concentrations lower than those measured in the furniture and cabinetmaking industries, where concerns about wood dust exposures initially were raised.

Neutral Hydrogen Structures Trace Dust Polarization Angle: Implications for Cosmic Microwave Background Foregrounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, S E; Hill, J Colin; Peek, J E G; Putman, M E; Babler, B L

2015-12-11

Using high-resolution data from the Galactic Arecibo L-Band Feed Array HI (GALFA-Hi) survey, we show that linear structure in Galactic neutral hydrogen (Hi) correlates with the magnetic field orientation implied by Planck 353 GHz polarized dust emission. The structure of the neutral interstellar medium is more tightly coupled to the magnetic field than previously known. At high Galactic latitudes, where the Planck data are noise dominated, the Hi data provide an independent constraint on the Galactic magnetic field orientation, and hence the local dust polarization angle. We detect strong cross-correlations between template maps constructed from estimates of dust intensity combined with either Hi-derived angles, starlight polarization angles, or Planck 353 GHz angles. The Hi data thus provide a new tool in the search for inflationary gravitational wave B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background, which is currently limited by dust foreground contamination.

Characterization of atmospheric bioaerosols along the transport pathway of Asian dust during the Dust-Bioaerosol 2016 Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Kai; Huang, Zhongwei; Huang, Jianping; Maki, Teruya; Zhang, Shuang; Shimizu, Atsushi; Ma, Xiaojun; Shi, Jinsen; Bi, Jianrong; Zhou, Tian; Wang, Guoyin; Zhang, Lei

2018-05-01

Previous studies have shown that bioaerosols are injected into the atmosphere during dust events. These bioaerosols may affect leeward ecosystems, human health, and agricultural productivity and may even induce climate change. However, bioaerosol dynamics have rarely been investigated along the transport pathway of Asian dust, especially in China where dust events affect huge areas and massive numbers of people. Given this situation, the Dust-Bioaerosol (DuBi) Campaign was carried out over northern China, and the effects of dust events on the amount and diversity of bioaerosols were investigated. The results indicate that the number of bacteria showed remarkable increases during the dust events, and the diversity of the bacterial communities also increased significantly, as determined by means of microscopic observations with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and MiSeq sequencing analysis. These results indicate that dust clouds can carry many bacteria of various types into downwind regions and may have potentially important impacts on ecological environments and climate change. The abundances of DAPI-stained bacteria in the dust samples were 1 to 2 orders of magnitude greater than those in the non-dust samples and reached 105-106 particles m-3. Moreover, the concentration ratios of DAPI-stained bacteria to yellow fluorescent particles increased from 5.1 % ± 6.3 % (non-dust samples) to 9.8 % ± 6.3 % (dust samples). A beta diversity analysis of the bacterial communities demonstrated the distinct clustering of separate prokaryotic communities in the dust and non-dust samples. Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria remained the dominant phyla in all samples. As for Erenhot, the relative abundances of Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi had a remarkable rise in dust events. In contrast, the relative abundances of Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi in non-dust samples of R-DzToUb were greater than those in dust samples. Alphaproteobacteria made the major

Undisturbed dust as a metric of long-term indoor insecticide exposure: Residential DDT contamination from indoor residual spraying and its association with serum levels in the VHEMBE cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaspar, Fraser W; Chevrier, Jonathan; Bornman, Riana; Crause, Madelein; Obida, Muvhulawa; Barr, Dana Boyd; Bradman, Asa; Bouwman, Henk; Eskenazi, Brenda

2015-12-01

Although approximately 123 million people may be exposed to high levels of insecticides through the use of indoor residual spraying (IRS) for malaria control, few studies exist on indoor insecticide contamination due to IRS and its relationship with human exposure. In the present study, we developed a sampling method to collect undisturbed dust from 50 homes in Limpopo, South Africa, a region where dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has been used in IRS programs to prevent malaria for ~70years. We quantified DDT and its degradation products, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD) in dust samples to determine dust loading levels and compared these levels to paired serum concentrations of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE in women residents. p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE had the highest detection frequencies in both dust (58% and 34% detection, respectively) and serum samples (98% and 100% detection, respectively). Significantly higher detection frequencies for o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDD were observed in dust samples collected in buildings that had been previously sprayed for malaria control. We also observed a significant, positive association between dust loading and serum concentrations of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE (Spearman's rho=0.68 and 0.54, respectively). Despite the low detection frequency in dust, our results indicate that undisturbed dust may be a good metric to quantify long-term home exposure to DDT-related compounds and that contamination of the home environment may be an important determinant/source of DDT and DDE exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineralogy of Interplanetary Dust Particles from the Comet Giacobini-Zinner Dust Stream Collections

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura-Messenger, K.; Messenger, S.; Westphal, A. J.; Palma, R. L.

2015-01-01

The Draconoid meteor shower, originating from comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, is a low-velocity Earth-crossing dust stream that had a peak anticipated flux on Oct. 8, 2012. In response to this prediction, NASA performed dedicated stratospheric dust collections to target interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) from this comet stream on Oct 15-17, 2012 [3]. Twelve dust particles from this targeted collection were allocated to our coordinated analysis team for studies of noble gas (Univ. Minnesota, Minnesota State Univ.), SXRF and Fe-XANES (SSL Berkeley) and mineralogy/isotopes (JSC). Here we report a mineralogical study of 3 IDPs from the Draconoid collection..

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DUST GENERATED IN THE RECYCLING PROCESS OF THE ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE DUST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio Gonçalves Rizz

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD is a solid waste generated by the production of steel through the Electric Arc Furnace. This waste is labeled dangerous, which motivates studies aiming its recycling. Experiments were made to study a pyrometallurgical process for the recycling of the dust, using the insertion of dust briquettes in molten pig iron in three temperatures. In the briquettes, there were made additions of calcium fluoride in four different concentrations. This paper has the objective to characterize the dust that results from this process, verifying the influence of the temperature and the concentration of calcium fluoride in the briquette in the morphology and chemical composition of the new dust, determining the optimal conditions for the recovery of the zinc content of the dust. This newly generated dust was analyzed in an Scanning Electronic Microscope, used to capture micrographs and chemical composition by EDS. The micrographs show that the temperature and the calcium fluoride concentration interfere in the way the dust particles agglomerate. Chemical analysis points that the higher zinc recuperation occurrs in the experiments at 1500°C with 7% addition of calcium fluoride.

Characterization of synoptic patterns causing dust outbreaks that affect the Arabian Peninsula

Science.gov (United States)

Hermida, L.; Merino, A.; Sánchez, J. L.; Fernández-González, S.; García-Ortega, E.; López, L.

2018-01-01

Dust storms pose serious weather hazards in arid and semiarid regions of the earth. Understanding the main synoptic conditions that give rise to dust outbreaks is important for issuing forecasts and warnings to the public in cases of severe storms. The aim of the present study is to determine synoptic patterns that are associated with or even favor dust outbreaks over the Arabian Peninsula. In this respect, red-green-blue dust composite images from the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite are used to detect dust outbreaks affecting the Arabian Peninsula, with possible influences in southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa, between 2005 and 2013. The Meteosat imagery yielded a sample of 95 dust storm days. Meteorological fields from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data of wind fields at 10 m and 250 hPa, mean sea level pressure, and geopotential heights at 850 and 500 hPa were obtained for the dust storm days. Using principal component analysis in T-mode and non-hierarchical k-means clustering, we obtained four major atmospheric circulation patterns associated with dust outbreaks during the study days. Cluster 4 had the largest number of days with dust events, which were constrained to summer, and cluster 3 had the fewest. In clusters 1, 2 and 3, the jet stream favored the entry of a low-pressure area or trough that varied in location between the three clusters. Their most northerly location was found in cluster 4, along with an extensive low-pressure area supporting strong winds over the Arabian Peninsula. The spatial distribution of aerosol optical depth for each cluster obtained was characterized using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data. Then, using METAR stations, clusters were also characterized in terms of frequency and visibility.

Effects of dust grain charge fluctuation on obliquely propagating dust-acoustic potential in magnetized dusty plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamun, A.A.; Hassan, M.H.A.

1999-05-01

Effects of dust grain charge fluctuation, obliqueness and external magnetic field on finite amplitude dust-acoustic solitary potential in a magnetized dusty plasma, consisting of electrons, ions and charge fluctuating dust grains, have been investigated by the reductive perturbation method. It has been shown that such a magnetized dusty plasma system may support dust-acoustic solitary potential on a very slow time scale involving the motion of dust grains, whose charge is self-consistently determined by local electron and ion currents. The effects of dust grain charge fluctuation, external magnetic field and obliqueness are found to modify the properties of this dust-acoustic solitary potential significantly. The implications of these results to some space and astrophysical dusty plasma systems, especially to planetary ring-systems and cometary tails, are briefly mentioned. (author)

A Multi-Year Dust Devil Vortex Survey Using an Automated Search of Pressure Time-Series

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Brian K.; Lorenz, Ralph

2014-11-01

Dust devils occur in arid climates on the Earth and ubiquitously on Mars, where they likely dominate the supply of atmospheric dust and influence climate. Martian dust devils have been studied with a combination of orbiting and landed spacecraft, while most studies of terrestrial dust devils have involved manned monitoring of field sites, which can be costly both in time and personnel. As an alternative approach, we describe a multi-year in-situ survey of terrestrial dust devils using pressure loggers deployed at El Dorado Playa in Nevada, USA, a site known for dust devil activity. Analogous to previous surveys for Martian dust devils, we conduct a post-hoc analysis of the barometric data to search for putative dust devil pressure dips using a new automated detection algorithm. We investigate the completeness and false positive rates of our new algorithm and conduct several statistically robust analyses of the resulting population of dips. We also investigate seasonal, annual, and spatial variability of the putative dust devil dips, possible correlations with precipitation, and the influence of sample size on the derived population statistics. Our results suggest that large numbers of dips (> 1,000) collected over multiple seasons are probably required for accurate assessment of the underlying dust devil population. Correlating long-term barometric time-series with other data streams (e.g., solar flux measurements from photovoltaic cells) can uniquely elucidate the natures and origins of dust devils, and accurately assessing their influence requires consideration of the full distribution of dust devil properties, rather than average values. For example, our results suggest the dust flux from the average terrestrial devil is nearly 1,000 times smaller than the (more representative) population-weighted average flux. If applicable to Martian dust devils, such corrections may help resolve purported discrepancies between the dust fluxes estimated from dust devil studies

Gas and dust in the star-forming region ρ Oph A. The dust opacity exponent β and the gas-to-dust mass ratio g2d

Science.gov (United States)

Liseau, R.; Larsson, B.; Lunttila, T.; Olberg, M.; Rydbeck, G.; Bergman, P.; Justtanont, K.; Olofsson, G.; de Vries, B. L.

2015-06-01

Aims: We aim at determining the spatial distribution of the gas and dust in star-forming regions and address their relative abundances in quantitative terms. We also examine the dust opacity exponent β for spatial and/or temporal variations. Methods: Using mapping observations of the very dense ρ Oph A core, we examined standard 1D and non-standard 3D methods to analyse data of far-infrared and submillimetre (submm) continuum radiation. The resulting dust surface density distribution can be compared to that of the gas. The latter was derived from the analysis of accompanying molecular line emission, observed with Herschel from space and with APEX from the ground. As a gas tracer we used N2H+, which is believed to be much less sensitive to freeze-out than CO and its isotopologues. Radiative transfer modelling of the N2H+ (J = 3-2) and (J = 6-5) lines with their hyperfine structure explicitly taken into account provides solutions for the spatial distribution of the column density N(H2), hence the surface density distribution of the gas. Results: The gas-to-dust mass ratio is varying across the map, with very low values in the central regions around the core SM 1. The global average, = 88, is not far from the canonical value of 100, however. In ρ Oph A, the exponent β of the power-law description for the dust opacity exhibits a clear dependence on time, with high values of 2 for the envelope-dominated emission in starless Class -1 sources to low values close to 0 for the disk-dominated emission in Class III objects. β assumes intermediate values for evolutionary classes in between. Conclusions: Since β is primarily controlled by grain size, grain growth mostly occurs in circumstellar disks. The spatial segregation of gas and dust, seen in projection toward the core centre, probably implies that, like C18O, also N2H+ is frozen onto the grains. Based on observations with APEX, which is a 12 m diameter submillimetre telescope at 5100 m altitude on Llano Chajnantor

THE DUST PROPERTIES OF z {approx} 3 MIPS-LBGs FROM PHOTOCHEMICAL MODELS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, X. L. [School of Physics and Electronics Information, Hubei University of Education, 430205 Wuhan (China); Pipino, A. [Institut fur Astronomie, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Matteucci, F., E-mail: fan@oats.inaf.it [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sezione di Astronomia, Universit a di Trieste, via G.B. Tiepolo 11, I-34131 Trieste (Italy)

2013-05-10

The stacked spectral energy distribution (SED) 24 {mu}m Lyman break galaxies (MIPS-LBGs) detected by the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) is fitted by means of the spectrophotometric model GRASIL with an ''educated'' fitting approach which benefits from the results of chemical evolution models. The star formation rate-age-metallicity degeneracies of SED modeling are broken by using star formation history (SFH) and chemical enrichment history suggested by chemical models. The dust mass, dust abundance, and chemical pattern of elements locked in the dust component are also directly provided by chemical models. Using our new ''fitting'' approach, we derive the total mass M{sub tot}, stellar mass M{sub *}, gas mass M{sub g} , dust mass M{sub d} , age, and star formation rate (SFR) of the stacked MIPS-LBG in a self-consistent way. Our estimate of M{sub *} = 8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} of the stacked MIPS-LBG agrees with other works based on UV-optical SED fitting. We suggest that the MIPS-LBGs at z {approx} 3 are young (0.3-0.6 Gyr), massive (M{sub tot} {approx} 10{sup 11} M{sub Sun }), dusty (M{sub d} {approx} 10{sup 8} M{sub Sun }), and metal-rich (Z {approx} Z{sub Sun }) progenitors of elliptical galaxies undergoing a strong burst of star formation (SFR {approx} 200 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}). Our estimate of M{sub d} = 7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7} M{sub Sun} of the stacked MIPS-LBG is about a factor of eight lower than the estimated value based on single temperature graybody fitting, suggesting that self-consistent SED models are needed to estimate dust mass. By comparing with Milky Way molecular cloud and dust properties, we suggest that denser and dustier environments and flatter dust size distribution are likely in high-redshift massive star-forming galaxies. These dust properties, as well as the different types of SFHs, can cause different SED shapes between high-redshift star-forming ellipticals and

Short-term variability of mineral dust, metals and carbon emission from road dust resuspension

Science.gov (United States)

Amato, Fulvio; Schaap, Martijn; Denier van der Gon, Hugo A. C.; Pandolfi, Marco; Alastuey, Andrés; Keuken, Menno; Querol, Xavier

2013-08-01

Particulate matter (PM) pollution in cities has severe impact on morbidity and mortality of their population. In these cities, road dust resuspension contributes largely to PM and airborne heavy metals concentrations. However, the short-term variation of emission through resuspension is not well described in the air quality models, hampering a reliable description of air pollution and related health effects. In this study we experimentally show that the emission strength of resuspension varies widely among road dust components/sources. Our results offer the first experimental evidence of different emission rates for mineral dust, heavy metals and carbon fractions due to traffic-induced resuspension. Also, the same component (or source) recovers differently in a road in Barcelona (Spain) and a road in Utrecht (The Netherlands). This finding has important implications on atmospheric pollution modelling, mostly for mineral dust, heavy metals and carbon species. After rain events, recoveries were generally faster in Barcelona rather than in Utrecht. The largest difference was found for the mineral dust (Al, Si, Ca). Tyre wear particles (organic carbon and zinc) recovered faster than other road dust particles in both cities. The source apportionment of road dust mass provides useful information for air quality management.

Study on the alternative mitigation of cement dust spread by capturing the dust with fogging method

Science.gov (United States)

Purwanta, Jaka; Marnoto, Tjukup; Setyono, Prabang; Handono Ramelan, Ari

2017-12-01

The existence of a cement plant impact the lives of people around the factory site. For example the air quality, which is polluted by dust. Cement plant has made various efforts to mitigate the generated dust, but there are still alot of dust fly inground either from the cement factory chimneys or transportation. The purpose of this study was to conduct a review of alternative mitigation of the spread of dust around the cement plant. This study uses research methods such as collecting secondary data which includes data of rain density, the average rains duration, wind speed and direction as well as data of dust intensity quality around PT. Semen Gresik (Persero) Tbk.Tuban plant. A soft Wind rose file is used To determine the wind direction propensity models. The impact on the spread of dust into the environment is determined using secondary data monitoring air quality. Results of the study is that the mitigation of dust around the cement plant is influenced by natural factors, such as the tendency of wind direction, rain fall and rainy days, and the rate of dust emission from the chimney. The alternative means proposed is an environmental friendly fogging dust catcher.

Dust pollution of snow cover in the industrial areas of Tomsk city (Western Siberia, Russia)

Science.gov (United States)

Talovskaya, A. V.; Filimonenko, E. A.; Osipova, N. A.; Yazikov, E. G.; Nadeina, L. V.

2016-03-01

This article describes the results of long-term monitoring (2007-2014) of snow cover pollution in the territory of Tomsk city. Snow samples were collected in the territory of Tomsk. Determination of dust load level was carried out by comparing with the background and reference values. It has been determined that the north-east and central parts of Tomsk are the most contaminated areas, where brickworks, coal and gas-fired thermal power plant are located. The analysis of long-term dynamics showed a dust load decrease in the vicinity of coal and gas-fired thermal power plant due to upgrading of the existing dust collecting systems. During the monitoring period the high dust load in the vicinity of brickworks did not change. The lowest value of the dust load on snow cover was detected in the vicinity of the petrochemical plant and concrete product plants. The near and far zones of dust load on snow cover were determined with the reference to the location of the studied plants.

Observations of interplanetary dust by the Juno magnetometer investigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benn, Mathias; Jørgensen, John Leif; Denver, Troelz

2017-01-01

with an apparent angular rate of between 2 and 18,000 arcsec/s were recorded. Among the objects detected were a small group of objects tracked briefly in close proximity to the spacecraft. The trajectory of these objects demonstrates that they originated on the Juno spacecraft, evidently excavated...... by micrometeoroid impacts on the solar arrays. The majority of detections occurred just prior to and shortly after Juno's transit of the asteroid belt. This rather novel detection technique utilizes the Juno spacecraft's prodigious 60 m2 of solar array as a dust detector and provides valuable information...

On the secondary charging effects and structure of mesospheric dust particles impacting on rocket probes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Havnes

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The dust probe DUSTY, first launched during the summer of 1994 (flights ECT–02 and ECT–07 from Andøya Rocket Range, northern Norway, was the first probe to unambiguously detect heavy charged mesospheric aerosols, from hereon referred to as dust. In ECT–02 the probe detected negatively charged dust particles in the height interval of 83 to 88.5 km. In this flight, the lower grid in the detector (Grid 2 measures both positive and negative currents in various regions, and we find that the relationship between the current measurements of Grid 2 and the bottom plate can only be explained by influence from secondary charge production on Grid 2. In ECT–07, which had a large coning, positive currents reaching the top grid of the probe were interpreted as due to the impact of positively charged dust particles. We have now reanalyzed the data from ECT–07 and arrived at the conclusion that the measured positive currents to this grid must have been mainly due to secondary charging effects from the impacting dust particles. The grid consists of a set of parallel wires crossed with an identical set of wires on top of it, and we find that if the observed currents were created from the direct impact of charged dust particles, then they should be very weakly modulated at four times the rocket spin rate ωR. Observations show, however, that the observed currents are strongly modulated at 2ωR. We cannot reproduce the observed large modulations of the impact currents in the dust layer if the currents are due only to the transfer of the charges on the impacted dust particles. Based on the results of recent ice cluster impact secondary charging experiments by Tomsic (2003, which found that a small fraction of the ice clusters, when impacting with nearly grazing incidence, carried away one negative charge −1e, we have arrived at the conclusion that similar, but significantly more effective, charging effects must be predominantly responsible for the

Health hazards of cement dust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meo, Sultan A.

2004-01-01

ven in the 21st century, millions of people are working daily in a dusty environment. They are exposed to different types of health hazards such as fume, gases and dust, which are risk factors in developing occupational disease. Cement industry is involved in the development of structure of this advanced and modern world but generates dust during its production. Cement dust causes lung function impairment, chronic obstructive lung disease, restrictive lung disease, pneumoconiosis and carcinoma of the lungs, stomach and colon. Other studies have shown that cement dust may enter into the systemic circulation and thereby reach the essentially all the organs of body and affects the different tissues including heart, liver, spleen, bone, muscles and hairs and ultimately affecting their micro-structure and physiological performance. Most of the studies have been previously attempted to evaluate the effects of cement dust exposure on the basis of spirometry or radiology, or both. However, collective effort describing the general effects of cement dust on different organ and systems in humans or animals, or both has not been published. Therefore, the aim of this review is to gather the potential toxic effects of cement dust and to minimize the health risks in cement mill workers by providing them with information regarding the hazards of cement dust. (author)

DUST PRODUCTION AND MASS LOSS IN THE GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER NGC 362

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyer, Martha L.; Gordon, Karl D.; Meixner, Margaret; Sewilo, Marta; Shiao, Bernie; Whitney, Barbara; McDonald, Iain; Van Loon, Jacco Th.; Oliveira, Joana M.; Babler, Brian; Bracker, Steve; Meade, Marilyn; Block, Miwa; Engelbracht, Charles; Misselt, Karl; Hora, Joe; Indebetouw, Remy

2009-01-01

We investigate dust production and stellar mass loss in the Galactic globular cluster NGC 362. Due to its close proximity to the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), NGC 362 was imaged with the Infrared Array Camera and Multiband Imaging Photometer cameras onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope as part of the Surveying the Agents of Galaxy Evolution (SAGE-SMC) Spitzer Legacy program. We detect several cluster members near the tip of the red giant branch (RGB) that exhibit infrared excesses indicative of circumstellar dust and find that dust is not present in measurable quantities in stars below the tip of the RGB. We modeled the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the stars with the strongest IR excess and find a total cluster dust mass-loss rate of 3.0 +2.0 -1.2 x 10 -9 M sun yr -1 , corresponding to a gas mass-loss rate of 8.6 +5.6 -3.4 x 10 -6 M sun yr -1 , assuming [Fe/H] =-1.16. This mass loss is in addition to any dustless mass loss that is certainly occurring within the cluster. The two most extreme stars, variables V2 and V16, contribute up to 45% of the total cluster dust-traced mass loss. The SEDs of the more moderate stars indicate the presence of silicate dust, as expected for low-mass, low-metallicity stars. Surprisingly, the SED shapes of the stars with the strongest mass-loss rates appear to require the presence of amorphous carbon dust, possibly in combination with silicate dust, despite their oxygen-rich nature. These results corroborate our previous findings in ω Centauri.

Respirable versus inhalable dust sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hondros, J.

1987-01-01

The ICRP uses a total inhalable dust figure as the basis of calculations on employee lung dose. This paper was written to look at one aspect of the Olympic Dam dust situation, namely, the inhalable versus respirable fraction of the dust cloud. The results of this study will determine whether it is possible to use respirable dust figures, as obtained during routine monitoring to help in the calculations of employee exposure to internal radioactive contaminants

Indirect Charged Particle Detection: Concepts and a Classroom Demonstration

Science.gov (United States)

Childs, Nicholas B.; Horányi, Mihály; Collette, Andrew

2013-01-01

We describe the principles of macroscopic charged particle detection in the laboratory and their connections to concepts taught in the physics classroom. Electrostatic dust accelerator systems, capable of launching charged dust grains at hypervelocities (1-100 km/s), are a critical tool for space exploration. Dust grains in space typically have…

Satellite Observations from SEVIRI of Saharan dust over West Africa, within the context of the Fennec project

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, J.; Brindley, H.

2012-04-01

During the summer months, the atmosphere over the western half of the Sahara carries some of the highest dust loadings on the planet. This situation develops when intense solar heating over the dry desert creates a deep and hot low pressure system (the Saharan Heat Low, SHL), which allows a strong vertical mixing of dust. The Fennec* consortium project aims to address the deficiency in observations from the sparsely populated western Sahara through the use of field campaign measurements made in June 2011, incorporating observations from ground instruments, aircraft, and from satellite instruments such as SEVIRI, in combination with climate modelling. Fennec aims to study the poorly understood behaviour of the SHL, and the processes which take place within it. Due to their high temporal resolution, observations from SEVIRI can offer new insights into the timing of activation of specific dust sources, and the processes governing their behaviour. Here we employ a multi-year, high time-resolution record of dust detection and aerosol optical depth (AOD) derived from SEVIRI using an algorithm developed at Imperial College to both identify areas of high dust loading and diagnose diurnal patterns in their activation. We will present results from the SEVIRI record alongside results from other satellite instruments such as MODIS, and place these findings in the context of the initial ground-based and in-situ observations available from the Fennec field campaign. We will also identify surface features which can contaminate the dust detection retrieval, due to their emissivities in the 8.7 micron channel. New techniques can be used to filter out these features, based on the difference between the brightness temperatures at 10.8 and 8.7 microns. Using surface visibility measurements and AERONET data, we will evaluate the consequences of this on the dust detection and AOD record. * Fennec is a consortium project which includes groups from the universities of Oxford, Imperial

Communication plan for windblown dust.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-01

Windblown dust events occur in Arizona, and blowing dust has been considered a contributing factor to serious crashes on the : segment of Interstate 10 (I10) between Phoenix and Tucson, as well as on other Arizona roadways. Arizonas dust events...

House dust in seven Danish offices

Science.gov (United States)

Mølhave, L.; Schneider, T.; Kjærgaard, S. K.; Larsen, L.; Norn, S.; Jørgensen, O.

Floor dust from Danish offices was collected and analyzed. The dust was to be used in an exposure experiment. The dust was analyzed to show the composition of the dust which can be a source of airborne dust indoors. About 11 kg of dust from vacuum cleaner bags from seven Danish office buildings with about 1047 occupants (12 751 m 2) was processed according to a standardized procedure yielding 5.5 kg of processed bulk dust. The bulk dust contained 130.000-160.000 CFU g -1 microorganisms and 71.000-90.000 CFU g -1 microfungi. The content of culturable microfungi was 65-123 CFU 30 g -1 dust. The content of endotoxins ranged from 5.06-7.24 EU g -1 (1.45 ng g -1 to 1.01 ng g -1). Allergens (ng g -1) were from 147-159 (Mite), 395-746 (dog) and 103-330 (cat). The macro molecular organic compounds (the MOD-content) varied from 7.8-9.8 mg g -1. The threshold of release of histamine from basophil leukocytes provoked by the bulk dust was between 0.3 and 1.0 mg ml -1. The water content was 2% (WGT) and the organic fraction 33%. 6.5-5.9% (dry) was water soluble. The fiber content was less than 0.2-1.5% (WGT) and the desorbable VOCs was 176-319 μg g -1. Most of the VOC were aldehydes. However, softeners for plastic (DBP and DEHP) were present. The chemical composition includes human and animal skin fragments, paper fibers, glass wool, wood and textilefibers and inorganic and metal particles. The sizes ranged from 0.001-1 mm and the average specific density was 1.0 g m -3. The bulk dust was resuspended and injected into an exposure chamber. The airborne dust was sampled and analyzed to illustrate the exposures that can result from sedimented dirt and dust. The airborne dust resulting from the bulk dust reached concentrations ranging from 0.26-0.75 mg m -3 in average contained 300-170 CFU m -3. The organic fraction was from 55-70% and the water content about 2.5% (WGT). The content of the dust was compared to the similar results reported in the literature and its toxic potency is

Effects of dust size distribution on dust acoustic waves in magnetized two-ion-temperature dusty plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Zongming; Duan Wenshan; He Guangjun

2008-01-01

A Zakharov-Kuznetsov (ZK) equation, a modified ZK (mZK) equation, and a coupled ZK (cZK) equation for small but finite amplitude dust acoustic waves in a magnetized two-ion-temperature dusty plasma with dust size distribution have been investigated in this paper. The variations of the linear dispersion relation and group velocity, nonlinear solitary wave amplitude, and width with an arbitrary dust size distribution function are studied numerically. We conclude that they all increase as the total number density of dust grains increases, and they are greater for unusual dusty plasma (the number density of larger dust grains is greater than that of smaller dust grains) than that of usual dusty plasma (the number density of smaller dust grains is greater than that of larger dust grains). It is noted that the frequency of the linear wave increases as the wave number along the magnetic direction increases. Furthermore, the width of the nonlinear waves increases but its amplitude decreases as the wave number along the magnetic direction increases

The flow of interstellar dust through the solar system: the role of dust charging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sterken, V. J.; Altobelli, N.; Schwehm, G.; Kempf, S.; Srama, R.; Strub, P.; Gruen, E.

2011-01-01

Interstellar dust can enter the solar system through the relative motion of the Sun with respect to the Local Interstellar Cloud. The trajectories of the dust through the solar system are not only influenced by gravitation and solar radiation pressure forces, but also by the Lorentz forces due to the interaction of the interplanetary magnetic field with the charged dust particles. The interplanetary magnetic field changes on two major time scales: 25 days (solar rotation frequency) and 22 years (solar cycle). The short-term variability averages out for regions that are not too close (>∼2 AU) to the Sun. This interplanetary magnetic field variability causes a time-variability in the interstellar dust densities, that is correlated to the solar cycle.In this work we characterize the flow of interstellar dust through the solar system using simulations of the dust trajectories. We start from the simple case without Lorentz forces, and expand to the full simulation. We pay attention to the different ways of modeling the interplanetary magnetic field, and discuss the influence of the dust parameters on the resulting flow patterns. We also discuss the possibilities of using this modeling for prediction of dust fluxes for different space missions or planets, and we pay attention to where simplified models are justified, and where or when a full simulation, including all forces is necessary. One of the aims of this work is to understand measurements of spacecraft like Ulysses, Cassini and Stardust.

Evaluation of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for measurement of silica on filter samples of coal dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Stipe, Christopher B; Miller, Arthur L; Brown, Jonathan; Guevara, Edward; Cauda, Emanuele

2012-11-01

Airborne silica dust (quartz) is common in coal mines and represents a respiratory hazard that can lead to silicosis, a potentially fatal lung disease. With an eye toward developing a portable monitoring device for rapid analysis of silica dust, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to quantify quartz in coal dust samples collected on filter media. Pure silica (Min-U-Sil™ 5), Georgia kaolin, and Pittsburgh-4 and Illinois-6 coal dusts were deposited separately and at multiple mass loadings onto 37-mm polyvinylchloride (PVC) filters. LIBS-generated silicon emission was monitored at 288.16 nm, and non-silica contributions to that signal from kaolinite were removed by simultaneously detecting aluminum. Measurements of the four samples were used to calculate limits of detection (LOD) for silicon and aluminum of approximately 0.08 μg/cm(2) and 0.05 μg/cm(2), respectively (corresponding to 0.16 μg/cm(2) and 0.20 μg/cm(2) for silica and kaolinite, respectively). Relative errors of prediction are around 10%. Results demonstrate that LIBS can dependably quantify silica on filter samples of coal dust and confirm that accurate quantification can be achieved for very lightly loaded samples, which supports the potential application of LIBS for rapid, in-field monitoring.

Variations between Dust and Gas in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium. III. Changes in Dust Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Reach, William T.; Bernard, Jean-Philippe; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Heiles, Carl

2017-12-01

We study infrared emission of 17 isolated, diffuse clouds with masses of order {10}2 {M}ȯ to test the hypothesis that grain property variations cause the apparently low gas-to-dust ratios that have been measured in those clouds. Maps of the clouds were constructed from Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) data and directly compared with the maps of dust optical depth from Planck. The mid-infrared emission per unit dust optical depth has a significant trend toward lower values at higher optical depths. The trend can be quantitatively explained by the extinction of starlight within the clouds. The relative amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and very small grains traced by WISE, compared with large grains tracked by Planck, are consistent with being constant. The temperature of the large grains significantly decreases for clouds with larger dust optical depth; this trend is partially due to dust property variations, but is primarily due to extinction of starlight. We updated the prediction for molecular hydrogen column density, taking into account variations in dust properties, and find it can explain the observed dust optical depth per unit gas column density. Thus, the low gas-to-dust ratios in the clouds are most likely due to “dark gas” that is molecular hydrogen.

Excitation of collective plasma modes during collisions between dust grains and the formation of dust plasma crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goree, J.A.; Morfill, G.; Tsytovich, V.N.

1998-01-01

Dust plasma crystals have recently been produced in experiments in a number of laboratories. For dust crystallization to occur, there should exist an efficient mechanism for the cooling of the dust plasma component. It is shown that the excitation of collective plasma modes during collisions between the grains may serve as the required cooling mechanism. The excitation of dust sound waves is found to be most efficient. It is shown that the cooling of dust grains via the excitation of collective plasma modes can be even more efficient than that due to collisions with neutral particles, which was previously considered to be the only mechanism for cooling of the dust plasma component. At present, the first experiments are being carried out to study collisions between individual dust grains. High efficiency of the excitation of plasma modes caused by collisions between dust grains is attributed to the coherent displacement of the plasma particles that shield the grains. it is shown that the excitation efficiency is proportional to the fourth power of the charge of the dust grains and to a large power of their relative velocity, and is independent of their mass. The results obtained can be checked in experiments studying how the binary collisions between dust grains and the pressure of the neutral component influence the dust crystallization

The New Horizons and Hubble Space Telescope search for rings, dust, and debris in the Pluto-Charon system

Science.gov (United States)

Lauer, Tod R.; Throop, Henry B.; Showalter, Mark R.; Weaver, Harold A.; Stern, S. Alan; Spencer, John R.; Buie, Marc W.; Hamilton, Douglas P.; Porter, Simon B.; Verbiscer, Anne J.; Young, Leslie A.; Olkin, Cathy B.; Ennico, Kimberly; New Horizons Science Team

2018-02-01

We conducted an extensive search for dust or debris rings in the Pluto-Charon system before, during, and after the New Horizons encounter in July 2015. Methodologies included attempting to detect features by back-scattered light during the approach to Pluto (phase angle α ∼ 15°), in situ detection of impacting particles, a search for stellar occultations near the time of closest approach, and by forward-scattered light imaging during departure (α ∼ 165°). An extensive search using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) prior to the encounter also contributed to the final ring limits. No rings, debris, or dust features were observed, but our new detection limits provide a substantially improved picture of the environment throughout the Pluto-Charon system. Searches for rings in back-scattered light covered the range 35,000-250,000 km from the system barycenter, a zone that starts interior to the orbit of Styx, the innermost minor satellite, and extends out to four times the orbital radius of Hydra, the outermost known satellite. We obtained our firmest limits using data from the New Horizons LORRI camera in the inner half of this region. Our limits on the normal I/F of an unseen ring depends on the radial scale of the rings: 2 ×10-8 (3σ) for 1500 km wide rings, 1 ×10-8 for 6000 km rings, and 7 ×10-9 for 12,000 km rings. Beyond ∼ 100, 000 km from Pluto, HST observations limit normal I/F to ∼ 8 ×10-8 . Searches for dust features from forward-scattered light extended from the surface of Pluto to the Pluto-Charon Hill sphere (rHill = 6.4 ×106 km). No evidence for rings or dust clouds was detected to normal I/F limits of ∼ 8.9 ×10-7 on ∼ 104 km scales. Four stellar occulation observations also probed the space interior to Hydra, but again no dust or debris was detected. The Student Dust Counter detected one particle impact 3.6 × 106 km from Pluto, but this is consistent with the interplanetary space environment established during the cruise of New

Dust characterisation for hot gas filters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dockter, B.; Erickson, T.; Henderson, A.; Hurley, J.; Kuehnel, V.; Katrinak, K.; Nowok, J.; O`Keefe, C.; O`Leary, E.; Swanson, M.; Watne, T. [University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center (UNDEERC)

1998-03-01

Hot gas filtration to remove particulates from the gas flow upstream of the gas turbine is critical to the development of many of the advanced coal-fired power generation technologies such as the Air Blown Gasification Cycle (ABGC), a hybrid gasification combined cycle being developed in the UK. Ceramic candle filters are considered the most promising technology for this purpose. Problems of mechanical failure and of `difficult-to-clean` dusts causing high pressure losses across the filter elements need to be solved. The project investigated the behaviour of high-temperature filter dusts, and the factors determining the ease with which they can be removed from filters. The high-temperature behaviour of dusts from both combustion and gasification systems was investigated. Dust samples were obtained from full-scale demonstration and pilot-scale plant operating around the world. Dust samples were also produced from a variety of coals, and under several different operating conditions, on UNDEERC`s pilot-scale reactor. Key factors affecting dust behaviour were examined, including: the rates of tensile strength developing in dust cakes; the thermochemical equilibria pertaining under filtration conditions; dust adhesivity on representative filter materials; and the build-up and cleaning behaviour of dusts on representative filter candles. The results obtained confirmed the importance of dust temperature, dust cake porosity, cake liquid content, and particle size distribution in determining the strength of a dust cake. An algorithm was developed to indicate the likely sticking propensity of dusts as a function of coal and sorbent composition and combustion conditions. This algorithm was incorporated into a computer package which can be used to judge the degree of difficulty in filter cleaning that can be expected to arise in a real plant based on operating parameters and coal analyzes. 6 figs.

Dust in protoplanetary disks: observations*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waters L.B.F.M.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Solid particles, usually referred to as dust, are a crucial component of interstellar matter and of planet forming disks surrounding young stars. Despite the relatively small mass fraction of ≈1% (in the solar neighborhood of our galaxy; this number may differ substantially in other galaxies that interstellar grains represent of the total mass budget of interstellar matter, dust grains play an important role in the physics and chemistry of interstellar matter. This is because of the opacity dust grains at short (optical, UV wavelengths, and the surface they provide for chemical reactions. In addition, dust grains play a pivotal role in the planet formation process: in the core accretion model of planet formation, the growth of dust grains from the microscopic size range to large, cm-sized or larger grains is the first step in planet formation. Not only the grain size distribution is affected by planet formation. Chemical and physical processes alter the structure and chemical composition of dust grains as they enter the protoplanetary disk and move closer to the forming star. Therefore, a lot can be learned about the way stars and planets are formed by observations of dust in protoplanetary disks. Ideally, one would like to measure the dust mass, the grain size distribution, grain structure (porosity, fluffiness, the chemical composition, and all of these as a function of position in the disk. Fortunately, several observational diagnostics are available to derive constrains on these quantities. In combination with rapidly increasing quality of the data (spatial and spectral resolution, a lot of progress has been made in our understanding of dust evolution in protoplanetary disks. An excellent review of dust evolution in protoplanetary disks can be found in Testi et al. (2014.

Creation of Wood Dust during Wood Processing: Size Analysis, Dust Separation, and Occupational Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Mračková

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Mechanical separators and fabric filters are being used to remove airborne fine particles generated during the processing and handling of wood. Such particles might have a harmful effect on employee health, not only in small- but also in large-scale wood processing facilities. The amount of wood dust and its dispersion conditions vary according to geometric boundary conditions. Thus, the dispersion conditions could be changed by changing the linear size of the particles. Moreover, the smaller the particles are, the more harmful they can be. It is necessary to become familiar with properties, from a health point of view, of wood dust generated from processing. Wood dust has to be sucked away from the processing area. The fractional separation efficiency of wood dust can be improved using exhaust and filtering devices. Filtration efficiency depends on moisture content, particle size, and device performance. Because of the carcinogenicity of wood dust, the concentration of wood dust in air has to be monitored regularly. Based on the results hereof, a conclusion can be made that both mechanical separators of types SEA and SEB as well as the fabric filters with FINET PES 1 textile are suitable for the separation of wet saw dust from all types of wooden waste produced within the process.

Galactic dust and extinction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyngaa, G.

1979-01-01

The ratio R between visual extinction and colour excess, is slightly larger than 3 and does not vary much throughout our part of the Galaxy. The distribution of dust in the galactic plane shows, on the large scale, a gradient with higher colour excesses towards l=50 0 than towards l=230 0 . On the smaller scale, much of the dust responsible for extinction is situated in clouds which tend to group together. The correlation between positions of interstellar dust clouds and positions of spiral tracers seems rather poor in our Galaxy. However, concentrated dark clouds as well as extended regions of dust show an inclined distribution similar to the Gould belt of bright stars. (Auth.)

Effects of grain dust on lungs prior to and following dust remediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pahwa, Punam; Dosman, James A; McDuffie, Helen H

2008-12-01

To determine longitudinal estimates of pulmonary function decline in Canadian grain elevator workers before and after dust control by analyzing data collected from five regions of Canada over 15 years. Declines in forced expired volume in one second and forced vital capacity before and after dust control were estimated by using a generalized estimating equations approach. For grain workers who were in the grain industry for 20 or more years both before and after dust control: the mean annual loss of forced expired volume in one second was greatest among current smoking grain workers followed by ex-smokers and nonsmokers, respectively. Similar results were obtained for forced vital capacity. Grain dust control was effective in reducing decline in the lung function measurements among grain workers in all smoking and exposure categories.

Simulation study of spheroidal dust gains charging: Applicable to dust grain alignment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zahed, H.; Sobhanian, S.; Mahmoodi, J.; Khorram, S.

2006-01-01

The charging process of nonspherical dust grains in an unmagnetized plasma as well as in the presence of a magnetic field is studied. It is shown that unlike the spherical dust grain, due to nonhomogeneity of charge distribution on the spheroidal dust surface, the resultant electric forces on electrons and ions are different. This process produces some surface charge density gradient on the nonspherical grain surface. Effects of a magnetic field and other plasma parameters on the properties of the dust particulate are studied. It has been shown that the alignment direction could be changed or even reversed with the magnetic field and plasma parameters. Finally, the charge distribution on the spheroidal grain surface is studied for different ambient parameters including plasma temperature, neutral collision frequency, and the magnitude of the magnetic field

Dust Studies in DIII-D and TEXTOR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudakov, D.; Litnovsky, A.; West, W.; Yu, J.; Boedo, J.; Bray, B.; Brezinsek, S.; Brooks, N.; Fenstermacher, M.; Groth, M.; Hollmann, E.; Huber, A.; Hyatt, A.; Krasheninnikov, S.; Lasnier, C.; Moyer, R.; Pigarov, A.; Philipps, V.; Pospieszezyk, A.; Smirnov, R.; Sharpe, J.; Solomon, W.; Watkins, J.; Wong, C.

2008-01-01

Studies of naturally occurring and artificially introduced carbon dust are conducted in DIII-D and TEXTOR. In DIII-D, dust does not present operational concerns except immediately after entry vents. Energetic plasma disruptions produce significant amounts of dust. However, dust production by disruptions alone is insufficient to account for the estimated in-vessel dust inventory in DIII-D. Submicron sized dust is routinely observed using Mie scattering from a Nd:Yag laser. The source is strongly correlated with the presence of Type I edge localized modes (ELMs). Larger size (0.005-1 mm diameter) dust is observed by optical imaging, showing elevated dust levels after entry vents. Inverse dependence of the dust velocity on the inferred dust size is found from the imaging data. Migration of pre-characterized carbon dust is studied in DIII-D and TEXTOR by injecting micron-size dust in plasma discharges. In DIII-D, a sample holder filled with ∼30 mg of dust is introduced in the lower divertor and exposed to high-power ELMing H-mode discharges with strike points swept across the divertor floor. After a brief exposure (∼0.1 s) at the outer strike point, part of the dust is injected into the plasma, raising the core carbon density by a factor of 2-3 and resulting in a twofold increase of the radiated power. Individual dust particles are observed moving at velocities of 10-100 m/s, predominantly in the toroidal direction, consistent with the drag force from the deuteron flow and in agreement with modeling by the 3D DustT code. In TEXTOR, instrumented dust holders with 1-45 mg of dust are exposed in the scrape-off layer 0-2 cm radially outside of the last closed flux surface in discharges heated with neutral beam injection (NBI) power of 1.4 MW. Dust is launched either in the beginning of a discharge or at the initiation of NBI, preferentially in a direction perpendicular to the toroidal magnetic field. At the given configuration of the launch, the dust did not penetrate

Education and Public Outreach for Stardust@home: An Interactive Internet-based Search for Interstellar Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez, Bryan J.; Westphal, A. J.; Butterworth, A. L.; Craig, N.

2006-12-01

On January 15, 2006, NASA’s Stardust mission returned to Earth after nearly seven years in interplanetary space. During its journey, Stardust encountered comet Wild 2, collecting dust particles from it in a special material called aerogel. At two other times in the mission, aerogel collectors were also opened to collect interstellar dust. The Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector is being scanned by an automated microscope at the Johnson Space Center. There are approximately 700,000 fields of view needed to cover the entire collector, but we expect only a few dozen total grains of interstellar dust were captured within it. Finding these particles is a daunting task. We have recruited many thousands of volunteers from the public to aid in the search for these precious pieces of space dust trapped in the collectors. We call the project Stardust@home. Through Stardust@home, volunteers from the public search fields of view from the Stardust aerogel collector using a web-based Virtual Microscope. Volunteers who discover interstellar dust particles have the privilege of naming them. The interest and response to this project has been extraordinary. Many people from all walks of life are very excited about space science and eager to volunteer their time to contribute to a real research project such as this. We will discuss the progress of the project and the education and outreach activities being carried out for it.

Dust: Small-scale processes with global consequences

Science.gov (United States)

Okin, G.S.; Bullard, J.E.; Reynolds, R.L.; Ballantine, J.-A.C.; Schepanski, K.; Todd, M.C.; Belnap, J.; Baddock, M.C.; Gill, T.E.; Miller, M.E.

2011-01-01

Desert dust, both modern and ancient, is a critical component of the Earth system. Atmospheric dust has important effects on climate by changing the atmospheric radiation budget, while deposited dust influences biogeochemical cycles in the oceans and on land. Dust deposited on snow and ice decreases its albedo, allowing more light to be trapped at the surface, thus increasing the rate of melt and influencing energy budgets and river discharge. In the human realm, dust contributes to the transport of allergens and pathogens and when inhaled can cause or aggravate respiratory diseases. Dust storms also represent a significant hazard to road and air travel. Because it affects so many Earth processes, dust is studied from a variety of perspectives and at multiple scales, with various disciplines examining emissions for different purposes using disparate strategies. Thus, the range of objectives in studying dust, as well as experimental approaches and results, has not yet been systematically integrated. Key research questions surrounding the production and sources of dust could benefit from improved collaboration among different research communities. These questions involve the origins of dust, factors that influence dust production and emission, and methods through which dust can be monitored. ?? Author(s) 2011.

GEO Debris and Interplanetary Dust: Fluxes and Charging Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Graps, A. L.; Green, S. F.; McBride, N. M.; McDonnell, J. A. M.; Drolshagen, G.; Svedhem, H.; Bunte, K. D.

2005-08-01

A population of cosmic dust mixed with a population of man-made debris exists within the Earth's magnetosphere. Measurements of these provide the data samples for studies of the interplanetary dust particles that travel through our magnetosphere from the outside and for studies of the local byproducts of our space endeavours. Even though instruments to detect natural meteoroids and space debris particles have been flown in Low Earth Orbits (LEO) and on interplanetary missions, very little information on the particle environment for Earth orbits above about 600 km altitude have been available. In particular, knowledge about particles smaller than 1 m in the geostationary (GEO) region was largely unknown before GORID. In September 1996, a dust/debris detector: GORID was launched into GEO as a piggyback instrument on the Russian Express-2 telecommunications spacecraft. The instrument began its normal operation in April 1997 and ended its mission in July 2002. The goal of this work was to use GORID's particle data to identify and separate the space debris from the interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) in GEO, to more finely determine the instrument's measurement characteristics and to derive impact fluxes. Here we present some results of that study. We give GORID flux distributions for debris and IDPs and then present intriguing debris clustering features that might be the result of electrostatic fragmentation of the rocket slag particles.

Planck early results. XX. New light on anomalous microwave emission from spinning dust grains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lähteenmäki, A.; Poutanen, T.; Natoli, P.

2011-01-01

by a combination of free-free radiation, cosmic microwave background, thermal dust, and electric dipole radiation from small spinning dust grains. The spinning dust spectra are the most precisely measured to date, and show the high frequency side clearly for the first time. The spectra have a peak in the range 20......-40 GHz and are detected at high significances of 17.1σ for Perseus and 8.4σ for ρ Ophiuchi. In Perseus, spinning dust in the dense molecular gas can account for most of the AME; the low density atomic gas appears to play a minor role. In ρ Ophiuchi, the ~30 GHz peak is dominated by dense molecular gas......, but there is an indication of an extended tail at frequencies 50-100 GHz, which can be accounted for by irradiated low density atomic gas. The dust parameters are consistent with those derived from other measurements. We have also searched the Planck map at 28.5 GHz for candidate AME regions, by subtracting a simple model...

Cosmological simulation with dust formation and destruction

Science.gov (United States)

Aoyama, Shohei; Hou, Kuan-Chou; Hirashita, Hiroyuki; Nagamine, Kentaro; Shimizu, Ikkoh

2018-06-01

To investigate the evolution of dust in a cosmological volume, we perform hydrodynamic simulations, in which the enrichment of metals and dust is treated self-consistently with star formation and stellar feedback. We consider dust evolution driven by dust production in stellar ejecta, dust destruction by sputtering, grain growth by accretion and coagulation, and grain disruption by shattering, and treat small and large grains separately to trace the grain size distribution. After confirming that our model nicely reproduces the observed relation between dust-to-gas ratio and metallicity for nearby galaxies, we concentrate on the dust abundance over the cosmological volume in this paper. The comoving dust mass density has a peak at redshift z ˜ 1-2, coincident with the observationally suggested dustiest epoch in the Universe. In the local Universe, roughly 10 per cent of the dust is contained in the intergalactic medium (IGM), where only 1/3-1/4 of the dust survives against dust destruction by sputtering. We also show that the dust mass function is roughly reproduced at ≲ 108 M⊙, while the massive end still has a discrepancy, which indicates the necessity of stronger feedback in massive galaxies. In addition, our model broadly reproduces the observed radial profile of dust surface density in the circum-galactic medium (CGM). While our model satisfies the observational constraints for the dust extinction on cosmological scales, it predicts that the dust in the CGM and IGM is dominated by large (>0.03 μm) grains, which is in tension with the steep reddening curves observed in the CGM.

Experiments on Dust Grain Charging

Science.gov (United States)

Abbas, M. N.; Craven, P. D.; Spann, J. F.; Tankosic, D.; LeClair, A.; West, E. A.

2004-01-01

Dust particles in various astrophysical environments are charged by a variety of mechanisms generally involving collisional processes with other charged particles and photoelectric emission with UV radiation from nearby sources. The sign and the magnitude of the particle charge are determined by the competition between the charging processes by UV radiation and collisions with charged particles. Knowledge of the particle charges and equilibrium potentials is important for understanding of a number of physical processes. The charge of a dust grain is thus a fundamental parameter that influences the physics of dusty plasmas, processes in the interplanetary medium and interstellar medium, interstellar dust clouds, planetary rings, cometary and outer atmospheres of planets etc. In this paper we present some results of experiments on charging of dust grains carried out on a laboratory facility capable levitating micron size dust grains in an electrodynamic balance in simulated space environments. The charging/discharging experiments were carried out by exposing the dust grains to energetic electron beams and UV radiation. Photoelectric efficiencies and yields of micron size dust grains of SiO2, and lunar simulates obtained from NASA-JSC will be presented.

Ulysses dust measurements near Jupiter.

Science.gov (United States)

Grün, E; Zook, H A; Baguhl, M; Fechtig, H; Hanner, M S; Kissel, J; Lindblad, B A; Linkert, D; Linkert, G; Mann, I B

1992-09-11

Submicrometer- to micrometer-sized particles were recorded by the Ulysses dust detector within 40 days of the Jupiter flyby. Nine impacts were recorded within 50 Jupiter radii with most of them recorded after closest approach. Three of these impacts are consistent with particles on prograde orbits around Jupiter and the rest are believed to have resulted from gravitationally focused interplanetary dust. From the ratio of the impact rate before the Jupiter flyby to the impact rate after the Jupiter flyby it is concluded that interplanetary dust particles at the distance of Jupiter move on mostly retrograde orbits. On 10 March 1992, Ulysses passed through an intense dust stream. The dust detector recorded 126 impacts within 26 hours. The stream particles were moving on highly inclined and apparently hyperbolic orbits with perihelion distances of >5 astronomical units. Interplanetary dust is lost rather quickly from the solar system through collisions and other mechanisms and must be almost continuously replenished to maintain observed abundances. Dust flux measurements, therefore, give evidence of the recent rates of production from sources such as comets, asteroids, and moons, as well as the possible presence of interstellar grains.

Dust pollution of the atmosphere in the vicinity of coal-fired power plant (Omsk City, Russia)

Science.gov (United States)

Talovskaya, Anna V.; Raputa, Vladimir F.; Litay, Victoriya V.; Yazikov, Egor G.; Yaroslavtseva, Tatyana V.; Mikhailova, Kseniya Y.; Parygina, Irina A.; Lonchakova, Anna D.; Tretykova, Mariya I.

2015-11-01

The article shows the results of dust pollution level of air in the vicinity of coal-fired power plant of Omsk city on the base of study snow cover pollution. The samples were collected west-, east- and northeastwards at a distance of 0,75-6 km from the chimney for range-finding of dust emission transfer. The research findings have shown the dust load changes from 53 till 343 mg•(m2·day)-1 in the vicinity of power plant. The ultimate dust load was detected at a distance of 3-3,5 km. On the basis of asymptotics of equation solution for impurity transfer, we have made numerical analysis of dust load rate. With the usage of ground-based facilities and satellites we have determined the wind shifts in the atmospheric boundary layer have a significant impact on the field forming of long-term dustfall.

Observations of interplanetary dust by the Juno magnetometer investigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benn, Mathias; Jørgensen, John Leif; Denver, Troelz

2017-01-01

One of the Juno magnetometer investigation's star cameras was configured to search for unidentified objects during Juno's transit en route to Jupiter. This camera detects and registers luminous objects to magnitude 8. Objects persisting in more than five consecutive images and moving with an appa...... on the distribution and motion of interplanetary (>μm sized) dust....

Investigating the size, shape and surface roughness dependence of polarization lidars with light-scattering computations on real mineral dust particles: Application to dust particles' external mixtures and dust mass concentration retrievals

Science.gov (United States)

Mehri, Tahar; Kemppinen, Osku; David, Grégory; Lindqvist, Hannakaisa; Tyynelä, Jani; Nousiainen, Timo; Rairoux, Patrick; Miffre, Alain

2018-05-01

Our understanding of the contribution of mineral dust to the Earth's radiative budget is limited by the complexity of these particles, which present a wide range of sizes, are highly-irregularly shaped, and are present in the atmosphere in the form of particle mixtures. To address the spatial distribution of mineral dust and atmospheric dust mass concentrations, polarization lidars are nowadays frequently used, with partitioning algorithms allowing to discern the contribution of mineral dust in two or three-component particle external mixtures. In this paper, we investigate the dependence of the retrieved dust backscattering (βd) vertical profiles with the dust particle size and shape. For that, new light-scattering numerical simulations are performed on real atmospheric mineral dust particles, having determined mineralogy (CAL, DOL, AGG, SIL), derived from stereogrammetry (stereo-particles), with potential surface roughness, which are compared to the widely-used spheroidal mathematical shape model. For each dust shape model (smooth stereo-particles, rough stereo-particles, spheroids), the dust depolarization, backscattering Ångström exponent, lidar ratio are computed for two size distributions representative of mineral dust after long-range transport. As an output, two Saharan dust outbreaks involving mineral dust in two, then three-component particle mixtures are studied with Lyon (France) UV-VIS polarization lidar. If the dust size matters most, under certain circumstances, βd can vary by approximately 67% when real dust stereo-particles are used instead of spheroids, corresponding to variations in the dust backscattering coefficient as large as 2 Mm- 1·sr- 1. Moreover, the influence of surface roughness in polarization lidar retrievals is for the first time discussed. Finally, dust mass-extinction conversion factors (ηd) are evaluated for each assigned shape model and dust mass concentrations are retrieved from polarization lidar measurements. From

Excess 228Th in the airborne dust: An indicator of continental dust from the East Asian deserts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirose, K.; Sugimura, Y.

1984-01-01

Thorium isotopes in the airborne dust collected at Tsukuba Science City in Japan from January 1981 to December 1982 show clear seasonal variations. Especially 228 Th in the airborne particles have a typical maximum concentration between February and April, which is about an order of magnitude higher than during the remainder of the year. According to the result of size distribution of thorium isotope-bearing particles in the air, about 53% of 228 Th is associated with the particles less than 1.6 μm aerodynamic diameter. These results reveal that 228 Th in the airborne particles is present in fine soily matters originating from the East Asian deserts. (orig.)

Endotoxin, coliform, and dust levels in various types of rodent bedding.

Science.gov (United States)

Whiteside, Tanya E; Thigpen, Julius E; Kissling, Grace E; Grant, Mary G; Forsythe, Diane

2010-03-01

Endotoxins in grain dust, household dust, and animal bedding may induce respiratory symptoms in rodents and humans. We assayed the endotoxin, coliform, and dust levels in 20 types of rodent bedding. Endotoxin concentrations were measured by using a commercial test kit, coliform counts were determined by using conventional microbiologic procedures, and dust content was evaluated by using a rotating-tapping shaker. Paper bedding types contained significantly less endotoxin than did other bedding types; the highest levels of endotoxin were detected in hardwood and corncob beddings. The range of endotoxin content for each bedding type was: corncob bedding, 1913 to 4504 endotoxin units per gram (EU/g); hardwood bedding, 3121 to 5401 EU/g; corncob-paper mixed bedding, 1586 to 2416 EU/g; and paper bedding, less than 5 to 105 EU/g. Coliform counts varied from less than 10 to 7591 cfu/g in corncob beddings, 90 to 4010 cfu/g in corncob-paper mixed beddings, less than 10 to 137 cfu/g in hardwood beddings, and less than 10 cfu/g in paper beddings. Average dust content was less than 0.15% in all commercial bedding types. We conclude that paper bedding is the optimal bedding type for conducting LPS inhalation studies and that rodent bedding containing high levels of endotoxin may alter the results of respiratory and immunologic studies in rodents.

Grain dust and the lungs.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan-Yeung, M.; Ashley, M. J.; Grzybowski, S.

1978-01-01

Grain dust is composed of a large number of materials, including various types of grain and their disintegration products, silica, fungi, insects and mites. The clinical syndromes described in relation to exposure to grain dust are chronic bronchitis, grain dust asthma, extrinsic allergic alveolitis, grain fever and silo-filler's lung. Rhinitis and conjunctivitis are also common in grain workers. While the concentration and the quality of dust influence the frequency and the type of clinical syndrome in grain workers, host factors are also important. Of the latter, smoking is the most important factor influencing the frequency of chronic bronchitis. The role of atopy and of bronchial hyperreactivity in grain dust asthma has yet to be assessed. Several well designed studies are currently being carried out in North America not only to delineate the frequency of the respiratory abnormalities, the pathogenetic mechanisms and the host factors, but also to establish a meaningful threshold limit concentration for grain dust. Images p1272-a PMID:348288

LADEE LUNAR DUST EXPERIMENT

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This archive bundle includes data taken by the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX) instrument aboard the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft....

Combustible dust tests

Science.gov (United States)

The sugar dust explosion in Georgia on February 7, 2008 killed 14 workers and injured many others (OSHA, 2009). As a consequence of this explosion, OSHA revised its Combustible Dust National Emphasis (NEP) program. The NEP targets 64 industries with more than 1,000 inspections and has found more tha...

Polarization due to dust scattering in the planetary nebula Cn1-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatt, H.C.

1989-01-01

The peculiar emission-line object Cn1-1 (=HDE330036=PK330+4 degrees 1), classified both as a symbiotic star and as a planetary nebula, was detected by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) as a strong source of far-infrared dust in the system. Bhatt and Mallik (1986) discussed the nature of the dust in Cn1-1 and argued that the object is a Type I protoplanetary nebula in a binary system. The argument presented here is that the polarization is intrinsic to Cn1-1 and is due to scattering by large (compared to interstellar) dust grains in the protoplanetary nebula that are asymmetrically distributed around the central star. The large degree of polarization (approximately 3 percent for the Cn1-1 distance of approximately 450 pc) with a large lambda(sub max) is naturally explained if it is caused by scattering by large dust grains in the Cn1-1 nebula. Since the H(sub alpha) line is also polarized at the same level and position angle as the continuum, the dust must be asymmetrically distributed around the central star. The morphology of the protoplanetary nebula in Cn1-1 may be bipolar. Thus, the polarization observations support the suggestion that Cn1-1 is a bipolar Type I planetary nebula

TagDust2: a generic method to extract reads from sequencing data.

Science.gov (United States)

Lassmann, Timo

2015-01-28

Arguably the most basic step in the analysis of next generation sequencing data (NGS) involves the extraction of mappable reads from the raw reads produced by sequencing instruments. The presence of barcodes, adaptors and artifacts subject to sequencing errors makes this step non-trivial. Here I present TagDust2, a generic approach utilizing a library of hidden Markov models (HMM) to accurately extract reads from a wide array of possible read architectures. TagDust2 extracts more reads of higher quality compared to other approaches. Processing of multiplexed single, paired end and libraries containing unique molecular identifiers is fully supported. Two additional post processing steps are included to exclude known contaminants and filter out low complexity sequences. Finally, TagDust2 can automatically detect the library type of sequenced data from a predefined selection. Taken together TagDust2 is a feature rich, flexible and adaptive solution to go from raw to mappable NGS reads in a single step. The ability to recognize and record the contents of raw reads will help to automate and demystify the initial, and often poorly documented, steps in NGS data analysis pipelines. TagDust2 is freely available at: http://tagdust.sourceforge.net .

Dust particle formation in silane plasmas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sorokin, M.

2005-01-01

Dust can be found anywhere: in the kitchen, in the car, in space… Not surprisingly we also see dust in commercial and laboratory plasmas. Dust can be introduced in the plasma, but it can also grow there by itself. In the microelectronics industry, contamination of the processing plasma by dust is an

Optical and microphysical properties of natural mineral dust and anthropogenic soil dust near dust source regions over northwestern China

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin; Wen, Hui; Shi, Jinsen; Bi, Jianrong; Huang, Zhongwei; Zhang, Beidou; Zhou, Tian; Fu, Kaiqi; Chen, Quanliang; Xin, Jinyuan

2018-02-01

Mineral dust aerosols (MDs) not only influence the climate by scattering and absorbing solar radiation but also modify cloud properties and change the ecosystem. From 3 April to 16 May 2014, a ground-based mobile laboratory was deployed to measure the optical and microphysical properties of MDs near dust source regions in Wuwei, Zhangye, and Dunhuang (in chronological order) along the Hexi Corridor over northwestern China. Throughout this dust campaign, the hourly averaged (±standard deviation) aerosol scattering coefficients (σsp, 550 nm) of the particulates with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) at these three sites were sequentially 101.5 ± 36.8, 182.2 ± 433.1, and 54.0 ± 32.0 Mm-1. Correspondingly, the absorption coefficients (σap, 637 nm) were 9.7 ± 6.1, 6.0 ± 4.6, and 2.3 ± 0.9 Mm-1; single-scattering albedos (ω, 637 nm) were 0.902 ± 0.025, 0.931 ± 0.037, and 0.949 ± 0.020; and scattering Ångström exponents (Åsp, 450-700 nm) of PM2.5 were 1.28 ± 0.27, 0.77 ± 0.51, and 0.52 ± 0.31. During a severe dust storm in Zhangye (i.e., from 23 to 25 April), the highest values of σsp2.5 ( ˜ 5074 Mm-1), backscattering coefficient (σbsp2.5, ˜ 522 Mm-1), and ω637 ( ˜ 0.993) and the lowest values of backscattering fraction (b2.5, ˜ 0.101) at 550 nm and Åsp2.5 ( ˜ -0.046) at 450-700 nm, with peak values of aerosol number size distribution (appearing at the particle diameter range of 1-3 µm), exhibited that the atmospheric aerosols were dominated by coarse-mode dust aerosols. It is hypothesized that the relatively higher values of mass scattering efficiency during floating dust episodes in Wuwei and Zhangye are attributed to the anthropogenic soil dust produced by agricultural cultivations.

Spectroscopic and x-ray diffraction analyses of asbestos in the World Trade Center dust:

Science.gov (United States)

Swayze, Gregg A.; Clark, Roger N.; Sutley, Stephen J.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Meeker, Gregory P.; Brownfield, Isabelle; Livo, Keith E.; Morath, Laurie C.

2009-01-01

On September 17 and 18, 2001, samples of settled dust and airfall debris were collected from 34 sites within a 1-km radius of the WTC collapse site, including a sample from an indoor location unaffected by rainfall, and samples of insulation from two steel beams at Ground Zero. Laboratory spectral and x-ray diffraction analyses of the field samples detected trace levels of serpentine minerals, including chrysotile asbestos, in about two-thirds of the dust samples at concentrations at or below ~1 wt%. One sample of a beam coating material contained up to 20 wt% chrysotile asbestos. Analyses indicate that trace levels of chrysotile were distributed with the dust radially to distances greater than 0.75 km from Ground Zero. The chrysotile content of the dust is variable and may indicate that chrysotile asbestos was not distributed uniformly during the three collapse events.

Four Interstellar Dust Candidates from the Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector

Science.gov (United States)

Westphal, A. J.; Allen, C.; Bajt, S.; Bechtel, H. A.; Borg, J.; Brenker, F.; Bridges, J.; Brownlee, D. E.; Burchell, M.; Burghammer, M.;

Maintaining the Background Dust Opacity During Northern Hemisphere Summer Mars Using Wind Stress Based Dust Lifting

Science.gov (United States)

Jha, V.; Kahre, M. A.

2017-12-01

The Mars atmosphere has low levels of dust during Northern Hemisphere (NH) spring and summer (the non-dusty season) and increased levels during NH autumn and winter (the dusty season). In the absence of regional or global storms, dust devils and local storms maintain a background minimum dust loading during the non-dusty season. While observational surveys and Global Climate Model (GCM) studies suggest that dust devils are likely to be major contributors to the background haze during NH spring and summer, a complete understanding of the relative contribution of dust devils and local dust storms has not yet been achieved. We present preliminary results from an investigation that focuses on the effects of radiatively active water ice clouds on dust lifting processes during these seasons. Water ice clouds are known to affect atmospheric temperatures directly by absorption and emission of thermal infrared radiation and indirectly through dynamical feedbacks. Our goal is to understand how clouds affect the contribution by local (wind stress) dust storms to the background dust haze during NH spring and summer. The primary tool for this work is the NASA Ames Mars GCM, which contains physical parameterizations for a fully interactive dust cycle. Three simulations that included wind stress dust lifting were executed for a period of 5 Martian years: a case that included no cloud formation, a case that included radiatively inert cloud formation and a case that included radiatively active cloud (RAC) formation. Results show that when radiatively active clouds are included, the clouds in the aphelion cloud belt radiatively heat the atmosphere aloft in the tropics (Figure 1). This heating produces a stronger overturning circulation, which in turn produces an enhanced low-level flow in the Hadley cell return branch. The stronger low-level flow drives higher surface stresses and increased dust lifting in those locations. We examine how realistic these simulated results are by

Properties of interstellar dust in reflection nebulae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sellgren, K.

1988-01-01

Observations of interstellar dust in reflection nebulae are the closest analog in the interstellar medium to studies of cometary dust in our solar system. The presence of a bright star near the reflection nebula dust provides the opportunity to study both the reflection and emission characteristics of interstellar dust. At 0.1 to 1 micrometer, the reflection nebula emission is due to starlight scattered by dust. The albedo and scattering phase function of the dust is determined from observations of the scattered light. At 50 to 200 micrometers, thermal emission from the dust in equilibrium with the stellar radiation field is observed. The derived dust temperature determines the relative values of the absorption coefficient of the dust at wavelengths where the stellar energy is absorbed and at far infrared wavelengths where the absorbed energy is reradiated. These emission mechanisms directly relate to those seen in the near and mid infrared spectra of comets. In a reflection nebula the dust is observed at much larger distances from the star than in our solar system, so that the equilibrium dust temperature is 50 K rather than 300 K. Thus, in reflection nebulae, thermal emission from dust is emitted at 50 to 200 micrometer

The dust acoustic wave in a bounded dusty plasma with strong electrostatic interactions between dust grains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, Nitin; Shukla, P.K.

2011-01-01

The dispersion relation for the dust acoustic wave (DAW) in an unmagnetized dusty plasma cylindrical waveguide is derived, accounting for strong electrostatic interactions between charged dust grains. It is found that the boundary effect limits the radial extent of the DAW. The present result should be helpful for understanding the frequency spectrum of the DAW in a dusty plasma waveguide with strongly coupled charged dust grains. - Highlights: → We study the dust acoustic wave (DAW) in a bounded plasma. → We account for interactions between dust grains. → The boundary effect limits the radial extent of the DAW.

Contamination of pine and birch wood dust with microscopic fungi and determination of its sterol contents.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuper-Szablewska, Kinga; Rogoziński, Tomasz; Perkowski, Juliusz

2017-06-27

Wood compounds, especially sterols, are connected with the level of contamination with microscopic fungi. Within this study, tests were conducted on wood dust samples collected at various work stations in a pine and birch timber conversion plant. Their contamination with mycobiota was measured as the concentration of ergosterol (ERG) by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Another aim of this study was to assess the effect of contamination with microscopic fungi on the sterol contents in wood dusts. Analyses were conducted on five sterols: desmosterol, cholesterol, lanosterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol using UPLC and their presence was confirmed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results of chemical analyses showed the greatest contamination with mycobiota in birch wood dust. We also observed varied contents of individual sterols depending on the wood dust type. Their highest concentration was detected in birch dust. The discriminant analysis covering all tested compounds as predictors showed complete separation of all tested wood dust types. The greatest discriminatory power was found for stigmasterol, desmosterol, and ergosterol.

Dust Studies in DIII-D and TEXTOR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudakov, D.L.; Litnovsky, A.; West, W.P.; Yu, J.H.; Boedo, J.A.; Bray, B.D.; Brezinsek, S.; Brooks, N.H.; Fenstermacher, M.E.; Groth, M.; Hollmann, E.M.; Huber, A.; Hyatt, A.W.; Krasheninnikov, S.I.; Lasnier, C.J.; Moyer, R.A.; Pigarov, A.Y.; Philipps, V.; Pospieszczyk, A.; Smirnov, R.D.; Sharpe, J.P.; Solomon, W.M.; Watkins, J.G.; Wong, C.C.

2009-01-01

Studies of naturally occurring and artificially introduced carbon dust are conducted in DIII-D and TEXTOR. In DIII-D, dust does not present operational concerns except immediately after entry vents. Submicron sized dust is routinely observed using Mie scattering from a Nd:Yag laser. The source is strongly correlated with the presence of Type I edge localized modes (ELMs). Larger size (0.005-1 mm diameter) dust is observed by optical imaging, showing elevated dust levels after entry vents. Inverse dependence of the dust velocity on the inferred dust size is found from the imaging data. Direct heating of the dust particles by the neutral beam injection (NBI) and acceleration of dust particles by the plasma flows are observed. Energetic plasma disruptions produce significant amounts of dust. Large flakes or debris falling into the plasma may result in a disruption. Migration of pre-characterized carbon dust is studied in DIII-D and TEXTOR by introducing micron-size dust in plasma discharges. In DIII-D, a sample holder filled with ∼30 mg of dust is introduced in the lower divertor and exposed to high-power ELMing H-mode discharges with strike points swept across the divertor floor. After a brief exposure (∼0.1 s) at the outer strike point, part of the dust is injected into the plasma, raising the core carbon density by a factor of 2-3 and resulting in a twofold increase of the radiated power. In TEXTOR, instrumented dust holders with 1-45 mg of dust are exposed in the scrape-off layer 0-2 cm radially outside of the last closed flux surface in discharges heated with neutral beam injection (NBI) power of 1.4 MW. At the given configuration of the launch, the dust did not penetrate the core plasma and only moderately perturbed the edge plasma, as evidenced by an increase of the edge carbon content.

Evaluation of errors and limits of the 63-μm house-dust-fraction method, a surrogate to predict hidden moisture damage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Assadian Ojan

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study is to analyze possible random and systematic measurement errors and to detect methodological limits of the previously established method. Findings To examine the distribution of random errors (repeatability standard deviation of the detection procedure, collective samples were taken from two uncontaminated rooms using a sampling vacuum cleaner, and 10 sub-samples each were examined with 3 parallel cultivation plates (DG18. In this two collective samples of new dust, the total counts of Aspergillus spp. varied moderately by 25 and 29% (both 9 cfu per plate. At an average of 28 cfu/plate, the total number varied only by 13%. For the evaluation of the influence of old dust, old and fresh dust samples were examined. In both cases with old dust, the old dust influenced the results indicating false positive results, where hidden moist was indicated but was not present. To quantify the influence of sand and sieving, 13 sites were sampled in parallel using the 63-μm- and total dust collection approaches. Sieving to 63-μm resulted in a more then 10-fold enrichment, due to the different quantity of inert sand in each total dust sample. Conclusion The major errors during the quantitative evaluation from house dust samples for mould fungi as reference values for assessment resulted from missing filtration, contamination with old dust and the massive influence of soil. If the assessment is guided by indicator genera, the percentage standard deviation lies in a moderate range.

Activation analysis of deposited dust brought to Israel by dust storms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganor, E.; Tal, A.; Donagi, A.

1975-01-01

The determination of dust particles deposited in Jerusalem during regional dust storms was carried out by polarized microscopy, X-ray analysis and atomic absorption measurements. These analyses showed the presence of particles of quartz, calcite, dolomite, feldspar, halite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, epidote, tourmaline, glauconite, illite and other heavy minerals. The aims of the present study were to apply activation analysis for the determination of element composition in dust samples; to compare the results obtained by activation analysis with those obtained by other methods, i.e. chemical analysis, polarized microscopy and X-ray analysis. The results obtained by the various methods were in good agreement. (B.G.)

ORIGIN OF DUST AROUND V1309 SCO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Chunhua; Lü, Guoliang; Wang, Zhaojun

2013-01-01

The origin of dust grains in the interstellar medium is still an unanswered problem. Nicholls et al. found the presence of a significant amount of dust around V1309 Sco, which may originate from the merger of a contact binary. We investigate the origin of dust around V1309 Sco and suggest that these dust grains are produced in the binary-merger ejecta. By means of the AGBDUST code, we estimate that ∼5.2 × 10 –4 M ☉ dust grains are produced with a radii of ∼10 –5 cm. These dust grains are mainly composed of silicate and iron grains. Because the mass of the binary merger ejecta is very small, the contribution of dust produced by binary merger ejecta to the overall dust production in the interstellar medium is negligible. However, it is important to note that the discovery of a significant amount of dust around V1309 Sco offers a direct support for the idea that common-envelope ejecta provides an ideal environment for dust formation and growth. Therefore, we confirm that common envelope ejecta can be important source of cosmic dust

Dust from mineral extraction: regulation of emissions in England

Science.gov (United States)

Marker, Brian

2013-04-01

The United Kingdom, which includes England, has fairly high levels of rainfall but sporadic droughts occur especially in the east. Mineral working gives rise to dust. Concerns about dust soiling are major source of public objections to new minerals extraction operations. Dust emissions from mineral workings are a significant cause of public concern in the United Kingdom and are recognised as sources of health concerns and nuisance. Emissions are controlled through a number of complementary sets of regulations that are generally well observed by the industry and well enforced by the relevant public authorities. comprehensive system of regulation, based on European and national law, to deal with all aspects of these operations including pollution control, planning, occupational health and safety and statutory nuisances. Most minerals applications are subject to EIA which forms that basis for planning and environmental conditions and monitoring of operations. There are limit values on PM10 and PM2.5 in air, and for potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in soils and water, derived from European regulations but, as yet, no limit values for PHEs (other than radioactive materials) in air. Stakeholder engagement is encouraged so that members of the public can express concerns during minerals operations and operators can quickly deal with these. While some effects inevitably remain, the levels of dust emissions are kept low through good site design and management, proper use of machinery which is equipped to minimise emissions, and good training of the workforce. Operational sites are required to have dust monitoring equipment located outside the site boundary so that any emerging problems can be detected and addressed quickly.

Ocular toxicity of authentic lunar dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyers, Valerie E; Garcìa, Hector D; Monds, Kathryn; Cooper, Bonnie L; James, John T

2012-07-20

Dust exposure is a well-known occupational hazard for terrestrial workers and astronauts alike and will continue to be a concern as humankind pursues exploration and habitation of objects beyond Earth. Humankind's limited exploration experience with the Apollo Program indicates that exposure to dust will be unavoidable. Therefore, NASA must assess potential toxicity and recommend appropriate mitigation measures to ensure that explorers are adequately protected. Visual acuity is critical during exploration activities and operations aboard spacecraft. Therefore, the present research was performed to ascertain the ocular toxicity of authentic lunar dust. Small (mean particle diameter = 2.9 ± 1.0 μm), reactive lunar dust particles were produced by grinding bulk dust under ultrapure nitrogen conditions. Chemical reactivity and cytotoxicity testing were performed using the commercially available EpiOcularTM assay. Subsequent in vivo Draize testing utilized a larger size fraction of unground lunar dust that is more relevant to ocular exposures (particles lunar dust was minimally irritating. Minor irritation of the upper eyelids was noted at the 1-hour observation point, but these effects resolved within 24 hours. In addition, no corneal scratching was observed using fluorescein stain. Low-titanium mare lunar dust is minimally irritating to the eyes and is considered a nuisance dust for ocular exposure. No special precautions are recommended to protect against ocular exposures, but fully shielded goggles may be used if dust becomes a nuisance.

Dust bands in the asteroid belt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sykes, M.V.; Greenberg, R.; Dermott, S.F.; Nicholson, P.D.; Burns, J.A.

1989-01-01

This paper describes the original IRAS observations leading to the discovery of the three dust bands in the asteroid belt and the analysis of data. Special attention is given to an analytical model of the dust band torus and to theories concerning the origin of the dust bands, with special attention given to the collisional equilibrium (asteroid family), the nonequilibrium (random collision), and the comet hypotheses of dust-band origin. It is noted that neither the equilibrium nor nonequilibrium models, as currently formulated, present a complete picture of the IRAS dust-band observations. 32 refs

Early-Holocene greening of the Afro-Asian dust belt changed sources of mineral dust in West Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Sharifi, Arash; Murphy, Lisa N.; Pourmand, Ali; Clement, Amy C.; Canuel, Elizabeth A.; Naderi Beni, Abdolmajid; Lahijani, Hamid A. K.; Delanghe, Doriane; Ahmady-Birgani, Hesam

2018-01-01

Production, transport and deposition of mineral dust have significant impacts on different components of the Earth systems through time and space. In modern times, dust plumes are associated with their source region(s) using satellite and land-based measurements and trajectory analysis of air masses through time. Reconstruction of past changes in the sources of mineral dust as related to changes in climate, however, must rely on the knowledge of the geochemical and mineralogical composition of modern and paleo-dust, and that of their potential source origins. In this contribution, we present a 13,000-yr record of variations in radiogenic Sr-Nd-Hf isotopes and Rare Earth Element (REE) anomalies as well as dust grain size from an ombrotrophic (rain fed) peat core in NW Iran as proxies of past changes in the sources of dust over the interior of West Asia. Our data shows that although the grain size of dust varies in a narrow range through the entire record, the geochemical fingerprint of dust particles deposited during the low-flux, early Holocene period (11,700-6,000 yr BP) is distinctly different from aerosols deposited during high dust flux periods of the Younger Dryas and the mid-late Holocene (6,000-present). Our findings indicate that the composition of mineral dust deposited at the study site changed as a function of prevailing atmospheric circulation regimes and land exposure throughout the last deglacial period and the Holocene. Simulations of atmospheric circulation over the region show the Northern Hemisphere Summer Westerly Jet was displaced poleward across the study area during the early Holocene when Northern Hemisphere insolation was higher due to the Earth's orbital configuration. This shift, coupled with lower dust emissions simulated based on greening of the Afro-Asian Dust Belt during the early Holocene likely led to potential sources in Central Asia dominating dust export to West Asia during this period. In contrast, the dominant western and

On the secondary charging effects and structure of mesospheric dust particles impacting on rocket probes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Havnes

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The dust probe DUSTY, first launched during the summer of 1994 (flights ECT–02 and ECT–07 from Andøya Rocket Range, northern Norway, was the first probe to unambiguously detect heavy charged mesospheric aerosols, from hereon referred to as dust. In ECT–02 the probe detected negatively charged dust particles in the height interval of 83 to 88.5 km. In this flight, the lower grid in the detector (Grid 2 measures both positive and negative currents in various regions, and we find that the relationship between the current measurements of Grid 2 and the bottom plate can only be explained by influence from secondary charge production on Grid 2. In ECT–07, which had a large coning, positive currents reaching the top grid of the probe were interpreted as due to the impact of positively charged dust particles. We have now reanalyzed the data from ECT–07 and arrived at the conclusion that the measured positive currents to this grid must have been mainly due to secondary charging effects from the impacting dust particles. The grid consists of a set of parallel wires crossed with an identical set of wires on top of it, and we find that if the observed currents were created from the direct impact of charged dust particles, then they should be very weakly modulated at four times the rocket spin rate ω_R. Observations show, however, that the observed currents are strongly modulated at 2ω_R. We cannot reproduce the observed large modulations of the impact currents in the dust layer if the currents are due only to the transfer of the charges on the impacted dust particles. Based on the results of recent ice cluster impact secondary charging experiments by Tomsic (2003, which found that a small fraction of the ice clusters, when impacting with nearly grazing incidence, carried away one negative charge −1e, we have arrived at the conclusion that similar, but significantly more effective, charging effects must

Dust storms and their impact on ocean and human health: dust in Earth's atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Dale W.; Kellog, Christina A.

2004-01-01

Satellite imagery has greatly influenced our understanding of dust activity on a global scale. A number of different satellites such as NASA's Earth-Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and Se-viewing Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) acquire daily global-scale data used to produce imagery for monitoring dust storm formation and movement. This global-scale imagery has documented the frequent transmission of dust storm-derived soils through Earth's atmosphere and the magnitude of many of these events. While various research projects have been undertaken to understand this normal planetary process, little has been done to address its impact on ocean and human health. This review will address the ability of dust storms to influence marine microbial population densities and transport of soil-associated toxins and pathogenic microorganisms to marine environments. The implications of dust on ocean and human health in this emerging scientific field will be discussed.

Electromagnetic dust-lower-hybrid and dust-magnetosonic waves and their instabilities in a dusty magnetoplasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salimullah, M.; Rahman, M. M.; Zeba, I.; Shah, H. A.; Murtaza, G.; Shukla, P. K.

2006-01-01

The electromagnetic waves below the ion-cyclotron frequency have been examined in a collisionless and homogeneous dusty plasma in the presence of a dust beam parallel to the direction of the external magnetic field. The low-frequency mixed electromagnetic dust-lower-hybrid and purely transverse magnetosonic waves become unstable for the sheared flow of dust grains and grow in amplitude when the drift velocity of the dust grains exceeds the parallel phase velocity of the waves. The growth rate depends dominantly upon the thermal velocity and density of the electrons

Planck early results. XXIV. Dust in the diffuse interstellar medium and the Galactic halo

Science.gov (United States)

Planck Collaboration; Abergel, A.; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Balbi, A.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Bartlett, J. G.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoît, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bhatia, R.; Blagrave, K.; Bock, J. J.; Bonaldi, A.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Boulanger, F.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Cabella, P.; Cantalupo, C. M.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Catalano, A.; Cayón, L.; Challinor, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chiang, L.-Y.; Chiang, C.; Christensen, P. R.; Clements, D. L.; Colombi, S.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davies, R. D.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Gasperis, G.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Delouis, J.-M.; Désert, F.-X.; Dickinson, C.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Dörl, U.; Douspis, M.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Franceschi, E.; Galeotta, S.; Ganga, K.; Giard, M.; Giardino, G.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Hansen, F. K.; Harrison, D.; Helou, G.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W. A.; Hovest, W.; Hoyland, R. J.; Huffenberger, K. M.; Jaffe, A. H.; Joncas, G.; Jones, A.; Jones, W. C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T. S.; Kneissl, R.; Knox, L.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Laureijs, R. J.; Lawrence, C. R.; Leach, S.; Leonardi, R.; Leroy, C.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; Lockman, F. J.; López-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P. M.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; MacTavish, C. J.; Maffei, B.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Mann, R.; Maris, M.; Marshall, D. J.; Martin, P.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Matthai, F.; Mazzotta, P.; McGehee, P.; Meinhold, P. R.; Melchiorri, A.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Netterfield, C. B.; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H. U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; O'Dwyer, I. J.; Osborne, S.; Pajot, F.; Paladini, R.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrotta, F.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pinheiro Gonçalves, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Poutanen, T.; Prézeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Reach, W. T.; Reinecke, M.; Renault, C.; Ricciardi, S.; Riller, T.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rowan-Robinson, M.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Seiffert, M. D.; Shellard, P.; Smoot, G. F.; Starck, J.-L.; Stivoli, F.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Sudiwala, R.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Torre, J.-P.; Tristram, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Umana, G.; Valenziano, L.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Vittorio, N.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; Wilkinson, A.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2011-12-01

This paper presents the first results from a comparison of Planck dust maps at 353, 545 and 857GHz, along with IRAS data at 3000 (100 μm) and 5000GHz (60 μm), with Green Bank Telescope 21-cm observations of Hi in 14 fields covering more than 800 deg2 at high Galactic latitude. The main goal of this study is to estimate the far-infrared to sub-millimeter (submm) emissivity of dust in the diffuse local interstellar medium (ISM) and in the intermediate-velocity (IVC) and high-velocity clouds (HVC) of the Galactic halo. Galactic dust emission for fields with average Hi column density lower than 2 × 1020 cm-2 is well correlated with 21-cm emission because in such diffuse areas the hydrogen is predominantly in the neutral atomic phase. The residual emission in these fields, once the Hi-correlated emission is removed, is consistent with the expected statistical properties of the cosmic infrared background fluctuations. The brighter fields in our sample, with an average Hi column density greater than 2 × 1020 cm-2, show significant excess dust emission compared to the Hi column density. Regions of excess lie in organized structures that suggest the presence of hydrogen in molecular form, though they are not always correlated with CO emission. In the higher Hi column density fields the excess emission at 857 GHz is about 40% of that coming from the Hi, but over all the high latitude fields surveyed the molecular mass faction is about 10%. Dust emission from IVCs is detected with high significance by this correlation analysis. Its spectral properties are consistent with, compared to the local ISM values, significantly hotter dust (T ~ 20K), lower submm dust opacity normalized per H-atom, and a relative abundance of very small grains to large grains about four times higher. These results are compatible with expectations for clouds that are part of the Galactic fountain in which there is dust shattering and fragmentation. Correlated dust emission in HVCs is not detected

COSMIC DUST AGGREGATION WITH STOCHASTIC CHARGING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, Lorin S.; Hyde, Truell W.; Shotorban, Babak

2013-01-01

The coagulation of cosmic dust grains is a fundamental process which takes place in astrophysical environments, such as presolar nebulae and circumstellar and protoplanetary disks. Cosmic dust grains can become charged through interaction with their plasma environment or other processes, and the resultant electrostatic force between dust grains can strongly affect their coagulation rate. Since ions and electrons are collected on the surface of the dust grain at random time intervals, the electrical charge of a dust grain experiences stochastic fluctuations. In this study, a set of stochastic differential equations is developed to model these fluctuations over the surface of an irregularly shaped aggregate. Then, employing the data produced, the influence of the charge fluctuations on the coagulation process and the physical characteristics of the aggregates formed is examined. It is shown that dust with small charges (due to the small size of the dust grains or a tenuous plasma environment) is affected most strongly

Construction dust amelioration techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-01

Dust produced on seasonal road construction sites in Alaska is both a traffic safety and environmental concern. Dust emanating from : unpaved road surfaces during construction severely reduces visibility and impacts stopping sight distance, and contr...

Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis in a South African pottery. 1. Study objectives and dust exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, D; Cronje, R; du Toit, R S

1992-07-01

Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis were investigated in a South African pottery that manufactured wall tiles and bathroom fittings. This paper describes the objectives of the investigation and presents dust measurement data. x Ray diffraction showed that the clays used by the pottery had a high quartz content (range 58%-23%, mean 38%). Exposure to respirable dust was measured for 43 workers and was highest (6.6 mg/m3) in a bathroom fitting fettler. Quartz concentrations in excess of 0.1 mg/m3 were found in all sections of the manufacturing process from slip production to biscuit firing and sorting. The proportion of quartz in the respirable dust of these sections was 24% to 33%. This is higher than is usually reported in English potteries. Four hundred and six (80%) of the 509 workers employed at the pottery were potentially at risk of occupational lung disease. The finding of large numbers of pottery workers exposed to unacceptable dust concentrations is not surprising as poor dust control was found in all six wall tile and sanitary ware factories surveyed by the National Centre for Occupational Health between 1973 and 1989. Dust related occupational disease can be expected in potters for many years to come.

Study on treatment of dust by dismantling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torikai, K.; Suzuki, K.

1987-01-01

In dismantling of nuclear reactors, various kinds of treatment of dust generated by cutting or dismantling concrete structures of components of reactors are evaluated for safety, cost, and performance comparing the work in air with water. A method of dust treatment for work in air is discussed. The dry method has an easy operation in practice and a good performance in the equipment, but has problem on the prevention from radioactive contamination by diffusion of dust in air. For the purpose of advancing the strong points and eliminating the weak points in dry method, an improved venturi scrubber system is proposed for dismantling work as a dust collecting system. The system consists of dust absorbing pipe, dust collector, separator of dust and water and dust transfer equipment to a storage of waste. This system would be expected to have better performance and lower operating cost in decommissioning nuclear reactors, especially, the number of dust filters, for example, HEPA filters, will be considerably saved

[Research on dust mite allergen gathered from filters of air-conditioners].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Xiao-dong; Wu, Hua; Hu, Hui-min; Li, Chao-pin

2015-12-01

To discuss the relation between the dust mite allergen (Der) in air-conditioner filters and the asthma attack. The dust samples were collected from the filters of air-conditioners in dining rooms, shopping malls, hotels and households, respectively. The concentrations of Der f 1 and Der p1 were detected by ELISA, and the dust mite immune activities were determined by dot-ELISA. The concentrations of Der f 1 in the dining rooms, shopping malls, hotels and households were 1.52, 1.24, 1.31 µg/g and 1.46 µg/g respectively, and the concentrations of Der p 1 were 1.23, 1.12, 1.16 µg/ g and 1.18 µg, respectively. One hour after the running of air-conditioners, the concentrations of Der f 1 and Der p 1 in the air were higher than those before the running of air-conditioners, and the differences were significant (P air-conditioners in domestic houses in Wuhu City, and the allergens can induce asthma.

Hydrocarbons on Saturns Satellites: Relationship to Interstellar Dust and the Solar Nebula

Science.gov (United States)

Cruikshank, D. P.

2012-01-01

To understand the origin and evolution of our Solar System, and the basic components that led to life on Earth, we study interstellar and planetary spectroscopic signatures. The possible relationship of organic material detected in carbonaceous meteorites, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), comets and the interstellar medium have been the source of speculation over the years as the composition and processes that governed the early solar nebula have been explored to understand the extent to which primitive material survived or became processed. The Cassini VIMS has provided new data relevant to this problem. Three of Saturn's satellites, Phoebe, Iapetus, and Hyperion, are found to have aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons on their surfaces. The aromatic hydrocarbon signature (C-H stretching mode at 3.28 micrometers) is proportionally significantly stronger (relative to the aliphatic bands) than that seen in other Solar System bodies (e.g., comets) and materials (Stardust samples, IDPs, meteorites) and the distinctive sub-features of the 3.4 micrometer aliphatic band (CH2 and CH3 groups) are reminiscent of those widely detected throughout the diffuse ISM. Phoebe may be a captured object that originated in the region beyond the present orbit of Neptune, where the solar nebula contained a large fraction of original interstellar ice and dust that was less processed than material closer to the Sun. Debris from Phoebe now resident on Iapetus and Hyperion, as well as o Phoebe itself, thus presents a unique blend of hydrocarbons, amenable to comparisons with interstellar hydrocarbons and other Solar System materials. The dust ring surrounding Saturn, in which Phoebe is embedded, probably originated from a collision with Phoebe. Dust ring particles are the likely source of the organic-bearing materials, and perhaps the recently identified small particles of Fe detected on Saturn's satellites. Lab measurements of the absolute band strengths of representative aliphatic and

Systematic characterization of structural, dynamical and electrical properties of dust devils and implications for dust lifting processes

Science.gov (United States)

Franzese, Gabriele; Esposito, Francesca; Lorenz, Ralph D.; Popa, Ciprian; Silvestro, Simone; Deniskina, Natalia; Cozzolino, Fabio

2017-04-01

Dust devils are convective vortices able to lift sand and dust grains from the soil surface, even in conditions of low wind speed environment. They have been observed not only on Earth but also on other planets of the solar system; in particular, they are largely studied on Mars. Indeed, the contribution of the dust devils to the Martian climate is a highly debated question. In order to investigate this topic, it is important to understand the nature of the dust lifting mechanism by the vortex and characterize the induced electric field. As part of the development process of DREAMS, the meteorological station on board the Schiapparelli lander of the ExoMars 2016 mission, and of the Dust complex package of the ExoMars 2020 mission, we performed various field campaigns in the Sahara desert (Tafilalt region, Morocco). We deployed a fully equipped meteorological station and, during the 2014 summer, we observed three months of dust devils activity, collecting almost six hundreds events. For each dust devil, we monitored the horizontal wind speed and direction, the vertical wind speed, the pressure drop due to the vortex core, the temperature, the induced electric field and the concentration of dust lifted. This data set is unique in literature and represents up to now the most comprehensive one available for the dusty convective vortices. Here we will present the analysis of the Moroccan data with particular emphasis on the study of the atmospheric electric field variations due to the passage of the vortices. The distribution of the vortex parameters (wind speed and direction, pressure, E-field and dust lifted) are showed and compared, when possible, to the ones observed by the Martian surveys. The connection between the E-field and the other parameters will be presented. In the terrestrial environment, the development of the convective vortices is restricted by the presence of the vegetation and of the urban areas, hence dust devils can impact the climate only on local

Onset of turbulence induced by electron nonthermality in a complex plasma in presence of positively charged dust grains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susmita Sarkar

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper onset of turbulence has been detected from the study of non linear dust acoustic wave propagation in a complex plasma considering electrons nonthermal and equilibrium dust charge positive. Dust grains are charged by secondary electron emission process. Our analysis shows that increase in electron nonthermality makes the grain charging process faster by reducing the magnitude of the nonadiabaticity induced pseudo viscosity. Consequently nature of dust charge variation changes from nonadiabatic to adiabatic one. For further increase of electron nonthermality, this pseudo viscosity becomes negative and hence generates a turbulent grain charging behaviour. This turbulent grain charging phenomenon is exclusively the outcome of this nonlinear study which was not found in linear analysis.

Physical properties of five grain dust types.

Science.gov (United States)

Parnell, C B; Jones, D D; Rutherford, R D; Goforth, K J

1986-01-01

Physical properties of grain dust derived from five grain types (soybean, rice, corn, wheat, and sorghum) were measured and reported. The grain dusts were obtained from dust collection systems of terminal grain handling facilities and were assumed to be representative of grain dust generated during the handling process. The physical properties reported were as follows: particle size distributions and surface area measurements using a Coulter Counter Model TAII; percent dust fractions less than 100 micron of whole dust; bulk density; particle density; and ash content. PMID:3709482

Dust Evolution in Galaxy Cluster Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Gjergo, Eda; Granato, Gian Luigi; Murante, Giuseppe; Ragone-Figueroa, Cinthia; Tornatore, Luca; Borgani, Stefano

2018-06-01

We implement a state-of-the-art treatment of the processes affecting the production and Interstellar Medium (ISM) evolution of carbonaceous and silicate dust grains within SPH simulations. We trace the dust grain size distribution by means of a two-size approximation. We test our method on zoom-in simulations of four massive (M200 ≥ 3 × 1014M⊙) galaxy clusters. We predict that during the early stages of assembly of the cluster at z ≳ 3, where the star formation activity is at its maximum in our simulations, the proto-cluster regions are rich in dusty gas. Compared to the case in which only dust production in stellar ejecta is active, if we include processes occurring in the cold ISM,the dust content is enhanced by a factor 2 - 3. However, the dust properties in this stage turn out to be significantly different from those observationally derived for the average Milky Way dust, and commonly adopted in calculations of dust reprocessing. We show that these differences may have a strong impact on the predicted spectral energy distributions. At low redshift in star forming regions our model reproduces reasonably well the trend of dust abundances over metallicity as observed in local galaxies. However we under-produce by a factor of 2 to 3 the total dust content of clusters estimated observationally at low redshift, z ≲ 0.5 using IRAS, Planck and Herschel satellites data. This discrepancy does not subsist by assuming a lower sputtering efficiency, which erodes dust grains in the hot Intracluster Medium (ICM).

A dust-free dock

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merrion, D. [E & F Services Ltd. (United Kingdom)

2002-10-01

This paper describes the process of unloading coal, petcoke and other dusty products in environmentally-sensitive areas. It presents a case study of the deepwater Port of Foynes on the west coast of Ireland which imports animal feed, fertiliser, coal and cement clinker, where dockside mobile loaders (DMLs) have eliminated spillage and controlled dust, and a record case study of the Humber International Terminal in the UK, where air curtinas, dust suppression grids and EFFEX{reg_sign} filters overcome the dust problems. 2 photos.

Continuous measurements of natural radionuclides on air-borne dust using β-α correlated events. Towards on-line detection of artificial radionuclides in nuclear-fuel reprocessing and its related facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashimoto, Tetsuo; Ishiyama, Hisanobu; Itou, Shigeki

2008-01-01

On the highly sensitive and on-line detection for the contamination of artificial nuclides, much attention has been paid to the elimination of significant problem due to 222 Rn-progenies. A phosfich-type α- and β-ray radiation counter, which was fixed just above the dust-collecting filter paper within a space in a few mm, provides both α- and β-ray pulses during continuous collection of air-borne dust. Both pulse input times were registered into the memory buffer in a pulse time interval analyzing (TIA) system, followed rapidly by the data processing using MTA (multiple TIA) method. Resultant β-α TIA-spectrum (or decay-curve of β-α correlated events) and changes of α- and β-counting rates were displayed instantly on a PC-display with 1 μs time resolution using installed softwares. Thus, three practical values, including β-α correlated event rates (n αβ ), α-(n α ), and β-ray counting rates (n β ) were available from the present TIA-measurement system. A uranium deposited source (as mixture of α- and β-ray emitters), uranium mineral powder sample, and 226 Ra-source (as β-source) showed negligible contribution to β-α correlated events in TIA-spectrum, giving constant α/β counting ratios. In the case of air-borne dust samples, the β-α correlated events in TIA-spectrum showed certainly a presence of 164 μs decay-curve due to 214 Po, based on successive decay process such as 241 Bi(β) → 214 Po(α:T 1/2 =164 μs)→. By using three measuring values, new parameters, R α and R β [equal to (n α or n β ) * (n α + n β )/n αβ ], have been introduced for the highly sensitive and real-time indicators of contamination owing to artificial nuclides, even under the inevitable existence of 222 Rn progenies in the air-borne dust sample. The present radiation measurement system, combined with β-α correlated events, has been proved to be useful for the detection of extremely small contamination with artificial α-nuclides as well as �

Antibiotics in dust originating from a pig-fattening farm: a new source of health hazard for farmers?

Science.gov (United States)

Hamscher, Gerd; Pawelzick, Heike Theresia; Sczesny, Silke; Nau, Heinz; Hartung, Jörg

2003-10-01

Pig-house dust originates from feed, bedding, feces, and the animals themselves. If the animals receive drugs such as antibiotics, residues of these substances may occur in manure, in the air, or on surfaces of the respective animal house. In a retrospective study, we investigated dust samples collected during two decades from the same piggery for the occurrence of various antibiotics. In 90% of these samples, we detected up to five different antibiotics, including tylosin, various tetracyclines, sulfamethazine, and chloramphenicol, in total amounts up to 12.5 mg/kg dust. High dust exposure in animal confinement buildings is believed to be a respiratory health hazard because of the high content of microorganisms, endotoxins, and allergens. Further risks may arise from the inhalation of dust contaminated with a cocktail of antibiotics. Apart from that, our data provide first evidence for a new route of entry for veterinary drugs in the environment.

Variability of mineral dust deposition in the western Mediterranean basin and south-east of France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Vincent

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have provided some insight into the Saharan dust deposition at a few specific locations from observations over long time periods or intensive field campaigns. However, no assessment of the dust deposition temporal variability in connection with its regional spatial distribution has been achieved so far from network observations over more than 1 year. To investigate dust deposition dynamics at the regional scale, five automatic deposition collectors named CARAGA (Collecteur Automatique de Retombées Atmosphériques insolubles à Grande Autonomie in French have been deployed in the western Mediterranean region during 1 to 3 years depending on the station. The sites include, from south to north, Lampedusa, Majorca, Corsica, Frioul and Le Casset (southern French Alps. Deposition measurements are performed on a common weekly period at the five sites. The mean dust deposition fluxes are higher close to the northern African coasts and decrease following a south–north gradient, with values from 7.4 g m−2 year−1 in Lampedusa (35°31′ N, 12°37′ E to 1 g m−2 year−1 in Le Casset (44°59′ N, 6°28′ E. The maximum deposition flux recorded is of 3.2 g m−2 wk−1 in Majorca with only two other events showing more than 1 g m−2 wk−1 in Lampedusa, and a maximum of 0.5 g m−2 wk−1 in Corsica. The maximum value of 2.1 g m−2 year−1 observed in Corsica in 2013 is much lower than existing records in the area over the 3 previous decades (11–14 g m−2 year−1. From the 537 available samples, 98 major Saharan dust deposition events have been identified in the records between 2011 and 2013. Complementary observations provided by both satellite and air mass trajectories are used to identify the dust provenance areas and the transport pathways from the Sahara to the stations for the studied period. Despite the large size of African dust plumes detected by satellites, more

Environmentally dependent dust chemistry of a super Asian dust storm in March 2010: observation and simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Q. Wang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Near-surface and vertical in situ measurements of atmospheric particles were conducted in Shanghai during 19–23 March 2010 to explore the transport and chemical evolution of dust particles in a super dust storm. An air quality model with optimized physical dust emission scheme and newly implemented dust chemistry was utilized to study the impact of dust chemistry on regional air quality. Two discontinuous dust periods were observed with one traveling over northern China (DS1 and the other passing over the coastal regions of eastern China (DS2. Stronger mixing extents between dust and anthropogenic emissions were found in DS2, reflected by the higher SO2 ∕ PM10 and NO2 ∕ PM10 ratios as well as typical pollution elemental species such as As, Cd, Pb, and Zn. As a result, the concentrations of SO42− and NO3− and the ratio of Ca2+ ∕ Ca were more elevated in DS2 than in DS1 but opposite for the [NH4+] ∕ [SO42−+NO3−] ratio, suggesting the heterogeneous reactions between calcites and acid gases were significantly promoted in DS2 due to the higher level of relative humidity and gaseous pollution precursors. Lidar observation showed a columnar effect on the vertical structure of particle optical properties in DS1 that dust dominantly accounted for ∼ 80–90 % of the total particle extinction from near the ground to ∼ 700 m. In contrast, the dust plumes in DS2 were restrained within lower altitudes while the extinction from spherical particles exhibited a maximum at a high altitude of ∼ 800 m. The model simulation reproduced relatively consistent results with observations that strong impacts of dust heterogeneous reactions on secondary aerosol formation occurred in areas where the anthropogenic emissions were intensive. Compared to the sulfate simulation, the nitrate formation on dust is suggested to be improved in the future modeling efforts.

Environmentally dependent dust chemistry of a super Asian dust storm in March 2010: observation and simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiongzhen; Dong, Xinyi; Fu, Joshua S.; Xu, Jian; Deng, Congrui; Jiang, Yilun; Fu, Qingyan; Lin, Yanfen; Huang, Kan; Zhuang, Guoshun

2018-03-01

Near-surface and vertical in situ measurements of atmospheric particles were conducted in Shanghai during 19-23 March 2010 to explore the transport and chemical evolution of dust particles in a super dust storm. An air quality model with optimized physical dust emission scheme and newly implemented dust chemistry was utilized to study the impact of dust chemistry on regional air quality. Two discontinuous dust periods were observed with one traveling over northern China (DS1) and the other passing over the coastal regions of eastern China (DS2). Stronger mixing extents between dust and anthropogenic emissions were found in DS2, reflected by the higher SO2 / PM10 and NO2 / PM10 ratios as well as typical pollution elemental species such as As, Cd, Pb, and Zn. As a result, the concentrations of SO42- and NO3- and the ratio of Ca2+ / Ca were more elevated in DS2 than in DS1 but opposite for the [NH4+] / [SO42-+NO3-] ratio, suggesting the heterogeneous reactions between calcites and acid gases were significantly promoted in DS2 due to the higher level of relative humidity and gaseous pollution precursors. Lidar observation showed a columnar effect on the vertical structure of particle optical properties in DS1 that dust dominantly accounted for ˜ 80-90 % of the total particle extinction from near the ground to ˜ 700 m. In contrast, the dust plumes in DS2 were restrained within lower altitudes while the extinction from spherical particles exhibited a maximum at a high altitude of ˜ 800 m. The model simulation reproduced relatively consistent results with observations that strong impacts of dust heterogeneous reactions on secondary aerosol formation occurred in areas where the anthropogenic emissions were intensive. Compared to the sulfate simulation, the nitrate formation on dust is suggested to be improved in the future modeling efforts.

Effect of dust size distribution on ion-acoustic solitons in dusty plasmas with different dust grains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Dong-Ning; Yang, Yang; Yan, Qiang [Northwest Normal University, College of Physics and Electronic Engineering (China); Wang, Xiao-Yun [Lanzhou Jiao Tong University, Department of Mathematics and Physics (China); Duan, Wen-Shan, E-mail: duanws@126.com [Northwest Normal University, College of Physics and Electronic Engineering (China)

2017-02-15

Theoretical studies are carried out for ion acoustic solitons in multicomponent nonuniform plasma considering the dust size distribution. The Korteweg−de Vries equation for ion acoustic solitons is given by using the reductive perturbation technique. Two special dust size distributions are considered. The dependences of the width and amplitude of solitons on dust size parameters are shown. It is found that the properties of a solitary wave depend on the shape of the size distribution function of dust grains.

Step by step in dust control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Archer, N. [Arch Environmental Equipment, Inc. (United States)

2003-05-01

The paper examines the different stages in identifying delegating and controlling dust before it becomes a serious problem for a facility. Material handling, processing, storage and traffic are the major dust producing sources. All industries that convey dry, light material need to install a dust control system. The confine-seal-suppress method of dust control has provided excellent results in numerous applications, only with the combination of all three will maximum dust control. When a system is properly engineered and correctly installed, meeting the EPA Government standards becomes very easy, and is necessary in to the operation of a quality facility. 5 photos.

QUANTIFYING NON-STAR-FORMATION-ASSOCIATED 8 μm DUST EMISSION IN NGC 628

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crocker, Alison F.; Calzetti, Daniela; Thilker, David A.; Aniano, Gonzalo; Draine, Bruce T.; Hunt, Leslie K.; Kennicutt, Robert C.; Sandstrom, Karin; Smith, J. D. T.

2013-01-01

Combining Hα and IRAC images of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 628, we find that between 30% and 43% of its 8 μm dust emission is not related to recent star formation. Contributions from dust heated by young stars are separated by identifying H II regions in the Hα map and using these areas as a mask to determine the 8 μm dust emission that must be due to heating by older stars. Corrections are made for sub-detection-threshold H II regions, photons escaping from H II regions, and for young stars not directly associated with H II regions (i.e., 10-100 Myr old stars). A simple model confirms that this amount of 8 μm emission can be expected given dust and PAH absorption cross sections, a realistic star formation history, and the observed optical extinction values. A Fourier power spectrum analysis indicates that the 8 μm dust emission is more diffuse than the Hα emission (and similar to observed H I), supporting our analysis that much of the 8 μm-emitting dust is heated by older stars. The 8 μm dust-to-Hα emission ratio declines with galactocentric radius both within and outside of H II regions, probably due to a radial increase in disk transparency. In the course of this work, we have also found that intrinsic diffuse Hα fractions may be lower than previously thought in galaxies, if the differential extinction between H II regions and diffuse regions is taken into account.

Adaptation of the DP 50 dust meter for measuring dust content under isokinetic conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vitek, J.; Novak, L.

1985-03-01

The DP 50 dust meter, developed by the Scientific Coal Research Institute Ostrava-Radvanice, is used for measuring dust content in the air in underground coal mines. Two versions of the system are used: a type developed in 1970 which is placed in a vertical position and used to measure the content of respirable coal particles in the air; and a type developed in 1983 for isokinetic measurement of dust content in the air. The latter is equipped with 8 cone-shaped adapters (with differing size and dimensions of the cone inlet adjusted to air flow rates from 0.25 to 8.00 m/s). Specifications of the 8 adapters are given in a table. The 1983 version of the DP 50 is placed in a horizontal position with the dust meter axis parallel to the direction of air flow ventilating a mine working. Recommendations for installation of dust meters in underground workings and effects of installation on measurement accuracy are discussed. 16 references.

Restoration and Reexamination of Apollo Lunar Dust Detector Data from Original Telemetry Files

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, M. J.; Williams, David R.; Hills, H. Kent

2012-01-01

We are recovering the original telemetry (Figure I) from the Apollo Dust, Thermal, Radiation Environment Monitor (DTREM) experiment, more commonly known as the Dust Detector, and producing full time resolution (54 second) data sets for release through the Planetary Data System (PDS). The primary objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of dust deposition, temperature, and radiation damage on solar cells on the lunar surface. The monitor was a small box consisting of three solar cells and thermistors mounted on the ALSEP (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package) central station. The Dust Detector was carried on Apollo's 11, 12, 14 and 15. The Apollo 11 DTREM was powered by solar cells and only operated for a few months as planned. The Apollo 12, 14, and 15 detectors operated for 5 to 7 years, returning data every 54 seconds, consisting of voltage outputs from the three solar cells and temperatures measured by the three thermistors. The telemetry was received at ground stations and held on the Apollo Housekeeping (known as "Word 33") tapes. made available to the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) by Yosio Nakamura (University of Texas Institute for Geophysics). We have converted selected parts of the telemetry into uncalibrated and calibrated output voltages and temperatures.

Pheromonal Communication in the European House Dust Mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes L.M. Steidle

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Despite the sanitary importance of the European house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart, 1897, the pheromonal communication in this species has not been sufficiently studied. Headspace analysis using solid phase micro extraction (SPME revealed that nerol, neryl formate, pentadecane, (6Z,9Z-6,9-heptadecadiene, and (Z-8-heptadecene are released by both sexes whereas neryl propionate was released by males only. Tritonymphs did not produce any detectable volatiles. In olfactometer experiments, pentadecane and neryl propionate were attractive to both sexes as well as to tritonymphs. (Z-8-heptadecene was only attractive to male mites. Therefore it is discussed that pentadecane and neryl propionate are aggregation pheromones and (Z-8-heptadecene is a sexual pheromone of the European house dust mite D. pteronyssinus. To study the potential use of pheromones in dust mite control, long-range olfactometer experiments were conducted showing that mites can be attracted to neryl propionate over distances of at least 50 cm. This indicates that mite pheromones might be useable to monitor the presence or absence of mites in the context of control strategies.

On Inferring Extinction Laws in Z -approximately 6 Quasars as Signatures of Supernova Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Hjorth, Jens; Vreeswijk, Paul M.; Gall, Christa; Watson, Darach

2013-01-01

Unusual extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs have been taken as evidence that dust is primarily produced by supernovae at high redshift. In particular, the 3000 °A Todini-Ferrara-Maiolino kink in the extinction curve of the z = 6.20 SDSS J1048+4637 has been attributed to supernova dust. Here we discuss the challenges in inferring robust extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs and critically assess previous claims of detection of supernova dust. In particular, we address the sensitivity to the choice of intrinsic QSO spectrum, the need for a long wavelength baseline, and the drawbacks in fitting theoretical extinction curves. In a sample of 21 QSOs at z 6 we detect significant ultraviolet extinction using existing broad-band optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer photometry. The median extinction curve is consistent with a Small Magellanic Cloud curve with A1450 0.7 mag and does not exhibit any conspicuous (restframe) 2175 °A or 3000 °A features. For two QSOs, SDSS J1044-0125 at z = 5.78 and SDSS J1030+0524 at z = 6.31, we further present X-shooter spectra covering the wavelength range 0.9-2.5 µm. The resulting non-parametric extinction curves do not exhibit the 3000 °A kink. Finally, in a re-analysis of literature spectra of SDSS J1048+4637, we do not find evidence for a conspicuous kink. We conclude that the existing evidence for a 3000 °A feature is weak and that the overall dust properties at high and low redshift show no significant differences. This, however, does not preclude supernovae from dominating the dust budget at high redshift.

ON INFERRING EXTINCTION LAWS IN z ∼ 6 QUASARS AS SIGNATURES OF SUPERNOVA DUST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hjorth, Jens; Vreeswijk, Paul M.; Gall, Christa; Watson, Darach

2013-01-01

Unusual extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs have been taken as evidence that dust is primarily produced by supernovae at high redshift. In particular, the 3000 Å Todini-Ferrara-Maiolino kink in the extinction curve of the z = 6.20 SDSS J1048+4637 has been attributed to supernova dust. Here we discuss the challenges in inferring robust extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs and critically assess previous claims of detection of supernova dust. In particular, we address the sensitivity to the choice of intrinsic QSO spectrum, the need for a long wavelength baseline, and the drawbacks in fitting theoretical extinction curves. In a sample of 21 QSOs at z ∼ 6 we detect significant ultraviolet extinction using existing broadband optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer photometry. The median extinction curve is consistent with a Small Magellanic Cloud curve with A 1450 ∼ 0.7 mag and does not exhibit any conspicuous (rest frame) 2175 Å or 3000 Å features. For two QSOs, SDSS J1044–0125 at z = 5.78 and SDSS J1030+0524 at z = 6.31, we further present X-shooter spectra covering the wavelength range 0.9-2.5 μm. The resulting non-parametric extinction curves do not exhibit the 3000 Å kink. Finally, in a re-analysis of literature spectra of SDSS J1048+4637, we do not find evidence for a conspicuous kink. We conclude that the existing evidence for a 3000 Å feature is weak and that the overall dust properties at high and low redshifts show no significant differences. This, however, does not preclude supernovae from dominating the dust budget at high redshift.

ON INFERRING EXTINCTION LAWS IN z {approx} 6 QUASARS AS SIGNATURES OF SUPERNOVA DUST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hjorth, Jens; Vreeswijk, Paul M.; Gall, Christa; Watson, Darach, E-mail: jens@dark-cosmology.dk, E-mail: paul.vreeswijk@weizmann.ac.il, E-mail: christa.gall@nasa.gov, E-mail: darach@dark-cosmology.dk [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen O (Denmark)

2013-05-10

Unusual extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs have been taken as evidence that dust is primarily produced by supernovae at high redshift. In particular, the 3000 A Todini-Ferrara-Maiolino kink in the extinction curve of the z = 6.20 SDSS J1048+4637 has been attributed to supernova dust. Here we discuss the challenges in inferring robust extinction curves of high-redshift QSOs and critically assess previous claims of detection of supernova dust. In particular, we address the sensitivity to the choice of intrinsic QSO spectrum, the need for a long wavelength baseline, and the drawbacks in fitting theoretical extinction curves. In a sample of 21 QSOs at z {approx} 6 we detect significant ultraviolet extinction using existing broadband optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer photometry. The median extinction curve is consistent with a Small Magellanic Cloud curve with A{sub 1450} {approx} 0.7 mag and does not exhibit any conspicuous (rest frame) 2175 A or 3000 A features. For two QSOs, SDSS J1044-0125 at z = 5.78 and SDSS J1030+0524 at z = 6.31, we further present X-shooter spectra covering the wavelength range 0.9-2.5 {mu}m. The resulting non-parametric extinction curves do not exhibit the 3000 A kink. Finally, in a re-analysis of literature spectra of SDSS J1048+4637, we do not find evidence for a conspicuous kink. We conclude that the existing evidence for a 3000 A feature is weak and that the overall dust properties at high and low redshifts show no significant differences. This, however, does not preclude supernovae from dominating the dust budget at high redshift.

Response of the Eastern Mediterranean microbial ecosystem to dust and dust affected by acid processing in the atmosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael David Krom

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Acid processes in the atmosphere, particularly those caused by anthropogenic acid gases, increase the amount of bioavailable P in dust and hence are predicted to increase microbial biomass and primary productivity when supplied to oceanic surface waters. This is likely to be particularly important in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS, which is P limited during the winter bloom and N&P co-limited for phytoplankton in summer. However, it is not clear how the acid processes acting on Saharan dust will affect the microbial biomass and primary productivity in the EMS. Here, we carried out bioassay manipulations on EMS surface water on which Saharan dust was added as dust (Z, acid treated dust (ZA, dust plus excess N (ZN and acid treated dust with excess N (ZNA during springtime (May 2012 and measured bacterioplankton biomass, metabolic and other relevant chemical and biological parameters. We show that acid treatment of Saharan dust increased the amount of bioavailable P supplied by a factor of ~40 compared to non-acidified dust (18.4 nmoles P mg-1 dust vs. 0.45 nmoles P mg-1 dust, respectively. The increase in chlorophyll, primary and bacterial productivity for treatments Z and ZA were controlled by the amount of N added with the dust while those for treatments ZN and ZNA (in which excessive N was added were controlled by the amount of P added. These results confirm that the surface waters were N&P co-limited for phytoplankton during springtime. However, total chlorophyll and primary productivity in the acid treated dust additions (ZA and ZNA were less than predicted from that calculated from the amount of the potentially limiting nutrient added. This biological inhibition was interpreted as being due to labile trace metals being added with the acidified dust. A probable cause for this biological inhibition was the addition of dissolved Al, which forms potentially toxic Al nanoparticles when added to seawater. Thus, the effect of anthropogenic acid

On Dust Charging Equation

OpenAIRE

Tsintsadze, Nodar L.; Tsintsadze, Levan N.

2008-01-01

A general derivation of the charging equation of a dust grain is presented, and indicated where and when it can be used. A problem of linear fluctuations of charges on the surface of the dust grain is discussed.

An assessment of hopanes in settled dust and air as indicators of exposure to traffic-related air pollution in Windsor, Ontario

Science.gov (United States)

Curran, Jason

Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) has been linked with several adverse health effects. We investigated hopanes, markers of primary particle emissions from gasoline and diesel engines, in house dust as an alternative approach for assessing exposure to TRAP in Windsor, Ontario. Settled house dust was collected from the homes of 28 study participants (10 -- 13 yrs). The dust was then analyzed for a suite of hopanes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We calculated correlations between dust hopane concentrations and estimates of annual average NO2 concentrations derived from an existing LUR model. Hopanes were consistently present in detectable quantities in house dust. Annual average outdoor NO2 estimated was moderately correlated with hopanes in house dust (r = 0.46; pefficiency or the presence of an attached garage. Hopanes measured in settled house dust show promise as an indicator of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Keywords: hopane; air pollution; traffic; dust; exposure; TRAP.

Radionuclides in house dust

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fry, F A; Green, N; Dodd, N J; Hammond, D J

1985-04-01

Discharges of radionuclides from the British Nuclear Fuel plc (BNFL) reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria have led to elevated concentrations radionuclides in the local environment. The major routes of exposure of the public are kept under review by the appropriate authorising Government departments and monitoring is carried out both by the departments and by BNFL itself. Recently, there has been increasing public concern about general environmental contamination resulting from the discharges and, in particular, about possible exposure of members of the public by routes not previously investigated in detail. One such postulated route of exposure that has attracted the interest of the public, the press and Parliament arises from the presence of radionuclides within houses. In view of this obvious and widespread concern, the Board has undertaken a sampling programme in a few communities in Cumbria to assess the radiological significance of this source of exposure. From the results of our study, we conclude that, although radionuclides originating rom the BNFL site can be detected in house dust, this source of contamination is a negligible route of exposure for members of the public in West Cumbria. This report presents the results of the Board's study of house dust in twenty homes in Cumbria during the spring and summer of 1984. A more intensive investigation is being carried out by Imperial College. (author)

On the secondary charging effects and structure of mesospheric dust particles impacting on rocket probes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Havnes, O.; Naesheim, L.I. [Inst. of Physics, Univ. of Tromso (Norway)

2007-07-01

The dust probe DUSTY, first launched during the summer of 1994 (flights ECT-02 and ECT-07) from Andoeya Rocket Range, northern Norway, was the first probe to unambiguously detect heavy charged mesospheric aerosols, from hereon referred to as dust. In ECT-02 the probe detected negatively charged dust particles in the height interval of 83 to 88.5 km. In this flight, the lower grid in the detector (Grid 2) measures both positive and negative currents in various regions, and we find that the relationship between the current measurements of Grid 2 and the bottom plate can only be explained by influence from secondary charge production on Grid 2. In ECT-07, which had a large coning, positive currents reaching the top grid of the probe were interpreted as due to the impact of positively charged dust particles. We have now reanalyzed the data from ECT-07 and arrived at the conclusion that the measured positive currents to this grid must have been mainly due to secondary charging effects from the impacting dust particles. The grid consists of a set of parallel wires crossed with an identical set of wires on top of it, and we find that if the observed currents were created from the direct impact of charged dust particles, then they should be very weakly modulated at four times the rocket spin rate {omega}{sub R}. Observations show, however, that the observed currents are strongly modulated at 2{omega}{sub R}. We cannot reproduce the observed large modulations of the impact currents in the dust layer if the currents are due only to the transfer of the charges on the impacted dust particles. Based on the results of recent ice cluster impact secondary charging experiments by Tomsic (2003), which found that a small fraction of the ice clusters, when impacting with nearly grazing incidence, carried away one negative charge - 1e, we have arrived at the conclusion that similar, but significantly more effective, charging effects must be predominantly responsible for the positive

POLARIZATION MEASUREMENTS OF HOT DUST STARS AND THE LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marshall, J. P.; Cotton, D. V.; Bott, K.; Bailey, J.; Kedziora-Chudczer, L. [School of Physics, UNSW Australia, High Street, Kensington, NSW 2052 (Australia); Ertel, S. [Steward Observatory, Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Kennedy, G. M.; Wyatt, M. C. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Burgo, C. del [Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Luis Enrique Erro 1, Sta. Ma. Tonantzintla, Puebla (Mexico); Absil, O. [Institut d’Astrophysique et de Géophysique, University of Liège, 19c allée du Six Août, B-4000 Liège (Belgium)

2016-07-10

Debris discs are typically revealed through the presence of excess emission at infrared wavelengths. Most discs exhibit excess at mid- and far-infrared wavelengths, analogous to the solar system’s Asteroid and Edgeworth-Kuiper belts. Recently, stars with strong (∼1%) excess at near-infrared wavelengths were identified through interferometric measurements. Using the HIgh Precision Polarimetric Instrument, we examined a sub-sample of these hot dust stars (and appropriate controls) at parts-per-million sensitivity in SDSS g ′ (green) and r ′ (red) filters for evidence of scattered light. No detection of strongly polarized emission from the hot dust stars is seen. We, therefore, rule out scattered light from a normal debris disk as the origin of this emission. A wavelength-dependent contribution from multiple dust components for hot dust stars is inferred from the dispersion (the difference in polarization angle in red and green) of southern stars. Contributions of 17 ppm (green) and 30 ppm (red) are calculated, with strict 3- σ upper limits of 76 and 68 ppm, respectively. This suggests weak hot dust excesses consistent with thermal emission, although we cannot rule out contrived scenarios, e.g., dust in a spherical shell or face-on discs. We also report on the nature of the local interstellar medium (ISM), obtained as a byproduct of the control measurements. Highlights include the first measurements of the polarimetric color of the local ISM and the discovery of a southern sky region with a polarization per distance thrice the previous maximum. The data suggest that λ {sub max}, the wavelength of maximum polarization, is bluer than typical.

Bla g 1 allergen levels in Zagreb area household dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Prester, Ljerka; Macan, Jelena

2011-03-01

Cockroach allergy is a health problem in many parts of the world. In urban environments, indoor exposure to cockroach allergens involves a risk of asthma. The aim of this study was to measure the mass fraction of Bla g 1, a major allergen of the German cockroach (Blatella germanica) in 30 house samples, collected at random from Zagreb area households, Croatia. Dust samples were collected on cellulose filters by vacuuming living rooms floors. After extraction, Bla g 1 was detected using the commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Only four of the thirty households had detectable Bla g 1 levels, and only in one was its concentration higher than 2.0 U g(-1), the threshold associated with sensitisation. The Bla g 1 ELISA proved highly sensitive, with the detection limit of 0.12 U g(-1). The within- and between-assay imprecision was 8.9 % and 14.4 %, respectively, and accuracy 85 % to 120 %. Low Bla g 1 levels in the household dust support previously reported low prevalence of skin sensitisation to B. germanica among Zagreb residents. Further monitoring should reveal if there are differences in cockroach allergen exposure and sensitisation between households from other geographic areas in Croatia.

CONSTRAINING DUST AND MOLECULAR GAS PROPERTIES IN Lyα BLOBS AT z ∼ 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Yujin; Decarli, Roberto; Walter, Fabian; Leipski, Christian; Dannerbauer, Helmut; Le Floc'h, Emeric; Weiss, Axel; Menten, Karl M.; Dey, Arjun; Chapman, Scott C.; Prescott, Moire K. M.; Neri, Roberto; Borys, Colin; Matsuda, Yuichi; Yamada, Toru; Hayashino, Tomoki; Tapken, Christian

2012-01-01

In order to constrain the bolometric luminosities, dust properties, and molecular gas content of giant Lyα nebulae, the so-called Lyα blobs, we have carried out a study of dust continuum and CO line emission in two well-studied representatives of this population at z ∼ 3: an Lyα blob discovered by its strong Spitzer Multiband Infrared Photometer 24 μm detection (LABd05) and the Steidel blob 1 (SSA22-LAB01). We find that the spectral energy distribution of LABd05 is well described by an active-galactic-nucleus-starburst composite template with L FIR = (4.0 ± 0.5) × 10 12 L ☉ , comparable to high-z submillimeter galaxies and ultraluminous infrared galaxies. New Large APEX Bolometer Camera 870 μm measurements rule out the reported Submillimeter Common-User Bolometer Array detection of the SSA22-LAB01 (S 850μm = 16.8 mJy) at the >4σ level. Consistent with this, ultradeep Plateau de Bure Interferometer observations with ∼2'' spatial resolution also fail to detect any 1.2 mm continuum source down to ≈0.45 mJy beam –1 (3σ). Combined with the existing (sub)millimeter observations in the literature, we conclude that the FIR luminosity of SSA22-LAB01 remains uncertain. No CO line is detected in either case down to integrated flux limits of S ν ΔV ∼ –1 , indicating a modest molecular gas reservoir, M(H 2 ) 10 M ☉ . The non-detections exclude, with high significance (12σ), the previous tentative detection of a CO J = 4-3 line in the SSA22-LAB01. The increased sensitivity afforded by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array will be critical in studying molecular gas and dust in these interesting systems.

Automatic Detection of Changes on Mars Surface from High-Resolution Orbital Images

Science.gov (United States)

Sidiropoulos, Panagiotis; Muller, Jan-Peter

2017-04-01