PHOTOGRAMMETRIC TECHNIQUES FOR ROAD SURFACE ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Knyaz

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The quality and condition of a road surface is of great importance for convenience and safety of driving. So the investigations of the behaviour of road materials in laboratory conditions and monitoring of existing roads are widely fulfilled for controlling a geometric parameters and detecting defects in the road surface. Photogrammetry as accurate non-contact measuring method provides powerful means for solving different tasks in road surface reconstruction and analysis. The range of dimensions concerned in road surface analysis can have great variation from tenths of millimetre to hundreds meters and more. So a set of techniques is needed to meet all requirements of road parameters estimation. Two photogrammetric techniques for road surface analysis are presented: for accurate measuring of road pavement and for road surface reconstruction based on imagery obtained from unmanned aerial vehicle. The first technique uses photogrammetric system based on structured light for fast and accurate surface 3D reconstruction and it allows analysing the characteristics of road texture and monitoring the pavement behaviour. The second technique provides dense 3D model road suitable for road macro parameters estimation.

Surface analysis the principal techniques

CERN Document Server

Vickerman, John C

2009-01-01

This completely updated and revised second edition of Surface Analysis: The Principal Techniques, deals with the characterisation and understanding of the outer layers of substrates, how they react, look and function which are all of interest to surface scientists. Within this comprehensive text, experts in each analysis area introduce the theory and practice of the principal techniques that have shown themselves to be effective in both basic research and in applied surface analysis. Examples of analysis are provided to facilitate the understanding of this topic and to show readers how they c

Nonlinear optical techniques for surface studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Y.R.

1981-09-01

Recent effort in developing nonlinear optical techniques for surface studies is reviewed. Emphasis is on monolayer detection of adsorbed molecules on surfaces. It is shown that surface coherent antiStokes Raman scattering (CARS) with picosecond pulses has the sensitivity of detecting submonolayer of molecules. On the other hand, second harmonic or sum-frequency generation is also sensitive enough to detect molecular monolayers. Surface-enhanced nonlinear optical effects on some rough metal surfaces have been observed. This facilitates the detection of molecular monolayers on such surfaces, and makes the study of molecular adsorption at a liquid-metal interface feasible. Advantages and disadvantages of the nonlinear optical techniques for surface studies are discussed

Isotropic and anisotropic surface wave cloaking techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McManus, T M; Spada, L La; Hao, Y

2016-01-01

In this paper we compare two different approaches for surface waves cloaking. The first technique is a unique application of Fermat’s principle and requires isotropic material properties, but owing to its derivation is limited in its applicability. The second technique utilises a geometrical optics approximation for dealing with rays bound to a two dimensional surface and requires anisotropic material properties, though it can be used to cloak any smooth surface. We analytically derive the surface wave scattering behaviour for both cloak techniques when applied to a rotationally symmetric surface deformation. Furthermore, we simulate both using a commercially available full-wave electromagnetic solver and demonstrate a good level of agreement with their analytically derived solutions. Our analytical solutions and simulations provide a complete and concise overview of two different surface wave cloaking techniques. (paper)

Isotropic and anisotropic surface wave cloaking techniques

Science.gov (United States)

McManus, T. M.; La Spada, L.; Hao, Y.

2016-04-01

In this paper we compare two different approaches for surface waves cloaking. The first technique is a unique application of Fermat’s principle and requires isotropic material properties, but owing to its derivation is limited in its applicability. The second technique utilises a geometrical optics approximation for dealing with rays bound to a two dimensional surface and requires anisotropic material properties, though it can be used to cloak any smooth surface. We analytically derive the surface wave scattering behaviour for both cloak techniques when applied to a rotationally symmetric surface deformation. Furthermore, we simulate both using a commercially available full-wave electromagnetic solver and demonstrate a good level of agreement with their analytically derived solutions. Our analytical solutions and simulations provide a complete and concise overview of two different surface wave cloaking techniques.

MATLAB Toolboxes for Reference Electrode Standardization Technique (REST) of Scalp EEG.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Li; Li, Fali; Liu, Qiang; Wen, Xin; Lai, Yongxiu; Xu, Peng; Yao, Dezhong

2017-01-01

Reference electrode standardization technique (REST) has been increasingly acknowledged and applied as a re-reference technique to transform an actual multi-channels recordings to approximately zero reference ones in electroencephalography/event-related potentials (EEG/ERPs) community around the world in recent years. However, a more easy-to-use toolbox for re-referencing scalp EEG data to zero reference is still lacking. Here, we have therefore developed two open-source MATLAB toolboxes for REST of scalp EEG. One version of REST is closely integrated into EEGLAB, which is a popular MATLAB toolbox for processing the EEG data; and another is a batch version to make it more convenient and efficient for experienced users. Both of them are designed to provide an easy-to-use for novice researchers and flexibility for experienced researchers. All versions of the REST toolboxes can be freely downloaded at http://www.neuro.uestc.edu.cn/rest/Down.html, and the detailed information including publications, comments and documents on REST can also be found from this website. An example of usage is given with comparative results of REST and average reference. We hope these user-friendly REST toolboxes could make the relatively novel technique of REST easier to study, especially for applications in various EEG studies.

Accuracy of implant transfer with open-tray and closed-tray impression techniques and surface detail reproduction of the tooth during impression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakimeh Siadat

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: Accurate recording of implant location is required to achieve passive fit and have the implants without stress concentration. The aim of this in-vitro study was to evaluate the dimensional and angular accuracy of open-tray and closed-tray impression techniques using polyether impression material and also to assess the surface detail reproduction of the tooth while impression making.Materials and Methods: One reference metal model with 2 implants (Implantium on the position of the maxillary second premolar and first molar and one molar tooth for evaluation of surface details was prepared. 27 polyether impressions of these models were made (9 using open-tray, 9 using closed-tray techniques and 9 were made just of the surface of the teeth without any implants. Impressions were poured with ADA type IV stone. Coordinate Measuring Machine was used for measuring the dimensional accuracy and video measuring machine for surface detail reproduction. All of these measurements were compared with the measurements on the reference model. Data were analyzed by and compared by T-test and One-way ANOVA.Results: There was a significant statistical difference between open-tray and closed-tray techniques (P0.05.Conclusion: The accuracy of open-tray impression technique was more than closed-tray technique. The surface detail reproduction of the tooth was not affected by impression technique.

Multielement comparison of instrumental neutron activation analysis techniques using reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ratner, R.T.; Vernetson, W.G.

1995-01-01

Several instrumental neutron activation analysis techniques (parametric, comparative, and k o -standardization) are evaluated using three reference materials. Each technique is applied to National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference materials, SRM 1577a (Bovine Liver) and SRM 2704 (Buffalo River Sediment), and the United States Geological Survey standard BHVO-1 (Hawaiian Basalt Rock). Identical (but not optimum) irradiation, decay, and counting schemes are employed with each technique to provide a basis for comparison and to determine sensitivities in a routine irradiation scheme. Fifty-one elements are used in this comparison; however, several elements are not detected in the reference materials due to rigid analytical conditions (e.g. insufficient length of irradiation or activity for radioisotope of interest decaying below the lower limit of detection before counting interval). Most elements are normally distributed around certified or consensus values with a standard deviation of 10%. For some elements, discrepancies are observed and discussed. The accuracy, precision, and sensitivity of each technique are discussed by comparing the analytical results to consensus values for the Hawaiian Basalt Rock to demonstrate the diversity of multielement applications. (author) 4 refs.; 2 tabs

Calibration and verification of surface contamination meters --- Procedures and techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuler, C; Butterweck, G.; Wernli, C.; Bochud, F.; Valley, J.-F.

2007-03-01

A standardised measurement procedure for surface contamination meters (SCM) is presented. The procedure aims at rendering surface contamination measurements to be simply and safely interpretable. Essential for the approach is the introduction and common use of the radionuclide specific quantity 'guideline value' specified in the Swiss Radiation Protection Ordinance as unit for the measurement of surface activity. The according radionuclide specific 'guideline value count rate' can be summarized as verification reference value for a group of radionuclides ('basis guideline value count rate'). The concept can be generalized for SCM of the same type or for SCM of different types using he same principle of detection. A SCM multi source calibration technique is applied for the determination of the instrument efficiency. Four different electron radiation energy regions, four different photon radiation energy regions and an alpha radiation energy region are represented by a set of calibration sources built according to ISO standard 8769-2. A guideline value count rate representing the activity per unit area of a surface contamination of one guideline value can be calculated for any radionuclide using instrument efficiency, radionuclide decay data, contamination source efficiency, guideline value averaging area (100 cm 2 ), and radionuclide specific guideline value. n this way, instrument responses for the evaluation of surface contaminations are obtained for radionuclides without available calibration sources as well as for short-Iived radionuclides, for which the continuous replacement of certified calibration sources can lead to unreasonable costs. SCM verification is based on surface emission rates of reference sources with an active area of 100 cm 2 . The verification for a given list of radionuclides is based on the radionuclide specific quantity guideline value count rate. Guideline value count rates for groups of radionuclides can be represented within the maximum

A review of construction techniques available for surface and underground radioactive waste repositories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godfrey, D.G.; Davies, I.L.; MacKenzie, R.D.

1985-01-01

In terms of engineering requirements the construction of surface or indeed underground radioactive waste repositories is not unduly difficult. The civil engineering techniques likely to be required have generally been carried out previously, albeit not in the context of radioactive waste repositories in this country. The emphasis will have to be very much on the quality of construction. This paper emphasises the need for quality construction and describes the techniques likely to be used in the construction of repositories. Reference is made to the materials likely to be used in the construction of repositories and also to the need for being able to convince the designers, regulating authorities and the general public that the materials used will indeed last for the required time. Brief reference is made at the end of the paper to the civil engineering parameters requiring consideration in the location of repository siting. (author)

Fermi surface mapping: Techniques and visualization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rotenberg, E.; Denlinger, J.D.; Kevan, S.D.

1997-01-01

Angle-resolved photoemission (ARP) of valence bands is a mature technique that has achieved spectacular success in band-mapping metals, semiconductors, and insulators. The purpose of the present study was the development of experimental and analytical techniques in ARP which take advantage of third generation light sources. Here the authors studied the relatively simple Cu surface in preparation for other metals. Copper and related metals themselves are of current interest, especially due to its role as an interlayer in spin valves and other magnetic heterostructures. A major goal of this study was the development of a systematic technique to quickly (i.e. in a few hours of synchrotron beamtime) measure the FS and separate it into bulk and surface FS's. Often, one needs to avoid bulk features altogether, which one can achieve by carefully mapping their locations in k-space. The authors will also show how they systematically map Fermi surfaces throughout large volumes of k-space, and, by processing the resulting volume data sets, provide intuitive pictures of FS's, both bulk and surface

A 3D edge detection technique for surface extraction in computed tomography for dimensional metrology applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yagüe-Fabra, J.A.; Ontiveros, S.; Jiménez, R.

2013-01-01

Many factors influence the measurement uncertainty when using computed tomography for dimensional metrology applications. One of the most critical steps is the surface extraction phase. An incorrect determination of the surface may significantly increase the measurement uncertainty. This paper...... presents an edge detection method for the surface extraction based on a 3D Canny algorithm with sub-voxel resolution. The advantages of this method are shown in comparison with the most commonly used technique nowadays, i.e. the local threshold definition. Both methods are applied to reference standards...

Relevance of plastic limit loads to reference stress approach for surface cracked cylinder problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yun-Jae; Shim, Do-Jun

2005-01-01

To investigate the relevance of the definition of the reference stress to estimate J and C* for surface crack problems, this paper compares finite element (FE) J and C* results for surface cracked pipes with those estimated according to the reference stress approach using various definitions of the reference stress. Pipes with part circumferential inner surface cracks and finite internal axial cracks are considered, subject to internal pressure and global bending. The crack depth and aspect ratio are systematically varied. The reference stress is defined in four different ways using (i) a local limit load (ii), a global limit load, (iii) a global limit load determined from the FE limit analysis, and (iv) the optimised reference load. It is found that the reference stress based on a local limit load gives overall excessively conservative estimates of J and C*. Use of a global limit load clearly reduces the conservatism, compared to that of a local limit load, although it can sometimes provide non-conservative estimates of J and C*. The use of the FE global limit load gives overall non-conservative estimates of J and C*. The reference stress based on the optimised reference load gives overall accurate estimates of J and C*, compared to other definitions of the reference stress. Based on the present findings, general guidance on the choice of the reference stress for surface crack problems is given

Estimating the Celestial Reference Frame via Intra-Technique Combination

Science.gov (United States)

Iddink, Andreas; Artz, Thomas; Halsig, Sebastian; Nothnagel, Axel

2016-12-01

One of the primary goals of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is the determination of the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). Currently the third realization of the internationally adopted CRF, the ICRF3, is under preparation. In this process, various optimizations are planned to realize a CRF that does not benefit only from the increased number of observations since the ICRF2 was published. The new ICRF can also benefit from an intra-technique combination as is done for the Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF). Here, we aim at estimating an optimized CRF by means of an intra-technique combination. The solutions are based on the input to the official combined product of the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS), also providing the radio source parameters. We discuss the differences in the setup using a different number of contributions and investigate the impact on TRF and CRF as well as on the Earth Orientation Parameters (EOPs). Here, we investigate the differences between the combined CRF and the individual CRFs from the different analysis centers.

Measurement and image processing evaluation of surface modifications of dental implants G4 pure titanium created by different techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bulutsuz, A. G., E-mail: asligunaya@gmail.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, 34349 Besiktas, İstanbul (Turkey); Demircioglu, P., E-mail: pinar.demircioglu@adu.edu.tr; Bogrekci, I., E-mail: ismail.bogrekci@adu.edu.tr [Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aytepe, 09010, Aydin (Turkey); Durakbasa, M. N., E-mail: durakbasa@gmx.at [Department of Interchangeable Manufacturing and Industrial Metrology, Institute for Production Engineering and Laser Technology, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/3113 A-1040 Wien (Austria); Katiboglu, A. B., E-mail: abkatiboglu@hotmail.com [Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Istanbul (Turkey)

2015-03-30

Foreign substances and organic tissue interaction placed into the jaw in order to eliminate tooth loss involves a highly complex process. Many biological reactions take place as well as the biomechanical forces that influence this formation. Osseointegration denotes to the direct structural and functional association between the living bone and the load-bearing artificial implant's surface. Taking into consideration of the requirements in the manufacturing processes of the implants, surface characterizations with high precise measurement techniques are investigated and thus long-term success of dental implant is emphasized on the importance of these processes in this study. In this research, the detailed surface characterization was performed to identify the dependence of the manufacturing techniques on the surface properties by using the image processing methods and using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) for morphological properties in 3D and Taylor Hobson stylus profilometer for roughness properties in 2D. Three implant surfaces fabricated by different manufacturing techniques were inspected, and a machined surface was included into the study as a reference specimen. The results indicated that different surface treatments were strongly influenced surface morphology. Thus 2D and 3D precise inspection techniques were highlighted on the importance for surface characterization. Different image analyses techniques such as Dark-light technique were used to verify the surface measurement results. The computational phase was performed using image processing toolbox in Matlab with precise evaluation of the roughness for the implant surfaces. The relationship between the number of black and white pixels and surface roughness is presented. FFT image processing and analyses results explicitly imply that the technique is useful in the determination of surface roughness. The results showed that the number of black pixels in the image increases with increase in

About the geometry of the Earth geodetic reference surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Husár, Ladislav; Švaral, Peter; Janák, Juraj

2017-10-01

The paper focuses on the comparison of metrics of three most common reference surfaces of the Earth used in geodesy (excluding the plane which also belongs to reference surfaces used in geodesy when dealing with small areas): a sphere, an ellipsoid of revolution and a triaxial ellipsoid. The two latter surfaces are treated in a more detailed way. First, the mathematical form of the metric tensors using three types of coordinates is derived and the lengths of meridian and parallel arcs between the two types of ellipsoids are compared. Three kinds of parallels, according to the type of latitude, can be defined on a triaxial ellipsoid. We show that two types of parallels are spatial curves and one is represented by ellipses. The differences of curvature of both kinds of ellipsoid are analysed using the normal curvature radii. Priority of the chosen triaxial ellipsoid is documented by its better fit with respect to the high-degree geoid model EIGEN6c4 computed up to degree and order 2160.

Validation and qualification of surface-applied fibre optic strain sensors using application-independent optical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schukar, Vivien G; Kadoke, Daniel; Kusche, Nadine; Münzenberger, Sven; Gründer, Klaus-Peter; Habel, Wolfgang R

2012-01-01

Surface-applied fibre optic strain sensors were investigated using a unique validation facility equipped with application-independent optical reference systems. First, different adhesives for the sensor's application were analysed regarding their material properties. Measurements resulting from conventional measurement techniques, such as thermo-mechanical analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis, were compared with measurements resulting from digital image correlation, which has the advantage of being a non-contact technique. Second, fibre optic strain sensors were applied to test specimens with the selected adhesives. Their strain-transfer mechanism was analysed in comparison with conventional strain gauges. Relative movements between the applied sensor and the test specimen were visualized easily using optical reference methods, digital image correlation and electronic speckle pattern interferometry. Conventional strain gauges showed limited opportunities for an objective strain-transfer analysis because they are also affected by application conditions. (paper)

Surface improvement for inside surface of small diameter pipes by laser cladding technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irisawa, Toshio; Morishige, Norio; Umemoto, Tadahiro; Ono, Kazumichi; Hamaoka, Tadashi; Tanaka, Atsushi

1991-01-01

A laser cladding technique has been used for surface improvement in controlling the composition of a metal surface. Recent high power YAG laser development gives an opportunity to use this laser cladding technique for various applications. A YAG laser beam can be transmitted through an optical fiber for a long distance and through narrow spaces. YAG laser cladding was studied for developing alloy steel to prevent stress corrosion cracking in austenitic stainless steel piping. In order to make a cladding layer, mixed metal powder was on the inside surface of the piping using an organic binder. Subsequently the powder beds were melted with a YAG laser beam transmitted through an optical fiber. This paper introduces the Laser cladding technique for surface improvement for the inside surface of a small diameter pipe. (author)

Radioisotope techniques in water resources research and management with special reference to India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerji, S.

1977-01-01

Nuclear techniques using radioisotopes finding applications in research and management of water resources are described briefly with special reference to and representative illustrations of their applications in hydrologic studies in India. As environmental isotopes including the man-made ones i.e. those released in nuclear explosions are intimately tied with the moisture and water in circulation pattern in nature, measurement of their variation provides diagnostic information about the hydrologic parameters of three phases, namely, atmospheric, surface and subsurface, of the hydrologic cycle. Artificial radioisotopes are used for measurement of water flow, sediment transport and seepage. Sealed radioisotope sources are employed in snow gauging, suspended sediment gauging and hydrologic logging. Areas for further research are suggested and need for emphasis on their use in India is indicated. (M.G.B.)

The DTU15 MSS (Mean Sea Surface) and DTU15LAT (Lowest Astronomical Tide) reference surface

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Ole Baltazar; Stenseng, Lars; Piccioni, Gaia

in the Arctic Ocean for DTU10MSS and DTU13MSS.A new reference surface for off-shore vertical referencing is introduced. This is called the DTU15LAT.The surface is derived from the DTU15MSS and the DTU10 Global ocean tide to give a 19 year Lowest Astronomical Tide referenced to either the Mean sea surface...

Microstructural evolution and surface properties of nanostructured Cu-based alloy by ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amanov, Auezhan, E-mail: amanov_a@yahoo.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, In-Sik [R& D Group, Mbrosia Co., Ltd., Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of); Pyun, Young-Sik [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A nanostructured surface was produced by UNSM technique. • Porosities were eliminated from the surface by UNSM technique. • Extremely high hardness obtained at the top surface after UNSM treatment. • Friction and wear behavior was improved by UNSM technique. • Resistance to scratch behavior was improved by UNSM technique. - Abstract: A nanostructured surface layer with a thickness of about 180 μm was successfully produced in Cu-based alloy using an ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) technique. Cu-based alloy was sintered onto low carbon steel using a powder metallurgy (P/M) method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterization revealed that the severe plastic deformation introduced by UNSM technique resulted in nano-sized grains in the topmost surface layer and deformation twins. It was also found by atomic force microscope (AFM) observations that the UNSM technique provides a significant reduction in number of interconnected pores. The effectiveness of nanostructured surface layer on the tribological and micro-scratch properties of Cu-based alloy specimens was investigated using a ball-on-disk tribometer and micro-scratch tester, respectively. Results exhibited that the UNSM-treated specimen led to an improvement in tribological and micro-scratch properties compared to that of the sintered specimen, which may be attributed to the presence of nanostructured surface layer having an increase in surface hardness and reduction in surface roughness. The findings from this study are expected to be implemented to the automotive industry, in particular connected rod bearings and bushings in order to increase the efficiency and performance of internal combustion engines (ICEs).

Determination and compensation of the “reference surface” from redundant sets of surface measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polack, François, E-mail: francois.polack@synchrotron-soleil.fr [Synchrotron SOLEIL, L' Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Thomasset, Muriel, E-mail: muriel.thomasset@synchrotron-soleil.fr [Synchrotron SOLEIL, L' Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France)

2013-05-11

When trying to measure an optical surface at utmost absolute precision, the problem of the missing or unknown “reference surface” is often encountered. It is obvious with Fizeau and Michelson's interferometry, where the height difference between the surface under test (SUT) and a reference surface is measured. It is also true from slope measurements in long trace profilers (LTP), where due to small construction errors, the response to a perfectly flat ideal surface can be considered as an unknown reference to be subtracted from the measurement data. As no “perfect artifact” can exist, these references cannot be directly determined. The addition of the unknown reference can severely bias the reconstructed surface when field stitching is applied. The results of ptychography have proved that when a measurement is a function of a unique object function with a translated but unique response function, the redundancy of a large set of data allows accurate reconstructions of the object and response function despite the presence of measurement noise. In the case of LTP and interferometry, the basic problem is linear and can be solved by linear algebra rather than iteratively. The method has been already applied to SOLEIL and ESRF LTPs and is succesfully used on a regular base. We show here that the method can be also applied to interferometry and improve stitching results.

Multivariate reference technique for quantitative analysis of fiber-optic tissue Raman spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergholt, Mads Sylvest; Duraipandian, Shiyamala; Zheng, Wei; Huang, Zhiwei

2013-12-03

We report a novel method making use of multivariate reference signals of fused silica and sapphire Raman signals generated from a ball-lens fiber-optic Raman probe for quantitative analysis of in vivo tissue Raman measurements in real time. Partial least-squares (PLS) regression modeling is applied to extract the characteristic internal reference Raman signals (e.g., shoulder of the prominent fused silica boson peak (~130 cm(-1)); distinct sapphire ball-lens peaks (380, 417, 646, and 751 cm(-1))) from the ball-lens fiber-optic Raman probe for quantitative analysis of fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy. To evaluate the analytical value of this novel multivariate reference technique, a rapid Raman spectroscopy system coupled with a ball-lens fiber-optic Raman probe is used for in vivo oral tissue Raman measurements (n = 25 subjects) under 785 nm laser excitation powers ranging from 5 to 65 mW. An accurate linear relationship (R(2) = 0.981) with a root-mean-square error of cross validation (RMSECV) of 2.5 mW can be obtained for predicting the laser excitation power changes based on a leave-one-subject-out cross-validation, which is superior to the normal univariate reference method (RMSE = 6.2 mW). A root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 2.4 mW (R(2) = 0.985) can also be achieved for laser power prediction in real time when we applied the multivariate method independently on the five new subjects (n = 166 spectra). We further apply the multivariate reference technique for quantitative analysis of gelatin tissue phantoms that gives rise to an RMSEP of ~2.0% (R(2) = 0.998) independent of laser excitation power variations. This work demonstrates that multivariate reference technique can be advantageously used to monitor and correct the variations of laser excitation power and fiber coupling efficiency in situ for standardizing the tissue Raman intensity to realize quantitative analysis of tissue Raman measurements in vivo, which is particularly appealing in

A new basaltic glass microanalytical reference material for multiple techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Steve; Koenig, Alan; Lowers, Heather

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been producing reference materials since the 1950s. Over 50 materials have been developed to cover bulk rock, sediment, and soils for the geological community. These materials are used globally in geochemistry, environmental, and analytical laboratories that perform bulk chemistry and/or microanalysis for instrument calibration and quality assurance testing. To answer the growing demand for higher spatial resolution and sensitivity, there is a need to create a new generation of microanalytical reference materials suitable for a variety of techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy/X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). As such, the microanalytical reference material (MRM) needs to be stable under the beam, be homogeneous at scales of better than 10–25 micrometers for the major to ultra-trace element level, and contain all of the analytes (elements or isotopes) of interest. Previous development of basaltic glasses intended for LA-ICP-MS has resulted in a synthetic basaltic matrix series of glasses (USGS GS-series) and a natural basalt series of glasses (BCR-1G, BHVO-2G, and NKT-1G). These materials have been useful for the LA-ICP-MS community but were not originally intended for use by the electron or ion beam community. A material developed from start to finish with intended use in multiple microanalytical instruments would be useful for inter-laboratory and inter-instrument platform comparisons. This article summarizes the experiments undertaken to produce a basalt glass reference material suitable for distribution as a multiple-technique round robin material. The goal of the analytical work presented here is to demonstrate that the elemental homogeneity of the new glass is acceptable for its use as a reference material. Because the round robin exercise is still underway, only

Production of candidate natural matrix reference materials for micro-analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeisler, R.; Fajgelj, A.; Zeiller, E.

2002-01-01

Homogeneity is considered to be the most vital prerequisite for a certified reference material (CRM); more stringent requirements exist for the analysis of small subsamples. Many of the natural matrix CRMs are prepared from bulk samples by grinding and milling them to a certain particle size, which is expected to provide a more homogenous material; however recommended sample sizes for biological and environmental reference materials are found to be more than 100 mg. Since the milling of materials is costly and has some drawbacks, natural materials that already occur as small particles such as air particulate matter, certain sediments, and cellular biological materials may form the basis of the required reference materials. The nature of these materials, i.e. naturally occurring particles, may provide ideal model reference material. We describe here the production of the materials and preliminary tests, the evaluation for the micro-analytical techniques

Laboratory insights into the detection of surface biosignatures by remote-sensing techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Poch, O.; Pommerol, A.; Jost, B.; Roditi, I.; Frey, J.; Thomas, N.

2014-03-01

With the progress of direct imaging techniques, it will be possible in the short or long-term future to retrieve more efficiently the information on the physical properties of the light reflected by rocky exoplanets (Traub et al., 2010). The search for visible-infrared absorption bands of peculiar gases (O2, CH4 etc.) in this light could give clues for the presence of life (Kaltenegger and Selsis, 2007). Even more uplifting would be the direct detection of life itself, on the surface of an exoplanet. Considering this latter possibility, what is the potential of optical remote-sensing methods to detect surface biosignatures? Reflected light from the surface of the Earth exhibits a strong surface biosignature in the form of an abrupt change of reflectance between the visible and infrared range of the spectrum (Seager et al., 2005). This spectral feature called "vegetation red-edge" is possibly the consequence of biological evolution selecting the right chemical structures enabling the plants to absorb the visible energy, while preventing them from overheating by reflecting more efficiently the infrared. Such red-edge is also found in primitive photosynthetic bacteria, cyanobacteria, that colonized the surface of the Earth ocean and continents billions of years before multicellular plants (Knacke, 2003). If life ever arose on an Earth-like exoplanet, one could hypothesize that some form of its surface-life evolves into similar photo-active organisms, also exhibiting a red-edge. In this paper, we will present our plan and preliminary results of a laboratory study aiming at precising the potentiality of remote sensing techniques in detecting such surface biosignatures. Using equipment that has been developed in our team for surface photometry studies (Pommerol 2011, Jost 2013, Pommerol 2013), we will investigate the reflectance spectra and bidirectional reflectance function of soils containing bacteria such as cyanobacteria, in various environmental conditions. We will

Characterization of Natural Dyes and Traditional Korean Silk Fabric by Surface Analytical Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeonhee Lee

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS are well established surface techniques that provide both elemental and organic information from several monolayers of a sample surface, while also allowing depth profiling or image mapping to be carried out. The static TOF-SIMS with improved performances has expanded the application of TOF-SIMS to the study of a variety of organic, polymeric and biological materials. In this work, TOF-SIMS, XPS and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR measurements were used to characterize commercial natural dyes and traditional silk fabric dyed with plant extracts dyes avoiding the time-consuming and destructive extraction procedures necessary for the spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods previously used. Silk textiles dyed with plant extracts were then analyzed for chemical and functional group identification of their dye components and mordants. TOF-SIMS spectra for the dyed silk fabric showed element ions from metallic mordants, specific fragment ions and molecular ions from plant-extracted dyes. The results of TOF-SIMS, XPS and FTIR are very useful as a reference database for comparison with data about traditional Korean silk fabric and to provide an understanding of traditional dyeing materials. Therefore, this study shows that surface techniques are useful for micro-destructive analysis of plant-extracted dyes and Korean dyed silk fabric.

Characterization of Natural Dyes and Traditional Korean Silk Fabric by Surface Analytical Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jihye; Kang, Min Hwa; Lee, Kang-Bong; Lee, Yeonhee

2013-01-01

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are well established surface techniques that provide both elemental and organic information from several monolayers of a sample surface, while also allowing depth profiling or image mapping to be carried out. The static TOF-SIMS with improved performances has expanded the application of TOF-SIMS to the study of a variety of organic, polymeric and biological materials. In this work, TOF-SIMS, XPS and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) measurements were used to characterize commercial natural dyes and traditional silk fabric dyed with plant extracts dyes avoiding the time-consuming and destructive extraction procedures necessary for the spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods previously used. Silk textiles dyed with plant extracts were then analyzed for chemical and functional group identification of their dye components and mordants. TOF-SIMS spectra for the dyed silk fabric showed element ions from metallic mordants, specific fragment ions and molecular ions from plant-extracted dyes. The results of TOF-SIMS, XPS and FTIR are very useful as a reference database for comparison with data about traditional Korean silk fabric and to provide an understanding of traditional dyeing materials. Therefore, this study shows that surface techniques are useful for micro-destructive analysis of plant-extracted dyes and Korean dyed silk fabric. PMID:28809257

Bayesian techniques for surface fuel loading estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Kathy Gray; Robert Keane; Ryan Karpisz; Alyssa Pedersen; Rick Brown; Taylor Russell

2016-01-01

A study by Keane and Gray (2013) compared three sampling techniques for estimating surface fine woody fuels. Known amounts of fine woody fuel were distributed on a parking lot, and researchers estimated the loadings using different sampling techniques. An important result was that precise estimates of biomass required intensive sampling for both the planar intercept...

Calibrating AIS images using the surface as a reference

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, M. O.; Roberts, D. A.; Shipman, H. M.; Adams, J. B.; Willis, S. C.; Gillespie, A. R.

1987-01-01

A method of evaluating the initial assumptions and uncertainties of the physical connection between Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) image data and laboratory/field spectrometer data was tested. The Tuscon AIS-2 image connects to lab reference spectra by an alignment to the image spectral endmembers through a system gain and offset for each band. Images were calibrated to reflectance so as to transform the image into a measure that is independent of the solar radiant flux. This transformation also makes the image spectra directly comparable to data from lab and field spectrometers. A method was tested for calibrating AIS images using the surface as a reference. The surface heterogeneity is defined by lab/field spectral measurements. It was found that the Tuscon AIS-2 image is consistent with each of the initial hypotheses: (1) that the AIS-2 instrument calibration is nearly linear; (2) the spectral variance is caused by sub-pixel mixtures of spectrally distinct materials and shade, and (3) that sub-pixel mixtures can be treated as linear mixtures of pure endmembers. It was also found that the image can be characterized by relatively few endmembers using the AIS-2 spectra.

Surface characterization of ceramic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somorjai, G.A.; Salmeron, M.

1976-01-01

In recent years several techniques have become available to characterize the structure and chemical composition of surfaces of ceramic materials. These techniques utilize electron scattering and scattering of ions from surfaces. Low-energy electron diffraction is used to determine the surface structure, Auger electron spectroscopy and other techniques of electron spectroscopy (ultraviolet and photoelectron spectroscopies) are employed to determine the composition of the surface. In addition the oxidation state of surface atoms may be determined using these techniques. Ion scattering mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry are also useful in characterizing surfaces and their reactions. These techniques, their applications and the results of recent studies are discussed. 12 figures, 52 references, 2 tables

Minimally Invasive Calcaneal Displacement Osteotomy Site Using a Reference Kirschner Wire: A Technique Tip.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Moses; Guyton, Gregory P; Zahoor, Talal; Schon, Lew C

2016-01-01

As a standard open approach, the lateral oblique incision has been widely used for calcaneal displacement osteotomy. However, just as with other orthopedic procedures that use an open approach, complications, including wound healing problems and neurovascular injury in the heel, have been reported. To help avoid these limitations, a percutaneous technique using a Shannon burr for calcaneal displacement osteotomy was introduced. However, relying on a free-hand technique without direct visualization at the osteotomy site has been a major obstacle for this technique. To address this problem, we developed a technical tip using a reference Kirschner wire. A reference Kirschner wire technique provides a reliable and accurate guide for minimally invasive calcaneal displacement osteotomy. Also, the technique should be easy to learn for surgeons new to the procedure. Copyright © 2016 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiple sectioning and perforation techniques for TEM sub-surface studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, E.H.; Rowcliffe, A.F.

1978-01-01

Techniques for preparing multiple electron transparent regions at several depth levels below the surface of a metal disk specimen are described. These techniques are relatively rapid and find application in many areas involving surface studies. Examples are shown of multiple thin areas produced at intervals of approximately 200 nm below the original surface of a stainless steel bombarded with 4 MeV Ni +2 ions for void swelling studies

Comparison of Pyranometers and Reference Cells on Fixed and One-axis Tracking Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dooraghi, Michael R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sengupta, Manajit [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Vignola, Frank [University of Oregon; Peterson, Josh [University of Oregon; Mavromatakis, Fotis [Technological Educational Institute of Crete; Chiu, Chun-Yu [University of Oregon

2017-10-12

Photovoltaic (PV) system perfomance is monitored by a wide variety of sensors. These instruments range from secondary standard pyranometers to photodiode-based pyranometers to reference cells. Although instruments are mounted in the plane of array of the modules a wide range of results have been obtained. Some of these difference have been assumed to come from systematic uncertainties associated with the irradiance sensors. This study is an attempt to quantify these differences by comparing the output of selected thermopile-based pyranometers to photodiode-based pyranometers and reference cells on a horizontal surface, a fixed-tilt surface, and a one-axis tracking surface. This analysis focuses on clear-sky results from two sites with different climatic conditions. Several important features were observed. Photodiode-based pyranometers and reference cells produce widely different results under clear skies, especially at larger angles-of-incidence even though both instruments are based on measuring the short circuit current of solar cells. The difference is caused by the scattering of light as it passes through the glazing of the reference cell or the diffuser lens of the photodioded- base pyranometer. Both instruments are shown to have similar response to the spectral distribution of the irradiance when compared to the thermopile-based pyranometer that has a response nearly independent of the wavelength of light used by PV modules.

The role of nuclear methods in the study of surface compositions. Their use in the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR). Project on 'RMs for non-metals in non-ferrous metals'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quaglia, L.; Weber, G.

1979-01-01

The preparation of high-purity materials poses the problem of the analysis of the elements present at very low concentrations, even below 1 μg/g. For different analysis methods an important source of systematic errors is surface pollution. Although nuclear methods have shown to be well suited for the quantitative study of surfaces, their possibilities remain insufficiently known for most non-nuclear laboratories. Therefore, the first part of this report was conceived as a simple but complete as possible review of the existing nuclear techniques and gives also a description of their principal characteristics. The second part treats special uses of some of these techniques, especially the study of surface-mass interferences in the case of the assay of light elements in metals and alloys. This problem is discussed in the framework of the certification of reference materials, and is based upon experiences collected in a ten-year Community effort, which enabled the expression of general considerations concerning the treatment, conditioning and storage of reference materials

Development of computational technique for labeling magnetic flux-surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunami, Masanori; Kanno, Ryutaro; Satake, Shinsuke; Hayashi, Takaya; Takamaru, Hisanori

2006-03-01

In recent Large Helical Device (LHD) experiments, radial profiles of ion temperature, electric field, etc. are measured in the m/n=1/1 magnetic island produced by island control coils, where m is the poloidal mode number and n the toroidal mode number. When the transport of the plasma in the radial profiles is numerically analyzed, an average over a magnetic flux-surface in the island is a very useful concept to understand the transport. On averaging, a proper labeling of the flux-surfaces is necessary. In general, it is not easy to label the flux-surfaces in the magnetic field with the island, compared with the case of a magnetic field configuration having nested flux-surfaces. In the present paper, we have developed a new computational technique to label the magnetic flux-surfaces. This technique is constructed by using an optimization algorithm, which is known as an optimization method called the simulated annealing method. The flux-surfaces are discerned by using two labels: one is classification of the magnetic field structure, i.e., core, island, ergodic, and outside regions, and the other is a value of the toroidal magnetic flux. We have applied the technique to an LHD configuration with the m/n=1/1 island, and successfully obtained the discrimination of the magnetic field structure. (author)

Self-cleaning Foliar Surfaces Characterization using RIMAPS Technique and Variogram Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosi, Pablo E.

2002-01-01

Along the last ten years many important studies about characterization of self-cleaning foliar surfaces have been done and focused new interest on this kind of surfaces.These studies were possible due to the development of a novel preparation technique for this biological material that let us observe the delicate structures of a foliar surface under scanning electron microscope (S.E.M.).This technique consists of replacing the natural water of the specimen by glycerol. Digital S.E.M. images from both self-cleaning and non-self-cleaning foliar surfaces were obtained and analyzed using RIMAPS technique and Variograms method. Our results revealed the existence of a common and exclusive geometrical pattern that is found in species which present self-cleaning foliar surfaces.This pattern combines at least nine different directions.The results from the Variograms method showed that the stomata play a key role in the determination of foliar surface roughness. In addition, spectra from RIMAPS technique constitute a fingerprint of a foliar surface so they can be used to find evolutionary relationships among species.Further studies will provide more detailed information to fully elucidate the self-cleaning pattern, so it might be possible to reproduce it on an artificial surface and make it self-cleaning

Nuclear techniques for bulk and surface analysis of materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Agostino, M.D.; Kamykowski, E.A.; Kuehne, F.J.; Padawer, G.M.; Schneid, E.J.; Schulte, R.L.; Stauber, M.C.; Swanson, F.R.

1978-01-01

A review is presented summarizing several nondestructive bulk and surface analysis nuclear techniques developed in the Grumman Research Laboratories. Bulk analysis techniques include 14-MeV-neutron activation analysis and accelerator-based neutron radiography. The surface analysis techniques include resonant and non-resonant nuclear microprobes for the depth profile analysis of light elements (H, He, Li, Be, C, N, O and F) in the surface of materials. Emphasis is placed on the description and discussion of the unique nuclear microprobe analytical capacibilities of immediate importance to a number of current problems facing materials specialists. The resolution and contrast of neutron radiography was illustrated with an operating heat pipe system. The figure shows that the neutron radiograph has a resolution of better than 0.04 cm with sufficient contrast to indicate Freon 21 on the inner capillaries of the heat pipe and pooling of the liquid at the bottom. (T.G.)

Optimization of freeform surfaces using intelligent deformation techniques for LED applications

Science.gov (United States)

Isaac, Annie Shalom; Neumann, Cornelius

2018-04-01

For many years, optical designers have great interests in designing efficient optimization algorithms to bring significant improvement to their initial design. However, the optimization is limited due to a large number of parameters present in the Non-uniform Rationaly b-Spline Surfaces. This limitation was overcome by an indirect technique known as optimization using freeform deformation (FFD). In this approach, the optical surface is placed inside a cubical grid. The vertices of this grid are modified, which deforms the underlying optical surface during the optimization. One of the challenges in this technique is the selection of appropriate vertices of the cubical grid. This is because these vertices share no relationship with the optical performance. When irrelevant vertices are selected, the computational complexity increases. Moreover, the surfaces created by them are not always feasible to manufacture, which is the same problem faced in any optimization technique while creating freeform surfaces. Therefore, this research addresses these two important issues and provides feasible design techniques to solve them. Finally, the proposed techniques are validated using two different illumination examples: street lighting lens and stop lamp for automobiles.

NAA study on homogeneity of reference materials and their suitability for microanalytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dybczynski, R.; Danko, B.; Polkowska-Motrenko, H.

2000-01-01

Homogeneity of the existing (Virginia Tobacco Leaves CTA-VTL-2 (ICHTJ), Apatite Concentrate CTA-AC-1 (ICHTJ), Fine Fly Ash CTA-FFA-1 (ICHTJ)) and candidate certified reference materials (CRMs) (IAEA-338 Lichen, IAEA-413 Algae, Spruce Shoots RMF II (Germany)) was studied by neutron activation analysis (NAA). Several samples of small mass (ca. 1 or 10 mg) taken from various containers were analyzed by instrumental NAA and the results for several elements were compared by Fishers's test and t-test with analogous series of results for samples taken from one container. In the second approach, sampling variance was estimated for some elements from overall variance and the components of analytical variance. The results were interpreted with the aid of Ingamells' sampling constant. Particle size distribution of the reference materials was also measured by several techniques. In addition quantitative determinations for some elements were performed and results compared with the certified values. The results of the present study were discussed with reference to suitability of CRMs to microanalytical techniques. It was pointed out that the term 'microanalysis' itself is not always unequivocally understood and used. (author)

Reference materials for microanalytical nuclear techniques. Final report of a co-ordinated research project 1994-1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-06-01

A significant problem in the use of solid- and small-sample techniques is a general lack in suitable certified reference materials (CRM). Essentially, no CRM are certified for the small sample sizes typically used. Direct utilization of most existing CRM in solid sampling analysis procedures, typically 1 mg sample size, is often difficult or even impossible because trace components may not be sufficiently homogeneously distributed in the sample or their homogeneous distribution has not been tested. To explore the production, characterization and use of CRM for determinations with sample sizes much smaller than currently used, the Coordinated Research Program focused on selection of biological and environmental materials suitable for microanalytical techniques, definition of specifications for suitable CRM, evaluation of existing CRM for use with microanalytical techniques, evaluation of requirements for sample pre-treatment, evaluation of analytical techniques and research on development of techniques to be used in characterizing the homogeneity and chemical composition of small samples, and application of analytical techniques to the characterization of candidate reference materials for use with microanalytical techniques

Techniques of surface optical breakdown prevention for low-depths femtosecond waveguides writing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bukharin, M A; Skryabin, N N; Ganin, D V; Khudyakov, D V; Vartapetov, S.K.

2016-01-01

We demonstrated technique of direct femtosecond waveguide writing at record low depth (2-15 μm) under surface of lithium niobate, that play a key role in design of electrooptical modulators with low operating voltage. To prevent optical breakdown of crystal surface we used high numerical aperture objectives for focusing of light and non-thermal regime of inscription in contrast to widespread femtosecond writing technique at depths of tens micrometers or higher. Surface optical breakdown threshold was measured for both x- and z- cut crystals. Inscribed waveguides were examined for intrinsic microstructure. It also reported sharp narrowing of operating pulses energy range with writing depth under the surface of crystal, that should be taken in account when near-surface waveguides design. Novelty of the results consists in reduction of inscription depth under the surface of crystals that broadens applications of direct femtosecond writing technique to full formation of near-surface waveguides and postproduction precise geometry correction of near-surfaces optical integrated circuits produced with proton-exchanged technique. (paper)

Visualization of brain surface structures by weighted summation technique using multislice MR images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machida, Yoshio; Hatanaka, Masahiko; Hagiwara, Masayuki; Sugimoto, Hiroshi; Yoshida, Tadatoki; Katada, Kazuhiro.

1991-01-01

Surface anatomy scanning (SAS) technique which visualizes brain surface structures has been developed since 1987. In this paper, we propose a modified method called 'multislice SAS', which also generates such surface structure images, and has several advantages compared with conventional SAS technique. The conventional SAS technique uses a very long echo time sequence (e.g. SE(3000, 250)) with a thick slice and a surface coil to enhance CSF on the brain surface. Our modified technique also uses a long echo time sequence. But, added multislice images, each appropriately weighted, are used in stead of a thick slice and a surface coil. Our basic studies have shown that this modified method has the following advantage: Several surface images with slightly different summation directions are obtained, and they are used for stereographic display and cine display. This is very useful for visualizing the spatial relationship of brain surface structures. By choosing appropriate weighting, we can obtain clinically legible surface images. This technique dose not require a surface coil. It means that flexibility of selecting imaging direction is high. We can make a lot of modifications, because the original multislice images of weighted summation are arbitrary. And we also clarify some limitation or disadvantage of this modified method. In conclusion, we think that this technique is one of the practical approaches for surface anatomy imaging. (author)

Surface analytical techniques applied to minerals processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smart, R.St.C.

1991-01-01

An understanding of the chemical and physical forms of the chemically altered layers on the surfaces of base metal sulphides, particularly in the form of hydroxides, oxyhydroxides and oxides, and the changes that occur in them during minerals processing lies at the core of a complete description of flotation chemistry. This paper reviews the application of a variety of surface-sensitive techniques and methodologies applied to the study of surface layers on single minerals, mixed minerals, synthetic ores and real ores. Evidence from combined XPS/SAM/SEM studies have provided images and analyses of three forms of oxide, oxyhydroxide and hydroxide products on the surfaces of single sulphide minerals, mineral mixtures and complex sulphide ores. 4 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs

Self-consistent Green’s-function technique for surfaces and interfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skriver, Hans Lomholt; Rosengaard, N. M.

1991-01-01

We have implemented an efficient self-consistent Green’s-function technique for calculating ground-state properties of surfaces and interfaces, based on the linear-muffin-tin-orbitals method within the tight-binding representation. In this approach the interlayer interaction is extremely short...... ranged, and only a few layers close to the interface need be treated self-consistently via a Dyson equation. For semi-infinite jellium, the technique gives work functions and surface energies that are in excellent agreement with earlier calculations. For the bcc(110) surface of the alkali metals, we find...

Reference reactor module for NASA's lunar surface fission power system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poston, David I.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Dixon, David D.; Werner, James; Qualls, Louis; Radel, Ross

2009-01-01

Surface fission power systems on the Moon and Mars may provide the first US application of fission reactor technology in space since 1965. The Affordable Fission Surface Power System (AFSPS) study was completed by NASA/DOE to determine the cost of a modest performance, low-technical risk surface power system. The AFSPS concept is now being further developed within the Fission Surface Power (FSP) Project, which is a near-term technology program to demonstrate system-level TRL-6 by 2013. This paper describes the reference FSP reactor module concept, which is designed to provide a net power of 40 kWe for 8 years on the lunar surface; note, the system has been designed with technologies that are fully compatible with a Martian surface application. The reactor concept uses stainless-steel based. UO 2 -fueled, pumped-NaK fission reactor coupled to free-piston Stirling converters. The reactor shielding approach utilizes both in-situ and launched shielding to keep the dose to astronauts much lower than the natural background radiation on the lunar surface. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide a 'workhorse' power system that NASA can utilize in near-term and future Lunar and Martian mission architectures, with the eventual capability to evolve to very high power, low mass systems, for either surface, deep space, and/or orbital missions.

Comparison of Pyranometers and Reference Cells on Fixed and One-Axis Tracking Surfaces: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dooraghi, Michael R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sengupta, Manajit [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Vignola, Frank [University of Oregon; Peterson, Josh [University of Oregon; Mavromatakis, Fotis [Technological Educational Institute of Crete; Chiu, Chun-Yu [University of Oregon

2017-12-19

A wide variety of sensors are used to monitor the irradiance incident on solar modules to evaluate the performance of photovoltaic (PV) systems. These instruments range from secondary standard pyranometers to photodiode-based pyranometers to reference cells. Although instruments are mounted in the plane of array of the modules, a wide range of results have been obtained. Some of these difference have been assumed to come from systematic uncertainties associated with the irradiance sensors. This study is an attempt to quantify these differences by comparing the output of selected thermopile pyranometers to photodiode-based pyranometers and reference cells on a horizontal surface, a fixed-tilt surface, and a one-axis tracking surface. This analysis focuses on clear-sky results from two sites with different climatic conditions. Several important features were observed. Photodiode-based pyranometers and reference cells produce widely different results under clear skies, especially at larger angles of incidence, even though both instruments are based on measuring the short-circuit current of solar cells. The difference is caused by the scattering of light as it passes through the glazing of the reference cell or the diffuser lens of the photodioded-base pyranometer. Both instruments are shown to have similar response to the spectral distribution of the irradiance when compared to the thermopile-based pyranometer, which has a response nearly independent of the wavelength of light used by PV modules.

Quantitative study of Xanthosoma violaceum leaf surfaces using RIMAPS and variogram techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Favret, Eduardo A; Fuentes, Néstor O; Molina, Ana M

2006-08-01

Two new imaging techniques (rotated image with maximum averaged power spectrum (RIMAPS) and variogram) are presented for the study and description of leaf surfaces. Xanthosoma violaceum was analyzed to illustrate the characteristics of both techniques. Both techniques produce a quantitative description of leaf surface topography. RIMAPS combines digitized images rotation with Fourier transform, and it is used to detect patterns orientation and characteristics of surface topography. Variogram relates the mathematical variance of a surface with the area of the sample window observed. It gives the typical scale lengths of the surface patterns. RIMAPS detects the morphological variations of the surface topography pattern between fresh and dried (herbarium) samples of the leaf. The variogram method finds the characteristic dimensions of the leaf microstructure, i.e., cell length, papillae diameter, etc., showing that there are not significant differences between dry and fresh samples. The results obtained show the robustness of RIMAPS and variogram analyses to detect, distinguish, and characterize leaf surfaces, as well as give scale lengths. Both techniques are tools for the biologist to study variations of the leaf surface when different patterns are present. The use of RIMAPS and variogram opens a wide spectrum of possibilities by providing a systematic, quantitative description of the leaf surface topography.

Fabrication of a wettability-gradient surface on copper by screen-printing techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Ding-Jun; Leu, Tzong-Shyng

2015-01-01

In this study, a screen-printing technique is utilized to fabricate a wettability-gradient surface on a copper substrate. The pattern definitions on the copper surface were freely fabricated to define the regions with different wettabilities, for which the printing definition technique was developed as an alternative to the existing costly photolithography techniques. This fabrication process using screen printing in tandem with chemical modification methods can easily realize an excellent wettability-gradient surface with superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity. Surface analyses were performed to characterize conditions in some fabrication steps. A water droplet movement sequence is provided to clearly demonstrate the droplet-driving effectiveness of the fabricated gradient surface. The droplet-driving efficiency offers a promising solution for condensation heat transfer applications in the foreseeable future. (paper)

Evaluation of two reverse passive haemagglutination techniques and a solid-phase radioimmunoassay for detection of hepatitis B surface antigen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhuang, H [Beijing Medical College (China); Coulepis, A G; Gust, I D [Fairfield Hospital for Communicable Diseases, Melbourne (Australia)

1972-08-01

The sensitivity and specificity of two commercially available reverse passive haemagglutination tests (Hepatest and Raphadex B) for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen, were compared with the most widely used radioimmunoassay (Ausria II-125). A selected group of 282 sera were tested: these included the Australian hepatitis B reference panel, and a batch of 257 sera collected from patients with acute hepatitis B, chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen and two populations in which hepatitis B virus infection is known to be endemic. The two reverse passive haemagglutination techniques were of comparable sensitivity but slightly less sensitive than radioimmunoassay. While radioimmunoassay still remains the test of choice for blood transfusion services, the reverse passive haemagglutination techniques are of great value for smaller laboratories and for field studies because of their longer shelf life, the absence of radioactive reagents and the lack of need to acquire a gammacounter.

Tablet surface characterisation by various imaging techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seitavuopio, Paulus; Rantanen, Jukka; Yliruusi, Jouko

2003-01-01

The aim of this study was to characterise tablet surfaces using different imaging and roughness analytical techniques including optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser profilometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The test materials compressed were potassium chloride (KCl......) and sodium chloride (NaCl). It was found that all methods used suggested that the KCl tablets were smoother than the NaCl tablets and higher compression pressure made the tablets smoother. Imaging methods like optical microscopy and SEM can give useful information about the roughness of the sample surface...

Radiographic film: surface dose extrapolation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheung, T.; Yu, P.K.N.; Butson, M.J.; Cancer Services, Wollongong, NSW; Currie, M.

2004-01-01

Full text: Assessment of surface dose delivered from radiotherapy x-ray beams for optimal results should be performed both inside and outside the prescribed treatment fields An extrapolation technique can be used with radiographic film to perform surface dose assessment for open field high energy x-ray beams. This can produce an accurate 2 dimensional map of surface dose if required. Results have shown that surface % dose can be estimated within ±3% of parallel plate ionisation chamber results with radiographic film using a series of film layers to produce an extrapolated result. Extrapolated percentage dose assessment for 10cm, 20cmand 30cm square fields was estimated to be 15% ± 2%, 29% ± 3% and 38% ± 3% at the central axis and relatively uniform across the treatment field. Corresponding parallel plate ionisation chamber measurement are 16%, 27% and 37% respectively. Surface doses are also measured outside the treatment field which are mainly due to scattered electron contamination. To achieve this result, film calibration curves must be irradiated to similar x-ray field sizes as the experimental film to minimize quantitative variations in film optical density caused by varying x-ray spectrum with field size. Copyright (2004) Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine

Surface-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry techniques for application in forensics.

Science.gov (United States)

Guinan, Taryn; Kirkbride, Paul; Pigou, Paul E; Ronci, Maurizio; Kobus, Hilton; Voelcker, Nicolas H

2015-01-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) is an excellent analytical technique for the rapid and sensitive analysis of macromolecules (>700 Da), such as peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, and synthetic polymers. However, the detection of smaller organic molecules with masses below 700 Da using MALDI-MS is challenging due to the appearance of matrix adducts and matrix fragment peaks in the same spectral range. Recently, nanostructured substrates have been developed that facilitate matrix-free laser desorption ionization (LDI), contributing to an emerging analytical paradigm referred to as surface-assisted laser desorption ionization (SALDI) MS. Since SALDI enables the detection of small organic molecules, it is rapidly growing in popularity, including in the field of forensics. At the same time, SALDI also holds significant potential as a high throughput analytical tool in roadside, work place and athlete drug testing. In this review, we discuss recent advances in SALDI techniques such as desorption ionization on porous silicon (DIOS), nano-initiator mass spectrometry (NIMS) and nano assisted laser desorption ionization (NALDI™) and compare their strengths and weaknesses with particular focus on forensic applications. These include the detection of illicit drug molecules and their metabolites in biological matrices and small molecule detection from forensic samples including banknotes and fingerprints. Finally, the review highlights recent advances in mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) using SALDI techniques. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reference materials for microanalytical nuclear techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Injuk, Jasna; Grieken, Rene van [Department of Chemistry, Micro and Trace Analysis Centre, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk-Antwerp (Belgium)

1994-07-01

This paper discusses some issues concerning reference materials required for microanalysis including physical and chemical properties of the sample matrix and homogeneity of the chemical composition. It gives some examples of the mst common standards used. Further the paper gives background information about the Micro- and Trace Analysis Center of the University of Antwerp, Belgium and discusses recent results of the Center in microanalysis of reference materials.

Surface diffusion studies by optical diffraction techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, X.D.

1992-11-01

The newly developed optical techniques have been combined with either second harmonic (SH) diffraction or linear diffraction off a monolayer adsorbate grating for surface diffusion measurement. Anisotropy of surface diffusion of CO on Ni(l10) was used as a demonstration for the second harmonic dim reaction method. The linear diffraction method, which possesses a much higher sensitivity than the SH diffraction method, was employed to study the effect of adsorbate-adsorbate interaction on CO diffusion on Ni(l10) surface. Results showed that only the short range direct CO-CO orbital overlapping interaction influences CO diffusion but not the long range dipole-dipole and CO-NI-CO interactions. Effects of impurities and defects on surface diffusion were further explored by using linear diffraction method on CO/Ni(110) system. It was found that a few percent S impurity can alter the CO diffusion barrier height to a much higher value through changing the Ni(110) surface. The point defects of Ni(l10) surface seem to speed up CO diffusion significantly. A mechanism with long jumps over multiple lattice distance initiated by CO filled vacancy is proposed to explain the observed defect effect

Comparison of contact skidded and skidless techniques which are used for surface roughness characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomov, Mite; Kuzinovski, Mikolaj [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, ' Ss. Cyril and Methodius' University, Skopje (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Cichosz, Piotr [Institute of Production Engineering and Automation of the Wroclaw University of Technology, Wroclw, (Poland)

2014-07-01

In this study included several dilemmas arising from the recommendations in the international standards referring to surface roughness measurement with using skidded and skidless measurement instruments. Also, this paper explained the role and the impact of the skid as mechanical reference in the construction of the surface roughness measuring instruments. In order to determine the impact from the different constructive performances of the measurement instruments on the surface roughness value, are measured more periodic and non-periodic etalon surfaces representative of various machining process (turning, milling, grinding and lapping). Comparative analysis of the values and differences for the roughness parameters and primary profile parameters are displayed. (Author)

Accuracy of implant transfer and surface detail reproduction with polyether and polyvinyl siloxane using closed-tray impression technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marzieh Alikhasi

2013-10-01

Full Text Available   Background and Aims: Making accurate impressions of prepared teeth when they are adjacent to dental implants is of great importance. In these situations, disregarding the selection of appropriate impression material and technique, not only can affect accuracy of transferring of the 3-dimentional spatial status of implant, but also can jeopardize the accurate recording of tooth. In the present study, the accuracy of two impression materials with taper impression copings for recording implant position and surface details was evaluated.   Materials and Methods: One metal reference model with 2 implants (Implantium and a preparation of three grooves on a tooth according to ADA no. 19 standard was fabricated. 10 medium- consistency polyEther (PE impressions using custom trays and 10 polyVinyl Siloxane (PVS putty wash impressions using prefabricated trays with conical impression coping were made. Impressions were poured with ADA type IV stone. A Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM evaluated x, y and angular displacement of the implant analog heads and also accuracy of groove reproduction were measured using a Video Measuring Machine (VMM. These measurements were compared to the ones from reference model. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and T-test.   Results: Putty wash PVS had less linear discrepancy compared with reference model (P > 0.001. There was no significant difference in the surface detail reproduction (P = 0.15.   Conclusion: Putty wash PVS had better results for linear displacement compared with medium consistency PE. There was no significant difference in surface detail reproduction between the two impression materials.

Ground Receiving Station Reference Pair Selection Technique for a Minimum Configuration 3D Emitter Position Estimation Multilateration System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmalik Shehu Yaro

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Multilateration estimates aircraft position using the Time Difference Of Arrival (TDOA with a lateration algorithm. The Position Estimation (PE accuracy of the lateration algorithm depends on several factors which are the TDOA estimation error, the lateration algorithm approach, the number of deployed GRSs and the selection of the GRS reference used for the PE process. Using the minimum number of GRSs for 3D emitter PE, a technique based on the condition number calculation is proposed to select the suitable GRS reference pair for improving the accuracy of the PE using the lateration algorithm. Validation of the proposed technique was performed with the GRSs in the square and triangular GRS configuration. For the selected emitter positions, the result shows that the proposed technique can be used to select the suitable GRS reference pair for the PE process. A unity condition number is achieved for GRS pair most suitable for the PE process. Monte Carlo simulation result, in comparison with the fixed GRS reference pair lateration algorithm, shows a reduction in PE error of at least 70% for both GRS in the square and triangular configuration.

Surface dating of bricks, an application of luminescence techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Galli, Anna; Martini, Marco; Maspero, Francesco; Panzeri, Laura; Sibilia, Emanuela

2014-05-01

Luminescence techniques are a powerful tool to date archaeological ceramic materials and geological sediments. Thermoluminescence (TL) is widely used for bricks dating to reconstruct the chronology of urban complexes and the development of human cultures. However, it can sometimes be inconclusive, since TL assesses the firing period of bricks, which can be reused, even several centuries later. This problem can be circumvented using a dating technique based on a resetting event different from the last heating. OSL (Optically Stimulated Luminescence) exploits the last light exposition of the brick surface, which resets the light-sensitive electron traps until the surface is definitely shielded by mortar and superimposed bricks. This advanced application (surface dating) has been successfully attempted on rocks, marble and stone artifacts, but not yet on bricks. A recent conservation campaign at the Certosa di Pavia gave the opportunity to sample some bricks belonging to a XVII century collapsed wall, still tied to their mortars. This was an advantageous condition to test this technique, comparing the dating results with precise historical data. This attempt gave satisfactory results, allowing to identify bricks surely reused and to fully confirm that the edification of the perimetral wall occurred at the end of XVII century.

Surface modification technique of structural ceramics: ion implantation-assisted multi-arc ion plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Zhijian; Miao Hezhuo; Si Wenjie; Qi Longhao; Li Wenzhi

2003-01-01

Through reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of the existed surface modification techniques, a new technique, ion implantation-assisted multi-arc ion plating, was proposed. Using the proposed technique, the surfaces of silicon nitride ceramics were modified by Ti ion implantation, and then three kinds of ternary coatings, (Ti,Al)N, (Ti,Zr)N and (Ti,Cr)N, were deposited on the as-implanted ceramics. The coatings prepared by this technique are of high-hardness and well adhesive to the ceramic substrates. The maximal hardness measured by nanoindentation tests is more than 40 GPa. The maximal critical load by nanoscratch tests is more than 60 mN. The cutting tools prepared by this technique with the presented coatings are of excellent performance in industrial applications. The technique may be promising for the surface modification of structural ceramics. (orig.)

Report of the research co-ordination meeting on reference materials for microanalytical nuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

Many microanalytical procedure require specific natural-matrix reference materials containing very low levels of trace elements and having a high degree of homogeneity. This proposed CRP will specifically address the question of quality control materials for these techniques. The participants of the meeting discussed the requirements for certified reference materials to by used in microanalysis with particular emphasis on the homogeneity issues. This publication contains summary of the discussions along with conclusions and recommendations made by the participants. The publication also contains 13 individual presentations delivered by the participants. Each of the individual papers has been provided with an abstract and indexed separately

Report of the research co-ordination meeting on reference materials for microanalytical nuclear techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-07-01

Many microanalytical procedure require specific natural-matrix reference materials containing very low levels of trace elements and having a high degree of homogeneity. This proposed CRP will specifically address the question of quality control materials for these techniques. The participants of the meeting discussed the requirements for certified reference materials to by used in microanalysis with particular emphasis on the homogeneity issues. This publication contains summary of the discussions along with conclusions and recommendations made by the participants. The publication also contains 13 individual presentations delivered by the participants. Each of the individual papers has been provided with an abstract and indexed separately.

Studies of surface loss of materials by TLA technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chowdhury, D.P.

2005-01-01

Thin Layer Activation technique is very sensitive and useful for the study of surface wear, corrosion and erosion in various machine or engineering components. It is routinely used in automobiles, power and nuclear and oil industries for on-line monitoring and testing. Its potential in application to bio-engineering material is reported. One of the limitations of the technique is the availability of accelerator

MULTIPLE IMAGING TECHNIQUES DEMONSTRATE THE MANIPULATION OF SURFACES TO REDUCE BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION

Science.gov (United States)

Surface imaging techniques were combined to determine appropriate manipulation of technologically important surfaces for commercial applications. Stainless steel surfaces were engineered to reduce bacterial contamination, biofilm formation, and corrosion during product processing...

Development of polygonal surface version of ICRP reference phantoms: Preliminary study for posture change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Tat Thang; Yeom, Yeon Soo; Han, Min Cheol; Kim, Chan Hyeong

2013-01-01

Even though International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) officially adopted a set of adult male and female voxel phantoms as the ICRP reference phantoms, there are several critical limitations due to the nature of voxel geometry and their low voxel resolutions. In order to overcome these limitations of the ICRP phantoms, we are currently developing polygonal surface version of ICRP reference phantoms by directly converting the ICRP voxel phantoms to polygonal surface geometries. Among the many advantages of the ICRP polygonal surface phantom, especially, it is flexible and deformable. In principle, it is, therefore, possible to make the posture-changed ICRP phantoms which can provide more accurate dose values for exposure situations strongly relevant to worker's postures. As a preliminary study for developing the posture-changed ICRP phantoms, in this work we changed the posture of the preliminary version of ICRP male polygon-surface phantom constructed in the previous study. Organ doses were then compared between original and posture-changed phantoms. In the present study, we successfully changed a posture of the preliminary version of ICRP male polygon-surface phantom to the walking posture. From this results, it was explicitly shown that the polygon-surface version of the ICRP phantoms can be sufficiently modified to be various postures with the posture-changing method used in this study. In addition, it was demonstrated that phantom's posture must be considered in certain exposure situations, which can differ dose values from the conventional standing-posture phantom

Co-location of space geodetic techniques carried out at the Geodetic Observatory Wettzell using a closure in time and a multi-technique reference target

Science.gov (United States)

Kodet, J.; Schreiber, K. U.; Eckl, J.; Plötz, C.; Mähler, S.; Schüler, T.; Klügel, T.; Riepl, S.

2018-01-01

The quality of the links between the different space geodetic techniques (VLBI, SLR, GNSS and DORIS) is still one of the major limiting factors for the realization of a unique global terrestrial reference frame that is accurate enough to allow the monitoring of the Earth system, i.e., of processes like sea level change, postglacial rebound and silent earthquakes. According to the specifications of the global geodetic observing system of the International Association of Geodesy, such a reference frame should be accurate to 1 mm over decades, with rates of change stable at the level of 0.1 mm/year. The deficiencies arise from inaccurate or incomplete local ties at many fundamental sites as well as from systematic instrumental biases in the individual space geodetic techniques. Frequently repeated surveys, the continuous monitoring of antenna heights and the geometrical mount stability (Lösler et al. in J Geod 90:467-486, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-016-0887-8) have not provided evidence for insufficient antenna stability. Therefore, we have investigated variations in the respective system delays caused by electronic circuits, which is not adequately captured by the calibration process, either because of subtle differences in the circuitry between geodetic measurement and calibration, high temporal variability or because of lacking resolving bandwidth. The measured system delay variations in the electric chain of both VLBI- and SLR systems reach the order of 100 ps, which is equivalent to 3 cm of path length. Most of this variability is usually removed by the calibrations but by far not all. This paper focuses on the development of new technologies and procedures for co-located geodetic instrumentation in order to identify and remove systematic measurement biases within and between the individual measurement techniques. A closed-loop optical time and frequency distribution system and a common inter-technique reference target provide the possibility to remove

Refractive index sensor based on optical fiber end face using pulse reference-based compensation technique

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, Qiang; Song, Zhangqi; Zhang, Xueliang; Yu, Yang; Chen, Yuzhong

2018-03-01

We proposed a refractive index sensor based on optical fiber end face using pulse reference-based compensation technique. With good compensation effect of this compensation technique, the power fluctuation of light source, the change of optic components transmission loss and coupler splitting ratio can be compensated, which largely reduces the background noise. The refractive index resolutions can achieve 3.8 × 10-6 RIU and1.6 × 10-6 RIU in different refractive index regions.

Application of nuclear techniques in improving agricultural productivity with particular reference to pasture management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majid Ajorlo; Ramdzani Abdullah

2009-01-01

Nuclear techniques are appropriate tools to settle problems for agriculture or natural resources which cannot be solved using conventional agricultural techniques. In this paper, the research activities carried out and the achievements so far obtained in the agricultural specialties -all by using nuclear techniques- with particular reference to pasture management are discussed. Insect pest control by Sterile Insect Techniques (SIT); soil and water management using neutron moisture probes; determining N-fixation capacity of legumes using N-15 isotope and nuclear methods; soil erosion measurement using of fallout radionuclide such as Cs-137; monitoring the movement of saline water in salt-affected land using isotopes of chlorine; livestock production and health by RIA and ELISA are some of achievements so far obtained in improving agricultural productivity. The ultimate goal of the nuclear technique investigation in agriculture is to use the resources efficiently in obtaining higher plant and livestock yields while increasing the quality and protecting them against insects, diseases and weeds. (Author)

The environmental cost of a reference withdrawal from surface waters: Definition and geography

Science.gov (United States)

Soligno, Irene; Ridolfi, Luca; Laio, Francesco

2017-12-01

World freshwater ecosystems are significantly deteriorating at a faster rate than other ecosystems. Water withdrawals are recognized as one of the main drivers of growing water stress in river basins worldwide. Over the years, much effort has been devoted to quantify water withdrawals at a global scale; however, comparisons are not simple because the uneven spatiotemporal distribution of surface water resources entails that the same amount of consumed water does not have the same environmental cost in different times or places. In order to account for this spatiotemporal heterogeneity, this work proposes a novel index to assess the environmental cost of a withdrawal from a generic river section. The index depends on (i) the environmental relevance of the impacted fluvial ecosystem (e.g., bed-load transport capacity, width of the riparian belt, biodiversity richness) and (ii) the downstream river network affected by the water withdrawal. The environmental cost has been estimated in each and every river section worldwide considering a reference withdrawal. Being referred to a unitary reference withdrawal that can occur in any river section worldwide, our results can be suitably arranged for describing any scenario of surface water consumption (i.e., as the superposition of the actual pattern of withdrawals). The index aims to support the interpretation of the volumetric measure of surface water withdrawal with a perspective that takes into account the fluvial system where the withdrawal actually occurs. The application of the index highlights the river regions where withdrawals can cause higher environmental costs, with the challenge of weighting each water withdrawal considering the responsibilities that it has on downstream freshwater ecosystems.

Evaluation of the homogeneity of reference flat sources used in calibration of surface contamination monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva Junior, I.A.; Xavier, M.; Siqueira, P.T.D.; Potiens, M.P.A.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the uniformity of the wide area reference sources of the Calibration Laboratory of Instruments (LCI-IPEN) used in the calibration of surface contamination monitors, according the recommendations of the ISO 8769 standard and the NRPB. In this work used six wide area reference sources of 150 cm 2 of 241 Am, 14 C, 36 Cl, 137 Cs, 90 Sr+ 90 Y and 99 Tc with reference dates between 1996 and 1997 and three sources of 100 cm 2 of 14 C, 137 Cs and 60 Co were used with reference dates 2007. Measurements were performed with a radiation monitor of the Thermo, model FH40GX with a pancake probe, model FHZ732GM. We also made several models on paper with the objective of define each measurement position and an aluminum plate with a square hole (6.25 cm 2 ) in its center, allowing the passage of the radiation only through the hole. Each wide area reference source was positioned in setup and measurements were performed in order to cover the entire surface of the source. The values of the uniformity obtained partially confirm previous data obtained in another study conducted by LCI-IPEN, showing that some wide area reference sources 150 cm 2 in disagree with ISO 8769. In the former work, just the source of 241 Am (7.3%) was within the range specified by the standard, now have sources of 241 Am (5.7%), 137 Cs (8.8%), 90 Sr+ 9 '0Y (8, 8%) and 99 Tc (9.2%) with values within the specified uniformity. The sources of 14 C (53.3%) and 36 Cl (16.6%) were outside the specified. The wide area reference sources of 100 cm 2 , show disagreement in values of uniformity of the sources 14 C (46.7%) and 60 Co (10.4%). The values of the uniformity of the wide area reference sources show that some fonts can not be used in calibrations, because not in accordance with the value of uniformity specified in ISO 8769:2010, this is a conditions to believe a laboratory according to ISO 17025, show the laboratory performs its services with a high quality. The

A scanning fluid dynamic gauging technique for probing surface layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordon, Patrick W; Chew, Y M John; Wilson, D Ian; Brooker, Anju D M; York, David W

2010-01-01

Fluid dynamic gauging (FDG) is a technique for measuring the thickness of soft solid deposit layers immersed in a liquid environment, in situ and in real time. This paper details the performance of a novel automated, scanning FDG probe (sFDG) which allows the thickness of a sample layer to be monitored at several points during an experiment, with a resolution of ±5 µm. Its application is demonstrated using layers of gelatine, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and baked tomato purée deposits. Swelling kinetics, as well as deformation behaviour—based on knowledge of the stresses imposed on the surface by the gauging flow—can be determined at several points, affording improved experimental data. The use of FDG as a surface scanning technique, operating as a fluid mechanical analogue of atomic force microscopy on a millimetre length scale, is also demonstrated. The measurement relies only on the flow behaviour, and is thus suitable for use in opaque fluids, does not contact the surface itself and does not rely on any specific physical properties of the surface, provided it is locally stiff

Application of the thermal plasma technique in the treatment of stone surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez A, Z.I.

2000-01-01

The stone materials which form part of the cultural heritage of Mexico, are degraded under the united action of water, atmospheric gases, air pollution, temperature changes and the microorganisms action; provoking on the stone: fissures, crevices, scalings, fragmentations, pulverizations, etc. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to study the possibilities to apply a protective coating on the stone surfaces, previously clean and consolidated, through the thermal plasma technique. The purpose is to analyse the physical and chemical properties of three types of stone materials: quarry, tezontle and chiluca, usually used in constructions of cultural interest such as: historical monuments, churches, sculptures, etc., before and after to be submitted to the action of thermal plasma in order to examine the feasibility in the use of this coating technique in this type of applications. The application of conventional techniques to determine: porosity, density, absorption, low pressure water absorption and crystallization by total immersion of nuclear techniques such as: neutron activation analysis, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy as well as of instrumental techniques: optical microscopy, mechanical assays of compression, flexure and surface area calculations, allowed to know the chemical and physical properties of the stone material before and after to be treated through the thermal plasma technique, projecting quartz on the stones surface at different distances and current intensity and showing the effect caused by the modifications or surface alterations present by cause of the application of that coating. the obtained results provide a general panorama of the application of this technique as an alternative to the maintenance of the architectural inheritance built in stone. (Author)

Reference reactor module for NASA's lunar surface fission power system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poston, David I [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kapernick, Richard J [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Dixon, David D [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Werner, James [INL; Qualls, Louis [ORNL; Radel, Ross [SNL

2009-01-01

Surface fission power systems on the Moon and Mars may provide the first US application of fission reactor technology in space since 1965. The Affordable Fission Surface Power System (AFSPS) study was completed by NASA/DOE to determine the cost of a modest performance, low-technical risk surface power system. The AFSPS concept is now being further developed within the Fission Surface Power (FSP) Project, which is a near-term technology program to demonstrate system-level TRL-6 by 2013. This paper describes the reference FSP reactor module concept, which is designed to provide a net power of 40 kWe for 8 years on the lunar surface; note, the system has been designed with technologies that are fully compatible with a Martian surface application. The reactor concept uses stainless-steel based. UO{sub 2}-fueled, pumped-NaK fission reactor coupled to free-piston Stirling converters. The reactor shielding approach utilizes both in-situ and launched shielding to keep the dose to astronauts much lower than the natural background radiation on the lunar surface. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide a 'workhorse' power system that NASA can utilize in near-term and future Lunar and Martian mission architectures, with the eventual capability to evolve to very high power, low mass systems, for either surface, deep space, and/or orbital missions.

Calibration technique for the neutron surface moisture measurement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, W.T.; Shreve, D.C.

1996-01-01

A technique for calibrating the response of a surface neutron moisture measurement probe to material moisture concentration has been devised. Tests to ensure that the probe will function in the expected in-tank operating environment are also outlined

Wipe-rinse technique for quantitating microbial contamination on large surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Kirschner, L. E.; Puleo, J. R.

1979-01-01

The evaluation of an improved wipe-rinse technique for the bioassay of large areas was undertaken due to inherent inadequacies in the cotton swab-rinse technique to which assay of spacecraft is currently restricted. Four types of contamination control cloths were initially tested. A polyester-bonded cloth (PBC) was selected for further evaluation because of its superior efficiency and handling characteristics. Results from comparative tests with PBC and cotton swabs on simulated spacecraft surfaces indicated a significantly higher recovery efficiency for the PBC than for the cotton (90.4 versus 75.2%). Of the sampling area sites studied, PBC was found to be most effective on surface areas not exceeding 0.74 sq m (8.0 sq ft).

Development of a certified reference material for specific surface area of quartz sand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Egor P Sobina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents results of conducting research on the development of a certified reference material (CRM for specific surface area of quartz sand, which is practically non-porous and therefore has low specific surface area value ~ 0.8 m2/g. The standard uncertainty due to RM inhomogeneity, the standard uncertainty due to RM instability, as well as the standard uncertainty due to characterization were estimated using the State Primary Standard GET 210‑2014 for Units of Specific Absorption of Gases, Specific Surface Area, Specific Volume, and Pore Size of Solid Substances and Materials. The metrological characteristics of the CRM were determined using a low-temperature gas adsorption method. Krypton was used as an adsorbate to increase measurement accuracy.

Study of localized corrosion in aluminum alloys by the scanning reference electrode technique

Science.gov (United States)

Danford, M. D.

1995-01-01

Localized corrosion in 2219-T87 aluminum (Al) alloy, 2195 aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) alloy, and welded 2195 Al-Li alloy (4043 filler) have been investigated using the relatively new scanning reference electrode technique (SRET). Anodic sites are more frequent and of greater strength in the 2195 Al-Li alloy than in the 2219-T87 Al alloy, indicating a greater tendency toward pitting for the latter. However, the overall corrosion rates are about the same for these two alloys, as determined using the polarization resistance technique. In the welded 2195 Al-Li alloy, the weld bean is entirely cathodic, with rather strongly anodic heat affected zones (HAZ) bordering both sides, indicating a high probability of corrosion in the HAZ parallel to the weld bead.

Surface Casting Defects Inspection Using Vision System and Neural Network Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Świłło S.J.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a vision based approach and neural network techniques in surface defects inspection and categorization. Depending on part design and processing techniques, castings may develop surface discontinuities such as cracks and pores that greatly influence the material’s properties Since the human visual inspection for the surface is slow and expensive, a computer vision system is an alternative solution for the online inspection. The authors present the developed vision system uses an advanced image processing algorithm based on modified Laplacian of Gaussian edge detection method and advanced lighting system. The defect inspection algorithm consists of several parameters that allow the user to specify the sensitivity level at which he can accept the defects in the casting. In addition to the developed image processing algorithm and vision system apparatus, an advanced learning process has been developed, based on neural network techniques. Finally, as an example three groups of defects were investigated demonstrates automatic selection and categorization of the measured defects, such as blowholes, shrinkage porosity and shrinkage cavity.

Description of measurement techniques for surface contaminations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourrez, E.

2001-01-01

The needs of evaluation of the surface contamination are numerous in the processes of production and management of radioactive waste. The market of radiation protection materials proposes a lot of devices answering to the almost all these needs. These device have however their conditions and particular limits for use. To realize correct measurements it is use the device, the technique and the methods adapted to the need, by taking into account the optimization of economical aspect. (N.C.)

Potentialities of some surface characterization techniques for the development of titanium biomedical alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.S. Vanzillotta

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Bone formation around a metallic implant is a complex process that involves micro- and nanometric interactions. Several surface treatments, including coatings were developed in order to obtain faster osseointegration. To understand the role of these surface treatments on bone formation it is necessary to choose adequate characterization techniques. Among them, we have selected electron microscopy, profilometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS to describe them briefly. Examples of the potentialities of these techniques on the characterization of titanium for biomedical applications were also presented and discussed. Unfortunately more than one technique is usually necessary to describe conveniently the topography (scanning electron microsocopy, profilometry and/or AFM and the chemical state (XPS of the external layer of the material surface. The employment of the techniques above described can be useful especially for the development of new materials or products.

Nanotubular surface modification of metallic implants via electrochemical anodization technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lu-Ning; Jin, Ming; Zheng, Yudong; Guan, Yueping; Lu, Xin; Luo, Jing-Li

2014-01-01

Due to increased awareness and interest in the biomedical implant field as a result of an aging population, research in the field of implantable devices has grown rapidly in the last few decades. Among the biomedical implants, metallic implant materials have been widely used to replace disordered bony tissues in orthopedic and orthodontic surgeries. The clinical success of implants is closely related to their early osseointegration (ie, the direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of a load-bearing artificial implant), which relies heavily on the surface condition of the implant. Electrochemical techniques for modifying biomedical implants are relatively simple, cost-effective, and appropriate for implants with complex shapes. Recently, metal oxide nanotubular arrays via electrochemical anodization have become an attractive technique to build up on metallic implants to enhance the biocompatibility and bioactivity. This article will thoroughly review the relevance of electrochemical anodization techniques for the modification of metallic implant surfaces in nanoscale, and cover the electrochemical anodization techniques used in the development of the types of nanotubular/nanoporous modification achievable via electrochemical approaches, which hold tremendous potential for bio-implant applications. In vitro and in vivo studies using metallic oxide nanotubes are also presented, revealing the potential of nanotubes in biomedical applications. Finally, an outlook of future growth of research in metallic oxide nanotubular arrays is provided. This article will therefore provide researchers with an in-depth understanding of electrochemical anodization modification and provide guidance regarding the design and tuning of new materials to achieve a desired performance and reliable biocompatibility.

Evaluating empirical/analytical techniques to predict structural integrity of pipe containing surface flaws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reuter, W.G.; Server, W.L.

1982-01-01

Data from flat-plate specimens containing either triangular-, ellipsoidal- or rectangular-shaped surface flaws were evaluated by several potential analytical techniques. These techniques were modified as needed to predict conditions for initiation of subcritical crack growth, for the defect to penetrate the 6.4 mm (0.25 in.) wall thickness, and for instability (plastic or unstable). The modified analytical techniques developed from the plate specimens were then used to make predictions which are compared with test results obtained from pipe specimens containing triangular-shaped surface flaws

Reliability of surface inspection techniques for pressurized components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kauppinen, P.; Sillanpaeae, J.

1991-01-01

In the Nordtest NDT-programme (1984 - 1988) the detection of flaws by surface inspection methods has been studied. In the round-robin exercise, 133 test pieces have been inspected by 32 inspectors in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. From the results, the detectability of defects by magnetic particle and liquid-penetrant testing and the influence of materials and techniques used are evaluated. (author)

Microscale surface modifications for heat transfer enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Bostanci, Huseyin; Singh, Virendra; Kizito, John P; Rini, Daniel P; Seal, Sudipta; Chow, Louis C

2013-10-09

In this experimental study, two surface modification techniques were investigated for their effect on heat transfer enhancement. One of the methods employed the particle (grit) blasting to create microscale indentations, while the other used plasma spray coating to create microscale protrusions on Al 6061 (aluminum alloy 6061) samples. The test surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal scanning laser microscopy. Because of the surface modifications, the actual surface area was increased up to 2.8× compared to the projected base area, and the arithmetic mean roughness value (Ra) was determined to vary from 0.3 μm for the reference smooth surface to 19.5 μm for the modified surfaces. Selected samples with modified surfaces along with the reference smooth surface were then evaluated for their heat transfer performance in spray cooling tests. The cooling system had vapor-atomizing nozzles and used anhydrous ammonia as the coolant in order to achieve heat fluxes up to 500 W/cm(2) representing a thermal management setting for high power systems. Experimental results showed that the microscale surface modifications enhanced heat transfer coefficients up to 76% at 500 W/cm(2) compared to the smooth surface and demonstrated the benefits of these practical surface modification techniques to enhance two-phase heat transfer process.

Surface cleaning in thin film technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattox, D.M.

1978-01-01

A ''clean surface'' is one that contains no significant amounts of undesirable material. This paper discusses the types and origin of various contaminants. Since cleaning is often equated with adhesion, the mechanisms of adhesion to oxide, metal, and organic surfaces are reviewed and cleaning processes for these surfaces are outlined. Techniques for monitoring surface cleaning are presented, and the importance of storage of clean surfaces is discussed. An extensive bibliography is given. 4 figs., 89 references

Laboratory Reference Spectroscopy of Icy Satellite Candidate Surface Materials (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, J. B.; Jamieson, C. S.; Shirley, J. H.; Pitman, K. M.; Kariya, M.; Crandall, P.

2013-12-01

The bulk of our knowledge of icy satellite composition continues to be derived from ultraviolet, visible and infrared remote sensing observations. Interpretation of remote sensing observations relies on availability of laboratory reference spectra of candidate surface materials. These are compared directly to observations, or incorporated into models to generate synthetic spectra representing mixtures of the candidate materials. Spectral measurements for the study of icy satellites must be taken under appropriate conditions (cf. Dalton, 2010; also http://mos.seti.org/icyworldspectra.html for a database of compounds) of temperature (typically 50 to 150 K), pressure (from 10-9 to 10-3 Torr), viewing geometry, (i.e., reflectance), and optical depth (must manifest near infrared bands but avoid saturation in the mid-infrared fundamentals). The Planetary Ice Characterization Laboratory (PICL) is being developed at JPL to provide robust reference spectra for icy satellite surface materials. These include sulfate hydrates, hydrated and hydroxylated minerals, and both organic and inorganic volatile ices. Spectral measurements are performed using an Analytical Spectral Devices FR3 portable grating spectrometer from .35 to 2.5 microns, and a Thermo-Nicolet 6500 Fourier-Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectrometer from 1.25 to 20 microns. These are interfaced with the Basic Extraterrestrial Environment Simulation Testbed (BEEST), a vacuum chamber capable of pressures below 10-9 Torr with a closed loop liquid helium cryostat with custom heating element capable of temperatures from 30-800 Kelvins. To generate optical constants (real and imaginary index of refraction) for use in nonlinear mixing models (i.e., Hapke, 1981 and Shkuratov, 1999), samples are ground and sieved to six different size fractions or deposited at varying rates to provide a range of grain sizes for optical constants calculations based on subtractive Kramers-Kronig combined with Hapke forward modeling (Dalton and

Mobile depth profiling and sub-surface imaging techniques for historical paintings—A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfeld, Matthias; Broekaert, José A.C.

2013-01-01

Hidden, sub-surface paint layers and features contain valuable information for the art-historical investigation of a painting's past and for its conservation for coming generations. The number of techniques available for the study of these features has been considerably extended in the last decades and established techniques have been refined. This review focuses on mobile non-destructive subsurface imaging and depth profiling techniques, which allow for the in-situ investigation of easel paintings, i.e. paintings on a portable support. Among the techniques discussed are: X-ray radiography and infrared reflectography, which are long established methods and are in use for several decades. Their capabilities of element/species specific imaging have been extended by the introduction of energy/wavelength resolved measurements. Scanning macro-X-ray fluorescence analysis made it for the first time possible to acquire elemental distribution images in-situ and optical coherence tomography allows for the non-destructive study the surface paint layers in virtual cross-sections. These techniques and their variants are presented next to other techniques, such as Terahertz imaging, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance depth profiling and established techniques for non destructive testing (thermography, ultrasonic imaging and laser based interference methods) applied in the conservation of historical paintings. Next to selected case studies the capabilities and limitations of the techniques are discussed. - Highlights: • All mobile sub-surface and depth-profiling techniques for paintings are reviewed. • The number of techniques available has increased considerably in the last years. • X-ray radiography and infrared reflectography are still the most used techniques. • Scanning macro-XRF and optical coherence tomography begin to establish. • Industrial non destructive testing techniques support the preservation of paintings

Total reference air kerma can accurately predict isodose surface volumes in cervix cancer brachytherapy. A multicenter study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nkiwane, Karen S; Andersen, Else; Champoudry, Jerome

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: To demonstrate that V60 Gy, V75 Gy, and V85 Gy isodose surface volumes can be accurately estimated from total reference air kerma (TRAK) in cervix cancer MRI-guided brachytherapy (BT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: 60 Gy, 75 Gy, and 85 Gy isodose surface volumes levels were obtained from treatm...

Standard reference data for the air-liquid and vapor-liquid surface tension of benzene

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Součková, Monika; Klomfar, Jaroslav; Pátek, Jaroslav

2013-01-01

Roč. 356, October (2013), s. 329-337 ISSN 0378-3812 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA101/09/0010 Institutional support: RVO:61388998 Keywords : benzene * surface tension * experimental data * standard reference data Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics Impact factor: 2.241, year: 2013 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378381213004196

Mobile depth profiling and sub-surface imaging techniques for historical paintings—A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alfeld, Matthias, E-mail: matthias.alfeld@desy.de [University of Hamburg, Department of Chemistry, Martin-Luther-King Platz 6, D-20146 Hamburg (Germany); University of Antwerp, Department of Chemistry, Groenenbrogerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Broekaert, José A.C., E-mail: jose.broekaert@chemie.uni-hamburg.de [University of Hamburg, Department of Chemistry, Martin-Luther-King Platz 6, D-20146 Hamburg (Germany)

2013-10-01

Hidden, sub-surface paint layers and features contain valuable information for the art-historical investigation of a painting's past and for its conservation for coming generations. The number of techniques available for the study of these features has been considerably extended in the last decades and established techniques have been refined. This review focuses on mobile non-destructive subsurface imaging and depth profiling techniques, which allow for the in-situ investigation of easel paintings, i.e. paintings on a portable support. Among the techniques discussed are: X-ray radiography and infrared reflectography, which are long established methods and are in use for several decades. Their capabilities of element/species specific imaging have been extended by the introduction of energy/wavelength resolved measurements. Scanning macro-X-ray fluorescence analysis made it for the first time possible to acquire elemental distribution images in-situ and optical coherence tomography allows for the non-destructive study the surface paint layers in virtual cross-sections. These techniques and their variants are presented next to other techniques, such as Terahertz imaging, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance depth profiling and established techniques for non destructive testing (thermography, ultrasonic imaging and laser based interference methods) applied in the conservation of historical paintings. Next to selected case studies the capabilities and limitations of the techniques are discussed. - Highlights: • All mobile sub-surface and depth-profiling techniques for paintings are reviewed. • The number of techniques available has increased considerably in the last years. • X-ray radiography and infrared reflectography are still the most used techniques. • Scanning macro-XRF and optical coherence tomography begin to establish. • Industrial non destructive testing techniques support the preservation of paintings.

A polygon-surface reference Korean male phantom (PSRK-Man) and its direct implementation in Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Chan Hyeong; Jeong, Jong Hwi [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Bolch, Wesley E [Department of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Cho, Kun-Woo [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, 19 Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Sung Bae, E-mail: chkim@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Physical Therapy, Kyungbuk College, Hyucheon 2-dong, Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk 750-712 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-05-21

Even though the hybrid phantom embodies both the anatomic reality of voxel phantoms and the deformability of stylized phantoms, it must be voxelized to be used in a Monte Carlo code for dose calculation or some imaging simulation, which incurs the inherent limitations of voxel phantoms. In the present study, a voxel phantom named VKH-Man (Visible Korean Human-Man), was converted to a polygon-surface phantom (PSRK-Man, Polygon-Surface Reference Korean-Man), which was then adjusted to the Reference Korean data. Subsequently, the PSRK-Man polygon phantom was directly, without any voxelization process, implemented in the Geant4 Monte Carlo code for dose calculations. The calculated dose values and computation time were then compared with those of HDRK-Man (High Definition Reference Korean-Man), a corresponding voxel phantom adjusted to the same Reference Korean data from the same VKH-Man voxel phantom. Our results showed that the calculated dose values of the PSRK-Man surface phantom agreed well with those of the HDRK-Man voxel phantom. The calculation speed for the PSRK-Man polygon phantom though was 70-150 times slower than that of the HDRK-Man voxel phantom; that speed, however, could be acceptable in some applications, in that direct use of the surface phantom PSRK-Man in Geant4 does not require a separate voxelization process. Computing speed can be enhanced, in future, either by optimizing the Monte Carlo transport kernel for the polygon surfaces or by using modern computing technologies such as grid computing and general-purpose computing on graphics processing units programming.

A polygon-surface reference Korean male phantom (PSRK-Man) and its direct implementation in Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chan Hyeong; Jeong, Jong Hwi; Bolch, Wesley E; Cho, Kun-Woo; Hwang, Sung Bae

2011-01-01

Even though the hybrid phantom embodies both the anatomic reality of voxel phantoms and the deformability of stylized phantoms, it must be voxelized to be used in a Monte Carlo code for dose calculation or some imaging simulation, which incurs the inherent limitations of voxel phantoms. In the present study, a voxel phantom named VKH-Man (Visible Korean Human-Man), was converted to a polygon-surface phantom (PSRK-Man, Polygon-Surface Reference Korean-Man), which was then adjusted to the Reference Korean data. Subsequently, the PSRK-Man polygon phantom was directly, without any voxelization process, implemented in the Geant4 Monte Carlo code for dose calculations. The calculated dose values and computation time were then compared with those of HDRK-Man (High Definition Reference Korean-Man), a corresponding voxel phantom adjusted to the same Reference Korean data from the same VKH-Man voxel phantom. Our results showed that the calculated dose values of the PSRK-Man surface phantom agreed well with those of the HDRK-Man voxel phantom. The calculation speed for the PSRK-Man polygon phantom though was 70-150 times slower than that of the HDRK-Man voxel phantom; that speed, however, could be acceptable in some applications, in that direct use of the surface phantom PSRK-Man in Geant4 does not require a separate voxelization process. Computing speed can be enhanced, in future, either by optimizing the Monte Carlo transport kernel for the polygon surfaces or by using modern computing technologies such as grid computing and general-purpose computing on graphics processing units programming.

Surface registration technique for close-range mapping applications

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Ayman F.; Cheng, Rita W. T.

2006-08-01

Close-range mapping applications such as cultural heritage restoration, virtual reality modeling for the entertainment industry, and anatomical feature recognition for medical activities require 3D data that is usually acquired by high resolution close-range laser scanners. Since these datasets are typically captured from different viewpoints and/or at different times, accurate registration is a crucial procedure for 3D modeling of mapped objects. Several registration techniques are available that work directly with the raw laser points or with extracted features from the point cloud. Some examples include the commonly known Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm and a recently proposed technique based on matching spin-images. This research focuses on developing a surface matching algorithm that is based on the Modified Iterated Hough Transform (MIHT) and ICP to register 3D data. The proposed algorithm works directly with the raw 3D laser points and does not assume point-to-point correspondence between two laser scans. The algorithm can simultaneously establish correspondence between two surfaces and estimates the transformation parameters relating them. Experiment with two partially overlapping laser scans of a small object is performed with the proposed algorithm and shows successful registration. A high quality of fit between the two scans is achieved and improvement is found when compared to the results obtained using the spin-image technique. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed algorithm for registering 3D laser scanning data in close-range mapping applications to help with the generation of complete 3D models.

Laser techniques for radioactive decontamination gives metallic surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar Alracon, L.; Molina, G.; Vizuet Gonzalez, J.

1998-01-01

In this work it presented the prototype for system decontamination at diverse component with removable superficial contamination, using the technique gives laser ablation, for the evaporation at the pollutant. It discusses the principle in the fact that system, as well as the different elements that compose it. The are presented the obtained results when irradiating with a laser a surface without radioactive contamination to verify the system operation

Report of the 2nd research co-ordination meeting on reference materials for microanalytical nuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

Many microanalytical procedure require specific natural-matrix reference materials containing very low levels of trace elements and having a high degree of homogeneity. This proposed CRP will specifically address the question of quality control materials for these techniques. The participants of the meeting discussed the requirements for certified reference materials to by used in microanalysis with particular emphasis on the homogeneity issues. This publication contains summary of the discussions along with conclusions and recommendations made by the participants. The publication also contains ten individual presentations delivered by the participants. Each of the individual papers has been provided with an abstract and indexed separately

A reference data set for validating vapor pressure measurement techniques: homologous series of polyethylene glycols

Science.gov (United States)

Krieger, Ulrich K.; Siegrist, Franziska; Marcolli, Claudia; Emanuelsson, Eva U.; Gøbel, Freya M.; Bilde, Merete; Marsh, Aleksandra; Reid, Jonathan P.; Huisman, Andrew J.; Riipinen, Ilona; Hyttinen, Noora; Myllys, Nanna; Kurtén, Theo; Bannan, Thomas; Percival, Carl J.; Topping, David

2018-01-01

To predict atmospheric partitioning of organic compounds between gas and aerosol particle phase based on explicit models for gas phase chemistry, saturation vapor pressures of the compounds need to be estimated. Estimation methods based on functional group contributions require training sets of compounds with well-established saturation vapor pressures. However, vapor pressures of semivolatile and low-volatility organic molecules at atmospheric temperatures reported in the literature often differ by several orders of magnitude between measurement techniques. These discrepancies exceed the stated uncertainty of each technique which is generally reported to be smaller than a factor of 2. At present, there is no general reference technique for measuring saturation vapor pressures of atmospherically relevant compounds with low vapor pressures at atmospheric temperatures. To address this problem, we measured vapor pressures with different techniques over a wide temperature range for intercomparison and to establish a reliable training set. We determined saturation vapor pressures for the homologous series of polyethylene glycols (H - (O - CH2 - CH2)n - OH) for n = 3 to n = 8 ranging in vapor pressure at 298 K from 10-7 to 5×10-2 Pa and compare them with quantum chemistry calculations. Such a homologous series provides a reference set that covers several orders of magnitude in saturation vapor pressure, allowing a critical assessment of the lower limits of detection of vapor pressures for the different techniques as well as permitting the identification of potential sources of systematic error. Also, internal consistency within the series allows outlying data to be rejected more easily. Most of the measured vapor pressures agreed within the stated uncertainty range. Deviations mostly occurred for vapor pressure values approaching the lower detection limit of a technique. The good agreement between the measurement techniques (some of which are sensitive to the mass

Surface crack testing - state of technique and trends in development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Seminar contains 12 lectures on the following subjects: State of technique in magnetic powder testing (K. Goebbels); Recognisability of faults and probability of faults in surface crack testing (W. Morgner); Requirements for picture processing systems for proving and assessing crack indications (M. Stadthaus); Possibilities and limits of automatic crack recognition in magnetic powder testing (V. Deutsch); Development of equipment for eddy current testing (M. Junger); Signal processing - a way of improving the recognisability of faults in eddy current testing (R. Becker); Methods of testing steel products for surface faults and their practical limits of fault recognisability (D. Thiery); Surface crack testing in pipe manufacture (R. Pawelletz); Surface crack testing in powerstation construction (L. v. Bernus); Trends in automation in surface crack testing (G. Maier); Eddy current testing in engine construction (E. Dickhaut); Eddy current testing in aircraft repair (F. Schur). (orig.) [de

Developments in surface contamination and cleaning fundamentals and applied aspects

CERN Document Server

Kohli, Rajiv

2015-01-01

Developments in Surface Contamination and Cleaning, Vol. 1: Fundamentals and Applied Aspects, Second Edition, provides an excellent source of information on alternative cleaning techniques and methods for characterization of surface contamination and validation. Each volume in this series contains a particular topical focus, covering the key techniques and recent developments in the area. This volume forms the heart of the series, covering the fundamentals and application aspects, characterization of surface contaminants, and methods for removal of surface contamination. In addition, new cleaning techniques effective at smaller scales are considered and employed for removal where conventional cleaning techniques fail, along with new cleaning techniques for molecular contaminants. The Volume is edited by the leading experts in small particle surface contamination and cleaning, providing an invaluable reference for researchers and engineers in R&D, manufacturing, quality control, and procurement specific...

Beta Autoradiography. An analytical technique to investigate radionuclides contamination on surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ficher, P.; Goutelard, F.; Siitari-Kauppi, M.

2012-01-01

In decommissioning of old buildings and after disposal of nuclear facilities (materials, glove boxes,...), the inventory of the radioactive contamination of various building materials needs to be obtained in order to fix the working condition for dismantling. The challenge of this study was to classify different building materials of a whole research laboratory that was dedicated to research on organic molecules labeled with H-3 and C-14. The problem of waste classification is essential for safety treatment of waste and also for its cost. The analytical technique of beta autoradiography particularly well known for biological researches has been tested to investigate radionuclides contamination on surface. This technique is mainly interesting for beta and alpha emitters but also sensitive to gamma radiation. The first step of this technique is the deposit of a film on the surface of material to be analyzed. Films can be deposited on the ground or also fixed on the walls or even on the ceiling. The film is a plastic sheet covered with an emulsion containing photostimulable crystals and Eu that is activated when the film is exposed on radioactive source. The exposed films are then scanned with the Cyclone Plus equipment to get a digitized image. This image represents the radioactivity of the surface studied. The possibility to re-use the films is very important to investigate a large area. This autoradiography technique has retained our attention for its sensitivity and moreover the possibility of 2-dimensional investigation has been found as a real advantage. However it remains now as a qualitative technique and new studies must be launched to prove its quantitative potentialities. The high spatial resolution was not as important as in biological observation, and the mm resolution is totally sufficient

Nuclear and isotopic techniques for addressing nutritional problems, with special reference to current applications in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Iyengar, Venkatesh

2002-03-01

Nuclear and isotopic techniques are valuable tools in human nutritional research studies. Isotopes, both radioactive and nonradioactive, enable detailed evaluations of nutrient intake, body composition, energy expenditure, status of micronutrients, and nutrient bioavailability. In recent times, isotopic methods have been widely used in a number of coordinated research projects and technical cooperation projects of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Nutrition Programme. The doubly labeled water technique combines the use of the stable isotopes oxygen-18 and hydrogen-2 (deuterium) to measure total energy expenditure in free-living human subjects, and to investigate the magnitude and causes of both undernutrition and the emergence of obesity in developing countries. The deuterium dilution technique is a reliable tool to measure breastmilk intake and thereby infant growth and development. In collaboration with the World Health Organization's Growth Monitoring Program, this technique is being used to generate new data on growth standards for children in developing countries. This technique is also used in the measurement of body composition by the estimation of lean body mass and fat mass in individuals. Stable isotopes of iron and zinc have been successfully used to assess the nutritional impact of several nationwide food supplementation-programs conducted on pregnant and lactating women and children in both industrialized and developing countries. Isotopic techniques are especially suitable for monitoring changes in body composition, energy metabolism, and mineral status (with particular reference to osteoporosis) in the elderly. Nuclear methods have also served to develop models for a physiological reference man in Asia in support of radiological health and safety issues, for establishing elemental composition of foods, and for measurement of pollutants in the environment.

A wafer mapping technique for residual stress in surface micromachined films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiavone, G; Murray, J; Smith, S; Walton, A J; Desmulliez, M P Y; Mount, A R

2016-01-01

The design of MEMS devices employing movable structures is crucially dependant on the mechanical behaviour of the deposited materials. It is therefore important to be able to fully characterize the micromachined films and predict with confidence the mechanical properties of patterned structures. This paper presents a characterization technique that enables the residual stress in MEMS films to be mapped at the wafer level by using microstructures released by surface micromachining. These dedicated MEMS test structures and the associated measurement techniques are used to extract localized information on the strain and Young’s modulus of the film under investigation. The residual stress is then determined by numerically coupling this data with a finite element analysis of the structure. This paper illustrates the measurement routine and demonstrates it with a case study using electrochemically deposited alloys of nickel and iron, particularly prone to develop high levels of residual stress. The results show that the technique enables wafer mapping of film non-uniformities and identifies wafer-to-wafer differences. A comparison between the results obtained from the mapping technique and conventional wafer bow measurements highlights the benefits of using a procedure tailored to films that are non-uniform, patterned and surface-micromachined, as opposed to simple standard stress extraction methods. The presented technique reveals detailed information that is generally unexplored when using conventional stress extraction methods such as wafer bow measurements. (paper)

Improved Nanomechanical Test Techniques for Surface Engineered Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen R. Goodes

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The development and implementation of a wide range of innovative nanomechanical test techniques to solve tribological problems in applications as diverse as biomedical and automotive are described in this review. For improved wear resistance and durability, the importance of understanding the system response rather than the coating-only properties is emphasized. There are many applications involving mechanical contact where the key to understanding the problem is to test at higher load and to combine reliable measurements taken across different length scales using both nano- and micro-indentation and related wear measurement techniques which more closely simulate contact conditions to fully understand the mechanical behaviour and hence deliver improved application performance. Results are presented with the NanoTest platform for applications for biomedical devices and surface engineering of lightweight alloys for the automotive industry. By combining results with different techniques it is possible to postulate predictive design rules – based on the elastic and plastic deformation energies involved in contact - to aid the reliable optimisation of mechanical properties in the various contact situations in the different applications.

Selective bibliography of surface coal mining and reclamation literature. Volume 1. Eastern coal province. [More than 1300 references

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weiss, N. E.; Sobek, A. A.; Streib, D. L.

1977-11-01

This bibliography has been compiled for use by researchers, students, and other groups who need a reference source of published literature related to surface coal mining and reclamation in the Eastern Coal Province. This bibliography contains more than 1300 references including government reports, journal articles, symposium proceedings, industrial reports, workshop proceedings, theses, and bibliographices. A simple format was used to categorize citations.

Probing droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces by synchrotron radiation scattering techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Accardo, Angelo [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, Genova 16163 (Italy); Di Fabrizio, Enzo [KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); BIONEM Lab at University Magna Graecia, Campus Salvatore Venuta, Viale Europa 88100, Germaneto-Catanzaro (Italy); Limongi, Tania [KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); Marinaro, Giovanni [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, Genova 16163 (Italy); European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex (France); Riekel, Christian, E-mail: riekel@esrf.fr [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex (France)

2014-06-10

A comprehensive review about the use of micro- and nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces as a tool for in situ X-ray scattering investigations of soft matter and biological materials. Droplets on artificially structured superhydrophobic surfaces represent quasi contact-free sample environments which can be probed by X-ray microbeams and nanobeams in the absence of obstructing walls. This review will discuss basic surface wettability concepts and introduce the technology of structuring surfaces. Quasi contact-free droplets are compared with contact-free droplets; processes related to deposition and evaporation on solid surfaces are discussed. Droplet coalescence based on the electrowetting effect allows the probing of short-time mixing and reaction processes. The review will show for several materials of biological interest that structural processes related to conformational changes, nucleation and assembly during droplet evaporation can be spatially and temporally resolved by raster-scan diffraction techniques. Orientational ordering of anisotropic materials deposited during solidification at pinning sites facilitates the interpretation of structural data.

Probing droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces by synchrotron radiation scattering techniques

KAUST Repository

Accardo, Angelo

2014-06-10

Droplets on artificially structured superhydrophobic surfaces represent quasi contact-free sample environments which can be probed by X-ray microbeams and nanobeams in the absence of obstructing walls. This review will discuss basic surface wettability concepts and introduce the technology of structuring surfaces. Quasi contact-free droplets are compared with contact-free droplets; processes related to deposition and evaporation on solid surfaces are discussed. Droplet coalescence based on the electrowetting effect allows the probing of short-time mixing and reaction processes. The review will show for several materials of biological interest that structural processes related to conformational changes, nucleation and assembly during droplet evaporation can be spatially and temporally resolved by raster-scan diffraction techniques. Orientational ordering of anisotropic materials deposited during solidification at pinning sites facilitates the interpretation of structural data. 2014 International Union of Crystallography.

Probing droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces by synchrotron radiation scattering techniques

KAUST Repository

Accardo, Angelo; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Limongi, Tania; Marinaro, Giovanni; Riekel, Christian

2014-01-01

Droplets on artificially structured superhydrophobic surfaces represent quasi contact-free sample environments which can be probed by X-ray microbeams and nanobeams in the absence of obstructing walls. This review will discuss basic surface wettability concepts and introduce the technology of structuring surfaces. Quasi contact-free droplets are compared with contact-free droplets; processes related to deposition and evaporation on solid surfaces are discussed. Droplet coalescence based on the electrowetting effect allows the probing of short-time mixing and reaction processes. The review will show for several materials of biological interest that structural processes related to conformational changes, nucleation and assembly during droplet evaporation can be spatially and temporally resolved by raster-scan diffraction techniques. Orientational ordering of anisotropic materials deposited during solidification at pinning sites facilitates the interpretation of structural data. 2014 International Union of Crystallography.

Data Analysis Techniques for a Lunar Surface Navigation System Testbed

Science.gov (United States)

Chelmins, David; Sands, O. Scott; Swank, Aaron

2011-01-01

NASA is interested in finding new methods of surface navigation to allow astronauts to navigate on the lunar surface. In support of the Vision for Space Exploration, the NASA Glenn Research Center developed the Lunar Extra-Vehicular Activity Crewmember Location Determination System and performed testing at the Desert Research and Technology Studies event in 2009. A significant amount of sensor data was recorded during nine tests performed with six test subjects. This paper provides the procedure, formulas, and techniques for data analysis, as well as commentary on applications.

Immobilization Techniques for Microarray: Challenges and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satish Balasaheb Nimse

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The highly programmable positioning of molecules (biomolecules, nanoparticles, nanobeads, nanocomposites materials on surfaces has potential applications in the fields of biosensors, biomolecular electronics, and nanodevices. However, the conventional techniques including self-assembled monolayers fail to position the molecules on the nanometer scale to produce highly organized monolayers on the surface. The present article elaborates different techniques for the immobilization of the biomolecules on the surface to produce microarrays and their diagnostic applications. The advantages and the drawbacks of various methods are compared. This article also sheds light on the applications of the different technologies for the detection and discrimination of viral/bacterial genotypes and the detection of the biomarkers. A brief survey with 115 references covering the last 10 years on the biological applications of microarrays in various fields is also provided.

Effect of Different Cutting Techniques on the Surface Morphology and Composition of Niobium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, C.A.; Wu, A.; Bauer, P.; Antoine, C.

2009-01-01

The surface morphology and chemical purity of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) niobium cavities are very important for proper accelerator operation. Typically on the order of 120 micrometers of niobium (Nb) is removed from cavities to remove damage done during the forming of Nb sheets and cavities. A study was done to find the effect of cutting or finishing Nb with a band saw, diamond saw, electrical discharge machining (EDM) wire, garnet water jet, sheer, and mill. Surface contamination of the samples was measured before and after buffered chemical polish (BCP) by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and by measuring relative resistivity ratios (RRRs). Surface morphology was examined with a digital microscope, a surface profilometer and scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found that all techniques altered the top 3-5 micrometers of the Nb. It was also found by SIMS that the water jet technique introduced the most hydrogen and oxygen to the Nb in the first 2.5 micrometers of the sample. The EDM wire cutting technique introduced the least amount of hydrogen to the Nb. After 5 micrometers were etched away by BCP on the various samples, no contaminants were found except on the water jet cut samples. Even after 20 micrometers of Nb removal silica could be seen on the surface with EDS. The water jet produced the roughest surface with 50-100 micrometer deep pits made from embedded garnet particles. It was found that the garnet water jet damages the surface to the point where even the typical 120 micrometers of BCP etching may not remove all the defects created

Digital holography based on multiwavelength spatial-bandwidth-extended capturing-technique using a reference arm (Multi-SPECTRA).

Science.gov (United States)

Tahara, Tatsuki; Kaku, Toru; Arai, Yasuhiko

2014-12-01

Single-shot digital holography based on multiwavelength spatial-bandwidth-extended capturing-technique using a reference arm (Multi-SPECTRA) is proposed. Both amplitude and quantitative phase distributions of waves containing multiple wavelengths are simultaneously recorded with a single reference arm in a single monochromatic image. Then, multiple wavelength information is separately extracted in the spatial frequency domain. The crosstalk between the object waves with different wavelengths is avoided and the number of wavelengths recorded with both a single-shot exposure and no crosstalk can be increased, by a large spatial carrier that causes the aliasing, and/or by use of a grating. The validity of Multi-SPECTRA is quantitatively, numerically, and experimentally confirmed.

Evaluation of shot peened surfaces using characterization technique of three-dimensional surface topography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurokawa, S; Ariura, Y

2005-01-01

Objective parameters to characterize global topography of three-dimensional surfaces have been derived. The idea of this evaluation is to separate the topography into two global form deviations and residual ones according to the degree of curved surfaces. A shot peened Almen strip is measured by profilometer and concrete parameters of inclination and circular-arc shaped global topography are extracted using the characterization technique. The arc height is calculated using the circular arc-shaped part and compared with a value measured by an Almen gauge. The relation between the coverage and roughness parameters is also investigated. The advantage of this evaluation is that it is possible to determine the arc height and the coverage at the same time from single measured topography. In addition, human error can be excluded from measurement results. This method has the wide application in the field of measurement

Managing the Cost Overrun Risks of Hydroelectric Dams: An Application of Reference Class Forecasting Techniques

OpenAIRE

Omotola Awojobi; Glenn P. Jenkins

2015-01-01

Hydropower investments have been subject to intense criticism over environmental issues and the common experience with cost uncertainty. In this study we address the issue of uncertainty in cost projections by applying reference class forecasting (RCF) in order to improve the reliability of costs used for making decisions under uncertainty. This technique makes it possible to closely link contingency estimates to the likely incidence of uncertainty of construction costs for hydroelectric dams...

A surface flaw sizing study by time-of-flight ultrasonic technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamy, C.A.

1990-07-01

In this work, sizing of inclined slits and surface cracks in ferritic steel using the ultrasonic time-of-flight technique was studied. The surface cracks were vertical and inclined, nut the slits were only inclined. It was surface Rayleigh wave that was converted to shear wave mode in the material. The specimens with surface crack were submitted to a three four point loading fracture mechanics tests, so that the region of the crack tip became under an increasing tensile stress. Thus, the ultrasonic crack sizing could be compared to the material stress intensity factor (K) of the material for different loadings. Results show that the greater the slope and/or lenght of the slits the greater its subsizing. Vertical cracks int he parent metal are reliably and accuratly sized; in the weld the same remark held if one increases the gain of ultrasonic flaw detector to compensate for the weld attenuation phenomenon. Sizing of inclined cracks in the parent metal shows the same trends of the inclined slits, differing only in slopes over 30 sup(0) where the sizing in surface cracks is no longer reliable. A new appraisal procedure here proposed made reliable these results. The techniques employed in this work lead to reliable and accurate results for sizing of different slits and cracks. It should be noted however that good results are only obtained if a tensile stress state exists in the neighbourhood of the c rack tip. (author)

Surface flatness measurement of quasi-parallel plates employing three-beam interference with strong reference beam

Science.gov (United States)

Sunderland, Zofia; Patorski, Krzysztof

2016-12-01

A big challenge for standard interferogram analysis methods such as Temporal Phase Shifting or Fourier Transform is a parasitic set of fringes which might occur in the analyzed fringe pattern intensity distribution. It is encountered, for example, when transparent glass plates with quasi-parallel surfaces are tested in Fizeau or Twyman-Green interferometers. Besides the beams reflected from the plate front surface and the interferometer reference the beam reflected from the plate rear surface also plays important role; its amplitude is comparable with the amplitude of other beams. In result we face three families of fringes of high contrast which cannot be easily separated. Earlier we proposed a competitive solution for flatness measurements which relies on eliminating one of those fringe sets from the three-beam interferogram and separating two remaining ones with the use of 2D Continuous Wavelet Transform. In this work we cover the case when the intensity of the reference beam is significantly higher than the intensities of two object beams. The main advantage of differentiating beam intensities is the change in contrast of individual fringe families. Processing of such three-beam interferograms is modified but also takes advantage of 2D CWT. We show how to implement this method in Twyman-Green and Fizeau setups and compare this processing path and measurement procedures with previously proposed solutions.

Two new techniques for the remote evaluation of reactor steel condition - microscopic removal and surface examination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clayton, R.

Much reactor inspection work involves an assessment of the condition of structural steel. This paper reviews two different techniques which provide information for such an assessment. The first - micro-sample removal (for the measurement of surface oxide thickness and chemical composition) - requires contact with the steel surface, whereas the second - a 'teach and learn' photographic technique (in which a special photogrammatic camera is used to obtain high-quality close-up photographs, to assess surface condition and corrosion growth) can obtain surface information on inaccessible components. (author)

In vivo modulation of foreign body response on polyurethane by surface entrapment technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Khandwekar, Anand P; Patil, Deepak P; Hardikar, Anand A; Shouche, Yogesh S; Doble, Mukesh

2010-11-01

Implanted polymeric materials, such as medical devices, provoke the body to initiate an inflammatory reaction, known as the foreign body response (FBR), which causes several complications. In this study, polyurethane (Tecoflex®, PU) surface modified with the nonionic surfactant Tween80® (PU/T80) and the cell adhesive PLL-RGD peptide (PU/PLL-RGD) by a previously described entrapment technique were implanted in the peritoneal cavity of Wistar rats for 30 days. Implants were retrieved and examined for tissue reactivity and cellular adherence by various microscopic and analytical techniques. Surface-induced inflammatory response was assessed by real-time PCR based quantification of proinflammatory cytokine transcripts, namely, TNF-α and IL-1β, normalized to housekeeping gene GAPDH. Cellular adherence and their distribution profile were assessed by microscopic examination of H&E stained implant sections. It was observed that PU/PLL-RGD followed by the bare PU surface exhibited severe inflammatory and fibrotic response with an average mean thickness of 19 and 12 μm, respectively, in 30 days. In contrast, PU/T80 surface showed only a cellular monolayer of 2-3 μm in thickness, with a mild inflammatory response and no fibrotic encapsulation. The PU/PLL-RGD peptide-modified substrate promoted an enhanced rate of macrophage cell fusion to form foreign body giant cell (FBGCs), whereas FBGCs were rarely observed on Tween80®-modified substrate. The expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) were upregulated on PU/PLL-RGD surface followed by bare PU, whereas the cytokine expressions were significantly suppressed on PU/T80 surface. Thus, our study highlights modulation of foreign body response on polyurethane surfaces through surface entrapment technique in the form of differential responses observed on PLL-RGD and Tween80® modified surfaces with the former effective in triggering tissue cell adhesion thereby fibrous encapsulation, while the later

A comparative study on surface morphology from the HgI2 semiconductors prepared by different techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Joao F.T.; Ferraz, Caue de M.; Santos, Robinson A. dos; Mesquita, Carlos H. de; Hamada, Margarida M.

2013-01-01

The impurity effect in the surface morphology quality of HgI 2 crystals was evaluated, aiming a future application of these crystals as room temperature radiation semiconductor detector. The crystals were purified and grown by two techniques: (1) physical vapor transport (PVT) and (2) saturated solution from dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) complexes. Systematic measurements were carried out for determining the stoichiometry, structure orientation, surface morphology and impurity of the crystal. The best quality of surface morphology was found for the crystals purified and grown by the PVT technique. Significant decrease in the impurity concentration was found, purifying the crystal by means of two successive growths by the PVT technique, while a Si contamination in the HgI 2 crystal was observed, during its growth by the DMSO method. Thus, for DMSO technique was not possible to identify the peaks of the other trace elements present as impurities in the PVT crystal, due to the high intensity of the Si peak in the DMSO crystal. It was demonstrated the impurities affect significantly the surface morphology quality from the HgI 2 crystal. Key Words: Semiconductor crystal, Radiation detector, Mercury Iodide crystal, surface morphology. (author)

Ion beam analysis of metal ion implanted surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, P.J.; Chu, J.W.; Johnson, E.P.; Noorman, J.T. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia); Sood, D.K. [Royal Melbourne Inst. of Tech., VIC (Australia)

1993-12-31

Ion implantation is an established method for altering the surface properties of many materials. While a variety of analytical techniques are available for the characterisation of implanted surfaces, those based on particle accelerators such as Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) provide some of the most useful and powerful for this purpose. Application of the latter techniques to metal ion implantation research at ANSTO will be described with particular reference to specific examples from recent studies. Where possible, the information obtained from ion beam analysis will be compared with that derived from other techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Auger spectroscopies. 4 refs., 5 figs.

Ion beam analysis of metal ion implanted surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, P J; Chu, J W; Johnson, E P; Noorman, J T [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia); Sood, D K [Royal Melbourne Inst. of Tech., VIC (Australia)

1994-12-31

Ion implantation is an established method for altering the surface properties of many materials. While a variety of analytical techniques are available for the characterisation of implanted surfaces, those based on particle accelerators such as Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) provide some of the most useful and powerful for this purpose. Application of the latter techniques to metal ion implantation research at ANSTO will be described with particular reference to specific examples from recent studies. Where possible, the information obtained from ion beam analysis will be compared with that derived from other techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Auger spectroscopies. 4 refs., 5 figs.

Ion beam analysis of metal ion implanted surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, P.J.; Chu, J.W.; Johnson, E.P.; Noorman, J.T.; Sood, D.K.

1993-01-01

Ion implantation is an established method for altering the surface properties of many materials. While a variety of analytical techniques are available for the characterisation of implanted surfaces, those based on particle accelerators such as Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) provide some of the most useful and powerful for this purpose. Application of the latter techniques to metal ion implantation research at ANSTO will be described with particular reference to specific examples from recent studies. Where possible, the information obtained from ion beam analysis will be compared with that derived from other techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Auger spectroscopies. 4 refs., 5 figs

Towards convective heat transfer enhancement: surface modification, characterization and measurement techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Taha, T.J.; Thakur, D.B.; van der Meer, Theodorus H.

2012-01-01

In this work, heat transfer surface modification and heat transfer measurement technique is developed. Heat transfer investigation was aimed to study the effect of carbon nano fibers (extremely high thermal conductive material) on the enhancement level in heat transfer. Synthesis of these carbon

Testing photogrammetry-based techniques for three-dimensional surface documentation in forensic pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Urbanová, Petra; Hejna, Petr; Jurda, Mikoláš

2015-05-01

Three-dimensional surface technologies particularly close range photogrammetry and optical surface scanning have recently advanced into affordable, flexible and accurate techniques. Forensic postmortem investigation as performed on a daily basis, however, has not yet fully benefited from their potentials. In the present paper, we tested two approaches to 3D external body documentation - digital camera-based photogrammetry combined with commercial Agisoft PhotoScan(®) software and stereophotogrammetry-based Vectra H1(®), a portable handheld surface scanner. In order to conduct the study three human subjects were selected, a living person, a 25-year-old female, and two forensic cases admitted for postmortem examination at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic (both 63-year-old males), one dead to traumatic, self-inflicted, injuries (suicide by hanging), the other diagnosed with the heart failure. All three cases were photographed in 360° manner with a Nikon 7000 digital camera and simultaneously documented with the handheld scanner. In addition to having recorded the pre-autopsy phase of the forensic cases, both techniques were employed in various stages of autopsy. The sets of collected digital images (approximately 100 per case) were further processed to generate point clouds and 3D meshes. Final 3D models (a pair per individual) were counted for numbers of points and polygons, then assessed visually and compared quantitatively using ICP alignment algorithm and a cloud point comparison technique based on closest point to point distances. Both techniques were proven to be easy to handle and equally laborious. While collecting the images at autopsy took around 20min, the post-processing was much more time-demanding and required up to 10h of computation time. Moreover, for the full-body scanning the post-processing of the handheld scanner required rather time-consuming manual image alignment. In all instances the applied approaches

Rotary bending fatigue properties of Inconel 718 alloys by ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun-Hyong Kim

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the influence of ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM technique on fatigue properties of SAE AMS 5662 (solution treatment of Inconel 718 alloys. The fatigue properties of the specimens were investigated using a rotary bending fatigue tester. Results revealed that the UNSM-treated specimens showed longer fatigue life in comparison with those of the untreated specimens. The improvement in fatigue life of the UNSM-treated specimens is attributed mainly to the induced compressive residual stress, increased hardness, reduced roughness and refined grains at the top surface. Fractured surfaces were analysed using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM in order to give insight into the effectiveness of UNSM technique on fracture mechanisms and fatigue life.

An outline of reference materials for analysis techniques in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yuanxun; Qian Yine; Zhang Yongping; Tong Yongpeng

1994-01-01

This paper provides background information on the development in the field of reference materials in China. The major considerations in development of reference materials include homogeneity, stability, handling procedures and certification. Further it discusses the plans for development in the near future specific natural-matrix reference materials containing low levels of trace elements and having high degree of homogeneity

An outline of reference materials for analysis techniques in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuanxun, Zhang; Yine, Qian; Yongping, Zhang; Yongpeng, Tong [Shanghai Institute of Nuclear Research, Academia Sinica (China)

1994-07-01

This paper provides background information on the development in the field of reference materials in China. The major considerations in development of reference materials include homogeneity, stability, handling procedures and certification. Further it discusses the plans for development in the near future specific natural-matrix reference materials containing low levels of trace elements and having high degree of homogeneity.

Technique of semiautomatic surface reconstruction of the visible Korean human data using commercial software.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jin Seo; Shin, Dong Sun; Chung, Min Suk; Hwang, Sung Bae; Chung, Jinoh

2007-11-01

This article describes the technique of semiautomatic surface reconstruction of anatomic structures using widely available commercial software. This technique would enable researchers to promptly and objectively perform surface reconstruction, creating three-dimensional anatomic images without any assistance from computer engineers. To develop the technique, we used data from the Visible Korean Human project, which produced digitalized photographic serial images of an entire cadaver. We selected 114 anatomic structures (skin [1], bones [32], knee joint structures [7], muscles [60], arteries [7], and nerves [7]) from the 976 anatomic images which were generated from the left lower limb of the cadaver. Using Adobe Photoshop, the selected anatomic structures in each serial image were outlined, creating a segmented image. The Photoshop files were then converted into Adobe Illustrator files to prepare isolated segmented images, so that the contours of the structure could be viewed independent of the surrounding anatomy. Using Alias Maya, these isolated segmented images were then stacked to construct a contour image. Gaps between the contour lines were filled with surfaces, and three-dimensional surface reconstruction could be visualized with Rhinoceros. Surface imperfections were then corrected to complete the three-dimensional images in Alias Maya. We believe that the three-dimensional anatomic images created by these methods will have widespread application in both medical education and research. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Do reference surfaces influence exocentric pointing?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doumen, M. J A; Kappers, A. M L; Koenderink, Jan J.

All elements of the visual field are known to influence the perception of the egocentric distances of objects. Not only the ground surface of a scene, but also the surface at the back or other objects in the scene can affect an observer's egocentric distance estimation of an object. We tested

Model reference adaptive control (MRAC)-based parameter identification applied to surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Chongquan; Lin, Yaoyao

2017-11-01

In this work, a model reference adaptive control-based estimated algorithm is proposed for online multi-parameter identification of surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous machines. By taking the dq-axis equations of a practical motor as the reference model and the dq-axis estimation equations as the adjustable model, a standard model-reference-adaptive-system-based estimator was established. Additionally, the Popov hyperstability principle was used in the design of the adaptive law to guarantee accurate convergence. In order to reduce the oscillation of identification result, this work introduces a first-order low-pass digital filter to improve precision regarding the parameter estimation. The proposed scheme was then applied to an SPM synchronous motor control system without any additional circuits and implemented using a DSP TMS320LF2812. For analysis, the experimental results reveal the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Do reference surfaces influence exocentric pointing?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doumen, M.J.A.; Kappers, A.M.L.; Koenderink, J.J.

2008-01-01

All elements of the visual field are known to influence the perception of the egocentric distances of objects. Not only the ground surface of a scene, but also the surface at the back or other objects in the scene can affect an observer’s egocentric distance estimation of an object. We tested

New perspectives in hydrodynamic radial polishing techniques for optical surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Elfego; Sohn, Erika; Luna, Esteban; Salas, Luis; Cordero, Alberto; González, Jorge; Núñez, Manuel; Salinas, Javier; Cruz-González, Irene; Valdés, Jorge; Cabrera, Victor; Martínez, Benjamín

2004-09-01

In order to overcome classic polishing techniques, a novel hydrodynamic radial polishing tool (HyDRa) is presented; it is useful for the corrective lapping and fine polishing of diverse materials by means of a low-cost abrasive flux and a hydrostatic suspension system that avoids contact of the tool with the working surface. This tool enables the work on flat or curved surfaces of currently up to two and a half meters in diameter. It has the advantage of avoiding fallen edges during the polishing process as well as reducing tool wear out and deformation. The functioning principle is based on the generation of a high-velocity, high-pressure, abrasive emulsion flux with radial geometry. The polishing process is repeatable by means of the control of the tool operational parameters, achieving high degrees of precision and accuracy on optical and semiconductor surfaces, with removal rates of up to 9 mm3/hour and promising excellent surface polishing qualities. An additional advantage of this new tool is the possibility to perform interferometric measurements during the polishing process without the need of dismounting the working surface. A series of advantages of this method, numerical simulations and experimental results are described.

Defining reference conditions for acidified waters using a modern analogue approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, Gavin L.; Shilland, Ewan M.; Winterbottom, Julie M.; Keay, Janey

2005-01-01

Analogue matching is a palaeolimnological technique that aims to find matches for fossil sediment samples from a set of modern surface sediment samples. Modern analogues were identified that closely matched the pre-disturbance conditions of eight of the UK Acid Waters Monitoring Network (AWMN) lakes using diatom- and cladoceran-based analogue matching. These analogue sites were assessed in terms of hydrochemistry, aquatic macrophytes and macro-invertebrates as to their suitability for defining wider hydrochemical and biological reference conditions for acidified sites within the AWMN. The analogues identified for individual AWMN sites show a close degree of similarity in terms of their hydrochemical characteristics, aquatic macrophytes and, to a lesser extent, macro-invertebrate fauna. The reference conditions of acidified AWMN sites are inferred to be less acidic than today and to support a wider range of acid-sensitive aquatic macrophyte and macro-invertebrate taxa than that recorded in the AWMN lakes over the period of monitoring since 1988. - The use of a palaeolimnological technique to identify modern ecological reference analogues for acidified lakes is demonstrated

Development of inspection techniques for quantitatively measuring surface contamination on SRM hardware

Science.gov (United States)

Law, R. D.

1989-01-01

A contaminant is any material or substance which is potentially undesirable or which may adversely affect any part, component, or assembly. Contamination control of SRM hardware surfaces is a serious concern, for both Thiokol and NASA, with particular concern for contaminants which may adversely affect bonding surfaces. The purpose of this study is to develop laboratory analytical techniques which will make it possible to certify the cleanliness of any designated surface, with special focus on particulates (dust, dirt, lint, etc.), oils (hydrocarbons, silicones, plasticizers, etc.), and greases (HD-2, fluorocarbon grease, etc.). The hardware surfaces of concern will include D6AC steel, aluminum alloys, anodized aluminum alloys, glass/phenolic, carbon/phenolic, NBR/asbestos-silica, and EPDM rubber.

Surface Ionization and Soft Landing Techniques in Mass Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Futrell, Jean H.; Laskin, Julia

2010-01-01

The advent of soft ionization techniques, notably electrospray and laser desorption ionization methods, has extended mass spectrometric methods to large molecules and molecular complexes. This both greatly expands applications of mass spectrometry and makes the activation and dissociation of complex ions an integral part of large molecule mass spectrometry. A corollary of the much greater number of internal degrees of freedom and high density of states associated with molecular complexity is that internal energies much higher than the dissociation energies for competing fragmentation processes are required for observable fragmentation in time scales sampled by mass spectrometers. This article describes the kinetics of surface-induced dissociation (SID), a particularly efficient activation method for complex ions. Two very important characteristics of SID are very rapid, sub-picosecond activation and precise control of ion internal energy by varying ion collision energy. The nature of the surface plays an important role in SID, determining both efficiency and mechanism of ion activation. Surface composition and morphology strongly influence the relative importance of competing reactions of SID, ion capture (soft-landing), surface reaction and neutralization. The important features of SID and ion soft-landing are described briefly in this review and more fully in the recommended reading list.

The accuracy of the lateral vertebral notch-referred pedicle screw insertion technique in subaxial cervical spine: a human cadaver study.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Jiaquan; Wu, Chunyang; Huang, Zhongren; Pan, Zhimin; Li, Zhiyun; Zhong, Junlong; Chen, Yiwei; Han, Zhimin; Cao, Kai

2017-04-01

This is a cadaver specimen study to confirm new pedicle screw (PS) entry point and trajectory for subaxial cervical PS insertion. To assess the accuracy of the lateral vertebral notch-referred PS insertion technique in subaxial cervical spine in cadaver cervical spine. Reported morphometric landmarks used to guide the surgeon in PS insertion show significant variability. In the previous study, we proposed a new technique (as called "notch-referred" technique) primarily based on coronal multiplane reconstruction images (CMRI) and cortical integrity after PS insertion in cadavers. However, the PS position in cadaveric cervical segment was not confirmed radiologically. Therefore, the difference between the pedicle trajectory and the PS trajectory using the notch-referred technique needs to be illuminated. Twelve cadaveric cervical spines were conducted with PS insertion using the lateral vertebral notch-referred technique. The guideline for entry point and trajectory for each vertebra was established based on the morphometric data from our previous study. After 3.5-mm diameter screw insertion, each vertebra was dissected and inspected for pedicle trajectory by CT scan. The pedicle trajectory and PS trajectory were measured and compared in axial plane. The perforation rate was assessed radiologically and was graded from ideal to unacceptable: Grade 0 = screw in pedicle; Grade I = perforation of pedicle wall less than one-fourth of the screw diameter; Grade II = perforation more than one-fourth of the screw diameter but less than one-second; Grade III = perforation more than one-second outside of the screw diameter. In addition, pedicle width between the acceptable and unacceptable screws was compared. A total of 120 pedicle screws were inserted. The perforation rate of pedicle screws was 78.3% in grade 0 (excellent PS position), 10.0% in grade I (good PS position), 8.3% in grade II (fair PS position), and 3.3% in grade III (poor PS position). The

Techniques for removing contaminants from optical surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stowers, I.F.; Patton, H.G.

1978-01-01

Particle removal procedures such as plasma cleaning, ultrasonic agitation of solvents, detergents, solvent wiping, mild abrasives, vapor degreasing, high pressure solvent spraying and others have been evaluated and the results are reported here. Wiping with a lens tissue wetted with an organic solvent and high pressure fluid spraying are the only methods by which particles as small as 5 μm can be effectively removed. All of the other methods tested were found to be at least two orders of magnitude less effective at removing small insoluble particles. An additional and as yet unresolved problem is the development of a reliable method for evaluating particulate surface cleanliness. Without such a reproducible monitoring technique, the large diversity of cleaning methods currently available cannot be quantitatively evaluated

Fast sorting measurement technique to determine decontamination priority

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Distenfeld, C.H.; Brosey, B.; Igarashi, H.

1986-01-01

The method used to select decontamination priorities for the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) reactor building (RB) is systematic, but costs in personnel exposure and time must be borne. One way of minimizing exposure is to define and treat the one or two surface sources that are important contributors to the collective dose of the recovery personnel. Surface characteristics can then be determined and decontamination techniques developed to match the removal requirements. At TMI-2, a fast sorting technique was developed and used to prioritize surfaces for exposure reduction. A second quick sort can then be used to determine the next generation of surface characterization, decontamination method selection, and performance. The quick-sort method that was developed is based on the Eberline HP 220A probes directional survey system. The angular response of the HP 220A probes approaches 2 pi steradians and allows toward-away type measurements. Sources distributed over 4 pi steradians are hard to define with this system. Angular differentiation was improved to about pi/2 steradians by redesigning the probe shield. The change allows unambiguous six-direction measurements, such as up, down, front, rear, right, and left with practically no angular overlap or exclusion. A simple, light-weight stand was used to establish an angular reference for the rectangular packaged probe. The six surface planes of the rectangle work with the angular reference to establish the six viewing angles

Investigation of Steel Surfaces Treated by a Hybrid Ion Implantation Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reuther, H.; Richter, E.; Prokert, F.; Ueda, M.; Beloto, A. F.; Gomes, G. F.

2004-01-01

Implantation of nitrogen ions into stainless steel in combination with oxidation often results in a decrease or even complete removal of the chromium in the nitrogen containing outermost surface layer. While iron nitrides can be formed easily by this method, due to the absence of chromium, the formation of chromium nitrides is impossible and the beneficial influence of chromium in the steel for corrosion resistance cannot be used. To overcome this problem we use the following hybrid technique. A thin chromium layer is deposited on steel and subsequently implanted with nitrogen ions. Chromium can be implanted by recoil into the steel surface and thus the formation of iron/chromium nitrides should be possible. Both beam line ion implantation and plasma immersion ion implantation are used. Due to the variation of the process parameters, different implantation profiles and different compounds are produced. The produced layers are characterized by Auger electron spectroscopy, conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The obtained results show that due to the variation of the implantation parameters, the formation of iron/chromium nitrides can be achieved and that plasma immersion ion implantation is the most suitable technique for the enrichment of chromium in the outermost surface layer of the steel when compared to the beam line implantation.

Emerging surface characterization techniques for carbon steel corrosion: a critical brief review

OpenAIRE

Dwivedi, D.; Lepkova, K.; Becker, T.

2017-01-01

Carbon steel is a preferred construction material in many industrial and domestic applications, including oil and gas pipelines, where corrosion mitigation using film-forming corrosion inhibitor formulations is a widely accepted method. This review identifies surface analytical techniques that are considered suitable for analysis of thin films at metallic substrates, but are yet to be applied to analysis of carbon steel surfaces in corrosive media or treated with corrosion inhibitors. The rev...

Bacterial Adhesion and Surface Roughness for Different Clinical Techniques for Acrylic Polymethyl Methacrylate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucas Costa de Medeiros Dantas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study sought to assess the effect of different surface finishing and polishing protocols on the surface roughness and bacterial adhesion (S. sanguinis to polymethyl methacrylates (PMMA. Fifty specimens were divided into 5 groups (n=10 according to their fabrication method and surface finishing protocol: LP (3 : 1 ratio and laboratory polishing, NF (Nealon technique and finishing, NP (Nealon technique and manual polishing, MF (3 : 1 ratio and manual finishing, and MP (3 : 1 ratio and manual polishing. For each group, five specimens were submitted to bacterial adhesion tests and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Two additional specimens were subjected to surface topography analysis by SEM and the remaining three specimens were subjected to surface roughness measurements. Data were compared by one-way ANOVA. The mean bacterial counts were as follows: NF, 19.6±3.05; MP, 5.36±2.08; NP, 4.96±1.93; MF, 7.36±2.45; and LP, 1.56±0.62 (CFU. The mean surface roughness values were as follows: NF, 3.23±0.15; MP, 0.52±0.05; NP, 0.60±0.08; MF, 2.69±0.12; and LP, 0.07±0.02 (μm. A reduction in the surface roughness was observed to be directly related to a decrease in bacterial adhesion. It was verified that the laboratory processing of PMMA might decrease the surface roughness and consequently the adhesion of S. sanguinis to this material.

Reference sources for the calibration of surface contamination monitors - Beta-emitters (maximum beta energy greater than MeV) and alpha-emitters (International Standard Publication ISO 8769:1988)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanik, J.

2001-01-01

This International Standard specifies the characteristics of reference sources of radioactive surface contamination, traceable to national measurement standards, for the calibration of surface contamination monitors. This International Standard relates to alpha-emitters and to beta-emitters of maximum beta energy greater than 0,15 MeV. It does not describe the procedures involved in the use of these reference sources for the calibration of surface contamination monitors. Such procedures are specified in IEC Publication 325 and other documents. This International Standard specifies reference radiations for the calibration of surface contamination monitors which take the form of adequately characterized large area sources specified, without exception, in terms of activity and surface emission rate, the evaluation of these quantities being traceable to national standards

Generating Ground Reference Data for a Global Impervious Surface Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Tilton, James C.; deColstoun, Eric Brown; Wolfe, Robert E.; Tan, Bin; Huang, Chengquan

2012-01-01

either positive or negative examples, and displays a classification of the study area based on these examples. For our study, the positive examples are examples of impervious surfaces and negative examples are examples of non-impervious surfaces. HSegLearn searches the hierarchical segmentation from HSeg for the coarsest level of segmentation at which selected positive example locations do not conflict with negative example locations and labels the image accordingly. The negative example regions are always defined at the finest level of segmentation detail. The resulting classification map can be then further edited at a region object level using the previously developed HSegViewer tool [3]. After providing an overview of the HSeg image segmentation program, we provide a detailed description of the HSegLearn software tool. We then give examples of using HSegLearn to generate ground reference data and conclude with comments on the effectiveness of the HSegLearn tool.

A new sampling technique for surface exposure dating using a portable electric rock cutter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusuke Suganuma

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Surface exposure dating using in situ cosmogenic nuclides has contributed to our understanding of Earth-surface processes. The precision of the ages estimated by this method is affected by the sample geometry; therefore, high accuracy measurements of the thickness and shape of the rock sample (thickness and shape is crucial. However, it is sometimes diffi cult to meet these requirements by conventional sampling methods with a hammer and chisel. Here, we propose a new sampling technique using a portable electric rock cutter. This sampling technique is faster, produces more precisely shaped samples, and allows for a more precise age interpretation. A simple theoretical modeldemonstrates that the age error due to defective sample geometry increases as the total sample thickness increases, indicating the importance of precise sampling for surface exposure dating.

Near-station terrain corrections for gravity data by a surface-integral technique

Science.gov (United States)

Gettings, M.E.

1982-01-01

A new method of computing gravity terrain corrections by use of a digitizer and digital computer can result in substantial savings in the time and manual labor required to perform such corrections by conventional manual ring-chart techniques. The method is typically applied to estimate terrain effects for topography near the station, for example within 3 km of the station, although it has been used successfully to a radius of 15 km to estimate corrections in areas where topographic mapping is poor. Points (about 20) that define topographic maxima, minima, and changes in the slope gradient are picked on the topographic map, within the desired radius of correction about the station. Particular attention must be paid to the area immediately surrounding the station to ensure a good topographic representation. The horizontal and vertical coordinates of these points are entered into the computer, usually by means of a digitizer. The computer then fits a multiquadric surface to the input points to form an analytic representation of the surface. By means of the divergence theorem, the gravity effect of an interior closed solid can be expressed as a surface integral, and the terrain correction is calculated by numerical evaluation of the integral over the surfaces of a cylinder, The vertical sides of which are at the correction radius about the station, the flat bottom surface at the topographic minimum, and the upper surface given by the multiquadric equation. The method has been tested with favorable results against models for which an exact result is available and against manually computed field-station locations in areas of rugged topography. By increasing the number of points defining the topographic surface, any desired degree of accuracy can be obtained. The method is more objective than manual ring-chart techniques because no average compartment elevations need be estimated ?

A novel approach for craniofacial symmetry evaluation: Using the midsagittal Reference line drawn from “Crista Gali” with NHP technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morteza Ordobazari

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Please cite this article as: Ordobazari M, Naqavi Al-Hosseini AA, Zafarmand H. A novel approach for craniofacial symmetry evaluation: Using the midsagittal Reference line drawn from “Crista Gali” with NHP technique. Novel Biomed 2013;1(2:48-53.Background and objective: The purpose of this study was the determination of midsagittal reference line (MSL for craniofacial asymmetry assessment by drawing a line from Crista gali parallel to the true vertical line in PA cephalometry, using Natural Head Position (NHP technique.Method and Materials: 60 Iranian subjects within the age range of 9-13 years old were selected for this prospective study. Patients referred for orthodontic treatment and ghad no supernumerary or missing teeth, no skeletal anomaly, or any history of orthodontic and jaw surgery with normal occlusion. Posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs (PA Ceph were taken of all subjects with NHP technique. The midsagittal line was also traced parallel to the hanging chain from Crista gali. True horizontal line (THL and true vertical line (TVL were also traced from Crista gali (Cg. Using Cartesian system based upon Cg point (0~0, the craniofacial symmetry was assessed with linear, angular and proportional measurements in PA cephalogam, related to TVL and THL lines, for 10 bilateral (R&L anatomical landmarks. The mean differences of the above measurements in left and right sides were analyzed by T- test.Results: The proportional ratios for all left and right measurements were not statistically significant. This was true for both vertical and horizontal distances. The significant level for MSL drawn from Cg as referred to ANS (0±0.255 and Me points (0.007±0.527 was 0.002 and 0.004, respectively.Conclusion: In posteroanterior cephalometry radiographs taken with NHP method, the MSL drawn from Crista gali is reproducible and reliable up to 96% of the times for facial symmetry diagnosis.

Studies of localized corrosion in welded aluminum alloys by the scanning reference electrode technique

Science.gov (United States)

Danford, M. D.; Nunes, A. C.

1995-01-01

Localized corrosion in welded samples of 2219-T87 Al alloy (2319 filler), 2090 Al-Li alloy (4043 and 2319 fillers), and 2195 Al-Li alloy (4043 and 2319 fillers) has been investigated using the relatively new scanning reference electrode technique. The weld beads are cathodic in all cases, leading to reduced anode/cathode ratios. A reduction in anode/cathode ratio leads to an increase in the corrosion rates of the welded metals, in agreement with results obtained in previous electrochemical and stress corrosion studies involving the overall corrosion rates of welded samples. The cathodic weld beads are bordered on both sides by strong anodic regions, with high propensity for corrosion.

Terrain Correction on the moving equal area cylindrical map projection of the surface of a reference ellipsoid

Science.gov (United States)

Ardalan, A.; Safari, A.; Grafarend, E.

2003-04-01

An operational algorithm for computing the ellipsoidal terrain correction based on application of closed form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates in the cylindrical equal area map projected surface of a reference ellipsoid has been developed. As the first step the mapping of the points on the surface of a reference ellipsoid onto the cylindrical equal area map projection of a cylinder tangent to a point on the surface of reference ellipsoid closely studied and the map projection formulas are computed. Ellipsoidal mass elements with various sizes on the surface of the reference ellipsoid is considered and the gravitational potential and the vector of gravitational intensity of these mass elements has been computed via the solution of Newton integral in terms of ellipsoidal coordinates. The geographical cross section areas of the selected ellipsoidal mass elements are transferred into cylindrical equal area map projection and based on the transformed area elements Cartesian mass elements with the same height as that of the ellipsoidal mass elements are constructed. Using the close form solution of the Newton integral in terms of Cartesian coordinates the potential of the Cartesian mass elements are computed and compared with the same results based on the application of the ellipsoidal Newton integral over the ellipsoidal mass elements. The results of the numerical computations show that difference between computed gravitational potential of the ellipsoidal mass elements and Cartesian mass element in the cylindrical equal area map projection is of the order of 1.6 × 10-8m^2/s^2 for a mass element with the cross section size of 10 km × 10 km and the height of 1000 m. For a 1 km × 1 km mass element with the same height, this difference is less than 1.5 × 10-4 m^2}/s^2. The results of the numerical computations indicate that a new method for computing the terrain correction based on the closed form solution of the Newton integral in

Surface properties and corrosion behavior of Co-Cr alloy fabricated with selective laser melting technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Xian-zhen; Chen, Jie; Xiang, Nan; Wei, Bin

2013-01-01

We sought to study the corrosion behavior and surface properties of a commercial cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloy which was fabricated with selective laser melting (SLM) technique. For this purpose, specimens were fabricated using different techniques, such as SLM system and casting methods. Surface hardness testing, microstructure observation, surface analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical corrosion test were carried out to evaluate the corrosion properties and surface properties of the specimens. We found that microstructure of SLM specimens was more homogeneous than that of cast specimens. The mean surface hardness values of SLM and cast specimens were 458.3 and 384.8, respectively; SLM specimens showed higher values than cast ones in hardness. Both specimens exhibited no differences in their electrochemical corrosion properties in the artificial saliva through potentiodynamic curves and EIS, and no significant difference via XPS. Therefore, we concluded that within the scope of this study, SLM-fabricated restorations revealed good surface properties, such as proper hardness, homogeneous microstructure, and also showed sufficient corrosion resistance which could meet the needs of dental clinics.

Controlling the Adhesion of Superhydrophobic Surfaces Using Electrolyte Jet Machining Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaolong; Liu, Xin; Lu, Yao; Zhou, Shining; Gao, Mingqian; Song, Jinlong; Xu, Wenji

2016-01-01

Patterns with controllable adhesion on superhydrophobic areas have various biomedical and chemical applications. Electrolyte jet machining technique (EJM), an electrochemical machining method, was firstly exploited in constructing dimples with various profiles on the superhydrophobic Al alloy surface using different processing parameters. Sliding angles of water droplets on those dimples firstly increased and then stabilized at a certain value with the increase of the processing time or the applied voltages of the EJM, indicating that surfaces with different adhesion force could be obtained by regulating the processing parameters. The contact angle hysteresis and the adhesion force that restricts the droplet from sliding off were investigated through experiments. The results show that the adhesion force could be well described using the classical Furmidge equation. On account of this controllable adhesion force, water droplets could either be firmly pinned to the surface, forming various patterns or slide off at designed tilting angles at specified positions on a superhydrophobic surface. Such dimples on superhydrophopbic surfaces can be applied in water harvesting, biochemical analysis and lab-on-chip devices. PMID:27046771

The two-thumb technique using an elevated surface is preferable for teaching infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Trang K; Hemway, Rae Jean; Perlman, Jeffrey M

2012-10-01

To determine whether the two-thumb technique is superior to the two-finger technique for administering chest compressions using the floor surface and the preferred location for performing infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (ie, floor, table, or radiant warmer). Twenty Neonatal Resuscitation Program trained medical personnel performed CPR on a neonatal manikin utilizing the two-thumb vs two-finger technique, a compression to ventilation ratio of 30:2 for 2 minutes in random order on the floor, table, and radiant warmer. Compression depth favored the two-thumb over two-finger technique on the floor (27 ± 8 mm vs 23 ± 7), table (26 ± 7 mm vs 22 ± 7), and radiant warmer (29 ± 4 mm vs 23 ± 4) (all P CPR preferably using an elevated firm surface. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Tensile bond strength of hydroxyethyl methacrylate dentin bonding agent on dentin surface at various drying techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kun Ismiyatin

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Background: There are several dentin surface drying techniques to provide a perfect resin penetration on dentin. There are two techniques which will be compared in this study. The first technique was by rubbing dentin surface gently using cotton pellet twice, this technique is called blot dry technique. The second technique is by air blowing dentin surface for one second and continued by rubbing dentin surface gently using moist cotton. Purpose: This experiment was aimed to examine the best dentin surface drying techniques after 37% phosphoric acid etching to obtain the optimum tensile bond strength between hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA and dentin surface. Method: Bovine teeth was prepared flat to obtain the dentin surface and than was etched using 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds. After etching the dentin was cleaned using 20 cc plain water and dried with blot dry techniques (group I, or dried with air blow for one second (group II, or dried with air blow for one second, and continued with rubbing gently using moist cotton pellet (group III, and without any drying as control group (group IV. After these drying, the dentin surfaces were applied with resin dentin bonding agent and put into plunger facing the composite mould. The antagonist plunger was filled with composite resin. After 24 hours, therefore bond strength was measured using Autograph. Result: Data obtained was analyzed using One-Way ANOVA with 95% confidence level and continued with LSD test on p≤0.05. The result showed that the highest tensile bond strength was on group I, while the lowest on group IV. Group II and IV, III and IV, II and III did not show signigicant difference (p>0.05. Conclusion: Dentin surface drying techniques through gentle rubbing using cotton pellet twice (blot dry technique gave the greatest tensile bond strength.Latar belakang masalah: Tehnik pengeringan permukaan dentin agar resin dapat penetrasi dengan sempurna adalah dengan cara pengusapan secara

Virtual-stereo fringe reflection technique for specular free-form surface testing

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Suodong; Li, Bo

2016-11-01

Due to their excellent ability to improve the performance of optical systems, free-form optics have attracted extensive interest in many fields, e.g. optical design of astronomical telescopes, laser beam expanders, spectral imagers, etc. However, compared with traditional simple ones, testing for such kind of optics is usually more complex and difficult which has been being a big barrier for the manufacture and the application of these optics. Fortunately, owing to the rapid development of electronic devices and computer vision technology, fringe reflection technique (FRT) with advantages of simple system structure, high measurement accuracy and large dynamic range is becoming a powerful tool for specular free-form surface testing. In order to obtain absolute surface shape distributions of test objects, two or more cameras are often required in the conventional FRT which makes the system structure more complex and the measurement cost much higher. Furthermore, high precision synchronization between each camera is also a troublesome issue. To overcome the aforementioned drawback, a virtual-stereo FRT for specular free-form surface testing is put forward in this paper. It is able to achieve absolute profiles with the help of only one single biprism and a camera meanwhile avoiding the problems of stereo FRT based on binocular or multi-ocular cameras. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique.

Simultaneous Replacement of Maxillary Central Incisors with CEREC Biogeneric Reference Technique: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gokhan Akgungor

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Biogeneric Reference Technique (BRT of the CEREC 3D v.3.8 software is an effective technique for single anterior ceramic crowns because it provides computer-controlled match of the tooth form to the contralateral tooth. BRT also enables the fabrication of two or more anterior all-ceramic crowns simultaneously. This clinical report demonstrates the clinical application of BRT for designing and milling two central incisors in one appointment using a single optical impression. After completing the virtual design of the first central incisor, it was copied and a mirror image was created. The second central incisor was designed using this replicated image and therefore a computer-controlled symmetry was obtained. The crowns were milled from monolithic feldspathic ceramic blocks and adhesively luted with dual-cured resin cement following dentin conditioning. At the two-year follow-up appointment, the restorations were intact, no adverse effects were noted, and the resultant appearance was highly satisfactory for the patient. A step-by-step protocol is described from design to cementation of these restorations.

Adhesion, friction, wear, and lubrication research by modern surface science techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, D. V., Jr.

1972-01-01

The field of surface science has undergone intense revitalization with the introduction of low-energy electron diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and other surface analytical techniques which have been sophisticated within the last decade. These developments have permitted submono- and monolayer structure analysis as well as chemical identification and quantitative analysis. The application of a number of these techniques to the solution of problems in the fields of friction, lubrication, and wear are examined in detail for the particular case of iron; and in general to illustrate how the accumulation of pure data will contribute toward the establishment of physiochemical concepts which are required to understand the mechanisms that are operational in friction systems. In the case of iron, LEED, Auger and microcontact studies have established that hydrogen and light-saturated organic vapors do not establish interfaces which prevent iron from welding, whereas oxygen and some oxygen and sulfur compounds do reduce welding as well as the coefficient of friction. Interpretation of these data suggests a mechanism of sulfur interaction in lubricating systems.

A novel technique for including surface tension in PLIC-VOF methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meier, M.; Yadigaroglu, G. [Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Nuclear Engineering Lab. ETH-Zentrum, CLT, Zurich (Switzerland); Smith, B. [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland). Lab. for Thermal-Hydraulics

2002-02-01

Various versions of Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) methods have been used successfully for the numerical simulation of gas-liquid flows with an explicit tracking of the phase interface. Of these, Piecewise-Linear Interface Construction (PLIC-VOF) appears as a fairly accurate, although somewhat more involved variant. Including effects due to surface tension remains a problem, however. The most prominent methods, Continuum Surface Force (CSF) of Brackbill et al. and the method of Zaleski and co-workers (both referenced later), both induce spurious or 'parasitic' currents, and only moderate accuracy in regards to determining the curvature. We present here a new method to determine curvature accurately using an estimator function, which is tuned with a least-squares-fit against reference data. Furthermore, we show how spurious currents may be drastically reduced using the reconstructed interfaces from the PLIC-VOF method. (authors)

Advanced surface technology a holistic view on the extensive and intertwined world of applied surface engineering

CERN Document Server

Moller, Per

2013-01-01

These two volumes serve as an inclusive and practical reference in manufacturing as well as a comprehensive text for university-level course work. Before delving into the variety of conventional and emerging surface finishing processes available to the 21st century practitioner, the authors cover the principles behind the processes, including wear and other mechanical properties, corrosion and electrochemistry. Throughout, the material also covers testing, property measurement and a generic introduction to basically all surface relevant characterization techniques, keyed to the specific process and application under discussion.

Detection of coffee flavour ageing by solid-phase microextraction/surface acoustic wave sensor array technique (SPME/SAW).

Science.gov (United States)

Barié, Nicole; Bücking, Mark; Stahl, Ullrich; Rapp, Michael

2015-06-01

The use of polymer coated surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor arrays is a very promising technique for highly sensitive and selective detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We present new developments to achieve a low cost sensor setup with a sampling method enabling the highly reproducible detection of volatiles even in the ppb range. Since the VOCs of coffee are well known by gas chromatography (GC) research studies, the new sensor array was tested for an easy assessable objective: coffee ageing during storage. As reference method these changes were traced with a standard GC/FID set-up, accompanied by sensory panellists. The evaluation of GC data showed a non-linear characteristic for single compound concentrations as well as for total peak area values, disabling prediction of the coffee age. In contrast, the new SAW sensor array demonstrates a linear dependency, i.e. being capable to show a dependency between volatile concentration and storage time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel technique for reference point generation to aid in intraoral scan alignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Renne, Walter G; Evans, Zachary P; Mennito, Anthony; Ludlow, Mark

2017-11-12

When using a completely digital workflow on larger prosthetic cases it is often difficult to communicate to the laboratory or chairside Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing system the provisional prosthetic information. The problem arises when common hard tissue data points are limited or non-existent such as in complete arch cases in which the 3D model of the complete arch provisional restorations must be aligned perfectly with the 3D model of the complete arch preparations. In these instances, soft tissue is not enough to ensure an accurate automatic or manual alignment due to a lack of well-defined reference points. A new technique is proposed for the proper digital alignment of the 3D virtual model of the provisional prosthetic to the 3D virtual model of the prepared teeth in cases where common and coincident hard tissue data points are limited. Clinical considerations: A technique is described in which fiducial composite resin dots are temporarily placed on the intraoral keratinized tissue in strategic locations prior to final impressions. These fiducial dots provide coincident and clear 3D data points that when scanned into a digital impression allow superimposition of the 3D models. Composite resin dots on keratinized tissue were successful at allowing accurate merging of provisional restoration and post-preparation 3D models for the purpose of using the provisional restorations as a guide for final CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Composite resin dots placed temporarily on attached tissue were successful at allowing accurate merging of the provisional restoration 3D models to the preparation 3D models for the purposes of using the provisional restorations as a guide for final restoration design and manufacturing. In this case, they allowed precise superimposition of the 3D models made in the absence of any other hard tissue reference points, resulting in the fabrication of ideal final restorations. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A novel and inexpensive technique for creating superhydrophobic surfaces using Teflon and sandpaper

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsson, Michael A.; Daniello, Robert J.; Rothstein, Jonathan P.

2010-02-01

Considerable efforts have been spent over the last decade developing hydrophobic surfaces exhibiting very large contact angles with water. Many of these methods require complex and expensive fabrication techniques. We demonstrate that sanding Teflon can produce superhydrophobic surfaces with advancing contact angles of up to 151° and contact angle hysteresis of less than 4°. Furthermore, we show that a wide range of both advancing contact angles and contact angle hysteresis can be achieved by varying the grit size of the sandpaper, allowing for future hysteresis and contact angle studies. Scanning electron microscopy images of the roughened surfaces depict the range and amplitude of length scales imparted on the surface by the sandpaper, which leads to deeper understanding of the state of wetting on the surface.

Near-surface thermal characterization of plasma facing components using the 3-omega method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dechaumphai, Edward; Barton, Joseph L.; Tesmer, Joseph R.; Moon, Jaeyun; Wang, Yongqiang; Tynan, George R.; Doerner, Russell P.; Chen, Renkun

2014-01-01

Near-surface regime plays an important role in thermal management of plasma facing components in fusion reactors. Here, we applied a technique referred to as the ‘3ω’ method to measure the thermal conductivity of near-surface regimes damaged by ion irradiation. By modulating the frequency of the heating current in a micro-fabricated heater strip, the technique enables the probing of near-surface thermal properties. The technique was applied to measure the thermal conductivity of a thin ion-irradiated layer on a tungsten substrate, which was found to decrease by nearly 60% relative to pristine tungsten for a Cu ion dosage of 0.2 dpa

Three-dimensional techniques and artificial intelligence in thallium-201 cardiac imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DePuey, E.G.; Garcia, E.V.; Ezquerra, N.F.

1989-01-01

Three-dimensional reconstruction techniques including bull's-eye polar-coordinate maps, surface rendering, and surface modeling have been developed that help interpreting physicians assimilate complex 3-D tomographic data. Comparison of patient data with normal files highlights myocardial perfusion abnormalities, thus facilitating their recognition. In addition, AI systems that use heuristically defined rules derived from an expert knowledge base assist inexperienced observers in drawing conclusions regarding scan abnormalities.24 references

A simple measuring technique of surface flow velocity to analyze the behavior of velocity fields in hydraulic engineering applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tellez, Jackson; Gomez, Manuel; Russo, Beniamino; Redondo, Jose M.

2015-04-01

An important achievement in hydraulic engineering is the proposal and development of new techniques for the measurement of field velocities in hydraulic problems. The technological advances in digital cameras with high resolution and high speed found in the market, and the advances in digital image processing techniques now provides a tremendous potential to measure and study the behavior of the water surface flows. This technique was applied at the Laboratory of Hydraulics at the Technical University of Catalonia - Barcelona Tech to study the 2D velocity fields in the vicinity of a grate inlet. We used a platform to test grate inlets capacity with dimensions of 5.5 m long and 4 m wide allowing a zone of useful study of 5.5m x 3m, where the width is similar of the urban road lane. The platform allows you to modify the longitudinal slopes from 0% to 10% and transversal slope from 0% to 4%. Flow rates can arrive to 200 l/s. In addition a high resolution camera with 1280 x 1024 pixels resolution with maximum speed of 488 frames per second was used. A novel technique using particle image velocimetry to measure surface flow velocities has been developed and validated with the experimental data from the grate inlets capacity. In this case, the proposed methodology can become a useful tools to understand the velocity fields of the flow approaching the inlet where the traditional measuring equipment have serious problems and limitations. References DigiFlow User Guide. (2012), (June). Russo, B., Gómez, M., & Tellez, J. (2013). Methodology to Estimate the Hydraulic Efficiency of Nontested Continuous Transverse Grates. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 139(10), 864-871. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000625 Teresa Vila (1), Jackson Tellez (1), Jesus Maria Sanchez (2), Laura Sotillos (1), Margarita Diez (3, 1), and J., & (1), M. R. (2014). Diffusion in fractal wakes and convective thermoelectric flows. Geophysical Research Abstracts - EGU General Assembly 2014

Quantifying cortical surface harmonic deformation with stereovision during open cranial neurosurgery

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Songbai; Fan, Xiaoyao; Roberts, David W.; Paulsen, Keith D.

2012-02-01

Cortical surface harmonic motion during open cranial neurosurgery is well observed in image-guided neurosurgery. Recently, we quantified cortical surface deformation noninvasively with synchronized blood pressure pulsation (BPP) from a sequence of stereo image pairs using optical flow motion tracking. With three subjects, we found the average cortical surface displacement can reach more than 1 mm and in-plane principal strains of up to 7% relative to the first image pair. In addition, the temporal changes in deformation and strain were in concert with BPP and patient respiration [1]. However, because deformation was essentially computed relative to an arbitrary reference, comparing cortical surface deformation at different times was not possible. In this study, we extend the technique developed earlier by establishing a more reliable reference profile of the cortical surface for each sequence of stereo image acquisitions. Specifically, fast Fourier transform (FFT) was applied to the dynamic cortical surface deformation, and the fundamental frequencies corresponding to patient respiration and BPP were identified, which were used to determine the number of image acquisitions for use in averaging cortical surface images. This technique is important because it potentially allows in vivo characterization of soft tissue biomechanical properties using intraoperative stereovision and motion tracking.

VLF surface-impedance modelling techniques for coal exploration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, G.; Thiel, D.; O' Keefe, S. [Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Qld. (Australia). Faculty of Engineering and Physical Systems

2000-10-01

New and efficient computational techniques are required for geophysical investigations of coal. This will allow automated inverse analysis procedures to be used for interpretation of field data. In this paper, a number of methods of modelling electromagnetic surface impedance measurements are reviewed, particularly as applied to typical coal seam geology found in the Bowen Basin. At present, the Impedance method and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method appear to offer viable solutions although both have problems. The Impedance method is currently slightly inaccurate, and the FDTD method has large computational demands. In this paper both methods are described and results are presented for a number of geological targets. 17 refs., 14 figs.

Innovative Technique for High-Accuracy Remote Monitoring of Surface Water

Science.gov (United States)

Gisler, A.; Barton-Grimley, R. A.; Thayer, J. P.; Crowley, G.

2016-12-01

Lidar (light detection and ranging) provides absolute depth and topographic mapping capability compared to other remote sensing methods, which is useful for mapping rapidly changing environments such as riverine systems and agricultural waterways. Effectiveness of current lidar bathymetric systems is limited by the difficulty in unambiguously identifying backscattered lidar signals from the water surface versus the bottom, limiting their depth resolution to 0.3-0.5 m. Additionally these are large, bulky systems that are constrained to expensive aircraft-mounted platforms and use waveform-processing techniques requiring substantial computation time. These restrictions are prohibitive for many potential users. A novel lidar device has been developed that allows for non-contact measurements of water depth down to 1 cm with an accuracy and precision of shallow to deep water allowing for shoreline charting, measuring water volume, mapping bottom topology, and identifying submerged objects. The scalability of the technique opens up the ability for handheld or UAS-mounted lidar bathymetric systems, which provides for potential applications currently unavailable to the community. The high laser pulse repetition rate allows for very fine horizontal resolution while the photon-counting technique permits real-time depth measurement and object detection. The enhanced measurement capability, portability, scalability, and relatively low-cost creates the opportunity to perform frequent high-accuracy monitoring and measuring of aquatic environments which is crucial for monitoring water resources on fast timescales. Results from recent campaigns measuring water depth in flowing creeks and murky ponds will be presented which demonstrate that the method is not limited by rough water surfaces and can map underwater topology through moderately turbid water.

Certified reference materials and reference methods for nuclear safeguards and security.

Science.gov (United States)

Jakopič, R; Sturm, M; Kraiem, M; Richter, S; Aregbe, Y

2013-11-01

Confidence in comparability and reliability of measurement results in nuclear material and environmental sample analysis are established via certified reference materials (CRMs), reference measurements, and inter-laboratory comparisons (ILCs). Increased needs for quality control tools in proliferation resistance, environmental sample analysis, development of measurement capabilities over the years and progress in modern analytical techniques are the main reasons for the development of new reference materials and reference methods for nuclear safeguards and security. The Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) prepares and certifices large quantities of the so-called "large-sized dried" (LSD) spikes for accurate measurement of the uranium and plutonium content in dissolved nuclear fuel solutions by isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) and also develops particle reference materials applied for the detection of nuclear signatures in environmental samples. IRMM is currently replacing some of its exhausted stocks of CRMs with new ones whose specifications are up-to-date and tailored for the demands of modern analytical techniques. Some of the existing materials will be re-measured to improve the uncertainties associated with their certified values, and to enable laboratories to reduce their combined measurement uncertainty. Safeguards involve the quantitative verification by independent measurements so that no nuclear material is diverted from its intended peaceful use. Safeguards authorities pay particular attention to plutonium and the uranium isotope (235)U, indicating the so-called 'enrichment', in nuclear material and in environmental samples. In addition to the verification of the major ratios, n((235)U)/n((238)U) and n((240)Pu)/n((239)Pu), the minor ratios of the less abundant uranium and plutonium isotopes contain valuable information about the origin and the 'history' of material used for commercial or possibly clandestine purposes, and

Effects of different polishing techniques on the surface roughness of dental porcelains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Işil Sarikaya

2010-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different polishing techniques on the surface roughness of dental porcelains. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty-five cylindirical specimens (15x2 mm were prepared for each feldspathic (Vita VMK 95, Ceramco III and low-fusing dental porcelain (Matchmaker. Fifty-five specimens of machinable feldspathic porcelain blocks (Vitablocs Mark II, (12x14x18 mm were cut into 2-mm-thick slices (12x14 mm with low speed saw. The prepared specimens were divided into 11 groups (n=5 representing different polishing techniques including control ((C no surface treatment, glaze (G and other 9 groups that were finished and polished with polishing discs (Sof-Lex (Sl, two porcelain polishing kits (NTI (Pk, Dialite II (Di, a diamond polishing paste (Sparkle (Sp, a zirconium silicate based cleaning and polishing prophy paste (Zircate (Zr, an aluminum oxide polishing paste (Prisma Gloss (Pg, and combinations of them. The surface roughness of all groups was measured with a profilometer. The data were analyzed with a 2-way analysis of variance, and the mean values were compared by the Tukey Honestly Significant Difference test (a=0.05. RESULTS: For all porcelain material groups, the lowest Ra values were observed in Group Gl, Group Sl, Group Pk, and Group Di, which were not significantly different from each other (p>0.05.When comparing the 4 different porcelain materials, the machinable feldspathic porcelain block group (Mark II demonstrated statistically significantly less Ra values than the other porcelain materials tested (p<0.05. No significant difference was observed between the VMK 95 and Ceramco III porcelain groups (p=0.919, also these groups demonstrated the highest Ra values. CONCLUSION: Subjected to surface roughness, the surfaces obtained with polishing and/or cleaning-prophy paste materials used alone were rougher compared to the surfaces finished using Sof-lex, Dialite, and NTI polishing kit

Identification and characterization of surface antigens in parasites, using radiolabelling techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramasamy, R.

1982-04-01

Surface proteins of Schistosoma sp and Leishmania sp were studied using 125-Iodine as tracer. The surface proteins were labelled by the Lactoperoxidase method and the proteins then separated using SDS PAG electrophoresis and autoradiography. The possible immunogens were then separated using immunoprecipitation and Fluorescent Antibody techniques using sera from patients or from artificially immunized rabbits. Four common antigens were identified from the surfaces of male and female adult worms, cercariae and schistosomulae of S.mansoni. These antigens, which had molecular weights of 150,000, 78,000, 45,000, and 22,000 were also isolated from the surfaces of S.haematobium adults. The surface antigens on promastigotes of a Kenyan strain of Leishmania donovani were separated into three protein antigens with molecular weights of 66,000, 59,000 and 43,000 respectively. The 59,000 molecular weight antigen was a glycoprotein and was common to promastigotes of an American and Indian strain of L.donovani and to L.braziliensis mexicana. None of the isolated antigens have been shown to have a protective effect when vaccinated into mice, but the study illustrates the value of radionuclide tracers in the unravelling of the mosaic of antigens which parasites possess

Microstructure Characterization and Hardness Evaluation of Alloy 52 Welded Stainless Steel 316 Subjected to Ultrasonic Nanocyrtal Surface Modification Technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, H. D.; Amanov, A.; Pyun, Y. S. [Sun Moon Univ., Asan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Y. S.; Choi, Y. S. [Andong National Univ., Andong (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

In this study, an ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) technique was applied to dissimilar weld point between STS316L and Alloy 52. This UNSM technique is a patented technology, which can be described as a type of ultrasonic cold-forging technology. It has been demonstrated that the UNSM technique is a simple method to produce a nanocrystalline surface layer at the top surface of metallic materials. Microstructure and hardness of STS316L and Alloy 52 are investigated before and after UNSM treatment. It is expected according to the previous study that the UNSM technique is able to release the residual stress which delays PWSCC. In this study, microstructural characterization and hardness evaluation of STS316L and welded Alloy 52 subjected to UNSM technique were investigated.

Characterization of thin films and surfaces by ion-beam analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelicon, P.; Budnar, M.; Zorko, B.; Razpet, A.

1999-01-01

The optimization of Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA) at the tandetron facility of J. Stefan Inst.e is reported. The most recent applications of these techniques for the analysis of thin films and surfaces are presented. The construction of the isotope - resolved Time-Of-Flight ERDA telescope for depth profiling of light elements is reviewed.(author)

A technique for the geometric modeling of underground surfaces: Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.L.

1988-03-01

There is a need within the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigation (NNWSI) project to develop three-dimensional surface definitions for the subterranean stratigraphies at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The nature of the data samples available to the project require an interpolation technique that can perform well with sparse and irregularly spaced data. Following an evaluation of the relevant existing methods, a new technique, Multi-Kernel Modulation (MKM), is presented. MKM interpolates sparse and irregularly spaced data by modulating a polynomial trend surface with a linear summation of regular surfaces (kernels). A perspective discussion of MKM, Kriging, and Multiquadric Analysis reveals that MKM has the advantage of simplicity and efficiency when used with sparse samples. An example of the use of MKM to model a complex topography is presented. 24 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

Colloid and surface chemistry a laboratory guide for exploration of the nano world

CERN Document Server

Bucak, Seyda

2013-01-01

Scientific Research The research processEthics in Science Design of Experiments Fundamentals of Scientific Computing, Nihat Baysal Recording Data: Keeping a Good Notebook Presenting Data: Writing a Laboratory ReportReferencesCharacterization Techniques Surface Tension Measurements, Seyda BucakViscosity/Rheological Measurements, Patrick UnderhillElectrokinetic Techniques, Marek KosmulskiDiffraction (XRD), Deniz RendeScattering, Ulf OlssonMicroscopy, Cem Levent Altan and Nico A.J.M. SommerdijkColloids and Surfaces Experiment 1: SedimentationExperiment 2: Determination of Critical Micelle Concent

Fatigue life extension techniques for weldments via mechanical surface post treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Seung Ho; Han, Jeong Woo; Cho, In Ho

2008-01-01

In many welded structures, fatigue failures are often occurred at welded joints in which stress concentrations due to the joint geometry are relatively high. Although employing good detail design practices by upgrading the welded detail class enables to improve the fatigue performance, in many cases, the modification of the detail may not be practicable. As an alternative, fatigue life extension techniques, that reduce the severity of the stress concentration at the weld toe region, remove imperfections, and introduce local compressive welding residual stress, can be applied. These techniques are also used as remedial measures to extend the fatigue life of critical welds that have failed prematurely and have been repaired. This paper introduces peening techniques via a pneumatic hammer peening and ultrasonic impact which make it possible to give the weld not only a favorable shape reducing the local stress concentration, but also a beneficial compressive residual stress into material surface

An electrochemical engineering technique to improve the corrosion resistance of some structural materials in lead-alloy coolants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tacica, M.; Andrei, V.; Rusu, O.; Coaca, E.; Minca, M.; Florea, S.; Oncioiu, G.

2013-01-01

The goal of this paper is to present some conclusions resulted from the literature studies referring to the materials potential to be used in Lead Fast Reactors (LFR), and the results obtained in the surface engineering field which can be used in our institute in order to obtain materials with appropriate properties for their use in LFR. In this context, the paper presents some preliminary results obtained in Surface Analysis Laboratory of INR Pitesti and research works in progress referring to: controlled modification of AISI 316 L surface by electrochemical plasma treatment (carburization, nitrocarburizings); electrodeposition of some protective thin-films based on Ni and Al obtained from ionic liquids; development of some procedures related to the activities involved in the behaviour evaluation, in LFR specific conditions, for material samples subjected to treatments by surface engineering techniques using the LEad COrrosion TEsting LOop (LECOTELO) test bench. The superficial structures obtained have been characterized by metallographic microscopy, X-Ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS); the electrochemical techniques were used to evaluate the corrosion behaviour. The preliminary results have shown that the used electrochemical surface engineering techniques are appropriate in order to improve the mechanical properties and corrosion behaviour of AISI 316 L steel. (authors)

Explosive Contamination from Substrate Surfaces: Differences and Similarities in Contamination Techniques Using RDX and C-4

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, C. J.; Yoder, T. S.

2010-06-01

Explosive trace detection equipment has been deployed to airports for more than a decade. During this time, the need for standardized procedures and calibrated trace amounts for ensuring that the systems are operating properly and detecting the correct explosive has been apparent but a standard representative of a fingerprint has been elusive. Standards are also necessary to evaluate instrumentation in the laboratories during development and prior to deployment to determine sample throughput, probability of detection, false positive/negative rates, ease of use by operator, mechanical and/or software problems that may be encountered, and other pertinent parameters that would result in the equipment being unusable during field operations. Since many laboratories do not have access to nor are allowed to handle explosives, the equipment is tested using techniques aimed at simulating the actual explosives fingerprint. This laboratory study focused on examining the similarities and differences in three different surface contamination techniques that are used to performance test explosive trace detection equipment in an attempt to determine how effective the techniques are at replicating actual field samples and to offer scenarios where each contamination technique is applicable. The three techniques used were dry transfer deposition of standard solutions using the Transportation Security Laboratory’s (TSL) patented dry transfer techniques (US patent 6470730), direct deposition of explosive standards onto substrates, and fingerprinting of actual explosives onto substrates. RDX was deposited on the surface of one of five substrates using one of the three different deposition techniques. The process was repeated for each substrate type using each contamination technique. The substrate types used were: 50% cotton/50% polyester as found in T-shirts, 100% cotton with a smooth surface such as that found in a cotton dress shirt, 100% cotton on a rough surface such as that

Evaluation of bubbler/diaphragm techniques to measure surface level in the waste storage tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, T.J.; Hickman, B.J.; Colson, J.B.

1993-10-01

This report describes the results of tests conducted at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to determine if a bubbler technique can be used to determine the surface level in the waste tanks. Two techniques were evaluated. The first technique is a standard bubbler system in which a tube is placed below the surface of the liquid to be measured and air pressure inside a tube is increased until bubbles begin to become emitted from the tube. The air pressure then is a function of the pressure at the bottom of the tube. The second technique involves a system similar to the standard bubbler technique, but instead of bubbles being released into the material to be gauged, air pressure is increased against a diaphragm until enough pressure is applied to overcome the pressure of the liquid at the given depth, at which time the air then flows in a return loop back to a vent. The advantage of the diaphragm system is that it is a sealed system; thus no air is released into the waste tank materials, and it is not possible for the waste tank materials to get into the air flow. Based on the results of the tests conducted in this program, it appears that the bubbler and diaphragm systems that were tested could not be used for accurate measurements of the level in the waste tanks. Both exhibited deposits of simulated waste tank material at the end of the devices which affected the ability of the gauge to accurately determine changes in the surface level even though the measured value of the level was inaccurate. Further investigations into the cause of this inaccuracy may be warranted. Alternate diaphragm materials may improve the performance of this gauge

Spatial resolution in depth-controlled surface sensitive x-ray techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, W.B.; Viccaro, P.J.

1992-01-01

The spatial resolution along the surface normal and the total depth probed are two important parameters in depth-controlled surface sensitive X-ray techniques employing grazing incidence geometry. The two parameters are analyzed in terms of optical properties (refractive indices) of the media involved and parameters of the incident X-ray beam: beam divergence, X-ray energy, and spectral bandwidth. We derive analytical expressions of the required beam divergence and spectral bandwidth of the incident beam as a function of the two parameters. Sample calculations are made for X-ray energies between 0.1 and 100 keV and for solid Be, Cu, and Au, representing material matrices consisting of low, medium, and high atomic number elements. A brief discussion on obtaining the required beam divergence and spectral bandwidth from present X-ray sources and optics is given

Diamond blade grinding as a means for removing surface contamination from concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, T.W.

1980-01-01

The use of a highway grinding unit for the decontamination of a 5,000 square foot surface is described. The type of equipment presently in use is described. Performance characteristics, waste collection and water usage are commented on. Variables in blade design are discussed. Feasibility of the grinding technique for water soluble contaminants and vertical surfaces is referred to

Synthesis of Ag-coated polystyrene colloids by an improved surface seeding and shell growth technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Chungui; Wang Enbo; Kang Zhenhui; Mao Baodong; Zhang Chao; Lan Yang; Wang Chunlei; Song Yanli

2006-01-01

In this paper, an improved surface seeding and shell growth technique was developed to prepare Ag-polystyrene core shell composite. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) could act as the linker between Ag ions (Ag nanoparticles) and polystyrene (PS) colloids and the reducing agent in the formation of Ag nanoparticles. Due to the multi-functional characteristic of PEI, Ag seeds formed in-situ and were immobilized on the surface of PEI-modified PS colloids and no free Ag clusters coexist with the Ag 'seeding' PS colloids in the system. Then, the additional agents could be added into the resulting dispersions straightly to produce a thick Ag nanoshell. The Ag nanoshell with controllable thickness was formed on the surface of PS by the 'one-pot' surface seeding and shell growth method. The Ag-coverage increased gradually with the increasing of mass ratio of AgNO 3 /PS. The optical properties of the Ag-PS colloids could be tailored by changing the coverage of Ag. - Graphical abstract: An improved surface seeding and shell growth technique was developed to prepare Ag-polystyrene core shell composite. The optical properties of the Ag-PS colloids could be tailored by changing the coverage of Ag. Display Omitted

Application of tomographic techniques to two-dimensional surface analysis using the Harwell nuclear microprobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huddleston, J.; Hutchinson, I.G.; Pierce, T.B.

1983-01-01

Nuclear methods of surface analysis are discussed briefly, and the circumstances are described in which a two-dimensional analysis of the sample surface is desirable to enable the surface composition to be mapped accurately. Tomographic techniques of data manipulation are outlined. Data acquisition in the present case is performed by moving the sample in a defined sequence of positions, at each of which analytical data are gathered by the proton microprobe. The method and equipment are outlined. Data processing leading to the reconstruction of the image is summarised. (U.K.)

Textured surface structures formed using new techniques on transparent conducting Al-doped zinc oxide films prepared by magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minami, Tadatsugu; Miyata, Toshihiro; Uozaki, Ryousuke; Sai, Hitoshi; Koida, Takashi

2016-01-01

Surface-textured Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films formed using two new techniques based on magnetron sputtering deposition were developed by optimizing the light scattering properties to be suitable for transparent electrode applications in thin-film silicon solar cells. Scrambled egg-like surface-textured AZO films were prepared using a new texture formation technique that post-etched pyramidal surface-textured AZO films prepared under deposition conditions suppressing c-axis orientation. In addition, double surface-textured AZO films were prepared using another new texture formation technique that completely removed, by post-etching, the pyramidal surface-textured AZO films previously prepared onto the initially deposited low resistivity AZO films; simultaneously, the surface of the low resistivity films was slightly etched. However, the obtained very high haze value in the range from the near ultraviolet to visible light in the scrambled egg-like surface-textured AZO films did not contribute significantly to the obtainable photovoltaic properties in the solar cells fabricated using the films. Significant light scattering properties as well as a low sheet resistance could be achieved in the double surface-textured AZO films. In addition, a significant improvement of external quantum efficiency in the range from the near ultraviolet to visible light was achieved in superstrate-type n-i-p μc-Si:H solar cells fabricated using a double surface-textured AZO film prepared under optimized conditions as the transparent electrode. - Highlights: • Double surface-textured AZO films prepared using a new texture formation technique • Extensive light scattering properties with low sheet resistance achieved in the double surface-textured AZO films • Improved external quantum efficiency of μc-Si:H solar cells using a double surface-textured AZO film

Textured surface structures formed using new techniques on transparent conducting Al-doped zinc oxide films prepared by magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Minami, Tadatsugu [Optoelectronic Device System R& D Center, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, Nonoichi, Ishikawa 921-8501 (Japan); Miyata, Toshihiro, E-mail: tmiyata@neptune.kanazawa-it.ac.jp [Optoelectronic Device System R& D Center, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, Nonoichi, Ishikawa 921-8501 (Japan); Uozaki, Ryousuke [Optoelectronic Device System R& D Center, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, Nonoichi, Ishikawa 921-8501 (Japan); Sai, Hitoshi; Koida, Takashi [Research Center for Photovoltaics, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan)

2016-09-01

Surface-textured Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films formed using two new techniques based on magnetron sputtering deposition were developed by optimizing the light scattering properties to be suitable for transparent electrode applications in thin-film silicon solar cells. Scrambled egg-like surface-textured AZO films were prepared using a new texture formation technique that post-etched pyramidal surface-textured AZO films prepared under deposition conditions suppressing c-axis orientation. In addition, double surface-textured AZO films were prepared using another new texture formation technique that completely removed, by post-etching, the pyramidal surface-textured AZO films previously prepared onto the initially deposited low resistivity AZO films; simultaneously, the surface of the low resistivity films was slightly etched. However, the obtained very high haze value in the range from the near ultraviolet to visible light in the scrambled egg-like surface-textured AZO films did not contribute significantly to the obtainable photovoltaic properties in the solar cells fabricated using the films. Significant light scattering properties as well as a low sheet resistance could be achieved in the double surface-textured AZO films. In addition, a significant improvement of external quantum efficiency in the range from the near ultraviolet to visible light was achieved in superstrate-type n-i-p μc-Si:H solar cells fabricated using a double surface-textured AZO film prepared under optimized conditions as the transparent electrode. - Highlights: • Double surface-textured AZO films prepared using a new texture formation technique • Extensive light scattering properties with low sheet resistance achieved in the double surface-textured AZO films • Improved external quantum efficiency of μc-Si:H solar cells using a double surface-textured AZO film.

Improving Image Matching by Reducing Surface Reflections Using Polarising Filter Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Conen, N.; Hastedt, H.; Kahmen, O.; Luhmann, T.

2018-05-01

In dense stereo matching applications surface reflections may lead to incorrect measurements and blunders in the resulting point cloud. To overcome the problem of disturbing reflexions polarising filters can be mounted on the camera lens and light source. Reflections in the images can be suppressed by crossing the polarising direction of the filters leading to homogeneous illuminated images and better matching results. However, the filter may influence the camera's orientation parameters as well as the measuring accuracy. To quantify these effects, a calibration and an accuracy analysis is conducted within a spatial test arrangement according to the German guideline VDI/VDE 2634.1 (2002) using a DSLR with and without polarising filter. In a second test, the interior orientation is analysed in more detail. The results do not show significant changes of the measuring accuracy in object space and only very small changes of the interior orientation (Δc ≤ 4 μm) with the polarising filter in use. Since in medical applications many tiny reflections are present and impede robust surface measurements, a prototypic trinocular endoscope is equipped with polarising technique. The interior and relative orientation is determined and analysed. The advantage of the polarising technique for medical image matching is shown in an experiment with a moistened pig kidney. The accuracy and completeness of the resulting point cloud can be improved clearly when using polarising filters. Furthermore, an accuracy analysis using a laser triangulation system is performed and the special reflection properties of metallic surfaces are presented.

IMPROVING IMAGE MATCHING BY REDUCING SURFACE REFLECTIONS USING POLARISING FILTER TECHNIQUES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Conen

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In dense stereo matching applications surface reflections may lead to incorrect measurements and blunders in the resulting point cloud. To overcome the problem of disturbing reflexions polarising filters can be mounted on the camera lens and light source. Reflections in the images can be suppressed by crossing the polarising direction of the filters leading to homogeneous illuminated images and better matching results. However, the filter may influence the camera’s orientation parameters as well as the measuring accuracy. To quantify these effects, a calibration and an accuracy analysis is conducted within a spatial test arrangement according to the German guideline VDI/VDE 2634.1 (2002 using a DSLR with and without polarising filter. In a second test, the interior orientation is analysed in more detail. The results do not show significant changes of the measuring accuracy in object space and only very small changes of the interior orientation (Δc ≤ 4 μm with the polarising filter in use. Since in medical applications many tiny reflections are present and impede robust surface measurements, a prototypic trinocular endoscope is equipped with polarising technique. The interior and relative orientation is determined and analysed. The advantage of the polarising technique for medical image matching is shown in an experiment with a moistened pig kidney. The accuracy and completeness of the resulting point cloud can be improved clearly when using polarising filters. Furthermore, an accuracy analysis using a laser triangulation system is performed and the special reflection properties of metallic surfaces are presented.

Development of dual PZT transducers for reference-free crack detection in thin plate structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Hoon; Kim, Seuno Bum

2010-01-01

A new Lamb-wave-based nondestructive testing (NDT) technique, which does not rely on previously stored baseline data, is developed for crack monitoring in plate structures. Commonly, the presence of damage is identified by comparing "current data" measured from a potentially damaged stage of a structure with "baseline data" previously obtained at the intact condition of the structure. In practice, structural defects typically take place long after collection of the baseline data, and the baseline data can be also affected by external loading, temperature variations, and changing boundary conditions. To eliminate the dependence on the baseline data comparison, the authors previously developed a reference-free NDT technique using 2 pairs of collocated lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers placed on both sides of a plate. This reference-free technique is further advanced in the present study by the necessity of attaching transducers only on a single surface of a structure for certain applications such as aircraft. To achieve this goal, a new design of PZT transducers called dual PZT transducers is proposed. Crack formation creates Lamb wave mode conversion due to a sudden thickness change of the structure. This crack appearance is instantly detected from the measured Lamb wave signals using the dual PZT transducers. This study also suggests a reference-free statistical approach that enables damage classification using only the currently measured data set. Numerical simulations and experiments were conducted using an aluminum plate with uniform thickness and fundamental Lamb waves modes to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed technique to reference-free crack detection.

Eddy current technique for detecting and sizing surface cracks in steel components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cecco, V.S.; Carter, J.R.; Sullivan, S.P.

1995-01-01

Cracking has occurred in pressure vessel nozzles and girth welds due to thermal fatigue. Pipe welds, welds in support structures, and welds in reactor vault liner panels in nuclear facilities have failed because of cracks. Cracking can also occur in turbine rotor bore surfaces due to high cycle fatigue. Dye penetrant, magnetic particle and other surface NDT methods are used to detect cracks but cannot be used for depth sizing. Crack depth can be measured with various NDT methods such as ultrasonic time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD), potential drop, and eddy current. The TOFD technique can be difficult to implement on nozzle welds and is best suited for sizing deep cracks (>5 mm). The conventional eddy current method is easy to implement, but crack sizing is normally limited to shallow cracks ( 2 mm) cracks. Eddy current testing (ET) techniques are readily amenable to remote/automatic inspections. These new probes could augment present magnetic particle (MT) and dye penetrant (PT) testing through provision of reliable defect depth information. Reliable crack sizing permits identification of critical cracks for plant life extension and licensing purposes. In addition, performing PT and MT generates low level radioactive waste in some inspection applications in nuclear facilities. Replacing these techniques with ET for some components will eliminate some of this radioactive waste. (author)

The Si(100)-Sb 2x1 and Ge(100) 2x1 surfaces: A multi-technique study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richter, M.

1993-08-01

The electronic and geometric structures of the clean and Sb terminated Si(100)2x1 and Ge(100)-2x1 surfaces have been investigated using a multi-technique approach. Low energy electron diffraction (LEED), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), surface extended X-ray absorption fine structure (SEXAFS) spectroscopy and angle-integrated core-level photoemission electron spectroscopy (PES) were employed to measure the surface symmetry, defect structure, relevant bond lengths, atomic coordination and electronic structure. By employing a multi-technique approach, it is possible to correlate changes in the geometric structure to specific features of the core-level lineshape of the substrate. This allows for the assignment of components of the core-level lineshape to be assigned to specific surface and near-surface atoms

Quantitative Modeling of Earth Surface Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Pelletier, Jon D.

This textbook describes some of the most effective and straightforward quantitative techniques for modeling Earth surface processes. By emphasizing a core set of equations and solution techniques, the book presents state-of-the-art models currently employed in Earth surface process research, as well as a set of simple but practical research tools. Detailed case studies demonstrate application of the methods to a wide variety of processes including hillslope, fluvial, aeolian, glacial, tectonic, and climatic systems. Exercises at the end of each chapter begin with simple calculations and then progress to more sophisticated problems that require computer programming. All the necessary computer codes are available online at www.cambridge.org/9780521855976. Assuming some knowledge of calculus and basic programming experience, this quantitative textbook is designed for advanced geomorphology courses and as a reference book for professional researchers in Earth and planetary science looking for a quantitative approach to Earth surface processes. More details...

Progress in diagnostic techniques for sc cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reece, C.E.

1988-01-01

While routinely achieved performance characteristics of superconducting cavities have now reached a level which makes them useful in large scale applications, achieving this level has come only through the knowledge gained by systematic studies of performance limiting phenomena. Despite the very real progress that has been made, the routine performance of superconducting cavities still falls far short of both the theoretical expectations and the performance of a few exception examples. It is the task of systematically applied diagnostic techniques to reveal additional information concerning the response of superconducting surfaces to applied RF fields. Here recent developments in diagnostic techniques are discussed. 18 references, 12 figures

Study of multilayer packaging delamination mechanisms using different surface analysis techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garrido-Lopez, Alvaro [Department of Chemistry, University of La Rioja, C/Madre de Dios 51, E-26006 Logrono, La Rioja (Spain); Tena, Maria Teresa, E-mail: maria-teresa.tena@unirioja.es [Department of Chemistry, University of La Rioja, C/Madre de Dios 51, E-26006 Logrono, La Rioja (Spain)

2010-04-01

Multilayer packaging, consisting of different layers joined by using an adhesive or an extrusion process, is widely used to promote different products, such as food, cosmetics, etc. The main disadvantage in using this form of packaging is the delamination process. In this work, different surface techniques (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) are used to analyse the delaminated surfaces in order to study the mechanisms that cause delamination of multilayer packaging. According to our results, the reaction of migrated molecules with adhesive-aluminium bonds is the main cause of the chemical delamination process. In contrast, the delamination of extruded materials would seem to be caused by the breaking of Van der Waals bonds.

Applications of factor analysis to electron and ion beam surface techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solomon, J.S.

1987-01-01

Factor analysis, a mathematical technique for extracting chemical information from matrices of data, is used to enhance Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), core level electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS), and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) in studies of interfaces, thin films, and surfaces. Several examples of factor analysis enhancement of chemical bonding variations in thin films and at interfaces studied with AES and SIMS are presented. Factor analysis is also shown to be of great benefit in quantifying electron and ion beam doses required to induce surface damage. Finally, examples are presented of the use of factor analysis to reconstruct elemental profiles when peaks of interest overlap each other during the course of depth profile analysis. (author)

Atmospheric pressure surface sampling/ionization techniques for direct coupling of planar separations with mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasilis, Sofie P; Van Berkel, Gary J

2010-06-18

Planar separations, which include thin layer chromatography and gel electrophoresis, are in widespread use as important and powerful tools for conducting separations of complex mixtures. To increase the utility of planar separations, new methods are needed that allow in situ characterization of the individual components of the separated mixtures. A large number of atmospheric pressure surface sampling and ionization techniques for use with mass spectrometry have emerged in the past several years, and several have been investigated as a means for mass spectrometric read-out of planar separations. In this article, we review the atmospheric pressure surface sampling and ionization techniques that have been used for the read-out of planar separation media. For each technique, we briefly explain the operational basics and discuss the analyte type for which it is appropriate and some specific applications from the literature. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Degradation of glass artifacts: application of modern surface analytical techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Melcher, Michael; Wiesinger, Rita; Schreiner, Manfred

2010-06-15

A detailed understanding of the stability of glasses toward liquid or atmospheric attack is of considerable importance for preserving numerous objects of our cultural heritage. Glasses produced in the ancient periods (Egyptian, Greek, or Roman glasses), as well as modern glass, can be classified as soda-lime-silica glasses. In contrast, potash was used as a flux in medieval Northern Europe for the production of window panes for churches and cathedrals. The particular chemical composition of these potash-lime-silica glasses (low in silica and rich in alkali and alkaline earth components), in combination with increased levels of acidifying gases (such as SO(2), CO(2), NO(x), or O(3)) and airborne particulate matter in today's urban or industrial atmospheres, has resulted in severe degradation of important cultural relics, particularly over the last century. Rapid developments in the fields of microelectronics and computer sciences, however, have contributed to the development of a variety of nondestructive, surface analytical techniques for the scientific investigation and material characterization of these unique and valuable objects. These methods include scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy- or wavelength-dispersive spectrometry (SEM/EDX or SEM/WDX), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In this Account, we address glass analysis and weathering mechanisms, exploring the possibilities (and limitations) of modern analytical techniques. Corrosion by liquid substances is well investigated in the glass literature. In a tremendous number of case studies, the basic reaction between aqueous solutions and the glass surfaces was identified as an ion-exchange reaction between hydrogen-bearing species of the attacking liquid and the alkali and alkaline earth ions in the glass, causing a depletion of the latter in the outermost surface layers. Although mechanistic analogies to liquid corrosion are obvious, atmospheric

Comparison of optimization techniques for MRR and surface roughness in wire EDM process for gear cutting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.D. Mohapatra

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The objective of the present work is to use a suitable method that can optimize the process parameters like pulse on time (TON, pulse off time (TOFF, wire feed rate (WF, wire tension (WT and servo voltage (SV to attain the maximum value of MRR and minimum value of surface roughness during the production of a fine pitch spur gear made of copper. The spur gear has a pressure angle of 20⁰ and pitch circle diameter of 70 mm. The wire has a diameter of 0.25 mm and is made of brass. Experiments were conducted according to Taguchi’s orthogonal array concept with five factors and two levels. Thus, Taguchi quality loss design technique is used to optimize the output responses carried out from the experiments. Another optimization technique i.e. desirability with grey Taguchi technique has been used to optimize the process parameters. Both the optimized results are compared to find out the best combination of MRR and surface roughness. A confirmation test was carried out to identify the significant improvement in the machining performance in case of Taguchi quality loss. Finally, it was concluded that desirability with grey Taguchi technique produced a better result than the Taguchi quality loss technique in case of MRR and Taguchi quality loss gives a better result in case of surface roughness. The quality of the wire after the cutting operation has been presented in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM figure.

ESTIMATION OF SHIE GLACIER SURFACE MOVEMENT USING OFFSET TRACKING TECHNIQUE WITH COSMO-SKYMED IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Q. Wang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Movement is one of the most important characteristics of glaciers which can cause serious natural disasters. For this reason, monitoring this massive blocks is a crucial task. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR can operate all day in any weather conditions and the images acquired by SAR contain intensity and phase information, which are irreplaceable advantages in monitoring the surface movement of glaciers. Moreover, a variety of techniques like DInSAR and offset tracking, based on the information of SAR images, could be applied to measure the movement. Sangwang lake, a glacial lake in the Himalayas, has great potentially danger of outburst. Shie glacier is situated at the upstream of the Sangwang lake. Hence, it is significant to monitor Shie glacier surface movement to assess the risk of outburst. In this paper, 6 high resolution COSMO-SkyMed images spanning from August to December, 2016 are applied with offset tracking technique to estimate the surface movement of Shie glacier. The maximum velocity of Shie glacier surface movement is 51 cm/d, which was observed at the end of glacier tongue, and the velocity is correlated with the change of elevation. Moreover, the glacier surface movement in summer is faster than in winter and the velocity decreases as the local temperature decreases. Based on the above conclusions, the glacier may break off at the end of tongue in the near future. The movement results extracted in this paper also illustrate the advantages of high resolution SAR images in monitoring the surface movement of small glaciers.

Estimation of Shie Glacier Surface Movement Using Offset Tracking Technique with Cosmo-Skymed Images

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Q.; Zhou, W.; Fan, J.; Yuan, W.; Li, H.; Sousa, J. J.; Guo, Z.

2017-09-01

Movement is one of the most important characteristics of glaciers which can cause serious natural disasters. For this reason, monitoring this massive blocks is a crucial task. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can operate all day in any weather conditions and the images acquired by SAR contain intensity and phase information, which are irreplaceable advantages in monitoring the surface movement of glaciers. Moreover, a variety of techniques like DInSAR and offset tracking, based on the information of SAR images, could be applied to measure the movement. Sangwang lake, a glacial lake in the Himalayas, has great potentially danger of outburst. Shie glacier is situated at the upstream of the Sangwang lake. Hence, it is significant to monitor Shie glacier surface movement to assess the risk of outburst. In this paper, 6 high resolution COSMO-SkyMed images spanning from August to December, 2016 are applied with offset tracking technique to estimate the surface movement of Shie glacier. The maximum velocity of Shie glacier surface movement is 51 cm/d, which was observed at the end of glacier tongue, and the velocity is correlated with the change of elevation. Moreover, the glacier surface movement in summer is faster than in winter and the velocity decreases as the local temperature decreases. Based on the above conclusions, the glacier may break off at the end of tongue in the near future. The movement results extracted in this paper also illustrate the advantages of high resolution SAR images in monitoring the surface movement of small glaciers.

PREFACE: Exploring surfaces and buried interfaces of functional materials by advanced x-ray and neutron techniques Exploring surfaces and buried interfaces of functional materials by advanced x-ray and neutron techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Sakurai, Kenji

2010-12-01

This special issue is devoted to describing recent applications of x-ray and neutron scattering techniques to the exploration of surfaces and buried interfaces of various functional materials. Unlike many other surface-sensitive methods, these techniques do not require ultra high vacuum, and therefore, a variety of real and complicated surfaces fall within the scope of analysis. It must be particularly emphasized that the techniques are capable of seeing even buried function interfaces as well as the surface. Furthermore, the information, which ranges from the atomic to mesoscopic scale, is highly quantitative and reproducible. The non-destructive nature of the techniques is another important advantage of using x-rays and neutrons, when compared with other atomic-scale analyses. This ensures that the same specimen can be measured by other techniques. Such features are fairly attractive when exploring multilayered materials with nanostructures (dots, tubes, wires, etc), which are finding applications in electronic, magnetic, optical and other devices. The Japan Applied Physics Society has established a group to develop the research field of studying buried function interfaces with x-rays and neutrons. As the methods can be applied to almost all types of materials, from semiconductor and electronic devices to soft materials, participants have fairly different backgrounds but share a common interest in state-of-the-art x-ray and neutron techniques and sophisticated applications. A series of workshops has been organized almost every year since 2001. Some international interactions have been continued intensively, although the community is part of a Japanese society. This special issue does not report the proceedings of the recent workshop, although all the authors are in some way involved in the activities of the above society. Initially, we intended to collect quite long overview papers, including the authors' latest and most important original results, as well as

Fiber-Optic Surface Temperature Sensor Based on Modal Interference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frédéric Musin

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Spatially-integrated surface temperature sensing is highly useful when it comes to controlling processes, detecting hazardous conditions or monitoring the health and safety of equipment and people. Fiber-optic sensing based on modal interference has shown great sensitivity to temperature variation, by means of cost-effective image-processing of few-mode interference patterns. New developments in the field of sensor configuration, as described in this paper, include an innovative cooling and heating phase discrimination functionality and more precise measurements, based entirely on the image processing of interference patterns. The proposed technique was applied to the measurement of the integrated surface temperature of a hollow cylinder and compared with a conventional measurement system, consisting of an infrared camera and precision temperature probe. As a result, the optical technique is in line with the reference system. Compared with conventional surface temperature probes, the optical technique has the following advantages: low heat capacity temperature measurement errors, easier spatial deployment, and replacement of multiple angle infrared camera shooting and the continuous monitoring of surfaces that are not visually accessible.

SNAP operating system reference manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabuda, J.D.; Polito, J.; Walker, J.L.; Grant, F.H. III.

1982-03-01

The SNAP Operating System (SOS) is a FORTRAN 77 program which provides assistance to the safeguards analyst who uses the Safeguards Automated Facility Evaluation (SAFE) and the Safeguards Network Analysis Procedure (SNAP) techniques. Features offered by SOS are a data base system for storing a library of SNAP applications, computer graphics representation of SNAP models, a computer graphics editor to develop and modify SNAP models, a SAFE-to-SNAP interface, automatic generation of SNAP input data, and a computer graphic post-processor for SNAP. The SOS Reference Manual provides detailed application information concerning SOS as well as a detailed discussion of all SOS components and their associated command input formats. SOS was developed for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research and the US Naval Surface Weapons Center by Pritsker and Associates, Inc., under contract to Sandia National Laboratories

Surface Coating Technique of Northern Black Polished Ware by the Microscopic Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilruba Sharmin

2012-12-01

Full Text Available An organic substance has been identified in the top layer of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW excavated from the Wari-Boteshwar and Mahasthangarh sites in Bangladesh. NBPW is the most distinctive ceramic of Early Historic period and the technique of its surface gloss acquired numerous theories. This particular paper is an analytical study of collected NBPW sherds from these two sites including surface observations using binocular and scanning electron microscopes and Thin Section Analysis of potsherds. Thin section analysis identified two different layers of coating on the surface of the NBPW. One layer is a ‘slip’ (ground coat and the other is a ‘top layer or top coat ’. The slip was made from refined clay and the top layer was derived from organic substance. Microscopic analysis confirmed the solid and non-clayey characteristics of the top coat.

Multi-geodetic characterization of the seasonal signal at the CERGA geodetic reference, France

Science.gov (United States)

Memin, A.; Viswanathan, V.; Fienga, A.; Santamaría-Gómez, A.; Boy, J. P.

2016-12-01

Crustal deformations due to surface-mass loading account for a significant part of the variability in geodetic time series. A perfect understanding of the loading signal observed by geodetic techniques should help in improving terrestrial reference frame (TRF) realizations. Yet, discrepancies between crustal motion estimates from models of surface-mass loading and observations are still too large so that no model is currently recommended by the IERS for reducing the data. We investigate the discrepancy observed in the seasonal variations of the CERGA station, South of France.We characterize the seasonal motions of the reference geodetic station CERGA from GNSS, SLR and LLR. We compare the station motion observed with GNSS and SLR and we estimate changes in the station-to-the-moon distance using an improved processing strategy. We investigate the consistency between these geodetic techniques and compare the observed station motion with that estimated using models of surface-mass change. In that regard, we compute atmospheric loading effects using surface pressure fields from ECMWF, assuming an ocean response according to the classical inverted barometer (IB) assumption, considered to be valid for periods typically exceeding a week. We also used general circulation ocean models (ECCO and GLORYS) forced by wind, heat and fresh water fluxes. The continental water storage is described using GLDAS/Noah and MERRA-land models.Using the surface-mass models, we estimate the amplitude of the seasonal vertical motion of the CERGA station ranging between 5 and 10 mm with a maximum reached in August, mostly due to hydrology. The horizontal seasonal motion of the station may reach up to 3 mm. Such a station motion should induce a change in the distance to the moon reaching up to 10 mm, large enough to be detected in LLR time series and compared to GNSS- and SLR-derived motion.

Evaluation of geologic and geophysical techniques for surface-to-subsurface projections of geologic characteristics in crystalline rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-07-01

Granitic and gneissic rock complexes are being considered for their potential to contain and permanently isolate high-level nuclear waste in a deep geologic repository. The use of surface geologic and geophysical techniques has several advantages over drilling and testing methods for geologic site characterization in that the techniques are typically less costly, provide data over a wider area, and do not jeopardize the physical integrity of a potential repository. For this reason, an extensive literature review was conducted to identify appropriate surface geologic and geophysical techniques that can be used to characterize geologic conditions in crystalline rock at proposed repository depths of 460 to 1,220 m. Characterization parameters such as rock quality; fracture orientation, spacing; and aperture; depths to anomalies; degree of saturation; rock body dimensions; and petrology are considered to be of primary importance. Techniques reviewed include remote sensing, geologic mapping, petrographic analysis, structural analysis, gravity and magnetic methods, electrical methods, and seismic methods. Each technique was reviewed with regard to its theoretical basis and field application; geologic parameters that can be evaluated; advantages and limitations, and, where available, case history applications in crystalline rock. Available information indicates that individual techniques provide reliable information on characteristics at the surface, but have limited success in projections to depths greater that approximately 100 m. A combination of integrated techniques combines with data from a limited number of boreholes would significantly improve the reliability and confidence of early characterization studies to provide qualitative rock body characteristics for region-to-area and area-to-site selection evaluations. 458 refs., 32 figs., 14 tabs

Comprehensive inter-laboratory calibration of reference materials for δ18O versus VSMOW using various on-line high-temperature conversion techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Willi A.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Aerts-Bijma, Anita T.; Bohlke, John Karl; Gehre, Matthias; Geilmann, Heike; Groning, Manfred; Jansen, Henk G.; Meijer, Harro A. J.; Mroczkowski, Stanley J.; Qi, Haiping; Soergel, Karin; Stuart-Williams, Hilary; Weise, Stephan M.; Werner, Roland A.

2009-01-01

Internationally distributed organic and inorganic oxygen isotopic reference materials have been calibrated by six laboratories carrying out more than 5300 measurements using a variety of high-temperature conversion techniques (HTC) in an evaluation sponsored by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). To aid in the calibration of these reference materials, which span more than 125‰, an artificially enriched reference water (δ18O of +78.91‰) and two barium sulfates (one depleted and one enriched in 18O) were prepared and calibrated relative to VSMOW2 and SLAP reference waters. These materials were used to calibrate the other isotopic reference materials in this study, which yielded:Reference materialδ18O and estimated combined uncertainty IAEA-602 benzoic acid+71.28 ± 0.36‰USGS35 sodium nitrate+56.81 ± 0.31‰IAEA-NO-3 potassium nitrate+25.32 ± 0.29‰IAEA-601 benzoic acid+23.14 ± 0.19‰IAEA-SO-5 barium sulfate+12.13 ± 0.33‰NBS 127 barium sulfate+8.59 ± 0.26‰VSMOW2 water0‰IAEA-600 caffeine−3.48 ± 0.53‰IAEA-SO-6 barium sulfate−11.35 ± 0.31‰USGS34 potassium nitrate−27.78 ± 0.37‰SLAP water−55.5‰The seemingly large estimated combined uncertainties arise from differences in instrumentation and methodology and difficulty in accounting for all measurement bias. They are composed of the 3-fold standard errors directly calculated from the measurements and provision for systematic errors discussed in this paper. A primary conclusion of this study is that nitrate samples analyzed for δ18O should be analyzed with internationally distributed isotopic nitrates, and likewise for sulfates and organics. Authors reporting relative differences of oxygen-isotope ratios (δ18O) of nitrates, sulfates, or organic material should explicitly state in their reports the δ18O values of two or more internationally distributed nitrates (USGS34, IAEA-NO-3, and USGS35), sulfates (IAEA-SO-5, IAEA

137 Cs reference inventory for the soils erosion studies in Cienfuegos, Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sibello Hernandez; Rita Y; Febles Gonzalez, Jose Manuel; Toledo Sibello, Alicia L.; Suarez Suri, Roberto

2013-01-01

For the successful application of the 137Cs technique for soils erosion studies is necessary to establish the reference inventory correctly, it represents the total entrance from this radionuclide to the terrestrial surface. In this sense, a site that has not been perturbed neither for the erosion nor for the deposit, is selected as reference site. In the practice to find such sites is usually difficult. The objective of this investigation was to establish the reference inventory of 137Cs for the studied localities of Cienfuegos province. It was established that the confidence interval at 90% of probability of the 137Cs reference inventory is [1082; 1266] Bq/m2, and the variation coefficient of the reference inventory in the investigated localities was of 11%. These values are in correspondence with those reported by other authors for similar places. Also the lineal dependence between the inventories of 137Cs and the historical averages of the precipitations was determined, with a correlation coefficient of 0.94. This lineal function will be able to be used to obtain or to confirm the reference inventories from rainfall data. (author)

Physics of Surfaces and Interfaces

CERN Document Server

Ibach, Harald

2006-01-01

This graduate-level textbook covers the major developments in surface sciences of recent decades, from experimental tricks and basic techniques to the latest experimental methods and theoretical understanding. It is unique in its attempt to treat the physics of surfaces, thin films and interfaces, surface chemistry, thermodynamics, statistical physics and the physics of the solid/electrolyte interface in an integral manner, rather than in separate compartments. The Physics of Surfaces and Interfaces is designed as a handbook for the researcher as well as a study-text for graduate students in physics or chemistry with special interest in the surface sciences, material science, or the nanosciences. The experienced researcher, professional or academic teacher will appreciate the opportunity to share many insights and ideas that have grown out of the author's long experience. Readers will likewise appreciate the wide range of topics treated, each supported by extensive references. Graduate students will benefit f...

Risks and advantages of using surface laser photogrammetry on free-ranging marine organisms: a case study on white sharks Carcharodon carcharias.

Science.gov (United States)

Leurs, G; O'Connell, C P; Andreotti, S; Rutzen, M; Vonk Noordegraaf, H

2015-06-01

This study employed a non-lethal measurement tool, which combined an existing photo-identification technique with a surface, parallel laser photogrammetry technique, to accurately estimate the size of free-ranging white sharks Carcharodon carcharias. Findings confirmed the hypothesis that surface laser photogrammetry is more accurate than crew-based estimations that utilized a shark cage of known size as a reference tool. Furthermore, field implementation also revealed that the photographer's angle of reference and the shark's body curvature could greatly influence technique accuracy, exposing two limitations. The findings showed minor inconsistencies with previous studies that examined pre-caudal to total length ratios of dead specimens. This study suggests that surface laser photogrammetry can successfully increase length estimation accuracy and illustrates the potential utility of this technique for growth and stock assessments on free-ranging marine organisms, which will lead to an improvement of the adaptive management of the species. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

An overview of technologies for immobilization of enzymes and surface analysis techniques for immobilized enzymes

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamad, Nur Royhaila; Marzuki, Nur Haziqah Che; Buang, Nor Aziah; Huyop, Fahrul; Wahab, Roswanira Abdul

2015-01-01

The current demands of sustainable green methodologies have increased the use of enzymatic technology in industrial processes. Employment of enzyme as biocatalysts offers the benefits of mild reaction conditions, biodegradability and catalytic efficiency. The harsh conditions of industrial processes, however, increase propensity of enzyme destabilization, shortening their industrial lifespan. Consequently, the technology of enzyme immobilization provides an effective means to circumvent these concerns by enhancing enzyme catalytic properties and also simplify downstream processing and improve operational stability. There are several techniques used to immobilize the enzymes onto supports which range from reversible physical adsorption and ionic linkages, to the irreversible stable covalent bonds. Such techniques produce immobilized enzymes of varying stability due to changes in the surface microenvironment and degree of multipoint attachment. Hence, it is mandatory to obtain information about the structure of the enzyme protein following interaction with the support surface as well as interactions of the enzymes with other proteins. Characterization technologies at the nanoscale level to study enzymes immobilized on surfaces are crucial to obtain valuable qualitative and quantitative information, including morphological visualization of the immobilized enzymes. These technologies are pertinent to assess efficacy of an immobilization technique and development of future enzyme immobilization strategies. PMID:26019635

Molecular surface science of heterogeneous catalysis. History and perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somorjai, G.A.

1983-08-01

A personal account is given of how the author became involved with modern surface science and how it was employed for studies of the chemistry of surfaces and heterogeneous catalysis. New techniques were developed for studying the properties of the surface monolayers: Auger electron spectroscopy, LEED, XPS, molecular beam surface scattering, etc. An apparatus was developed and used to study hydrocarbon conversion reactions on Pt, CO hydrogenation on Rh and Fe, and NH 3 synthesis on Fe. A model has been developed for the working Pt reforming catalyst. The three molecular ingredients that control catalytic properties are atomic surface structure, an active carbonaceous deposit, and the proper oxidation state of surface atoms. 40 references, 21 figures

Molecular surface science of heterogeneous catalysis. History and perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Somorjai, G.A.

1983-08-01

A personal account is given of how the author became involved with modern surface science and how it was employed for studies of the chemistry of surfaces and heterogeneous catalysis. New techniques were developed for studying the properties of the surface monolayers: Auger electron spectroscopy, LEED, XPS, molecular beam surface scattering, etc. An apparatus was developed and used to study hydrocarbon conversion reactions on Pt, CO hydrogenation on Rh and Fe, and NH/sub 3/ synthesis on Fe. A model has been developed for the working Pt reforming catalyst. The three molecular ingredients that control catalytic properties are atomic surface structure, an active carbonaceous deposit, and the proper oxidation state of surface atoms. 40 references, 21 figures. (DLC)

Ion-induced nanopatterns on semiconductor surfaces investigated by grazing incidence x-ray scattering techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carbone, D; Metzger, T H [ID01, ESRF, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex (France); Biermanns, A; Pietsch, U [Festkoerperphysik, Universitaet Siegen, D-57068 Siegen (Germany); Ziberi, B; Frost, F [Leibniz-Institut fuer Oberflaechenmodifizierung e.V., D-04318 Leipzig (Germany); Plantevin, O [Universite Paris-Sud, Centre de Spectrometrie Nucleaire et de Spectrometrie de Masse, UMR 8609, F-91405 Orsay (France)], E-mail: gcarbone@esrf.fr

2009-06-03

In this review we cover and describe the application of grazing incidence x-ray scattering techniques to study and characterize nanopattern formation on semiconductor surfaces by ion beam erosion under various conditions. It is demonstrated that x-rays under grazing incidence are especially well suited to characterize (sub)surface structures on the nanoscale with high spatial and statistical accuracy. The corresponding theory and data evaluation is described in the distorted wave Born approximation. Both ex situ and in situ studies are presented, performed with the use of a specially designed sputtering chamber which allows us to follow the temporal evolution of the nanostructure formation. Corresponding results show a general stabilization of the ordering wavelength and the extension of the ordering as a function of the ion energy and fluence as predicted by theory. The in situ measurements are especially suited to study the early stages of pattern formation, which in some cases reveal a transition from dot to ripple formation. For the case of medium energy ions crystalline ripples are formed buried under a semi-amorphous thick layer with a ripple structure at the surface being conformal with the crystalline/amorphous interface. Here, the x-ray techniques are especially advantageous since they are non-destructive and bulk-sensitive by their very nature. In addition, the GI x-ray techniques described in this review are a unique tool to study the evolving strain, a topic which remains to be explored both experimentally and theoretically.

Development of a novel infrared-based visualization technique to detect liquid-gas phase dynamics on boiling surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyung Dae

2011-01-01

Complex two-phase heat transfer phenomena such as nucleate boiling, critical heat flux, quenching and condensation govern the thermal performance of Light Water Reactors (LWRs) under normal operation and during transients/accidents. These phenomena are typically characterized by the presence of a liquid vapor- solid contact line on the surface from/to which the heat is transferred. For example, in nucleate boiling, a significant fraction of the energy needed for bubble growth comes from evaporation of a liquid meniscus, or microlayer, underneath the bubble itself. As the liquid vapor- solid line at the edge of the meniscus retreats, a circular dry patch in the middle of the bubble is exposed; the speed of the triple line retreat is a measure of the ability of the surface to transfer heat to the bubble. At very high heat fluxes, near the upper limit of the nucleate boiling regime, also known as Critical Heat Flux (CHF), the situation is characterized by larger dry areas on the surface, dispersed within an interconnected network of liquid menisci. In quenching heat transfer, which refers to the rapid cooling of a very hot object by immersion in a cooler liquid, the process is initially dominated by film boiling. In film boiling a continuous vapor film completely separates the liquid phase from the solid surface: however, as the temperature gets closer to the Leidenfrost point, intermittent and short-lived liquid-solid contacts occur at discrete locations on the surface, thus creating liquid vapor- solid interfaces once again. Ultimately, if bubble nucleation ensues at such contact points, the vapor film is disrupted and the heat transfer regime transitions from film boiling to transition boiling. Finally, in dropwise condensation, the phase transition from vapor to liquid occurs via formation of discrete droplets on the surface, and the resulting liquid-vapor-solid triple line is where heat transfer is most intense. To gain insight into and enable mechanistic

Patient set-up verification by infrared optical localization and body surface sensing in breast radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spadea, Maria Francesca; Baroni, Guido; Riboldi, Marco; Orecchia, Roberto; Pedotti, Antonio; Tagaste, Barbara; Garibaldi, Cristina

2006-01-01

Background and purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical application of a technique for patient set-up verification in breast cancer radiotherapy, based on the 3D localization of a hybrid configuration of surface control points. Materials and methods: An infrared optical tracker provided the 3D position of two passive markers and 10 laser spots placed around and within the irradiation field on nine patients. A fast iterative constrained minimization procedure was applied to detect and compensate patient set-up errors, through the control points registration with reference data coming from treatment plan (markers reference position, CT-based surface model). Results: The application of the corrective spatial transformation estimated by the registration procedure led to significant improvement of patient set-up. Median value of 3D errors affecting three additional verification markers within the irradiation field decreased from 5.7 to 3.5 mm. Errors variability (25-75%) decreased from 3.2 to 2.1 mm. Laser spots registration on the reference surface model was documented to contribute substantially to set-up errors compensation. Conclusions: Patient set-up verification through a hybrid set of control points and constrained surface minimization algorithm was confirmed to be feasible in clinical practice and to provide valuable information for the improvement of the quality of patient set-up, with minimal requirement of operator-dependant procedures. The technique combines conveniently the advantages of passive markers based methods and surface registration techniques, by featuring immediate and robust estimation of the set-up accuracy from a redundant dataset

Biomedical Engineering Desk Reference

CERN Document Server

Ratner, Buddy D; Schoen, Frederick J; Lemons, Jack E; Dyro, Joseph; Martinsen, Orjan G; Kyle, Richard; Preim, Bernhard; Bartz, Dirk; Grimnes, Sverre; Vallero, Daniel; Semmlow, John; Murray, W Bosseau; Perez, Reinaldo; Bankman, Isaac; Dunn, Stanley; Ikada, Yoshito; Moghe, Prabhas V; Constantinides, Alkis

2009-01-01

A one-stop Desk Reference, for Biomedical Engineers involved in the ever expanding and very fast moving area; this is a book that will not gather dust on the shelf. It brings together the essential professional reference content from leading international contributors in the biomedical engineering field. Material covers a broad range of topics including: Biomechanics and Biomaterials; Tissue Engineering; and Biosignal Processing* A hard-working desk reference providing all the essential material needed by biomedical and clinical engineers on a day-to-day basis * Fundamentals, key techniques,

X-ray holography with a customizable reference.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Andrew V; D'Alfonso, Adrian J; Wang, Fenglin; Bean, Richard; Capotondi, Flavio; Kirian, Richard A; Pedersoli, Emanuele; Pedersoli, Emmanuele; Raimondi, Lorenzo; Stellato, Francesco; Yoon, Chun Hong; Chapman, Henry N

2014-08-22

In X-ray Fourier-transform holography, images are formed by exploiting the interference pattern between the X-rays scattered from the sample and a known reference wave. To date, this technique has only been possible with a limited set of special reference waves. We demonstrate X-ray Fourier-transform holography with an almost unrestricted choice for the reference wave, permitting experimental geometries to be designed according to the needs of each experiment and opening up new avenues to optimize signal-to-noise and resolution. The optimization of holographic references can aid the development of holographic techniques to meet the demands of resolution and fidelity required for single-shot imaging applications with X-ray lasers.

Imaging of stellar surfaces with the Occamian approach and the least-squares deconvolution technique

Science.gov (United States)

Järvinen, S. P.; Berdyugina, S. V.

2010-10-01

Context. We present in this paper a new technique for the indirect imaging of stellar surfaces (Doppler imaging, DI), when low signal-to-noise spectral data have been improved by the least-squares deconvolution (LSD) method and inverted into temperature maps with the Occamian approach. We apply this technique to both simulated and real data and investigate its applicability for different stellar rotation rates and noise levels in data. Aims: Our goal is to boost the signal of spots in spectral lines and to reduce the effect of photon noise without loosing the temperature information in the lines. Methods: We simulated data from a test star, to which we added different amounts of noise, and employed the inversion technique based on the Occamian approach with and without LSD. In order to be able to infer a temperature map from LSD profiles, we applied the LSD technique for the first time to both the simulated observations and theoretical local line profiles, which remain dependent on temperature and limb angles. We also investigated how the excitation energy of individual lines effects the obtained solution by using three submasks that have lines with low, medium, and high excitation energy levels. Results: We show that our novel approach enables us to overcome the limitations of the two-temperature approximation, which was previously employed for LSD profiles, and to obtain true temperature maps with stellar atmosphere models. The resulting maps agree well with those obtained using the inversion code without LSD, provided the data are noiseless. However, using LSD is only advisable for poor signal-to-noise data. Further, we show that the Occamian technique, both with and without LSD, approaches the surface temperature distribution reasonably well for an adequate spatial resolution. Thus, the stellar rotation rate has a great influence on the result. For instance, in a slowly rotating star, closely situated spots are usually recovered blurred and unresolved, which

Multiscale analysis of replication technique efficiency for 3D roughness characterization of manufactured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Jolivet, S.; Mezghani, S.; El Mansori, M.

2016-09-01

The replication of topography has been generally restricted to optimizing material processing technologies in terms of statistical and single-scale features such as roughness. By contrast, manufactured surface topography is highly complex, irregular, and multiscale. In this work, we have demonstrated the use of multiscale analysis on replicates of surface finish to assess the precise control of the finished replica. Five commercial resins used for surface replication were compared. The topography of five standard surfaces representative of common finishing processes were acquired both directly and by a replication technique. Then, they were characterized using the ISO 25178 standard and multiscale decomposition based on a continuous wavelet transform, to compare the roughness transfer quality at different scales. Additionally, atomic force microscope force modulation mode was used in order to compare the resins’ stiffness properties. The results showed that less stiff resins are able to replicate the surface finish along a larger wavelength band. The method was then tested for non-destructive quality control of automotive gear tooth surfaces.

The use of luminescence techniques with ceramic materials for retrospective dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailiff, I.K.

1996-01-01

Luminescence techniques are being used with ceramic materials to provide evaluations of integrated external gamma dose for dose reconstruction in populated areas contaminated by Chernobyl fallout. A range of suitable ceramics can be found associated with buildings: on the exterior surfaces (tiles), within walls (bricks) and within the interiors (porcelain fittings and tiles). Dose evaluations obtained using such samples provide information concerning the time-averaged incident gamma radiation field, average shielding factors and, with the aid of computational modelling techniques, dose estimates at external reference positions

Effects of various polishing media and techniques on the surface finish and behavior of laser glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landingham, R.L.; Casey, A.W.; Lindahl, R.O.

1978-01-01

The advance of high-power laser technology is dependent on the rate of advancement in laser glass forming and surface preparation. The threshold damage of glass surfaces continues to be a weak link in the overall advancement of laser technology. Methods were developed and used in the evaluation of existing glass surface preparation techniques. Modified procedures were evaluated to reduce surface contamination and subsurface defects. Polishing rates were monitored under controlled polishing conditions (purity, pH, particle size distribution, particle concentration, etc.). Future work at LLL for this ongoing investigation is described

Microstructure and surface morphology of YSZ thin films deposited by e-beam technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laukaitis, G.; Dudonis, J.; Milcius, D.

2008-01-01

In present study yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films were deposited on optical quartz (amorphous SiO 2 ), porous Ni-YSZ and crystalline Alloy 600 (Fe-Ni-Cr) substrates using e-beam deposition technique and controlling technological parameters: substrate temperature and electron gun power which influence thin-film deposition mechanism. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to investigate how thin-film structure and surface morphology depend on these parameters. It was found that the crystallite size, roughness and growth mechanism of YSZ thin films are influenced by electron gun power. To clarify the experimental results, YSZ thin-film formation as well evolution of surface roughness at its initial growing stages were analyzed. The evolution of surface roughness could be explained by the processes of surface mobility of adatoms and coalescence of islands. The analysis of these experimental results explain that surface roughness dependence on substrate temperature and electron gun power non-monotonous which could result from diffusivity of adatoms and the amount of atomic clusters in the gas stream of evaporated material

Safety Assessment for LILW Near-Surface Disposal Facility Using the IAEA Reference Model and MASCOT Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyun Joo; Park, Joo Wan; Kim, Chang Lak

2002-01-01

A reference scenario of vault safety case prepared by the IAEA for the near-surface disposal facility of low-and intermediate-level radioactive wastes is assessed with the MASCOT program. The appropriate conceptual models for the MASCOT implementation is developed. An assessment of groundwater pathway through a drinking well as a geosphere-biosphere interface is performed first, then biosphere pathway is analysed to estimate the radiological consequences of the disposed radionuclides based on compartment modeling approach. The validity of conceptual modeling for the reference scenario is investigated where possible comparing to the results generated by the other assessment. The result of this study shows that the typical conceptual model for groundwater pathway represented by the compartment model can be satisfactorily used for safety assessment of the entire disposal system in a consistent way. It is also shown that safety assessment of a disposal facility considering complex and various pathways would be possible by the MASCOT program

30 CFR 301.1 - Cross reference.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... within the jurisdiction of administrative law judges and the Interior Board of Surface Mining and... Resources BOARD OF SURFACE MINING AND RECLAMATION APPEALS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROCEDURES UNDER SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT OF 1977 § 301.1 Cross reference. For special rules applicable...

Highly sensitive radioimmunoassay technique for subtyping the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, C T; Nath, N; Berberian, H; Dodd, R Y [American Red Cross, Blood Research Laboratory, Bethesda, MD, USA

1978-12-01

A highly sensitive technique for determining the subtype specificity of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) is described. Immunoadsorbent consisting of controlled pore glass coated with subtype specific HBsAg was used to remove homologous antibody from the test samples before testing them for residual antibody by a commercially available radioimmunoassay (RIA). A total of 73 anti-HBs-positive samples from asymptomatic blood donors were tested. In nearly 80% of these samples the subtype reactivity could be determined by this technique. Only 67% could be typed by conventional liquid phase absorption RIA and 22% by passive hemagglutination inhibition techniques. Among the samples with low anti-HBs titer, ad and ay subtypes were found with equal frequency; however, with the increase in anti-HBs titer, considerably higher proportion of ad specificity was detected.

A comparative study of surface- and volume-based techniques for the automatic registration between CT and SPECT brain images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kagadis, George C.; Delibasis, Konstantinos K.; Matsopoulos, George K.; Mouravliansky, Nikolaos A.; Asvestas, Pantelis A.; Nikiforidis, George C.

2002-01-01

Image registration of multimodality images is an essential task in numerous applications in three-dimensional medical image processing. Medical diagnosis can benefit from the complementary information in different modality images. Surface-based registration techniques, while still widely used, were succeeded by volume-based registration algorithms that appear to be theoretically advantageous in terms of reliability and accuracy. Several applications of such algorithms for the registration of CT-MRI, CT-PET, MRI-PET, and SPECT-MRI images have emerged in the literature, using local optimization techniques for the matching of images. Our purpose in this work is the development of automatic techniques for the registration of real CT and SPECT images, based on either surface- or volume-based algorithms. Optimization is achieved using genetic algorithms that are known for their robustness. The two techniques are compared against a well-established method, the Iterative Closest Point--ICP. The correlation coefficient was employed as an independent measure of spatial match, to produce unbiased results. The repeated measures ANOVA indicates the significant impact of the choice of registration method on the magnitude of the correlation (F=4.968, p=0.0396). The volume-based method achieves an average correlation coefficient value of 0.454 with a standard deviation of 0.0395, as opposed to an average of 0.380 with a standard deviation of 0.0603 achieved by the surface-based method and an average of 0.396 with a standard deviation equal to 0.0353 achieved by ICP. The volume-based technique performs significantly better compared to both ICP (p<0.05, Neuman Keuls test) and the surface-based technique (p<0.05, Neuman-Keuls test). Surface-based registration and ICP do not differ significantly in performance

Domain Immersion Technique And Free Surface Computations Applied To Extrusion And Mixing Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Valette, Rudy; Vergnes, Bruno; Basset, Olivier; Coupez, Thierry

2007-04-01

This work focuses on the development of numerical techniques devoted to the simulation of mixing processes of complex fluids such as twin-screw extrusion or batch mixing. In mixing process simulation, the absence of symmetry of the moving boundaries (the screws or the rotors) implies that their rigid body motion has to be taken into account by using a special treatment. We therefore use a mesh immersion technique (MIT), which consists in using a P1+/P1-based (MINI-element) mixed finite element method for solving the velocity-pressure problem and then solving the problem in the whole barrel cavity by imposing a rigid motion (rotation) to nodes found located inside the so called immersed domain, each subdomain (screw, rotor) being represented by a surface CAD mesh (or its mathematical equation in simple cases). The independent meshes are immersed into a unique backgound computational mesh by computing the distance function to their boundaries. Intersections of meshes are accounted for, allowing to compute a fill factor usable as for the VOF methodology. This technique, combined with the use of parallel computing, allows to compute the time-dependent flow of generalized Newtonian fluids including yield stress fluids in a complex system such as a twin screw extruder, including moving free surfaces, which are treated by a "level set" and Hamilton-Jacobi method.

Application of electrochemical plasma techniques in surface engineering of iron based structural materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coaca, E.; Rusu, O.; Mihalache, M.; Minca, M.; Tacica, M.; Florea, S.; Oncioiu, G.; Andrei, V.

2013-01-01

The surface of austenitic stainless steels 304 L and 316 L was modified by various complex surface treatments: - plasma electrolytic carbo-nitriding by means of Plasma electrolytic saturation (PES); the saturation of cathodic surfaces with C, N was performed using suitable electrolytes (aqueous solutions of inorganic acids, appropriate salts containing the desired elements and certain organic compounds); -electrodeposition of Al from ChCl based Ionic Liquid. The coatings obtained in various experimental conditions have been investigated by means of electron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion x-ray spectrometry, electrochemical techniques, and the properties of the thin films have been correlated with the microstructure and the composition of the surface layers which are strongly dependents of the different regimes of diffusion treatments. The preliminary results on Electrochemical Plasma Technology (EPT) treatments demonstrate that we can select the processing parameters for essential improvement of corrosion behaviour in some aggressive medium and high values of microhardness. (authors)

Reference-free fatigue crack detection using nonlinear ultrasonic modulation under various temperature and loading conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Hyung Jin; Sohn, Hoon; DeSimio, Martin P.; Brown, Kevin

2014-04-01

This study presents a reference-free fatigue crack detection technique using nonlinear ultrasonic modulation. When low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) inputs generated by two surface-mounted lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers are applied to a structure, the presence of a fatigue crack can provide a mechanism for nonlinear ultrasonic modulation and create spectral sidebands around the frequency of the HF signal. The crack-induced spectral sidebands are isolated using a combination of linear response subtraction (LRS), synchronous demodulation (SD) and continuous wavelet transform (CWT) filtering. Then, a sequential outlier analysis is performed on the extracted sidebands to identify the crack presence without referring any baseline data obtained from the intact condition of the structure. Finally, the robustness of the proposed technique is demonstrated using actual test data obtained from simple aluminum plate and complex aircraft fitting-lug specimens under varying temperature and loading variations.

Optimization of Coolant Technique Conditions for Machining A319 Aluminium Alloy Using Response Surface Method (RSM)

Science.gov (United States)

Zainal Ariffin, S.; Razlan, A.; Ali, M. Mohd; Efendee, A. M.; Rahman, M. M.

2018-03-01

Background/Objectives: The paper discusses about the optimum cutting parameters with coolant techniques condition (1.0 mm nozzle orifice, wet and dry) to optimize surface roughness, temperature and tool wear in the machining process based on the selected setting parameters. The selected cutting parameters for this study were the cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut and coolant techniques condition. Methods/Statistical Analysis Experiments were conducted and investigated based on Design of Experiment (DOE) with Response Surface Method. The research of the aggressive machining process on aluminum alloy (A319) for automotive applications is an effort to understand the machining concept, which widely used in a variety of manufacturing industries especially in the automotive industry. Findings: The results show that the dominant failure mode is the surface roughness, temperature and tool wear when using 1.0 mm nozzle orifice, increases during machining and also can be alternative minimize built up edge of the A319. The exploration for surface roughness, productivity and the optimization of cutting speed in the technical and commercial aspects of the manufacturing processes of A319 are discussed in automotive components industries for further work Applications/Improvements: The research result also beneficial in minimizing the costs incurred and improving productivity of manufacturing firms. According to the mathematical model and equations, generated by CCD based RSM, experiments were performed and cutting coolant condition technique using size nozzle can reduces tool wear, surface roughness and temperature was obtained. Results have been analyzed and optimization has been carried out for selecting cutting parameters, shows that the effectiveness and efficiency of the system can be identified and helps to solve potential problems.

Anterior stromal puncture with staining: A modified technique for preoperative reference corneal marking for toric lenses and its retrospective analyses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sahil Bhandari

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Toric intraocular lenses (IOLs are an effective way of compensating preexisting corneal astigmatism during cataract surgery. To achieve success, it is imperative to align the toric IOLs in desired position and preoperative reference marking is one among the three important steps for accurate alignment. To make the marking procedure simpler and effective, we have modified the conventional three-step slit lamp-based technique. Materials and Methods: Patient is seated in front of the slit lamp and asked to keep the chin over chin rest. A 26-gauge bent needle with tip stained by sterile blue ink marker is used to make anterior stromal puncture (ASP at the edges of horizontal 180° axis near the limbus. Results: A total of 58 eyes were retrospectively evaluated. Mean (+/-SD IOL deviation on day 1 and day 30 was 5.7 ± 6.5° and 4.7 ± 5.6°, respectively. Median IOL misalignment on day 1 and day 30 was 3°. Redialing of IOL was required in 2 (3.4% eyes only, all of which were performed within 1 week of surgery. In total, 2 (3.7% eyes had a residual astigmatism of − 0.5 Dcyl and − 1.0 Dcyl, respectively. Conclusion: ASP is an effective technique for reference marking, technically simpler and can be practiced by most of the surgeons. It avoids the necessity of high-end sophisticated machinery and gives a better platform for the reference corneal marking along with the benefit of reproducibility and simplicity.

Lazy reference counting for the Microgrid

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poss, R.; Grelck, C.; Herhut, S.; Scholz, S.-B.

2012-01-01

This papers revisits non-deferred reference counting, a common technique to ensure that potentially shared large heap objects can be reused safely when they are both input and output to computations. Traditionally, thread-safe reference counting exploit implicit memory-based communication of counter

Emerging surface characterization techniques for carbon steel corrosion: a critical brief review

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, D.; Lepkova, K.; Becker, T.

2017-03-01

Carbon steel is a preferred construction material in many industrial and domestic applications, including oil and gas pipelines, where corrosion mitigation using film-forming corrosion inhibitor formulations is a widely accepted method. This review identifies surface analytical techniques that are considered suitable for analysis of thin films at metallic substrates, but are yet to be applied to analysis of carbon steel surfaces in corrosive media or treated with corrosion inhibitors. The reviewed methods include time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry, X-ray absorption spectroscopy methods, particle-induced X-ray emission, Rutherford backscatter spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission electron microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, small-angle neutron scattering and neutron reflectometry, and conversion electron Moessbauer spectrometry. Advantages and limitations of the analytical methods in thin-film surface investigations are discussed. Technical parameters of nominated analytical methods are provided to assist in the selection of suitable methods for analysis of metallic substrates deposited with surface films. The challenges associated with the applications of the emerging analytical methods in corrosion science are also addressed.

Surface characterization of hydrophobic core-shell QDs using NMR techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chengqi; Zeng, Birong; Palui, Goutam; Mattoussi, Hedi

2018-02-01

Using a few solution phase NMR spectroscopy techniques, including 1H NMR and 31P NMR, we have characterized the organic shell on CdSe-ZnS core-shell quantum dots and tracked changes in its composition when the QD dispersions are subjected to varying degrees of purification. Combining solution phase NMR with diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), we were able to distinguish between freely diffusing ligands in the sample from those bound on the surfaces. Additionally, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and FTIR measurements were used to provide complementary and supporting information on the organic ligand coating for these nanocrystals. We found that the organic shell is dominated by monomeric or oligomeric n-hexylphosphonic acid (HPA), along with small portion of 1-hexadecyl amine (HDA). The presence of TOP/TOPO (tri-n-octylphosphine / tri-noctylphosphine oxide) molecules is much smaller, even though large excess of TOP/TOPO were used during the QD growth. These results indicate that HPA (alkyl phosphonate) exhibits the strongest coordination affinity to ZnS-rich QD surfaces grown using the high temperature injection route.

Entrance surface dose measurements in mammography using thermoluminescence technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivera, T.; Vega C, H.R.; Manzanares A, E; Azorin, J.; Gonzalez, P.R.

2007-01-01

Full text: Of the various techniques that can be used for personnel dosimetry, thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) has emerged as a superior technique due to its manifold advantages over other methods of dose estimation. Various phosphors have been therefore investigated regarding their suitability for dosimetry. In this paper, a dosimetry system based on thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) from zirconium oxide phosphors embedded in polytetrafluorethylene (ZrO 2 +PTFE) was developed for entrance surface doses (ES) measurements in mammography. Small ZrO 2 pellets of 5 mm in diameter and 0.8 mm in thickness were used. The reproducibility of measurements and linearity of ZrO 2 were also studied. The results were compared with those obtained from LiF:Mg,Cu,P usually used for the determination of absorbed dose in mammography. Measurements both per unit air kerma and In vivo were performed using a mammography unit model DMR (General Electric). The results showed that ZrO 2 TLDs can be used for the same X-ray dosimetry applications as LiF:Mg,Cu,P, with each type having the disadvantage of a response dependent on energy, particularly at low energies. These results indicate a considerable potential for use in routine control and In vivo ES measurements in mammography. (Author)

Comparability of reference values

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossbach, M.; Stoeppler, M.

1993-01-01

Harmonization of certified values in Reference Materials (RMs) can be carried out by applying nuclear analytical techniques to RMs of various matrix types and concentration levels. Although RMs generally should not be used as primary standards the cross evaluation of concentrations in RMs leads to better compatibility of reference values and thus to a greater agreement between analytical results from different laboratories using these RMs for instrument calibration and quality assurance. (orig.)

Novel metal ion surface modification technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, I.G.; Godechot, X.; Yu, K.M.

1990-10-01

We describe a method for applying metal ions to the near-surface region of solid materials. The added species can be energetically implanted below the surface or built up as a surface film with an atomically mixed interface with the substrate; the metal ion species can be the same as the substrate species or different from it, and more than one kind of metal species can be applied, either simultaneously or sequentially. Surface structures can be fabricated, including coatings and thin films of single metals, tailored alloys, or metallic multilayers, and they can be implanted or added onto the surface and ion beam mixed. We report two simple demonstrations of the method: implantation of yttrium into a silicon substrate at a mean energy of 70 keV and a dose of 1 x 10 16 atoms/cm 2 , and the formation of a titanium-yttrium multilayer structure with ion beam mixing to the substrate. 17 refs., 3 figs

Roadmap to a mutually consistent set of offshore vertical reference frames

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slobbe, D.C.

2013-01-01

This thesis presents a combined approach for the realization of the (quasi-)geoid as a height reference surface and the vertical reference surface at sea (chart datum). This approach, specifically designed for shallow seas and coastal waters, provides the relation between the two vertical reference

Application Of The SPV-based Surface Lifetime Technique To In-Line Monitoring Of Surface Cu Contamination

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amico, John; Savtchouk, Alexandre; Wilson, Matthew; Kim, Chul Hong; Yoo, Hyung Won; Lee, Chang Hwan; Kim, Tae Kyoung; Son, Sang Hoon

2009-09-01

Implementation of Cu interconnects into Silicon Integrated Circuits (IC's) has been instrumental in the continuing improvement of IC device performance. Copper as a well known Gate Oxide Integrity (GOI) killer [1, 2] requires extensive protocols to minimize the possibility of cross contamination. Despite such protocols the risk for cross contamination exists, and consequently there is the need for in-line Cu cross-contamination detection metrology. Preferably the metrology will be non-destructive, fast, and capable of mapping on product wafers. Up to now the most common approaches for monitoring Cu contamination in IC fabrication lines either measure Cu in the bulk Si, which is not applicable to Cu cross-contamination monitoring because Back-End-of-the-Line thermal budgets restrict the ability to diffuse the surface Cu into the bulk Si; or the techniques are not optimal for in-line monitoring due to their destructive, time-consuming, or costly nature. In this work we demonstrate for the first time the application of the ac-Surface Photo Voltage (ac-SPV) surface lifetime approach [3] to in-line, full wafer coverage mapping of low level (metrology system. Furthermore, because the metrology is non-contact (utilizing edge-grip handling) and non-destructive, it is directly applicable to measurement of production wafers. In-line fab data acquired using this metrology is presented and compared to data from Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS).

Accurate 3D reconstruction of bony surfaces using ultrasonic synthetic aperture techniques for robotic knee arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, William; Rowe, Philip; Pierce, Stephen Gareth

2017-06-01

Robotically guided knee arthroplasty systems generally require an individualized, preoperative 3D model of the knee joint. This is typically measured using Computed Tomography (CT) which provides the required accuracy for preoperative surgical intervention planning. Ultrasound imaging presents an attractive alternative to CT, allowing for reductions in cost and the elimination of doses of ionizing radiation, whilst maintaining the accuracy of the 3D model reconstruction of the joint. Traditional phased array ultrasound imaging methods, however, are susceptible to poor resolution and signal to noise ratios (SNR). Alleviating these weaknesses by offering superior focusing power, synthetic aperture methods have been investigated extensively within ultrasonic non-destructive testing. Despite this, they have yet to be fully exploited in medical imaging. In this paper, the ability of a robotic deployed ultrasound imaging system based on synthetic aperture methods to accurately reconstruct bony surfaces is investigated. Employing the Total Focussing Method (TFM) and the Synthetic Aperture Focussing Technique (SAFT), two samples were imaged which were representative of the bones of the knee joint: a human-shaped, composite distal femur and a bovine distal femur. Data were captured using a 5MHz, 128 element 1D phased array, which was manipulated around the samples using a robotic positioning system. Three dimensional surface reconstructions were then produced and compared with reference models measured using a precision laser scanner. Mean errors of 0.82mm and 0.88mm were obtained for the composite and bovine samples, respectively, thus demonstrating the feasibility of the approach to deliver the sub-millimetre accuracy required for the application. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The chemical physics of surfaces

CERN Document Server

Morrison, Stanley Roy

1990-01-01

Even more importantly, some authors who have contributed substantially to an area may have been overlooked. For this I apologize. I have, however, not attempted to trace techniques or observa­ tions historically, so there is no implication (unless specified) that the authors referred to were or were not the originators of a given method or observation. I would like to acknowledge discussions with co-workers at SFU for input relative to their specialties, to acknowledge the help of students who have pointed out errors and difficulties in the earlier presentation, and to acknowledge the infinite patience of my wife Phyllis while I spent my sabbatical and more in libraries and punching computers. S. Roy Morrison 0 1 Contents Notation XV 1. Introduction 1 1. 1. Surface States and Surface Sites . 1 1. 1. 1. The Chemical versus Electronic Representation of the Surface. 1 1. 1. 2. The Surface State on the Band Diagram 4 1. 1. 3. The Fermi Energy in the Surface State Model. 6 1. 1. 4. Need for Both Surface...

Real-time 3D-surface-guided head refixation useful for fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Shidong; Liu Dezhi; Yin Gongjie; Zhuang Ping; Geng, Jason

2006-01-01

Accurate and precise head refixation in fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy has been achieved through alignment of real-time 3D-surface images with a reference surface image. The reference surface image is either a 3D optical surface image taken at simulation with the desired treatment position, or a CT/MRI-surface rendering in the treatment plan with corrections for patient motion during CT/MRI scans and partial volume effects. The real-time 3D surface images are rapidly captured by using a 3D video camera mounted on the ceiling of the treatment vault. Any facial expression such as mouth opening that affects surface shape and location can be avoided using a new facial monitoring technique. The image artifacts on the real-time surface can generally be removed by setting a threshold of jumps at the neighboring points while preserving detailed features of the surface of interest. Such a real-time surface image, registered in the treatment machine coordinate system, provides a reliable representation of the patient head position during the treatment. A fast automatic alignment between the real-time surface and the reference surface using a modified iterative-closest-point method leads to an efficient and robust surface-guided target refixation. Experimental and clinical results demonstrate the excellent efficacy of <2 min set-up time, the desired accuracy and precision of <1 mm in isocenter shifts, and <1 deg. in rotation

Nanophotonic force microscopy: characterizing particle-surface interactions using near-field photonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Schein, Perry; Kang, Pilgyu; O'Dell, Dakota; Erickson, David

2015-02-11

Direct measurements of particle-surface interactions are important for characterizing the stability and behavior of colloidal and nanoparticle suspensions. Current techniques are limited in their ability to measure pico-Newton scale interaction forces on submicrometer particles due to signal detection limits and thermal noise. Here we present a new technique for making measurements in this regime, which we refer to as nanophotonic force microscopy. Using a photonic crystal resonator, we generate a strongly localized region of exponentially decaying, near-field light that allows us to confine small particles close to a surface. From the statistical distribution of the light intensity scattered by the particle we are able to map out the potential well of the trap and directly quantify the repulsive force between the nanoparticle and the surface. As shown in this Letter, our technique is not limited by thermal noise, and therefore, we are able to resolve interaction forces smaller than 1 pN on dielectric particles as small as 100 nm in diameter.

Surface analysis and techniques in biology

CERN Document Server

Smentkowski, Vincent S

2014-01-01

This book highlights state-of-the-art surface analytical instrumentation, advanced data analysis tools, and the use of complimentary surface analytical instrumentation to perform a complete analysis of biological systems.

Refractive index dispersion of swift heavy ion irradiated BFO thin films using Surface Plasmon Resonance technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paliwal, Ayushi; Sharma, Savita; Tomar, Monika; Singh, Fouran; Gupta, Vinay

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Investigated the optical properties of BiFeO_3 (BFO) thin films after irradiation using SPR. • Otto configuration has been used to excite the surface plasmons using gold metal thin film. • BFO thin films were prepared by sol–gel spin coating technique. • Examined the refractive index dispersion of pristine and irradiated BFO thin film. - Abstract: Swift heavy ion irradiation (SHI) is an effective technique to induce defects for possible modifications in the material properties. There is growing interest in studying the optical properties of multiferroic BiFeO_3 (BFO) thin films for optoelectronic applications. In the present work, BFO thin films were prepared by sol–gel spin coating technique and were irradiated using the 15 UD Pelletron accelerator with 100 MeV Au"9"+ ions at a fluence of 1 × 10"1"2 ions cm"−"2. The as-grown films became rough and porous on ion irradiation. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technique has been identified as a highly sensitive and powerful technique for studying the optical properties of a dielectric material. Optical properties of BFO thin films, before and after irradiation were studied using SPR technique in Otto configuration. Refractive index is found to be decreasing from 2.27 to 2.14 on ion irradiation at a wavelength of 633 nm. Refractive index dispersion of BFO thin film (from 405 nm to 633 nm) before and after ion radiation was examined.

Refractive index dispersion of swift heavy ion irradiated BFO thin films using Surface Plasmon Resonance technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paliwal, Ayushi [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Sharma, Savita [Department of Applied Physics, Delhi Technological University, Delhi (India); Tomar, Monika [Physics Department, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Singh, Fouran [Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110075 (India); Gupta, Vinay, E-mail: drguptavinay@gmail.com [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India)

2016-07-15

Highlights: • Investigated the optical properties of BiFeO{sub 3} (BFO) thin films after irradiation using SPR. • Otto configuration has been used to excite the surface plasmons using gold metal thin film. • BFO thin films were prepared by sol–gel spin coating technique. • Examined the refractive index dispersion of pristine and irradiated BFO thin film. - Abstract: Swift heavy ion irradiation (SHI) is an effective technique to induce defects for possible modifications in the material properties. There is growing interest in studying the optical properties of multiferroic BiFeO{sub 3} (BFO) thin films for optoelectronic applications. In the present work, BFO thin films were prepared by sol–gel spin coating technique and were irradiated using the 15 UD Pelletron accelerator with 100 MeV Au{sup 9+} ions at a fluence of 1 × 10{sup 12} ions cm{sup −2}. The as-grown films became rough and porous on ion irradiation. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technique has been identified as a highly sensitive and powerful technique for studying the optical properties of a dielectric material. Optical properties of BFO thin films, before and after irradiation were studied using SPR technique in Otto configuration. Refractive index is found to be decreasing from 2.27 to 2.14 on ion irradiation at a wavelength of 633 nm. Refractive index dispersion of BFO thin film (from 405 nm to 633 nm) before and after ion radiation was examined.

Instrumentation reference book

CERN Document Server

Boyes, Walt

2002-01-01

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

R quick syntax reference

CERN Document Server

Tollefson, Margot

2014-01-01

The R Quick Syntax Reference is a handy reference book detailing the intricacies of the R language. Not only is R a free, open-source tool, R is powerful, flexible, and has state of the art statistical techniques available. With the many details which must be correct when using any language, however, the R Quick Syntax Reference makes using R easier.Starting with the basic structure of R, the book takes you on a journey through the terminology used in R and the syntax required to make R work. You will find looking up the correct form for an expression quick and easy. With a copy of the R Quick

Hybrid pregnant reference phantom series based on adult female ICRP reference phantom

Science.gov (United States)

Rafat-Motavalli, Laleh; Miri-Hakimabad, Hashem; Hoseinian-Azghadi, Elie

2018-03-01

This paper presents boundary representation (BREP) models of pregnant female and her fetus at the end of each trimester. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) female reference voxel phantom was used as a base template in development process of the pregnant hybrid phantom series. The differences in shape and location of the displaced maternal organs caused by enlarging uterus were also taken into account. The CT and MR images of fetus specimens and pregnant patients of various ages were used to replace the maternal abdominal pelvic organs of template phantom and insert the fetus inside the gravid uterus. Each fetal model contains 21 different organs and tissues. The skeletal model of the fetus also includes age-dependent cartilaginous and ossified skeletal components. The replaced maternal organ models were converted to NURBS surfaces and then modified to conform to reference values of ICRP Publication 89. The particular feature of current series compared to the previously developed pregnant phantoms is being constructed upon the basis of ICRP reference phantom. The maternal replaced organ models are NURBS surfaces. With this great potential, they might have the feasibility of being converted to high quality polygon mesh phantoms.

Normal emission photoelectron diffraction: a new technique for determining surface structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kevan, S.D.

1980-05-01

One technique, photoelectron diffraction (PhD) is characterized. It has some promise in surmounting some of the problems of LEED. In PhD, the differential (angle-resolved) photoemission cross-section of a core level localized on an adsorbate atom is measured as a function of some final state parameter. The photoemission final state consists of two components, one of which propagates directly to the detector and another which scatters off the surface and then propagates to the detector. These are added coherently, and interference between the two manifests itself as cross-section oscillations which are sensitive to the local structure around the absorbing atom. We have shown that PhD deals effectively with two- and probably also three-dimensionally disordered systems. Its non-damaging and localized, atom-specific nature gives PhD a good deal of promise in dealing with molecular overlayer systems. It is concluded that while PhD will never replace LEED, it may provide useful, complementary and possibly also more accurate surface structural information

Superhydrophobic Natural and Artificial Surfaces-A Structural Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Avrămescu, Roxana-Elena; Ghica, Mihaela Violeta; Dinu-Pîrvu, Cristina; Prisada, Răzvan; Popa, Lăcrămioara

2018-05-22

Since ancient times humans observed animal and plants features and tried to adapt them according to their own needs. Biomimetics represents the foundation of many inventions from various fields: From transportation devices (helicopter, airplane, submarine) and flying techniques, to sports' wear industry (swimming suits, scuba diving gear, Velcro closure system), bullet proof vests made from Kevlar etc. It is true that nature provides numerous noteworthy models (shark skin, spider web, lotus leaves), referring both to the plant and animal kingdom. This review paper summarizes a few of "nature's interventions" in human evolution, regarding understanding of surface wettability and development of innovative special surfaces. Empirical models are described in order to reveal the science behind special wettable surfaces (superhydrophobic /superhydrophilic). Materials and methods used in order to artificially obtain special wettable surfaces are described in correlation with plants' and animals' unique features. Emphasis is placed on joining superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces, with important applications in cell culturing, microorganism isolation/separation and molecule screening techniques. Bio-inspired wettability is presented as a constitutive part of traditional devices/systems, intended to improve their characteristics and extend performances.

Mortar and surface dating with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL): Innovative techniques for the age determination of buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panzeri, L.

2013-01-01

In this work the results of a dating study on bricks and mortars using both Thermoluminescence (TL) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) are shown. The samples came from the outside walls of the Certosa di Pavia, located in northern Italy and independently dated (XVII-XVIII century). TL dating, applied to bricks using the fine grain technique, allowed to determine the time of manufacture of the bricks (XII century), that resulted therefore re-used. To circumvent this problem the application of two innovative dating techniques, OSL surface dating and mortar dating, was attempted. The first was applied to the light-shielded surfaces of bricks and allowed to successfully determine the edification of the wall (XVII century). Mortar dating gave instead severe age overestimation: the results obtained on coarse grain quartz with the SAR technique both on multi-grains aliquots and with single-grain analyses were highly dispersed indicating an incomplete bleaching of the quartz grains. The shine-down curves were in fact characterized by the absence of the so-called fast component, as confirmed by Linear Modulated OSL technique.

Polysulfobetaine films prepared by electrografting technique for reduction of biofouling on electroconductive surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stach, Marek; Kronekova, Zuzana; Kasak, Peter; Kollar, Jozef; Pentrak, Martin; Micusik, Matej; Chorvat, Dusan; Nunney, Tim S.; Lacik, Igor

2011-01-01

The sulfobetaine films were prepared on stainless steel and golden surfaces. In the first step, the poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) film was created by employing the electrografting polymerization technique. In the second step, this film was modified to polysulfobetaine, i.e. the polymer film bearing the zwitterionic groups. The presence of the electrografted film and its modification were determined by contact angle measurements, infrared spectroscopy in reflectance mode and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The prepared films were homogeneous with the thickness from about 5 to 26 nm as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The atomic force microscopy measurements showed the increase of surface roughness upon the surface coating. In vitro tests using adherent RAT-2 fibroblast cells and fluorescently labelled bovine serum albumin proteins showed that prepared polysulfobetaine films can be used in applications requiring the resistance against cell attachment and biofouling.

Development and field application of a nonlinear ultrasonic modulation technique for fatigue crack detection without reference data from an intact condition

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Hyung Jin; Kim, Yongtak; Koo, Gunhee; Yang, Suyoung; Sohn, Hoon; Bae, In-hwan; Jang, Jeong-Hwan

2016-09-01

In this study, a fatigue crack detection technique, which detects a fatigue crack without relying on any reference data obtained from the intact condition of a target structure, is developed using nonlinear ultrasonic modulation and applied to a real bridge structure. Using two wafer-type lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers, ultrasonic excitations at two distinctive frequencies are applied to a target inspection spot and the corresponding ultrasonic response is measured by another PZT transducer. Then, the nonlinear modulation components produced by a breathing-crack are extracted from the measured ultrasonic response, and a statistical classifier, which can determine if the nonlinear modulation components are statistically significant in comparison with the background noise level, is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed fatigue crack detection technique is experimentally validated using the data obtained from aluminum plates and aircraft fitting-lug specimens under varying temperature and loading conditions, and through a field testing of Yeongjong Grand Bridge in South Korea. The uniqueness of this study lies in that (1) detection of a micro fatigue crack with less than 1 μm width and fatigue cracks in the range of 10-20 μm in width using nonlinear ultrasonic modulation, (2) automated detection of fatigue crack formation without using reference data obtained from an intact condition, (3) reliable and robust diagnosis under varying temperature and loading conditions, (4) application of a local fatigue crack detection technique to online monitoring of a real bridge.

A new reference global instrumental earthquake catalogue (1900-2009)

Science.gov (United States)

Di Giacomo, D.; Engdahl, B.; Bondar, I.; Storchak, D. A.; Villasenor, A.; Bormann, P.; Lee, W.; Dando, B.; Harris, J.

2011-12-01

For seismic hazard studies on a global and/or regional scale, accurate knowledge of the spatial distribution of seismicity, the magnitude-frequency relation and the maximum magnitudes is of fundamental importance. However, such information is normally not homogeneous (or not available) for the various seismically active regions of the Earth. To achieve the GEM objectives (www.globalquakemodel.org) of calculating and communicating earthquake risk worldwide, an improved reference global instrumental catalogue for large earthquakes spanning the entire 100+ years period of instrumental seismology is an absolute necessity. To accomplish this task, we apply the most up-to-date techniques and standard observatory practices for computing the earthquake location and magnitude. In particular, the re-location procedure benefits both from the depth determination according to Engdahl and Villaseñor (2002), and the advanced technique recently implemented at the ISC (Bondár and Storchak, 2011) to account for correlated error structure. With regard to magnitude, starting from the re-located hypocenters, the classical surface and body-wave magnitudes are determined following the new IASPEI standards and by using amplitude-period data of phases collected from historical station bulletins (up to 1970), which were not available in digital format before the beginning of this work. Finally, the catalogue will provide moment magnitude values (including uncertainty) for each seismic event via seismic moment, via surface wave magnitude or via other magnitude types using empirical relationships. References Engdahl, E.R., and A. Villaseñor (2002). Global seismicity: 1900-1999. In: International Handbook of Earthquake and Engineering Seismology, eds. W.H.K. Lee, H. Kanamori, J.C. Jennings, and C. Kisslinger, Part A, 665-690, Academic Press, San Diego. Bondár, I., and D. Storchak (2011). Improved location procedures at the International Seismological Centre, Geophys. J. Int., doi:10.1111/j

An Ultrasound Surface Wave Technique for Assessing Skin and Lung Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoming; Zhou, Boran; Kalra, Sanjay; Bartholmai, Brian; Greenleaf, James; Osborn, Thomas

2018-02-01

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multi-organ connective tissue disease characterized by immune dysregulation and organ fibrosis. Severe organ involvement, especially of the skin and lung, is the cause of morbidity and mortality in SSc. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) includes multiple lung disorders in which the lung tissue is fibrotic and stiffened. The purpose of this study was to translate ultrasound surface wave elastography (USWE) for assessing patients with SSc and/or ILD via measuring surface wave speeds of both skin and superficial lung tissue. Forty-one patients with both SSc and ILD and 30 healthy patients were enrolled in this study. An external harmonic vibration was used to generate the wave propagation on the skin or lung. Three excitation frequencies of 100, 150 and 200 Hz were used. An ultrasound probe was used to measure the wave propagation in the tissue non-invasively. Surface wave speeds were measured on the forearm and upper arm of both left and right arm, as well as the upper and lower lungs, through six intercostal spaces of patients and healthy patients. Viscoelasticity of the skin was calculated by the wave speed dispersion with frequency using the Voigt model. The magnitudes of surface wave speed and viscoelasticity of patients' skin were significantly higher than those of healthy patients (p wave speeds of patients' lung were significantly higher than those of healthy patients (p ionizing technique for measuring both skin and lung surface wave speed and may be useful for quantitative assessment of SSc and/or ILD. Copyright © 2018 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a cell culture surface conversion technique using alginate thin film for evaluating effect upon cellular differentiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakashima, Y.; Tsusu, K.; Minami, K.; Nakanishi, Y.

2014-01-01

Here, we sought to develop a cell culture surface conversion technique that would not damage living cells. An alginate thin film, formed on a glass plate by spin coating of sodium alginate solution and dipping into calcium chloride solution, was used to inhibit adhesion of cells. The film could be removed by ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) at any time during cell culture, permitting observation of cellular responses to conversion of the culture surface in real time. Additionally, we demonstrated the validity of the alginate thin film coating method and the performance of the film. The thickness of the alginate thin film was controlled by varying the rotation speed during spin coating. Moreover, the alginate thin film completely inhibited the adhesion of cultured cells to the culture surface, irrespective of the thickness of the film. When the alginate thin film was removed from the culture surface by EDTA, the cultured cells adhered to the culture surface, and their morphology changed. Finally, we achieved effective differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts into myotube cells by cell culture on the convertible culture surface, demonstrating the utility of our novel technique

Fabrication of piezoresistive microcantilever using surface micromachining technique for biosensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Na, Kwang-Ho [Department of Electrical Engineering and Nano-Bio Research Center, Myongji University, Yongin, Gyeonggido 449-728 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yong-Sang [Department of Electrical Engineering and Nano-Bio Research Center, Myongji University, Yongin, Gyeonggido 449-728 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, C.J. [Department of Physics and Nano-Bio Research Center, Myongji University, San38-2 Namdong, Yongin, Gyeonggido 449-728 (Korea, Republic of)]. E-mail: cjkang@mju.ac.kr

2005-11-15

A microcantilever-based biosensor with piezoresistor has been fabricated using surface micromachining technique, which is cost effective and simplifies a fabrication procedure. In order to evaluate the characteristics of the cantilever, the cystamine terminated with thiol was covalently immobilized on the gold-coated side of the cantilever and glutaraldehyde that would be bonded with amine group in the cystamine was injected subsequently. This process was characterized by measuring the deflection of the cantilever in real time monitoring. Using a piezoresistive read-out and a well-known optical beam deflection method as well, the measurement of deflection was carried out. The sensitivity of piezoresistive method is good enough compared with that of optical beam deflection method.

Application of photocuring technique on wood surface and its prospects in Bangladesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattcacharia, S.K.; Khan, Mubarak A.

2005-01-01

Photocuring technique has unveiled a new horizon in polymer science. Application of photocuring technique on wood surface has enhanced the use of low grade wood. As Bangladesh is an overpopulated country, necessity of good quality wood is increasing day by day. So low grade wood, like Simul or Partex, locally produced particleboard, would come out with great use. As Partex board, produced from Jute sticks and various types of indigenous low grade wood and particle board are abundant in Bangladesh, so photocuring could play a major role to improve the quality of low grade wood and serve the nation. Already, a lot of research works were carried out by the local scientists to improve the wood surface using UV curing method. Different formulations were also developed by the local scientists using various oligomer, monomer and different types of additives. The used oligomers are epoxy, polyester, urethane, etc. and monomers of different functionalities and used additives are acrylic monomer, CaCO 3 , sand, MgSiO 3 , talc, etc. Thin films were prepared on glass plate with different formulations using UV radiation and different characteristics properties (pendulum hardness, abrasion, gloss (60 deg. and 20 deg.), microscratch hardness, weathering effect, adhesion strength, etc.) were studied. Now, a Pilot Plant has already been established with the financial assistance by the government of Bangladesh, worth US$ 3.5 million

Optical properties of WO3 thin films using surface plasmon resonance technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paliwal, Ayushi; Sharma, Anjali; Gupta, Vinay; Tomar, Monika

2014-01-01

Indigenously assembled surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique has been exploited to study the thickness dependent dielectric properties of WO 3 thin films. WO 3 thin films (80 nm to 200 nm) have been deposited onto gold (Au) coated glass prism by sputtering technique. The structural, optical properties and surface morphology of the deposited WO 3 thin films were studied using X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectrophotometer, Raman spectroscopy, and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD analysis shows that all the deposited WO 3 thin films are exhibiting preferred (020) orientation and Raman data indicates that the films possess single phase monoclinic structure. SEM images reveal the variation in grain size with increase in thickness. The SPR reflectance curves of the WO 3 /Au/prism structure were utilized to estimate the dielectric properties of WO 3 thin films at optical frequency (λ = 633 nm). As the thickness of WO 3 thin film increases from 80 nm to 200 nm, the dielectric constant is seen to be decreasing from 5.76 to 3.42, while the dielectric loss reduces from 0.098 to 0.01. The estimated value of refractive index of WO 3 film is in agreement to that obtained from UV-visible spectroscopy studies. The strong dispersion in refractive index is observed with wavelength of incident laser light

Biomimetic approaches to create anti-reflection glass surfaces for solar cells using self-organizing techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Achtelik, J.; Sievers, W.; Lindner, J.K.N.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Nanostructured glass surfaces with theoretically near-to-zero reflectivity in the UVNIR region. ► Simple fabrication process using self-organization during reactive ion etching proposed. ► Prediction of optical reflectivity from AFM measured surface morphology. -- Abstract: Aiming to diminish the reflection losses of glass covered light harvesting devices, the optical reflectivity of nanostructured glass surfaces is studied theoretically and experimentally. The work is inspired by the nanoscale roughness of insect eyes, which is tried to be replicated on a technical glass surface. To this end, the reflectivity of glass surfaces with topographies represented by linear, parabolic and Fermi-shaped glass/air fill factor profiles is calculated for normal incidence. It is shown that using the latter ones, an almost complete suppression of reflections can be achieved. A simple, self-organization technique to create such Fermi-shaped filling factor profiles in glass experimentally is also presented

Biomimetic approaches to create anti-reflection glass surfaces for solar cells using self-organizing techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Achtelik, J.; Sievers, W. [University of Paderborn, Department of Physics, 33098 Paderborn (Germany); Center of Optoelectronics and Photonics Paderborn CeOPP, 33098 Paderborn (Germany); Lindner, J.K.N., E-mail: lindner@physik.uni-paderborn.de [University of Paderborn, Department of Physics, 33098 Paderborn (Germany); Center of Optoelectronics and Photonics Paderborn CeOPP, 33098 Paderborn (Germany)

2013-05-15

Highlights: ► Nanostructured glass surfaces with theoretically near-to-zero reflectivity in the UVNIR region. ► Simple fabrication process using self-organization during reactive ion etching proposed. ► Prediction of optical reflectivity from AFM measured surface morphology. -- Abstract: Aiming to diminish the reflection losses of glass covered light harvesting devices, the optical reflectivity of nanostructured glass surfaces is studied theoretically and experimentally. The work is inspired by the nanoscale roughness of insect eyes, which is tried to be replicated on a technical glass surface. To this end, the reflectivity of glass surfaces with topographies represented by linear, parabolic and Fermi-shaped glass/air fill factor profiles is calculated for normal incidence. It is shown that using the latter ones, an almost complete suppression of reflections can be achieved. A simple, self-organization technique to create such Fermi-shaped filling factor profiles in glass experimentally is also presented.

Influence of surface topography on the sputtering yields of silver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Jisheng; Wang Zhenxia; Tao Zhenlan; Zhang Jiping

1992-01-01

The sputtering yields of silver have been measured as a function of the fluence of incident Ar + ions (27 keV) using the collector technique and RBS analysis. The irradiated surface was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is shown that the sputtering yields of surfaces with topography are enhanced relative to smooth surfaces of silver, but the extent of the enhancement depends on the irradiation dose. The experimental results can be explained assuming that the surface topography and sputtering yield are a function of incident angle. It is obvious that the surface topography is an important factor to influence the sputtering yield. The term ''apparent sputtering yield'' has specifically been used when referring to the experimental sputtering yield of a surface with topography, to emphasize the difference with a smooth surface. (orig.)

Effect of surface states on the electrochemical behaviour of single crystal n-ZnSe photoelectrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Dessouki, M.S.

1987-10-01

Surface Photovoltage Spectroscopy (SPS) technique has been used to detect the surface states of ZnSe (110) surfaces. Aqueous electrolyte/ZnSe junction has been electrochemically investigated in dark and under illumination. The effect of surface states on the kinetics of charge transfer through the semiconductor-electrolyte (S/E) junction has been discussed. The low leakage and photocurrents measured by the application of DC bias were referred to the blocking nature of S/E interface, in which the localized and induced surface states play an important role. (author). 19 refs, 4 figs

A highly sensitive radioimmunoassay technique for subtyping the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, C.T.; Nath, N.; Berberian, H.; Dodd, R.Y.

1978-01-01

A highly sensitive technique for determining the subtype specificity of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) is described. Immunoadsorbent consisting of controlled pore glass coated with subtype specific HBsAg was used to remove homologous antibody from the test samples before testing them for residual antibody by a commercially available radioimmunoassay (RIA). A total of 73 anti-HBs-positive samples from asymptomatic blood donors were tested. In nearly 80% of these samples the subtype reactivity could be determined by this technique. Only 67% could be typed by conventional liquid phase absorption RIA and 22% by passive hemagglutination inhibition techniques. Among the samples with low anti-HBs titer, ad and ay subtypes were found with equal frequency; however, with the increase in anti-HBs titer, considerably higher proportion of ad specificity was detected. (Auth.)

Surface analysis characterisation of gum binders used in modern watercolour paints

Science.gov (United States)

Sano, Naoko; Cumpson, Peter J.

2016-02-01

Conducting this study has demonstrated that not only SEM-EDX but also XPS can be an efficient tool for characterising watercolour paint surfaces. We find that surface effects are mediated by water. Once the powdered components in the watercolour come into contact with water they dramatically transform their chemical structures at the surface and show the presence of pigment components with a random dispersion within the gum layer. Hence the topmost surface of the paint is confirmed as being composed of the gum binder components. This result is difficult to confirm using just one analytical technique (either XPS or SEM-EDX). In addition, peak fitting of C1s XPS spectra suggests that the gum binder in the commercial watercolour paints is probably gum arabic (by comparison with the reference materials). This identification is not conclusive, but the combination techniques of XPS and SEM shows the surface structure with material distribution of the gum binder and the other ingredients of the watercolour paints. Therefore as a unique technique, XPS combined with SEM-EDX may prove a useful method in the study of surface structure for not only watercolour objects but also other art objects; which may in future help in the conservation for art.

Electronics engineer's reference book

CERN Document Server

Turner, L W

1976-01-01

Electronics Engineer's Reference Book, 4th Edition is a reference book for electronic engineers that reviews the knowledge and techniques in electronics engineering and covers topics ranging from basics to materials and components, devices, circuits, measurements, and applications. This edition is comprised of 27 chapters; the first of which presents general information on electronics engineering, including terminology, mathematical equations, mathematical signs and symbols, and Greek alphabet and symbols. Attention then turns to the history of electronics; electromagnetic and nuclear radiatio

Surface melting technique of small diameter stainless steel pipe by means of yttrium aluminium garnet laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katahira, Fujito; Hirano, Kenji; Tanaka, Yasuhiro; Yoshida, Kazuo; Kuribayashi, Munetaka; Umemoto, Tadahiro

1994-01-01

A new method of surface melting by using a high power yttrium aluminium garnet laser was developed. This method is applicable to a long distance and narrow space, because of the good accessibility of the laser beam through optical fibre.A desensitization of sensitized type 304 stainless steel pipe was demonstrated by using this technique. A melted layer of thickness approximately 200μm had a very finite solidification structure, which contained approximately 1.5% δ-ferrite. The average chemical composition of this layer was almost the same as that of type 304 stainless steel, and a band of 300μm thickness under the melted layer underwent solution heat treatment (SHT).As a result of such surface melting, the melted layer exhibited superior resistance to intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). Since the SHT layer is highly resistant to IGSCC generally, it may be possible to improve the IGSCC resistance of base metal to a comparatively deep extent (500μm from the surface) by this technique. ((orig.))

Nano-coating of beta-galactosidase onto the surface of lactose by using an ultrasound-assisted technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Genina, Natalja; Räikkönen, Heikki; Heinämäki, Jyrki

2010-01-01

We nano-coated powdered lactose particles with the enzyme beta-galactosidase using an ultrasound-assisted technique. Atomization of the enzyme solution did not change its activity. The amount of surface-attached beta-galactosidase was measured through its enzymatic reaction product D-galactose us......We nano-coated powdered lactose particles with the enzyme beta-galactosidase using an ultrasound-assisted technique. Atomization of the enzyme solution did not change its activity. The amount of surface-attached beta-galactosidase was measured through its enzymatic reaction product D......-galactose using a standardized method. A near-linear increase was obtained in the thickness of the enzyme coat as the treatment proceeded. Interestingly, lactose, which is a substrate for beta-galactosidase, did not undergo enzymatic degradation during processing and remained unchanged for at least 1 month....... Stability of protein-coated lactose was due to the absence of water within the powder, as it was dry after the treatment procedure. In conclusion, we were able to attach the polypeptide to the core particles and determine precisely the coating efficiency of the surface-treated powder using a simple approach....

Surface melting technique of small diameter stainless steel pipe by means of yttrium aluminium garnet laser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katahira, Fujito (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., 1 Shin-Nakahara-Cho, Isogo-Ku, Yokohama 235 (Japan)); Hirano, Kenji (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., 1 Shin-Nakahara-Cho, Isogo-Ku, Yokohama 235 (Japan)); Tanaka, Yasuhiro (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., 1 Shin-Nakahara-Cho, Isogo-Ku, Yokohama 235 (Japan)); Yoshida, Kazuo (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., 1 Shin-Nakahara-Cho, Isogo-Ku, Yokohama 235 (Japan)); Kuribayashi, Munetaka (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., 1 Shin-Nakahara-Cho, Isogo-Ku, Yokohama 235 (Japan)); Umemoto, Tadahiro (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., 1 Shin-Nakahara-Cho, Isogo-Ku, Yokohama 235 (Japan))

1994-12-01

A new method of surface melting by using a high power yttrium aluminium garnet laser was developed. This method is applicable to a long distance and narrow space, because of the good accessibility of the laser beam through optical fibre.A desensitization of sensitized type 304 stainless steel pipe was demonstrated by using this technique. A melted layer of thickness approximately 200[mu]m had a very finite solidification structure, which contained approximately 1.5% [delta]-ferrite. The average chemical composition of this layer was almost the same as that of type 304 stainless steel, and a band of 300[mu]m thickness under the melted layer underwent solution heat treatment (SHT).As a result of such surface melting, the melted layer exhibited superior resistance to intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). Since the SHT layer is highly resistant to IGSCC generally, it may be possible to improve the IGSCC resistance of base metal to a comparatively deep extent (500[mu]m from the surface) by this technique. ((orig.))

Automatic detection and classification of damage zone(s) for incorporating in digital image correlation technique

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharjee, Sudipta; Deb, Debasis

2016-07-01

Digital image correlation (DIC) is a technique developed for monitoring surface deformation/displacement of an object under loading conditions. This method is further refined to make it capable of handling discontinuities on the surface of the sample. A damage zone is referred to a surface area fractured and opened in due course of loading. In this study, an algorithm is presented to automatically detect multiple damage zones in deformed image. The algorithm identifies the pixels located inside these zones and eliminate them from FEM-DIC processes. The proposed algorithm is successfully implemented on several damaged samples to estimate displacement fields of an object under loading conditions. This study shows that displacement fields represent the damage conditions reasonably well as compared to regular FEM-DIC technique without considering the damage zones.

Development of plastic elongation in nanocrystalline and amorphous Ni–W dual phase alloys by brushing technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakayama, S.; Adachi, H.; Yamasaki, T.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A novel agitation technique called the brushing technique is proposed. • A homogeneous material can be obtained with the brushing technique. • The brushed material exhibits large plastic elongation with work hardening. - Abstract: A novel agitation technique, referred to as the “brushing technique” is proposed to treat the surface of a Ni–W alloy film during electrodeposition. This technique was developed to directly remove hydrogen bubbles on the film surface and to apply Ni ions to the interfacial layer with the substrate. The intrinsic mechanical properties of the Ni–W electrodeposits are then evaluated with respect to application. High resolution transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that both treated and untreated films have nanocrystallites of approximately 5 nm in diameter and an amorphous phase. There was a compositional difference of about. 1.4 at% W between the face side and the reverse side of the film that was not subjected to the brushing technique, whereas this difference was absent in the film subjected to the brushing technique. In addition, the brushing technique reduced the surface roughness of the film and decreased the number of defects. As a result, a large plastic strain of about. 2.9% was observed with work hardening under tensile testing

Applying Information Retrieval Techniques to Detect Duplicates and to Rank References in the Preliminary Phases of Systematic Literature Reviews

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramon Abilio

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Systematic Literature Review (SLR is a means to synthesize relevant and high quality studies related to a specific topic or research questions. In the Primary Selection stage of an SLR, the selection of studies is usually performed manually by reading title, abstract and keywords of each study. In the last years, the number of published scientific studies has grown increasing the effort to perform this sort of reviews. In this paper, we proposed strategies to detect non-papers and duplicated references in results exported by search engines, and strategies to rank the references in decreasing order of importance for an SLR, regarding the terms in the search string. These strategies are based on Information Retrieval techniques. We implemented the strategies and carried out an experimental evaluation of their applicability using two real datasets. As results, the strategy to detect non-papers presented 100% of precision and 50% of recall; the strategy to detect duplicates detected more duplicates than the manual inspection; and one of the strategies to rank relevant references presented 50% of precision and 80% of recall. Therefore, the results show that the proposed strategies can minimize the effort in the Primary Selection stage of an SLR.

Comparison of segmentation techniques to determine the geometric parameters of structured surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacAulay, Gavin D; Giusca, Claudiu L; Leach, Richard K; Senin, Nicola

2014-01-01

Structured surfaces, defined as surfaces characterized by topography features whose shape is defined by design specifications, are increasingly being used in industry for a variety of applications, including improving the tribological properties of surfaces. However, characterization of such surfaces still remains an issue. Techniques have been recently proposed, based on identifying and extracting the relevant features from a structured surface so they can be verified individually, using methods derived from those commonly applied to standard-sized parts. Such emerging approaches show promise but are generally complex and characterized by multiple data processing steps making performance difficult to assess. This paper focuses on the segmentation step, i.e. partitioning the topography so that the relevant features can be separated from the background. Segmentation is key for defining the geometric boundaries of the individual feature, which in turn affects any computation of feature size, shape and localization. This paper investigates the effect of varying the segmentation algorithm and its controlling parameters by considering a test case: a structured surface for bearing applications, the relevant features being micro-dimples designed for friction reduction. In particular, the mechanisms through which segmentation leads to identification of the dimple boundary and influences dimensional properties, such as dimple diameter and depth, are illustrated. It is shown that, by using different methods and control parameters, a significant range of measurement results can be achieved, which may not necessarily agree. Indications on how to investigate the influence of each specific choice are given; in particular, stability of the algorithms with respect to control parameters is analyzed as a means to investigate ease of calibration and flexibility to adapt to specific, application-dependent characterization requirements. (paper)

Principles and characteristics of surface radon and helium techniques used in uranium exploration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacer, J.C.; Czarnecki, R.F.

1980-09-01

Studies were carried out to determine the nature of some of the surface radon and helium techniques used for uranium exploration. By performing radon and helium measurements at three sites with differing geology and accessibility, we were able to examine the constraints on the features determined. The sites are the Red Desert in south central Wyoming, Copper Mountain in central Wyoming, and Spokane Mountain in eastern Washington. The radon techniques employed were: zinc sulfide detectors, an ionization chamber, alpha track detectors, thermoluminescence detectors, charcoal canisters, and the partial extraction of lead-210 from soil samples. Helium was measured in soil-gas samples, soil gas from collectors, and soil samples. The ratio helium-4/argon-36 was measured in soil gas

Thermal radiation characteristics of nonisothermal cylindrical enclosures using a numerical ray tracing technique

Science.gov (United States)

Baumeister, Joseph F.

1990-01-01

Analysis of energy emitted from simple or complex cavity designs can lead to intricate solutions due to nonuniform radiosity and irradiation within a cavity. A numerical ray tracing technique was applied to simulate radiation propagating within and from various cavity designs. To obtain the energy balance relationships between isothermal and nonisothermal cavity surfaces and space, the computer code NEVADA was utilized for its statistical technique applied to numerical ray tracing. The analysis method was validated by comparing results with known theoretical and limiting solutions, and the electrical resistance network method. In general, for nonisothermal cavities the performance (apparent emissivity) is a function of cylinder length-to-diameter ratio, surface emissivity, and cylinder surface temperatures. The extent of nonisothermal conditions in a cylindrical cavity significantly affects the overall cavity performance. Results are presented over a wide range of parametric variables for use as a possible design reference.

The Diagnosis of Plasma Parameters in Surface Alloying Technique by Optical Emission Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Yabo; Zhang Yuefei; Chen Qiang; Zhang Guangqiu; Gao Yuan; Wang Jianzhong; Kui Xiaoyun

2006-01-01

Electron density (Ne) in a glow discharge plasma for the surface alloying technique is diagnosed by optical emission spectrometry (OES). With CH 4 as the feeding gas, Ne is obtained by comparing the Hβ spectrum according to the Stark broadening effect. It is noticed that Ne varies with the working pressures (30 Pa to 70 Pa) and cathode voltages (500 V to 1000 V), respectively. Due to an abnormal glow discharge, Ne is between 1.71x10 15 /cm 3 to 6.64x10 15 /cm 3 and increases rapidly with working gas pressures and cathode voltages. The results show that OES is a useful method to measure the plasma parameters in a surface alloying glow discharge plasma

Nuclear reactor vessel surface inspecting technique applying electric resistance probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, T.; Enami, K.; Yoshioka, M.

1975-01-01

A new technique for inspecting the inner surface of the PWR type nuclear reactor vessel by use of an electric resistance probe is introduced, centering on a data processing system. This system is composed of a mini-computer, a system typewriter, an interface unit, a D-A converter and controller, and X-Y recorder and others. Its functions are judging flaws and making flaw detection maps. In order to judge flaws by flaw detection signals, three kinds of flaw judging methods have been developed. In case there is a flaw, its position and depth are calculated and listed on the system typewriter. The flaw detection maps are expressed in four kinds of modes and they are displayed on the X-Y recorder. (auth.)

Overlayer structure of subphthalocyanine derivative deposited on Au (111) surface by a spray-jet technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Hitoshi; Yamada, Toshiki; Miki, Hideki; Mashiko, Shinro

2006-01-01

A new spray-jet technique was used to deposit subphthalocyanine derivative (chloro[tri-tert-butyl subphthalocyaninato]boron (TBSubPc)) on Au (111) surface in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber. The deposited molecular overlayer was observed with UHV scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at 77 K. The STM images showed that TBSubPc molecules formed a stripe pattern with regular spacing, indicating that they preferentially adsorbed along the herringbone structure of the Au (111) surface. This behavior was very similar to that of TBSubPc molecules deposited by thermal evaporation

A novel technique for investigation of complete and partial anisotropic wetting on structured surface by X-ray microtomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santini, M., E-mail: maurizio.santini@unibg.it [Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo (Italy); Guilizzoni, M. [Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Milano (Italy); Fest-Santini, S. [Department of Engineering, University of Bergamo, Bergamo (Italy); Lorenzi, M. [School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, City University London, London (United Kingdom)

2015-02-15

An experimental study about the anisotropic wetting behavior of a surface patterned with parallel grooves is presented as an application example of a novel technique for investigation of complete and partial anisotropic wetting on structured surface by X-ray microtomography. Shape of glycerin droplets on such surface is investigated by X-ray micro computed tomography (microCT) acting as a non-intrusive, full volume 3D microscope with micrometric spatial resolution. The reconstructed drop volumes enable to estimate the exact volumes of the drops, their base contours, and 3D static contact angles, based on true cross-sections of the drop-surface couple. Droplet base contours are compared to approximate geometrical contour shapes proposed in the literature. Contact angles along slices parallel and perpendicular to the grooves direction are compared with each other. The effect of the sessile drop volume on the wetting behavior is discussed. The proposed technique, which is applicable for any structured surface, enables the direct measure of Wenzel ratio based on the microCT scan in the wetted region usually inapproachable by any others. Comparisons with simplified models are presented and congruence of results with respect to the minimum resolution needed is evaluated and commented.

Surface Modification of Graphene Oxides by Plasma Techniques and Their Application for Environmental Pollution Cleanup.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiangxue; Fan, Qiaohui; Chen, Zhongshan; Wang, Qi; Li, Jiaxing; Hobiny, Aatef; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Wang, Xiangke

2016-02-01

Graphene oxides (GOs) have come under intense multidisciplinary study because of their unique physicochemical properties and possible applications. The large amount of oxygen-containing functional groups on GOs leads to a high sorption capacity for the removal of various kinds of organic and inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions in environmental pollution cleanup. However, the lack of selectivity results in difficulty in the selective removal of target pollutants from aqueous solutions in the presence of other coexisting pollutants. Herein, the surface grafting of GOs with special oxygen-containing functional groups using low-temperature plasma techniques and the application of the surface-modified GOs for the efficient removal of organic and inorganic pollutants in environmental pollution are reviewed. This paper gives an account of our research on the application of GO-based nanomaterials in environmental pollution cleanup, including: (1) the synthesis and surface grafting of functional groups on GOs, summarizing various types of low-temperature plasma techniques for the synthesis of graphene/GOs; and (2) the application of graphene/GOs and their composites for the efficient removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions, including the interaction mechanism according to recently published results. © 2015 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development of CDMS-II Surface Event Rejection Techniques and Their Extensions to Lower Energy Thresholds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hofer, Thomas James [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

2014-12-01

The CDMS-II phase of the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search, a dark matter direct-detection experiment, was operated at the Soudan Underground Laboratory from 2003 to 2008. The full payload consisted of 30 ZIP detectors, totaling approximately 1.1 kg of Si and 4.8 kg of Ge, operated at temperatures of 50 mK. The ZIP detectors read out both ionization and phonon pulses from scatters within the crystals; channel segmentation and analysis of pulse timing parameters allowed e ective ducialization of the crystal volumes and background rejection su cient to set world-leading limits at the times of their publications. A full re-analysis of the CDMS-II data was motivated by an improvement in the event reconstruction algorithms which improved the resolution of ionization energy and timing information. The Ge data were re-analyzed using three distinct background-rejection techniques; the Si data from runs 125 - 128 were analyzed for the rst time using the most successful of the techniques from the Ge re-analysis. The results of these analyses prompted a novel \\mid-threshold" analysis, wherein energy thresholds were lowered but background rejection using phonon timing information was still maintained. This technique proved to have signi cant discrimination power, maintaining adequate signal acceptance and minimizing background leakage. The primary background for CDMS-II analyses comes from surface events, whose poor ionization collection make them di cult to distinguish from true nuclear recoil events. The novel detector technology of SuperCDMS, the successor to CDMS-II, uses interleaved electrodes to achieve full ionization collection for events occurring at the top and bottom detector surfaces. This, along with dual-sided ionization and phonon instrumentation, allows for excellent ducialization and relegates the surface-event rejection techniques of CDMS-II to a secondary level of background discrimination. Current and future SuperCDMS results hold great promise for mid- to low

Measurement of hydrogeologic parameters of Indian volcanic rocks by sub-surface hydronuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bardhan, M.

1977-01-01

Sub-surface hydronuclear techniques namely neutron-neutron, gamma-gamma and tracer dilution logging and single and double well tracer methods were adopted to investigate the hitherto inadequately studied hydrophysical properties of the Deccan lava flows which constitute the principal Indian volcanic suit of rocks. The hydrogeologic parameters measured in the field pertain to hydrostratigraphy, hydrostorage properties and geohydraulic characteristics of these layered hard formations. Results of the studies are presented and discussed briefly. (author)

Low-temperature oxidizing plasma surface modification and composite polymer thin-film fabrication techniques for tailoring the composition and behavior of polymer surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Tompkins, Brendan D.

This dissertation examines methods for modifying the composition and behavior of polymer material surfaces. This is accomplished using (1) low-temperature low-density oxidizing plasmas to etch and implant new functionality on polymers, and (2) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) techniques to fabricate composite polymer materials. Emphases are placed on the structure of modified polymer surfaces, the evolution of polymer surfaces after treatment, and the species responsible for modifying polymers during plasma processing. H2O vapor plasma modification of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), and 75A polyurethane (PU) was examined to further our understanding of polymer surface reorganization leading to hydrophobic recovery. Water contact angles (wCA) measurements showed that PP and PS were the most susceptible to hydrophobic recovery, while PC and HDPE were the most stable. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed a significant quantity of polar functional groups on the surface of all treated polymer samples. Shifts in the C1s binding energies (BE) with sample age were measured on PP and PS, revealing that surface reorganization was responsible for hydrophobic recovery on these materials. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to rule out the intrinsic thermal properties as the cause of reorganization and hydrophobic recovery on HDPE, LDPE, and PP. The different contributions that polymer cross-linking and chain scission mechanisms make to polymer aging effects are considered. The H2O plasma treatment technique was extended to the modification of 0.2 microm and 3.0 microm track-etched polycarbonate (PC-TE) and track-etched polyethylene terephthalate (PET-TE) membranes with the goal of permanently increasing the hydrophilicity of the membrane surfaces. Contact angle measurements on freshly treated and aged samples confirmed the wettability of the

Problems at the Leading Edge of Space Weathering as Revealed by TEM Combined with Surface Science Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Christoffersen, R.; Dukes, C. A.; Keller, L. P.; Rahman, Z.; Baragiola, R. A.

2015-01-01

Both transmission electron micros-copy (TEM) and surface analysis techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were instrumen-tal in making the first characterizations of material generated by space weathering in lunar samples [1,2]. Without them, the nature of nanophase metallic Fe (npFe0) correlated with the surface of lunar regolith grains would have taken much longer to become rec-ognized and understood. Our groups at JSC and UVa have been using both techniques in a cross-correlated way to investigate how the solar wind contributes to space weathering [e.g., 3]. These efforts have identified a number of ongoing problems and knowledge gaps. Key insights made by UVa group leader Raul Barag-iola during this work are gratefully remembered.

Perturbational treatment of spin-orbit coupling for generally applicable high-level multi-reference methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mai, Sebastian; Marquetand, Philipp; González, Leticia; Müller, Thomas; Plasser, Felix; Lischka, Hans

2014-01-01

An efficient perturbational treatment of spin-orbit coupling within the framework of high-level multi-reference techniques has been implemented in the most recent version of the COLUMBUS quantum chemistry package, extending the existing fully variational two-component (2c) multi-reference configuration interaction singles and doubles (MRCISD) method. The proposed scheme follows related implementations of quasi-degenerate perturbation theory (QDPT) model space techniques. Our model space is built either from uncontracted, large-scale scalar relativistic MRCISD wavefunctions or based on the scalar-relativistic solutions of the linear-response-theory-based multi-configurational averaged quadratic coupled cluster method (LRT-MRAQCC). The latter approach allows for a consistent, approximatively size-consistent and size-extensive treatment of spin-orbit coupling. The approach is described in detail and compared to a number of related techniques. The inherent accuracy of the QDPT approach is validated by comparing cuts of the potential energy surfaces of acrolein and its S, Se, and Te analoga with the corresponding data obtained from matching fully variational spin-orbit MRCISD calculations. The conceptual availability of approximate analytic gradients with respect to geometrical displacements is an attractive feature of the 2c-QDPT-MRCISD and 2c-QDPT-LRT-MRAQCC methods for structure optimization and ab inito molecular dynamics simulations

Perturbational treatment of spin-orbit coupling for generally applicable high-level multi-reference methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mai, Sebastian; Marquetand, Philipp; González, Leticia [Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Str. 17, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Müller, Thomas, E-mail: th.mueller@fz-juelich.de [Institute for Advanced Simulation, Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Plasser, Felix [Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 368, 69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Lischka, Hans [Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Str. 17, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409-1061 (United States)

2014-08-21

An efficient perturbational treatment of spin-orbit coupling within the framework of high-level multi-reference techniques has been implemented in the most recent version of the COLUMBUS quantum chemistry package, extending the existing fully variational two-component (2c) multi-reference configuration interaction singles and doubles (MRCISD) method. The proposed scheme follows related implementations of quasi-degenerate perturbation theory (QDPT) model space techniques. Our model space is built either from uncontracted, large-scale scalar relativistic MRCISD wavefunctions or based on the scalar-relativistic solutions of the linear-response-theory-based multi-configurational averaged quadratic coupled cluster method (LRT-MRAQCC). The latter approach allows for a consistent, approximatively size-consistent and size-extensive treatment of spin-orbit coupling. The approach is described in detail and compared to a number of related techniques. The inherent accuracy of the QDPT approach is validated by comparing cuts of the potential energy surfaces of acrolein and its S, Se, and Te analoga with the corresponding data obtained from matching fully variational spin-orbit MRCISD calculations. The conceptual availability of approximate analytic gradients with respect to geometrical displacements is an attractive feature of the 2c-QDPT-MRCISD and 2c-QDPT-LRT-MRAQCC methods for structure optimization and ab inito molecular dynamics simulations.

A new technique for the identification of surface contamination in low temperature bolometric experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sangiorgio, S.; Arnaboldi, C.; Brofferio, C.; Bucci, C.; Capelli, S.; Carbone, L.; Clemenza, M.; Cremonesi, O.; Fiorini, E.; Foggetta, L.; Giuliani, A.; Gorla, P.; Nones, C.; Nucciotti, A.; Pavan, M.; Pedretti, M.; Pessina, G.; Pirro, S.; Previtali, E.; Salvioni, C.

2011-01-01

In the framework of the bolometric experiment CUORE, a new and promising technique has been developed in order to control the dangerous contamination coming from the surfaces close to the detector. In fact, by means of a composite bolometer, it is possible to partially overcome the loss of spatial resolution of the bolometer itself and to clearly identify events coming from outside.

Use of Isotopic Techniques for the Assessment of Hydrological Interaction Surface Water and Groundwater. Rio Man - Cienaga Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palacio B, P.; Betancur V, T.; Dapena, C.

2011-01-01

This job integrates the first results from the studies ''Conceptual Hydrological Model for the middle and lower parts of the Man River basin using hydrological, hydrochemical and isotopic techniques'' (Palacio, 2011) and ''Hydrochemical and Isotopic techniques for the assessment of hydrological processes in the the wetlands of Bajo Cauca Antioquia'' (University of Antioquia and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Man river basin covers an area of 688 km 2 ; with temperatures ranging from 25 to 30 o C; The average annual rainfall is 2.800 mm. The geology of the area is composed mainly of clastic sedimentary rocks of continental origin. A hydrological model of interaction between surface water and groundwater for the lower middle of the Man River basin was obtained by the use of hydrological analysis techniques. This model was refined, adjusted and validated using isotope techniques based mainly on the analysis of spatial and temporal variance of stable isotopes found in rain water, surface bodies of water such as streams and wetlands, and in an unconfined aquifer.

Sequence Factorization with Multiple References.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Wandelt

Full Text Available The success of high-throughput sequencing has lead to an increasing number of projects which sequence large populations of a species. Storage and analysis of sequence data is a key challenge in these projects, because of the sheer size of the datasets. Compression is one simple technology to deal with this challenge. Referential factorization and compression schemes, which store only the differences between input sequence and a reference sequence, gained lots of interest in this field. Highly-similar sequences, e.g., Human genomes, can be compressed with a compression ratio of 1,000:1 and more, up to two orders of magnitude better than with standard compression techniques. Recently, it was shown that the compression against multiple references from the same species can boost the compression ratio up to 4,000:1. However, a detailed analysis of using multiple references is lacking, e.g., for main memory consumption and optimality. In this paper, we describe one key technique for the referential compression against multiple references: The factorization of sequences. Based on the notion of an optimal factorization, we propose optimization heuristics and identify parameter settings which greatly influence 1 the size of the factorization, 2 the time for factorization, and 3 the required amount of main memory. We evaluate a total of 30 setups with a varying number of references on data from three different species. Our results show a wide range of factorization sizes (optimal to an overhead of up to 300%, factorization speed (0.01 MB/s to more than 600 MB/s, and main memory usage (few dozen MB to dozens of GB. Based on our evaluation, we identify the best configurations for common use cases. Our evaluation shows that multi-reference factorization is much better than single-reference factorization.

A novel collagen film with micro-rough surface structure for corneal epithelial repair fabricated by freeze drying technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yang; Ren, Li; Wang, Yingjun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Collagen film with micro-rough surface is fabricated by freeze drying technique. • The film has suitable water uptake capability and toughness performance. • The film has good optical performance. • Human corneal epithelial cells studies confirmed the biocompatibility of the film. - Abstract: Corneal epithelial defect is a common disease and keratoplasty is a common treatment method. A collagen film with micro-rough surface was fabricated through a simple freeze drying technique in this study. Compared with the air-dried collagen film (AD-Col), this freeze-dried collagen film (FD-Col) has a more suitable water uptake capability (about 85.5%) and toughness performance. Both of the two films have good optical properties and the luminousness of them is higher than 80%. Besides, the adhesion and proliferation rate of human corneal epithelial cells on the micro-rough surface of FD-Col film is higher than that on the smooth surface of AD-Col film. The results indicate that this FD-Col film may have potential applications for corneal epithelial repair

A novel collagen film with micro-rough surface structure for corneal epithelial repair fabricated by freeze drying technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Yang [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Ren, Li, E-mail: psliren@scut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Wang, Yingjun, E-mail: imwangyj@163.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

2014-05-01

Highlights: • Collagen film with micro-rough surface is fabricated by freeze drying technique. • The film has suitable water uptake capability and toughness performance. • The film has good optical performance. • Human corneal epithelial cells studies confirmed the biocompatibility of the film. - Abstract: Corneal epithelial defect is a common disease and keratoplasty is a common treatment method. A collagen film with micro-rough surface was fabricated through a simple freeze drying technique in this study. Compared with the air-dried collagen film (AD-Col), this freeze-dried collagen film (FD-Col) has a more suitable water uptake capability (about 85.5%) and toughness performance. Both of the two films have good optical properties and the luminousness of them is higher than 80%. Besides, the adhesion and proliferation rate of human corneal epithelial cells on the micro-rough surface of FD-Col film is higher than that on the smooth surface of AD-Col film. The results indicate that this FD-Col film may have potential applications for corneal epithelial repair.

A method to obtain reference images for evaluation of ultrasonic tissue characterization techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, M.S.; Wilhjelm, Jens E.; Sahl, B.

2002-01-01

of the macroscopic photograph, due to the histological preparation process. The histological information was "mapped back" into the format of the ultrasound images the following way: On the macroscopic images, outlines were drawn manually which defined the border of the tissue. These outlines were superimposed...... of the various tissue types. Specifically, the macroscopic image revealed the borders between the different tissues, while the histological image identified the four tissue types. A set of 12 reference images based on modified macroscopic outlines was created. The overlap between the ultrasound images...... and the macroscopic images-which are the geometrical basis for the final reference images-was between 77% and 93%. A set of 12 reference images spaced 2.5 mm, identifying spatial location of four different tissue types in porcine muscle has been created. With the reference images, it is possible to quantitatively...

A new reference evapotranspiration surface for the National Water Census community

Science.gov (United States)

Verdin, J. P.; Hobbins, M. T.; Senay, G. B.

2012-12-01

To meet its congressional mandate to provide water managers with accurate, up-to-date, scientifically defensible reporting on the national water cycle—the National Water Census—the USGS has developed a framework for ongoing estimation of actual evapotranspiration (ET) combining both land-based and remotely sensed (R/S) drivers and is transferable to observation-scarce regions. To provide ET at Census-required resolutions (~100-1000 m), we combine (i) an operational, long-term, high-quality, scientific record of reference crop ET (ETrc), (ii) R/S land-surface temperature (LST) and reflectance at finer spatial scales but coarser temporal scales, and (iii) the USDA Annual Cropland Data Layer as a geographic mask for cropped surfaces. Our presentation motivates this new ET framework and describes its ETrc input. The ETrc is generated by the Penman-Monteith equation, driven by hourly, 0.125-degree (~12-km) NLDAS data, from Jan 1, 1979, to within five days of the present. This is the first consistently modeled, daily, continent-wide ETrc dataset that is both up-to-date and as temporally extensive. The R/S component relies on this input to provide an ETrc magnitude at coarse scale relative to the imagery. Remote sensing of LST and/or surface reflectance permits inference of ET as a fraction of ETrc. One such method used by the USGS is the Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEB) approach, which adapted the hot and cold pixel approach of SEBAL/METRIC; an operational version (SSEBop) calculates ET-fraction for a given pixel and combines it with ETrc to estimate and map ET on a routine basis with a high degree of consistency at multiple spatial scales. Though these imagery options have limited temporal coverage due to the time between satellite overpasses (1 to 8 days for MODIS, 16 days for Landsat), ET-fraction so derived is stable on such time scales. Thus, as ETrc varies significantly across the diurnal cycle and inter-overpass periods, it is used to track conditions

Three-dimensional shape analysis of coarse aggregates: New techniques for and preliminary results on several different coarse aggregates and reference rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erdogan, S.T.; Quiroga, P.N.; Fowler, D.W.; Saleh, H.A.; Livingston, R.A.; Garboczi, E.J.; Ketcham, P.M.; Hagedorn, J.G.; Satterfield, S.G.

2006-01-01

The shape of aggregates used in concrete is an important parameter that helps determine many concrete properties, especially the rheology of fresh concrete and early-age mechanical properties. This paper discusses the sample preparation and image analysis techniques necessary for obtaining an aggregate particle image in 3-D, using X-ray computed tomography, which is then suitable for spherical harmonic analysis. The shapes of three reference rocks are analyzed for uncertainty determination via direct comparison to the geometry of their reconstructed images. A Virtual Reality Modeling Language technique is demonstrated that can give quick and accurate 3-D views of aggregates. Shape data on several different kinds of coarse aggregates are compared and used to illustrate potential mathematical shape analyses made possible by the spherical harmonic information

Evaluation of 3-dimensional superimposition techniques on various skeletal structures of the head using surface models.

Science.gov (United States)

Gkantidis, Nikolaos; Schauseil, Michael; Pazera, Pawel; Zorkun, Berna; Katsaros, Christos; Ludwig, Björn

2015-01-01

To test the applicability, accuracy, precision, and reproducibility of various 3D superimposition techniques for radiographic data, transformed to triangulated surface data. Five superimposition techniques (3P: three-point registration; AC: anterior cranial base; AC + F: anterior cranial base + foramen magnum; BZ: both zygomatic arches; 1Z: one zygomatic arch) were tested using eight pairs of pre-existing CT data (pre- and post-treatment). These were obtained from non-growing orthodontic patients treated with rapid maxillary expansion. All datasets were superimposed by three operators independently, who repeated the whole procedure one month later. Accuracy was assessed by the distance (D) between superimposed datasets on three form-stable anatomical areas, located on the anterior cranial base and the foramen magnum. Precision and reproducibility were assessed using the distances between models at four specific landmarks. Non parametric multivariate models and Bland-Altman difference plots were used for analyses. There was no difference among operators or between time points on the accuracy of each superimposition technique (p>0.05). The AC + F technique was the most accurate (D0.05), the detected structural changes differed significantly between different techniques (p<0.05). Bland-Altman difference plots showed that BZ superimposition was comparable to AC, though it presented slightly higher random error. Superimposition of 3D datasets using surface models created from voxel data can provide accurate, precise, and reproducible results, offering also high efficiency and increased post-processing capabilities. In the present study population, the BZ superimposition was comparable to AC, with the added advantage of being applicable to scans with a smaller field of view.

Scanning tunneling microscopy II further applications and related scanning techniques

CERN Document Server

Güntherodt, Hans-Joachim

1992-01-01

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy II, like its predecessor, presents detailed and comprehensive accounts of the basic principles and broad range of applications of STM and related scanning probe techniques. The applications discussed in this volume come predominantly from the fields of electrochemistry and biology. In contrast to those described in Vol. I, these sudies may be performed in air and in liquids. The extensions of the basic technique to map other interactions are described inchapters on scanning force microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, scanning near-field optical microscopy, together with a survey of other related techniques. Also described here is the use of a scanning proximal probe for surface modification. Togehter, the two volumes give a comprehensive account of experimental aspcets of STM. They provide essentialreading and reference material for all students and researchers involvedin this field.

REM-3D Reference Datasets: Reconciling large and diverse compilations of travel-time observations

Science.gov (United States)

Moulik, P.; Lekic, V.; Romanowicz, B. A.

2017-12-01

A three-dimensional Reference Earth model (REM-3D) should ideally represent the consensus view of long-wavelength heterogeneity in the Earth's mantle through the joint modeling of large and diverse seismological datasets. This requires reconciliation of datasets obtained using various methodologies and identification of consistent features. The goal of REM-3D datasets is to provide a quality-controlled and comprehensive set of seismic observations that would not only enable construction of REM-3D, but also allow identification of outliers and assist in more detailed studies of heterogeneity. The community response to data solicitation has been enthusiastic with several groups across the world contributing recent measurements of normal modes, (fundamental mode and overtone) surface waves, and body waves. We present results from ongoing work with body and surface wave datasets analyzed in consultation with a Reference Dataset Working Group. We have formulated procedures for reconciling travel-time datasets that include: (1) quality control for salvaging missing metadata; (2) identification of and reasons for discrepant measurements; (3) homogenization of coverage through the construction of summary rays; and (4) inversions of structure at various wavelengths to evaluate inter-dataset consistency. In consultation with the Reference Dataset Working Group, we retrieved the station and earthquake metadata in several legacy compilations and codified several guidelines that would facilitate easy storage and reproducibility. We find strong agreement between the dispersion measurements of fundamental-mode Rayleigh waves, particularly when made using supervised techniques. The agreement deteriorates substantially in surface-wave overtones, for which discrepancies vary with frequency and overtone number. A half-cycle band of discrepancies is attributed to reversed instrument polarities at a limited number of stations, which are not reflected in the instrument response history

Accelerating plant DNA barcode reference library construction using herbarium specimens: improved experimental techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Chao; Dong, Wenpan; Shi, Shuo; Cheng, Tao; Li, Changhao; Liu, Yanlei; Wu, Ping; Wu, Hongkun; Gao, Peng; Zhou, Shiliang

2015-11-01

A well-covered reference library is crucial for successful identification of species by DNA barcoding. The biggest difficulty in building such a reference library is the lack of materials of organisms. Herbarium collections are potentially an enormous resource of materials. In this study, we demonstrate that it is likely to build such reference libraries using the reconstructed (self-primed PCR amplified) DNA from the herbarium specimens. We used 179 rosaceous specimens to test the effects of DNA reconstruction, 420 randomly sampled specimens to estimate the usable percentage and another 223 specimens of true cherries (Cerasus, Rosaceae) to test the coverage of usable specimens to the species. The barcode rbcLb (the central four-sevenths of rbcL gene) and matK was each amplified in two halves and sequenced on Roche GS 454 FLX+. DNA from the herbarium specimens was typically shorter than 300 bp. DNA reconstruction enabled amplification fragments of 400-500 bp without bringing or inducing any sequence errors. About one-third of specimens in the national herbarium of China (PE) were proven usable after DNA reconstruction. The specimens in PE cover all Chinese true cherry species and 91.5% of vascular species listed in Flora of China. It is very possible to build well-covered reference libraries for DNA barcoding of vascular species in China. As exemplified in this study, DNA reconstruction and DNA-labelled next-generation sequencing can accelerate the construction of local reference libraries. By putting the local reference libraries together, a global library for DNA barcoding becomes closer to reality. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Surface Modification of Titanium with Heparin-Chitosan Multilayers via Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shu, Y.; Zou, J.; Ou, G.; Wang, L.; Li, Q.

2011-01-01

Extracellular matrix (ECM), like biomimetic surface modification of titanium implants, is a promising method for improving its biocompatibility. In this paper chitosan (Chi) and heparin (Hep) multilayer was coated on pure titanium using a layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique. The Hep-Chi multilayer growth was carried out by first depositing a single layer of positively charged poly-L-lysine (PLL) on the NaOH-treated titanium substrate (negatively charged surface), followed by alternate deposition of negatively charged Hep and positively charged Chi, and terminated by an outermost layer of Chi. The multilayer was characterized by DR-FTIR, SEM, and AFM, and osteoblasts were cocultured with the modified titanium and untreated titanium surfaces, respectively, to evaluate their cytocompatibility in vitro. The results confirmed that Hep-Chi multilayer was fabricated gradually on the titanium surface. The Hep-Chi multilayer-coated titanium improved the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. Thus, the approach described here may provide a basis for the preparation of modified titanium surfaces for use in dental or orthopedic implants

SLR and GPS spatial techniques in ITRF. Argentine results.

Science.gov (United States)

Actis, Eloy Vicente; Huang, Dongping; Márquez, Raúl; Adarvez, Sonia; Flores, Matías; Brizuela, Diego; Nievas, Jesica; Podestá, Ricardo; Pacheco, Ana M.; Rojas, Hernán Alvis; Yin, Zhiqiang; Li, Jinzeng; Han, Yanben; Liu, Weidong; Wang, Rui

2012-08-01

Along the late 30 years spatial geodetic techniques enable us to measure horizontal and vertical deformations of the Earth’s surface with a very high precision. Performing this task we made Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), and Global Positioning System (GPS) observations in South America ILRS 7406 Station placed at Observatorio Astronómico Félix Aguilar (OAFA) in San Juan, Argentina, accomplishing a Cooperation Agreement between CAS - NAOC and OAFA - UNSJ. Trough LAGEOS II Satellite observations we obtain rectangular coordinates of San Juan ILRS Station in the Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITR 2000), standing out that Argentine Station data were included in the late arrangements ITRF given by International Earth Rotation and Reference System Service (IERS). Spatial and temporary variations of the epoch 2010 - 2011 were evaluated finding out remarkable displacements, of about a half meter, related with seismic events on the region. We confirm these deformations by means of GP S determinations referred to Permanent GPS Station placed nearby the SLR Station.

Reference Inflow Characterization for River Resource Reference Model (RM2)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neary, Vincent S [ORNL

2011-12-01

Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) is leading an effort to develop reference models for marine and hydrokinetic technologies and wave and current energy resources. This effort will allow the refinement of technology design tools, accurate estimates of a baseline levelized cost of energy (LCoE), and the identification of the main cost drivers that need to be addressed to achieve a competitive LCoE. As part of this effort, Oak Ridge National Laboratory was charged with examining and reporting reference river inflow characteristics for reference model 2 (RM2). Published turbulent flow data from large rivers, a water supply canal and laboratory flumes, are reviewed to determine the range of velocities, turbulence intensities and turbulent stresses acting on hydrokinetic technologies, and also to evaluate the validity of classical models that describe the depth variation of the time-mean velocity and turbulent normal Reynolds stresses. The classical models are found to generally perform well in describing river inflow characteristics. A potential challenge in river inflow characterization, however, is the high variability of depth and flow over the design life of a hydrokinetic device. This variation can have significant effects on the inflow mean velocity and turbulence intensity experienced by stationary and bottom mounted hydrokinetic energy conversion devices, which requires further investigation, but are expected to have minimal effects on surface mounted devices like the vertical axis turbine device designed for RM2. A simple methodology for obtaining an approximate inflow characterization for surface deployed devices is developed using the relation umax=(7/6)V where V is the bulk velocity and umax is assumed to be the near-surface velocity. The application of this expression is recommended for deriving the local inflow velocity acting on the energy extraction planes of the RM2 vertical axis rotors, where V=Q/A can be calculated given a USGS gage flow time

Characterization and analysis of surface notches on Ti-alloy plates fabricated by additive manufacturing techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Kwai S.

2015-12-01

Rectangular plates of Ti-6Al-4V with extra low interstitial (ELI) were fabricated by layer-by-layer deposition techniques that included electron beam melting (EBM) and laser beam melting (LBM). The surface conditions of these plates were characterized using x-ray micro-computed tomography. The depth and radius of surface notch-like features on the LBM and EBM plates were measured from sectional images of individual virtual slices of the rectangular plates. The stress concentration factors of individual surface notches were computed and analyzed statistically to determine the appropriate distributions for the notch depth, notch radius, and stress concentration factor. These results were correlated with the fatigue life of the Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloys from an earlier investigation. A surface notch analysis was performed to assess the debit in the fatigue strength due to the surface notches. The assessment revealed that the fatigue lives of the additively manufactured plates with rough surface topographies and notch-like features are dominated by the fatigue crack growth of large cracks for both the LBM and EBM materials. The fatigue strength reduction due to the surface notches can be as large as 60%-75%. It is concluded that for better fatigue performance, the surface notches on EBM and LBM materials need to be removed by machining and the surface roughness be improved to a surface finish of about 1 μm.

Characterization and analysis of surface notches on Ti-alloy plates fabricated by additive manufacturing techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, Kwai S.

2015-01-01

Rectangular plates of Ti–6Al–4V with extra low interstitial (ELI) were fabricated by layer-by-layer deposition techniques that included electron beam melting (EBM) and laser beam melting (LBM). The surface conditions of these plates were characterized using x-ray micro-computed tomography. The depth and radius of surface notch-like features on the LBM and EBM plates were measured from sectional images of individual virtual slices of the rectangular plates. The stress concentration factors of individual surface notches were computed and analyzed statistically to determine the appropriate distributions for the notch depth, notch radius, and stress concentration factor. These results were correlated with the fatigue life of the Ti–6Al–4V ELI alloys from an earlier investigation. A surface notch analysis was performed to assess the debit in the fatigue strength due to the surface notches. The assessment revealed that the fatigue lives of the additively manufactured plates with rough surface topographies and notch-like features are dominated by the fatigue crack growth of large cracks for both the LBM and EBM materials. The fatigue strength reduction due to the surface notches can be as large as 60%–75%. It is concluded that for better fatigue performance, the surface notches on EBM and LBM materials need to be removed by machining and the surface roughness be improved to a surface finish of about 1 μm. (paper)

MR imaging of brain surface structures: Surface anatomy scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katada, K.; Koga, S.; Asahina, M.; Kanno, T.; Asahina, K.

1987-01-01

Preoperative evaluation of brain surface anatomy, including cortical sulci and veins, relative to cerebral and cerebellar lesions is an important subject for surgeons. Until now, no imaging modality existed that allowed direct visualization of brain surface anatomy. A new MR imaging technique (surface anatomy scanning) was developed to visualize brain surface structures. The technique uses a spin-echo pulse sequence with long repetition and echo times, thick sections and a surface coil. Cortical sulci, fissures, veins, and intracranial lesions were clearly identified with this technique. Initial clinical results indicate that surface anatomy scanning is useful for lesion localization and for detailed evaluation of cortical and subcortical lesions

Comparison of Two Surface Contamination Sampling Techniques Conducted for the Characterization of Two Pajarito Site Manhattan Project National Historic Park Properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez, Tammy Ann [Montana Tech of the Univ. of Montana, Butte, MT (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-07-29

Technical Area-18 (TA-18), also known as Pajarito Site, is located on Los Alamos National Laboratory property and has historic buildings that will be included in the Manhattan Project National Historic Park. Characterization studies of metal contamination were needed in two of the four buildings that are on the historic registry in this area, a “battleship” bunker building (TA-18-0002) and the Pond cabin (TA-18-0029). However, these two buildings have been exposed to the elements, are decades old, and have porous and rough surfaces (wood and concrete). Due to these conditions, it was questioned whether standard wipe sampling would be adequate to detect surface dust metal contamination in these buildings. Thus, micro-vacuum and surface wet wipe sampling techniques were performed side-by-side at both buildings and results were compared statistically. A two-tail paired t-test revealed that the micro-vacuum and wet wipe techniques were statistically different for both buildings. Further mathematical analysis revealed that the wet wipe technique picked up more metals from the surface than the microvacuum technique. Wet wipes revealed concentrations of beryllium and lead above internal housekeeping limits; however, using an yttrium normalization method with linear regression analysis between beryllium and yttrium revealed a correlation indicating that the beryllium levels were likely due to background and not operational contamination. PPE and administrative controls were implemented for National Park Service (NPS) and Department of Energy (DOE) tours as a result of this study. Overall, this study indicates that the micro-vacuum technique may not be an efficient technique to sample for metal dust contamination.

Encyclopedia of analytical surfaces

CERN Document Server

Krivoshapko, S N

2015-01-01

This encyclopedia presents an all-embracing collection of analytical surface classes. It provides concise definitions  and description for more than 500 surfaces and categorizes them in 38 classes of analytical surfaces. All classes are cross references to the original literature in an excellent bibliography. The encyclopedia is of particular interest to structural and civil engineers and serves as valuable reference for mathematicians.

An analysis of endothelial microparticles as a function of cell surface antibodies and centrifugation techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Venable, Adam S; Williams, Randall R; Haviland, David L; McFarlin, Brian K

2014-04-01

Chronic vascular disease is partially characterized by the presence of lesions along the vascular endothelial wall. Current FDA-approved clinical techniques lack the ability to measure very early changes in endothelial cell health. When endothelial cells are damaged, they release endothelial microparticles (EMPs) into circulation. Thus, blood EMP concentration may represent a useful cardiovascular disease biomarker. Despite the potential value of EMPs, current flow cytometry techniques may not consistently distinguish EMPs from other small cell particles. The purpose of this study was to use imaging flow cytometry to modify existing methods of identifying EMPs based on cell-surface receptor expression and visual morphology. Platelet poor plasma (PPP) was isolated using four different techniques, each utilizing a two-step serial centrifugation process. The cell-surface markers used in this study were selected based on those that are commonly reported in the literature. PPP (100μL) was labeled with CD31, CD42a, CD45, CD51, CD66b, and CD144 for 30-min in dark on ice. Based on replicated experiments, EMPs were best identified by cell-surface CD144 expression relative to other commonly reported EMP markers (CD31 & CD51). It is important to note that contaminating LMPs, GMPs, and PMPs were thought to be removed in the preparation of PPP. However, upon analysis of prepared samples staining CD31 against CD51 revealed a double-positive population that was less than 1% EMPs. In contrast, when using CD144 to identify EMPs, ~87% of observed particles were free of contaminating microparticles. Using a counterstain of CD42a, this purity can be improved to over 99%. More research is needed to understand how our improved EMP measurement method can be used in experimental models measuring acute vascular responses or chronic vascular diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical properties of WO{sub 3} thin films using surface plasmon resonance technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paliwal, Ayushi; Sharma, Anjali; Gupta, Vinay, E-mail: drguptavinay@gmail.com, E-mail: vgupta@physics.du.ac.in [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India); Tomar, Monika [Department of Physics, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007 (India)

2014-01-28

Indigenously assembled surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique has been exploited to study the thickness dependent dielectric properties of WO{sub 3} thin films. WO{sub 3} thin films (80 nm to 200 nm) have been deposited onto gold (Au) coated glass prism by sputtering technique. The structural, optical properties and surface morphology of the deposited WO{sub 3} thin films were studied using X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectrophotometer, Raman spectroscopy, and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD analysis shows that all the deposited WO{sub 3} thin films are exhibiting preferred (020) orientation and Raman data indicates that the films possess single phase monoclinic structure. SEM images reveal the variation in grain size with increase in thickness. The SPR reflectance curves of the WO{sub 3}/Au/prism structure were utilized to estimate the dielectric properties of WO{sub 3} thin films at optical frequency (λ = 633 nm). As the thickness of WO{sub 3} thin film increases from 80 nm to 200 nm, the dielectric constant is seen to be decreasing from 5.76 to 3.42, while the dielectric loss reduces from 0.098 to 0.01. The estimated value of refractive index of WO{sub 3} film is in agreement to that obtained from UV-visible spectroscopy studies. The strong dispersion in refractive index is observed with wavelength of incident laser light.

Indirect methods for reference interval determination - review and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Graham R D; Haeckel, Rainer; Loh, Tze Ping; Sikaris, Ken; Streichert, Thomas; Katayev, Alex; Barth, Julian H; Ozarda, Yesim

2018-04-19

Reference intervals are a vital part of the information supplied by clinical laboratories to support interpretation of numerical pathology results such as are produced in clinical chemistry and hematology laboratories. The traditional method for establishing reference intervals, known as the direct approach, is based on collecting samples from members of a preselected reference population, making the measurements and then determining the intervals. An alternative approach is to perform analysis of results generated as part of routine pathology testing and using appropriate statistical techniques to determine reference intervals. This is known as the indirect approach. This paper from a working group of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) Committee on Reference Intervals and Decision Limits (C-RIDL) aims to summarize current thinking on indirect approaches to reference intervals. The indirect approach has some major potential advantages compared with direct methods. The processes are faster, cheaper and do not involve patient inconvenience, discomfort or the risks associated with generating new patient health information. Indirect methods also use the same preanalytical and analytical techniques used for patient management and can provide very large numbers for assessment. Limitations to the indirect methods include possible effects of diseased subpopulations on the derived interval. The IFCC C-RIDL aims to encourage the use of indirect methods to establish and verify reference intervals, to promote publication of such intervals with clear explanation of the process used and also to support the development of improved statistical techniques for these studies.

Mounting system for optical frequency reference cavities

Science.gov (United States)

Notcutt, Mark (Inventor); Hall, John L. (Inventor); Ma, Long-Sheng (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A technique for reducing the vibration sensitivity of laser-stabilizing optical reference cavities is based upon an improved design and mounting method for the cavity, wherein the cavity is mounted vertically. It is suspended at one plane, around the spacer cylinder, equidistant from the mirror ends of the cavity. The suspension element is a collar of an extremely low thermal expansion coefficient material, which surrounds the spacer cylinder and contacts it uniformly. Once the collar has been properly located, it is cemented in place so that the spacer cylinder is uniformly supported and does not have to be squeezed at all. The collar also includes a number of cavities partially bored into its lower flat surface, around the axial bore. These cavities are support points, into which mounting base pins will be inserted. Hence the collar is supported at a minimum of three points.

Development and Application of Blast Casting Technique in Large-Scale Surface Mines: A Case Study of Heidaigou Surface Coal Mine in China

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Li Ma

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Blast casting is a high-efficiency technique applied in surface mines for overburden removal and results in stripping cost savings. According to ballistic theory and center-of-mass frame basic movement principles, key factors influencing blast casting effect were analyzed, which include bench height and mining panel width, inclined angle of blast holes, explosive unit consumption (EUC, delay-time interval, presplitting, and blast hole pattern parameters. An intelligent design software was developed for obtaining better breaking and casting effect, and the error rates predicted with actual result can be controlled with 10%. Blast casting technique was successfully applied in Heidaigou Surface Coal Mine (HSCM with more than 34% of material casted into the inner dump. A ramp ditch was set within the middle inner dump for coal transportation. The procedure of stripping and excavating was implemented separately and alternately in the two sections around the middle ramp ditch. An unconstrained-nonlinear model was deduced for optimizing the shift distance of the middle ramp. The calculation results show that optimum shift distance of HSCM is 480 m, and the middle ditch should be shifted after 6 blast casting mining panels being stripped.

Use of variance techniques to measure dry air-surface exchange rates

Science.gov (United States)

Wesely, M. L.

1988-07-01

The variances of fluctuations of scalar quantities can be measured and interpreted to yield indirect estimates of their vertical fluxes in the atmospheric surface layer. Strong correlations among scalar fluctuations indicate a similarity of transfer mechanisms, which is utilized in some of the variance techniques. The ratios of the standard deviations of two scalar quantities, for example, can be used to estimate the flux of one if the flux of the other is measured, without knowledge of atmospheric stability. This is akin to a modified Bowen ratio approach. Other methods such as the normalized standard-deviation technique and the correlation-coefficient technique can be utilized effectively if atmospheric stability is evaluated and certain semi-empirical functions are known. In these cases, iterative calculations involving measured variances of fluctuations of temperature and vertical wind velocity can be used in place of direct flux measurements. For a chemical sensor whose output is contaminated by non-atmospheric noise, covariances with fluctuations of scalar quantities measured with a very good signal-to-noise ratio can be used to extract the needed standard deviation. Field measurements have shown that many of these approaches are successful for gases such as ozone and sulfur dioxide, as well as for temperature and water vapor, and could be extended to other trace substances. In humid areas, it appears that water vapor fluctuations often have a higher degree of correlation to fluctuations of other trace gases than do temperature fluctuations; this makes water vapor a more reliable companion or “reference” scalar. These techniques provide some reliable research approaches but, for routine or operational measurement, they are limited by the need for fast-response sensors. Also, all variance approaches require some independent means to estimate the direction of the flux.

Surface modification by cold-plasma technique for dental implants—Bio-functionalization with binding pharmaceuticals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masao Yoshinari

2011-08-01

At the bone tissue/implant interface, a thin calcium phosphate coating and rapid heating with infrared radiation were effective in controlling the dissolution without cracking the coating. These thin calcium phosphate coatings may directly promote osteogenisis, but also enable immobilization and subsequent drug delivery system (DDS of bisphosphonates. Simvastatin is also an effective candidate that is reported to increase the expression of BMP-2. The thin-film of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO was plasma-polymerized onto titanium, and then HMDSO surface was activated by O2-plasma treatment. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D technique demonstrated that simvastatin was immobilized on the plasma-treated surfaces due to introduction of O2-functional groups. At the soft tissue/implant interface, multi-grooved surface topographies and utilizing the adhesive proteins such as fibronectin or laminin-5 may help in providing a biological seal around the implant. At the oral fluid/implant interface, an alumina coating, F+-implantation and immobilization of anti-microbial peptides were responsible for inhibiting the biofilm accumulation.

Identifying plant cell-surface receptors: combining 'classical' techniques with novel methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Uebler, Susanne; Dresselhaus, Thomas

2014-04-01

Cell-cell communication during development and reproduction in plants depends largely on a few phytohormones and many diverse classes of polymorphic secreted peptides. The peptide ligands are bound at the cell surface of target cells by their membranous interaction partners representing, in most cases, either receptor-like kinases or ion channels. Although knowledge of both the extracellular ligand and its corresponding receptor(s) is necessary to describe the downstream signalling pathway(s), to date only a few ligand-receptor pairs have been identified. Several methods, such as affinity purification and yeast two-hybrid screens, have been used very successfully to elucidate interactions between soluble proteins, but most of these methods cannot be applied to membranous proteins. Experimental obstacles such as low concentration and poor solubility of membrane receptors, as well as instable transient interactions, often hamper the use of these 'classical' approaches. However, over the last few years, a lot of progress has been made to overcome these problems by combining classical techniques with new methodologies. In the present article, we review the most promising recent methods in identifying cell-surface receptor interactions, with an emphasis on success stories outside the field of plant research.

Manipulation of biological samples using micro and nano techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo, Jaime; Dimaki, Maria; Svendsen, Winnie Edith

2009-01-01

The constant interest in handling, integrating and understanding biological systems of interest for the biomedical field, the pharmaceutical industry and the biomaterial researchers demand the use of techniques that allow the manipulation of biological samples causing minimal or no damage to their natural structure. Thanks to the advances in micro- and nanofabrication during the last decades several manipulation techniques offer us the possibility to image, characterize and manipulate biological material in a controlled way. Using these techniques the integration of biomaterials with remarkable properties with physical transducers has been possible, giving rise to new and highly sensitive biosensing devices. This article reviews the different techniques available to manipulate and integrate biological materials in a controlled manner either by sliding them along a surface (2-D manipulation), by grapping them and moving them to a new position (3-D manipulation), or by manipulating and relocating them applying external forces. The advantages and drawbacks are mentioned together with examples that reflect the state of the art of manipulation techniques for biological samples (171 references).

Short frontal plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx: Description of the injury and a technique for repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, I M; Minshall, G J

2018-01-01

Chip fractures of the dorsoproximal articular margin of the proximal phalanx are common injuries in racehorses. Large fractures can extend distal to the joint capsule insertion and have been described as dorsal frontal fractures. To report the location and morphology of short frontal plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx and describe a technique for repair under arthroscopic and radiographic guidance. Single centre retrospective case study. Case records of horses with frontal plane fractures restricted to the dorsoproximal epiphysis and metaphysis of the proximal phalanx referred to Newmarket Equine Hospital were retrieved, images reviewed and lesion morphology described. A technique for repair and the results obtained are reported. A total of 22 fractures in 21 horses commencing at the proximal articular surface exited the dorsal cortex of the proximal phalanx distal to the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint capsule in 17 hind- and five forelimbs. All were in Thoroughbred racehorses. In 16 cases these were acute racing or training injuries; 20 fractures were medial, one lateral and one was midline. All were repaired with a single lag screw using arthroscopic and radiographically determined landmarks. A total of 16 horses raced after surgery with performance data similar to their preinjury levels. The study demonstrates substantial morphological similarities between individual lesions supporting a common pathophysiology, but does not identify precise causation. There are no cases managed differently that might permit assessment of the comparative efficacy of the treatment described. Short frontal plane fractures involving the dorsoproximal margin of the proximal phalanx that exit the bone distal to the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint capsule have substantial morphological similarities, are amenable to minimally invasive repair and carry a good prognosis for return to training and racing. �

Evaluation of 3-dimensional superimposition techniques on various skeletal structures of the head using surface models.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolaos Gkantidis

Full Text Available To test the applicability, accuracy, precision, and reproducibility of various 3D superimposition techniques for radiographic data, transformed to triangulated surface data.Five superimposition techniques (3P: three-point registration; AC: anterior cranial base; AC + F: anterior cranial base + foramen magnum; BZ: both zygomatic arches; 1Z: one zygomatic arch were tested using eight pairs of pre-existing CT data (pre- and post-treatment. These were obtained from non-growing orthodontic patients treated with rapid maxillary expansion. All datasets were superimposed by three operators independently, who repeated the whole procedure one month later. Accuracy was assessed by the distance (D between superimposed datasets on three form-stable anatomical areas, located on the anterior cranial base and the foramen magnum. Precision and reproducibility were assessed using the distances between models at four specific landmarks. Non parametric multivariate models and Bland-Altman difference plots were used for analyses.There was no difference among operators or between time points on the accuracy of each superimposition technique (p>0.05. The AC + F technique was the most accurate (D0.05, the detected structural changes differed significantly between different techniques (p<0.05. Bland-Altman difference plots showed that BZ superimposition was comparable to AC, though it presented slightly higher random error.Superimposition of 3D datasets using surface models created from voxel data can provide accurate, precise, and reproducible results, offering also high efficiency and increased post-processing capabilities. In the present study population, the BZ superimposition was comparable to AC, with the added advantage of being applicable to scans with a smaller field of view.

Surface electrical stimulation to evoke referred sensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Forst, Johanna C; Blok, Derek C; Slopsema, Julia P; Boss, John M; Heyboer, Lane A; Tobias, Carson M; Polasek, Katharine H

2015-01-01

Surface electrical stimulation (SES) is being investigated as a noninvasive method to evoke natural sensations distal to electrode location. This may improve treatment for phantom limb pain as well as provide an alternative method to deliver sensory feedback. The median and/or ulnar nerves of 35 subjects were stimulated at the elbow using surface electrodes. Strength-duration curves of hand sensation were found for each subject. All subjects experienced sensation in their hand, which was mostly described as a paresthesia-like sensation. The rheobase and chronaxie values were found to be lower for the median nerve than the ulnar nerve, with no significant difference between sexes. Repeated sessions with the same subject resulted in sufficient variability to suggest that recalculating the strength-duration curve for each electrode placement is necessary. Most of the recruitment curves in this study were generated with 28 to 36 data points. To quickly reproduce these curves with limited increase in error, we recommend 10 data points. Future studies will focus on obtaining different sensations using SES with the strength-duration curve defining the threshold of the effective parameter space.

Preparation and certification of Sargasso seaweed reference material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okamoto, Kensaku

1988-01-01

Sargasso seaweed reference material was prepared from Sargassum felvellum obtained from an unpolluted area in Japan. The sargasso samples were washed, freeze-dried, pulverized, sieved to pass a 80-mesh screen and finally homogenized. Collaborative studies on the elemental analysis of the sargasso reference material were performed using various analytical techniques. Certified values are provided for Ag, As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, Rb, Sr, V and Zn, based on results of determinations by at least three independent analytical techniques. Reference values are reported for Al, Br, Cl, Cr, Cs, Hg, I, P, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Ti and U. The sargasso certified reference material contains high levels of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, I, Br, As and U, while the concentration of trace elements may be considered to be at the lower end of the range of reported values for marine brown algae. The sargasso sample will be of practical use in marine and environmental sciences as a certified reference material having an elemental composition close to background levels.

Effects of titanium surface topography on bone integration: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wennerberg, Ann; Albrektsson, Tomas

2009-09-01

To analyse possible effects of titanium surface topography on bone integration. Our analyses were centred on a PubMed search that identified 1184 publications of assumed relevance; of those, 1064 had to be disregarded because they did not accurately present in vivo data on bone response to surface topography. The remaining 120 papers were read and analysed, after removal of an additional 20 papers that mainly dealt with CaP-coated and Zr implants; 100 papers remained and formed the basis for this paper. The bone response to differently configurated surfaces was mainly evaluated by histomorphometry (bone-to-implant contact), removal torque and pushout/pullout tests. A huge number of the experimental investigations have demonstrated that the bone response was influenced by the implant surface topography; smooth (S(a)1-2 microm) surfaces showed stronger bone responses than rough (S(a)>2 microm) in some studies. One limitation was that it was difficult to compare many studies because of the varying quality of surface evaluations; a surface termed 'rough' in one study was not uncommonly referred to as 'smooth' in another; many investigators falsely assumed that surface preparation per se identified the roughness of the implant; and many other studies used only qualitative techniques such as SEM. Furthermore, filtering techniques differed or only height parameters (S(a), R(a)) were reported. * Surface topography influences bone response at the micrometre level. * Some indications exist that surface topography influences bone response at the nanometre level. * The majority of published papers present an inadequate surface characterization. * Measurement and evaluation techniques need to be standardized. * Not only height descriptive parameters but also spatial and hybrid ones should be used.

Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization and Electrografting Technique as a Means For Attaining Tailor-Made Polymer Coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chernyy, Sergey

2012-01-01

strategies for initiator grafting, physicochemical properties of polymer brushes and basic principles of quartz crystal microbalance technique (QCM) are discussed. In Chapter 2 various ATRP conditions are probed. The effects of solvent polarity, monomer concentration, initiator surface density, ligand nature......Atom transfer radical polymerization initiated from a surface of various substrates (SI-ATRP) has become a progressively popular technique for obtaining thin polymer films with predetermined properties. The present work addresses the main features of SI-ATRP with respect to the controllability...... and temperature on the kinetics of methyl methacrylate polymerization are elucidated. The strategy was based on the observation of dry polymer thickness versus time evolution by means of ellipsometry, profilometry and IR spectroscopy. An alternative approach, constituting Chapter 3, was based on optimization...

Quantification of the optical surface reflection and surface roughness of articular cartilage using optical coherence tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saarakkala, Simo; Wang Shuzhe; Huang Yanping; Zheng Yongping [Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (China)], E-mail: simo.saarakkala@uku.fi, E-mail: ypzheng@ieee.org

2009-11-21

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a promising new technique for characterizing the structural changes of articular cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA). The calculation of quantitative parameters from the OCT signal is an important step to develop OCT as an effective diagnostic technique. In this study, two novel parameters for the quantification of optical surface reflection and surface roughness from OCT measurements are introduced: optical surface reflection coefficient (ORC), describing the amount of a ratio of the optical reflection from cartilage surface with respect to that from a reference material, and OCT roughness index (ORI) indicating the smoothness of the cartilage surface. The sensitivity of ORC and ORI to detect changes in bovine articular cartilage samples after enzymatic degradations of collagen and proteoglycans using collagenase and trypsin enzymes, respectively, was tested in vitro. A significant decrease (p < 0.001) in ORC as well as a significant increase (p < 0.001) in ORI was observed after collagenase digestion. After trypsin digestion, no significant changes in ORC or ORI were observed. To conclude, the new parameters introduced were demonstrated to be feasible and sensitive to detect typical OA-like degenerative changes in the collagen network. From the clinical point of view, the quantification of OCT measurements is of great interest since OCT probes have been already miniaturized and applied in patient studies during arthroscopy or open knee surgery in vivo. Further studies are still necessary to demonstrate the clinical capability of the introduced parameters for naturally occurring early OA changes in the cartilage.

ASSESSMENT OF BOTTOM-OF-ATMOSPHERE REFLECTANCE IN LIDAR DATA AS REFERENCE FOR HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Roncat

2017-09-01

Full Text Available While airborne lidar has confirmed its leading role in delivering high-resolution 3D topographic information during the last decade, its radiometric potential has not yet been fully exploited. However, with the increasing availability of commercial lidar systems which (a make use of full-waveform information and (b operate at several wavelengths simultaneously, this potential is increasing as well. Radiometric calibration of the full-waveform information mentioned before allows for the derivation of physical target surface parameters such as the backscatter coefficient and a diffuse reflectance value at bottom of atmosphere (BOA, i.e. the target surface. With lidar being an active remote sensing technique, these parameters can be derived from lidar data itself, accompanied by the measurement or estimation of reference data for diffuse reflectance. In contrast to this, such a radiometric calibration for passive hyperspectral imagery (HSI requires the knowledge and/or estimation of much more unknowns. However, in case of corresponding wavelength(s radiometrically calibrated lidar datasets can deliver an areawide reference for BOA reflectance. This paper presents criteria to check where the assumption of diffuse BOA reflectance behaviour is fulfilled and how these criteria are assessed in lidar data; the assessment is illustrated by an extended lidar dataset. Moreover, for this lidar dataset and an HSI dataset recorded over the same area, the corresponding reflectance values are compared for different surface types.

Adaptive Response Surface Techniques in Reliability Estimation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enevoldsen, I.; Faber, M. H.; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

1993-01-01

Problems in connection with estimation of the reliability of a component modelled by a limit state function including noise or first order discontinuitics are considered. A gradient free adaptive response surface algorithm is developed. The algorithm applies second order polynomial surfaces...

Advancing the Frontiers in Nanocatalysis, Biointerfaces, and Renewable Energy Conversion by Innovations of Surface Techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Somorjai, G.A.; Frei, H.; Park, J.Y.

2009-07-23

The challenge of chemistry in the 21st century is to achieve 100% selectivity of the desired product molecule in multipath reactions ('green chemistry') and develop renewable energy based processes. Surface chemistry and catalysis play key roles in this enterprise. Development of in situ surface techniques such as high-pressure scanning tunneling microscopy, sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, time-resolved Fourier transform infrared methods, and ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy enabled the rapid advancement of three fields: nanocatalysts, biointerfaces, and renewable energy conversion chemistry. In materials nanoscience, synthetic methods have been developed to produce monodisperse metal and oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in the 0.8-10 nm range with controlled shape, oxidation states, and composition; these NPs can be used as selective catalysts since chemical selectivity appears to be dependent on all of these experimental parameters. New spectroscopic and microscopic techniques have been developed that operate under reaction conditions and reveal the dynamic change of molecular structure of catalysts and adsorbed molecules as the reactions proceed with changes in reaction intermediates, catalyst composition, and oxidation states. SFG vibrational spectroscopy detects amino acids, peptides, and proteins adsorbed at hydrophobic and hydrophilic interfaces and monitors the change of surface structure and interactions with coadsorbed water. Exothermic reactions and photons generate hot electrons in metal NPs that may be utilized in chemical energy conversion. The photosplitting of water and carbon dioxide, an important research direction in renewable energy conversion, is discussed.

Effects of surface-mapping corrections and synthetic-aperture focusing techniques on ultrasonic imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barna, B.A.; Johnson, J.A.

1981-01-01

Improvements in ultrasonic imaging that can be obtained using algorithms that map the surface of targets are evaluated. This information is incorporated in the application of synthetic-aperture focusing techniques which also have the potential to improve image resolution. Images obtained using directed-beam (flat) transducers and the focused transducers normally used for synthetic-aperture processing are quantitatively compared by using no processing, synthetic-aperture processing with no corrections for surface variations, and synthetic-aperture processing with surface mapping. The unprocessed images have relatively poor lateral resolutions because echoes from two adjacent reflectors show interference effects which prevent their identification even if the spacing is larger than the single-hole resolution. The synthetic-aperture-processed images show at least a twofold improvement in lateral resolution and greatly reduced interference effects in multiple-hole images compared to directed-beam images. Perhaps more importantly, in images of test blocks with substantial surface variations portions of the image are displaced from their actual positions by several wavelengths. To correct for this effect an algorithm has been developed for calculating the surface variations. The corrected images produced using this algorithm are accurate within the experimental error. In addition, the same algorithm, when applied to the directed-beam data, produced images that are not only accurately positioned, but that also have a resolution comparable to conventional synthetic-aperture-processed images obtained from focused-transducer data. This suggests that using synthetic-aperture processing on the type of data normally collected during directed-beam ultrasonic inspections would eliminate the need to rescan for synthetic-aperture enhancement

Determination of geohydrologic framework and extent of d- water contamination using surface geophysical techniques at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey

Science.gov (United States)

Lacombe, Pierre

1986-01-01

Seismic-refraction, electric-resistivity sounding, and electromagnetic conductivity techniques were used to determine the geohydrologic framework and extent of groundwater contamination at Picatinny Arsenal in northern New Jersey. The area studied encompasses about 4 sq mi at the southern end of the Arsenal. The bedrock surface beneath the glacial sediments was delineated by seismic-refraction techniques. Data for 12 seismic lines were collected using a 12-channel engineering seismograph. Competent bedrock crops out on both sides of the valley, but is about 290 ft below land surface in the deepest part of the topographic valley. Where the exposed bedrock surface forms steep slopes on the valley side, it remains steep below the valley fill. Likewise, gentle bedrock valley slopes have gentle subsurface slopes. The deepest part of the bedrock valley is along the southern extension of the Green Pond fault. The electric-resistivity sounding technique was used to determine the sediment types. Data were collected from four sites using the offset Wenner electrode configuration. Below the surface layer, the sediments have apparent and computed resistivity values of 120 to 170 ohm-meters. These values correspond to a saturated fine-grained sediment such as silt or interbedded sand and clay. Groundwater contamination was by electromagnetic conductivity techniques using transmitting and receiving coils separated by 32.8 ft and 12 ft. Thirteen sites have apparent conductivity values exceeding 15 millimhos/m. Of these, seven sites indicate groundwater contamination from a variety of sources including a sanitary landfill, pyrotechnic testing ground, burning area, former domestic sewage field, salt storage facility, hazardous waste disposal lagoon, sewage treatment plant, and fertilizer storage shed. Three areas underlain by clay or muck are interpreted to be free of contamination. (Author 's abstract)

Corrosion behaviour of zinc and aluminum magnesium alloys by scanning reference electrode technique (SRET) and electrochemical noise (EN)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klassen, R.D.; Roberge, P.R.; Lafront, A.-M.; Oteyaka, M.O.; Ghali, E.

2005-01-01

The corrosion characteristics of five permanent mould magnesium alloys were studied. Two contained aluminum (AZ91D and AZ91E) and three contained zinc as the primary alloying element (ZA104 (Zn 10%, Al 4%), ZAC and ZACS). ZAC contained a small amount of calcium and ZACS contained small amounts of calcium and strontium. Two techniques were used in this study, namely 1) scanning reference electrode technique (SRET) and 2) electrochemical noise (EN). The test solution for each case was 5% NaCl saturated with Mg(OH)2 at room temperature. According to the EN measurements, the corrosion rate of AZ91D was the lowest followed by AZ91E, ZACS, ZAC and ZA104. The EN measurements showed that both the frequency and magnitude of current transients were much higher for the zinc based alloys than for the aluminum based alloys. The SRET measurements illustrated that localized corrosion occurred more frequently on the ZA104 sample than on the AZ91D sample. It seemed that increasing the level of zinc and lowering the level of aluminum relative to the levels in AZ91D does not improve corrosion resistance. (author)

Monitoring glycolipid transfer protein activity and membrane interaction with the surface plasmon resonance technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohvo-Rekilä, Henna; Mattjus, Peter

2011-01-01

The glycolipid transfer protein (GLTP) is a protein capable of binding and transferring glycolipids. GLTP is cytosolic and it can interact through its FFAT-like (two phenylalanines in an acidic tract) motif with proteins localized on the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum. Previous in vitro work with GLTP has focused mainly on the complete transfer reaction of the protein, that is, binding and subsequent removal of the glycolipid from the donor membrane, transfer through the aqueous environment, and the final release of the glycolipid to an acceptor membrane. Using bilayer vesicles and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, we have now, for the first time, analyzed the binding and lipid removal capacity of GLTP with a completely label-free technique. This technique is focused on the initial steps in GLTP-mediated transfer and the parameters affecting these steps can be more precisely determined. We used the new approach for detailed structure-function studies of GLTP by examining the glycolipid transfer capacity of specific GLTP tryptophan mutants. Tryptophan 96 is crucial for the transfer activity of the protein and tryptophan 142 is an important part of the proteins membrane interacting domain. Further, we varied the composition of the used lipid vesicles and gained information on the effect of membrane properties on GLTP activity. GLTP prefers to interact with more tightly packed membranes, although GLTP-mediated transfer is faster from more fluid membranes. This technique is very useful for the study of membrane-protein interactions and lipid-transfer rates and it can easily be adapted to other membrane-interacting proteins. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of pattern recognition techniques for the indentification of splitting surfaces in Monte Carlo particle transport calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macdonald, J.L.

1975-08-01

Statistical and deterministic pattern recognition systems are designed to classify the state space of a Monte Carlo transport problem into importance regions. The surfaces separating the regions can be used for particle splitting and Russian roulette in state space in order to reduce the variance of the Monte Carlo tally. Computer experiments are performed to evaluate the performance of the technique using one and two dimensional Monte Carlo problems. Additional experiments are performed to determine the sensitivity of the technique to various pattern recognition and Monte Carlo problem dependent parameters. A system for applying the technique to a general purpose Monte Carlo code is described. An estimate of the computer time required by the technique is made in order to determine its effectiveness as a variance reduction device. It is recommended that the technique be further investigated in a general purpose Monte Carlo code. (auth)

Procedures and techniques for closure of near surface disposal facilities for radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-12-01

The overall objective of this report is to provide Member States with guidance on planning and implementation of closure of near surface disposal facilities for low and intermediate level radioactive waste. The specific objectives are to review closure concepts, requirements, and components of closure systems; to discuss issues and approaches to closure, including regulatory, economic, and technical aspects; and to present major examples of closure techniques used and/or considered by Member States. Some examples of closure experience from Member States are presented in the Appendix and were indexed separately

Reference-Free CMOS Pipeline Analog-to-Digital Converters

CERN Document Server

Figueiredo, Michael; Evans, Guiomar

2013-01-01

This book shows that digitally assisted analog-to-digital converters are not the only way to cope with poor analog performance caused by technology scaling. It describes various analog design techniques that enhance the area and power efficiency without employing any type of digital calibration circuitry. These techniques consist of self-biasing for PVT enhancement, inverter-based design for improved speed/power ratio, gain-of-two obtained by voltage sum instead of charge redistribution, and current-mode reference shifting instead of voltage reference shifting. Together, these techniques allow enhancing the area and power efficiency of the main building blocks of a multiplying digital-to-analog converter (MDAC) based stage, namely, the flash quantizer, the amplifier, and the switched capacitor network of the MDAC. Complementing the theoretical analyses of the various techniques, a power efficient operational transconductance amplifier is implemented and experimentally characterized. Furthermore, a medium-low ...

Analysis of Occupational Accidents in Underground and Surface Mining in Spain Using Data-Mining Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanmiquel, Lluís; Bascompta, Marc; Rossell, Josep M; Anticoi, Hernán Francisco; Guash, Eduard

2018-03-07

An analysis of occupational accidents in the mining sector was conducted using the data from the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Safety between 2005 and 2015, and data-mining techniques were applied. Data was processed with the software Weka. Two scenarios were chosen from the accidents database: surface and underground mining. The most important variables involved in occupational accidents and their association rules were determined. These rules are composed of several predictor variables that cause accidents, defining its characteristics and context. This study exposes the 20 most important association rules in the sector-either surface or underground mining-based on the statistical confidence levels of each rule as obtained by Weka. The outcomes display the most typical immediate causes, along with the percentage of accidents with a basis in each association rule. The most important immediate cause is body movement with physical effort or overexertion, and the type of accident is physical effort or overexertion. On the other hand, the second most important immediate cause and type of accident are different between the two scenarios. Data-mining techniques were chosen as a useful tool to find out the root cause of the accidents.

Analysis of Occupational Accidents in Underground and Surface Mining in Spain Using Data-Mining Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Sanmiquel, Lluís; Bascompta, Marc; Rossell, Josep M.; Anticoi, Hernán Francisco; Guash, Eduard

2018-01-01

An analysis of occupational accidents in the mining sector was conducted using the data from the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Safety between 2005 and 2015, and data-mining techniques were applied. Data was processed with the software Weka. Two scenarios were chosen from the accidents database: surface and underground mining. The most important variables involved in occupational accidents and their association rules were determined. These rules are composed of several predictor variables that cause accidents, defining its characteristics and context. This study exposes the 20 most important association rules in the sector—either surface or underground mining—based on the statistical confidence levels of each rule as obtained by Weka. The outcomes display the most typical immediate causes, along with the percentage of accidents with a basis in each association rule. The most important immediate cause is body movement with physical effort or overexertion, and the type of accident is physical effort or overexertion. On the other hand, the second most important immediate cause and type of accident are different between the two scenarios. Data-mining techniques were chosen as a useful tool to find out the root cause of the accidents. PMID:29518921

Analysis of Occupational Accidents in Underground and Surface Mining in Spain Using Data-Mining Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lluís Sanmiquel

2018-03-01

Full Text Available An analysis of occupational accidents in the mining sector was conducted using the data from the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Safety between 2005 and 2015, and data-mining techniques were applied. Data was processed with the software Weka. Two scenarios were chosen from the accidents database: surface and underground mining. The most important variables involved in occupational accidents and their association rules were determined. These rules are composed of several predictor variables that cause accidents, defining its characteristics and context. This study exposes the 20 most important association rules in the sector—either surface or underground mining—based on the statistical confidence levels of each rule as obtained by Weka. The outcomes display the most typical immediate causes, along with the percentage of accidents with a basis in each association rule. The most important immediate cause is body movement with physical effort or overexertion, and the type of accident is physical effort or overexertion. On the other hand, the second most important immediate cause and type of accident are different between the two scenarios. Data-mining techniques were chosen as a useful tool to find out the root cause of the accidents.

Refractive index dispersion of swift heavy ion irradiated BFO thin films using Surface Plasmon Resonance technique

Science.gov (United States)

Paliwal, Ayushi; Sharma, Savita; Tomar, Monika; Singh, Fouran; Gupta, Vinay

2016-07-01

Swift heavy ion irradiation (SHI) is an effective technique to induce defects for possible modifications in the material properties. There is growing interest in studying the optical properties of multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) thin films for optoelectronic applications. In the present work, BFO thin films were prepared by sol-gel spin coating technique and were irradiated using the 15 UD Pelletron accelerator with 100 MeV Au9+ ions at a fluence of 1 × 1012 ions cm-2. The as-grown films became rough and porous on ion irradiation. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technique has been identified as a highly sensitive and powerful technique for studying the optical properties of a dielectric material. Optical properties of BFO thin films, before and after irradiation were studied using SPR technique in Otto configuration. Refractive index is found to be decreasing from 2.27 to 2.14 on ion irradiation at a wavelength of 633 nm. Refractive index dispersion of BFO thin film (from 405 nm to 633 nm) before and after ion radiation was examined.

Bone-like apatite coating on functionalized poly(etheretherketone) surface via tailored silanization layers technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Yanyan; Xiong, Chengdong; Zhang, Shenglan; Li, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Lifang

2015-01-01

Poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK) is a rigid semi-crystalline polymer with outstanding mechanical properties, bone-like stiffness and suitable biocompatibility that has attracted much interest as a biomaterial for orthopedic and dental implants. However, the bio-inert surface of PEEK limits its biomedical applications when direct osteointegration between the implants and the host tissue is desired. In this work, –PO 4 H 2 , –COOH and –OH groups were introduced on the PEEK surface by further chemical treatments of the vinyl-terminated silanization layers formed on the hydroxylation-pretreated PEEK surface. Both the surface-functionalized and pristine specimens were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and water contact angle measurements. When placed in 1.5 strength simulated body fluid (SBF) solution, apatite was observed to form uniformly on the functionalized PEEK surface and firmly attach to the substrate. The characterized results demonstrated that the coating was constituted by poorly crystallized bone-like apatite and the effect of surface functional groups on coating formation was also discussed in detail. In addition, in vitro biocompatibility of PEEK, in terms of pre-osteoblast cell (MC3T3-E1) attachment, spreading and proliferation, was remarkably enhanced by the bone-like apatite coating. Thus, this study provides a method to enhance the bioactivity of PEEK and expand its applications in orthopedic and dental implants. - Highlights: • –PO 4 H 2 , –COOH and –OH groups were successfully introduced onto PEEK surface via tailored silanization layer technique. • Bone-like apatite formed uniformly on surface-functionalized PEEK after immersion in SBF, and tightly adhered to the PEEK. • SEM, EDS, FTIR, XPS and XRD results showed that apatite layer is composed of low-crystalline bone-like apatite. • Bone-like apatite coating remarkably enhanced pre

Deposition of corrosion products from dowels on human dental root surfaces measured with proton microprobe technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brune, D.; Brunell, G.; Lindh, U.

1982-01-01

Distribution of copper, mercury and zinc on human teeth root surfaces adjacent to dowels of gold alloy or brass as well as dowels of brass in conjunction with an amalgam crown has been measured with a proton microprobe using PIXE techniques. Upper limits of the contents of gold and silver on the root surfaces were established. Pronounced concentration profiles of copper and zinc were observed on the root surfaces of teeth prepared with dowels of brass. The dowel of gold alloy revealed only zinc deposition. The major part of copper on the root surfaces is assumed to arise from corrosion of the dowels, and has been transported to the surface by diffusion through the dential tubuli. Zinc in the volume analysed is a constituent of dentin tissue as well as a corrosion product of the brass dowel. Part of the zinc level could also be ascribed to erosion of the zinc phosphate cement matrix. The volumes analysed were (25 x 25 x 25)μm 3 . The levels of copper, mercury and zinc on the tooth root surfaces attained values up to about 200, 20 and 600 ppm, respectively. (orig.)

Deposition of corrosion products from dowels on human dental root surfaces measured with proton microprobe technique

Science.gov (United States)

Brune, D.; Brunell, G.; Lindh, U.

1982-06-01

Distribution of copper, mercury and zinc on human teeth root surfaces adjacent to dowels of gold alloy or brass as well as dowels of brass in conjunction with an amalgam crown has been measured with a proton microprobe using PIXE techniques. Upper limits of the contents of gold and silver on the root surfaces were established. Pronounced concentration profiles of copper and zinc were observed on the root surfaces of teeth prepared with dowels of brass. The dowel of gold alloy revealed only zinc deposition. The major part of copper on the root surfaces is assumed to arise from corrosion of the dowels, and has been transported to the surface by diffusion through the dential tubuli. Zinc in the volume analysed is a constituent of dentin tissue as well as a corrosion product of the brass dowel. Part of the zinc level could also be ascribed to erosion of the zinc phosphate cement matrix. The volumes analysed were (25×25×25)μm 3. The levels of copper, mercury and zinc on the tooth root surfaces attained values up to about 200, 20 and 600 ppm, respectively.

Antibacterial effect of surface pretreatment techniques against ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial surface pretreatment methods against Streptococcus mutans within the infected dentin surface using a tooth cavity model. Material and Methods: Seventy-two cavities were prepared on caries-free third molars (n = 8). After sterilization, teeth were inoculated ...

Spotted star light curve numerical modeling technique and its application to HII 1883 surface imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Kolbin, A. I.; Shimansky, V. V.

2014-04-01

We developed a code for imaging the surfaces of spotted stars by a set of circular spots with a uniform temperature distribution. The flux from the spotted surface is computed by partitioning the spots into elementary areas. The code takes into account the passing of spots behind the visible stellar limb, limb darkening, and overlapping of spots. Modeling of light curves includes the use of recent results of the theory of stellar atmospheres needed to take into account the temperature dependence of flux intensity and limb darkening coefficients. The search for spot parameters is based on the analysis of several light curves obtained in different photometric bands. We test our technique by applying it to HII 1883.

The advantages, and challenges, in using multiple techniques in the estimation of surface water-groundwater fluxes.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanafield, M.; Cook, P. G.

2014-12-01

When estimating surface water-groundwater fluxes, the use of complimentary techniques helps to fill in uncertainties in any individual method, and to potentially gain a better understanding of spatial and temporal variability in a system. It can also be a way of preventing the loss of data during infrequent and unpredictable flow events. For example, much of arid Australia relies on groundwater, which is recharged by streamflow through ephemeral streams during flood events. Three recent surface water/groundwater investigations from arid Australian systems provide good examples of how using multiple field and analysis techniques can help to more fully characterize surface water-groundwater fluxes, but can also result in conflicting values over varying spatial and temporal scales. In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, combining streambed radon measurements, vertical heat transport modeling, and a tracer test helped constrain very low streambed residence times, which are on the order of minutes. Spatial and temporal variability between the methods yielded hyporheic exchange estimates between 10-4 m2 s-1 and 4.2 x 10-2 m2 s-1. In South Australia, three-dimensional heat transport modeling captured heterogeneity within 20 square meters of streambed, identifying areas of sandy soil (flux rates of up to 3 m d-1) and clay (flux rates too slow to be accurately characterized). Streamflow front modeling showed similar flux rates, but averaged over 100 m long stream segments for a 1.6 km reach. Finally, in central Australia, several methods are used to decipher whether any of the flow down a highly ephemeral river contributes to regional groundwater recharge, showing that evaporation and evapotranspiration likely accounts for all of the infiltration into the perched aquifer. Lessons learned from these examples demonstrate the influences of the spatial and temporal variability between techniques on estimated fluxes.

Surface characterization of an energetic material, pentaerythritoltetranitrate (PETN), having a thin coating achieved through a starved addition microencapsulation technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Worley, C.M.

1986-05-07

The objective of this research was to: (1) determine the nature of a thin coating on an explosive material which was applied using a starved addition microencapsulation technique, (2) understand the coating/crystal bond, and (3) investigate the wettability/adhesion of plastic/solvent combinations using the coating process. The coating used in this work was a Firestone Plastic Company copolymer (FPC-461) of vinylchloride/trifluorochloroethylene in a 1.5/1.0 weight ratio. The energetic explosive examined was pentaerythritoltetranitrate (PETN). The coating process used was starved addition followed by a solvent evaporation technique. Surface analytical studies, completed for characterization of the coating process, show (1) evidence that the polymer coating is present, but not continuous, over the surface of PETN; (2) the average thickness of the polymer coating is between 16-32 A and greater than 44 A, respectively, for 0.5 and 20 wt % coated PETN; (3) no changes in surface chemistry of the polymer or the explosive material following microencapsulation; and (4) the presence of explosive material on the surface of 0.5 wt % FPC-461 coated explosives. 5 refs., 15 figs., 6 tabs.

Isolation and Characterization of Surface and Subsurface Bacteria in Seawater of Mantanani Island, Kota Belud, Sabah by Direct and Enrichment Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benard, L D; Tuah, P M; Suadin, E G; Jamian, N

2015-01-01

The distribution of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacterial may vary between surface and subsurface of the seawater. One of the identified contributors is the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon. The isolation and characterization of bacteria using Direct and Enrichment techniques helps in identifying dominant bacterial populations in seawater of Mantanani Island, Kota Belud, Sabah, potential of further investigation as hydrocarbon degrader. Crude oil (5% v/v) was added as the carbon source for bacteria in Enrichment technique. For surface seawater, the highest population of bacteria identified for both Direct and Enrichment technique were 2.60 × 10 7 CFU/mL and 3.84 × 10 6 CFU/mL respectively. Meanwhile, for subsurface seawater, the highest population of bacteria identified for both Direct and Enrichment technique were 5.21 × 10 6 CFU/mL and 8.99 × 10 7 CFU/mL respectively. Dominant species in surface seawater were characterized as Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus-RMSF-C1 and RMSF-C2 and Alcanivorax borkumensis-RMSF-C3, RMSF-C4 and RMSF-C5. As for subsurface seawater, dominant species were characterized as Pseudomonas luteola-SSBR-W1, Burkholderia cepacia-SSBR-C1, Rhizobium radiobacter- SSBR-C3 and Leuconostoc-cremois -SSBR-C4. (paper)

The loaded surface profile: a new technique for the investigation of contact surfaces

OpenAIRE

McBride, J.W.

2006-01-01

Contact between rough surfaces produces a complex contact profile. The contact area is usually estimated according to roughness statistics in conjunction withsurface models or by examining the surfaces before and after contact. Most of the existing literature on loaded surface profiles is theoretical or numerical in nature. This paper presents a methodology for a new system to measure the loaded surface profile, based on a non-contact 3D laser profiler. The system allows the measurement of...

Enhanced surface functionality via plasma modification and plasma deposition techniques to create more biologically relevant materials

Science.gov (United States)

Shearer, Jeffrey C.

Functionalizing nanoparticles and other unusually shaped substrates to create more biologically relevant materials has become central to a wide range of research programs. One of the primary challenges in this field is creating highly functionalized surfaces without modifying the underlying bulk material. Traditional wet chemistry techniques utilize thin film depositions to functionalize nanomaterials with oxygen and nitrogen containing functional groups, such as --OH and --NHx. These functional groups can serve to create surfaces that are amenable to cell adhesion or can act as reactive groups for further attachment of larger structures, such as macromolecules or antiviral agents. Additional layers, such as SiO2, are often added between the nanomaterial and the functionalized coating to act as a barrier films, adhesion layers, and to increase overall hydrophilicity. However, some wet chemistry techniques can damage the bulk material during processing. This dissertation examines the use of plasma processing as an alternative method for producing these highly functionalized surfaces on nanoparticles and polymeric scaffolds through the use of plasma modification and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition techniques. Specifically, this dissertation will focus on (1) plasma deposition of SiO2 barrier films on nanoparticle substrates; (2) surface functionalization of amine and alcohol groups through (a) plasma co-polymerization and (b) plasma modification; and (3) the design and construction of plasma hardware to facilitate plasma processing of nanoparticles and polymeric scaffolds. The body of work presented herein first examines the fabrication of composite nanoparticles by plasma processing. SiOxC y and hexylamine films were coated onto TiO2 nanoparticles to demonstrate enhanced water dispersion properties. Continuous wave and pulsed allyl alcohol plasmas were used to produce highly functionalized Fe2 O3 supported nanoparticles. Specifically, film composition was

3D SEM for surface topography quantification – a case study on dental surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glon, F; Flys, O; Lööf, P-J; Rosén, B-G

2014-01-01

3D analysis of surface topography is becoming a more used tool for industry and research. New ISO standards are being launched to assist in quantifying engineering surfaces. The traditional optical measuring instrumentation used for 3D surface characterization has been optical interferometers and confocal based instrumentation. However, the resolution here is limited in the lateral dimension to the wavelength of visible light to about 500 nm. The great advantage using the SEM for topography measurements is the high flexibility to zoom from low magnifications and locating interesting areas to high magnification of down to nanometer large surface features within seconds. This paper presents surface characterization of dental implant micro topography. 3D topography data was created from SEM images using commercial photogrammetric software. A coherence scanning interferometer was used for reference measurements to compare with the 3D SEM measurements on relocated areas. As a result of this study, measurements emphasizes that the correlation between the accepted CSI measurements and the new technology represented by photogrammetry based on SEM images for many areal characterization parameters are around or less than 20%. The importance of selecting sampling and parameter sensitivity to varying sampling is high-lighted. Future work includes a broader study of limitations of the photogrammetry technique on certified micro-geometries and more application surfaces at different scales

The influence of cooling techniques on cutting forces and surface roughness during cryogenic machining of titanium alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wstawska Iwona

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Titanium alloys are one of the materials extensively used in the aerospace industry due to its excellent properties of high specific strength and corrosion resistance. On the other hand, they also present problems wherein titanium alloys are extremely difficult materials to machine. In addition, the cost associated with titanium machining is also high due to lower cutting velocities and shorter tool life. The main objective of this work is a comparison of different cooling techniques during cryogenic machining of titanium alloys. The analysis revealed that applied cooling technique has a significant influence on cutting force and surface roughness (Ra parameter values. Furthermore, in all cases observed a positive influence of cryogenic machining on selected aspects after turning and milling of titanium alloys. This work can be also the starting point to the further research, related to the analysis of cutting forces and surface roughness during cryogenic machining of titanium alloys.

TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINATION OF SURFACE FRACTAL DIMENSION AND MORPHOLOGY OF MESOPOROUS TITANIA USING DYNAMIC FLOW ADSORPTION AND ITS CHARACTERIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvester Tursiloadi

2010-06-01

Full Text Available A technique to determine the surface fractal dimension of mesoporous TiO­2 using a dynamic flow adsorption instrument is described. Fractal dimension is an additional technique to characterize surface morphology. Surface fractal dimension, a quantitative measurement of surface ruggedness, can be determined by adsorbing a homologous series of adsorbates onto an adsorbent sample of mesoporous TiO­2. Titania wet gel prepared by hydrolysis of Ti-alkoxide was immersed in the flow of supercritical CO2 at 60 °C and the solvent was extracted.  Mesoporous TiO­2 consists of anatase nano-particles, about 5nm in diameter, have been obtained. After calcination at 600 °C, the average pore size of the extracted gel, about 20nm in diameter, and the pore volume, about 0.35cm3g-1, and the specific surface area, about 58 m2g-1. Using the N2 adsorption isotherm, the surface fractal dimension, DS, has been estimated according to the Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH theory. The N2 adsorption isotherm for the as-extracted aerogel indicates the mesoporous structure. Two linear regions are found for the FHH plot of the as-extracted aerogel. The estimated surface fractal dimensions are about 2.49 and 2.68. Both of the DS  values indicate rather complex surface morphology. The TEM observation shows that there are amorphous and crystalline particles. Two values of DS may be attributed to these two kinds of particles. The two regions are in near length scales, and the smaller DS, DS =2.49, for the smaller region. This result indicates that there are two kinds of particles, probably amorphous and anatase particles as shown by the TEM observation.     Keywords: surface fractal dimensions, CO2 supercritically extraction, sol-gel, aerogel, titania

Preparation of high surface area and high conductivity polyaniline nanoparticles using chemical oxidation polymerization technique

Science.gov (United States)

Budi, S.; Yusmaniar; Juliana, A.; Cahyana, U.; Purwanto, A.; Imaduddin, A.; Handoko, E.

2018-03-01

In this work, polyaniline nanoparticles were synthesized using a chemical oxidation polymerization technique. The ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS)/aniline ratio, APS dropping time, and polymerization temperature were optimized to increase the surface area and conductivity of the polyaniline.The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum confirmed the formation of emeraldine salt polyaniline. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicated that amorphous and crystalline phases of the polyaniline were formed with crystallinity less than 40%. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs showed that the finest nanoparticles with uniform size distribution were obtained at the polymerization temperature of 0°C. A surface area analyzer (SAA) showed that the highest Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (SBET ) of 42.14 m2/gwas obtained from an APS/aniline ratio of 0.75 with a dropping time of 0 s at a polymerization temperature of 0°C. A four-point probe measurement conducted at 75–300K indicated relatively high conductivity of the semiconductor characteristic of the polyaniline.

Ion implanters contamination on wafer surface analyzed by ToF-SIMS and SPV analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ricciari, R.; Bertini, M.; Ferlito, E.P.; Pizzo, G.; Anastasi, G.; Mello, D.; Franco, G.

2007-01-01

In ULSI processes, metallic contamination controls are very important issues. For the ion implantation process it is known that several sources of contaminations still need to be controlled: metals from sputtering of the apertures or wafer holders, Na + contaminations from filament impurities and messy maintenance procedure. ToF-SIMS is one of the most promising candidates to perform in-line surface analysis due to its high sensitivity. It is very common to use surface photo-voltage (SPV) techniques to control ion implanter equipments but this kind of analysis is an indirect measure for metallic contamination. The aim of this work is to study the possibility to use ToF-SIMS instead of SPV for in line equipment contamination monitoring. For this reason a comparison between SPV and ToF-SIMS data occurred. Good correlation between the data is shown; moreover ToF-SIMS spectra give detailed information about the other contaminations present on the wafer surface

Contribution to the study of techniques of measurement of interface surface area in bubble flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veteau, Jean-Michel

1981-01-01

This research thesis addresses problems raised by the measurement of the interface area per volume unit in duct bubble flows. The author first reports a literature survey of existing methods (photographic, chemical and optical methods) which give access to the value of the parameter which is commonly named 'specific surface area'. He analyses under which conditions these methods lead to a rigorous determination of the SVIM (mean integral volume surface). The author highlights the theoretical contributions of models related to each of these methods which are indeed global methods as they allow the interface surface area to be directly obtained in a given volume of a two-phase mixture. Then, the author reports the development of an original technique based on the use of phase detecting local probes. In the next part, the author compares photographic and optical methods, on the one hand, and optical and local methods, on the other hand. Recommendations are made for the development of local methods [fr

The evolution of the passive continental margin of Norway and its adjacent mainland - using the sub-Cambrian peneplain as a reference surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabrielsen, R. H.; Faleide, J. I.; Jarsve, E. M.

2012-04-01

-ESE-trending profile across south Norway. Simultaneously a detailed mapping to establish a full map of the sub-Cambrian peneplain for southern Norway has been initiated, using automatic correlation techniques based on digital topographic data. A WNW-ESE-oriented profile across southern Norway displays a pronounced asymmetry with an eastern flank dipping moderately to the ESE, a strikingly flat to slightly undulating central part with a minor ESE-erly dip and a steepened westerly crest, and a faulted, steep WNW-flank. The fault throw along the western flank of the Hardangervidda Plateau is in the excess of one kilometer. This fault system is associated with the collapse of the Caledonides, but bear the signs of multiple stages of rejuvenation. Even farther to the west, the sub-Cambrian peneplain is broken by the Mesozoic external fault systems of the Jurassic-Cretaceous offshore graben systems, which also offsets the peneplain (down-to-east extension) by several kilometres. Also this system bears indications of reactivation. The sub-Cambrian peneplain itself displays a variety of configurations, including an undisturbed basal conglomerate, a weathered and mineralized, undulating surface with small pockets of alun shale or siltstone, a tectonically disturbed primary contact with parauthochtonous black shale or black sandstone and a more strongly tectonized contact with mylonite and rejuvenated basement lenses. The present analysis utilized the sub-Cambrian peneplain as a reference surface, because its present topography resulted from several elements of deformation accumulated throughout the Caledonian to the Present. Hence, it can be used as a reference surface for younger erosional surfaces onland Norway, whether this are of regional or local origin. In section of southern Norway including the (present) inner shelf and the hinterland, several morphological elements can be identified, from west to east: 1) The eastern, stable platform of the Mesozoic Viking Graben, 2) the external

Pretreatment techniques of biodegradable municipal wastewater for sustainable development of surface and groundwater resources: a survey/case studies (abstract)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rashid, A.; Sajjad, M.R.

1999-01-01

Water being a scarce commodity, recharge of groundwater with clean surface water is important to maintain good quality water resources. This paper reviews and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different techniques for the treatment of municipal wastewater's in developing countries. Different processes discussed include from simple stabilization ponds and land treatment to aerated lagoons and oxidation ditches. More sophisticated techniques of activated sludge and anaerobic digestion are also discussed. The feasibility of these techniques in terms of cost, land area, removal of pathogens, effluent quality and need of technical expertise is discussed. (author)

Survey of Techniques for Deep Web Source Selection and Surfacing the Hidden Web Content

OpenAIRE

Khushboo Khurana; M.B. Chandak

2016-01-01

Large and continuously growing dynamic web content has created new opportunities for large-scale data analysis in the recent years. There is huge amount of information that the traditional web crawlers cannot access, since they use link analysis technique by which only the surface web can be accessed. Traditional search engine crawlers require the web pages to be linked to other pages via hyperlinks causing large amount of web data to be hidden from the crawlers. Enormous data is available in...

Titanium dioxide antireflective coating for silicon solar cells by spinning technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murozono, M; Kitamura, S

1982-01-01

Antireflective (AR) TiO2 films for Si solar cells are presently obtained by coating a solution that is derived from organotitanium compounds (with an acetylacetone ligand and an ethanol solvent) on the Si surface using a spinning technique, and then firing at high temperature. AR film thickness can be controlled by up to 1200 A by changing solution concentration and spin speed. Si solar cells with these AR films exhibit as much as a 50 percent improvement in conversion efficiency over uncoated cells. 12 references.

Normalization Methods and Selection Strategies for Reference Materials in Stable Isotope Analyes. Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skrzypek, G. [West Australian Biogeochemistry Centre, John de Laeter Centre of Mass Spectrometry, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley (Australia); Sadler, R. [School of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Western Australia, Crawley (Australia); Paul, D. [Department of Civil Engineering (Geosciences), Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur (India); Forizs, I. [Institute for Geochemical Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest (Hungary)

2013-07-15

Stable isotope ratio mass spectrometers are highly precise, but not accurate instruments. Therefore, results have to be normalized to one of the isotope scales (e.g., VSMOW, VPDB) based on well calibrated reference materials. The selection of reference materials, numbers of replicates, {delta}-values of these reference materials and normalization technique have been identified as crucial in determining the uncertainty associated with the final results. The most common normalization techniques and reference materials have been tested using both Monte Carlo simulations and laboratory experiments to investigate aspects of error propagation during the normalization of isotope data. The range of observed differences justifies the need to employ the same sets of standards worldwide for each element and each stable isotope analytical technique. (author)

Quantitative determination of the intensities of known components in spectra obtained from surface analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, G.C.

1984-01-01

Linear least-squares methods have been used to quantitatively decompose experimental data obtained from surface analytical techniques into its separate components. The mathematical procedure for accomplishing this is described and examples are given of the use of this method with data obtained from Auger electron spectroscopy [both N(E) and derivative], x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and low energy ion scattering spectroscopy. The requirements on the quality of the data are discussed

Using GNSS-R techniques to investigate the near sub-surface of Mars with the Deep Space Network

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, H. M.; Bell, D. J.; Jin, C.; Decrossas, E.; Asmar, S.; Lazio, J.; Preston, R. A.; Ruf, C. S.; Renno, N. O.

2017-12-01

Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R) has shown that passive measurements using separate active sources can infer the soil moisture, snow pack depth and other quantities of scientific interest. Here, we expand upon this method and propose that a passive measurement of the sub-surface dielectric profile of Mars can be made by using multipath interference between reflections off the surface and subsurface dielectric discontinuities. This measurement has the ability to reveal changes in the soil water content, the depth of a layer of sand, thickness of a layer of ice, and even identify centimeter-scale layering which may indicate the presence of a sedimentary bed. We have created a numerical ray tracing model to understand the potential of using multipath interference techniques to investigate the sub-surface dielectric properties and structure of Mars. We have further verified this model using layered beds of sand and concrete in laboratory experiments and then used the model to extrapolate how this technique may be applied to future Mars missions. We will present new results demonstrating how to characterize a multipath interference patterns as a function of frequency and/or incidence angle to measure the thickness of a dielectric layer of sand or ice. Our results demonstrate that dielectric discontinuities in the subsurface can be measured using this passive sensing technique and it could be used to effectively measure the thickness of a dielectric layer in the proximity of a landed spacecraft. In the case of an orbiter, we believe this technique would be effective at measuring the seasonal thickness of CO2 ice in the Polar Regions. This is exciting because our method can produce similar results to traditional ground penetrating radars without the need to have an active radar transmitter in-situ. Therefore, it is possible that future telecommunications systems can serve as both a radio and a scientific instrument when used in conjunction with

MODELLING THE DELAMINATION FAILURE ALONG THE CFRP-CFST BEAM INTERACTION SURFACE USING DIFFERENT FINITE ELEMENT TECHNIQUES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AHMED W. AL-ZAND

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nonlinear finite element (FE models are prepared to investigate the behaviour of concrete-filled steel tube (CFST beams strengthened by carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP sheets. The beams are strengthened from the bottom side only by varied sheet lengths (full and partial beam lengths and then subjected to ultimate flexural loads. Three surface interaction techniques are used to implement the bonding behaviour between the steel tube and the CFRP sheet, namely, full tie interaction (TI, cohesive element (CE and cohesive behaviour (CB techniques using ABAQUS software. Results of the comparison between the FE analysis and existing experimental study confirm that the FE models with the TI technique could be applicable for beams strengthened by CFRP sheets with a full wrapping length; the technique could not accurately implement the CFRP delamination failure, which occurred for beams with a partial wrapping length. Meanwhile, the FE models with the CE and CB techniques are applicable in the implementation of both CFRP failures (rapture and delamination for both full and partial wrapping lengths, respectively. Where, the ultimate loads' ratios achieved by the FE models using TI, CE and CB techniques about 1.122, 1.047 and 1.045, respectively, comparing to the results of existing experimental tests.

Quantification of deexcitation processes for analyzing liquid surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morgner, H., E-mail: hmorgner@rz.uni-leipzig.de

2014-12-01

In the last two decades the mathematical tools for quantitative data evaluation have been developed for several surface spectroscopic techniques like Angular Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARXPS), Neutral Impact Collision Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (NICISS) and Metastable Induced Electron Spectroscopy (MIES). Provided that the experimental data are of good quality, quantitative data processing can add a lot to the information that can be gained from surface spectroscopy. We give a selection of references that contain information on these methods. The emphasis of this contribution aims at providing motivation to apply quantitative data evaluation by presenting a few examples. We try to demonstrate, that careful data evaluation may lead to interesting insight into basic concepts as well as to results that are useful for practical applications.

Quantification of deexcitation processes for analyzing liquid surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgner, H.

2014-01-01

In the last two decades the mathematical tools for quantitative data evaluation have been developed for several surface spectroscopic techniques like Angular Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARXPS), Neutral Impact Collision Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (NICISS) and Metastable Induced Electron Spectroscopy (MIES). Provided that the experimental data are of good quality, quantitative data processing can add a lot to the information that can be gained from surface spectroscopy. We give a selection of references that contain information on these methods. The emphasis of this contribution aims at providing motivation to apply quantitative data evaluation by presenting a few examples. We try to demonstrate, that careful data evaluation may lead to interesting insight into basic concepts as well as to results that are useful for practical applications

A field comparison of multiple techniques to quantify groundwater - surface-water interactions

Science.gov (United States)

González-Pinzón, Ricardo; Ward, Adam S; Hatch, Christine E; Wlostowski, Adam N; Singha, Kamini; Gooseff, Michael N.; Haggerty, Roy; Harvey, Judson; Cirpka, Olaf A; Brock, James T

2015-01-01

Groundwater–surface-water (GW-SW) interactions in streams are difficult to quantify because of heterogeneity in hydraulic and reactive processes across a range of spatial and temporal scales. The challenge of quantifying these interactions has led to the development of several techniques, from centimeter-scale probes to whole-system tracers, including chemical, thermal, and electrical methods. We co-applied conservative and smart reactive solute-tracer tests, measurement of hydraulic heads, distributed temperature sensing, vertical profiles of solute tracer and temperature in the stream bed, and electrical resistivity imaging in a 450-m reach of a 3rd-order stream. GW-SW interactions were not spatially expansive, but were high in flux through a shallow hyporheic zone surrounding the reach. NaCl and resazurin tracers suggested different surface–subsurface exchange patterns in the upper ⅔ and lower ⅓ of the reach. Subsurface sampling of tracers and vertical thermal profiles quantified relatively high fluxes through a 10- to 20-cm deep hyporheic zone with chemical reactivity of the resazurin tracer indicated at 3-, 6-, and 9-cm sampling depths. Monitoring of hydraulic gradients along transects with MINIPOINT streambed samplers starting ∼40 m from the stream indicated that groundwater discharge prevented development of a larger hyporheic zone, which progressively decreased from the stream thalweg toward the banks. Distributed temperature sensing did not detect extensive inflow of ground water to the stream, and electrical resistivity imaging showed limited large-scale hyporheic exchange. We recommend choosing technique(s) based on: 1) clear definition of the questions to be addressed (physical, biological, or chemical processes), 2) explicit identification of the spatial and temporal scales to be covered and those required to provide an appropriate context for interpretation, and 3) maximizing generation of mechanistic understanding and reducing costs of

A Fiducial Reference Stie for Satellite Altimetry in Crete, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Mertikas, Stelios; Donlon, Craig; Mavrocordatos, Constantin; Bojkov, Bojan; Femenias, Pierre; Parrinello, Tommaso; Picot, Nicolas; Desjonqueres, Jean-Damien; Andersen, Ole Baltazar

2016-08-01

With the advent of diverse satellite altimeters and variant measuring techniques, it has become mature in the scientific community, that an absolute reference Cal/Val site is regularly maintained to define, monitor, control the responses of any altimetric system.This work sets the ground for the establishment of a Fiducial Reference Site for ESA satellite altimetry in Gavdos and West Crete, Greece. It will consistently and reliably determine (a) absolute altimeter biases and their drifts; (b) relative bias among diverse missions; but also (c) continuously and independently connect different missions, on a common and reliable reference and also to SI-traceable measurements. Results from this fiducial reference site will be based on historic Cal/Val site measurement records, and will be the yardstick for building up capacity for monitoring climate change. This will be achieved by defining and assessing any satellite altimeter measurements to known, controlled and absolute reference signals with different techniques, processes and instrumentation.

Behaviour of total surface charge in SiO2-Si system under short-pulsed ultraviolet irradiation cycles characterised by surface photo voltage technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Ban-Hong; Lee, Wah-Pheng; Yow, Ho-Kwang; Tou, Teck-Yong

2009-01-01

Effects of time-accumulated ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and surface treatment on thermally oxidized p-type silicon wafers were investigated by using the surface photo voltage (SPV) technique via the direct measurement of the total surface charge, Q SC . The rise and fall times of Q sc curves, as a function of accumulated UV irradiation, depended on the thermal oxide thickness. A simple model was proposed to explain the time-varying characteristics of Q sc based on the UV-induced bond breaking of SiOH and SiH, and photoemission of bulk electrons to wafer surface where O 2 - charges were formed. While these mechanisms resulted in charge variations and hence in Q sc , these could be removed by rinsing the silicon wafers in de-ionized water followed by spin-dry or blow-dry by an ionizer fan. Empirical parameters were used in the model simulations and curve-fitting of Q SC . The simulated results suggested that initial changes in the characteristic behaviour of Q sc were mainly due to the net changes in the positive and negative charges, but subsequently were dominated by the accumulation of O 2 - during the UV irradiation.

21 CFR 660.25 - Potency tests without reference preparations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... recommended for slide tests or microplate techniques. Blood Grouping Reagent recommended for slide test... Grouping Reagent § 660.25 Potency tests without reference preparations. Products for which Reference Blood Grouping Reagents are not available shall be tested for potency by a method approved by the Director...

Drop shape visualization and contact angle measurement on curved surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Guilizzoni, Manfredo

2011-12-01

The shape and contact angles of drops on curved surfaces is experimentally investigated. Image processing, spline fitting and numerical integration are used to extract the drop contour in a number of cross-sections. The three-dimensional surfaces which describe the surface-air and drop-air interfaces can be visualized and a simple procedure to determine the equilibrium contact angle starting from measurements on curved surfaces is proposed. Contact angles on flat surfaces serve as a reference term and a procedure to measure them is proposed. Such procedure is not as accurate as the axisymmetric drop shape analysis algorithms, but it has the advantage of requiring only a side view of the drop-surface couple and no further information. It can therefore be used also for fluids with unknown surface tension and there is no need to measure the drop volume. Examples of application of the proposed techniques for distilled water drops on gemstones confirm that they can be useful for drop shape analysis and contact angle measurement on three-dimensional sculptured surfaces. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing a western Siberia reference site for tropospheric water vapour isotopologue observations obtained by different techniques (in situ and remote sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Gribanov

2014-06-01

water cycle, affected by changes in air mass origin, non-convective and convective processes and continental recycling. Novel remote sensing and in situ measuring techniques have recently offered opportunities for monitoring atmospheric water vapour isotopic composition. Recently developed infrared laser spectrometers allow for continuous in situ measurements of surface water vapour δDv and δ18Ov. So far, very few intercomparisons of measurements conducted using different techniques have been achieved at a given location, due to difficulties intrinsic to the comparison of integrated with local measurements. Nudged simulations conducted with high-resolution isotopically enabled general circulation models (GCMs provide a consistent framework for comparison with the different types of observations. Here, we compare simulations conducted with the ECHAM5-wiso model with two types of water vapour isotopic data obtained during summer 2012 at the forest site of Kourovka, western Siberia: hourly ground-based FTIR total atmospheric columnar δDv amounts, and in situ hourly Picarro δDv measurements. There is an excellent correlation between observed and predicted δDv at surface while the comparison between water column values derived from the model compares well with FTIR estimates.

Monitoring in the post-closure phase. Development of wireless techniques for data transmission from the repository to the surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroeder, Thomas J.; Rosca-Bocancea, Ecaterina; Hart, Jaap

2015-01-01

When the in-situ monitoring in a geological disposal facility is continued during the post-closure phase, monitoring data need to be transmitted wirelessly from the repository to the surface. Wireless data transmission is used today in many applications, but the large attenuation by the geologic medium between the disposal facility and the surface makes the application of high-frequency based techniques impractical. As part of the EURATOM FP-7 project MoDeRn (Monitoring Developments for safe Repository operation and staged closure), NRG has investigated the feasibility of wireless data transmission through an argillaceous host rock (Boom Clay), making use of low frequency magnetic fields. The main focus of the contribution was to analyze and optimize the energy efficiency of this technique. Therefore, a mathematical model description has been developed that allows to estimate the expected signal strength on the earth's surface on basis of the most relevant characteristics of transmitter, receiver and transmission path. The model is used to analyze the complex interactions of different system parameters, and is applied to design an optimized set-up for through-the-earth data transmission and to estimate minimum energy demands for signal transmission. To demonstrate the potentials of this technique, experiments were performed in the 225 m deep underground research facility HADES in Mol, Belgium. Signal propagation and attenuation by the geologic medium between the HADES and the surface has been measured, and the site-specific magnetic background noise at the surface in Mol has been characterized. Based on the results, optimum conditions for signal transmission have been derived and data transmission experiments have been performed. Results show that despite large local interferences on the surface in Mol, wireless data transmission through 225 m of a geological medium is possible. Data transmission rates up to 100 bit/s has been successfully tested. The

Monitoring in the post-closure phase. Development of wireless techniques for data transmission from the repository to the surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schroeder, Thomas J.; Rosca-Bocancea, Ecaterina; Hart, Jaap [Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG), Petten (Netherlands)

2015-07-01

When the in-situ monitoring in a geological disposal facility is continued during the post-closure phase, monitoring data need to be transmitted wirelessly from the repository to the surface. Wireless data transmission is used today in many applications, but the large attenuation by the geologic medium between the disposal facility and the surface makes the application of high-frequency based techniques impractical. As part of the EURATOM FP-7 project MoDeRn (Monitoring Developments for safe Repository operation and staged closure), NRG has investigated the feasibility of wireless data transmission through an argillaceous host rock (Boom Clay), making use of low frequency magnetic fields. The main focus of the contribution was to analyze and optimize the energy efficiency of this technique. Therefore, a mathematical model description has been developed that allows to estimate the expected signal strength on the earth's surface on basis of the most relevant characteristics of transmitter, receiver and transmission path. The model is used to analyze the complex interactions of different system parameters, and is applied to design an optimized set-up for through-the-earth data transmission and to estimate minimum energy demands for signal transmission. To demonstrate the potentials of this technique, experiments were performed in the 225 m deep underground research facility HADES in Mol, Belgium. Signal propagation and attenuation by the geologic medium between the HADES and the surface has been measured, and the site-specific magnetic background noise at the surface in Mol has been characterized. Based on the results, optimum conditions for signal transmission have been derived and data transmission experiments have been performed. Results show that despite large local interferences on the surface in Mol, wireless data transmission through 225 m of a geological medium is possible. Data transmission rates up to 100 bit/s has been successfully tested. The

Korean Reference HLW Disposal System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Heui Joo; Lee, J. Y.; Kim, S. S. (and others)

2008-03-15

This report outlines the results related to the development of Korean Reference Disposal System for High-level radioactive wastes. The research has been supported around for 10 years through a long-term research plan by MOST. The reference disposal method was selected via the first stage of the research during which the technical guidelines for the geological disposal of HLW were determined too. At the second stage of the research, the conceptual design of the reference disposal system was made. For this purpose the characteristics of the reference spent fuels from PWR and CANDU reactors were specified, and the material and specifications of the canisters were determined in term of structural analysis and manufacturing capability in Korea. Also, the mechanical and chemical characteristics of the domestic Ca-bentonite were analyzed in order to supply the basic design parameters of the buffer. Based on these parameters the thermal and mechanical analysis of the near-field was carried out. Thermal-Hydraulic-Mechanical behavior of the disposal system was analyzed. The reference disposal system was proposed through the second year research. At the final third stage of the research, the Korean Reference disposal System including the engineered barrier, surface facilities, and underground facilities was proposed through the performance analysis of the disposal system.

Determination of carbon-14 in environmental level, solid reference materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blowers, Paul, E-mail: paul.blowers@cefas.co.uk [Cefas Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT (United Kingdom); Caborn, Jane, E-mail: jane.a.caborn@nnl.co.uk [NNL, Springfields, Salwick, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 0XJ (United Kingdom); Dell, Tony [Veterinary Laboratories Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB (United Kingdom); Gingell, Terry [DSTL, Radiation Protection Services, Crescent Road, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hants, PO12 2DL (United Kingdom); Harms, Arvic [National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0LW (United Kingdom); Long, Stephanie [Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, 3 Clonskeagh Square, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14, Ireland (United Kingdom); Sleep, Darren [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP (United Kingdom); Stewart, Charlie [UKAEA (Waste Management Group), Chemical Support Services, D1310/14, Dounreay, Thurso, Caithness, KW14 7TZ (United Kingdom); Walker, Jill [Radiocarbon Dating, The Old Stables, East Lockinge, Wantage, Oxon OX12 8QY (United Kingdom); Warwick, Phil E. [GAU-Radioanalytical, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH (United Kingdom)

2011-10-15

An intercomparison exercise to determine the {sup 14}C activity concentrations in a range of solid, environmental level materials was conducted between laboratories in the UK. IAEA reference materials, C2, C6 and C7, and an in-house laboratory QA material were dispatched in 2006 to ten laboratories comprising of members of the Analyst Informal Working Group (AIWG) and one other invited party. The laboratories performed the determinations using a number of techniques, and using the results each one was evaluated in terms of levels of precision, sensitivity and limits of detection. The results of the study show that all techniques are capable of successfully analysing {sup 14}C in environmental level materials, however, a shortage of certified environmental reference materials exists. The suitability of the IAEA reference materials and other material for use as reference materials was also assessed.

Determination of carbon-14 in environmental level, solid reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blowers, Paul; Caborn, Jane; Dell, Tony; Gingell, Terry; Harms, Arvic; Long, Stephanie; Sleep, Darren; Stewart, Charlie; Walker, Jill; Warwick, Phil E.

2011-01-01

An intercomparison exercise to determine the 14 C activity concentrations in a range of solid, environmental level materials was conducted between laboratories in the UK. IAEA reference materials, C2, C6 and C7, and an in-house laboratory QA material were dispatched in 2006 to ten laboratories comprising of members of the Analyst Informal Working Group (AIWG) and one other invited party. The laboratories performed the determinations using a number of techniques, and using the results each one was evaluated in terms of levels of precision, sensitivity and limits of detection. The results of the study show that all techniques are capable of successfully analysing 14 C in environmental level materials, however, a shortage of certified environmental reference materials exists. The suitability of the IAEA reference materials and other material for use as reference materials was also assessed.

Techniques involving extreme environment, nondestructive techniques, computer methods in metals research, and data analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunshah, R.F.

1976-01-01

A number of different techniques which range over several different aspects of materials research are covered in this volume. They are concerned with property evaluation of 4 0 K and below, surface characterization, coating techniques, techniques for the fabrication of composite materials, computer methods, data evaluation and analysis, statistical design of experiments and non-destructive test techniques. Topics covered in this part include internal friction measurements; nondestructive testing techniques; statistical design of experiments and regression analysis in metallurgical research; and measurement of surfaces of engineering materials

Non-equilibrium surface conditions and microstructural changes following pulsed laser irradiation and ion beam mixing of Ni overlayers on sintered alpha-SiC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

More, K.L.; Davis, R.F.

1986-01-01

Pulsed laser irradiation and ion beam mixing of thin Ni overlayers on sintered alpha-SiC have been investigated as potential surface modification techniques for the enhancement of the mechanical properties of the SiC. Each of these surface processing methods are nonequilibrium techniques; materials interactions can be induced at the specimen surface which are not possible with conventional thermal techniques. As a result of the surface modification, the physical properties of the ceramic can be altered under the correct processing conditions. Following laser irradiation using a pulsed ruby or krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser, the fracture strength of the SiC was increased by approximately 50 percent and 20 percent, respectively. However, ion-beam mixing of Ni on SiC resulted in no change in fracture strength. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering techniques, have been used to characterize the extent of mixing between the Ni and SiC as a result of the surface modification and to determine the reason(s) for the observed changes in fracture strength. 19 references

Electrochemistry in light water reactors reference electrodes, measurement, corrosion and tribocorrosion issues

CERN Document Server

Bosch, R -W; Celis, Jean-Pierre

2007-01-01

There has long been a need for effective methods of measuring corrosion within light water nuclear reactors. This important volume discusses key issues surrounding the development of high temperature reference electrodes and other electrochemical techniques. The book is divided into three parts with part one reviewing the latest developments in the use of reference electrode technology in both pressurised water and boiling water reactors. Parts two and three cover different types of corrosion and tribocorrosion and ways they can be measured using such techniques as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Topics covered across the book include in-pile testing, modelling techniques and the tribocorrosion behaviour of stainless steel under reactor conditions. Electrochemistry in light water reactors is a valuable reference for all those concerned with corrosion problems in this key technology for the power industry. Discusses key issues surrounding the development of high temperature reference eletrodes A valuab...

SRF Cavity Surface Topography Characterization Using Replica Techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

C. Xu, M.J. Kelley, C.E. Reece

2012-07-01

To better understand the roll of topography on SRF cavity performance, we seek to obtain detailed topographic information from the curved practical cavity surfaces. Replicas taken from a cavity interior surface provide internal surface molds for fine Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and stylus profilometry. In this study, we confirm the replica resolution both on surface local defects such as grain boundary and etching pits and compare the surface uniform roughness with the aid of Power Spectral Density (PSD) where we can statistically obtain roughness parameters at different scales. A series of sampling locations are at the same magnetic field chosen at the same latitude on a single cell cavity to confirm the uniformity. Another series of sampling locations at different magnetic field amplitudes are chosen for this replica on the same cavity for later power loss calculation. We also show that application of the replica followed by rinsing does not adversely affect the cavity performance.

Bone-like apatite coating on functionalized poly(etheretherketone) surface via tailored silanization layers technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Yanyan [Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Xiong, Chengdong; Zhang, Shenglan [Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041 (China); Li, Xiaoyu [State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041 (China); Zhang, Lifang, E-mail: zhanglfcioc@163.com [Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041 (China)

2015-10-01

Poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK) is a rigid semi-crystalline polymer with outstanding mechanical properties, bone-like stiffness and suitable biocompatibility that has attracted much interest as a biomaterial for orthopedic and dental implants. However, the bio-inert surface of PEEK limits its biomedical applications when direct osteointegration between the implants and the host tissue is desired. In this work, –PO{sub 4}H{sub 2}, –COOH and –OH groups were introduced on the PEEK surface by further chemical treatments of the vinyl-terminated silanization layers formed on the hydroxylation-pretreated PEEK surface. Both the surface-functionalized and pristine specimens were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and water contact angle measurements. When placed in 1.5 strength simulated body fluid (SBF) solution, apatite was observed to form uniformly on the functionalized PEEK surface and firmly attach to the substrate. The characterized results demonstrated that the coating was constituted by poorly crystallized bone-like apatite and the effect of surface functional groups on coating formation was also discussed in detail. In addition, in vitro biocompatibility of PEEK, in terms of pre-osteoblast cell (MC3T3-E1) attachment, spreading and proliferation, was remarkably enhanced by the bone-like apatite coating. Thus, this study provides a method to enhance the bioactivity of PEEK and expand its applications in orthopedic and dental implants. - Highlights: • –PO{sub 4}H{sub 2}, –COOH and –OH groups were successfully introduced onto PEEK surface via tailored silanization layer technique. • Bone-like apatite formed uniformly on surface-functionalized PEEK after immersion in SBF, and tightly adhered to the PEEK. • SEM, EDS, FTIR, XPS and XRD results showed that apatite layer is composed of low-crystalline bone-like apatite. • Bone-like apatite coating

A surface embossing technique to create micro-grooves on an aluminum fin stock for drainage enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Liping; Jacobi, Anthony M; Chvedov, Dmitri

2009-01-01

Recent advances using a surface embossing technique allow us to inexpensively impart micro-scale surface features on heat exchanger construction material, which we exploit to reduce condensate retention. The retention of condensate is important to the performance of heat exchangers in a broad range of air-cooling and dehumidification applications. We report a study of wetting behavior and drainage performance on a series of embossed surfaces with different micro-groove dimensions. Static contact angles, critical sliding angles, droplet aspect ratios, etc, are reported with detailed surface topographical information. Our results show that unless the spacing between grooves is very large (>100 µm), the parallel-grooved surface feature normally increases the apparent contact angle of a droplet on the surface. The micro-groove structure causes anisotropic wetting behavior of the droplets, and apparent contact angles measured by viewing along with the micro-grooves (θ p erpendicular) were found to be larger than those measured from the other direction (θ || ) (by viewing perpendicular to the grooves). A consistent reduction of a critical sliding angle was observed on surfaces after embossing (the micro-grooves are aligned to be parallel with gravity). This may be due to contact line discontinuities and contact-line pinning induced by a groove structure of the surface. Water droplets exhibit an elongated shape along the micro-grooves, which is in contrast to the nearly circular base contour observed on an isotropic surface. Smaller groove spacing, larger depth and steeper sidewalls are observed to be favorable for drainage enhancement and recommended as design guidelines in the future

Preparation of plant-specific NDA reference material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abedin-Zadeh, R.; Beetle, T.; Kuhn, E.; Terrey, D.; Turel, S.; Busca, G.; Guardini, S.

1983-01-01

The importance of having suitable and well characterized non-destructive assay (NDA) reference materials for the verification activities of the safeguards control authorities is stressed. The Euratom Inspectorate and the IAEA have initiated an extensive programme for the procurement and preparation of Joint Euratom/IAEA safeguards NDA reference materials with the active participation of the Ispra Establishment of the Euratom Joint Research Centre. The different type and nature of materials, condition of measurements, and plant characteristics and provisions had to be taken into account for plant-specific NDA reference materials. The preparation of each reference material was planned case by case and specific criteria such as limitations in different facilities, measurement capabilities, conditions, product availability and population variability are being ascertained. A procurement scheme was prepared describing step-by-step procedures detailing responsibilities, measurement conditions, destructive analysis schemes, desired characteristics and methods of data evaluation. This paper describes the principles and procedures carried out for the preparation of a reference MOX pin, low enriched uranium reference rods, low enriched uranium reference drums, reference MTR assemblies, and THTR reference pebbles. The scheme for each characterization technique is presented. (author)

Spatial assessment and source identification of heavy metals pollution in surface water using several chemometric techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Azimah; Toriman, Mohd Ekhwan; Juahir, Hafizan; Zain, Sharifuddin Md; Habir, Nur Liyana Abdul; Retnam, Ananthy; Kamaruddin, Mohd Khairul Amri; Umar, Roslan; Azid, Azman

2016-05-15

This study presents the determination of the spatial variation and source identification of heavy metal pollution in surface water along the Straits of Malacca using several chemometric techniques. Clustering and discrimination of heavy metal compounds in surface water into two groups (northern and southern regions) are observed according to level of concentrations via the application of chemometric techniques. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrates that Cu and Cr dominate the source apportionment in northern region with a total variance of 57.62% and is identified with mining and shipping activities. These are the major contamination contributors in the Straits. Land-based pollution originating from vehicular emission with a total variance of 59.43% is attributed to the high level of Pb concentration in the southern region. The results revealed that one state representing each cluster (northern and southern regions) is significant as the main location for investigating heavy metal concentration in the Straits of Malacca which would save monitoring cost and time. The monitoring of spatial variation and source of heavy metals pollution at the northern and southern regions of the Straits of Malacca, Malaysia, using chemometric analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface topography characterization using 3D stereoscopic reconstruction of SEM images

Science.gov (United States)

Vedantha Krishna, Amogh; Flys, Olena; Reddy, Vijeth V.; Rosén, B. G.

2018-06-01

A major drawback of the optical microscope is its limitation to resolve finer details. Many microscopes have been developed to overcome the limitations set by the diffraction of visible light. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is one such alternative: it uses electrons for imaging, which have much smaller wavelength than photons. As a result high magnification with superior image resolution can be achieved. However, SEM generates 2D images which provide limited data for surface measurements and analysis. Often many research areas require the knowledge of 3D structures as they contribute to a comprehensive understanding of microstructure by allowing effective measurements and qualitative visualization of the samples under study. For this reason, stereo photogrammetry technique is employed to convert SEM images into 3D measurable data. This paper aims to utilize a stereoscopic reconstruction technique as a reliable method for characterization of surface topography. Reconstructed results from SEM images are compared with coherence scanning interferometer (CSI) results obtained by measuring a roughness reference standard sample. This paper presents a method to select the most robust/consistent surface texture parameters that are insensitive to the uncertainties involved in the reconstruction technique itself. Results from the two-stereoscopic reconstruction algorithms are also documented in this paper.

Scanning tunneling microscopy II further applications and related scanning techniques

CERN Document Server

Güntherodt, Hans-Joachim

1995-01-01

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy II, like its predecessor, presents detailed and comprehensive accounts of the basic principles and broad range of applications of STM and related scanning probe techniques. The applications discussed in this volume come predominantly from the fields of electrochemistry and biology. In contrast to those described in STM I, these studies may be performed in air and in liquids. The extensions of the basic technique to map other interactions are described in chapters on scanning force microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, and scanning near-field optical microscopy, together with a survey of other related techniques. Also described here is the use of a scanning proximal probe for surface modification. Together, the two volumes give a comprehensive account of experimental aspects of STM. They provide essential reading and reference material for all students and researchers involved in this field. In this second edition the text has been updated and new methods are discussed.

Reference data for distal blood pressure in healthy elderly and middle-aged individuals measured with the strain gauge technique. Part II: Distal blood pressure after exercise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arveschoug, Anne Kirstine; Vammen, Birthe; Yoshinaka, Emmy

2008-01-01

collected in the early 1970s from healthy individuals in the age range 21-26 years. Our aims were to collect new reference data for DBP at ankle level after exercise based on older populations, and to compare between reference data for different age groups to find out whether the normal values are dependent......Objective. Distal blood pressure (DBP) determination after an exercise test is used on suspicion of arterial peripheral vascular disease (apvd). In our department. the average age of these patients is about 60 years. The usual reference values for pressures after exercise were based on data...... on age. Material and methods. DBP after exercise was measured using the strain-gauge technique on individuals in two groups: group I comprising 25 healthy persons aged between 61 and 82 years, and group II 14 healthy persons aged between 45 and 58 years. Strict rules of inclusion were followed. Results...

Techniques of radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahesk, K.

1985-01-01

A text and reference with an interdisciplinary approach to physics, atomic energy, radiochemistry, and radiobiology. Chapters examine basic principles, experimental techniques, the methodology of dose experiments, and applications. Treats 14 different dosimetric techniques, including ionization chamber, thermoluminescence, and lyoluminescence. Considers the conceptual aspects and characteristic features of radiation

Surface transformation hardening on steels treated with solar energy in central tower and heliostats field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, G.P.; Lopez, V.; de Damborenea, J.J.; Vazquez, A.J. [Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalurgicas CENIM/CSIC, Madrid (Spain)

1995-04-28

The possibility of surface hardening on AISI 4140 steel treated with concentrated solar energy in solar installations for electricity production has been studied. The samples were slides from a 35 mm diameter steel bar and their height was 35 mm. The quenching was made in water but also was considered the possibility of self-quenching by cooling in air. The amount of the surface hardness and the different structures obtained in both cases are presented, and some discussion is made with reference to the surface hardness, the hardness profiles and the structures obtained. The heating of steel with concentrated solar energy may produce similar hardening to that obtained with more conventional techniques of surface hardening

Experimental Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fournier, D.; Serin, L.

1995-01-01

Experimental techniques to be used in the new generation of high energy physics are presented. The emphasis is put on the new ATLAS and CMS detectors for the CERN LHC. For the most important elements of these detectors, a description of the underlying physics processes is given, sometimes with reference to comparable detectors used in the past. Some comparative global performances of the two detectors are also given, with reference to benchmark physics processes (detection of the Higgs boson in various mass regions, etc). (author)

Proposal of reference stress for a surface flaw on a cylindrical component from a review-with-comparison of the local metal loss assessment rule between API 579-1 and the p-M diagram method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oyamada, Kenji; Konosu, Shinji; Ohno, Takashi

2011-01-01

The Remaining Strength Factor (RSF) approach in Part 5 of API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 is an assessment method for a cylindrical component with a local metal loss based on surface correction factors. Also, reference stress solutions that are applied in the Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD) method for a cylindrical component with a crack-like flaw are provided in Annex D using surface correction factors. In the recently-developed p-M diagram method, the reference stress solution for local metal loss evaluation in a cylindrical component is derived using bulging factors, which are similar but not identical to the surface correction factors used in API 579-1/ASME FFS-1. This paper describes the results of a comparative study among the RSF approach, reference stress solutions for the FAD method, and the p-M diagram method, in terms of plastic collapse evaluation of a cylindrical component. These results were compared with the FEA and experimental results to confirm how these estimated stresses could be validated. This study also involves recommended reference stress solutions for a cylindrical component with a crack-like flaw or a local metal loss, which should be adopted as fitness-for-service rules, and a discussion on the influence of the design margin of the construction code on allowable flaw depth. - Highlights: → We compared local metal loss assessment rule between API 579-1 and the p-M method. → Experiments and FEA verified the p-M estimate stress state around a flaw accurate. → API 579-1 for local metal loss may underestimate stress state for certain conditions. → Existing reference stresses for crack-like flaws may underestimate stress state too. → We propose the reference stress for a surface flaw subjected to pressure and moment.

Assessment of dye distribution in sensitized solar cells by microprobe techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreiros, M.A., E-mail: alexandra.barreiros@lneg.pt [Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, LEN/UES, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisboa (Portugal); Corregidor, V. [IPFN, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, E.N. 10, 2686-953 Sacavém (Portugal); Alves, L.C. [C2TN, Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, E.N. 10, 2686-953 Sacavém (Portugal); Guimarães, F. [Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, LGM/UCTM, Rua da Amieira, Apartado 1089, 4466-901 S. Mamede de Infesta (Portugal); Mascarenhas, J.; Torres, E.; Brites, M.J. [Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, LEN/UES, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisboa (Portugal)

2015-04-01

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have received considerable attention once this technology offers economic and environmental advantages over conventional photovoltaic (PV) devices. The PV performance of a DSC relies on the characteristics of its photoanode, which typically consists of a nanocrystalline porous TiO{sub 2} film, enabled with a large adsorptive surface area. Dye molecules that capture photons from light during device operation are attached to the film nanoparticles. The effective loading of the dye in the TiO{sub 2} electrode is of paramount relevance for controlling and optimizing solar cell parameters. Relatively few methods are known today for quantitative evaluation of the total dye adsorbed on the film. In this context, microprobe techniques come out as suitable tools to evaluate the dye surface distribution and depth profile in sensitized films. Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) and Ion Beam Analytical (IBA) techniques using a micro-ion beam were used to quantify and to study the distribution of the Ru organometallic dye in TiO{sub 2} films, making use of the different penetration depth and beam sizes of each technique. Different 1D nanostructured TiO{sub 2} films were prepared, morphologically characterized by SEM, sensitized and analyzed by the referred techniques. Dye load evaluation in different TiO{sub 2} films by three different techniques (PIXE, RBS and EPMA/WDS) provided similar results of Ru/Ti mass fraction ratio. Moreover, it was possible to assess dye surface distribution and its depth profile, by means of Ru signal, and to visualize the dye distribution in sample cross-section through X-ray mapping by EPMA/EDS. PIXE maps of Ru and Ti indicated an homogeneous surface distribution. The assessment of Ru depth profile by RBS showed that some films have homogeneous Ru depth distribution while others present different Ru concentration in the top layer (2 μm thickness). These results are consistent with the EPMA/EDS maps obtained.

3D Surface Temperature Measurement of Plant Canopies Using Photogrammetry Techniques From A UAV.

Science.gov (United States)

Irvine, M.; Lagouarde, J. P.

2017-12-01

Surface temperature of plant canopies and within canopies results from the coupling of radiative and energy exchanges processes which govern the fluxes at the interface soil-plant-atmosphere. As a key parameter, surface temperature permits the estimation of canopy exchanges using processes based modeling methods. However detailed 3D surface temperature measurements or even profile surface temperature measurements are rarely made as they have inherent difficulties. Such measurements would greatly improve multi-level canopy models such as NOAH (Chen and Dudhia 2001) or MuSICA (Ogée and Brunet 2002, Ogée et al 2003) where key surface temperature estimations, at present, are not tested. Additionally, at larger scales, canopy structure greatly influences satellite based surface temperature measurements as the structure impacts the observations which are intrinsically made at varying satellite viewing angles and solar heights. In order to account for these differences, again accurate modeling is required such as through the above mentioned multi-layer models or with several source type models such as SCOPE (Van der Tol 2009) in order to standardize observations. As before, in order to validate these models, detailed field observations are required. With the need for detailed surface temperature observations in mind we have planned a series of experiments over non-dense plant canopies to investigate the use of photogrammetry techniques. Photogrammetry is normally used for visible wavelengths to produce 3D images using cloud point reconstruction of aerial images (for example Dandois and Ellis, 2010, 2013 over a forest). From these cloud point models it should be possible to establish 3D plant surface temperature images when using thermal infrared array sensors. In order to do this our experiments are based on the use of a thermal Infrared camera embarked on a UAV. We adapt standard photogrammetry to account for limits imposed by thermal imaginary, especially the low

Biological sensing with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using a facile and rapid silver colloid-based synthesis technique

Science.gov (United States)

Smyth, C.; Mehigan, S.; Rakovich, Y. P.; Bell, S. E. J.; McCabe, E. M.

2011-03-01

Optical techniques towards the realisation of sensitive and selective biosensing platforms have received a considerable amount of attention in recent times. Techniques based on interferometry, surface plasmon resonance, field-effect transistors and waveguides have all proved popular, and in particular, spectroscopy offers a large range of options. Raman spectroscopy has always been viewed as an information rich technique in which the vibrational frequencies reveal a lot about the structure of a compound. The issue with Raman spectroscopy has traditionally been that its rather low cross section leads to poor limits-of-detection. In response to this problem, Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), which increases sensitivity by bringing the sample in contact with many types of enhanceing substrates, has been developed. Here we discuss a facile and rapid technique for the detection of pterins using colloidal silver suspensions. Pteridine compounds are a family of biochemicals, heterocyclic in structure, and employed in nature as components of colour pigmentation and also as facilitators for many metabolic pathways, particularly those relating to the amino acid hydroxylases. In this work, xanthopterin, isoxanthopterin and 7,8- dihydrobiopterin have been examined whilst absorbed to SERS-active silver colloids. SERS, while far more sensitive than regular Raman spectroscopy, has its own issues relating to the reproducibility of substrates. In order to obtain quantitative data for the pteridine compounds mentioned above, exploratory studies of methods for introducing an internal standard for normalisation of the signals have been carried out.e

New techniques for subdivision modelling

OpenAIRE

BEETS, Koen

2006-01-01

In this dissertation, several tools and techniques for modelling with subdivision surfaces are presented. Based on the huge amount of theoretical knowledge about subdivision surfaces, we present techniques to facilitate practical 3D modelling which make subdivision surfaces even more useful. Subdivision surfaces have reclaimed attention several years ago after their application in full-featured 3D animation movies, such as Toy Story. Since then and due to their attractive properties an ever i...

Separation techniques: Chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

Coskun, Ozlem

2016-01-01

Chromatography is an important biophysical technique that enables the separation, identification, and purification of the components of a mixture for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Proteins can be purified based on characteristics such as size and shape, total charge, hydrophobic groups present on the surface, and binding capacity with the stationary phase. Four separation techniques based on molecular characteristics and interaction type use mechanisms of ion exchange, surface adsorption, partition, and size exclusion. Other chromatography techniques are based on the stationary bed, including column, thin layer, and paper chromatography. Column chromatography is one of the most common methods of protein purification. PMID:28058406

Image Reconstruction and Evaluation: Applications on Micro-Surfaces and Lenna Image Representation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mayyas

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This article develops algorithms for the characterization and the visualization of micro-scale features using a small number of sample points, with the goal of mitigating the measurement shortcomings, which are often destructive or time consuming. The popular measurement techniques that are used in imaging of micro-surfaces include the 3D stylus or interferometric profilometry and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, where both could represent the micro-surface characteristics in terms of 3D dimensional topology and greyscale image, respectively. Such images could be highly dense; therefore, traditional image processing techniques might be computationally expensive. We implement the algorithms in several case studies to rapidly examine the microscopic features of micro-surface of Microelectromechanical System (MEMS, and then we validate the results using a popular greyscale image; i.e., “Lenna” image. The contributions of this research include: First, development of local and global algorithm based on modified Thin Plate Spline (TPS model to reconstruct high resolution images of the micro-surface’s topography, and its derivatives using low resolution images. Second, development of a bending energy algorithm from our modified TPS model for filtering out image defects. Finally, development of a computationally efficient technique, referred to as Windowing, which combines TPS and Linear Sequential Estimation (LSE methods, to enhance the visualization of images. The Windowing technique allows rapid image reconstruction based on the reduction of inverse problem.

Three-dimensional reconstruction of brain surface anatomy: technique comparison between flash and diffusion-weighted imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Jianzhong; Wang Zhikang; Gong Xiangyang

2006-01-01

Objective: To compare two methods 3D flash and diffusion-weighted images (DWI) in reconstructing the brain surface anatomy, and to evaluate their displaying ability, advantages, limitations and clinical application. Methods: Thrity normal cases were prospectively examined with 3D flash sequence and echo-planar DWI. Three-dimensional images were acquired with volume-rendering on workstation. Brain surface structures were evaluated and scored by a group of doctors. Results: Main structures of brain surface were clearly displayed on three-dimensional images based on 3D flash sequence. Average scores were all above 2.50. For images based on DWI, precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, superior parietal lobule, superior frontal gyrus, precentral sulcus, central sulcus, postcentral sulcus, intraparietal sulcus and superior frontal sulcus were best shown with average scores between 2.60-2.75, However, supramarginal gyrus, angular gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, lateral sulcus, inferior frontal sulcus could not be well shown, with average scores between 1.67-2.48. Middle temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, superior temporal sulcus and inferior temporal sulcus can only get scores from 0.88 to 1.27. Scores of images based on 3D flash were much higher than that based on DWI with distinct differentiations, P values were all below 0.01. Conclusion: Three-dimensional images based on 3D flash can really display brain surface structures. It is very useful for anatomic researches. Three-dimensional reconstruction of brain surface based on DWI is a worthy technique to display brain surface anatomy, especially for frontal and parietal structures. (authors)

Application of the thermal plasma technique in the treatment of stone surfaces; Aplicacion de la tecnica de plasmas termicos en el tratamiento de superficies petreas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez A, Z I

2000-07-01

The stone materials which form part of the cultural heritage of Mexico, are degraded under the united action of water, atmospheric gases, air pollution, temperature changes and the microorganisms action; provoking on the stone: fissures, crevices, scalings, fragmentations, pulverizations, etc. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to study the possibilities to apply a protective coating on the stone surfaces, previously clean and consolidated, through the thermal plasma technique. The purpose is to analyse the physical and chemical properties of three types of stone materials: quarry, tezontle and chiluca, usually used in constructions of cultural interest such as: historical monuments, churches, sculptures, etc., before and after to be submitted to the action of thermal plasma in order to examine the feasibility in the use of this coating technique in this type of applications. The application of conventional techniques to determine: porosity, density, absorption, low pressure water absorption and crystallization by total immersion of nuclear techniques such as: neutron activation analysis, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy as well as of instrumental techniques: optical microscopy, mechanical assays of compression, flexure and surface area calculations, allowed to know the chemical and physical properties of the stone material before and after to be treated through the thermal plasma technique, projecting quartz on the stones surface at different distances and current intensity and showing the effect caused by the modifications or surface alterations present by cause of the application of that coating. the obtained results provide a general panorama of the application of this technique as an alternative to the maintenance of the architectural inheritance built in stone. (Author)

Near-surface land disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kittel, J.H.

1989-01-01

The Radioactive Waste Management Handbook provides a comprehensive, systematic treatment of nuclear waste management. Near-Surface Land Disposal, the first volume, is a primary and secondary reference for the technical community. To those unfamiliar with the field, it provides a bridge to a wealth of technical information, presenting the technology associated with the near-surface disposal of low or intermediate level wastes. Coverage ranges from incipient planning to site closure and subsequent monitoring. The book discusses the importance of a systems approach during the design of new disposal facilities so that performance objectives can be achieved; gives an overview of the radioactive wastes cosigned to near-surface disposal; addresses procedures for screening and selecting sites; and emphasizes the importance of characterizing sites and obtaining reliable geologic and hydrologic data. The planning essential to the development of particular sites (land acquisition, access, layout, surface water management, capital costs, etc.) is considered, and site operations (waste receiving, inspection, emplacement, closure, stabilization, etc.) are reviewed. In addition, the book presents concepts for improved confinement of waste, important aspects of establishing a monitoring program at the disposal facility, and corrective actions available after closure to minimize release. Two analytical techniques for evaluating alternative technologies are presented. Nontechnical issues surrounding disposal, including the difficulties of public acceptance are discussed. A glossary of technical terms is included

Evaluation of controlled areas in the fuel element facility IPEN/CNEN/SP by the technique of surface contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Teresinha de Moraes da; Sordi, Gian Maria A.A.; Almeida, Claudio C.; Brasil, Paulo; Paiva, Julio E.

2013-01-01

Working with radioactive materials makes the safety culture is present in everyday life of nuclear facilities. The radiological protection management provides the monitoring program for individual occupational exposure (IOE) and for the working place. The facilities are monitored by the radiometric surface and air survey. This paper presents a surface monitoring technique which assesses the workplace and estimates the dose in real time that the worker is subject to, considering the radionuclides used in the process. In this study, the radionuclide is uranium enriched to 19.5%. (author)

Evaluation of controlled areas in the fuel element facility IPEN/CNEN/SP by the technique of surface contamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Teresinha de Moraes da; Sordi, Gian Maria A.A.; Almeida, Claudio C.; Brasil, Paulo; Paiva, Julio E., E-mail: tmsilva@ipen.br, E-mail: calmeida@ipen.br, E-mail: cambises@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2013-07-01

Working with radioactive materials makes the safety culture is present in everyday life of nuclear facilities. The radiological protection management provides the monitoring program for individual occupational exposure (IOE) and for the working place. The facilities are monitored by the radiometric surface and air survey. This paper presents a surface monitoring technique which assesses the workplace and estimates the dose in real time that the worker is subject to, considering the radionuclides used in the process. In this study, the radionuclide is uranium enriched to 19.5%. (author)

Reference ranges for interrupter resistance technique: the Asthma UK Initiative.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Merkus, P.J.F.M.; Stocks, J.; Beydon, N.; Lombardi, E.; Jones, M.; McKenzie, S.A.; Kivastik, J.; Arets, B.G.; Stanojevic, S.

2010-01-01

Measuring interrupter resistance (R(int)) is an increasingly popular lung function technique and especially suitable for preschool children because it is simple, quick and requires only passive cooperation. A European Respiratory Society (ERS)/American Thoracic Society (ATS) Task Force recently

Studies on the reference Korean and estimation of radiation exposure dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Y.J.; Lee, K.S.; Chun, K.J.; Kim, J.B.; Chung, G.H.; Kim, S.R.

1982-01-01

For the purpose of establishment of Reference Korean and estimation of internal and external exposure doses in the Reference Korean, we have surveyed reference values for Koreans such as physical standards including height, weight, and body surface area, food consumption rate of daily intake of radioactive substances and exposure dose from natural radiation. (Author)

Characterization of nanoparticles as candidate reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins Ferreira, E.H.; Robertis, E. de; Landi, S.M.; Gouvea, C.P.; Archanjo, B.S.; Almeida, C.A.; Araujo, J.R. de; Kuznetsov, O.; Achete, C.A.

2013-01-01

We report the characterization of three different nanoparticles (silica, silver and multi-walled carbon nanotubes) as candidate reference material. We focus our analysis on the size distribution of those particles as measured by different microscopy techniques. (author)

Design of Softgauge for Surface Profile Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nie, M Q; Liu, X J; Jiang, X Q

2006-01-01

A concept of softgauge has been proposed by ISO in the context of surface texture measurement, in which reference software and reference data are included. In this paper, an effective scheme to build reference software for 2D surface profile measurement is proposed. The advantage of the scheme lies in its effective combination of high numerical calculating capability of MATLAB with perfect interface programming capability of VC. Preliminary reference software is developed, and typical algorithms are tested