Stabilization of electron-scale turbulence by electron density gradient in national spherical torus experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruiz Ruiz, J.; White, A. E. [MIT-Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Ren, Y.; Guttenfelder, W.; Kaye, S. M.; Leblanc, B. P.; Mazzucato, E. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Lee, K. C. [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Domier, C. W. [University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95616 (United States); Smith, D. R. [University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Yuh, H. [Nova Photonics, Inc., Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (United States)

2015-12-15

Theory and experiments have shown that electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence on the electron gyro-scale, k{sub ⊥}ρ{sub e} ≲ 1, can be responsible for anomalous electron thermal transport in NSTX. Electron scale (high-k) turbulence is diagnosed in NSTX with a high-k microwave scattering system [D. R. Smith et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79, 123501 (2008)]. Here we report on stabilization effects of the electron density gradient on electron-scale density fluctuations in a set of neutral beam injection heated H-mode plasmas. We found that the absence of high-k density fluctuations from measurements is correlated with large equilibrium density gradient, which is shown to be consistent with linear stabilization of ETG modes due to the density gradient using the analytical ETG linear threshold in F. Jenko et al. [Phys. Plasmas 8, 4096 (2001)] and linear gyrokinetic simulations with GS2 [M. Kotschenreuther et al., Comput. Phys. Commun. 88, 128 (1995)]. We also found that the observed power of electron-scale turbulence (when it exists) is anti-correlated with the equilibrium density gradient, suggesting density gradient as a nonlinear stabilizing mechanism. Higher density gradients give rise to lower values of the plasma frame frequency, calculated based on the Doppler shift of the measured density fluctuations. Linear gyrokinetic simulations show that higher values of the electron density gradient reduce the value of the real frequency, in agreement with experimental observation. Nonlinear electron-scale gyrokinetic simulations show that high electron density gradient reduces electron heat flux and stiffness, and increases the ETG nonlinear threshold, consistent with experimental observations.

Depth perception: cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) respond to visual texture density gradients.

Science.gov (United States)

Josef, Noam; Mann, Ofri; Sykes, António V; Fiorito, Graziano; Reis, João; Maccusker, Steven; Shashar, Nadav

2014-11-01

Studies concerning the perceptual processes of animals are not only interesting, but are fundamental to the understanding of other developments in information processing among non-humans. Carefully used visual illusions have been proven to be an informative tool for understanding visual perception. In this behavioral study, we demonstrate that cuttlefish are responsive to visual cues involving texture gradients. Specifically, 12 out of 14 animals avoided swimming over a solid surface with a gradient picture that to humans resembles an illusionary crevasse, while only 5 out of 14 avoided a non-illusionary texture. Since texture gradients are well-known cues for depth perception in vertebrates, we suggest that these cephalopods were responding to the depth illusion created by the texture density gradient. Density gradients and relative densities are key features in distance perception in vertebrates. Our results suggest that they are fundamental features of vision in general, appearing also in cephalopods.

Effect of Crustal Density Structures on GOCE Gravity Gradient Observables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Tenzer Pavel Novák

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We investigate the gravity gradient components corrected for major known anomalous density structures within the Earth¡¦s crust. Heterogeneous mantle density structures are disregarded. The gravimetric forward modeling technique is utilized to compute the gravity gradients based on methods for a spherical harmonic analysis and synthesis of a gravity field. The Earth¡¦s gravity gradient components are generated using the global geopotential model GOCO-03s. The topographic and stripping gravity corrections due to the density contrasts of the ocean and ice are computed from the global topographic/bathymetric model DTM2006.0 (which also includes the ice-thickness dataset. The discrete data of sediments and crust layers taken from the CRUST2.0 global crustal model are then used to apply the additional stripping corrections for sediments and remaining anomalous crustal density structures. All computations are realized globally on a one arc-deg geographical grid at a mean satellite elevation of 255 km. The global map of the consolidated crust-stripped gravity gradients reveals distinctive features which are attributed to global tectonics, lithospheric plate configuration, lithosphere structure and mantle dynamics (e.g., glacial isostatic adjustment, mantle convection. The Moho signature, which is the most pronounced signal in these refined gravity gradients, is superimposed over a weaker gravity signal of the lithospheric mantle. An interpretational quality of the computed (refined gravity gradient components is mainly limited by a low accuracy and resolution of the CRUST2.0 sediment and crustal layer data and unmodeled mantle structures.

Semi-local machine-learned kinetic energy density functional with third-order gradients of electron density

Science.gov (United States)

Seino, Junji; Kageyama, Ryo; Fujinami, Mikito; Ikabata, Yasuhiro; Nakai, Hiromi

2018-06-01

A semi-local kinetic energy density functional (KEDF) was constructed based on machine learning (ML). The present scheme adopts electron densities and their gradients up to third-order as the explanatory variables for ML and the Kohn-Sham (KS) kinetic energy density as the response variable in atoms and molecules. Numerical assessments of the present scheme were performed in atomic and molecular systems, including first- and second-period elements. The results of 37 conventional KEDFs with explicit formulae were also compared with those of the ML KEDF with an implicit formula. The inclusion of the higher order gradients reduces the deviation of the total kinetic energies from the KS calculations in a stepwise manner. Furthermore, our scheme with the third-order gradient resulted in the closest kinetic energies to the KS calculations out of the presented functionals.

Ecological mechanisms underlying soil bacterial responses to rainfall along a steep natural precipitation gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Waring, Bonnie; Hawkes, Christine V

2018-02-01

Changes in the structure and function of soil microbial communities can drive substantial ecosystem feedbacks to altered precipitation. However, the ecological mechanisms underlying community responses to environmental change are not well understood. We used an 18-month soil reciprocal transplant experiment along a steep precipitation gradient to quantify how changes in rainfall affected bacterial community structure. We also conducted an enhanced dispersal treatment to ask whether higher immigration rates of taxa from the surrounding environment would accelerate community responses to climate change. Finally, we addressed how the composition of soil bacteria communities was related to the functional response of soil respiration to moisture in these treatments. Bacterial community structure (OTU abundance) and function (respiration rates) changed little in response to manipulation of either rainfall environment or dispersal rates. Although most bacteria were ecological generalists, a subset of specialist taxa, over 40% of which were Actinobacteria, tended to be more abundant in the rainfall environment that matched their original conditions. Bacteria community composition was an important predictor of the respiration response to moisture. Thus, the high compositional resistance of microbial communities dictated respiration responses to altered rainfall in this system.

The adaptation rate of a quantitative trait in an environmental gradient

Science.gov (United States)

Hermsen, R.

2016-12-01

The spatial range of a species habitat is generally determined by the ability of the species to cope with biotic and abiotic variables that vary in space. Therefore, the species range is itself an evolvable property. Indeed, environmental gradients permit a mode of evolution in which range expansion and adaptation go hand in hand. This process can contribute to rapid evolution of drug resistant bacteria and viruses, because drug concentrations in humans and livestock treated with antibiotics are far from uniform. Here, we use a minimal stochastic model of discrete, interacting organisms evolving in continuous space to study how the rate of adaptation of a quantitative trait depends on the steepness of the gradient and various population parameters. We discuss analytical results for the mean-field limit as well as extensive stochastic simulations. These simulations were performed using an exact, event-driven simulation scheme that can deal with continuous time-, density- and coordinate-dependent reaction rates and could be used for a wide variety of stochastic systems. The results reveal two qualitative regimes. If the gradient is shallow, the rate of adaptation is limited by dispersion and increases linearly with the gradient slope. If the gradient is steep, the adaptation rate is limited by mutation. In this regime, the mean-field result is highly misleading: it predicts that the adaptation rate continues to increase with the gradient slope, whereas stochastic simulations show that it in fact decreases with the square root of the slope. This discrepancy underscores the importance of discreteness and stochasticity even at high population densities; mean-field results, including those routinely used in quantitative genetics, should be interpreted with care.

The adaptation rate of a quantitative trait in an environmental gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermsen, R

2016-11-30

The spatial range of a species habitat is generally determined by the ability of the species to cope with biotic and abiotic variables that vary in space. Therefore, the species range is itself an evolvable property. Indeed, environmental gradients permit a mode of evolution in which range expansion and adaptation go hand in hand. This process can contribute to rapid evolution of drug resistant bacteria and viruses, because drug concentrations in humans and livestock treated with antibiotics are far from uniform. Here, we use a minimal stochastic model of discrete, interacting organisms evolving in continuous space to study how the rate of adaptation of a quantitative trait depends on the steepness of the gradient and various population parameters. We discuss analytical results for the mean-field limit as well as extensive stochastic simulations. These simulations were performed using an exact, event-driven simulation scheme that can deal with continuous time-, density- and coordinate-dependent reaction rates and could be used for a wide variety of stochastic systems. The results reveal two qualitative regimes. If the gradient is shallow, the rate of adaptation is limited by dispersion and increases linearly with the gradient slope. If the gradient is steep, the adaptation rate is limited by mutation. In this regime, the mean-field result is highly misleading: it predicts that the adaptation rate continues to increase with the gradient slope, whereas stochastic simulations show that it in fact decreases with the square root of the slope. This discrepancy underscores the importance of discreteness and stochasticity even at high population densities; mean-field results, including those routinely used in quantitative genetics, should be interpreted with care.

Steep spatial gradients of volcanic and marine sulfur in Hawaiian rainfall and ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bern, Carleton R., E-mail: cbern@usgs.gov [U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225 (United States); Department of Geography University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4060 (United States); Chadwick, Oliver A. [Department of Geography University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4060 (United States); Kendall, Carol [U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States); Pribil, Michael J. [U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225 (United States)

2015-05-01

over ecosystem sulfur biogeochemistry across relatively small spatial scales. - Highlights: • Sources of sulfur in Hawaiian ecosystems were investigated via sulfur isotopes. • Basalt, sea-salt, volcanic and marine biogenic emissions have distinct isotope ratios. • Atmospheric deposition sources of sulfur dominated all but one site investigated. • Steep gradients of marine vs. volcanic atmospheric deposition were found. • Gradients occurred with distance to the coast and elevation.

Steep spatial gradients of volcanic and marine sulfur in Hawaiian rainfall and ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bern, Carleton R.; Chadwick, Oliver A.; Kendall, Carol; Pribil, Michael J.

2015-01-01

ecosystem sulfur biogeochemistry across relatively small spatial scales. - Highlights: • Sources of sulfur in Hawaiian ecosystems were investigated via sulfur isotopes. • Basalt, sea-salt, volcanic and marine biogenic emissions have distinct isotope ratios. • Atmospheric deposition sources of sulfur dominated all but one site investigated. • Steep gradients of marine vs. volcanic atmospheric deposition were found. • Gradients occurred with distance to the coast and elevation

Directional phytoscreening: contaminant gradients in trees for plume delineation.

Science.gov (United States)

Limmer, Matt A; Shetty, Mikhil K; Markus, Samantha; Kroeker, Ryan; Parker, Beth L; Martinez, Camilo; Burken, Joel G

2013-08-20

Tree sampling methods have been used in phytoscreening applications to delineate contaminated soil and groundwater, augmenting traditional investigative methods that are time-consuming, resource-intensive, invasive, and costly. In the past decade, contaminant concentrations in tree tissues have been shown to reflect the extent and intensity of subsurface contamination. This paper investigates a new phytoscreening tool: directional tree coring, a concept originating from field data that indicated azimuthal concentrations in tree trunks reflected the concentration gradients in the groundwater around the tree. To experimentally test this hypothesis, large diameter trees were subjected to subsurface contaminant concentration gradients in a greenhouse study. These trees were then analyzed for azimuthal concentration gradients in aboveground tree tissues, revealing contaminant centroids located on the side of the tree nearest the most contaminated groundwater. Tree coring at three field sites revealed sufficiently steep contaminant gradients in trees reflected nearby groundwater contaminant gradients. In practice, trees possessing steep contaminant gradients are indicators of steep subsurface contaminant gradients, providing compass-like information about the contaminant gradient, pointing investigators toward higher concentration regions of the plume.

The disparate impact of the ion temperature gradient and the density gradient on edge transport and the low-high transition in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleva, Robert G.; Guzdar, Parvez N.

2009-01-01

Steepening of the ion temperature gradient in nonlinear fluid simulations of the edge region of a tokamak plasma causes a rapid degradation in confinement. As the density gradient steepens, there is a continuous improvement in confinement analogous to the low (L) to high (H) transition observed in tokamaks. In contrast, as the ion temperature gradient steepens, there is a rapid increase in the particle and energy fluxes and no L-H transition. For a given pressure gradient, confinement always improves when more of the pressure gradient arises from the density gradient, and less of the pressure gradient arises from the ion temperature gradient.

Destabilization of drift waves due to nonuniform density gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirose, A.; Ishihara, O.

1985-01-01

It is shown that the conventional mode differential equation for low frequency electrostatic waves in a tokamak does not contain full ion dynamics. Both electrons and ions contribute to the ballooning term, which is subject to finite ion Larmor radius effects. Also, both fluid ion approximation and kinetic ion model yield the same correction. Reexamined are the density gradient universal mode and ion temperature gradient instability employing the lowest order Pearlstein-Berk type radial eigenfunctions. No unstable, bounded, energy outgoing eigenfunctions have been found. In particular, a large ion temperature gradient (eta/sub i/) tends to further stabilize the temperature gradient driven mode

Solution of transient problems with steep gradients: novel front-tracking strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiil, Søren; Bhatia, Suresh K.; Dam-Johansen, Kim

1995-01-01

and tested for the case of a gas-solid noncatalytic reaction in a porous solid at high Thiele modulus. Accurate and convergent steep profiles are obtained here for Thiele modulus larger than 50 for the case of slab as well as spherical geometry and found to match the analytical solution when it exists (such...

Enviromental Effects on Internal Color Gradients of Early-Type Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

La Barbera, F.; de Carvalho, R. R.; Gal, R. R.; Busarello, G.; Haines, C. P.; Mercurio, A.; Merluzzi, P.; Capaccioli, M.; Djorgovski, S. G.

2007-05-01

One of the most debated issues of observational and theoretical cosmology is that of how the environment affects the formation and evolution of galaxies. To gain new insight into this subject, we have derived surface photometry for a sample of 3,000 early-type galaxies belonging to 163 clusters with different richness, spanning a redshift range of 0.05 to 0.25. This large data-set is used to analyze how the color distribution inside galaxies depends on several parameters, such as cluster richness, local galaxy density, galaxy luminosity and redshift. We find that the internal color profile of galaxies strongly depends on the environment where galaxies reside. Galaxies in poor and rich clusters are found to follow two distinct trends in the color gradient vs. redshift diagram, with color gradients beeing less steep in rich rather than in poor clusters. No dependence of color gradients on galaxy luminosity is detected both for poor and rich clusters. We find that color gradients strongly depend on local galaxy density, with more shallow gradients in high density regions. Interestingly, this result holds only for low richness clusters, with color gradients of galaxies in rich clusters showing no dependence on local galaxy density. Our results support a reasonable picture whereby young early-type galaxies form in a dissipative collapse process, and then undergo increased (either major or minor) merging activity in richer rather than in poor clusters.

OptiPrep? Density Gradient Solutions for Macromolecules and Macromolecular Complexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Graham

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Any density gradient for the isolation of mammalian cells should ideally only expose the sedimenting particles to an increasing concentration of the gradient solute. Thus they will experience only an increasing density and viscosity, other parameters such as osmolality, pH, ionic strength and the concentration of important additives (such as EDTA or divalent cations should remain as close to constant as possible. This Protocol Article describes the strategies for the dilution of OptiPrep™ in order to prepare such solutions for mammalian cells.

General approach for solving the density gradient theory in the interfacial tension calculations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liang, Xiaodong; Michelsen, Michael Locht

2017-01-01

Within the framework of the density gradient theory, the interfacial tension can be calculated by finding the density profiles that minimize an integral of two terms over the system of infinite width. It is found that the two integrands exhibit a constant difference along the interface for a finite...... property evaluations compared to other methods. The performance of the algorithm with recommended parameters is analyzed for various systems, and the efficiency is further compared with the geometric-mean density gradient theory, which only needs to solve nonlinear algebraic equations. The results show...... that the algorithm is only 5-10 times less efficient than solving the geometric-mean density gradient theory....

Numerical Study on Density Gradient Carbon-Carbon Composite for Vertical Launching System

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Jin-Young; Kim, Chun-Gon; Lim, Juhwan

2018-04-01

This study presents new carbon-carbon (C/C) composite that has a density gradient within single material, and estimates its heat conduction performance by a numerical method. To address the high heat conduction of a high-density C/C, which can cause adhesion separation in the steel structures of vertical launching systems, density gradient carbon-carbon (DGCC) composite is proposed due to its exhibiting low thermal conductivity as well as excellent ablative resistance. DGCC is manufactured by hybridizing two different carbonization processes into a single carbon preform. One part exhibits a low density using phenolic resin carbonization to reduce heat conduction, and the other exhibits a high density using thermal gradient-chemical vapor infiltration for excellent ablative resistance. Numerical analysis for DGCC is performed with a heat conduction problem, and internal temperature distributions are estimated by the forward finite difference method. Material properties of the transition density layer, which is inevitably formed during DGCC manufacturing, are assumed to a combination of two density layers for numerical analysis. By comparing numerical results with experimental data, we validate that DGCC exhibits a low thermal conductivity, and it can serve as highly effective ablative material for vertical launching systems.

Modeling the flow of glaciers in steep terrains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Egholm, D.L.; Knudsen, Mads Faurschou; Clark, Chris D.

2011-01-01

sliding, and to the interaction with topography through glacial erosion. Standard models capable of simulating mountain range–scale glaciations build on the so-called shallow ice approximation, which, among other parameters, neglects the longitudinal and transverse stress gradients, and therefore fails...... to capture the full effects of the rugged topography and related feedbacks between erosion by glacial sliding and the extent and style of glaciation. Here we present and test a new depth-integrated model framework which, on the one hand, takes into account the “higher-order” effects related to steep......The rugged topography of mountain ranges represents a special challenge to computational ice sheet models simulating past or present glaciations. In mountainous regions, the topography steers glaciers through relatively narrow and steep valleys, and as a consequence hereof, the flow rate of alpine...

Effects of density gradients and fluctuations at the plasma edge on ECEI measurements at ASDEX Upgrade

Science.gov (United States)

Vanovac, B.; Wolfrum, E.; Denk, S. S.; Mink, F.; Laggner, F. M.; Birkenmeier, G.; Willensdorfer, M.; Viezzer, E.; Hoelzl, M.; Freethy, S. J.; Dunne, M. G.; Lessig, A.; Luhmann, N. C., Jr.; the ASDEX Upgrade Team; the EUROfusion MST1 Team

2018-04-01

Electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) provides measurements of electron temperature (T e ) and its fluctuations (δT e ). However, when measuring at the plasma edge, in the steep gradient region, radiation transport effects must be taken into account. It is shown that due to these effects, the scrape-off layer region is not accessible to the ECEI measurements in steady state conditions and that the signal is dominated by the shine-through emission. Transient effects, such as filaments, can change the radiation transport locally, but cannot be distinguished from the shine-through. Local density measurements are essential for the correct interpretation of the electron cyclotron emission, since the density fluctuations influence the temperature measurements at the plasma edge. As an example, a low frequency 8 kHz mode, which causes 10%-15% fluctuations in the signal level of the ECEI, is analysed. The same mode has been measured with the lithium beam emission spectroscopy density diagnostic, and is very well correlated in time with high frequency magnetic fluctuations. With radiation transport modelling of the electron cyclotron radiation in the ECEI geometry, it is shown that the density contributes significantly to the radiation temperature (T rad) and the experimental observations have shown the amplitude modulation in both density and temperature measurements. The poloidal velocity of the low frequency mode measured by the ECEI is 3 km s-1. The calculated velocity of the high frequency mode measured with the magnetic pick-up coils is about 25 km s-1. Velocities are compared with the E × B background flow velocity and possible explanations for the origin of the low frequency mode are discussed.

Relaxation of a steep density gradient in a simple fluid: Comparison between atomistic and continuum modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pourali, Meisam; Maghari, Ali; Meloni, Simone; Magaletti, Francesco; Casciola, Carlo Massimo; Ciccotti, Giovanni

2014-01-01

We compare dynamical nonequilibrium molecular dynamics and continuum simulations of the dynamics of relaxation of a fluid system characterized by a non-uniform density profile. Results match quite well as long as the lengthscale of density nonuniformities are greater than the molecular scale (∼10 times the molecular size). In presence of molecular scale features some of the continuum fields (e.g., density and momentum) are in good agreement with atomistic counterparts, but are smoother. On the contrary, other fields, such as the temperature field, present very large difference with respect to reference (atomistic) ones. This is due to the limited accuracy of some of the empirical relations used in continuum models, the equation of state of the fluid in the present example

A novel technique for real-time estimation of edge pedestal density gradients via reflectometer time delay data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, L., E-mail: zeng@fusion.gat.com; Doyle, E. J.; Rhodes, T. L.; Wang, G.; Sung, C.; Peebles, W. A. [Physics and Astronomy Department, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States); Bobrek, M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6006 (United States)

2016-11-15

A new model-based technique for fast estimation of the pedestal electron density gradient has been developed. The technique uses ordinary mode polarization profile reflectometer time delay data and does not require direct profile inversion. Because of its simple data processing, the technique can be readily implemented via a Field-Programmable Gate Array, so as to provide a real-time density gradient estimate, suitable for use in plasma control systems such as envisioned for ITER, and possibly for DIII-D and Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. The method is based on a simple edge plasma model with a linear pedestal density gradient and low scrape-off-layer density. By measuring reflectometer time delays for three adjacent frequencies, the pedestal density gradient can be estimated analytically via the new approach. Using existing DIII-D profile reflectometer data, the estimated density gradients obtained from the new technique are found to be in good agreement with the actual density gradients for a number of dynamic DIII-D plasma conditions.

Engineering zonal cartilage through bioprinting collagen type II hydrogel constructs with biomimetic chondrocyte density gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Xiang; Wang, Fuyou; Chen, Cheng; Gong, Xiaoyuan; Yin, Li; Yang, Liu

2016-07-20

Cartilage tissue engineering is a promising approach for repairing and regenerating cartilage tissue. To date, attempts have been made to construct zonal cartilage that mimics the cartilaginous matrix in different zones. However, little attention has been paid to the chondrocyte density gradient within the articular cartilage. We hypothesized that the chondrocyte density gradient plays an important role in forming the zonal distribution of extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, collagen type II hydrogel/chondrocyte constructs were fabricated using a bioprinter. Three groups were created according to the total cell seeding density in collagen type II pre-gel: Group A, 2 × 10(7) cells/mL; Group B, 1 × 10(7) cells/mL; and Group C, 0.5 × 10(7) cells/mL. Each group included two types of construct: one with a biomimetic chondrocyte density gradient and the other with a single cell density. The constructs were cultured in vitro and harvested at 0, 1, 2, and 3 weeks for cell viability testing, reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), biochemical assays, and histological analysis. We found that total ECM production was positively correlated with the total cell density in the early culture stage, that the cell density gradient distribution resulted in a gradient distribution of ECM, and that the chondrocytes' biosynthetic ability was affected by both the total cell density and the cell distribution pattern. Our results suggested that zonal engineered cartilage could be fabricated by bioprinting collagen type II hydrogel constructs with a biomimetic cell density gradient. Both the total cell density and the cell distribution pattern should be optimized to achieve synergistic biological effects.

Genetic population structure of European sprat (Sprattus sprattus L.): differentiation across a steep environmental gradient in a small pelagic fish

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Limborg, Morten; Pedersen, Jes S.; Hansen, Jakob Hemmer

2009-01-01

locations in and around the North- and Baltic Sea area and from a geographically distant population from the Adriatic Sea. Analyses of nine microsatellite loci revealed a sharp genetic division separating samples from the Northeastern Atlantic and the Baltic Sea (pairwise θ = 0.019–0.035), concurring...... with a steep salinity gradient. We found, at most, weak structure among samples within the Northeastern Atlantic region and within the Baltic Sea (pairwise θ = 0.001–0.009). The Adriatic Sea population was highly differentiated from all northern samples (pairwise θ = 0.071–0.092). Overall, the observed...... population structure resembles that of most other marine fishes studied in the North/Baltic Sea areas. Nevertheless, spatially explicit differences are observed among species, likely reflecting specific life-histories. Such fine-scale population structure should be taken into account, e.g. in ecosystem...

Hydrodynamic Forces from Steep Waves in Rivers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loevoll, A.

1996-12-31

The reservoir behind a hydroelectric power production dam has an enormous potential for destruction in case of a dam break. The present doctoral thesis evaluates the hydrodynamic forces from steep waves in rivers. In the laboratory, forces on a structure shaped as a vertical cylinder of rectangular cross section were measured, and the threshold condition for the bed sediment was investigated. A wave parameter {alpha} is introduced to describe the gradient of a wave front. The flow condition in the flume was reproduced by a 3-D numerical model. For various values of the wave parameter the forces were measured and compared to the drag force calculated from measured depth and velocity. From these comparisons the hydrodynamic force can be calculated as drag only, even in the case of a breaking wave front. The contribution from inertia relative to drag depends on the size of the structure. For larger structures the contributions may be important in steep waves. To study the initiation of motion (of sediments) under unsteady flow, waves of various parameter values were passed over a gravel covered bed. The initiation of motion starts before the peak of the wave, and is given by Shield`s relation if the friction slope is applied. No dependence upon the wave gradient was found. A relation was established which gives the critical shear stress if the friction slope is estimated by the bottom slope. 65 refs., 41 figs., 10 tabs.

Hydrodynamic Forces from Steep Waves in Rivers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loevoll, A.

1996-01-01

The reservoir behind a hydroelectric power production dam has an enormous potential for destruction in case of a dam break. The present doctoral thesis evaluates the hydrodynamic forces from steep waves in rivers. In the laboratory, forces on a structure shaped as a vertical cylinder of rectangular cross section were measured, and the threshold condition for the bed sediment was investigated. A wave parameter α is introduced to describe the gradient of a wave front. The flow condition in the flume was reproduced by a 3-D numerical model. For various values of the wave parameter the forces were measured and compared to the drag force calculated from measured depth and velocity. From these comparisons the hydrodynamic force can be calculated as drag only, even in the case of a breaking wave front. The contribution from inertia relative to drag depends on the size of the structure. For larger structures the contributions may be important in steep waves. To study the initiation of motion (of sediments) under unsteady flow, waves of various parameter values were passed over a gravel covered bed. The initiation of motion starts before the peak of the wave, and is given by Shield's relation if the friction slope is applied. No dependence upon the wave gradient was found. A relation was established which gives the critical shear stress if the friction slope is estimated by the bottom slope. 65 refs., 41 figs., 10 tabs

Graph approach to the gradient expansion of density functionals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozlowski, P.M.; Nalewajski, R.F.

1986-01-01

A graph representation of terms in the gradient expansion of the kinetic energy density functional is presented. They briefly discuss the implications of the virial theorem for the graph structure and relations between possible graphs at a given order of expansion

Microfluidic Adaptation of Density-Gradient Centrifugation for Isolation of Particles and Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuxi Sun

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Density-gradient centrifugation is a label-free approach that has been extensively used for cell separations. Though elegant, this process is time-consuming (>30 min, subjects cells to high levels of stress (>350 g and relies on user skill to enable fractionation of cells that layer as a narrow band between the density-gradient medium and platelet-rich plasma. We hypothesized that microfluidic adaptation of this technique could transform this process into a rapid fractionation approach where samples are separated in a continuous fashion while being exposed to lower levels of stress (<100 g for shorter durations of time (<3 min. To demonstrate proof-of-concept, we designed a microfluidic density-gradient centrifugation device and constructed a setup to introduce samples and medium like Ficoll in a continuous, pump-less fashion where cells and particles can be exposed to centrifugal force and separated via different outlets. Proof-of-concept studies using binary mixtures of low-density polystyrene beads (1.02 g/cm3 and high-density silicon dioxide beads (2.2 g/cm3 with Ficoll–Paque (1.06 g/cm3 show that separation is indeed feasible with >99% separation efficiency suggesting that this approach can be further adapted for separation of cells.

Gradient-based stochastic estimation of the density matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhentao; Chern, Gia-Wei; Batista, Cristian D.; Barros, Kipton

2018-03-01

Fast estimation of the single-particle density matrix is key to many applications in quantum chemistry and condensed matter physics. The best numerical methods leverage the fact that the density matrix elements f(H)ij decay rapidly with distance rij between orbitals. This decay is usually exponential. However, for the special case of metals at zero temperature, algebraic decay of the density matrix appears and poses a significant numerical challenge. We introduce a gradient-based probing method to estimate all local density matrix elements at a computational cost that scales linearly with system size. For zero-temperature metals, the stochastic error scales like S-(d+2)/2d, where d is the dimension and S is a prefactor to the computational cost. The convergence becomes exponential if the system is at finite temperature or is insulating.

Integration of shallow gradients of Shh and Netrin-1 guides commissural axons.

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, Tyler F W; Qasaimeh, Mohammad A; Juncker, David; Yam, Patricia T; Charron, Frédéric

2015-03-01

During nervous system development, gradients of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) and Netrin-1 attract growth cones of commissural axons toward the floor plate of the embryonic spinal cord. Mice defective for either Shh or Netrin-1 signaling have commissural axon guidance defects, suggesting that both Shh and Netrin-1 are required for correct axon guidance. However, how Shh and Netrin-1 collaborate to guide axons is not known. We first quantified the steepness of the Shh gradient in the spinal cord and found that it is mostly very shallow. We then developed an in vitro microfluidic guidance assay to simulate these shallow gradients. We found that axons of dissociated commissural neurons respond to steep but not shallow gradients of Shh or Netrin-1. However, when we presented axons with combined Shh and Netrin-1 gradients, they had heightened sensitivity to the guidance cues, turning in response to shallower gradients that were unable to guide axons when only one cue was present. Furthermore, these shallow gradients polarized growth cone Src-family kinase (SFK) activity only when Shh and Netrin-1 were combined, indicating that SFKs can integrate the two guidance cues. Together, our results indicate that Shh and Netrin-1 synergize to enable growth cones to sense shallow gradients in regions of the spinal cord where the steepness of a single guidance cue is insufficient to guide axons, and we identify a novel type of synergy that occurs when the steepness (and not the concentration) of a guidance cue is limiting.

Interacting Eigenmodes of a plasma diode with a density gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loefgren, T.; Gunell, H.

1997-08-01

The formation of narrow high frequency electric field spikes in plasma density gradients is investigated using one-dimensional particle in cell simulations. It is found that the shape of the plasma density gradient is very important for the spike formation. The spike appears also in simulations with immobile ions showing that a coupling to the ion motion, as for example in wave interactions, is not necessary for the formation of HF spikes. However, the HF spike influences the ion motion, and ion waves are seen in the simulations. It has been found, in experiments and simulations, that the electron velocity distribution function deviates from the Maxwellian distribution. Dispersion relations are calculated using realistic distribution functions. The spike can be seen as a coupled system of two Eigenmodes of a plasma diode fed by the beam-plasma interaction. Based on a simplified fluid description of such Eigenmodes, explanations for the localization of the spike, spatially and in frequency, are given. The density amplitude is comparable with the DC density level close to the cathode. Space charge limits of waves in this region seem to determine the amplitude of the spike through the Poisson's equation

Semiautomated system for the production and analysis of sucrose density gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lange, C.S.; Liberman, D.F.

1974-01-01

A semiautomated system in DNA damage studies permitting considerable accuracy, speed, and reproducibility in the making and fractionation of sucrose density gradients is described. The system consists of a modified Beckman gradient forming device that makes six gradients simultaneously and delivers them into six 12.5 ml polyallomer centrifuge tubes in such a manner that new material is continuously added to the meniscus of the gradient. The gradients are fractionated three at a time and up to 100 fractions per gradient can be collected automatically directly into scintillation vials with a choice of drop counting or time mode with rinse and automatic addition of scintillation fluid to each vial. The system can process up to six gradients per hour but centrifugation time is usually the limiting factor. With neutral sucrose gradients, sharp, reproducible, monodisperse peaks containing up to 100 percent of the gradient radioactivity are usually obtained but a smaller monodisperse peak containing as little as 3.5 percent of the gradient radioactivity can be detected under conditions where some pairs of molecules might tangle or dimerize. The resolution and reproducibility of this system when used with neutral sucrose gradients is at least the equal if not superior to that commonly claimed for alkaline sucrose gradients. (U.S.)

Effect of density step on stirring properties of a strain flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez, M; Paranthoen, P

2009-01-01

The influence of steep density gradient on stirring properties of a strain flow is addressed by considering the problem in which an interface separating two regions with different constant densities is stabilized within a stagnation-point flow. The existence of an analytic solution for the two-dimensional incompressible flow field allows the exact derivation of the velocity gradient tensor and of parameters describing the local flow topology. Stirring properties are affected not only by vorticity production and jump of strain intensity at the interface, but also by rotation of strain principal axes resulting from anisotropy of pressure Hessian. The strain persistence parameter, which measures the respective effects of strain and effective rotation (vorticity plus rotation rate of strain basis), reveals a complex structure. In particular, for large values of the density ratio, it indicates dominating effective rotation in a restricted area past the interface. Information on flow structure derived from the Okubo-Weiss parameter, by contrast, is less detailed. The influence of the density step on stirring properties is assessed by the Lagrangian evolution of the gradient of a passive scalar. Even for a moderate density ratio, alignment of the scalar gradient and growth rate of its norm are deeply altered. Past the interface effective rotation indeed drives the scalar gradient to align with a direction determined by the local strain persistence parameter, away from the compressional strain direction. The jump of strain intensity at the interface, however, opposes the lessening effect of the latter mechanism on the growth rate of the scalar gradient norm and promotes the rise of the gradient.

Gyrokinetic Studies of Turbulence in Steep Gradient Region: Role of Turbulence Spreading and E x B Shear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

T.S. Hahm; Z. Lin; P.H. Diamond; G. Rewoldt; W.X. Wang; S. Ethier; O. Gurcan; W.W. Lee; W.M. Tang

2004-12-21

An integrated program of gyrokinetic particle simulation and theory has been developed to investigate several outstanding issues in both turbulence and neoclassical physics. Gyrokinetic particle simulations of toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence spreading using the GTC code and its related dynamical model have been extended to the case with radially increasing ion temperature gradient, to study the inward spreading of edge turbulence toward the core. Due to turbulence spreading from the edge, the turbulence intensity in the core region is significantly enhanced over the value obtained from simulations of the core region only. Even when the core gradient is within the Dimits shift regime (i.e., self-generated zonal flows reduce the transport to a negligible value), a significant level of turbulence and transport is observed in the core due to spreading from the edge. The scaling of the turbulent front propagation speed is closer to the prediction from our nonlinear diffusion model than one based on linear toroidal coupling. A calculation of ion poloidal rotation in the presence of sharp density and toroidal angular rotation frequency gradients from the GTC-Neo particle simulation code shows that the results are significantly different from the conventional neoclassical theory predictions. An energy conserving set of a fully electromagnetic nonlinear gyrokinetic Vlasov equation and Maxwell's equations, which is applicable to edge turbulence, is being derived via the phase-space action variational Lie perturbation method. Our generalized ordering takes the ion poloidal gyroradius to be on the order of the radial electric field gradient length.

Gyrokinetic studies of turbulence in steep gradient region: Role of turbulence spreading and E x B shear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahm, T.S.; Lin, Z.; Diamond, P.H.; Gurcan, O.; Rewoldt, G.; Wang, W.X.; Ethier, S.; Lee, W.W.; Lewandowski, J.L.V.; Tang, W.M.

2005-01-01

An integrated program of gyrokinetic particle simulation and theory has been developed to investigate several outstanding issues in both turbulence and neoclassical physics. Gyrokinetic particle simulations of toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence spreading using the GTC code and its related dynamical model have been extended to the case with radially increasing ion temperature gradient, to study the inward spreading of edge turbulence toward the core. Due to turbulence spreading from the edge, the turbulence intensity in the core region is significantly enhanced over the value obtained from simulations of the core region only. Even when the core gradient is within the Dimits shift regime (i.e., self-generated zonal flows reduce the transport to a negligible value), a significant level of turbulence and transport is observed in the core due to spreading from the edge. The scaling of the turbulent front propagation speed is closer to the prediction from our nonlinear diffusion model than one based on linear toroidal coupling. A calculation of ion poloidal rotation in the presence of sharp density and toroidal angular rotation frequency gradients from the GTC-Neo particle simulation code shows that the results are significantly different from the conventional neoclassical theory predictions. An energy conserving set of a fully electromagnetic nonlinear gyrokinetic Vlasov equation and Maxwell's equations, which is applicable to edge turbulence, is being derived via the phase-space action variational Lie perturbation method. Our generalized ordering takes the ion poloidal gyroradius to be on the order of the radial electric field gradient length. (author)

Classical convective energy transport in large gradient regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinton, F.L.

1996-01-01

Large gradients in density and temperature occur near the edge in H-mode plasmas and in the core of tokamak plasmas with negative central shear. Transport in these regions may be comparable to neoclassical. Standard neoclassical theory does not apply when the gradient lengths are comparable to an ion orbit excursion, or banana width. A basic question for neoclassical transport in large gradient regions is: do ion-ion collisions drive particle transport? Near the plasma edge in H-mode, where ion orbit loss requires that the ion energy transport be convective, neoclassical particle transport due to ion-ion collisions may play an important role. In negative central shear plasmas, where transport is inferred to be near neoclassical, it is important to have accurate predictions for the neoclassical rate of energy and particle transport. A simple 2-D slab model has been used, with a momentum-conserving collision operator, to show that ion-ion collisions do drive particle transport. When the gradients are large, the open-quotes field particleclose quotes contribution to the particle flux is non-local, and does not cancel the open-quotes test particleclose quotes contribution, which is local. Solutions of the kinetic equation are found which show that the steepness of the density profile, for increasing particle flux, is limited by orbit averaging. The gradient length is limited by the thermal gyroradius, and the convective energy flux is independent of ion temperature. This will allow an ion thermal runaway to occur, if there are no other ion energy loss mechanisms

Linking Soil Physical Parameters Along a Density Gradient in a Loess-Soil Long-Term Experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eden, Marie; Møldrup, Per; Schjønning, Per

2012-01-01

It is important to understand the impact of texture and organic carbon (OC) on soil structure development. Only few studies investigated this for silt-dominated soils. In this study, soil physical properties were determined on samples from a controlled experiment (Static Fertilization Experiment...... hydraulic conductivity. The management resulted in a distinct gradient in OC. A bulk density gradient developed from differences in amount of clay not complexed with OC. This gradient in bulk density mainly affected content of pores larger than 3 [mu]m. The air-connected porosity measured by a pycnometer...

Fluvial signatures of modern and paleo orographic rainfall gradients

Science.gov (United States)

Schildgen, Taylor; Strecker, Manfred

2016-04-01

The morphology of river profiles is intimately linked to both climate and tectonic forcing. While much interest recently has focused on how river profiles can be inverted to derive uplift histories, here we show how in regions of strong orographic rainfall gradients, rivers may primarily record spatial patterns of precipitation. As a case study, we examine the eastern margin of the Andean plateau in NW Argentina, where the outward (eastward) growth of a broken foreland has led to a eastward shift in the main orographic rainfall gradient over the last several million years. Rivers influenced by the modern rainfall gradient are characterized by normalized river steepness values in tributary valleys that closely track spatial variations in rainfall, with higher steepness values in drier areas and lower steepness values in wetter areas. The same river steepness pattern has been predicted in landscape evolution models that apply a spatial gradient in rainfall to a region of uniform erosivity and uplift rate (e.g., Han et al., 2015). Also, chi plots from river networks on individual ranges affected by the modern orographic rainfall reveal patterns consistent with assymmetric precipitation across the range: the largest channels on the windward slopes are characterized by capture, while the longest channels on the leeward slopes are dominated by beheadings. Because basins on the windward side both lengthen and widen, tributary channels in the lengthening basins are characterized by capture, while tributary channels from neighboring basins on the windward side are dominated by beheadings. These patterns from the rivers influenced by the modern orographic rainfall gradient provide a guide for identifying river morphometric signatures of paleo orographic rainfall gradients. Mountain ranges to the west of the modern orographic rainfall have been interpreted to mark the location of orographic rainfall in the past, but these ranges are now in spatially near-uniform semi-arid to

The impact of edge gradients in the pressure, density, ion temperature, and electron temperature on edge-localized modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleva, Robert G.; Guzdar, Parvez N.

2011-01-01

The magnitude of the energy and particle fluxes in simulations of edge-localized modes (ELMs) is determined by the edge gradients in the pressure, density, ion temperature, and electron temperature. The total edge pressure gradient is the dominant influence on ELMs by far. An increase (decrease) of merely 2% in the pressure gradient results in an increase (decrease) of more than a factor of ten in the size of the ELM bursts. At a fixed pressure gradient, the size of the ELM bursts decreases as the density gradient increases, while the size of the bursts increases as the electron temperature gradient or, especially, the ion temperature gradient increases.

Spectroscopic analysis of the density and temperature gradients in the laser-heated gas jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, D.L.; Lee, R.W.; Auerbach, J.M.

1981-01-01

We have performed an analysis of the x-ray spectra produced by a 1.0TW, lambda/sub L/-0.53μm laser-irradiated gas jet. Plasmas produced by ionization of neon, argon and N 2 + SF 6 gases were included in those measurements. Plasma electron density and temperature gradients were obtained by comparison of measured spectra with those produced by computer modeling. Density gradients were also obtained using laser interferometry. The limitations of this technique for plasma diagnosis will be discussed

Two methods for isolating the lung area of a CT scan for density information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hedlund, L.W.; Anderson, R.F.; Goulding, P.L.; Beck, J.W.; Effmann, E.L.; Putman, C.E.

1982-01-01

Extracting density information from irregularly shaped tissue areas of CT scans requires automated methods when many scans are involved. We describe two computer methods that automatically isolate the lung area of a CT scan. Each starts from a single, operator specified point in the lung. The first method follows the steep density gradient boundary between lung and adjacent tissues; this tracking method is useful for estimating the overall density and total area of lung in a scan because all pixels within the lung area are available for statistical sampling. The second method finds all contiguous pixels of lung that are within the CT number range of air to water and are not a part of strong density gradient edges; this method is useful for estimating density and area of the lung parenchyma. Structures within the lung area that are surrounded by strong density gradient edges, such as large blood vessels, airways and nodules, are excluded from the lung sample while lung areas with diffuse borders, such as an area of mild or moderate edema, are retained. Both methods were tested on scans from an animal model of pulmonary edema and were found to be effective in isolating normal and diseased lungs. These methods are also suitable for isolating other organ areas of CT scans that are bounded by density gradient edges

A modified gradient approach for the growth of low-density InAs quantum dot molecules by molecular beam epitaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Nandlal; Reuter, Dirk

2017-11-01

Two vertically stacked quantum dots that are electronically coupled, so called quantum dot molecules, are of great interest for the realization of solid state building blocks for quantum communication networks. We present a modified gradient approach to realize InAs quantum dot molecules with a low areal density so that single quantum dot molecules can be optically addressed. The individual quantum dot layers were prepared by solid source molecular beam epitaxy depositing InAs on GaAs(100). The bottom quantum dot layer has been grown without substrate rotation resulting in an In-gradient across the surface, which translated into a density gradient with low quantum dot density in a certain region of the wafer. For the top quantum dot layer, separated from the bottom quantum dot layer by a 6 nm thick GaAs barrier, various InAs amounts were deposited without an In-gradient. In spite of the absence of an In-gradient, a pronounced density gradient is observed for the top quantum dots. Even for an In-amount slightly below the critical thickness for a single dot layer, a density gradient in the top quantum dot layer, which seems to reproduce the density gradient in the bottom layer, is observed. For more or less In, respectively, deviations from this behavior occur. We suggest that the obvious influence of the bottom quantum dot layer on the growth of the top quantum dots is due to the strain field induced by the buried dots.

Effects of population density and chemical environment on the behavior of Escherichia coli in shallow temperature gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demir, Mahmut; Yoney, Anna; Salman, Hanna; Douarche, Carine; Libchaber, Albert

2011-01-01

In shallow temperature gradients, changes in temperature that bacteria experience occur over long time scales. Therefore, slow processes such as adaptation, metabolism, chemical secretion and even gene expression become important. Since these are cellular processes, the cell density is an important parameter that affects the bacteria's response. We find that there are four density regimes with distinct behaviors. At low cell density, bacteria do not cause changes in their chemical environment; however, their response to the temperature gradient is strongly influenced by it. In the intermediate cell-density regime, the consumption of nutrients becomes significant and induces a gradient of nutrients opposing the temperature gradient due to higher consumption rate at the high temperature. This causes the bacteria to drift toward low temperature. In the high cell-density regime, interactions among bacteria due to secretion of an attractant lead to a strong local accumulation of bacteria. This together with the gradient of nutrients, resulted from the differential consumption rate, creates a fast propagating pulse of bacterial density. These observations are a result of classical nonlinear population dynamics. At extremely high cell density, a change in the physiological state of the bacteria is observed. The bacteria, at the individual level, become cold seeking. This appears initially as a result of a change in the methylation level of the two most abundant sensing receptors, Tsr and Tar. It is further enforced at an even higher cell density by a change in the expression level of these receptors. (perspective)

Role of Density Gradient Driven Trapped Electron Modes in the H-Mode Inner Core with Electron Heating

Science.gov (United States)

Ernst, D.

2015-11-01

We present new experiments and nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations showing that density gradient driven TEM (DGTEM) turbulence dominates the inner core of H-Mode plasmas during strong electron heating. Thus α-heating may degrade inner core confinement in H-Mode plasmas with moderate density peaking. These DIII-D low torque quiescent H-mode experiments were designed to study DGTEM turbulence. Gyrokinetic simulations using GYRO (and GENE) closely match not only particle, energy, and momentum fluxes, but also density fluctuation spectra, with and without ECH. Adding 3.4 MW ECH doubles Te /Ti from 0.5 to 1.0, which halves the linear TEM critical density gradient, locally flattening the density profile. Density fluctuations from Doppler backscattering (DBS) intensify near ρ = 0.3 during ECH, displaying a band of coherent fluctuations with adjacent toroidal mode numbers. GYRO closely reproduces the DBS spectrum and its change in shape and intensity with ECH, identifying these as coherent TEMs. Prior to ECH, parallel flow shear lowers the effective nonlinear DGTEM critical density gradient 50%, but is negligible during ECH, when transport displays extreme stiffness in the density gradient. GS2 predictions show the DGTEM can be suppressed, to avoid degradation with electron heating, by broadening the current density profile to attain q0 >qmin > 1 . A related experiment in the same regime varied the electron temperature gradient in the outer half-radius (ρ ~ 0 . 65) using ECH, revealing spatially coherent 2D mode structures in the Te fluctuations measured by ECE imaging. Fourier analysis with modulated ECH finds a threshold in Te profile stiffness. Supported by the US DOE under DE-FC02-08ER54966 and DE-FC02-04ER54698.

Properties of ion temperature gradient and trapped electron modes in tokamak plasmas with inverted density profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Huarong; Jhang, Hogun; Hahm, T. S.; Dong, J. Q.; Wang, Z. X.

2017-12-01

We perform a numerical study of linear stability of the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode and the trapped electron mode (TEM) in tokamak plasmas with inverted density profiles. A local gyrokinetic integral equation is applied for this study. From comprehensive parametric scans, we obtain stability diagrams for ITG modes and TEMs in terms of density and temperature gradient scale lengths. The results show that, for the inverted density profile, there exists a normalized threshold temperature gradient above which the ITG mode and the TEM are either separately or simultaneously unstable. The instability threshold of the TEM for the inverted density profile is substantially different from that for normal and flat density profiles. In addition, deviations are found on the ITG threshold from an early analytic theory in sheared slab geometry with the adiabatic electron response [T. S. Hahm and W. M. Tang, Phys. Fluids B 1, 1185 (1989)]. A possible implication of this work on particle transport in pellet fueled tokamak plasmas is discussed.

Preparation of synaptic plasma membrane and postsynaptic density proteins using a discontinuous sucrose gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Bermejo, Marie Kristel; Milenkovic, Marija; Salahpour, Ali; Ramsey, Amy J

2014-09-03

Neuronal subcellular fractionation techniques allow the quantification of proteins that are trafficked to and from the synapse. As originally described in the late 1960's, proteins associated with the synaptic plasma membrane can be isolated by ultracentrifugation on a sucrose density gradient. Once synaptic membranes are isolated, the macromolecular complex known as the post-synaptic density can be subsequently isolated due to its detergent insolubility. The techniques used to isolate synaptic plasma membranes and post-synaptic density proteins remain essentially the same after 40 years, and are widely used in current neuroscience research. This article details the fractionation of proteins associated with the synaptic plasma membrane and post-synaptic density using a discontinuous sucrose gradient. Resulting protein preparations are suitable for western blotting or 2D DIGE analysis.

Density gradient effect on waveguide launching of lower hybrid waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fichet, M.; Fidone, I.

1981-01-01

An extensive numerical investigation of the waveguide-plasma coupling, in the lower hybrid range of frequencies, is presented. The role of a sharp density gradient at the plasma edge is investigated. It is found that, in the case of a very sharp gradient, the accessibility condition |nsub(parallel)|>nsub(c)=(1-ω 2 /ωsub(i)ωsub(e))sup(-1/2) is violated and an appreciable fraction of the total energy is launched in the range |nsub(parallel)|< nsub(c). The case of one, two and four waveguides is considered, and it is found that the general pattern of the energy spectrum is very similar for the three antennas. (author)

Life-cycle cost comparison of alternative surfacing for steep slopes on low-volume roads in Ghana

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Anochie-Boateng, Joseph K

2017-05-01

Full Text Available surfacing options to gravel wearing courses used on steep gradients (in excess of 12%) of feeder roads in Ghana. A major outcome was three surfacing options (i.e. concrete, bituminous and stone setts/cobbles) that would be more effective to address drainage...

Reflection and absorption of ion-acoustic waves in a plasma density gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishihara, O.

1977-01-01

Plasma is characterized by electrical quasineutrality and the collective behavior. There exists a longitudinal low-frequency wave called an ion-acoustic wave in a plasma. One problem in the experimental study of ion-acoustic waves has been that sometimes they are observed to be reflected from discharge tube walls, and sometimes to be absorbed. Theoretical computation reveals that a velocity gradient produced by a density gradient plays a significant role in the reflection. The velocity gradient produces the subsonic-supersonic transition and long wavelength waves are reflected before reaching the transition while short wavelength waves penetrate over the transition and are absorbed in the supersonic flow plasma

Vertical density gradient in the eastern North Atlantic during the last 30,000 years

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rogerson, M.; Ramirez, J. [University of Hull, Geography Department, Hull (United Kingdom); Bigg, G.R. [University of Sheffield, Department of Geography, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Rohling, E.J. [University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, School of Ocean and Earth Science, Southampton (United Kingdom)

2012-08-15

Past changes in the density and momentum structure of oceanic circulation are an important aspect of changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and consequently climate. However, very little is known about past changes in the vertical density structure of the ocean, even very extensively studied systems such as the North Atlantic. Here we exploit the physical controls on the settling depth of the dense Mediterranean water plume derived from the Strait of Gibraltar to obtain the first robust, observations-based, probabilistic reconstruction of the vertical density gradient in the eastern North Atlantic during the last 30,000 years. We find that this gradient was weakened by more than 50%, relative to the present, during the last Glacial Maximum, and that changes in general are associated with reductions in AMOC intensity. However, we find only a small change during Heinrich Event 1 relative to the Last Glacial Maximum, despite strong evidence that overturning was substantially altered. This implies that millennial-scale changes may not be reflected in vertical density structure of the ocean, which may be limited to responses on an ocean-overturning timescale or longer. Regardless, our novel reconstruction of Atlantic density structure can be used as the basis for a dynamical measure for validation of model-based AMOC reconstructions. In addition, our general approach is transferrable to other marginal sea outflow plumes, to provide estimates of oceanic vertical density gradients in other locations. (orig.)

Correcting the error in neutron moisture probe measurements caused by a water density gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, D.J.

1988-01-01

If a neutron probe lies in or near a water density gradient, the probe may register a water density different to that at the measuring point. The effect of a thin stratum of soil containing an excess or depletion of water at various distances from a probe in an otherwise homogeneous system has been calculated, producing an 'importance' curve. The effect of these strata can be integrated over the soil region in close proximity to the probe resulting in the net effect of the presence of a water density gradient. In practice, the probe is scanned through the point of interest and the count rate at that point is corrected for the influence of the water density on each side of it. An example shows that the technique can reduce an error of 10 per cent to about 2 per cent

Analytic calculations of hyper-Raman spectra from density functional theory hyperpolarizability gradients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ringholm, Magnus; Ruud, Kenneth [Centre for Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø (Norway); Bast, Radovan [Theoretical Chemistry and Biology, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, S-10691 Stockholm (Sweden); PDC Center for High Performance Computing, Royal Institute of Technology, S-10044 Stockholm (Sweden); Oggioni, Luca [Centre for Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø (Norway); Department of Physics G. Occhialini, University of Milano Bicocca, Piazza della scienza 3, 20126 Milan (Italy); Ekström, Ulf [Centre for Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033 Blindern, 0315 Oslo (Norway)

2014-10-07

We present the first analytic calculations of the geometrical gradients of the first hyperpolarizability tensors at the density-functional theory (DFT) level. We use the analytically calculated hyperpolarizability gradients to explore the importance of electron correlation effects, as described by DFT, on hyper-Raman spectra. In particular, we calculate the hyper-Raman spectra of the all-trans and 11-cis isomers of retinal at the Hartree-Fock (HF) and density-functional levels of theory, also allowing us to explore the sensitivity of the hyper-Raman spectra on the geometrical characteristics of these structurally related molecules. We show that the HF results, using B3LYP-calculated vibrational frequencies and force fields, reproduce the experimental data for all-trans-retinal well, and that electron correlation effects are of minor importance for the hyper-Raman intensities.

Adaptive population divergence and directional gene flow across steep elevational gradients in a climate-sensitive mammal.

Science.gov (United States)

Waterhouse, Matthew D; P Erb, Liesl; Beever, Erik A; Russello, Michael A

2018-04-25

The ecological effects of climate change have been shown in most major taxonomic groups; however, the evolutionary consequences are less well-documented. Adaptation to new climatic conditions offers a potential long-term mechanism for species to maintain viability in rapidly changing environments, but mammalian examples remain scarce. The American pika (Ochotona princeps) has been impacted by recent climate-associated extirpations and range-wide reductions in population sizes, establishing it as a sentinel mammalian species for climate change. To investigate evidence for local adaptation and reconstruct patterns of genomic diversity and gene flow across rapidly changing environments, we used a space-for-time design and restriction site-associated DNA sequencing to genotype American pikas along two steep elevational gradients at 30,966 SNPs and employed independent outlier detection methods that scanned for genotype-environment associations. We identified 338 outlier SNPs detected by two separate analyses and/or replicated in both transects, several of which were annotated to genes involved in metabolic function and oxygen transport. Additionally, we found evidence of directional gene flow primarily downslope from high-elevation populations, along with reduced gene flow at outlier loci. If this trend continues, elevational range contractions in American pikas will likely be from local extirpation rather than upward movement of low-elevation individuals; this, in turn, could limit the potential for adaptation within this landscape. These findings are of particular relevance for future conservation and management of American pikas and other elevationally-restricted, thermally-sensitive species. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Current Density Functional Theory Using Meta-Generalized Gradient Exchange-Correlation Functionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Furness, James W; Verbeke, Joachim; Tellgren, Erik I; Stopkowicz, Stella; Ekström, Ulf; Helgaker, Trygve; Teale, Andrew M

2015-09-08

We present the self-consistent implementation of current-dependent (hybrid) meta-generalized gradient approximation (mGGA) density functionals using London atomic orbitals. A previously proposed generalized kinetic energy density is utilized to implement mGGAs in the framework of Kohn-Sham current density functional theory (KS-CDFT). A unique feature of the nonperturbative implementation of these functionals is the ability to seamlessly explore a wide range of magnetic fields up to 1 au (∼235 kT) in strength. CDFT functionals based on the TPSS and B98 forms are investigated, and their performance is assessed by comparison with accurate coupled-cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) data. In the weak field regime, magnetic properties such as magnetizabilities and nuclear magnetic resonance shielding constants show modest but systematic improvements over generalized gradient approximations (GGA). However, in the strong field regime, the mGGA-based forms lead to a significantly improved description of the recently proposed perpendicular paramagnetic bonding mechanism, comparing well with CCSD(T) data. In contrast to functionals based on the vorticity, these forms are found to be numerically stable, and their accuracy at high field suggests that the extension of mGGAs to CDFT via the generalized kinetic energy density should provide a useful starting point for further development of CDFT approximations.

Electric field spikes formed by electron beam endash plasma interaction in plasma density gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunell, H.; Loefgren, T.

1997-01-01

In the electron beam endash plasma interaction at an electric double layer the beam density is much higher than in the classical beam endash plasma experiments. The wave propagation takes place along the density gradient that is present at the high potential side of the double layer. Such a case is studied experimentally by injecting the electron beam from a plane cathode, without any grids suppressing the gradient, and by particle simulations. The high frequency field concentrates in a sharp open-quotes spikeclose quotes with a half width of the order of one wavelength. The spike is found to be a standing wave surrounded by regions dominated by propagating waves. It forms at a position where its frequency is close to the local plasma frequency. The spike forms also when the electric field is well below the threshold for modulational instability, and long before a density cavity is formed in the simulations. Particle simulations reveal that, at the spike, there is a backward traveling wave that, when it is strongly damped, accelerates electrons back towards the cathode. In a simulation of a homogeneous plasma without the density gradient no spike is seen, and the wave is purely travelling instead of standing. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Analytic energy gradients for the coupled-cluster singles and doubles method with the density-fitting approximation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozkaya, Uğur; Sherrill, C. David

2016-01-01

An efficient implementation is presented for analytic gradients of the coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) method with the density-fitting approximation, denoted DF-CCSD. Frozen core terms are also included. When applied to a set of alkanes, the DF-CCSD analytic gradients are significantly accelerated compared to conventional CCSD for larger molecules. The efficiency of our DF-CCSD algorithm arises from the acceleration of several different terms, which are designated as the “gradient terms”: computation of particle density matrices (PDMs), generalized Fock-matrix (GFM), solution of the Z-vector equation, formation of the relaxed PDMs and GFM, back-transformation of PDMs and GFM to the atomic orbital (AO) basis, and evaluation of gradients in the AO basis. For the largest member of the alkane set (C 10 H 22 ), the computational times for the gradient terms (with the cc-pVTZ basis set) are 2582.6 (CCSD) and 310.7 (DF-CCSD) min, respectively, a speed up of more than 8-folds. For gradient related terms, the DF approach avoids the usage of four-index electron repulsion integrals. Based on our previous study [U. Bozkaya, J. Chem. Phys. 141, 124108 (2014)], our formalism completely avoids construction or storage of the 4-index two-particle density matrix (TPDM), using instead 2- and 3-index TPDMs. The DF approach introduces negligible errors for equilibrium bond lengths and harmonic vibrational frequencies.

Medicinal Plants Density Along an Altitudinal Gradient in and Around Ayubia National Park

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tariq, A.; Adnan, M.; Begum, S.

2016-01-01

Medicinal plants are an essential source of livelihood for many rural populations and are currently facing several threats of extinction in temperate Himalaya, such as excessive grazing and collection along altitudinal gradients. The present study was designed to investigate the species density of medicinal plants at different mid-altitude levels (2200, 2300, 2400, and 2500 m above the sea level (a.s.l.) between two forest-use types and to examine the possible association between medicinal plant densities and forest-stand structural variables along the altitudinal gradient. Factorial design analysis of variance showed that the densities of all medicinal plants differed significantly between the forest-use types (p<0.00) and elevation (p<0.00). Moreover, a significant interaction (p<0.04) was also observed between the forest-use types and elevation. In the old-growth forest, density of medicinal plants was 290/40 m/sup 2/ at the higher altitude (2500 m a.s.l.), approximately 1.5-fold less than the 475/40 m/sup 2/ density observed at lower altitude (2200 m a.s.l.). However, in derived woodland, density of medicinal plants at higher altitude was approximately 4-fold less than that at the lower altitude. At these altitudinal levels, medicinal plants densities, such as Valeriana jatamansi, were significantly higher under old-growth forest compared to derived woodland, where they were almost nonexistent. A rapid vulnerability assessment has also shown that Valeriana jatamansi and Viola canescens were highly vulnerable species. Litter cover was the influential variable that was most likely related to medicinal plant density. In conclusion, abundance of medicinal plants decreased along mid-altitude levels in both of the forest-use types. However, this decrease was extremely marked in the derived woodland, and this decline may be due to human activity. Hence, these factors must be considered in future studies to suggest protective measures that can be applied along

Space charge profiles in low density polyethylene samples containing a permittivity/conductivity gradient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bambery, K.R.; Fleming, R.J.; Holbøll, Joachim

2001-01-01

.5×107 V m-1. Current density was also measured as a function of temperature and field. Space charge due exclusively to the temperature gradient was detected, with density of order 0.01 C m-3. The activation energy associated with the transport of electrons through the bulk was calculated as 0.09 e...

Complex Surface Concentration Gradients by Stenciled "Electro Click Chemistry"

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Thomas Steen; Lind, Johan Ulrik; Daugaard, Anders Egede

2010-01-01

Complex one- or two-dimensional concentration gradients of alkynated molecules are produced on azidized conducting polymer substrates by stenciled "electro click chemistry". The latter describes the local electrochemical generation of catalytically active Cu(I) required to complete a "click...... reaction" between alkynes and azides at room temperature. A stencil on the counter electrode defines the shape and multiplicity of the gradient(s) on the conducting polymer substrate, while the specific reaction conditions control gradient steepness and the maximum concentration deposited. Biologically...

The influence of steepness of dominance hierarchies on reciprocity and interchange in captive groups of bonobos (Pan paniscus)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stevens, J.M.G.; Vervaecke, H.; Vries, Han de; Elsacker, L. van

2005-01-01

Biological market models explain variability in reciprocity and interchange between groups. In groups with a shallow dominance gradient, grooming will be mostly exchanged for itself (i.e. exchange will occur). In groups with steep dominance hierarchies, interchange is expected: individuals will

Travelling waves of density for a fourth-gradient model of fluids

Science.gov (United States)

Gouin, Henri; Saccomandi, Giuseppe

2016-09-01

In mean-field theory, the non-local state of fluid molecules can be taken into account using a statistical method. The molecular model combined with a density expansion in Taylor series of the fourth order yields an internal energy value relevant to the fourth-gradient model, and the equation of isothermal motions takes then density's spatial derivatives into account for waves travelling in both liquid and vapour phases. At equilibrium, the equation of the density profile across interfaces is more precise than the Cahn and Hilliard equation, and near the fluid's critical point, the density profile verifies an Extended Fisher-Kolmogorov equation, allowing kinks, which converges towards the Cahn-Hillard equation when approaching the critical point. Nonetheless, we also get pulse waves oscillating and generating critical opalescence.

High frequency electric field spikes formed by electron beam-plasma interaction in plasma density gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunell, H.; Loefgren, T.

1997-02-01

In the electron beam-plasma interaction at an electric double layer the beam density is much higher than in the classical beam-plasma experiments. The wave propagation takes place along the density gradient, that is present at the high potential side of the double layer. Such a case is studied experimentally by injecting the electron beam from a plane cathode, without any grids suppressing the gradient, and by particle simulations. The high frequency field concentrates in a sharp 'spike' with a half width of the order of one wavelength. The spike is found to be a standing wave surrounded by regions dominated by propagating waves. It forms at a position where its frequency is close to the local plasma frequency. The spike forms also when the electric field is well below the threshold for modulational instability, and long before a density cavity is formed in the simulations. Particle simulations reveal that, at the spike, there is a backward travelling wave that, when it is strongly damped, accelerates electrons back towards the cathode. In a simulation of a homogeneous plasma without the density gradient no spike is seen, and the wave is purely travelling instead of standing. 9 refs

Assessment of plasma impedance probe for measuring electron density and collision frequency in a plasma with spatial and temporal gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopkins, Mark A.; King, Lyon B.

2014-01-01

Numerical simulations and experimental measurements were combined to determine the ability of a plasma impedance probe (PIP) to measure plasma density and electron collision frequency in a plasma containing spatial gradients as well as time-varying oscillations in the plasma density. A PIP is sensitive to collision frequency through the width of the parallel resonance in the Re[Z]-vs.-frequency characteristic, while also being sensitive to electron density through the zero-crossing of the Im[Z]-vs.-frequency characteristic at parallel resonance. Simulations of the probe characteristic in a linear plasma gradient indicated that the broadening of Re[Z] due to the spatial gradient obscured the broadening due to electron collision frequency, preventing a quantitative measurement of the absolute collision frequency for gradients considered in this study. Simulation results also showed that the PIP is sensitive to relative changes in electron collision frequency in a spatial density gradient, but a second broadening effect due to time-varying oscillations made collision frequency measurements impossible. The time-varying oscillations had the effect of causing multiple zero-crossings in Im[Z] at parallel resonance. Results of experiments and simulations indicated that the lowest-frequency zero-crossing represented the lowest plasma density in the oscillations and the highest-frequency zero-crossing represented the highest plasma density in the oscillations, thus the PIP probe was found to be an effective tool to measure both the average plasma density as well as the maximum and minimum densities due to temporal oscillations

Mineral density volume gradients in normal and diseased human tissues.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabra I Djomehri

Full Text Available Clinical computed tomography provides a single mineral density (MD value for heterogeneous calcified tissues containing early and late stage pathologic formations. The novel aspect of this study is that, it extends current quantitative methods of mapping mineral density gradients to three dimensions, discretizes early and late mineralized stages, identifies elemental distribution in discretized volumes, and correlates measured MD with respective calcium (Ca to phosphorus (P and Ca to zinc (Zn elemental ratios. To accomplish this, MD variations identified using polychromatic radiation from a high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT benchtop unit were correlated with elemental mapping obtained from a microprobe X-ray fluorescence (XRF using synchrotron monochromatic radiation. Digital segmentation of tomograms from normal and diseased tissues (N=5 per group; 40-60 year old males contained significant mineral density variations (enamel: 2820-3095 mg/cc, bone: 570-1415 mg/cc, cementum: 1240-1340 mg/cc, dentin: 1480-1590 mg/cc, cementum affected by periodontitis: 1100-1220 mg/cc, hypomineralized carious dentin: 345-1450 mg/cc, hypermineralized carious dentin: 1815-2740 mg/cc, and dental calculus: 1290-1770 mg/cc. A plausible linear correlation between segmented MD volumes and elemental ratios within these volumes was established, and Ca/P ratios for dentin (1.49, hypomineralized dentin (0.32-0.46, cementum (1.51, and bone (1.68 were observed. Furthermore, varying Ca/Zn ratios were distinguished in adapted compared to normal tissues, such as in bone (855-2765 and in cementum (595-990, highlighting Zn as an influential element in prompting observed adaptive properties. Hence, results provide insights on mineral density gradients with elemental concentrations and elemental footprints that in turn could aid in elucidating mechanistic processes for pathologic formations.

Mineral Density Volume Gradients in Normal and Diseased Human Tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Djomehri, Sabra I.; Candell, Susan; Case, Thomas; Browning, Alyssa; Marshall, Grayson W.; Yun, Wenbing; Lau, S. H.; Webb, Samuel; Ho, Sunita P.

2015-01-01

Clinical computed tomography provides a single mineral density (MD) value for heterogeneous calcified tissues containing early and late stage pathologic formations. The novel aspect of this study is that, it extends current quantitative methods of mapping mineral density gradients to three dimensions, discretizes early and late mineralized stages, identifies elemental distribution in discretized volumes, and correlates measured MD with respective calcium (Ca) to phosphorus (P) and Ca to zinc (Zn) elemental ratios. To accomplish this, MD variations identified using polychromatic radiation from a high resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) benchtop unit were correlated with elemental mapping obtained from a microprobe X-ray fluorescence (XRF) using synchrotron monochromatic radiation. Digital segmentation of tomograms from normal and diseased tissues (N=5 per group; 40-60 year old males) contained significant mineral density variations (enamel: 2820-3095mg/cc, bone: 570-1415mg/cc, cementum: 1240-1340mg/cc, dentin: 1480-1590mg/cc, cementum affected by periodontitis: 1100-1220mg/cc, hypomineralized carious dentin: 345-1450mg/cc, hypermineralized carious dentin: 1815-2740mg/cc, and dental calculus: 1290-1770mg/cc). A plausible linear correlation between segmented MD volumes and elemental ratios within these volumes was established, and Ca/P ratios for dentin (1.49), hypomineralized dentin (0.32-0.46), cementum (1.51), and bone (1.68) were observed. Furthermore, varying Ca/Zn ratios were distinguished in adapted compared to normal tissues, such as in bone (855-2765) and in cementum (595-990), highlighting Zn as an influential element in prompting observed adaptive properties. Hence, results provide insights on mineral density gradients with elemental concentrations and elemental footprints that in turn could aid in elucidating mechanistic processes for pathologic formations. PMID:25856386

Flow Around Steep Topography

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-30

Flow around steep topography T. M. Shaun Johnston Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California, San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive, M...tall, steep, submarine topography and islands. During the Flow Encountering Abrupt Topography (FLEAT) DRI, investigators will determine: • Whether...estimates from making accurate statistical/deterministic predictions at ᝺ km resolution around submarine topography and islands? How can we

Fast, three-dimensional, MR Imaging for polymer gel dosimetric applications involving high dose and steep dose gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandilos, Panagiotis; Baras, Panagiotis; Georgiou, Evangelos; Dardoufas, Konstantinos; Karaiskos, Pantelis; Papagiannis, Panagiotis; Paschalis, Theodoros; Tatsis, Elias; Torrens, Michael; Vlahos, Lampros

2006-01-01

Polymer gels constitute water equivalent integrating detectors, which, combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can provide accurate three dimensional (3D) dose distributions in contemporary radiotherapy applications where the small field dimensions and steep dose gradients induce limitations to conventional dosimeters. One of the main obstacles for adapting the method for routine use in the clinical setting is the cost effectiveness of the MRI readout method. Currently, optimized Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) multiple spin echo imaging pulse sequences are commonly used which however result in long imaging times. This work evaluates the efficiency of 3D, dual-echo, k-space segmented turbo spin echo (TSE) scanning sequences for accurate dosimetry with sub-millimetre spatial resolution in strenuous radiation therapy applications. PABIG polymer gel dosimeters were irradiated with an 192 Ir High Dose Rate brachytherapy source, the 4 mm and 8 mm collimator helmets of a gamma knife unit and a custom made x-knife collimator of 1 cm diameter. Profile and dose distribution measurements using TSE are benchmarked against corresponding findings obtained by the commonly used, but time consuming, CPMG sequence as well as treatment planning calculations, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and film measurements. The implementation of a high Turbo factor was found to provide comparable accuracy, allowing a 64-fold MRI scan acceleration compared to conventional multi-echo sequences. The availability of TSE sequences in typical MRI installations greatly facilitates the introduction of polymer gel dosimetry in the clinical environment as a practicable tool for the determination of full 3D dose distributions in contemporary radiotherapy applications

Fast, three-dimensional, MR Imaging for polymer gel dosimetric applications involving high dose and steep dose gradients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandilos, Panagiotis [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece); Baras, Panagiotis [Philips Hellas Medical Systems, 44 Kifissias Ave., Maroussi 151 25, Athens (Greece); Georgiou, Evangelos [Medical Physics Department, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias, 115 27 Athens (Greece); Dardoufas, Konstantinos [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece): Hygeia Hospital, Kiffisias Avenue and 4 Erythrou Stavrou, Marousi, 151 23 Athens (Greece); Karaiskos, Pantelis [Medical Physics Department, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias, 115 27 Athens (Greece): Hygeia Hospital, Kiffisias Avenue and 4 Erythrou Stavrou, Marousi, 151 23 Athens (Greece)]. E-mail: p.karaiskos@hygeia.gr; Papagiannis, Panagiotis [Physics Department, Nuclear and Particle Physics Section, University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, Ilisia, 157 71 Athens (Greece); Paschalis, Theodoros [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece); Tatsis, Elias [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece); Torrens, Michael [Hygeia Hospital, Kiffisias Avenue and 4 Erythrou Stavrou, Marousi, 151 23 Athens (Greece); Vlahos, Lampros [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece)

2006-12-20

Polymer gels constitute water equivalent integrating detectors, which, combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can provide accurate three dimensional (3D) dose distributions in contemporary radiotherapy applications where the small field dimensions and steep dose gradients induce limitations to conventional dosimeters. One of the main obstacles for adapting the method for routine use in the clinical setting is the cost effectiveness of the MRI readout method. Currently, optimized Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) multiple spin echo imaging pulse sequences are commonly used which however result in long imaging times. This work evaluates the efficiency of 3D, dual-echo, k-space segmented turbo spin echo (TSE) scanning sequences for accurate dosimetry with sub-millimetre spatial resolution in strenuous radiation therapy applications. PABIG polymer gel dosimeters were irradiated with an {sup 192}Ir High Dose Rate brachytherapy source, the 4 mm and 8 mm collimator helmets of a gamma knife unit and a custom made x-knife collimator of 1 cm diameter. Profile and dose distribution measurements using TSE are benchmarked against corresponding findings obtained by the commonly used, but time consuming, CPMG sequence as well as treatment planning calculations, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and film measurements. The implementation of a high Turbo factor was found to provide comparable accuracy, allowing a 64-fold MRI scan acceleration compared to conventional multi-echo sequences. The availability of TSE sequences in typical MRI installations greatly facilitates the introduction of polymer gel dosimetry in the clinical environment as a practicable tool for the determination of full 3D dose distributions in contemporary radiotherapy applications.

Range-wide latitudinal and elevational temperature gradients for the world's terrestrial birds: implications under global climate change.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank A La Sorte

Full Text Available Species' geographical distributions are tracking latitudinal and elevational surface temperature gradients under global climate change. To evaluate the opportunities to track these gradients across space, we provide a first baseline assessment of the steepness of these gradients for the world's terrestrial birds. Within the breeding ranges of 9,014 bird species, we characterized the spatial gradients in temperature along latitude and elevation for all and a subset of bird species, respectively. We summarized these temperature gradients globally for threatened and non-threatened species and determined how their steepness varied based on species' geography (range size, shape, and orientation and projected changes in temperature under climate change. Elevational temperature gradients were steepest for species in Africa, western North and South America, and central Asia and shallowest in Australasia, insular IndoMalaya, and the Neotropical lowlands. Latitudinal temperature gradients were steepest for extratropical species, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Threatened species had shallower elevational gradients whereas latitudinal gradients differed little between threatened and non-threatened species. The strength of elevational gradients was positively correlated with projected changes in temperature. For latitudinal gradients, this relationship only held for extratropical species. The strength of latitudinal gradients was better predicted by species' geography, but primarily for extratropical species. Our findings suggest threatened species are associated with shallower elevational temperature gradients, whereas steep latitudinal gradients are most prevalent outside the tropics where fewer bird species occur year-round. Future modeling and mitigation efforts would benefit from the development of finer grain distributional data to ascertain how these gradients are structured within species' ranges, how and why these gradients vary among

Hollow density profile on electron cyclotron resonance heating JFT-2M plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamauchi, Toshihiko; Hoshino, Katsumichi; Kawashima, Hisato; Ogawa, Toshihide; Kawakami, Tomohide; Shiina, Tomio; Ishige, Youichi

1998-01-01

The first hollow electron density profile in the central region on the JAERI Fusion Torus-2M (JFT-2M) is measured during electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) with a TV Thomson scattering system (TVTS). The peripheral region is not hollow but is accumulated due to pump-out from the central region. The hollowness increases with time but is saturated at ∼40 ms and maintains a constant hollow ratio. The hollowness is strongly related to the steep temperature gradient of the heated zone. (author)

The effect of shear flow and the density gradient on the Weibel instability growth rate in the dense plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Amininasab, S.; Sadighi-Bonabi, R.; Khodadadi Azadboni, F.

2018-02-01

Shear stress effect has been often neglected in calculation of the Weibel instability growth rate in laser-plasma interactions. In the present work, the role of the shear stress in the Weibel instability growth rate in the dense plasma with density gradient is explored. By increasing the density gradient, the shear stress threshold is increasing and the range of the propagation angles of growing modes is limited. Therefore, by increasing steps of the density gradient plasma near the relativistic electron beam-emitting region, the Weibel instability occurs at a higher stress flow. Calculations show that the minimum value of the stress rate threshold for linear polarization is greater than that of circular polarization. The Wiebel instability growth rate for linear polarization is 18.3 times circular polarization. One sees that for increasing stress and density gradient effects, there are smaller maximal growth rates for the range of the propagation angles of growing modes /π 2 propagation angles of growing modes /π 2 < θ m i n < π and /3 π 2 < θ m i n < 2 π in circular polarized plasma.

Method and means for a spatial and temporal probe for laser-generated plumes based on density gradients

Science.gov (United States)

Yeung, E.S.; Chen, G.

1990-05-01

A method and means are disclosed for a spatial and temporal probe for laser generated plumes based on density gradients includes generation of a plume of vaporized material from a surface by an energy source. The probe laser beam is positioned so that the plume passes through the probe laser beam. Movement of the probe laser beam caused by refraction from the density gradient of the plume is monitored. Spatial and temporal information, correlated to one another, is then derived. 15 figs.

Longitudinal gas-density profilometry for plasma-wakefield acceleration targets

Science.gov (United States)

Schaper, Lucas; Goldberg, Lars; Kleinwächter, Tobias; Schwinkendorf, Jan-Patrick; Osterhoff, Jens

2014-03-01

Precise tailoring of plasma-density profiles has been identified as one of the critical points in achieving stable and reproducible conditions in plasma wakefield accelerators. Here, the strict requirements of next generation plasma-wakefield concepts, such as hybrid-accelerators, with densities around 1017 cm-3 pose challenges to target fabrication as well as to their reliable diagnosis. To mitigate these issues we combine target simulation with fabrication and characterization. The resulting density profiles in capillaries with gas jet and multiple in- and outlets are simulated with the fluid code OpenFOAM. Satisfactory simulation results then are followed by fabrication of the desired target shapes with structures down to the 10 μm level. The detection of Raman scattered photons using lenses with large collection solid angle allows to measure the corresponding longitudinal density profiles at different number densities and allows a detection sensitivity down to the low 1017 cm-3 density range at high spatial resolution. This offers the possibility to gain insight into steep density gradients as for example in gas jets and at the plasma-to-vacuum transition.

Subsystem density functional theory with meta-generalized gradient approximation exchange-correlation functionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Śmiga, Szymon; Fabiano, Eduardo; Laricchia, Savio; Constantin, Lucian A; Della Sala, Fabio

2015-04-21

We analyze the methodology and the performance of subsystem density functional theory (DFT) with meta-generalized gradient approximation (meta-GGA) exchange-correlation functionals for non-bonded molecular systems. Meta-GGA functionals depend on the Kohn-Sham kinetic energy density (KED), which is not known as an explicit functional of the density. Therefore, they cannot be directly applied in subsystem DFT calculations. We propose a Laplacian-level approximation to the KED which overcomes this limitation and provides a simple and accurate way to apply meta-GGA exchange-correlation functionals in subsystem DFT calculations. The so obtained density and energy errors, with respect to the corresponding supermolecular calculations, are comparable with conventional approaches, depending almost exclusively on the approximations in the non-additive kinetic embedding term. An embedding energy error decomposition explains the accuracy of our method.

Application of GelGreen™ in Cesium Chloride Density Gradients for DNA-Stable Isotope Probing Experiments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingfeng Gao

Full Text Available In this study, GelGreen™ was investigated as a replacement for SYBR® Safe to stain DNA in cesium chloride (CsCl density gradients for DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP experiments. Using environmental DNA, the usage of GelGreen™ was optimized for sensitivity compared to SYBR® Safe, its optimal concentration, detection limit for environmental DNA and its application in environmental DNA-SIP assay. Results showed that GelGreen™ was more sensitive than SYBR® Safe, while the optimal dosage (15X concentration needed was approximately one-third of SYBR® Safe, suggesting that its sensitivity was three times more superior than SYBR® Safe. At these optimal parameters, the detection limit of GelGreen™-stained environmental DNA was as low as 0.2 μg, but the usage of 0.5 μg environmental DNA was recommended to produce a more consistent DNA band. In addition, a modified needle extraction procedure was developed to withdraw DNA effectively by fractionating CsCl density gradients into four or five fractions. The successful application of GelGreen™ staining with 13C-labeled DNA from enriched activated sludge suggests that this stain was an excellent alternative of SYBR® Safe in CsCl density gradients for DNA-SIP assays.

Conjugate-gradient optimization method for orbital-free density functional calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Hong; Yang, Weitao

2004-08-01

Orbital-free density functional theory as an extension of traditional Thomas-Fermi theory has attracted a lot of interest in the past decade because of developments in both more accurate kinetic energy functionals and highly efficient numerical methodology. In this paper, we developed a conjugate-gradient method for the numerical solution of spin-dependent extended Thomas-Fermi equation by incorporating techniques previously used in Kohn-Sham calculations. The key ingredient of the method is an approximate line-search scheme and a collective treatment of two spin densities in the case of spin-dependent extended Thomas-Fermi problem. Test calculations for a quartic two-dimensional quantum dot system and a three-dimensional sodium cluster Na216 with a local pseudopotential demonstrate that the method is accurate and efficient. (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Density gradient in SiO 2 films on silicon as revealed by positron annihilation spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Revesz, A. G.; Anwand, W.; Brauer, G.; Hughes, H. L.; Skorupa, W.

2002-06-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy of thermally grown and deposited SiO 2 films on silicon shows in a non-destructive manner that these films have a gradient in their density. The gradient is most pronounced for the oxide grown in dry oxygen. Oxidation in water-containing ambient results in an oxide with reduced gradient, similarly to the gradient in the deposited oxide. These observations are in accordance with earlier optical and other studies using stepwise etching or a set of samples of varying thickness. The effective oxygen charge, which is very likely one of the reasons for the difference in the W parameters of silica glass and quartz crystal, could be even higher at some localized configurations in the SiO 2 films resulting in increased positron trapping.

DEEP 1.4 GHz FOLLOW-UP OF THE STEEP SPECTRUM RADIO HALO IN A521

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dallacasa, D.; Macario, G.; Setti, G.; Brunetti, G.; Cassano, R.; Venturi, T.; Giacintucci, S.; Kassim, N. E.; Lane, W.

2009-01-01

In a recent paper, we reported on the discovery of a radio halo with very steep spectrum in the merging galaxy cluster A521 through observations with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. We showed that the steep spectrum of the halo is inconsistent with a secondary origin of the relativistic electrons and supports a turbulent acceleration scenario. At that time, due to the steep spectrum, the available observations at 1.4 GHz (archival NRAO-Very Large Array-VLA-CnB-configuration data) were not adequate to accurately determine the flux density associated with the radio halo. In this paper, we report the detection at 1.4 GHz of the radio halo in A521 using deep VLA observations in the D configuration. We use these new data to confirm the steep spectrum of the object. We consider A521 the prototype of a population of very steep spectrum halos. This population is predicted assuming that turbulence plays an important role in the acceleration of relativistic particles in galaxy clusters, and we expect it will be unveiled by future surveys at low frequencies with the LOFAR and LWA radio telescopes.

Isolation of human salivary extracellular vesicles by iodixanol density gradient ultracentrifugation and their characterizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuya Iwai

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Diagnostic methods that focus on the extracellular vesicles (EVs present in saliva have been attracting great attention because of their non-invasiveness. EVs contain biomolecules such as proteins, messenger RNA (mRNA and microRNA (miRNA, which originate from cells that release EVs, making them an ideal source for liquid biopsy. Although there have been many reports on density-based fractionation of EVs from blood and urine, the number of reports on EVs from saliva has been limited, most probably because of the difficulties in separating EVs from viscous saliva using density gradient centrifugation. This article establishes a protocol for the isolation of EVs from human saliva using density gradient centrifugation. The fractionated salivary EVs were characterized by atomic force microscopy, western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results indicate that salivary EVs have a smaller diameter (47.8±12.3 nm and higher density (1.11 g/ml than EVs isolated from conditioned cell media (74.0±23.5 nm and 1.06 g/ml, respectively. Additionally, to improve the throughput of density-based fractionation of EVs, the original protocol was further modified by using a fixed angle rotor instead of a swinging rotor. It was also confirmed that several miRNAs were expressed strongly in the EV-marker-expressing fractions.

Confinement dependent chemotaxis in two-photon polymerized linear migration constructs with highly definable concentration gradients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjortø, Gertrud Malene; Olsen, Mark Holm; Svane, Inge Marie

2015-01-01

Dendritic cell chemotaxis is known to follow chemoattractant concentration gradients through tissue of heterogeneous pore sizes, but the dependence of migration velocity on pore size and gradient steepness is not fully understood. We enabled chemotaxis studies for at least 42 hours at confinement...

Pitfalls of using the geometric-mean combining rule in the density gradient theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liang, Xiaodong; Michelsen, Michael Locht; Kontogeorgis, Georgios

2016-01-01

It is popular and attractive to model the interfacial tension using the density gradient theory with the geometric-mean combining rule, in which the same equation of state is used for the interface and bulk phases. The computational efficiency is the most important advantage of this theory. In th...

Jupiter's evolution with primordial composition gradients

Science.gov (United States)

Vazan, Allona; Helled, Ravit; Guillot, Tristan

2018-02-01

Recent formation and structure models of Jupiter suggest that the planet can have composition gradients and not be fully convective (adiabatic). This possibility directly affects our understanding of Jupiter's bulk composition and origin. In this Letter we present Jupiter's evolution with a primordial structure consisting of a relatively steep heavy-element gradient of 40 M⊕. We show that for a primordial structure with composition gradients, most of the mixing occurs in the outer part of the gradient during the early evolution (several 107 yr), leading to an adiabatic outer envelope (60% of Jupiter's mass). We find that the composition gradient in the deep interior persists, suggesting that 40% of Jupiter's mass can be non-adiabatic with a higher temperature than the one derived from Jupiter's atmospheric properties. The region that can potentially develop layered convection in Jupiter today is estimated to be limited to 10% of the mass. Movies associated to Figs. 1-3 are available at http://https://www.aanda.org

Tunnel field-effect transistor charge-trapping memory with steep subthreshold slope and large memory window

Science.gov (United States)

Kino, Hisashi; Fukushima, Takafumi; Tanaka, Tetsu

2018-04-01

Charge-trapping memory requires the increase of bit density per cell and a larger memory window for lower-power operation. A tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) can achieve to increase the bit density per cell owing to its steep subthreshold slope. In addition, a TFET structure has an asymmetric structure, which is promising for achieving a larger memory window. A TFET with the N-type gate shows a higher electric field between the P-type source and the N-type gate edge than the conventional FET structure. This high electric field enables large amounts of charges to be injected into the charge storage layer. In this study, we fabricated silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (SONOS) memory devices with the TFET structure and observed a steep subthreshold slope and a larger memory window.

Genetically based differentiation in growth of multiple non-native plant species along a steep environmental gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Haider, Sylvia; Kueffer, Christoph; Edwards, Peter J; Alexander, Jake M

2012-09-01

A non-native plant species spreading along an environmental gradient may need to adjust its growth to the prevailing conditions that it encounters by a combination of phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation. There have been several studies of how non-native species respond to changing environmental conditions along latitudinal gradients, but much less is known about elevational gradients. We conducted a climate chamber experiment to investigate plastic and genetically based growth responses of 13 herbaceous non-native plants along an elevational gradient from 100 to 2,000 m a.s.l. in Tenerife. Conditions in the field ranged from high anthropogenic disturbance but generally favourable temperatures for plant growth in the lower half of the gradient, to low disturbance but much cooler conditions in the upper half. We collected seed from low, mid and high elevations and grew them in climate chambers under the characteristic temperatures at these three elevations. Growth of all species was reduced under lower temperatures along both halves of the gradient. We found consistent genetically based differences in growth over the upper elevational gradient, with plants from high-elevation sites growing more slowly than those from mid-elevation ones, while the pattern in the lower part of the gradient was more mixed. Our data suggest that many non-native plants might respond to climate along elevational gradients by genetically based changes in key traits, especially at higher elevations where low temperatures probably impose a stronger selection pressure. At lower elevations, where anthropogenic influences are greater, higher gene flow and frequent disturbance might favour genotypes with broad ecological amplitudes. Thus the importance of evolutionary processes for invasion success is likely to be context-dependent.

Transient river response, captured by channel steepness and its concavity

Science.gov (United States)

Vanacker, Veerle; von Blanckenburg, Friedhelm; Govers, Gerard; Molina, Armando; Campforts, Benjamin; Kubik, Peter W.

2015-01-01

Mountain rivers draining tropical regions are known to be great conveyor belts carrying efficiently more than half of the global sediment flux to the oceans. Many tropical mountain areas are located in tectonically active belts where the hillslope and stream channel morphology are rapidly evolving in response to changes in base level. Here, we report basin-wide denudation rates for an east-west transect through the tropical Andes. Hillslope and channel morphology vary systematically from east to west, reflecting the transition from high relief, strongly dissected topography in the escarpment zones into relatively low relief topography in the inter-Andean valley. The spatial pattern of differential denudation rates reflects the transient adjustment of the landscape to rapid river incision following tectonic uplift and river diversion. In the inter-Andean valley, upstream of the wave of incision, slopes and river channels display a relatively smooth, concave-up morphology and denudation rates (time scale of 104-105 a) are consistently low (3 to 200 mm/ka). In contrast, slopes and river channels of rejuvenated basins draining the eastern cordillera are steep to very steep; and the studied drainage basins show a wide range of denudation rate values (60 to 400 mm/ka) that increase systematically with increasing basin mean slope gradient, channel steepness, and channel convexity. Drainage basins that are characterised by strong convexities in their river longitudinal profiles systematically have higher denudation rates. As such, this is one of the first studies that provides field-based evidence of a correlation between channel concavity and basin mean denudation rates, consistent with process-based fluvial incision models.

Effects of bunch density gradient in high-gain free-electron lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Z.; Kim, K.-J.

1999-01-01

The authors investigate effects of the bunch density gradient in self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE), including the role of coherent spontaneous emission (CSE) in the evolution of the free-electron laser (FEL) process. In the exponential gain regime, the authors solve the coupled Maxwell-Vlasov equations and extend the linear theory to a bunched beam with energy spread. A time-dependent, nonlinear simulation algorithm is used to study the CSE effect and the nonlinear evolution of the radiation pulse

Relativistic jet feedback - II. Relationship to gigahertz peak spectrum and compact steep spectrum radio galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Bicknell, Geoffrey V.; Mukherjee, Dipanjan; Wagner, Alexander Y.; Sutherland, Ralph S.; Nesvadba, Nicole P. H.

2018-04-01

We propose that Gigahertz Peak Spectrum (GPS) and Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) radio sources are the signposts of relativistic jet feedback in evolving galaxies. Our simulations of relativistic jets interacting with a warm, inhomogeneous medium, utilizing cloud densities and velocity dispersions in the range derived from optical observations, show that free-free absorption can account for the ˜ GHz peak frequencies and low-frequency power laws inferred from the radio observations. These new computational models replace a power-law model for the free-free optical depth a more fundamental model involving disrupted log-normal distributions of warm gas. One feature of our new models is that at early stages, the low-frequency spectrum is steep but progressively flattens as a result of a broader distribution of optical depths, suggesting that the steep low-frequency spectra discovered by Callingham et al. may possibly be attributed to young sources. We also investigate the inverse correlation between peak frequency and size and find that the initial location on this correlation is determined by the average density of the warm ISM. The simulated sources track this correlation initially but eventually fall below it, indicating the need for a more extended ISM than presently modelled. GPS and CSS sources can potentially provide new insights into the phenomenon of AGN feedback since their peak frequencies and spectra are indicative of the density, turbulent structure, and distribution of gas in the host galaxy.

Longitudinal gas-density profilometry for plasma-wakefield acceleration targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaper, Lucas, E-mail: lschaper01@qub.ac.uk [Universität Hamburg, FB Physik, Institut für Experimentalphysik, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg (Germany); Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany); Goldberg, Lars; Kleinwächter, Tobias; Schwinkendorf, Jan-Patrick; Osterhoff, Jens [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany)

2014-03-11

Precise tailoring of plasma-density profiles has been identified as one of the critical points in achieving stable and reproducible conditions in plasma wakefield accelerators. Here, the strict requirements of next generation plasma-wakefield concepts, such as hybrid-accelerators, with densities around 10{sup 17} cm{sup −3} pose challenges to target fabrication as well as to their reliable diagnosis. To mitigate these issues we combine target simulation with fabrication and characterization. The resulting density profiles in capillaries with gas jet and multiple in- and outlets are simulated with the fluid code OpenFOAM. Satisfactory simulation results then are followed by fabrication of the desired target shapes with structures down to the 10 µm level. The detection of Raman scattered photons using lenses with large collection solid angle allows to measure the corresponding longitudinal density profiles at different number densities and allows a detection sensitivity down to the low 10{sup 17} cm{sup −3} density range at high spatial resolution. This offers the possibility to gain insight into steep density gradients as for example in gas jets and at the plasma-to-vacuum transition.

Bone marrow-derived cells for cardiovascular cell therapy: an optimized GMP method based on low-density gradient improves cell purity and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Radrizzani, Marina; Lo Cicero, Viviana; Soncin, Sabrina; Bolis, Sara; Sürder, Daniel; Torre, Tiziano; Siclari, Francesco; Moccetti, Tiziano; Vassalli, Giuseppe; Turchetto, Lucia

2014-09-27

Cardiovascular cell therapy represents a promising field, with several approaches currently being tested. The advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) for the ongoing METHOD clinical study ("Bone marrow derived cell therapy in the stable phase of chronic ischemic heart disease") consists of fresh mononuclear cells (MNC) isolated from autologous bone marrow (BM) through density gradient centrifugation on standard Ficoll-Paque. Cells are tested for safety (sterility, endotoxin), identity/potency (cell count, CD45/CD34/CD133, viability) and purity (contaminant granulocytes and platelets). BM-MNC were isolated by density gradient centrifugation on Ficoll-Paque. The following process parameters were optimized throughout the study: gradient medium density; gradient centrifugation speed and duration; washing conditions. A new manufacturing method was set up, based on gradient centrifugation on low density Ficoll-Paque, followed by 2 washing steps, of which the second one at low speed. It led to significantly higher removal of contaminant granulocytes and platelets, improving product purity; the frequencies of CD34+ cells, CD133+ cells and functional hematopoietic and mesenchymal precursors were significantly increased. The methodological optimization described here resulted in a significant improvement of ATMP quality, a crucial issue to clinical applications in cardiovascular cell therapy.

A STEEP FAINT-END SLOPE OF THE UV LUMINOSITY FUNCTION AT z ∼ 2-3: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE GLOBAL STELLAR MASS DENSITY AND STAR FORMATION IN LOW-MASS HALOS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, Naveen A.; Steidel, Charles C.

2009-01-01

We use the deep ground-based optical photometry of the Lyman Break Galaxy (LBG) Survey to derive robust measurements of the faint-end slope (α) of the UV luminosity function (LF) at redshifts 1.9 ≤ z ≤ 3.4. Our sample includes >2000 spectroscopic redshifts and ∼31000 LBGs in 31 spatially independent fields over a total area of 3261 arcmin 2 . These data allow us to select galaxies to 0.07L* and 0.10L* at z ∼ 2 and z ∼ 3, respectively. A maximum-likelihood analysis indicates steep values of α(z = 2) = -1.73 ± 0.07 and α(z = 3) = -1.73 ± 0.13. This result is robust to luminosity-dependent systematics in the Lyα equivalent width and reddening distributions, and is similar to the steep values advocated at z ∼> 4, and implies that ∼93% of the unobscured UV luminosity density at z ∼ 2-3 arises from sub-L* galaxies. With a realistic luminosity-dependent reddening distribution, faint to moderately luminous galaxies account for ∼>70% and ∼>25% of the bolometric luminosity density and present-day stellar mass density, respectively, when integrated over 1.9 ≤ z 2 contrasts with the shallower slope inferred locally, suggesting that the evolution in the faint-end slope may be dictated simply by the availability of low-mass halos capable of supporting star formation at z ∼< 2.

Density gradients in the solar plasma observed by interplanetary scintillation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gapper, G.R.; Hewish, A.

1981-01-01

A new technique is described which overcomes the limitation set by Fresnel filtering in previous IPS studies of the small-scale density irregularities in the solar plasma. Phase gradients introduced by irregularities larger than the Fresnel limit cause transverse displacements of the small-scale scintillation pattern. In the presence of the solar wind, such refraction effects may be revealed by simultaneous measurements of intensity scintillation at two radio frequencies. Observations show that the structure corresponding to temporal frequencies approximately 0.02 Hz is in agreement with an extrapolation of the Kolmogorov spectrum derived from spacecraft data at lower frequencies. (author)

Imaging the Buried Chicxulub Crater with Gravity Gradients and Cenotes

Science.gov (United States)

Hildebrand, A. R.; Pilkington, M.; Halpenny, J. F.; Ortiz-Aleman, C.; Chavez, R. E.; Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J.; Connors, M.; Graniel-Castro, E.; Camara-Zi, A.; Vasquez, J.

1995-09-01

Differing interpretations of the Bouguer gravity anomaly over the Chicxulub crater, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, have yielded diameter estimates of 170 to 320 km. Knowing the crater's size is necessary to quantify the lethal perturbations to the Cretaceous environment associated with its formation. The crater's size (and internal structure) is revealed by the horizontal gradient of the Bouguer gravity anomaly over the structure, and by mapping the karst features of the Yucatan region. To improve our resolution of the crater's gravity signature we collected additional gravity measurements primarily along radial profiles, but also to fill in previously unsurveyed areas. Horizontal gradient analysis of Bouguer gravity data objectively highlights the lateral density contrasts of the impact lithologies and suppresses regional anomalies which may obscure the gravity signature of the Chicxulub crater lithologies. This gradient technique yields a striking circular structure with at least 6 concentric gradient features between 25 and 85 km radius. These features are most distinct in the southwest probably because of denser sampling of the gravity field. Our detailed profiles detected an additional feature and steeper gradients (up to 5 mGal/km) than the original survey. We interpret the outer four gradient maxima to represent concentric faults in the crater's zone of slumping as is also revealed by seismic reflection data. The inner two probably represent the margin of the central uplift and the peak ring and or collapsed transient cavity. Radial gradients in the SW quadrant over the inferred ~40 km-diameter central uplift (4) may represent structural "puckering" as revealed at eroded terrestrial craters. Gradient features related to regional gravity highs and lows are visible outside the crater, but no concentric gradient features are apparent at distances > 90 km radius. The marginal gradient features may be modelled by slump faults as observed in large complex craters on

Landslides control the spatial and temporal variation of channel width in southern Taiwan: implications for landscape evolution and cascading hazards in steep, tectonically active landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Yanites, B.; Bregy, J. C.; Carlson, G.; Cataldo, K.; Holahan, M.; Johnston, G.; Mitchell, N. A.; Nelson, A.; Valenza, J.; Wanker, M.

2017-12-01

Intense precipitation or seismic events can generate clustered mass movement processes across a landscape. These rare events have significant impacts on the landscape, however, the rarity of such events leads to uncertainty in how these events impact the entire geomorphic system over a range of timescales. Taiwan is a steep, seismically active region and is highly prone to landslide and debris flows, especially when exposed to heavy rainfall events. Typhoon Morakot made landfall in Taiwan in August of 2009, delivering record-breaking rainfall and inducing more than 22,000 landslides in southern Taiwan. The topographic gradient in southern Taiwan leads to spatial variability in landslide susceptibility providing an opportunity to infer the long-term impact of landslides on channel morphology. The availability of pre and post typhoon imagery allows a quantitative reconstruction on the propagating impact of this event on channel width. The pre and post typhoon patterns of channel width to river and hillslope gradients in 20 basins in the study area reveal the importance of cascading hazards from landslides on landscape evolution. Prior to Typhoon Morakot, the river channels in the central part of the study area were about 3-10 times wider than the channels in the south. Aggradation and widening was also a maximum in these basins where hillslope gradients and channel steepness is high. The results further show that the narrowest channels are located where channel steepness is the lowest, an observation inconsistent with a detachment-limited model for river evolution. We infer this pattern is indicative of a strong role of sediment supply, and associated landslide events, on long-term channel evolution. These findings have implications across a range of spatial and temporal scales including understanding the cascade of hazards in steep landscapes and geomorphic interpretation of channel morphology.

Enrichment of unlabeled human Langerhans cells from epidermal cell suspensions by discontinuous density gradient centrifugation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teunissen, M. B.; Wormmeester, J.; Kapsenberg, M. L.; Bos, J. D.

1988-01-01

In this report we introduce an alternative procedure for enrichment of human epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) from epidermal cell suspensions of normal skin. By means of discontinuous Ficoll-Metrizoate density gradient centrifugation, a fraction containing high numbers of viable, more than 80% pure

High temperature L- and H-mode confinement in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balet, B.; Boyd, D.A.; Campbell, D.J.

1990-01-01

The energy confinement properties of low density, high ion temperature L- and H-mode plasmas are investigated. For L-mode plasmas it is shown that, although the global confinement is independent of density, the energy confinement in the central region is significantly better at low densities than at higher densities. The improved confinement appears to be associated with the steepness of the density gradient. For the H-mode phase, although the confinement at the edge is dramatically improved, which is once again associated with the steep density gradient in the edge region, the central confinement properties are essentially the same as for the standard L-mode. The results are compared in a qualitative manner with the predictions of the ion temperature gradient instability theory and appear to be in disagreement with some aspects of this theory. (author). 13 refs, 15 figs

Moho Density Contrast in Central Eurasia from GOCE Gravity Gradients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Eshagh

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Seismic data are primarily used in studies of the Earth’s inner structure. Since large parts of the world are not yet sufficiently covered by seismic surveys, products from the Earth’s satellite observation systems have more often been used for this purpose in recent years. In this study we use the gravity-gradient data derived from the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE, the elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM and other global datasets to determine the Moho density contrast at the study area which comprises most of the Eurasian plate (including parts of surrounding continental and oceanic tectonic plates. A regional Moho recovery is realized by solving the Vening Meinesz-Moritz’s (VMM inverse problem of isostasy and a seismic crustal model is applied to constrain the gravimetric solution. Our results reveal that the Moho density contrast reaches minima along the mid-oceanic rift zones and maxima under the continental crust. This spatial pattern closely agrees with that seen in the CRUST1.0 seismic crustal model as well as in the KTH1.0 gravimetric-seismic Moho model. However, these results differ considerably from some previously published gravimetric studies. In particular, we demonstrate that there is no significant spatial correlation between the Moho density contrast and Moho deepening under major orogens of Himalaya and Tibet. In fact, the Moho density contrast under most of the continental crustal structure is typically much more uniform.

Sea surface density gradients in the Nordic Seas during the Holocene as revealed by paired microfossil and isotope proxies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van Nieuwenhove, Nicolas; Hillaire-Marcel, Claude; Bauch, Henning A.

2016-01-01

We attempt to assess the Holocene surface-subsurface seawater density gradient on millennial time-scale based on the reconstruction of potential density (σθ) by combining data from dinoflagellate cyst assemblages and planktic foraminiferal (Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (s)) stable oxygen isotopes (δ...

Modified method for labeling human platelets with indium-111 oxine using albumin density-gradient separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunting, R.W.; Callahan, R.J.; Finkelstein, S.; Lees, R.S.; Strauss, H.W.

1982-01-01

When labeling platelets with indium-111 oxine, albumin density-gradient separation minimizes the time spent to resuspend those platelets that have been centrifuged against a hard surface. Labeling efficiency or platelet viability, as measured by platelet survival or aggregation with adenosine diphosphate, are not adversely affected

A density gradient of VAPG peptides on a cell-resisting surface achieves selective adhesion and directional migration of smooth muscle cells over fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Shan; Zuo, Xingang; Shen, Tao; Duan, Yiyuan; Mao, Zhengwei; Gao, Changyou

2018-05-01

Selective adhesion and migration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) over fibroblasts (FIBs) is required to prevent adventitia fibrosis in vascular regeneration. In this study, a uniform cell-resisting layer of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with a density gradient of azide groups was generated on a substrate by immobilizing two kinds of PEG molecules in a gradient manner. A density gradient of alkynyl-functionalized Val-Ala-Pro-Gly (VAPG) peptides was then prepared on the PEG layer via click chemistry. The VAPG density gradient was characterized by fluorescence imaging, revealing the gradual enhancement of the fluorescent intensity along the substrate direction. The adhesion and mobility of SMCs were selectively enhanced on the VAPG density gradient, leading to directional migration toward the higher peptide density (up to 84%). In contrast, the adhesion and mobility of FIBs were significantly weakened. The net displacement of SMCs also significantly increased compared with that on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) and that of FIBs on the gradient. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways related to cell migration were studied, showing higher expressions of functional proteins from SMCs on the VAPG-modified surface in a density-dependent manner. For the first time the selective adhesion and directional migration of SMCs over FIBs was achieved by an elaborative design of a gradient surface, leading to a new insight in design of novel vascular regenerative materials. Selective cell adhesion and migration guided by regenerative biomaterials are extremely important for the regeneration of targeted tissues, which can avoid the drawbacks of incorrect and uncontrolled responses of tissue cells to implants. For example, selectivity of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) over fibroblasts (FIBs) is required to prevent adventitia fibrosis in vascular regeneration. Herein we prepare a uniform cell-repelling layer, on which SMCs-selective Val-Ala-Pro-Gly (VAPG) peptides

Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Use of density gradient centrifugation, magnetically activated cell sorting and in situ hybridization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Campagnoli, C; Multhaupt, H A; Ludomirski, A

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop a noninvasive method suitable for clinical prenatal diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN: Fetal nucleated erythrocytes were separated from peripheral blood of 17 healthy pregnant women using small magnetically activated cell sorting columns (MiniMACS) following density gradient centrifug...

Radar observations of density gradients, electric fields, and plasma irregularities near polar cap patches in the context of the gradient-drift instability

Science.gov (United States)

Lamarche, Leslie J.; Makarevich, Roman A.

2017-03-01

We present observations of plasma density gradients, electric fields, and small-scale plasma irregularities near a polar cap patch made by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network radar at Rankin Inlet (RKN) and the northern face of Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (RISR-N). RKN echo power and occurrence are analyzed in the context of gradient-drift instability (GDI) theory, with a particular focus on the previously uninvestigated 2-D dependencies on wave propagation, electric field, and gradient vectors, with the latter two quantities evaluated directly from RISR-N measurements. It is shown that higher gradient and electric field components along the wave vector generally lead to the higher observed echo occurrence, which is consistent with the expected higher GDI growth rate, but the relationship with echo power is far less straightforward. The RKN echo power increases monotonically as the predicted linear growth rate approaches zero from negative values but does not continue this trend into positive growth rate values, in contrast with GDI predictions. The observed greater consistency of echo occurrence with GDI predictions suggests that GDI operating in the linear regime can control basic plasma structuring, but measured echo strength may be affected by other processes and factors, such as multistep or nonlinear processes or a shear-driven instability.

EFFECTIVENESS OF DOUBLE WASH SWIM-UP VERSUS DOUBLE DENSITY GRADIENT SWIM-UP TECHNIQUE OF SPERM PREPARATION IN IN VITRO FERTILISATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srinivas Sangisapu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Recovery of optimum number of good quality of spermatozoa is an important component of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF. This is achieved by sperm preparation methods involving separation and recovery of capacitated sperms. Double Wash Swim-up (DWSU and Double Density Gradient Swim-up (DDGSU are two most accepted methods. Cochrane systematic review (2007 finds no clear benefit of one method over the other in Intrauterine Insemination (IUI. Systematic review on effectiveness of these preparations in IVF is lacking. Effectiveness is generally assessed in terms recovery rates of the sperms. Capability of successful fertilisation of good quality oocytes should ideally be the functional endpoint for evaluating effectiveness of sperm preparation methods. The aim of the study is to1. Compare the successful fertilisation rates of oocytes inseminated by semen preparation of Double Wash Swim-up (DWSU vis-a-vis by Double Density Gradient Swim-up (DDGSU method. 2. Evaluate the effectiveness of fertilisation of oocytes by Double Wash Swim-up method (DWSU vis-a-vis Double Density Gradient Swim-up (DDGSU method. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted on infertile couples undergoing IVF from June 2014 to June 2017 at an ART Centre of a tertiary care hospital. The male partners were normozoospermic and female partners were normoresponsive to controlled ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval. RESULTS 70 male partners were subjected to double wash swim-up and 64 underwent double density gradient swim-up preparation. 1296 good quality oocytes were retrieved in their respective female partners. 452 (61% out of 742 oocytes were successfully fertilised after insemination by semen prepared by DWSU method. 378 (68% oocytes out of 554 were fertilised by insemination with semen prepared by DDGSU method. There seems to be strong association (RR=1.12 of fertilisation success with oocytes exposed to semen prepared by Double Density Gradient

Critical temperature gradient and critical current density in thin films of a type I superconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heubener, R P

1968-12-16

Measurements of the critical temperature gradient and the critical current density in superconducting lead films in a transverse magnetic field indicate that the critical current flows predominantly along the surface of the films and that the critical surface currents contribute only very little to the Lorentz force on a fluxoid.

Derivation of general analytic gradient expressions for density-fitted post-Hartree-Fock methods: An efficient implementation for the density-fitted second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bozkaya, Uğur, E-mail: ugur.bozkaya@atauni.edu.tr [Department of Chemistry, Atatürk University, Erzurum 25240, Turkey and Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey)

2014-09-28

General analytic gradient expressions (with the frozen-core approximation) are presented for density-fitted post-HF methods. An efficient implementation of frozen-core analytic gradients for the second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) with the density-fitting (DF) approximation (applying to both reference and correlation energies), which is denoted as DF-MP2, is reported. The DF-MP2 method is applied to a set of alkanes, conjugated dienes, and noncovalent interaction complexes to compare the computational cost of single point analytic gradients with MP2 with the resolution of the identity approach (RI-MP2) [F. Weigend and M. Häser, Theor. Chem. Acc. 97, 331 (1997); R. A. Distasio, R. P. Steele, Y. M. Rhee, Y. Shao, and M. Head-Gordon, J. Comput. Chem. 28, 839 (2007)]. In the RI-MP2 method, the DF approach is used only for the correlation energy. Our results demonstrate that the DF-MP2 method substantially accelerate the RI-MP2 method for analytic gradient computations due to the reduced input/output (I/O) time. Because in the DF-MP2 method the DF approach is used for both reference and correlation energies, the storage of 4-index electron repulsion integrals (ERIs) are avoided, 3-index ERI tensors are employed instead. Further, as in case of integrals, our gradient equation is completely avoid construction or storage of the 4-index two-particle density matrix (TPDM), instead we use 2- and 3-index TPDMs. Hence, the I/O bottleneck of a gradient computation is significantly overcome. Therefore, the cost of the generalized-Fock matrix (GFM), TPDM, solution of Z-vector equations, the back transformation of TPDM, and integral derivatives are substantially reduced when the DF approach is used for the entire energy expression. Further application results show that the DF approach introduce negligible errors for closed-shell reaction energies and equilibrium bond lengths.

Chemical bond as a test of density-gradient expansions for kinetic and exchange energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perdew, J.P.; Levy, M.; Painter, G.S.; Wei, S.; Lagowski, J.B.

1988-01-01

Errors in kinetic and exchange contributions to the molecular bonding energy are assessed for approximate density functionals by reference to near-exact Hartree-Fock values. From the molecular calculations of Allan et al. and of Lee and Ghosh, it is demonstrated that the density-gradient expansion does not accurately describe the noninteracting kinetic contribution to the bonding energy, even when this expansion is carried to fourth order and applied in its spin-density-functional form to accurate Hartree-Fock densities. In a related study, it is demonstrated that the overbinding of molecules such as N 2 and F 2 , which occurs in the local-spin-density (LSD) approximation for the exchange-correlation energy, is not attributable to errors in the self-consistent LSD densities. Contrary to expectations based upon the Gunnarsson-Jones nodality argument, it is found that the LSD approximation for the exchange energy can seriously overbind a molecule even when bonding does not create additional nodes in the occupied valence orbitals. LSD and exact values for the exchange contribution to the bonding energy are displayed and discussed for several molecules

Theoretical transport analysis of density limit with radial electric field in helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toda, S.; Itoh, K.

2010-11-01

The confinement property in helical toroidal plasmas is clarified. The analysis is performed by use of the one-dimensional transport equations with the effect of the radiative loss and the radial profile of the electric field. The analytical results in the edge region show the steep gradient in the electron temperature, which indicates the transport barrier formation. Because of the rapid increase of the radiative loss at the low electron temperature, the anomalous heat diffusivity is reduced near the edge. Next, the efficiency of the heating power input in the presence of the radiative loss is studied. The scaling of the critical density in helical devices is also derived. (author)

Spatial and temporal dynamics of disturbance interactions along an ecological gradient

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher D. O' Connor

2013-01-01

Interactions among site conditions, disturbance events, and climate determine the patterns of forest species recruitment and mortality across landscapes. Forests of the American Southwest have undergone significant changes over a century of altered disturbance regimes, human land uses, and changing environmental conditions. Along steep vertical gradients such as those...

Cultivo de células mesenquimais do sangue de cordão umbilical com e sem uso do gradiente de densidade Ficoll-Paque Blood mesenchymal stem cell culture from the umbilical cord with and without Ficoll-Paque density gradient method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa Sayoko Kawasaki-Oyama

2008-03-01

Ficoll-Paque gradient density method (d=1.077g/ml. METHODS: Ten samples of the umbilical cord blood obtained from full-term deliveries were submitted to two different procedures of mesenchymal stem cell culture: a Method without the Ficoll-Paque density gradient, which concentrates all nucleated cells; b Method with the Ficoll-Paque density gradient, which selects only low-density mononuclear cells. Cells were initially plated into 25 cm² cultures flasks at a density of 1x10(7 nucleated cells/cm² and 1x10(6 mononuclear cells/cm². RESULTS: It was obtained 2-13x10(7 (median = 2.35x10(7 nucleated cells/cm² by the method without the Ficoll-Paque gradient density, and 3.7-15.7x10(6 (median = 7.2x10(6 mononuclear cells/cm² by the method with the Ficoll-Paque gradient density. In all cultures adherent cells were observed 24 hours after being cultured. Cells presented fibroblastoid and epithelioid morphology. In most of the cultures, cell proliferation occurred in the first week, but after the second week only some cultures - derived from the method without the Ficoll-Paque gradient density - maintained the growth rate reaching confluence. Those cultures were submitted to trypsinization with 0.25% trypsin/EDTA solution and cultured for two to three months. CONCLUSION: In the samples analyzed, cell separation and mesenchymal stem cell culture techniques from human umbilical cord blood by the method without the Ficoll-Paque density gradient was more efficient than the method with the Ficoll-Paque density gradient.

Adaptive dynamics on an environmental gradient that changes over a geological time-scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortelius, Mikael; Geritz, Stefan; Gyllenberg, Mats; Toivonen, Jaakko

2015-07-07

The standard adaptive dynamics framework assumes two timescales, i.e. fast population dynamics and slow evolutionary dynamics. We further assume a third timescale, which is even slower than the evolutionary timescale. We call this the geological timescale and we assume that slow climatic change occurs within this timescale. We study the evolution of our model population over this very slow geological timescale with bifurcation plots of the standard adaptive dynamics framework. The bifurcation parameter being varied describes the abiotic environment that changes over the geological timescale. We construct evolutionary trees over the geological timescale and observe both gradual phenotypic evolution and punctuated branching events. We concur with the established notion that branching of a monomorphic population on an environmental gradient only happens when the gradient is not too shallow and not too steep. However, we show that evolution within the habitat can produce polymorphic populations that inhabit steep gradients. What is necessary is that the environmental gradient at some point in time is such that the initial branching of the monomorphic population can occur. We also find that phenotypes adapted to environments in the middle of the existing environmental range are more likely to branch than phenotypes adapted to extreme environments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crust-mantle density distribution in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau revealed by satellite-derived gravity gradients

Science.gov (United States)

LI, Honglei; Fang, Jian; Braitenberg, Carla; Wang, Xinsheng

2015-04-01

As the highest, largest and most active plateau on Earth, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a complex crust-mantle structure, especially in its eastern part. In response to the subduction of the lithospheric mantle of the Indian plate, large-scale crustal motion occurs in this area. Despite the many previous studies, geodynamic processes at depth remain unclear. Knowledge of crust and upper mantle density distribution allows a better definition of the deeper geological structure and thus provides critically needed information for understanding of the underlying geodynamic processes. With an unprecedented precision of 1-2 mGal and a spatial resolution better than 100 km, GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) mission products can be used to constrain the crust-mantle density distribution. Here we used GOCE gravitational gradients at an altitude of 10km after reducing the effects of terrain, sediment thickness variations, and Moho undulations to image the density structures of eastern Tibet up to 200 km depths. We inverted the residual satellite gravitational gradients using a least square approach. The initial density model for the inversion is based on seismic velocities from the tomography. The model is composed of rectangular blocks, having a uniform density, with widths of about 100 km and variable thickness and depths. The thickness of the rectangular cells changes from10 to 60km in accordance with the seismic model. Our results reveal some large-scale, structurally controlled density variations at depths. The lithospheric root defined by higher-density contrast features from southwest to northeast, with shallowing in the central part: base of lithosphere reaches a depth of180 km, less than 100km, and 200 km underneath the Lhasa, Songpan-Ganzi, and Ordos crustal blocks, respectively. However, these depth values only represent a first-order parameterization because they depend on model discretization inherited from the original seismic

Isolating peripheral lymphocytes by density gradient centrifugation and magnetic cell sorting.

Science.gov (United States)

Brosseron, Frederic; Marcus, Katrin; May, Caroline

2015-01-01

Combining density gradient centrifugation with magnetic cell sorting provides a powerful tool to isolate blood cells with high reproducibility, yield, and purity. It also allows for subsequent separation of multiple cell types, resulting in the possibility to analyze different purified fractions from one donor's sample. The centrifugation step divides whole blood into peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), erythrocytes, and platelet-rich plasma. In the following, lymphocyte subtypes can be consecutively isolated from the PBMC fraction. This chapter describes enrichment of erythrocytes, CD14-positive monocytes and CD3-positive T lymphocytes. Alternatively, other cell types can be targeted by using magnetic beads specific for the desired subpopulation.

Improving Rydberg Excitations within Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory with Generalized Gradient Approximations: The Exchange-Enhancement-for-Large-Gradient Scheme.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shaohong L; Truhlar, Donald G

2015-07-14

Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) with conventional local and hybrid functionals such as the local and hybrid generalized gradient approximations (GGA) seriously underestimates the excitation energies of Rydberg states, which limits its usefulness for applications such as spectroscopy and photochemistry. We present here a scheme that modifies the exchange-enhancement factor to improve GGA functionals for Rydberg excitations within the TDDFT framework while retaining their accuracy for valence excitations and for the thermochemical energetics calculated by ground-state density functional theory. The scheme is applied to a popular hybrid GGA functional and tested on data sets of valence and Rydberg excitations and atomization energies, and the results are encouraging. The scheme is simple and flexible. It can be used to correct existing functionals, and it can also be used as a strategy for the development of new functionals.

Microinstabilities in the high latitude F region: a brief review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gary, S.P.

1983-01-01

This is a review of the theory of plasma microinstabilities that may arise in the high latitude F region ionosphere below 1000 km. Three free energy sources are considered: a density gradient perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field B, a current parallel to B and a steady electric field perpendicular to B. The BGK model for charged-neutral collisions is used, and the short wavelength properties of the universal density drift, current convective and E x B gradient drift instabilities are compared. At sufficiently high altitudes and sufficiently steep gradients, the universal instability is the short wavelength mode most likely to grow and, through wave-particle diffusion, to cause relatively steep wavenumber dependences in power spectra

Determination of improved steeping conditions for sorghum malting

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Dewar, J

1997-07-01

Full Text Available The effect of various steeping conditions (time, temperature and aeration) on the quality of sorghum malt for brewing (in terms of diastatic power, free amino nitrogen and hot water extract) was examined. Steeping time and temperature had a highly...

Income inequality and socioeconomic gradients in mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, Richard G; Pickett, Kate E

2008-04-01

We investigated whether the processes underlying the association between income inequality and population health are related to those responsible for the socioeconomic gradient in health and whether health disparities are smaller when income differences are narrower. We used multilevel models in a regression analysis of 10 age- and cause-specific US county mortality rates on county median household incomes and on state income inequality. We assessed whether mortality rates more closely related to county income were also more closely related to state income inequality. We also compared mortality gradients in more- and less-equal states. Mortality rates more strongly associated with county income were more strongly associated with state income inequality: across all mortality rates, r= -0.81; P=.004. The effect of state income inequality on the socioeconomic gradient in health varied by cause of death, but greater equality usually benefited both wealthier and poorer counties. Although mortality rates with steep socioeconomic gradients were more sensitive to income distribution than were rates with flatter gradients, narrower income differences benefit people in both wealthy and poor areas and may, paradoxically, do little to reduce health disparities.

Vitality of oligozoospermic semen samples is improved by both swim-up and density gradient centrifugation before cryopreservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Counsel, Madeleine; Bellinge, Rhys; Burton, Peter

2004-05-01

To ascertain whether washing sperm from oligozoospermic and normozoospermic samples before cryopreservation improves post-thaw vitality. Normozoospermic (n = 18) and oligozoospermic (n = 16) samples were divided into three aliquots. The first aliquot remained untreated and the second and third aliquots were subjected to the swim-up and discontinuous density gradient sperm washing techniques respectively. Vitality staining was performed, samples mixed with cryopreservation media and frozen. Spermatozoa were thawed, stained, and vitality quantified and expressed as the percentage of live spermatozoa present. Post-thaw vitality in untreated aliquots from normozoospermic samples (24.9% +/- 2.3; mean +/- SEM) was significantly higher (unpaired t-tests; P vitality was significantly higher after swim-up in normozoospermic samples (35.6% +/- 2.1; P vitality in oligozoospermic (22.4% +/- 1.0; P vitality in cryopreserved oligozoospermic samples was improved by both the swim-up and density gradient centrifugation washing techniques prior to freezing.

Changes in home range sizes and population densities of carnivore species along the natural to urban habitat gradient

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šálek, Martin; Drahníková, L.; Tkadlec, Emil

2015-01-01

Roč. 45, č. 1 (2015), s. 1-14 ISSN 0305-1838 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Carnivores * home range size * natural–urban gradient * population density * review Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 4.116, year: 2015

Resistance scaling for composite fermions in the presence of a density gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stormer, H. L.; Tsui, Daniel Chee; Pan, Wei; West, Ken W.; Baldwin, K. W.; Pfeiffer, Loren N.

2006-01-01

The magnetoresistance, R xx , at even-denominator fractional fillings, of an ultra high quality two-dimensional electron system at T ∼ 35 mK is observed to be strictly linear in magnetic field, B. While at 35 mK R xx is dominated by the integer and fractional quantum Hall states, at T ≅ 1.2 K an almost perfect linear relationship between R xx and B emerges over the whole magnetic field range except for spikes at the integer quantum Hall states. This linear R xx cannot be understood within the Composite Fermion model, but can be explained through the existence of a density gradient in our sample

Phylogenetic diversity of macromycetes and woody plants along an elevational gradient in Eastern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Marko Gomez-Hernandez; Guadalupe Williams-Linera; D. Jean Lodge; Roger Guevara; Eduardo Ruiz-Sanchez; Etelvina Gandara

2016-01-01

Phylogenetic information provides insight into the ecological and evolutionary processes that organize species assemblages. We compared patterns of phylogenetic diversity among macromycete and woody plant communities along a steep elevational gradient in eastern Mexico to better understand the evolutionary processes that structure their communities. Macrofungi and...

EUROMECH colloquium 377. Stability and control of shear flows with strong temperature or density gradients. Book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-10-01

The topics discussed comprise the onset of instability in heated free jets and jets with density gradients, flow past heated/cooled boundaries, atmospheric shear flow, and mathematical modeling of laminar-turbulent transition phenomena. Three contributions have been input to INIS. (P.A.)

Socioeconomic hierarchy and health gradient in Europe: the role of income inequality and of social origins.

Science.gov (United States)

Chauvel, Louis; Leist, Anja K

2015-11-14

Health inequalities reflect multidimensional inequality (income, education, and other indicators of socioeconomic position) and vary across countries and welfare regimes. To which extent there is intergenerational transmission of health via parental socioeconomic status has rarely been investigated in comparative perspective. The study sought to explore if different measures of stratification produce the same health gradient and to which extent health gradients of income and of social origins vary with level of living and income inequality. A total of 299,770 observations were available from 18 countries assessed in EU-SILC 2005 and 2011 data, which contain information on social origins. Income inequality (Gini) and level of living were calculated from EU-SILC. Logit rank transformation provided normalized inequalities and distributions of income and social origins up to the extremes of the distribution and was used to investigate net comparable health gradients in detail. Multilevel random-slope models were run to post-estimate best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs) and related standard deviations of residual intercepts (median health) and slopes (income-health gradients) per country and survey year. Health gradients varied across different measures of stratification, with origins and income producing significant slopes after controls. Income inequality was associated with worse average health, but income inequality and steepness of the health gradient were only marginally associated. Linear health gradients suggest gains in health per rank of income and of origins even at the very extremes of the distribution. Intergenerational transmission of status gains in importance in countries with higher income inequality. Countries differ in the association of income inequality and income-related health gradient, and low income inequality may mask health problems of vulnerable individuals with low status. Not only income inequality, but other country characteristics such

Water limitations on forest carbon cycling and conifer traits along a steep climatic gradient in the Cascade Mountains, Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

Berner, L. T.; Law, B. E.

2015-11-01

Severe droughts occurred in the western United States during recent decades, and continued human greenhouse gas emissions are expected to exacerbate warming and drying in this region. We investigated the role of water availability in shaping forest carbon cycling and morphological traits in the eastern Cascade Mountains, Oregon, focusing on the transition from low-elevation, dry western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) woodlands to higher-elevation, wetter ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and grand fir (Abies grandis) forests. We examined 12 sites in mature forests that spanned a 1300 mm yr-1 gradient in mean growing-year climate moisture index (CMIgy ), computed annually (1964 to 2013) as monthly precipitation minus reference evapotranspiration and summed October to September. Maximum leaf area, annual aboveground productivity, and aboveground live tree biomass increased with CMIgy (r2 = 0.67-0.88, P gy (r2 = 0.53, P gy and extensive insect outbreak. Traits of stress-tolerant juniper included short stature, high wood density for cavitation resistance, and high investment in water transport relative to leaf area. Species occupying wetter areas invested more resources in height growth in response to competition for light relative to investment in hydraulic architecture. Consequently, maximum tree height, leaf area : sapwood area ratio, and stem wood density were all correlated with CMIgy . The tight coupling of forest carbon cycling and species traits with water availability suggests that warmer and drier conditions projected for the 21st century could have significant biogeochemical, ecological, and social consequences in the Pacific Northwest.

Phytase activity in brown rice during steeping and sprouting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ou, K.; Cheng, Y.; Xing, Y.; Lin, L.; Nout, M.J.R.; Liang, J.

2011-01-01

Phytase in brown rice will be activated and accumulated during seed germination. Changes of phytase activity in brown rice during two stages of germination (steeping and sprouting) affected by process conditions were studied. It was shown that steeping led to significant decrease of phytase activity

Plasma membrane temperature gradients and multiple cell permeabilization induced by low peak power density femtosecond lasers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allen L. Garner

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Calculations indicate that selectively heating the extracellular media induces membrane temperature gradients that combine with electric fields and a temperature-induced reduction in the electropermeabilization threshold to potentially facilitate exogenous molecular delivery. Experiments by a wide-field, pulsed femtosecond laser with peak power density far below typical single cell optical delivery systems confirmed this hypothesis. Operating this laser in continuous wave mode at the same average power permeabilized many fewer cells, suggesting that bulk heating alone is insufficient and temperature gradients are crucial for permeabilization. This work suggests promising opportunities for a high throughput, low cost, contactless method for laser mediated exogenous molecule delivery without the complex optics of typical single cell optoinjection, for potential integration into microscope imaging and microfluidic systems.

Advanced compositional gradient and compartmentalization analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Canas, Jesus A.; Petti, Daniela; Mullins, Oliver [Schlumberger Servicos de Petroleo Ltda., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2008-07-01

Acquisition of hydrocarbons samples from the reservoir prior to oil or gas production is essential in order to design production strategies and production facilities. In addition, reservoir compartmentalization and hydrocarbon compositional grading magnify the necessity to map fluid properties vertically and laterally in the reservoir prior to production. Formation testers supply a wealth of information to observe and predict the state of fluids in hydrocarbon reservoirs, through detailed pressure and fluid analysis measurements. With the correct understanding of the state of fluids in the reservoirs, reserve calculations and adequate development plans can be prepared. Additionally, flow barriers may then be revealed. This paper describes a new Downhole Fluid Analysis technology (DFA) for improved reservoir management. DFA is a unique process that combines new fluid identification sensors, which allow real time monitoring of a wide range of parameters as GOR, fluid density, viscosity, fluorescence and composition (CH{sub 4}, C2- C5, C6 +, CO{sub 2}), free gas and liquid phases detection, saturation pressure, as well WBM and OBM filtrate differentiation and pH. This process is not limited to light fluid evaluation and we extended to heavy oil (HO) reservoirs analysis successfully. The combination of DFA Fluid Profiling with pressure measurements has shown to be very effective for compartmentalization characterization. The ability of thin barriers to hold off large depletion pressures has been established, as the gradual variation of hydrocarbon quality in biodegraded oils. In addition, heavy oils can show large compositional variation due to variations in source rock charging but without fluid mixing. Our findings indicates that steep gradients are common in gas condensates or volatile oils, and that biodegradation is more common in HO than in other hydrocarbons, which generate fluid gradients and heavy ends tars near the OWC, limiting the aquifer activity and

Processing of semen by density gradient centrifugation selects spermatozoa with longer telomeres for assisted reproduction techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qingling; Zhang, Nan; Zhao, Feifei; Zhao, Wanli; Dai, Shanjun; Liu, Jinhao; Bukhari, Ihtisham; Xin, Hang; Niu, Wenbing; Sun, Yingpu

2015-07-01

The ends of eukaryotic chromosomes contain specialized chromatin structures called telomeres, the length of which plays a key role in early human embryonic development. Although the effect of sperm preparation techniques on major sperm characteristics, such as concentration, motility and morphology have been previously documented, the possible status of telomere length and its relation with sperm preparation techniques is not well-known for humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of density gradient centrifugation in the selection of spermatozoa with longer telomeres for use in assisted reproduction techniques in 105 samples before and after sperm processing. After density gradient centrifugation, the average telomere length of the sperm was significantly longer (6.51 ± 2.54 versus 5.16 ± 2.29, P average motile sperm rate was significantly higher (77.9 ± 11.8 versus 44.6 ± 11.2, P average DNA fragmentation rate was significantly lower (11.1 ± 5.9 versus 25.9 ± 12.9, P sperm count (rs = 0.58; P sperm with longer telomeres. Copyright © 2015 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear theory of trapped electron temperature gradient driven turbulence in flat density H-mode plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahm, T.S.

1990-12-01

Ion temperature gradient turbulence based transport models have difficulties reconciling the recent DIII-D H-mode results where the density profile is flat, but χ e > χ i in the core region. In this work, a nonlinear theory is developed for recently discovered ion temperature gradient trapped electron modes propagating in the electron diamagnetic direction. This instability is predicted to be linearly unstable for L Ti /R approx-lt κ θ ρ s approx-lt (L Ti /R) 1/4 . They are also found to be strongly dispersive even at these long wavelengths, thereby suggesting the importance of the wave-particle-wave interactions in the nonlinear saturation phase. The fluctuation spectrum and anomalous fluxes are calculated. In accordance with the trends observed in DIII-D, the predicted electron thermal diffusivity can be larger than the ion thermal diffusivity. 17 refs., 3 figs

Analytic energy gradients for orbital-optimized MP3 and MP2.5 with the density-fitting approximation: An efficient implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bozkaya, Uğur

2018-03-15

Efficient implementations of analytic gradients for the orbital-optimized MP3 and MP2.5 and their standard versions with the density-fitting approximation, which are denoted as DF-MP3, DF-MP2.5, DF-OMP3, and DF-OMP2.5, are presented. The DF-MP3, DF-MP2.5, DF-OMP3, and DF-OMP2.5 methods are applied to a set of alkanes and noncovalent interaction complexes to compare the computational cost with the conventional MP3, MP2.5, OMP3, and OMP2.5. Our results demonstrate that density-fitted perturbation theory (DF-MP) methods considered substantially reduce the computational cost compared to conventional MP methods. The efficiency of our DF-MP methods arise from the reduced input/output (I/O) time and the acceleration of gradient related terms, such as computations of particle density and generalized Fock matrices (PDMs and GFM), solution of the Z-vector equation, back-transformations of PDMs and GFM, and evaluation of analytic gradients in the atomic orbital basis. Further, application results show that errors introduced by the DF approach are negligible. Mean absolute errors for bond lengths of a molecular set, with the cc-pCVQZ basis set, is 0.0001-0.0002 Å. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Modeling chemical gradients in sediments under losing and gaining flow conditions: The GRADIENT code

Science.gov (United States)

Boano, Fulvio; De Falco, Natalie; Arnon, Shai

2018-02-01

Interfaces between sediments and water bodies often represent biochemical hotspots for nutrient reactions and are characterized by steep concentration gradients of different reactive solutes. Vertical profiles of these concentrations are routinely collected to obtain information on nutrient dynamics, and simple codes have been developed to analyze these profiles and determine the magnitude and distribution of reaction rates within sediments. However, existing publicly available codes do not consider the potential contribution of water flow in the sediments to nutrient transport, and their applications to field sites with significant water-borne nutrient fluxes may lead to large errors in the estimated reaction rates. To fill this gap, the present work presents GRADIENT, a novel algorithm to evaluate distributions of reaction rates from observed concentration profiles. GRADIENT is a Matlab code that extends a previously published framework to include the role of nutrient advection, and provides robust estimates of reaction rates in sediments with significant water flow. This work discusses the theoretical basis of the method and shows its performance by comparing the results to a series of synthetic data and to laboratory experiments. The results clearly show that in systems with losing or gaining fluxes, the inclusion of such fluxes is critical for estimating local and overall reaction rates in sediments.

An analysis of the gradient-induced electric fields and current densities in human models when situated in a hybrid MRI-LINAC system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Limei; Trakic, Adnan; Sanchez-Lopez, Hector; Liu, Feng; Crozier, Stuart

2014-01-01

MRI-LINAC is a new image-guided radiotherapy treatment system that combines magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a linear accelerator (LINAC) in a single unit. One drawback is that the pulsing of the split gradient coils of the system induces an electric field and currents in the patient which need to be predicted and evaluated for patient safety. In this novel numerical study the in situ electric fields and associated current densities were evaluated inside tissue-accurate male and female human voxel models when a number of different split-geometry gradient coils were operated. The body models were located in the MRI-LINAC system along the axial and radial directions in three different body positions. Each model had a region of interest (ROI) suitable for image-guided radiotherapy. The simulation results show that the amplitudes and distributions of the field and current density induced by different split x-gradient coils were similar with one another in the ROI of the body model, but varied outside of the region. The fields and current densities induced by a split classic coil with the surface unconnected showed the largest deviation from those given by the conventional non-split coils. Another finding indicated that the distributions of the peak current densities varied when the body position, orientation or gender changed, while the peak electric fields mainly occurred in the skin and fat tissues. (paper)

Density gradient localization of vanadate- and NO-3-sensitive ATPase from sterile cultures of Spirodela polyrrhiza (L. Schleiden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Józef Buczek

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The present work deals with the separation and some characteristics of ATPase activities bound with plant membanes prepared from sterile cultures of Spirodela polyrrhiza. The membrane-bound ATPases were separated on sucrose gradients and distinguished by membrane density and sensitivity to several inhibitors. The results showed that N0-3-sensitive ATPase activity associated with the tonoplast was localized at a sucrose density between 1.095-1.117 g•cm-3. The vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity bound with the plasma membrane showed a density between 1.127-1.151 g•cm-3. Both ATPases were insensitive to azide and oligomycin and were separable from markers for mitochondria.

Study of homogeneous bubble nucleation in liquid carbon dioxide by a hybrid approach combining molecular dynamics simulation and density gradient theory

Science.gov (United States)

Langenbach, K.; Heilig, M.; Horsch, M.; Hasse, H.

2018-03-01

A new method for predicting homogeneous bubble nucleation rates of pure compounds from vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data is presented. It combines molecular dynamics simulation on the one side with density gradient theory using an equation of state (EOS) on the other. The new method is applied here to predict bubble nucleation rates in metastable liquid carbon dioxide (CO2). The molecular model of CO2 is taken from previous work of our group. PC-SAFT is used as an EOS. The consistency between the molecular model and the EOS is achieved by adjusting the PC-SAFT parameters to VLE data obtained from the molecular model. The influence parameter of density gradient theory is fitted to the surface tension of the molecular model. Massively parallel molecular dynamics simulations are performed close to the spinodal to compute bubble nucleation rates. From these simulations, the kinetic prefactor of the hybrid nucleation theory is estimated, whereas the nucleation barrier is calculated from density gradient theory. This enables the extrapolation of molecular simulation data to the whole metastable range including technically relevant densities. The results are tested against available experimental data and found to be in good agreement. The new method does not suffer from typical deficiencies of classical nucleation theory concerning the thermodynamic barrier at the spinodal and the bubble size dependence of surface tension, which is typically neglected in classical nucleation theory. In addition, the density in the center of critical bubbles and their surface tension is determined as a function of their radius. The usual linear Tolman correction to the capillarity approximation is found to be invalid.

Study of homogeneous bubble nucleation in liquid carbon dioxide by a hybrid approach combining molecular dynamics simulation and density gradient theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Langenbach, K; Heilig, M; Horsch, M; Hasse, H

2018-03-28

A new method for predicting homogeneous bubble nucleation rates of pure compounds from vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data is presented. It combines molecular dynamics simulation on the one side with density gradient theory using an equation of state (EOS) on the other. The new method is applied here to predict bubble nucleation rates in metastable liquid carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The molecular model of CO 2 is taken from previous work of our group. PC-SAFT is used as an EOS. The consistency between the molecular model and the EOS is achieved by adjusting the PC-SAFT parameters to VLE data obtained from the molecular model. The influence parameter of density gradient theory is fitted to the surface tension of the molecular model. Massively parallel molecular dynamics simulations are performed close to the spinodal to compute bubble nucleation rates. From these simulations, the kinetic prefactor of the hybrid nucleation theory is estimated, whereas the nucleation barrier is calculated from density gradient theory. This enables the extrapolation of molecular simulation data to the whole metastable range including technically relevant densities. The results are tested against available experimental data and found to be in good agreement. The new method does not suffer from typical deficiencies of classical nucleation theory concerning the thermodynamic barrier at the spinodal and the bubble size dependence of surface tension, which is typically neglected in classical nucleation theory. In addition, the density in the center of critical bubbles and their surface tension is determined as a function of their radius. The usual linear Tolman correction to the capillarity approximation is found to be invalid.

Monotonous and oscillation instability of mechanical equilibrium of isothermal three-components mixture with zero-gradient density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhavrin, Yu.I.; Kosov, V.N.; Kul'zhanov, D.U.; Karataev, K.K.

2000-01-01

Presence of two types of instabilities of mechanical equilibrium of a mixture experimentally is shown at an isothermal diffusion of multicomponent system with zero gradient of density/ Theoretically is proved, that partial Rayleigh numbers R 1 , R 2 having different signs, there are two areas with monotonous (R 1 2 < by 0) instability. The experimental data confirm presence of these areas and satisfactory are described by the represented theory. (author)

Lithosphere density structure beneath the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas derived from GOCE gradients data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Honglei Li

2017-05-01

Full Text Available A three-dimensional density model of the crust and uppermost mantle is determined by the inversion of a set of GOCE gravity and gradients residual anomalies beneath the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas. In our work, we choose five independent gravity gradients (Txx, Tzz, Txy, Txz, Tyz to perform density inversion. Objective function is given based on Tikhonov regularization theory. Seismic S-wave velocities play the role of initial constraint for the inversion based on a relationship between density and S-wave velocity. Damped Least Square method is used during the inversion. The final density results offer some insights into understanding the underlying geodynamic processes: (1 Low densities in the margin of the Tibet, along with low wave velocity and resistivity results, yield conversions from soft and weak Tibet to the hard and rigid cratons. (2The lowest densities are found in the boundary of the plateau, instead of the whole Tibet indicates that the effects of extrusion stress environment in the margin affect the changes of the substance there. The substances and environments conditioning for the earthquake preparations and strong deformation in this transitional zone. (3 Evident low-D anomaly in the upper and middle crust in the Lasha terrane and Songpan-Ganzi terrane illustrated the eastward sub-ducted of southeastern Tibet, which could be accounts for the frequent volcano and earthquakes there.

Pancreatin-EDTA treatment affects buoyancy of cells in Cohn fraction V protein density gradients without residual effect on cell size.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheridan, J W; Simmons, R J

1983-12-01

The buoyancy of suspension-grown Mastocytoma P815 X-2 cells in albumin-rich Cohn fraction V protein (CFVP) density gradients was found to be affected by prior incubation of the cells in pancreatin-EDTA salt solution. Whereas in pH 5.2 CFVP, pancreatin-EDTA treated cells behaved as if of reduced density when compared with the control 'undigested' group, in pH 7.3 CFVP they behaved as if of increased density. By contrast, pancreatin-EDTA treatment had no effect on the buoyancy of mastocytoma cells in polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated colloidal silica (PVP-CS, Percoll T.M.) density gradients of either pH 5.2 or pH 7.3. As cell size determinations failed to reveal alterations in cell size either as a direct result of pancreatin-EDTA treatment or as a combined consequence of such treatment and exposure to CFVP either with or without centrifugation, a mechanism involving a change in cell density other than during the centrifugation process itself seems unlikely. Binding studies employing 125I-CFVP, although indicating that CFVP bound to cells at 4 degrees, failed to reveal a pancreatin-EDTA treatment-related difference in the avidity of this binding. Although the mechanism of the pancreatin-EDTA-induced buoyancy shift in CFVP remains obscure, the absence of such an effect in PVP-CS suggests that the latter cell separation solution may more accurately be used to determine cell density.

Characterization of the Navy Fan Channel-to-Lobe Transition: Geomorphology, Gradient, and Structure Imaged through High-Resolution AUV Bathymetry

Science.gov (United States)

Carvajal, C.; Paull, C. K.; Caress, D. W.; Anderson, K.; Lundsten, E. M.; Gwiazda, R.; Fildani, A.; Dykstra, M.; McGann, M.; Maier, K. L.; Herguera, J. C.

2016-12-01

Channel to lobe transition zones (CLTZ) are elusive sectors of the seafloor. They record complex interactions between sediment-gravity flows, flow confinement, and gradient that can result in contrasting geomorphologies. If present, structural controls can add additional intricacies. We illustrate such complexities in the Navy Fan CLTZ offshore California/Mexico using AUV-collected high-resolution (1x1x0.25 m) bathymetry and chirp profiles. The AUV bathymetry images the fine scale details of the seafloor, otherwise unresolved in surface-ship-mounted multibeam bathymetry. Three morphological areas standout that in a direction transverse to sediment transport are: 1) An unconfined area with variable but overall steep gradients (0.5o-1.7o), and considerable erosion shown by numerous large scours that truncate underlying strata. These scours are elongate (turbidity currents due to high gradients, which resulted from relief along the San Clemente Fault and probably from differential seafloor aggradation. In the moderate confinement area, the smoother and gentler seafloor may be related to more efficient sediment dispersal able to transfer/deposit sediment to heal structural relief (though not completely) while avoiding significant local aggradation, hence preventing major gradient build up. In the faulted area, the steep and prominent structure reroutes the sediments. The findings of this study have broad application to any seafloor areas with rapid changes of gradient.

Effect of stable-density stratification on counter gradient flux of a homogeneous shear flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lida, Oaki; Nagano, Yasutaka [Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya (Japan). Department of Mechanical Engineering

2007-01-15

We performed direct numerical simulations of homogeneous shear flow under stable-density stratification to study the buoyancy effects on the heat and momentum transfer. These numerical data were compared with those of a turbulent channel flow to investigate the similarity between the near-wall turbulence and the homogeneous shear flow. We also investigated the generation mechanism of the persistent CGFs (counter gradient fluxes) appearing at the higher wavenumbers of the cospectrum, and lasting over a long time without oscillation. Spatially, the persistent CGFs are associated with the longitudinal vortical structure, which is elongated in the streamwise direction and typically observed in both homogeneous shear flow and near-wall turbulence. The CGFs appear at both the top and bottom of this longitudinal vortical structure, and expand horizontally with an increase in the Richardson number. It was found that the production and turbulent-diffusion terms are responsible for the distribution of the Reynolds shear stress including the persistent CGFs. The buoyancy term, combined with the swirling motion of the vortex, contributes to expand the persistent CGF regions and decrease the down gradient fluxes. (author)

SDSS IV MaNGA - metallicity and nitrogen abundance gradients in local galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Belfiore, Francesco; Maiolino, Roberto; Tremonti, Christy; Sánchez, Sebastian F.; Bundy, Kevin; Bershady, Matthew; Westfall, Kyle; Lin, Lihwai; Drory, Niv; Boquien, Médéric; Thomas, Daniel; Brinkmann, Jonathan

2017-07-01

We study the gas phase metallicity (O/H) and nitrogen abundance gradients traced by star-forming regions in a representative sample of 550 nearby galaxies in the stellar mass range 109-1011.5 M⊙ with resolved spectroscopic data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory survey. Using strong-line ratio diagnostics (R23 and O3N2 for metallicity and N2O2 for N/O) and referencing to the effective (half-light) radius (Re), we find that the metallicity gradient steepens with stellar mass, lying roughly flat among galaxies with log (M⋆/M⊙) = 9.0 but exhibiting slopes as steep as -0.14 dex R_e^{-1} at log (M⋆/M⊙) = 10.5 (using R23, but equivalent results are obtained using O3N2). At higher masses, these slopes remain typical in the outer regions of our sample (R > 1.5Re), but a flattening is observed in the central regions (R 2.0Re), we detect a mild flattening of the metallicity gradient in stacked profiles, although with low significance. The N/O ratio gradient provides complementary constraints on the average chemical enrichment history. Unlike the oxygen abundance, the average N/O profiles do not flatten out in the central regions of massive galaxies. The metallicity and N/O profiles both depart significantly from an exponential form, suggesting a disconnect between chemical enrichment and stellar mass surface density on local scales. In the context of inside-out growth of discs, our findings suggest that central regions of massive galaxies today have evolved to an equilibrium metallicity, while the nitrogen abundance continues to increase as a consequence of delayed secondary nucleosynthetic production.

A comparison of density functional theory and coupled cluster methods for the calculation of electric dipole polarizability gradients of methane

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paidarová, Ivana; Sauer, Stephan P. A.

2012-01-01

We have compared the performance of density functional theory (DFT) using five different exchange-correlation functionals with four coupled cluster theory based wave function methods in the calculation of geometrical derivatives of the polarizability tensor of methane. The polarizability gradient...

Numerical Studies of Electron Acceleration Behind Self-Modulating Proton Beam in Plasma with a Density Gradient

CERN Document Server

Petrenko, A.; Sosedkin, A.

2016-01-01

Presently available high-energy proton beams in circular accelerators carry enough momentum to accelerate high-intensity electron and positron beams to the TeV energy scale over several hundred meters of the plasma with a density of about 1e15 1/cm^3. However, the plasma wavelength at this density is 100-1000 times shorter than the typical longitudinal size of the high-energy proton beam. Therefore the self-modulation instability (SMI) of a long (~10 cm) proton beam in the plasma should be used to create the train of micro-bunches which would then drive the plasma wake resonantly. Changing the plasma density profile offers a simple way to control the development of the SMI and the acceleration of particles during this process. We present simulations of the possible use of a plasma density gradient as a way to control the acceleration of the electron beam during the development of the SMI of a 400 GeV proton beam in a 10 m long plasma. This work is done in the context of the AWAKE project --- the proof-of-prin...

Theory of neoclassical resistivity-gradient-driven turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, O.J.; Diamond, P.H.; Hahm, T.S.

1988-12-01

It is shown that rippling instabilities can tap the density gradient expansion free energy source through the density dependence of the neoclassical resistivity. Linear analyses show that the region where neoclassical rippling modes are significantly excited extends from the edge of the plasma to the region where ν/sub *e/ ≤ 1. Since these modes are non-dispersive, diamagnetic effects are negligible in comparison to the nonlinear decorrelation rate at saturation. Thus, the relevant regime is the 'strong turbulence' regime. The turbulent radial diffusivities of the temperature and the density are obtained as eigenvalues of the renormalized eigenmode equations at steady state. The density gradient acts to enhance the level of turbulence, compared to that driven by the temperature gradient alone. The saturated turbulent state is characterized by: current decoupling, the breakdown of Boltzmann relation, a radial mode scale of density fluctuations exceeding that of temperature fluctuations, implying that density diffusivity exceeds temperature diffusivity, and that density fluctuation levels exceed temperature fluctuation levels. Magnetic fluctuation levels are negligible. 29 refs., 1 fig

Droplet and bubble nucleation modeled by density gradient theory – cubic equation of state versus saft model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hrubý Jan

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The study presents some preliminary results of the density gradient theory (GT combined with two different equations of state (EoS: the classical cubic equation by van der Waals and a recent approach based on the statistical associating fluid theory (SAFT, namely its perturbed-chain (PC modification. The results showed that the cubic EoS predicted for a given surface tension the density profile with a noticeable defect. Bulk densities predicted by the cubic EoS differed as much as by 100 % from the reference data. On the other hand, the PC-SAFT EoS provided accurate results for density profile and both bulk densities in the large range of temperatures. It has been shown that PC-SAFT is a promising tool for accurate modeling of nucleation using the GT. Besides the basic case of a planar phase interface, the spherical interface was analyzed to model a critical cluster occurring either for nucleation of droplets (condensation or bubbles (boiling, cavitation. However, the general solution for the spherical interface will require some more attention due to its numerical difficulty.

Anomalous spreading of a density front from an infinite continuous source in a concentration-dependent lattice gas automaton diffusion model

CERN Document Server

Kuentz, M

2003-01-01

A two-dimensional lattice gas automaton (LGA) is used for simulating concentration-dependent diffusion in a microscopically random heterogeneous structure. The heterogeneous medium is initialized at a low density rho sub 0 and then submitted to a steep concentration gradient by continuous injection of particles at a concentration rho sub 1 >rho sub 0 from a one-dimensional source to model spreading of a density front. Whereas the nonlinear diffusion equation generally used to describe concentration-dependent diffusion processes predicts a scaling law of the type phi = xt sup - sup 1 sup / sup 2 in one dimension, the spreading process is shown to deviate from the expected t sup 1 sup / sup 2 scaling. The time exponent is found to be larger than 1/2, i.e. diffusion of the density front is enhanced with respect to standard Fickian diffusion. It is also established that the anomalous time exponent decreases as time elapses: anomalous spreading is thus not a timescaling process. We demonstrate that occurrence of a...

Compensating effect of sap velocity for stand density leads to uniform hillslope-scale forest transpiration across a steep valley cross-section

Science.gov (United States)

Renner, Maik; Hassler, Sibylle; Blume, Theresa; Weiler, Markus; Hildebrandt, Anke; Guderle, Marcus; Schymanski, Stan; Kleidon, Axel

2016-04-01

Roberts (1983) found that forest transpiration is relatively uniform across different climatic conditions and suggested that forest transpiration is a conservative process compensating for environmental heterogeneity. Here we test this hypothesis at a steep valley cross-section composed of European Beech in the Attert basin in Luxemburg. We use sapflow, soil moisture, biometric and meteorological data from 6 sites along a transect to estimate site scale transpiration rates. Despite opposing hillslope orientation, different slope angles and forest stand structures, we estimated relatively similar transpiration responses to atmospheric demand and seasonal transpiration totals. This similarity is related to a negative correlation between sap velocity and site-average sapwood area. At the south facing sites with an old, even-aged stand structure and closed canopy layer, we observe significantly lower sap velocities but similar stand-average transpiration rates compared to the north-facing sites with open canopy structure, tall dominant trees and dense understorey. This suggests that plant hydraulic co-ordination allows for flexible responses to environmental conditions leading to similar transpiration rates close to the water and energy limits despite the apparent heterogeneity in exposition, stand density and soil moisture. References Roberts, J. (1983). Forest transpiration: A conservative hydrological process? Journal of Hydrology 66, 133-141.

Steep microbial boundstone-dominated plaform margins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kenter, J.A.M.; Harris, P.M.; Della Porta, G.P.

2005-01-01

Seaward progradation of several kilometers has been documented mostly for leeward margin low-angle carbonate slope systems with a dominant platform top sediment source. However, steep and high-relief margins fronting deep basins can also prograde and as such are somewhat perplexing. Characteristics

Comparative validation using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR and conventional PCR of bovine semen centrifuged in continuous density gradient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.V. Resende

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to determine the sperm enrichment with X-bearing spermatozoa, after one centrifugation in a Percoll or OptiPrep continuous density gradient, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR of sperm DNA and resultant in vitro-produced bovine embryos by PCR. Frozen/thawed sperm was layered on density gradients and the tubes were centrifuged. Supernatants were gently aspirated and the sperm recovered from the bottom of the tubes. Cleavage and blastocyst rates were determined through in vitro production of embryos and PCR was performed to identify the embryos' genetic sex. A difference in blastocyst rate was found in the Percoll treatment compared to OptiPrep (P<0.05. The percentage of female embryos in the Percoll and OptiPrep groups was 62.0% and 47.1%, respectively. These results were confirmed by qPCR of spermatozoa DNA and underestimation was seen only in the Percoll group. It was possible to sexing sperm using simple approach.

Mutual repression enhances the steepness and precision of gene expression boundaries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas R Sokolowski

Full Text Available Embryonic development is driven by spatial patterns of gene expression that determine the fate of each cell in the embryo. While gene expression is often highly erratic, embryonic development is usually exceedingly precise. In particular, gene expression boundaries are robust not only against intra-embryonic fluctuations such as noise in gene expression and protein diffusion, but also against embryo-to-embryo variations in the morphogen gradients, which provide positional information to the differentiating cells. How development is robust against intra- and inter-embryonic variations is not understood. A common motif in the gene regulation networks that control embryonic development is mutual repression between pairs of genes. To assess the role of mutual repression in the robust formation of gene expression patterns, we have performed large-scale stochastic simulations of a minimal model of two mutually repressing gap genes in Drosophila, hunchback (hb and knirps (kni. Our model includes not only mutual repression between hb and kni, but also the stochastic and cooperative activation of hb by the anterior morphogen Bicoid (Bcd and of kni by the posterior morphogen Caudal (Cad, as well as the diffusion of Hb and Kni between neighboring nuclei. Our analysis reveals that mutual repression can markedly increase the steepness and precision of the gap gene expression boundaries. In contrast to other mechanisms such as spatial averaging and cooperative gene activation, mutual repression thus allows for gene-expression boundaries that are both steep and precise. Moreover, mutual repression dramatically enhances their robustness against embryo-to-embryo variations in the morphogen levels. Finally, our simulations reveal that diffusion of the gap proteins plays a critical role not only in reducing the width of the gap gene expression boundaries via the mechanism of spatial averaging, but also in repairing patterning errors that could arise because of the

Autoradiography and density gradient separation of technetium-99m-Exametazime (HMPAO) labelled leucocytes reveals selectivity for eosinophils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Puncher, M.R.B. [Biological Lab., Univ. of Kent, Canterbury (United Kingdom); Blower, P.J. [Nuclear Medicine Dept., Kent and Canterbury Hospital (United Kingdom)

1994-11-01

Technetium-99m-Exametazime (HMPAO) is widely used for radiolabelling leucocytes for localization of infection. The subcellular distribution of radionuclide in the labelled cells and the distribution of radioactivity among the leucocyte population are incompletely understood. Frozen section autoradiography was used to determine quantitatively the distribution of {sup 99m}Tc in leucocytes labelled with {sup 99m}Tc-Exametazime. Sections of rapidly frozen suspensions of labelled leucocytes in plasma were autoradiographed on Ilford K2 emulsion and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Neutrophils, eosinophils and mononuclear cells were separated by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. Cell nuclei were isolated by a rapid cell-breakage and fractionation method. In a typical experiment mean grain densities [grains/100 {mu}m{sup 2} (ESD)] over cells were: eosinophils 31.2 (18.4), neutrophils 3.5 (3.5), mononuclear cells 4.2 (5.1). Mean grain numbers per cell (ESD) were: eosinophils 13 (6.8), neutrophils 1.3 (1.3), mononuclear cells 1.1 (1.3). These findings were confirmed by separation of labelled leucocytes on discontinuous density gradients. In four separation experiments, the mean activity-per-cell ratio for eosinophils to neutrophils was 10.1 (4.8):1, and for eosinophils to mononuclear cells, 14.1 (6.7):1. The subcellular distribution of the label was investigated using image analysis of autoradiographs and cell fractionation. This revealed no selectivity for nuclear or extranuclear compartments. It may be concluded that {sup 99m}Tc-Exametazime has strong selectivity for eosinophils over other leucocytes but no selectivity for nuclear/cytoplasmic compartments. (orig.)

The Inner Regions of Disk Galaxies: A Constant Baryonic Fraction?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lelli, Federico

For disk galaxies (spirals and irregulars), the inner circular-velocity gradient (inner steepness of the rotation curve) correlates with the central surface brightness with a slope of ~0.5. This implies that the central dynamical mass density scales almost linearly with the central baryonic density.

Observations of wave-induced pore pressure gradients and bed level response on a surf zone sandbar

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Dylan; Cox, Dan; Mieras, Ryan; Puleo, Jack A.; Hsu, Tian-Jian

2017-06-01

Horizontal and vertical pressure gradients may be important physical mechanisms contributing to onshore sediment transport beneath steep, near-breaking waves in the surf zone. A barred beach was constructed in a large-scale laboratory wave flume with a fixed profile containing a mobile sediment layer on the crest of the sandbar. Horizontal and vertical pore pressure gradients were obtained by finite differences of measurements from an array of pressure transducers buried within the upper several centimeters of the bed. Colocated observations of erosion depth were made during asymmetric wave trials with wave heights between 0.10 and 0.98 m, consistently resulting in onshore sheet flow sediment transport. The pore pressure gradient vector within the bed exhibited temporal rotations during each wave cycle, directed predominantly upward under the trough and then rapidly rotating onshore and downward as the wavefront passed. The magnitude of the pore pressure gradient during each phase of rotation was correlated with local wave steepness and relative depth. Momentary bed failures as deep as 20 grain diameters were coincident with sharp increases in the onshore-directed pore pressure gradients, but occurred at horizontal pressure gradients less than theoretical critical values for initiation of the motion for compact beds. An expression combining the effects of both horizontal and vertical pore pressure gradients with bed shear stress and soil stability is used to determine that failure of the bed is initiated at nonnegligible values of both forces.type="synopsis">type="main">Plain Language SummaryThe pressure gradient present within the seabed beneath breaking waves may be an important physical mechanism transporting sediment. A large-scale laboratory was used to replicate realistic surfzone conditions in controlled tests, allowing for horizontal and vertical pressure gradient magnitudes and the resulting sediment bed response to be observed with precise instruments

Study of Streamers in Gradient Density Air: Table Top Modeling of Red Sprites

Science.gov (United States)

Opaits, D. F.; Shneider, M. N.; Howard, P. J.; Miles, R. B.; Milikh, G. M.

2009-12-01

Sprites and blue jets develop in the upper atmosphere where ambient density changes drastically over their lengths. Theoretical analysis of Red Sprites [1] and Blue Jets [2,3] are based on the streamer tip parameters’ functional dependence on a local gas density N(h). At the moment there is a lack of experimental data for streamer propagation in a non-uniform ambient gas density. Small scale experiments in controllable conditions are important for validation of analytical models as well as numerical simulations, which can be used for the investigation of real scale plasma phenomena that develop above thunderclouds. Controllable, non-uniform gas density can be achieved in laboratory conditions in super sonic nozzles, fast centrifuges or gas filled tubes with a non-uniform temperature distribution along the axis. The latter approach was used in the present work. A quartz tube, approximately one foot in length, was filled with air at different pressures. A density gradient was created by heating up the top of the tube while keeping the bottom at room temperature. The discharge was initiated by applying a high voltage pulse to a pin electrode at the top of the tube while a flat electrode was grounded at the bottom. Similar to Red Sprites, the streamer propagates downwards into a region of higher density and stops before reaching the lower electrode while the top electrode remains under high potential. This work will present results of streamer propagation at different pressures and voltages. Measurements of current-voltage characteristics as well as integral images will be presented. 1. Y. P.Raizer, G. M. Milikh, M. N. Shneider, and S. V. Novakovski (1998), J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 31, 3255-3264. 2. Y. P.Raizer, G. M. Milikh, and M. N. Shneider (2006), Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L23801 3. Y .P.Raizer, G. M. Milikh, and M. N. Shneider (2007), J. Atmos. & Solat-Terr. Phys, 69, 925-938

Percent Agricultural Land Cover on Steep Slopes

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Clearing land for agriculture tends to increase soil erosion. The amount of erosion is related to the steepness of the slope, farming methods used and soil type....

A substrate independent approach for generation of surface gradients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goreham, Renee V. [Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes 5095 (Australia); Mierczynska, Agnieszka; Pierce, Madelene [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes 5095 (Australia); Short, Robert D.; Taheri, Shima; Bachhuka, Akash; Cavallaro, Alex; Smith, Louise E. [Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes 5095 (Australia); Vasilev, Krasimir, E-mail: krasimir.vasilev@unisa.edu.au [Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes 5095 (Australia)

2013-01-01

Recently, surface gradients have attracted significant interest for various research and technological applications. In this paper, we report a facile and versatile method for generating surface gradients of immobilized nanoparticles, nanotopography and ligands that is independent from the substrate material. The method consists of first depositing a functional polymer layer on a substrate and subsequent time controlled immersion of this functionalized substrate in solution gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) or poly (styrenesulfonate) (PSS). Chemical characterization by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and morphological analysis by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) show that the density of nanoparticles and the concentration of PSS across the surface increases in a gradient manner. As expected, time of immersion determines the concentration of surface bound species. We also demonstrate the generation of surface gradients of pure nanotopography. This is achieved by depositing a 5 nm thick plasma polymer layer on top of the number density gradient of nanoparticles to achieve a homogeneous surface chemistry. The surface independent approach for generation of surface gradients presented in this paper may open opportunities for a wider use of surface gradient in research and in various technologies. - Highlights: ► We present a substrate independent approach for generation of surface gradients. ► We demonstrate well-defined density gradients of gold and silver nanoparticles. ► We provide an example of pure surface nanotopography gradients. ► We demonstrate concentration gradients of bound ligands.

A substrate independent approach for generation of surface gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goreham, Renee V.; Mierczynska, Agnieszka; Pierce, Madelene; Short, Robert D.; Taheri, Shima; Bachhuka, Akash; Cavallaro, Alex; Smith, Louise E.; Vasilev, Krasimir

2013-01-01

Recently, surface gradients have attracted significant interest for various research and technological applications. In this paper, we report a facile and versatile method for generating surface gradients of immobilized nanoparticles, nanotopography and ligands that is independent from the substrate material. The method consists of first depositing a functional polymer layer on a substrate and subsequent time controlled immersion of this functionalized substrate in solution gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) or poly (styrenesulfonate) (PSS). Chemical characterization by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and morphological analysis by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) show that the density of nanoparticles and the concentration of PSS across the surface increases in a gradient manner. As expected, time of immersion determines the concentration of surface bound species. We also demonstrate the generation of surface gradients of pure nanotopography. This is achieved by depositing a 5 nm thick plasma polymer layer on top of the number density gradient of nanoparticles to achieve a homogeneous surface chemistry. The surface independent approach for generation of surface gradients presented in this paper may open opportunities for a wider use of surface gradient in research and in various technologies. - Highlights: ► We present a substrate independent approach for generation of surface gradients. ► We demonstrate well-defined density gradients of gold and silver nanoparticles. ► We provide an example of pure surface nanotopography gradients. ► We demonstrate concentration gradients of bound ligands

Density limit and cross-field edge transport scaling in Alcator C-Mod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LaBombard, B.

2002-01-01

Experiments in Alcator C-Mod have uncovered a direct link between the character and scaling of edge transport and the empirical Greenwald density limit (n G ). In low to moderate density discharges, the scrape-off layer (SOL) exhibits a two-layer structure: a near SOL (∼5 mm zone) with steep density and temperature gradients and a far SOL with flatter profiles. In the far SOL, the transport fluxes exhibit large transport events ('bursts' which carry particles to main-chamber structures. In the near SOL, transport fluxes appear to be less 'bursty' particle diffusivities in this region is found to increase strongly with local plasma collisionality. As n/n G (or collisionality) is raised, cross-field heat convection begins to compete with parallel conduction to the divertor. At N/n G ∼0.5, T E at the separatrix is reduced. As n/n G approaches ∼1, regions inside the separatrix exhibit flatter profiles with 'bursty' transport behavior; cross-field heat convection to main-chamber structures becomes comparable to the radiated power. Thus as n/n G is increased, cross-field edge transport physics progressively changes, ultimately impacting the power balance of the discharge near N/n G ∼1. (author)

An Experiment Using Sucrose Density Gradients in the Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Turchi, Sandra L.; Weiss, Monica

1988-01-01

Describes an experiment to be performed in an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory that is based on a gradient centrifugation system employing a simple bench top centrifuge, a freezer, and frozen surcose gradient solution to separate macromolecules and subcellular components. (CW)

Bacteria are not too small for spatial sensing of chemical gradients: An experimental evidence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thar, Roland; Kühl, Michael

2003-01-01

By analyzing the chemotactic behavior of a recently described marine bacterial species, we provide experimental evidence that bacteria are not too small for sensing chemical gradients spatially. The bipolar flagellated vibrioid bacteria (typical size 2 × 6 µm) exhibit a unique motility pattern...... as they translate along as well as rotate around their short axis, i.e., the pathways of the cell poles describe a double helix. The natural habitat of the bacteria is characterized by steep oxygen gradients where they accumulate in a band at their preferred oxygen concentration of ˜2 µM. Single cells leaving...... the band toward the oxic region typically return to the band within 16 s following a U-shaped track. A detailed analysis of the tracks reveals that the cells must be able to sense the oxygen gradient perpendicular to their swimming direction. Thus, they can detect oxygen gradients along a distance of ˜5 µm...

Evaluation of the impact of density gradient centrifugation on fetal cell loss during enrichment from maternal peripheral blood.

Science.gov (United States)

Emad, Ahmed; Drouin, Régen

2014-09-01

Physical separation by density gradient centrifugation (DGC) is usually used as an initial step of multistep enrichment protocols for purification of fetal cells (FCs) from maternal blood. Many protocols were designed but no single approach was efficient enough to provide noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Procedures and methods were difficult to compare because of the nonuniformity of protocols among different groups. Recovery of FCs is jeopardized by their loss during the process of enrichment. Any loss of FCs must be minimized because of the multiplicative effect of each step of the enrichment process. The main objective of this study was to evaluate FC loss caused by DGC. Fetal cells were quantified in peripheral blood samples obtained from both euploid and aneuploid pregnancies before and after enrichment by buoyant DGC using Histopaque 1.119 g/mL. Density gradient centrifugation results in major loss of 60% to 80% of rare FCs, which may further complicate subsequent enrichment procedures. Eliminating aggressive manipulations can significantly minimize FC loss. Data obtained raise questions about the appropriateness of the DGC step for the enrichment of rare FCs and argues for the use of the alternative nonaggressive version of the procedure presented here or prioritizing other methods of enrichments. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Three gradients and the perception of flat and curved surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutting, J E; Millard, R T

1984-06-01

Researchers of visual perception have long been interested in the perceived slant of a surface and in the gradients that purportedly specify it. Slant is the angle between the line of sight and the tangent to the planar surface at any point, also called the surface normal. Gradients are the sources of information that grade, or change, with visual angle as one looks from one's feet upward to the horizon. The present article explores three gradients--perspective, compression, and density--and the phenomenal impression of flat and curved surfaces. The perspective gradient is measured at right angles to the axis of tilt at any point in the optic array; that is, when looking down a hallway at the tiles of a floor receding in the distance, perspective is measured by the x-axis width of each tile projected on the image plane orthogonal to the line of sight. The compression gradient is the ratio of y/x axis measures on the projected plane. The density gradient is measured by the number of tiles per unit solid visual angle. For flat surfaces and many others, perspective and compression gradients decrease with distance, and the density gradient increases. We discuss the manner in which these gradients change for various types of surfaces. Each gradient is founded on a different assumption about textures on the surfaces around us. In Experiment 1, viewers assessed the three-dimensional character of projections of flat and curved surfaces receding in the distance. They made pairwise judgments of preference and of dissimilarity among eight stimuli in each of four sets. The presence of each gradient was manipulated orthogonally such that each stimulus had zero, one, two, or three gradients appropriate for either a flat surface or a curved surface. Judgments were made were made for surfaces with both regularly shaped and irregularly shaped textures scattered on them. All viewer assessment were then scaled in one dimension. Multiple correlation and regression on the scale values

Edge gradient and safety factor effects on electrostatic turbulent transport in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan, Ing Hwie.

1992-05-01

Electrostatic turbulence and transport measurements are performed on the Tokapole-II tokamak at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as the safety-factor and the edge equilibrium gradients and varied substantially. Tokapole-II is a poloidal divertor tokamak capable of operating at a wide range of safety factors due to its unique magnetic limiter configuration. It also has retractable material limiters in a large scrape-off region, which permits the study of edge boundary conditions like density and temperature gradients. The turbulence is independent of safety factor, but strongly sensitive to the local density gradient, which itself depends upon the limiter configuration. When a material limiter is inserted in a high discharge, the density gradient is increased locally together with a local increase of the turbulence. On the other hand, limiter insertion in low discharges did not increase the density gradient as much and the turbulence properties are unchanged with respect to the magnetic limiter case. It is conducted then, that electrostatic turbulence is caused by the density gradient. Although the electrostatic fluctuation driven transport is enhanced in the large density gradient case, it is in all cases to small to explain the observed energy confinement times. To explore instabilities with small wavelengths, a 0.5 mm diameter shperical Langmuir probe was constructed, and its power compared with the power measured by larger cylindrical probes

Does perceived steepness deter stair climbing when an alternative is available?

Science.gov (United States)

Eves, Frank F; Thorpe, Susannah K S; Lewis, Amanda; Taylor-Covill, Guy A H

2014-06-01

Perception of hill slant is exaggerated in explicit awareness. Proffitt (Perspectives on Psychological Science 1:110-122, 2006) argued that explicit perception of the slant of a climb allows individuals to plan locomotion in keeping with their available locomotor resources, yet no behavioral evidence supports this contention. Pedestrians in a built environment can often avoid climbing stairs, the man-made equivalent of steep hills, by choosing an adjacent escalator. Stair climbing is avoided more by women, the old, and the overweight than by their comparators. Two studies tested perceived steepness of the stairs as a cue that promotes this avoidance. In the first study, participants estimated the steepness of a staircase in a train station (n = 269). Sex, age, height, and weight were recorded. Women, older individuals, and those who were heavier and shorter reported the staircase as steeper than did their comparison groups. In a follow-up study in a shopping mall, pedestrians were recruited from those who chose the stairs and those who avoided them, with the samples stratified for sex, age, and weight status. Participants (n = 229) estimated the steepness of a life-sized image of the stairs they had just encountered, presented on the wall of a vacant shop in the mall. Pedestrians who avoided stair climbing by choosing the escalator reported the stairs as steeper even when demographic differences were controlled. Perceived steepness may to be a contextual cue that pedestrians use to avoid stair climbing when an alternative is available.

Distribution and stability of potential salmonid spawning gravels in steep boulder-bed streams of the eastern Sierra Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondolf, G.M.; Cada, G.F.; Sale, M.J.; Felando, T.

1991-01-01

Interest in small hydroelectric development (< 5 MW) has recently focused attention on steep streams and the resident trout populations they contain. High-gradient boulder-bed streams have been the sites of relatively few studies of salmonid spawning habitat, although they have geomorphic and hydraulic characteristics - and therefore gravel distributions - that are quite different from the more commonly described lower-gradient channels. The authors documented gravel distribution in seven high-gradient stream reaches in the eastern Sierra Nevada. Gravels occurred only in locations characterized by relatively low shear stress; they formed small pockets in sites of low divergence and larger deposits upstream of natural hydraulic controls. In 1986 (a wet year), all tracer gravels placed in gravel pockets at nine sites on four streams were completely swept away, and substantial scour, fill, and other channel changes occurred at many sites. In 1987 (a dry year), tracer gravels and the channel cross sections were generally stable. Periodic mobility of gravel may explain why brown trout Salmo trutta are more abundant than rainbow trout Oncorhychus mykiss in the study reaches, where high flows occur every May and June during snowmelt. Brown trout are fall spawners, and their fry emerge long before the high snowmelt flows, whereas rainbow trout are spring spawners whose eggs are in the gravel, and thus vulnerable to scour, during snowmelt flows

Role of the current density profile on drift wave stability in internal transport barrier reversed magnetic shear experiments at JET and Tore Supra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fourment, C; Hoang, G T; Eriksson, L-G; Garbet, X; Litaudon, X; Tresset, G [EURATOM-CEA Association, CEA/DSM/DRFC, CEA Cadarache, 13108 St Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2003-03-01

The role of the current density profile on drift wave stability is investigated using a linear electrostatic gyro-kinetic code. The growth rates are shown to have a linear dependence on the normalized temperature gradients above a certain threshold. A parametric study of the threshold shows a dramatic stabilizing effect of negative magnetic shear, especially for large scale instabilities. A set of handy formulae fitting the threshold as a function of the magnetic shear and the safety factor is proposed. Analysis of reversed magnetic shear discharges with internal transport barrier (ITB) in JET shows that ion ITBs can be triggered by the negative magnetic shear in the core of the plasma. Subsequently, the increase of the ExB shearing rate allows for the expansion of the ITB, despite the increase of the linear growth rates due to the temperature gradient peaking. In the case of the electron ITB obtained in the Tore Supra LHEP mode, the central increase of the confinement is associated with the stabilization of large scale trapped electron modes by the negative magnetic shear effect, whereas the steep electron temperature gradient destabilizes the small scale electron temperature gradient modes, which prevent the electron heat transport to reach neoclassical levels.

Development of gradient-corrected exchange-correlation functionals in the density functional theory; Developpement de fonctionnelles corrigees du gradient en theorie de la fonctionnelle de la densite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lembarki, A.

1994-12-01

In this work, we have developed some gradient-corrected exchange-correlation functionals. This study is in keeping with the density functional theory (DFT) formalism. In the first part of this memory, a description of Hartree-Fock (HF), post-HF and density functional theories is given. The second part is devoted the study the different approximations of DFT exchange-correlation functionals which have been proposed in the last years. In particular, we have underlined the approximations used for the construction of these functionals. The third part of this memory consists in the development of new gradient-corrected functionals. In this study, we have established a new relation between exchange energy, correlation energy and kinetic energy. We have deduced two new possible forms of exchange or correlation functionals, respectively. In the fourth part, we have studied the exchange potential, for which the actual formulation does not satisfy some theoretical conditions, such as the asymptotic behavior -1/r. Our contribution lies in the development of an exchange potential with a correct asymptotic -1/r behavior for large values of r. In this chapter, we have proposed a model which permits the obtention of the exchange energy from the exchange potential, using the virial theorem. The fifth part of this memory is devoted the application of these different functionals to simple systems (H{sub 2}O, CO, N{sub 2}O, H{sub 3}{sup +} and H{sub 5}{sup +}) in order to characterize the performance of DFT calculations in regards to those obtained with post-HF methods. (author). 215 refs., 8 figs., 28 tabs.

Interrill soil erosion processes on steep slopes

Science.gov (United States)

To date interrill erosion processes and regimes are not fully understood. The objectives are to 1) identify the erosion regimes and limiting processes between detachment and transport on steep slopes, 2) characterize the interactive effects between rainfall intensity and flow depth on sediment trans...

Insect density-plant density relationships: a modified view of insect responses to resource concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Petter; Löfstedt, Christer; Hambäck, Peter A

2013-12-01

Habitat area is an important predictor of spatial variation in animal densities. However, the area often correlates with the quantity of resources within habitats, complicating our understanding of the factors shaping animal distributions. We addressed this problem by investigating densities of insect herbivores in habitat patches with a constant area but varying numbers of plants. Using a mathematical model, predictions of scale-dependent immigration and emigration rates for insects into patches with different densities of host plants were derived. Moreover, a field experiment was conducted where the scaling properties of odour-mediated attraction in relation to the number of odour sources were estimated, in order to derive a prediction of immigration rates of olfactory searchers. The theoretical model predicted that we should expect immigration rates of contact and visual searchers to be determined by patch area, with a steep scaling coefficient, μ = -1. The field experiment suggested that olfactory searchers should show a less steep scaling coefficient, with μ ≈ -0.5. A parameter estimation and analysis of published data revealed a correspondence between observations and predictions, and density-variation among groups could largely be explained by search behaviour. Aphids showed scaling coefficients corresponding to the prediction for contact/visual searchers, whereas moths, flies and beetles corresponded to the prediction for olfactory searchers. As density responses varied considerably among groups, and variation could be explained by a certain trait, we conclude that a general theory of insect responses to habitat heterogeneity should be based on shared traits, rather than a general prediction for all species.

THE NUMBER DENSITY AND MASS DENSITY OF STAR-FORMING AND QUIESCENT GALAXIES AT 0.4 ≤ z ≤ 2.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brammer, Gabriel B.; Whitaker, K. E.; Van Dokkum, P. G.; Lee, K.-S.; Muzzin, A.; Marchesini, D.; Franx, M.; Kriek, M.; Labbe, I.; Quadri, R. F.; Williams, R.; Rudnick, G.

2011-01-01

We study the buildup of the bimodal galaxy population using the NEWFIRM Medium-Band Survey, which provides excellent redshifts and well-sampled spectral energy distributions of ∼27, 000 galaxies with K 3 x 10 10 M sun increases by a factor of ∼10 from z ∼ 2 to the present day, whereas the mass density in star-forming galaxies is flat or decreases over the same time period. Modest mass growth by a factor of ∼2 of individual quiescent galaxies can explain roughly half of the strong density evolution at masses >10 11 M sun , due to the steepness of the exponential tail of the mass function. The rest of the density evolution of massive, quiescent galaxies is likely due to transformation (e.g., quenching) of the massive star-forming population, a conclusion which is consistent with the density evolution we observe for the star-forming galaxies themselves, which is flat or decreasing with cosmic time. Modest mass growth does not explain the evolution of less massive quiescent galaxies (∼10 10.5 M sun ), which show a similarly steep increase in their number densities. The less massive quiescent galaxies are therefore continuously formed by transforming galaxies from the star-forming population.

Hydraulic properties for interrill erosion on steep slopes using a portable rainfall simulator

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Seung Sook; Hwang, Yoonhee; Deog Park, Sang; Yun, Minu; Park, Sangyeon

2017-04-01

The hydraulic parameters for sheet flow on steep slopes have been not frequently measured because the shallow flow depth and slow flow velocity are difficult to measure. In this study hydraulic values of sheet flow were analyzed to evaluate interrill erosion on steep slopes. A portable rainfall simulator was used to conduct interrill erosion test. The kinetic energy of rainfall simulator was obtained by disdrometer being capable of measuring the drop size distribution and velocity of falling raindrops. The sheet flow velocity was determined by the taken time for a dye transferring fixed points using video images. Surface runoff discharge and sediment yield increased with increase of rainfall intensity and kinetic energy and slope steepness. Especially sediment yield was strongly correlated with sheet flow velocity. The maximum velocity of sheet flow was 2.3cm/s under rainfall intensity of 126.8mm/h and slope steepness of 53.2%. The sheet flow was laminar and subcritical flow as the flow Reynolds number and Froude number are respectively the ranges of 10 22 and 0.05 0.25. The roughness coefficient (Manning's n) for sheet flow on steep slopes was relatively large compared to them on the gentle slope. Keywords: Sheet flow velocity; Rainfall simulator; Interrill erosion; Steep slope This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIP) (No. 2015R1C1A2A01055469).

30 CFR 785.15 - Steep slope mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Steep slope mining. 785.15 Section 785.15 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS PERMITS AND COAL EXPLORATION SYSTEMS UNDER REGULATORY PROGRAMS...

Percent Agricultural Land Cover on Steep Slopes (Future)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Clearing land for agriculture tends to increase soil erosion. The amount of erosion is related to the steepness of the slope, farming methods used and soil type....

Rock burst prevention at steep seam mining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Efremov, G D

1988-09-01

At steep shield longwalls one method of preventing rock bursts is to avoid sharp angles during working. Stress in coal and rock body that appears when steep seams are worked where rock bursts occur at corners of set-up entries is discussed. The dynamic interaction between gas and rock pressure is assessed. Maintains that in order to avoid rock bursts at these places it is necessary to turn the protruding coal wall by 20-30 degrees towards the coal body to divert the action of shift forces. At the same time the face should also be inclined (by 10-15 degrees) to move the zones of increased stress away from the corner into the coal and rock body. Stress at workings with round cross-sections is 3-4 times lower than at square cross-sections. Recommendations are given that concern shearer loader operation (semi-spherical shape of the face), borehole drilling and water injection. Initial distance of 10-15 m between boreholes is suggested. 3 refs.

High Resolution Studies Of Lensed z ∼ 2 Galaxies: Kinematics And Metal Gradients

Science.gov (United States)

Leethochawalit, Nicha

2016-09-01

We use the OSIRIS integral field unit (IFU) spectograph to secure spatially-resolved strong emission lines of 15 gravitationally-lensed star-forming galaxies at redshift z ∼ 2. With the aid of gravitational lensing and Keck laser-assisted adaptive optics, the spatial resolution of these sub-luminous galaxies is at a few hundred parsecs. First, we demonstrate that high spatial resolution is crucial in diagnosing the kinematic properties and dynamical maturity of z ∼ 2 galaxies. We observe a significantly lower fraction of rotationally-supported systems than what has been claimed in lower spatial resolution surveys. Second, we find a much larger fraction of z ∼ 2 galaxies with weak metallicity gradients, contrary to the simple picture suggested by earlier studies that well-ordered rotation develops concurrently with established steep metal gradients in all but merging systems. Comparing our observations with the predictions of hydronamical simulations, strong feedback is likely to play a key role in flattening metal gradients in early star-forming galaxies.

Challenges of Microgrids in Remote Communities: A STEEP Model Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Akinyele

2018-02-01

Full Text Available There is a growing interest in the application of microgrids around the world because of their potential for achieving a flexible, reliable, efficient and smart electrical grid system and supplying energy to off-grid communities, including their economic benefits. Several research studies have examined the application issues of microgrids. However, a lack of in-depth considerations for the enabling planning conditions has been identified as a major reason why microgrids fail in several off-grid communities. This development requires research efforts that consider better strategies and framework for sustainable microgrids in remote communities. This paper first presents a comprehensive review of microgrid technologies and their applications. It then proposes the STEEP model to examine critically the failure factors based on the social, technical, economic, environmental and policy (STEEP perspectives. The model details the key dimensions and actions necessary for addressing the challenge of microgrid failure in remote communities. The study uses remote communities within Nigeria, West Africa, as case studies and demonstrates the need for the STEEP approach for better understanding of microgrid planning and development. Better insights into microgrid systems are expected to address the drawbacks and improve the situation that can lead to widespread and sustainable applications in off-grid communities around the world in the future. The paper introduces the sustainable planning framework (SPF based on the STEEP model, which can form a general basis for planning microgrids in any remote location.

Gram-scale fractionation of nanodiamonds by density gradient ultracentrifugation

KAUST Repository

Peng, Wei

2013-01-01

Size is a defining characteristic of nanoparticles; it influences their optical and electronic properties as well as their interactions with molecules and macromolecules. Producing nanoparticles with narrow size distributions remains one of the main challenges to their utilization. At this time, the number of practical approaches to optimize the size distribution of nanoparticles in many interesting materials systems, including diamond nanocrystals, remains limited. Diamond nanocrystals synthesized by detonation protocols-so-called detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs)-are promising systems for drug delivery, photonics, and composites. DNDs are composed of primary particles with diameters mainly <10 nm and their aggregates (ca. 10-500 nm). Here, we introduce a large-scale approach to rate-zonal density gradient ultracentrifugation to obtain monodispersed fractions of nanoparticles in high yields. We use this method to fractionate a highly concentrated and stable aqueous solution of DNDs and to investigate the size distribution of various fractions by dynamic light scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation, transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. This fractionation method enabled us to separate gram-scale amounts of DNDs into several size ranges within a relatively short period of time. In addition, the high product yields obtained for each fraction allowed us to apply the fractionation method iteratively to a particular size range of particles and to collect various fractions of highly monodispersed primary particles. Our method paves the way for in-depth studies of the physical and optical properties, growth, and aggregation mechanism of DNDs. Applications requiring DNDs with specific particle or aggregate sizes are now within reach. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Temperature Gradients on the Cell Wall in the Critical Viscosity Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Robert F.; Moldover, Michael R.

1993-01-01

Because of the diverging susceptibility delta rho/delta Tau near the liquid-vapor critical point, temperature gradients must be kept small to maintain adequate sample homogeneity. In our Science Requirements Document we paid particular attention to radial density gradients caused by equilibration of the xenon sample. Axial density gradients were addressed through the requirement that the cell's copper wall have a gradient less than 22 microK/m. This report re-examines the cell wall's temperature distribution in more detail by estimating all known significant contributions to temperature differences on the cell's wall.

MERLIN observations of steep-spectrum radio sources at 6 cm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akujor, C.E.; Zhang, F.J.; Fanti, C.

1991-01-01

We present high-resolution observations of steep-spectrum radio sources made with MERLIN at 5 GHz. Thirty-one objects, comprising 11 quasars and 20 galaxies, most of them being 'Compact Steep-Spectrum' sources (CSSs), have been mapped with resolutions from 80 to 150 mas. This completes the current series of observations of CSS sources made with MERLIN at 5 GHz. We find that the majority of the quasars have complex structures, while galaxies tend to have double or triple structures, consistent with other recent studies of CSSs. (author)

Steep cut slope composting : field trials and evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-01

Three different depths of compost and five compost retention techniques were tested to determine : their efficacy and cost effectiveness for increasing the establishment of native grass seedings and decreasing : erosion on steep roadside cut slopes i...

Derivation of the threshold condition for the ion temperature gradient mode with an inverted density profile from a simple physics picture

Science.gov (United States)

Jhang, Hogun

2018-05-01

We show that the threshold condition for the toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode with an inverted density profile can be derived from a simple physics argument. The key in this picture is that the density inversion reduces the ion compression due to the ITG mode and the electron drift motion mitigates the poloidal potential build-up. This condition reproduces the same result that has been reported from a linear gyrokinetic calculation [T. S. Hahm and W. M. Tang, Phys. Fluids B 1, 1185 (1989)]. The destabilizing role of trapped electrons in toroidal geometry is easily captured in this picture.

Threatened species richness along a Himalayan elevational gradient: quantifying the influences of human population density, range size, and geometric constraints.

Science.gov (United States)

Paudel, Prakash Kumar; Sipos, Jan; Brodie, Jedediah F

2018-02-07

A crucial step in conserving biodiversity is to identify the distributions of threatened species and the factors associated with species threat status. In the biodiversity hotspot of the Himalaya, very little is known about which locations harbour the highest diversity of threatened species and whether diversity of such species is related to area, mid-domain effects (MDE), range size, or human density. In this study, we assessed the drivers of variation in richness of threatened birds, mammals, reptiles, actinopterygii, and amphibians along an elevational gradient in Nepal Himalaya. Although geometric constraints (MDE), species range size, and human population density were significantly related to threatened species richness, the interaction between range size and human population density was of greater importance. Threatened species richness was positively associated with human population density and negatively associated with range size. In areas with high richness of threatened species, species ranges tend to be small. The preponderance of species at risk of extinction at low elevations in the subtropical biodiversity hotspot could be due to the double impact of smaller range sizes and higher human density.

Impact of Ficoll density gradient centrifugation on major and trace element concentrations in erythrocytes and blood plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Ying; Ahmed, Sultan; Harari, Florencia; Vahter, Marie

2015-01-01

Ficoll density gradient centrifugation is widely used to separate cellular components of human blood. We evaluated the suitability to use erythrocytes and blood plasma obtained from Ficoll centrifugation for assessment of elemental concentrations. We determined 22 elements (from Li to U) in erythrocytes and blood plasma separated by direct or Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Compared with erythrocytes and blood plasma separated by direct centrifugation, those separated by Ficoll had highly elevated iodine and Ba concentration, due to the contamination from the Ficoll-Paque medium, and about twice as high concentrations of Sr and Mo in erythrocytes. On the other hand, the concentrations of Ca in erythrocytes and plasma were markedly reduced by the Ficoll separation, to some extent also Li, Co, Cu, and U. The reduced concentrations were probably due to EDTA, a chelator present in the Ficoll medium. Arsenic concentrations seemed to be lowered by Ficoll, probably in a species-specific manner. The concentrations of Mg, P, S, K, Fe, Zn, Se, Rb, and Cs were not affected in the erythrocytes, but decreased in plasma. Concentrations of Mn, Cd, and Pb were not affected in erythrocytes, but in plasma affected by EDTA and/or pre-analytical contamination. Ficoll separation changed the concentrations of Li, Ca, Co, Cu, As, Mo, I, Ba, and U in erythrocytes and blood plasma, Sr in erythrocytes, and Mg, P, S, K, Fe, Zn, Se, Rb and Cs in blood plasma, to an extent that will invalidate evaluation of deficiencies or excess intakes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Tripolar vortex formation in dense quantum plasma with ion-temperature-gradients

Science.gov (United States)

Qamar, Anisa; Ata-ur-Rahman, Mirza, Arshad M.

2012-05-01

We have derived system of nonlinear equations governing the dynamics of low-frequency electrostatic toroidal ion-temperature-gradient mode for dense quantum magnetoplasma. For some specific profiles of the equilibrium density, temperature, and ion velocity gradients, the nonlinear equations admit a stationary solution in the form of a tripolar vortex. These results are relevant to understand nonlinear structure formation in dense quantum plasmas in the presence of equilibrium ion-temperature and density gradients.

Tripolar vortex formation in dense quantum plasma with ion-temperature-gradients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qamar, Anisa; Ata-ur-Rahman [Institute of Physics and Electronics, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa 25000 (Pakistan); National Center for Physics Shahdrah Valley Road, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Mirza, Arshad M. [Theoretical Plasma Physics Group, Physics Department, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320 (Pakistan)

2012-05-15

We have derived system of nonlinear equations governing the dynamics of low-frequency electrostatic toroidal ion-temperature-gradient mode for dense quantum magnetoplasma. For some specific profiles of the equilibrium density, temperature, and ion velocity gradients, the nonlinear equations admit a stationary solution in the form of a tripolar vortex. These results are relevant to understand nonlinear structure formation in dense quantum plasmas in the presence of equilibrium ion-temperature and density gradients.

Tripolar vortex formation in dense quantum plasma with ion-temperature-gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qamar, Anisa; Ata-ur-Rahman; Mirza, Arshad M.

2012-01-01

We have derived system of nonlinear equations governing the dynamics of low-frequency electrostatic toroidal ion-temperature-gradient mode for dense quantum magnetoplasma. For some specific profiles of the equilibrium density, temperature, and ion velocity gradients, the nonlinear equations admit a stationary solution in the form of a tripolar vortex. These results are relevant to understand nonlinear structure formation in dense quantum plasmas in the presence of equilibrium ion-temperature and density gradients.

Multi-Dimensional Quantum Effect Simulation Using a Density-Gradient Model and Script-Level Programming Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Rafferty, Connor S.; Biegel, Bryan A.; Yu, Zhi-Ping; Ancona, Mario G.; Bude, J.; Dutton, Robert W.; Saini, Subhash (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

A density-gradient (DG) model is used to calculate quantum-mechanical corrections to classical carrier transport in MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) inversion/accumulation layers. The model is compared to measured data and to a fully self-consistent coupled Schrodinger and Poisson equation (SCSP) solver. Good agreement is demonstrated for MOS capacitors with gate oxide as thin as 21 A. It is then applied to study carrier distribution in ultra short MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) with surface roughness. This work represents the first implementation of the DG formulation on multidimensional unstructured meshes. It was enabled by a powerful scripting approach which provides an easy-to-use and flexible framework for solving the fourth-order PDEs (Partial Differential Equation) of the DG model.

Steep extinction towards GRB 140506A reconciled from host galaxy observations: Evidence that steep reddening laws are local

Science.gov (United States)

Heintz, K. E.; Fynbo, J. P. U.; Jakobsson, P.; Krühler, T.; Christensen, L.; Watson, D.; Ledoux, C.; Noterdaeme, P.; Perley, D. A.; Rhodin, H.; Selsing, J.; Schulze, S.; Tanvir, N. R.; Møller, P.; Goldoni, P.; Xu, D.; Milvang-Jensen, B.

2017-05-01

We present the spectroscopic and photometric late-time follow-up of the host galaxy of the long-duration Swift γ-ray burst GRB 140506A at z = 0.889. The optical and near-infrared afterglow of this GRB had a peculiar spectral energy distribution (SED) with a strong flux-drop at 8000 Å (4000 Å rest-frame) suggesting an unusually steep extinction curve. By analysing the contribution and physical properties of the host galaxy, we here aim at providing additional information on the properties and origin of this steep, non-standard extinction. We find that the strong flux-drop in the GRB afterglow spectrum at contamination by the host galaxy light at short wavelengths so that the scenario with an extreme 2175 Å extinction bump can be excluded. We localise the GRB to be at a projected distance of approximately 4 kpc from the centre of the host galaxy. Based on emission-line diagnostics of the four detected nebular lines, Hα, Hβ, [O II] and [O III], we find the host to be a modestly star forming (SFR = 1.34 ± 0.04 M⊙ yr-1) and relatively metal poor (Z=0.35+0.15-0.11 Z⊙) galaxy with a large dust content, characterised by a measured visual attenuation of AV = 1.74 ± 0.41 mag. We compare the host to other GRB hosts at similar redshifts and find that it is unexceptional in all its physical properties. We model the extinction curve of the host-corrected afterglow and show that the standard dust properties causing the reddening seen in the Local Group are inadequate in describing the steep drop. We thus conclude that the steep extinction curve seen in the afterglow towards the GRB is of exotic origin and issightline-dependent only, further confirming that this type of reddening is present only at very local scales and that it is solely a consequence of the circumburst environment. Based on observations carried out under programme IDs 095.D-0043(A, C) and 095.A-0045(A) with the X-shooter spectrograph and the FOcal Reducer and low dispersion Spectrograph 2 (FORS2

The causal relation between turbulent particle flux and density gradient

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milligen, B. Ph. van; Martín de Aguilera, A.; Hidalgo, C. [CIEMAT - Laboratorio Nacional de Fusión, Avda. Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Carreras, B. A. [BACV Solutions, 110 Mohawk Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 (United States); García, L.; Nicolau, J. H. [Universidad Carlos III, 28911 Leganés, Madrid (Spain)

2016-07-15

A technique for detecting the causal relationship between fluctuating signals is used to investigate the relation between flux and gradient in fusion plasmas. Both a resistive pressure gradient driven turbulence model and experimental Langmuir probe data from the TJ-II stellarator are studied. It is found that the maximum influence occurs at a finite time lag (non-instantaneous response) and that quasi-periodicities exist. Furthermore, the model results show very long range radial influences, extending over most of the investigated regions, possibly related to coupling effects associated with plasma self-organization. These results clearly show that transport in fusion plasmas is not local and instantaneous, as is sometimes assumed.

Dynamic Excitation of Monopiles by Steep and Breaking Waves: Experimental and Numerical Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bredmose, Henrik; Slabiak, Peter; Sahlberg-Nielsen, Lasse

2013-01-01

. Emphasis is given to the observed impulsive excitation of the natural modes by steep and breaking waves. Additionally, springing and ringing-type continuous forcing of the first natural mode is seen for the moderately steep waves. The experiments were carried out at three depths and with two wave climates...

Prolonged lateral steep position impairs respiratory mechanics during continuous lateral rotation therapy in respiratory failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Schellongowski, Peter; Losert, Heidrun; Locker, Gottfried J; Laczika, Klaus; Frass, Michael; Holzinger, Ulrike; Bojic, Andja; Staudinger, Thomas

2007-04-01

To establish whether prolonged lateral steep position during continuous rotation therapy leads to improvement on pulmonary gas exchange, respiratory mechanics and hemodynamics. Prospective observational study. Intensive care unit of a university hospital. Twelve consecutive patients suffering from acute lung injury or adult respiratory distress syndrome undergoing continuous rotation therapy. Blood gas analysis, static lung compliance, blood pressure, cardiac index and pulmonary shunt fraction were measured in supine as well as in left and right lateral steep position at 62 degrees during continuous rotation therapy (phase I). Rotation was then stopped for 30 min with the patients in supine position, left and right lateral steep position, and the same measurements were performed every 10 min (phase II). Phase I and II revealed no significant changes in PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratio, mean arterial blood pressure, pulmonary shunt fraction, or cardiac index. Significantly lower static compliance was observed in lateral steep position than in supine position (pposition than in left and right lateral steep position (ppositioning impairs the compliance of the respiratory system. Prolonged lateral steep position does not lead to benefits with respect to oxygenation or hemodynamics. Individual response to the different positions is unpredictable. The pauses in "extreme" positions should be as short as possible.

Reduced density gradient as a novel approach for estimating QSAR descriptors, and its application to 1, 4-dihydropyridine derivatives with potential antihypertensive effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Jardínez, Christiaan; Vela, Alberto; Cruz-Borbolla, Julián; Alvarez-Mendez, Rodrigo J; Alvarado-Rodríguez, José G

2016-12-01

The relationship between the chemical structure and biological activity (log IC 50 ) of 40 derivatives of 1,4-dihydropyridines (DHPs) was studied using density functional theory (DFT) and multiple linear regression analysis methods. With the aim of improving the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model, the reduced density gradient s( r) of the optimized equilibrium geometries was used as a descriptor to include weak non-covalent interactions. The QSAR model highlights the correlation between the log IC 50 with highest molecular orbital energy (E HOMO ), molecular volume (V), partition coefficient (log P), non-covalent interactions NCI(H4-G) and the dual descriptor [Δf(r)]. The model yielded values of R 2 =79.57 and Q 2 =69.67 that were validated with the next four internal analytical validations DK=0.076, DQ=-0.006, R P =0.056, and R N =0.000, and the external validation Q 2 boot =64.26. The QSAR model found can be used to estimate biological activity with high reliability in new compounds based on a DHP series. Graphical abstract The good correlation between the log IC 50 with the NCI (H4-G) estimated by the reduced density gradient approach of the DHP derivatives.

BMP4 density gradient in disk-shaped confinement

Science.gov (United States)

Bozorgui, Behnaz; Teimouri, Hamid; Kolomeisky, Anatoly B.

We present a quantitative model that explains the scaling of BMP4 gradients during gastrulation and the recent experimental observation that geometric confinement of human embryonic stem cells is sufficient to recapitulate much of germ layer patterning. Based on a assumption that BMP4 diffusion rate is much smaller than the diffusion rate of it's inhibitor molecules, our results confirm that the length-scale which defines germ layer territories does not depend on system size.

EFFECTIVENESS OF DOUBLE WASH SWIM-UP VERSUS DOUBLE DENSITY GRADIENT SWIM-UP TECHNIQUE OF SPERM PREPARATION IN IN VITRO FERTILISATION

OpenAIRE

Srinivas Sangisapu; Sandeep Karunakaran; Ashok Kumar Pillai

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND Recovery of optimum number of good quality of spermatozoa is an important component of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). This is achieved by sperm preparation methods involving separation and recovery of capacitated sperms. Double Wash Swim-up (DWSU) and Double Density Gradient Swim-up (DDGSU) are two most accepted methods. Cochrane systematic review (2007) finds no clear benefit of one method over the other in Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). Systematic review on effective...

Biogeochemical gradients above a coal tar DNAPL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scherr, Kerstin E., E-mail: kerstin.brandstaetter-scherr@boku.ac.at [University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Department IFA-Tulln, Institute for Environmental Biotechnology, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430 Tulln (Austria); Backes, Diana [University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Department IFA-Tulln, Institute for Environmental Biotechnology, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430 Tulln (Austria); Scarlett, Alan G. [University of Plymouth, Petroleum and Environmental Geochemistry Group, Biogeochemistry Research Centre, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA (United Kingdom); Lantschbauer, Wolfgang [Government of Upper Austria, Directorate for Environment and Water Management, Division for Environmental Protection, Kärntner Strasse 10-12, 4021 Linz (Austria); Nahold, Manfred [GUT Gruppe Umwelt und Technik GmbH, Ingenieurbüro für Technischen Umweltschutz, Plesching 15, 4040 Linz (Austria)

2016-09-01

Naturally occurring distribution and attenuation processes can keep hydrocarbon emissions from dense non aqueous phase liquids (DNAPL) into the adjacent groundwater at a minimum. In a historically coal tar DNAPL-impacted site, the de facto absence of a plume sparked investigations regarding the character of natural attenuation and DNAPL resolubilization processes at the site. Steep vertical gradients of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, microbial community composition, secondary water quality and redox-parameters were found to occur between the DNAPL-proximal and shallow waters. While methanogenic and mixed-electron acceptor conditions prevailed close to the DNAPL, aerobic conditions and very low dissolved contaminant concentrations were identified in three meters vertical distance from the phase. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC × GC–MS) proved to be an efficient tool to characterize the behavior of the present complex contaminant mixture. Medium to low bioavailability of ferric iron and manganese oxides of aquifer samples was detected via incubation with Shewanella alga and evidence for iron and manganese reduction was collected. In contrast, 16S rDNA phylogenetic analysis revealed the absence of common iron reducing bacteria. Aerobic hydrocarbon degraders were abundant in shallow horizons, while nitrate reducers were dominating in deeper aquifer regions, in addition to a low relative abundance of methanogenic archaea. Partial Least Squares – Canonical Correspondence Analysis (PLS-CCA) suggested that nitrate and oxygen concentrations had the greatest impact on aquifer community structure in on- and offsite wells, which had a similarly high biodiversity (H’ and Chao1). Overall, slow hydrocarbon dissolution from the DNAPL appears to dominate natural attenuation processes. This site may serve as a model for developing legal and technical strategies for the treatment of DNAPL-impacted sites where contaminant plumes are

Preliminary isostatic residual gravity map of the Tremonton 30' x 60' quadrangle, Box Elder and Cache Counties, Utah, and Franklin and Oneida Counties, Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

Langenheim, Victoria; Oaks, R.Q.; Willis, H.; Hiscock, A.I.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Rosario, Jose J.; Hardwick, C.L.

2014-01-01

A new isostatic residual gravity map of the Tremonton 30' x 60' quadrangle of Utah is based on compilation of preexisting data and new data collected by the Utah and U.S. Geological Surveys. Pronounced gravity lows occur over North Bay, northwest of Brigham City, and Malad and Blue Creek Valleys, indicating significant thickness of low-density Tertiary sedimentary rocks and deposits. Gravity highs coincide with exposures of dense pre-Cenozoic rocks in the Promontory, Clarkston, and Wellsville Mountains. The highest gravity values are located in southern Curlew Valley and may be produced in part by deeper crustal density variations or crustal thinning. Steep, linear gravity gradients coincide with Quaternary faults bounding the Wellsville and Clarkston Mountains. Steep gradients also coincide with the margins of the Promontory Mountains, Little Mountain, West Hills, and the eastern margin of the North Promontory Mountains and may define concealed basin-bounding faults.

Near equality of ion phase space densities at earth, Jupiter, and Saturn

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, A. F.; Krimigis, S. M.; Armstrong, T. P.

1985-01-01

Energetic-ion phase-space density profiles are strikingly similar in the inner magnetospheres of earth, Jupiter, and Saturn for ions of first adiabatic invariant near 100 MeV/G and small mirror latitudes. Losses occur inside L approximately equal to 7 for Jupiter and Saturn and inside L approximately equal to 5 at earth. At these L values there exist steep plasma-density gradients at all three planets, associated with the Io plasma torus at Jupiter, the Rhea-Dione-Tethys torus at Saturn, and the plasmasphere at earth. Measurements of ion flux-tube contents at Jupiter and Saturn by the low-energy charged-particle experiment show that these are similar (for O ions at L = 5-9) to those at earth (for protons at L = 2-6). Furthermore, the thermal-ion flux-tube contents from Voyager plasma-science data at Jupiter and Saturn are also very nearly equal, and again similar to those at earth, differing by less than a factor of 3 at the respective L values. The near equality of energetic and thermal ion flux-tube contents at earth, Jupiter, and Saturn suggests the possibility of strong physical analogies in the interaction between plasma and energetic particles at the plasma tori/plasma sheets of Jupiter and Saturn and the plasmasphere of earth.

Source-to-sink sediment transfers, environmental engineering and hazard mitigation in the steep Var River catchment, French Riviera, southeastern France

Science.gov (United States)

Anthony, Edward J.; Julian, Maurice

1999-12-01

Steep coastal margins are potentially subject to mass wasting processes involving notable landslide activity and sediment evacuation downstream by steep-gradient streams. Sediment transfer from short source-to-sink segments, coupled with mountain hydrological regimes, regulate patterns of river channel aggradation and coastal sediment supply in such geomorphic settings. On the steep French Riviera margin, sediment transfers from existing landslides or from various minor mass wasting processes to stream channels may result following bursts of heavy, concentrated rainfall. High-magnitude flooding and massive sediment transport downstream are generally related to unpredictable extreme rainfalls. Both mass movements and channel sediment storage pose serious hazards to downvalley settlements and infrastructure. A consideration of channel sediment storage patterns in the Var River catchment, the most important catchment in this area, highlights two important shortcomings relative to environmental engineering and hazard mitigation practices. In the first place, the appreciation of geomorphic processes is rather poor. This is illustrated by the undersized nature of engineering works constructed to mitigate hazards in the upstream bedload-dominated channels, and by the unforeseen effects that ten rock dams, constructed in the early 1970s, have had on downstream and coastal sediment storage and on sediment dispersal patterns and, consequently, valley flooding. Secondly, planners and environmental engineers have lacked foresight in valley and coastal management issues on this steep setting, notably as regards the reclaimed areas of the lower Var channel and delta liable to flooding. Urbanization and transport and environmental engineering works have progressively affected patterns of storage and transport of fine-grained sediments in the lower Var channel and delta. Meanwhile the problems raised by these changes have not been adequately addressed in terms of scientific

Mapping axonal density and average diameter using non-monotonic time-dependent gradient-echo MRI

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nunes, Daniel; Cruz, Tomás L; Jespersen, Sune N

2017-01-01

available in the clinic, or extremely long acquisition schemes to extract information from parameter-intensive models. In this study, we suggest that simple and time-efficient multi-gradient-echo (MGE) MRI can be used to extract the axon density from susceptibility-driven non-monotonic decay in the time...... the quantitative results are compared against ground-truth histology, they seem to reflect the axonal fraction (though with a bias, as evident from Bland-Altman analysis). As well, the extra-axonal fraction can be estimated. The results suggest that our model is oversimplified, yet at the same time evidencing......-dependent signal. We show, both theoretically and with simulations, that a non-monotonic signal decay will occur for multi-compartmental microstructures – such as axons and extra-axonal spaces, which we here used in a simple model for the microstructure – and that, for axons parallel to the main magnetic field...

Cell orientation gradients on an inverse opal substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jie; Zou, Xin; Zhao, Ze; Mu, Zhongde; Zhao, Yuanjin; Gu, Zhongze

2015-05-20

The generation of cell gradients is critical for understanding many biological systems and realizing the unique functionality of many implanted biomaterials. However, most previous work can only control the gradient of cell density and this has no effect on the gradient of cell orientation, which has an important role in regulating the functions of many connecting tissues. Here, we report on a simple stretched inverse opal substrate for establishing desired cell orientation gradients. It was demonstrated that tendon fibroblasts on the stretched inverse opal gradient showed a corresponding alignment along with the elongation gradient of the substrate. This "random-to-aligned" cell gradient reproduces the insertion part of many connecting tissues, and thus, will have important applications in tissue engineering.

Modelling CO2-Brine Interfacial Tension using Density Gradient Theory

KAUST Repository

Ruslan, Mohd Fuad Anwari Che

2018-03-01

Knowledge regarding carbon dioxide (CO2)-brine interfacial tension (IFT) is important for petroleum industry and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) strategies. In petroleum industry, CO2-brine IFT is especially importance for CO2 – based enhanced oil recovery strategy as it affects phase behavior and fluid transport in porous media. CCS which involves storing CO2 in geological storage sites also requires understanding regarding CO2-brine IFT as this parameter affects CO2 quantity that could be securely stored in the storage site. Several methods have been used to compute CO2-brine interfacial tension. One of the methods employed is by using Density Gradient Theory (DGT) approach. In DGT model, IFT is computed based on the component density distribution across the interface. However, current model is only applicable for modelling low to medium ionic strength solution. This limitation is due to the model only considers the increase of IFT due to the changes of bulk phases properties and does not account for ion distribution at interface. In this study, a new modelling strategy to compute CO2-brine IFT based on DGT was proposed. In the proposed model, ion distribution across interface was accounted for by separating the interface to two sections. The saddle point of tangent plane distance where ( ) was defined as the boundary separating the two sections of the interface. Electrolyte is assumed to be present only in the second section which is connected to the bulk liquid phase side. Numerical simulations were performed using the proposed approach for single and mixed salt solutions for three salts (NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2), for temperature (298 K to 443 K), pressure (2 MPa to 70 MPa), and ionic strength (0.085 mol·kg-1 to 15 mol·kg-1). The simulation result shows that the tuned model was able to predict with good accuracy CO2-brine IFT for all studied cases. Comparison with current DGT model showed that the proposed approach yields better match with the experiment data

First-row diatomics: Calculation of the geometry and energetics using self-consistent gradient-functional approximations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutzler, F.W.; Painter, G.S.

1992-01-01

A fully self-consistent series of nonlocal (gradient) density-functional calculations has been carried out using the augmented-Gaussian-orbital method to determine the magnitude of gradient corrections to the potential-energy curves of the first-row diatomics, Li 2 through F 2 . Both the Langreth-Mehl-Hu and the Perdew-Wang gradient-density functionals were used in calculations of the binding energy, bond length, and vibrational frequency for each dimer. Comparison with results obtained in the local-spin-density approximation (LSDA) using the Vosko-Wilk-Nusair functional, and with experiment, reveals that bond lengths and vibrational frequencies are rather insensitive to details of the gradient functionals, including self-consistency effects, but the gradient corrections reduce the overbinding commonly observed in the LSDA calculations of first-row diatomics (with the exception of Li 2 , the gradient-functional binding-energy error is only 50--12 % of the LSDA error). The improved binding energies result from a large differential energy lowering, which occurs in open-shell atoms relative to the diatomics. The stabilization of the atom arises from the use of nonspherical charge and spin densities in the gradient-functional calculations. This stabilization is negligibly small in LSDA calculations performed with nonspherical densities

Exploring the Nature of Galaxies with Abundance Gradient Anomalies in the SDSS-IV/MaNGA Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Keith, Celeste; Tremonti, Christy; Pace, Zach; Schaefer, Adam

2018-01-01

Disk galaxies are known to have radial oxygen abundance gradients with their centers being more chemically enriched than their outskirts. The steepness of the abundance gradient has recently been shown to correlate with galaxy stellar mass, on average. However, individual galaxies sometimes show pronounced deviations from the expected trends, such as flatter or steeper slopes than expected for their mass, abrupt changes in slope, or azimuthal asymmetries. Here we report on a systematic search for galaxies with abundance gradient anomalies using 2-D spectroscopy from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV MaNGA. We construct nebular oxygen and nitrogen abundance maps for 300 moderately inclined non-interacting disk galaxies and use visual inspection to identify the most interesting cases. We use this training set to develop an automated pipeline to flag galaxies with abundance anomalies from the larger MaNGA dataset for visual inspection. We combine the metallicity maps with kinematic data and measurements of the galaxies' local environments to better understand the processes that shape the radial abundance gradients of disk galaxies.

Gradient elution behavior of proteins in hydrophobic interaction chromatography with U-shaped retention factor curves.

Science.gov (United States)

Creasy, Arch; Lomino, Joseph; Barker, Gregory; Khetan, Anurag; Carta, Giorgio

2018-04-27

Protein retention in hydrophobic interaction chromatography is described by the solvophobic theory as a function of the kosmostropic salt concentration. In general, an increase in salt concentration drives protein partitioning to the hydrophobic surface while a decrease reduces it. In some cases, however, protein retention also increases at low salt concentrations resulting in a U-shaped retention factor curve. During gradient elution the salt concentration is gradually decreased from a high value thereby reducing the retention factor and increasing the protein chromatographic velocity. For these conditions, a steep gradient can overtake the protein in the column, causing it to rebind. Two dynamic models, one based on the local equilibrium theory and the other based on the linear driving force approximation, are presented. We show that the normalized gradient slope determines whether the protein elutes in the gradient, partially elutes, or is trapped in the column. Experimental results are presented for two different monoclonal antibodies and for lysozyme on Capto Phenyl (High Sub) resin. One of the mAbs and lysozyme exhibit U-shaped retention factor curves and for each, we determine the critical gradient slope beyond which 100% recovery is no longer possible. Elution with a reverse gradient is also demonstrated at low salt concentrations for these proteins. Understanding this behavior has implications in the design of gradient elution since the gradient slope impacts protein recovery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Density-Gradient Mediated Band Extraction of Leukocytes from Whole Blood Using Centrifugo-Pneumatic Siphon Valving on Centrifugal Microfluidic Discs

Science.gov (United States)

Kearney, Sinéad M.; Kilcawley, Niamh A.; Early, Philip L.; Glynn, Macdara T.; Ducrée, Jens

2016-01-01

Here we present retrieval of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells by density-gradient medium based centrifugation for subsequent analysis of the leukocytes on an integrated microfluidic “Lab-on-a-Disc” cartridge. Isolation of white blood cells constitutes a critical sample preparation step for many bioassays. Centrifugo-pneumatic siphon valves are particularly suited for blood processing as they function without need of surface treatment and are ‘low-pass’, i.e., holding at high centrifugation speeds and opening upon reduction of the spin rate. Both ‘hydrostatically’ and ‘hydrodynamically’ triggered centrifugo-pneumatic siphon valving schemes are presented. Firstly, the geometry of the pneumatic chamber of hydrostatically primed centrifugo-pneumatic siphon valves is optimised to enable smooth and uniform layering of blood on top of the density-gradient medium; this feature proves to be key for efficient Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell extraction. A theoretical analysis of hydrostatically primed valves is also presented which determines the optimum priming pressure for the individual valves. Next, ‘dual siphon’ configurations for both hydrostatically and hydrodynamically primed centrifugo-pneumatic siphon valves are introduced; here plasma and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells are extracted through a distinct siphon valve. This work represents a first step towards enabling on disc multi-parameter analysis. Finally, the efficiency of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells extraction in these structures is characterised using a simplified design. A microfluidic mechanism, which we termed phase switching, is identified which affects the efficiency of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell extraction. PMID:27167376

Correlations between quasi-coherent fluctuations and the pedestal evolution during the inter-edge localized modes phase on DIII-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diallo, A.; Battaglia, D. J.; Guttenfelder, W. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, P.O. Box 451, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-0451 (United States); Groebner, R. J.; Osborne, T. H.; Snyder, P. B. [General Atomics, P.O. Box 85608, San Diego, California 92186-5608 (United States); Rhodes, T. L. [Physics and Astronomy Department, P.O. Box 957099, Los Angeles, California 90095-7099 (United States); Smith, D. R. [Department of Engineering Physics, 1500 Engineering Dr., Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Canik, J. M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States)

2015-05-15

Direct measurements of the pedestal recovery during an edge-localized mode cycle provide evidence that quasi-coherent fluctuations (QCFs) play a role in the inter-ELM pedestal dynamics. Using fast Thomson scattering measurements, the pedestal density and temperature evolutions are probed on sub-millisecond time scales to show a fast recovery of the density gradient compared to the temperature gradient. The temperature gradient appears to provide a drive for the onset of quasi-coherent fluctuations (as measured with the magnetic probe and the density diagnostics) localized in the pedestal. The amplitude evolution of these QCFs tracks the temperature gradient evolution including its saturation. Such correlation suggests that these QCFs play a key role in limiting the pedestal temperature gradient. The saturation of the QCFs coincides with the pressure gradient reaching the kinetic-ballooning mode (KBM) critical gradient as predicted by EPED1. Furthermore, linear microinstability analysis using GS2 indicates that the steep gradient is near the KBM threshold. Thus, the modeling and the observations together suggest that QCFs are consistent with dominant KBMs, although microtearing cannot be excluded as subdominant.

Correlations between quasi-coherent fluctuations and the pedestal evolution during the inter-edge localized modes phase on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diallo, A.; Battaglia, D. J.; Guttenfelder, W.; Groebner, R. J.; Osborne, T. H.; Snyder, P. B.; Rhodes, T. L.; Smith, D. R.; Canik, J. M.

2015-01-01

Direct measurements of the pedestal recovery during an edge-localized mode cycle provide evidence that quasi-coherent fluctuations (QCFs) play a role in the inter-ELM pedestal dynamics. Using fast Thomson scattering measurements, the pedestal density and temperature evolutions are probed on sub-millisecond time scales to show a fast recovery of the density gradient compared to the temperature gradient. The temperature gradient appears to provide a drive for the onset of quasi-coherent fluctuations (as measured with the magnetic probe and the density diagnostics) localized in the pedestal. The amplitude evolution of these QCFs tracks the temperature gradient evolution including its saturation. Such correlation suggests that these QCFs play a key role in limiting the pedestal temperature gradient. The saturation of the QCFs coincides with the pressure gradient reaching the kinetic-ballooning mode (KBM) critical gradient as predicted by EPED1. Furthermore, linear microinstability analysis using GS2 indicates that the steep gradient is near the KBM threshold. Thus, the modeling and the observations together suggest that QCFs are consistent with dominant KBMs, although microtearing cannot be excluded as subdominant

Probing of molecular replication and accumulation in shallow heat gradients through numerical simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Keil, Lorenz; Hartmann, Michael; Lanzmich, Simon; Braun, Dieter

2016-07-27

How can living matter arise from dead matter? All known living systems are built around information stored in RNA and DNA. To protect this information against molecular degradation and diffusion, the second law of thermodynamics imposes the need for a non-equilibrium driving force. Following a series of successful experiments using thermal gradients, we have shown that heat gradients across sub-millimetre pores can drive accumulation, replication, and selection of ever longer molecules, implementing all the necessary parts for Darwinian evolution. For these lab experiments to proceed with ample speed, however, the temperature gradients have to be quite steep, reaching up to 30 K per 100 μm. Here we use computer simulations based on experimental data to show that 2000-fold shallower temperature gradients - down to 100 K over one metre - can still drive the accumulation of protobiomolecules. This finding opens the door for various environments to potentially host the origins of life: volcanic, water-vapour, or hydrothermal settings. Following the trajectories of single molecules in simulation, we also find that they are subjected to frequent temperature oscillations inside these pores, facilitating e.g. template-directed replication mechanisms. The tilting of the pore configuration is the central strategy to achieve replication in a shallow temperature gradient. Our results suggest that shallow thermal gradients across porous rocks could have facilitated the formation of evolutionary machines, significantly increasing the number of potential sites for the origin of life on young rocky planets.

Purification of Sarcocystis neurona sporocysts from opossum (Didelphis virginiana) using potassium bromide discontinuous density gradient centrifugation.

Science.gov (United States)

Elsheikha, Hany M; Murphy, Alice J; Fitzgerald, Scott D; Mansfield, Linda S; Massey, Jeffrey P; Saeed, Mahdi A

2003-06-01

This report describes a new, inexpensive procedure for the rapid and efficient purification of Sarcocystis neurona sporocysts from opossum small intestine. S. neurona sporocysts were purified using a discontinuous potassium bromide density gradient. The procedure provides a source of sporocyst wall and sporozoites required for reliable biochemical characterization and for immunological studies directed at characterizing antigens responsible for immunological responses by the host. The examined isolates were identified as S. neurona using random amplified polymorphic DNA primers and restriction endonuclease digestion assays. This method allows the collection of large numbers of highly purified S. neurona sporocysts without loss of sporocyst viability as indicated by propidium iodide permeability and cell culture infectivity assays. In addition, this technique might also be used for sporocyst purification of other Sarcocystis spp.

A straightforward method for measuring the range of apparent density of microplastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lingyun; Li, Mengmeng; Deng, Hua; Cai, Li; Cai, Huiwen; Yan, Beizhan; Hu, Jun; Shi, Huahong

2018-10-15

Density of microplastics has been regarded as the primary property that affect the distribution and bioavailability of microplastics in the water column. For measuring the density of microplastis, we developed a simple and rapid method based on density gradient solutions. In this study, we tested four solvents to make the density gradient solutions, i.e., ethanol (0.8 g/cm 3 ), ultrapure water (1.0 g/cm 3 ), saturated NaI (1.8 g/cm 3 ) and ZnCl 2 (1.8 g/cm 3 ). Density of microplastics was measured via observing the float or sink status in the density gradient solutions. We found that density gradient solutions made from ZnCl 2 had a larger uncertainty in measuring density than that from NaI, most likely due to a higher surface tension of ZnCl 2 solution. Solutions made from ethanol, ultrapure water, and NaI showed consistent density results with listed densities of commercial products, indicating that these density gradient solutions were suitable for measuring microplastics with a density range of 0.8-1.8 g/cm 3 . Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Instream wood in a steep headwater channel: geomorphic significance of large and small wood

Science.gov (United States)

Galia, Tomáš; Šilhán, Karel; Ruiz-Villanueva, Virginia; Tichavský, Radek

2016-04-01

Besides the well-known significance of large wood (LW), also small woody pieces (SW; here defined as pieces with dimensions at least 0.5 m length and 0.05 m diameter), can play an important role in steep narrow headwaters. We inventoried instream wood in the 0.4 km long Mazák headwater channel, Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts, Czech Republic (2pieces were European beeches (Fagus sylvatica L.); only two pieces were Norway spruces (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). First results showed an increase in the number of LWs in channel-reaches confined by the steepest adjacent hillslopes (especially at 0.15-0.20 km). Increasing downstream amount of SW most likely reflected transport processes in the stream, and the later deposition of SWs on the lowest channel gradients. Also LWs and SWs in the downstream channel-reaches were more decayed than wood presented in the upper reaches. The orientation of instream wood was connected with its length and stability, and LWs longer than 5 m were usually attached to adjacent hillslopes. Pieces longer than 2 m, which were unattached or were somehow stabilized in the channel bed, had often orientation of 0° or 337°. LWs were mostly unattached in the upstream channel-reaches, while often stabilized by adjacent hillslopes in the middle part. At 0.05-0.10 km, there were also many logs stabilized by bed sediments. By contrast, SWs were mostly unattached in the whole longitudinal profile. We observed higher % of influenced channel width by SWs than LWs. Also, SWs were usually entirely located in the channel, which was significantly different when compared to LWs. Nine small steps (step height ~0.5 m) were created by instream wood; six of them were formed by SWs. Dendrogeomorphic cross dating supported the observed decay status for LW/SW within the longitudinal profile: at the lowest channel gradients with wider higher active channels, the potential for storage of instream wood increased. In these downstream reaches we observed older LW and SW, with

Stabilization of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability by convection and thermal conduction in smooth density gradient: WKB analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bud'ko, A.B.; Liberman, M.A.; Bondarenko, E.A.

1992-01-01

Since development of the RT modes in the ablatively accelerated plasma of laser targets imposes crucial limitations on symmetry of spherical implosions and hence on energy cumulation, it has been the subject of intensive numerical and analytical analysis in the recent years, particularly in the context of inertial confinement fusion. Recent thin-foil ablative-acceleration experiments as well as the results of 2D numerical simulations demonstrated substantial reduction of the instability growth rates compared with the classical theory predictions up to the total stabilization in the short-wavelength limit. The numerical results indicated that the main stabilization mechanism is convection. To derive the scaling laws for the RT growth rates and cut-off wavenumbers in the wide range of flow parameters, analytical solutions attract special interest. The analytical approach based on the discontinuity model was developed to analyze the reduction of the RT growth rates by the plasma convective flow and the thermal conductivity effects. The following major problem arises in the discontinuity approximation, which leaves the solution undetermined: the number of the boundary conditions on the perturbed ablation surface is not sufficient to derive the dispersion equation. One needs additional boundary conditions not associated with the conservation laws on the discontinuity surface to close the system of linearized equations for small perturbations. The stabilization effect of highly structured hydrodynamic profiles was studied by Mikaelian and Munro for a stationary plasma. Nevertheless, no reasonable analytical model was constructed taking into account the combined convective, thermal conductivity and density gradient reduction of the RT growth rates. In this report we develop the analytical approach based on the WKB approximation to analyze the stabilization of the RT modes in plasma with smooth density and velocity gradients. (author) 9 refs., 1 fig

The evolution of conditional dispersal and reproductive isolation along environmental gradients.

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Joshua L; Mazzucco, Rupert; Dieckmann, Ulf

2011-03-21

Dispersal modulates gene flow throughout a population's spatial range. Gene flow affects adaptation at local spatial scales, and consequently impacts the evolution of reproductive isolation. A recent theoretical investigation has demonstrated that local adaptation along an environmental gradient, facilitated by the evolution of limited dispersal, can lead to parapatric speciation even in the absence of assortative mating. This and other studies assumed unconditional dispersal, so individuals start dispersing without regard to local environmental conditions. However, many species disperse conditionally; their propensity to disperse is contingent upon environmental cues, such as the degree of local crowding or the availability of suitable mates. Here, we use an individual-based model in continuous space to investigate by numerical simulation the relationship between the evolution of threshold-based conditional dispersal and parapatric speciation driven by frequency-dependent competition along environmental gradients. We find that, as with unconditional dispersal, parapatric speciation occurs under a broad range of conditions when reproduction is asexual, and under a more restricted range of conditions when reproduction is sexual. In both the asexual and sexual cases, the evolution of conditional dispersal is strongly influenced by the slope of the environmental gradient: shallow environmental gradients result in low dispersal thresholds and high dispersal distances, while steep environmental gradients result in high dispersal thresholds and low dispersal distances. The latter, however, remain higher than under unconditional dispersal, thus undermining isolation by distance, and hindering speciation in sexual populations. Consequently, the speciation of sexual populations under conditional dispersal is triggered by a steeper gradient than under unconditional dispersal. Enhancing the disruptiveness of frequency-dependent selection, more box-shaped competition kernels

Dark-field study of rear-side density structure in laser-accelerated foils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stamper, J.A.; Gold, S.H.; Obenschain, S.P.; McLean, E.A.; Sica, L.

1981-01-01

A dark-field, laser-probing diagnostic has produced the first high-resolution photographs of density structure on the rear side of laser-accelerated foils. This diagnostic allows the preferential sampling of the steep-gradient region of an expanding plasma and permits two-dimensional, multiple-time recordings on a single photograph. The studies are aimed at understanding the early-time physics of target implosions for inertial-confinement fusion. Both long (500 psec) and short (150 psec) probe pulses were used to study the rear-side plasmas of thin foils accelerated by the rocket-like reaction to a hot plasma ablated from the front side by the laser radiation. The longer pulse results, both for angular scatter and the life-time of small, transverse structure, imply a relatively cold (1 eV) rear side plasma. The short pulses provide high resolution photographs of the complete structure. One of these was a vortex-like structure, suggestive of the remnants of a hydrodynamic instability. These observations are relevant to two of the basic requirements of inertial-confinement fusion: cold fuel isentrope and implosion symmetry

Assembly of multiple cell gradients directed by three-dimensional microfluidic channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yiwei; Feng, Xiaojun; Wang, Yachao; Du, Wei; Chen, Peng; Liu, Chao; Liu, Bi-Feng

2015-08-07

Active control over the cell gradient is essential for understanding biological systems and the reconstitution of the functionality of many types of tissues, particularly for organ-on-a-chip. Here, we propose a three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic strategy for generating controllable cell gradients. In this approach, a homogeneous cell suspension is loaded into a 3D stair-shaped PDMS microchannel to generate a cell gradient within 10 min by sedimentation. We demonstrate that cell gradients of various profiles (exponential and piecewise linear) can be achieved by precisely controlling the height of each layer during the fabrication. With sequential seeding, we further demonstrate the generation of two overlapping cell gradients on the same glass substrate with pre-defined designs. The cell gradient-based QD cytotoxicity assay also demonstrated that cell behaviors and resistances were regulated by the changes in cell density. These results reveal that the proposed 3D microfluidic strategy provides a simple and versatile means for establishing controllable gradients in cell density, opening up a new avenue for reconstructing functional tissues.

Estimation of Black Hole Masses from Steep Spectrum Radio ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

3Guangzhou City Construction College, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China ... can also be sorted into steep spectrum radio quasars (SSRQs, α>0.5) and ... tent with those estimated from MgII or Hβ broad emission lines, which do not meet.

Light gradients and optical microniches in coral tissues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel eWangpraseurt

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Light quantity and quality are among the most important factors determining the physiology and stress response of zooxanthellate corals. Yet, almost nothing is known about the light field that Symbiodinium experiences within their coral host, and the basic optical properties of coral tissue are unknown. We used scalar irradiance microprobes to characterise vertical and lateral light gradients within and across tissues of several coral species. Our results revealed the presence of steep light gradients with PAR (photosynthetically available radiation decreasing by about one order of magnitude from the tissue surface to the coral skeleton. Surface scalar irradiance was consistently higher over polyp tissue than over coenosarc tissue in faviid corals. Coral bleaching increased surface scalar irradiance by ~150% (between 500-700 nm relative to a healthy coral. Photosynthesis peaked around 300 µm within the tissue, which corresponded to a zone exhibiting strongest depletion of scalar irradiance. Deeper coral tissue layers, e.g. ~1000 µm into aboral polyp tissues, harbor optical microniches, where only ~10% of the incident irradiance remains. We conclude that the optical microenvironment of corals exhibits strong lateral and vertical gradients of scalar irradiance, which are affected by both tissue and skeleton optical properties. Our results imply that zooxanthellae populations inhabit a strongly heterogeneous light environment and highlight the presence of different optical microniches in corals; an important finding for understanding the photobiology, stress response, as well as the phenotypic and genotypic plasticity of coral symbionts.

Edge transport and its interconnection with main chamber recycling in ASDEX upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kallenbach, A.; Dux, R.; Gafert, J.

2003-01-01

Edge profiles of electron temperature and density are measured in ASDEX Upgrade with high spatial resolution of 2-3 mm with Thomson scattering. In the region of the edge transport barrier in ELMy H-mode, the gradient lengths of T e and n e are found closely coupled, with the temperature profile twice as steep as the density profile corresponding to η e ∼ 2. The edge density in the region of the barrier foot is closely coupled to the main chamber recycling, with no strong dependence on other parameters. In contrast the density rise from the outer barrier foot to the pedestal exhibits pronounced dependence on plasma current and shaping, indicating quite different mechanisms determining the absolute density and its gradient. (author)

CORONAL DENSITY STRUCTURE AND ITS ROLE IN WAVE DAMPING IN LOOPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cargill, P. J. [Space and Atmospheric Physics, The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London SW7 2BW (United Kingdom); De Moortel, I.; Kiddie, G., E-mail: p.cargill@imperial.ac.uk [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland KY16 9SS (United Kingdom)

2016-05-20

It has long been established that gradients in the Alfvén speed, and in particular the plasma density, are an essential part of the damping of waves in the magnetically closed solar corona by mechanisms such as resonant absorption and phase mixing. While models of wave damping often assume a fixed density gradient, in this paper the self-consistency of such calculations is assessed by examining the temporal evolution of the coronal density. It is shown conceptually that for some coronal structures, density gradients can evolve in a way that the wave-damping processes are inhibited. For the case of phase mixing we argue that (a) wave heating cannot sustain the assumed density structure and (b) inclusion of feedback of the heating on the density gradient can lead to a highly structured density, although on long timescales. In addition, transport coefficients well in excess of classical are required to maintain the observed coronal density. Hence, the heating of closed coronal structures by global oscillations may face problems arising from the assumption of a fixed density gradient, and the rapid damping of oscillations may have to be accompanied by a separate (non-wave-based) heating mechanism to sustain the required density structuring.

Ion temperature gradient mode driven solitons and shocks

Science.gov (United States)

Zakir, U.; Adnan, Muhammad; Haque, Q.; Qamar, Anisa; Mirza, Arshad M.

2016-04-01

Ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven solitons and shocks are studied in a plasma having gradients in the equilibrium number density and equilibrium ion temperature. In the linear regime, it is found that the ion temperature and the ratio of the gradient scale lengths, ηi=Ln/LT , affect both the real frequency and the growth rate of the ITG driven wave instability. In the nonlinear regime, for the first time we derive a Korteweg de Vries-type equation for the ITG mode, which admits solitary wave solution. It is found that the ITG mode supports only compressive solitons. Further, it is noticed that the soliton amplitude and width are sensitive to the parameter ηi=Ln/LT . Second, in the presence of dissipation in the system, we obtain a Burger type equation, which admits the shock wave solution. This work may be useful to understand the low frequency electrostatic modes in inhomogeneous electron-ion plasma having density and ion temperature gradients. For illustration, the model has been applied to tokamak plasma.

Near-surface temperature gradient in a coastal upwelling regime

Science.gov (United States)

Maske, H.; Ochoa, J.; Almeda-Jauregui, C. O.; Ruiz-de la Torre, M. C.; Cruz-López, R.; Villegas-Mendoza, J. R.

2014-08-01

In oceanography, a near homogeneous mixed layer extending from the surface to a seasonal thermocline is a common conceptual basis in physics, chemistry, and biology. In a coastal upwelling region 3 km off the coast in the Mexican Pacific, we measured vertical density gradients with a free-rising CTD and temperature gradients with thermographs at 1, 3, and 5 m depths logging every 5 min during more than a year. No significant salinity gradient was observed down to 10 m depth, and the CTD temperature and density gradients showed no pronounced discontinuity that would suggest a near-surface mixed layer. Thermographs generally logged decreasing temperature with depth with gradients higher than 0.2 K m-1 more than half of the time in the summer between 1 and 3 m, 3 and 5 m and in the winter between 1 and 3 m. Some negative temperature gradients were present and gradients were generally highly variable in time with high peaks lasting fractions of hours to hours. These temporal changes were too rapid to be explained by local heating or cooling. The pattern of positive and negative peaks might be explained by vertical stacks of water layers of different temperatures and different horizontal drift vectors. The observed near-surface gradient has implications for turbulent wind energy transfer, vertical exchange of dissolved and particulate water constituents, the interpretation of remotely sensed SST, and horizontal wind-induced transport.

Are double trailers cost effective for transporting forest biomass on steep terrain?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rene Zamora-Cristales

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Transportation of forest biomass on steep terrain involves logistical challenges. Trucks with large single trailers are often unable to travel on forest roads due to their narrowness, tight curves, adverse grades and limited areas to turn around. A shorter trailer must be used but then transportation capacity is limited by the trailer volume due to the low bulk density of the processed biomass, particularly when the biomass is dry. With double trailers, transportation capacity can be limited by allowable legal weight based on axle number and spacing. We developed a simulation model that explores the economic feasibility of using double-trailer configurations to transport forest biomass to a bioenergy facility from the grinder at a landing or from a centralized yard in Washington, Oregon and California. Results show that double trailers can be a cost effective alternative to single trailers under limited conditions in Oregon and Washington, but they are not a competitive option in California due to the state's transportation regulations.

Optimized confinement discharges in the stellarator W7-AS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldzuhn, J.; Giannone, L.; Kick, M.; McCormick, K. J.

2000-01-01

In addition to the well known H-mode, other types of discharges with enhanced core energy confinement can be observed in the stellarator W7-AS. In this contribution, the properties of some particular examples of those optimized confinement (OC) discharges are presented. These are characterized, besides improved core energy confinement, by strong negative radial electric fields and high ion temperatures in the gradient region, steep density profile gradients and a high penetration depth of neutrals, and small edge electron densities. The role of these plasma parameters for the OC discharges is investigated quantitatively by a numerical model. (author)

Apparatus for investigating the reactions of soft-bodied invertebrates to controlled humidity gradients.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Joshua; Pierce-Shimomura, Jonathan T

2014-11-30

While many studies have assayed behavioral responses of animals to chemical, temperature and light gradients, fewer studies have assayed how animals respond to humidity gradients. Our novel humidity chamber has allowed us to study the neuromolecular basis of humidity sensation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (Russell et al., 2014). We describe an easy-to-construct, low-cost humidity chamber to assay the behavior of small animals, including soft-bodied invertebrates, in controlled humidity gradients. We show that our humidity-chamber design is amenable to soft-bodied invertebrates and can produce reliable gradients ranging 0.3-8% RH/cm across a 9-cm long × 7.5-cm wide gel-covered arena. Previous humidity chambers relied on circulating dry and moist air to produce a steep humidity gradient in a small arena (e.g. Sayeed and Benzer, 1996). To remove the confound of moving air that may elicit mechanical responses independent of humidity responses, our chamber controlled the humidity gradient using reservoirs of hygroscopic materials. Additionally, to better observe the behavioral mechanisms for humidity responses, our chamber provided a larger arena. Although similar chambers have been described previously, these approaches were not suitable for soft-bodied invertebrates or for easy imaging of behavior because they required that animals move across wire or fabric mesh. The general applicability of our humidity chamber overcomes limitations of previous designs and opens the door to observe the behavioral responses of soft-bodied invertebrates, including genetically powerful C. elegans and Drosophila larvae. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Treatment of Layered Structures Using a Semilocal meta-GGA Density Functional

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Georg; Ferrighi, Lara; Hammer, Bjørk

2010-01-01

Density functional theory calculations on solids consisting of covalently bonded layers held together by dispersive interactions are presented. Utilizing the kinetic energy density in addition to the density and its gradients gives the meta-generalized gradient approximation (MGGA) M06-L enough...

Plasma-edge gradients in L-mode and ELM-free H-mode JET plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breger, P.; Zastrow, K.-D.; Davies, S.J.; K ig, R.W.T.; Summers, D.D.R.; Hellermann, M.G. von; Flewin, C.; Hawkes, N.C.; Pietrzyk, Z.A.; Porte, L.

1998-01-01

Experimental plasma-edge gradients in JET during the edge-localized-mode (ELM) free H-mode are examined for evidence of the presence and location of the transport barrier region inside the magnetic separatrix. High spatial resolution data in electron density is available in- and outside the separatrix from an Li-beam diagnostic, and in electron temperature inside the separatrix from an ECE diagnostic, while outside the separatrix, a reciprocating probe provides electron density and temperature data in the scrape-off layer. Ion temperatures and densities are measured using an edge charge-exchange diagnostic. A comparison of observed widths and gradients of this edge region with each other and with theoretical expectations is made. Measurements show that ions and electrons form different barrier regions. Furthermore, the electron temperature barrier width (3-4 cm) is about twice that of electron density, in conflict with existing scaling laws. Suitable parametrization of the edge data enables an electron pressure gradient to be deduced for the first time at JET. It rises during the ELM-free phase to reach only about half the marginal pressure gradient expected from ballooning stability before the first ELM. Subsequent type I ELMs occur on a pressure gradient contour roughly consistent with both a constant barrier width model and a ballooning mode envelope model. (author)

Effects of polyacrylamide on soil erosion and nutrient losses from substrate material in steep rocky slope stabilization projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhang; Chen, Wenlu; Li, Chengjun; Pu, Yanpin; Sun, Haifeng

2016-06-01

Erosion of denuded steep rocky slopes causes increasing losses of nitrogen and phosphorus, which is a severe problem in rocky slope protection. Thus, it is important to determine the appropriate materials that can reduce the erodibility and losses of nitrogen and phosphorus of the soil. In this paper, twenty-seven simulated rainfall events were carried out in a greenhouse, in which the substrate material was artificial soil; nine types of anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) were studied, which consisted of three molecular weight (6, 12, and 18 Mg mol(-1)) and three charge density (10, 20, and 30%) formulations in a 3 by 3 factorial design. The results showed that: (1) Polyacrylamide application reduced total nitrogen losses by 35.3% to 50.0% and total phosphorus losses by 34.9% to 48.0% relative to the control group. (2) The losses of total nitrogen and total phosphorus had significant correlation with the molecular weight. Besides, the losses of total phosphorus, particulate-bound phosphorus and inorganic nitrogen (NH4-N) were significantly correlated with their molecular weight and charge density. However, the losses of dissolved organic nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen (NO3-N), dissolved organic phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus (PO4-P) were non-significantly correlated with molecular weight and charge density. (3) Particulate-bound nitrogen and phosphorus were responsible for the losses of nitrogen and phosphorus during runoff events, where particulate-bound nitrogen made up 71.7% to 73.2% of total nitrogen losses, and particulate-bound phosphorus made up 82.3% to 85.2% of total phosphorus losses. (4) Polyacrylamide treatments increased water-stable aggregates content by 32.3% to 59.1%, total porosity by 11.3% to 49.0%, final infiltrative rate by 41.3% to 72.5%, and reduced soil erosion by 18.9% to 39.8% compared with the control group. Overall, the results of this study indicated that polyacrylamide application in the steep rocky slope stabilization projects could

Cooperative Three-Robot System for Traversing Steep Slopes

Science.gov (United States)

Stroupe, Ashley; Huntsberger, Terrance; Aghazarian, Hrand; Younse, Paulo; Garrett, Michael

2009-01-01

Teamed Robots for Exploration and Science in Steep Areas (TRESSA) is a system of three autonomous mobile robots that cooperate with each other to enable scientific exploration of steep terrain (slope angles up to 90 ). Originally intended for use in exploring steep slopes on Mars that are not accessible to lone wheeled robots (Mars Exploration Rovers), TRESSA and systems like TRESSA could also be used on Earth for performing rescues on steep slopes and for exploring steep slopes that are too remote or too dangerous to be explored by humans. TRESSA is modeled on safe human climbing of steep slopes, two key features of which are teamwork and safety tethers. Two of the autonomous robots, denoted Anchorbots, remain at the top of a slope; the third robot, denoted the Cliffbot, traverses the slope. The Cliffbot drives over the cliff edge supported by tethers, which are payed out from the Anchorbots (see figure). The Anchorbots autonomously control the tension in the tethers to counter the gravitational force on the Cliffbot. The tethers are payed out and reeled in as needed, keeping the body of the Cliffbot oriented approximately parallel to the local terrain surface and preventing wheel slip by controlling the speed of descent or ascent, thereby enabling the Cliffbot to drive freely up, down, or across the slope. Due to the interactive nature of the three-robot system, the robots must be very tightly coupled. To provide for this tight coupling, the TRESSA software architecture is built on a combination of (1) the multi-robot layered behavior-coordination architecture reported in "An Architecture for Controlling Multiple Robots" (NPO-30345), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 28, No. 10 (October 2004), page 65, and (2) the real-time control architecture reported in "Robot Electronics Architecture" (NPO-41784), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 32, No. 1 (January 2008), page 28. The combination architecture makes it possible to keep the three robots synchronized and coordinated, to use data

Sustainable Land-use Evaluation on Steep Landscapes and Flood

African Journals Online (AJOL)

processes of mountain ecosystems (Buttle et al, 2000). They minimise ... Conscious of the critical roles played by vegetation ecosystems on steep landscapes· and ... gco-informalion technology in the analysis of sustainable land and cm·ironmenlal .... surface and uncertainty of the predicted values to be calculated. This is.

On the solution of the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov equations by the conjugate gradient method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egido, J.L.; Robledo, L.M.

1995-01-01

The conjugate gradient method is formulated in the Hilbert space for density and non-density dependent Hamiltonians. We apply it to the solution of the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov equations with constraints. As a numerical application we show calculations with the finite range density dependent Gogny force. The number of iterations required to reach convergence is reduced by a factor of three to four as compared with the standard gradient method. (orig.)

Ponderomotive force effects on temperature-gradient-driven instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundaram, A.K.; Hershkowitz, N.

1992-01-01

The modification of temperature-gradient-driven instabilities due to the presence of nonuniform radio-frequency fields near the ion cyclotron frequency is investigated in the linear regime. Employing the fluid theory, it is shown that the induced field line compression caused by ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) fields makes the net parallel compressibility positive, and thus provides a stabilizing influence on the ion-temperature-gradient-driven mode for an appropriately tailored profile of radio-frequency (rf) pressure. Concomitantly, the radial ponderomotive force generates an additional contribution via coupling between the perturbed fluid motion and the equilibrium ponderomotive force and this effect plays the role of dissipation to enhance or decrease the growth of temperature-gradient-driven modes depending upon the sign of rf pressure gradients. For decreased growth of temperature-gradient-driven instabilities, the plasma density gradients and rf pressure gradients must have opposite signs while enhancement in growth arises when both gradients have the same sign. Finally, the kinetic effects associated with these modes are briefly discussed

An x-ray backlit Talbot-Lau deflectometer for high-energy-density electron density diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Valdivia, M. P.; Stutman, D.; Stoeckl, C.; Theobald, W.; Mileham, C.; Begishev, I. A.; Bromage, J.; Regan, S. P.

2016-02-01

X-ray phase-contrast techniques can measure electron density gradients in high-energy-density plasmas through refraction induced phase shifts. An 8 keV Talbot-Lau interferometer consisting of free standing ultrathin gratings was deployed at an ultra-short, high-intensity laser system using K-shell emission from a 1-30 J, 8 ps laser pulse focused on thin Cu foil targets. Grating survival was demonstrated for 30 J, 8 ps laser pulses. The first x-ray deflectometry images obtained under laser backlighting showed up to 25% image contrast and thus enabled detection of electron areal density gradients with a maximum value of 8.1 ± 0.5 × 1023 cm-3 in a low-Z millimeter sized sample. An electron density profile was obtained from refraction measurements with an error of x-ray source-size, similar to conventional radiography.

Convergent sum of gradient expansion of the kinetic-energy density functional up to the sixth order term using Padé approximant

Science.gov (United States)

Sergeev, A.; Alharbi, F. H.; Jovanovic, R.; Kais, S.

2016-04-01

The gradient expansion of the kinetic energy density functional, when applied to atoms or finite systems, usually grossly overestimates the energy in the fourth order and generally diverges in the sixth order. We avoid the divergence of the integral by replacing the asymptotic series including the sixth order term in the integrand by a rational function. Padé approximants show moderate improvements in accuracy in comparison with partial sums of the series. The results are discussed for atoms and Hooke’s law model for two-electron atoms.

Coreless Concept for High Gradient Induction Cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krasnykh, Anatoly

2008-01-01

An induction linac cell for a high gradient is discussed. The proposed solid state coreless approach for the induction linac topology (SLIM(reg s ign)) is based on nanosecond mode operation. This mode may have an acceleration gradient comparable with gradients of rf- accelerator structures. The discussed induction system has the high electric efficiency. The key elements are a solid state semiconductor switch and a high electric density dielectric with a thin section length. The energy in the induction system is storied in the magnetic field. The nanosecond current break-up produces the high voltage. The induced voltage is used for acceleration. This manner of an operation allows the use of low voltage elements in the booster part and achieves a high accelerating gradient. The proposed topology was tested in POP (proof of principle) experiments

Characteristics of the Roof Behaviors and Mine Pressure Manifestations During the Mining of Steep Coal Seam

Science.gov (United States)

Hong-Sheng, Tu; Shi-Hao, Tu; Cun, Zhang; Lei, Zhang; Xiao-Gang, Zhang

2017-12-01

A steep seam similar simulation system was developed based on the geological conditions of a steep coal seam in the Xintie Coal Mine. Basing on similar simulation, together with theoretical analysis and field measurement, an in-depth study was conducted to characterize the fracture and stability of the roof of steep working face and calculate the width of the region backfilled with gangue in the goaf. The results showed that, as mining progressed, the immediate roof of the steep face fell upon the goaf and backfilled its lower part due to gravity. As a result, the roof in the lower part had higher stability than the roof in the upper part of the working face. The deformation and fracture of main roof mainly occurred in the upper part of the working face; the fractured main roof then formed a "voussoir beam" structure in the strata's dip direction, which was subjected to the slip- and deformation-induced instability. The stability analysis indicated that, when the dip angle increased, the rock masses had greater capacity to withstand slip-induced instability but smaller capacity to withstand deformation-induced instability. Finally, the field measurement of the forces exerted on the hydraulic supports proved the characteristics of the roof's behaviors during the mining of a steep seam.

Time series modeling of soil moisture dynamics on a steep mountainous hillside

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sanghyun

2016-05-01

The response of soil moisture to rainfall events along hillslope transects is an important hydrologic process and a critical component of interactions between soil vegetation and the atmosphere. In this context, the research described in this article addresses the spatial distribution of soil moisture as a function of topography. In order to characterize the temporal variation in soil moisture on a steep mountainous hillside, a transfer function, including a model for noise, was introduced. Soil moisture time series with similar rainfall amounts, but different wetness gradients were measured in the spring and fall. Water flux near the soil moisture sensors was modeled and mathematical expressions were developed to provide a basis for input-output modeling of rainfall and soil moisture using hydrological processes such as infiltration, exfiltration and downslope lateral flow. The characteristics of soil moisture response can be expressed in terms of model structure. A seasonal comparison of models reveals differences in soil moisture response to rainfall, possibly associated with eco-hydrological process and evapotranspiration. Modeling results along the hillslope indicate that the spatial structure of the soil moisture response patterns mainly appears in deeper layers. Similarities between topographic attributes and stochastic model structures are spatially organized. The impact of temporal and spatial discretization scales on parameter expression is addressed in the context of modeling results that link rainfall events and soil moisture.

Relative roughness controls on incipient sediment motion in steep channels

Science.gov (United States)

Prancevic, J.; Lamb, M. P.; Fuller, B. M.

2012-12-01

For over eight decades, researchers have noted an appreciable increase in the nondimensional shear stress (Shields number) at initiation of fluvial bedload transport with increasing bed slope. The precise cause of the trend, however, is obscured by the covariance of several factors with increased slope: a greater downstream component of the gravity acting on the grains and fluid, changes in bed morphology, increased grainsize relative to the channel width that may lead to grain bridging, and increased grainsize relative to flow depth (relative roughness) that may change flow hydraulics and particle buoyancy. Here, we report on ongoing laboratory experiments spanning a wide range of bed slopes (2% to 67%) designed to isolate these variables and determine the true cause of heightened critical Shields numbers on steep slopes. First, we eliminated bed morphology as a factor by using only planar beds. To investigate the effect of grain bridging, we used two different channel widths, representing width-to-grainsize ratios of 23:1 and 9:1. Finally, to separate the effects of slope from relative roughness, we compared incipient motion conditions for acrylic particles (submerged specific gravity of 0.15) to natural siliciclastic gravel (submerged specific gravity of 1.65). Different particle densities allowed us to explore incipient motion as a function of relative roughness, independent of channel slope, because lighter particles move at shallower flow depths than heavier ones of the same size. Results show that both materials exhibit a positive trend between bed slope and critical Shields number despite the existence of planar beds for all slopes. Furthermore, changing the grainsize-to-width ratio had a negligible effect on this trend. For all slopes, the critical Shields number for bedload transport was higher for the acrylic particles than for gravel, indicating that relative roughness has a strong control on incipient sediment motion independent of channel slope. These

High density of tree-cavities and snags in tropical dry forest of western Mexico raises questions for a latitudinal gradient.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leopoldo Vázquez

Full Text Available It has been suggested that a latitudinal gradient exists of a low density of snags and high density of naturally-formed tree-cavities in tropical vs. temperate forests, though few cavities may have characteristics suitable for nesting by birds. We determined snag and cavity density, characteristics, and suitability for birds in a tropical dry forest biome of western Mexico, and evaluated whether our data fits the trend of snag and cavity density typically found in tropical moist and wet forests. We established five 0.25-ha transects to survey and measure tree-cavities and snags in each of three vegetation types of deciduous, semi-deciduous, and mono-dominant Piranhea mexicana forest, comprising a total of 3.75 ha. We found a high density of 77 cavities/ha, with 37 cavities suitable for birds/ha, where density, and characteristics of cavities varied significantly among vegetation types. Lowest abundance of cavities occurred in deciduous forest, and these were in smaller trees, at a lower height, and with a narrower entrance diameter. Only 8.6% of cavities were excavated by woodpeckers, and only 11% of cavities were occupied, mainly by arthropods, though 52% of all cavities were unsuitable for birds. We also found a high density of 56 snags/ha, with greatest density in deciduous forest (70 snags/ha, though these were of significantly smaller diameter, and snags of larger diameter were more likely to contain cavities. The Chamela-Cuixmala tropical dry forest had the highest density of snags recorded for any tropical or temperate forest, and while snag density was significantly correlated with mean snag dbh, neither latitude nor mean dbh predicted snag density in ten forest sites. The high spatial aggregation of snag and cavity resources in tropical dry forest may limit their availability, particularly for large-bodied cavity adopters, and highlights the importance of habitat heterogeneity in providing resources for primary and secondary cavity-nesters.

High density of tree-cavities and snags in tropical dry forest of western Mexico raises questions for a latitudinal gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Vázquez, Leopoldo; Renton, Katherine

2015-01-01

It has been suggested that a latitudinal gradient exists of a low density of snags and high density of naturally-formed tree-cavities in tropical vs. temperate forests, though few cavities may have characteristics suitable for nesting by birds. We determined snag and cavity density, characteristics, and suitability for birds in a tropical dry forest biome of western Mexico, and evaluated whether our data fits the trend of snag and cavity density typically found in tropical moist and wet forests. We established five 0.25-ha transects to survey and measure tree-cavities and snags in each of three vegetation types of deciduous, semi-deciduous, and mono-dominant Piranhea mexicana forest, comprising a total of 3.75 ha. We found a high density of 77 cavities/ha, with 37 cavities suitable for birds/ha, where density, and characteristics of cavities varied significantly among vegetation types. Lowest abundance of cavities occurred in deciduous forest, and these were in smaller trees, at a lower height, and with a narrower entrance diameter. Only 8.6% of cavities were excavated by woodpeckers, and only 11% of cavities were occupied, mainly by arthropods, though 52% of all cavities were unsuitable for birds. We also found a high density of 56 snags/ha, with greatest density in deciduous forest (70 snags/ha), though these were of significantly smaller diameter, and snags of larger diameter were more likely to contain cavities. The Chamela-Cuixmala tropical dry forest had the highest density of snags recorded for any tropical or temperate forest, and while snag density was significantly correlated with mean snag dbh, neither latitude nor mean dbh predicted snag density in ten forest sites. The high spatial aggregation of snag and cavity resources in tropical dry forest may limit their availability, particularly for large-bodied cavity adopters, and highlights the importance of habitat heterogeneity in providing resources for primary and secondary cavity-nesters.

Comparison of Conjugate Gradient Density Matrix Search and Chebyshev Expansion Methods for Avoiding Diagonalization in Large-Scale Electronic Structure Calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Kevin R.; Daniels, Andrew D.; Scuseria, Gustavo E.

1998-01-01

We report a comparison of two linear-scaling methods which avoid the diagonalization bottleneck of traditional electronic structure algorithms. The Chebyshev expansion method (CEM) is implemented for carbon tight-binding calculations of large systems and its memory and timing requirements compared to those of our previously implemented conjugate gradient density matrix search (CG-DMS). Benchmark calculations are carried out on icosahedral fullerenes from C60 to C8640 and the linear scaling memory and CPU requirements of the CEM demonstrated. We show that the CPU requisites of the CEM and CG-DMS are similar for calculations with comparable accuracy.

An optimized target-field method for MRI transverse biplanar gradient coil design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Rui; Xu, Jing; Huang, Kefu; Zhang, Jue; Fang, Jing; Fu, Youyi; Li, Yangjing

2011-01-01

Gradient coils are essential components of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. In this paper, we present an optimized target-field method for designing a transverse biplanar gradient coil with high linearity, low inductance and small resistance, which can well satisfy the requirements of permanent-magnet MRI systems. In this new method, the current density is expressed by trigonometric basis functions with unknown coefficients in polar coordinates. Following the standard procedures, we construct an objective function with respect to the total square errors of the magnetic field at all target-field points with the penalty items associated with the stored magnetic energy and the dissipated power. By adjusting the two penalty factors and minimizing the objective function, the appropriate coefficients of the current density are determined. Applying the stream function method to the current density, the specific winding patterns on the planes can be obtained. A novel biplanar gradient coil has been designed using this method to operate in a permanent-magnet MRI system. In order to verify the validity of the proposed approach, the gradient magnetic field generated by the resulted current density has been calculated via the Biot–Savart law. The results have demonstrated the effectiveness and advantage of this proposed method

Using solar oscillations to probe the effects of element diffusion in the solar interior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guzik, J.A.; Cox, A.N.

1993-01-01

There is growing evidence from solar oscillation and evolution studies that the Sun's convection zone helium mass fraction has decreased by about 0.03 due to element diffusion. Evolution calculations show that diffusion also produces a steep Y and Z composition gradient below the convection zone. Comparisons between calculated and observed solar p-mode frequencies of angular degrees 5 thru 60 that are sensitive to solar structure near the convection zone bottom support this steep composition gradient, rather than one smoothed significantly by turbulent mixing. Turbulent mixing induced by convective overshoot or rotation has been the favored explanation for much of the solar surface lithium depletion by a factor of 200 from its presumed primordial value. These limits on the extent of turbulent mixing imply that either most of the solar lithium destruction occurred pre-main sequence, which is not supported by observation of young star, or that some other mechanism, for example a small amount of early main-sequence mass loss, is responsible for the low observed lithium abundance. Solar models including such mass loss as well as diffusion have a slightly steeper central density gradient. Comparisons between observed and calculated low-degree p-mode frequencies that are sensitive to the Sun's central structure can be used to probe this density gradient and constrain the possible amount of mass loss

Influence of velocity gradient on optimisation of the aggregation process and physical properties of formed aggregates. Part 1. Inline high density suspension (IHDS) aggregation process

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Polášek, Pavel

2011-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 2 (2011), s. 107-117 ISSN 0042-790X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA103/07/1016 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20600510 Keywords : flocculation optimum * inline high density suspension (IHDS) formation process * properties of aggregates * intensity of agitation * velocity gradient G Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 0.340, year: 2011

Laser pulse propagation and enhanced energy coupling to fast electrons in dense plasma gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, R J; Carroll, D C; Yuan, X H; Brenner, C M; Coury, M; Quinn, M N; Tresca, O; McKenna, P; Burza, M; Wahlström, C-G; Lancaster, K L; Neely, D; Lin, X X; Li, Y T

2014-01-01

Laser energy absorption to fast electrons during the interaction of an ultra-intense (10 20 W cm −2 ), picosecond laser pulse with a solid is investigated, experimentally and numerically, as a function of the plasma density scale length at the irradiated surface. It is shown that there is an optimum density gradient for efficient energy coupling to electrons and that this arises due to strong self-focusing and channeling driving energy absorption over an extended length in the preformed plasma. At longer density gradients the laser filaments, resulting in significantly lower overall energy coupling. As the scale length is further increased, a transition to a second laser energy absorption process is observed experimentally via multiple diagnostics. The results demonstrate that it is possible to significantly enhance laser energy absorption and coupling to fast electrons by dynamically controlling the plasma density gradient. (paper)

Spin-Density Functionals from Current-Density Functional Theory and Vice Versa: A Road towards New Approximations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capelle, K.; Gross, E.

1997-01-01

It is shown that the exchange-correlation functional of spin-density functional theory is identical, on a certain set of densities, with the exchange-correlation functional of current-density functional theory. This rigorous connection is used to construct new approximations of the exchange-correlation functionals. These include a conceptually new generalized-gradient spin-density functional and a nonlocal current-density functional. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

The representation of spacetime through steep time functions

Science.gov (United States)

Minguzzi, Ettore

2018-02-01

In a recent work I showed that the family of smooth steep time functions can be used to recover the order, the topology and the (Lorentz-Finsler) distance of spacetime. In this work I present the main ideas entering the proof of the (smooth) distance formula, particularly the product trick which converts metric statements into causal ones. The paper ends with a second proof of the distance formula valid for globally hyperbolic Lorentzian spacetimes.

Thermoelectric properties of high electron concentration materials under large temperature gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulat, L.P.; Stefansky, V.A.

1994-01-01

Theoretical methods of investigating of transport properties in solids under large temperature gradients are grounded. The nonlinear and non-local expressions for current density and heat flow are obtained with degenerated of current carriers gas. A number of new effects with large temperature gradients have been tested. Use of large temperature gradients leads to the increasing of the thermoelectric figure of merit. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

Maximizing performance in supercritical fluid chromatography using low-density mobile phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Gritti, Fabrice; Fogwill, Michael; Gilar, Martin; Jarrell, Joseph A

2016-10-14

The performance of a 3.0mm×150mm column packed with 1.8μm fully porous HSS-SB-C 18 particles was investigated in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) with low-density, highly expansible carbon dioxide. These conditions are selected for the analysis of semi-volatile compounds. Elevated temperatures (>100°C) were then combined with low column back pressures (<100bar). In this work, the inlet temperature of pure carbon dioxide was set at 107°C, the active back pressure regulator (ABPR) pressure was fixed at 100bar, and the flow rate was set at 2.1mL/min at 12°C (liquefied carbon dioxide) and at an inlet column pressure close to 300bar. Nine n-alkylbenzenes (from benzene to octadecylbenzene) were injected under linear (no sample overload) conditions. The severe steepness of the temperature gradients across the column diameter were predicted from a simplified heat transfer model. Such conditions dramatically lower the column performance by affecting the symmetry of the peak shape. In order to cope with this problem, three different approaches were experimentally tested. They include (1) the decoupling and the proper selection of the inlet eluent temperature with respect to the oven temperature, (2) the partial thermal insulation of the column using polyethylene aerogel, and (3) the application of a high vacuum (10 -5 Torr provided by a turbo-molecular pump) in a housing chamber surrounding the whole column body. The results reveal that (1) the column efficiency can be maximized by properly selecting the difference between the eluent and the oven temperatures, (2) the mere wrapping of the column with an excellent insulating material is insufficient to fully eliminate heat exchanges by conduction and the undesirable radial density gradients across the column i.d., and (3) the complete thermal insulation of the SFC column under high vacuum allows to maximize the column efficiency by maintaining the integrity of the peak shape. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All

Steep and Adjustable Transfer Functions of Monolithic SOA-EA 2R-Regenerators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Öhman, Filip; Kjær, Rasmus; Christiansen, Lotte Jin

2006-01-01

of a semiconductor waveguide with alternating amplifier and absorber sections using quantum-well active material. The steep nonlinearity of the transfer function is achieved by concatenating several sections. We identify the saturation properties of the absorbing media, as dictated by the band-filling and field......Measurements and numerical modeling of a reamplification and reshaping (2R) regenerator demonstrate a steep power transfer function with adjustable threshold. The threshold can be adjusted more than 6 dB by simple control of the reverse bias voltage of the absorber section. The device consists...... screening, as important for the observed transfer functions. The relation of the saturation powers of the gain and absorption sectionsis important for design optimization....

Assessment of swim-up and discontinuous density gradient in sperm sex preselection for bovine embryo production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.C Lucio

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this work was to associate the modified swim-up method with centrifugation in density gradient for the separation of X-bearing spermatozoa. Sperm viability and integrity were evaluated through the Trypan Blue/Giemsa staining method. Quality control of centrifuged spermatozoa was performed in in vitro produced embryos. The results were validated by the sex ratio of in vitro produced embryos using PCR by Y- specific sequences present in bovine male genomic DNA. After determining genetic sex of in vitro produced embryos, the results showed difference (P<0.05 in deviation of sex ratio when comparing the control group (45.2% females with the other spermatozoa selection procedures (60.6% females (P<0.05. The sperm selection methods are capable of selecting X-bearing spermatozoa without compromising the spermatozoa fertility (cleavage and blastocyst rates, 70% and 26%, respectively and were considered relevant methods to be introduced in bovine in vitro produced embryo programs.

A tunable electron beam source using trapping of electrons in a density down-ramp in laser wakefield acceleration.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekerfelt, Henrik; Hansson, Martin; Gallardo González, Isabel; Davoine, Xavier; Lundh, Olle

2017-09-25

One challenge in the development of laser wakefield accelerators is to demonstrate sufficient control and reproducibility of the parameters of the generated bunches of accelerated electrons. Here we report on a numerical study, where we demonstrate that trapping using density down-ramps allows for tuning of several electron bunch parameters by varying the properties of the density down-ramp. We show that the electron bunch length is determined by the difference in density before and after the ramp. Furthermore, the transverse emittance of the bunch is controlled by the steepness of the ramp. Finally, the amount of trapped charge depends both on the density difference and on the steepness of the ramp. We emphasize that both parameters of the density ramp are feasible to vary experimentally. We therefore conclude that this tunable electron accelerator makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, from those requiring short pulse length and low emittance, such as the free-electron lasers, to those requiring high-charge, large-emittance bunches to maximize betatron X-ray generation.

Study of density fluctuation in L-mode and H-mode plasmas on JFT-2M by microwave reflectometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinohara, Kouji

1997-08-01

We propose the model which can explain the runaway phase. The model takes account of the scattered wave which is caused by the density fluctuation near the cut-off layer. We should take a new approach instead of the conventional phase measurement in order to derive the information of the density fluctuation from the data with the runaway phase. The complex spectrum and the rotary spectrum analyses are useful tools to analyze such data. The density fluctuation in L-mode and H-mode plasmas is discussed by using this new approach. We have observed that the reduction of the density fluctuation is localized in the edge region where the sheared electric field is produced. The fluctuations in the range of frequency lower than 100 kHz are mainly reduced. Two interesting features have been observed. One is the detection of the coherent mode around 100 kHz in H-mode. This mode appears about 10 ms after L to H transition. The timing corresponds to the formation of a steep density and temperature gradient in the edge region. The other is the enhancement of the fluctuations with the frequency higher than 300 kHz in H-mode in contrast to the reduction of the fluctuations with the frequency lower than 100 kHz. The Doppler shift is observed in the complex auto-power spectrum of the reflected wave when the plasma is actively moved. We have confirmed that the movement of the plasma is appropriately measured by using the low pass filter. The reflectometer can be used to measure the density profile by using a low pass filter even when the runaway phase phenomenon occurs. (author). 150 refs

Seismic Monitoring of Bedload Transport in a Steep Mountain Catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, D. L.; Finnegan, N. J.; Brodsky, E. E.; Turowski, J. M.; Wyss, C. R.; Badoux, A.

2014-12-01

Predicting river channel evolution relies on an understanding of when and at what rate coarse sediment moves in a channel. Unfortunately, our predictive abilities are limited by the logistical challenges and potential dangers inherent in current techniques for monitoring sediment transport during flood events, especially in steep, highly active landscapes. However, the use of seismic signals near rivers shows promise as a safe, low-cost method for studying sediment transport in these settings. Seismic signals near rivers are partially generated by both water turbulence and bedload sediment particles impacting the river bed during transport. Here, we attempt to isolate the seismic signatures of discharge and bedload transport in a steep mountain channel by examining high-frequency broadband seismic data from the well-studied Erlenbach stream (local slope of ~10%) in the Swiss Prealps. The extensive monitoring infrastructure and long history of sediment transport data at this field site allow us to independently constrain discharge, precipitation, and bedload transport during flood events over a two month field campaign. We perform a general linear least squares inversion of the seismic data, exploiting times with isolated rain or discharge events, to identify the spectral signals of water turbulence, rain, and bedload sediment transport. We find that the signal generated by rain exhibits a roughly broadband spectrum, while discharge and sediment transport exhibit power primarily in lower frequency bands. Our preliminary results indicate that with only precipitation and discharge data, it is possible to isolate the seismic signal of bedload transport in steep fluvial environments. Seismic studies may therefore have the potential to revolutionize our ability to monitor and understand these environments.

A Breast Cell Atlas: Organelle analysis of the MDA-MB-231 cell line by density-gradient fractionation using isotopic marking and label-free analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianne Sandin

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Protein translocation between organelles in the cell is an important process that regulates many cellular functions. However, organelles can rarely be isolated to purity so several methods have been developed to analyse the fractions obtained by density gradient centrifugation. We present an analysis of the distribution of proteins amongst organelles in the human breast cell line, MDA-MB-231 using two approaches: an isotopic labelling and a label-free approach.

Steep cut slope composting : field trials and evaluation : project summary report.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-01

This project is a continuation of earlier work performed by Montana State University (Jennings et al. 2007) evaluating compost application on, and incorporation into, soils on steep cut slopes for the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). The e...

Preliminary study of steep pulse irreversible electroporation technology in human large cell lung cancer cell lines L9981

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Song Zuoqing

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Our aim was to validate the effectiveness of steep pulse irreversible electroporation technology in human large cell lung cancer cells and to screen the optimal treatment of parameters for human large cell lung cancer cells. Three different sets of steep pulse therapy parameters were applied on the lung cancer cell line L9981. The cell line L9981 inhibition rate and proliferation capacity were detected by Vi-Cell vitality analysis and MTT. Steep pulsed irreversible electroporation technology for large cell lung cancer L9981 presents killing effects with various therapy parameters. The optimal treatment parameters are at a voltage amplitude of 2000V/cm, pulse width of 100μs, pulse frequency of 1 Hz, pulse number 10. With this group of parameters, steep pulse could have the best tumor cell-killing effects.

Analysis of physical mechanisms underlying density-dependent transport in porous media

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Landman, A.J.

2005-01-01

In this thesis, the interaction between (large) density gradients and flow and transport in porous media is studied. Large gradients in the density of groundwater exist for example near deep salt rock formations, which are considered as possible long-term storage sites for radioactive waste.

Density gradient effects in weakly nonlinear ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L. F.; Ye, W. H.; He, X. T.

2012-01-01

In this research, density gradient effects (i.e., finite thickness of ablation front effects) in ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability (ARTI), in the presence of preheating within the weakly nonlinear regime, are investigated numerically. We analyze the weak, medium, and strong ablation surfaces which have different isodensity contours, respectively, to study the influences of finite thickness of ablation front on the weakly nonlinear behaviors of ARTI. Linear growth rates, generation coefficients of the second and the third harmonics, and coefficients of the third-order feedback to the fundamental mode are obtained. It is found that the linear growth rate which has a remarkable maximum, is reduced, especially when the perturbation wavelength λ is short and a cut-off perturbation wavelength λ c appears when the perturbation wavelength λ is sufficiently short, where no higher harmonics exists when λ c . The phenomenon of third-order positive feedback to the fundamental mode near the λ c [J. Sanz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 195002 (2002); J. Garnier et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 185003 (2003); J. Garnier and L. Masse, Phys. Plasmas 12, 062707 (2005)] is confirmed in numerical simulations, and the physical mechanism of the third-order positive feedback is qualitatively discussed. Moreover, it is found that generations and growths of the second and the third harmonics are stabilized (suppressed and reduced) by the ablation effect. Meanwhile, the third-order negative feedback to the fundamental mode is also reduced by the ablation effect, and hence, the linear saturation amplitude (typically ∼0.2λ in our simulations) is increased significantly and therefore exceeds the classical prediction 0.1λ, especially for the strong ablation surface with a small perturbation wavelength. Overall, the ablation effect stabilizes the ARTI in the weakly nonlinear regime. Numerical results obtained are in general agreement with the recent weakly nonlinear theories and simulations

Desvio da proporção de sexo e da integridade do DNA dos espermatozóides bovinos centrifugados em gradientes de densidade contínuos Alteration of sex ratio and DNA integrity of bovine sperm centrifuged in continuous density gradients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Lopes Gusmão

2010-03-01

Full Text Available O objetivo, neste trabalho, foi verificar o desvio da proporção de sexo e a presença de fragmentação do DNA, pela técnica de TUNEL (“In situ terminal deoxinucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay”, em espermatozoides bovinos centrifugados em gradientes de densidade de Percoll ou OptiPrep durante a separação espermática. Doses de sêmen de touros foram descongeladas, e cerca de 40 milhões de espermatozoides foram depositados sobre cada gradiente de densidade compostos por Percoll ou OptiPrep com três camadas entre 1.110g/mL e 1.123g/mL, em tubos de 15mL, em que permaneceram por 24h a 4°C antes da deposição dos espermatozoides. Os tubos foram centrifugados a 500xg por 15min a 22°C. Os sobrenadantes foram aspirados, e os sedimentos, recuperados para verificação da fragmentação do DNA pela técnica de TUNEL. Obteve-se um desvio dos embriões produzidos in vitro para fêmeas no gradiente de Percoll (62% de fêmeas, em relação aos grupos OptiPrep e Controle (47,1 e 48,7% de fêmeas, respectivamente. Não foi detectada fragmentação do DNA dos espermatozoides nas amostras centrifugadas, tanto no gradiente de Percoll quanto de OptiPrep. Dessa forma, foi possível realizar a sexagem espermática, com uma maior porcentagem de espermatozoides X do que o grupo controle, por meio de metodologia mais simples e sem provocar danos ao DNA dos espermatozoides.The objective of the present study was to verify the sex ratio and presence of DNA fragmentation by TUNEL technique (In situ terminal deoxinucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay in bovine spermatozoa centrifuged in density gradients of Percoll or OptiPrep during the sperm separation. Approximately 40 million of frozen/thawed bovine spermatozoa were deposited on each density gradient composed of Percoll or OptiPrep with three layers ranging from 1.110g/mL to 1.123g/mL in polystyrene tubes of 15mL. The tubes were kept at 4°C for 24h before

On the formulation of higher gradient single and polycrystal plasticity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menzel, A.; Steinmann, P.

1998-01-01

This contribution aims in a geometrically linear formulation of higher gradient plasticity of single and polycrystalline material based on the continuum theory of dislocations and incompatibilities. Thereby, general continuum dislocation densities and incompatibilities are introduced from the viewpoint of continuum mechanics by considering the spatial closure failure of arbitrary line integrals of the displacement differential. Then these findings are translated to the plastic parts of the displacement gradient, the so called plastic distortion, and the plastic strain, respectively, within an elasto-plastic solid thus defining tensor fields of plastic dislocation densities and plastic incompatibilities. Next, in the case of single crystalline material the plastic dislocation density and in the case of polycrystalline material the plastic incompatibility are considered within the exploitation of the thermodynamical principle of positive dissipation. As a result, a phenomenological but physically motivated description of hardening is obtained, which incorporates for single crystals second spatial derivatives of the plastic deformation gradient and for polycrystals fourth spatial derivatives of the plastic strains into the yield condition. Moreover, these modifications mimic the characteristic structure of kinematic hardening, whereby the backstress obeys a nonlocal evolution law. (orig.)

Ion-temperature-gradient-driven modes in bi-ion magnetoplasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batool, Nazia; Mirza, Arshad M [Theoretical Plasma Physics Group, Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320 (Pakistan); Qamar, Anisa [Department of Physics, Peshawar University, NWFP 25120 (Pakistan)], E-mail: nazia.batool@ncp.edu.pk

2008-12-15

The toroidal ion-temperature-gradient (ITG)-driven electrostatic drift waves are investigated for bi-ion plasmas with equilibrium density, temperature and magnetic field gradients. Using Braginskii's transport equations for the ions and Boltzmann distributed electrons, the mode coupling equations are derived. New ITG-driven modes are shown to exist. The results of the present study should be helpful to understand several wave phenomena in space and tokamak plasmas.

Dynamic crushing of uniform and density graded cellular structures based on the circle arc model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianjun Zhang

Full Text Available AbstractA new circle-arc model was established to present the cellular structure. Dynamic response of models with density gradients under constant velocities is investigated by employing Ls-dyna 971. Compared with the uniform models, the quasi-static plateau stress of different layers seems a significant parameter correlated with the deformation mode except for inertia effect when the density gradient is introduced. The impact velocity becomes much more vital on the deformation of the unit cell than the density gradient. The stress at both the impact and stationary sides is investigated in details. Furthermore, the stress-strain curve is compared with the modified shock wave theory. The density gradient does have some remarkable influence on the energy absorption capability, and a certain density gradient is not always beneficial to the energy absorption. Irrespective of the impact velocity, there seems always a critical strain where the energy absorbed by all these specimens could approximate to nearly the same value. So the critical strain-velocity curve is plotted and gives the beneficial area for energy absorption pertinent to density gradients and impact velocity.

All Hazard Hotspots/Population Density

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

This map shows hotspots of humanitarian risk for floods, cyclones, and drought overlaying a population density gradient. Blue areas with striped overlay represent areas of high population density that are also risk hotspots. These are at higher risk of future population displacement as a result of climate hazards.

On the metallicity gradients of the Galactic disk as revealed by LSS-GAC red clump stars

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yang; Liu, Xiao-Wei; Zhang, Hua-Wei; Yuan, Hai-Bo; Xiang, Mao-Sheng; Chen, Bing-Qiu; Ren, Juan-Juan; Sun, Ning-Chen; Wang, Chun; Zhang, Yong; Hou, Yong-Hui; Wang, Yue-Fei; Yang, Ming

2015-08-01

Using a sample of over 70 000 red clump (RC) stars with 5%-10% distance accuracy selected from the LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey of the Galactic Anti-center (LSS-GAC), we study the radial and vertical gradients of the Galactic disk(s) mainly in the anti-center direction, covering a significant volume of the disk in the range of projected Galactocentric radius 7 ≤ RGC ≤ 14 kpc and height from the Galactic midplane 0 ≤ |Z| ≤ 3 kpc. Our analysis shows that both the radial and vertical metallicity gradients are negative across much of the volume of the disk that is probed, and they exhibit significant spatial variations. Near the solar circle (7 ≤ RGC ≤ 115 kpc), the radial gradient has a moderately steep, negative slope of -0.08 dex kpc-1 near the midplane (|Z| plane, suggesting that the outer disk may have experienced an evolutionary path different from that of the inner disk. The vertical gradients are found to flatten largely with increasing RGC. However, the vertical gradient of the lower disk (0 ≤ |Z| ≤ 1 kpc) is found to flatten with RGC quicker than that of the upper disk (1 < |Z| ≤ 3 kpc). Our results should provide strong constraints on the theory of disk formation and evolution, as well as the underlying physical processes that shape the disk (e.g. gas flows, radial migration, and internal and external perturbations).

Egalitarian despots: hierarchy steepness, reciprocity and the grooming-trade model in wild chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaburu, Stefano S K; Newton-Fisher, Nicholas E

2015-01-01

Biological market theory models the action of natural selection as a marketplace in which animals are viewed as traders with commodities to offer and exchange. Studies of female Old World monkeys have suggested that grooming might be employed as a commodity to be reciprocated or traded for alternative services, yet previous tests of this grooming-trade model in wild adult male chimpanzees have yielded mixed results. Here we provide the strongest test of the model to date for male chimpanzees: we use data drawn from two social groups (communities) of chimpanzees from different populations and give explicit consideration to variation in dominance hierarchy steepness, as such variation results in differing conditions for biological markets. First, analysis of data from published accounts of other chimpanzee communities, together with our own data, showed that hierarchy steepness varied considerably within and across communities and that the number of adult males in a community aged 20-30 years predicted hierarchy steepness. The two communities in which we tested predictions of the grooming-trade model lay at opposite extremes of this distribution. Second, in accord with the grooming-trade model, we found evidence that male chimpanzees trade grooming for agonistic support where hierarchies are steep (despotic) and consequent effective support is a rank-related commodity, but not where hierarchies are shallow (egalitarian). However, we also found that grooming was reciprocated regardless of hierarchy steepness. Our findings also hint at the possibility of agonistic competition, or at least exclusion, in relation to grooming opportunities compromising the free market envisioned by biological market theory. Our results build on previous findings across chimpanzee communities to emphasize the importance of reciprocal grooming exchanges among adult male chimpanzees, which can be understood in a biological markets framework if grooming by or with particular individuals is a

Egalitarian despots: hierarchy steepness, reciprocity and the grooming-trade model in wild chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes

Science.gov (United States)

Kaburu, Stefano S. K.; Newton-Fisher, Nicholas E.

2014-01-01

Biological market theory models the action of natural selection as a marketplace in which animals are viewed as traders with commodities to offer and exchange. Studies of female Old World monkeys have suggested that grooming might be employed as a commodity to be reciprocated or traded for alternative services, yet previous tests of this grooming-trade model in wild adult male chimpanzees have yielded mixed results. Here we provide the strongest test of the model to date for male chimpanzees: we use data drawn from two social groups (communities) of chimpanzees from different populations and give explicit consideration to variation in dominance hierarchy steepness, as such variation results in differing conditions for biological markets. First, analysis of data from published accounts of other chimpanzee communities, together with our own data, showed that hierarchy steepness varied considerably within and across communities and that the number of adult males in a community aged 20–30 years predicted hierarchy steepness. The two communities in which we tested predictions of the grooming-trade model lay at opposite extremes of this distribution. Second, in accord with the grooming-trade model, we found evidence that male chimpanzees trade grooming for agonistic support where hierarchies are steep (despotic) and consequent effective support is a rank-related commodity, but not where hierarchies are shallow (egalitarian). However, we also found that grooming was reciprocated regardless of hierarchy steepness. Our findings also hint at the possibility of agonistic competition, or at least exclusion, in relation to grooming opportunities compromising the free market envisioned by biological market theory. Our results build on previous findings across chimpanzee communities to emphasize the importance of reciprocal grooming exchanges among adult male chimpanzees, which can be understood in a biological markets framework if grooming by or with particular individuals is

Fast-electron self-collimation in a plasma density gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, X. H.; Borghesi, M.; Robinson, A. P. L.

2012-01-01

A theoretical and numerical study of fast electron transport in solid and compressed fast ignition relevant targets is presented. The principal aim of the study is to assess how localized increases in the target density (e.g., by engineering of the density profile) can enhance magnetic field generation and thus pinching of the fast electron beam through reducing the rate of temperature rise. The extent to which this might benefit fast ignition is discussed.

Differentiation between grade 3 and grade 4 articular cartilage defects of the knee: Fat-suppressed proton density-weighted versus fat-suppressed three-dimensional gradient-echo MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, So Yeon; Jee, Won-Hee; Kim, Sun Ki (Dept. of Radiology, Seoul St Mary' s Hospital, Catholic Univ. of Korea, Seoul (Korea)), e-mail: whjee@catholic.ac.kr; Koh, In-Jun (Dept. of Joint Reconstruction Center, Seoul National Univ. Bundang Hospital, Seoul (Korea)); Kim, Jung-Man (Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul St Mary' s Hospital, Catholic Univ. of Korea, Seoul (Korea))

2010-05-15

Background: Fat-suppressed (FS) proton density (PD)-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and FS three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo imaging such as spoiled gradient-recalled (SPGR) sequence have been established as accurate methods for detecting articular cartilage defects. Purpose: To retrospectively compare the diagnostic efficacy between FS PD-weighted and FS 3D gradient-echo MRI for differentiating between grade 3 and grade 4 cartilage defects of the knee with arthroscopy as the standard of reference. Material and Methods: Twenty-one patients who had grade 3 or 4 cartilage defects in medial femoral condyle at arthroscopy and knee MRI were included in this study: grade 3, >50% cartilage defects; grade 4, full thickness cartilage defects exposed to the bone. Sagittal FS PD-weighted MR images and FS 3D gradient-echo images with 1.5 T MR images were independently graded for the cartilage abnormalities of medial femoral condyle by two musculoskeletal radiologists. Statistical analysis was performed by Fisher's exact test. Inter-observer agreement in grading of cartilage was assessed using ? coefficients. Results: Arthroscopy revealed grade 3 defects in 17 patients and grade 4 defects in 4 patients in medial femoral condyles. For FS 3D gradient-echo images grade 3 defects were graded as grade 3 (n=15) and grade 4 (n=2), and all grade 4 defects (n=4) were correctly graded. However, for FS PD-weighted MR images all grade 3 defects were misinterpreted as grade 1 (n=1) and grade 4 (n=16), whereas all grade 4 defects (n=4) were correctly graded. FS 3D gradient-echo MRI could differentiate grade 3 from grade 4 defects (P=0.003), whereas FS PD-weighted imaging could not (P=1.0). Inter-observer agreement was substantial (?=0.70) for grading of cartilage using FS PD-weighted imaging, whereas it was moderate (?=0.46) using FS 3D gradient-echo imaging. Conclusion: FS 3D gradient-echo MRI is more helpful for differentiating between grade 3 and grade 4 cartilage

Experimental investigation of steep-front short duration (SFSD) surge effects on power systems components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, D.B. (Mississippi State Univ., MS (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

1992-05-01

Results are reported from experiments in which steep-front, short- duration (SFSD) voltage impulses were imposed on various electrical distribution components. These pulses were generated by switching a section of charged, high voltage coaxial cable across the component under study. Components included underground distribution cable, terminators, insulators and arresters. SFSD voltage needed to flashover 15 kV polyethylene cable with a single pulse is approximately 625 kV peak. Strength of polyethylene cable decreases with increasing number of SFSD pulses, indicating cumulative degradation of the polymer. For 15 kV and 25 kV cable terminators, the SFSD CFO was over twice the rated standard lightning BIL for the same units. Similarly, porcelain suspension insulators required more than a doubling of voltage to decrease time to flashover from 1 microsecond to .1 microsecond. Arresters were found to respond rapidly to steep-front current pulses, but the arrester material itself was found to result in a higher discharge voltage for SFSD pulses. Arresters also showed a delay in turn-on of current following the arrival of a steep-front voltage surge.

The role of prospection in steep temporal reward discounting in gambling addiction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonius eWiehler

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Addiction and pathological gambling (PG have been consistently associated with high impulsivity and a steep devaluation of delayed rewards, a process that is known as temporal discounting (TD. Recent studies indicated that enhanced episodic future thinking (EFT results in less impulsive TD in healthy controls (HC. In a separate line of research, it has been suggested that non-linearities in time perception might contribute to reward devaluation during inter-temporal choice. Therefore, in addition to deficits in valuation processes and executive control, impairments in EFT and non-linearities in time perception have been hypothesized to contribute to steep TD in addiction. In this study, we explore such a potential association of impairments in EFT and time perception with steep TD in PG.We investigated 20 PGs and 20 matched HCs. TD was assessed via a standard computerized binary choice task. We measured EFT using a variation of the Autobiographical Memory Interview by Levine et al. (1. Time perception was assessed with a novel task, utilizing a non-linear rating procedure via circle-size adjustments.Groups did not differ in baseline EFT. In both groups, a power law accounted time perception best, and the degree of non-linearity in time perception correlated with discounting across groups. A multiple regression analysis across all predictors and covariates revealed that only group status (PG/HC and depression were significantly associated with discounting behavior such that PG increased TD and depression attenuated TD.Our findings speak against the idea that steep TD in PG is due to a skewed perception of time or impairments in EFT, at least under the present task conditions. The lack of overall group differences in EFT does not rule out the possibility of more complex interactions of EFT and decision-making. These interactions might be diminished in pathological gambling or addiction more generally, when other task configurations are used.

Cerebral haemodynamic physiology during steep Trendelenburg position and CO2 pneumoperitoneum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kalmar, A. F.; Dewaele, F.; Foubert, L.; Hendrickx, J. F.; Heeremans, E. H.; Struys, M. M. R. F.; Absalom, A.

The steep (40) Trendelenburg position optimizes surgical exposure during robotic prostatectomy. The goal of the current study was to elucidate the influence of this patient positioning on cerebral blood flow and zero flow pressure (ZFP), and to assess the validity of different methods of evaluating

Bedform migration in steep channels: from local avalanches to large scale changes

Science.gov (United States)

Mettra, F.; Heyman, J.; Ancey, C.

2013-12-01

Many studies have emphasized the strength of bedload transport fluctuations in steep streams, especially at low and intermediate transport conditions (relative to the threshold of incipient motion). The origins of these fluctuations, which appear on a wide range of time scales, are still not well understood. In this study, we present the data obtained from a 2D idealized laboratory experiment with the objective of simultaneously recording the channel bed evolution and bedload transport rate at a high temporal resolution. A 3-m long by 8-cm wide transparent flume filled with well-sorted natural gravel (d50=6.5 mm) was used. An efficient technique using accelerometers has been developed to record the arrival time of every particle at the outlet of the flume for long experimental durations (up to a few days). In addition, bed elevation was monitored using cameras filming from the side of the channel, allowing the observation of global aggradation/degradation as well as bedform migration. The experimental parameters were the water discharge, the flume inclination (from 2° to 5°) and the constant feeding rate of sediments. Large-scale bed evolution showed successive aggradation and rapid degradation periods. Indeed, the measured global channel slope, i.e. mean slope over the flume length, fluctuated continuously within a range sometimes wider than 1° (experimental parameters were constant over the entire run). The analysis of these fluctuations provides evidence that steep channels behave like metastable systems, similarly to grain piles. The metastable effects increased for steeper channels and lower transport conditions. In this measurement campaign, we mainly observed upstream-migrating antidunes. For each run, various antidune heights and celerities were measured. On average, the mean antidune migration rate increased with decreasing channel slope and increasing sediment feeding rate. Relatively rare tall and fast-moving antidunes appeared more frequently at high

The Trails of Superluminal Jet Components in 3C 111

Science.gov (United States)

Kadler, M.; Ros, E.; Perucho, M.; Kovalev, Y. Y.; Homan, D. C.; Agudo, I.; Kellermann, K. I.; Aller, M. F.; Aller, H. D.; Lister, M. L.;

Comparison of H-mode barrier width with a model of neutral penetration length

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groebner, R.J.; Mahdavi, M.A.; Leonard, A.W.; Osborne, T.H.; Brooks, N.S.; Wolf, N.S.; Porter, G.D.; Stangeby, P.C.; Colchin, R.J.; Owen, L.W.

2004-01-01

Pedestal studies in DIII-D find that the width of the region of steep gradient in the H-mode density is comparable with the neutral penetration length, as computed from a simple analytic model. This model has analytic solutions for the edge plasma and neutral density profiles, which are obtained from the coupled particle continuity equations for electrons and deuterium atoms. In its range of validity (edge temperature between 40 and 500 eV), the analytic model quantitatively predicts the observed decrease in the width as the pedestal density increases and the observed strong increase in the gradient of the density as the pedestal density increases. The model successfully predicts that L-mode and H-mode profiles with the same pedestal density have gradients that differ by less than a factor of 2. The width of the density barrier, measured from the edge of the electron temperature barrier, is the lower limit for the observed width of the temperature barrier. These results support the hypothesis that particle fuelling is an important part of the physics that determines the structure of the H-mode transport barrier. (author)

Mapping land cover gradients through analysis of hyper-temporal NDVI imagery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ali, A.; de Bie, C.A.J.M.; Skidmore, A.K.; Scarrott, R.G.; Hamad, A.A.; Venus, V.; Lymberakis, P.

2013-01-01

The green cover of the earth exhibits various spatial gradients that represent gradual changes in space of vegetation density and/or in species composition. To date, land cover mapping methods differentiate at best, mapping units with different cover densities and/or species compositions, but

Physiological Limits along an Elevational Gradient in a Radiation of Montane Ground Beetles.

Science.gov (United States)

Slatyer, Rachel A; Schoville, Sean D

2016-01-01

A central challenge in ecology and biogeography is to determine the extent to which physiological constraints govern the geographic ranges of species along environmental gradients. This study tests the hypothesis that temperature and desiccation tolerance are associated with the elevational ranges of 12 ground beetle species (genus Nebria) occurring on Mt. Rainier, Washington, U.S.A. Species from higher elevations did not have greater cold tolerance limits than lower-elevation species (all species ranged from -3.5 to -4.1°C), despite a steep decline in minimum temperature with elevation. Although heat tolerance limits varied among species (from 32.0 to 37.0°C), this variation was not generally associated with the relative elevational range of a species. Temperature gradients and acute thermal tolerance do not support the hypothesis that physiological constraints drive species turnover with elevation. Measurements of intraspecific variation in thermal tolerance limits were not significant for individuals taken at different elevations on Mt. Rainier, or from other mountains in Washington and Oregon. Desiccation resistance was also not associated with a species' elevational distribution. Our combined results contrast with previously-detected latitudinal gradients in acute physiological limits among insects and suggest that other processes such as chronic thermal stress or biotic interactions might be more important in constraining elevational distributions in this system.

On the use of High-density rock in rubble Mound Breakwaters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helgason, Einar; Burcharth, H. F.

2005-01-01

Natural rock with high density is widely used in the Scandinavian countries. However, the use of natural rock with density higher than 2:9t=m3 is ordinarily associated with some kind of problem solving, e.g. where normal density stones have to be replaced with heavier stones without increasing th...... on stability from the increased density is overestimated by conventional armour stability formulae in case of steep slopes. The infuence of the density depends on the slope angle and the type of armour units....... the construction volume or layer thickness. Most common design formulae do not give a clear conclusion on the in°uence of the rock density on the stability. The present paper presents results of small and large scale model tests in which is used rock with different densities. It is shown that the positive effect...

GRADIENTES TÉRMICOS NATURAIS NA ESTIMATIVA DO FLUXO DE SEIVA PELO MÉTODO GRANIER

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LUCAS MELO VELLAME

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of thermal gradients on stem add one methodological constraint for estimating sap flow through the Granier method (thermal dissipation probe. The present work studied the effect of natural thermal gradients on estimates of sap flow by using thermal dissipation probe in mango plants. The study was carried by using mango plants of the cultivar Tommy Atkins during two development stages: (a during the initial development phase of plants with leaf area of 0.66, 0.73, 1.78 m2 , planted in 15 and 50 liters pots. The study was carried in a greenhouse environment and in the field. Different thermal shields were used around the stem of plants in pots in order to minimize the effects of thermal natural gradients. The measurements of thermal differences were obtained from an adult plant with high leaf density and small exposition of branches to solar radiation. Sensors placed in stems of adult plant with high leaf density provided smaller thermal gradients compared to those inserted in young plant stems. It is necessary to cover the whole branch with neoprene and a shield (skirt type of aluminum paper above and below the location of probe insertion for exposed branches. The air temperature at 2 m height may be used efficiently to correct thermal gradients. It is indispensable the correction of natural thermal gradients in the stem for adequate estimating sap flow density by the Granier method.

The possible influence of terracettes on surface hydrology of steep-sloping and subalpine environments

Science.gov (United States)

Greenwood, Philip; Kuonen, Samuel; Fister, Wolfgang; Kuhn, Nikolaus

2015-04-01

Alpine and mountain slopes represent important pathways that link high altitude grazing areas to meadows and rangelands at lower elevations. Given the often acute gradients associated with such environments, they potentially represent highly efficient runoff conveyance routes that presumably facilitate the downslope movement of runoff and associated material during erosion events. Many such slopes host series of small steps, or `terracettes`. The position of terracette systems, usually juxtaposed across the natural downslope flow-path of acute slopes, lead us to hypothesise that their presence may influence typical hillslope processes by intercepting or capturing surface runoff during its downslope transit. Here we report preliminary results and some tentative conclusions from on-going work to explore this possibility. Google Earth was used to initially identify a ca. 400 m2 area of well-developed terracette system situated on a west-facing slope with gradients ranging from 25-40o (46-84%). A digital elevation model (DEM) of a section of the terracette system was constructed using spatial data taken from a relevant excerpt of a topographic map. The DEM was then queried using a flow accumulation algorithm and the results were displayed in a Geographic Information System (GIS). The output data provided 'proof of concept' that terracettes are able to capture surface runoff. A series of rainfall / runoff simulations was then performed on the same section of terracettes. Results from both components of the investigation indicate that certain sections of a terracette system intercepted surface runoff and acted as preferential flow-pathways during runoff events. By contrast, and despite being subjected to intense rainfall, some sections of the same terracette system did not generate surface runoff. Based on these contrasting findings, we cautiously predict that areas where surface runoff was not generated may actually act as depositional sites, or retention zones, and

Solar influence on meteor rates and atmospheric density variations at meteor heights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellyett, C.

1977-01-01

A full analysis of radar-determined meteor rates from New Zealand, involving 3,085,574 meteors recorded over a total of 3 1/2 years, and 12,391,976 meteors recorded by the National Research Council of Canada in 8 1/2 years confirms an inverse relationship between meteor rates and solar activity as measured by sunspot numbers. The relationship, significant at the 1% level, appears in the Canadian annual average when the abnormal 1963 increase is removed, in monthly and 1/3-monthly results for the total Canadian period, and in monthly intervals for 1 year of the New Zealand data. This proven relationship of meteor rates with the solar cycle calls for a significant density gradient change over the solar cycle in the 70- to-120-km height range. Although some definite negative results have been reported, no unambiguous positive results are yet available supporting such a density gradient change. It is possible that density variations due to annual, semiannual, diurnal, and latitudinal changes obscure any 11-year density gradient change occurring at these heights. It is uncertain whether the 1963 increase represents density gradient changes in the meteor ablation region regularly brought about 1-2 years before each sunspot minimum or is a special event due to volcanic dust. The following additional facts have emerged from the present analysis. (1) Within a 1-year period the seasonal rate change of astronomical origin overrides any density gradient change in controlling the meteor rates in one of the two hemispheres. (2) The earth's daily rotation alters rates in phase with probable diurnal density gradient changes. (3) An effect due to D region absorption has been observed in the Canadian data

Studies on the antimicrobial effect of corn steep liquor on some ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ROFIAT

2014-01-08

Jan 8, 2014 ... The antimicrobial effect of Corn Steep Liquor (CSL) was investigated over a five day period. The pH and titrable acidity of the liquor were determined, while the antimicrobial effect on some diarrhoea causing organisms such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteriditis, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio.

Time-dependent density-functional tight-binding method with the third-order expansion of electron density.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimoto, Yoshio

2015-09-07

We develop a formalism for the calculation of excitation energies and excited state gradients for the self-consistent-charge density-functional tight-binding method with the third-order contributions of a Taylor series of the density functional theory energy with respect to the fluctuation of electron density (time-dependent density-functional tight-binding (TD-DFTB3)). The formulation of the excitation energy is based on the existing time-dependent density functional theory and the older TD-DFTB2 formulae. The analytical gradient is computed by solving Z-vector equations, and it requires one to calculate the third-order derivative of the total energy with respect to density matrix elements due to the inclusion of the third-order contributions. The comparison of adiabatic excitation energies for selected small and medium-size molecules using the TD-DFTB2 and TD-DFTB3 methods shows that the inclusion of the third-order contributions does not affect excitation energies significantly. A different set of parameters, which are optimized for DFTB3, slightly improves the prediction of adiabatic excitation energies statistically. The application of TD-DFTB for the prediction of absorption and fluorescence energies of cresyl violet demonstrates that TD-DFTB3 reproduced the experimental fluorescence energy quite well.

Green infrastructure in high-rise residential development on steep slopes in city of Vladivostok

Science.gov (United States)

Kopeva, Alla; Ivanova, Olga; Khrapko, Olga

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study is to identify the facilities of green infrastructure that are able to improve living conditions in an urban environment in high-rise residential apartments buildings on steep slopes in the city of Vladivostok. Based on the analysis of theoretical sources and practices that can be observed in the world, green infrastructure facilities have been identified. These facilities meet the criteria of the sustainable development concept, and can be used in the city of Vladivostok. They include green roofs, green walls, and greening of disturbed slopes. All the existing high-rise apartments buildings situated on steep slopes in the city of Vladivostok, have been studied. It is concluded that green infrastructure is necessary to be used in new projects connected with designing and constructing of residential apartments buildings on steep slopes, as well as when upgrading the projects that have already been implemented. That will help to regulate the ecological characteristics of the sites. The results of the research can become a basis for increasing the sustainability of the habitat, and will facilitate the adoption of decisions in the field of urban design and planning.

Green infrastructure in high-rise residential development on steep slopes in city of Vladivostok

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Kopeva Alla

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to identify the facilities of green infrastructure that are able to improve living conditions in an urban environment in high-rise residential apartments buildings on steep slopes in the city of Vladivostok. Based on the analysis of theoretical sources and practices that can be observed in the world, green infrastructure facilities have been identified. These facilities meet the criteria of the sustainable development concept, and can be used in the city of Vladivostok. They include green roofs, green walls, and greening of disturbed slopes. All the existing high-rise apartments buildings situated on steep slopes in the city of Vladivostok, have been studied. It is concluded that green infrastructure is necessary to be used in new projects connected with designing and constructing of residential apartments buildings on steep slopes, as well as when upgrading the projects that have already been implemented. That will help to regulate the ecological characteristics of the sites. The results of the research can become a basis for increasing the sustainability of the habitat, and will facilitate the adoption of decisions in the field of urban design and planning.

Is the bulk mode conversion important in high density helicon plasma?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isayama, Shogo; Hada, Tohru [Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Kohen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Shinohara, Shunjiro [Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan); Tanikawa, Takao [Research Institute of Science and Technology, Tokai University 4-1-1 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292 (Japan)

2016-06-15

In a high-density helicon plasma production process, a contribution of Trivelpiece-Gould (TG) wave for surface power deposition is widely accepted. The TG wave can be excited either due to an abrupt density gradient near the plasma edge (surface conversion) or due to linear mode conversion from the helicon wave in a density gradient in the bulk region (bulk mode conversion). By numerically solving the boundary value problem of linear coupling between the helicon and the TG waves in a background with density gradient, we show that the efficiency of the bulk mode conversion strongly depends on the dissipation included in the plasma, and the bulk mode conversion is important when the dissipation is small. Also, by performing FDTD simulation, we show the time evolution of energy flux associated with the helicon and the TG waves.

On combined gravity gradient components modelling for applied geophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veryaskin, Alexey; McRae, Wayne

2008-01-01

Gravity gradiometry research and development has intensified in recent years to the extent that technologies providing a resolution of about 1 eotvos per 1 second average shall likely soon be available for multiple critical applications such as natural resources exploration, oil reservoir monitoring and defence establishment. Much of the content of this paper was composed a decade ago, and only minor modifications were required for the conclusions to be just as applicable today. In this paper we demonstrate how gravity gradient data can be modelled, and show some examples of how gravity gradient data can be combined in order to extract valuable information. In particular, this study demonstrates the importance of two gravity gradient components, Txz and Tyz, which, when processed together, can provide more information on subsurface density contrasts than that derived solely from the vertical gravity gradient (Tzz)

Theory of ion-temperature-gradient-driven turbulence in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, G.S.; Diamond, P.H.

1986-01-01

An analytic theory of ion-temperature-gradient-driven turbulence in tokamaks is presented. Energy-conserving, renormalized spectrum equations are derived and solved in order to obtain the spectra of stationary ion-temperature-gradient-driven turbulence. Corrections to mixing-length estimates are calculated explicitly. The resulting anomalous ion thermal diffusivity chi/sub i/ = 0.4[(π/2)ln(1 + eta/sub i/)] 2 [(1 + eta/sub i/)/tau] 2 rho/sub s/ 2 c/sub s//L/sub s/ is derived and is found to be consistent with experimentally-deduced thermal diffusivities. The associated electron thermal diffusivity and particle and heat-pinch velocities are also calculated. The effect of impurity gradients on saturated ion-temperature-gradient-driven turbulence is discussed and a related explanation of density profile steepening during Z-mode operation is proposed. 35 refs., 4 figs

Efficient enrichment of hepatic cancer stem-like cells from a primary rat HCC model via a density gradient centrifugation-centered method.

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Wei-hui Liu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Because few definitive markers are available for hepatic cancer stem cells (HCSCs, based on physical rather than immunochemical properties, we applied a novel method to enrich HCSCs. METHODOLOGY: After hepatic tumor cells (HTCs were first isolated from diethylinitrosamine-induced F344 rat HCC model using percoll discontinuous gradient centrifugation (PDGC and purified via differential trypsinization and differential attachment (DTDA, they were separated into four fractions using percoll continuous gradient centrifugation (PCGC and sequentially designated as fractions I-IV (FI-IV. Morphological characteristics, mRNA and protein levels of stem cell markers, proliferative abilities, induced differentiation, in vitro migratory capacities, in vitro chemo-resistant capacities, and in vivo malignant capacities were determined for the cells of each fraction. FINDINGS: As the density of cells increased, 22.18%, 11.62%, 4.73% and 61.47% of primary cultured HTCs were segregated in FI-FIV, respectively. The cells from FIII (density between 1.041 and 1.062 g/ml displayed a higher nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and fewer organelles and expressed higher levels of stem cell markers (AFP, EpCAM and CD133 than cells from other fractions (P<0.01. Additionally, in vitro, the cells from FIII showed a greater capacity to self-renew, differentiate into mature HTCs, transit across membranes, close scratches, and carry resistance to chemotherapy than did cells from any other fraction; in vivo, injection of only 1×10(4 cells from FIII could generate tumors not only in subcutaneous tissue but also in the livers of nude mice. CONCLUSIONS: Through our novel method, HCSC-like cells were successfully enriched in FIII. This study will greatly contribute to two important areas of biological interest: CSC isolation and HCC therapy.

Temperature and phase-space density of a cold atom cloud in a quadrupole magnetic trap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ram, S. P.; Mishra, S. R.; Tiwari, S. K.; Rawat, H. S. [Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore (India)

2014-08-15

We present studies on modifications in the temperature, number density and phase-space density when a laser-cooled atom cloud from optical molasses is trapped in a quadrupole magnetic trap. Theoretically, for a given temperature and size of the cloud from the molasses, the phase-space density in the magnetic trap is shown first to increase with increasing magnetic field gradient and then to decrease with it after attaining a maximum value at an optimum value of the magnetic-field gradient. The experimentally-measured variation in the phase-space density in the magnetic trap with changing magnetic field gradient is shown to exhibit a similar trend. However, the experimentally-measured values of the number density and the phase-space density are much lower than the theoretically-predicted values. This is attributed to the experimentally-observed temperature in the magnetic trap being higher than the theoretically-predicted temperature. Nevertheless, these studies can be useful for setting a higher phase-space density in the trap by establishing an optimal value of the field gradient for a quadrupole magnetic trap.

Gradiente florístico das florestas secundárias do Nordeste Paraense Floristic gradient of the northeast Paraense secondary forests

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Shirley Soares Prata

2010-09-01

Full Text Available O presente estudo descreve um gradiente florístico de uma cronosequência de florestas secundárias do Nordeste Paraense, a partir de 19 sítios de diferentes idades, avaliados em diferentes anos. Foram usados os dados de densidade e realizada análise de regressão para riqueza, diversidade, densidade, densidade relativa máxima e equibilidade em relação à idade. Foi usado o método de análise de agrupamento hierárquico, sendo a distância euclidiana utilizada como medida de dissimilaridade e aplicada uma Análise de Componente Principal (PCA para confirmação dos grupos. Após a definição dos grupos, foi feita a análise indicadora de espécies (IndVal sobre a mesma matriz utilizada para análise de agrupamento. Encontrou-se um gradiente geográfico na cronosequência analisada e as espécies Tapirira guianensis, Vismia guianensis, Inga alba, Lacistema aggregatum, Croton maturensis, Abarema jupunba, Inga rubiginosa, Guateria poepigiana e Thyrsodium paraense, são indicadoras das florestas secundárias do Nordeste Paraense analisadas neste estudo.This study describes a floristic gradient of secondary forest chronosequence in northeast of Pará State - Brazil, from 19 sites of different ages, evaluated in different years. We used density data and carried out regression analysis for richness, diversity, density, maximum relative density and equitability in relation to the age. We used the hierarchic grouping method of analysis and the Euclidean distance as dissimilarity measure, and applied a Principal Component Analysis (PCA for confirming the groups. After defining the groups, we made an indicating species analysis (IndVal on the same matrix used for the grouping analysis. We found a geographic gradient in the chronosequence analyzed and the species Tapirira guianensis, Vismia guianensis, Inga alba, Lacistema aggregatum, Croton maturensis, Abarema jupunba, Inga rubiginosa, Guateria poepigiana and Thyrsodium paraense to be indicators of

Theory of Thomson scattering in inhomogeneous media.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlowski, P M; Crowley, B J B; Gericke, D O; Regan, S P; Gregori, G

2016-04-12

Thomson scattering of laser light is one of the most fundamental diagnostics of plasma density, temperature and magnetic fields. It relies on the assumption that the properties in the probed volume are homogeneous and constant during the probing time. On the other hand, laboratory plasmas are seldom uniform and homogeneous on the temporal and spatial dimensions over which data is collected. This is particularly true for laser-produced high-energy-density matter, which often exhibits steep gradients in temperature, density and pressure, on a scale determined by the laser focus. Here, we discuss the modification of the cross section for Thomson scattering in fully-ionized media exhibiting steep spatial inhomogeneities and/or fast temporal fluctuations. We show that the predicted Thomson scattering spectra are greatly altered compared to the uniform case, and may lead to violations of detailed balance. Therefore, careful interpretation of the spectra is necessary for spatially or temporally inhomogeneous systems.

Low-memory iterative density fitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Grajciar, Lukáš

2015-07-30

A new low-memory modification of the density fitting approximation based on a combination of a continuous fast multipole method (CFMM) and a preconditioned conjugate gradient solver is presented. Iterative conjugate gradient solver uses preconditioners formed from blocks of the Coulomb metric matrix that decrease the number of iterations needed for convergence by up to one order of magnitude. The matrix-vector products needed within the iterative algorithm are calculated using CFMM, which evaluates them with the linear scaling memory requirements only. Compared with the standard density fitting implementation, up to 15-fold reduction of the memory requirements is achieved for the most efficient preconditioner at a cost of only 25% increase in computational time. The potential of the method is demonstrated by performing density functional theory calculations for zeolite fragment with 2592 atoms and 121,248 auxiliary basis functions on a single 12-core CPU workstation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The stratigraphy of the Steep Rock Group, N.W. Ontario, with evidence of a major unconformity

Science.gov (United States)

Wilks, M. E.; Nisbet, E. G.

1986-01-01

The Steep Rock Group is exposed 6 km north of Atikokan, 200 km west of Thunder Bay. It is situated on the southern margin of the Wabigoon Belt of the Archaean Superior Province, N. W. Ontario. Reinvestigation of the geology of the Group has shown that the Group lies unconformably on the Tonalite Complex to the east. This unconformity has been previously suspected, from regional and ine mapping but no conclusive outcrop evidence for its existence has as yet been published. The strike of the group, comprised of Basal Conglomerate, Carbonate Member, Ore Zone and Ashrock is generally north-northwest dipping steeply to the southwest. Of the 7 contacts between the Steep Rock Group and the Tonalite Complex, 3 expose the unconformity (The Headland, S. Roberts Pit, Trueman Point), and 4 are faulted. These three outcrops demonstrate unequivocally that the Steep Rock group was laid down unconformably on the underlying Tonalite Complex, which is circa 3 Ga old.

Ponderomotive force, magnetic fields and hydrodynamics of laser produced plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bobin, J.-L.; Wee Woo; Degroot, J.-S.

1977-01-01

Nonlinear effects deeply change the structure of a laser driven plasma flow. For high intensities, the radiation pressure should be taken into account. It acts through a ponderomotive force proportional to the electron density and to the gradient of the mean electric field energy density of the incident wave. Static magnetic fields originate from a term in the ponderomotive force which includes radiation absorption and whose curl is non zero. The basic properties of the structure are determined analytically in the absence of thermal conductivity and magnetic fields: steep density gradient close to the cut-off density, shelf at lower densities. The conditions of a steady state regime are set up. The isothermal case is specially investigated. It is shown that the cavities which are created in a motionless plasma may disappear due to the onset of a flow. Regions in which electromagnetic forces arising from the static field compensate the ponderomotive force are determined. The subsequent effects on the flow itself are studied [fr

How steep are the Alps?

Science.gov (United States)

Robl, Jörg; Prasicek, Günther; Stüwe, Kurt; Hergarten, Stefan

2014-05-01

The topography of the European Alps reflects continental collision, crustal thickening and buoyancy driven surface uplift, overprinted by erosional processes. Topographic gradients generally steepen from the valley floors up to about 1500 m - 2000 m followed by an unexpected decrease in slope up to about 2900 m and a further increase to the highest summits of the range. Several studies have interpreted this pattern and the accompanied maximum in the hypsometric curve in terms of either the critical slope stability angle, the prematurity of the Alps caused by recent tectonic uplift, or the effect of the glacial "buzz saw" related to the Pleistocene glaciation cycles. There is consensus that the lithological inventory represents a first order parameter for the steepness of fluvial channels and the angle of hillslopes in steady state and that the response time of a transient landscape is controlled by lithology. In this study we systematically explore the slope-elevation distributions for several hundred continuous domains of the major structural units of the Alps. For this, we apply a novel numerical code to determine the predominant cause for the observed peculiar topography. We compare adjacent alpine domains with contrasting lithology to explore lithological effects on the limiting slope stability angle. We analyze domains with different lithology in the non-glaciated parts of the orogen to highlight the state of maturity related to a recent uplift event. We evaluate the glacial effects on the landscape by the comparison of areas belonging to the same structural units but affected by a variable amount of glacial imprint. The results show that lithology has a major impact on the morphometric characteristics of the European Alps. Adjacent but different structural units show a significant variability in their slope-elevation distributions although they have experienced the same uplift history and the same amount of glacial imprint. This suggests that the response

Precision bounds for gradient magnetometry with atomic ensembles

Science.gov (United States)

Apellaniz, Iagoba; Urizar-Lanz, Iñigo; Zimborás, Zoltán; Hyllus, Philipp; Tóth, Géza

2018-05-01

We study gradient magnetometry with an ensemble of atoms with arbitrary spin. We calculate precision bounds for estimating the gradient of the magnetic field based on the quantum Fisher information. For quantum states that are invariant under homogeneous magnetic fields, we need to measure a single observable to estimate the gradient. On the other hand, for states that are sensitive to homogeneous fields, a simultaneous measurement is needed, as the homogeneous field must also be estimated. We prove that for the cases studied in this paper, such a measurement is feasible. We present a method to calculate precision bounds for gradient estimation with a chain of atoms or with two spatially separated atomic ensembles. We also consider a single atomic ensemble with an arbitrary density profile, where the atoms cannot be addressed individually, and which is a very relevant case for experiments. Our model can take into account even correlations between particle positions. While in most of the discussion we consider an ensemble of localized particles that are classical with respect to their spatial degree of freedom, we also discuss the case of gradient metrology with a single Bose-Einstein condensate.

Anomalous pH-Dependent Nanofluidic Salinity Gradient Power.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Li-Hsien; Chen, Fu; Chiou, Yu-Ting; Su, Yen-Shao

2017-12-01

Previous studies on nanofluidic salinity gradient power (NSGP), where energy associated with the salinity gradient can be harvested with ion-selective nanopores, all suggest that nanofluidic devices having higher surface charge density should have higher performance, including osmotic power and conversion efficiency. In this manuscript, this viewpoint is challenged and anomalous counterintuitive pH-dependent NSGP behaviors are reported. For example, with equal pH deviation from its isoelectric point (IEP), the nanopore at pH IEP is shown to have smaller surface charge density but remarkably higher NSGP performance than that at pH > IEP. Moreover, for sufficiently low pH, the NSGP performance decreases with lowering pH (increasing nanopore charge density). As a result, a maximum osmotic power density as high as 5.85 kW m -2 can be generated along with a conversion efficiency of 26.3% achieved for a single alumina nanopore at pH 3.5 under a 1000-fold concentration ratio. Using the rigorous model with considering the surface equilibrium reactions on the pore wall, it is proved that these counterintuitive surface-charge-dependent NSGP behaviors result from the pH-dependent ion concentration polarization effect, which yields the degradation in effective concentration ratio across the nanopore. These findings provide significant insight for the design of next-generation, high-performance NSGP devices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Light sheet microscopy reveals more gradual light attenuation in light green versus dark green soybean leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Light wavelengths preferentially absorbed by chlorophyll (chl) often display steep absorption gradients. This oversaturates photosynthesis in upper chloroplasts and deprives lower chloroplasts of blue and red light, causing a steep gradient in carbon fixation. Reducing chl content could create a mor...

Plasma gradient effects on double-probe measurements in the magnetosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Laakso

1995-02-01

Full Text Available The effects on double-probe electric field measurements induced by electron density and temperature gradients are investigated. We show that on some occasions such gradients may lead to marked spurious electric fields if the probes are assumed to lie at the same probe potential with respect to the plasma. The use of a proper bias current will decrease the magnitude of such an error. When the probes are near the plasma potential, the magnitude of these error signals, ∆E, can vary as ∆E ~ Te(∆ne/ne+0.5∆Te, where Te is the electron temperature, ∆ne/ne the relative electron density variation between the two sensors, and ∆Te the electron temperature difference between the two sensors. This not only implies that the error signals will increase linearly with the density variations but also that such signatures grow with Te, i.e., such effects are 10 times larger in a 10-eV plasma than in a 1-eV plasma. This type of error is independent of the probe separation distance provided the gradient scale length is much larger than this distance. The largest errors occur when the probes are near to the plasma potential. At larger positive probe potentials with respect to the plasma potential, the error becomes smaller if the probes are biased, as is usually the case with spherical double-probe experiments in the tenuous magnetospheric plasmas. The crossing of a plasma boundary (like the plasmapause or magnetopause yields an error signal of a single peak. During the crossing of a small structure (e.g., a double layer the error signal appears as a bipolar signature. Our analysis shows that errors in double-probe measurements caused by plasma gradients are not significant at large scale (»1 km plasma boundaries, and may only be important in cases where small-scale (<1 km, internal gradient structures exist. Bias currents tailored for each plasma parameter regime (i.e., variable bias current would o1q1improve the double-probe response to gradient

Statistics of peak overpressure and shock steepness for linear and nonlinear N-wave propagation in a kinematic turbulence.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuldashev, Petr V; Ollivier, Sébastien; Karzova, Maria M; Khokhlova, Vera A; Blanc-Benon, Philippe

2017-12-01

Linear and nonlinear propagation of high amplitude acoustic pulses through a turbulent layer in air is investigated using a two-dimensional KZK-type (Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov) equation. Initial waves are symmetrical N-waves with shock fronts of finite width. A modified von Kármán spectrum model is used to generate random wind velocity fluctuations associated with the turbulence. Physical parameters in simulations correspond to previous laboratory scale experiments where N-waves with 1.4 cm wavelength propagated through a turbulence layer with the outer scale of about 16 cm. Mean value and standard deviation of peak overpressure and shock steepness, as well as cumulative probabilities to observe amplified peak overpressure and shock steepness, are analyzed. Nonlinear propagation effects are shown to enhance pressure level in random foci for moderate initial amplitudes of N-waves thus increasing the probability to observe highly peaked waveforms. Saturation of the pressure level is observed for stronger nonlinear effects. It is shown that in the linear propagation regime, the turbulence mainly leads to the smearing of shock fronts, thus decreasing the probability to observe high values of steepness, whereas nonlinear effects dramatically increase the probability to observe steep shocks.

Fast Back-Propagation Learning Using Steep Activation Functions and Automatic Weight

Science.gov (United States)

Tai-Hoon Cho; Richard W. Conners; Philip A. Araman

1992-01-01

In this paper, several back-propagation (BP) learning speed-up algorithms that employ the ãgainä parameter, i.e., steepness of the activation function, are examined. Simulations will show that increasing the gain seemingly increases the speed of convergence and that these algorithms can converge faster than the standard BP learning algorithm on some problems. However,...

A new interferometry-based electron density fluctuation diagnostic on Alcator C-Moda)

Science.gov (United States)

Kasten, C. P.; Irby, J. H.; Murray, R.; White, A. E.; Pace, D. C.

2012-10-01

The two-color interferometry diagnostic on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak has been upgraded to measure fluctuations in the electron density and density gradient for turbulence and transport studies. Diagnostic features and capabilities are described. In differential mode, fast phase demodulation electronics detect the relative phase change between ten adjacent, radially-separated (ΔR = 1.2 cm, adjustable), vertical-viewing chords, which allows for measurement of the line-integrated electron density gradient. The system can be configured to detect the absolute phase shift of each chord by comparison to a local oscillator, measuring the line-integrated density. Each chord is sensitive to density fluctuations with kR < 20.3 cm-1 and is digitized at up to 10 MS/s, resolving aspects of ion temperature gradient-driven modes and other long-wavelength turbulence. Data from C-Mod discharges is presented, including observations of the quasi-coherent mode in enhanced D-alpha H-mode plasmas and the weakly coherent mode in I-mode.

Species richness and trait composition of butterfly assemblages change along an altitudinal gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Leingärtner, Annette; Krauss, Jochen; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf

2014-06-01

Species richness patterns along altitudinal gradients are well-documented ecological phenomena, yet very little data are available on how environmental filtering processes influence the composition and traits of butterfly assemblages at high altitudes. We have studied the diversity patterns of butterfly species at 34 sites along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 600 to 2,000 m a.s.l. in the National Park Berchtesgaden (Germany) and analysed traits of butterfly assemblages associated with dispersal capacity, reproductive strategies and developmental time from lowlands to highlands, including phylogenetic analyses. We found a linear decline in butterfly species richness along the altitudinal gradient, but the phylogenetic relatedness of the butterfly assemblages did not increase with altitude. Compared to butterfly assemblages at lower altitudes, those at higher altitudes were composed of species with larger wings (on average 9%) which laid an average of 68% more eggs. In contrast, egg maturation time in butterfly assemblages decreased by about 22% along the altitudinal gradient. Further, butterfly assemblages at higher altitudes were increasingly dominated by less widespread species. Based on our abundance data, but not on data in the literature, population density increased with altitude, suggesting a reversed density-distribution relationship, with higher population densities of habitat specialists in harsh environments. In conclusion, our data provide evidence for significant shifts in the composition of butterfly assemblages and for the dominance of different traits along the altitudinal gradient. In our study, these changes were mainly driven by environmental factors, whereas phylogenetic filtering played a minor role along the studied altitudinal range.

Adaptive population divergence and directional gene flow across steep elevational gradients in a climate‐sensitive mammal

Science.gov (United States)

Waterhouse, Matthew D.; Erb, Liesl P.; Beever, Erik; Russello, Michael A.

2018-01-01

The American pika is a thermally sensitive, alpine lagomorph species. Recent climate-associated population extirpations and genetic signatures of reduced population sizes range-wide indicate the viability of this species is sensitive to climate change. To test for potential adaptive responses to climate stress, we sampled pikas along two elevational gradients (each ~470 to 1640 m) and employed three outlier detection methods, BAYESCAN, LFMM, and BAYPASS, to scan for genotype-environment associations in samples genotyped at 30,763 SNP loci. We resolved 173 loci with robust evidence of natural selection detected by either two independent analyses or replicated in both transects. A BLASTN search of these outlier loci revealed several genes associated with metabolic function and oxygen transport, indicating natural selection from thermal stress and hypoxia. We also found evidence of directional gene flow primarily downslope from large high-elevation populations and reduced gene flow at outlier loci, a pattern suggesting potential impediments to the upward elevational movement of adaptive alleles in response to contemporary climate change. Finally, we documented evidence of reduced genetic diversity associated the south-facing transect and an increase in corticosterone stress levels associated with inbreeding. This study suggests the American pika is already undergoing climate-associated natural selection at multiple genomic regions. Further analysis is needed to determine if the rate of climate adaptation in the American pika and other thermally sensitive species will be able to keep pace with rapidly changing climate conditions.

A New Recursive Filtering Method of Terrestrial Laser Scanning Data to Preserve Ground Surface Information in Steep-Slope Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mi-Kyeong Kim

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Landslides are one of the critical natural hazards that cause human, infrastructure, and economic losses. Risk of catastrophic losses due to landslides is significant given sprawled urban development near steep slopes and the increasing proximity of large populations to hilly areas. For reducing these losses, a high-resolution digital terrain model (DTM is an essential piece of data for a qualitative or a quantitative investigation of slopes that may lead to landslides. Data acquired by a terrestrial laser scanning (TLS, called a point cloud, has been widely used to generate a DTM, since a TLS is appropriate for detecting small- to large-scale ground features on steep slopes. For an accurate DTM, TLS data should be filtered to remove non-ground points, but most current algorithms for extracting ground points from a point cloud have been developed for airborne laser scanning (ALS data and not TLS data. Moreover, it is a challenging task to generate an accurate DTM from a steep-slope area by using existing algorithms. For these reasons, we developed an algorithm to automatically extract only ground points from the point clouds of steep terrains. Our methodology is focused on TLS datasets and utilizes the adaptive principal component analysis–triangular irregular network (PCA-TIN approach. Our method was applied to two test areas and the results showed that the algorithm can cope well with steep slopes, giving an accurate surface model compared to conventional algorithms. Total accuracy values of the generated DTMs in the form of root mean squared errors are 1.84 cm and 2.13 cm over the areas of 5252 m2 and 1378 m2, respectively. The slope-based adaptive PCA-TIN method demonstrates great potential for TLS-derived DTM construction in steep-slope landscapes.

Spiral Gradient Coil Design for Use in Cylindrical MRI Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yaohui; Xin, Xuegang; Liu, Feng; Crozier, Stuart

2018-04-01

In magnetic resonance imaging, the stream function based method is commonly used in the design of gradient coils. However, this method can be prone to errors associated with the discretization of continuous current density and wire connections. In this paper, we propose a novel gradient coil design scheme that works directly in the wire space, avoiding the system errors that may appear in the stream function approaches. Specifically, the gradient coil pattern is described with dedicated spiral functions adjusted to allow the coil to produce the required field gradients in the imaging area, minimal stray field, and other engineering terms. The performance of a designed spiral gradient coil was compared with its stream-function counterpart. The numerical evaluation shows that when compared with the conventional solution, the inductance and resistance was reduced by 20.9 and 10.5%, respectively. The overall coil performance (evaluated by the figure of merit (FoM)) was improved up to 26.5% for the x -gradient coil design; for the z-gradient coil design, the inductance and resistance were reduced by 15.1 and 6.7% respectively, and the FoM was increased by 17.7%. In addition, by directly controlling the wire distributions, the spiral gradient coil design was much sparser than conventional coils.

Color Gradient in the King Type Globular Cluster NGC 7089

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young-Jong Sohn

1999-12-01

Full Text Available We use BV CCD images to investigate the reality of the color gradient within a King type globular cluster NGC 7089. Surface photometry shows that there is a strong radial color gradient in the central region of the cluster in the sense of bluer center with the amplitude of -0.39 +/- 0.07 mag/arcsec2 in (B - V. In the outer region of the cluster, however, the radial color gradient shows a reverse case, i.e., redder toward the center. (B - V color profile which was derived from resolved stars in VGC 7089 field also shows a significant color gradient in the central region of the clusters, indicating that lights from the combination of red giant stars and blue horizontal branch stars cause the radial color gradient. Color gradient of the outer region of NGC 7089 may be due to the unresolved background of the cluster. Similar color gradients in the central area of clusters have been previously observed exserved exclusively in highly concentrated systems classified as post core collapse clusters. We caution, however, to confirm the reality of the color gradient from resolved stars, we need more accurate imaging data of the cluster with exceptional seeing condition because the effect of completeness correlates with local density of stars.

The Growth of the Disk Galaxy UGC8802

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, R. X.; Shen, S. Y.; Hou, J. L.

2012-07-01

The disk galaxy UGC8802 has high neutral gas content and a flat profile of star formation rate compared to other disk galaxies with similar stellar mass. It also shows a steep metallicity gradient. We construct a chemical evolution model to explore its growth history by assuming its disk grows gradually from continuous gas infall, which is shaped by a free parameter—the infall-peak time. By adopting the recently observed molecular surface density related star formation law, we show that a late infall-peak time can naturally explain the observed high neutral gas content, while an inside-out disk formation scenario can fairly reproduce the steep oxygen abundance gradient. Our results show that most of the observed features of UGC8802 can be well reproduced by simply "turning the knob" on gas inflow with one single parameter, which implies that the observed properties of gas-rich galaxies could also be modeled in a similar way.

Ground-state properties of third-row elements with nonlocal density functionals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagno, P.; Jepsen, O.; Gunnarsson, O.

1989-01-01

The cohesive energy, the lattice parameter, and the bulk modulus of third-row elements are calculated using the Langreth-Mehl-Hu (LMH), the Perdew-Wang (PW), and the gradient expansion functionals. The PW functional is found to give somewhat better results than the LMH functional and both are found to typically remove half the errors in the local-spin-density (LSD) approximation, while the gradient expansion gives worse results than the local-density approximation. For Fe both the LMH and PW functionals correctly predict a ferromagnetic bcc ground state, while the LSD approximation and the gradient expansion predict a nonmagnetic fcc ground state

Local relative density modulates failure and strength in vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pathak, Siddhartha; Mohan, Nisha; Decolvenaere, Elizabeth; Needleman, Alan; Bedewy, Mostafa; Hart, A John; Greer, Julia R

2013-10-22

Micromechanical experiments, image analysis, and theoretical modeling revealed that local failure events and compressive stresses of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) were uniquely linked to relative density gradients. Edge detection analysis of systematically obtained scanning electron micrographs was used to quantify a microstructural figure-of-merit related to relative local density along VACNT heights. Sequential bottom-to-top buckling and hardening in stress-strain response were observed in samples with smaller relative density at the bottom. When density gradient was insubstantial or reversed, bottom regions always buckled last, and a flat stress plateau was obtained. These findings were consistent with predictions of a 2D material model based on a viscoplastic solid with plastic non-normality and a hardening-softening-hardening plastic flow relation. The hardening slope in compression generated by the model was directly related to the stiffness gradient along the sample height, and hence to the local relative density. These results demonstrate that a microstructural figure-of-merit, the effective relative density, can be used to quantify and predict the mechanical response.

Covariation of climate and long-term erosion rates acrossa steep rainfall gradient on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i

Science.gov (United States)

Ken Ferrier,; J. Taylor Perron,; Sujoy Mukhopadhyay,; Matt Rosener,; Stock, Jonathan; Slosberg, Michelle; Kimberly L. Huppert,

2013-01-01

Erosion of volcanic ocean islands creates dramatic landscapes, modulates Earth’s carbon cycle, and delivers sediment to coasts and reefs. Because many volcanic islands have large climate gradients and minimal variations in lithology and tectonic history, they are excellent natural laboratories for studying climatic effects on the evolution of topography. Despite concerns that modern sediment fluxes to island coasts may exceed long-term fluxes, little is known about how erosion rates and processes vary across island interiors, how erosion rates are influenced by the strong climate gradients on many islands, and how modern island erosion rates compare to long-term rates. Here, we present new measurements of erosion rates over 5 yr to 5 m.y. timescales on the Hawaiian island of Kaua‘i, across which mean annual precipitation ranges from 0.5 to 9.5 m/yr. Eroded rock volumes from basins across Kaua‘i indicate that million-year-scale erosion rates are correlated with modern mean annual precipitation and range from 8 to 335 t km–2 yr–1. In Kaua‘i’s Hanalei River basin, 3He concentrations in detrital olivines imply millennial-scale erosion rates of >126 to >390 t km–2 yr–1 from olivine-bearing hillslopes, while fluvial suspended sediment fluxes measured from 2004 to 2009 plus estimates of chemical and bed-load fluxes imply basin-averaged erosion rates of 545 ± 128 t km–2 yr–1. Mapping of landslide scars in satellite imagery of the Hanalei basin from 2004 and 2010 implies landslide-driven erosion rates of 30–47 t km–2 yr–1. These measurements imply that modern erosion rates in the Hanalei basin are no more than 2.3 ± 0.6 times faster than millennial-scale erosion rates, and, to the extent that modern precipitation patterns resemble long-term patterns, they are consistent with a link between precipitation rates and long-term erosion rates.

Migration of inclusions in solids in stress gradients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olander, D.R.

1980-01-01

A theoretical method of assessing the influence of stress and temperature gradients on the motion of inclusions in solids is developed. In nonuniform stress fields, the stress distribution on the surface of the cavity must be calculated and transformed to a potential gradient for driving a surface atom flux. The bubble migration velocity is the first Legendre coefficient of the surface flux. Higher order components represent distortion. The stress gradient effect appears only in small-magnitude terms in the surface chemical potential, specifically in the stress effect on the solid atomic volume and in the elastic energy density. The migration velocities of spherical and faceted bubbles in solids are computed and the extent of distortion of a spherical bubble is estimated. The role of vacancy exchange with the bulk solid on the migration velocity is assessed. (author)

Explanation of L→H mode transition based on gradient stabilization of edge thermal fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stacey, W.M.

1996-01-01

A linear analysis of thermal fluctuations, using a fluid model which treats the large radial gradient related phenomena in the plasma edge, leads to a constraint on the temperature and density gradients for stabilization of edge temperature fluctuations. A temperature gradient, or conductive edge heat flux, threshold is identified. It is proposed that the L→H transition takes place when the conductive heat flux to the edge produces a sufficiently large edge temperature gradient to stabilize the edge thermal fluctuations. The consequences following from this mechanism for the L→H transition are in accord with observed phenomena associated with the L→H transition and with the observed parameter dependences of the power threshold. First, a constraint is established on the edge temperature and density gradients that are sufficient for the stability of edge temperature fluctuations. A slab approximation for the thin plasma edge and a fluid model connected to account for the large radial gradients present in the plasma edge are used. Equilibrium solutions are characterized by the value of the density and of its gradient L n -1 double-bond - n -1 , etc. Temperature fluctuations expanded about the equilibrium value are then used in the energy balance equation summed over plasma ions, electrons and impurities to obtain, after linearization, an expression for the growth rate ω of edge localized thermal fluctuations. Thermal stability of the equilibrium solution requires ω ≤ 0, which establishes a constraint that must be satisfied by L n -1 and L T -1 . The limiting value of the constraint (ω = 0) leads to an expression for the minimum value of that is sufficient for thermal stability, for a given value of L T -1. It is found that there is a minimum value of the temperature gradient, (L T -1 ) min that is necessary for a stable solution to exist for any value of L n -1

Effective Ice Particle Densities for Cold Anvil Cirrus

Science.gov (United States)

Heymsfield, Andrew J.; Schmitt, Carl G.; Bansemer, Aaron; Baumgardner, Darrel; Weinstock, Elliot M.; Smith, Jessica

2002-01-01

This study derives effective ice particle densities from data collected from the NASA WB-57F aircraft near the tops of anvils during the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers (CRYSTAL) Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (FACE) in southern Florida in July 2002. The effective density, defined as the ice particle mass divided by the volume of an equivalent diameter liquid sphere, is obtained for particle populations and single sizes containing mixed particle habits using measurements of condensed water content and particle size distributions. The mean effective densities for populations decrease with increasing slopes of the gamma size distributions fitted to the size distributions. The population-mean densities range from near 0.91 g/cu m to 0.15 g/cu m. Effective densities for single sizes obey a power-law with an exponent of about -0.55, somewhat less steep than found from earlier studies. Our interpretations apply to samples where particle sizes are generally below 200-300 microns in maximum dimension because of probe limitations.

The intercorrelation of the amino acid quality between raw, steeped ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The total amino acid contents were: steeped [57.71 g/100 g crude protein (c.p.)], germinated (53.37 g/100 g c.p.) and raw (37.91 g/100 g c.p.) with respective essential amino acids of 30.70 g/100 g c.p., 28.33 g/100 g c.p. and 21.48 g/100 g c.p. Percentage cystine/total sulfur amino acid (% Cys/TSAA) trend was 72.0 ...

Resonant transducers for solid-state plasma density modulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hallock, Gary A., E-mail: hallock@ece.utexas.edu [The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78701 (United States); Meier, Mark A., E-mail: mark.a.meier@exxonmobil.com [ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, Texas 77389 (United States)

2016-04-15

We have developed transducers capable of modulating the plasma density and plasma density gradients in indium antimonide. These transducers make use of piezoelectric drivers to excite acoustic pressure resonance at 3λ/2, generating large amplitude standing waves and plasma density modulations. The plasma density has been directly measured using a laser diagnostic. A layered media model shows good agreement with the experimental measurements.

Atomic physics effects on dissipative toroidal drift wave stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beer, M.A.; Hahm, T.S.

1992-02-01

The effects of atomic physics processes such as ionization, charge exchange, and radiation on the linear stability of dissipative drift waves are investigated in toroidal geometry both numerically and analytically. For typical TFTR and TEXT edge parameters, overall linear stability is determined by the competition between the destabilizing influence of ionization and the stabilizing effect due to the electron temperature gradient. An analytical expression for the linear marginal stability condition, η e crit , is derived. The instability is most likely to occur at the extreme edge of tokamaks with a significant ionization source and a steep electron density gradient

Study of the possibility of growing germanium single crystals under low temperature gradients

Science.gov (United States)

Moskovskih, V. A.; Kasimkin, P. V.; Shlegel, V. N.; Vasiliev, Y. V.; Gridchin, V. A.; Podkopaev, O. I.; Zhdankov, V. N.

2014-03-01

The possibility of growing germanium single crystals under low temperature gradients in order to produce a dislocation-free material has been studied. Germanium crystals with a dislocation density of about 100-200 cm-2 have been grown in a system with a weight control of crystal growth at maximum axial gradients of about 1.5 K/cm.

CORRELATION OF H-MODE BARRIER WIDTH AND NEUTRAL PENTRATION LENGTH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GROEBNER, R.J.; MAHDAVI, M.A.; LEONARD, A.W.; OSBORNE, T.H.; WOLF, N.S.; PORTER, G.D.; STANGEBY, P.C.; BROOKS, N.H.; COLCHIN, R.J.; HEIDBRINK, W.W.; LUCE, T.C.; MCKEE, G.R.; OWEN, L.W.; WANG, G.; WHYTE, D.G.

2002-01-01

OAK A271 CORRELATION OF H-MODE BARRIER WIDTH AND NEUTRAL PENTRATION LENGTH. Pedestal studies in DIII-D find a good correlation between the width of the region of steep gradient in the H-mode density and the neutral penetration length. These results are obtained by comparing experimental density profiles to the predictions of an analytic model for the profile, obtained from the particle continuity equations for electrons and deuterium atoms. In its range of validity (edge temperature between 40-500 eV), the analytic model quantitatively predicts the observed decrease of the width as the pedestal density increases, the observed strong increase of the gradient of the density as the pedestal density increases and the observation that L-mode and H-mode profiles with the same pedestal density have very similar shapes. The width of the density barrier, measured from the edge of the electron temperature barrier, is the lower limit for the observed width of the temperature barrier. These results support the hypothesis that particle fueling provides a dominant control for the size of the H-mode transport barrier

Changes in buoyant density relationships of two cell types of Coxiella burneti phase I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wachter, R.F.; Briggs, G.P.; Gangemi, J.D.; Pedersen, C.E. Jr.

1975-01-01

Coxiella burneti phase I, purified from a formalin-inactivated yolk-sac vaccine, was separated into two bands of morphologically distinct cell types when subjected to sucrose gradient centrifugation. Recycling of the less dense, rod-shaped cells in unbuffered sucrose gradients (pH 5.5 to 6.0) resulted in the formation of bands having the location and appearance of the original two bands. Recycling of the denser band of larger ovoid-shaped cells yielded a single band, suggesting that the larger cell type arose from the smaller cell. In contrast to vaccine-derived rickettsiae, live, cell culture-propagated phase I organisms formed a single band in unbuffered sucrose gradients, at the same density as the upper band of the vaccine preparation. Centrifugation of cell culture-derived rickettsiae for 26 to 48 h in sucrose gradients of pH 5.5 resulted in the formation of a second band, at the same density as the lower band of the vaccine preparation. This did not occur in gradients of pH 7.0. Treatment of cell culture-propagated rickettsiae with formalin or germicidal ultraviolet radiation induced a total shift of the less dense cell population to a zone of higher density when centrifuged isopycnically in CsCl gradients. This density change did not occur in sucrose gradients, suggesting a difference in the effect of these treatments on the permeability of the cell membrane to sucrose and CsCl

Experimental study of particle transport and density fluctuation in LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, K.; Michael, C.; Sanin, A.

2005-01-01

A variety of electron density (n e ) profiles have been observed in Large Helical Device (LHD). The density profiles change dramatically with heating power and toroidal magnetic field (B t ) under the same line averaged density. The particle transport coefficients, i.e., diffusion coefficient (D) and convection velocity (V) are experimentally obtained in the standard configuration from density modulation experiments. The values of D and V are estimated separately in the core and edge. The diffusion coefficients are found to be a strong function of electron temperature (T e ) and are proportional to T e 1.7±0.9 in the core and T e 1.1±0.14 in the edge. Edge diffusion coefficients are proportional to B t -2.08 . It is found that the scaling of D in the edge is close to gyro-Bohm-like in nature. Non-zero V is observed and it is found that the electron temperature gradient can drive particle convection, particularly in the core region. The convection velocity in the core reverses direction from inward to outward as the T e gradient increases. In the edge, convection is inward directed in most cases of the present data set. It shows a modest tendency, being proportional to T e gradient and remaining inward directed. However, the toroidal magnetic field also significantly affects the value and direction of V. The density fluctuation spectrum varies with heating power suggesting that it has an influence on particle transport. The value of K sub(perpendicular) ρ i is around 0.1, as expected for gyro-Bohm diffusion. Fluctuations are localized in both positive and negative density gradient regions of the hollow density profiles. The fluctuation power in each region is clearly distinguished having different phase velocity profiles. (author)

Rapid and automated processing of bone marrow grafts without Ficoll density gradient for transplantation of cryopreserved autologous or ABO-incompatible allogeneic bone marrow.

Science.gov (United States)

Schanz, U; Gmür, J

1992-12-01

The growing number of BMTs has increased interest in safe and standardized in vitro bone marrow processing techniques. We describe our experience with a rapid automated method for the isolation of mononuclear cells (MNC) from large volumes of bone marrow using a Fenwal CS-3000 cell separator without employing density gradient materials. Forty bone marrow harvests with a mean volume of 1650 +/- 307 ml were processed. A mean of 75 +/- 34% (50 percentile range 54-94%) of the original MNCs were recovered in a volume of 200 ml with only 4 +/- 2% of the starting red blood cells (RBC). Removal of granulocytes, immature myeloid precursors and platelets proved to be sufficient to permit safe cryopreservation and successful autologous BMT (n = 25). Allogeneic BMT (n = 14, including three major ABO-incompatible) could be performed without additional manipulation. In both groups of patients timely and stable engraftment comparable to historical controls receiving Ficoll gradient processed autologous (n = 17) or unprocessed allogeneic BMT (n = 54) was observed. Moreover, 70 +/- 14% of the RBC could be recovered from the grafts. They were used for autologous RBC support of donors, rendering unnecessary autologous blood pre-donations.

SDSS-IV MaNGA: environmental dependence of stellar age and metallicity gradients in nearby galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Zheng; Wang, Huiyuan; Ge, Junqiang; Mao, Shude; Li, Cheng; Li, Ran; Mo, Houjun; Goddard, Daniel; Bundy, Kevin; Li, Hongyu; Nair, Preethi; Lin, Lihwai; Long, R. J.; Riffel, Rogério; Thomas, Daniel; Masters, Karen; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Brownstein, Joel R.; Zhang, Kai; Law, David R.; Drory, Niv; Roman Lopes, Alexandre; Malanushenko, Olena

2017-03-01

We present a study on the stellar age and metallicity distributions for 1105 galaxies using the STARLIGHT software on MaNGA (Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO) integral field spectra. We derive age and metallicity gradients by fitting straight lines to the radial profiles, and explore their correlations with total stellar mass M*, NUV - r colour and environments, as identified by both the large-scale structure (LSS) type and the local density. We find that the mean age and metallicity gradients are close to zero but slightly negative, which is consistent with the inside-out formation scenario. Within our sample, we find that both the age and metallicity gradients show weak or no correlation with either the LSS type or local density environment. In addition, we also study the environmental dependence of age and metallicity values at the effective radii. The age and metallicity values are highly correlated with M* and NUV - r and are also dependent on LSS type as well as local density. Low-mass galaxies tend to be younger and have lower metallicity in low-density environments while high-mass galaxies are less affected by environment.

Analysis of optimum density of forest roads in rural properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flávio Cipriano de Assis do Carmo

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This study analyzed the density of roads in rural properties in the south of the Espírito Santo and compared it with the calculation of the optimal density in forestry companies in steep areas. The work was carried out in six small rural properties based on the costs of roads of forest use, wood extraction and the costs of loss of productive area. The technical analysis included time and movement study and productivity. The economic analysis included operational costs, production costs and returns for different scenarios of productivity (180m.ha-1, 220m.ha-1and 250 m.ha-1. According to the results, all the properties have densities of road well above the optimum, which reflects the lack of criteria in the planning of the forest stands, resulting in a inadequate use of plantation area. Property 1 had the highest density of roads (373.92 m.ha-1 and the property 5 presented the lowest density (111.56 m.ha-1.

Applicability of Stokes method for measuring viscosity of mixtures with concentration gradient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

César Medina

2017-12-01

Full Text Available After measuring density and viscosity of a mixture of glycerin and water contained in a vertical pipe, a variation of these properties according to depth is observed. These gradients are typical of non-equilibrium states related to the lower density of water and the fact that relatively long times are necessary to achieve homogeneity. In the same pipe, the falling velocity of five little spheres is measured as a function of depth, and then a numerical fit is performed which agrees very well with experimental data. Based on the generalization of these results, the applicability of Stokes method is discussed for measuring viscosity of mixtures with a concentration gradient.

Nonlinear neoclassical transport in toroidal edge plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fueloep, T.; Helander, P.

2001-01-01

In conventional neoclassical theory, the density and temperature gradients are not allowed to be as steep as frequently observed in the tokamak edge. In this paper the theory of neoclassical transport in a collisional, impure plasma is extended to allow for steeper profiles than normally assumed. The dynamics of highly charged impurity ions then becomes nonlinear, which affects the transport of all species. As earlier found in the banana regime, when the bulk plasma gradients are large the impurity ions undergo a poloidal redistribution, which reduces their parallel friction with the bulk ions and suppresses the neoclassical ion particle flux. The neoclassical confinement is thus improved in regions with large radial gradients. When the plasma is collisional and the gradients are large, the impurities accumulate on the inboard side of the torus

Fire Regime Characteristics along Environmental Gradients in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Vanesa Moreno

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Concern regarding global change has increased the need to understand the relationship between fire regime characteristics and the environment. Pyrogeographical theory suggests that fire regimes are constrained by climate, vegetation and fire ignition processes, but it is not obvious how fire regime characteristics are related to those factors. We used a three-matrix approach with a multivariate statistical methodology that combined an ordination method and fourth-corner analysis for hypothesis testing to investigate the relationship between fire regime characteristics and environmental gradients across Spain. Our results suggest that fire regime characteristics (i.e., density and seasonality of fire activity are constrained primarily by direct gradients based on climate, population, and resource gradients based on forest potential productivity. Our results can be used to establish a predictive model for how fire regimes emerge in order to support fire management, particularly as global environmental changes impact fire regime characteristics.

Analytical calculation on the determination of steep side wall angles from far field measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Cisotto, Luca; Pereira, Silvania F.; Urbach, H. Paul

2018-06-01

In the semiconductor industry, the performance and capabilities of the lithographic process are evaluated by measuring specific structures. These structures are often gratings of which the shape is described by a few parameters such as period, middle critical dimension, height, and side wall angle (SWA). Upon direct measurement or retrieval of these parameters, the determination of the SWA suffers from considerable inaccuracies. Although the scattering effects that steep SWAs have on the illumination can be obtained with rigorous numerical simulations, analytical models constitute a very useful tool to get insights into the problem we are treating. In this paper, we develop an approach based on analytical calculations to describe the scattering of a cliff and a ridge with steep SWAs. We also propose a detection system to determine the SWAs of the structures.

Gravity Gradient Tensor of Arbitrary 3D Polyhedral Bodies with up to Third-Order Polynomial Horizontal and Vertical Mass Contrasts

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Zhengyong; Zhong, Yiyuan; Chen, Chaojian; Tang, Jingtian; Kalscheuer, Thomas; Maurer, Hansruedi; Li, Yang

2018-03-01

During the last 20 years, geophysicists have developed great interest in using gravity gradient tensor signals to study bodies of anomalous density in the Earth. Deriving exact solutions of the gravity gradient tensor signals has become a dominating task in exploration geophysics or geodetic fields. In this study, we developed a compact and simple framework to derive exact solutions of gravity gradient tensor measurements for polyhedral bodies, in which the density contrast is represented by a general polynomial function. The polynomial mass contrast can continuously vary in both horizontal and vertical directions. In our framework, the original three-dimensional volume integral of gravity gradient tensor signals is transformed into a set of one-dimensional line integrals along edges of the polyhedral body by sequentially invoking the volume and surface gradient (divergence) theorems. In terms of an orthogonal local coordinate system defined on these edges, exact solutions are derived for these line integrals. We successfully derived a set of unified exact solutions of gravity gradient tensors for constant, linear, quadratic and cubic polynomial orders. The exact solutions for constant and linear cases cover all previously published vertex-type exact solutions of the gravity gradient tensor for a polygonal body, though the associated algorithms may differ in numerical stability. In addition, to our best knowledge, it is the first time that exact solutions of gravity gradient tensor signals are derived for a polyhedral body with a polynomial mass contrast of order higher than one (that is quadratic and cubic orders). Three synthetic models (a prismatic body with depth-dependent density contrasts, an irregular polyhedron with linear density contrast and a tetrahedral body with horizontally and vertically varying density contrasts) are used to verify the correctness and the efficiency of our newly developed closed-form solutions. Excellent agreements are obtained

C library for topological study of the electronic charge density.

Science.gov (United States)

Vega, David; Aray, Yosslen; Rodríguez, Jesús

2012-12-05

The topological study of the electronic charge density is useful to obtain information about the kinds of bonds (ionic or covalent) and the atom charges on a molecule or crystal. For this study, it is necessary to calculate, at every space point, the electronic density and its electronic density derivatives values up to second order. In this work, a grid-based method for these calculations is described. The library, implemented for three dimensions, is based on a multidimensional Lagrange interpolation in a regular grid; by differentiating the resulting polynomial, the gradient vector, the Hessian matrix and the Laplacian formulas were obtained for every space point. More complex functions such as the Newton-Raphson method (to find the critical points, where the gradient is null) and the Cash-Karp Runge-Kutta method (used to make the gradient paths) were programmed. As in some crystals, the unit cell has angles different from 90°, the described library includes linear transformations to correct the gradient and Hessian when the grid is distorted (inclined). Functions were also developed to handle grid containing files (grd from DMol® program, CUBE from Gaussian® program and CHGCAR from VASP® program). Each one of these files contains the data for a molecular or crystal electronic property (such as charge density, spin density, electrostatic potential, and others) in a three-dimensional (3D) grid. The library can be adapted to make the topological study in any regular 3D grid by modifying the code of these functions. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Asymmetric transmission of acoustic waves in a layer thickness distribution gradient structure using metamaterials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jung-San Chen

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This research presents an innovative asymmetric transmission design using alternate layers of water and metamaterial with complex mass density. The directional transmission behavior of acoustic waves is observed numerically inside the composite structure with gradient layer thickness distribution and the rectifying performance of the present design is evaluated. The layer thickness distributions with arithmetic and geometric gradients are considered and the effect of gradient thickness on asymmetric wave propagation is systematically investigated using finite element simulation. The numerical results indicate that the maximum pressure density and transmission through the proposed structure are significantly influenced by the wave propagation direction over a wide range of audible frequencies. Tailoring the thickness of the layered structure enables the manipulation of asymmetric wave propagation within the desired frequency range. In conclusion, the proposed design offers a new possibility for developing directional-dependent acoustic devices.

Effect of cell density on adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Hongxu; Guo, Likun; Wozniak, Michal J.; Kawazoe, Naoki; Tateishi, Tetsuya; Zhang, Xingdong; Chen, Guoping

2009-01-01

The effect of cell density on the adipogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was investigated by using a patterning technique to induce the formation of a cell density gradient on a micropatterned surface. The adipogenic differentiation of MSCs at a density gradient from 5 x 10 3 to 3 x 10 4 cells/cm 2 was examined. Lipid vacuoles were observed at all cell densities after 1-3 weeks of culture in adipogenic differentiation medium although the lipid vacuoles were scarce at the low cell density and abundant at the high cell density. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that adipogenesis marker genes encoding peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ2 (PPARγ2), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4) were detected in the MSCs cultured at all cell densities. The results suggest that there was no apparent effect of cell density on the adipogenic differentiation of human MSCs.

A spiral, bi-planar gradient coil design for open magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Shi, Yikai; Wang, Wendong; Wang, Yaohui

2018-01-01

To design planar gradient coil for MRI applications without discretization of continuous current density and loop-loop connection errors. In the new design method, the coil current is represented using a spiral curve function described by just a few control parameters. Using a proper parametric equation set, an ensemble of spiral contours is reshaped to satisfy the coil design requirements, such as gradient linearity, inductance and shielding. In the given case study, by using the spiral coil design, the magnetic field errors in the imaging area were reduced from 5.19% (non-spiral design) to 4.47% (spiral design) for the transverse gradient coils, and for the longitudinal gradient coil design, the magnetic field errors were reduced to 5.02% (spiral design). The numerical evaluation shows that when compared with conventional wire loop, the inductance and resistance of spiral coil was reduced by 11.55% and 8.12% for x gradient coil, respectively. A novel spiral gradient coil design for biplanar MRI systems, the new design offers better magnetic field gradients, smooth contours than the conventional connected counterpart, which improves manufacturability.

Replacement of soybean meal with maize steep liquor in the diets of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ferreira

2015-12-14

Dec 14, 2015 ... meal with maize steep liquor at 0%, 33%, 66% and 100% on a dry matter ... daily gain, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, hot carcass yield and ... remove impurities and separate the germ, gluten, starch and peel (USDA, 2010). ... are transferred to macerator tanks, which receive water with SO2 for ...

Comparison of treatments of steep and shoot generated by different inverse planning systems; Comparacion de tratamiento de steep and shoot generados por diferentes sistemas de planificacion inversa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez Moreno, J. M.; Zucca Aparicio, D.; Fernandez Leton, P.; Garcia Ruiz-Zorrilla, J.; Minambres Moro, A.

2011-07-01

The problem of IMRT treatments with the technique Steep and Shoot or static is the number of segments and monitor units used in the treatment. These parameters depend largely on the inverse planning system which determines treatment. Are evaluated three commercial planning systems, with each one performing clinical dosimetry for the same series of patients. Dosimetric results are compared, UM calculated and number of segments.

Insectivorous Birds and Environmental Factors Across an Edge-Interior Gradient in Tropical Rainforest of Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Abdullah B. Mohd; Mohamed Zakaria; Hossein Varasteh Moradi; Ebil Yusof

2009-01-01

The study objectives were to test: (1) the effects of the edge-interior gradient on understorey insectivorous bird abundance, density and diversity; (2) effects of environmental variables along an edge-interior gradient at population level (i.e., on each sub-guilds and species abundance); (3) possible effects of environmental structure along an edge-interior gradient at community level (i.e., species richness, diversity and total abundance). Fifteen hundred and four birds belonging to ...

Development and validation of a critical gradient energetic particle driven Alfven eigenmode transport model for DIII-D tilted neutral beam experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Waltz, R. E.; Bass, E. M.; Heidbrink, W. W.; VanZeeland, M. A.

2015-11-01

Recent experiments with the DIII-D tilted neutral beam injection (NBI) varying the beam energetic particle (EP) source profiles have provided strong evidence that unstable Alfven eigenmodes (AE) drive stiff EP transport at a critical EP density gradient [Heidbrink et al 2013 Nucl. Fusion 53 093006]. Here the critical gradient is identified by the local AE growth rate being equal to the local ITG/TEM growth rate at the same low toroidal mode number. The growth rates are taken from the gyrokinetic code GYRO. Simulation show that the slowing down beam-like EP distribution has a slightly lower critical gradient than the Maxwellian. The ALPHA EP density transport code [Waltz and Bass 2014 Nucl. Fusion 54 104006], used to validate the model, combines the low-n stiff EP critical density gradient AE mid-core transport with the Angioni et al (2009 Nucl. Fusion 49 055013) energy independent high-n ITG/TEM density transport model controling the central core EP density profile. For the on-axis NBI heated DIII-D shot 146102, while the net loss to the edge is small, about half the birth fast ions are transported from the central core r/a  <  0.5 and the central density is about half the slowing down density. These results are in good agreement with experimental fast ion pressure profiles inferred from MSE constrained EFIT equilibria.

Effect of magnetic configuration on density fluctuation and particle transport in LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, K.; Michael, C.; Yamagishi, O.; Ida, K.; Yamada, H.; Yoshinuma, M.; Yokoyama, M.; Miyazawa, J.; Morita, S.; Kawahata, K.; Tokzawa, T.; Shoji, M.; Vyacheslavov, L.N.; Sanin, A.L.

2005-01-01

The study of fluctuations and particle transport is important issue in heliotron and stellarator devices as well as in tokamaks. A two dimensional phase contrast interferometer (2D PCI) was developed to investigate fluctuation characteristics, which play role in confinement. The current 2D PCI can detect fluctuations for which -1 0.3 -1 and 5< f<500kHz. With the use of magnetic shear and the 2D detector, the spatial resolution around 20% of averaged minor radius is possible presently. The strongest fluctuations are localized in the plasma edge, where density gradients are negative, but fluctuations also exist in the positive density gradient region of the hollow density profile. The phase velocity of fluctuations in the positive gradient region is close to plasma ErxBt rotation. On the other hand, fluctuations in the negative density gradient region propagate in the ion diamagnetic direction in the plasma frame and do not follow ErxBt rotation. This suggests there is a different nature of the fluctuations in the positive and negative density gradient regions. A particle transport was studied by means of density modulation experiments. The systematic study was done at Rax=3.6m, which is so-called standard configuration. The density profiles vary from peaked to hollow with increasing heating power. It was also found that particle diffusion and convection are functions of electron temperature and its gradient respectively. The magnetic configuration is another parameter, which characterizes particle confinement. At more outward shifted configurations, helical ripple becomes larger and the ergodic region becomes thicker, then neoclassical transport becomes larger. However estimated diffusion coefficients are still around one order of magnitude larger than neoclassical values in edge region, where ρ = 0.7 ∼ 1.0 and they are larger at more outward configurations. At the same time the convection velocity is found to be comparable with neoclassical prediction at Rax=3

Electron thermal energy transport research based on dynamical relationship between heat flux and temperature gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Notake, Takashi; Inagaki, Shigeru; Tamura, Naoki

2008-01-01

In the nuclear fusion plasmas, both of thermal energy and particle transport governed by turbulent flow are anomalously enhanced more than neoclassical levels. Thus, to clarify a relationship between the turbulent flow and the anomalous transports has been the most worthwhile work. There are experimental results that the turbulent flow induces various phenomena on transport processes such as non-linearity, transition, hysteresis, multi-branches and non-locality. We are approaching these complicated problems by analyzing not conventional power balance but these phenomena directly. They are recognized as dynamical trajectories in the flux and gradient space and must be a clue to comprehend a physical mechanism of arcane anomalous transport. Especially, to elucidate the mechanism for electron thermal energy transport is critical in the fusion plasma researches because the burning plasmas will be sustained by alpha-particle heating. In large helical device, the dynamical relationships between electron thermal energy fluxes and electron temperature gradients are investigated by using modulated electron cyclotron resonance heating and modern electron cyclotron emission diagnostic systems. Some trajectories such as hysteresis loop or line segments with steep slope which represent non-linear property are observed in the experiment. (author)

Evaluation of stress gradient by x-ray stress measurement based on change in angle phi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Toshihiko; Kuramoto, Makoto; Yoshioka, Yasuo.

1985-01-01

A new principle of X-ray stress evaluation for a sample with steep stress gradient has been prosed. The feature of this method is that the stress is determined by using so-called phi-method based on the change of phi-angle and thus has no effect on the penetration depth of X-rays. The procedure is as follows; firstly, an average stress within the penetration depth of X-rays is determined by changing only phi-angle under a fixed psi-angle, and then a distribution of the average stress vs. the penetration depth of X-rays is detected by repeating the similar procedure at different psi-angles. The following conclusions were found out as the result of residual stress measurements on a carbon steel of type S 55 C polished by emery paper. This method is practical enough to use for a plane stress problem. And the assumption of a linear stress gradient adopted in the authors' previous investigations is valid. In case of a triaxial stress analysis, this method is effective for the solution of three shearing stresses. However, three normal stresses can not be solved perfectly except particular psi-angles. (author)

Prolonged river water pollution due to variable-density flow and solute transport in the riverbed

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Guangqiu; Tang, Hongwu; Li, Ling; Barry, D. A.

2015-04-01

A laboratory experiment and numerical modeling were used to examine effects of density gradients on hyporheic flow and solute transport under the condition of a solute pulse input to a river with regular bed forms. Relatively low-density gradients due to an initial salt pulse concentration of 1.55 kg m-3 applied in the experiment were found to modulate significantly the pore-water flow and solute transport in the riverbed. Such density gradients increased downward flow and solute transport in the riverbed by factors up to 1.6. This resulted in a 12.2% increase in the total salt transfer from the water column to the riverbed over the salt pulse period. As the solute pulse passed, the effect of the density gradients reversed, slowing down the release of the solute back to the river water by a factor of 3.7. Numerical modeling indicated that these density effects intensified as salt concentrations in the water column increased. Simulations further showed that the density gradients might even lead to unstable flow and result in solute fingers in the bed of large bed forms. The slow release of solute from the bed back to the river led to a long tail of solute concentration in the river water. These findings have implications for assessment of impact of pollution events on river systems, in particular, long-term effects on both the river water and riverbed due to the hyporheic exchange.

Hydraulic-based empirical model for sediment and soil organic carbon loss on steep slopes for extreme rainstorms on the Chinese loess Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, L.; Li, Z. W.; Nie, X. D.; He, J. J.; Huang, B.; Chang, X. F.; Liu, C.; Xiao, H. B.; Wang, D. Y.

2017-11-01

Building a hydraulic-based empirical model for sediment and soil organic carbon (SOC) loss is significant because of the complex erosion process that includes gravitational erosion, ephemeral gully, and gully erosion for loess soils. To address this issue, a simulation of rainfall experiments was conducted in a 1 m × 5 m box on slope gradients of 15°, 20°, and 25° for four typical loess soils with different textures, namely, Ansai, Changwu, Suide, and Yangling. The simulated rainfall of 120 mm h-1 lasted for 45 min. Among the five hydraulic factors (i.e., flow velocity, runoff depth, shear stress, stream power, and unit stream power), flow velocity and stream power showed close relationships with SOC concentration, especially the average flow velocity at 2 m from the outlet where the runoff attained the maximum sediment load. Flow velocity controlled SOC enrichment by affecting the suspension-saltation transport associated with the clay and silt contents in sediments. In consideration of runoff rate, average flow velocity at 2 m location from the outlet, and slope steepness as input variables, a hydraulic-based sediment and SOC loss model was built on the basis of the relationships of hydraulic factors to sediment and SOC loss. Nonlinear regression models were built to calculate the parameters of the model. The difference between the effective and dispersed median diameter (δD50) or the SOC content of the original soil served as the independent variable. The hydraulic-based sediment and SOC loss model exhibited good performance for the Suide and Changwu soils, that is, these soils contained lower amounts of aggregates than those of Ansai and Yangling soils. The hydraulic-based empirical model for sediment and SOC loss can serve as an important reference for physical-based sediment models and can bring new insights into SOC loss prediction when serious erosion occurs on steep slopes.

Space Electron Density Gradient Studies using a 3D Embedded Reconfigurable Sounder and ESA/NASA CLUSTER Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Dekoulis, George

2016-07-01

This paper provides a direct comparison between data captured by a new embedded reconfigurable digital sounder, different ground-based ionospheric sounders spread around Europe and the ESA/NASA CLUSTER mission. The CLUSTER mission consists of four identical space probes flying in a formation that allows measurements of the electron density gradient in the local magnetic field. Both the ground-based and the spacecraft instrumentations assist in studying the motion, geometry and boundaries of the plasmasphere. The comparison results are in accordance to each other. Some slight deviations among the captured data were expected from the beginning of this investigation. These small discrepancies are reasonable and seriatim analyzed. The results of this research are significant, since the level of the plasma's ionization, which is related to the solar activity, dominates the propagation of electromagnetic waves through it. Similarly, unusually high solar activity presents serious hazards to orbiting satellites, spaceborne instrumentation, satellite communications and infrastructure located on the Earth's surface. Long-term collaborative study of the data is required to continue, in order to identify and determine the enhanced risk in advance. This would allow scientists to propose an immediate cure.

A Centrifugal Microfluidic Platform That Separates Whole Blood Samples into Multiple Removable Fractions Due to Several Discrete but Continuous Density Gradient Sections

Science.gov (United States)

Moen, Scott T.; Hatcher, Christopher L.; Singh, Anup K.

2016-01-01

We present a miniaturized centrifugal platform that uses density centrifugation for separation and analysis of biological components in small volume samples (~5 μL). We demonstrate the ability to enrich leukocytes for on-disk visualization via microscopy, as well as recovery of viable cells from each of the gradient partitions. In addition, we simplified the traditional Modified Wright-Giemsa staining by decreasing the time, volume, and expertise involved in the procedure. From a whole blood sample, we were able to extract 95.15% of leukocytes while excluding 99.8% of red blood cells. This platform has great potential in both medical diagnostics and research applications as it offers a simpler, automated, and inexpensive method for biological sample separation, analysis, and downstream culturing. PMID:27054764

Thickness evaluation using a new relationship between film density and penetrated thickness in radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sung Sik; Kim, Young H.

2005-01-01

In order to improve the accuracies in the thickness evaluation using radiography, a new relationship between film density and penetrated thickness has been proposed, and experimental verification of the proposed relationship was carried out by using the X- and γ-ray radiographs of two carbon steel step wedges. A new parameter, the logarithmic gradient of film density, was defined in order to express the characteristics of the radiographic film for wider range of film density. A new relationship between the film density and the penetrated thickness were formulated using the logarithmic gradient of the film density. In experiment, the logarithmic gradient of the film density was independent on both the exposure and the film density and measured for the radiographic film used in the present work from the slope of the fitting lines for the same penetrated thickness. Experimental results verifies the accuracy of the proposed relationship between film density and the penetrated thickness for the range of film density from 1.0 to 3.5. The thickness can be more accurately determined by using the proposed relationship and the parameters determined by experiment. It is also found that the γ-ray having simple energy spectrum is more appropriate radiation source for the evaluation of the thickness from the film density of the radiograph

Effects of internal structure on equilibrium of field-reversed configuration plasma sustained by rotating magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yambe, Kiyoyuki; Inomoto, Michiaki; Okada, Shigefumi; Kobayashi, Yuka; Asai, Tomohiko

2008-01-01

The effects of an internal structure on the equilibrium of a field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma sustained by rotating magnetic field is investigated by using detailed electrostatic probe measurements in the FRC Injection Experiment apparatus [S. Okada, et al., Nucl. Fusion. 45, 1094 (2005)]. An internal structure installed axially on the geometrical axis, which simulates Ohmic transformer or external toroidal field coils on the FRC device, brings about substantial changes in plasma density profile. The internal structure generates steep density-gradients not only on the inner side but on the outer side of the torus. The radial electric field is observed to sustain the ion thermal pressure-gradient in the FRC without the internal structure; however, the radial electric field is not sufficient to sustain the increased ion thermal pressure-gradient in the FRC with the internal structure. Spontaneously driven azimuthal ion flow will be accountable for the imbalance of the radial pressure which is modified by the internal structure.

Experimental study of particle transport and density fluctuation in LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, K.; Morita, S.; Sanin, A.; Michael, C.; Kawahata, K.; Yamada, H.; Miyazawa, J.; Tokuzawa, T.; Akiyama, T.; Goto, M.; Ida, K.; Yoshinuma, M.; Narihara, K.; Yamada, I.; Yokoyama, M.; Masuzaki, S.; Morisaki, T.; Sakamoto, R.; Funaba, H.; Komori, A.; Vyacheslavov, L.N.; Murakami, S.; Wakasa, A.

2005-01-01

A variety of electron density (n e ) profiles have been observed in Large Helical Device (LHD). The density profiles change dramatically with heating power and toroidal magnetic field (B t ) under the same line averaged density. The particle transport coefficients, i.e., diffusion coefficient (D) and convection velocity (V) are experimentally obtained from density modulation experiments in the standard configuration. The values of D and V are estimated separately at the core and edge. The diffusion coefficients are strong function of electron temperature (T e ) and are proportional to T e 1.7±0.9 in core and T e 1.1±0.14 in edge. And edge diffusion coefficients are proportional to B t -2.08 . It is found that the scaling of D in edge is close to gyro-Bohm-like in nature. The existence of non-zero V is observed. It is observed that the electron temperature (T e ) gradient can drive particle convection. This is particularly clear in the core region. The convection velocity in the core region reverses direction from inward to outward as the T e gradient increases. In the edge, the convection is inward directed in the most of the case of the present data set. And it shows modest tendency, whose value is proportional to T e gradient keeping inward direction. However, the toroidal magnetic field also significantly affects value and direction of V. The spectrum of density fluctuation changes at different heating power suggesting that it has an influence on particle transport. The peak wavenumber is around 0.1 times the inversed ion Larmor radius, as is expected from gyro-Bohm diffusion. The peaks of fluctuation intensity are localized at the plasma edge, where density gradient becomes negative and diffusion contributes most to the particle flux. These results suggest a qualitative correlation of fluctuations with particle diffusion. (author)

ANOMALOUSLY STEEP REDDENING LAW IN QUASARS: AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OBSERVED IN IRAS 14026+4341

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Peng; Zhou Hongyan; Ji Tuo; Shu Xinwen; Liu Wenjuan; Dong Xiaobo; Wang Huiyuan; Wang Tinggui; Wang Jianguo; Bai Jinming

2013-01-01

A fraction of the heavily reddened quasars require a reddening curve that is even steeper than that of the Small Magellanic Cloud. In this paper, we thoroughly characterize the anomalously steep reddening law in quasars via an exceptional example observed in IRAS 14026+4341. By comparing the observed spectrum to the quasar composite spectrum, we derive a reddening curve in the rest-frame wavelength range of 1200-10000 Å. It has a steep rise at wavelengths shorter than 3000 Å, but no significant reddening at longer wavelengths. The absence of dust reddening in the optical continuum is confirmed by the normal broad-line Balmer decrement (the Hα/Hβ ratio) in IRAS 14026+4341. The anomalous reddening curve can be satisfactorily reproduced with a dust model containing silicate grains in a power-law size distribution, dn(a)/da∝a –1.4 , truncated at a maximum size of a max = 70 nm. The unusual size distribution may be caused by the destruction of large 'stardust' grains by quasar activities or a different dust formation mechanism (i.e., the in situ formation of dust grains in quasar outflows). It is also possible that the analogies of the dust grains observed near the Galactic center are responsible for the steep reddening curve. In addition, we find that IRAS 14026+4341 is a weak emission-line quasar (i.e., PHL 1811 analogies) with heavy dust reddening and blueshifted broad absorption lines.

Effects of low central fuelling on density and ion temperature profiles in reversed shear plasmas on JT-60U

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takenaga, H; Ide, S; Sakamoto, Y; Fujita, T [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan)], E-mail: takenaga.hidenobu@jaea.go.jp

2008-07-15

Effects of low central fuelling on density and ion temperature profiles have been investigated using negative ion based neutral beam injection and electron cyclotron heating (ECH) in reversed shear plasmas on JT-60U. Strong internal transport barrier (ITB) was maintained in density and ion temperature profiles, when central fuelling was decreased by switching positive ion based neutral beam injection to ECH after the strong ITB formation. Similar density and ion temperature ITBs were formed for the low and high central fuelling cases during the plasma current ramp-up phase. Strong correlation between the density gradient and the ion temperature gradient was observed, indicating that particle transport and ion thermal transport are strongly coupled or the density gradient assists the ion temperature ITB formation through suppression of drift wave instabilities such as ion temperature gradient mode. These results support that the density and ion temperature ITBs can be formed under reactor relevant conditions.

Effects of low central fuelling on density and ion temperature profiles in reversed shear plasmas on JT-60U

Science.gov (United States)

Takenaga, H.; Ide, S.; Sakamoto, Y.; Fujita, T.; JT-60 Team

2008-07-01

Effects of low central fuelling on density and ion temperature profiles have been investigated using negative ion based neutral beam injection and electron cyclotron heating (ECH) in reversed shear plasmas on JT-60U. Strong internal transport barrier (ITB) was maintained in density and ion temperature profiles, when central fuelling was decreased by switching positive ion based neutral beam injection to ECH after the strong ITB formation. Similar density and ion temperature ITBs were formed for the low and high central fuelling cases during the plasma current ramp-up phase. Strong correlation between the density gradient and the ion temperature gradient was observed, indicating that particle transport and ion thermal transport are strongly coupled or the density gradient assists the ion temperature ITB formation through suppression of drift wave instabilities such as ion temperature gradient mode. These results support that the density and ion temperature ITBs can be formed under reactor relevant conditions.

Density gradient instabilities in a neutron inhomogeneous guiding-centre plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoucri, M.M.; Gagne, R.R.J.

1977-01-01

The guiding-centre equations for a plasma of cold ions and thermal electrons admit neutral and non-neutral inhomogeneous equilibrium solutions, and the linear stability of these solutions has been recently investigated numerically by Shoucri and Knorr (1975). With arbitrary density profiles, numerical techniques appear to be the only practical way to study the linear stability of the inhomogeneous equilibrium solutions for the guiding centre plasma. However, analytical methods can be applied to some simple types of density profiles. The purpose of the present note is to present some analytical results on the linear instabilities of an inhomogeneous neutral guiding centre plasma. (U.K.)

Reservoir longitudinal gradient promotes ordered losses on diversity and density of Ephemeroptera community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Melo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Reservoir operations alter, eliminate or restrain the natural hydrologic cycles. Biotic community has become subject to these non-cyclic events, responding by reducing the species diversity. Ephemeroptera species present distinct responses to environmental deterioration such that poses this assemblage between the most useful groups in biomonitoring programs. We hypothesized an alteration in beta diversity at the longitudinal species gradient, which will be influenced mainly by species losses between zones. Changes in temporal beta diversity is also expected, but the main drivers of such alterations will be the species turnover between the sampling period. Ephemeroptera community was monitored in nine sampling points from Itaipu Reservoir, where were installed three sets of substrates composed by a float and 2 wooden substrates. We took biological samples in triplicates monthly, from June-01 to August-02. Our initial hypothesis was partially supported and with significant variations only for spatial approach, between the Reservoir zones. The generated ordering from Non-Metric Dimensional Scale – NMDS - corroborated with spatial analyzes, with the formation of two groups along the gradient zonation of the reservoir. The temporal ordination showed no clear pattern. As expected, the contribution to beta diversity was different for our two approaches, such that the loss of species was more important along the spatial gradient and despite of no significant result, the species replacement was more important among months. The spatial results lead us to infer that differences in limnological characteristics between zones are important for determining differences in Ephemeroptera composition and can reflect the dependency degree of the species in relation to the lentic and sometimes-lotic conditions, mainly in the riverine zone of reservoirs. On the other hand, the absence of a temporal pattern can be result of chaotic variations in the

A Spatially Explicit Method to Assess the Economic Suitability of a Forest Road Network for Timber Harvest in Steep Terrain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leo Gallus Bont

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Despite relatively high road density in the forests of Switzerland, a large percentage of that road network does not fulfill best practice requirements. Before upgrading or rebuilding the road network, harvesting planners must first determine which areas have insufficient access. Traditional assessment methods tend to only report specific values such as road density. However, those values do not identify the exact parcels or areas that are inaccessible. Here, we present a model that assesses the economic suitability of each timbered parcel for wood-harvesting operations, including tree-felling and processing, and off- and on-road transport (hauling, based on the existing road network. The entire wood supply chain from forest (standing trees to a virtual pile at the border of the planning unit was captured. This method was particularly designed for steep terrain and was tested in the Canton of Grisons in Switzerland. Compared with classical approaches, such as the road density concept, which only deliver average values, this new method enables planners to assess the development of a road network in a spatially explicit manner and to easily identify the reason and the location of shortcomings in the road network. Moreover, while other related spatially explicit approaches focus only on harvesting operations, the assessment method proposed here also includes limitations (road standards of the road network.

The redshift number density evolution of Mg II absorption systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zhi-Fu

2013-01-01

We make use of the recent large sample of 17 042 Mg II absorption systems from Quider et al. to analyze the evolution of the redshift number density. Regardless of the strength of the absorption line, we find that the evolution of the redshift number density can be clearly distinguished into three different phases. In the intermediate redshift epoch (0.6 ≲ z ≲ 1.6), the evolution of the redshift number density is consistent with the non-evolution curve, however, the non-evolution curve over-predicts the values of the redshift number density in the early (z ≲ 0.6) and late (z ≳ 1.6) epochs. Based on the invariant cross-section of the absorber, the lack of evolution in the redshift number density compared to the non-evolution curve implies the galaxy number density does not evolve during the middle epoch. The flat evolution of the redshift number density tends to correspond to a shallow evolution in the galaxy merger rate during the late epoch, and the steep decrease of the redshift number density might be ascribed to the small mass of halos during the early epoch.

Probability Density Estimation Using Neural Networks in Monte Carlo Calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shim, Hyung Jin; Cho, Jin Young; Song, Jae Seung; Kim, Chang Hyo

2008-01-01

The Monte Carlo neutronics analysis requires the capability for a tally distribution estimation like an axial power distribution or a flux gradient in a fuel rod, etc. This problem can be regarded as a probability density function estimation from an observation set. We apply the neural network based density estimation method to an observation and sampling weight set produced by the Monte Carlo calculations. The neural network method is compared with the histogram and the functional expansion tally method for estimating a non-smooth density, a fission source distribution, and an absorption rate's gradient in a burnable absorber rod. The application results shows that the neural network method can approximate a tally distribution quite well. (authors)

Block and Gradient Copoly(2-oxazoline) Micelles: Strikingly Different on the Inside.

Science.gov (United States)

Filippov, Sergey K; Verbraeken, Bart; Konarev, Petr V; Svergun, Dmitri I; Angelov, Borislav; Vishnevetskaya, Natalya S; Papadakis, Christine M; Rogers, Sarah; Radulescu, Aurel; Courtin, Tim; Martins, José C; Starovoytova, Larisa; Hruby, Martin; Stepanek, Petr; Kravchenko, Vitaly S; Potemkin, Igor I; Hoogenboom, Richard

2017-08-17

Herein, we provide a direct proof for differences in the micellar structure of amphiphilic diblock and gradient copolymers, thereby unambiguously demonstrating the influence of monomer distribution along the polymer chains on the micellization behavior. The internal structure of amphiphilic block and gradient co poly(2-oxazolines) based on the hydrophilic poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMeOx) and the hydrophobic poly(2-phenyl-2-oxazoline) (PPhOx) was studied in water and water-ethanol mixtures by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), static and dynamic light scattering (SLS/DLS), and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. Contrast matching SANS experiments revealed that block copolymers form micelles with a uniform density profile of the core. In contrast to popular assumption, the outer part of the core of the gradient copolymer micelles has a distinctly higher density than the middle of the core. We attribute the latter finding to back-folding of chains resulting from hydrophilic-hydrophobic interactions, leading to a new type of micelles that we refer to as micelles with a "bitterball-core" structure.

Application of gradient-corrected density functional theory to the structures and thermochemistries of ScF3, TiF4, VF5, and CrF6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russo, T.V.; Martin, R.L.; Jeffrey Hay, P.

1995-01-01

Density functional theory (DFT) and Hartree--Fock (HF) calculations are reported for the family of transition metal fluorides ScF 3 , TiF 4 , VF 5 , and CrF 6 . Both HF and the local-density approximation (LDA) yield excellent agreement with experimental bond lengths, while the B-LYP gradient-corrected density functional gives bond lengths 0.04-0.05 A too long. An investigation of various combinations of exchange and correlation functionals shows that, for this series, the origin of this behavior lies in the Becke exchange functional. Much improved bond distances are found using the hybrid HF/DFT functional advocated by Becke. This approximation also leads to much improved thermochemistries. The LDA overestimates average bond energies in this series by 30-40 kcal/mol, whereas the B-LYP functional overbinds by only ∼8-12 kcal/mol, and the hybrid HF/DFT method overbinds by only ∼2 kcal/mol. The hybrid method predicts the octahedral isomer of CrF 6 to be more stable than the trigonal prismatic form by 14 kcal/mol. Comparison of theoretical vibrational frequencies with experiment supports the assignment of an octahedral geometry

Enhanced stability of steep channel beds to mass failure and debris flow initiation

Science.gov (United States)

Prancevic, J.; Lamb, M. P.; Ayoub, F.; Venditti, J. G.

2015-12-01

Debris flows dominate bedrock erosion and sediment transport in very steep mountain channels, and are often initiated from failure of channel-bed alluvium during storms. While several theoretical models exist to predict mass failures, few have been tested because observations of in-channel bed failures are extremely limited. To fill this gap in our understanding, we performed laboratory flume experiments to identify the conditions necessary to initiate bed failures in non-cohesive sediment of different sizes (D = 0.7 mm to 15 mm) on steep channel-bed slopes (S = 0.45 to 0.93) and in the presence of water flow. In beds composed of sand, failures occurred under sub-saturated conditions on steep bed slopes (S > 0.5) and under super-saturated conditions at lower slopes. In beds of gravel, however, failures occurred only under super-saturated conditions at all tested slopes, even those approaching the dry angle of repose. Consistent with theoretical models, mass failures under super-saturated conditions initiated along a failure plane approximately one grain-diameter below the bed surface, whereas the failure plane was located near the base of the bed under sub-saturated conditions. However, all experimental beds were more stable than predicted by 1-D infinite-slope stability models. In partially saturated sand, enhanced stability appears to result from suction stress. Enhanced stability in gravel may result from turbulent energy losses in pores or increased granular friction for failures that are shallow with respect to grain size. These grain-size dependent effects are not currently included in stability models for non-cohesive sediment, and they may help to explain better the timing and location of debris flow occurrence.

Generalized Gradient Approximation Made Simple

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perdew, J.P.; Burke, K.; Ernzerhof, M.

1996-01-01

Generalized gradient approximations (GGA close-quote s) for the exchange-correlation energy improve upon the local spin density (LSD) description of atoms, molecules, and solids. We present a simple derivation of a simple GGA, in which all parameters (other than those in LSD) are fundamental constants. Only general features of the detailed construction underlying the Perdew-Wang 1991 (PW91) GGA are invoked. Improvements over PW91 include an accurate description of the linear response of the uniform electron gas, correct behavior under uniform scaling, and a smoother potential. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Nonlinear electronic excitations in crystalline solids using meta-generalized gradient approximation and hybrid functional in time-dependent density functional theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, Shunsuke A. [Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571 (Japan); Taniguchi, Yasutaka [Center for Computational Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571 (Japan); Department of Medical and General Sciences, Nihon Institute of Medical Science, 1276 Shimogawara, Moroyama-Machi, Iruma-Gun, Saitama 350-0435 (Japan); Shinohara, Yasushi [Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, 06120 Halle (Germany); Yabana, Kazuhiro [Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571 (Japan); Center for Computational Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571 (Japan)

2015-12-14

We develop methods to calculate electron dynamics in crystalline solids in real-time time-dependent density functional theory employing exchange-correlation potentials which reproduce band gap energies of dielectrics; a meta-generalized gradient approximation was proposed by Tran and Blaha [Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 226401 (2009)] (TBm-BJ) and a hybrid functional was proposed by Heyd, Scuseria, and Ernzerhof [J. Chem. Phys. 118, 8207 (2003)] (HSE). In time evolution calculations employing the TB-mBJ potential, we have found it necessary to adopt the predictor-corrector step for a stable time evolution. We have developed a method to evaluate electronic excitation energy without referring to the energy functional which is unknown for the TB-mBJ potential. For the HSE functional, we have developed a method for the operation of the Fock-like term in Fourier space to facilitate efficient use of massive parallel computers equipped with graphic processing units. We compare electronic excitations in silicon and germanium induced by femtosecond laser pulses using the TB-mBJ, HSE, and a simple local density approximation (LDA). At low laser intensities, electronic excitations are found to be sensitive to the band gap energy: they are close to each other using TB-mBJ and HSE and are much smaller in LDA. At high laser intensities close to the damage threshold, electronic excitation energies do not differ much among the three cases.

A refined model of sedimentary rock cover in the southeastern part of the Congo basin from GOCE gravity and vertical gravity gradient observations

Science.gov (United States)

Martinec, Zdeněk; Fullea, Javier

2015-03-01

We aim to interpret the vertical gravity and vertical gravity gradient of the GOCE-GRACE combined gravity model over the southeastern part of the Congo basin to refine the published model of sedimentary rock cover. We use the GOCO03S gravity model and evaluate its spherical harmonic representation at or near the Earth's surface. In this case, the gradiometry signals are enhanced as compared to the original measured GOCE gradients at satellite height and better emphasize the spatial pattern of sedimentary geology. To avoid aliasing, the omission error of the modelled gravity induced by the sedimentary rocks is adjusted to that of the GOCO03S gravity model. The mass-density Green's functions derived for the a priori structure of the sediments show a slightly greater sensitivity to the GOCO03S vertical gravity gradient than to the vertical gravity. Hence, the refinement of the sedimentary model is carried out for the vertical gravity gradient over the basin, such that a few anomalous values of the GOCO03S-derived vertical gravity gradient are adjusted by refining the model. We apply the 5-parameter Helmert's transformation, defined by 2 translations, 1 rotation and 2 scale parameters that are searched for by the steepest descent method. The refined sedimentary model is only slightly changed with respect to the original map, but it significantly improves the fit of the vertical gravity and vertical gravity gradient over the basin. However, there are still spatial features in the gravity and gradiometric data that remain unfitted by the refined model. These may be due to lateral density variation that is not contained in the model, a density contrast at the Moho discontinuity, lithospheric density stratifications or mantle convection. In a second step, the refined sedimentary model is used to find the vertical density stratification of sedimentary rocks. Although the gravity data can be interpreted by a constant sedimentary density, such a model does not correspond to

DAMPING OF ELECTRON DENSITY STRUCTURES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR INTERSTELLAR SCINTILLATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, K. W.; Terry, P. W.

2011-01-01

The forms of electron density structures in kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) turbulence are studied in connection with scintillation. The focus is on small scales L ∼ 10 8 -10 10 cm where the KAW regime is active in the interstellar medium, principally within turbulent H II regions. Scales at 10 times the ion gyroradius and smaller are inferred to dominate scintillation in the theory of Boldyrev et al. From numerical solutions of a decaying KAW turbulence model, structure morphology reveals two types of localized structures, filaments and sheets, and shows that they arise in different regimes of resistive and diffusive damping. Minimal resistive damping yields localized current filaments that form out of Gaussian-distributed initial conditions. When resistive damping is large relative to diffusive damping, sheet-like structures form. In the filamentary regime, each filament is associated with a non-localized magnetic and density structure, circularly symmetric in cross section. Density and magnetic fields have Gaussian statistics (as inferred from Gaussian-valued kurtosis) while density gradients are strongly non-Gaussian, more so than current. This enhancement of non-Gaussian statistics in a derivative field is expected since gradient operations enhance small-scale fluctuations. The enhancement of density gradient kurtosis over current kurtosis is not obvious, yet it suggests that modest density fluctuations may yield large scintillation events during pulsar signal propagation. In the sheet regime the same statistical observations hold, despite the absence of localized filamentary structures. Probability density functions are constructed from statistical ensembles in both regimes, showing clear formation of long, highly non-Gaussian tails.

The effect of water uptake gradient in membrane electrode assembly on fuel cell performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujita, H., E-mail: hajime.phy@gmail.co [Research Institute for Science Engineering, Waseda University, 103, R.J.Shillman Hall, 3-14-9, Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0072 (Japan); Shiraki, F.; Oshima, Y.; Tatsumi, T.; Yoshikawa, T.; Sasaki, T. [Research Institute for Science Engineering, Waseda University, 103, R.J.Shillman Hall, 3-14-9, Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0072 (Japan); Oshima, A. [Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Washio, M. [Research Institute for Science Engineering, Waseda University, 103, R.J.Shillman Hall, 3-14-9, Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0072 (Japan)

2011-02-15

Novel proton exchange membranes (PEMs) with functionally gradient ionic sites were fabricated utilizing low energy electron beam (EB) irradiations. The low energy electron beam irradiation to polymer membranes possessed the property of gradient energy deposition in the membrane thickness direction. In the process of EB grafting of styrene onto base films, selective ranges of the gradient energy deposition were used. Micro FT-IR spectra showed that the simulated energy deposition of EB irradiation to base polymer membranes in the thickness direction corresponded to the amount of styrene grafted onto EB-irradiated films. After sulfonation, a functionally gradient ionic site PEM (gradient-PEM) was prepared, corresponding to EB depth-dose profile. The functionally gradients of ionic sites in the gradient-PEM and flat-PEM were evaluated with XPS and SEM-EDX. The results of XPS and SEM-EDX suggest that the prepared gradient-PEM had a gradient sulfonated acid groups. In addition, the polarization performance of MEA based on gradient-PEM was improved in high current density. It was thought that water uptake gradient could have a function to prevent flooding in the MEA during FC operation. Thus, the functionally gradient-PEMs could be a promising solution to manage the water behavior in MEA.

Satellites and Steep Slopes - the challenge of topography in the Himalaya - Karakorum for cryosphere models

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner, J. F.; Buri, P.; Miles, E. S.; Immerzeel, W.

2016-12-01

The topography in glaciated catchments in the Himalaya - Karakoram range are extreme in a number of aspects that proof to be a challenge for distributed modelling. High altitude regions, where accumulation areas of glaciers are generally located, can at times be very steep, covered in hanging ice and seasonal snow. On the other hand, lower areas, where ablation zones on glacier tongues are located, tend to be very shallow. This has consequences for obtaining glacier areas from satellite derived glacier inventories (e.g. RGI, ICIMOD). As they are taken perpendicular to the center of the earth, these inventories will underestimate the area of steep regions, sometimes quite considerably (Figure 1). This can have consequences for a number of statistics in glaciological modeling, especially when it comes to the relative comparison of accumulation and ablation and hence overall melt from a glacier. Additionally, these steep head walls cause topographic shading. Depending on the exposition of the valley this can result in very divergent amounts of direct solar radiation reaching the glacier surface from valley to valley. Comparisons of melt between different regions and even glaciers have to be taken with considerable caution. Finally, these shallow glacier tongues are increasingly covered in debris. Such glacier surfaces with a debris cover ranging in grain size from sand to boulders several meters in diameter are very hummocky rather than flat bare ice glacier surfaces. This in turn increases local shading but also increases the overall glacier surface. Using high resolution satellite imagery and DEMs ( 5m) from our field site we investigate the effects of areal misrepresentations on the local scale. Decreasing resolution we then take this analysis to the mountain range scale and can identify to what degree these factors are significant and considering literature values determine the quantitative impact for energy and mass balance studies. Figure 1: A schematic

Gradient Mn-La-Pt Catalysts with Three-layered Structure for Li-O2 battery

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Kedi; Yang, Rui; Lang, Xiaoshi; Zhang, Qingguo; Wang, Zhenhua; He, Tieshi

2016-01-01

Gradient Mn-La-Pt catalysts with three-layered structure of manganese dioxide (MnO2), lanthanum oxide (La2O3), and Platinum (Pt) for Li-O2 battery are prepared in this study. The mass ratio of the catalysts is respectively 5:2:3, 4:2:4, and 3:2:5 (MnO2: La2O3: Pt) which is start from the side of the electrolyte. The relationship between morphology structure and electrochemical performance of gradient catalyst is investigated by energy dispersive spectrometry and constant current charge/discharge test. The Li-O2 battery based on gradient Mn-La-Pt catalysts shows high discharge specific capacity (2707 mAh g−1), specific energy density (8400 Wh kg−1) and long cycle life (56 cycles). The improvement of the Li-O2 battery discharge capacity is attributed to the gradient distribution of MnO2 and Pt and the involvement of La2O3 that can improve the energy density of the battery. More important, this work will also provide new ideas and methods for the research of other metal-air battery. PMID:27731340

H i Absorption in the Steep-Spectrum Superluminal Quasar 3C 216.

Science.gov (United States)

Pihlström; Vermeulen; Taylor; Conway

1999-11-01

The search for H i absorption in strong compact steep-spectrum sources is a natural way to probe the neutral gas contents in young radio sources. In turn, this may provide information about the evolution of powerful radio sources. The recently improved capabilities of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope have made it possible to detect a 0.31% (19 mJy) deep neutral atomic hydrogen absorption line associated with the steep-spectrum superluminal quasar 3C 216. The redshift (z=0.67) of the source shifts the frequency of the 21 cm line down to the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) band (850 MHz). The exact location of the H i-absorbing gas remains to be determined by spectral line VLBI observations at 850 MHz. We cannot exclude that the gas might be extended on galactic scales, but we think it is more likely to be located in the central kiloparsec. Constraints from the lack of X-ray absorption probably rule out obscuration of the core region, and we argue that the most plausible site for the H i absorption is in the jet-cloud interaction observed in this source.

Modified Fourth-Order Kinetic Energy Gradient Expansion with Hartree Potential-Dependent Coefficients.

Science.gov (United States)

Constantin, Lucian A; Fabiano, Eduardo; Della Sala, Fabio

2017-09-12

Using the semiclassical neutral atom theory, we developed a modified fourth-order kinetic energy (KE) gradient expansion (GE4m) that keeps unchanged all the linear-response terms of the uniform electron gas and gives a significant improvement with respect to the known semilocal functionals for both large atoms and jellium surfaces. On the other hand, GE4m is not accurate for light atoms; thus, we modified the GE4m coefficients making them dependent on a novel ingredient, the reduced Hartree potential, recently introduced in the Journal of Chemical Physics 2016, 145, 084110, in the context of exchange functionals. The resulting KE gradient expansion functional, named uGE4m, belongs to the novel class of u-meta-generalized-gradient-approximations (uMGGA) whose members depend on the conventional ingredients (i.e., the reduced gradient and Laplacian of the density) as well as on the reduced Hartree potential. To test uGE4m, we defined an appropriate benchmark (including total KE and KE differences for atoms, molecules and jellium clusters) for gradient expansion functionals, that is, including only those systems which are mainly described by a slowly varying density regime. While most of the GGA and meta-GGA KE functionals (we tested 18 of them) are accurate for some properties and inaccurate for others, uGE4m shows a consistently good performance for all the properties considered. This represents a qualitative boost in the KE functional development and highlights the importance of the reduced Hartree potential for the construction of next-generation KE functionals.

Housing price gradient and immigrant population: Data from the Italian real estate market.

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniucci, Valentina; Marella, Giuliano

2018-02-01

The database presented here was collected by Antoniucci and Marella to analyze the correlation between the housing price gradient and the immigrant population in Italy during 2016. It may also be useful in other statistical analyses, be they on the real estate market or in another branches of social science. The data sample relates to 112 Italian provincial capitals. It provides accurate information on urban structure, and specifically on urban density. The two most significant variables are original indicators constructed from official data sources: the housing price gradient, or the ratio between average prices in the center and suburbs by city; and building density, which is the average number of housing units per residential building. The housing price gradient is calculated for the two residential sub-markets, new-build and existing units, providing an original and detailed sample of the Italian residential market. Rather than average prices, the housing price gradient helps to identify potential divergences in residential market trends. As well as house prices, two other data clusters are considered: socio-economic variables, which provide a framework of each city, in terms of demographic and economic information; and various data on urban structure, which are rarely included in the same database.

On the density limit of Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehnert, B.

1982-12-01

Under the conditions of so far performed quasi-steady tokamak experiments near the density limit, the plasma pressure gradient in the outer layers of the plasma body becomes mainly determined by the plasma-neutral gas balance. An earlier analysis of ballooning instabilities driven by this gradient in regions of bad curvature has been extended to deduce an explicit stability criterion which determines the density limit. This criterion is closely related to the empirical Murakami limit. At relevant tokamak data, the deduced limit becomes proportional to J(sub)zR(sup)1/2 where J(sub)z is the average current density and R the major plasma radius. It is further found to be independent of the toroidal magnetic field strength and anomalous transport, as well as to be a slow function of the outer layer temperature and the mass number. The deduced stability criterion is consistent with so far performed experiments. Provided that the present analysis can be extrapolated to a wider range of parameter data and be combined with Alcator scaling, conditions near ignition appear to become realizable in small tokamaks by ohmic heating alone. These conditions can be satisfied at relevant magnetic field strengths and plasma currents, by imposing a high plasma current density. (author)

Eigenvector of gravity gradient tensor for estimating fault dips considering fault type

Science.gov (United States)

Kusumoto, Shigekazu

2017-12-01

The dips of boundaries in faults and caldera walls play an important role in understanding their formation mechanisms. The fault dip is a particularly important parameter in numerical simulations for hazard map creation as the fault dip affects estimations of the area of disaster occurrence. In this study, I introduce a technique for estimating the fault dip using the eigenvector of the observed or calculated gravity gradient tensor on a profile and investigating its properties through numerical simulations. From numerical simulations, it was found that the maximum eigenvector of the tensor points to the high-density causative body, and the dip of the maximum eigenvector closely follows the dip of the normal fault. It was also found that the minimum eigenvector of the tensor points to the low-density causative body and that the dip of the minimum eigenvector closely follows the dip of the reverse fault. It was shown that the eigenvector of the gravity gradient tensor for estimating fault dips is determined by fault type. As an application of this technique, I estimated the dip of the Kurehayama Fault located in Toyama, Japan, and obtained a result that corresponded to conventional fault dip estimations by geology and geomorphology. Because the gravity gradient tensor is required for this analysis, I present a technique that estimates the gravity gradient tensor from the gravity anomaly on a profile.

Density reconstruction in multiparameter elastic full-waveform inversion

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Min'ao; Yang, Jizhong; Dong, Liangguo; Liu, Yuzhu; Huang, Chao

2017-12-01

Elastic full-waveform inversion (EFWI) is a quantitative data fitting procedure that recovers multiple subsurface parameters from multicomponent seismic data. As density is involved in addition to P- and S-wave velocities, the multiparameter EFWI suffers from more serious tradeoffs. In addition, compared with P- and S-wave velocities, the misfit function is less sensitive to density perturbation. Thus, a robust density reconstruction remains a difficult problem in multiparameter EFWI. In this paper, we develop an improved scattering-integral-based truncated Gauss-Newton method to simultaneously recover P- and S-wave velocities and density in EFWI. In this method, the inverse Gauss-Newton Hessian has been estimated by iteratively solving the Gauss-Newton equation with a matrix-free conjugate gradient algorithm. Therefore, it is able to properly handle the parameter tradeoffs. To give a detailed illustration of the tradeoffs between P- and S-wave velocities and density in EFWI, wavefield-separated sensitivity kernels and the Gauss-Newton Hessian are numerically computed, and their distribution characteristics are analyzed. Numerical experiments on a canonical inclusion model and a modified SEG/EAGE Overthrust model have demonstrated that the proposed method can effectively mitigate the tradeoff effects, and improve multiparameter gradients. Thus, a high convergence rate and an accurate density reconstruction can be achieved.

The influence of ALN-Al gradient material gradient index on ballistic performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Youcong; Liu Qiwen; Li Yao; Shen Qiang

2013-01-01

Ballistic performance of the gradient material is superior to laminated material, and gradient materials have different gradient types. Using ls-dyna to simulate the ballistic performance of ALN-AL gradient target plates which contain three gradient index (b = 1, b = 0.5, b = 2). Through Hopkinson bar numerical simulation to the target plate materials, we obtained the reflection stress wave and transmission stress wave state of gradient material to get the best gradient index. The internal stress state of gradient material is simulated by amplification processing of the target plate model. When the gradient index b is equal to 1, the gradient target plate is best of all.

Strain gradient effects on steady state crack growth in rate-sensitive materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kim Lau; Niordson, Christian Frithiof; Hutchinson, John W.

2012-01-01

, a characteristic velocity, at which the toughness becomes independent of the rate-sensitivity, has been observed. It is the aim to bring forward a similar characteristic velocity for the current strain gradient visco-plastic model, as-well as to signify its use in future visco-plastic material modeling.......Steady state crack propagation produce substantial plastic strain gradients near the tip, which are accompanied by a high density of geometrically necessary dislocations and additional local strain hardening. Here, the objective is to study these gradient effects on Mode I toughness...... of a homogeneous rate-sensitive metal, using a higher order plasticity theory. Throughout, emphasis is on the toughness rate-sensitivity, as a recent numerical study of a conventional material (no gradient effects) has indicated a significant influence of both strain rate hardening and crack tip velocity. Moreover...

Knickzone Extraction Tool (KET – A new ArcGIS toolset for automatic extraction of knickzones from a DEM based on multi-scale stream gradients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Tuba

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Extraction of knickpoints or knickzones from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM has gained immense significance owing to the increasing implications of knickzones on landform development. However, existing methods for knickzone extraction tend to be subjective or require time-intensive data processing. This paper describes the proposed Knickzone Extraction Tool (KET, a new raster-based Python script deployed in the form of an ArcGIS toolset that automates the process of knickzone extraction and is both fast and more user-friendly. The KET is based on multi-scale analysis of slope gradients along a river course, where any locally steep segment (knickzone can be extracted as an anomalously high local gradient. We also conducted a comparative analysis of the KET and other contemporary knickzone identification techniques. The relationship between knickzone distribution and its morphometric characteristics are also examined through a case study of a mountainous watershed in Japan.

Attainment of high confinement in neutral beam heated divertor discharges in the PDX tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaye, S.M.; Bell, M.; Bol, K.

1983-11-01

The PDX divertor configuration has recently been converted from an open to a closed geometry to inhibit the return of neutral gas from the divertor region to the main chamber. Since then, operation in a regime with high energy confinement in neutral beam heated discharges (ASDEX H-mode) has been routine over a wide range of operating conditions. These H-mode discharges are characterized by a sudden drop in divertor density and H/sub α/ emission and a spontaneous rise in main chamber plasma density during neutral beam injection. The confinement time is found to scale nearly linearly with plasma current, but it can be degraded due to either the presence of edge instabilities or heavy gas puffing. Detailed Thomson scattering temperature profiles show high values of Te near the plasma edge (approx. 450 eV) with sharp radial gradients (approx. 400 eV/cm) near the separatrix. Density profiles are broad and also exhibit steep gradients close to the separatrix

On the divergence of gradient expansions for kinetic energy functionals in the potential functional theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sergeev, Alexey; Jovanovic, Raka; Kais, Sabre; Alharbi, Fahhad H

2016-01-01

We consider the density of a fermionic system as a functional of the potential, in one-dimensional case, where it is approximated by the Thomas–Fermi term plus semiclassical corrections through the gradient expansion. We compare this asymptotic series with the exact answer for the case of the harmonic oscillator and the Morse potential. It is found that the leading (Thomas–Fermi) term is in agreement with the exact density, but the subdominant term does not agree in terms of the asymptotic behavior because of the presence of oscillations in the exact density, but their absence in the gradient expansion. However, after regularization of the density by convolution with a Gaussian, the agreement can be established even in the subdominant term. Moreover, it is found that the expansion is always divergent, and its terms grow proportionally to the factorial function of the order, similar to the well-known divergence of perturbation series in field theory and the quantum anharmonic oscillator. Padé–Hermite approximants allow summation of the series, and one of the branches of the approximants agrees with the density. (paper)

First-principles calculation of electric field gradients in metals, semiconductors, and insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zwanziger, J.W. [Dalhousie Univ, Dept Chem, Halifax, NS (Canada); Dalhousie Univ, Inst Res Mat, Halifax, NS (Canada); Torrent, M. [CEA Bruyeres-le-Chatel, Dept Phys Theor and Appl, Bruyeres 91 (France)

2008-07-01

A scheme for computing electric field gradients within the projector augmented wave (PAW) formalism of density functional theory is presented. On the basis of earlier work (M. Profeta, F. Mauri, C.J. Pickard, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 541, 2003) the present implementation handles metallic cases as well as insulators and semiconductors with equal efficiency. Details of the implementation, as well as applications and the discussion of the limitations of the PAW method for computing electric field gradients are presented. (authors)

CO2 laser diagnostics for measurements of the plasma density profile and plasma density fluctuations on LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vyacheslavov, L.N.; Tanaka, K.; Kawahata, K.

2001-04-01

A CO 2 laser based diagnostics complimentary to the existing FIR interferometer is proposed. It combines interferometry for plasma density profile measurement under conditions of large density gradients, and both imaging and scattering techniques for observation of plasma fluctuations. Two-colour interferometer with a slablike probe beam and a single multichannel linear detector array provide observation of plasma density profile and density fluctuations at two locations along the probe beam. Basic characteristics of the diagnostics are considered as well as some effects that include dispersion and are critical for two colour imaging technique. The results of the bench-top experiments with the prototype of the interferometer are presented. (author)

Effect of pre- and post-column band broadening on the performance of high-speed chromatography columns under isocratic and gradient conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderlinden, Kim; Broeckhoven, Ken; Vanderheyden, Yoachim; Desmet, Gert

2016-04-15

We report on the results of an experimental and theoretical study of the effect of the extra-column band broadening (ECBB) on the performance of narrow-bore columns filled with the smallest particles that are currently commercially available. Emphasis is on the difference between the effect of ECBB under gradient and isocratic conditions, as well as on the ability to model and predict the ECBB effects using well-established band broadening expressions available from the theory of chromatography. The fine details and assumptions that need to be taken into account when using these expressions are discussed. The experiments showed that, the steeper the gradient, the more pronounced the extra-column band broadening losses become. Whereas the pre-column band broadening can in both isocratic and gradient elution be avoided by playing on the possibilities to focus the analytes on top of the column (e.g. by using the POISe injection method when running isocratic separations), the post-column extra-column band broadening is inescapable in both cases. Inducing extra-column band broadening by changing the inner diameter of the post-column tubing from 65 to 250 μm, we found that all peaks in the chromatogram are strongly affected (around a factor of 1.9 increase in relative peak width) when running steep gradients, while usually only the first eluting peak was affected in the isocratic mode or when running shallow gradients (factor 1.6-1.8 increase in relative peak width for the first eluting analyte). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

General Properties of Scattering Matrix for Mode Conversion Process between B Waves and External EM Waves and Their Consequence to Experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maekawa, T.; Tanaka, H.; Uchida, M.; Igami, H.

2003-01-01

General properties of scattering matrix, which governs the mode conversion process between electron Bernstein (B) waves and external electromagnetic (EM) waves in the presence of steep density gradient, are theoretically analyzed. Based on the analysis, polarization adjustment of incident EM waves for optimal mode conversion to B waves is possible and effective for a range of density gradient near the upper hybrid resonance, which are not covered by the previously proposed schemes of perpendicular injection of X mode and oblique injection of O mode. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the polarization of the externally emitted EM waves from B waves is uniquely related to the optimized polarization of incident EM waves for B wave heating and that the mode conversion rate is the same for the both processes of emission and the injection with the optimized polarization

Orientations of Liquid Crystals in Contact with Surfaces that Present Continuous Gradients of Chemical Functionality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clare, B.; Efimenko, K.; Fischer, D.; Genzer, J.; Abbott, N.

2006-01-01

We report the formation of continuous spatial gradients in the density of grafted semifluorinated chains on silicon oxide surfaces by vapor-phase diffusion of semifluorinated silanes. We quantify the orientations of the nematic liquid crystal (LC) 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl on these surfaces as a function of local surface composition obtained by using NEXAFS. These measurements demonstrate that it is possible to obtain the full range of tilt angles of a LC on these surfaces. We also use the data provided by these gradient surfaces to test hypotheses regarding the nature of the interaction between the LC and surfaces that give rise to the range of tilted orientations of the LC. We conclude that the orientations of the LC are not determined solely by the density of grafted semifluorinated chains or by the density of residual hydroxyl groups presented at these surfaces following reactions with the silanes. Instead, our results raise the possibility that the tilt angles of the semifluorinated chains on these surfaces (which are a function of the density of the grafted chains) may influence the orientation of the LC. These results, when combined, demonstrate the potential utility of gradient surfaces for screening surface chemistries that achieve desired orientations of LCs as well as for rapidly assembling experimental data sets that can be used to test propositions regarding mechanisms of anchoring LCs at surfaces

Assessing rockfall susceptibility in steep and overhanging slopes using three-dimensional analysis of failure mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Matasci, Battista; Stock, Greg M.; Jaboyedoff, Michael; Carrea, Dario; Collins, Brian D.; Guérin, Antoine; Matasci, G.; Ravanel, L.

2018-01-01

Rockfalls strongly influence the evolution of steep rocky landscapes and represent a significant hazard in mountainous areas. Defining the most probable future rockfall source areas is of primary importance for both geomorphological investigations and hazard assessment. Thus, a need exists to understand which areas of a steep cliff are more likely to be affected by a rockfall. An important analytical gap exists between regional rockfall susceptibility studies and block-specific geomechanical calculations. Here we present methods for quantifying rockfall susceptibility at the cliff scale, which is suitable for sub-regional hazard assessment (hundreds to thousands of square meters). Our methods use three-dimensional point clouds acquired by terrestrial laser scanning to quantify the fracture patterns and compute failure mechanisms for planar, wedge, and toppling failures on vertical and overhanging rock walls. As a part of this work, we developed a rockfall susceptibility index for each type of failure mechanism according to the interaction between the discontinuities and the local cliff orientation. The susceptibility for slope parallel exfoliation-type failures, which are generally hard to identify, is partly captured by planar and toppling susceptibility indexes. We tested the methods for detecting the most susceptible rockfall source areas on two famously steep landscapes, Yosemite Valley (California, USA) and the Drus in the Mont-Blanc massif (France). Our rockfall susceptibility models show good correspondence with active rockfall sources. The methods offer new tools for investigating rockfall hazard and improving our understanding of rockfall processes.

Gradient Self-Doped CuBi2O4 with Highly Improved Charge Separation Efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fuxian; Septina, Wilman; Chemseddine, Abdelkrim; Abdi, Fatwa F; Friedrich, Dennis; Bogdanoff, Peter; van de Krol, Roel; Tilley, S David; Berglund, Sean P

2017-10-25

A new strategy of using forward gradient self-doping to improve the charge separation efficiency in metal oxide photoelectrodes is proposed. Gradient self-doped CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes are prepared with forward and reverse gradients in copper vacancies using a two-step, diffusion-assisted spray pyrolysis process. Decreasing the Cu/Bi ratio of the CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes introduces Cu vacancies that increase the carrier (hole) concentration and lowers the Fermi level, as evidenced by a shift in the flat band toward more positive potentials. Thus, a gradient in Cu vacancies leads to an internal electric field within CuBi 2 O 4 , which can facilitate charge separation. Compared to homogeneous CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes, CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a forward gradient show highly improved charge separation efficiency and enhanced photoelectrochemical performance for reduction reactions, while CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a reverse gradient show significantly reduced charge separation efficiency and photoelectrochemical performance. The CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a forward gradient produce record AM 1.5 photocurrent densities for CuBi 2 O 4 up to -2.5 mA/cm 2 at 0.6 V vs RHE with H 2 O 2 as an electron scavenger, and they show a charge separation efficiency of 34% for 550 nm light. The gradient self-doping accomplishes this without the introduction of external dopants, and therefore the tetragonal crystal structure and carrier mobility of CuBi 2 O 4 are maintained. Lastly, forward gradient self-doped CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes are protected with a CdS/TiO 2 heterojunction and coated with Pt as an electrocatalyst. These photocathodes demonstrate photocurrent densities on the order of -1.0 mA/cm 2 at 0.0 V vs RHE and evolve hydrogen with a faradaic efficiency of ∼91%.

Production of red pigments by Monascus ruber in culture media containing corn steep liquor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. S. Hamano

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The production of red pigments by Monascus ruber was evaluated utilizing complex culture media composed of glucose or sucrose (10 g/L, corn steep liquor (5 or 10 g/L and monosodium glutamate (0, 5.0, 7.6, 11.4 or 15.2 g/L. Medium containing 10 g/L glucose, 5 g/L corn steep liquor and 7.6 g/L monosodium glutamate resulted the highest values of extracellular red pigment absorbance (20.7 U and productivity (0.35 U/h. This medium also produced better results than using semi-synthetic medium with analytical grade reagents (12.4 U and 0.21 U/h. The cell growth was similar in both media (X @ 6.5 g/L, indicating that the capacity of the cells to produce red pigments was higher in complex culture media. In addition, in the complex culture medium, less of the intracellular red pigments accumulated than in semi-synthetic medium (9.1% and 30%, respectively.

Research on fast ecological restoration technology of high and steep rocky slope of highway

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Xin

2017-08-01

Along with the development of the western region, the traffic construction in mountainous areas is booming. In the infrastructure, it produced a large number of secondary bare land. Soil erosion is serious. Based on the literature search and analysis of the domestic and international slope ecological restoration technology, this paper proposes a fast and efficient adaptive highway high steep rock slope ecological restoration technology (it has been authorized by the national patent). And it states the systemic structure, working principle and key construction technology. The ecological restoration technique combines the growth characteristics of the vegetation and the characteristics of the rock mass, which not only improves the survival rate of plants, but also stable slope. The results of this study make up for the shortcomings of the existing ecological restoration technology of slope. Compared with the prior art, which have obvious advantages and suitable for the ecological restoration of high steep rock slope.

Theory of resistivity-gradient-driven turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, L.; Carreras, B.A.; Diamond, P.H.; Callen, J.D.

1984-10-01

A theory of the nonlinear evolution and saturation of resistivity-driven turbulence, which evolves from linear rippling instabilities, is presented. The nonlinear saturation mechanism is identified both analytically and numerically. Saturation occurs when the turbulent diffusion of the resistivity is large enough so that dissipation due to parallel electron thermal conduction balances the nonlinearly modified resistivity gradient driving term. The levels of potential, resistivity, and density fluctuations at saturation are calculated. A combination of computational modeling and analytic treatment is used in this investigation

Gradient waveform synthesis for magnetic propulsion using MRI gradient coils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, B H; Lee, S Y; Park, S

2008-01-01

Navigating an untethered micro device in a living subject is of great interest for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Magnetic propulsion of an untethered device carrying a magnetic core in it is one of the promising methods to navigate the device. MRI gradients coils are thought to be suitable for navigating the device since they are capable of magnetic propulsion in any direction while providing magnetic resonance images. For precise navigation of the device, especially in the peripheral region of the gradient coils, the concomitant gradient fields, as well as the linear gradient fields in the main magnetic field direction, should be considered in driving the gradient coils. For simple gradient coil configurations, the Maxwell coil in the z-direction and the Golay coil in the x- and y-directions, we have calculated the magnetic force fields, which are not necessarily the same as the conventional linear gradient fields of MRI. Using the calculated magnetic force fields, we have synthesized gradient waveforms to navigate the device along a desired path

Effects of the safety factor on ion temperature gradient modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, A.K.; Dong, J.Q.; Sanuki, H.; Itoh, K.

2003-01-01

A model for the ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven instability is derived from Braginskii magnetohydrodynamic equations of ions. The safety factor q in a toroidal plasma is introduced into the model through the current density J parallel . The effects of q or J parallel on both the ITG instability in k perpendicular and k parallel spectra and the critical stability thresholds are studied. It is shown that the current density // J or the safety factor q plays an important role in stabilizing the ITG instability. (author)

Bottom trawling affects fish condition through changes in the ratio of prey availability to density of competitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hiddink, Jan Geert; Moranta, Joan; Balestrini, Stephen

2016-01-01

pressure. 2. We assessed the impact of bottom trawling on the food availability, condition and stomach contents of three flatfishes and the Norway lobster in an area in the Kattegat hat is characterized by a steep commercial bottom-trawling gradient due to the establishment of an area closed to all....... This pattern was mirrored in both the condition and stomach contents of plaice and for long-rough dab. 4. No effect of trawling on dab prey and condition was found. Conversely, the condition of the main target species – Norway lobster – increased as its biomass decreased with increased trawling intensities. 5...

Diffusion Profiles of Health Beneficial Components from Goji Berry (Lyceum barbarum Marinated in Alcohol and Their Antioxidant Capacities as Affected by Alcohol Concentration and Steeping Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Song

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The fruit (goji berry of Lycium barbarum, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in health diets due to its potential role in the prevention of chronic diseases. One of the most popular applications of goji berry is to make goji wine in China by steeping goji berry in grain liquor. However, how the steeping process affects antioxidant capacities and phytochemicals of goji berry is not yet fully understood. Therefore, to provide scientific data for the utilization of goji berry in the nutraceutical industry, the diffusion rate of betaine, β-carotene, phenolic compounds in goji berry and their antioxidant capacities affected by alcohol concentration and steeping time were determined by UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The results showed that low alcohol concentration (15% or 25% would promote the diffusion of betaine and increase antioxidant activity, while high concentration (55% or 65% would generally increase the diffusion of flavonoids and reduce antioxidant activity. The steeping time had no significant effect on the diffusion of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. However, all goji berry wine steeped for 14 days with different alcohol concentrations exhibited the highest betaine concentration. Current findings provide useful information for the nutraceutical industries to choose proper steeping time and alcohol concentration to yield desired health promotion components from goji.

Diffusion Profiles of Health Beneficial Components from Goji Berry (Lyceum barbarum) Marinated in Alcohol and Their Antioxidant Capacities as Affected by Alcohol Concentration and Steeping Time

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yang; Xu, Baojun

2013-01-01

The fruit (goji berry) of Lycium barbarum, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in health diets due to its potential role in the prevention of chronic diseases. One of the most popular applications of goji berry is to make goji wine in China by steeping goji berry in grain liquor. However, how the steeping process affects antioxidant capacities and phytochemicals of goji berry is not yet fully understood. Therefore, to provide scientific data for the utilization of goji berry in the nutraceutical industry, the diffusion rate of betaine, β-carotene, phenolic compounds in goji berry and their antioxidant capacities affected by alcohol concentration and steeping time were determined by UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The results showed that low alcohol concentration (15% or 25%) would promote the diffusion of betaine and increase antioxidant activity, while high concentration (55% or 65%) would generally increase the diffusion of flavonoids and reduce antioxidant activity. The steeping time had no significant effect on the diffusion of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. However, all goji berry wine steeped for 14 days with different alcohol concentrations exhibited the highest betaine concentration. Current findings provide useful information for the nutraceutical industries to choose proper steeping time and alcohol concentration to yield desired health promotion components from goji. PMID:28239094

The low thermal gradient CZ technique as a way of growing of dislocation-free germanium crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Moskovskih, V. A.; Kasimkin, P. V.; Shlegel, V. N.; Vasiliev, Y. V.; Gridchin, V. A.; Podkopaev, O. I.

2014-09-01

This paper considers the possibility of growth of dislocation-free germanium single crystals. This is achieved by reducing the temperature gradients at the level of 1 K/cm and lower. Single germanium crystals 45-48 mm in diameter with a dislocation density of 102 cm-2 were grown by a Low Thermal Gradient Czochralski technique (LTG CZ).

Forest biomass density across large climate gradients in northern South America is related to water availability but not with temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez-Dávila, Esteban; Cayuela, Luis; González-Caro, Sebastián; Aldana, Ana M; Stevenson, Pablo R; Phillips, Oliver; Cogollo, Álvaro; Peñuela, Maria C; von Hildebrand, Patricio; Jiménez, Eliana; Melo, Omar; Londoño-Vega, Ana Catalina; Mendoza, Irina; Velásquez, Oswaldo; Fernández, Fernando; Serna, Marcela; Velázquez-Rua, Cesar; Benítez, Doris; Rey-Benayas, José M

2017-01-01

Understanding and predicting the likely response of ecosystems to climate change are crucial challenges for ecology and for conservation biology. Nowhere is this challenge greater than in the tropics as these forests store more than half the total atmospheric carbon stock in their biomass. Biomass is determined by the balance between biomass inputs (i.e., growth) and outputs (mortality). We can expect therefore that conditions that favor high growth rates, such as abundant water supply, warmth, and nutrient-rich soils will tend to correlate with high biomass stocks. Our main objective is to describe the patterns of above ground biomass (AGB) stocks across major tropical forests across climatic gradients in Northwestern South America. We gathered data from 200 plots across the region, at elevations ranging between 0 to 3400 m. We estimated AGB based on allometric equations and values for stem density, basal area, and wood density weighted by basal area at the plot-level. We used two groups of climatic variables, namely mean annual temperature and actual evapotranspiration as surrogates of environmental energy, and annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality, and water availability as surrogates of water availability. We found that AGB is more closely related to water availability variables than to energy variables. In northwest South America, water availability influences carbon stocks principally by determining stand structure, i.e. basal area. When water deficits increase in tropical forests we can expect negative impact on biomass and hence carbon storage.

Density structures inside the plasmasphere: Cluster observations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Darrouzet, F.; Decreau, P.M.E.; De Keyser, J.

2004-01-01

The electron density profiles derived from the EFW and WHISPER instruments on board the four Cluster spacecraft reveal density structures inside the plasmasphere and at its outer boundary, the plasmapause. We have conducted a statistical study to characterize these density structures. We focus...... on the plasmasphere crossing on I I April 2002, during which Cluster observed several density irregularities inside the plasmasphere, as well as a plasmaspheric plume. We derive the density gradient vectors from simultaneous density measurements by the four spacecraft. We also determine the normal velocity...... of the boundaries of the plume and of the irregularities from the time delays between those boundaries in the four individual density profiles, assuming they are planar. These new observations yield novel insights about the occurrence of density irregularities, their geometry and their dynamics. These in...

A cross-sectional analysis of the relationship between tobacco and alcohol outlet density and neighbourhood deprivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shortt, Niamh K; Tisch, Catherine; Pearce, Jamie; Mitchell, Richard; Richardson, Elizabeth A; Hill, Sarah; Collin, Jeff

2015-10-05

There is a strong socio-economic gradient in both tobacco-and alcohol-related harm. One possible factor contributing to this social gradient may be greater availability of tobacco and alcohol in more socially-deprived areas. A higher density of tobacco and alcohol outlets is not only likely to increase supply but also to raise awareness of tobacco/alcohol brands, create a competitive local market that reduces product costs, and influence local social norms relating to tobacco and alcohol consumption. This paper examines the association between the density of alcohol and tobacco outlets and neighbourhood-level income deprivation. Using a national tobacco retailer register and alcohol licensing data this paper calculates the density of alcohol and tobacco retail outlets per 10,000 population for small neighbourhoods across the whole of Scotland. Average outlet density was calculated for neighbourhoods grouped by their level of income deprivation. Associations between outlet density and deprivation were analysed using one way analysis of variance. There was a positive linear relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and outlets for both tobacco (p sales alcohol (p sales and on-sales alcohol outlets. The social gradient evident in alcohol and tobacco supply may be a contributing factor to the social gradient in alcohol- and tobacco-related disease. Policymakers should consider such gradients when creating tobacco and alcohol control policies. The potential contribution to public health, and health inequalities, of reducing the physical availability of both alcohol and tobacco products should be examined in developing broader supply-side interventions.

Snow in a very steep rock face: accumulation and redistribution during and after a snowfall event

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Gabriel Sommer

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Terrestrial laser scanning was used to measure snow thickness changes (perpendicular to the surface in a rock face. The aim was to investigate the accumulation and redistribution of snow in extremely steep terrain (>60°. The north-east face of the Chlein Schiahorn in the region of Davos in eastern Switzerland was scanned before and several times after a snowfall event. A summer scan without snow was acquired to calculate the total snow thickness. An improved postprocessing procedure is introduced. The data quality could be increased by using snow thickness instead of snow depth (measured vertically and by consistently applying Multi Station Adjustment to improve the registration.More snow was deposited in the flatter, smoother areas of the rock face. The spatial variability of the snow thickness change was high. The spatial patterns of the total snow thickness were similar to those of the snow thickness change. The correlation coefficient between them was 0.86. The fresh snow was partly redistributed from extremely steep to flatter terrain, presumably mostly through avalanching. The redistribution started during the snowfall and ended several days later. Snow was able to accumulate permanently at every slope angle. The amount of snow in extremely steep terrain was limited but not negligible. Areas steeper than 60° received 15% of the snowfall and contained 10% of the total amount of snow.

CO{sub 2} laser diagnostics for measurements of the plasma density profile and plasma density fluctuations on LHD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vyacheslavov, L.N. [Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Tanaka, K.; Kawahata, K. [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan)

2001-04-01

A CO{sub 2} laser based diagnostics complimentary to the existing FIR interferometer is proposed. It combines interferometry for plasma density profile measurement under conditions of large density gradients, and both imaging and scattering techniques for observation of plasma fluctuations. Two-colour interferometer with a slablike probe beam and a single multichannel linear detector array provide observation of plasma density profile and density fluctuations at two locations along the probe beam. Basic characteristics of the diagnostics are considered as well as some effects that include dispersion and are critical for two colour imaging technique. The results of the bench-top experiments with the prototype of the interferometer are presented. (author)

Dual gradient drilling: barite separation from the mud using hydrocyclones; Perfuracao com duplo gradiente: a separacao da barita do fluido de perfuracao utilizando hidrociclones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carvalho, Aline T.; Medronho, Ricardo A. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Escola de Quimica

2004-07-01

The proximity of the pores pressure and fracture pressure curves in deep water drilling makes it an expensive and complicated operation. It is possible to minimize this problem by reducing the pressure inside the riser at the sea floor level. Injecting low density drilling mud at that point is an alternative, producing a condition called as dual gradient drilling. Hydrocyclones are simple apparatuses and their high capacity and efficiency make them appropriate for operations were the occupied floor space plays an important hole, as in offshore drilling. The idea behind this work is to divide the drilling mud in two streams, one more concentrated in barite for re-injection into the drilling column, and other more diluted for injecting into the riser at the sea floor. In this work, CFD - computational fluid dynamics - was used to investigate barite separation from drilling mud using hydrocyclones. The results indicate that the injection of a lower density mud, less concentrate in barite, in the riser at sea floor level may be a possible and less complicated alternative for dual gradient drilling. (author)

Versatile gradients of chemistry, bound ligands and nanoparticles on alumina nanopore arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michelmore, Andrew; Poh, Zihan; Goreham, Renee V; Short, Robert D; Vasilev, Krasimir; Mierczynska, Agnieszka; Losic, Dusan

2011-01-01

Nanoporous alumina (PA) arrays produced by self-ordering growth, using electrochemical anodization, have been extensively explored for potential applications based upon the unique thermal, mechanical and structural properties, and high surface-to-volume ratio of these materials. However, the potential applications and functionality of these materials may be further extended by molecular-level engineering of the surface of the pore rims. In this paper we present a method for the generation of chemical gradients on the surface of PA arrays based upon plasma co-polymerization of two monomers. We further extend these chemical gradients, which are also gradients of surface charge, to those of bound ligands and number density gradients of nanoparticles. The latter represent a highly exotic new class of materials, comprising aligned PA, capped by gold nanoparticles around the rim of the pores. Gradients of chemistry, ligands and nanoparticles generated by our method retain the porous structure of the substrate, which is important in applications that take advantage of the inherent properties of these materials. This method can be readily extended to other porous materials.

Versatile gradients of chemistry, bound ligands and nanoparticles on alumina nanopore arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michelmore, Andrew; Poh, Zihan; Goreham, Renee V; Short, Robert D; Vasilev, Krasimir [Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Adelaide (Australia); Mierczynska, Agnieszka; Losic, Dusan, E-mail: Krasimir.vasilev@unisa.edu.au [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Adelaide (Australia)

2011-10-14

Nanoporous alumina (PA) arrays produced by self-ordering growth, using electrochemical anodization, have been extensively explored for potential applications based upon the unique thermal, mechanical and structural properties, and high surface-to-volume ratio of these materials. However, the potential applications and functionality of these materials may be further extended by molecular-level engineering of the surface of the pore rims. In this paper we present a method for the generation of chemical gradients on the surface of PA arrays based upon plasma co-polymerization of two monomers. We further extend these chemical gradients, which are also gradients of surface charge, to those of bound ligands and number density gradients of nanoparticles. The latter represent a highly exotic new class of materials, comprising aligned PA, capped by gold nanoparticles around the rim of the pores. Gradients of chemistry, ligands and nanoparticles generated by our method retain the porous structure of the substrate, which is important in applications that take advantage of the inherent properties of these materials. This method can be readily extended to other porous materials.

Biomaterials with persistent growth factor gradients in vivo accelerate vascularized tissue formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Akar, Banu; Jiang, Bin; Somo, Sami I; Appel, Alyssa A; Larson, Jeffery C; Tichauer, Kenneth M; Brey, Eric M

2015-12-01

Gradients of soluble factors play an important role in many biological processes, including blood vessel assembly. Gradients can be studied in detail in vitro, but methods that enable the study of spatially distributed soluble factors and multi-cellular processes in vivo are limited. Here, we report on a method for the generation of persistent in vivo gradients of growth factors in a three-dimensional (3D) biomaterial system. Fibrin loaded porous poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) scaffolds were generated using a particulate leaching method. Platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) was encapsulated into poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres which were placed distal to the tissue-material interface. PLGA provides sustained release of PDGF-BB and its diffusion through the porous structure results in gradient formation. Gradients within the scaffold were confirmed in vivo using near-infrared fluorescence imaging and gradients were present for more than 3 weeks. The diffusion of PDGF-BB was modeled and verified with in vivo imaging findings. The depth of tissue invasion and density of blood vessels formed in response to the biomaterial increased with magnitude of the gradient. This biomaterial system allows for generation of sustained growth factor gradients for the study of tissue response to gradients in vivo. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

ON THE ORIGIN OF THE HIGH COLUMN DENSITY TURNOVER IN THE H I COLUMN DENSITY DISTRIBUTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erkal, Denis; Gnedin, Nickolay Y.; Kravtsov, Andrey V.

2012-01-01

We study the high column density regime of the H I column density distribution function and argue that there are two distinct features: a turnover at N H I ≈ 10 21 cm –2 , which is present at both z = 0 and z ≈ 3, and a lack of systems above N H I ≈ 10 22 cm –2 at z = 0. Using observations of the column density distribution, we argue that the H I-H 2 transition does not cause the turnover at N H I ≈ 10 21 cm –2 but can plausibly explain the turnover at N H I ∼> 10 22 cm –2 . We compute the H I column density distribution of individual galaxies in the THINGS sample and show that the turnover column density depends only weakly on metallicity. Furthermore, we show that the column density distribution of galaxies, corrected for inclination, is insensitive to the resolution of the H I map or to averaging in radial shells. Our results indicate that the similarity of H I column density distributions at z = 3 and 0 is due to the similarity of the maximum H I surface densities of high-z and low-z disks, set presumably by universal processes that shape properties of the gaseous disks of galaxies. Using fully cosmological simulations, we explore other candidate physical mechanisms that could produce a turnover in the column density distribution. We show that while turbulence within giant molecular clouds cannot affect the damped Lyα column density distribution, stellar feedback can affect it significantly if the feedback is sufficiently effective in removing gas from the central 2-3 kpc of high-redshift galaxies. Finally, we argue that it is meaningful to compare column densities averaged over ∼ kpc scales with those estimated from quasar spectra that probe sub-pc scales due to the steep power spectrum of H I column density fluctuations observed in nearby galaxies.

Space charge and steady state current in LDPE samples containing a permittivity/conductivity gradient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holbøll, Joachim; Bambery, K. R.; Fleming, R. J.

2000-01-01

Electromagnetic theory predicts that a dielectric sample in which a steady DC current of density ε is flowing, and in which the ratio of permittivity ε to conductivity σ varies with position, will acquire a space charge density j·grad(ε/σ). A simple and convenient way to generate an ε/σ gradient...... in a homogeneous sample is to establish a temperature gradient across it. The resulting spatial variation in ε is usually small in polymeric insulators, but the variation in σ can be appreciable. Laser induced pressure pulse (LIPP) measurements were made on 1.5 mm thick plaques of ultra pure LDPE equipped...... with vacuum-evaporated aluminium electrodes. Temperature differences up to 27°C were maintained across the samples, which were subjected to DC fields up to 20 kV/mm. Current density was measured as a function of temperature and field. Negligible thermally generated space charge was observed. The charge...

Momentum-weighted conjugate gradient descent algorithm for gradient coil optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hanbing; Jesmanowicz, Andrzej; Li, Shi-Jiang; Hyde, James S

2004-01-01

MRI gradient coil design is a type of nonlinear constrained optimization. A practical problem in transverse gradient coil design using the conjugate gradient descent (CGD) method is that wire elements move at different rates along orthogonal directions (r, phi, z), and tend to cross, breaking the constraints. A momentum-weighted conjugate gradient descent (MW-CGD) method is presented to overcome this problem. This method takes advantage of the efficiency of the CGD method combined with momentum weighting, which is also an intrinsic property of the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm, to adjust step sizes along the three orthogonal directions. A water-cooled, 12.8 cm inner diameter, three axis torque-balanced gradient coil for rat imaging was developed based on this method, with an efficiency of 2.13, 2.08, and 4.12 mT.m(-1).A(-1) along X, Y, and Z, respectively. Experimental data demonstrate that this method can improve efficiency by 40% and field uniformity by 27%. This method has also been applied to the design of a gradient coil for the human brain, employing remote current return paths. The benefits of this design include improved gradient field uniformity and efficiency, with a shorter length than gradient coil designs using coaxial return paths. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Earthworm communities along an elevation gradient in Northeastern Puerto Rico.

Science.gov (United States)

Grizelle Gonzalez; Emerita Garcia; Veronica Cruz; Sonia Borges; Marcela Zalamea; Maria M. Rivera

2007-01-01

In this study, we describe earthworm communities along an elevation gradient of eight forest types in Northeastern Puerto Rico, and determine whether their abundance, biomass and/or diversity is related to climatic, soil physical/chemical and/or biotic characteristics. We found that the density, biomass, and diversity of worms varied significantly among forest types....

Thermal-gradient migration of brine inclusions in salt crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagnik, S.K.

1982-09-01

It has been proposed that high-level nuclear waste be disposed in a geologic repository. Natural-salt deposits, which are being considered for this purpose, contain a small volume fraction of water in the form of brine inclusions distributed throughout the salt. Radioactive-decay heating of the nuclear wastes will impose a temperature gradient on the surrounding salt which mobilizes the brine inclusions. Inclusions filled completely with brine migrate up the temperature gradient and eventually accumulate brine near the buried waste forms. The brine may slowly corrode or degrade the waste forms which is undesirable. In this work, thermal gradient migration of both all-liquid and gas-liquid inclusions was experimentally studied in synthetic single crystals of NaCl and KCl using a hot-stage attachment to an optical microscope which was capable of imposing temperature gradients and axial compressive loads on the crystals. The migration velocities of the inclusions were found to be dependent on temperature, temperature gradient, and inclusion shape and size. The velocities were also dictated by the interfacial mass transfer resistance at brine/solid interface. This interfacial resistance depends on the dislocation density in the crystal, which in turn, depends on the axial compressive loading of the crystal. At low axial loads, the dependence between the velocity and temperature gradient is non-linear.At high axial loads, however, the interfacial resistance is reduced and the migration velocity depends linearly on the temperature gradient. All-liquid inclusions filled with mixed brines were also studied. For gas-liquid inclusions, three different gas phases (helium, air and argon) were compared. Migration studies were also conducted on single crystallites of natural salt as well as in polycrystalline natural salt samples. The behavior of the inclusions at large angle grain boundaries was observed. 35 figures, 3 tables

Thermal gradient migration of brine inclusions in salt crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagnik, S.K.

1982-01-01

Natural salt deposits, which are being considered for high-level nuclear wastes repositories, contain a small volume fraction of water in the form of brine inclusions distributed throughout the salt. Radioactive decay heating of the nuclear wastes will impose a temperature gradient on the surrounding salt which mobilizes the brine inclusions. Inclusions filled completely with brine (the all-liquid inclusions) migrate up the temperature gradient and eventually accumulate brine near the buried waste forms. The brine may slowly corrode or degrade the waste forms which is undesirable. In the present work, thermal gradient migration of both all-liquid and gas-liquid inclusions was experimentally studied in synthetic single crystals of NaCl and KCl using a hot-stage attachment to an optical microscope which was capable of imposing temperature gradients and axial compressive loads on the crystals. The migration velocities of the inclusions were found to be dependent on temperature, temperature gradient, and inclusion shape and size. The velocities were also dictated by the interfacial mass transfer resistance at brine/solid interface. This interfacial resistance depends on the dislocation density in the crystal, which in turn, depends on the axial compressive loading of the crystal. At low axial loads, the dependence between the velocity and temperature gradient is nonlinear. At high axial loads, however, the interfacial resistance is reduced and the migration velocity depends linearly on the temperature gradient. All-liquid inclusions filled with mixed brines were also studied. For gas-liquid inclusions, three different gas phases (helium, air and argon) were compared. Migration studies were also conducted on single crystallites of natural salt as well as in polycrystalline natural salt samples. The behavior of the inclusions at large angle grain boudaries was observed

From steep feeders to tabular plutons - Emplacement controls of syntectonic granitoid plutons in the Damara Belt, Namibia

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Duncan; Kisters, Alexander

2016-01-01

Granitoid plutons in the deeply eroded south Central Zone of the Damara Belt in Namibia commonly show tabular geometries and pronounced stratigraphic controls on their emplacement. Subhorizontal, sheet-like pluton geometries record emplacement during regional subhorizontal shortening, but the intrusion of spatially and temporally closely-related granitoid plutons at different structural levels and in distinct structural settings suggests independent controls on their levels of emplacement. We describe and evaluate the controls on the loci of the dyke-to-sill transition that initiated the emplacement of three syntectonic (560-530 Ma) plutons in the basement-cover stratigraphy of the Erongo region. Intrusive relationships highlight the significance of (1) rigidity anisotropies associated with competent sedimentary packages or pre-existing subhorizontal granite sheets and (2) rheological anisotropies associated with the presence of thick ductile marble horizons. These mechanical anisotropies may lead to the initial deflection of steep feeder conduits as well as subsequent pluton assembly by the repeated underaccretion of later magma batches. The upward displacement of regional isotherms due to the heat advection associated with granite emplacement is likely to have a profound effect on the mechanical stratification of the upper crust and, consequently, on the level at which granitoid pluton emplacement is initiated. In this way, pluton emplacement at progressively shallower crustal depths may have resulted in the unusually high apparent geothermal gradients recorded in the upper crustal levels of the Damara Belt during its later evolution.

Gradient microstructure and microhardness in a nitrided 18CrNiMo7-6 gear steel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, R.; Wu, G. L.; Zhang, X.

2017-01-01

measurements, X-ray diffraction, and backscatter electron imaging in a scanning electron microscope. A micro-hardness gradient was identified over a distance of 500 μm with hardness values of 900 HV at the top surface and 300 HV in the core. This micro-hardness gradient corresponds to a gradient...... in the microstructure that changes from a nitride compound layer at the top surface (∼ 20 μm thick) to a diffusion zone with a decreasing nitrogen concentration and precipitate density with distance from the surface, finally reaching the core matrix layer with a recovered martensite structure....

Strain gradient crystal plasticity: A continuum mechanics approach to modeling micro-structural evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

El-Naaman, Salim Abdallah; Nielsen, Kim Lau; Niordson, Christian Frithiof

2015-01-01

In agreement with dislocation theory, recent experiments show, both quantitatively and qualitatively, how geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) distribute in dislocation wall and cell structures. Hence, GND density fields are highly localized with large gradients and discontinuities occurring...

Capitalizing Resolving Power of Density Gradient Ultracentrifugation by Freezing and Precisely Slicing Centrifuged Solution: Enabling Identification of Complex Proteins from Mitochondria by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haiqing Yu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Density gradient centrifugation is widely utilized for various high purity sample preparations, and density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGU is often used for more resolution-demanding purification of organelles and protein complexes. Accurately locating different isopycnic layers and precisely extracting solutions from these layers play a critical role in achieving high-resolution DGU separations. In this technique note, we develop a DGU procedure by freezing the solution rapidly (but gently after centrifugation to fix the resolved layers and by slicing the frozen solution to fractionate the sample. Because the thickness of each slice can be controlled to be as thin as 10 micrometers, we retain virtually all the resolution produced by DGU. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this method, we fractionate complex V from HeLa mitochondria using a conventional technique and this freezing-slicing (F-S method. The comparison indicates that our F-S method can reduce complex V layer thicknesses by ~40%. After fractionation, we analyze complex V proteins directly on a matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization, time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Twelve out of fifteen subunits of complex V are positively identified. Our method provides a practical protocol to identify proteins from complexes, which is useful to investigate biomolecular complexes and pathways in various conditions and cell types.

Low buoyant density proteoglycans from saline and dissociative extracts of embryonic chicken retinas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morris, J.E.; Ting, Y.P.; Birkholz-Lambrecht, A.

1984-03-01

Retinas were labeled in culture with (/sup 3/H)glucosamine or (/sup 3/H)leucine and (/sup 35/S)sulfate and extracted sequentially with physiologically balanced saline and 4 M guanidine HCl. They were dialyzed into associative conditions (0.5 M NaCl) and chromatographed on agarose columns. Under these conditions, some of the proteoglycans were associated in massive complexes that showed low buoyant densities when centrifuged in CsCl density gradients under dissociative conditions (4 M guanidine HCl). Much of the label in these complexes was in molecules other than proteoglycans. Most of the proteoglycans, however, were included on the agarose columns, where they appeared to be constitutionally of low buoyant density. They resisted attempts to separate potential low buoyant density contaminants from the major proteoglycans by direct CsCl density gradient centrifugation or by the fractionation of saline or 8 M urea extracts on diethylaminoethyl-Sephacel. The diethylaminoethyl-Sephacel fractions were either subjected to CsCl density gradient centrifugation or were chromatographed on Sephacryl S-300, in both cases before and after alkaline cleavage, to confirm the presence of typical O-linked glycosaminoglycans. The medium and balanced salt extracts were enriched in chondroitin sulfate and other sulfated macromolecules, possibly highly sulfated oligosaccharides, that resisted digestion by chondroitinase ABC but were electrophoretically less mobile than heparan sulfate. Guanidine HCl or urea extracts of the residues were mixtures of high and low density proteoglycans that were enriched in heparan sulfate.

Comparison of treatments of steep and shoot generated by different inverse planning systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez Moreno, J. M.; Zucca Aparicio, D.; Fernandez Leton, P.; Garcia Ruiz-Zorrilla, J.; Minambres Moro, A.

2011-01-01

The problem of IMRT treatments with the technique Steep and Shoot or static is the number of segments and monitor units used in the treatment. These parameters depend largely on the inverse planning system which determines treatment. Are evaluated three commercial planning systems, with each one performing clinical dosimetry for the same series of patients. Dosimetric results are compared, UM calculated and number of segments.

Study of early laser-induced plasma dynamics: Transient electron density gradients via Thomson scattering and Stark Broadening, and the implications on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diwakar, P.K.; Hahn, D.W.

2008-01-01

To further develop laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as an analytical technique, it is necessary to better understand the fundamental processes and mechanisms taking place during the plasma evolution. This paper addresses the very early plasma dynamics (first 100 ns) using direct plasma imaging, light scattering, and transmission measurements from a synchronized 532-nm probe laser pulse. During the first 50 ns following breakdown, significant Thomson scattering was observed while the probe laser interacted with the laser-induced plasma. The Thomson scattering was observed to peak 15-25 ns following plasma initiation and then decay rapidly, thereby revealing the highly transient nature of the free electron density and plasma equilibrium immediately following breakdown. Such an intense free electron density gradient is suggestive of a non-equilibrium, free electron wave generated by the initial breakdown and growth processes. Additional probe beam transmission measurements and electron density measurements via Stark broadening of the 500.1-nm nitrogen ion line corroborate the Thomson scattering observations. In concert, the data support the finding of a highly transient plasma that deviates from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions during the first tens of nanoseconds of plasma lifetime. The implications of this early plasma transient behavior are discussed in the context of plasma-analyte interactions and the role on LIBS measurements

Unidirectional threshold switching in Ag/Si-based electrochemical metallization cells for high-density bipolar RRAM applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chao; Song, Bing; Li, Qingjiang; Zeng, Zhongming

2018-03-01

We herein present a novel unidirectional threshold selector for cross-point bipolar RRAM array. The proposed Ag/amorphous Si based threshold selector showed excellent threshold characteristics in positive field, such as high selectivity ( 105), steep slope (type RRAM. By integrating a bipolar RRAM device with the selector, experiments showed that the undesired sneak was significantly suppressed, indicating its potentiality for high-density integrated nonvolatile memory applications.

Formation of large-scale structures with sharp density gradient through Rayleigh-Taylor growth in a two-dimensional slab under the two-fluid and finite Larmor radius effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goto, R.; Hatori, T.; Miura, H.; Ito, A.; Sato, M.

2015-01-01

Two-fluid and the finite Larmor effects on linear and nonlinear growth of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in a two-dimensional slab are studied numerically with special attention to high-wave-number dynamics and nonlinear structure formation at a low β-value. The two effects stabilize the unstable high wave number modes for a certain range of the β-value. In nonlinear simulations, the absence of the high wave number modes in the linear stage leads to the formation of the density field structure much larger than that in the single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic simulation, together with a sharp density gradient as well as a large velocity difference. The formation of the sharp velocity difference leads to a subsequent Kelvin-Helmholtz-type instability only when both the two-fluid and finite Larmor radius terms are incorporated, whereas it is not observed otherwise. It is shown that the emergence of the secondary instability can modify the outline of the turbulent structures associated with the primary Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Comparison of Scheimpflug imaging parameters between steep and keratoconic corneas of Caucasian eyes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huseynova T

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Tukezban Huseynova,1 Farah Abdulaliyeva,2 Michele Lanza3 1Briz-L Eye Clinic, 2National Ophthalmology Center, Baku, Azerbaijan; 3Second University of Naples, Caserta, Campania, Italy Purpose: To compare the keratometric and pachymetric parameters of healthy eyes with those affected by steep cornea and keratoconus (KC using Scheimpflug camera.Setting: Briz-L Eye Clinic, Baku, Azerbaijan.Design: A cross-sectional study.Methods: In this study, 49 KC (Amsler–Krumeich stage 1 eyes and 36 healthy eyes were enrolled. A complete ophthalmic evaluation and a Scheimpflug camera scan were performed in every eye included in the study. Tomographic parameters such as parameters from the front and back cornea, maximum keratometry reading (Kmax, corneal volume (CV, anterior chamber volume (ChV, anterior chamber depth (ACD, anterior chamber angle (AC angle, keratometric power deviation (KPD, maximum front elevation (Max FE, and maximum back elevation (Max BE, as well as pachymetric progression indices (PPI, Ambrosio relational thickness (ART, index of surface variance (ISV, index of vertical asymmetry (IVA, center keratoconus index (CKI, index of height asymmetry (IHA, index of height decentration (IHD, and radius minimum (RM were collected and statistically compared between the two groups.Results: PPI, ART, ISV, IVA, CKI, IHA, IHD, and RM parameter values were significantly different (P<0.05 between the KC and healthy eyes. There were no significant differences in K mean and Q values of the frontal corneal parameters, as well as in Kmax, AC angle, RM, back, and front astigmatism, between stage 1 keratoconic and normal Caucasian eyes with steep cornea. All other parameters such as K mean and Q values of the back corneal parameters, Max FE, Max BE, ACD, ChV, and CV showed significant differences between the groups (P<0.05 for all. Conclusion: Scheimpflug imaging is able to detect corneal morphological differences between stage 1 KC eyes and healthy eyes with

Global gyrokinetic simulations of the H-mode tokamak edge pedestal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wan, Weigang; Parker, Scott E.; Chen, Yang [Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309 (United States); Groebner, Richard J. [General Atomics, Post Office Box 85068, San Diego, California 92186 (United States); Yan, Zheng [University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Pankin, Alexei Y.; Kruger, Scott E. [Tech-X Corporation, 5621 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States)

2013-05-15

Global gyrokinetic simulations of DIII-D H-mode edge pedestal show two types of instabilities may exist approaching the onset of edge localized modes: an intermediate-n, high frequency mode which we identify as the “kinetic peeling ballooning mode (KPBM),” and a high-n, low frequency mode. Our previous study [W. Wan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 185004 (2012)] has shown that when the safety factor profile is flattened around the steep pressure gradient region, the high-n mode is clearly kinetic ballooning mode and becomes the dominant instability. Otherwise, the KPBM dominates. Here, the properties of the two instabilities are studied by varying the density and temperature profiles. It is found that the KPBM is destabilized by density and ion temperature gradient, and the high-n mode is mostly destabilized by electron temperature gradient. Nonlinear simulations with the KPBM saturate at high levels. The equilibrium radial electric field (E{sub r}) reduces the transport. The effect of the parallel equilibrium current is found to be weak.

Turbulence suppression in discharges with off-axis ECRH on the T-10 tokamak device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shelukhin, D.A.; Vershkov, V.A.; Razumova, K.A.

2005-01-01

A transient steep electron temperature gradient has been observed in T-10 tokamak plasmas at ρ=0.25 immediately after off-axis electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) switch-off. The turbulence characteristics were investigated in these discharges by means of correlation reflectometry. It was found that the density fluctuation amplitude was two times lower than the ohmic level in a narrow region near ρ=0.25 after ECRH switch-off. The poloidal coherence of fluctuations is also decreased in this region. The suppression of quasi-coherent oscillations has been observed in discharges during the time when the strong temperature gradient exists. Measurements of turbulent poloidal rotation showed no velocity shear after ECRH switch-off. Analysis of the linear growth rates of instabilities shows that the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode is unstable at ρ ∼ 0.25 during the whole discharge. A possible explanation for the observed phenomena is the rational surface density decrease near q=1 due to q profile transient flattening after off-axis ECRH switch-off. (author)

Optimal Design of Gradient Materials and Bi-Level Optimization of Topology Using Targets (BOTT)

Science.gov (United States)

Garland, Anthony

of gradient material designs. A macroscopic gradient can be achieved by varying the microstructure or the mesostructures of an object. The mesostructure interpretation allows for more design freedom since the mesostructures can be tuned to have non-isotropic material properties. A new algorithm called Bi-level Optimization of Topology using Targets (BOTT) seeks to find the best distribution of mesostructure designs throughout a single object in order to minimize an objective value. On the macro level, the BOTT algorithm optimizes the macro topology and gradient material properties within the object. The BOTT algorithm optimizes the material gradient by finding the best constitutive matrix at each location with the object. In order to enhance the likelihood that a mesostructure can be generated with the same equivalent constitutive matrix, the variability of the constitutive matrix is constrained to be an orthotropic material. The stiffness in the X and Y directions (of the base coordinate system) can change in addition to rotating the orthotropic material to align with the loading at each region. Second, the BOTT algorithm designs mesostructures with macroscopic properties equal to the target properties found in step one while at the same time the algorithm seeks to minimize material usage in each mesostructure. The mesostructure algorithm maximizes the strain energy of the mesostructures unit cell when a pseudo strain is applied to the cell. A set of experiments reveals the fundamental relationship between target cell density and the strain (or pseudo strain) applied to a unit cell and the output effective properties of the mesostructure. At low density, a few mesostructure unit cell design are possible, while at higher density the mesostructure unit cell designs have many possibilities. Therefore, at low densities the effective properties of the mesostructure are a step function of the applied pseudo strain. At high densities, the effective properties of the

Responses of respiration and photosynthesis of Scenedesmus protuberans Fritsch to gradual and steep salinity increases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flameling, I.A.; Kromkamp, J.C.

1994-01-01

The effect of an increase in salinity on the physiology of the halotolerant chlorophyte Scenedesmus protuberans was studied in light-limited continuous cultures. It was observed that a gradual, as well as a steep increase in salinity resulted in lower biomass. However, the mechanisms by which this

Early-type galaxy core phase densities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlberg, R. G.; Hartwick, F. D. A.

2014-01-01

Early-type galaxies have projected central density brightness profile logarithmic slopes, γ', ranging from about 0 to 1. We show that γ' is strongly correlated, r = 0.83, with the coarse grain phase density of the galaxy core, Q 0 ≡ ρ/σ 3 . The luminosity-γ' correlation is much weaker, r = –0.51. Q 0 also serves to separate the distribution of steep core profiles, γ' > 0.5, from shallow profiles, γ' < 0.3, although there are many galaxies of intermediate slope, at intermediate Q 0 , in a volume-limited sample. The transition phase density separating the two profile types is approximately 0.003 M ☉ pc –3 km –3 s 3 , which is also where the relation between Q 0 and core mass shows a change in slope, the rotation rate of the central part of the galaxy increases, and the ratio of the black hole to core mass increases. These relations are considered relative to the globular cluster inspiral core buildup and binary black hole core scouring mechanisms for core creation and evolution. Mass-enhanced globular cluster inspiral models have quantitative predictions that are supported by data, but no single model yet completely explains the correlations.

Comparison of energy efficiency and power density in pressure retarded osmosis and reverse electrodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yip, Ngai Yin; Elimelech, Menachem

2014-09-16

Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) and reverse electrodialysis (RED) are emerging membrane-based technologies that can convert chemical energy in salinity gradients to useful work. The two processes have intrinsically different working principles: controlled mixing in PRO is achieved by water permeation across salt-rejecting membranes, whereas RED is driven by ion flux across charged membranes. This study compares the energy efficiency and power density performance of PRO and RED with simulated technologically available membranes for natural, anthropogenic, and engineered salinity gradients (seawater-river water, desalination brine-wastewater, and synthetic hypersaline solutions, respectively). The analysis shows that PRO can achieve both greater efficiencies (54-56%) and higher power densities (2.4-38 W/m(2)) than RED (18-38% and 0.77-1.2 W/m(2)). The superior efficiency is attributed to the ability of PRO membranes to more effectively utilize the salinity difference to drive water permeation and better suppress the detrimental leakage of salts. On the other hand, the low conductivity of currently available ion exchange membranes impedes RED ion flux and, thus, constrains the power density. Both technologies exhibit a trade-off between efficiency and power density: employing more permeable but less selective membranes can enhance the power density, but undesired entropy production due to uncontrolled mixing increases and some efficiency is sacrificed. When the concentration difference is increased (i.e., natural → anthropogenic → engineered salinity gradients), PRO osmotic pressure difference rises proportionally but not so for RED Nernst potential, which has logarithmic dependence on the solution concentration. Because of this inherently different characteristic, RED is unable to take advantage of larger salinity gradients, whereas PRO power density is considerably enhanced. Additionally, high solution concentrations suppress the Donnan exclusion effect of the

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF HEAT STORAGE CHARACTERISTIC OF UREA AND BORAX SALT GRADIENT SOLAR PONDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hüseyin KURT

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Salt gradient solar ponds are simple and low cost solar energy system for collecting and storing solar energy. In this study, heat storage characteristic of urea and borax solutions in the solar pond were examined experimentally. Establishing density gradients in different concentration, variations in the temperature and density profiles were observed in four different experiments. Maximum storage temperatures were measured as 28ºC and 36 ºC for the ponds with urea and borax solution, respectively. The temperature difference between the bottom and the surface of the pond were measured as 13 ºC for urea and 17 ºC for borax- solutions. According to these results, heat storage characteristic of the solar pond with borax solution was found to be better than urea solution.

Experimental study of two-fluid effect during magnetic reconnection in the UTST merging experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamasaki, Kotaro; Takemura, Koichiro; Cao, Qinghong; Watanabe, Takenori G.; Itagaki, Hirotomo; Inomoto, Michiaki; Ono, Yasushi; Kamio, Shuji; Yamada, Takuma

2013-01-01

Radial profile of floating potential inside the current sheet was measured for the purpose of investigating the two-fluid (Hall) effect during magnetic reconnection in the UTST merging experiment. During magnetic reconnection, the floating potential drop was formed spontaneously inside the current sheet, forming a steep electric potential gradient on its both downstream areas. Magnetic probe array measurement indicates that this potential drop appears spontaneously when the reconnection rate rapidly increase due to change in current sheet structure. The IDS probe measurement observed outflow almost equal to poloidal Alfvén speed in radial direction from the X-point, where steep gradient of floating potential is formed. This fact suggests that ion acceleration/heating is caused by the steep potential gradient formed in the downstream by magnetized electrons. (author)