Novel mass spectrometric instrument for gaseous and particulate characterization and monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coggiola, M.J.

1993-04-01

Under contract DE-AC21-92MC29116, SRI International will develop a unique new instrument that will be capable of providing real-time (< l minute), quantitative, chemical characterization of gaseous and particulate pollutants generated from DOE waste cleanup activities. The instrument will be capable of detecting and identifying volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and transuranic species released during waste cleanup activities. The instrument will be unique in its ability to detect and quantify in real-time these diverse pollutants in both vapor and particulate form. The instrument to be developed under this program will consist of several major components: (1) an isokinetic sampler capable of operating over a wide range of temperatures (up to 500 K) and flow rates; (2) a high pressure to low pressure transition and sampling region that efficiently separates particles from vapor-phase components for separate, parallel analyses; (3) two small mass spectrometers, one optimized for organic analysis using a unique field ionization source and one optimized for particulate characterization using thermal pyrolysis and electron-impact ionization (EI); and (4) a powerful personal computer for control and data acquisition

Novel mass spectrometric instrument for gaseous and particulate characterization and monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coggiola, M.J.

1994-02-01

SRI International will develop a unique new instrument that will be capable of providing real-time (<1 minute), quantitative, chemical characterization of gaseous and particulate pollutants generated from DOE waste cleanup activities. The instrument will be capable of detecting and identifying volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and transuranic species released during waste cleanup activities. The instrument will be unique in its ability to detect and quantify in real-time these diverse pollutants in both vapor and particulate form. The instrument to be developed under this program will consist of several major components: (1) an isokinetic sampler capable of operating over a wide range of temperatures (up to 500 K) and flow rates; (2) a high pressure to low pressure transition and sampling region that efficiently separates particles from vapor-phase components for separate, parallel analyses; (3) two small mass spectrometers, one optimized for organic analysis using a unique field ionization source and one optimized for particulate characterization using thermal pyrolysis and electron-impact ionization (EI); and (4) a powerful personal computer for control and data acquisition. Initially, the instrument will be developed for targeted use in conjunction with the K-1435 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) incinerator at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory K-25 site. Ultimately, the instrument will be designed to operate in the field at any cleanup site, located close to the stack or process vent, providing the plant operations personnel with real-time information and alarm capabilities. In addition, this instrument will be very broadly applicable for cleanup or sampling, for example, any time contaminated soil is moved or disturbed

Characterization of a traceable profiler instrument for areal roughness measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomsen-Schmidt, P

2011-01-01

A two-dimensional profiler instrument was designed and realized at the PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt). The main function of the instrument is to provide traceable results in the field of roughness measurement. It is equipped with a linear moving stylus which is guided by precision air bearings. The moving part of the stylus has weight around 1 g and is carried by a magnetic field. The contacting force of the tip onto the surface under test is controlled by a small voice coil actuator in a closed control loop. Vertical movements of the stylus are captured by two different, completely independent measurement systems, covering a range of 100 µm. The first one is an interferometer, which provides a traceable signal, and the second one is an inductive measurement system. The signal from the inductive measurement system is calibrated by the interferometer. The sample under test is carried within the x–y-plane by a linear guided table with low noise air bearings. These air bearings are preloaded by vacuum and a constant gap is achieved by gas pressure controllers. Both axes of the table are driven by linear voice coil actuators and their movement in the plane is measured by linear encoders. The sample carrier is equipped with two axes tilt compensation, by which the sample under test can be levelled automatically using the measurement system of the stylus. Real-time data acquisition, manual handling and automated procedures are managed by a programmable controller and proprietary software written in LabVIEW. After measurement, data from the system can be directly transferred into the smd- or sdf-format. Results of measurements on different samples to characterize the metrological behaviour of the instrument will be reported. To characterize the uncertainty of the instrument, a model is applied, which is in accordance with approved rules for contact stylus instruments

A borehole instrumentation program for characterization of unsaturated-zone percolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kume, J.; Rousseau, J.P.

1994-01-01

A borehole instrumentation and monitoring program has been designed by the US Geological Survey to support site characterization of unsaturated-zone percolation at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada. This program provides a means of defining the unsaturated-zone fluid flow (liquid and gas) potential field in a setting that incorporates large-scale stratigraphic and structural features, and the influences of geothermal heat flow and atmospheric pressure changes. Data derived from this program will be used to evaluate the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a mined geologic-repository for the storage of high-level, radioactive waste. These data include in-situ temperature, pneumatic pressure, and water potential. In addition, the instrumentation program provides facilities for gas-sampling, gas-tracer diffusion testing, water-injection testing, water-level monitoring, neutron moisture-meter monitoring, temperature profiling, and in-situ recalibration of the downhole sensors. The program included testing and development of: (1) precision sensors for measurement; (2) a downhole instrumentation-station-apparatus to house the sensors, recalibrate sensors in-situ, and allow access to instrument stations for other testing purposes; and (3) surface-based support and instrumentation facilities

The Characterization of Biosignatures in Caves Using an Instrument Suite

Science.gov (United States)

Uckert, Kyle; Chanover, Nancy J.; Getty, Stephanie; Voelz, David G.; Brinckerhoff, William B.; McMillan, Nancy; Xiao, Xifeng; Boston, Penelope J.; Li, Xiang; McAdam, Amy; Glenar, David A.; Chavez, Arriana

2017-12-01

The search for life and habitable environments on other Solar System bodies is a major motivator for planetary exploration. Due to the difficulty and significance of detecting extant or extinct extraterrestrial life in situ, several independent measurements from multiple instrument techniques will bolster the community's confidence in making any such claim. We demonstrate the detection of subsurface biosignatures using a suite of instrument techniques including IR reflectance spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. We focus our measurements on subterranean calcium carbonate field samples, whose biosignatures are analogous to those that might be expected on some high-interest astrobiology targets. In this work, we discuss the feasibility and advantages of using each of the aforementioned instrument techniques for the in situ search for biosignatures and present results on the autonomous characterization of biosignatures using multivariate statistical analysis techniques.

Proposal for a Universal Test Mirror for Characterization of Slope Measuring Instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yashchuk, Valeriy V.; McKinney, Wayne R.; Warwick, Tony; Noll, Tino; Siewert, Frank; Zeschke, Thomas; Geckeler, Ralf D.

2007-01-01

The development of third generation light sources like the Advanced Light Source (ALS) or BESSY II brought to a focus the need for high performance synchrotron optics with unprecedented tolerances for slope error and micro roughness. Proposed beam lines at Free Electron Lasers (FEL) require optical elements up to a length of one meter, characterized by a residual slope error in the range of 0.1mu rad (rms),and rms values of 0.1 nm for micro roughness. These optical elements must be inspected by highly accurate measuring instruments, providing a measurement uncertainty lower than the specified accuracy of the surface under test. It is essential that metrology devices in use at synchrotron laboratories be precisely characterized and calibrated to achieve this target. In this paper we discuss a proposal for a Universal Test Mirror (UTM) as a realization of a high performance calibration instrument. The instrument would provide an ideal calibration surface to replicate a redundant surface under test of redundant figure. The application of a sophisticated calibration instrument will allow the elimination of the majority of the systematic error from the error budget of an individual measurement of a particular optical element. We present the limitations of existing methods, initial UTM design considerations, possible calibration algorithms, and an estimation of the expected accuracy

Characterization of the Geosynchronous Plasma Environment for the SENSER/RROE Optical Instrument

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodroffe, Jesse Richard [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-11-08

In this report, we summarize available research in order to characterize expected rates of particle incidence on the SENSER/RROE optical instrument. We first investigate the “normal” background levels using data from statistical studies of spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit and empirical models. We then consider “worst case” scenarios based on event studies in which extreme fluxes have been observed. We use these data to define “maximum” rates of particle incidence. We then consider how incident particles will actually produce counts in the instrument by considering the effects of screening by the instrument housing and the possibility of direct particle access to the housing, with rates for both primary access and secondary electron generation.

The Importance of Splat Events to the Spatiotemporal Structure of Near-Bed Fluid Velocity and Bed Load Motion Over Bed Forms: Laboratory Experiments Downstream of a Backward Facing Step

Science.gov (United States)

Leary, K. C. P.; Schmeeckle, M. W.

2017-12-01

Flow separation/reattachment on the lee side of alluvial bed forms is known to produce a complex turbulence field, but the spatiotemporal details of the associated patterns of bed load sediment transported remain largely unknown. Here we report turbulence-resolving, simultaneous measurements of bed load motion and near-bed fluid velocity downstream of a backward facing step in a laboratory flume. Two synchronized high-speed video cameras simultaneously observed bed load motion and the motion of neutrally buoyant particles in a laser light sheet 6 mm above the bed at 250 frames/s downstream of a 3.8 cm backward facing step. Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) and Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry (ADV) were used to characterize fluid turbulent patterns, while manual particle tracking techniques were used to characterize bed load transport. Octant analysis, conducted using ADV data, coupled with Markovian sequence probability analysis highlights differences in the flow near reattachment versus farther downstream. Near reattachment, three distinct flow patterns are apparent. Farther downstream we see the development of a dominant flow sequence. Localized, intermittent, high-magnitude transport events are more apparent near flow reattachment. These events are composed of streamwise and cross-stream fluxes of comparable magnitudes. Transport pattern and fluid velocity data are consistent with the existence of permeable "splat events," wherein a volume of fluid moves toward and impinges on the bed (sweep) causing a radial movement of fluid in all directions around the point of impingement (outward interaction). This is congruent with flow patterns, identified with octant analysis, proximal to flow reattachment.

Wavefront-Error Performance Characterization for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) Science Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Aronstein, David L.; Smith, J. Scott; Zielinski, Thomas P.; Telfer, Randal; Tournois, Severine C.; Moore, Dustin B.; Fienup, James R.

2016-01-01

The science instruments (SIs) comprising the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) were tested in three cryogenic-vacuum test campaigns in the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)'s Space Environment Simulator (SES). In this paper, we describe the results of optical wavefront-error performance characterization of the SIs. The wavefront error is determined using image-based wavefront sensing (also known as phase retrieval), and the primary data used by this process are focus sweeps, a series of images recorded by the instrument under test in its as-used configuration, in which the focal plane is systematically changed from one image to the next. High-precision determination of the wavefront error also requires several sources of secondary data, including 1) spectrum, apodization, and wavefront-error characterization of the optical ground-support equipment (OGSE) illumination module, called the OTE Simulator (OSIM), 2) plate scale measurements made using a Pseudo-Nonredundant Mask (PNRM), and 3) pupil geometry predictions as a function of SI and field point, which are complicated because of a tricontagon-shaped outer perimeter and small holes that appear in the exit pupil due to the way that different light sources are injected into the optical path by the OGSE. One set of wavefront-error tests, for the coronagraphic channel of the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) Longwave instruments, was performed using data from transverse translation diversity sweeps instead of focus sweeps, in which a sub-aperture is translated andor rotated across the exit pupil of the system.Several optical-performance requirements that were verified during this ISIM-level testing are levied on the uncertainties of various wavefront-error-related quantities rather than on the wavefront errors themselves. This paper also describes the methodology, based on Monte Carlo simulations of the wavefront-sensing analysis of focus-sweep data, used to establish the

Magnetic and transport properties of amorphous ferro magnetic Gd--Au, Gd--Ni and Gd--Co alloys obtained by splat-cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durand, J.; Poon, S.J.

1977-06-01

We present the results of magnetization and transport measurements on the amorphous Gd 80 Au 20 , Gd 68 Ni 32 and Gd 67 Co 33 alloys over a temperature range of 1.8 to 300 0 K in fields up to 75 kOe. These ferromagnetic alloys obtained by splat-cooling have Curie temperatures T/sub c/ of 150, 125 and 175 0 K, respectively. The saturation moment per Gd atom extrapolated to 0 0 K is estimated to be 7 +- 0.1 μ/sub B/. The exchange integrals for Gd-Au and Gd-Ni are determined from the value of T/sub c/ and from the temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization. The zero-field resistivity for Gd-Ni and Gd-Co exhibits maxima around T/sub c/. We present some preliminary results of magnetoresistivity measurements with applied field parallel and perpendicular to the foil plane. The anisotropy is in-plane for Gd-Co. For the Gd-Au and Gd-Ni alloys, there is no well-defined easy axis

Instrumentation for characterizing materials and composed semiconductors for ionizing radiation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paschoal, Arquimedes J.A.; Leite, Adolfo M.B.; Nazzre, Fabio V.B.; Santos, Luiz A.P.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this work is the development of instrumentation for characterizing some type of ionizing radiation detectors. Those detectors are being manufactured by the Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory at CRCN/Recife and can be used both on photon beam and with particles. Such detectors consist of semiconductor material in the form of films generated by oxide growing or by means of semiconductor material deposition in a substrate. Those materials can be made of metals, semi-metals, composites or semiconductor polymers. Prior to expose those detectors to ionizing radiation, it must be physically and electrically characterized. In this intention it was developed an electromechanical system. An electrical circuit was built to measure the signal from the detector and another circuit to control the movement of four probes (4-points technique) by using a stepper motor and the micro stepping technique avoiding damage to the detector. This system can be of interest to researchers that work with a sort of semiconductor materials in the form of thin film and in nanotechnological processes aiming the design of radiation ionizing detectors. (author)

Novel instrument for characterizing comprehensive physical properties under multi-mechanical loads and multi-physical field coupling conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Changyi; Zhao, Hongwei; Ma, Zhichao; Qiao, Yuansen; Hong, Kun; Ren, Zhuang; Zhang, Jianhai; Pei, Yongmao; Ren, Luquan

2018-02-01

Functional materials represented by ferromagnetics and ferroelectrics are widely used in advanced sensor and precision actuation due to their special characterization under coupling interactions of complex loads and external physical fields. However, the conventional devices for material characterization can only provide a limited type of loads and physical fields and cannot simulate the actual service conditions of materials. A multi-field coupling instrument for characterization has been designed and implemented to overcome this barrier and measure the comprehensive physical properties under complex service conditions. The testing forms include tension, compression, bending, torsion, and fatigue in mechanical loads, as well as different external physical fields, including electric, magnetic, and thermal fields. In order to offer a variety of information to reveal mechanical damage or deformation forms, a series of measurement methods at the microscale are integrated with the instrument including an indentation unit and in situ microimaging module. Finally, several coupling experiments which cover all the loading and measurement functions of the instrument have been implemented. The results illustrate the functions and characteristics of the instrument and then reveal the variety in mechanical and electromagnetic properties of the piezoelectric transducer ceramic, TbDyFe alloy, and carbon fiber reinforced polymer under coupling conditions.

The Diurnal Cycle of Particle Sizes, Compositions, and Densities observed in Sacramento, CA during CARES Field Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Beránek, J.; Vaden, T.; Imre, D. G.; Zelenyuk, A.

2010-12-01

A central objective of the Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) was to characterize unequivocally all aspects related to organics in aerosols. To this end, a range of instruments measured loadings, size distributions, compositions, densities, CCN activities, and optical properties of aerosol sampled in Sacramento, CA over the month of June 2010. We present the results of measurements conducted by our single particle mass spectrometer, SPLAT. SPLAT was used to measure the size, composition, and density of individual particles with diameters between 50 to 2000 nm. SPLAT measured the vacuum aerodynamic diameters (dva) of more than 2 million particles and the compositions of ~350,000 particles, each day. In addition, SPLAT was used in combination with a differential mobility analyzer to measure the density, or effective density of individual particles. These measurements were typically conducted twice per day: in the morning, and mid-afternoon. Preliminary analysis of the data shows that under most conditions, the particles were relatively small (below 200 nm), and the vast majority of them were composed of oxygenated organics mixed with various amounts of sulfates. Analysis of the mass spectra shows that the oxygenated organics in these particles are the oxidized products of biogenic volatile organic precursors. In addition to particles composed of SOA mixed with sulfates, we detected and characterized fresh and processed soot particles, biomass burning aerosol, organic amines, sea salt - fresh and processed - and a small number of dust and other inorganic particles, commonly found in urban environment. SOA mixed with sulfates were the vast majority of particles at all times, while the other particle types exhibited episodic behavior. The data shows a reproducible diurnal pattern in SOA size distributions, number concentrations, and compositions. Early in the morning the particle number concentrations are relatively low, and the particle size

Detailed characterizations of a Comparative Reactivity Method (CRM) instrument: experiments vs. modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Michoud, V.; Hansen, R. F.; Locoge, N.; Stevens, P. S.; Dusanter, S.

2015-04-01

The Hydroxyl radical (OH) is an important oxidant in the daytime troposphere that controls the lifetime of most trace gases, whose oxidation leads to the formation of harmful secondary pollutants such as ozone (O3) and Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOA). In spite of the importance of OH, uncertainties remain concerning its atmospheric budget and integrated measurements of the total sink of OH can help reducing these uncertainties. In this context, several methods have been developed to measure the first-order loss rate of ambient OH, called total OH reactivity. Among these techniques, the Comparative Reactivity Method (CRM) is promising and has already been widely used in the field and in atmospheric simulation chambers. This technique relies on monitoring competitive OH reactions between a reference molecule (pyrrole) and compounds present in ambient air inside a sampling reactor. However, artefacts and interferences exist for this method and a thorough characterization of the CRM technique is needed. In this study, we present a detailed characterization of a CRM instrument, assessing the corrections that need to be applied on ambient measurements. The main corrections are, in the order of their integration in the data processing: (1) a correction for a change in relative humidity between zero air and ambient air, (2) a correction for the formation of spurious OH when artificially produced HO2 react with NO in the sampling reactor, and (3) a correction for a deviation from pseudo first-order kinetics. The dependences of these artefacts to various measurable parameters, such as the pyrrole-to-OH ratio or the bimolecular reaction rate constants of ambient trace gases with OH are also studied. From these dependences, parameterizations are proposed to correct the OH reactivity measurements from the abovementioned artefacts. A comparison of experimental and simulation results is then discussed. The simulations were performed using a 0-D box model including either (1) a

Wear Micro-Mechanisms of Composite WC-Co/Cr - NiCrFeBSiC Coatings. Part I: Dry Sliding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Kekes

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The influence of the cermet fraction in cermet/ metal composite coatings developed by High-Velocity Oxyfuel Flame (HVOF spraying on their tribological behaviour was studied. Five series of coatings, each one containing different proportion of cermet-metal components, prepared by premixing commercially available feedstocks of NiCrFeBSiC metallic and WC-Co/Cr cermet powders were deposited on AISI 304 stainless steel substrate. The microstructure of as-sprayed coatings was characterized by partial decomposition of the WC particles, lamellar morphology and micro-porosity among the solidified splats. Tribological behavior was studied under sliding friction conditions using a Si3N4 ball as counterbody and the friction coefficient and volume loss were determined as a function of the cermet fraction. Microscopic examinations of the wear tracks and relevant cross sections identified the wear mechanisms involved. Coatings containing only the metallic phase were worn out through a combination of ploughing, micro-cracking and splat exfoliation, whilst those containing only the cermet phase primarily by micro-cracking at the individual splat scale. The wear mechanisms of the composite coatings were strongly affected by their randomly stratified structure. In-depth cracks almost perpendicular to the coating/ substrate interface occurring at the wear track boundaries resulted in cermet trans-splat fracture.

Microstructural evolution of cold-sprayed Inconel 625 superalloy coatings on low alloy steel substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhuri, Atanu; Raghupathy, Y.; Srinivasan, Dheepa; Suwas, Satyam; Srivastava, Chandan

2017-01-01

This study illustrates microstructural evolution of INCONEL 625 superalloy coatings cold-sprayed on a 4130 chrome alloy steel with medium carbon content. INCONEL 625 powder (5–25 μm) were successfully cold sprayed without any oxidation. The comprehensive microstructure analysis of the as-sprayed coatings and of the substrate-coating interface was carried out using EBSD, TEM, and XRD. The coating microstructure at the substrate-coating interface was markedly different from the microstructure away from the interface. The coating microstructure at steel-coating interface consisted of a fine layer of small grains. The microstructure beyond this fine layer can be divided into splats, inter splat and intra splat boundaries. Both splat and splat boundaries exhibited deformation induced dislocations. Dynamic recovery of dislocations-ridden regions inside the splat was responsible for the development of sub grain structure inside a splat with both low and high angle grain boundaries. Splat-splat (inter splat) boundary consisted of a relatively high density of dislocations and shear bands as a result of adiabatic shear flow localisation. This flow instability is believed to enhance the microstructural integrity by eliminating porosity at splat-splat boundaries. Based on the microstructural analysis using electron microscopy, a plausible mechanism for the development of microstructure has been proposed in this work. Cold spray technique can thus be deployed to develop high quality coatings of commercial importance. - Graphical abstract: Schematics of the evolution of microstructure at the 4130 steel substrate close to interface. i) initial deformation close to interface. ii) Accumulation of dislocation in the substrate. iii) Formation of cell structure due to dislocation tangling and arrangement. iv) Dislocation rearrangement and subgrain formation. v.a) Formation HAGB from dislocation accumulation into LAGB. v.b) HAGB formation through DRX by progressive lattice rotation

NEWTON - NEW portable multi-sensor scienTific instrument for non-invasive ON-site characterization of rock from planetary surface and sub-surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Michelena, M.; de Frutos, J.; Ordóñez, A. A.; Rivero, M. A.; Mesa, J. L.; González, L.; Lavín, C.; Aroca, C.; Sanz, M.; Maicas, M.; Prieto, J. L.; Cobos, P.; Pérez, M.; Kilian, R.; Baeza, O.; Langlais, B.; Thébault, E.; Grösser, J.; Pappusch, M.

2017-09-01

In space instrumentation, there is currently no instrument dedicated to susceptibly or complete magnetization measurements of rocks. Magnetic field instrument suites are generally vector (or scalar) magnetometers, which locally measure the magnetic field. When mounted on board rovers, the electromagnetic perturbations associated with motors and other elements make it difficult to reap the benefits from the inclusion of such instruments. However, magnetic characterization is essential to understand key aspects of the present and past history of planetary objects. The work presented here overcomes the limitations currently existing in space instrumentation by developing a new portable and compact multi-sensor instrument for ground breaking high-resolution magnetic characterization of planetary surfaces and sub-surfaces. This new technology introduces for the first time magnetic susceptometry (real and imaginary parts) as a complement to existing compact vector magnetometers for planetary exploration. This work aims to solve the limitations currently existing in space instrumentation by means of providing a new portable and compact multi-sensor instrument for use in space, science and planetary exploration to solve some of the open questions on the crustal and more generally planetary evolution within the Solar System.

A novel method to predict the highest hardness of plasma sprayed coating without micro-defects

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuo, Yukun; Ye, Fuxing; Wang, Feng

2018-04-01

The plasma sprayed coatings are stacked by splats, which are regarded generally as the elementary units of coating. Many researchers have focused on the morphology and formation mechanism of splat. However, a novel method to predict the highest hardness of plasma sprayed coating without micro-defects is proposed according to the nanohardness of splat in this paper. The effectiveness of this novel method was examined by experiments. Firstly, the microstructure of splats and coating, meanwhile the 3D topography of the splats were observed by SEM (SU1510) and video microscope (VHX-2000). Secondly, the nanohardness of splats was evaluated by nanoindentation (NHT) in order to be compared with microhardness of coating measured by microhardness tester (HV-1000A). The results show that the nanohardness of splats with diameter of 70 μm, 100 μm and 140 μm were in the scope of 11∼12 GPa while the microhardness of coating were in the range of 8∼9 GPa. Because the splats had not micro-defects such as pores and cracks in the nanohardness evaluated nano-zone, the nanohardness of the splats can be utilized to predict the highest hardness of coating without micro-defects. This method indicates the maximum of sprayed coating hardness and will reduce the test number to get high hardness coating for better wear resistance.

Systematic Investigation on the Influence of Spray Parameters on the Mechanical Properties of Atmospheric Plasma-Sprayed YSZ Coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Mutter, Markus; Mauer, Georg; Mücke, Robert; Guillon, Olivier; Vaßen, Robert

2018-04-01

In the atmospheric plasma spray (APS) process, micro-sized ceramic powder is injected into a thermal plasma where it is rapidly heated and propelled toward the substrate. The coating formation is characterized by the subsequent impingement of a large number of more or less molten particles forming the so-called splats and eventually the coating. In this study, a systematic investigation on the influence of selected spray parameters on the coating microstructure and the coating properties was conducted. The investigation thereby comprised the coating porosity, the elastic modulus, and the residual stress evolution within the coating. The melting status of the particles at the impingement on the substrate in combination with the substrate surface condition is crucial for the coating formation. Single splats were collected on mirror-polished substrates for selected spray conditions and evaluated by identifying different types of splats (ideal, distorted, weakly bonded, and partially molten) and their relative fractions. In a previous study, these splat types were evaluated in terms of their effect on the above-mentioned coating properties. The particle melting status, which serves as a measure for the particle spreading behavior, was determined by in-flight particle temperature measurements and correlated to the coating properties. It was found that the gun power and the spray distance have a strong effect on the investigated coating properties, whereas the feed rate and the cooling show minor influence.

Characterization of the Effect of Wing Surface Instrumentation on UAV Airfoil Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Ratnayake, Nalin A.

2009-01-01

Recently proposed flight research at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) has prompted study into the aerodynamic effects of modifications made to the surfaces of laminar airfoils. The research is focused on the high-aspect ratio, laminar-flow type wings commonly found on UAVs and other aircraft with a high endurance requirement. A broad range of instrumentation possibilities, such as structural, pressure, and temperature sensing devices may require the alteration of the airfoil outer mold line as part of the installation process. This study attempts to characterize the effect of installing this additiona1 instrumentation on key airfoil performance factors, such as transition location, lift and drag curves, and stall point. In particular, the general case of an airfoil that is channeled in the spanwise direction is considered, and the impact on key performance characteristics is assessed. Particular attention is focused on exploring the limits of channel depth and low-Reynolds number on performance and stall characteristics. To quantify the effect of increased skin friction due to premature transition caused by protruding or recessed instrumentation, two simplified, conservative scenarios are used to consider two potential sources of diaturbance: A) that leading edge alterations would cause linearly expanding areas (triangles) of turbulent flow on both surfaces of the wing upstream of the natural transition point, and B) that a channel or bump on the upper surface would trip turbulent flow across the whole upper surface upstream of the natural transition point. A potentially more important consideration than the skin friction drag increment is the change in overall airfoil performance due to the installation of instrumentation along most of the wingspan. To quantify this effect, 2D CFD simulations of the flow over a representative mid-span airfoil section were conducted in order to assess the change in lift and drag curves for the airfoil in the presence of

On results using automated wideband instrumentation for radar measurements and characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Govoni, Mark A.; Dogaru, Traian; Le, Calvin; Sobczak, Kevin

2017-05-01

Experiences are shared from a recent radar measurement and characterization effort. A regimented data collection procedure ensures repeatability and provides an expedited alternative to typical narrowband capabilities. Commercially-available instrumentation is repurposed to support wideband data collections spanning a contiguous range of frequencies from 700 MHz to 40 GHz. Utilizing a 4-port network analyzer, both monostatic and quasi-monostatic measurements are achievable. Polarization is varied by way of a custom-designed antenna mount that allows for the mechanical reorientation of the antennas. Computational electromagnetic modeling is briefly introduced and serves in validating the legitimacy of the collection capability. Data products presented will include high-range resolution profiles and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imagery.

On-site meteorological instrumentation requirements to characterize diffusion from point sources: workshop report. Final report Sep 79-Sep 80

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strimaitis, D.; Hoffnagle, G.; Bass, A.

1981-04-01

Results of a workshop entitled 'On-Site Meteorological Instrumentation Requirements to Characterize Diffusion from Point Sources' are summarized and reported. The workshop was sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Raleigh, North Carolina, on January 15-17, 1980. Its purpose was to provide EPA with a thorough examination of the meteorological instrumentation and data collection requirements needed to characterize airborne dispersion of air contaminants from point sources and to recommend, based on an expert consensus, specific measurement technique and accuracies. Secondary purposes of the workshop were to (1) make recommendations to the National Weather Service (NWS) about collecting and archiving meteorological data that would best support air quality dispersion modeling objectives and (2) make recommendations on standardization of meteorological data reporting and quality assurance programs

Instrumentation development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ubbes, W.F.; Yow, J.L. Jr.

1988-01-01

Instrumentation is developed for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program to meet several different (and sometimes conflicting) objectives. This paper addresses instrumentation development for data needs that are related either directly or indirectly to a repository site, but does not touch on instrumentation for work with waste forms or other materials. Consequently, this implies a relatively large scale for the measurements, and an in situ setting for instrument performance. In this context, instruments are needed for site characterization to define phenomena, develop models, and obtain parameter values, and for later design and performance confirmation testing in the constructed repository. The former set of applications is more immediate, and is driven by the needs of program design and performance assessment activities. A host of general technical and nontechnical issues have arisen to challenge instrumentation development. Instruments can be classed into geomechanical, geohydrologic, or other specialty categories, but these issues cut across artificial classifications. These issues are outlined. Despite this imposing list of issues, several case histories are cited to evaluate progress in the area

Visual, instrumental, mycological and mycotoxicological characterization of wheat inoculated with and protected against Alternaria spp.

OpenAIRE

Janić-Hajnal Elizabet P.; Belović Miona M.; Plavšić Dragana V.; Mastilović Jasna S.; Bagi Ferenc F.; Budakov Dragana B.; Kos Jovana J.

2016-01-01

The aim of this work was to characterize visual properties, instrumentally measured colour properties, field fungi presence and Alternaria toxins levels in wheat samples grown under conditions aimed at inhibition and stimulation of wheat infection with fungi from the Alternaria genus. Experiment was carried out on the wheat treated by fungicide and wheat inoculated by Alternaria spp., while non treated wheat was used as a control. Statistically significant ...

The instrumentation for express characterization of historical radwaste storages and contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkovich, A.G.; Ignatov, S.M.; Danilovich, A.S.; Potapov, V.N.; Ivanov, O.P.; Stepanov, V.E.; Smirnov, S.V.

2008-01-01

A variety of special radiation measurement problems arise in planning and performance of rehabilitation activities at the radwaste disposal site (RWDS), including acquisition and refinement of data on composition, location and activity of radwaste (RW) in the old repositories, evaluation of activity of radwaste to be removed, measurement of radioactive contamination of repository structures and soil, monitoring of dose rates [1]. The old repositories are characterized by nonuniform RW distribution over the repository volume. The radwaste in the old repositories are mixed with soil, concrete and other materials. A number of new instruments and systems were developed to conduct the necessary measurements. New instruments with collimated scintillation detectors operating both in current and spectrometry modes were developed for measurements of the distribution of the RW specific activity over layers in the old repositories. The measurements are taken in exploratory wells that are drilled in the old repositories prior to their opening. The technique of specific activity measurements with collimated detectors was used when examining radioactive contamination of soil in a number of Russian contaminated territories and demonstrated a good agreement with results of sampling performed at the same time. (author)

Characterization of Conventional, Biodynamic, and Organic Purple Grape Juices by Chemical Markers, Antioxidant Capacity, and Instrumental Taste Profile

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Granato, D.; Margraf, T.; Brotzakis, I.; Capuano, E.; Ruth, van S.M.

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study were to characterize organic, biodynamic, and conventional purple grape juices (n = 31) produced in Europe based on instrumental taste profile, antioxidant activity, and some chemical markers and to propose a multivariate statistical model to analyze their quality and

Metallurgical characterization of controlled memory wire nickel-titanium rotary instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Ya; Zhou, Hui-Min; Zheng, Yu-Feng; Campbell, Les; Peng, Bin; Haapasalo, Markus

2011-11-01

To improve the fracture resistance of nickel-titanium (NiTi) files, manufacturers have introduced new alloys and developed new manufacturing processes for the fabrication of NiTi files. This study aimed to examine the phase transformation behavior and microstructure of NiTi instruments from a novel controlled memory NiTi wire (CM wire). Instruments of EndoSequence (ES), ProFile (PF), ProFile Vortex (Vortex), Twisted Files (TF), Typhoon (TYP), and Typhoon™ CM (TYP CM), all size 25/.04, were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Microstructures of etched instruments were observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with x-ray energy-dispersive spectrometric (EDS) analyses. The DSC analyses showed that each segment of the TYP CM and Vortex instruments had an austenite transformation completion or austenite-finish (A(f)) temperature exceeding 37°C, whereas the NiTi instruments made from conventional superelastic NiTi wire (ES, PF, and TYP) and TF had A(f) temperatures substantially below mouth temperature. The higher A(f) temperature of TYP CM instruments was consistent with a mixture of austenite and martensite structure, which was observed at room temperature with XRD. All NiTi instruments had room temperature martensite microstructures consisting of colonies of lenticular features with substantial twinning. EDS analysis indicated that the precipitates in all NiTi instruments were titanium-rich, with an approximate composition of Ti(2)Ni. The TYP CM and Vortex instruments with heat treatment contribute to increase austenite transformation temperature. The CM instrument has significant changes in the phase transformation behavior, compared with conventional superelastic NiTi instruments. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Technological considerations in emergency instrument preparedness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selby, J.M.

1975-01-01

The types of emergency instrumentation systems necessary to characterize the severity and extent of radiation accidents and to aid in the protection of operating personnel and personnel living near the plant are discussed. These include instruments for direct measurement of the airborne radioactive material within the facility, fixed instrumentation for ambient dose rate monitoring or area monitoring, and portable instruments for environmental monitoring

Design of a Prototype Differential Die‐Away Instrument Proposed for Swedish Spent Nuclear Fuel Characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinik, Tomas, E-mail: tomas.martinik@physics.uu.se [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Henzl, Vladimir [Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Grape, Sophie; Jansson, Peter [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Swinhoe, Martyn T.; Goodsell, Alison V. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Tobin, Stephen J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, Blekholmstorget 30, Box 250, SE-101 24 Stockholm (Sweden)

2016-06-11

As part of the United States (US) Department of Energy's Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Spent Fuel (NGSI-SF) project, the traditional Differential Die-Away (DDA) method that was originally developed for waste drum assay has been investigated and modified to provide a novel application to characterize or verify spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Following the promising, yet largely theoretical and simulation based, research of physics aspects of the DDA technique applied to SNF assay during the early stages of the NGSI-SF project, the most recent effort has been focused on the practical aspects of developing the first fully functional and deployable DDA prototype instrument for spent fuel. As a result of the collaboration among US research institutions and Sweden, the opportunity to test the newly proposed instrument's performance with commercial grade SNF at the Swedish Interim Storage Facility (Clab) emerged. Therefore the design of this instrument prototype has to accommodate the requirements of the Swedish regulator as well as specific engineering constrains given by the unique industrial environment. Within this paper, we identify key components of the DDA based instrument and we present methodology for evaluation and the results of a selection of the most relevant design parameters in order to optimize the performance for a given application, i.e. test-deployment, including assay of 50 preselected spent nuclear fuel assemblies of both pressurized (PWR) as well as boiling (BWR) water reactor type.

Characterization of transimpedance amplifier as optical to electrical converter on designing optical instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanto, D; Ula, R K

2017-01-01

Optical to electrical converter is the main components for designing of the optical instrumentations. In addition, this component is also used as signal conditioning. This component usually consists of a photo detector and amplifier. In this paper, characteristics of commercial amplifiers from Thorlabs PDA50B-EC has been observed. The experiment was conducted by diode laser with power of -5 dBm and wavelength 1310 nm; the optical attenuator to vary optical power from 0 to 60 dB, optical to electrical converter from Thorlabs Amplifier PDA50B-EC; multimode optical fiber to guide the laser; and digital voltmeter to measure the output of converter. The results of the characterization indicate that each channel amplification has a non-linear correlation between optical and electrical parameter; optical conversion measurement range of 20-23 dB to full scale; and different measurement coverage area. If this converter will be used as a part component of optical instrumentation so it should be adjusted suitably with the optical power source. Then, because of the correlation equation is not linear so calculation to determine the interpretation also should be considered in addition to the transfer function of the optical sensor. (paper)

Characterization of transimpedance amplifier as optical to electrical converter on designing optical instrumentation

Science.gov (United States)

Hanto, D.; Ula, R. K.

2017-05-01

Optical to electrical converter is the main components for designing of the optical instrumentations. In addition, this component is also used as signal conditioning. This component usually consists of a photo detector and amplifier. In this paper, characteristics of commercial amplifiers from Thorlabs PDA50B-EC has been observed. The experiment was conducted by diode laser with power of -5 dBm and wavelength 1310 nm; the optical attenuator to vary optical power from 0 to 60 dB, optical to electrical converter from Thorlabs Amplifier PDA50B-EC; multimode optical fiber to guide the laser; and digital voltmeter to measure the output of converter. The results of the characterization indicate that each channel amplification has a non-linear correlation between optical and electrical parameter; optical conversion measurement range of 20-23 dB to full scale; and different measurement coverage area. If this converter will be used as a part component of optical instrumentation so it should be adjusted suitably with the optical power source. Then, because of the correlation equation is not linear so calculation to determine the interpretation also should be considered in addition to the transfer function of the optical sensor.

Suspension Flame Spray Construction of Polyimide-Copper Layers for Marine Antifouling Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yi; Xu, Xiaomin; Suo, Xinkun; Gong, Yongfeng; Li, Hua

2018-01-01

Individual capsule-like polyimide splats have been fabricated by suspension flame spray, and the polyimide splat exhibits hollow structure with an inner pore and a tiny hole on its top surface. Enwrapping of 200-1000-nm copper particles inside the splats is accomplished during the deposition for constrained release of copper for antifouling performances. Antifouling testing of the coatings by 24-h exposure to Escherichia coli-containing artificial seawater shows that the Cu-doped splat already prohibits effectively attachment of the bacteria. The prohibited adhesion of bacteria obviously impedes formation and further development of bacterial biofilm. This capsulated splat with releasing and loading of copper biocides results in dual-functional structures bearing both release-killing and contact-killing mechanisms. The suspension flame spray route and the encapsulated structure of the polyimide-Cu coatings would open a new window for designing and constructing marine antifouling layers for long-term applications.

Nonlinear internal friction, chaos, fractal and musical instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Z.Q.; Lung, C.W.

1995-08-01

Nonlinear and structure sensitive internal friction phenomena in materials are used for characterizing musical instruments. It may be one of the most important factors influencing timbre of instruments. As a nonlinear dissipated system, chaos and fractals are fundamental peculiarities of sound spectra. It is shown that the concept of multi range fractals can be used to decompose the frequency spectra of melody. New approaches are suggested to improve the fabrication, property characterization and physical understanding of instruments. (author). 18 refs, 4 figs

Geosciences research: development of techniques and instruments for investigation geological environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

In order to understand the geological environment in Japan, new investigation techniques have been developed. These include: 1) Geological techniques for fracture characterization, 2) Nondestructive investigation techniques for detailed geological structure, 3) Instruments for hydraulic characterization, 4) Instruments for hydrochemical characterization. Results so far obtained are: 1) Fractures can be classified by their patterns, 2) The applicability and limitations of conventional geophysical methods were defined, 3) Instruments for measuring very low permeability were successfully developed, 4) Instruments for sampling formation water without changing in-situ conditions were developed. (author)

Instrumentation for Nuclear Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The objective of this project was to develop and coordinate nuclear instrumentation standards with resulting economies for the nuclear and radiation fields. There was particular emphasis on coordination and management of the Nuclear Instrument Module (NIM) System, U.S. activity involving the CAMAC international standard dataway system, the FASTBUS modular high-speed data acquisition and control system and processing and management of national nuclear instrumentation and detector standards, as well as a modest amount of assistance and consultation services to the Pollutant Characterization and Safety Research Division of the Office of Health and Environmental Research. The principal accomplishments were the development and maintenance of the NIM instrumentation system that is the predominant instrumentation system in the nuclear and radiation fields worldwide, the CAMAC digital interface system in coordination with the ESONE Committee of European Laboratories, the FASTBUS high-speed system and numerous national and international nuclear instrumentation standards

Ocean Optics Instrumentation Systems

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — FUNCTION: Provides instrumentation suites for a wide variety of measurements to characterize the ocean’s optical environment. These packages have been developed to...

Characterization of HPGe gamma spectrometric detectors systems for Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) at the Colombian Geological Survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sierra, O., E-mail: osierra@sgc.gov.co; Parrado, G., E-mail: gparrado@sgc.gov.co; Cañón, Y.; Porras, A.; Alonso, D.; Herrera, D. C.; Peña, M., E-mail: mlpena@sgc.gov.co; Orozco, J. [Colombian Geological Survey, Nuclear Affairs Technical Division, Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory, Bogota D. C. (Colombia)

2016-07-07

This paper presents the progress made by the Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) laboratory at the Colombian Geological Survey (SGC in its Spanish acronym), towards the characterization of its gamma spectrometric systems for Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), with the aim of introducing corrections to the measurements by variations in sample geometry. Characterization includes the empirical determination of the interaction point of gamma radiation inside the Germanium crystal, through the application of a linear model and the use of a fast Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) software to estimate correction factors for differences in counting efficiency that arise from variations in sample density between samples and standards.

Laboratory Scale X-ray Fluorescence Tomography: Instrument Characterization and Application in Earth and Environmental Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Laforce, Brecht; Vermeulen, Bram; Garrevoet, Jan; Vekemans, Bart; Van Hoorebeke, Luc; Janssen, Colin; Vincze, Laszlo

2016-03-15

A new laboratory scale X-ray fluorescence (XRF) imaging instrument, based on an X-ray microfocus tube equipped with a monocapillary optic, has been developed to perform XRF computed tomography experiments with both higher spatial resolution (20 μm) and a better energy resolution (130 eV @Mn-K(α)) than has been achieved up-to-now. This instrument opens a new range of possible applications for XRF-CT. Next to the analytical characterization of the setup by using well-defined model/reference samples, demonstrating its capabilities for tomographic imaging, the XRF-CT microprobe has been used to image the interior of an ecotoxicological model organism, Americamysis bahia. This had been exposed to elevated metal (Cu and Ni) concentrations. The technique allowed the visualization of the accumulation sites of copper, clearly indicating the affected organs, i.e. either the gastric system or the hepatopancreas. As another illustrative application, the scanner has been employed to investigate goethite spherules from the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, revealing the internal elemental distribution of these valuable distal ejecta layer particles.

Power station instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jervis, M.W.

1993-01-01

Power stations are characterized by a wide variety of mechanical and electrical plant operating with structures, liquids and gases working at high pressures and temperatures and with large mass flows. The voltages and currents are also the highest that occur in most industries. In order to achieve maximum economy, the plant is operated with relatively small margins from conditions that can cause rapid plant damage, safety implications, and very high financial penalties. In common with other process industries, power stations depend heavily on control and instrumentation. These systems have become particularly significant, in the cost-conscious privatized environment, for providing the means to implement the automation implicit in maintaining safety standards, improving generation efficiency and reducing operating manpower costs. This book is for professional instrumentation engineers who need to known about their use in power stations and power station engineers requiring information about the principles and choice of instrumentation available. There are 8 chapters; chapter 4 on instrumentation for nuclear steam supply systems is indexed separately. (Author)

Effect of suspension characteristics on in-flight particle properties and coating microstructures achieved by suspension plasma spray

Science.gov (United States)

Aubignat, E.; Planche, M. P.; Allimant, A.; Billières, D.; Girardot, L.; Bailly, Y.; Montavon, G.

2014-11-01

This paper focuses on the influence of suspension properties on the manufacturing of coatings by suspension plasma spraying (SPS). For this purpose, alumina suspensions were formulated with two different liquid phases: water and ethanol. Suspensions were atomized with a twin-fluid nozzle and injected in an atmospheric plasma jet. Suspension injection was optimized thanks to shadowgraphy observations and drop size distribution measurements performed by laser diffraction. In-flight particle velocities were evaluated by particle image velocimetry. In addition, splats were collected on glass substrates, with the same conditions as the ones used during the spray process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and profilometry analyses were then performed to observe the splat morphology and thus to get information on plasma / suspension interactions, such as particle agglomeration. Finally, coatings were manufactured, characterized by SEM and compared to each other.

Metallurgical characterization of M-Wire nickel-titanium shape memory alloy used for endodontic rotary instruments during low-cycle fatigue.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Jia; Gao, Yong

2012-01-01

Rotary instruments made of a new nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloy (M-Wire) have shown improved cyclic fatigue resistance and mechanical properties compared with those made of conventional superelastic NiTi wires. The objective of this study was to characterize microstructural changes of M-Wire throughout the cyclic fatigue process under controlled strain amplitude. The average fatigue life was calculated from 30 M-Wire samples that were subjected to a strain-controlled (≈ 4%) rotating bend fatigue test at room temperature and rotational speed of 300 rpm. Microstructural evolution of M-Wire has been investigated by different metallurgical characterization techniques, including differential scanning calorimetry, Vickers microhardness, and transmission electron microscopy at 4 different stages (as-received state, 30%, 60%, and 90% of average fatigue life). During rotating bend fatigue test, no statistically significant difference (P > .05) was found on austenite finish temperatures between as-received M-Wire and fatigued samples. However, significant differences (P Wire are expected to have higher strength and wear resistance than similar instruments made of conventional superelastic NiTi wires because of its unique nano-crystalline martensitic microstructure. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Instrumentation of a Microfluidic Analyzer Enabling the Characterization of the Specific Membrane Capacitance, Cytoplasm Conductivity, and Instantaneous Young's Modulus of Single Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ke; Zhao, Yang; Chen, Deyong; Huang, Chengjun; Fan, Beiyuan; Long, Rong; Hsieh, Chia-Hsun; Wang, Junbo; Wu, Min-Hsien; Chen, Jian

2017-06-19

This paper presents the instrumentation of a microfluidic analyzer enabling the characterization of single-cell biophysical properties, which includes seven key components: a microfluidic module, a pressure module, an imaging module, an impedance module, two LabVIEW platforms for instrument operation and raw data processing, respectively, and a Python code for data translation. Under the control of the LabVIEW platform for instrument operation, the pressure module flushes single cells into the microfluidic module with raw biophysical parameters sampled by the imaging and impedance modules and processed by the LabVIEW platform for raw data processing, which were further translated into intrinsic cellular biophysical parameters using the code developed in Python. Based on this system, specific membrane capacitance, cytoplasm conductivity, and instantaneous Young's modulus of three cell types were quantified as 2.76 ± 0.57 μF/cm², 1.00 ± 0.14 S/m, and 3.79 ± 1.11 kPa for A549 cells ( n cell = 202); 1.88 ± 0.31 μF/cm², 1.05 ± 0.16 S/m, and 3.74 ± 0.75 kPa for 95D cells ( n cell = 257); 2.11 ± 0.38 μF/cm², 0.87 ± 0.11 S/m, and 5.39 ± 0.89 kPa for H460 cells ( n cell = 246). As a semi-automatic instrument with a throughput of roughly 1 cell per second, this prototype instrument can be potentially used for the characterization of cellular biophysical properties.

Instrumented indentation for characterization of irradiated metals at room and high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sacksteder, Irene

2011-01-01

The reliability and sustainability of future fusion power plants will highly depend on the aptitude of materials to withstand severe irradiation conditions induced by the burning plasma in reactors. The so-called reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic (RAFM) steels are the current promising candidates for the structural applications considering the reactor's first wall. These steels exhibit irradiation embrittlement and hardening for defined irradiation conditions that are mainly characterized by the irradiation temperature and the irradiation dose. A proper characterization of such irradiated steels implies the use of adapted mechanical testing tools. In the present study, the instrumented indentation technique makes use of a post-processing tool based on neural networks. This technique has been selected for its ability to examine tensile properties by multistage indents on miniaturized irradiated metallic samples. The steel specimens studied in this project have been neutron-irradiated up to a dose of 15 dpa. They have been subsequently tested at room temperature in a Hot Cell by means of an adapted commercial indentation device. The significant irradiation-induced hardening effect present in the range of 250-350 deg C could be observed in the hardness and material's strength parameters. These two material parameters show a similar evolution with increasing irradiation temperatures. Post-irradiation annealing treatments of Eurofer97 have been realized and leads to a partial recovery of the irradiation damage. Considering the demands for characterization in irradiated steels at high temperature and for post-irradiation annealing experiments, the existing instrumented indentation device has been further developed during this work. A conceptual design has been proposed for an indentation testing machine, operating at up to 650 deg C, while remaining the critical temperature limit for tensile strength of the newly developed oxide dispersion strengthening ferritic

Nucleonic instruments from VUPJT Tesla

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smola, J.

1986-01-01

The instruments currently produced by Tesla Premysleni are listed and briefly characterized. They include a low level alpha-beta counter, an automatic low level alpha-beta counter, detection units for environmental sample counting, instruments for measuring specific activity of liquids and radon concentration in water, a radioactive aerosol meter, dose ratemeters, portable alpha-beta indicators for surface contamintion monitoring, neutron monitors, single-, two- and three-channel spectrometric units. (M.D.)

Instrumentation requirements for the ESF thermomechanical experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pott, J.; Brechtel, C.E.

1992-01-01

In situ thermomechanical experiments are planned as part of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project that require instruments to measure stress and displacement at temperatures that exceed the typical specifications of existing geotechnical instruments. A high degree of instrument reliability will also be required to satisfy the objectives of the experiments, therefore a study was undertaken to identify areas where improvement in instrument performance was required. A preliminary list of instruments required for the experiments was developed, based on existing test planning and analysis. Projected temperature requirements were compared to specifications of existing instruments to identify instrumentation development needs. Different instrument technologies, not currently employed in geotechnical instrumentation, were reviewed to identify potential improvements of existing designs for the high temperature environment. Technologies with strong potentials to improve instrument performance with relatively high reliability include graphite fiber composite materials, fiber optics, and video imagery

New techniques for the scientific visualization of three-dimensional multi-variate and vector fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crawfis, Roger A. [Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)

1995-10-01

Volume rendering allows us to represent a density cloud with ideal properties (single scattering, no self-shadowing, etc.). Scientific visualization utilizes this technique by mapping an abstract variable or property in a computer simulation to a synthetic density cloud. This thesis extends volume rendering from its limitation of isotropic density clouds to anisotropic and/or noisy density clouds. Design aspects of these techniques are discussed that aid in the comprehension of scientific information. Anisotropic volume rendering is used to represent vector based quantities in scientific visualization. Velocity and vorticity in a fluid flow, electric and magnetic waves in an electromagnetic simulation, and blood flow within the body are examples of vector based information within a computer simulation or gathered from instrumentation. Understand these fields can be crucial to understanding the overall physics or physiology. Three techniques for representing three-dimensional vector fields are presented: Line Bundles, Textured Splats and Hair Splats. These techniques are aimed at providing a high-level (qualitative) overview of the flows, offering the user a substantial amount of information with a single image or animation. Non-homogenous volume rendering is used to represent multiple variables. Computer simulations can typically have over thirty variables, which describe properties whose understanding are useful to the scientist. Trying to understand each of these separately can be time consuming. Trying to understand any cause and effect relationships between different variables can be impossible. NoiseSplats is introduced to represent two or more properties in a single volume rendering of the data. This technique is also aimed at providing a qualitative overview of the flows.

Surveillance of instruments by noise analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thie, J.A.

1981-01-01

Random fluctuations of neutron flux, temperature, and pressure in a reactor provide multifrequency excitation of the corresponding instrumentation chains. Mathematical descriptors suitable for characterizing the output, or noise, of the instrumentation are reviewed with a view toward using such noise in detecting instrument faults. Demonstrations of the feasibility of this approach in a number of reactors provide illustrative examples. Comparisons with traditional surveillance testing are made, and a number of advantages and some disadvantages of using noise analysis as a supplementary technique are pointed out

Ocean Optics Protocols for Satellite Ocean Color Sensor Validation, Revision 4, Volume IV: Inherent Optical Properties: Instruments, Characterizations, Field Measurements and Data Analysis Protocols

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, J. L.; Fargion, G. S.; McClain, C. R. (Editor); Pegau, S.; Zanefeld, J. R. V.; Mitchell, B. G.; Kahru, M.; Wieland, J.; Stramska, M.

2003-01-01

This document stipulates protocols for measuring bio-optical and radiometric data for the Sensor Intercomparision and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) Project activities and algorithm development. The document is organized into 6 separate volumes as Ocean Optics Protocols for Satellite Ocean Color Sensor Validation, Revision 4. Volume I: Introduction, Background, and Conventions; Volume II: Instrument Specifications, Characterization and Calibration; Volume III: Radiometric Measurements and Data Analysis Methods; Volume IV: Inherent Optical Properties: Instruments, Characterization, Field Measurements and Data Analysis Protocols; Volume V: Biogeochemical and Bio-Optical Measurements and Data Analysis Methods; Volume VI: Special Topics in Ocean Optics Protocols and Appendices. The earlier version of Ocean Optics Protocols for Satellite Ocean Color Sensor Validation, Revision 3 is entirely superseded by the six volumes of Revision 4 listed above.

[The development of an oral biomechanical testing instrument].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, X H; Sun, X D; Lin, Z

2000-03-01

An oral biomechanical testing instrument, which is portable, powered with batteries and controlled by single chip microcomputer, was described. The instrument was characterized by its multichannel, high accuracy, low power dissipation, wide rage of force measurement and stable performance. It can be used for acquisiting, displaying and storing data. And it may be expected to be an ideal instrument for oral biomechanical measurements.

Radiometric characterization of space instrumentation; Radiometrische Charakterisierung von Weltrauminstrumentierung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gottwald, Alexander [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Berlin (Germany). Arbeitsgruppe ' UV- und VUV-Radiometrie' ; Klein, Roman; Krumrey, Michael; Mueller, Peter; Paustian, Wolfgang; Reichel, Thomas; Scholze, Frank; Thornagel, Reiner

2014-09-15

The calibration of detectors for space experiments using synchrotron radiation is described. Especially considered are spectrographs for the solar radiometry and instruments for X-ray astronomy. (HSI)

Generalized Distance Transforms and Skeletons in Graphics Hardware

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strzodka, R.; Telea, A.

2004-01-01

We present a framework for computing generalized distance transforms and skeletons of two-dimensional objects using graphics hardware. Our method is based on the concept of footprint splatting. Combining different splats produces weighted distance transforms for different metrics, as well as the

Spectroscopic Analysis to Characterize Finishing Treatments of Ancient Bowed String Instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiocco, Giacomo; Rovetta, Tommaso; Gulmini, Monica; Piccirillo, Anna; Licchelli, Maurizio; Malagodi, Marco

2017-11-01

Historical bowed string instruments exhibit acoustic features and aesthetic appeal that are still considered inimitable. These characteristics seem to be in large part determined by the materials used in the ground and varnishing treatments after the assembly of the instrument. These finishing processes were kept secret by the violinmakers and the traditional methods were handed down orally from master craftsmen to apprentices. Today, the methods of the past can represent a secret to be revealed through scientific investigations. The "Cremonese" methods used in the 17th and 18th centuries were lost as the last Great Masters from the Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari families passed away. In this study, we had the chance of combining noninvasive and microinvasive techniques on six fragments of historical musical instruments. The fragments were detached from different instruments during extraordinary maintenance and restoration treatments, which involved the substitution of severely damaged structural parts like top plates, back plates, or ribs. Therefore, the fragments can offer to the scientists a valuable overview on the materials and techniques used by the violinmakers. The results obtained by portable X-ray fluorescence, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared microscopy allowed us to: (1) determine the stratigraphy of six instruments; (2) obtain new information about the materials involved in the finishing processes employed in Cremona; and (3) elucidate the technological relationship among the procedures adopted in the violin making workshops during the considered period.

Virtual Sensor Test Instrumentation, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Mobitrum has started the development of virtual sensor test instrumentation in Phase I for characterization and measurement of ground testing of propulsion systems....

Characterization of aerosol particles from grass mowing by joint deployment of ToF-AMS and ATOFMS instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Drewnick, Frank; Dall'Osto, Manuel; Harrison, Roy

During a measurement campaign at a semi-urban/industrial site a grass-cutting event was observed, when the lawn in the immediate surrounding of the measurement site was mowed. Using a wide variety of state-of-the-art aerosol measurement technology allowed a broad characterization of the aerosol generated by the lawn mowing. The instrumentation included two on-line aerosol mass spectrometers: an Aerodyne Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (ToF-AMS) and a TSI Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (ATOFMS); in addition, a selection of on-line aerosol concentration and size distribution instruments (OPC, APS, SMPS, CPC, FDMS-TEOM, MAAP) was deployed. From comparison of background aerosol measurements during most of the day with the aerosol measured during the lawn mowing, the grass cutting was found to generate mainly two different types of aerosol particles: an intense ultrafine particle mode (1 h average: 4 μg m -3) of almost pure hydrocarbon-like organics and a distinct particle mode in the upper sub-micrometer size range containing particles with potassium and nitrogen-organic compounds. The ultrafine particles are probably lubricating oil particles from the lawn mower exhaust; the larger particles are swirled-up plant debris particles from the mowing process. While these particle types were identified in the data from the two mass spectrometers, the on-line aerosol concentration and size distribution data support these findings. The results presented here show that the combination of quantitative aerosol particle ensemble mass spectrometry (ToF-AMS) and single particle mass spectrometry (ATOFMS) provides much deeper insights into the nature of the aerosol properties than each of the instruments could do alone. Therefore a combined deployment of both types of instruments is strongly recommended.

Characteristics of protective instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichart, G.

1982-01-01

Protective Instrumentation (PI) for Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) is a general term for an highly reliable instrumentation, which provides information for keeping the system within safe limits, for initation of countermeasures in the case of an incident or for mitigation of consequences of an accident. In German NPPs one can find a hierarchical structure of protective instrumentation, wherein the Reactor Protection System (RPS) has the highest priority. To meet the reliability requirements different design principles are used, like - redundancy - diversity - fail safe - decoupling. The presentation gives an overview about the different design principles and characterizes their reliability aspects. As an example for the technical realization the RPS of a German NPP is discussed in some detail. Furthermore some information about other type of PI is given and reliability aspects of the interaction of operating personell with these systems are mentioned. (orig.)

On the relevance of spectral features for instrument classification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Andreas Brinch; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur; Hansen, Lars Kai

2007-01-01

Automatic knowledge extraction from music signals is a key component for most music organization and music information retrieval systems. In this paper, we consider the problem of instrument modelling and instrument classification from the rough audio data. Existing systems for automatic instrument...... classification operate normally on a relatively large number of features, from which those related to the spectrum of the audio signal are particularly relevant. In this paper, we confront two different models about the spectral characterization of musical instruments. The first assumes a constant envelope...

Impact of plasma-sprayed metal particles on hot and cold glass surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, A.; Lamontagne, M.; Moreau, C.; Chandra, S.

2006-01-01

Plasma-sprayed molten molybdenum and amorphous steel particles (38-55 μm diameter) were photographed during impact (velocity 120-200 m/s) and spreading on a smooth glass surface that was maintained at either room temperature or 400 deg. C. Droplets approaching the surface were identified by a photodetector and after a known delay, a 5-ns laser pulse was triggered to illuminate the spreading splat and photograph it with a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. A rapid two-color pyrometer was used to collect thermal radiation from particles during flight and impact to follow the evolution of their temperature and size. Particles that impacted the surface at room temperature ruptured and splashed, leaving a small central solidified core on the substrate. On a surface held at 400 deg. C, there was no splashing and a circular, disk-like splat remained on the surface. Splats on a glass surface held at room temperature had a maximum spread diameter almost three times that on a hot surface. A simple analysis was done to estimate the area of the splat in contact with the non-heated glass surface during spreading. The analysis supports the hypothesis that only a portion of the splat is in good contact with the surface at room temperature, while the rest of the fluid is separated from the substrate by a gas barrier

Impact-disrupted gunshot residue: A sub-micron analysis using a novel collection protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Spathis

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The analysis of gunshot residue (GSR has played an integral role within the legal system in relation to shooting cases. With a characteristic elemental composition of lead, antimony, barium, and a typically discriminative spheroidal morphology, the presence and distribution of GSR can aid in firearm investigations. In this experiment, three shots of low velocity rim-fire ammunition were fired over polished silicon collection substrates placed at six intervals over a 100 cm range. The samples were analysed using a Field Emission Gun Scanning Electron Microscope (FEG-SEM in conjunction with an X-flash Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX detector, allowing for GSR particle analyses of composition and structure at the sub-micron level. The results of this experiment indicate that although classic spheroidal particles are present consistently throughout the entire range of samples their sizes vary significantly, and at certain distances from the firearm particles with an irregular morphology were discerned, forming “impact-disrupted” GSR particles, henceforth colloquially referred to as “splats”. Upon further analysis, trends with regards to the formation of these splat particles were distinguished. An increase in splat frequency was observed starting at 10 cm from the firearm, with 147 mm−2 splat density, reaching a maximal flux at 40 cm (451 mm−2, followed by a gradual decrease to the maximum range sampled. Moreover, the structural morphology of the splats changes throughout the sampling range. At the distances closest to the firearm, molten-looking particles were formed, demonstrating the metallic residues were in a liquid state when their flight path was disrupted. However, at increased distances-primarily where the discharge plume was at maximum dispersion and moving away from the firearm, the residues have had time to cool in-fight resulting in semi-congealed and solid particles that subsequently disrupted upon impact, forming more

Instrument pre-development activities for FLEX

Science.gov (United States)

Pettinato, L.; Fossati, E.; Coppo, P. M.; Taiti, A.; Labate, D.; Capanni, A.; Taccola, M.; Bézy, J. L.; Francois, M.; Meynart, R.; Erdmann, L.; Triebel, P.

2017-09-01

The FLuorescence Imaging Spectrometer (FLORIS) is the payload of the FLuorescence Explorer Mission (FLEX) of the European Space Agency. The mission objective is to perform quantitative measurements of the solar induced vegetation fluorescence to monitor photosynthetic activity. FLORIS works in a push-broom configuration and it is designed to acquire data in the 500-780 nm spectral range, with a sampling of 0.1 nm in the oxygen bands (759-769 nm and 686- 697 nm) and 0.5-2.0 nm in the red edge, chlorophyll absorption and Photochemical Reflectance Index bands. FLEX will fly in formation with Sentinel-3 to benefit of the measurements made by the Sentinel-3 instruments OLCI and SLSTR, particularly for cloud screening, proper characterization of the atmospheric state and determination of the surface temperature. The instrument concept is based on a common telescope and two modified Offner spectrometers with reflective concave gratings both for the High Resolution (HR) and Low Resolution (LR) spectrometers. In the frame of the instrument pre-development Leonardo Company (I) has built and tested an elegant breadboard of the instrument consisting of the telescope and the HR spectrometer. The development of the LR spectrometer is in charge of OHB System AG (D) and is currently in the manufacturing phase. The main objectives of the activity are: anticipate the development of the instrument and provide early risk retirement of critical components, evaluate the system performances such as imaging quality parameters, straylight, ghost, polarization sensitivity and environmental influences, verify the adequacy of critical tests such as spectral characterization and straylight, define and optimize instrument alignment procedures. Following a brief overview of the FLEX mission, the paper will cover the design and the development of the optics breadboard with emphasis on the results obtained during the tests and the lessons learned for the flight unit.

Technical presentation - KEITHLEY Instruments - CANCELLED

CERN Multimedia

FI Department

2009-01-01

10 March 2009 13:30 – 15:30, Council Chamber, Bldg. 503 Keithley markets highly accurate instruments and data acquisition products, as well as complete system solutions for high-volume production and assembly testing. Keithley Instruments, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures and markets complex electronic instruments and systems geared to the specialized needs of electronics manufacturers for high-performance production testing, process monitoring, product development and research. Products and Services: Digital Multimeters and Data Acquisition Systems Current / Voltage Source and Measure Products Low Current / High Resistance Measurement Products Function/Pulse/Arbitrary/Pattern Generators Low Voltage/Low Resistance Measurement Products RF Spectrum Analyzer / RF Signal Generator / RF Switching Semiconductor Device Characterization Program: Topic 1: Welcome and short overview of new Products SMU 26XXA / ARB Generator 3390 / DMM 3706 / E-Meter 6517B Topic 2a: Te...

ACCELERATED SITE TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT COST AND PERFORMANCE REPORT COMPARABILITY OF ISOCS INSTRUMENT IN RADIONUCLIDE CHARACTERICATION AT BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

KALB,P.; LUCKETT,L.; MILLER,K.; GOGOLAK,C.; MILIAN,L.

2001-03-01

This report describes a DOE Accelerated Site Technology Deployment project being conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory to deploy innovative, radiological, in situ analytical techniques. The technologies are being deployed in support of efforts to characterize the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR) facility, which is currently undergoing decontamination and decommissioning. This report focuses on the deployment of the Canberra Industries In Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) and assesses its data comparability to baseline methods of sampling and laboratory analysis. The battery-operated, field deployable gamma spectrometer provides traditional spectra of counts as a function of gamma energy. The spectra are then converted to radionuclide concentration by applying innovative efficiency calculations using monte carlo statistical methods and pre-defined geometry templates in the analysis software. Measurement of gamma emitting radionuclides has been accomplished during characterization of several BGRR components including the Pile Fan Sump, Above Ground Ducts, contaminated cooling fans, and graphite pile internals. Cs-137 is the predominant gamma-emitting radionuclide identified, with smaller quantities of Co-60 and Am-241 detected. The Project used the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual guidance and the Data Quality Objectives process to provide direction for survey planning and data quality assessment. Analytical results have been used to calculate data quality indicators (DQI) for the ISOCS measurements. Among the DQIs assessed in the report are sensitivity, accuracy, precision, bias, and minimum detectable concentration. The assessment of the in situ data quality using the DQIs demonstrates that the ISOCS data quality can be comparable to definitive level laboratory analysis when the field instrument is supported by an appropriate Quality Assurance Project Plan. A discussion of the results obtained by ISOCS analysis of

ACCELERATED SITE TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT COST AND PERFORMANCE REPORT COMPARABILITY OF ISOCS INSTRUMENT IN RADIONUCLIDE CHARACTERICATION AT BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KALB, P.; LUCKETT, L.; MILLER, K.; GOGOLAK, C.; MILIAN, L.

2001-01-01

This report describes a DOE Accelerated Site Technology Deployment project being conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory to deploy innovative, radiological, in situ analytical techniques. The technologies are being deployed in support of efforts to characterize the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR) facility, which is currently undergoing decontamination and decommissioning. This report focuses on the deployment of the Canberra Industries In Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) and assesses its data comparability to baseline methods of sampling and laboratory analysis. The battery-operated, field deployable gamma spectrometer provides traditional spectra of counts as a function of gamma energy. The spectra are then converted to radionuclide concentration by applying innovative efficiency calculations using monte carlo statistical methods and pre-defined geometry templates in the analysis software. Measurement of gamma emitting radionuclides has been accomplished during characterization of several BGRR components including the Pile Fan Sump, Above Ground Ducts, contaminated cooling fans, and graphite pile internals. Cs-137 is the predominant gamma-emitting radionuclide identified, with smaller quantities of Co-60 and Am-241 detected. The Project used the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual guidance and the Data Quality Objectives process to provide direction for survey planning and data quality assessment. Analytical results have been used to calculate data quality indicators (DQI) for the ISOCS measurements. Among the DQIs assessed in the report are sensitivity, accuracy, precision, bias, and minimum detectable concentration. The assessment of the in situ data quality using the DQIs demonstrates that the ISOCS data quality can be comparable to definitive level laboratory analysis when the field instrument is supported by an appropriate Quality Assurance Project Plan. A discussion of the results obtained by ISOCS analysis of

Chemical and Physical Properties of Individual Aerosol Particles Characterized in Sacramento, CA during CARES Field Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Zelenyuk, A.; Beranek, J.; Vaden, T.; Imre, D. G.; Zaveri, R. A.

2011-12-01

We present results of measurements conducted by our Single Particle Mass Spectrometer, SPLAT II, in Sacramento, CA over the month of June 2010. SPLAT II measured the size of 195 million particles, and compositions of 10 million particles. In addition to size and composition, SPLAT II simultaneously measured size, density and composition of 121,000 individual particles. These measurements were conducted 2 - 3 times per day, depending on conditions. The data show that throughout the day particles were relatively small (<200 nm), and the vast majority were composed of oxygenated organics mixed with various amounts of sulfate. In addition, we characterized fresh and processed soot, biomass burning aerosol, organic amines, fresh and processed sea salt, and few dust particles. The data show a reproducible diurnal pattern in aerosol size distributions, number concentrations, and compositions. Early in the day, number concentrations were low, particles were very small, and the size distributions peaked at ~70 nm. At this time of the day, 80 nm particles had a density of 1.3 g cm-3; while the density of 200 nm particles was 1.6 g cm-3, consistent with our mass spectra showing that smaller particles were composed of organics mixed with ~10% sulfates, while larger particles were composed mostly of sulfate mixed with a small amount of organics. Later in the day, secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formation led to a number of nucleation events that significantly increased the number concentrations of very small particles. By mid-afternoon, as more SOA formed and condensed, particles increased in size the number concentrations of particles larger than 70 nm increased and the densities of particles 80 to 200 nm particles was ~1.3 g cm-3. The vast majority of these particles were composed of oxygenated organics mixed with a ~10% sulfate. In other words they were SOA particles mixed with a small amount of sulfate. The mass spectra of these particles shows that there were two types of

Pragmatic electrical engineering systems and instruments

CERN Document Server

Eccles, William

2011-01-01

Pragmatic Electrical Engineering: Systems and Instruments is about some of the non-energy parts of electrical systems, the parts that control things and measure physical parameters. The primary topics are control systems and their characterization, instrumentation, signals, and electromagnetic compatibility. This text features a large number of completely worked examples to aid the reader in understanding how the various principles fit together.While electric engineers may find this material useful as a review, engineers in other fields can use this short lecture text as a modest introduction

Fusion instrumentation and control: a development strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, P.Y.; Greninger, R.C.; Longhurst, G.R.; Madden, P.

1981-01-01

We have examined requirements for a fusion instrumentation and control development program to determine where emphasis is needed. The complex, fast, and closely coupled system dynamics of fusion reactors reveal a need for a rigorous approach to the development of instrumentation and control systems. A framework for such a development program should concentrate on three principal need areas: the operator-machine interface, the data and control system architecture, and fusion compatible instruments and sensors. System dynamics characterization of the whole fusion reactor system is also needed to facilitate the implementation process in each of these areas. Finally, the future need to make the instrumentation and control system compatible with the requirements of a commercial plant is met by applying transition technology. These needs form the basis for the program tasks suggested

Automation Of An l-V Characterization System

OpenAIRE

Noriega, J. R.; Vera-Marquina, A.; Acosta Enríquez, C.

2010-01-01

In this paper, an accurate I-V virtual instrument (VI) that has been developed to characterize electronic devices for research and teaching purposes is demonstrated. The virtual instrument can be used to highlight principles of measurement, instrumentation, fundamental principles of electronics, VI programming, device testing and characterization in wafer or discrete device level. It consists of a Keithley electrometer, model 6514, a programmable power supply BK Precision, model 1770, a Keith...

An actuated force feedback-enabled laparoscopic instrument for robotic-assisted surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Moradi Dalvand, Mohsen; Shirinzadeh, Bijan; Shamdani, Amir Hossein; Smith, Julian; Zhong, Yongmin

2014-03-01

Robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery systems not only have the advantages of traditional laparoscopic instruments but also have other important advantages, including restoring the surgeon's hand-eye coordination and improving the surgeon's precision by filtering hand tremors. Unfortunately, these benefits have come at the expense of the surgeon's ability to feel. Various solutions for restoring this feature have been proposed. An actuated modular force feedback-enabled laparoscopic instrument was proposed that is able to measure tip-tissue lateral interaction forces as well as normal grasping forces. The instrument has also the capability to adjust the grasping direction inside the patient body. In order to measure the interaction forces, strain gauges were employed. A series of finite element analyses were performed to gain an understanding of the actual magnitude of surface strains where gauges are applied. The strain gauge bridge configurations were calibrated. A series of experiments was conducted and the results were analysed. The modularity feature of the proposed instrument makes it interchangeable between various tip types of different functionalities (e.g. cutter, grasper, dissector). Calibration results of the strain gauges incorporated into the tube and at the base of the instrument presented the monotonic responses for these strain gauge configurations. Experimental results from tissue probing and tissue characterization experiments verified the capability of the proposed instrument in measuring lateral probing forces and characterizing artificial tissue samples of varying stiffness. The proposed instrument can improve the quality of palpation and characterization of soft tissues of varying stiffness by restoring sense of touch in robotic assisted minimally invasive surgery operations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Characterization of different qualities in X-rays, for instruments calibration in radiological protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cejudo A, J.; Tovar M, V. M.; Vergara M, F.

2010-09-01

In the Secondary Laboratory of Dosimetric Calibration in Mexico was realized the qualities characterization of the series X-rays RQR reported in the International Code of Practices in Dosimetry and Diagnostic Radiology No. 457, using attenuator filters of high purity aluminum and ionizing radiation equipment of inherent filtration of 4 mm Be with and emergent X-radiation beam of 40 grades. For the attenuation was used a geometric arrangement with three beam limiters and a monitor camera prepared on the established form in the mentioned technical report, and a spherical ionization chamber with collection volume of 3.6 cm 3 , aligning its geometric center with the focus of X-rays tube to get that the incident radiation direction will be perpendicular to the ionization chamber. From the perspective of the radiological protection is important to know the X-radiation quality for the application dedicated to the instruments calibration and can to give to these the traceability to a reference laboratory, this way the quality combination and reference chamber can give as a result a procedure for the evaluation of the entrance in surface dose to estimate the dose orientate levels, specified in the basic standards of safety. (Author)

The SpeX Prism Library Analysis Toolkit: Design Considerations and First Results

Science.gov (United States)

Burgasser, Adam J.; Aganze, Christian; Escala, Ivana; Lopez, Mike; Choban, Caleb; Jin, Yuhui; Iyer, Aishwarya; Tallis, Melisa; Suarez, Adrian; Sahi, Maitrayee

2016-01-01

Various observational and theoretical spectral libraries now exist for galaxies, stars, planets and other objects, which have proven useful for classification, interpretation, simulation and model development. Effective use of these libraries relies on analysis tools, which are often left to users to develop. In this poster, we describe a program to develop a combined spectral data repository and Python-based analysis toolkit for low-resolution spectra of very low mass dwarfs (late M, L and T dwarfs), which enables visualization, spectral index analysis, classification, atmosphere model comparison, and binary modeling for nearly 2000 library spectra and user-submitted data. The SpeX Prism Library Analysis Toolkit (SPLAT) is being constructed as a collaborative, student-centered, learning-through-research model with high school, undergraduate and graduate students and regional science teachers, who populate the database and build the analysis tools through quarterly challenge exercises and summer research projects. In this poster, I describe the design considerations of the toolkit, its current status and development plan, and report the first published results led by undergraduate students. The combined data and analysis tools are ideal for characterizing cool stellar and exoplanetary atmospheres (including direct exoplanetary spectra observations by Gemini/GPI, VLT/SPHERE, and JWST), and the toolkit design can be readily adapted for other spectral datasets as well.This material is based upon work supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. NNX15AI75G. SPLAT code can be found at https://github.com/aburgasser/splat.

A high-precision instrument for mapping of rotational errors in rotary stages

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Weihe; Lauer, Kenneth; Chu, Yong; Nazaretski, Evgeny

2014-10-02

A rotational stage is a key component of every X-ray instrument capable of providing tomographic or diffraction measurements. To perform accurate three-dimensional reconstructions, runout errors due to imperfect rotation (e.g.circle of confusion) must be quantified and corrected. A dedicated instrument capable of full characterization and circle of confusion mapping in rotary stages down to the sub-10 nm level has been developed. A high-stability design, with an array of five capacitive sensors, allows simultaneous measurements of wobble, radial and axial displacements. The developed instrument has been used for characterization of two mechanical stages which are part of an X-ray microscope.

Characterization of the Goubau line for testing beam diagnostic instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, S. Y.; Stulle, F.; Sung, C. K.; Yoo, K. H.; Seok, J.; Moon, K. J.; Choi, C. U.; Chung, Y.; Kim, G.; Woo, H. J.; Kwon, J.; Lee, I. G.; Choi, E. M.; Chung, M.

2017-12-01

One of the main characteristics of the Goubau line is that it supports a low-loss, non-radiated surface wave guided by a dielectric-coated metal wire. The dominant mode of the surface wave along the Goubau line is a TM01 mode, which resembles the pattern of the electromagnetic fields induced in the metallic beam pipe when the charged particle beam passes through it. Therefore, the Goubau line can be used for the preliminary bench test and performance optimization of the beam diagnostic instruments without requiring charged particle beams from the accelerators. In this paper, we discuss the basic properties of the Goubau line for testing beam diagnostic instruments and present the initial test results for button-type beam position monitors (BPMs). The experimental results are consistent with the theoretical estimations, which indicates that Goubau line allows effective testing of beam diagnostic equipment.

Optimization of Arc-Sprayed Ni-Cr-Ti Coatings for High Temperature Corrosion Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, S.; Schweizer, M.

2013-04-01

High Cr content Ni-Cr-Ti arc-spray coatings have proven successful in resisting the high temperature sulfidizing conditions found in black liquor recovery boilers in the pulp and paper industry. The corrosion resistance of the coatings is dependent upon the coating composition, to form chromium sulfides and oxides to seal the coating, and on the coating microstructure. Selection of the arc-spray parameters influences the size, temperature and velocity of the molten droplets generated during spraying, which in turn dictates the coating composition and formation of the critical coating microstructural features—splat size, porosity and oxide content. Hence it is critical to optimize the arc-spray parameters in order to maximize the corrosion resistance of the coating. In this work the effect of key spray parameters (current, voltage, spray distance and gas atomizing pressure) on the coating splat thickness, porosity content, oxide content, microhardness, thickness, and surface profile were investigated using a full factorial design of experiment. Based on these results a set of oxidized, porous and optimized coatings were prepared and characterized in detail for follow-up corrosion testing.

Perceptually Salient Regions of the Modulation Power Spectrum for Musical Instrument Identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Thoret, Etienne; Depalle, Philippe; McAdams, Stephen

2017-01-01

The ability of a listener to recognize sound sources, and in particular musical instruments from the sounds they produce, raises the question of determining the acoustical information used to achieve such a task. It is now well known that the shapes of the temporal and spectral envelopes are crucial to the recognition of a musical instrument. More recently, Modulation Power Spectra (MPS) have been shown to be a representation that potentially explains the perception of musical instrument sounds. Nevertheless, the question of which specific regions of this representation characterize a musical instrument is still open. An identification task was applied to two subsets of musical instruments: tuba, trombone, cello, saxophone, and clarinet on the one hand, and marimba, vibraphone, guitar, harp, and viola pizzicato on the other. The sounds were processed with filtered spectrotemporal modulations with 2D Gaussian windows. The most relevant regions of this representation for instrument identification were determined for each instrument and reveal the regions essential for their identification. The method used here is based on a "molecular approach," the so-called bubbles method. Globally, the instruments were correctly identified and the lower values of spectrotemporal modulations are the most important regions of the MPS for recognizing instruments. Interestingly, instruments that were confused with each other led to non-overlapping regions and were confused when they were filtered in the most salient region of the other instrument. These results suggest that musical instrument timbres are characterized by specific spectrotemporal modulations, information which could contribute to music information retrieval tasks such as automatic source recognition.

Metallurgical characterization of a new nickel-titanium wire for rotary endodontic instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Alapati, Satish B; Brantley, William A; Iijima, Masahiro; Clark, William A T; Kovarik, Libor; Buie, Caesar; Liu, Jie; Ben Johnson, William

2009-11-01

A novel thermomechanical processing procedure has been developed that yields a superelastic (SE) nickel-titanium (NiTi) wire (M-Wire) that laboratory testing shows has improved mechanical properties compared with conventional SE austenitic NiTi wires used for manufacture of rotary instruments. The objective of this study was to determine the origin of the improved mechanical properties. Specimens from 2 batches of M-Wire prepared under different processing conditions and from 1 batch of standard-processed SE wire for rotary instruments were examined by scanning transmission electron microscopy, temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry, micro-x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy with x-ray energy-dispersive spectrometric analyses. The processing for M-Wire yields a microstructure containing martensite, that the proportions of NiTi phases depend on processing conditions, and that the microstructure exhibits pronounced evidence of alloy strengthening. The presence of Ti(2)Ni precipitates in both microstructures indicates that M-Wire and the conventional SE wire for rotary instruments are titanium-rich.

Slingram EMI Devices for Characterizing Resistive Features Using Apparent Conductivity Measurements: check of the DualEM-421S Instrument and Field Tests

OpenAIRE

Dabas , Michel; Anest , Antoine; Thiesson , Julien; Tabbagh , Alain

2016-01-01

International audience; This article addresses the characterization of resistive archaeological targets and near surface structures by electromagnetic induction (EMI). It presents tests achieved with the DualEM-421S instrument (Dualem Inc., Milton, Canada) in order to be able to quantitatively compare these measurements to the standard technique of direct-current (d.c.) resistivity. The test was done over the Gallo-roman site of Vieil-Evreux in Normandy, France and one-dimensional (1D) and th...

Comparison of SANS instruments at reactors and pulsed sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thiyagarajan, P.; Epperson, J.E.; Crawford, R.K.; Carpenter, J.M.; Hjelm, R.P. Jr.

1992-01-01

Small angle neutron scattering is a general purpose technique to study long range fluctuations and hence has been applied in almost every field of science for material characterization. SANS instruments can be built at steady state reactors and at the pulsed neutron sources where time-of-flight (TOF) techniques are used. The steady state instruments usually give data over small q ranges and in order to cover a large q range these instruments have to be reconfigured several times and SANS measurements have to be made. These instruments have provided better resolution and higher data rates within their restricted q ranges until now, but the TOF instruments are now developing to comparable performance. The TOF-SANS instruments, by using a wide band of wavelengths, can cover a wide dynamic q range in a single measurement. This is a big advantage for studying systems that are changing and those which cannot be exactly reproduced. This paper compares the design concepts and performances of these two types of instruments

Topographic characterization of nanostructures on curved polymer surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feidenhans'l, Nikolaj Agentoft; Petersen, Jan C.; Taboryski, Rafael J.

2014-01-01

The availability of portable instrumentation for characterizing surface topography on the micro- and nanometer scale is very limited. Particular the handling of curved surfaces, both concave and convex, is complicated or not possible on current instrumentation. However, the currently growing use...... method with a portable instrument that can be used in a production environment, and topographically characterize nanometer-scale surface structures on both flat and curved surfaces. To facilitate the commercialization of injection moulded polymer parts featuring nanostructures, it is pivotal...... of injection moulding of polymer parts featuring nanostructured surfaces, requires an instrument that can characterize these structures to ensure replication-confidence between master structure and replicated polymer parts. This project concerns the development of a metrological traceable quality control...

Scientific instruments, scientific progress and the cyclotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baird, David; Faust, Thomas

1990-01-01

Philosophers speak of science in terms of theory and experiment, yet when they speak of the progress of scientific knowledge they speak in terms of theory alone. In this article it is claimed that scientific knowledge consists of, among other things, scientific instruments and instrumental techniques and not simply of some kind of justified beliefs. It is argued that one aspect of scientific progress can be characterized relatively straightforwardly - the accumulation of new scientific instruments. The development of the cyclotron is taken to illustrate this point. Eight different activities which promoted the successful completion of the cyclotron are recognised. The importance is in the machine rather than the experiments which could be run on it and the focus is on how the cyclotron came into being, not how it was subsequently used. The completed instrument is seen as a useful unit of scientific progress in its own right. (UK)

Sandia Laboratories technical capabilities: instrumentation and data systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundergain, C.D.; Mead, P.L.

1975-12-01

This report characterizes the instrumentation and data systems capabilities at Sandia Laboratories. Selected applications of these capabilities are presented to illustrate the extent to which they can be applied in research and development programs

Materials Characterization Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Materials Characterization Facility enables detailed measurements of the properties of ceramics, polymers, glasses, and composites. It features instrumentation...

Enhancements to and characterization of the very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) prototype instrument and applications to shallow subsurface imaging at sites in the DOE complex. 1998 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chew, W.C.; Wright, D.L.

1998-01-01

'The objective of this project is to enhance the state-of-the-art of electromagnetic imaging of the shallow (0 to 5 m) subsurface in electrically conductive media where ground penetrating radar (GPR) provides insufficient penetration and time domain electromagnetic (TEM) systems provide insufficient resolution. This objective is being pursued by instrumentation enhancements to the existing very early time electromagnetic (VETEM) system coupled with physical and numerical modeling. Success in this endeavor will improve the speed and accuracy of waste pit and trench location and characterization, and could have additional applications to shallow DNAPL and LNAPL spill and cleanup monitoring, clay cap integrity assessment, and landfill stabilization monitoring. This could result in significant savings in time and money during characterization, remediation, and decommissioning of facilities. This report summarizes accomplishments after 8 months of a three-year project. The authors have focused mainly on instrumentation and numerical modeling during this time.'

Visual, instrumental, mycological and mycotoxicological characterization of wheat inoculated with and protected against Alternaria spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janić-Hajnal Elizabet P.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to characterize visual properties, instrumentally measured colour properties, field fungi presence and Alternaria toxins levels in wheat samples grown under conditions aimed at inhibition and stimulation of wheat infection with fungi from the Alternaria genus. Experiment was carried out on the wheat treated by fungicide and wheat inoculated by Alternaria spp., while non treated wheat was used as a control. Statistically significant difference was observed between all three treatments using visual scale. Protected wheat samples were significantly different from other samples in terms of all measured colour parameters while inoculated and control wheat samples were significantly different in terms of lightness and dominant wavelength. Identification of field fungi in the all examined wheat samples showed that the dominant mycotoxigenic fungus was Alternaria spp., followed by Fusarium spp. The content of Alternaria toxins in samples of wheat hulls and dehulled kernels point out at higher concentrations of Alternaria toxins in hulls than in dehulled kernels. [Projekat Ministarstvo nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 46001 i br. III 46005

Radon in buildings: instrumentation of an experimental house

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ameon, R.; Diez, O.; Dupuis, M.; Merle-Szeremeta, A.

2004-01-01

IRSN decided to develop a code called RADON 2 for conducting simple and methodical studies of indoor radon concentrations. Since a validity check must be performed of the phenomenological model on which the code is based, an experimental program was initiated in 2002, within which a house in Brittany, located on a well-characterized uranium-bearing geological formation, was fitted with special instruments. After characterizing the soil underlying the house, the instrumentation implemented on site continuously monitors a number of parameters to characterize: the radon source term in the building (exhalation rate of 222 Rn at the ground/building interface and at soil surface, radon concentration in the soil and in outdoor air); radon penetration by advection (differential pressure in the house basement); the driving mechanisms for natural ventilation in the house (weather conditions, indoor temperature and relative humidity); radon distribution throughout the house by air flow and radon diffusion (indoor radon concentration at each floor of the house). Using the experimental data acquired over the past two years, the phenomena governing radon penetration inside the house (wind and stack effect) and radon extraction (fresh air supply rate) have been characterized to lay down the bases for validating the newly developed code

Geotechnical instrumentation for repository shafts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lentell, R.L.; Byrne, J.

1993-01-01

The US Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act in 1980, which required that three distinctly different geologic media be investigated as potential candidate sites for the permanent disposal of high-level nuclear waste. The three media that were selected for study were basalt (WA), salt (TX, LA, MS, UT), and tuff (NV). Preliminary Exploratory Shaft Facilities (ESF) designs were prepared for seven candidate salt sites, including bedded and domal salt environments. A bedded-salt site was selected in Deaf Smith County, TX for detailed site characterization studies and ESF Final Design. Although Congress terminated the Salt Repository Program in 1988, Final Design for the Deaf Smith ESF was completed, and much of the design rationale can be applied to subsequent deep repository shafts. This paper presents the rationale for the geotechnical instrumentation that was designed for construction and operational performance monitoring of the deep shafts of the in-situ test facility. The instrumentation design described herein can be used as a general framework in designing subsequent instrumentation programs for future high-level nuclear waste repository shafts

On-ground calibration of the BEPICOLOMBO/SIMBIO-SYS at instrument level

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez-Ferreira, J.; Poulet, F.; Eng, P.; Longval, Y.; Dassas, K.; Arondel, A.; Langevin, Y.; Capaccioni, F.; Filacchione, G.; Palumbo, P.; Cremonese, G.; Dami, M.

2012-04-01

The Mercury Planetary Orbiter/BepiColombo carries an integrated suite of instruments, the Spectrometer and Imagers for MPO BepiColombo-Integrated Observatory SYStem (SIMBIO-SYS). SIMBIO-SYS has 3 channels: a stereo imaging system (STC), a high-resolution imager (HRIC) and a visible-near-infrared imaging spectrometer (VIHI). SIMBIO-SYS will scan the surface of Mercury with these three channels and determine the physical, morphological and compositional properties of the entire planet. Before integration on the S/C, an on-ground calibration at the channels and at the instrument levels will be performed so as to describe the instrumental responses as a function of various parameters that might evolve while the instruments will be operating [1]. The Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS) is responsible for the on-ground instrument calibration at the instrument level. During the 4 weeks of calibration campaign planned for June 2012, the instrument will be maintained in a mechanical and thermal environment simulating the space conditions. Four Optical stimuli (QTH lamp, Integrating Sphere, BlackBody with variable temperature from 50 to 1200°C and Monochromator), are placed over an optical bench to illuminate the four channels so as to make the radiometric calibration, straylight monitoring, as well as spectral proofing based on laboratory mineral samples. The instrument will be mounted on a hexapod placed inside a thermal vacuum chamber during the calibration campaign. The hexapod will move the channels within the well-characterized incoming beam. We will present the key activities of the preparation of this calibration: the derivation of the instrument radiometric model, the implementation of the optical, mechanical and software interfaces of the calibration assembly, the characterization of the optical bench and the definition of the calibration procedures.

Eroding market stability by proliferation of financial instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Caccioli, F.; Marsili, M.; Vivo, P.

2009-10-01

We contrast Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT), the theoretical basis for the development of financial instruments, with a dynamical picture of an interacting market, in a simple setting. The proliferation of financial instruments apparently provides more means for risk diversification, making the market more efficient and complete. In the simple market of interacting traders discussed here, the proliferation of financial instruments erodes systemic stability and it drives the market to a critical state characterized by large susceptibility, strong fluctuations and enhanced correlations among risks. This suggests that the hypothesis of APT may not be compatible with a stable market dynamics. In this perspective, market stability acquires the properties of a common good, which suggests that appropriate measures should be introduced in derivative markets, to preserve stability. in here

Research pressure instrumentation for NASA Space Shuttle main engine, modification no. 5

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

1984-01-01

Research concerning the development of pressure instrumentation for the space shuttle main engine is reported. The following specific topics were addressed: (1) transducer design and materials, (2) silicon piezoresistor characterization at cryogenic temperatures, (3) chip mounting characterization, and (4) frequency response optimization.

Instruments of Transformative Governance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borrás, Susana

production and distribution channels. PDPs aim at overcoming current market and government failures by pooling resources in the attempt to solve this global social challenge. Thus, PDPs are a case of instruments of transformative research and innovation, operating in a transnational governance context....... They exhibit three novelties: they address strategic long-term problems in a holistic manner, set substantive output-oriented goals, and are implemented through new organizational structures. After characterizing the different types of current PDPs and the context in which they emerged, the paper examines...

RICE: A Reliable and Efficient Remote Instrumentation Collaboration Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prasad Calyam

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Remote access of scientific instruments over the Internet (i.e., remote instrumentation demand high-resolution (2D and 3D video image transfers with simultaneous real-time mouse and keyboard controls. Consequently, user quality of experience (QoE is highly sensitive to network bottlenecks. Further, improper user control while reacting to impaired video caused due to network bottlenecks could result in physical damages to the expensive instrument equipment. Hence, it is vital to understand the interplay between (a user keyboard/mouse actions toward the instrument, and (b corresponding network reactions for transfer of instrument video images toward the user. In this paper, we first present an analytical model for characterizing user and network interplay during remote instrumentation sessions in terms of demand and supply interplay principles of traditional economics. Next, we describe the trends of the model parameters using subjective and objective measurements obtained from QoE experiments. Thereafter, we describe our Remote Instrumentation Collaboration Environment (RICE software that leverages our experiences from the user and network interplay studies, and has functionalities that facilitate reliable and efficient remote instrumentation such as (a network health awareness to detect network bottleneck periods, and (b collaboration tools for multiple participants to interact during research and training sessions.

Cold spraying SiC/Al metal matrix composites: effects of SiC contents and heat treatment on microstructure, thermophysical and flexural properties

Science.gov (United States)

Gyansah, L.; Tariq, N. H.; Tang, J. R.; Qiu, X.; Feng, B.; Huang, J.; Du, H.; Wang, J. Q.; Xiong, T. Y.

2018-02-01

In this paper, cold spray was used as an additive manufacturing method to fabricate 5 mm thick SiC/Al metal matrix composites with various SiC contents. The effects of SiC contents and heat treatment on the microstructure, thermophysical and flexural properties were investigated. Additionally, the composites were characterized for retention of SiC particulates, splat size, surface roughness and the progressive understanding of strengthening, toughening and cracking mechanisms. Mechanical properties were investigated via three-point bending test, thermophysical analysis, and hardness test. In the as-sprayed state, flexural strength increased from 95.3 MPa to 133.5 MPa, an appreciation of 40% as the SiC contents increased, and the main toughening and strengthening mechanisms were zigzag crack propagation and high retention of SiC particulates respectively. In the heat treatment conditions, flexural strength appreciated significantly compared to the as-sprayed condition and this was as a result of coarsening of pure Al splat. Crack branching, crack deflection and interface delamination were considered as the main toughening mechanisms at the heat treatment conditions. Experimental results were consistent with the measured CTE, hardness, porosity and flexural modulus.

Organic geochemistry and environmental instrumentation programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1988-01-01

The areas of research of the Organic Geochemistry Group include (1) computer-assisted gas chromatrographic, qualitative, and quantitative analyses of coal-derived complex mixtures; (2) chemodynamic measurements in complex organic mixtures to study the transport and transformation processes of chemicals in the environment; (3) bioassay-directed characterization of mutagenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coal-derived materials; (4) chemical and toxicological evaluation of condensates from mild coal gasification processes; (5) development of rapid (high-pressure liquid chromatography) characterization techniques for primary aromatic amines in coal-derived liquids; (6) study of flame ionization detector response factors and chemical structure in gas chromatography; (7) development of a simple, portable device for preconcentrating airborne aromatic amines to be analyzed by portable liquid chromatography; (8) initial uptake and release studies of perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene in pine needles; (9) application of stable carbon isotope techniques in tracing environmental pollutants; (10) development of control technology for hydrazine fuels by neutralization with hypochlorite II. The Environmental Instrumentation group is engaged in research to develop and build prototype field-portable devices and instruments for the detection, identification, and quantification of volatile hazardous gases in a variety of environmental and workplace settings

Final report, Ames Mobile Laboratory Project: The development and operation of instrumentation in a mobile laboratory for in situ, real-time screening and characterization of soils using the laser ablation sampling technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, M.S.; Braymen, S.D.

1995-01-01

The main focus of the Ames Laboratory's Technology Integration Program, TIP, from May 1991 through December 1994 was the development, fabrication, and demonstration of a mobile instrumentation laboratory incorporating rapid in situ sampling systems for safe, rapid, and cost effective soil screening/characterization. The Mobile Demonstration Laboratory for Environmental Screening Technologies, MDLEST, containing the analysis instrumentation, along with surface and subsurface sampling probe prototypes employing the laser ablation sampling technique were chosen to satisfy the particular surface and subsurface soil characterization needs of the various Department of Energy facilities for determining the extent of heavy metal and radionuclide contamination. The MDLEST, a 44 foot long 5th wheel trailer, is easily configured for the analysis instrumentation and sampling system required for the particular site work. This mobile laboratory contains all of the utilities needed to satisfy the operating requirements of the various instrumentation installed. These utilities include, an electric generator, a chilled water system, process gases, a heating/air conditioning system, and computer monitoring and automatic operating systems. Once the MDLEST arrives at the job site, the instrumentation is aligned and calibration is completed, sampling and analysis operations begin. The sample is acquired, analyzed and the results reported in as little as 10 minutes. The surface sampling probe is used in two modes to acquire samples for analysis. It is either set directly on the ground over the site to be sampled, in situ sampling, or in a special fixture used for calibrating the sampling analysis system with standard soil samples, having the samples brought to the MDLEST. The surface sampling probe was used to in situ sample a flat concrete surface (nondestructively) with the ablated sample being analyzed by the instrumentation in the MDLEST

The physics teacher in the classroom: an instrument to characterize classroom practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesuína L. A. Pacca

2010-03-01

Full Text Available With the purpose of analyzing and interpreting physics teachers’ performance in the classroom, we elaborated an analysis instrument with five dimensions which aim to describe – i the strategies chosen to conduct learning, ii the abilities mobilized, iii the attitudes in the interaction with students, iv the evaluation the teacher makes of his work and v the meta-evaluation of his practice. The instrument was constructed from constructivist ideas of teaching and learning and empirical data from teachers’ statements about their classes. Through a to and from process we sought coherence of the adopted theory with the nature of data about teachers’ performance. The broader purpose is to provide ground for teachers’ educators about difficulties teachers may find when trying to modify their practices during a professional development program.

Characterization of sponge cake baking in an instrumented pilot oven

OpenAIRE

Alain Sommier; Elisabeth Dumoulin; Imen Douiri; Christophe Chipeau

2012-01-01

The quality of baked products is the complex, multidimensional result of a recipe, and a controlled heating process to produce the desired final properties such as taste, colour, shape, structure and density. The process of baking a sponge cake in a convective oven at different air temperatures (160-180-220 °C) leading to the same loss of mass was considered in this study. A special mould was used which allowed unidirectional heat transfer in the batter. Instrumentation was developed specific...

Microstructure and wear characterization of self-lubricating Al2O3 - MoS2 composite ceramic coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koshkarian, K.A.; Kriven, W.M.

1989-01-01

The authors report the results of composite ceramic coatings of alumina Al 2 O 3 containing some molybdenum disulfide MoS 2 electro-codeposited on to Al metal substrates by a combination of anodic sparks deposition of Al 2 O 3 and electrophoresis of MoS 2 . The microstructures were characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, EDS, SNMS, TEM, SAD and relative wear resistance measurements. The coatings consisted mostly of Al 2 O 3 with some and present as well. The coatings were porous and microcracked. SEM showed them to consist of circular splats which had rapidly crystallized from the molten state in areas of dielectric breakdown in the coating. In the TEM the microstructure was seen to contain sets of parallel, elongated grains having a single crystallographic orientation. The grains were separated by dislocated, low angle grain boundaries or microcracks. The sets intersected at irregularly curved interfaces and were mechanically interlocked. Quantitative SNMS indicated that up to 26 wt% MoS 2 was incorporated in coatings fabricated from 5g/1 solutions. SEM/EDS as well as TEM/SAD/EDS identified 1-3 μ particles of MoS 2 incorporated into the 5g/1 solution derived coatings. These coatings exhibited 50% lower wear rate than pure alumina coatings deposited under the same condition

Inspector-instrument interface in portable NDA instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halbig, J.K.; Klosterbuer, S.F.

1981-01-01

Recent electronics technology advances make it possible to design sophisticated instruments in small packages for convenient field implementation. An inspector-instrument interface design that allows communication of procedures, responses, and results between the instrument and user is presented. This capability has been incorporated into new spent-fuel instrumentation and a battery-powered multichannel analyzer

Inspector-instrument interface in portable NDA instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halbig, J.K.; Klosterbuer, S.F.

1981-01-01

Recent electronics technology advances make it possible to design sophisticated instruments in small packages for convenient field implementation. This report describes an inspector-instrument interface design which allows communication of procedures, responses, and results between the instrument and user. The interface has been incorporated into new spent-fuel instrumentation and a battery-powered multichannel analyzer

Characterization of solid surfaces

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kane, Philip F; Larrabee, Graydon B

1974-01-01

.... A comprehensive review of surface analysis, this important volume surveys both principles and techniques of surface characterization, describes instrumentation, and suggests the course of future research...

1st Advanced Marine Renewable Energy Instrumentation Experts Workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2011-10-01

The U.S. marine energy industry is actively pursuing development of offshore wind and marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy systems. Experience in the wind energy sector demonstrates that new technology development requires thorough measurement and characterization of the environmental conditions prevalent at installation sites and of technology operating in the field. Presently, there are no turn-key instrumentation system solutions that meet the measurement needs of the marine energy industry. The 1st Advanced Marine Renewable Energy Instrumentation Experts Workshop brought together technical experts from government laboratories, academia, and industry representatives from marine energy, wind, offshore oil and gas, and instrumentation developers to present and discuss the instrumentation needs of the marine energy industry. The goals of the meeting were to: 1. Share the latest relevant knowledge among technical experts; 2. Review relevant state-of-the-art field measurement technologies and methods; 3. Review lessons learned from recent field deployments; 4. Identify synergies across different industries; 5. Identify gaps between existing and needed instrumentation capabilities; 6. Understand who are the leading experts; 7. Provide a forum where stakeholders from the marine energy industry could provide substantive input in the development of new marine energy field deployable instrumentation packages.

BIRA-IASB Mars activities and instrument capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Drummond, R.; Vandaele, A.-C.; Gillotay, D.; Willame, Y.; Depiesse, C.; Patel, M.; Daerden, F.; Neefs, E.; Ristic, B.; Montmessin, F.

2009-04-01

The Belgian Institute of Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB) is involved in many areas of Mars exploration, and has been for a long time. Current activities include analysis of SPICAM data, 3D atmospheric modelling as well as instrument development and characterization. This paper will focus on two different instruments to study the Martian atmosphere. UVIS(Patel, 2006) is part of the Exomars payload, that will gather information on the UV levels on the ground, study climatology and sterilisation and also be able to detect organic material in sublimating permafrost. BIRA-IASB is carrying out the characterization and calibration of UVIS. SOIR is an infra-red spectrometer that uses solar occultation measurements to examine major and minor constituents of planetary atmospheres. SOIR is currently orbiting Venus on the VEX spacecraft and has already made several interesting discoveries including the first observations of a new band of a CO2 isotopologue. The data from SOIR-VEX has allowed us to study the instrumental characteristics and perform a sensitivity study(Mahieux, 2008). These properties have been used to simulate realistic SOIR measurements of Mars atmospheric spectra. This work is supported by extensive 3D chemistry modeling work, as described in a paper by Frank Daerden (PS2.9Atmospheres of terrestrial planets). M. R. Patel, et al.,(2006) The UV-VIS spectrometer for the ExoMars mission, in 36th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Beijing, China. A. Mahieux, et al.,(2008), Appl. Opt. 47 (13), 2252-65.

Instrumentational complexity of music genres and why simplicity sells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gamaliel Percino

Full Text Available Listening habits are strongly influenced by two opposing aspects, the desire for variety and the demand for uniformity in music. In this work we quantify these two notions in terms of instrumentation and production technologies that are typically involved in crafting popular music. We assign an 'instrumentational complexity value' to each music style. Styles of low instrumentational complexity tend to have generic instrumentations that can also be found in many other styles. Styles of high complexity, on the other hand, are characterized by a large variety of instruments that can only be found in a small number of other styles. To model these results we propose a simple stochastic model that explicitly takes the capabilities of artists into account. We find empirical evidence that individual styles show dramatic changes in their instrumentational complexity over the last fifty years. 'New wave' or 'disco' quickly climbed towards higher complexity in the 70s and fell back to low complexity levels shortly afterwards, whereas styles like 'folk rock' remained at constant high instrumentational complexity levels. We show that changes in the instrumentational complexity of a style are related to its number of sales and to the number of artists contributing to that style. As a style attracts a growing number of artists, its instrumentational variety usually increases. At the same time the instrumentational uniformity of a style decreases, i.e. a unique stylistic and increasingly complex expression pattern emerges. In contrast, album sales of a given style typically increase with decreasing instrumentational complexity. This can be interpreted as music becoming increasingly formulaic in terms of instrumentation once commercial or mainstream success sets in.

Instrumentational Complexity of Music Genres and Why Simplicity Sells

Science.gov (United States)

Percino, Gamaliel; Klimek, Peter; Thurner, Stefan

2014-01-01

Listening habits are strongly influenced by two opposing aspects, the desire for variety and the demand for uniformity in music. In this work we quantify these two notions in terms of instrumentation and production technologies that are typically involved in crafting popular music. We assign an ‘instrumentational complexity value’ to each music style. Styles of low instrumentational complexity tend to have generic instrumentations that can also be found in many other styles. Styles of high complexity, on the other hand, are characterized by a large variety of instruments that can only be found in a small number of other styles. To model these results we propose a simple stochastic model that explicitly takes the capabilities of artists into account. We find empirical evidence that individual styles show dramatic changes in their instrumentational complexity over the last fifty years. ‘New wave’ or ‘disco’ quickly climbed towards higher complexity in the 70s and fell back to low complexity levels shortly afterwards, whereas styles like ‘folk rock’ remained at constant high instrumentational complexity levels. We show that changes in the instrumentational complexity of a style are related to its number of sales and to the number of artists contributing to that style. As a style attracts a growing number of artists, its instrumentational variety usually increases. At the same time the instrumentational uniformity of a style decreases, i.e. a unique stylistic and increasingly complex expression pattern emerges. In contrast, album sales of a given style typically increase with decreasing instrumentational complexity. This can be interpreted as music becoming increasingly formulaic in terms of instrumentation once commercial or mainstream success sets in. PMID:25551631

Instrumentational complexity of music genres and why simplicity sells.

Science.gov (United States)

Percino, Gamaliel; Klimek, Peter; Thurner, Stefan

2014-01-01

Listening habits are strongly influenced by two opposing aspects, the desire for variety and the demand for uniformity in music. In this work we quantify these two notions in terms of instrumentation and production technologies that are typically involved in crafting popular music. We assign an 'instrumentational complexity value' to each music style. Styles of low instrumentational complexity tend to have generic instrumentations that can also be found in many other styles. Styles of high complexity, on the other hand, are characterized by a large variety of instruments that can only be found in a small number of other styles. To model these results we propose a simple stochastic model that explicitly takes the capabilities of artists into account. We find empirical evidence that individual styles show dramatic changes in their instrumentational complexity over the last fifty years. 'New wave' or 'disco' quickly climbed towards higher complexity in the 70s and fell back to low complexity levels shortly afterwards, whereas styles like 'folk rock' remained at constant high instrumentational complexity levels. We show that changes in the instrumentational complexity of a style are related to its number of sales and to the number of artists contributing to that style. As a style attracts a growing number of artists, its instrumentational variety usually increases. At the same time the instrumentational uniformity of a style decreases, i.e. a unique stylistic and increasingly complex expression pattern emerges. In contrast, album sales of a given style typically increase with decreasing instrumentational complexity. This can be interpreted as music becoming increasingly formulaic in terms of instrumentation once commercial or mainstream success sets in.

Instrument choice when regulators are concerned about resource extinction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Lars Gårn; Jensen, Frank; Russell, Clifford

In this paper we undertake a systematic investigation of instrument choice when preventing a population collapse rather than maximizing industry profit is the overriding concern. Contrary to what seems to be the general consensus we find that landing fees do provide more effective insurance against...... extinction than quotas under more or less the same conditions as those implying that landing fees are better at maximising industry profit. Thus, the efficiency of the regulatory instrument mainly depends on the basic information asymmetries characterizing the fishery, and is not sensitive to whether...

Direct numerical simulation of turbulent concentric annular pipe flow Part 2: Heat transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Seo Yoon; Sung, Hyung Jin

2003-01-01

A direct numerical simulation is performed for turbulent heat transfer in a concentric annulus at Re D h =8900 and Pr=0.71 for two radius ratios (R 1 /R 2 =0.1 and 0.5) and wall heat flux ratio q * =1.0. Main emphasis is placed on the transverse curvature effect on near-wall turbulent thermal structures. Near-wall turbulent thermal structures close to the inner and outer walls are scrutinized by computing the lower-order statistics. The fluctuating temperature variance and turbulent heat flux budgets are illustrated to confirm the results of the lower-order statistics. Probability density functions of the splat/anti-splat process are investigated to analyze the transverse curvature effect on the strong relationship between sweep and splat events. The present numerical results show that the turbulent thermal structures near the outer wall are more activated than those near the inner wall, which may be attributed to the different vortex regeneration processes between the inner and outer walls

An Integrated XRF/XRD Instrument for Mars Exobiology and Geology Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Koppel, L. N.; Franco, E. D.; Kerner, J. A.; Fonda, M. L.; Schwartz, D. E.; Marshall, J. R.

1993-01-01

By employing an integrated x-ray instrument on a future Mars mission, data obtained will greatly augment those returned by Viking; details characterizing the past and present environment on Mars and those relevant to the possibility of the origin and evolution of life will be acquired. A combined x-ray fluorescence/x-ray diffraction (XRF/XRD) instrument was breadboarded and demonstrated to accommodate important exobiology and geology experiment objectives outlined for MESUR and future Mars missions. Among others, primary objectives for the exploration of Mars include the intense study of local areas on Mars to establish the chemical, mineralogical, and petrological character of different components of the surface material; to determine the distribution, abundance, and sources and sinks of volatile materials, including an assessment of the biologic potential, now and during past epoches; and to establish the global chemical and physical characteristics of the Martian surface. The XRF/XRD breadboard instrument identifies and quantifies soil surface elemental, mineralogical, and petrological characteristics and acquires data necessary to address questions on volatile abundance and distribution. Additionally, the breadboard is able to characterize the biogenic element constituents of soil samples providing information on the biologic potential of the Mars environment. Preliminary breadboard experiments confirmed the fundamental instrument design approach and measurement performance.

The 1997 HST Calibration Workshop with a New Generation of Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Casertano, S. (Editor); Jedrzejewski, R. (Editor); Keyes, T. (Editor); Stevens, M. (Editor)

1997-01-01

The Second Servicing mission in early 1997 has brought major changes to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Two of the original instruments, Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) and Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS), were taken out, and replaced by completely new instruments, the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and the Near Infrared Camera Multi-Object Spectrograph (NICMOS). Two new types of detectors were installed, and for the first time, HST gained infrared capabilities. A new Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) was installed, with an alignment mechanism that could improve substantially both guiding and astrometric capabilities. With all these changes come new challenges. The characterization of the new instruments has required a major effort, both by their respective Investigation Definition Teams and at the Space Telescope Science Institute. All necessary final calibrations for the retired spectrographs needed to be carried out, and their properties definitively characterized. At the same time, work has continued to improve our understanding of the instruments that have remained on board. The results of these activities were discussed in the 1997 HST (Hubble Space Telescope) Calibration Workshop. The main focus of the Workshop was to provide users with the tools and the understanding they need to use HST's instruments and archival data to the best of their possibilities. This book contains the written record of the Workshop. As such, it should provide a valuable tool to all interested in using existing HST data or in proposing for new observations.

Sharp or broad pulse peak for high resolution instruments? Choice of moderator performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arai, M.; Watanabe, N.; Teshigawara, M.

2001-01-01

We demonstrate a concept how we should choose moderator performance to realize required performance for instruments. Neutron burst pulse can be characterized with peak intensity, peak width and tail. Those can be controllable by designing moderator, i.e. material, temperature, shape, decoupling, poisoning and having premoderator. Hence there are large number of variable parameters to be determined. Here we discuss the required moderator performance for some typical examples, i.e. high resolution powder instrument, chopper instrument, high resolution back scattering machine. (author)

Neutrons and music: Imaging investigation of ancient wind musical instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Festa, G.; Tardino, G.; Pontecorvo, L.; Mannes, D. C.; Senesi, R.; Gorini, G.; Andreani, C.

2014-10-01

A set of seven musical instruments and two instruments cares from the 'Fondo Antico della Biblioteca del Sacro Convento' in Assisi, Italy, were investigated through neutron and X-ray imaging techniques. Historical and scientific interests around ancient musical instruments motivate an intense research effort for their characterization using non-destructive and non-invasive techniques. X-ray and neutron tomography/radiography were applied to the study of composite material samples containing wood, hide and metals. The study was carried out at the NEUTRA beamline, PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland). Results of the measurements provided new information on the composite and multi-scale structure, such as: the internal structure of the samples, position of added materials like metals, wood fiber displays, deformations, presence of adhesives and their spatial distribution and novel insight about construction methods to guide the instruments' restoration process.

Corrosion protection of reusable surgical instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Sadiq; Bernardo, Mildred

2002-01-01

To understand the corrosion properties of surgical scissors, 416 stainless steel disks and custom electrodes were used as simulated surfaces under various conditions. These simulated surfaces were exposed to tap water and 400-ppm synthetic hard water as Ca2CO3 under different conditions. The samples were evaluated by various techniques for corrosion potential and the impact of environmental conditions on the integrity of the passive film. The electrodes were used to monitor the corrosion behavior by potentiodynamic polarization technique in water both in the presence and absence of a cleaning product. The surface topography of the 416 stainless steel disks was characterized by visual observations and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the surface chemistry of the passive film on the surface of the scissors was characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results suggest that surgical instruments made from 416 stainless steel are not susceptible to uniform corrosion; however, they do undergo localized corrosion. The use of suitable cleaning products can offer protection against localized corrosion during the cleaning step. More importantly, the use of potentiodynamic polarization techniques allowed for a quick and convenient approach to evaluate the corrosion properties of surgical instruments under a variety of simulated-use environmental conditions.

Mechanical properties of ProTaper Gold nickel-titanium rotary instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Elnaghy, A M; Elsaka, S E

2016-11-01

To evaluate and compare the resistance to cyclic fatigue and torsional stress, flexibility and surface microhardness of ProTaper Gold (PTG; Dentsply, Tulsa Dental Specialties, Tulsa, OK, USA) system with ProTaper Universal (PTU; Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). PTG and PTU instruments were rotated in simulated canals and the number of cycles to failure was recorded to assess their cyclic fatigue resistance. Torsional strength was measured using a torsiometer after fixing firmly the apical 3 mm of the instrument. A scanning electron microscope was used to characterize the topographic features of the fracture surfaces of the broken instruments. The instruments were tested for bending resistance using cantilever-bending test. Vickers microhardness was measured on the cross section of instruments with 300 g load and 15 s dwell time. Data were analysed statistically using independent t-tests. Statistical significance was set at P hand, PTU instruments were associated with higher resistance to torsional stress and microhardness than PTG instruments (P < 0.001). After torsional tests, the fractured cross-sectional surfaces revealed skewed dimples near the centre of the fracture surfaces and circular abrasion streaks. The PTG instrument had improved resistance to cyclic fatigue and flexibility compared with PTU. PTU instruments had improved resistance to torsional stress and microhardness compared with PTG. © 2015 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prieur, G.; Nadi, M.; Hedjiedj, A.; Weber, S.

1995-01-01

This second chapter on instrumentation gives little general consideration on history and classification of instrumentation, and two specific states of the art. The first one concerns NMR (block diagram of instrumentation chain with details on the magnets, gradients, probes, reception unit). The first one concerns precision instrumentation (optical fiber gyro-meter and scanning electron microscope), and its data processing tools (programmability, VXI standard and its history). The chapter ends with future trends on smart sensors and Field Emission Displays. (D.L.). Refs., figs

Instrumentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Decreton, M

2001-04-01

SCK-CEN's research and development programme on instrumentation involves the assessment and the development of sensitive measurement systems used within a radiation environment. Particular emphasis is on the assessment of optical fibre components and their adaptability to radiation environments. The evaluation of ageing processes of instrumentation in fission plants, the development of specific data evaluation strategies to compensate for ageing induced degradation of sensors and cable performance form part of these activities. In 2000, particular emphasis was on in-core reactor instrumentation applied to fusion, accelerator driven and water-cooled fission reactors. This involved the development of high performance instrumentation for irradiation experiments in the BR2 reactor in support of new instrumentation needs for MYRRHA, and for diagnostic systems for the ITER reactor.

Instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Decreton, M.

2001-01-01

SCK-CEN's research and development programme on instrumentation involves the assessment and the development of sensitive measurement systems used within a radiation environment. Particular emphasis is on the assessment of optical fibre components and their adaptability to radiation environments. The evaluation of ageing processes of instrumentation in fission plants, the development of specific data evaluation strategies to compensate for ageing induced degradation of sensors and cable performance form part of these activities. In 2000, particular emphasis was on in-core reactor instrumentation applied to fusion, accelerator driven and water-cooled fission reactors. This involved the development of high performance instrumentation for irradiation experiments in the BR2 reactor in support of new instrumentation needs for MYRRHA, and for diagnostic systems for the ITER reactor

The Thirty Gigahertz Instrument Receiver for the QUIJOTE Experiment: Preliminary Polarization Measurements and Systematic-Error Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco J. Casas

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This paper presents preliminary polarization measurements and systematic-error characterization of the Thirty Gigahertz Instrument receiver developed for the QUIJOTE experiment. The instrument has been designed to measure the polarization of Cosmic Microwave Background radiation from the sky, obtaining the Q, U, and I Stokes parameters of the incoming signal simultaneously. Two kinds of linearly polarized input signals have been used as excitations in the polarimeter measurement tests in the laboratory; these show consistent results in terms of the Stokes parameters obtained. A measurement-based systematic-error characterization technique has been used in order to determine the possible sources of instrumental errors and to assist in the polarimeter calibration process.

Conceptual Design Report for the Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stephanie Austad

2010-06-01

This document describes the design at a conceptual level for the Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL) to be located at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The IMCL is an 11,000-ft2, Hazard Category-2 nuclear facility that is designed for use as a state of the-art nuclear facility for the purpose of hands-on and remote handling, characterization, and examination of irradiated and nonirradiated nuclear material samples. The IMCL will accommodate a series of future, modular, and reconfigurable instrument enclosures or caves. To provide a bounding design basis envelope for the facility-provided space and infrastructure, an instrument enclosure or cave configuration was developed and is described in some detail. However, the future instrument enclosures may be modular, integral with the instrument, or reconfigurable to enable various characterization environments to be configured as changes in demand occur. They are not provided as part of the facility.

Radioactive check sources for alpha and beta sensitive radiological instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, J.M.; Kane, J.E. II.

1994-06-01

Since 1991, the Westinghouse Hanford Company has examined the construction and use of alpha and beta radioactive check sources for calibrating instruments and for performing response checks of instruments used for operational and environmental radiation detection. The purpose of using a radioactive check source is to characterize the response of a radiation monitoring instrument in the presence of radioactivity. To accurately calibrate the instrument and check its response, the check source used must emulate as closely as possible the actual physical and isotopic conditions being monitored. The isotope employed and the physical methods used to fabricate the check source (among other factors) determine instrument response. Although information from applicable national and international standards, journal articles, books, and government documents was considered, empirical data collected is most valuable when considering the type of source to use for a particular application. This paper presents source construction methods, use considerations, and standard recommendations. The results of a Hanford Site evaluation of several types of alpha and beta sources are also given

Requirements and design reference mission for the WFIRST/AFTA coronagraph instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Demers, Richard T.; Dekens, Frank; Calvet, Rob; Chang, Zensheu; Effinger, Robert; Ek, Eric; Hovland, Larry; Jones, Laura; Loc, Anthony; Nemati, Bijan; Noecker, Charley; Neville, Timothy; Pham, Hung; Rud, Mike; Tang, Hong; Villalvazo, Juan

2015-09-01

The WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph instrument takes advantage of AFTAs 2.4-meter aperture to provide novel exoplanet imaging science at approximately the same instrument cost as an Explorer mission. The AFTA coronagraph also matures direct imaging technologies to high TRL for an Exo-Earth Imager in the next decade. The coronagraph Design Reference Mission (DRM) optical design is based on the highly successful High Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT), with modifications to accommodate the AFTA telescope design, service-ability, volume constraints, and the addition of an Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS). In order to optimally satisfy the three science objectives of planet imaging, planet spectral characterization and dust debris imaging, the coronagraph is designed to operate in two different modes: Hybrid Lyot Coronagraph or Shaped Pupil Coronagraph. Active mechanisms change pupil masks, focal plane masks, Lyot masks, and bandpass filters to shift between modes. A single optical beam train can thus operate alternatively as two different coronagraph architectures. Structural Thermal Optical Performance (STOP) analysis predicts the instrument contrast with the Low Order Wave Front Control loop closed. The STOP analysis was also used to verify that the optical/structural/thermal design provides the extreme stability required for planet characterization in the presence of thermal disturbances expected in a typical observing scenario. This paper describes the instrument design and the flow down from science requirements to high level engineering requirements.

Requirements and Design Reference Mission for the WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph Instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Demers, Richard T.; Dekens, Frank; Calvet, Rob; Chang, Zensheu; Effinger, Robert; Ek, Eric; Hovland, Larry; Jones, Laura; Loc, Anthony; Nemati, Bijan;

Neutron and synchrotorn x-ray small angle scattering instruments for applications in biology at the Brookhaven National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoenborn, B.P.; Wise, D.S.; Schneider, D.K.

1983-01-01

Facilities for small angle x-ray and neutron scattering are described, with emphasis on the characterization of the primary beam of the neutron instrument and the spectrometer control logic of the synchrotron instrument

An instrument to characterize the environment for residents' evidence-based medicine learning and practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Mi, Misa; Moseley, James L; Green, Michael L

2012-02-01

Many residency programs offer training in evidence-based medicine (EBM). However, these curricula often fail to achieve optimal learning outcomes, perhaps because they neglect various contextual factors in the learning environment. We developed and validated an instrument to characterize the environment for EBM learning and practice in residency programs. An EBM Environment Scale was developed following scale development principles. A survey was administered to residents across six programs in primary care specialties at four medical centers. Internal consistency reliability was analyzed with Cronbach's coefficient alpha. Validity was assessed by comparing predetermined subscales with the survey's internal structure as assessed via factor analysis. Scores were also compared for subgroups based on residency program affiliation and residency characteristics. Out of 262 eligible residents, 124 completed the survey (response rate 47%). The overall mean score was 3.89 (standard deviation=0.56). The initial reliability analysis of the 48-item scale had a high reliability coefficient (Cronbach α=.94). Factor analysis and further item analysis resulted in a shorter 36-item scale with a satisfactory reliability coefficient (Cronbach α=.86). Scores were higher for residents with prior EBM training in medical school (4.14 versus 3.62) and in residency (4.25 versus 3.69). If further testing confirms its properties, the EBM Environment Scale may be used to understand the influence of the learning environment on the effectiveness of EBM training. Additionally, it may detect changes in the EBM learning environment in response to programmatic or institutional interventions.

Instrumentation. Nondestructive Examination for Verification of Canister and Cladding Integrity - FY2013 Status Update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, Ryan M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Jones, Anthony M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Pardini, Allan F. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Denslow, Kayte M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Crawford, Susan L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Larche, Michael R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2013-09-30

This report documents FY13 efforts for two instrumentation subtasks under storage and transportation. These instrumentation tasks relate to developing effective nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods and techniques to (1) verify the integrity of metal canisters for the storage of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and to (2) characterize hydrogen effects in UNF cladding to facilitate safe storage and retrieval.

Experimental study of the response functions of direct-reading instruments measuring surface-area concentration of airborne nanostructured particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bau, Sebastien; Witschger, Olivier; Gensdarmes, Francois; Thomas, Dominique

2009-01-01

An increasing number of experimental and theoretical studies focus on airborne nanoparticles (NP) in relation with many aspects of risk assessment to move forward our understanding of the hazards, the actual exposures in the workplace, and the limits of engineering controls and personal protective equipment with regard to NP. As a consequence, generating airborne NP with controlled properties constitutes an important challenge. In parallel, toxicological studies have been carried out, and most of them support the concept that surface-area could be a relevant metric for characterizing exposure to airborne NP. To provide NP surface-area concentration measurements, some direct-reading instruments have been designed, based on attachment rate of unipolar ions to NP by diffusion. However, very few information is available concerning the performances of these instruments and the parameters that could affect their responses. In this context, our work aims at characterizing the actual available instruments providing airborne NP surface-area concentration. The instruments (a- LQ1-DC, Matter Engineering; b-AeroTrak x2122 9000, TSI; c- NSAM, TSI model 3550;) are thought to be relevant for further workplace exposure characterization and monitoring. To achieve our work, an experimental facility (named CAIMAN) was specially designed, built and characterized.

Experimental study of the response functions of direct-reading instruments measuring surface-area concentration of airborne nanostructured particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bau, Sebastien; Witschger, Olivier [Institut National de Recherche et de Securite, INRS, Laboratoire de Metrologie des Aerosols, Rue du Morvan, CS 60027, 54519 Vandoeuvre Cedex (France); Gensdarmes, Francois [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, IRSN, Laboratoire de Physique et de Metrologie des Aerosols, BP 68, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Thomas, Dominique [Laboratoire des Sciences du Genie Chimique, LSGC/CNRS, Nancy Universite, BP 2041, 54001 Nancy Cedex (France)], E-mail: sebastien.bau@inrs.fr

2009-05-01

An increasing number of experimental and theoretical studies focus on airborne nanoparticles (NP) in relation with many aspects of risk assessment to move forward our understanding of the hazards, the actual exposures in the workplace, and the limits of engineering controls and personal protective equipment with regard to NP. As a consequence, generating airborne NP with controlled properties constitutes an important challenge. In parallel, toxicological studies have been carried out, and most of them support the concept that surface-area could be a relevant metric for characterizing exposure to airborne NP. To provide NP surface-area concentration measurements, some direct-reading instruments have been designed, based on attachment rate of unipolar ions to NP by diffusion. However, very few information is available concerning the performances of these instruments and the parameters that could affect their responses. In this context, our work aims at characterizing the actual available instruments providing airborne NP surface-area concentration. The instruments (a- LQ1-DC, Matter Engineering; b-AeroTrak{sup x2122} 9000, TSI; c- NSAM, TSI model 3550;) are thought to be relevant for further workplace exposure characterization and monitoring. To achieve our work, an experimental facility (named CAIMAN) was specially designed, built and characterized.

76 FR 11199 - Application(s) for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

... before March 21, 2011. Address written comments to Statutory Import Programs Staff, Room 3720, U.S... instrument will be used to examine tissue specimens to identify and characterize pathologic tissue changes...

Software quality assurance plan for void fraction instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimera, M.

1994-01-01

Waste Tank SY-101 has been the focus of extensive characterization work over the past few years. The waste continually generates gases, most notably hydrogen, which are periodically released from the waste. Gas can be trapped in tank waste in three forms: as void gas (bubbles), dissolved gas, or absorbed gas. Void fraction is the volume percentage of a given sample that is comprised of void gas. The void fraction instrument (VFI) acquires the data necessary to calculate void fraction. This document covers the product, Void Fraction Data Acquisition Software. The void fraction software being developed will have the ability to control the void fraction instrument hardware and acquire data necessary to calculate the void fraction in samples. This document provides the software quality assurance plan, verification and validation plan, and configuration management plan for developing the software for the instrumentation that will be used to obtain void fraction data from Tank SY-101

Radioisotope instruments

CERN Document Server

Cameron, J F; Silverleaf, D J

1971-01-01

International Series of Monographs in Nuclear Energy, Volume 107: Radioisotope Instruments, Part 1 focuses on the design and applications of instruments based on the radiation released by radioactive substances. The book first offers information on the physical basis of radioisotope instruments; technical and economic advantages of radioisotope instruments; and radiation hazard. The manuscript then discusses commercial radioisotope instruments, including radiation sources and detectors, computing and control units, and measuring heads. The text describes the applications of radioisotop

Instrument for Analysis of Organic Compounds on Other Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Daulton, Riley M.; Hintze, Paul E.

2016-01-01

The goal of this project is to develop the Instrument for Solvent Extraction and Analysis of Extraterrestrial Bodies using In Situ Resources (ISEE). Specifically, ISEE will extract and characterize organic compounds from regolith which is found on the surface of other planets or asteroids. The techniques this instrument will use are supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). ISEE aligns with NASA's goal to expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunities in space in addition to supporting NASA's aim to search for life elsewhere by characterizing organic compounds. The outcome of this project will be conceptual designs of 2 components of the ISEE instrument as well as the completion of proof-of-concept extraction experiments to demonstrate the capabilities of SFE. The first conceptual design is a pressure vessel to be used for the extraction of the organic compounds from the regolith. This includes a comparison of different materials, geometry's, and a proposition of how to insert the regolith into the vessel. The second conceptual design identifies commercially available fluid pumps based on the requirements needed to generate supercritical CO2. The proof-of-concept extraction results show the percent mass lost during standard solvent extractions of regolith with organic compounds. This data will be compared to SFE results to demonstrate the capabilities of ISEE's approach.

Development of a nursing workload measurement instrument in burn care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jong, A.E.; Leeman, J.; Middelkoop, E.

2009-01-01

Existing workload measurement instruments fail to represent specific nursing activities in a setting where patients are characterized by a diversity of cause, location, extent and depth of burns, of age and of history. They also do not include educational levels and appropriate time standards. The

Characterization of Whole Grain Pasta: Integrating Physical, Chemical, Molecular, and Instrumental Sensory Approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Marti, Alessandra; Cattaneo, Stefano; Benedetti, Simona; Buratti, Susanna; Abbasi Parizad, Parisa; Masotti, Fabio; Iametti, Stefania; Pagani, Maria Ambrogina

2017-11-01

The consumption of whole-grain food-including pasta-has been increasing steadily. In the case of whole-grain pasta, given the many different producers, it seems important to have some objective parameters to define its overall quality. In this study, commercial whole-grain pasta samples representative of the Italian market have been characterized from both molecular and electronic-senses (electronic nose and electronic tongue) standpoint in order to provide a survey of the properties of different commercial samples. Only 1 pasta product showed very low levels of heat damage markers (furosine and pyrraline), suggesting that this sample underwent to low temperature dry treatment. In all samples, the furosine content was directly correlated to protein structural indices, since protein structure compactness increased with increasing levels of heat damage markers. Electronic senses were able to discriminate among pasta samples according to the intensity of heat treatment during the drying step. Pasta sample with low furosine content was discriminated by umami taste and by sensors responding to aliphatic and inorganic compounds. Data obtained with this multidisciplinary approach are meant to provide hints for identifying useful indices for pasta quality. As observed for semolina pasta, objective parameters based on heat-damage were best suited to define the overall quality of wholegrain pasta, almost independently of compositional differences among commercial samples. Drying treatments of different intensity also had an impact on instrumental sensory traits that may provide a reliable alternative to analytical determination of chemical markers of heat damage in all cases where there is a need for avoiding time-consuming procedures. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Instrument Remote Control via the Astronomical Instrument Markup Language

Science.gov (United States)

Sall, Ken; Ames, Troy; Warsaw, Craig; Koons, Lisa; Shafer, Richard

1998-01-01

The Instrument Remote Control (IRC) project ongoing at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Information Systems Center (ISC) supports NASA's mission by defining an adaptive intranet-based framework that provides robust interactive and distributed control and monitoring of remote instruments. An astronomical IRC architecture that combines the platform-independent processing capabilities of Java with the power of Extensible Markup Language (XML) to express hierarchical data in an equally platform-independent, as well as human readable manner, has been developed. This architecture is implemented using a variety of XML support tools and Application Programming Interfaces (API) written in Java. IRC will enable trusted astronomers from around the world to easily access infrared instruments (e.g., telescopes, cameras, and spectrometers) located in remote, inhospitable environments, such as the South Pole, a high Chilean mountaintop, or an airborne observatory aboard a Boeing 747. Using IRC's frameworks, an astronomer or other scientist can easily define the type of onboard instrument, control the instrument remotely, and return monitoring data all through the intranet. The Astronomical Instrument Markup Language (AIML) is the first implementation of the more general Instrument Markup Language (IML). The key aspects of our approach to instrument description and control applies to many domains, from medical instruments to machine assembly lines. The concepts behind AIML apply equally well to the description and control of instruments in general. IRC enables us to apply our techniques to several instruments, preferably from different observatories.

Characterization methods for ultrasonic test systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busse, L.J.; Becker, F.L.; Bowey, R.E.; Doctor, S.R.; Gribble, R.P.; Posakony, G.J.

1982-07-01

Methods for the characterization of ultrasonic transducers (search units) and instruments are presented. The instrument system is considered as three separate components consisting of a transducer, a receiver-display, and a pulser. The operation of each component is assessed independently. The methods presented were chosen because they provide the greatest amount of information about component operation and were not chosen based upon such conditions as cost, ease of operation, field implementation, etc. The results of evaluating a number of commercially available ultrasonic test instruments are presented

Developing Policy Instruments for Education in the EU: The European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Elken, Mari

2015-01-01

The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for lifelong learning has been characterized as a policy instrument with a number of contested ideas, raising questions about the process through which such instruments are developed at European level. The introduction of the EQF is in this article examined through variations of neo-institutional theory:…

Application of thin-film breakdown counters for characterization of neutron field of the VESUVIO instrument at the ISIS spallation source

Science.gov (United States)

Smirnov, A. N.; Pietropaolo, A.; Prokofiev, A. V.; Rodionova, E. E.; Frost, C. D.; Ansell, S.; Schooneveld, E. M.; Gorini, G.

2012-09-01

The high-energy neutron field of the VESUVIO instrument at the ISIS facility has been characterized using the technique of thin-film breakdown counters (TFBC). The technique utilizes neutron-induced fission reactions of natU and 209Bi with detection of fission fragments by TFBCs. Experimentally determined count rates of the fragments are ≈50% higher than those calculated using spectral neutron flux simulated with the MCNPX code. This work is a part of the project to develop ChipIr, a new dedicated facility for the accelerated testing of electronic components and systems for neutron-induced single event effects in the new Target Station 2 at ISIS. The TFBC technique has shown to be applicable for on-line monitoring of the neutron flux in the neutron energy range 1-800 MeV at the position of the device under test (DUT).

Application of thin-film breakdown counters for characterization of neutron field of the VESUVIO instrument at the ISIS spallation source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smirnov, A.N.; Pietropaolo, A.; Prokofiev, A.V.; Rodionova, E.E.; Frost, C.D.; Ansell, S.; Schooneveld, E.M.; Gorini, G.

2012-01-01

The high-energy neutron field of the VESUVIO instrument at the ISIS facility has been characterized using the technique of thin-film breakdown counters (TFBC). The technique utilizes neutron-induced fission reactions of nat U and 209 Bi with detection of fission fragments by TFBCs. Experimentally determined count rates of the fragments are ≈50% higher than those calculated using spectral neutron flux simulated with the MCNPX code. This work is a part of the project to develop ChipIr, a new dedicated facility for the accelerated testing of electronic components and systems for neutron-induced single event effects in the new Target Station 2 at ISIS. The TFBC technique has shown to be applicable for on-line monitoring of the neutron flux in the neutron energy range 1–800 MeV at the position of the device under test (DUT).

Final draft position on geotechnical instrumentation in a salt repository environment: Requirements, performance, recommendations, and development needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-07-01

This report presents the results of a study of the present status of geotechnical instrumentation with respect to potential use in an underground test facility at a candidate nuclear waste repository site in salt. Programmatic factors that have a general impact on the success of underground instrumentation are discussed. Performance requirements relating to accuracy, temperature range, longevity, and capability for automation are established on the basis of criteria proposed for other rock types, perceived needs of the Site Characterization Program, and the authors' experience and judgment. Test site conditions are discussed including underground logistics, corrosion, and other factors that affect instrument reliability. The status of existing instrumentation for measuring deformation, stress, temperature, fluid pressure, acoustic emission, and other less critical parameters is presented. For each instrument not presently capable of satisfying its associated performance requirements, specific development needs and possible approaches are identified, and necessary testing is describe to a conceptual level of detail. A brief discussion of instrument considerations relating to automatic data acquisition is also included. The position of instrument development as a key activity on the critical path under current schedules for the Site Characterization Program is discussed. Annotated references and reports on site visits and meetings used as the data base in evaluating present instrument status are appended to this report. 110 refs., 14 figs., 26 tabs

Instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umminger, K.

2008-01-01

A proper measurement of the relevant single and two-phase flow parameters is the basis for the understanding of many complex thermal-hydraulic processes. Reliable instrumentation is therefore necessary for the interaction between analysis and experiment especially in the field of nuclear safety research where postulated accident scenarios have to be simulated in experimental facilities and predicted by complex computer code systems. The so-called conventional instrumentation for the measurement of e. g. pressures, temperatures, pressure differences and single phase flow velocities is still a solid basis for the investigation and interpretation of many phenomena and especially for the understanding of the overall system behavior. Measurement data from such instrumentation still serves in many cases as a database for thermal-hydraulic system codes. However some special instrumentation such as online concentration measurement for boric acid in the water phase or for non-condensibles in steam atmosphere as well as flow visualization techniques were further developed and successfully applied during the recent years. Concerning the modeling needs for advanced thermal-hydraulic codes, significant advances have been accomplished in the last few years in the local instrumentation technology for two-phase flow by the application of new sensor techniques, optical or beam methods and electronic technology. This paper will give insight into the current state of instrumentation technology for safety-related thermohydraulic experiments. Advantages and limitations of some measurement processes and systems will be indicated as well as trends and possibilities for further development. Aspects of instrumentation in operating reactors will also be mentioned.

Mechanical, electronic and instrumentation development for tracer tests at El Berrocal site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutierrez, M.G.; Benitez, A.H.; Yllera de Llano, A.; Romero, P.R.; Aleixandre, J.; Bueno, J.; Gonzalez, O.; Tamarit, J.; Guimera, J.

1997-01-01

The international El Berrocal Project was an integrated exercise in geological, geochemical and hydrogeological characterization with the aim of understanding and modelling the past and present-day migration processes that control the behaviour and distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides in a fractured granitic environment. Information is presented concerning the design and manufacture of the instrumentation used for the large scale tracer tests performed at El Berrocal, and the instrumentation and data acquisition development is specified. (author)

Gas characterization system operation, maintenance, and calibration plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tate, D.D.

1996-01-01

This document details the responsibilities and requirements for operation, maintenance, and calibration of the Gas Characterization Systems (GCS) analytical instrumentation. It further, defines the division of responsibility between the Characterization Monitoring Development organization and Tank Farms Operations

The Standard, Power, and Color Model of Instrument Combination in Romantic-Era Symphonic Works

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Randolph Johnson

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The Standard, Power, and Color (SPC model describes the nexus between musical instrument combination patterns and expressive goals in music. Instruments within each SPC group tend to attract each other and work as a functional unit to create orchestral gestures. Standard instruments establish a timbral groundwork; Power instruments create contrast through loud dynamic climaxes; and Color instruments catch listeners’ attention by means of their sparing use. Examples within these three groups include violin (Standard, piccolo (Power, and harp (Color. The SPC theory emerges from analyses of nineteenth-century symphonic works. Multidimensional scaling analysis of instrument combination frequencies maps instrument relationships; hierarchical clustering analysis indicates three SPC groups within the map. The SPC characterization is found to be moderately robust through the results of hypothesis testing: (1 Color instruments are included less often in symphonic works; (2 when Color instruments are included, they perform less often than the average instrument; and (3 Color and non-Color instruments have equal numbers of solo occurrences. Additionally, (4 Power instruments are positively associated with louder dynamic levels; and (5 when Power instruments are present in the musical texture, the pitch range spanned by the entire orchestra does not become more extreme.

Invited Article: Deep Impact instrument calibration.

Science.gov (United States)

Klaasen, Kenneth P; A'Hearn, Michael F; Baca, Michael; Delamere, Alan; Desnoyer, Mark; Farnham, Tony; Groussin, Olivier; Hampton, Donald; Ipatov, Sergei; Li, Jianyang; Lisse, Carey; Mastrodemos, Nickolaos; McLaughlin, Stephanie; Sunshine, Jessica; Thomas, Peter; Wellnitz, Dennis

2008-09-01

Calibration of NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft instruments allows reliable scientific interpretation of the images and spectra returned from comet Tempel 1. Calibrations of the four onboard remote sensing imaging instruments have been performed in the areas of geometric calibration, spatial resolution, spectral resolution, and radiometric response. Error sources such as noise (random, coherent, encoding, data compression), detector readout artifacts, scattered light, and radiation interactions have been quantified. The point spread functions (PSFs) of the medium resolution instrument and its twin impactor targeting sensor are near the theoretical minimum [ approximately 1.7 pixels full width at half maximum (FWHM)]. However, the high resolution instrument camera was found to be out of focus with a PSF FWHM of approximately 9 pixels. The charge coupled device (CCD) read noise is approximately 1 DN. Electrical cross-talk between the CCD detector quadrants is correctable to <2 DN. The IR spectrometer response nonlinearity is correctable to approximately 1%. Spectrometer read noise is approximately 2 DN. The variation in zero-exposure signal level with time and spectrometer temperature is not fully characterized; currently corrections are good to approximately 10 DN at best. Wavelength mapping onto the detector is known within 1 pixel; spectral lines have a FWHM of approximately 2 pixels. About 1% of the IR detector pixels behave badly and remain uncalibrated. The spectrometer exhibits a faint ghost image from reflection off a beamsplitter. Instrument absolute radiometric calibration accuracies were determined generally to <10% using star imaging. Flat-field calibration reduces pixel-to-pixel response differences to approximately 0.5% for the cameras and <2% for the spectrometer. A standard calibration image processing pipeline is used to produce archival image files for analysis by researchers.

Invited Article: Deep Impact instrument calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klaasen, Kenneth P.; Mastrodemos, Nickolaos; A'Hearn, Michael F.; Farnham, Tony; Groussin, Olivier; Ipatov, Sergei; Li Jianyang; McLaughlin, Stephanie; Sunshine, Jessica; Wellnitz, Dennis; Baca, Michael; Delamere, Alan; Desnoyer, Mark; Thomas, Peter; Hampton, Donald; Lisse, Carey

2008-01-01

Calibration of NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft instruments allows reliable scientific interpretation of the images and spectra returned from comet Tempel 1. Calibrations of the four onboard remote sensing imaging instruments have been performed in the areas of geometric calibration, spatial resolution, spectral resolution, and radiometric response. Error sources such as noise (random, coherent, encoding, data compression), detector readout artifacts, scattered light, and radiation interactions have been quantified. The point spread functions (PSFs) of the medium resolution instrument and its twin impactor targeting sensor are near the theoretical minimum [∼1.7 pixels full width at half maximum (FWHM)]. However, the high resolution instrument camera was found to be out of focus with a PSF FWHM of ∼9 pixels. The charge coupled device (CCD) read noise is ∼1 DN. Electrical cross-talk between the CCD detector quadrants is correctable to <2 DN. The IR spectrometer response nonlinearity is correctable to ∼1%. Spectrometer read noise is ∼2 DN. The variation in zero-exposure signal level with time and spectrometer temperature is not fully characterized; currently corrections are good to ∼10 DN at best. Wavelength mapping onto the detector is known within 1 pixel; spectral lines have a FWHM of ∼2 pixels. About 1% of the IR detector pixels behave badly and remain uncalibrated. The spectrometer exhibits a faint ghost image from reflection off a beamsplitter. Instrument absolute radiometric calibration accuracies were determined generally to <10% using star imaging. Flat-field calibration reduces pixel-to-pixel response differences to ∼0.5% for the cameras and <2% for the spectrometer. A standard calibration image processing pipeline is used to produce archival image files for analysis by researchers.

A review of instruments to measure interprofessional team-based primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoemaker, Sarah J; Parchman, Michael L; Fuda, Kathleen Kerwin; Schaefer, Judith; Levin, Jessica; Hunt, Meaghan; Ricciardi, Richard

2016-07-01

Interprofessional team-based care is increasingly regarded as an important feature of delivery systems redesigned to provide more efficient and higher quality care, including primary care. Measurement of the functioning of such teams might enable improvement of team effectiveness and could facilitate research on team-based primary care. Our aims were to develop a conceptual framework of high-functioning primary care teams to identify and review instruments that measure the constructs identified in the framework, and to create a searchable, web-based atlas of such instruments (available at: http://primarycaremeasures.ahrq.gov/team-based-care/ ). Our conceptual framework was developed from existing frameworks, the teamwork literature, and expert input. The framework is based on an Input-Mediator-Output model and includes 12 constructs to which we mapped both instruments as a whole, and individual instrument items. Instruments were also reviewed for relevance to measuring team-based care, and characterized. Instruments were identified from peer-reviewed and grey literature, measure databases, and expert input. From nearly 200 instruments initially identified, we found 48 to be relevant to measuring team-based primary care. The majority of instruments were surveys (n = 44), and the remainder (n = 4) were observational checklists. Most instruments had been developed/tested in healthcare settings (n = 30) and addressed multiple constructs, most commonly communication (n = 42), heedful interrelating (n = 42), respectful interactions (n = 40), and shared explicit goals (n = 37). The majority of instruments had some reliability testing (n = 39) and over half included validity testing (n = 29). Currently available instruments offer promise to researchers and practitioners to assess teams' performance, but additional work is needed to adapt these instruments for primary care settings.

Instrumental interaction

OpenAIRE

Luciani , Annie

2007-01-01

International audience; The expression instrumental interaction as been introduced by Claude Cadoz to identify a human-object interaction during which a human manipulates a physical object - an instrument - in order to perform a manual task. Classical examples of instrumental interaction are all the professional manual tasks: playing violin, cutting fabrics by hand, moulding a paste, etc.... Instrumental interaction differs from other types of interaction (called symbolic or iconic interactio...

Elemental characterization of bread and durum wheat by instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catarina Galinha; Maria do Carmo Freitas; Pacheco, A.M.G.

2013-01-01

Cereals are by far the most significant agricultural crops, not only due to the sheer amount of their gross-tonnage production and prevalence in human diets worldwide, but also as food vehicles of important items for human nutrition and wellness at large-proteins, dietary fibers and oligoelements, such as selenium, calcium, zinc and iron, to name just a few. Still, some micronutrients feature an uneven distribution in the upper continental crust, and thus in cultivation soils deriving therefrom. Whether soils have always been poor in an essential element, or have just become deprived of it by intensive farming, the result is the same: insufficient soil-plant transfer, feeble-to-nonexistent plant uptake, and, therefore, unsatisfactory dietary distribution of that element through the food chain. Countries that implemented corrective measures or programs of crop biofortification and consumer education have been successful in dealing with some micronutrients' deficiencies. Given their relative weight in Portuguese diets, cereals are obvious candidates for crop-supplementation strategies that may contribute to an upgrade in the health status of the whole population. A good knowledge of element-baseline data for major cereal varieties (plants) and main production areas (soils) is a pre-requisite though. The present work was aimed at an elemental characterization of cereals and soils from relevant wheat-producing areas of mainland Portugal. This paper is focused on wheat samples-bread and durum wheats; Triticum aestivum L. (Farak and Jordao cultivars) and Triticum durum Desf. (Don Duro and Simeto cultivars), respectively-from the 2009 campaign, collected at Tras-os-Montes, Alto Alentejo and Baixo Alentejo (inland regions). Elemental concentrations were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA; k 0 -variant), and assessed with the k 0 -IAEA software. Quality control was asserted through the analysis of NIST-SRM R 1567a (Wheat Flour), NIST-SRM R 1568a

Quantum Steering Beyond Instrumental Causal Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Nery, R. V.; Taddei, M. M.; Chaves, R.; Aolita, L.

2018-04-01

We theoretically predict, and experimentally verify with entangled photons, that outcome communication is not enough for hidden-state models to reproduce quantum steering. Hidden-state models with outcome communication correspond, in turn, to the well-known instrumental processes of causal inference but in the one-sided device-independent scenario of one black-box measurement device and one well-characterized quantum apparatus. We introduce one-sided device-independent instrumental inequalities to test against these models, with the appealing feature of detecting entanglement even when communication of the black box's measurement outcome is allowed. We find that, remarkably, these inequalities can also be violated solely with steering, i.e., without outcome communication. In fact, an efficiently computable formal quantifier—the robustness of noninstrumentality—naturally arises, and we prove that steering alone is enough to maximize it. Our findings imply that quantum theory admits a stronger form of steering than known until now, with fundamental as well as practical potential implications.

Instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Decreton, M.

2002-01-01

SCK-CEN's R and D programme on instrumentation involves the development of advanced instrumentation systems for nuclear applications as well as the assessment of the performance of these instruments in a radiation environment. Particular emphasis is on the use of optical fibres as umbilincal links of a remote handling unit for use during maintanance of a fusion reacor, studies on the radiation hardening of plasma diagnostic systems; investigations on new instrumentation for the future MYRRHA accelerator driven system; space applications related to radiation-hardened lenses; the development of new approaches for dose, temperature and strain measurements; the assessment of radiation-hardened sensors and motors for remote handling tasks and studies of dose measurement systems including the use of optical fibres. Progress and achievements in these areas for 2001 are described

Instrumentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Decreton, M

2002-04-01

SCK-CEN's R and D programme on instrumentation involves the development of advanced instrumentation systems for nuclear applications as well as the assessment of the performance of these instruments in a radiation environment. Particular emphasis is on the use of optical fibres as umbilincal links of a remote handling unit for use during maintanance of a fusion reacor, studies on the radiation hardening of plasma diagnostic systems; investigations on new instrumentation for the future MYRRHA accelerator driven system; space applications related to radiation-hardened lenses; the development of new approaches for dose, temperature and strain measurements; the assessment of radiation-hardened sensors and motors for remote handling tasks and studies of dose measurement systems including the use of optical fibres. Progress and achievements in these areas for 2001 are described.

Sentidos do Trabalho e Racionalidades Instrumental e Substantiva: Interfaces entre a Administração e a Psicologia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sílvia Patricia Cavalheiro de Andrade

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The debates about rationality and its concepts are classical in management studies. Nevertheless, research on the meanings attributed to work, from psychology, are from the 1970s. When studying the meanings of work, authors have not referred to the issue of instrumental and substantive rationality, but have prioritized the identification of that which characterizes work with meaning/sense. In this theoretical essay, the presumption is that the meanings attributed to work are related to the types of rationality present in society and work organizations. As such, the aim is to identify approximations between the features that characterize the meanings attributed to work and instrumental and substantive rationality. Elements that describe the meanings of work are presented, based on psychological references and focusing on research by Morin (1996, 2001; as well as studies that characterize the constitutive features of instrumental and substantive rationality, traditionally studied in management, with emphasis on Serva (1993, 1996, 1997a, 1997b. This possible articulation allowed for the development of work meaning/sense conception of the instrumental type and work meaning/sense of the substantive type; highlighting that there is an overlap between both types of senses in organizations.

Metallurgy and properties of plasma spray formed materials

Science.gov (United States)

Mckechnie, T. N.; Liaw, Y. K.; Zimmerman, F. R.; Poorman, R. M.

1992-01-01

Understanding the fundamental metallurgy of vacuum plasma spray formed materials is the key to enhancing and developing full material properties. Investigations have shown that the microstructure of plasma sprayed materials must evolve from a powder splat morphology to a recrystallized grain structure to assure high strength and ductility. A fully, or near fully, dense material that exhibits a powder splat morphology will perform as a brittle material compared to a recrystallized grain structure for the same amount of porosity. Metallurgy and material properties of nickel, iron, and copper base alloys will be presented and correlated to microstructure.

Characterization of an Electroanalytical Instrument Suite Searching for Water and Life on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Bostic, Heidi E.

2005-01-01

Seeking the existence of life on other planets is an essential part of NASA's research. Our terrestrial experience suggests that water is a mandatory resource for life to exist and thrive. However, instruments capable of detecting water at the levels likely to be present on Mars are lacking. This project tests the possibility of using electrical measurements of soils, at variable frequencies, as a water detector. Generally, the electrical resistance of soils can be described as a combination of resistance and capacitance, which can be described by a vector including a magnitude and (phase) angle. By specifically studying the impedance measurements and phase angles of different types of soil, spiked with varying concentrations of dissolved ions, measurements can be taken to provide an idea of the behavior of dry Martian soils. The presentation will describe the experimental technique, apparatus and procedures, as well as results conducted to calibrate the instrument and to establish sample preparation protocols.

Analysis of in-core coolant temperatures of FFTF instrumented fuels tests at full power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoth, C.W.

1981-01-01

Two full size highly instrumented fuel assemblies were inserted into the core of the Fast Flux Test Facility in December of 1979. The major objectives of these instrumented tests are to provide verification of the FFTF core conditions and to characterize temperature patterns within FFTF driver fuel assemblies. A review is presented of the results obtained during the power ascents and during irradiation at a constant reactor power of 400 MWt. The results obtained from these instrumented tests verify the conservative nature of the design methods used to establish core conditions in FFTF. The success of these tests also demonstrates the ability to design, fabricate, install and irradiate complex, instrumented fuel tests in FFTF using commercially procured components

Instrumentation and Controls Division, Technical Support Department Management Plan, FY 1993--FY 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adkisson, B.P.; Kunselman, C.W.; Effler, R.P.; Miller, D.R.; Millet, A.J.; Stansberry, C.T.

1993-08-01

This report describes the organization, key functions, and major activities of the Technical Support Department The Department is the programmatic support element of the Instrumentation and Controls Division. The Department`s primary focus is the support of existing equipment and systems at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that are generally characterized as instrumentation and controls. The support takes the form of repair, calibration, fabrication, field engineering, preventive maintenance, software support, and record keeping.

Tests, measurements, and characterization of electro-optic devices and systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadekar, S.G.

1989-01-01

This book contains the proceedings on tests, measurements and characterization of electro-optic devices and systems. Topics covered include: Measurement of spectral dynamics in single-quantum-well lasers, High power computer controlled laser diode characterization tester, and Laser diode characterization instrumentation

The POLARBEAR Experiment: Design and Characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Kermish, Zigmund David

We present the design and characterization of the POLARBEAR experiment. POLARBEAR is a millimeter-wave polarimeter that will measure the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization. It was designed to have both the sensitivity and angular resolution to detect the expected B-mode polarization due to gravitational lensing at small angular scales while still enabling a search for the degree scale B-mode polarization caused by inflationary gravitational waves. The instrument utilizes the Huan Tran Telescope (HTT), a 2.5-meter primary mirror telescope, coupled to a unique focal plane of 1,274 antenna-coupled transition-edge sensor (TES) detectors to achieve unprecedented sensitivity from angular scales of the experiment's 4 arcminute beam to several degrees. This dissertation focuses on the design, integration and characterization of the cryogenic receiver for the POLARBEAR instrument. The receiver cools the ˜20 cm focal plane to 0.25 Kelvin, with detector readout provided by a digital frequency-multiplexed SQUID system. The POLARBEAR receiver was been successfully deployed on the HTT for an engineering run in the Eastern Sierras of California and is currently deployed on Cerro Toco in the Atacama Dessert of Chile. We present results from lab tests done to characterize the instrument, from the engineering run and preliminary results from Chile.

Neutrons and music: Imaging investigation of ancient wind musical instruments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Festa, G., E-mail: giulia.festa@roma2.infn.it [Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (Italy); Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca (Italy); Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-IPCF, Messina (Italy); Tardino, G. [BauArt Basel, Basel (Switzerland); Pontecorvo, L. [Conservatorio di Cosenza – Cosenza Conservatory (Italy); Mannes, D.C. [Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen (Switzerland); Senesi, R. [Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (Italy); Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-IPCF, Messina (Italy); Gorini, G. [Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca (Italy); Andreani, C. [Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (Italy); Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-IPCF, Messina (Italy)

2014-10-01

A set of seven musical instruments and two instruments cares from the ‘Fondo Antico della Biblioteca del Sacro Convento’ in Assisi, Italy, were investigated through neutron and X-ray imaging techniques. Historical and scientific interests around ancient musical instruments motivate an intense research effort for their characterization using non-destructive and non-invasive techniques. X-ray and neutron tomography/radiography were applied to the study of composite material samples containing wood, hide and metals. The study was carried out at the NEUTRA beamline, PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland). Results of the measurements provided new information on the composite and multi-scale structure, such as: the internal structure of the samples, position of added materials like metals, wood fiber displays, deformations, presence of adhesives and their spatial distribution and novel insight about construction methods to guide the instruments’ restoration process.

Neutrons and music: Imaging investigation of ancient wind musical instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Festa, G.; Tardino, G.; Pontecorvo, L.; Mannes, D.C.; Senesi, R.; Gorini, G.; Andreani, C.

2014-01-01

A set of seven musical instruments and two instruments cares from the ‘Fondo Antico della Biblioteca del Sacro Convento’ in Assisi, Italy, were investigated through neutron and X-ray imaging techniques. Historical and scientific interests around ancient musical instruments motivate an intense research effort for their characterization using non-destructive and non-invasive techniques. X-ray and neutron tomography/radiography were applied to the study of composite material samples containing wood, hide and metals. The study was carried out at the NEUTRA beamline, PSI (Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland). Results of the measurements provided new information on the composite and multi-scale structure, such as: the internal structure of the samples, position of added materials like metals, wood fiber displays, deformations, presence of adhesives and their spatial distribution and novel insight about construction methods to guide the instruments’ restoration process

Application of thin-film breakdown counters for characterization of neutron field of the VESUVIO instrument at the ISIS spallation source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smirnov, A.N. [V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Pietropaolo, A., E-mail: antonino.pietropaolo@roma2.infn.it [CNISM UdR Tor Vergata, and Centro NAST Roma, Italy Scientifica 1 I-00133 Roma Italy (Italy); Prokofiev, A.V. [The Svedberg Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala (Sweden); Rodionova, E.E. [V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Frost, C.D.; Ansell, S.; Schooneveld, E.M. [ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton (United Kingdom); Gorini, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica ' G. Occhialini,' Universita degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Milano (Italy)

2012-09-21

The high-energy neutron field of the VESUVIO instrument at the ISIS facility has been characterized using the technique of thin-film breakdown counters (TFBC). The technique utilizes neutron-induced fission reactions of {sup nat}U and {sup 209}Bi with detection of fission fragments by TFBCs. Experimentally determined count rates of the fragments are Almost-Equal-To 50% higher than those calculated using spectral neutron flux simulated with the MCNPX code. This work is a part of the project to develop ChipIr, a new dedicated facility for the accelerated testing of electronic components and systems for neutron-induced single event effects in the new Target Station 2 at ISIS. The TFBC technique has shown to be applicable for on-line monitoring of the neutron flux in the neutron energy range 1-800 MeV at the position of the device under test (DUT).

Vision though afocal instruments: generalized magnification and eye-instrument interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, William F.; Evans, Tanya

2018-04-01

In Gaussian optics all observers experience the same magnification, the instrument's angular magnification, when viewing distant objects though a telescope or other afocal instruments. However, analysis in linear optics shows that this is not necessarily so in the presence of astigmatism. Because astigmatism may distort and rotate images it is appropriate to work with generalized angular magnification represented by a 2 × 2 matrix. An expression is derived for the generalized magnification for an arbitrary eye looking through an arbitrary afocal instrument. With afocal instruments containing astigmatic refracting elements not all eyes experience the same generalized magnification; there is interaction between eye and instrument. Eye-instrument interaction may change as the instrument is rotated about its longitudinal axis, there being no interaction in particular orientations. A simple numerical example is given. For sake of completeness, expressions for generalized magnification are also presented in the case of instruments that are not afocal and objects that are not distant.

TMI-2 instrumentation and electrical program final evaluation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayo, C.W.; Huzdovich, J.W.; Roby, A.R.; Test, L.D.

1986-11-01

This report presents the authors collective opinions on the value to the nuclear industry of the various investigations performed at TMI-2 by the Instrumentation and Electrical Program. The authors demonstrate that more attention must be given to the prevention of moisture intrusion during design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a nuclear power plant. They also point out that, while basic engineering designs of instruments are more than adequate, the applications engineering and specifications could be improved. Finally, they show that advanced testing technology, exemplified by the Electrical Circuit Characterization and Diagnostics (ECCAD) System, may be very useful as a diagnostic tool when used as part of the testing or maintenance program in a nuclear power plant

Virtual Instrument for Emissions Measurement of Internal Combustion Engines

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Armando; Montero, Gisela; Coronado, Marcos; García, Conrado; Pérez, Rubén

2016-01-01

The gases emissions measurement systems in internal combustion engines are strict and expensive nowadays. For this reason, a virtual instrument was developed to measure the combustion emissions from an internal combustion diesel engine, running with diesel-biodiesel mixtures. This software is called virtual instrument for emissions measurement (VIEM), and it was developed in the platform of LabVIEW 2010® virtual programming. VIEM works with sensors connected to a signal conditioning system, and a data acquisition system is used as interface for a computer in order to measure and monitor in real time the emissions of O2, NO, CO, SO2, and CO2 gases. This paper shows the results of the VIEM programming, the integrated circuits diagrams used for the signal conditioning of sensors, and the sensors characterization of O2, NO, CO, SO2, and CO2. VIEM is a low-cost instrument and is simple and easy to use. Besides, it is scalable, making it flexible and defined by the user. PMID:27034893

Virtual Instrument for Emissions Measurement of Internal Combustion Engines.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Armando; Ramos, Rogelio; Montero, Gisela; Coronado, Marcos; García, Conrado; Pérez, Rubén

2016-01-01

The gases emissions measurement systems in internal combustion engines are strict and expensive nowadays. For this reason, a virtual instrument was developed to measure the combustion emissions from an internal combustion diesel engine, running with diesel-biodiesel mixtures. This software is called virtual instrument for emissions measurement (VIEM), and it was developed in the platform of LabVIEW 2010® virtual programming. VIEM works with sensors connected to a signal conditioning system, and a data acquisition system is used as interface for a computer in order to measure and monitor in real time the emissions of O2, NO, CO, SO2, and CO2 gases. This paper shows the results of the VIEM programming, the integrated circuits diagrams used for the signal conditioning of sensors, and the sensors characterization of O2, NO, CO, SO2, and CO2. VIEM is a low-cost instrument and is simple and easy to use. Besides, it is scalable, making it flexible and defined by the user.

FMIT test-end instrumentation conceptual design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, J.L.

1984-08-01

FMIT test-end measurement techniques and instrumentation concepts for deuteron beam control, test-end device protection, test cell radiation field characterization, lithium jet performance monitoring, and in-situ off-line target testing and examination are described. The test-end refers to the beam line-target-test assembly interface area inside the test cell, but TEI includes measurements inside and outside the cell. The measurement requirements are briefly reviewed and referenced. The sometimes severe environmental limitations are discussed. Where feasible, multifunctional systems have been configured. Special facility features have been minimized

MWIR hyperspectral imaging with the MIDAS instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Honniball, Casey I.; Wright, Rob; Lucey, Paul G.

2017-02-01

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the Mid-Wave InfraRed (MWIR, 3-5 microns) can provide information on a variety of science applications from determining the chemical composition of lava lakes on Jupiter's moon Io, to investigating the amount of carbon liberated into the Earth's atmosphere during a wildfire. The limited signal available in the MWIR presents technical challenges to achieving high signal-to-noise ratios, and therefore it is typically necessary to cryogenically cool MWIR instruments. With recent improvements in microbolometer technology and emerging interferometric techniques, we have shown that uncooled microbolometers coupled with a Sagnac interferometer can achieve high signal-to-noise ratios for long-wave infrared HSI. To explore if this technique can be applied to the MWIR, this project, with funding from NASA, has built the Miniaturized Infrared Detector of Atmospheric Species (MIDAS). Standard characterization tests are used to compare MIDAS against a cryogenically cooled photon detector to evaluate the MIDAS instruments' ability to quantify gas concentrations. Atmospheric radiative transfer codes are in development to explore the limitations of MIDAS and identify the range of science objectives that MIDAS will most likely excel at. We will simulate science applications with gas cells filled with varying gas concentrations and varying source temperatures to verify our results from lab characterization and our atmospheric modeling code.

Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument: Development of a new instrument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wahid Wassef

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The goal of this project was to develop the first disease-specific instrument for the evaluation of quality of life in chronic pancreatitis. Methods: Focus groups and interview sessions were conducted, with chronic pancreatitis patients, to identify items felt to impact quality of life which were subsequently formatted into a paper-and-pencil instrument. This instrument was used to conduct an online survey by an expert panel of pancreatologists to evaluate its content validity. Finally, the modified instrument was presented to patients during precognitive testing interviews to evaluate its clarity and appropriateness. Results: In total, 10 patients were enrolled in the focus groups and interview sessions where they identified 50 items. Once redundant items were removed, the 40 remaining items were made into a paper-and-pencil instrument referred to as the Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument. Through the processes of content validation and precognitive testing, the number of items in the instrument was reduced to 24. Conclusions: This marks the development of the first disease-specific instrument to evaluate quality of life in chronic pancreatitis. It includes unique features not found in generic instruments (economic factors, stigma, and spiritual factors. Although this marks a giant step forward, psychometric evaluation is still needed prior to its clinical use.

Design, development, and testing of the DCT Cassegrain instrument support assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Bida, Thomas A.; Dunham, Edward W.; Nye, Ralph A.; Chylek, Tomas; Oliver, Richard C.

2012-09-01

The 4.3m Discovery Channel Telescope delivers an f/6.1 unvignetted 0.5° field to its RC focal plane. In order to support guiding, wavefront sensing, and instrument installations, a Cassegrain instrument support assembly has been developed which includes a facility guider and wavefront sensor package (GWAVES) and multiple interfaces for instrumentation. A 2-element, all-spherical, fused-silica corrector compensates for field curvature and astigmatism over the 0.5° FOV, while reducing ghost pupil reflections to minimal levels. Dual roving GWAVES camera probes pick off stars in the outer annulus of the corrected field, providing simultaneous guiding and wavefront sensing for telescope operations. The instrument cube supports 5 co-mounted instruments with rapid feed selection via deployable fold mirrors. The corrected beam passes through a dual filter wheel before imaging with the 6K x 6K single CCD of the Large Monolithic Imager (LMI). We describe key development strategies for the DCT Cassegrain instrument assembly and GWAVES, including construction of a prime focus test assembly with wavefront sensor utilized in fall 2011 to begin characterization of the DCT primary mirror support. We also report on 2012 on-sky test results of wavefront sensing, guiding, and imaging with the integrated Cassegrain cube.

Mixed-signal instrumentation for large-signal device characterization and modelling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marchetti, M.

2013-01-01

This thesis concentrates on the development of advanced large-signal measurement and characterization tools to support technology development, model extraction and validation, and power amplifier (PA) designs that address the newly introduced third and fourth generation (3G and 4G) wideband

Novel Scanning Lens Instrument for Evaluating Fresnel Lens Performance: Equipment Development and Initial Results (Presentation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrero, R.; Miller, D. C.; Kurtz, S. R.; Anton, I.; Sala, G.

2013-07-01

A system dedicated to the optical transmittance characterization of Fresnel lenses has been developed at NREL, in collaboration with the UPM. The system quantifies the optical efficiency of the lens by generating a performance map. The shape of the focused spot may also be analyzed to understand change in the lens performance. The primary instrument components (lasers and CCD detector) have been characterized to confirm their capability for performing optical transmittance measurements. Measurements performed on SoG and PMMA lenses subject to a variety of indoor conditions (e.g., UV and damp heat) identified differences in the optical efficiency of the evaluated lenses, demonstrating the ability of the Scanning Lens Instrument (SLI) to distinguish between the aged lenses.

Planck 2013 results. IV. Low Frequency Instrument beams and window functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Planck Collaboration,; Aghanim, N.; Armitage-Caplan, C.

2014-01-01

This paper presents the characterization of the in-flight beams, the beam window functions and the associated errors for the Planck Low Frequency Instrument (LFI). Knowledge of the beam profiles is the key to determining their imprint on the transfer function from the observed to the actual sky a...

Planck 2013 results. IV. Low Frequency Instrument beams and window functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Planck Collaboration,; Aghanim, N.; Armitage-Caplan, C.

2013-01-01

This paper presents the characterization of the in-flight beams, the beam window functions and the associated errors for the Planck Low Frequency Instrument (LFI). Knowledge of the beam profiles is the key to determining their imprint on the transfer function from the observed to the actual sky a...

CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY SYSTEM PERFORMANCE: FOUNDATIONS FOR QUANTIFYING CYTOMETRIC APPLICATIONS WITH SPECTROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS

Science.gov (United States)

The confocal laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM) has enormous potential in many biological fields. The goal of a CLSM is to acquire and quantify fluorescence and in some instruments acquire spectral characterization of the emitted signal. The accuracy of these measurements demands t...

High degree modes and instrumental effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korzennik, S G [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States); Rabello-Soares, M C; Schou, J [Stanford University, Stanford, CA (United States)], E-mail: skorzennik@cfa.harvard.edu

2008-10-15

Full-disk observations taken with the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, or the upgraded Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) instruments, have enough spatial resolution to resolve modes up to {iota} = 1000 if not {iota} = 1500. The inclusion of such high-degree modes (i.e., {iota} {<=} 1000) improves dramatically inferences near the surface. Unfortunately, observational and instrumental effects cause the characterization of high degree modes to be quite complicated. Indeed, the characteristics of the solar acoustic spectrum are such that, for a given order, mode lifetimes get shorter and spatial leaks get closer in frequency as the degree of a mode increases. A direct consequence of this property is that individual modes are resolved only at low and intermediate degrees. At high degrees the individual modes blend into ridges and the power distribution of the ridge defines the ridge central frequency, masking the underlying mode frequency. An accurate model of the amplitude of the peaks that contribute to the ridge power distribution is needed to recover the underlying mode frequency from fitting the ridge. We present a detailed discussion of the modeling of the ridge power distribution, and the contribution of the various observational and instrumental effects on the spatial leakage, in the context of the MDI instrument. We have constructed a physically motivated model (rather than an ad hoc correction scheme) that results in a methodology that can produce unbiased estimates of high-degree modes. This requires that the instrumental characteristics are well understood, a task that has turned out to pose a major challenge. We also present our latest results, where most of the known instrumental and observational effects that affect specifically high-degree modes were removed. These new results allow us to focus our attention on changes with solar activity. Finally, we present variations of mode

Wear Micro-Mechanisms of Composite WC-Co/Cr - NiCrFeBSiC Coatings. Part II: Cavitation Erosion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Kekes

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Composite coatings with five different proportions of WC-Co/Cr and NiCrFeBSiC components were deposited on stainless steel by HVOF spraying. Cavitation erosion tests were performed and the material removal micro-mechanisms were identified by SEM of both the eroded areas and the specimens’ cross-sections. Waves’ propagation and deflection at the weak interfaces within the coatings resulted in local tensile stresses perpendicular to the interface direction that eventually led to material removal. Such weak interfaces are the boundaries of the carbide particles with the metal binder within the same splat, those between splats along the same layer and those between successively deposited layers.

Optical instrumentation for science and formation flying with a starshade observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Stefan; Scharf, Daniel; Cady, Eric; Liebe, Carl; Tang, Hong

2015-09-01

In conjunction with a space telescope of modest size, a starshade enables observation of small exoplanets close to the parent star by blocking the direct starlight while the planet light remains unobscured. The starshade is flown some tens of thousands of kilometers ahead of the telescope. Science instruments may include a wide field camera for imaging the target exoplanetary system as well as an integral field spectrometer for characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. We show the preliminary designs of the optical instruments for observatories such as Exo-S, discuss formation flying and control, retargeting maneuvers and other aspects of a starshade mission. The implementation of a starshade-ready WFIRST-AFTA is discussed and we show how a compact, standalone instrument package could be developed as an add-on to future space telescopes, requiring only minor additions to the telescope spacecraft.

The Coherent X-ray Imaging (CXI) Instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boutet, Sebastien

2011-01-01

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) has become the first ever operational hard X-ray Free Electron Laser in 2009. It will operate as a user facility capable of delivering unique research opportunities in multiple fields of science. The LCLS and the LCLS Ultrafast Science Instruments (LUSI) construction projects are developing instruments designed to make full use of the capabilities afforded by the LCLS beam. One such instrument is being designed to utilize the LCLS coherent beam to image with high resolution any sub-micron object. This instrument is called the Coherent X-ray Imaging (CXI) instrument. This instrument will provide a flexible optical system capable of tailoring key beam parameters for the users. A suite of shot-to-shot diagnostics will also be provided to characterize the beam on every pulse. The provided instrumentation will include multi-purpose sample environments, sample delivery and a custom detector capable of collecting 2D data at 120 Hz. In this article, the LCLS will be briefly introduced along with the technique of Coherent X-ray Diffractive Imaging (CXDI). A few examples of scientific opportunities using the CXI instrument will be described. Finally, the conceptual layout of the instrument will be presented along with a description of the key requirements for the overall system and specific devices required.

Mid Infrared Instrument cooler subsystem test facility overview

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, B.; Zan, J.; Hannah, B.; Chui, T.; Penanen, K.; Weilert, M.

2017-12-01

The Cryocooler for the Mid Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) provides cooling at 6.2K on the instrument interface. The cooler system design has been incrementally documented in previous publications [1][2][3][4][5]. It has components that traverse three primary thermal regions on JWST: Region 1, approximated by 40K; Region 2, approximated by 100K; and Region 3, which is at the allowable flight temperatures for the spacecraft bus. However, there are several sub-regions that exist in the transition between primary regions and at the heat reject interfaces of the Cooler Compressor Assembly (CCA) and Cooler Control Electronics Assembly (CCEA). The design and performance of the test facility to provide a flight representative thermal environment for acceptance testing and characterization of the complete MIRI cooler subsystem are presented.

Instrument performance evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swinth, K.L.

1993-03-01

Deficiencies exist in both the performance and the quality of health physics instruments. Recognizing the implications of such deficiencies for the protection of workers and the public, in the early 1980s the DOE and the NRC encouraged the development of a performance standard and established a program to test a series of instruments against criteria in the standard. The purpose of the testing was to establish the practicality of the criteria in the standard, to determine the performance of a cross section of available instruments, and to establish a testing capability. Over 100 instruments were tested, resulting in a practical standard and an understanding of the deficiencies in available instruments. In parallel with the instrument testing, a value-impact study clearly established the benefits of implementing a formal testing program. An ad hoc committee also met several times to establish recommendations for the voluntary implementation of a testing program based on the studies and the performance standard. For several reasons, a formal program did not materialize. Ongoing tests and studies have supported the development of specific instruments and have helped specific clients understand the performance of their instruments. The purpose of this presentation is to trace the history of instrument testing to date and suggest the benefits of a centralized formal program

Characterization of inorganic compounds in nutritional supplements by the instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nardi, Daniela T.; Saiki, Mitiko; Vasconcellos, Maria B.A.

2000-01-01

In this work instrumental neutron activation analysis was applied in the analyses of samples of nutritional supplements in order to evaluate the composition of their essential inorganic components. Results obtained in these analyses presented, in general, a good agreement with the label values. Precision and accuracy of the results were also evaluated by analyzing NIST 2704 Buffalo River Sediment and NIST 1400 Bone Ash reference materials. (author)

The OCO-3 Mission: Science Objectives and Instrument Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Eldering, A.; Basilio, R. R.; Bennett, M. W.

2017-12-01

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3) will continue global CO2 and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) using the flight spare instrument from OCO-2. The instrument is currently being tested, and will be packaged for installation on the International Space Station (ISS) (launch readiness in early 2018.) This talk will focus on the science objectives, updated simulations of the science data products, and the outcome of recent instrument performance tests. The low-inclination ISS orbit lets OCO-3 sample the tropics and sub-tropics across the full range of daylight hours with dense observations at northern and southern mid-latitudes (+/- 52º). The combination of these dense CO2 and SIF measurements provides continuity of data for global flux estimates as well as a unique opportunity to address key deficiencies in our understanding of the global carbon cycle. The instrument utilizes an agile, 2-axis pointing mechanism (PMA), providing the capability to look towards the bright reflection from the ocean and validation targets. The PMA also allows for a snapshot mapping mode to collect dense datasets over 100km by 100km areas. Measurements over urban centers could aid in making estimates of fossil fuel CO2 emissions. Similarly, the snapshot mapping mode can be used to sample regions of interest for the terrestrial carbon cycle. In addition, there is potential to utilize data from ISS instruments ECOSTRESS (ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station) and GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation), which measure other key variables of the control of carbon uptake by plants, to complement OCO-3 data in science analysis. In 2017, the OCO-2 instrument was transformed into the ISS-ready OCO-3 payload. The transformed instrument was thoroughly tested and characterized. Key characteristics, such as instrument ILS, spectral resolution, and radiometric performance will be described. Analysis of direct sun measurements taken during testing

Performance assessment of diffuse optical spectroscopic imaging instruments in a 2-year multicenter breast cancer trial

Science.gov (United States)

Leproux, Anaïs; O'Sullivan, Thomas D.; Cerussi, Albert; Durkin, Amanda; Hill, Brian; Hylton, Nola; Yodh, Arjun G.; Carp, Stefan A.; Boas, David; Jiang, Shudong; Paulsen, Keith D.; Pogue, Brian; Roblyer, Darren; Yang, Wei; Tromberg, Bruce J.

2017-12-01

We present a framework for characterizing the performance of an experimental imaging technology, diffuse optical spectroscopic imaging (DOSI), in a 2-year multicenter American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) breast cancer study (ACRIN-6691). DOSI instruments combine broadband frequency-domain photon migration with time-independent near-infrared (650 to 1000 nm) spectroscopy to measure tissue absorption and reduced scattering spectra and tissue hemoglobin, water, and lipid composition. The goal of ACRIN-6691 was to test the effectiveness of optically derived imaging endpoints in predicting the final pathologic response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Sixty patients were enrolled over a 2-year period at participating sites and received multiple DOSI scans prior to and during 3- to 6-month NAC. The impact of three sources of error on accuracy and precision, including different operators, instruments, and calibration standards, was evaluated using a broadband reflectance standard and two different solid tissue-simulating optical phantoms. Instruments showed <0.0010 mm-1 (10.3%) and 0.06 mm-1 (4.7%) deviation in broadband absorption and reduced scattering, respectively, over the 2-year duration of ACRIN-6691. These variations establish a useful performance criterion for assessing instrument stability. The proposed procedures and tests are not limited to DOSI; rather, they are intended to provide methods to characterize performance of any instrument used in translational optical imaging.

Generation and characterization of biological aerosols for laser measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Yung-Sung; Barr, E.B.

1995-12-01

Concerns for proliferation of biological weapons including bacteria, fungi, and viruses have prompted research and development on methods for the rapid detection of biological aerosols in the field. Real-time instruments that can distinguish biological aerosols from background dust would be especially useful. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is developing a laser-based, real-time instrument for rapid detection of biological aerosols, and ITRI is working with SNL scientists and engineers to evaluate this technology for a wide range of biological aerosols. This paper describes methods being used to generate the characterize the biological aerosols for these tests. In summary, a biosafe system has been developed for generating and characterizing biological aerosols and using those aerosols to test the SNL laser-based real-time instrument. Such tests are essential in studying methods for rapid detection of airborne biological materials.

A new time-of-flight instrument for quantitative surface analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veryovkin, Igor V.; Calaway, Wallis F.; Moore, Jerry F.; Pellin, Michael J.; Burnett, Donald S.

2004-01-01

A new generation of time-of-flight mass spectrometers that implement ion sputtering and laser desorption for probing solid samples and can operate in regimes of laser post-ionization secondary neutral mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry is being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. These new instruments feature novel ion optical systems for efficient extraction of ions from large laser post-ionization volumes and for lossless transport of these ions to detectors. Another feature of this design is a new in-vacuum all-reflecting optical microscope with 0.5-μm resolution. Advanced ion and light optics and three ion sources, including a liquid metal ion gun (focusable to 50 nm) and a low energy ion gun, give rise to an instrument capable of quantitative analyses of samples for the most challenging applications, such as determining elemental concentrations in shallow implants at ultra-trace levels (for example, solar wind samples delivered by NASA Genesis mission) and analyzing individual sub-micrometer particles on a sample stage (such as, interstellar dust delivered by NASA Stardust mission). Construction of a prototype instrument has been completed and testing is underway. A more advanced instrument of similar design is under construction. The overall design of the new instrument and the innovations that make it unique are outlined. Results of the first tests to characterize its analytical capabilities are presented also

Instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Decreton, M.

2000-01-01

SCK-CEN's research and development programme on instrumentation aims at evaluating the potentials of new instrumentation technologies under the severe constraints of a nuclear application. It focuses on the tolerance of sensors to high radiation doses, including optical fibre sensors, and on the related intelligent data processing needed to cope with the nuclear constraints. Main achievements in these domains in 1999 are summarised

Solar Energy Research Center Instrumentation Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, Thomas, J.; Papanikolas, John, P.

2011-11-11

DEVICE FABRICATION LABORATORY DEVELOPMENT The space allocated for this laboratory was shell space that required an upfit in order to accommodate nano-fabrication equipment in a quasi-clean room environment. This construction project (cost $279,736) met the non-federal cost share requirement of $250,000 for this award. The central element of the fabrication laboratory is a new $400,000+ stand-alone system, funded by other sources, for fabricating and characterizing photovoltaic devices, in a state-of-the-art nanofabrication environment. This congressionally directed project also included the purchase of an energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX) detector for a pre-existing transmission electron microscope (TEM). This detector allows elemental analysis and elemental mapping of materials used to fabricate solar energy devices which is a key priority for our research center. TASK 2: SOLAR ENERGY SPECTROSCOPY LABORATORY DEVELOPMENT (INSTRUMENTATION) This laboratory provides access to modern spectroscopy and photolysis instrumentation for characterizing devices, materials and components on time scales ranging from femtoseconds to seconds and for elucidating mechanisms. The goals of this congressionally directed project included the purchase and installation of spectroscopy and photolysis instrumentation that would substantially and meaningfully enhance the capabilities of this laboratory. Some changes were made to the list of equipment proposed in the original budget. These changes did not represent a change in scope, approach or aims of this project. All of the capabilities and experiments represented in the original budget were maintained. The outcome of this Congressionally Directed Project has been the development of world-class fabrication and spectroscopy user facilities for solar fuels research at UNC-CH. This award has provided a significant augmentation of our pre-existing instrumentation capabilities which were funded by earlier UNC SERC projects, including the Energy

1st Advanced Marine Renewable Energy Instrumentation Experts Workshop: April 5-7, 2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

The U.S. marine energy industry is actively pursuing development of offshore wind and marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy systems. Experience in the wind energy sector demonstrates that new technology development requires thorough measurement and characterization of the environmental conditions prevalent at installation sites and of technology operating in the field. Presently, there are no turn-key instrumentation system solutions that meet the measurement needs of the marine energy industry. The 1st Advanced Marine Renewable Energy Instrumentation Experts Workshop brought together technical experts from government laboratories, academia, and industry representatives from marine energy, wind, offshore oil and gas, and instrumentation developers to present and discuss the instrumentation needs of the marine energy industry. The goals of the meeting were to: (1) Share the latest relevant knowledge among technical experts; (2) Review relevant state-of-the-art field measurement technologies and methods; (3) Review lessons learned from recent field deployments; (4) Identify synergies across different industries; (5) Identify gaps between existing and needed instrumentation capabilities; (6) Understand who are the leading experts; (7) Provide a forum where stakeholders from the marine energy industry could provide substantive input in the development of new marine energy field deployable instrumentation packages.

1st Advanced Marine Renewable Energy Instrumentation Experts Workshop: April 5-7, 2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2011-10-01

The U.S. marine energy industry is actively pursuing development of offshore wind and marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy systems. Experience in the wind energy sector demonstrates that new technology development requires thorough measurement and characterization of the environmental conditions prevalent at installation sites and of technology operating in the field. Presently, there are no turn-key instrumentation system solutions that meet the measurement needs of the marine energy industry. The 1st Advanced Marine Renewable Energy Instrumentation Experts Workshop brought together technical experts from government laboratories, academia, and industry representatives from marine energy, wind, offshore oil and gas, and instrumentation developers to present and discuss the instrumentation needs of the marine energy industry. The goals of the meeting were to: (1) Share the latest relevant knowledge among technical experts; (2) Review relevant state-of-the-art field measurement technologies and methods; (3) Review lessons learned from recent field deployments; (4) Identify synergies across different industries; (5) Identify gaps between existing and needed instrumentation capabilities; (6) Understand who are the leading experts; (7) Provide a forum where stakeholders from the marine energy industry could provide substantive input in the development of new marine energy field deployable instrumentation packages.

Performing the Super Instrument

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kallionpaa, Maria

2016-01-01

can empower performers by producing super instrument works that allow the concert instrument to become an ensemble controlled by a single player. The existing instrumental skills of the performer can be multiplied and the qualities of regular acoustic instruments extended or modified. Such a situation......The genre of contemporary classical music has seen significant innovation and research related to new super, hyper, and hybrid instruments, which opens up a vast palette of expressive potential. An increasing number of composers, performers, instrument designers, engineers, and computer programmers...... have become interested in different ways of “supersizing” acoustic instruments in order to open up previously-unheard instrumental sounds. Super instruments vary a great deal but each has a transformative effect on the identity and performance practice of the performing musician. Furthermore, composers...

Characterization of sponge cake baking in an instrumented pilot oven

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alain Sommier

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The quality of baked products is the complex, multidimensional result of a recipe, and a controlled heating process to produce the desired final properties such as taste, colour, shape, structure and density. The process of baking a sponge cake in a convective oven at different air temperatures (160-180-220 °C leading to the same loss of mass was considered in this study. A special mould was used which allowed unidirectional heat transfer in the batter. Instrumentation was developed specifically for online measurement of weight loss, height variation and transient temperature profile and pressure in the product. This method was based on measuring heat fluxes (commercial sensors to account for differences in product expansion and colour. In addition, measurement of height with a camera was coupled to the product mass to calculate changes in density over time. Finally, combining this information with more traditional measurements gave a better understanding of heat and mass transfer phenomena occurring during baking.

Instrument developments for chemical and physical characterization, mapping and sampling of extreme environments (Antarctic sub ice environment)

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, S. W.; Powell, R. D.; Griffith, I.; Lawson, T.; Schiraga, S.; Ludlam, G.; Oen, J.

2009-12-01

A number of instrumentation is currently under development designed to enable the study of subglacial environments in Antarctica through narrow kilometer long boreholes. Instrumentation includes: - slim line Sub-Ice ROV (SIR), - Geochemical Instrumentation Package for Sub Ice Environments (GIPSIE) to study geochemical fluxes in water and across the sediment water interface (CO2, CH4, dO, NH4, NO3, Si, PO4, pH, redox, T, H2, HS, O2, N2O, CTD, particle size, turbidity, color camera, current meter and automated water sampler) with real-time telemetry for targeted sampling, - long term energy-balance mooring system, - active source slide hammer sediment corer, and - integration of a current sensor into the ITP profiler. The instrumentation design is modular and suitable for remote operated as well as autonomous long-term deployment. Of interest to the broader science community is the development of the GIPSIE and efforts to document the effect of sample recovery from depth on the sample chemistry. The GIPSIE is a geochemical instrumentation package with life stream telemetry, allowing for user controlled targeted sampling of water column and the water sediment interphase for chemical and biological work based on actual measurements and not a preprogrammed automated system. The porewater profiler (pH, redox, T, H2, HS, O2, N2O) can penetrate the upper 50 cm of sediment and penetration is documented with real time video. Associated with GIPSIE is an on-site lab set-up, utilizing a set of identical sensors. Comparison between the insitu measurements and measurements taken onsite directly after samples are recovered from depth permits assessing the effect of sample recovery on water and sediment core chemistry. Sample recovery related changes are mainly caused by changes in the pressure temperature field and exposure of samples to atmospheric conditions. Exposure of anaerobic samples to oxygen is here a specific concern. Recovery from depth effects in generally p

A hierarchical instrumental decision theory of nicotine dependence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogarth, Lee; Troisi, Joseph R

2015-01-01

It is important to characterize the learning processes governing tobacco-seeking in order to understand how best to treat this behavior. Most drug learning theories have adopted a Pavlovian framework wherein the conditioned response is the main motivational process. We favor instead a hierarchical instrumental decision account, wherein expectations about the instrumental contingency between voluntary tobacco-seeking and the receipt of nicotine reward determines the probability of executing this behavior. To support this view, we review titration and nicotine discrimination research showing that internal signals for deprivation/satiation modulate expectations about the current incentive value of smoking, thereby modulating the propensity of this behavior. We also review research on cue-reactivity which has shown that external smoking cues modulate expectations about the probability of the tobacco-seeking response being effective, thereby modulating the propensity of this behavior. Economic decision theory is then considered to elucidate how expectations about the value and probability of response-nicotine contingency are integrated to form an overall utility estimate for that option for comparison with qualitatively different, nonsubstitute reinforcers, to determine response selection. As an applied test for this hierarchical instrumental decision framework, we consider how well it accounts for individual liability to smoking uptake and perseveration, pharmacotherapy, cue-extinction therapies, and plain packaging. We conclude that the hierarchical instrumental account is successful in reconciling this broad range of phenomenon precisely because it accepts that multiple diverse sources of internal and external information must be integrated to shape the decision to smoke.

Instrumentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Decreton, M

2000-07-01

SCK-CEN's research and development programme on instrumentation aims at evaluating the potentials of new instrumentation technologies under the severe constraints of a nuclear application. It focuses on the tolerance of sensors to high radiation doses, including optical fibre sensors, and on the related intelligent data processing needed to cope with the nuclear constraints. Main achievements in these domains in 1999 are summarised.

VIRUS instrument enclosures

Science.gov (United States)

Prochaska, T.; Allen, R.; Mondrik, N.; Rheault, J. P.; Sauseda, M.; Boster, E.; James, M.; Rodriguez-Patino, M.; Torres, G.; Ham, J.; Cook, E.; Baker, D.; DePoy, Darren L.; Marshall, Jennifer L.; Hill, G. J.; Perry, D.; Savage, R. D.; Good, J. M.; Vattiat, Brian L.

2014-08-01

The Visible Integral-Field Replicable Unit Spectrograph (VIRUS) instrument will be installed at the Hobby-Eberly Telescope† in the near future. The instrument will be housed in two enclosures that are mounted adjacent to the telescope, via the VIRUS Support Structure (VSS). We have designed the enclosures to support and protect the instrument, to enable servicing of the instrument, and to cool the instrument appropriately while not adversely affecting the dome environment. The system uses simple HVAC air handling techniques in conjunction with thermoelectric and standard glycol heat exchangers to provide efficient heat removal. The enclosures also provide power and data transfer to and from each VIRUS unit, liquid nitrogen cooling to the detectors, and environmental monitoring of the instrument and dome environments. In this paper, we describe the design and fabrication of the VIRUS enclosures and their subsystems.

Health physics instrument manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupton, E.D.

1978-08-01

The purpose of this manual is to provide apprentice health physics surveyors and other operating groups not directly concerned with radiation detection instruments a working knowledge of the radiation detection and measuring instruments in use at the Laboratory. The characteristics and applications of the instruments are given. Portable instruments, stationary instruments, personnel monitoring instruments, sample counters, and miscellaneous instruments are described. Also, information sheets on calibration sources, procedures, and devices are included. Gamma sources, beta sources, alpha sources, neutron sources, special sources, a gamma calibration device for badge dosimeters, and a calibration device for ionization chambers are described

Electrical Bioimpedance-Controlled Surgical Instrumentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Brendle, Christian; Rein, Benjamin; Niesche, Annegret; Korff, Alexander; Radermacher, Klaus; Misgeld, Berno; Leonhardt, Steffen

2015-10-01

A bioimpedance-controlled concept for bone cement milling during revision total hip replacement is presented. Normally, the surgeon manually removes bone cement using a hammer and chisel. However, this procedure is relatively rough and unintended harm may occur to tissue at any time. The proposed bioimpedance-controlled surgical instrumentation improves this process because, for example, most risks associated with bone cement removal are avoided. The electrical bioimpedance measurements enable online process-control by using the milling head as both a cutting tool and measurement electrode at the same time. Furthermore, a novel integrated surgical milling tool is introduced, which allows acquisition of electrical bioimpedance data for online control; these data are used as a process variable. Process identification is based on finite element method simulation and on experimental studies with a rapid control prototyping system. The control loop design includes the identified process model, the characterization of noise as being normally distributed and the filtering, which is necessary for sufficient accuracy ( ±0.5 mm). Also, in a comparative study, noise suppression is investigated in silico with a moving average filter and a Kalman filter. Finally, performance analysis shows that the bioimpedance-controlled surgical instrumentation may also performs effectively at a higher feed rate (e.g., 5 mm/s).

Coordinate Measuring Machine for Characterizing Conformal Optics

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Jacobs, Stephen

2001-01-01

... Nanotech 150AG Aspharic Grinder and the Nanotecnnologv Systems Nanotech 5OOFG Freeform Generator. The unique and complex nature of these parts prevented them from being characterized with standard optical metrology instrumentation...

Nuclear reactor instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duncombe, E.; McGonigal, G.

1975-01-01

A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor is described which has an equal number of fuel sub-assemblies and sensing instruments. Each instrument senses temperature and rate of coolant flow of a coolant derived from a group of three sub-assemblies so that an abnormal value for one sub-assembly will be indicated on three instruments thereby providing for redundancy of up to two of the three instruments. The abnormal value may be a precurser to unstable boiling of coolant

Instrument validation project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynolds, B.A.; Daymo, E.A.; Geeting, J.G.H.; Zhang, J.

1996-06-01

Westinghouse Hanford Company Project W-211 is responsible for providing the system capabilities to remove radioactive waste from ten double-shell tanks used to store radioactive wastes on the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington. The project is also responsible for measuring tank waste slurry properties prior to injection into pipeline systems, including the Replacement of Cross-Site Transfer System. This report summarizes studies of the appropriateness of the instrumentation specified for use in Project W-211. The instruments were evaluated in a test loop with simulated slurries that covered the range of properties specified in the functional design criteria. The results of the study indicate that the compact nature of the baseline Project W-211 loop does not result in reduced instrumental accuracy resulting from poor flow profile development. Of the baseline instrumentation, the Micromotion densimeter, the Moore Industries thermocouple, the Fischer and Porter magnetic flow meter, and the Red Valve Pressure transducer meet the desired instrumental accuracy. An alternate magnetic flow meter (Yokagawa) gave nearly identical results as the baseline fischer and Porter. The Micromotion flow meter did not meet the desired instrument accuracy but could potentially be calibrated so that it would meet the criteria. The Nametre on-line viscometer did not meet the desired instrumental accuracy and is not recommended as a quantitative instrument although it does provide qualitative information. The recommended minimum set of instrumentation necessary to ensure the slurry meets the Project W-058 acceptance criteria is the Micromotion mass flow meter and delta pressure cells

Tests of arc-welding-related EMI effects on startup instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, T.; Kalechstein, W.; Cosgrove, D.

1996-01-01

The tests described in this paper were conducted to characterize the effects that electromagnetic interference (EMI), from arc welding, has on startup instrumentation (SUI). This paper reviews the results of a literature search on EMI resulting from arc welding and gives the objective and scope of the tests conducted and describes the test equipment and setting, and test procedure and results. Are-welding-related EMI levels in an SUI system were measured to determine the dominant source of interference, the coupling path and the susceptible part of the SUI system. The effectiveness of easily implemented improvements in reducing the level of EMI in the SUI system were also tested. Recommendations are provided on how to eliminate or reduce the EMI effects on sensitive nuclear instruments. (author)

Astronomical Instruments in India

Science.gov (United States)

Sarma, Sreeramula Rajeswara

The earliest astronomical instruments used in India were the gnomon and the water clock. In the early seventh century, Brahmagupta described ten types of instruments, which were adopted by all subsequent writers with minor modifications. Contact with Islamic astronomy in the second millennium AD led to a radical change. Sanskrit texts began to lay emphasis on the importance of observational instruments. Exclusive texts on instruments were composed. Islamic instruments like the astrolabe were adopted and some new types of instruments were developed. Production and use of these traditional instruments continued, along with the cultivation of traditional astronomy, up to the end of the nineteenth century.

Instrumentation a reader

CERN Document Server

Pope, P

1990-01-01

This book contains a selection of papers and articles in instrumentation previously pub­ lished in technical periodicals and journals of learned societies. Our selection has been made to illustrate aspects of current practice and applications of instrumentation. The book does not attempt to be encyclopaedic in its coverage of the subject, but to provide some examples of general transduction techniques, of the sensing of particular measurands, of components of instrumentation systems and of instrumentation practice in two very different environments, the food industry and the nuclear power industry. We have made the selection particularly to provide papers appropriate to the study of the Open University course T292 Instrumentation. The papers have been chosen so that the book covers a wide spectrum of instrumentation techniques. Because of this, the book should be of value not only to students of instrumen­ tation, but also to practising engineers and scientists wishing to glean ideas from areas of instrumen...

Fast three-dimensional nanoscale metrology in dual-beam FIB-SEM instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Repetto, Luca; Buzio, Renato; Denurchis, Carlo; Firpo, Giuseppe; Piano, Emanuele; Valbusa, Ugo

2009-01-01

A quantitative surface reconstruction technique has been developed for the geometric characterization of three-dimensional structures by using a combined focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) instrument. A regular pattern of lines is milled at normal incidence on the sample to be characterized and an image is acquired at a large tilt angle. By analyzing the pattern under the tilted view, a quantitative estimation of surface heights is obtained. The technique has been applied to a test sample and nanoscale resolution has been achieved. The reported results are validated by a comparison with atomic force microscopy measurements.

METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF FORMING REPERTOIRE OF STUDENTS’ FOLK INSTRUMENTAL ORCHESTRA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mykola Pshenychnykh

2016-11-01

Full Text Available One of the main aspects of forming future music teachers’ professional competence, connected with mastering professional musical and performing skills in the course “Orchestra Class” and realized in the activity of students’ performing group, is revealed. Nowadays the problem of creative personality development is relevant, as creative future music art teachers freely orient themselves and guide pupils students in today's cultural environment, music and media space, have a strong musical taste and aesthetic guidelines. The music genre groups have been characterized in the article. It is thought that these groups are the traditional components of repertoire of folk and orchestra student groups: arrangements of folk tunes; works of Ukrainian and world classics, orchestrated for the folk groups, taking into account each orchestra performing possibilities; works by contemporary authors, written specifically for the orchestra of folk instruments. The main methodological principles of selecting the repertoire for the student orchestra of folk instruments are disclosed, including: technical, artistic and performing capabilities of student groups; involvement of works of different genres into the repertoire; correspondence of orchestra scores to instrumental composition of the student orchestra, and their correction if it is necessary; selecting works, whose performing arouses interest of the student audience; using the experience of the leading professional ensembles of folk instruments; constant updating the orchestra's repertoire. In the conclusion the author emphasizes that taking into account the methodological tips helps solve the main tasks within the course of “Orchestra Class”. These tips are the following: students’ acquaintance with the history of foundation, composition, ways of musicianship, technique of playing the instrument of folk instrument orchestra and acquaintance with specific orchestral music; development of all

NESSI and `Alopeke: Two new dual-channel speckle imaging instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Nicholas J.

2018-01-01

NESSI and `Alopeke are two new speckle imagers built at NASA's Ames Research Center for community use at the WIYN and Gemini telescopes, respectively. The two instruments are functionally similar and include the capability for wide-field imaging in additional to speckle interferometry. The diffraction-limited imaging available through speckle effectively eliminates distortions due to the presence of Earth's atmosphere by `freezing out' changes in the atmosphere by taking extremely short exposures and combining the resultant speckles in Fourier space. This technique enables angular resolutions equal to the theoretical best possible for a given telescope, effectively giving space-based resolution from the ground. Our instruments provide the highest spatial resolution available today on any single aperture telescope.A primary role of these instruments is exoplanet validation for the Kepler, K2, TESS, and many RV programs. Contrast ratios of 6 or more magnitudes are easily obtained. The instrument uses two emCCD cameras providing simultaneous dual-color observations help to characterize detected companions. High resolution imaging enables the identification of blended binaries that contaminate many exoplanet detections, leading to incorrectly measured radii. In this way small, rocky systems, such as Kepler-186b and the TRAPPIST-1 planet family, may be validated and thus the detected planets radii are correctly measured.

Testing the Solar Probe Cup, an Instrument Designed to Touch the Sun

Science.gov (United States)

Whittlesey, Phyllis L.; Case, Anthony W.; Kasper, Justin Christophe; Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.; Alterman, Ben; Cirtain, Jonathan W.; Bookbinder, Jay; Korreck, Kelly E.; Stevens, Michael Louis

2014-01-01

Solar Probe Plus will be the first, fastest, and closest mission to the sun, providing the first direct sampling of the sub-Alfvenic corona. The Solar Probe Cup (SPC) is a unique re-imagining of the traditional Faraday Cup design and materials for immersion in this high temperature environment. Sending an instrument of this type into a never-seen particle environment requires extensive characterization prior to launch to establish sufficient measurement accuracy and instrument response. To reach this end, a slew of tests for allowing SPC to see ranges of appropriate ions and electrons, as well as a facility that reproduces solar photon spectra and fluxes for this mission. Having already tested the SPC at flight like temperatures with no significant modification of the noise floor, we recently completed a round of particle testing to see if the deviations in Faraday Cup design fundamentally change the operation of the instrument. Results and implications from these tests will be presented, as well as performance comparisons to cousin instruments such as those on the WIND spacecraft.

A multi-functional testing instrument for heat assisted magnetic recording media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, H. Z.; Chen, Y. J.; Leong, S. H.; An, C. W.; Ye, K. D.; Hu, J. F.; Yin, M. J.

2014-01-01

With recent developments in heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), characterization of HAMR media is becoming very important. We present a multi-functional instrument for testing HAMR media, which integrates HAMR writing, reading, and a micro-magneto-optic Kerr effect (μ-MOKE) testing function. A potential application of the present instrument is to make temperature dependent magnetic property measurement using a pump-probe configuration. In the measurement, the media is heated up by a heating (intense) beam while a testing (weak) beam is overlapped with the heating beam for MOKE measurement. By heating the media with different heating beam power, magnetic measurements by MOKE at different temperatures can be performed. Compared to traditional existing tools such as the vibrating sample magnetometer, the present instrument provides localized and efficient heating at the measurement spot. The integration of HAMR writing and μ-MOKE system can also facilitate a localized full investigation of the magnetic media by potential correlation of HAMR head independent write/read performance to localized magnetic properties

PANDA-A novel instrument for non-destructive sample analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turunen, Jani; Peraejaervi, Kari; Poellaenen, Roy; Toivonen, Harri

2010-01-01

An instrument known as PANDA (Particles And Non-Destructive Analysis) for non-destructive sample analysis has been designed and built at the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK). In PANDA the measurement techniques and instruments designed for the basic research are applied to the analysis of environmental samples. PANDA has two vacuum chambers, one for loading samples and the other for measurements. In the measurement chamber there are two individual measurement positions. Currently the first one hosts an HPGe gamma detector and a position-sensitive alpha detector. The second measurement position is intended for precise characterization of found particles. PANDA's data are recorded in event mode and events are timestamped. In the present article the technical design of PANDA is presented in detail. In addition, its performance using depleted uranium particles and an air filter is demonstrated.

Cosmetics chemical composition characterization by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alves, Ana Paula; Pereira, Gustavo Jose; Amaral, Angela Maria; Ferreira, Andrea Vidal, E-mail: ana_allves2008@hotmail.co [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2009-07-01

Brazil is in the third position in the world's cosmetics market. It is an expanding and growing market where new products and manufacturing processes are in a constant and steady expansion. Therefore, it is mandatory that the composition of the products is well known in order to guarantee safety and quality of daily used cosmetics. The Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) has issued a resolution, RDC No. 48, March 16, 2006, which defines a 'List of Substances which can not be used in personal hygiene products, cosmetics and perfumes'. In this work, samples of locally manufactured and imported cosmetics (lipsticks, eye shadows, etc.) were analyzed using the Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis technique. The samples were irradiated in the TRIGA IPR-R1 reactor of the Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN), on a 100kW thermal power, with a thermal neutron fluence rate about 8x10{sup 11}ncm{sup -2}s{sup -1}. The analysis has detected the chemical elements Br, Ba, Ga, Na, K, Sc, Fe, Cr, Zn, Sm, W, La, Rb, Cs, Ta, Ge, Co, U, Ti, V, Cl, Al, Mn and Cu. The concentrations of these elements are on a range from 5 to 3000mug.g{sup -1}. Some chemical elements observed in samples (Cl, Br, Cr, U) are included at ANVISA prohibitive list. (author)

Cosmetics chemical composition characterization by instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, Ana Paula; Pereira, Gustavo Jose; Amaral, Angela Maria; Ferreira, Andrea Vidal

2009-01-01

Brazil is in the third position in the world's cosmetics market. It is an expanding and growing market where new products and manufacturing processes are in a constant and steady expansion. Therefore, it is mandatory that the composition of the products is well known in order to guarantee safety and quality of daily used cosmetics. The Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) has issued a resolution, RDC No. 48, March 16, 2006, which defines a 'List of Substances which can not be used in personal hygiene products, cosmetics and perfumes'. In this work, samples of locally manufactured and imported cosmetics (lipsticks, eye shadows, etc.) were analyzed using the Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis technique. The samples were irradiated in the TRIGA IPR-R1 reactor of the Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN), on a 100kW thermal power, with a thermal neutron fluence rate about 8x10 11 ncm -2 s -1 . The analysis has detected the chemical elements Br, Ba, Ga, Na, K, Sc, Fe, Cr, Zn, Sm, W, La, Rb, Cs, Ta, Ge, Co, U, Ti, V, Cl, Al, Mn and Cu. The concentrations of these elements are on a range from 5 to 3000μg.g -1 . Some chemical elements observed in samples (Cl, Br, Cr, U) are included at ANVISA prohibitive list. (author)

Laboratory Experiments and Instrument Intercomparison Studies of Carbonaceous Aerosol Particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davidovits, Paul [Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA (United States)

2015-10-20

) two well-characterized source of soot particles and (b) a flow reactor for controlled OH and/or O3 oxidation of relevant gas phase species to produce well-characterized SOA particles. After formation, the aerosol particles are subjected to physical and chemical processes that simulate aerosol growth and aging. A suite of instruments in our laboratory is used to characterize the physical and chemical properties of aerosol particles before and after processing. The Time of Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (ToF-AMS) together with a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) measures particle mass, volume, density, composition (including black carbon content), dynamic shape factor, and fractal dimension. The–ToF-AMS was developed at ARI with Boston College participation. About 120 AMS instruments are now in service (including 5 built for DOE laboratories) performing field and laboratory studies world-wide. Other major instruments include a thermal denuder, two Differential Mobility Analyzers (DMA), a Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counter (CCN), a Thermal desorption Aerosol GC/MS (TAG) and the new Soot Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS). Optical instrumentation required for the studies have been brought to our laboratory as part of ongoing and planned collaborative projects with colleagues from DOE, NOAA and university laboratories. Optical instruments that will be utilized include a Photoacoustic Spectrometer (PAS), a Cavity Ring Down Aerosol Extinction Spectrometer (CRD-AES), a Photo Thermal Interferometer (PTI), a new 7-wavelength Aethalometer and a Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift Extinction Monitor (CAPS). These instruments are providing aerosol absorption, extinction and scattering coefficients at a range of atmospherically relevant wavelengths. During the past two years our work has continued along the lines of our original proposal. We report on 12 completed and/or continuing projects conducted during the period 08/14 to 0814/2015. These projects are described in

IOT Overview: IR Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, E.

In this instrument review chapter the calibration plans of ESO IR instruments are presented and briefly reviewed focusing, in particular, on the case of ISAAC, which has been the first IR instrument at VLT and whose calibration plan served as prototype for the coming instruments.

A new myohaptic instrument to assess wrist motion dynamically.

Science.gov (United States)

Manto, Mario; Van Den Braber, Niels; Grimaldi, Giuliana; Lammertse, Piet

2010-01-01

The pathophysiological assessment of joint properties and voluntary motion in neurological patients remains a challenge. This is typically the case in cerebellar patients, who exhibit dysmetric movements due to the dysfunction of cerebellar circuitry. Several tools have been developed, but so far most of these tools have remained confined to laboratories, with a lack of standardization. We report on a new device which combines the use of electromyographic (EMG) sensors with haptic technology for the dynamic investigation of wrist properties. The instrument is composed of a drivetrain, a haptic controller and a signal acquisition unit. Angular accuracy is 0.00611 rad, nominal torque is 6 N·m, maximal rotation velocity is 34.907 rad/sec, with a range of motion of -1.0472 to +1.0472 rad. The inertia of the motor and handgrip is 0.004 kg·m2. This is the first standardized myohaptic instrument allowing the dynamic characterization of wrist properties, including under the condition of artificial damping. We show that cerebellar patients are unable to adapt EMG activities when faced with an increase in damping while performing fast reversal movements. The instrument allows the extraction of an electrophysiological signature of a cerebellar deficit.

Recommendations for fluorescence instrument qualification: the new ASTM Standard Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

DeRose, Paul C; Resch-Genger, Ute

2010-03-01

Aimed at improving quality assurance and quantitation for modern fluorescence techniques, ASTM International (ASTM) is about to release a Standard Guide for Fluorescence, reviewed here. The guide's main focus is on steady state fluorometry, for which available standards and instrument characterization procedures are discussed along with their purpose, suitability, and general instructions for use. These include the most relevant instrument properties needing qualification, such as linearity and spectral responsivity of the detection system, spectral irradiance reaching the sample, wavelength accuracy, sensitivity or limit of detection for an analyte, and day-to-day performance verification. With proper consideration of method-inherent requirements and limitations, many of these procedures and standards can be adapted to other fluorescence techniques. In addition, procedures for the determination of other relevant fluorometric quantities including fluorescence quantum yields and fluorescence lifetimes are briefly introduced. The guide is a clear and concise reference geared for users of fluorescence instrumentation at all levels of experience and is intended to aid in the ongoing standardization of fluorescence measurements.

Troubleshooting in nuclear instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-06-01

This report on troubleshooting of nuclear instruments is the product of several scientists and engineers, who are closely associated with nuclear instrumentation and with the IAEA activities in the field. The text covers the following topics: Preamplifiers, amplifiers, scalers, timers, ratemeters, multichannel analyzers, dedicated instruments, tools, instruments, accessories, components, skills, interfaces, power supplies, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting in systems, radiation detectors. The troubleshooting and repair of instruments is illustrated by some real examples

Characterization of DECam focal plane detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diehl, H.Thomas; Angstadt, Robert; Campa, Julia; Cease, Herman; Derylo, Greg; Emes, John H.; Estrada, Juan; Kibik, Donna; Flaugher, Brenna L.; Holland, Steve E.; Jonas, Michelle; /Fermilab /Madrid, CIEMAT /LBL, Berkeley /Argonne /Pennsylvania U.

2008-06-01

DECam is a 520 Mpix, 3 square-deg FOV imager being built for the Blanco 4m Telescope at CTIO. This facility instrument will be used for the 'Dark Energy Survey' of the southern galactic cap. DECam has chosen 250 ?m thick CCDs, developed at LBNL, with good QE in the near IR for the focal plane. In this work we present the characterization of these detectors done by the DES team, and compare it to the DECam technical requirements. The results demonstrate that the detectors satisfy the needs for instrument.

Measurement of two phase flow properties using the nuclear reactor instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albrecht, R.W.; Washington Univ., Seattle; Crowe, R.D.; Dailey, D.J.; Kosaly, G.; Damborg, M.J.

1982-01-01

A procedure is introduced for characterizing one dimensional, two phase flow in terms of three properties; propagation, structure, and dynamics. It is shown that all of these properties can be measured by analyzing the response of the reactor neutron field to a two phase flow perturbation. Therefore, a nuclear reactor can be regarded as a two phase flow instrument. (author)

X-ray analysis of cultural heritage at museums by using portable instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakai, Izumi; Abe, Yoshinari

2009-01-01

We have been developing a portable powder diffractometer and XRF spectrometer since 2001 jointly with two X-ray makers: i.e., Institute of X-ray Technologies Co. Ltd. and OURSTEX Co. Ltd., respectively. The instruments were brought to several museums as well as many archeological sites in Egypt, Turkey, Italy, etc. to characterize the cultural heritage and the results were reflected on their improvement. The instruments thus developed are suitable for on site analyses with enough sensitivity, accuracy, and durability. The latest version of our diffractometer (weight 15 kg) adopted Si-PIN as a detector, which enable us to obtain EDX spectrum of the sample as well as a good powder diffraction pattern with low background. The XRF spectrometer (25 kg) is equipped with SDD detector and monochromatic/white X-ray sources. Recently the Be window of the detector was replaced with MOXTEK AP3 polymer window and vacuum sample chamber was introduced to quantify Na and Mg. The instruments were brought to Archaeological Museum in Zadar, Croatia, Okayama Orient Museum and MIHO Museum in Japan. The samples are glass, pottery, metallic and stone objects dated from second millennium B.C. to modern. We have chemically characterized 109 Roman glass artifacts excavated at a Roman necropolis found in Zadar, and classified based on decolorants, impurity and vessel types. We have studied glass, faience, pottery and metal collections at the Orient Museum. The results include identification of cassiterite in glazed Islamic pottery. At MIHO museum, stone objects from China and Middle East were characterized by the diffractometer. The analyses were made as joint projects with S. Gluscevic (Archaeological Museum), R. Shikaku (Orient Museum), Y. Azuma and Y. Kuwabara (MIHO Museum). (author)

Assessing Social Networks in Patients with Psychotic Disorders: A Systematic Review of Instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Siette, Joyce; Gulea, Claudia; Priebe, Stefan

2015-01-01

Evidence suggests that social networks of patients with psychotic disorders influence symptoms, quality of life and treatment outcomes. It is therefore important to assess social networks for which appropriate and preferably established instruments should be used. To identify instruments assessing social networks in studies of patients with psychotic disorders and explore their properties. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify studies that used a measure of social networks in patients with psychotic disorders. Eight instruments were identified, all of which had been developed before 1991. They have been used in 65 studies (total N of patients = 8,522). They assess one or more aspects of social networks such as their size, structure, dimensionality and quality. Most instruments have various shortcomings, including questionable inter-rater and test-retest reliability. The assessment of social networks in patients with psychotic disorders is characterized by a variety of approaches which may reflect the complexity of the construct. Further research on social networks in patients with psychotic disorders would benefit from advanced and more precise instruments using comparable definitions of and timescales for social networks across studies.

Mars Geochemical Instrument (MarGI): An instrument for the analysis of the Martian surface and the search for evidence of life

Science.gov (United States)

Kojiro, Daniel R.; Mancinelli, Rocco; Martin, Joe; Holland, Paul M.; Stimac, Robert M.; Kaye, William J.

2005-01-01

The Mars Geochemical Instrument, MarGI, was developed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the rocks and surface material on Mars. The instrument combines Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) with miniature Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS) to identify minerals, the presence and state of water, and organic compounds. Miniature pyrolysis ovens are used to both, conduct DTA analysis of soil or crushed rocks samples, and pyrolyze the samples at temperatures up to 1000 degrees C for GC-IMS analysis of the released gases. This combination of analytical processes and techniques, which can characterize the mineralogy of the rocks and soil, and identify and quantify volatiles released during pyrolysis, has applications across a wide range of target sites including comets, planets, asteroids, and moons such as Titan and Europa. The MarGI analytical approach evolved from the Cometary Ice and Dust Experiment (CIDEX) selected to fly on the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby Mission (CRAF).

The LUVOIR Ultraviolet Multi-Object Spectrograph (LUMOS): instrument definition and design

Science.gov (United States)

France, Kevin; Fleming, Brian; West, Garrett; McCandliss, Stephan R.; Bolcar, Matthew R.; Harris, Walter; Moustakas, Leonidas; O'Meara, John M.; Pascucci, Ilaria; Rigby, Jane; Schiminovich, David; Tumlinson, Jason

2017-08-01

The Large Ultraviolet/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) is one of four large mission concepts currently undergoing community study for consideration by the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. LUVOIR is being designed to pursue an ambitious program of exoplanetary discovery and characterization, cosmic origins astrophysics, and planetary science. The LUVOIR study team is investigating two large telescope apertures (9- and 15-meter primary mirror diameters) and a host of science instruments to carry out the primary mission goals. Many of the exoplanet, cosmic origins, and planetary science goals of LUVOIR require high-throughput, imaging spectroscopy at ultraviolet (100 - 400 nm) wavelengths. The LUVOIR Ultraviolet Multi-Object Spectrograph, LUMOS, is being designed to support all of the UV science requirements of LUVOIR, from exoplanet host star characterization to tomography of circumgalactic halos to water plumes on outer solar system satellites. LUMOS offers point source and multi-object spectroscopy across the UV bandpass, with multiple resolution modes to support different science goals. The instrument will provide low (R = 8,000 - 18,000) and medium (R = 30,000 - 65,000) resolution modes across the far-ultraviolet (FUV: 100 - 200 nm) and nearultraviolet (NUV: 200 - 400 nm) windows, and a very low resolution mode (R = 500) for spectroscopic investigations of extremely faint objects in the FUV. Imaging spectroscopy will be accomplished over a 3 × 1.6 arcminute field-of-view by employing holographically-ruled diffraction gratings to control optical aberrations, microshutter arrays (MSA) built on the heritage of the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), advanced optical coatings for high-throughput in the FUV, and next generation large-format photon-counting detectors. The spectroscopic capabilities of LUMOS are augmented by an FUV imaging channel (100 - 200nm, 13 milliarcsecond angular resolution, 2 × 2

Instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muehllehner, G.; Colsher, J.G.

1982-01-01

This chapter reviews the parameters which are important to positron-imaging instruments. It summarizes the options which various groups have explored in designing tomographs and the methods which have been developed to overcome some of the limitations inherent in the technique as well as in present instruments. The chapter is not presented as a defense of positron imaging versus single-photon or other imaging modality, neither does it contain a description of various existing instruments, but rather stresses their common properties and problems. Design parameters which are considered are resolution, sampling requirements, sensitivity, methods of eliminating scattered radiation, random coincidences and attenuation. The implementation of these parameters is considered, with special reference to sampling, choice of detector material, detector ring diameter and shielding and variations in point spread function. Quantitation problems discussed are normalization, and attenuation and random corrections. Present developments mentioned are noise reduction through time-of-flight-assisted tomography and signal to noise improvements through high intrinsic resolution. Extensive bibliography. (U.K.)

Visualization of Large Amount of Spectra in Virtual Observatory Environment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šaloun, P.; Andrešič, D.; Škoda, Petr; Zelinka, I.

2014-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 6 (2014), s. 613-620 ISSN 1476-8186 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : SPLAT-VO * virtual observatory * spectra Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

Problems with radiological surveillance instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swinth, K.L.; Tanner, J.E.; Fleming, D.M.

1984-09-01

Many radiological surveillance instruments are in use at DOE facilities throughout the country. These instruments are an essential part of all health physics programs, and poor instrument performance can increase program costs or compromise program effectiveness. Generic data from simple tests on newly purchased instruments shows that many instruments will not meet requirements due to manufacturing defects. In other cases, lack of consideration of instrument use has resulted in poor acceptance of instruments and poor reliability. The performance of instruments is highly variable for electronic and mechanical performance, radiation response, susceptibility to interferences and response to environmental factors. Poor instrument performance in these areas can lead to errors or poor accuracy in measurements

Problems with radiological surveillance instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swinth, K.L.; Tanner, J.E.; Fleming, D.M.

1985-01-01

Many radiological surveillance instruments are in use at DOE facilities throughout the country. These instruments are an essential part of all health physics programs, and poor instrument performance can increase program costs or compromise program effectiveness. Generic data from simple tests on newly purchased instruments shows that many instruments will not meet requirements due to manufacturing defects. In other cases, lack of consideration of instrument use has resulted in poor acceptance of instruments and poor reliability. The performance of instruments is highly variable for electronic and mechanical performance, radiation response, susceptibility to interferences and response to environmental factors. Poor instrument performance in these areas can lead to errors or poor accuracy in measurements

Measurements Techniques for Gyrotron characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, P.J. de.

1987-08-01

Experiments planned for the characterization of the 35GHz girotron, which is being built at the Plasma Laboratory of INPE, are described. The methods of the measurements are presented and the required instrumentation and devices are specified. Special attention is given to the measurement techniques of the resonator electric field profile. (author) [pt

Characterization of Brazilian commercial milks by instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, L.G.C.; De Nadai Fernandes, E.A.; Tagliaferro, F.S.; Bacchi, M.A.

2008-01-01

Aiming at the determination of toxic and essential elements in Brazilian commercial bovine milk, 25 ultra high temperature (UHT) milk samples were acquired in the local market of Piracicaba, SP. The samples were freeze-dried and analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) allowing the determination of Br, Ca, Co, Cs, Fe, K, Na, Rb and Zn. When the results were expressed as concentration (mg x l -1 ) no significant differences were found. However, considering the dry matter, results showed a clear difference between the mass fractions (mg x kg -1 d.w.) of skim milk and whole milk for the elements Br, Ca, K, Na, Rb and Zn, indicating that the removal of fat caused a concentration effect in the dry matter of skim milks. Discrepancies were found between the concentrations of Ca and Na measured by INAA and the values informed in the labels. Ca showed variations within 30% for most samples, while concentrations of Na were up to 190% higher than informed values. The sample preparation and the INAA procedure were appropriate for the determination of Br, Ca, Co, Cs, Fe, K, Na, Rb and Zn in milk samples. (author)

Instrumentation for Gate Current Noise Measurements on sub-100 nm MOS Transistors

CERN Document Server

Gaioni, L; Ratti, L; Re, V; Speziali, V; Traversi, G

2008-01-01

This work describes a measuring system that was developed to characterize the gate current noise performances of CMOS devices with minimum feature size in the 100 nm span. These devices play an essential role in the design of present daymixedsignal integrated circuits, because of the advantages associated with the scaling process. The reduction in the gate oxide thickness brought about by CMOS technology downscaling leads to a non-negligible gate current due to direct tunneling phenomena; this current represents a noise source which requires an accurate characterization for optimum analog design. In this paper, two instruments able to perform measurements in two different ranges of gate current values will be discussed. Some of the results of gate current noise characterization will also be presented.

Rapid formation of phase-clean 110 K (Bi-2223) powders derived via freeze-drying process

Science.gov (United States)

Balachandran, U.

1996-06-04

A process for the preparation of amorphous precursor powders for Pb-doped Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2} Ca{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} (2223) includes a freeze-drying process incorporating a splat-freezing step. The process generally includes splat freezing a nitrate solution of Bi, Pb, Sr, Ca, and Cu to form flakes of the solution without any phase separation; grinding the frozen flakes to form a powder; freeze-drying the frozen powder; heating the dried powder to form a dry green precursor powders; denitrating the green-powders; heating the denitrated powders to form phase-clean Bi-2223 powders. The grain boundaries of the 2223 grains appear to be clean, leading to good intergrain contact between 2223 grains. 11 figs.

Status of safeguards instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higinbotham, W.A.

The International Atomic Energy Agency is performing safeguards at some nuclear power reactors, 50 bulk processing facilities, and 170 research facilities. Its verification activities require the use of instruments to measure nuclear materials and of surveillance instruments to maintain continuity of knowledge of the locations of nuclear materials. Instruments that are in use and under development to measure weight, volume, concentration, and isotopic composition of nuclear materials, and the major surveillance instruments, are described in connection with their uses at representative nuclear facilities. The current status of safeguards instrumentation and the needs for future development are discussed

Early modern mathematical instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Jim

2011-12-01

In considering the appropriate use of the terms "science" and "scientific instrument," tracing the history of "mathematical instruments" in the early modern period is offered as an illuminating alternative to the historian's natural instinct to follow the guiding lights of originality and innovation, even if the trail transgresses contemporary boundaries. The mathematical instrument was a well-defined category, shared across the academic, artisanal, and commercial aspects of instrumentation, and its narrative from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century was largely independent from other classes of device, in a period when a "scientific" instrument was unheard of.

Instrumental Capital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Valerio

2007-07-01

Full Text Available During the history of human kind, since our first ancestors, tools have represented a mean to reach objectives which might otherwise seemed impossibles. In the called New Economy, where tangibles assets appear to be losing the role as the core element to produce value versus knowledge, tools have kept aside man in his dairy work. In this article, the author's objective is to describe, in a simple manner, the importance of managing the organization's group of tools or instruments (Instrumental Capital. The characteristic conditions of this New Economy, the way Knowledge Management deals with these new conditions and the sub-processes that provide support to the management of Instrumental Capital are described.

The static and dynamic efficiency of instruments of promotion of renewables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finon, D; Menanteau, P.

2003-01-01

Results of a comparative analysis of the economic and social efficiency of the instruments used to promote renewable energy sources are discussed. The analysis was carried out first from a static point of view and then using dynamic criteria, to ascertain the ability of the instruments to stimulate technological progress and cost reduction. The first part of the analysis is devoted to characterization of the rationale of these policies in a cost-efficiency framework, followed by an analysis of the instruments in relation to the classic discussion of environmental policy that opposes price-based approaches versus quantity-based approaches. The final part of the analysis examines the incentives to invest and innovate in the context of each framework in relation to the surplus allowed by each policy instrument and its effects on the tendency of manufacturers and renewable energy producers to innovate. The evidence shows that in terms of installed capacity price-based approaches have been superior to the quantity-based approaches that have been used until recently. In contrast, quantity-based approaches have been found to be more efficient for defining and adjusting the overall goals. Adjusting the quotas also provides an indirect way of controlling overall costs. 22 refs., 3 tabs., 6 figs

Evaluating musical instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, D. Murray

2014-01-01

Scientific measurements of sound generation and radiation by musical instruments are surprisingly hard to correlate with the subtle and complex judgments of instrumental quality made by expert musicians

Instrument air system - Aging impact on system availability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villaran, M.; Subudhi, M.

1989-01-01

As part of ongoing efforts to understand and manage the effects of aging in nuclear power plants, an aging assessment was performed for the Instrument Air (IA) system, a system that has been the subject of much scrutiny in recent years. Despite its non-safety classification, instrument air has been a factor in a number of potentially serious events. This report presents the results of the assessment and discusses the impact of instrument air system aging on system availability and plant safety. This work was performed for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as part of the Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) program. To perform the complex task of analyzing an entire system, the Aging and Life Extension Assessment Program (ALEAP) System Level Plan was developed by Brookhaven National Laboratory and applied successfully in previous system aging studies. The work presented herein was performed using two parallel work paths, as described in the ALEAP plant. One path used deterministic techniques to assess the impact of aging on compressed air system performance, while the second path used probabilistic methods. Results from both paths then were used to characterize aging in the instrument air system. Some conclusions from this work are: compressors, air system valves, and air dryers were found to make up the majority of failures; the effectiveness and quantity of preventive maintenance devoted to a component significantly affected the amount of failures experienced; review of compressed air system designs and studies using a PRA-based system model revealed that the redundancy of key components (compressors, dryers, IA/SA crossconnect valve) was an important factor in system availability; total loss of air events are uncommon

Computer systems and software description for gas characterization system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vo, C.V.

1997-01-01

The Gas Characterization System Project was commissioned by TWRS management with funding from TWRS Safety, on December 1, 1994. The project objective is to establish an instrumentation system to measure flammable gas concentrations in the vapor space of selected watch list tanks, starting with tank AN-105 and AW-101. Data collected by this system is meant to support first tank characterization, then tank safety. System design is premised upon Characterization rather than mitigation, therefore redundancy is not required

Polychromatic X-ray Micro- and Nano-Beam Science and Instrumentation

Science.gov (United States)

Ice, G. E.; Larson, B. C.; Liu, W.; Barabash, R. I.; Specht, E. D.; Pang, J. W. L.; Budai, J. D.; Tischler, J. Z.; Khounsary, A.; Liu, C.; Macrander, A. T.; Assoufid, L.

2007-01-01

Polychromatic x-ray micro- and nano-beam diffraction is an emerging nondestructive tool for the study of local crystalline structure and defect distributions. Both long-standing fundamental materials science issues, and technologically important questions about specific materials systems can be uniquely addressed. Spatial resolution is determined by the beam size at the sample and by a knife-edge technique called differential aperture microscopy that decodes the origin of scattering from along the penetrating x-ray beam. First-generation instrumentation on station 34-ID-E at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) allows for nondestructive automated recovery of the three-dimensional (3D) local crystal phase and orientation. Also recovered are the local elastic-strain and the dislocation tensor distributions. New instrumentation now under development will further extend the applications of polychromatic microdiffraction and will revolutionize materials characterization.

Polychromatic X-ray Micro- and Nano-Beam Science and Instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ice, G.E.; Larson, Ben C.; Liu, Wenjun; Barabash, Rozaliya; Specht, Eliot D; Pang, Judy; Budai, John D.; Tischler, Jonathan Zachary; Khounsary, Ali; Liu, Chian; Macrander, Albert T.; Assoufid, Lahsen

2007-01-01

Polychromatic x-ray micro- and nano-beam diffraction is an emerging nondestructive tool for the study of local crystalline structure and defect distributions. Both long-standing fundamental materials science issues, and technologically important questions about specific materials systems can be uniquely addressed. Spatial resolution is determined by the beam size at the sample and by a knife-edge technique called differential aperture microscopy that decodes the origin of scattering from along the penetrating x-ray beam. First-generation instrumentation on station 34-ID-E at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) allows for nondestructive automated recovery of the three-dimensional (3D) local crystal phase and orientation. Also recovered are the local elastic-strain and the dislocation tensor distributions. New instrumentation now under development will further extend the applications of polychromatic microdiffraction and will revolutionize materials characterization

A New Myohaptic Instrument to Assess Wrist Motion Dynamically

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Manto

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The pathophysiological assessment of joint properties and voluntary motion in neurological patients remains a challenge. This is typically the case in cerebellar patients, who exhibit dysmetric movements due to the dysfunction of cerebellar circuitry. Several tools have been developed, but so far most of these tools have remained confined to laboratories, with a lack of standardization. We report on a new device which combines the use of electromyographic (EMG sensors with haptic technology for the dynamic investigation of wrist properties. The instrument is composed of a drivetrain, a haptic controller and a signal acquisition unit. Angular accuracy is 0.00611 rad, nominal torque is 6 N·m, maximal rotation velocity is 34.907 rad/sec, with a range of motion of –1.0472 to +1.0472 rad. The inertia of the motor and handgrip is 0.004 kg·m². This is the first standardized myohaptic instrument allowing the dynamic characterization of wrist properties, including under the condition of artificial damping. We show that cerebellar patients are unable to adapt EMG activities when faced with an increase in damping while performing fast reversal movements. The instrument allows the extraction of an electrophysiological signature of a cerebellar deficit.

Thermal design and performance of the REgolith x-ray imaging spectrometer (REXIS) instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Stout, Kevin D.; Masterson, Rebecca A.

2014-08-01

The REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) instrument is a student collaboration instrument on the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission scheduled for launch in September 2016. The REXIS science mission is to characterize the elemental abundances of the asteroid Bennu on a global scale and to search for regions of enhanced elemental abundance. The thermal design of the REXIS instrument is challenging due to both the science requirements and the thermal environment in which it will operate. The REXIS instrument consists of two assemblies: the spectrometer and the solar X-ray monitor (SXM). The spectrometer houses a 2x2 array of back illuminated CCDs that are protected from the radiation environment by a one-time deployable cover and a collimator assembly with coded aperture mask. Cooling the CCDs during operation is the driving thermal design challenge on the spectrometer. The CCDs operate in the vicinity of the electronics box, but a 130 °C thermal gradient is required between the two components to cool the CCDs to -60 °C in order to reduce noise and obtain science data. This large thermal gradient is achieved passively through the use of a copper thermal strap, a large radiator facing deep space, and a two-stage thermal isolation layer between the electronics box and the DAM. The SXM is mechanically mounted to the sun-facing side of the spacecraft separately from the spectrometer and characterizes the highly variable solar X-ray spectrum to properly interpret the data from the asteroid. The driving thermal design challenge on the SXM is cooling the silicon drift detector (SDD) to below -30 °C when operating. A two-stage thermoelectric cooler (TEC) is located directly beneath the detector to provide active cooling, and spacecraft MLI blankets cover all of the SXM except the detector aperture to radiatively decouple the SXM from the flight thermal environment. This paper describes the REXIS thermal system requirements, thermal design, and analyses, with

Characterization of ophiolites from northern Havana-Matanzas petroleum fields using instrumental neutron activation analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montero Cabrera, M.E. E-mail: montero@yakko.cimav.edu.mx; Ortueta Milan, M.; Herrera Peraza, E.F.; Herrera Hernandez, H.; Rodriguez Martinez, N.; Olivares Rieumont, S.; Lopez Reyes, M.C

2001-01-15

Concentrations of 16 elements from 14 serpentinitic samples from Basilio and Cantel petroleum fields were obtained by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA): Cr, Co, Ni, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Ce Yb, Lu, Rb, Cs, Hf and Th. Relative INAA was performed using certified reference materials and laboratory standards. Average elemental concentrations showed that the ophiolites have a basic character, suggesting the use of a well-logging method designed for volcano-sedimentary petroleum fields.

Characterization of ophiolites from northern Havana-Matanzas petroleum fields using instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montero Cabrera, M.E.; Ortueta Milan, M.; Herrera Peraza, E.F.; Herrera Hernandez, H.; Rodriguez Martinez, N.; Olivares Rieumont, S.; Lopez Reyes, M.C.

2001-01-01

Concentrations of 16 elements from 14 serpentinitic samples from Basilio and Cantel petroleum fields were obtained by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA): Cr, Co, Ni, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Ce Yb, Lu, Rb, Cs, Hf and Th. Relative INAA was performed using certified reference materials and laboratory standards. Average elemental concentrations showed that the ophiolites have a basic character, suggesting the use of a well-logging method designed for volcano-sedimentary petroleum fields

Innovation Policy of the European Union: Concept Strategic Update and Instruments Improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Belal Hassouna

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article characterizes formation of EU innovation policy and its conceptual update, which has strategic character and is concerned with the social and economic model change, determines differences between EU innovation policy and national politics and the forms of its implementation, detects major changes of EU innovation policy instruments, which were the result of support concept and innovation regulations change.

Developing Spent Fuel Assembly for Advanced NDA Instrument Calibration - NGSI Spent Fuel Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Jianwei [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Gauld, Ian C. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Banfield, James [GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Wilmington, NC (United States); Skutnik, Steven [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

2014-02-01

This report summarizes the work by Oak Ridge National Laboratory to investigate the application of modeling and simulation to support the performance assessment and calibration of the advanced nondestructive assay (NDA) instruments developed under the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Spent Fuel (NGSI-SF) Project. Advanced NDA instrument calibration will likely require reference spent fuel assemblies with well-characterized nuclide compositions that can serve as working standards. Because no reference spent fuel standard currently exists, and the practical ability to obtain direct measurement of nuclide compositions using destructive assay (DA) measurements of an entire fuel assembly is prohibitive in the near term due to the complexity and cost of spent fuel experiments, modeling and simulation will be required to construct such reference fuel assemblies. These calculations will be used to support instrument field tests at the Swedish Interim Storage Facility (Clab) for Spent Nuclear Fuel.

The upgraded control and instrumentation system of C5 irradiation device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iordache, A.; Ancuta, M.; Gruia, L.; Pulpa, A.; Salistean, E.; Gusescu, G.

2013-01-01

C5 capsule is an irradiation device of TRIGA SSR, which is designed for irradiation of structural materials in an inert environment for mechanical behavior characterization and the material microstructure evolution during irradiation. The paper presents the upgraded control and instrumentation system of the C5 irradiation device which was designed and manufactured to enhance the performance of this system for better surveillance and processing the acquired experimental data. (authors)

Characterization of X-ray Lobster Optics with a Hybrid CMOS sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Chattopadhyay, Tanmoy; Falcone, Abraham; Burrows, David N.; Bray, Evan; McQuaide, Maria; Kern, Matthew; Wages, Mitchell; Hull, Samuel; Inneman, Adolf; Hudec, Rene; Stehlikova, Veronika

2018-01-01

X-ray lobster optics provide a unique way to focus X-rays onto a small focal plane imager with wide field of view imaging. Such an instrument with angular resolution of a few arcminutes can be used to study GRB afterglows, as well as the variability and spectroscopic characteristics for various astrophysical objects. At Penn State University, we have characterized a lobster optic with an H1RG X-Ray hybrid CMOS detector (100 μm thick Silicon with 18 μm pixel size). The light-weight compact lobster optic with a 25 cm focal length provides two dimensional imaging with ~25 cm2 effective area at 2 keV. We utilize a 47 meter long X-ray beam line at Penn state University to do our experiments where we characterize the overall effective area of the instrument at 1.5 - 8 keV for both on-axis and off-axis angles. In this presentation, we will describe the characterization test stand and methods, as well as the detailed results. While this is simply a proof-of-concept experiment, such an instrument with significant collecting area can be explored for future rocket or CubeSat experiments.

Instrument Modeling and Synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Horner, Andrew B.; Beauchamp, James W.

During the 1970s and 1980s, before synthesizers based on direct sampling of musical sounds became popular, replicating musical instruments using frequency modulation (FM) or wavetable synthesis was one of the “holy grails” of music synthesis. Synthesizers such as the Yamaha DX7 allowed users great flexibility in mixing and matching sounds, but were notoriously difficult to coerce into producing sounds like those of a given instrument. Instrument design wizards practiced the mysteries of FM instrument design.

Heterodyne quasi-elastic light-scattering instrument for biomedical diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lebedev, A D; Ivanova, M A; Lomakin, A V; Noskin, V A

1997-10-20

The heterodyne technique has a number of advantages over the homodyne technique when an accurate characterization of particle-size distribution (PSD) of heterogeneous systems is required. However, there are problems related to acoustic vibrations that make it difficult to take advantage of the heterodyne technique. An instrument developed for quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) that uses the optical heterodyning principle is described. Vibration-related problems are considerably reduced because of the incorporation of all optical elements into one solid optical block. A real-time correlation analysis of the photocurrent fluctuations is performed by a PC-embedded analog-to-digital converter card with a digital signal processor. Investigation of the PSD in biological fluids for medical diagnostics is presented as a typical application. A diagnostic analysis of the PSD requires a simultaneous processing of a huge number of QELS data. An original statistical algorithm to accomplish this analysis has been developed. Technical specifications of instrumentation for heterodyne QELS measurement are discussed.

On Representative Spaceflight Instrument and Associated Instrument Sensor Web Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Kizhner, Semion; Patel, Umeshkumar; Vootukuru, Meg

2007-01-01

Sensor Web-based adaptation and sharing of space flight mission resources, including those of the Space-Ground and Control-User communication segment, could greatly benefit from utilization of heritage Internet Protocols and devices applied for Spaceflight (SpaceIP). This had been successfully demonstrated by a few recent spaceflight experiments. However, while terrestrial applications of Internet protocols are well developed and understood (mostly due to billions of dollars in investments by the military and industry), the spaceflight application of Internet protocols is still in its infancy. Progress in the developments of SpaceIP-enabled instrument components will largely determine the SpaceIP utilization of those investments and acceptance in years to come. Likewise SpaceIP, the development of commercial real-time and instrument colocated computational resources, data compression and storage, can be enabled on-board a spacecraft and, in turn, support a powerful application to Sensor Web-based design of a spaceflight instrument. Sensor Web-enabled reconfiguration and adaptation of structures for hardware resources and information systems will commence application of Field Programmable Arrays (FPGA) and other aerospace programmable logic devices for what this technology was intended. These are a few obvious potential benefits of Sensor Web technologies for spaceflight applications. However, they are still waiting to be explored. This is because there is a need for a new approach to spaceflight instrumentation in order to make these mature sensor web technologies applicable for spaceflight. In this paper we present an approach in developing related and enabling spaceflight instrument-level technologies based on the new concept of a representative spaceflight Instrument Sensor Web (ISW).

Dynamic characterization of the CAREM fuel element prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghiselli, Alberto M.; Fiori, Jose M.; Ibanez, Luis A.

2004-01-01

As a previous step to make a complete test plan to evaluate the hydrodynamic behavior of the present configuration of the CAREM type fuel element, a dynamic characterization analysis is required, without the dynamic response induced by the flowing fluid. This paper presents the tests made, the methods and instrumentation used, and the results obtained in order to obtain a complete dynamic characterization of the CAREM type fuel element. (author)

Virtual instrumentation: a new approach for control and instrumentation - application in containment studies facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gole, N.V.; Shanware, V.M.; Sebastian, A.; Subramaniam, K.

2001-01-01

PC based data-acquisition has emerged as a rapidly developing area particularly with respect to process instrumentation. Computer based data acquisition in process instrumentation combined with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software has introduced extensive possibilities with respect to formats for presentation of information. The concept of presenting data using any instrument format with the help of software tools to simulate the instrument on screen, needs to be understood, in order to be able to make use of its vast potential. The purpose of this paper is to present the significant features of the Virtual Instrumentation concept and discuss its application in the instrumentation and control system of containment studies facility (CSF). Factors involved in the development of the virtual instrumentation based I and C system for CSF are detailed and a functional overview of the system configuration is given. (author)

Characterization of natural bentonite by NMR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leite, Sidnei Q.M.; Dieguez, Lidia C.; Menezes, Sonia M.C.; San Gil, Rosane A.S.

1993-01-01

Solid state NMR as well as several other instrumental chemical analysis techniques were used in order to characterize two natural occurring bentonite. The methodology is described. The NMR spectra, together with the other used techniques suggest that the observed differences are due to iron inclusions in tetrahedral and octahedral sites

LOFT instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bixby, W.W.

1979-01-01

A description of instrumentation used in the Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) large break Loss-of-Coolant Experiments is presented. Emphasis is placed on hydraulic and thermal measurements in the primary system piping and components, reactor vessel, and pressure suppression system. In addition, instrumentation which is being considered for measurement of phenomena during future small break testing is discussed. (orig.) 891 HP/orig. 892 BRE [de

Instrumentation for environmental monitoring: biomedical

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-05-01

An update is presented to Volume four of the six-volume series devoted to a survey of instruments useful for measurements in biomedicine related to environmental research and monitoring. Results of the survey are given as descriptions of the physical and operating characteristics of available instruments, critical comparisons among instrumentation methods, and recommendations of promising methodology and development of new instrumentation. Methods of detection and analysis of gaseous organic pollutants and metals, including Ni and As are presented. Instrument techniques and notes are included on atomic spectrometry and uv and visible absorption instrumentation

Application of Fiber Optic Instrumentation

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, William Lance; Parker, Allen R., Jr.; Ko, William L.; Piazza, Anthony; Chan, Patrick

2012-01-01

Fiber optic sensing technology has emerged in recent years offering tremendous advantages over conventional aircraft instrumentation systems. The advantages of fiber optic sensors over their conventional counterparts are well established; they are lighter, smaller, and can provide enormous numbers of measurements at a fraction of the total sensor weight. After a brief overview of conventional and fiber-optic sensing technology, this paper presents an overview of the research that has been conducted at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in recent years to advance this promising new technology. Research and development areas include system and algorithm development, sensor characterization and attachment, and real-time experimentally-derived parameter monitoring for ground- and flight-based applications. The vision of fiber optic smart structure technology is presented and its potential benefits to aerospace vehicles throughout the lifecycle, from preliminary design to final retirement, are presented.

Financial Instruments: the Essence, Diversity and Role in the Process of Modernization of the Electric Power Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abakumenko Olha V.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to clarify the methodological basis for further research concerning analysis of the existing practices and development of proposals on using financial instruments for the modernization of the Ukrainian electric power sector, in particular, to clarify the definition of “financial instruments” and justify their classification, taking into account the defining characteristics. Based on the critical evaluation of various scientific approaches to interpretation of the essence of financial instruments, the author’s definition is proposed. Thus, it is advisable to consider them as means, techniques and methods of attracting financial resources (capital from other entities and as absolutely liquid assets. The generalization and rethinking of the criteria for classification of financial instruments allowed the authors to divide them into financial assets (cash, bank metals, currency, financial obligations (equity and debt instruments, and instruments of irrevocable financial aid (charitable contributions, grants, crowdfunding, fundraising. The received methodological conclusions quite fully characterize the essence and variety of types of financial instruments, taking into account their principal properties, which will allow to make a well-considered justification for choosing the optimal instruments for the modernization of the electric power sector.

Aeroacoustics of Musical Instruments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fabre, B.; Gilbert, J.; Hirschberg, Abraham; Pelorson, X.

2012-01-01

We are interested in the quality of sound produced by musical instruments and their playability. In wind instruments, a hydrodynamic source of sound is coupled to an acoustic resonator. Linear acoustics can predict the pitch of an instrument. This can significantly reduce the trial-and-error process

Isotope-equipped measuring instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyagawa, Kazuo; Amano, Hiroshi

1980-01-01

In the steel industry, though the investment in isotope-equipped measuring instruments is small as compared with that in machinery, they play important role in the moisture measurement in sintering and blast furnaces, the thickness measurement in rolling process and others in automatic control systems. The economic aspect of the isotope-equipped measuring instruments is described on the basis of the practices in Kimitsu Works of Nippon Steel Corporation: distribution of such instruments, evaluation of economic effects, usefulness evaluation in view of raising the accuracy, and usefulness evaluation viewed from the failure of the isotope instruments. The evaluation of economic effects was made under the premise that the isotope-equipped measuring instruments are not employed. Then, the effects of raising the accuracy are evaluated for a γ-ray plate thickness gauge and a neutron moisture gauge for coke in a blast furnace. Finally, the usefulness was evaluated, assuming possible failure of the isotope-equipped measuring instruments. (J.P.N.)

Response of three instruments devoted to surface-area for monodisperse and polydisperse aerosols in molecular and transition regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bau, Sebastien; Witschger, Olivier; Gensdarmes, Francois; Thomas, Dominique

2011-01-01

An increasing number of experimental and theoretical studies focus on airborne nanoparticles (NP) in relation with many aspects of risk assessment. Indeed, our understanding of the hazards, the actual exposures in the workplace and the limits of engineering controls and personal protective equipment with regard to NP are still under development. Several studies have already identified surface-area as an important determinant of low solubility nanoparticles toxicity. As a consequence, the concept that surface-area could be a relevant metric for characterizing exposure to low solubility airborne NP has been proposed [1]. To provide NP surface-area concentration, some direct-reading instruments have been designed, based on diffusion charging. The actual available instruments providing airborne NP surface-area concentration are studied in this work: LQ1-DC (Matter Engineering), AeroTrak T M 9000 (TSI) and NSAM (TSI model 3550). Their performances regarding monodisperse carbon NP have been investigated by Bau et al.. This work aims at completing the instruments characterization regarding monodisperse NP of other chemical composition (aluminium, copper, silver) and studying their performances against polydisperse aerosols of NP.

Response of three instruments devoted to surface-area for monodisperse and polydisperse aerosols in molecular and transition regimes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bau, Sebastien; Witschger, Olivier [Institut National de Recherche et de Securite (INRS), Laboratoire de Metrologie des Aerosols, Rue du Morvan, CS 60027, 54519 Vandoeuvre Cedex (France); Gensdarmes, Francois [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN), Laboratoire de Physique et de Metrologie des Aerosols, BP 68, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Thomas, Dominique, E-mail: sebastien.bau@inrs.fr [Laboratoire Reactions et Genie des Procedes (LRGP), groupe SAFE, 1 rue Grandville, BP 20041, 54001 Nancy Cedex (France)

2011-07-06

An increasing number of experimental and theoretical studies focus on airborne nanoparticles (NP) in relation with many aspects of risk assessment. Indeed, our understanding of the hazards, the actual exposures in the workplace and the limits of engineering controls and personal protective equipment with regard to NP are still under development. Several studies have already identified surface-area as an important determinant of low solubility nanoparticles toxicity. As a consequence, the concept that surface-area could be a relevant metric for characterizing exposure to low solubility airborne NP has been proposed [1]. To provide NP surface-area concentration, some direct-reading instruments have been designed, based on diffusion charging. The actual available instruments providing airborne NP surface-area concentration are studied in this work: LQ1-DC (Matter Engineering), AeroTrak{sup TM} 9000 (TSI) and NSAM (TSI model 3550). Their performances regarding monodisperse carbon NP have been investigated by Bau et al.. This work aims at completing the instruments characterization regarding monodisperse NP of other chemical composition (aluminium, copper, silver) and studying their performances against polydisperse aerosols of NP.

Instrumentation reference book

CERN Document Server

Boyes, Walt

2002-01-01

Instrumentation is not a clearly defined subject, having a 'fuzzy' boundary with a number of other disciplines. Often categorized as either 'techniques' or 'applications' this book addresses the various applications that may be needed with reference to the practical techniques that are available for the instrumentation or measurement of a specific physical quantity or quality. This makes it of direct interest to anyone working in the process, control and instrumentation fields where these measurements are essential.* Comprehensive and authoritative collection of technical information* Writte

Jones' instrument technology

CERN Document Server

Jones, Ernest Beachcroft; Kingham, Edward G; Radnai, Rudolf

1985-01-01

Jones' Instrument Technology, Volume 5: Automatic Instruments and Measuring Systems deals with general trends in automatic instruments and measuring systems. Specific examples are provided to illustrate the principles of such devices. A brief review of a considerable number of standards is undertaken, with emphasis on the IEC625 Interface System. Other relevant standards are reviewed, including the interface and backplane bus standards. This volume is comprised of seven chapters and begins with a short introduction to the principles of automatic measurements, classification of measuring system

Astronomical Instrumentation System Markup Language

Science.gov (United States)

Goldbaum, Jesse M.

2016-05-01

The Astronomical Instrumentation System Markup Language (AISML) is an Extensible Markup Language (XML) based file format for maintaining and exchanging information about astronomical instrumentation. The factors behind the need for an AISML are first discussed followed by the reasons why XML was chosen as the format. Next it's shown how XML also provides the framework for a more precise definition of an astronomical instrument and how these instruments can be combined to form an Astronomical Instrumentation System (AIS). AISML files for several instruments as well as one for a sample AIS are provided. The files demonstrate how AISML can be utilized for various tasks from web page generation and programming interface to instrument maintenance and quality management. The advantages of widespread adoption of AISML are discussed.

The Cabauw Intercomparison campaign for Nitrogen Dioxide measuring Instruments (CINDI: design, execution, and early results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. J. M. Piters

2012-02-01

Full Text Available From June to July 2009 more than thirty different in-situ and remote sensing instruments from all over the world participated in the Cabauw Intercomparison campaign for Nitrogen Dioxide measuring Instruments (CINDI. The campaign took place at KNMI's Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research (CESAR in the Netherlands. Its main objectives were to determine the accuracy of state-of-the-art ground-based measurement techniques for the detection of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (both in-situ and remote sensing, and to investigate their usability in satellite data validation. The expected outcomes are recommendations regarding the operation and calibration of such instruments, retrieval settings, and observation strategies for the use in ground-based networks for air quality monitoring and satellite data validation. Twenty-four optical spectrometers participated in the campaign, of which twenty-one had the capability to scan different elevation angles consecutively, the so-called Multi-axis DOAS systems, thereby collecting vertical profile information, in particular for nitrogen dioxide and aerosol. Various in-situ samplers and lidar instruments simultaneously characterized the variability of atmospheric trace gases and the physical properties of aerosol particles. A large data set of continuous measurements of these atmospheric constituents has been collected under various meteorological conditions and air pollution levels. Together with the permanent measurement capability at the CESAR site characterizing the meteorological state of the atmosphere, the CINDI campaign provided a comprehensive observational data set of atmospheric constituents in a highly polluted region of the world during summertime. First detailed comparisons performed with the CINDI data show that slant column measurements of NO₂, O₄ and HCHO with MAX-DOAS agree within 5 to 15%, vertical profiles of NO₂ derived from several independent

Regression of an atlantoaxial rheumatoid pannus following posterior instrumented fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Bydon, Mohamad; Macki, Mohamed; Qadi, Mohamud; De la Garza-Ramos, Rafael; Kosztowski, Thomas A; Sciubba, Daniel M; Wolinsky, Jean-Paul; Witham, Timothy F; Gokaslan, Ziya L; Bydon, Ali

2015-10-01

Rheumatoid patients may develop a retrodental lesion (atlantoaxial rheumatoid pannus) that may cause cervical instability and/or neurological compromise. The objective is to characterize clinical and radiographic outcomes after posterior instrumented fusion for atlantoaxial rheumatoid pannus. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent posterior fusions for an atlantoaxial rheumatoid pannus at a single institution. Both preoperative and postoperative imaging was available for all patients. Anterior or circumferential operations, non-atlantoaxial panni, or prior C1-C2 operations were excluded. Primary outcome measures included Nurick score, Ranawat score (neurologic status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis), pannus regression, and reoperation. Pannus volume was determined with axial and sagittal views on both preoperative and postoperative radiological images. Thirty patients surgically managed for an atlantoaxial rheumatoid pannus were followed for a mean of 24.43 months. Nine patients underwent posterior instrumented fusion alone, while 21 patients underwent posterior decompression and instrumented fusion. Following a posterior instrumented fusion in all 30 patients, the pannus statistically significantly regressed by 44.44%, from a mean volume of 1.26cm(3) to 0.70cm(3) (ppannus radiographically regressed by 44.44% over a mean of 8.02 months, and patients clinically improved per the Nurick score. The Ranawat score did not improve, and 20% of patients required reoperation over a mean of 13.18 months. The annualized reoperation rate was approximately 13.62%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

LEGAL INSTRUMENT FOR PROTECTION OF GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION PRODUCT IN INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Almusawir Nansa

2013-07-01

Full Text Available As an archipelago country, Indonesia comprises of a large territory where every region is capable of producing distinctive and characterized products due to its geographical, social, and cultural factors, in addition to its higher quality compared to imported products. In the market, goods with distinct characterization as a result of various geographical locations of production regions is known as Geographical Indication Products. Geographical Indication defines as a characterization that indicates the origin of a product, which includes several influencing factors such as geographical factor, natural factor, human factor or the combination of both factors which eventually contribute to establish a certain distinction and quality upon a product. Several geographical indicated products in Indonesia are widely known to have excellent reputation on the market, namely Delinese tobacco, Temanggung tobacco, Ciancur rice, Muntok white pepper, Lampung black pepper, Kerinci cinnamon, Cilembu cassava, Bandanese nutmeg, Proboliggo sweet mango, Balinese Kintamani coffee, Kalosi coffee, Papuan matoa, etc. Those are several richness of goods from certain regions in Indonesia widely known for their characterization. Characterization of goods are resulted by variation of geographic locations of producing regions in Indonesia. These goods possess high quality and high economic value. Consequently, certain instruments are required to provide protection upon the regions producing those goods against the act of counterfeiting.

Environmental policy instruments and technological change in the energy sector: findings from comparative empirical research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skjaerseth, J.B.; Christiansen, A.C.

2006-01-01

This article explores the extent to which and in what ways environmental policy instruments may affect patterns of environmental friendly technological change in the energy sector. Our argument is based on the assumption, however, that technological change is also affected by the political context in which the instruments are applied and by the nature of the problem itself. Comparative empirical research involving different European countries, sectors and policy fields were examined, including climate change, air pollution and wind power. The relationship between environmental policy instruments and technological change is extremely complex, not least due to the impact of other factors that may be more decisive than environmental ones. Against this backdrop, it was concluded that: 1) a portfolio of policy instruments works to the extent that different types of policy instruments affect the different drivers and stages behind technological change needed to solve specific problems. The need for a portfolio of policy instruments depends on the technological challenge being faced; 2) voluntary approaches facilitated constructive corporate strategies, but mandatory approaches tended to be more effective in stimulating short term major technological change; 3) voluntary approaches work well in the short term when the problem to be solved is characterized by lack of information and coordination. (author)

Measuring Lagrangian accelerations using an instrumented particle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimmermann, R; Fiabane, L; Volk, R; Pinton, J-F; Gasteuil, Y

2013-01-01

Accessing and characterizing a flow imposes a number of constraints on the employed measurement techniques; in particular, optical methods require transparent fluids and windows in the vessel. Whereas one can adapt the apparatus, fluid and methods in the laboratory to these constraints, this is hardly possible for industrial mixers. In this paper, we present a novel measurement technique which is suitable for opaque or granular flows: consider an instrumented particle, which continuously transmits the force/acceleration acting on it as it is advected in a flow. Its density is adjustable for a wide range of fluids and because of its small size and its wireless data transmission, the system can be used both in industrial and in scientific mixers, allowing for a better understanding of the flow within. We demonstrate the capabilities and precision of the particle by comparing its transmitted acceleration to alternative measurements, in particular in the case of a turbulent von Kármán flow. Our technique proves to be an efficient and fast tool to characterize flows. (paper)

Soil monitoring instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umbarger, C.J.

1981-01-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) has an extensive program for the development of nondestructive assay instrumentation for the quantitative analysis of transuranic (TRU) materials found in bulk solid wastes generated by Department of Energy facilities and by the commercial nuclear power industry. Included are wastes generated in decontamination and decommissioning of outdated nuclear facilities, as well as from old waste-burial-ground exhumation programs. The assay instrumentation is designed to have detection limits below 10 nCi/g wherever practicable. The assay instrumentation that is applied specifically to soil monitoring is discussed

Instruments to assess integrated care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyngsø, Anne Marie; Godtfredsen, Nina Skavlan; Høst, Dorte

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Although several measurement instruments have been developed to measure the level of integrated health care delivery, no standardised, validated instrument exists covering all aspects of integrated care. The purpose of this review is to identify the instruments concerning how to mea...... was prevalent. It is uncertain whether development of a single 'all-inclusive' model for assessing integrated care is desirable. We emphasise the continuing need for validated instruments embedded in theoretical contexts.......INTRODUCTION: Although several measurement instruments have been developed to measure the level of integrated health care delivery, no standardised, validated instrument exists covering all aspects of integrated care. The purpose of this review is to identify the instruments concerning how...... to measure the level of integration across health-care sectors and to assess and evaluate the organisational elements within the instruments identified. METHODS: An extensive, systematic literature review in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Web of Science for the years 1980-2011. Selected...

Analysis on detection accuracy of binocular photoelectric instrument optical axis parallelism digital calibration instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Ying, Jia-ju; Yin, Jian-ling; Wu, Dong-sheng; Liu, Jie; Chen, Yu-dan

2017-11-01

Low-light level night vision device and thermal infrared imaging binocular photoelectric instrument are used widely. The maladjustment of binocular instrument ocular axises parallelism will cause the observer the symptom such as dizziness, nausea, when use for a long time. Binocular photoelectric equipment digital calibration instrument is developed for detecting ocular axises parallelism. And the quantitative value of optical axis deviation can be quantitatively measured. As a testing instrument, the precision must be much higher than the standard of test instrument. Analyzes the factors that influence the accuracy of detection. Factors exist in each testing process link which affect the precision of the detecting instrument. They can be divided into two categories, one category is factors which directly affect the position of reticle image, the other category is factors which affect the calculation the center of reticle image. And the Synthesize error is calculated out. And further distribute the errors reasonably to ensure the accuracy of calibration instruments.

Estimating pushrim temporal and kinetic measures using an instrumented treadmill during wheelchair propulsion: A concurrent validity study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagnon, Dany H; Jouval, Camille; Chénier, Félix

2016-06-14

Using ground reaction forces recorded while propelling a manual wheelchair on an instrumented treadmill may represent a valuable alternative to using an instrumented pushrim to calculate temporal and kinetic parameters during propulsion. Sixteen manual wheelchair users propelled their wheelchair equipped with instrumented pushrims (i.e., SMARTWheel) on an instrumented dual-belt treadmill set a 1m/s during a 1-minute period. Spatio-temporal (i.e., duration of the push and recovery phase) and kinetic measures (i.e. propulsive moments) were calculated for 20 consecutive strokes for each participant. Strong associations were confirmed between the treadmill and the instrumented pushrim for the mean duration of the push phase (r=0.98) and of the recovery phase (r=0.99). Good agreement between these two measurement instruments was also confirmed with mean differences of only 0.028s for the push phase and 0.012s for the recovery phase. Strong associations were confirmed between the instrumented wheelchair pushrim and treadmill for mean (r=0.97) and peak (r=0.96) propulsive moments. Good agreement between these two measurement instruments was also confirmed with mean differences of 0.50Nm (mean moment) and 0.71Nm (peak moment). The use of a dual-belt instrumented treadmill represents an alternative to characterizing temporal parameters and propulsive moments during manual wheelchair propulsion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of atmospheric particulate samples via instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenberg, R.R.

1990-01-01

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) is a powerful analytical technique for the elemental characterization of atmospheric particulate samples. It is a true multielement technique with adequate sensitivity to determine 30 to 40 elements in a sample of atmospheric particulate material. Its nondestructive nature allows sample reanalysis by the same or a different analytical technique. In this paper as an example of the applicability of INAA to the study of atmospheric particulate material, a study of the emissions from municipal incinerators is described

Double-theodolite measurement system used in the image calibration of space photographic instrument

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LI Yan; QIAO Yan-feng; SU Wan-xin; LIU Ze-xun

2005-01-01

The purpose of characterizing the image of space photographic instrument is to gain the space included angles from three coordinate axes in the three-dimensional coordinate of the image and the directionality of the three axes of coordinate in the frame of axes of the instrument. The two reference frames will keep in the same direction finally by adjusting according to space angles. This problem was solved by a new high-precision measurement system composed of a double-theodolite and a set of communication system. In the survey system, two TDA5005 total stations from Leica Company will be selected as the double-theodolite and the interdependence of both coordinate systems can be achieved by moving the stations only at one time. Therefore, this measurement system provides a highly efficient and high-precision surveying method to the image calibration of the space photographic instrument. According to the experiment, its measuring accuracy can reach arc-second level.

[Controlling instruments in radiology].

Science.gov (United States)

Maurer, M

2013-10-01

Due to the rising costs and competitive pressures radiological clinics and practices are now facing, controlling instruments are gaining importance in the optimization of structures and processes of the various diagnostic examinations and interventional procedures. It will be shown how the use of selected controlling instruments can secure and improve the performance of radiological facilities. A definition of the concept of controlling will be provided. It will be shown which controlling instruments can be applied in radiological departments and practices. As an example, two of the controlling instruments, material cost analysis and benchmarking, will be illustrated.

Analysis of instrumentation technology for SMART

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hur, Seop; Koo, I. S.; Park, H. Y.; Lee, C. K.; Kim, D. H.; Suh, Y. S.; Seong, S. H.; Jang, G. S.

1998-03-01

It is necessary that development requirements, techniques to be developed, and development tasks and approach are established to develop the SMART instrumentation system. It is important to establish the development strategies for input for developing SMART instrumentation system. To meet above needs, the industry general and nuclear instrumentation techniques were analyzed and reviewed, respectively, based on the classification of instrumentation to analyze the industrial instrumentation techniques, and analysis results which described the inherent merits and demerits of each technique can be used for inputs to select the instruments for SMART. For the instrumentation techniques for nuclear environments, the major instrumentation techniques were reviewed, and the instrumentation system were established. The following development approaches were established based on the development requirements and the analysis results of research and development trends of industrial and nuclear instrumentation techniques. (author). 90 refs., 38 tabs., 33 figs

An Attitude Scale on Individual Instrument and Individual Instrument Course: Validity-Reliability Research

Science.gov (United States)

Kuçukosmanoglu, Hayrettin Onur

2015-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to develop a scale to determine students' attitude levels on individual instruments and individual instrument courses in instrument training, which is an important dimension of music education, and to conduct a validity-reliability research of the scale that has been developed. The scale consists of 16 items. The…

Characterizing and controlling industrial dust: a case study in small particle measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Combes, Richard S; Warren, D Alan

2005-07-01

Instrumentation used to measure characteristics of fine particles entrained in gas or suspended in aerosols provides information needed to develop valid regulations for emission sources and to support the design of control technologies. This case study offers a brief history of "micromeritics," a term used by early researchers to describe the science of small particles, and the related invention of laboratory instruments for characterizing very fine particles. The historical view provides insights into the role that Progressive Era government agencies played in advancing esoteric science and applying this knowledge to the regulation of workplace air pollution. Micromeritics instrumentation developed in conjunction with federal research now has many commercial applications worldwide, with characterizing airborne pollutants only a minor one. However, the continuing advances in the micromeritics field provide important laboratory measurement capabilities to environmental research organizations, such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Disturbance induced by surface preparation on instrumented indentation test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yugang; Kanouté, Pascale; François, Manuel

2015-01-01

Surface preparation, which may induce considerable sample disturbance, plays an important role in instrumented indentation test (IIT). In this study, the sample disturbance (mainly divided into residual stresses and plastic strain) induced by the surface preparation process of instrumented indentation test specimens were investigated with both experimental tests and numerical simulations. Grazing incidence X-ray diffractions (GIXRD) and uniaxial tensile tests were conducted for characterizing the residual stresses and high plastic strain in the top surface layers of a carefully mechanically polished indentation sample, which, in the present work, is made of commercially pure titanium. Instrumented indentation tests and the corresponding finite element simulations were performed as well. For comparison, a reference sample (carefully mechanically polished & electrolytically polished) which represents the raw material was prepared and tested. Results showed that a careful mechanical polishing procedure can effectively reduce the level of residual stresses induced by this process. However, the high plastic strain in the surface region imposed by the polishing process is significant. The induced plastic strain can affect a depth up to 5 µm, which is deeper than the maximum penetration depth h max (3 µm) used for the instrumented indentation tests. In the near surface layer (in the range of depth about 350 nm), the plastic strain levels are fairly high. In the very top layer, the plastic strain was even estimated to reach more than 60%. The simultaneous use of indentation tests and numerical simulations showed that the existence of high plastic strain in the surface region will make the load vs depth (P–h) curve shift upwards, the contact hardness (H) increase and the contact stiffness (S) decrease

Disturbance induced by surface preparation on instrumented indentation test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yugang, E-mail: yugang.li@utt.fr [Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT), ICD-LASMIS, UMR CNRS 6281, 12, rue Marie Curie-CS 42060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France); Kanouté, Pascale, E-mail: pascale.kanoute@onera.fr [Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT), ICD-LASMIS, UMR CNRS 6281, 12, rue Marie Curie-CS 42060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France); The French Aerospace Lab (ONERA), DMSM/MCE, 29 avenue de la Division Leclerc-BP 72, F-92322 Chatillon Cedex (France); François, Manuel, E-mail: manuel.francois@utt.fr [Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT), ICD-LASMIS, UMR CNRS 6281, 12, rue Marie Curie-CS 42060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France)

2015-08-26

Surface preparation, which may induce considerable sample disturbance, plays an important role in instrumented indentation test (IIT). In this study, the sample disturbance (mainly divided into residual stresses and plastic strain) induced by the surface preparation process of instrumented indentation test specimens were investigated with both experimental tests and numerical simulations. Grazing incidence X-ray diffractions (GIXRD) and uniaxial tensile tests were conducted for characterizing the residual stresses and high plastic strain in the top surface layers of a carefully mechanically polished indentation sample, which, in the present work, is made of commercially pure titanium. Instrumented indentation tests and the corresponding finite element simulations were performed as well. For comparison, a reference sample (carefully mechanically polished & electrolytically polished) which represents the raw material was prepared and tested. Results showed that a careful mechanical polishing procedure can effectively reduce the level of residual stresses induced by this process. However, the high plastic strain in the surface region imposed by the polishing process is significant. The induced plastic strain can affect a depth up to 5 µm, which is deeper than the maximum penetration depth h{sub max} (3 µm) used for the instrumented indentation tests. In the near surface layer (in the range of depth about 350 nm), the plastic strain levels are fairly high. In the very top layer, the plastic strain was even estimated to reach more than 60%. The simultaneous use of indentation tests and numerical simulations showed that the existence of high plastic strain in the surface region will make the load vs depth (P–h) curve shift upwards, the contact hardness (H) increase and the contact stiffness (S) decrease.

LOFT fuel modules design, characterization, and fabrication program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, M.L.

1977-06-01

The loss-of-fluid test [LOFT) fuel modules have evolved from a comprehensive five-year design, characterization, and fabrication program which has resulted in the accomplishment of many technical activities of interest in pressurized water reactor fuel design development and safety research. Information is presented concerning: determination of fundamental high-temperature reactor material properties; design invention related to in-core instrumentation attachment; implementation of advanced and/or unique fuel bundle characterization techniques; implementation of improved fuel bundle fabrication techniques; and planning and execution of a multimillion dollar design, characterization, and fabrication program for pressurized water reactor fuel

Some emergency instrumentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burgess, P H

1986-10-01

The widespread release of activity and the resultant spread of contamination after the Chernobyl accident resulted in requests to NRPB to provide instruments for, and expertise in, the measurement of radiation. The most common request was for advice on the usefulness of existing instruments, but Board staff were also involved in their adaptation or in the development of new instruments specially to meet the circumstances of the accident. The accident occurred on 26 April. On 1 May, NRPB was involved at Heathrow Airport in the monitoring of the British students who had returned from Kiev and Minsk. The main purpose was to reassure the students by checking that their persons and belongings did not have significant surface contamination. Additional measurements were also made of iodine activity in thyroid using hand-held detectors or a mobile body monitor. This operation was arranged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which had also received numerous requests for instruments from embassies and consulates in countries close to the scene of the accident. There was concern for the well-being of staff and other United Kingdom nationals who resided in or intended to visit the most affected countries. The board supplied suitable instruments, and the FCO distributed them to embassies. The frequency of environmental monitoring was increased from 29 April in anticipation of contamination and appropriate Board instrumentation was deployed. After the Chernobyl cloud arrived in the UK on 2 May, there were numerous requests from local government, public authorities, private companies and members of the public for information and advice on monitoring equipment and procedures. Some of these requirements could be met with existing equipment but members of the public were usually advised not to proceed. At a later stage, the contamination of foodstuffs and livestock required the development of an instrument capable of detecting low levels of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 134}Cs in food

Potentiostat for Characterizing Microstructures at Ionic Liquid/Electrode Interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-10

reviewed journals (N/A for none) C. Zibart, D. Parr, B. Egan, H. Morris, A. Tivanski, L. M. Haverhals, “Investigation of Structure at Gold- Ionic Liquid ...into our electrochemistry program. In short, the instrument has been of great service to characterize ionic liquid -based (IL-based) electrolyte...Aug-2014 14-Nov-2014 Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Final Report: Potentiostat for Characterizing Microstructures at Ionic Liquid

The Science of String Instruments

CERN Document Server

Rossing, Thomas D

2010-01-01

Many performing musicians, as well as instrument builders, are coming to realize the importance of understanding the science of musical instruments. This book explains how string instruments produce sound. It presents basic ideas in simple language, and it also translates some more sophisticated ideas in non-technical language. It should be of interest to performers, researchers, and instrument makers alike.

Structural characterization of a recombinant fusion protein by instrumental analysis and molecular modeling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhigang Wu

Full Text Available Conbercept is a genetically engineered homodimeric protein for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD that functions by blocking VEGF-family proteins. Its huge, highly variable architecture makes characterization and development of a functional assay difficult. In this study, the primary structure, number of disulfide linkages and glycosylation state of conbercept were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and capillary electrophoresis. Molecular modeling was then applied to obtain the spatial structural model of the conbercept-VEGF-A complex, and to study its inter-atomic interactions and dynamic behavior. This work was incorporated into a platform useful for studying the structure of conbercept and its ligand binding functions.

Instrumental analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Seung Jae; Seo, Seong Gyu

1995-03-15

This textbook deals with instrumental analysis, which consists of nine chapters. It has Introduction of analysis chemistry, the process of analysis and types and form of the analysis, Electrochemistry on basic theory, potentiometry and conductometry, electromagnetic radiant rays and optical components on introduction and application, Ultraviolet rays and Visible spectrophotometry, Atomic absorption spectrophotometry on introduction, flame emission spectrometry and plasma emission spectrometry. The others like infrared spectrophotometry, X-rays spectrophotometry and mass spectrometry, chromatography and the other instrumental analysis like radiochemistry.

Instrumental analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seung Jae; Seo, Seong Gyu

1995-03-01

This textbook deals with instrumental analysis, which consists of nine chapters. It has Introduction of analysis chemistry, the process of analysis and types and form of the analysis, Electrochemistry on basic theory, potentiometry and conductometry, electromagnetic radiant rays and optical components on introduction and application, Ultraviolet rays and Visible spectrophotometry, Atomic absorption spectrophotometry on introduction, flame emission spectrometry and plasma emission spectrometry. The others like infrared spectrophotometry, X-rays spectrophotometry and mass spectrometry, chromatography and the other instrumental analysis like radiochemistry.

Integrated intelligent instruments using supercritical fluid technology for soil analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liebman, S.A.; Phillips, C.; Fitzgerald, W.; Levy, E.J.

1994-01-01

Contaminated soils pose a significant challenge for characterization and remediation programs that require rapid, accurate and comprehensive data in the field or laboratory. Environmental analyzers based on supercritical fluid (SF) technology have been designed and developed for meeting these global needs. The analyzers are designated the CHAMP Systems (Chemical Hazards Automated Multimedia Processors). The prototype instrumentation features SF extraction (SFE) and on-line capillary gas chromatographic (GC) analysis with chromatographic and/or spectral identification detectors, such as ultra-violet, Fourier transform infrared and mass spectrometers. Illustrations are given for a highly automated SFE-capillary GC/flame ionization (FID) configuration to provide validated screening analysis for total extractable hydrocarbons within ca. 5--10 min, as well as a full qualitative/quantitative analysis in 25--30 min. Data analysis using optional expert system and neural networks software is demonstrated for test gasoline and diesel oil mixtures in this integrated intelligent instrument approach to trace organic analysis of soils and sediments

μ-TPC: a future standard instrument for low energy neutron field characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maire, D.; Lebreton, L.; Petit, M.; Billard, J.; Bourrion, O.; Bosson, G.; Guillaudin, O.; Lamblin, J.; Mayet, F.; Medard, J.; Muraz, J.F.; Richer, J.P.; Riffard, Q.; Santos, D.

2013-06-01

In order to measure energy of neutron fields, with energy ranging from 8 keV to 1 MeV, a new primary standard is being developed at the IRSN (Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety). This project, μ-TPC (Micro Time Projection Chamber), carried out in collaboration with the LPSC (Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie), is based on the nucleus recoil detector principle. The instrument will be presented with the associated method to measure the neutron energy. This article will emphasize the proton energy calibration procedure and energy measurements of a neutron field produced at 127 keV on the IRSN facility AMANDE. Finally the COMIMAC device, dedicated to the calibration, will be described. This original device, developed at the LPSC, is able to produce proton and electron beams with an accurate energy ranging from 1 keV to 50 keV. (authors)

Soil monitoring instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umbarger, C.J.

1980-01-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) has an extensive program for the development of nondestructive assay instrumentation for the quantitative analysis of transuranic (TRU) materials found in bulk solid wastes generated by Department of Energy facilities and by the commercial nuclear power industry. Included are wastes generated in decontamination and decommissioning of outdated nuclear facilities as well as wastes from old waste burial ground exhumation programs. The assay instrumentation is designed to have detection limits below 10 nCi/g wherever practicable. Because of the topic of this workshop, only the assay instrumentation applied specifically to soil monitoring will be discussed here. Four types of soil monitors are described

Applying a new criterion to predict glass forming alloys in the Zr–Ni–Cu ternary system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Déo, L.P., E-mail: leonardopratavieira@gmail.com [Universidade de São Paulo, EESC, SMM - Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400 – São Carlos, SP 13566-590 (Brazil); Mendes, M.A.B., E-mail: marcio.andreato@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de São Carlos, DEMa - Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 235 – São Carlos, SP 13565-905 (Brazil); Costa, A.M.S., E-mail: alexmatos1980@gmail.com [Universidade de São Paulo, DEMAR, EEL – Polo Urbo-Industrial Gleba AI-6, s/n – Lorena, SP 12600-970 (Brazil); Campos Neto, N.D., E-mail: nelsonddcn@gmail.com [Universidade de São Paulo, EESC, SMM - Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400 – São Carlos, SP 13566-590 (Brazil); Oliveira, M.F. de, E-mail: falcao@sc.usp.br [Universidade de São Paulo, EESC, SMM - Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400 – São Carlos, SP 13566-590 (Brazil)

2013-03-15

Highlights: ► Calculation to predict and select the glass forming ability (GFA) of metallic alloys in Zr–Ni–Cu system. ► Good correlation between theoretical and experimental GFA samples. ► Combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques mainly to characterize the samples. ► Oxygen impurity dramatically reduced the GFA. ► The selection criterion used opens the possibility to obtain new amorphous alloys, reducing the experimental procedures of trial and error. -- Abstract: A new criterion has been recently proposed to predict and select the glass forming ability (GFA) of metallic alloys. It was found that the critical cooling rate for glass formation (R{sub c}) correlates well with a proper combination of two factors, the minimum topological instability (λ{sub min}) and the thermodynamic parameter (Δh). The (λ{sub min}) criterion is based on the concept of topological instability of stable crystalline structures and (Δh) depends on the average work function difference (Δϕ) and the average electron density difference Δn{sub ws}{sup 1/3} among the constituent elements of the alloy. In the present work, the selection criterion was applied in the Zr–Ni–Cu system and its predictability was analyzed experimentally. Ribbon-shaped and splat-shaped samples were produced by melt-spinning and splat-cooling techniques respectively. The crystallization content and behavior were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. The results showed a good correlation between the theoretical GFA values and the amorphous phase percentages found in different alloy compositions.

Characterization of CZT detectors for the ASIM mission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Budtz-Jørgensen, Carl; Kuvvetli, Irfan; Skogseide, Y

2008-01-01

The National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark is responsible for the selection and characterization of the CZT detector crystals for the X and gamma -ray instrument MXGS onboard ESA’s Atmospheric Space Interaction Monitor (ASIM) mission. The Modular X- and Gamma ray Sensor (MXGS) ...

Radiation protection instrument 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-04-01

The Radiation Protection Instrument, 1993 (Legislative Instrument 1559) prescribes the powers and functions of the Radiation Protection Board established under the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission by the Atomic Energy Commission (Amendment) Law, 1993 (P.N.D.C. Law 308). Also included in the Legislative Instrument are schedules on control and use of ionising radiation and radiation sources as well as procedures for notification, licensing and inspection of ionising radiation facilities. (EAA)

The BEAR program NRL plasma physics instrumentation measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, D.N.; Baumback, M.M.; Haas, D.G.; Rodriguez, P.; Siefring, C.L.; Doggett, R.A. [Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States)

1989-11-15

The BEAR program was a joint effort to launch, and demonstrate the feasibility of operating, a 1 MeV 10 ma Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) accelerator from a space platform. The accelerator design and manufacture were the responsibility of Los Alamos National Lab (LANL); diagnostics associated with accelerator operation and beam-plasma effects were also to be undertaken by LANL and NRL. Payload Integration and Telemetry was provided by the Air Force Geophysical Lab (AFGL) and Northeastern University (NEU). Beam effects on the local plasma in addition to accelerator produced vehicle effects (e.g., charging) were the responsibility of NRL as outlined herein. The BEAR rocket was launched successfully during the early morning hours of July 13 from White Sands Missile Range, White Sands, N.M. The NRL contribution to this effort included three instrument packages designed to diagnose beam-plasma and vehicle-plasma interactions. The instruments included: (1) Langmuir probe (LP) design consisting of 4 separate sensors; (2) High voltage (HIV) Langmuir Probe designed to monitor vehicle charging through current polarity changes; and (3) Plasma Wave Receive (PWR) designed to characterize the plasma wave emissions covering a broad frequency range from near DC to 50 MHz.

Multimode laser beam analyzer instrument using electrically programmable optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Marraccini, Philip J; Riza, Nabeel A

2011-12-01

Presented is a novel design of a multimode laser beam analyzer using a digital micromirror device (DMD) and an electronically controlled variable focus lens (ECVFL) that serve as the digital and analog agile optics, respectively. The proposed analyzer is a broadband laser characterization instrument that uses the agile optics to smartly direct light to the required point photodetectors to enable beam measurements of minimum beam waist size, minimum waist location, divergence, and the beam propagation parameter M(2). Experimental results successfully demonstrate these measurements for a 500 mW multimode test laser beam with a wavelength of 532 nm. The minimum beam waist, divergence, and M(2) experimental results for the test laser are found to be 257.61 μm, 2.103 mrad, 1.600 and 326.67 μm, 2.682 mrad, 2.587 for the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively. These measurements are compared to a traditional scan method and the results of the beam waist are found to be within error tolerance of the demonstrated instrument.

Polarimetric receiver in the forty gigahertz band: new instrument for the Q-U-I joint Tenerife experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Villa, Enrique; Cano, Juan L.; Aja, Beatriz; Terán, J. Vicente; de la Fuente, Luisa; Mediavilla, Ángel; Artal, Eduardo

2018-03-01

This paper describes the analysis, design and characterization of a polarimetric receiver developed for covering the 35 to 47 GHz frequency band in the new instrument aimed at completing the ground-based Q-U-I Joint Tenerife Experiment. This experiment is designed to measure polarization in the Cosmic Microwave Background. The described high frequency instrument is a HEMT-based array composed of 29 pixels. A thorough analysis of the behaviour of the proposed receiver, based on electronic phase switching, is presented for a noise-like linearly polarized input signal, obtaining simultaneously I, Q and U Stokes parameters of the input signal. Wideband subsystems are designed, assembled and characterized for the polarimeter. Their performances are described showing appropriate results within the 35-to-47 GHz frequency band. Functionality tests are performed at room and cryogenic temperatures with adequate results for both temperature conditions, which validate the receiver concept and performance.

Calibration of the GNU and HSREM neutron survey instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eakins, J.S.; Hager, L.G.; Leake, J.W.; Mason, R.S.; Tanner, R.J.

2017-01-01

Two innovative designs of neutron survey instrument have recently been developed to estimate ambient dose equivalent in the workplace: the GNU has an improved energy-independence of response in the meV to TeV range; the HSREM is a comparatively lightweight device covering the meV to 10 MeV range. Both designs offer good detection sensitivity, allowing measurements to be made efficiently and thereby minimizing the exposure to their users. Prototypes of both devices have been constructed and exposed to sets of well-characterized reference fields: the resulting measured responses are presented and discussed here, compared against comprehensive Monte Carlo data.

Calibration of the GNU and HSREM neutron survey instruments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eakins, J.S., E-mail: jonathan.eakins@phe.gov.uk [Public Health England, CRCE, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ (United Kingdom); Hager, L.G. [Public Health England, CRCE, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ (United Kingdom); Leake, J.W.; Mason, R.S. [Sherwood Nutec Scientific Ltd., Kent (United Kingdom); Tanner, R.J. [Public Health England, CRCE, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ (United Kingdom)

2017-04-21

Two innovative designs of neutron survey instrument have recently been developed to estimate ambient dose equivalent in the workplace: the GNU has an improved energy-independence of response in the meV to TeV range; the HSREM is a comparatively lightweight device covering the meV to 10 MeV range. Both designs offer good detection sensitivity, allowing measurements to be made efficiently and thereby minimizing the exposure to their users. Prototypes of both devices have been constructed and exposed to sets of well-characterized reference fields: the resulting measured responses are presented and discussed here, compared against comprehensive Monte Carlo data.

New In-pile Instrumentation to Support Fuel Cycle Research and Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. Rempe; H. MacLean; R. Schley; D. Hurley; J. Daw; S. Taylor; J. Smith; J. Svoboda; D. Kotter; D. Knudson; M. Guers; S. C. Wilkins

2011-01-01

New and enhanced nuclear fuels are a key enabler for new and improved reactor technologies. For example, the goals of the next generation nuclear plant (NGNP) will not be met without irradiations successfully demonstrating the safety and reliability of new fuels. Likewise, fuel reliability has become paramount in ensuring the competitiveness of nuclear power plants. Recently, the Office of Nuclear Energy in the Department of Energy (DOE-NE) launched a new direction in fuel research and development that emphasizes an approach relying on first principle models to develop optimized fuel designs that offer significant improvements over current fuels. To facilitate this approach, high fidelity, real-time, data are essential for characterizing the performance of new fuels during irradiation testing. A three-year strategic research program is proposed for developing the required test vehicles with sensors of unprecedented accuracy and resolution for obtaining the data needed to characterize three-dimensional changes in fuel microstructure during irradiation testing. When implemented, this strategy will yield test capsule designs that are instrumented with new sensor technologies for the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and other irradiation locations for the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FC R&D) program. Prior laboratory testing, and as needed, irradiation testing, of these sensors will have been completed to give sufficient confidence that the irradiation tests will yield the required data. Obtaining these sensors must draw upon the expertise of a wide-range of organizations not currently supporting nuclear fuels research. This document defines this strategic program and provides the necessary background information related to fuel irradiation testing, desired parameters for detection, and an overview of currently available in-pile instrumentation. In addition, candidate sensor technologies are identified in this document, and a list of proposed criteria for ranking

How discriminating are discriminative instruments?

Science.gov (United States)

Hankins, Matthew

2008-05-27

The McMaster framework introduced by Kirshner & Guyatt is the dominant paradigm for the development of measures of health status and health-related quality of life (HRQL). The framework defines the functions of such instruments as evaluative, predictive or discriminative. Evaluative instruments are required to be sensitive to change (responsiveness), but there is no corresponding index of the degree to which discriminative instruments are sensitive to cross-sectional differences. This paper argues that indices of validity and reliability are not sufficient to demonstrate that a discriminative instrument performs its function of discriminating between individuals, and that the McMaster framework would be augmented by the addition of a separate index of discrimination. The coefficient proposed by Ferguson (Delta) is easily adapted to HRQL instruments and is a direct, non-parametric index of the degree to which an instrument distinguishes between individuals. While Delta should prove useful in the development and evaluation of discriminative instruments, further research is required to elucidate the relationship between the measurement properties of discrimination, reliability and responsiveness.

How discriminating are discriminative instruments?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hankins Matthew

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract The McMaster framework introduced by Kirshner & Guyatt is the dominant paradigm for the development of measures of health status and health-related quality of life (HRQL. The framework defines the functions of such instruments as evaluative, predictive or discriminative. Evaluative instruments are required to be sensitive to change (responsiveness, but there is no corresponding index of the degree to which discriminative instruments are sensitive to cross-sectional differences. This paper argues that indices of validity and reliability are not sufficient to demonstrate that a discriminative instrument performs its function of discriminating between individuals, and that the McMaster framework would be augmented by the addition of a separate index of discrimination. The coefficient proposed by Ferguson (Delta is easily adapted to HRQL instruments and is a direct, non-parametric index of the degree to which an instrument distinguishes between individuals. While Delta should prove useful in the development and evaluation of discriminative instruments, further research is required to elucidate the relationship between the measurement properties of discrimination, reliability and responsiveness.

A 'hybrid' neutron area survey instrument for the determination of neutron dose quantities in the workplace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanner, R.J.; Jenkins, R.; Lowe, T.; Silvie, J.; Joyce, M.J.; Winsby, A.; Molinos, C.

2005-01-01

Full text: Neutron survey instruments are used routinely to determine the dose rates in areas where persons may be occupationally exposed. With a few exceptions, these instruments generally use a proportional counter with a high thermal neutron response located in a moderating sphere of CH 2 . The moderating sphere in such designs contains a thermal neutron absorber to reduce the over-response to thermal and intermediate energy neutrons. However, the commercially available examples of such instruments tend to have strongly energy dependent ambient dose equivalent response characteristics. In particular, they often over-respond in the energy range between 1 eV and 10 keV. A prototype of a novel design has been produced that uses seven detectors located in a moderating sphere of CH 2 , six near the surface to detect thermal and epithermal neutrons, and one in the centre to detect fast neutrons. This has been characterized using a combination of MCNP modelling and measurements to produce an instrument that has improved energy dependence of response characteristics. Additionally, the use of seven detectors offers direction and field hardness information. The design and calibration of the instrument are described and its response in workplaces calculated. (author)

Smart antennas for nuclear instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, Ranjan Bala; Singhi, B.M.

2005-01-01

The advances in the field of computer and communications are leading to the development of smart embedded nuclear instruments. These instruments have highly sophisticated signal-processing algorithms based on FPGA and ASICS, provisions of present day connectivity and user interfaces. The developments in the connectivity, standards and bus technologies have made possible to access these instruments on LAN and WAN with suitable reliability and security. To get rid of wires i.e. in order to access these instruments, without wires at any place, wireless technology has evolved and become integral part of day-to-day activities. The environment monitoring can be done remotely, if smart antennas are incorporated on these instruments

Nuclear instrumentation for research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofer, Carlos G.; Pita, Antonio; Verrastro, Claudio A.; Maino, Eduardo J.

1997-01-01

The nuclear instrumentation for research reactors in Argentina was developed in 70'. A gradual modernization of all the nuclear instrumentation is planned. It includes start-up and power range instrumentation, as well as field monitors, clamp, scram and rod movement control logic. The new instrumentation is linked to a computer network, based on real time operating system for data acquisition, display and logging. This paper describes the modules and whole system aspects. (author). 2 refs

Instrumentation to Monitor Transient Periodic Developing Flow in Non-Newtonian Slurries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bamberger, Judith A.; Enderlin, Carl W.

2013-11-15

Staff at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have conducted mixing and mobilization experiments with non-Newtonian slurries that exhibit Bingham plastic and shear thinning behavior and shear strength. This paper describes measurement techniques applied to identify the interface between flowing and stationary regions of non-Newtonian slurries that are subjected to transient, periodic, developing flows. Techniques were developed to identify the boundary between the flowing and stationary regions, time to mix, characteristic velocities of the flow field produced by the symmetrically spaced nozzles, and the velocity of the upwell formed in the center of the tank by the intersection of flow from four symmetrically spaced nozzles that impinge upon the tank floor. Descriptions of the instruments and instrument performance are presented. These techniques were an effective approach to characterize mixing phenomena, determine mixing energy required to fully mobilize vessel contents and to determine mixing times for process evaluation.

Comparison of optical methods for surface roughness characterization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feidenhans'l, Nikolaj Agentoft; Hansen, Poul Erik; Pilny, Lukas

2015-01-01

We report a study of the correlation between three optical methods for characterizing surface roughness: a laboratory scatterometer measuring the bi-directional reflection distribution function (BRDF instrument), a simple commercial scatterometer (rBRDF instrument), and a confocal optical profiler....... For each instrument, the effective range of spatial surface wavelengths is determined, and the common bandwidth used when comparing the evaluated roughness parameters. The compared roughness parameters are: the root-mean-square (RMS) profile deviation (Rq), the RMS profile slope (Rdq), and the variance...... of the scattering angle distribution (Aq). The twenty-two investigated samples were manufactured with several methods in order to obtain a suitable diversity of roughness patterns.Our study shows a one-to-one correlation of both the Rq and the Rdq roughness values when obtained with the BRDF and the confocal...

The pre-flight calibration setup of the instrument SIMBIO-SYS onboard the mission BepiColombo

Science.gov (United States)

Poulet, F.; Rodriguez-Ferreira, J.; Arondel, A.; Dassas, K.; Eng, P.; Lami, P.; Langevin, Y.; Longval, Y.; Pradel, P.; Dami, M.

2015-11-01

BepiColombo, an European Space Agency (ESA) mission being conducted in cooperation with the Japan space agency, will explore Mercury with a set of eleven instruments onboard the spacecraft Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO). Among them, SIMBIO-SYS (Spectrometers and Imagers for MPO BepiColombo Integrated Observatory SYStem) is a complex instrument that will provide images and spectra in the 400-2000 nm wavelength range of the entire surface of Mercury. Pre-flight calibration of the SYMBIO-SYS instrument is mandatory for reliable scientific interpretation of images and spectra returned from the planet Mercury. This paper presents the calibration device designed and implemented for the specific requirements of this instrument. It mainly consists of a thermal vacuum chamber simulating the space environment, an optical bench collecting calibration sources and optical elements that simulate the conditions of Mercury observations, mechanical interfaces used for positioning the three channels inside the vacuum chamber, thermal interfaces to explore the operating temperatures, computer interfaces that allow to communicate with both the instrument and the calibration elements and synchronize the calibrations sequences with the status of the calibration device. As the major goal is the characterization of the radiometric performances of the three channels of SIMBIO-SYS, radiometric performances of the test setup evaluated by simulations and measurements are emphasized.

Advancements in Actuated Musical Instruments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overholt, Daniel; Berdahl, Edgar; Hamilton, Robert

2011-01-01

are physical instruments that have been endowed with virtual qualities controlled by a computer in real-time but which are nevertheless tangible. These instruments provide intuitive and engaging new forms of interaction. They are different from traditional (acoustic) and fully automated (robotic) instruments...

Software-Enabled Modular Instrumentation Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soijer, M.W.

2003-01-01

Like most other types of instrumentation systems, flight test instrumentation is not produced in series; its development is a one-time achievement by a test department. With the introduction of powerful digital computers, instrumentation systems have included data analysis tasks that were previously

LISA Pathfinder instrument data analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Guzman, Felipe

LISA Pathfinder (LPF) is an ESA-launched demonstration mission of key technologies required for the joint NASA-ESA gravitational wave observatory in space, LISA. As part of the LPF interferometry investigations, analytic models of noise sources and corresponding noise subtrac-tion techniques have been developed to correct for effects like the coupling of test mass jitter into displacement readout, and fluctuations of the laser frequency or optical pathlength difference. Ground testing of pre-flight hardware of the Optical Metrology Subsystem is currently ongoing at the Albert Einstein Institute Hannover. In collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the LPF mission data analysis tool LTPDA is being used to analyze the data product of these tests. Furthermore, the noise subtraction techniques and in-flight experiment runs for noise characterization are being defined as part of the mission experiment master plan. We will present the data analysis outcome of pre-flight hardware ground tests and possible noise subtraction strategies for in-flight instrument operations.

Nuclear instrument technician training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wollesen, E.S.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on Nuclear Instrument Technician (NIT) training that has developed at an accelerated rate over the past three decades. During the 1960's commercial nuclear power plants were in their infancy. For that reason, there is little wonder that NIT training had little structure and little creditability. NIT training, in many early plants, was little more than On-The Job Training (OJT). The seventies brought changes in Instrumentation and Controls as well as emphasis on the requirements for more in depth training and documentation. As in the seventies, the eighties saw not only changes in technologies but tighter requirements, standardized training and the development of accredited Nuclear Instrument Training; thus the conclusion: Nuclear Instrument Training Isn't What It Used To Be

Determination of rare earth elements in sea sediments from the Cuban northwestern coast by instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capote Rodriguez, G.; Perez Zayas, G.; Pena Fortes, B.; Diaz Riso, O.; Hernandez Rivero, A.T.

1998-01-01

The multielemental characterization of sea sediments from an important Cuban coast was performed using instrumental Neutron activation analysis. The obtained results shown an impoverishment of in the studied zone, in comparison with the data taken from other Cuban coaster zones

Industrial instrumentation principles and design

CERN Document Server

Padmanabhan, Tattamangalam R

2000-01-01

Pneumatic, hydraulic and allied instrumentation schemes have given way to electronic schemes in recent years thanks to the rapid strides in electronics and allied areas. Principles, design and applications of such state-of-the-art instrumentation schemes form the subject matter of this book. Through representative examples, the basic building blocks of instrumentation schemes are identified and each of these building blocks discussed in terms of its design and interface characteristics. The common generic schemes synthesized with such building blocks are dealt with subsequently. This forms the scope of Part I. The focus in Part II is on application. Displacement and allied instrumentation, force and allied instrumentation and process instrumentation in terms of temperature, flow, pressure level and other common process variables are dealt with separately and exhaustively. Despite the diversity in the sensor principles and characteristics and the variety in the applications and their environments, it is possib...

Instrumental analysis, second edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christian, G.D.; O'Reilly, J.E.

1988-01-01

The second edition of Instrumental Analysis is a survey of the major instrument-based methods of chemical analysis. It appears to be aimed at undergraduates but would be equally useful in a graduate course. The volume explores all of the classical quantitative methods and contains sections on techniques that usually are not included in a semester course in instrumentation (such as electron spectroscopy and the kinetic methods). Adequate coverage of all of the methods contained in this book would require several semesters of focused study. The 25 chapters were written by different authors, yet the style throughout the book is more uniform than in the earlier edition. With the exception of a two-chapter course in analog and digital circuits, the book purports to de-emphasize instrumentation, focusing more on the theory behind the methods and the application of the methods to analytical problems. However, a detailed analysis of the instruments used in each method is by no means absent. The book has the favor of a user's guide to analysis

Comparing surgical trays with redundant instruments with trays with reduced instruments: a cost analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

John-Baptiste, A; Sowerby, L J; Chin, C J; Martin, J; Rotenberg, B W

2016-01-01

When prearranged standard surgical trays contain instruments that are repeatedly unused, the redundancy can result in unnecessary health care costs. Our objective was to estimate potential savings by performing an economic evaluation comparing the cost of surgical trays with redundant instruments with surgical trays with reduced instruments ("reduced trays"). We performed a cost-analysis from the hospital perspective over a 1-year period. Using a mathematical model, we compared the direct costs of trays containing redundant instruments to reduced trays for 5 otolaryngology procedures. We incorporated data from several sources including local hospital data on surgical volume, the number of instruments on redundant and reduced trays, wages of personnel and time required to pack instruments. From the literature, we incorporated instrument depreciation costs and the time required to decontaminate an instrument. We performed 1-way sensitivity analyses on all variables, including surgical volume. Costs were estimated in 2013 Canadian dollars. The cost of redundant trays was $21 806 and the cost of reduced trays was $8803, for a 1-year cost saving of $13 003. In sensitivity analyses, cost savings ranged from $3262 to $21 395, based on the surgical volume at the institution. Variation in surgical volume resulted in a wider range of estimates, with a minimum of $3253 for low-volume to a maximum of $52 012 for high-volume institutions. Our study suggests moderate savings may be achieved by reducing surgical tray redundancy and, if applied to other surgical specialties, may result in savings to Canadian health care systems.

The 2007 ESO Instrument Calibration Workshop

CERN Document Server

Kaufer, Andreas; ESO Workshop

2008-01-01

The 2007 ESO Instrument Calibration workshop brought together more than 120 participants with the objective to a) foster the sharing of information, experience and techniques between observers, instrument developers and instrument operation teams, b) review the actual precision and limitations of the applied instrument calibration plans, and c) collect the current and future requirements by the ESO users. These present proceedings include the majority of the workshop’s contributions and document the status quo of instrument calibration at ESO in large detail. Topics covered are: Optical Spectro-Imagers, Optical Multi-Object Spectrographs, NIR and MIR Spectro-Imagers, High-Resolution Spectrographs, Integral Field Spectrographs, Adaptive Optics Instruments, Polarimetric Instruments, Wide Field Imagers, Interferometric Instruments as well as other crucial aspects such as data flow, quality control, data reduction software and atmospheric effects. It was stated in the workshop that "calibration is a life-long l...

The Choice of Innovation Policy Instruments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borrás, Susana; Edquist, Charles

The purpose of this article is to discuss the different types of instruments of innovation policy, to examine how governments and public agencies in different countries and different times have used these instruments differently, to explore the political nature of instrument choice and design (and...... associated issues), and to elaborate a set of criteria for the selection and design of the instruments in relation to the formulation of innovation policy. The article argues that innovation policy instruments must be designed and combined into mixes in ways that address the problems of the innovation system....... These mixes are often called “policy mix”. The problem-oriented nature of the design of instrument mixes is what makes innovation policy instruments ‘systemic’....

The Choice of Innovation Policy Instruments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borrás, Susana; Edquist, Charles

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the different types of instruments of innovation policy, to examine how governments and public agencies in different countries and different times have used these instruments differently, to explore the political nature of instrument choice and design (and...... associated issues), and to elaborate a set of criteria for the selection and design of the instruments in relation to the formulation of innovation policy. The article argues that innovation policy instruments must be designed and combined into mixes in ways that address the problems of the innovation system....... These mixes are often called “policy mix”. The problem-oriented nature of the design of instrument mixes is what makes innovation policy instruments ‘systemic’....

The IKARUS instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerster, H.J.; Stein, G.

1994-01-01

When the Federal Government decided on a 25% reduction of CO 2 emissions till 2005 in 1990 the necessity resulted that an instrument has to be developed for the analysis and assessment of the ecological, economic and energetic impact of different reduction strategies. The development task was awarded by the BMFT to the Research Centre Juelich in cooperation with well-known institutions of energy system research. The total instrument is scheduled to be finished by the end of 1994. For the decentral use of the instrument by a wide specialist public the developed models and data banks which are equipped with a user-friendly surface are suited for larger PCs (486, 16 MB RAM/500-1000 MB ROM). (orig.) [de

Verification of the Indicating Measuring Instruments Taking into Account their Instrumental Measurement Uncertainty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakharov Igor

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The specific features of the measuring instruments verification based on the results of their calibration are considered. It is noted that, in contrast to the verification procedure used in the legal metrology, the verification procedure for calibrated measuring instruments has to take into account the uncertainty of measurements into account. In this regard, a large number of measuring instruments, considered as those that are in compliance after verification in the legal metrology, turns out to be not in compliance after calibration. In this case, it is necessary to evaluate the probability of compliance of indicating measuring instruments. The procedure of compliance probability determination on the basis of the Monte Carlo method is considered. An example of calibration of a Vernier caliper is given.

Characterization of High-power Quasi-cw Laser Diode Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen, Mark A.; Vasilyev, Aleksey; Troupaki, Elisavet; Allan, Graham R.; Kashem, Nasir B.

2005-01-01

NASA s requirements for high reliability, high performance satellite laser instruments have driven the investigation of many critical components; specifically, 808 nm laser diode array (LDA) pump devices. Performance and comprehensive characterization data of Quasi-CW, High-power, laser diode arrays is presented.

Instrumentation Cables Test Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muna, Alice Baca [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); LaFleur, Chris Bensdotter [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-10-01

A fire at a nuclear power plant (NPP) has the potential to damage structures, systems, and components important to safety, if not promptly detected and suppressed. At Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant on March 22, 1975, a fire in the reactor building damaged electrical power and control systems. Damage to instrumentation cables impeded the function of both normal and standby reactor coolant systems, and degraded the operators’ plant monitoring capability. This event resulted in additional NRC involvement with utilities to ensure that NPPs are properly protected from fire as intended by the NRC principle design criteria (i.e., general design criteria 3, Fire Protection). Current guidance and methods for both deterministic and performance based approaches typically make conservative (bounding) assumptions regarding the fire-induced failure modes of instrumentation cables and those failure modes effects on component and system response. Numerous fire testing programs have been conducted in the past to evaluate the failure modes and effects of electrical cables exposed to severe thermal conditions. However, that testing has primarily focused on control circuits with only a limited number of tests performed on instrumentation circuits. In 2001, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) conducted a series of cable fire tests designed to address specific aspects of the cable failure and circuit fault issues of concern1. The NRC was invited to observe and participate in that program. The NRC sponsored Sandia National Laboratories to support this participation, whom among other things, added a 4-20 mA instrumentation circuit and instrumentation cabling to six of the tests. Although limited, one insight drawn from those instrumentation circuits tests was that the failure characteristics appeared to depend on the cable insulation material. The results showed that for thermoset insulated cables, the instrument reading tended to drift

Minimally invasive instrumentation without fusion during posterior thoracic corpectomies: a comparison of percutaneously instrumented nonfused segments with open instrumented fused segments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Darryl; Chou, Dean

2017-07-01

OBJECTIVE During the mini-open posterior corpectomy, percutaneous instrumentation without fusion is performed above and below the corpectomy level. In this study, the authors' goal was to compare the perioperative and long-term implant failure rates of patients who underwent nonfused percutaneous instrumentation with those of patients who underwent traditional open instrumented fusion. METHODS Adult patients who underwent posterior thoracic corpectomies with cage reconstruction between 2009 and 2014 were identified. Patients who underwent mini-open corpectomy had percutaneous instrumentation without fusion, and patients who underwent open corpectomy had instrumented fusion above and below the corpectomy site. The authors compared perioperative outcomes and rates of implant failure requiring reoperation between the open (fused) and mini-open (unfused) groups. RESULTS A total of 75 patients were identified, and 53 patients (32 open and 21 mini-open) were available for followup. The mean patient age was 52.8 years, and 56.6% of patients were male. There were no significant differences in baseline variables between the 2 groups. The overall perioperative complication rate was 15.1%, and there was no significant difference between the open and mini-open groups (18.8% vs 9.5%; p = 0.359). The mean hospital stay was 10.5 days. The open group required a significantly longer stay than the mini-open group (12.8 vs 7.1 days; p open and mini-open groups at 6 months (3.1% vs 0.0%, p = 0.413), 1 year (10.7% vs 6.2%, p = 0.620), and 2 years (18.2% vs 8.3%, p = 0.438). The overall mean follow-up was 29.2 months. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that percutaneous instrumentation without fusion in mini-open transpedicular corpectomies offers similar implant failure and reoperation rates as open instrumented fusion as far out as 2 years of follow-up.

Raman lidar characterization using a reference lamp

Science.gov (United States)

Landulfo, Eduardo; da Costa, Renata F.; Rodrigues, Patricia F.; da Silva Lopes, Fábio J.

2014-10-01

The determination of the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere using lidar is a calibration dependent technique. Different collocated instruments are used for this purpose, like radiossoundings and microwave radiometers. When there are no collocated instruments available, an independente lamp mapping calibration technique can be used. Aiming to stabilish an independ technique for the calibration of the six channels Nd-YAG Raman lidar system located at the Center for Lasers and Applications (CLA), S˜ao Paulo, Brazil, an optical characterization of the system was first performed using a reference tungsten lamp. This characterization is useful to identify any possible distortions in the interference filters, telescope mirror and stray light contamination. In this paper we show three lamp mapping caracterizations (01/16/2014, 01/22/2014, 04/09/2014). The first day is used to demostrate how the tecnique is useful to detect stray light, the second one how it is sensible to the position of the filters and the third one demostrates a well optimized optical system.

Characterization and differentiation of Italian Parma, San Daniele and Toscano dry-cured hams: a multi-disciplinary approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Laureati, Monica; Buratti, Susanna; Giovanelli, Gabriella; Corazzin, Mirco; Lo Fiego, Domenico P; Pagliarini, Ella

2014-01-01

This study aimed at characterizing the sensory quality of Italian PDO dry-cured Parma, San Daniele and Toscano hams, applying a multi-disciplinary approach. Ham sensory profile as well as physico-chemical, aromatic, morphological and textural characteristics was investigated. There was a great difference between Toscano ham and Parma and San Daniele hams, which were more similar even though differentiated. Toscano ham showed higher scores for pork-meat odor, saltiness, dryness, fibrousness and hardness; accordingly, this ham was described by a high NaCl content and by high values of instrumental hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness. Parma ham was characterized by a cured flavor, whereas San Daniele ham showed a wider fatty area and higher pH values. Parma and San Daniele hams were also described by higher values of sweetness, RGB color values and water activity. Sensory characteristics evaluated by trained assessors were correlated to instrumental measures, indicating that instrumental devices can be effectively applied for dry-cured ham characterization. © 2013.

Environment for the instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambro, P.

1992-01-01

A properly conditioned AC power supply is necessary for reliable functioning of instruments. Electric mains power is produced primarily for industry, workshops, lighting and household uses. Its quality is adjusted to these uses. In areas sand countries with a fast growing demand for electric power, these requirements are far from being met. Electronic instruments and computers, especially in these countries, need protection against disturbances of the mains supply. A clean and dry environment is needed for reliable functioning and long life of instruments. High humidity, specially at higher temperatures, changes the characteristics of electronic components. Moreover, under these conditions fungal growth causes leakage of currents and corrosion causes poor contacts. The presence of dust enhances these effects. They give rise to malfunction of instruments, particularly of high voltage equipment

Environment for the instruments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ambro, P

1993-12-31

A properly conditioned AC power supply is necessary for reliable functioning of instruments. Electric mains power is produced primarily for industry, workshops, lighting and household uses. Its quality is adjusted to these uses. In areas sand countries with a fast growing demand for electric power, these requirements are far from being met. Electronic instruments and computers, especially in these countries, need protection against disturbances of the mains supply. A clean and dry environment is needed for reliable functioning and long life of instruments. High humidity, specially at higher temperatures, changes the characteristics of electronic components. Moreover, under these conditions fungal growth causes leakage of currents and corrosion causes poor contacts. The presence of dust enhances these effects. They give rise to malfunction of instruments, particularly of high voltage equipment

Evaluating the Relational Coordination instrument

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edwards, Kasper; Lundstrøm, Sanne Lykke

2014-01-01

consistency, interrater agreement and reliability, structural validity, content validity. However as relational coordination is being used as a diagnostics tool it is important to examine further if the instrument can measure changes. Indeed we need to know how precise and sensitive the instrument is when....... We distinguish between statistical and clinical significance. Statistical significance is calculated using T-test. Clinical significance is the minimal amount of change in relational coordination score that is not considered noise. Sensitivity of the instrument i.e. the ability of the instrument...

Chemical characterization of gas- and oil-bearing shales by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, J.K.; Koszykowski, R.F.; Klemm, R.C.

1982-01-01

The concentration of As, Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Ga, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb, and Zn were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis in block shale samples of the New Albany Group (Devonian-Mississippian) in the in the Illinois Basin. Uranium content of the samples was as high as 75 ppm and interfered in the determination of samarium, molybdenum, barium and cerium. In the determination of selenium a correction was made for interference from tantalum. U, As, Co, Mo, Ni and Sb as well as Cu, V and pyritic sulphur which were determined by other methods, were found to correlate positively with the organic carbon content of the samples. ?? 1982 Akade??miai Kiado??.

DESIGNING AFFECTIVE INSTRUMENT BASED ON SCIENTIFIC APPROACH FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maisarah Ira

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This research was describing the designing of instrument for affective assessment in English language teaching. The focus of the designing was only for observation sheet that will be used by English teachers during the teaching and learning process. The instrument was designed based on scientific approach that has five stages namely observing, questioning, experimenting, associating, and communicating. In the designing process, ADDIE Model was used as the method of research. The designing of instrument was considering the gap between the reality and the teachers’ need. The result showed that the designing was also notice to the affective taxonomy such as receiving, responding, valuing, organization, and characterization. Then, three key words were used as the indicator to show the five levels of affective taxonomy such as seriously, volunteer, and without asked by teacher. Furthermore, eighteen types of affective such as religious, honesty, responsible, discipline, hard work, self confidence, logical thinking, critical thinking, creative, innovative, independent, curiosity, love knowledge, respect, polite, democracy, emotional intelligence, and pluralist were put on each stage of scientific approach. So, it is hoped that can be implemented in all of context of English language teaching at schools and can assess the students’ affective comprehensively.

Novel mass spectrometric instrument for gaseous and particulate characterization and monitoring. Quarterly report, April 1, 1994--June 30, 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coggiola, M.J.

1994-07-01

Purpose of the instrument is for real-time (<1 min), ppB analysis of gaseous/particulate pollutants (VOCs, PAHs, heavy metals, transuranics) from DOE waste cleanup. It will consist of an isokinetic sampler, a pressure transition and sampling region for parallel analyses, two small mass spectrometers (one for organic analysis using field ionization, one [ion trap] for particulates using pyrolysis and electron-impact ionization), and a personal computer. A dimethylsilicone membrane will be used for the organic vapors. A forward-backward coincidence method will be used in the laser scattering particle detector. The instrument will be easily transportable to DOE waste sites, such as waste storage tanks

Developing a workplace resilience instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallak, Larry A; Yildiz, Mustafa

2016-05-27

Resilience benefits from the use of protective factors, as opposed to risk factors, which are associated with vulnerability. Considerable research and instrument development has been conducted in clinical settings for patients. The need existed for an instrument to be developed in a workplace setting to measure resilience of employees. This study developed and tested a resilience instrument for employees in the workplace. The research instrument was distributed to executives and nurses working in the United States in hospital settings. Five-hundred-forty completed and usable responses were obtained. The instrument contained an inventory of workplace resilience, a job stress questionnaire, and relevant demographics. The resilience items were written based on previous work by the lead author and inspired by Weick's [1] sense-making theory. A four-factor model yielded an instrument having psychometric properties showing good model fit. Twenty items were retained for the resulting Workplace Resilience Instrument (WRI). Parallel analysis was conducted with successive iterations of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Respondents were classified based on their employment with either a rural or an urban hospital. Executives had significantly higher WRI scores than nurses, controlling for gender. WRI scores were positively and significantly correlated with years of experience and the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. An instrument to measure individual resilience in the workplace (WRI) was developed. The WRI's four factors identify dimensions of workplace resilience for use in subsequent investigations: Active Problem-Solving, Team Efficacy, Confident Sense-Making, and Bricolage.

Medical instruments in museums

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Söderqvist, Thomas; Arnold, Ken

2011-01-01

This essay proposes that our understanding of medical instruments might benefit from adding a more forthright concern with their immediate presence to the current historical focus on simply decoding their meanings and context. This approach is applied to the intriguingly tricky question of what...... actually is meant by a "medical instrument." It is suggested that a pragmatic part of the answer might lie simply in reconsidering the holdings of medical museums, where the significance of the physical actuality of instruments comes readily to hand....

X-ray Characterization of Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Lifshin, Eric

1999-09-01

Linking of materials properties with microstructures is a fundamental theme in materials science, for which a detailed knowledge of the modern characterization techniques is essential. Since modern materials such as high-temperature alloys, engineering thermoplastics and multilayer semiconductor films have many elemental constituents distributed in more than one phase, characterization is essential to the systematic development of such new materials and understanding how they behave in practical applications. X-ray techniques play a major role in providing information on the elemental composition and crystal and grain structures of all types of materials. The challenge to the materials characterization expert is to understand how specific instruments and analytical techniques can provide detailed information about what makes each material unique. The challenge to the materials scientist, chemist, or engineer is to know what information is needed to fully characterize each material and how to use this information to explain its behavior, develop new and improved properties, reduce costs, or ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. This comprehensive handbook presents all the necessary background to understand the applications of X-ray analysis to materials characterization with particular attention to the modern approach to these methods.

Recrystallization in a Freezing Tolerant Antarctic Nematode, Panagrolaimus davidi, and a Alpine Weta, Hemideina maori (Orthoptera; Stenopelmatidae)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramløv, Hans; Wharton, David A.; Wilson, Peter W.

1996-01-01

The ability of haemolymph from the freezing tolerant weta,Hemideina maori,and supernatant from homogenates of the freezing tolerant nematodePanagrolaimus davidito inhibit the recrystallization of ice was examined using the “splat freezing” technique and annealing on a cryomicroscope stage...

Design requirements for the SWIFT instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahnama, P; McDade, I; Shepherd, G; Gault, W

2013-01-01

The Stratospheric Wind Interferometer for Transport studies (SWIFT) instrument is a proposed limb-viewing satellite instrument that employs the method of Doppler Michelson interferometry to measure stratospheric wind velocities and ozone densities in the altitude range of 15–45 km. The values of the main instrument parameters including filter system parameters and Michelson interferometer parameters are derived using simulations and analyses. The system design requirements for the instrument and spacecraft are presented and discussed. Some of the retrieval-imposed design requirements are also discussed. Critical design issues are identified. The design optimization process is described. The sensitivity of wind measurements to instrument characteristics is investigated including the impact on critical design issues. Using sensitivity analyses, the instrument parameters were iteratively optimized in order to meet the science objectives. It is shown that wind measurements are sensitive to the thermal sensitivity of the instrument components, especially the narrow filter and the Michelson interferometer. The optimized values of the main system parameters including Michelson interferometer optical path difference, instrument visibility, instrument responsivity and knowledge of spacecraft velocity are reported. This work also shows that the filter thermal drift and the Michelson thermal drift are two main technical risks. (paper)

Development of CAMAC and Fastbus instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkateswaran, Aruna; Behere, Anita; Ghodgaonkar, M.D.; Bairi, B.R.

1987-01-01

This report describes the work being done towards the development of CAMAC and Fast Bus Instrumentation under the VII Five Year Plan Project 'Modernisation of Reactor Control Instrumentation and Development of CAMAC and FAST BUS Instrumentation'. The report summarises the goals, objectives, principles and concepts of CAMAC and Fast Bus Instrumentation. While emphasizing the motivation behind the development of CAMAC and Fast Bus Instrumentation, the report brings out the current status and future plans of this development program. (author)

Instrumental traditions and theories of light the uses of instruments in the optical revolution

CERN Document Server

Chen, Xiang

2000-01-01

An analysis of the optical revolution in the context of early 19th century Britain. Far from merely involving the replacement of one optical theory by another, the revolution also involved substantial changes in instruments and the practices that surrounded them. People's judgements about classification, explanation and evaluation were affected by the way they used such optical instruments as spectroscopes, telescopes, polarisers, photometers, gratings, prisms and apertures. There were two instrumental traditions in this historical period, each of which nurtured a body of practice that exemplified how optical instruments should be operated, and especially how the eye should be used. These traditions functioned just like paradigms, shaping perspectives and even world views. Readership: Scholars and graduate students in the history of science, history of instrument, philosophy of science and science studies. Can also be used as a textbook in graduate courses on 19th century physics.

THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS ON THE GROWTH OF ITALIAN SOCIAL COOPERATIVES

OpenAIRE

Francesco Agliata; Caterina Ferrone; Danilo Tuccillo

2014-01-01

The Third Sector in Italy records a slow but constant growth due to the increase of the number of entities but not of their dimension. The difficulties in financial management, generated by a low attraction of debt and equity financial resources and a low level of managerial skills characterized the non profit organizations. Focused on the social cooperatives, the article describe the effects on the financial structure of innovative financial instruments as the participative loan. In the last...

Advanced optical instruments technology

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Mike; Chrisp, Michael; Cheng, Li-Jen; Eng, Sverre; Glavich, Thomas; Goad, Larry; Jones, Bill; Kaarat, Philip; Nein, Max; Robinson, William

1992-08-01

The science objectives for proposed NASA missions for the next decades push the state of the art in sensitivity and spatial resolution over a wide range of wavelengths, including the x-ray to the submillimeter. While some of the proposed missions are larger and more sensitive versions of familiar concepts, such as the next generation space telescope, others use concepts, common on the Earth, but new to space, such as optical interferometry, in order to provide spatial resolutions impossible with other concepts. However, despite their architecture, the performance of all of the proposed missions depends critically on the back-end instruments that process the collected energy to produce scientifically interesting outputs. The Advanced Optical Instruments Technology panel was chartered with defining technology development plans that would best improve optical instrument performance for future astrophysics missions. At this workshop the optical instrument was defined as the set of optical components that reimage the light from the telescope onto the detectors to provide information about the spatial, spectral, and polarization properties of the light. This definition was used to distinguish the optical instrument technology issues from those associated with the telescope, which were covered by a separate panel. The panel identified several areas for optical component technology development: diffraction gratings; tunable filters; interferometric beam combiners; optical materials; and fiber optics. The panel also determined that stray light suppression instruments, such as coronagraphs and nulling interferometers, were in need of general development to support future astrophysics needs.

Synchrotron radiation microtomography of musical instruments: a non-destructive monitoring technique for insect infestations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatrice Bentivoglio-Ravasio

2011-08-01

Full Text Available X-ray computed tomography is becoming a common technique for the structural analysis of samples of cultural relevance, providing luthiers, art historians, conservators and restorators with a unique tool for the characterization of musical instruments. Synchrotron-radiation phase-contrast microtomography is an ideal technique for the non-destructive 3D analysis of samples where small lowabsorbing details such as larvae and eggs can be detected. We report results from the first feasibility studies performed at the Elettra synchrotron laboratory, where the 1494 organ by Lorenzo Gusnasco da Pavia has been studied. Together with important information about the structural conditions, the presence of xylophages could be detected and characterized.

Smart instrumentation development at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erkkila, B.

1984-01-01

For several years Los Alamos has incorporated microprocessors into instruments to expand the capability of portable survey type equipment. Beginning with portable pulse height analyzers, the developments have expanded to small dedicated instruments which handle the measurement and interpretation of various radiation fields. So far, instruments to measure gamma rays, neutrons, and beta particles have been produced. The computer capability built into these instruments provides significant computational power into the instruments. Capability unheard of a few years ago in small portable instruments is routine today. Large computer-based laboratory measurement systems which required much space and electrical power can now be incorporated in a portable hand-held instrument. The microprocessor developments at Los Alamos are now restricted to radiation monitoring equipment but can be expanded to chemical and biological applications as well. Applications for radiation monitoring equipment and others are discussed

Instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buehrer, W.

1996-01-01

The present paper mediates a basic knowledge of the most commonly used experimental techniques. We discuss the principles and concepts necessary to understand what one is doing if one performs an experiment on a certain instrument. (author) 29 figs., 1 tab., refs

Probing of Hermean Exosphere by ultraviolet spectroscopy: Instrument presentation, calibration philosophy and first lights results

Science.gov (United States)

Mariscal, J. F.; Rouanet, N.; Maria, J. L.; Quémerais, E.; Mine, P. O.; Zuppella, P.; Suman, M.; Nicolosi, P.; Pelizzo, M. G.; Yoshikawa, I.; Yoshioka, K.; Murakami, G.

2017-11-01

PHEBUS (Probing of Hermean Exosphere by Ultraviolet Spectroscopy) is a double spectrometer for the Extreme Ultraviolet range (55-155 nm) and the Far Ultraviolet range (145-315 nm) dedicated to the characterization of Mercury's exosphere composition and dynamics, and surface-exosphere connections. PHEBUS is part of the ESA BepiColombo cornerstone mission payload devoted to the study of Mercury. The BepiColombo mission consists of two spacecrafts: the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) and the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) on which PHEBUS will be mounted. PHEBUS is a French-led instrument implemented in a cooperative scheme involving Japan (detectors), Russia (scanner) and Italy (ground calibration). Before launch, PHEBUS team want to perform a full absolute calibration on ground, in addition to calibrations which will be made in-flight, in order to know the instrument's response as precisely as possible. Instrument overview and calibration philosophy are introduced along with the first lights results observed by a first prototype.

Origins, transformations and key foci in instrumental genesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tamborg, Andreas Lindenskov

This paper investigates the origins of the instrumental genesis and instrumental orchestrations frameworks. This is done by reviewing instrumented activity situations, instrumental genesis, and instrumental orchestrations with the purpose of identifying their epistemological assumptions, what the...... and instrumental orchestrations have potential shortcomings since the technologies that currently exist in school contexts are rather different from the technologies instrumental genesis was originally developed to study.......This paper investigates the origins of the instrumental genesis and instrumental orchestrations frameworks. This is done by reviewing instrumented activity situations, instrumental genesis, and instrumental orchestrations with the purpose of identifying their epistemological assumptions, what...

Instrument uncertainty predictions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coutts, D.A.

1991-07-01

The accuracy of measurements and correlations should normally be provided for most experimental activities. The uncertainty is a measure of the accuracy of a stated value or equation. The uncertainty term reflects a combination of instrument errors, modeling limitations, and phenomena understanding deficiencies. This report provides several methodologies to estimate an instrument's uncertainty when used in experimental work. Methods are shown to predict both the pretest and post-test uncertainty

Aspects of progress in neutron instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlile, C.J.

1999-01-01

The capability of neutron instrumentation in coming years will depend upon many factors, the main ones being the neutron source the instrument is sited on, the quality of the instrument itself, the quality of the support provided and the protocol for instrument operation. All of these factors must be optimised and improved upon to ensure consistently high quality scientific exploitation of an instrument. Examples of progress in each of these fields are given and a subjective view of possible future trends are hazarded. (author)

Advanced neutron instrumentation at FRM-II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petry, Winfried

2003-01-01

The construction of the new German high flux neutron source FRM-II is finished and FRM-II is waiting for its licence to start nuclear operation. With the beginning of the routine operation 22 instruments will be in action, including 5 irradiation facilities and 17 beam tube instruments, most of them use neutron scattering techniques. Additional instruments are under construction. Some of these instruments are unique, others are expected to be the best of their kind, all instruments are based on innovative techniques. (author)

Rio de Janeiro: Instrumentation school

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1990-01-01

Students from Latin America were able to get hands-on experience in state-of-the-art physics instrumentation in this year's School on Instrumentation for High Energy Physics organized by the active Instrumentation Panel of ICFA (the International Committee for Future Accelerators) at the Centro Brasileiro de Pesquicas Fisicas (CBPF), Rio de Janeiro, in July

NMR and IR Spectroscopy for the Structural Characterization of Edible Fats and Oils: An Instrumental Analysis Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Crowther, Molly W.

2008-01-01

This article describes an upper-level instrumental laboratory for undergraduates that explores the complementary nature of IR and NMR spectroscopy for analysis of several edible fats and oils that are structurally similar but differ in physical properties and health implications. Five different fats and oils are analyzed for average chain length,…

Laboratory Characterization of an Imaging Reflectometer System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munsat, T.; Mazzucato, E.; Park, H.; Domier, C.W.; Luhmann, N.C. Jr.; Donne, A.J.H.; Pol, M. van de

2003-01-01

While microwave reflectometry has proven to be a sensitive tool for measuring electron density fluctuations in many circumstances, it has also been shown to have limited viability for core measurements and/or conditions of strong turbulence. To this end, a new instrument based on 2-D imaging reflectometry has been developed to measure density fluctuations over an extended plasma region in the TEXTOR tokamak. Laboratory characterization of this instrument has been performed using corrugated reflecting targets as an approximation to plasma reflections including 2-D turbulent fluctuations of various magnitude and poloidal wavenumber. Within this approximation, the imaging reflectometer can recover the spectral and spatial characteristics of the reflection layer lost to or otherwise inaccessible to conventional techniques

Innovative instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1983-01-01

At this year's particle physics conference at Brighton, a parallel session was given over to instrumentation and detector development. While this work is vital to the health of research and its continued progress, its share of prime international conference time is limited. Instrumentation can be innovative three times — first when a new idea is outlined, secondly when it is shown to be feasible, and finally when it becomes productive in a real experiment, amassing useful data rather than operational experience. Hyams' examples showed that it can take a long time for a new idea to filter through these successive stages, if it ever makes it at all

Innovative instrumentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

1983-11-15

At this year's particle physics conference at Brighton, a parallel session was given over to instrumentation and detector development. While this work is vital to the health of research and its continued progress, its share of prime international conference time is limited. Instrumentation can be innovative three times — first when a new idea is outlined, secondly when it is shown to be feasible, and finally when it becomes productive in a real experiment, amassing useful data rather than operational experience. Hyams' examples showed that it can take a long time for a new idea to filter through these successive stages, if it ever makes it at all.

Instrumental aspects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qureshi Navid

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Every neutron scattering experiment requires the choice of a suited neutron diffractometer (or spectrometer in the case of inelastic scattering with its optimal configuration in order to accomplish the experimental tasks in the most successful way. Most generally, the compromise between the incident neutron flux and the instrumental resolution has to be considered, which is depending on a number of optical devices which are positioned in the neutron beam path. In this chapter the basic instrumental principles of neutron diffraction will be explained. Examples of different types of experiments and their respective expectable results will be shown. Furthermore, the production and use of polarized neutrons will be stressed.

Comparison of optical methods for surface roughness characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feidenhans’l, Nikolaj A; Hansen, Poul-Erik; Madsen, Morten H; Petersen, Jan C; Pilný, Lukáš; Bissacco, Giuliano; Taboryski, Rafael

2015-01-01

We report a study of the correlation between three optical methods for characterizing surface roughness: a laboratory scatterometer measuring the bi-directional reflection distribution function (BRDF instrument), a simple commercial scatterometer (rBRDF instrument), and a confocal optical profiler. For each instrument, the effective range of spatial surface wavelengths is determined, and the common bandwidth used when comparing the evaluated roughness parameters. The compared roughness parameters are: the root-mean-square (RMS) profile deviation (Rq), the RMS profile slope (Rdq), and the variance of the scattering angle distribution (Aq). The twenty-two investigated samples were manufactured with several methods in order to obtain a suitable diversity of roughness patterns.Our study shows a one-to-one correlation of both the Rq and the Rdq roughness values when obtained with the BRDF and the confocal instruments, if the common bandwidth is applied. Likewise, a correlation is observed when determining the Aq value with the BRDF and the rBRDF instruments.Furthermore, we show that it is possible to determine the Rq value from the Aq value, by applying a simple transfer function derived from the instrument comparisons. The presented method is validated for surfaces with predominantly 1D roughness, i.e. consisting of parallel grooves of various periods, and a reflectance similar to stainless steel. The Rq values are predicted with an accuracy of 38% at the 95% confidence interval. (paper)

High-Level Disinfection of Otorhinolaryngology Clinical Instruments: An Evaluation of the Efficacy and Cost-effectiveness of Instrument Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Yalamanchi, Pratyusha; Yu, Jason; Chandler, Laura; Mirza, Natasha

2018-01-01

Objectives Despite increasing interest in individual instrument storage, risk of bacterial cross-contamination of otorhinolaryngology clinic instruments has not been assessed. This study is the first to determine the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of standard high-level disinfection and clinic instrument storage. Methods To assess for cross-contamination, surveillance cultures of otorhinolaryngology clinic instruments subject to standard high-level disinfection and storage were obtained at the start and end of the outpatient clinical workday. Rate of microorganism recovery was compared with cultures of instruments stored in individual peel packs and control cultures of contaminated instruments. Based on historical clinic data, the direct allocation method of cost accounting was used to determine aggregate raw material cost and additional labor hours required to process and restock peel-packed instruments. Results Among 150 cultures of standard high-level disinfected and co-located clinic instruments, 3 positive bacterial cultures occurred; 100% of control cultures were positive for bacterial species ( P cost of individual semicritical instrument storage at $97,852.50 per year. Discussion With in vitro inoculation of >200 otorhinolaryngology clinic instruments, this study demonstrates that standard high-level disinfection and storage are equally efficacious to more time-consuming and expensive individual instrument storage protocols, such as peel packing, with regard to bacterial contamination. Implications for Practice Standard high-level disinfection and storage are equally effective to labor-intensive and costly individual instrument storage protocols.

Planck 2013 results. II. The Low Frequency Instrument data processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aghanim, N.; Armitage-Caplan, C.; Arnaud, M.

2013-01-01

We describe the data processing pipeline of the Planck Low Frequency Instrument (LFI) data processing centre (DPC) to create and characterize full-sky maps based on the first 15.5 months of operations at 30, 44, and 70 GHz. In particular, we discuss the various steps involved in reducing the data......) is employed to combine radiometric data and pointing information into sky maps, minimizing the variance of correlated noise. Noise covariance matrices, required to compute statistical uncertainties on LFI and Planck products, are also produced. Main beams are estimated down to the approximate to-20 dB level...

Design of a instrumentation module for monitoring ingestive behavior in laboratory studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontana, Juan M; Lopez-Meyer, Paulo; Sazonov, Edward S

2011-01-01

The development of accurate and objective tools for monitoring of ingestive behavior (MIB) is one of the most important needs facing studies of obesity and eating disorders. This paper presents the design of an instrumentation module for non-invasive monitoring of food ingestion in laboratory studies. The system can capture signals from a variety of sensors that characterize ingestion process (such as acoustical and other swallowing sensors, strain sensor for chewing detection and self-report buttons). In addition to the sensors, the data collection system integrates time-synchronous video footage that can be used for annotation of subject's activity. Both data and video are simultaneously and synchronously acquired and stored by a LabVIEW-based interface specifically developed for this application. This instrumentation module improves a previously developed system by eliminating the post-processing stage of data synchronization and by reducing the risks of operator's error.

Vision Technology for Automated Characterization of Parasite Eggs in a Medicinal Product

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruun, Johan Musaeus

Eggs from the pig whipworm, Trichuris suis ova, constitute the active pharmaceutical ingredient in a drug candidate targeting immune-mediated diseases such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, a.o. The drug candidate is currently being evaluated in clinical trials around the world. In the pres......Eggs from the pig whipworm, Trichuris suis ova, constitute the active pharmaceutical ingredient in a drug candidate targeting immune-mediated diseases such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, a.o. The drug candidate is currently being evaluated in clinical trials around the world....... In the present PhD project, a microscopy-based vision instrument has been developed to automate the characterization of egg suspension quantity and quality. The instrument uses digital image analysis and statistical classification to detect and count the eggs and to characterize the developmental stages...... of the larvae inside the eggs based on morphology and darkfield scattering. The novel application of this technology is described in a patent application. The assessed concentration and embryonation percentage is used in the preparation of medicinal doses for the patients. The instrument has been evaluated...

The latest radiation instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Se Sik; Gwon, Dal Gwan; Kim, Gyeong Geum

2008-08-01

This book deals with the latest radiation instrument, which is comprised of eight chapters. It explains X rays instrument for medial treatment, X-ray tube instrument and permissible burden with its history, structure and characteristic high voltage apparatus with high voltage rectifier circuit, X-ray control apparatus for medical treatment, X-ray image equipment X-ray television apparatus and CCD 205, X-ray apparatus of install and types, Digital X-ray apparatus with CR 261 and DR 269, performance management on X-ray for medical treatment with its history, necessity and management in the radiation field.

Robust Instrumentation[Water treatment for power plant]; Robust Instrumentering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wik, Anders [Vattenfall Utveckling AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

2003-08-01

Cementa Slite Power Station is a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) with moderate steam data; 3.0 MPa and 420 deg C. The heat is recovered from Cementa, a cement industry, without any usage of auxiliary fuel. The Power station commenced operation in 2001. The layout of the plant is unusual, there are no similar in Sweden and very few world-wide, so the operational experiences are limited. In connection with the commissioning of the power plant a R and D project was identified with the objective to minimise the manpower needed for chemistry management of the plant. The lean chemistry management is based on robust instrumentation and chemical-free water treatment plant. The concept with robust instrumentation consists of the following components; choice of on-line instrumentation with a minimum of O and M and a chemical-free water treatment. The parameters are specific conductivity, cation conductivity, oxygen and pH. In addition to that, two fairly new on-line instruments were included; corrosion monitors and differential pH calculated from specific and cation conductivity. The chemical-free water treatment plant consists of softening, reverse osmosis and electro-deionisation. The operational experience shows that the cycle chemistry is not within the guidelines due to major problems with the operation of the power plant. These problems have made it impossible to reach steady state and thereby not viable to fully verify and validate the concept with robust instrumentation. From readings on the panel of the online analysers some conclusions may be drawn, e.g. the differential pH measurements have fulfilled the expectations. The other on-line analysers have been working satisfactorily apart from contamination with turbine oil, which has been noticed at least twice. The corrosion monitors seem to be working but the lack of trend curves from the mainframe computer system makes it hard to draw any clear conclusions. The chemical-free water treatment has met all

Characterization of gamma field in the JSI TRIGA reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Ambrožič, Klemen; Radulović, Vladimir; Snoj, Luka; Gruel, Adrien; Guillou, Mael Le; Blaise, Patrick; Destouches, Christophe; Barbot, Loïc

2018-01-01

Research reactors such as the "Jožzef Stefan" Institute TRIGA reactor have primarily been designed for experimentation and sample irradiation with neutrons. However recent developments in incorporating additional instrumentation for nuclear power plant support and with novel high flux material testing reactor designs, γ field characterization has become of great interest for the characterization of the changes in operational parameters of electronic devices and for the evaluation of γ heating of MTR's structural materials in a representative reactor Γ spectrum. In this paper, we present ongoing work on γ field characterization both experimentally, by performing γ field measurements, and by simulations, using Monte Carlo particle transport codes in conjunction with R2S methodology for delayed γ field characterization.

Digital study of nuclear reactor instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv Gongxiang; Yang Zhijun

2006-01-01

The paper introduces the design method of nuclear reactor's digital instrument developed by authors based on the AT89C52 single chip microcomputer. Also the instrument system hardware structure and software framework are given. The instrument apply DDC112 which is responsible for the measure of lower current. When designing the instrument system, anti-interference measure of software, especially hardware is considered seriously. (authors)

Characterization and determination of 28 elements in fly ashes collected in a thermal power plant in Argentina using different instrumental techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marrero, Julieta; Polla, Griselda; Jimenez Rebagliati, Raul; Pla, Rita; Gomez, Dario; Smichowski, Patricia

2007-01-01

Different techniques were selected for comprehensive characterization of seven samples of fly ashes collected from the electrostatic precipitator of the San Nicolas thermal power plant (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Particle size was measured using laser based particle size analyzer. X-ray diffraction powder (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the mineral phase present in the matrix consisting basically of aluminosilicates and large amounts of amorphous material. The predominant crystalline phases were mullite and quartz. Major and minors elements (Al, Ca, Cl, Fe, K, Mg, Na, S, Si and Ti) were detected by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). Trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V and Zn) content was quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Different acid mixtures and digestion procedures were compared for subsequent ICP OES measurements of the dissolved samples. The digestion procedures used were: i) a mixture of FH + HNO 3 + HClO 4 (open system digestion); ii) a mixture of FH + HNO 3 (MW-assisted digestion); iii) a mixture of HF and aqua regia (MW-assisted digestion). Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was employed for the determination of As, Ba, Co, Cr, Ce, Cs, Eu, Fe, Gd, Hf, La, Lu, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U and Yb. The validation of the procedure was performed by the analysis of two certified materials namely, i) NIST 1633b, coal fly ash and ii) GBW07105, rock. Mean elements content spanned from 41870 μg g -1 for Fe to 1.14 μg g -1 for Lu. The study showed that Fe (41870 μg g -1 ) >> V (1137 μg g -1 ) > Ni (269 μg g -1 ) > Mn (169 μg g -1 ) are the main components. An enrichment, with respect to crustal average, in many elements was observed especially for As, V and Sb that deserve particular interest from the environmental and human health point of view

The SLICE, CHESS, and SISTINE Ultraviolet Spectrographs: Rocket-Borne Instrumentation Supporting Future Astrophysics Missions

Science.gov (United States)

France, Kevin; Hoadley, Keri; Fleming, Brian T.; Kane, Robert; Nell, Nicholas; Beasley, Matthew; Green, James C.

2016-03-01

NASA’s suborbital program provides an opportunity to conduct unique science experiments above Earth’s atmosphere and is a pipeline for the technology and personnel essential to future space astrophysics, heliophysics, and atmospheric science missions. In this paper, we describe three astronomy payloads developed (or in development) by the Ultraviolet Rocket Group at the University of Colorado. These far-ultraviolet (UV) (100-160nm) spectrographic instruments are used to study a range of scientific topics, from gas in the interstellar medium (accessing diagnostics of material spanning five orders of magnitude in temperature in a single observation) to the energetic radiation environment of nearby exoplanetary systems. The three instruments, Suborbital Local Interstellar Cloud Experiment (SLICE), Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar Spectrograph (CHESS), and Suborbital Imaging Spectrograph for Transition region Irradiance from Nearby Exoplanet host stars (SISTINE) form a progression of instrument designs and component-level technology maturation. SLICE is a pathfinder instrument for the development of new data handling, storage, and telemetry techniques. CHESS and SISTINE are testbeds for technology and instrument design enabling high-resolution (R>105) point source spectroscopy and high throughput imaging spectroscopy, respectively, in support of future Explorer, Probe, and Flagship-class missions. The CHESS and SISTINE payloads support the development and flight testing of large-format photon-counting detectors and advanced optical coatings: NASA’s top two technology priorities for enabling a future flagship observatory (e.g. the LUVOIR Surveyor concept) that offers factors of ˜50-100 gain in UV spectroscopy capability over the Hubble Space Telescope. We present the design, component level laboratory characterization, and flight results for these instruments.

77 FR 37409 - Request for Domains, Instruments, and Measures for Development of a Standardized Instrument for...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-21

... experience as well. On both issues, CMS is interested in instruments and items which can measure quality of... Measures for Development of a Standardized Instrument for Use in Public Reporting of Enrollee Satisfaction..., communication, coordination of care, customer service), instruments, and measures for measuring the level of...

Multi-instrument characterization of five nanodiamond samples: a thorough example of nanomaterial characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Bhupinder; Smith, Stacey J; Jensen, David S; Jones, Hodge F; Dadson, Andrew E; Farnsworth, Paul B; Vanfleet, Richard; Farrer, Jeffrey K; Linford, Matthew R

2016-02-01

Here, we report the most comprehensive characterization of nanodiamonds (NDs) yet undertaken. Five different samples from three different vendors were analyzed by a suite of analytical techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, and particle size distribution (PSD) measurements. XPS revealed the elemental compositions of the ND surfaces (83-87 at.% carbon and 12-14 at.% oxygen) with varying amounts of nitrogen (0.4-1.8 at.%), silicon (0.1-0.7 at.%), and tungsten (0.3 at.% only in samples from one vendor). ToF-SIMS and ICP showed metal impurities (Al, Fe, Ni, Cr, etc. with unexpectedly high amounts of W in one vendor's samples: ca. 900 ppm). Principal component analyses were performed on the ToF-SIMS and ICP data. DRIFT showed key functional groups (-OH, C=O, C-O, and C=C). BET showed surface areas of 50-214 m(2)/g. XRD and TEM revealed PSD (bimodal distribution and a wide PSD, 5-100 nm, for one vendor's samples). XRD also provided particle sizes (2.7-27 nm) and showed the presence of graphite. EELS gave the sp(2)/sp(3) contents of the materials (37-88% sp(3)). PSD measurements were performed via differential sedimentation of the particles (mean particle size ca. 17-50 nm). This comprehensive understanding should allow for improved construction of nanodiamond-based materials.

Instrumentation Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Provides instrumentation support for flight tests of prototype weapons systems using a vast array of airborne sensors, transducers, signal conditioning and encoding...

Aethalometer™ Instrument Handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sedlacek, Arthur J. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2016-04-01

The Aethalometer is an instrument that provides a real-time readout of the concentration of “Black” or “Elemental” carbon aerosol particles (BC or E) in an air stream (see Figure 1 and Figure 2). It is a self-contained instrument that measures the rate of change of optical transmission through a spot on a filter where aerosol is being continuously collected and uses the information to calculate the concentration of optically absorbing material in the sampled air stream. The instrument measures the transmitted light intensities through the “sensing” portion of the filter, on which the aerosol spot is being collected, and a “reference” portion of the filter as a check on the stability of the optical source. A mass flowmeter monitors the sample air flow rate. The data from these three measurements is used to determine the mean BC content of the air stream.

Broad bandwidth frequency domain instrument for quantitative tissue optical spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pham, Tuan H.; Coquoz, Olivier; Fishkin, Joshua B.; Anderson, Eric; Tromberg, Bruce J.

2000-01-01

Near-infrared (NIR) optical properties of turbid media, e.g., tissue, can be accurately quantified noninvasively using methods based on diffuse reflectance or transmittance, such as frequency domain photon migration (FDPM). Factors which govern the accuracy and sensitivity of FDPM-measured optical properties include instrument performance, the light propagation model, and fitting algorithms used to calculate optical properties from measured data. In this article, we characterize instrument, model, and fitting uncertaintics of an FDPM system designed for clinical use and investigate how each of these factors affects the quantification of NIR absorption (μ a ) and reduced scattering (μ s ' ) parameters in tissue phantoms. The instrument is based on a 500 MHz, multiwavelength platform that sweeps through 201 discrete frequencies in as little as 675 ms. Phase and amplitude of intensity modulated light launched into tissue, i.e., diffuse photon density waves (PDW), are measured with an accuracy of ±0.30 degree sign and ±3.5%, while phase and amplitude precision are ±0.025 degree sign and ±0.20%, respectively. At this level of instrument uncertainty, simultaneous fitting of frequency-dependent phase and amplitude nonlinear model functions derived from a photon diffusion approximation provides an accurate and robust strategy for determining optical properties from FDPM data, especially for media with high absorption. In an optical property range that is characteristic of most human tissues in the NIR (5x10 -3 a -2 mm -1 , 0.5 s ' -1 ), we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that the multifrequency, simultaneous-fit approach allows μ a and μ s ' to be quantified with an accuracy of ±5% and ±3%, respectively. Although exceptionally high levels of precision can be obtained using this approach ( a and μ s ' . (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Experimenting with string musical instruments

Science.gov (United States)

LoPresto, Michael C.

2012-03-01

What follows are several investigations involving string musical instruments developed for and used in a Science of Sound & Light course. The experiments make use of a guitar, orchestral string instruments and data collection and graphing software. They are designed to provide students with concrete examples of how mathematical formulae, when used in physics, represent reality that can actually be observed, in this case, the operation of string musical instruments.

Comparison of instrumented anterior interbody fusion with instrumented circumferential lumbar fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Madan, S S; Boeree, N R

2003-12-01

Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) restores disc height, the load bearing ability of anterior ligaments and muscles, root canal dimensions, and spinal balance. It immobilizes the painful degenerate spinal segment and decompresses the nerve roots. Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) does the same, but could have complications of graft extrusion, compression and instability contributing to pseudarthrosis in the absence of instrumentation. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the outcome of instrumented circumferential fusion through a posterior approach [PLIF and posterolateral fusion (PLF)] with instrumented ALIF using the Hartshill horseshoe cage, for comparable degrees of internal disc disruption and clinical disability. It was designed as a prospective study, comparing the outcome of two methods of instrumented interbody fusion for internal disc disruption. Between April 1994 and June 1998, the senior author (N.R.B.) performed 39 instrumented ALIF procedures and 35 instrumented circumferential fusion with PLIF procedures. The second author, an independent assessor (S.M.), performed the entire review. Preoperative radiographic assessment included plain radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and provocative discography in all the patients. The outcome in the two groups was compared in terms of radiological improvement and clinical improvement, measured on the basis of improvement of back pain and work capacity. Preoperatively, patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire giving their demographic details, maximum walking distance and current employment status in order to establish the comparability of the two groups. Patient assessment was with the Oswestry Disability Index, quality of life questionnaire (subjective), pain drawing, visual analogue scale, disability benefit, compensation status, and psychological profile. The results of the study showed a satisfactory outcome (scorelife questionnaire) score of 71.8% (28 patients) in

Instrumentation maintenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mack, D.A.

1976-09-01

It is essential to any research activity that accurate and efficient measurements be made for the experimental parameters under consideration for each individual experiment or test. Satisfactory measurements in turn depend upon having the necessary instruments and the capability of ensuring that they are performing within their intended specifications. This latter requirement can only be achieved by providing an adequate maintenance facility, staffed with personnel competent to understand the problems associated with instrument adjustment and repair. The Instrument Repair Shop at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is designed to achieve this end. The organization, staffing and operation of this system is discussed. Maintenance policy should be based on studies of (1) preventive vs. catastrophic maintenance, (2) records indicating when equipment should be replaced rather than repaired and (3) priorities established to indicate the order in which equipment should be repaired. Upon establishing a workable maintenance policy, the staff should be instructed so that they may provide appropriate scheduled preventive maintenance, calibration and corrective procedures, and emergency repairs. The education, training and experience of the maintenance staff is discussed along with the organization for an efficient operation. The layout of the various repair shops is described in the light of laboratory space and financial constraints

Marketing instruments of foreign trade promotion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjelić Predrag

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Instruments of promotion as a part of marketing mix are usually associated with companies but more and more countries use this instrument in order to boost their exports. These foreign trade promotion instruments are now popular in many countries in the world since their use is not opposed to any World Trade Organization rules. Marketing instruments of trade promotions are the most important. They include National Exhibitions and National labels of origin and quality. In order to coordinate the application of these instruments countries have established national bodies for trade promotion. Many studies in the past had argued that national Agencies established to promote export did not had any real success, but recent studies indicate that they could have a significant impact on country export promotion. The result of this rise in impact of national export promotion agencies is due to international effort spearheaded by International Trade Center. The aim of this paper is to point out types and methods of marketing instruments application in trade promotion and to present the effectiveness of these instruments applications.

Instrument evaluation no. 9. Mini-instruments dose rate meter type 5 - 1OR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iles, W.J.; Burgess, P.H.; Callowhill, K.

1977-04-01

This instrument is a portable, battery powered dose rate meter covering the dose rate range from 0 to 200 mrad h -1 . The instrument is designed to measure X- and γ-radiation dose rates over the energy range from 45 keV to 3 MeV. The radiation detector of the instrument is a GM tube with a specially designed energy compensation sheath. This detector is incorporated in a probe connected to the rate meter by an extensible cable which may be either hand-held or clipped on to the top of the instrument case. All the measurements in this report have been taken with the long axis of the probe normal to the direction of the incident radiation, the orientation recommended by the manufacturer. The information is given under the following headings: facilities and controls; radiation characteristics; electrical characteristics; effect of ambient temperature; mechanical characteristics; summary of performance; conclusions. (U.K.)

Biochemistry Instrumentation Core Technology Center

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The UCLA-DOE Biochemistry Instrumentation Core Facility provides the UCLA biochemistry community with easy access to sophisticated instrumentation for a wide variety...

Heat Flux Instrumentation Laboratory (HFIL)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Description: The Heat Flux Instrumentation Laboratory is used to develop advanced, flexible, thin film gauge instrumentation for the Air Force Research Laboratory....

Recent advances in radiation protection instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babu, D.A.R.

2012-01-01

Radiation protection instrumentation plays very important role in radiation protection and surveillance programme. Radiation detector, which appears at the frontal end of the instrument, is an essential component of these instruments. The instrumental requirement of protection level radiation monitoring is different from conventional radiation measuring instruments. Present paper discusses the new type of nuclear radiation detectors, new protection level instruments and associated electronic modules for various applications. Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation can occur in a range of industries, such as nuclear power plants; mining and milling; medical institutions; educational and research establishments; and nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Adequate radiation protection to workers is essential for the safe and acceptable use of radioactive materials for different applications. The radiation exposures to the individual radiation workers and records of their cumulative radiation doses need to be routinely monitored and recorded

A comparison of instrumentation using Naviflex and Profile nickel-titanium engine-driven rotary instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Ottosen, S R; Nicholls, J I; Steiner, J C

1999-06-01

This study was designed to compare the changes in canal configuration resulting from instrumentation by either Profile or Naviflex instruments. Forty mesial canals in extracted human molar teeth were embedded and sectioned at two root levels. Reassembled teeth were instrumented with a modified crown-down technique as described in the Profile training video for Profile files and in a similar manner for Naviflex instruments. Superimposed pre- and postinstrumented cross-sectional root images were projected, traced, and scanned into a computer for analysis. Canal movement, in relation to the furca, and canal area change were recorded. The results showed no significant difference in canal center movement or canal area change between the Profile or Naviflex groups. The degree of canal curvature had no effect on canal center movement or canal area change.

Performance of BATAN-SANS instrument

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikram, Abarrul; Insani, Andon [National Nuclear Energy Agency, P and D Centre for Materials Science and Technology, Serpong (Indonesia)

2003-03-01

SANS data from some standard samples have been obtained using BATAN-SANS instrument in Serpong. The experiments were performed for various experimental set-ups that involve different detector positions and collimator lengths. This paper describes the BATAN-SANS instrument briefly as well as the data taken from those experiments and followed with discussion of the results concerning the performance and calibration of the instrument. The standard samples utilized in these experiments include porous silica, polystyrene-poly isoprene, silver behenate, poly ball and polystyrene-poly (ethylene-alt-propylene). Even though the results show that BATAN-SANS instrument is in good shape, but rooms for improvements are still widely open especially for the velocity selector and its control system. (author)

Economic instruments for environmental mitigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkinson, A.

1995-01-01

A joint International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)/World Energy Council (WEC) Working Group has been studying a range of policy instruments which are being used or considered for use to address the question of ever increasing energy demand versus environmental protection, and pollution reduction. Economic instruments for such environmental protection include direct regulation, market-based instruments, and voluntary approaches. No single policy or device was likely to suffice in addressing the diversity of environmental problems currently faced. Altering energy prices must be seen in a social context, but some direct regulation may also be inevitable. Generally economic instruments of change were preferred as these were viewed as more flexible and cost-effective. (UK)

The Development of the Chemin Mineralogy Instrument and Its Deployment on Mars (and Latest Results from the Mars Science Laboratory Rover Curiosity)

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, David F.

2014-01-01

The CheMin instrument (short for "Chemistry and Mineralogy") on the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity is one of two "laboratory quality" instruments on board the Curiosity rover that is exploring Gale crater, Mars. CheMin is an X-ray diffractometer that has for the first time returned definitive and fully quantitative mineral identifications of Mars soil and drilled rock. I will describe CheMin's 23-year development from an idea to a spacecraft qualified instrument, and report on some of the discoveries that Curiosity has made since its entry, descent and landing on Aug. 6, 2012, including the discovery and characterization of the first habitable environment on Mars.

Assessment report on NRP sub-theme 'National instruments for climate change policy'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verbruggen, H.; Nentjes, A.; Backhaus, J.G.; Jansen, H.M.A.

1995-01-01

Economic instruments for environmental protection feature in textbooks for their superior performance in terms of effectiveness and both static and dynamic efficiency, especially in cases characterized by a large number of polluters with large differences in abatement cost. These instruments are thus pre-eminently suited to be included in climate change policies. However, this proves to be very difficult as yet. The projects under this research sub-theme share a common interest in the complexities of implementing various types of economic instruments. The first project deals with the design of a European system of tradable emission rights. The second project is on the feasibility of ecological tax reform, with special reference to The Netherlands. The Climate Fund project, the third project, aims at investigating whether an international fund for side payments is an effective and efficient tool to reduce CO2 emissions. To that purpose, the world is divided into 9 regions. Finally, the fourth project uses an applied general equilibrium model to analyze the effectiveness and especially the income distributional effects of differently designed CO2 charges. The projects yield interesting results from which policy makers can benefit. There still are, however, blind spots. These and further research questions are identified. 4 refs

Reactor instrumentation and control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wach, D.; Beraha, D.

1980-01-01

The methods for measuring radiation are shortly reviewed. The instrumentation for neutron flux measurement is classified into out-of-core and in-core instrumentation. The out-of-core instrumentation monitors the operational range from the subcritical reactor to full power. This large range is covered by several measurement channels which derive their signals from counter tubes and ionization chambers. The in-core instrumentation provides more detailed information on the power distribution in the core. The self-powered neutron detectors and the aeroball system in PWR reactors are discussed. Temperature and pressure measurement devices are briefly discussed. The different methods for leak detection are described. In concluding the plant instrumentation part some new monitoring systems and analysis methods are presented: early failure detection methods by noise analysis, acoustic monitoring and vibration monitoring. The presentation of the control starts from an qualitative assessment of the reactor dynamics. The chosen control strategy leads to the definition of the part-load diagram, which provides the set-points for the different control systems. The tasks and the functions of these control systems are described. In additiion to the control, a number of limiting systems is employed to keep the reactor in a safe operating region. Finally, an outlook is given on future developments in control, concerning mainly the increased application of process computers. (orig./RW)

Instrumentation for comparing night sky quality and atmospheric conditions of CTA site candidates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fruck, C.; Schweizer, T.; Häfner, D.; Lorentz, E.; Teshima, M.; Gaug, M.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Costantini, H.; Mandát, D.; Pech, M.; Bulik, T.; Cieslar, M.; Dominik, M.; Ebr, J.; Garczarczyk, M.; Pareschi, G.; Puerto-Giménez, I.

2015-01-01

Many atmospheric and climatic criteria have to be taken into account for the selection of a suitable site for the next generation of imaging air-shower Cherenkov telescopes, the ''Cherenkov Telescope Array'' CTA. Such data are not available with sufficient precision, thus a comparison of the proposed sites and final decision based on a comprehensive characterization is impossible. Identical cross-calibrated instruments have been developed which allow for precise comparison between sites, the cross-validation of existing data, and the ground-validation of satellite data. The site characterization work package of the CTA consortium opted to construct and deploy 9 copies of an autonomous multi-purpose weather sensor, incorporating an infrared cloud sensor, a newly developed sensor for measuring the light of the night sky, and an All-Sky-Camera, the whole referred to as Autonomous Tool for Measuring Observatory Site COnditions PrEcisely (ATMOSCOPE). We present here the hardware that was combined into the ATMOSCOPE and characterize its performance

Instrument-related geometrical factors affecting the intensity in XPS and ARXPS experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrera-Gomez, A., E-mail: aherrera@qro.cinvestav.mx [CINVESTAV-Unidad Queretaro, Queretaro 76230 (Mexico); Aguirre-Tostado, F.S. [Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avanzados, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon 66600 (Mexico); Mani-Gonzalez, P.G.; Vazquez-Lepe, M.; Sanchez-Martinez, A.; Ceballos-Sanchez, O. [CINVESTAV-Unidad Queretaro, Queretaro 76230 (Mexico); Wallace, R.M. [Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 (United States); Conti, G.; Uritsky, Y. [Applied Materials, Santa Clara, CA 95054 (United States)

2011-11-15

Highlights: {yields} Instrument geometrical-factors affecting the XPS angular dependence are described. {yields} The geometrical factors in XPS instruments are transferable to other systems. {yields} Practical protocols are presented for assessing the size of analysis area and volume. {yields} Practical protocols are presented for assessing the size of the X-ray beam spot. {yields} Practical protocols are described for assessing the manipulator's axis of rotation. - Abstract: The angular dependence of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) signal is influenced not only by the electron take-off angle, but also by instrument-related geometrical factors. The XPS signal is, in fact, integrated over the overlap between the X-ray beam, the spectrometer analysis volume, and the sample surface. This overlap depends on the size and shape of the spectrometer analysis volume and X-ray beam, as well as on their relative orientation. In this paper it is described the models and protocols for the characterization of the parameters defining the geometry of an XPS instrument. The protocols include practical methods for assessing the spectrometer analysis area and the X-ray beam spot dimension. Simple systems consisting of flat and 'thick' gold films on silicon wafers were employed. The parameters found with those samples are transferable to other more complex systems since they are geometrical in nature. The method allows for the prediction of the actual intensity of XPS peaks, hence removing the need of normalizing the peak areas to the area of a determined substrate peak. The associated reduction of the uncertainty in half is of special importance since the quantitative analysis of angle-resolved XPS data could be very sensitive to noise. Two rotating and one non-rotating XPS instruments are described. Some examples of the applications of the method are also provided.

Sulfur Dioxide Analyzer Instrument Handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Springston, Stephen R. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2016-05-01

The Sulfur Dioxide Analyzer measures sulfur dioxide based on absorbance of UV light at one wavelength by SO₂ molecules which then decay to a lower energy state by emitting UV light at a longer wavelength. Specifically, SO₂ + hυ1 →SO₂ *→SO₂ + hυ2 The emitted light is proportional to the concentration of SO₂ in the optical cell. External communication with the analyzer is available through an Ethernet port configured through the instrument network of the AOS systems. The Model 43i-TLE is part of the i-series of Thermo Scientific instruments. The i-series instruments are designed to interface with external computers through the proprietary Thermo Scientific iPort Software. However, this software is somewhat cumbersome and inflexible. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has written an interface program in National Instruments LabView that both controls the Model 43i-TLE Analyzer AND queries the unit for all measurement and housekeeping data. The LabView vi (the software program written by BNL) ingests all raw data from the instrument and outputs raw data files in a uniform data format similar to other instruments in the AOS and described more fully in Section 6.0 below.

Effectiveness of a sprayable male annihilation treatment with a biopesticide against fruit flies (Diptera:Tephritidae) attacking tropical fruits

Science.gov (United States)

SPLAT-MAT Spinosad ME(aka STATIC Spinosad ME),an "attract and kill" sprayable biopesticide, was evaluated as an area wide suppression treatment against Bactrocera carambolae(Drew & Hancock),carambola fruit fly, in Brazil and Bactrocera dorsalis(Hendel),oriental fruit fly, in Hawaii. In Brazil, a sin...

ACRF Instrumentation Status and Information September 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

JW Voyles

2009-10-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a concise but comprehensive overview of Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility instrumentation status. The report is divided into the following five sections: (1) new instrumentation in the process of being acquired and deployed, (2) field campaigns, (3) existing instrumentation and progress on improvements or upgrades, (4) proposed future instrumentation, and (5) Small Business Innovation Research instrument development.

ACRF Instrumentation Status and Information April 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voyles, JW

2009-05-07

The purpose of this report is to provide a concise but comprehensive overview of Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility instrumentation status. The report is divided into the following five sections: (1) new instrumentation in the process of being acquired and deployed, (2) field campaigns, (3) existing instrumentation and progress on improvements or upgrades, (4) proposed future instrumentation, and (5) Small Business Innovation Research instrument development.

ACRF Instrumentation Status and Information August 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

JW Voyles

2009-09-09

The purpose of this report is to provide a concise but comprehensive overview of Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility instrumentation status. The report is divided into the following five sections: (1) new instrumentation in the process of being acquired and deployed, (2) field campaigns, (3) existing instrumentation and progress on improvements or upgrades, (4) proposed future instrumentation, and (5) Small Business Innovation Research instrument development.

ACRF Instrumentation Status and Information July 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

JW Voyles

2009-08-13

The purpose of this report is to provide a concise but comprehensive overview of Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility instrumentation status. The report is divided into the following five sections: (1) new instrumentation in the process of being acquired and deployed, (2) field campaigns, (3) existing instrumentation and progress on improvements or upgrades, (4) proposed future instrumentation, and (5) Small Business Innovation Research instrument development.

ACRF Instrumentation Status and Information - June 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

JW Voyles

2009-06-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a concise but comprehensive overview of Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility instrumentation status. The report is divided into the following five sections: (1) new instrumentation in the process of being acquired and deployed, (2) field campaigns, (3) existing instrumentation and progress on improvements or upgrades, (4) proposed future instrumentation, and (5) Small Business Innovation Research instrument development.

ACRF Instrumentation Status and Information May 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

JW Voyles

2009-05-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a concise but comprehensive overview of Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility instrumentation status. The report is divided into the following five sections: (1) new instrumentation in the process of being acquired and deployed, (2) field campaigns, (3) existing instrumentation and progress on improvements or upgrades, (4) proposed future instrumentation, and (5) Small Business Innovation Research instrument development.

Landsat-8 Sensor Characterization and Calibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian Markham

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Landsat-8 was launched on 11 February 2013 with two new Earth Imaging sensors to provide a continued data record with the previous Landsats. For Landsat-8, pushbroom technology was adopted, and the reflective bands and thermal bands were split into two instruments. The Operational Land Imager (OLI is the reflective band sensor and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS, the thermal. In addition to these fundamental changes, bands were added, spectral bandpasses were refined, dynamic range and data quantization were improved, and numerous other enhancements were implemented. As in previous Landsat missions, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS cooperated in the development, launch and operation of the Landsat-8 mission. One key aspect of this cooperation was in the characterization and calibration of the instruments and their data. This Special Issue documents the efforts of the joint USGS and NASA calibration team and affiliates to characterize the new sensors and their data for the benefit of the scientific and application users of the Landsat archive. A key scientific use of Landsat data is to assess changes in the land-use and land cover of the Earth’s surface over the now 43-year record. [...

Characterization of reactor coolant by XRF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Legreid, G.; Beverskog, B. [OECD Halden Reactor Project (Norway)

2002-07-01

The analyzes of membrane filters is of utmost importance in characterizing the coolant chemistry in nuclear power plants. Traditional analyzes of filters includes oxidative digestion followed by instrumental analyzes. XRF (X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry) can analyze without digestion of the filters. The method is much faster and demands only a cutting step as sample preparation. By use of XRF the analytical laboratory at the Halden Reactor Project will get increased capacity, which makes it possible to analyze more samples and improve the characterization of the water. The method has shown to give more stable results than other methods in use, and has proved to have good precision. New calibration methods have been developed and tested successfully against other methods. A round robin test, attending seven laboratories from nuclear power plants, was initiated by the Halden Project to verify the instrument. The test of standard cation exchange filters showed that conventional filter digestion results in too low values. The XRF methodology shows very good agreement with the standard values. The round robin test for particle filters could not confirm that filter digestion results in too low values. This was mainly due to lack of standard particle filters and large scatter in the reported data. (author)

Characterization of reactor coolant by XRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legreid, G.; Beverskog, B.

2002-01-01

The analyzes of membrane filters is of utmost importance in characterizing the coolant chemistry in nuclear power plants. Traditional analyzes of filters includes oxidative digestion followed by instrumental analyzes. XRF (X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry) can analyze without digestion of the filters. The method is much faster and demands only a cutting step as sample preparation. By use of XRF the analytical laboratory at the Halden Reactor Project will get increased capacity, which makes it possible to analyze more samples and improve the characterization of the water. The method has shown to give more stable results than other methods in use, and has proved to have good precision. New calibration methods have been developed and tested successfully against other methods. A round robin test, attending seven laboratories from nuclear power plants, was initiated by the Halden Project to verify the instrument. The test of standard cation exchange filters showed that conventional filter digestion results in too low values. The XRF methodology shows very good agreement with the standard values. The round robin test for particle filters could not confirm that filter digestion results in too low values. This was mainly due to lack of standard particle filters and large scatter in the reported data. (author)

Adaptation of WHOQOL as health-related quality of life instrument to develop a vision-specific instrument.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dandona Lalit

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The WHOQOL instrument was adapted as a health-related QOL instrument for a population-based epidemiologic study of eye diseases in southern India, the Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS. A follow-up question was added to each item in WHOQOL to determine whether the decrease in QOL was due to any health reasons including eye-related reasons. Modifications in WHOQOL and translation in local language were done through the use of the focus groups including health professionals and people not related to health care. The modified instrument has 28 items across 6 domains of the WHOQOL and was translated into the local language, Telugu, using the pragmatic approach. It takes 10-20 minutes to be administered by a trained interviewer. Reliability was within acceptable range. This health-related QOL instrument is being used in the population-based study APEDS to develop a vision-specific QOL instrument which could potentially be used to assess the impact of visual impairment on QOL across different cultures and for use in evaluating eye-care interventions. This health-related QOL instrument could also be used to develop other disease-specific instruments as it allows assessment of the extent to which various aspects of QOL are affected by a variety of health problems.

Nuclear reactor instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duncombe, E.; McGonigal, G.

1976-01-01

Reference is made to the instrumentation of liquid metal cooled fast reactors. In order to ensure the safe operation of such reactors it is necessary to constantly monitor the coolant flowing through the fuel assemblies for temperature and rate of flow, requiring a large number of sensors. An improved and simplified arrangement is claimed in which the fuel assemblies feed a fraction of coolant to three instrument units arranged to sense the temperature and rate of flow of samples of coolant. Each instrument unit comprises a sleeve housing a sensing unit and has a number of inlet ducts arranged for receiving coolant from a fuel assembly together with a single outlet. The sensing unit has three thermocouple hot junctions connected in series, the hot junctions and inlet ducts being arranged in pairs. Electromagnetic windings around an inductive core are arranged to sense variation in flow of liquid metal by flux distortion. Fission product sensing means may also be provided. Full constructional details are given. (U.K.)

Synthesis and characterization of the Rhodium (II) citrate complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najjar, R.; Santos, F.S. dos; Seidel, W.

1987-01-01

The preparation and characterization of the rhodium (II) citrate is described. Rhodium citrate was prepared by reacting citric acid trihydrated (3,4 g, 16 mmols) with anhydrous rhodium acetate (0,44 g, 1 mmol). Th electronic instruments, thermogravimetric curve and spectrum of rhodium (II) citrate are analysed. (M.J.C.) [pt

A new Loan-Stock Financial Instrument

OpenAIRE

Morozovsky, Alexander; Narasimhan, Rajan; Kholodenko, Yuri

2000-01-01

A new financial instrument (a new kind of a loan) is introduced. The loan-stock instrument (LSI) combines fixed rate instruments (loans, etc.) with other financial instruments that have higher volatilities and returns (stocks, mutual funds, currencies, derivatives, options, etc.). This new loan depends on the value of underlying security (for example, stock) in such a way that when underlying security increases, the value of loan decreases and backwards. The procedure to create a risk free po...

Marketing instruments of foreign trade promotion

OpenAIRE

Bjelić Predrag

2011-01-01

Instruments of promotion as a part of marketing mix are usually associated with companies but more and more countries use this instrument in order to boost their exports. These foreign trade promotion instruments are now popular in many countries in the world since their use is not opposed to any World Trade Organization rules. Marketing instruments of trade promotions are the most important. They include National Exhibitions and National labels of origin and quality. In order to coordinate t...

Low-Dimensional Feature Representation for Instrument Identification

Science.gov (United States)

Ihara, Mizuki; Maeda, Shin-Ichi; Ikeda, Kazushi; Ishii, Shin

For monophonic music instrument identification, various feature extraction and selection methods have been proposed. One of the issues toward instrument identification is that the same spectrum is not always observed even in the same instrument due to the difference of the recording condition. Therefore, it is important to find non-redundant instrument-specific features that maintain information essential for high-quality instrument identification to apply them to various instrumental music analyses. For such a dimensionality reduction method, the authors propose the utilization of linear projection methods: local Fisher discriminant analysis (LFDA) and LFDA combined with principal component analysis (PCA). After experimentally clarifying that raw power spectra are actually good for instrument classification, the authors reduced the feature dimensionality by LFDA or by PCA followed by LFDA (PCA-LFDA). The reduced features achieved reasonably high identification performance that was comparable or higher than those by the power spectra and those achieved by other existing studies. These results demonstrated that our LFDA and PCA-LFDA can successfully extract low-dimensional instrument features that maintain the characteristic information of the instruments.

Strategic aspects of the purchasing process in the Finnish hearing instruments business.

Science.gov (United States)

Petäjävaara, A

1995-01-01

Discusses the Finnish hearing instrument market which, in the past decade, has been characterized by both closed and shared markets. Indicates there has been some formal competition, but real price competition has not influenced the resharing of market shares. Finds that the current recession has forced hospitals to re-evaluate their purchasing criteria. Investigates the process with the help of industrial marketing theories to determine the strategic means which can be used to create competitive advantages. The new automatic data-processing (ADP)-based high technology in the hearing-instrument business provides opportunities for identifying these advantages. Surveys the abilities of hearing-centre personnel in university hospitals to take advantage of ADP-based tools. Shows that hearing-centre personnel have a low level of ADP knowledge and, thus, a great need for ADP training. Discusses the ADP-based strategy chosen to be AP Medical Hearing Ltd's main strategy and emphasizes the importance of ADP-based training in high technology.

Three dimensional characterization and archiving system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebastian, R.L.; Clark, R.; Gallman, P.

1996-01-01

The Three Dimensional Characterization and Archiving System (3D-ICAS) is being developed as a remote system to perform rapid in situ analysis of hazardous organics and radionuclide contamination on structural materials. Coleman Research and its subcontractors, Thermedics Detection, Inc. (TD) and the University of Idaho (UI) are in the second phase of a three phase program to develop 3D-ICAS to support Decontamination and Decommissioning (D and D) operations. Accurate physical characterization of surfaces and the radioactive and organic is a critical D and D task. Surface characterization includes identification of potentially dangerous inorganic materials, such as asbestos and transite. Real-time remotely operable characterization instrumentation will significantly advance the analysis capabilities beyond those currently employed. Chemical analysis is a primary area where the characterization process will be improved. The 3D-ICAS system robotically conveys a multisensor probe near the surfaces to be inspected. The sensor position and orientation are monitored and controlled using coherent laser radar (CLR) tracking. The CLR also provides 3D facility maps which establish a 3D world view within which the robotic sensor system can operate

The history of thoracic surgical instruments and instrumentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagopian, E J; Mann, C; Galibert, L A; Steichen, F M

2000-02-01

Thoracic surgical practice has evolved from the innovations of its pioneers. Beginning with the stethoscope discovered by Laënnec with his system of auscultation, to the tools we use in the dissection and control of the hilum of the lung for resection, our practice of thoracic surgery has been entwined with the development of instruments and instrumentation. The development of strategies to prevent death from the open pneumothorax began with manual control of the mediastinum and progressed through differential pressure to, finally, the technique of intubation and the methods of positive-pressure and insufflation anesthesia. The instruments we place in our hands are not enough to define our art. Entry into the chest would not be possible without the use of rib retractors, rib shears, and even periosteal elevators. Finally, to the present day of minimally invasive techniques and the application of thoracoscopy for therapeutic purposes, we find the efforts of our predecessors well developed. For the progression from the fear of the open pneumothorax to the present-day state of the ease of thoracotomy for lung resection we are indebted to those who gave so much of their time and, for some, their lives to death from tuberculosis, to allow the advancement of our practice of surgery. These great people should be remembered not only for their acceptance of novel ideas but also, more importantly, for their lack of fear of testing them.

The scientific use of technological instruments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boon, Mieke; Hansson, Sven Ove

2015-01-01

One of the most obvious ways in which the natural sciences depend on technology is through the use of instruments. This chapter presents a philosophical analysis of the role of technological instruments in science. Two roles of technological instruments in scientific practices are distinguished:

Measurement, instrumentation, and sensors handbook

CERN Document Server

Eren, Halit

2014-01-01

The Second Edition of the bestselling Measurement, Instrumentation, and Sensors Handbook brings together all aspects of the design and implementation of measurement, instrumentation, and sensors. Reflecting the current state of the art, it describes the use of instruments and techniques for performing practical measurements in engineering, physics, chemistry, and the life sciences and discusses processing systems, automatic data acquisition, reduction and analysis, operation characteristics, accuracy, errors, calibrations, and the incorporation of standards for control purposes. Organized acco

Natural radioactivity of bedrock bath instruments and hot spring instruments in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazuki Iwaoka; Hiroyuki Tabe; Hidenori Yonehara

2013-01-01

In Japan, bedrock bath instruments and hot spring instruments that contain natural radioactive nuclides are commercially available. In this study, such instruments containing natural radioactive nuclides, currently distributed in Japan, were collected and the radioactivity concentration of 238 U series, 232 Th series, and 40 K in them was determined by gamma ray spectrum analyses. Effective doses to workers and general consumers handling the materials were estimated, revealing the radioactivity concentration of 238 U series, 232 Th series, and 40 K to be lower than critical values given in the IAEA Safety Guide. The maximum effective doses to workers and general consumers were 210 and 6.1 μSv y -1 , respectively. These values are lower than the intervention exemption level (1,000 μSv y -1 ) given in ICRP Publ. 82. (author)

Characterization of Photovoltaic Panels by means of Thermograph Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noe Samano

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Solar panels have become attractive in order to generate and supply electricity in commercial and residential applications. Their increased module efficiencies have caused not only a massive production but also a sensible drop on sale prices. Methods of characterization, instrumentation for in situ measurements, defect monitoring, process control, and performance are required. A temperature characterization method by means of thermograph analysis is exposed in this paper. The method was applied to multicrystalline modules, and the characterization was made with respect to two different variables, first a thermal transient and second a characterization with respect to the current. The method is useful in order to detect hot spots caused by mismatch conditions in electrical parameters. The description, results, and limitations of the proposed method are discussed.

Overview of LOFT instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bixby, W.W.

1979-01-01

A description of instrumentation used in the Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) large break Loss-of-Coolant Experiments is presented. Emphasis is placed on hydraulic and thermal measurements in the primary system piping and components, reactor vessel, and pressure suppression system. In addition, instrumentation which is being considered for measurement of phenomena during future small break testing is discussed

Adult Perspectives of Learning Musical Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Roulston, Kathryn; Jutras, Peter; Kim, Seon Joo

2015-01-01

This article reports findings from a qualitative study of adults' perceptions and experiences of learning musical instruments. Conducted in the south-east United States, 15 adults who were learning instruments were recruited via community music groups and private instrumental teachers. Analysis of transcripts of semi-structured interviews…

Apical instrumentation in endodontic therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurniasri Darliana

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Cleaning and shaping of the root canal as the foundation for successful endodontic therapy. Cleaning of the root canal as the removal of all the contents of the root canal systems before and during shaping. Mechanical cleaning as the most important part of the root canal therapy. Instrumentation of the apical region has long been considered to be an essential component in the cleaning and shaping process. The apical area as the critical zone for instrumentation. The apical portion of the root canal system can retain microorganisms that could potentially cause periradicular inflammation. The nickel-titanium rotary instrumentation system to facilitate the cleaning and shaping process. Larger instrumentation sizes not only allow proper irrigation but also significantly decrease remaining bacteria in the canal system. How the larger apical sizes preparation must be achieved to clinical success. This paper will describe the major factors impacting the selection of final apical size, the factors are the anatomy of the apical constriction, root canal diameter, apical instrumentation, and bacteria in dentin tubuli.

Non-process instrumentation surveillance and test reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrell, R.; LeDonne, V.; Donat, T.; Thomson, I.; Sarlitto, M.

1993-12-01

Analysis of operating experience, instrument failure modes, and degraded instrument performance has led to a reduction in Technical Specification surveillance and test requirements for nuclear power plant process instrumentation. These changes have resulted in lower plant operations and maintenance (O ampersand M) labor costs. This report explores the possibility of realizing similar savings by reducing requirements for non-process instrumentation. The project team reviewed generic Technical Specifications for the four major US nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) vendors (Westinghouse, General Electric, Combustion Engineering, and Babcock ampersand Wilcox) to identify nonprocess instrumentation for which surveillance/test requirements could be reduced. The team surveyed 10 utilities to identify specific non-process instrumentation at their plants for which requirements could be reduced. The team evaluated utility analytic approaches used to justify changes in surveillance/test requirements for process equipment to determine their applicability to non-process instrumentation. The report presents a prioritized list of non-process instrumentation systems suitable for surveillance/test requirements reduction. The top three systems in the list are vibration monitors, leak detection monitors, and chemistry monitors. In general, most non-process instrumentation governed by Technical Specification requirements are candidates for requirements reduction. If statistical requirements are somewhat relaxed, the analytic approaches previously used to reduce requirements for process instrumentation can be applied to non-process instrumentation. The report identifies as viable the technical approaches developed and successfully used by Southern California Edison, Arizona Public Service, and Boston Edison

Proceedings of symposium on intelligent nuclear instrumentation-2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kataria, S.K.; Vaidya, P.P.; Das, Debashis; Narurkar, P.V.

2001-02-01

Advances in the field of instrumentation are relevant to many areas of importance such as nuclear and accelerator based research, reactor monitoring and control, non-destructive testing and evaluation, laser programme and health and environment monitoring etc. The nuclear instrumentation is a specialized field with very specific expertise in detection, processing and its analysis. The symposium covers various fields of nuclear interest such as radiation detectors, application of ASICs and FPGA in instruments, field instruments, nuclear instrumentation for basic research, accelerator, reactor, health and environmental monitoring instrumentation, medical instrumentation, instrument net working inclusive of field buses, WEB based and wireless technologies, software tools, AI technique in instrumentation etc., in this specialized area. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

Instrumentation for three-dimensional tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derenzo, S.E.

1981-01-01

The Donner 280-crystal positron tomograph is described and its operation is explained. The instrument was put into operation in 1978. Possible uses of this instrument in human and animal studies are given

LESSER KNOWN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN KOSOVO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rešad Fazli

2012-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper the author presented the instruments that were originated in this region, as well as those instruments that are brought from other regions, and became deeply carved into the tradition and culture of the local people, that they feel as their own. Some of these instruments are kept only here in this region, and they are not used anymore in the area they originated from. This paper also covers instruments that are rarely used or completely lost in this region.

Emissions characterization from a variety of coals on a pilot-scale facility_v1

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The current study not only characterizes emissions from three coals (bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite), but also investigates the use of instrumentation for...

Site characterization activities at Stripa and other Swedish projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahlstroehm, P.E.

1991-01-01

The Swedish research programme concerning spent nuclear fuel disposal aims for submitting a siting license application around the year 2000. An important step towards that goal will be the detailed characterization of at least two potential sites in late 1990s. In preparation for such characterization several research projects are conducted. One is the international Stripa Project that includes a site characterization and validation project for a small size granite rock body. The Stripa work also includes further development of instrumentation and measurement techniques. Another project is the Finnsjoen Fracture Zone Project, which is characterizing a subhorizontal zone at depths from 100 to 350 meters. The third project is the new Swedish Hard Rock Laboratory planned at the site of the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant. The preinvestigations and construction of this laboratory include major efforts in development, application and validation of site characterization methodology. (author) 6 figs., 9 refs

Raman Spectroscopy for In-Line Water Quality Monitoring—Instrumentation and Potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiyun Li

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Worldwide, the access to safe drinking water is a huge problem. In fact, the number of persons without safe drinking water is increasing, even though it is an essential ingredient for human health and development. The enormity of the problem also makes it a critical environmental and public health issue. Therefore, there is a critical need for easy-to-use, compact and sensitive techniques for water quality monitoring. Raman spectroscopy has been a very powerful technique to characterize chemical composition and has been applied to many areas, including chemistry, food, material science or pharmaceuticals. The development of advanced Raman techniques and improvements in instrumentation, has significantly improved the performance of modern Raman spectrometers so that it can now be used for detection of low concentrations of chemicals such as in-line monitoring of chemical and pharmaceutical contaminants in water. This paper briefly introduces the fundamentals of Raman spectroscopy, reviews the development of Raman instrumentations and discusses advanced and potential Raman techniques for in-line water quality monitoring.

Application of expert system in measurement instrument instrumentation's maintenance on a acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinastiko, W.S.

1997-01-01

Expert system is a part of the artificial intelligence, a solution software for complicated problems, which solving the problems need experiences and knowledge. This paper discussed about the research's result, that is a design of expert system to help instrumentation's maintenance on a data acquisition system. By using application of expert system, the system can do health monitoring, automatic trouble trouble tracing ang gives advise toward the trouble. this instrumentation's maintenance system is a tool which has an analytic and inference ability toward th trouble. This smart system is a very useful tool to get a good data acquisition system quality. the model system also can be developed to be a specific application as a remote instrumentation's management system

Detailed characterization of a Comparative Reactivity Method (CRM) instrument for ambient OH reactivity measurements: experiments vs. modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Michoud, Vincent; Locoge, Nadine; Dusanter, Sébastien

2015-04-01

The Hydroxyl radical (OH) is the main daytime oxidant in the troposphere, leading to the oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and the formation of harmful pollutants such as ozone (O3) and Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOA). While OH plays a key role in tropospheric chemistry, recent studies have highlighted that there are still uncertainties associated with the OH budget, i.e the identification of sources and sinks and the quantification of production and loss rates of this radical. It has been demonstrated that ambient measurements of the total OH loss rate (also called total OH reactivity) can be used to identify and reduce these uncertainties. In this context, the Comparative Reactivity Method (CRM), developed by Sinha et al. (ACP, 2008), is a promising technique to measure total OH reactivity in ambient air and has already been used during several field campaigns. This technique relies on monitoring competitive reactions of OH with ambient trace gases and a reference compound (pyrrole) in a sampling reactor to derive ambient OH reactivity. However, this technique requires a complex data processing chain that has yet to be carefully investigated in the laboratory. In this study, we present a detailed characterization of a CRM instrument developed at Mines Douai, France. Experiments have been performed to investigate the dependence of the CRM response on humidity, ambient NOx levels, and the pyrrole-to-OH ratio inside the sampling reactor. Box modelling of the chemistry occurring in the reactor has also been performed to assess our theoretical understanding of the CRM measurement. This work shows that the CRM response is sensitive to both humidity and NOx, which can be accounted for during data processing using parameterizations depending on the pyrrole-to-OH ratio. The agreement observed between laboratory studies and model results suggests a good understanding of the chemistry occurring in the sampling reactor and gives confidence in the CRM

Intelligent instrumentation principles and applications

CERN Document Server

Bhuyan, Manabendra

2011-01-01

With the advent of microprocessors and digital-processing technologies as catalyst, classical sensors capable of simple signal conditioning operations have evolved rapidly to take on higher and more specialized functions including validation, compensation, and classification. This new category of sensor expands the scope of incorporating intelligence into instrumentation systems, yet with such rapid changes, there has developed no universal standard for design, definition, or requirement with which to unify intelligent instrumentation. Explaining the underlying design methodologies of intelligent instrumentation, Intelligent Instrumentation: Principles and Applications provides a comprehensive and authoritative resource on the scientific foundations from which to coordinate and advance the field. Employing a textbook-like language, this book translates methodologies to more than 80 numerical examples, and provides applications in 14 case studies for a complete and working understanding of the material. Beginn...

Aging assessment of reactor instrumentation and protection system components, Phase 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gehl, A.C.; Hagen, E.W.; Farmer, W.S.

1992-01-01

A study of the aging-related operating experiences throughout a five year period (1984--1988) of six generic instrumentation modules (indicators, sensors, controllers, transmitters, annunciators, and recorders) was performed as a part of the USNRC Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Program. The effects of aging from operational and environmental stressors were characterized from results depicted in Licensee Event Reports (LERs). The data are graphically displayed as frequency of events per plant year for operating plant ages from 1 to 28 years to determine aging-related failure trend patterns. This document describes the results and conclusions from this study

Characterization of the new neutron imaging and materials science facility IMAT

Science.gov (United States)

Minniti, Triestino; Watanabe, Kenichi; Burca, Genoveva; Pooley, Daniel E.; Kockelmann, Winfried

2018-04-01

IMAT is a new cold neutron imaging and diffraction instrument located at the second target station of the pulsed neutron spallation source ISIS, UK. A broad range of materials science and materials testing areas will be covered by IMAT. We present the characterization of the imaging part, including the energy-selective and energy-dispersive imaging options, and provide the basic parameters of the radiography and tomography instrument. In particular, detailed studies on mono and bi-dimensional neutron beam flux profiles, neutron flux as a function of the neutron wavelength, spatial and energy dependent neutron beam uniformities, guide artifacts, divergence and spatial resolution, and neutron pulse widths are provided. An accurate characterization of the neutron beam at the sample position, located 56 m from the source, is required to optimize collection of radiographic and tomographic data sets and for performing energy-dispersive neutron imaging via time-of-flight methods in particular.

ISSUERS OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian GHEORGHE

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The rules laid down by Romanian Capital Market Law and the regulations put in force for its implementation apply to issuers of financial instruments admitted to trading on the regulated market established in Romania. But the issuers remain companies incorporated under Company Law of 1990. Such dual regulations need increased attention in order to observe the legal status of the issuers/companies and financial instruments/shares. Romanian legislator has chosen to implement in Capital Market Law special rules regarding the administration of the issuers of financial instruments, not only rules regarding admitting and maintaining to a regulated market. Thus issuers are, in Romanian Law perspective, special company that should comply special rule regarding board of administration and general shareholders meeting.

Aging assessment of reactor instrumentation and protection system components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gehl, A.C.; Hagen, E.W.

1992-07-01

A study of the aging-related operating experiences throughout a five-year period (1984--1988) of six generic instrumentation modules (indicators, sensors, controllers, transmitters, annunciators, and recorders) was performed as a part of the Nuclear Plant Aging Research Program. The effects of aging from operational and environmental stressors were characterized from results depicted in Licensee Event Reports (LERs). The data are graphically displayed as frequency of events per plant year for operating plant ages from 1 to 28 years to determine aging-related failure trend patterns. Three main conclusions were drawn from this study: (1) Instrumentation and control (I ampersand C) modules make a modest contribution to safety-significant events: 17% of LERs issued during 1984--1988 dealt with malfunctions of the six I ampersand C modules studied, and 28% of the LERs dealing with these I ampersand C module malfunctions were aging related (other studies show a range 25--50%); (2) Of the six modules studied, indicators, sensors, and controllers account for the bulk (83%) of aging-related failures; and (3) Infant mortality appears to be the dominant aging-related failure mode for most I ampersand C module categories (with the exception of annunciators and recorders, which appear to fail randomly)

Are Musical Instrument Gender Associations Changing?

Science.gov (United States)

Abeles, Hal

2009-01-01

The researcher sought to examine gender associations across three decades to determine if changes in the sex stereotyping of musical instruments has occurred. First, the study examined the paired comparison gender-instrument rankings of 180 college students. The results confirmed a reduction of instrument gender associations reported in the 1990s.…

Calibration of radiation monitoring instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1973-01-01

Radiation protection is dependent on good radiation monitoring, and properly calibrated instruments are essential for this work. Simple procedures for periodically checking and recalibrating different kinds of radiation monitoring instruments are shown in this training film

Calibration of radiation monitoring instruments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1974-12-31

Radiation protection is dependent on good radiation monitoring, and properly calibrated instruments are essential for this work. Simple procedures for periodically checking and recalibrating different kinds of radiation monitoring instruments are shown in this training film

Instruments for Water Quality Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Ballinger, Dwight G.

1972-01-01

Presents information regarding available instruments for industries and agencies who must monitor numerous aquatic parameters. Charts denote examples of parameters sampled, testing methods, range and accuracy of test methods, cost analysis, and reliability of instruments. (BL)

Spreading and solidification behavior of molten Si droplets impinging on substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagashio, K.; Murata, H.; Kuribayashi, K.

2004-01-01

This paper focuses on an effect of initial undercoolings on the spreading and solidification behavior of Si dropped on a silicon wafer, which was directly observed through it by the infrared imaging system. For an overheated droplet, the melt spreading occurred first and solidified later. The final splat shape was a typical disc. On the other hand, for a droplet with large initial undercooling, the solidification took place at the faster rate than the melt spreading, which resulted in a spherical shape of final splat. It is indicated that the final shape is considerably affected by the initial undercooling in the measurable-scale experiment with large droplets (∼mm size) and low impingement rates (∼m/s order). Moreover, equiaxed grains were found throughout the quenched surface by an electron backscatter pattern analysis. That is, the microstructure formation was nucleation-controlled since the growth parallel to the substrate was suppressed by the time-dependent contact of melt/substrate governed by the melt deformation

Two new Np--Ga phases: α-NpGa2 and metastable m-NpGa2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giessen, B.C.; Elliott, R.O.

1976-01-01

Following an earlier study of metastable Np-rich Np--Ga alloys, rapidly quenched Np--Ga alloys with 63 to 80 at. pct. Ga were prepared and studied. Two new NpGa 2 phases, both with an AlB 2 type structure, were found: α-NpGa 2 , with a = 4.246A, c = 4.060A, c/a = 0.956, and m-NpGa 2 , with a = 4.412A, c = 3.642A, c/a = 0.825. While m-NpGa 2 was observed only in very fast quenched (splat cooled) samples and appears to be metastable, α-NpGa 2 is probably an equilibrium phase. In a splat cooled alloy with 75 at. pct. Ga, another, unidentified, metastable phase was observed. Crystal chemical discussions of atomic volumes, interatomic distances and axial ratios are given; the volume difference between the two forms of NpGa 2 is correlated with a valence change of Np

Astronomical Instruments with Two Scales Drawn on Their Common Circumference of Rings in the Joseon Dynasty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byeong-Hee Mihn

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This study examines the scale unique instruments used for astronomical observation during the Joseon dynasty. The Small Simplified Armillary Sphere (小簡儀, So-ganui and the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instrument (日星定時儀, Ilseong-jeongsi-ui are minimized astronomical instruments, which can be characterized, respectively, as an observational instrument and a clock, and were influenced by the Simplified Armilla (簡儀, Jianyi of the Yuan dynasty. These two instruments were equipped with several rings, and the rings of one were similar both in size and in scale to those of the other. Using the classic method of drawing the scale on the circumference of a ring, we analyze the scales of the Small Simplified Armillary Sphere and the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instrument. Like the scale feature of the Simplified Armilla, we find that these two instruments selected the specific circumference which can be drawn by two kinds of scales. If Joseon’s astronomical instruments is applied by the dual scale drawing on one circumference, we suggest that 3.14 was used as the ratio of the circumference of circle, not 3 like China, when the ring’s size was calculated in that time. From the size of Hundred-interval disk of the extant Simplified Sundial in Korea, we make a conclusion that the three rings’ diameter of the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instrument described in the Sejiong Sillok (世宗實錄, Veritable Records of the King Sejong refers to that of the middle circle of every ring, not the outer circle. As analyzing the degree of 28 lunar lodges (lunar mansions in the equator written by Chiljeongsan-naepyeon (七政算內篇, the Inner Volume of Calculation of the Motions of the Seven Celestial Determinants, we also obtain the result that the scale of the Celestial-circumference-degree in the Small Simplified Armillary Sphere was made with a scale error about 0.1 du in root mean square (RMS.

Astronomical Instruments with Two Scales Drawn on Their Common Circumference of Rings in the Joseon Dynasty

Science.gov (United States)

Mihn, Byeong-Hee; Choi, Goeun; Lee, Yong Sam

2017-03-01

This study examines the scale unique instruments used for astronomical observation during the Joseon dynasty. The Small Simplified Armillary Sphere (小簡儀, So-ganui) and the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instrument (日星定時儀, Ilseong-jeongsi-ui) are minimized astronomical instruments, which can be characterized, respectively, as an observational instrument and a clock, and were influenced by the Simplified Armilla (簡儀, Jianyi) of the Yuan dynasty. These two instruments were equipped with several rings, and the rings of one were similar both in size and in scale to those of the other. Using the classic method of drawing the scale on the circumference of a ring, we analyze the scales of the Small Simplified Armillary Sphere and the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instrument. Like the scale feature of the Simplified Armilla, we find that these two instruments selected the specific circumference which can be drawn by two kinds of scales. If Joseon`s astronomical instruments is applied by the dual scale drawing on one circumference, we suggest that 3.14 was used as the ratio of the circumference of circle, not 3 like China, when the ring`s size was calculated in that time. From the size of Hundred-interval disk of the extant Simplified Sundial in Korea, we make a conclusion that the three rings` diameter of the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instrument described in the Sejiong Sillok (世宗實錄, Veritable Records of the King Sejong) refers to that of the middle circle of every ring, not the outer circle. As analyzing the degree of 28 lunar lodges (lunar mansions) in the equator written by Chiljeongsan-naepyeon (七政算內篇, the Inner Volume of Calculation of the Motions of the Seven Celestial Determinants), we also obtain the result that the scale of the Celestial-circumference-degree in the Small Simplified Armillary Sphere was made with a scale error about 0.1 du in root mean square (RMS).

Traceability of radiation protection instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Hino, Y.; Kurosawa, T.

2007-08-01

Radiation protection instruments are used in daily measurement of dose and activities in workplaces and environments for safety management. The requirements for calibration certificates with traceability are increasing for these instruments to ensure the consistency and reliabilities of the measurement results. The present traceability scheme of radiation protection instruments for dose and activity measurements is described with related IEC/ISO requirements. Some examples of desirable future calibration systems with recent new technologies are also discussed to establish the traceability with reasonable costs and reliabilities.

Steam 80 steam generator instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carson, W.H.; Harris, H.H.

1980-01-01

This paper describes two special instrumentation packages in an integral economizer (preheater) steam generator of one of the first System 80 plants scheduled to go into commercial operation. The purpose of the instrumentation is to obtain accurate operating information from regions of the secondary side of the steam generator inaccessible to normal plant instrumentation. In addition to verification of the System 80 steam generator design predictions, the data obtained will assist in verification of steam generator thermal/hydraulic computer codes developed for generic use in the industry

Characterization of Ultrafast Laser Pulses using a Low-dispersion Frequency Resolved Optical Grating Spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Whitelock, Hope; Bishop, Michael; Khosravi, Soroush; Obaid, Razib; Berrah, Nora

2016-05-01

A low dispersion frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) spectrometer was designed to characterize ultrashort (non-colinear optical parametric amplifier. This instrument splits a laser pulse into two replicas with a 90:10 intensity ratio using a thin pellicle beam-splitter and then recombines the pulses in a birefringent medium. The instrument detects a wavelength-sensitive change in polarization of the weak probe pulse in the presence of the stronger pump pulse inside the birefringent medium. Scanning the time delay between the two pulses and acquiring spectra allows for characterization of the frequency and time content of ultrafast laser pulses, that is needed for interpretation of experimental results obtained from these ultrafast laser systems. Funded by the DoE-BES, Grant No. DE-SC0012376.

Overview of intercalibration of satellite instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Chander, G.; Hewison, T.J.; Fox, N.; Wu, X.; Xiong, X.; Blackwell, W.J.

2013-01-01

Inter-calibration of satellite instruments is critical for detection and quantification of changes in the Earth’s environment, weather forecasting, understanding climate processes, and monitoring climate and land cover change. These applications use data from many satellites; for the data to be inter-operable, the instruments must be cross-calibrated. To meet the stringent needs of such applications requires that instruments provide reliable, accurate, and consistent measurements over time. Robust techniques are required to ensure that observations from different instruments can be normalized to a common scale that the community agrees on. The long-term reliability of this process needs to be sustained in accordance with established reference standards and best practices. Furthermore, establishing physical meaning to the information through robust Système International d'unités (SI) traceable Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val) is essential to fully understand the parameters under observation. The processes of calibration, correction, stability monitoring, and quality assurance need to be underpinned and evidenced by comparison with “peer instruments” and, ideally, highly calibrated in-orbit reference instruments. Inter-calibration between instruments is a central pillar of the Cal/Val strategies of many national and international satellite remote sensing organizations. Inter-calibration techniques as outlined in this paper not only provide a practical means of identifying and correcting relative biases in radiometric calibration between instruments but also enable potential data gaps between measurement records in a critical time series to be bridged. Use of a robust set of internationally agreed upon and coordinated inter-calibration techniques will lead to significant improvement in the consistency between satellite instruments and facilitate accurate monitoring of the Earth’s climate at uncertainty levels needed to detect and attribute the mechanisms

University Reactor Instrumentation Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vernetson, W.G.

1992-11-01

Recognizing that the University Reactor Instrumentation Program was developed in response to widespread needs in the academic community for modernization and improvement of research and training reactors at institutions such as the University of Florida, the items proposed to be supported by this grant over its two year period have been selected as those most likely to reduce foreed outages, to meet regulatory concerns that had been expressed in recent years by Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspectors or to correct other facility problems and limitations. Department of Energy Grant Number DE-FG07-90ER129969 was provided to the University of Florida Training Reactor(UFTR) facility through the US Department of Energy's University Reactor Instrumentation Program. The original proposal submitted in February, 1990 requested support for UFTR facility instrumentation and equipment upgrades for seven items in the amount of $107,530 with $13,800 of this amount to be the subject of cost sharing by the University of Florida and $93,730 requested as support from the Department of Energy. A breakdown of the items requested and total cost for the proposed UFTR facility instrumentation and equipment improvements is presented

Neutron instrumentation for biology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mason, S.A. [Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble (France)

1994-12-31

In the October 1994 round of proposals at the ILL, the external biology review sub- committee was asked to allocate neutron beam time to a wide range of experiments, on almost half the total number of scheduled neutron instruments: on 3 diffractometers, on 3 small angle scattering instruments, and on some 6 inelastic scattering spectrometers. In the 3.5 years since the temporary reactor shutdown, the ILL`s management structure has been optimized, budgets and staff have been trimmed, the ILL reactor has been re-built, and many of the instruments up-graded, many powerful (mainly Unix) workstations have been introduced, and the neighboring European Synchrotron Radiation Facility has established itself as the leading synchrotron radiation source and has started its official user program. The ILL reactor remains the world`s most intense dedicated neutron source. In this challenging context, it is of interest to review briefly the park of ILL instruments used to study the structure and energetics of small and large biological systems. A brief summary will be made of each class of experiments actually proposed in the latest ILL proposal round.

An analysis of national and cross-national consumer segments using the food-related lifestyle instrument in Denmark, France, Germany and the United Kingdom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bredahl, Lone; Grunert, Klaus G.

1996-01-01

Food markets are claimed to be characterized by two opposing tendencies: On the one hand, food culture seems to be a domain of increasingly transnational character. On the other hand, there is substantial evidence that food culture has considerabl inertia. This papers reports a series of studies...... aimed at investigating whether cross-national food consumer segments can be found. Food consumer segments are derived using the food-related lifestyle instrument, which characterizes consumers by ho employ food and eating to obtain life values. The instrument, which has been developed especially...... have at least weak cross-cultural comparability. Nation-wise cluster analysis using Ward method yielded sets of five or six segments per country. The segments were named the uninvolved, the careless, the rational, the conservative, and the adventurous food consumers. A comparison of the segment...

The Squiggle: A Digital Musical Instrument

OpenAIRE

Sheehan, Brian

2004-01-01

This paper discusses some of the issues pertaining to thedesign of digital musical instruments that are to effectively fillthe role of traditional instruments (i.e. those based on physicalsound production mechanisms). The design andimplementation of a musical instrument that addresses some ofthese issues, using scanned synthesis coupled to a "smart"physical system, is described.

Portable radiation instrumentation traceability of standards and measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiserman, A.; Walke, M.

1995-01-01

Portable radiation measuring instruments are used to estimate and control doses for workers. Calibration of these instruments must be sufficiently accurate to ensure that administrative and legal dose limits are not likely to be exceeded due to measurement uncertainties. An instrument calibration and management program is established which permits measurements made with an instrument to be traced to a national standard. This paper describes the establishment and maintenance of calibration standards for gamma survey instruments and an instrument management program which achieves traceability of measurement for uniquely identified field instruments. (author)

A sphere-scanning radiometer for rapid directional measurements of sky and ground radiance: The PARABOLA field instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Deering, D. W.; Leone, P.

1984-11-01

A unique field instrument, called the PARABOLA, a collapsable support boom, which is self contained and easily transportable to remote sites to enable the acquisition of radiance data for almost the complete (4 pi) sky and ground-looking hemispheres in only 11 seconds was designed. The PARABOLA samples in 15 deg instantaneous field of view sectors in three narrow bandpass spectral channels simultaneously. Field measurement on a variety of earth surface cover types using a truck boom, a specially designed pickup truck mounting system, and a hot air balloon were studied. The PARABOLA instrument has potential for climatological and other studies which require characterization of the distribution of diffuse solar radiation within the sky hemisphere.

Calibration of "Babyline" RP instruments

CERN Multimedia

2015-01-01

  If you have old RP instrumentation of the “Babyline” type, as shown in the photo, please contact the Radiation Protection Group (Joffrey Germa, 73171) to have the instrument checked and calibrated. Thank you. Radiation Protection Group

SEM-based characterization techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, P.E.

1986-01-01

The scanning electron microscope is now a common instrument in materials characterization laboratories. The basic role of the SEM as a topographic imaging system has steadily been expanding to include a variety of SEM-based analytical techniques. These techniques cover the range of basic semiconductor materials characterization to live-time device characterization of operating LSI or VLSI devices. This paper introduces many of the more commonly used techniques, describes the modifications or additions to a conventional SEM required to utilize the techniques, and gives examples of the use of such techniques. First, the types of signals available from a sample being irradiated by an electron beam are reviewed. Then, where applicable, the type of spectroscopy or microscopy which has evolved to utilize the various signal types are described. This is followed by specific examples of the use of such techniques to solve problems related to semiconductor technology. Techniques emphasized include: x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, electron beam induced current (EBIC), stroboscopic voltage analysis, cathodoluminescnece and electron beam IC metrology. Current and future trends of some of the these techniques, as related to the semiconductor industry are discussed

Performance specifications for health physics instrumentation: portable instrumentation for use in normal work environments. Part 2. Test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenoyer, J.L.; Swinth, K.L.; Stoetzel, G.A.; Selby, J.M.

1986-09-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory evaluated a draft American National Standards Institute Standard N42.17 (ANSI N42.17) on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation through a project jointly funded by the US Department of Energy and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The evaluation involved testing a representative cross section of instruments against criteria in the standard. This report presents results of the testing program. A brief history of the project is included in the introduction. The instrumentation tested is described in general terms (i.e., types, ranges); however, no direct relationship between the results and a specific instrument model is made in this report. Testing requirements in ANSI N42.17D4, Revision 1 (May 1985) are summarized and the methods by which the tests are performed are discussed. Brief descriptions of the testing equipment are included in the methods section of the report. More detailed information about the draft standard, testing requirements and procedures, and the test equipment is included in ''Performance Specifications for Health Physics Instrumentation - Portable Instrumentation for Use in Normal Work Environments, Part 1: Manual of Testing Procedures.'' Results of testing are given in two formats: test-by-test and instrument-by-instrument. Discussion is included on significant and interesting findings, on comparisons of results from the same type of instruments from same and different manufacturers, and on data grouped by manufacturer. Conclusions are made on the applicability and practicality of the proposed standard and on instrument performance. Changes that have been made to the proposed standard based on findings of the testing program are listed and discussed. 22 refs., 11 figs., 77 tabs

Digital instrumentation for retrofit applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennis, U.E.

1986-01-01

There can be many reasons for applying retrofit designs to existing power plants. Whatever the reasons, care in planning and instrument design will be required in order to derive the full benefits afforded by today's technology. Specifically, the availability of microprocessors and their related integrated circuits make possible capabilities, accuracies, reliabilities, maintainability and user interfaces not achievable when original equipment was designed. Some of the motives for the replacement of current instrumentation are examined and the various benefits and pitfalls of applying present day microprocessor technology to new designs are discussed. From this, a set of design objectives can be formulated that can best take advantage of modern technology. General Electric's design solution, a family of instruments called NUMAC (Nuclear Measurement, Analysis and Control) is described, followed by descriptions of instruments currently in production and those contemplated for design in the near future

Technical Training seminar: Texas Instruments

CERN Multimedia

2006-01-01

Monday 6 November TECHNICAL TRAINING SEMINAR 14:00 to 17:30 - Training Centre Auditorium (bldg. 593) Texas Instruments Technical Seminar Michael Scholtholt, Field Application Engineer / TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (US, D, CH) POWER - A short approach to Texas Instruments power products Voltage mode vs. current mode control Differentiating DC/DC converters by analyzing control and compensation schemes: line / load regulation, transient response, BOM, board space, ease-of-use Introduction to the SWIFT software FPGA + CPLD power solutions WIRELESS / CHIPCON Decision criteria when choosing a RF platform Introduction to Texas Instruments wireless products: standardized platforms proprietary platforms ( 2.4 GHz / sub 1 GHz) development tools Antenna design: example for 2.4 GHz questions, discussion Industrial partners: Robert Medioni, François Caloz / Spoerle Electronic, CH-1440 Montagny (VD), Switzerland Phone: +41 24 447 0137, email: RMedioni@spoerle.com, http://www.spoerle.com Language: English. Free s...

Planck 2013 results. IV. Low Frequency Instrument beams and window functions

CERN Document Server

Aghanim, N; Arnaud, M; Ashdown, M; Atrio-Barandela, F; Aumont, J; Baccigalupi, C; Banday, A J; Barreiro, R B; Battaner, E; Benabed, K; Benoît, A; Benoit-Lévy, A; Bernard, J -P; Bersanelli, M; Bielewicz, P; Bobin, J; Bock, J J; Bonaldi, A; Bond, J R; Borrill, J; Bouchet, F R; Bridges, M; Bucher, M; Burigana, C; Butler, R C; Cardoso, J -F; Catalano, A; Chamballu, A; Chiang, L -Y; Christensen, P R; Church, S; Colombi, S; Colombo, L P L; Crill, B P; Curto, A; Cuttaia, F; Danese, L; Davies, R D; Davis, R J; de Bernardis, P; de Rosa, A; de Zotti, G; Delabrouille, J; Dickinson, C; Diego, J M; Dole, H; Donzelli, S; Doré, O; Douspis, M; Dupac, X; Efstathiou, G; Enßlin, T A; Eriksen, H K; Finelli, F; Forni, O; Frailis, M; Franceschi, E; Gaier, T C; Galeotta, S; Ganga, K; Giard, M; Giraud-Héraud, Y; González-Nuevo, J; Górski, K M; Gratton, S; Gregorio, A; Gruppuso, A; Hansen, F K; Hanson, D; Harrison, D; Henrot-Versillé, S; Hernández-Monteagudo, C; Herranz, D; Hildebrandt, S R; Hivon, E; Hobson, M; Holmes, W A; Hornstrup, A; Hovest, W; Huffenberger, K M; Jaffe, T R; Jaffe, A H; Jewell, J; Jones, W C; Juvela, M; Kangaslahti, P; Keihänen, E; Keskitalo, R; Kiiveri, K; Kisner, T S; Knoche, J; Knox, L; Kunz, M; Kurki-Suonio, H; Lagache, G; Lähteenmäki, A; Lamarre, J -M; Lasenby, A; Laureijs, R J; Lawrence, C R; Leahy, J P; Leonardi, R; Lesgourgues, J; Liguori, M; Lilje, P B; Lindholm, V; Linden-Vørnle, M; López-Caniego, M; Lubin, P M; Macías-Pérez, J F; Maino, D; Mandolesi, N; Maris, M; Marshall, D J; Martin, P G; Martínez-González, E; Masi, S; Matarrese, S; Matthai, F; Mazzotta, P; Meinhold, P R; Melchiorri, A; Mendes, L; Mennella, A; Migliaccio, M; Mitra, S; Moneti, A; Montier, L; Morgante, G; Mortlock, D; Moss, A; Munshi, D; Naselsky, P; Natoli, P; Netterfield, C B; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H U; Novikov, D; Novikov, I; O'Dwyer, I J; Osborne, S; Paci, F; Pagano, L; Paoletti, D; Partridge, B; Pasian, F; Patanchon, G; Perdereau, O; Perotto, L; Perrotta, F; Pierpaoli, E; Pietrobon, D; Plaszczynski, S; Platania, P; Pointecouteau, E; Polenta, G; Ponthieu, N; Popa, L; Poutanen, T; Pratt, G W; Prézeau, G; Prunet, S; Puget, J -L; Rachen, J P; Rebolo, R; Reinecke, M; Remazeilles, M; Ricciardi, S; Riller, T; Rocha, G; Rosset, C; Roudier, G; Rubiño-Martín, J A; Rusholme, B; Sandri, M; Santos, D; Scott, D; Seiffert, M D; Shellard, E P S; Spencer, L D; Starck, J -L; Stolyarov, V; Stompor, R; Sureau, F; Sutton, D; Suur-Uski, A -S; Sygnet, J -F; Tauber, J A; Tavagnacco, D; Terenzi, L; Toffolatti, L; Tomasi, M; Tristram, M; Tucci, M; Tuovinen, J; Türler, M; Umana, G; Valenziano, L; Valiviita, J; Van Tent, B; Varis, J; Vielva, P; Villa, F; Vittorio, N; Wade, L A; Wandelt, B D; Zacchei, A; Zonca, A

2014-01-01

This paper presents the characterization of the in-flight beams, the beam window functions and the associated uncertainties for the Planck Low Frequency Instrument (LFI). Knowledge of the beam profiles is necessary for determining the transfer function to go from the observed to the actual sky anisotropy power spectrum. The main beam distortions affect the beam window function, complicating the reconstruction of the anisotropy power spectrum at high multipoles, whereas the sidelobes affect the low and intermediate multipoles. The in-flight assessment of the LFI main beams relies on the measurements performed during Jupiter observations. By stacking the data from multiple Jupiter transits, the main beam profiles are measured down to -20 dB at 30 and 44 GHz, and down to -25 dB at 70 GHz. The main beam solid angles are determined to better than 0.2% at each LFI frequency band. The Planck pre-launch optical model is conveniently tuned to characterize the main beams independently of any noise effects. This approac...

Instrument care: everyone's responsibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renée du Toit

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Everyone working in an ophthalmic operating theatre must be competent in the care, handling, storage, and maintenance of instruments. This will help to improve surgical outcomes, maintain an economic and affordable service for patients, and provide a safe environment for the wellbeing of patients and staff.Including instrument care in theatre courses and in-service training is one way of ensuring staff competence.

Experimenting with woodwind instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Lo Presto, Michael C.

2007-05-01

Simple experiments involving musical instruments of the woodwind family can be used to demonstrate the basic physics of vibrating air columns in resonance tubes using nothing more than straightforward measurements and data collection hardware and software. More involved experimentation with the same equipment can provide insight into the effects of holes in the tubing and other factors that make simple tubes useful as musical instruments.

Biomedical instruments versus toys:a preliminary comparison of force platforms and the nintendo wii balance board - biomed 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagnacco, Guido; Oggero, Elena; Wright, Cameron H G

2011-01-01

Biomedical sciences rely heavily on devices to acquire and analyze the physiological data needed to understand and model the biological processes of humans and animals. Therefore, the results of the investigations, clinical or academic, depend heavily on the instrumentation used. Unfortunately, all too often the users do not understand their instruments and end up compromising the results of their investigations by choosing an inadequate instrument or by not using it appropriately. One field where this is particularly apparent is posturography: the misconceptions about instruments are so widespread and deep that just recently there have been articles published in scientific journals suggesting the use of a “toy”, the Nintendo Wii Balance Board, instead of instrument grade force platform to acquire posturographic data. Characterizing the tools used for research becomes the first and probably the most important step in producing sound research and clinical results, and in the case of posturographic force platforms and the Nintendo Wii Balance Board a simple experimental setup can be used to find their characteristics. Furthermore, based on the preliminary results of this investigation, a mathematical formula can be used to predict the behavior of a posturographic tool, once its noise characteristics and “dead weight” response are known.

Commissioning Instrument for the GTC

Science.gov (United States)

Cuevas, S.; Sánchez, B.; Bringas, V.; Espejo, C.; Flores, R.; Chapa, O.; Lara, G.; Chavolla, A.; Anguiano, G.; Arciniega, S.; Dorantes, A.; González, J. L.; Montoya, J. M.; Toral, R.; Hernández, H.; Nava, R.; Devaney, N.; Castro, J.; Cavaller-Marqués, L.

2005-12-01

During the GTC integration phase, the Commissioning Instrument (CI) will be a diagnostic tool for performance verification. The CI features four operation modes: imaging, pupil imaging, Curvature WFS, and high resolution Shack-Hartmann WFS. This instrument was built by the Instituto de Astronomía UNAM and the Centro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial (CIDESI) under GRANTECAN contract after a public bid. In this paper we made a general instrument overview and we show some of the performance final results obtained when the Factory Acceptance tests previous to its transport to La Palma.

An analysis of national and cross-national consumer segments using the food-related lifestyle instrument in Denmark, France, Germany and Great Britain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brunsø, Karen; Grunert, Klaus G.; Bredahl, Lone

Executive summary 1. Food markets are claimed to be characterized by two opposing tendencies. On the one hand, food culture seems to be a domain of increasingly transnational character. On the other hand, there is substantial evidence that food culture has considerable inertia. This paper reports...... a series of studies aimed at investigating whether cross-national food consumer segments can be found. 2. Food consumer segments are derived using the food-related lifestyle instrument, which characterizes consumers by how they employ food and eating to obtain life values. The instrument, which has been...... of cross-cultural comparability. 5. Nation-wise cluster analysis using Ward's method yielded sets of five or six segments per country. The segments were labelled the uninvolved food consumer, the careless food consumer, the rational food consumer, the conservative food consumer, the adventurous consumer...

Virtual Sensor Test Instrumentation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Roy

2011-01-01

Virtual Sensor Test Instrumentation is based on the concept of smart sensor technology for testing with intelligence needed to perform sell-diagnosis of health, and to participate in a hierarchy of health determination at sensor, process, and system levels. A virtual sensor test instrumentation consists of five elements: (1) a common sensor interface, (2) microprocessor, (3) wireless interface, (4) signal conditioning and ADC/DAC (analog-to-digital conversion/ digital-to-analog conversion), and (5) onboard EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) for metadata storage and executable software to create powerful, scalable, reconfigurable, and reliable embedded and distributed test instruments. In order to maximize the efficient data conversion through the smart sensor node, plug-and-play functionality is required to interface with traditional sensors to enhance their identity and capabilities for data processing and communications. Virtual sensor test instrumentation can be accessible wirelessly via a Network Capable Application Processor (NCAP) or a Smart Transducer Interlace Module (STIM) that may be managed under real-time rule engines for mission-critical applications. The transducer senses the physical quantity being measured and converts it into an electrical signal. The signal is fed to an A/D converter, and is ready for use by the processor to execute functional transformation based on the sensor characteristics stored in a Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS). Virtual sensor test instrumentation is built upon an open-system architecture with standardized protocol modules/stacks to interface with industry standards and commonly used software. One major benefit for deploying the virtual sensor test instrumentation is the ability, through a plug-and-play common interface, to convert raw sensor data in either analog or digital form, to an IEEE 1451 standard-based smart sensor, which has instructions to program sensors for a wide variety of

Developments in analytical instrumentation

Science.gov (United States)

Petrie, G.

The situation regarding photogrammetric instrumentation has changed quite dramatically over the last 2 or 3 years with the withdrawal of most analogue stereo-plotting machines from the market place and their replacement by analytically based instrumentation. While there have been few new developments in the field of comparators, there has been an explosive development in the area of small, relatively inexpensive analytical stereo-plotters based on the use of microcomputers. In particular, a number of new instruments have been introduced by manufacturers who mostly have not been associated previously with photogrammetry. Several innovative concepts have been introduced in these small but capable instruments, many of which are aimed at specialised applications, e.g. in close-range photogrammetry (using small-format cameras); for thematic mapping (by organisations engaged in environmental monitoring or resources exploitation); for map revision, etc. Another innovative and possibly significant development has been the production of conversion kits to convert suitable analogue stereo-plotting machines such as the Topocart, PG-2 and B-8 into fully fledged analytical plotters. The larger and more sophisticated analytical stereo-plotters are mostly being produced by the traditional mainstream photogrammetric systems suppliers with several new instruments and developments being introduced at the top end of the market. These include the use of enlarged photo stages to handle images up to 25 × 50 cm format; the complete integration of graphics workstations into the analytical plotter design; the introduction of graphics superimposition and stereo-superimposition; the addition of correlators for the automatic measurement of height, etc. The software associated with this new analytical instrumentation is now undergoing extensive re-development with the need to supply photogrammetric data as input to the more sophisticated G.I.S. systems now being installed by clients, instead

Instrument validation system of general application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filshtein, E.L.

1990-01-01

This paper describes the Instrument Validation System (IVS) as a software system which has the capability of evaluating the performance of a set of functionally related instrument channels to identify failed instruments and to quantify instrument drift. Under funding from Combustion Engineering (C-E), the IVS has been developed to the extent that a computer program exists whose use has been demonstrated. The initial development work shows promise for success and for wide application, not only to power plants, but also to industrial manufacturing and process control. Applications in the aerospace and military sector are also likely

Seismic instrumentation for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senne Junior, M.

1983-01-01

A seismic instrumentation system used in Nuclear Power Plants to monitor the design parameters of systems, structures and components, needed to provide safety to those Plants, against the action of earthquakes is described. The instrumentation described is based on the nuclear standards in force. The minimum amount of sensors and other components used, as well as their general localization, is indicated. The operation of the instrumentation system as a whole and the handling of the recovered data are dealt with accordingly. The various devices used are not covered in detail, except for the accelerometer, which is the seismic instrumentation basic component. (Author) [pt

Preliminary Results From a Heavily Instrumented Engine Ice Crystal Icing Test in a Ground Based Altitude Test Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Flegel, Ashlie B.; Oliver, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Preliminary results from the heavily instrumented ALF502R-5 engine test conducted in the NASA Glenn Research Center Propulsion Systems Laboratory are discussed. The effects of ice crystal icing on a full scale engine is examined and documented. This same model engine, serial number LF01, was used during the inaugural icing test in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory facility. The uncommanded reduction of thrust (rollback) events experienced by this engine in flight were simulated in the facility. Limited instrumentation was used to detect icing on the LF01 engine. Metal temperatures on the exit guide vanes and outer shroud and the load measurement were the only indicators of ice formation. The current study features a similar engine, serial number LF11, which is instrumented to characterize the cloud entering the engine, detect/characterize ice accretion, and visualize the ice accretion in the region of interest. Data were acquired at key LF01 test points and additional points that explored: icing threshold regions, low altitude, high altitude, spinner heat effects, and the influence of varying the facility and engine parameters. For each condition of interest, data were obtained from some selected variations of ice particle median volumetric diameter, total water content, fan speed, and ambient temperature. For several cases the NASA in-house engine icing risk assessment code was used to find conditions that would lead to a rollback event. This study further helped NASA develop necessary icing diagnostic instrumentation, expand the capabilities of the Propulsion Systems Laboratory, and generate a dataset that will be used to develop and validate in-house icing prediction and risk mitigation computational tools. The ice accretion on the outer shroud region was acquired by internal video cameras. The heavily instrumented engine showed good repeatability of icing responses when compared to the key LF01 test points and during day-to-day operation. Other noticeable

Virtual instrument automation of ion channeling setup for 1.7 MV tandetron accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suresh, K.; Sundaravel, B.; Panigrahi, B.K.; Nair, K.G.M.; Viswanathan, B.

2004-01-01

A virtual instrument based automated ion channeling experimental setup has been developed and implemented in a 1.7 MV tandetron accelerator. Automation of the PC based setup is done using a windows based virtual instrument software allowing the setup to be easily ported between different computer operating systems. The virtual instrument software has been chosen to achieve quick and easy development of versatile, multi-purpose user friendly graphical interface for carrying out channeling experiments. The software has been modular designed to provide independent control of the stepper motors for fixing the sample at any user defined orientation, running and on-line display of azimuthal and tilt angular scans, auto storage of the angular scan data. Using this automated setup, the crystallographic axis of the sample can be aligned with the incident ion beam rapidly minimizing the beam damages to the sample. A standard single crystalline GaAs(100) has been characterized with this set up using 2 MeV He ++ ion beam. The crystalline quality (χ min ) and channeling half angle (ψ 1sol2 ) are measured to be 3.7% and 0.48 deg., respectively, which are close to the theoretical values. Salient features, working principles and design details of the automated setup are discussed in this paper