WorldWideScience

Sample records for surface transportation implications

  1. Spatial and temporal patterns of airflow across a foredune and beach surface under offshore winds: implications for aeolian sediment transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, D.; Delgado-Fernandez, I.; Lynch, K.; Baas, A. C.; Cooper, J. A.; Beyers, M.

    2010-12-01

    The input of aeolian sediment into foredune systems from beaches represents a key component of sediment budget analysis along many soft sedimentary coastlines. Where there are significant offshore wind components in local wind regimes this is normally excluded from analysis. However, recent work has shown that if the topography of the foredune is favourable then this offshore component is steered or undergoes flow reversal through leeside eddying to give onshore transport events at the back beach under offshore flow conditions. At particular distances from the foredune crest flow reattaches to the surface to continue its incident offshore direction. The location of this reattachment point has important implications for aeolian transport of sand on the back beach and foredune toe locations. This study reports initial results where the positioning of the reattachment point is mobile and is driven by incident wind velocity (at the foredune crest) and the actual undulations of the foredune crest’s topography, dictating heterogeneous flow behaviour at the beach. Using detailed field measurements (25 Hz, three-dimensional sonic anemometry) and computational fluid dynamic modelling, a temporal and spatial pattern of reattachment positions are described. Implications for aeolian transport and dune evolution are also examined.

  2. Transport of Aerosols: Regional and Global Implications for Climate, Weather, and Air Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Mian; Diehl, Thomas; Yu, Hongbin; Bian, Huisheng; Remer, Lorraine; Kahn, Ralph

    2008-01-01

    Long-range transport of atmospheric aerosols can have a significant impact on global climate, regional weather, and local air quality. In this study, we use a global model GOCART together with satellite data and ground-based measurements to assess the emission and transport of pollution, dust, biomass burning, and volcanic aerosols and their implications. In particular, we will show the impact of emissions and long-range transport of aerosols from major pollution and dust source regions to (1) the surface air quality, (2) the atmospheric heating rates, and (3) surface radiation change near the source and downwind regions.

  3. Response of the global surface ozone distribution to Northern Hemisphere sea surface temperature changes: implications for long-range transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Kan; Liu, Junfeng; Ban-Weiss, George; Zhang, Jiachen; Tao, Wei; Cheng, Yanli; Tao, Shu

    2017-07-01

    The response of surface ozone (O3) concentrations to basin-scale warming and cooling of Northern Hemisphere oceans is investigated using the Community Earth System Model (CESM). Idealized, spatially uniform sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies of ±1 °C are individually superimposed onto the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and North Indian oceans. Our simulations suggest large seasonal and regional variability in surface O3 in response to SST anomalies, especially in the boreal summer. The responses of surface O3 associated with basin-scale SST warming and cooling have similar magnitude but are opposite in sign. Increasing the SST by 1 °C in one of the oceans generally decreases the surface O3 concentrations from 1 to 5 ppbv. With fixed emissions, SST increases in a specific ocean basin in the Northern Hemisphere tend to increase the summertime surface O3 concentrations over upwind regions, accompanied by a widespread reduction over downwind continents. We implement the integrated process rate (IPR) analysis in CESM and find that meteorological O3 transport in response to SST changes is the key process causing surface O3 perturbations in most cases. During the boreal summer, basin-scale SST warming facilitates the vertical transport of O3 to the surface over upwind regions while significantly reducing the vertical transport over downwind continents. This process, as confirmed by tagged CO-like tracers, indicates a considerable suppression of intercontinental O3 transport due to increased tropospheric stability at lower midlatitudes induced by SST changes. Conversely, the responses of chemical O3 production to regional SST warming can exert positive effects on surface O3 levels over highly polluted continents, except South Asia, where intensified cloud loading in response to North Indian SST warming depresses both the surface air temperature and solar radiation, and thus photochemical O3 production. Our findings indicate a robust linkage between basin-scale SST

  4. Response of the global surface ozone distribution to Northern Hemisphere sea surface temperature changes: implications for long-range transport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Yi

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The response of surface ozone (O3 concentrations to basin-scale warming and cooling of Northern Hemisphere oceans is investigated using the Community Earth System Model (CESM. Idealized, spatially uniform sea surface temperature (SST anomalies of ±1 °C are individually superimposed onto the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and North Indian oceans. Our simulations suggest large seasonal and regional variability in surface O3 in response to SST anomalies, especially in the boreal summer. The responses of surface O3 associated with basin-scale SST warming and cooling have similar magnitude but are opposite in sign. Increasing the SST by 1 °C in one of the oceans generally decreases the surface O3 concentrations from 1 to 5 ppbv. With fixed emissions, SST increases in a specific ocean basin in the Northern Hemisphere tend to increase the summertime surface O3 concentrations over upwind regions, accompanied by a widespread reduction over downwind continents. We implement the integrated process rate (IPR analysis in CESM and find that meteorological O3 transport in response to SST changes is the key process causing surface O3 perturbations in most cases. During the boreal summer, basin-scale SST warming facilitates the vertical transport of O3 to the surface over upwind regions while significantly reducing the vertical transport over downwind continents. This process, as confirmed by tagged CO-like tracers, indicates a considerable suppression of intercontinental O3 transport due to increased tropospheric stability at lower midlatitudes induced by SST changes. Conversely, the responses of chemical O3 production to regional SST warming can exert positive effects on surface O3 levels over highly polluted continents, except South Asia, where intensified cloud loading in response to North Indian SST warming depresses both the surface air temperature and solar radiation, and thus photochemical O3 production. Our findings indicate a robust linkage

  5. Solute transport across the articular surface of injured cartilage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Hooi Chuan; Moeini, Mohammad; Quinn, Thomas M

    2013-07-15

    Solute transport through extracellular matrix (ECM) is important to physiology and contrast agent-based clinical imaging of articular cartilage. Mechanical injury is likely to have important effects on solute transport since it involves alteration of ECM structure. Therefore it is of interest to characterize effects of mechanical injury on solute transport in cartilage. Using cartilage explants injured by an established mechanical compression protocol, effective partition coefficients and diffusivities of solutes for transport across the articular surface were measured. A range of fluorescent solutes (fluorescein isothiocyanate, 4 and 40kDa dextrans, insulin, and chondroitin sulfate) and an X-ray contrast agent (sodium iodide) were used. Mechanical injury was associated with a significant increase in effective diffusivity versus uninjured explants for all solutes studied. On the other hand, mechanical injury had no effects on effective partition coefficients for most solutes tested, except for 40kDa dextran and chondroitin sulfate where small but significant changes in effective partition coefficient were observed in injured explants. Findings highlight enhanced diffusive transport across the articular surface of injured cartilage, which may have important implications for injury and repair situations. Results also support development of non-equilibrium methods for identification of focal cartilage lesions by contrast agent-based clinical imaging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Surface transport in plasma-balls

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armas, Jay [Physique Théorique et Mathématique, Université Libre de Bruxelles andInternational Solvay Institutes,ULB-Campus Plaine CP231, B-1050 Brussels (Belgium); Bhattacharya, Jyotirmoy [Centre for Particle Theory & Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University,South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Kundu, Nilay [Harish-Chandra Research Institute,Chhatnag Road, Jhunsi, Allahabad 211019 (India)

    2016-06-06

    We study the surface transport properties of stationary localized configurations of relativistic fluids to the first two non-trivial orders in a derivative expansion. By demanding that these finite lumps of relativistic fluid are described by a thermal partition function with arbitrary stationary background metric and gauge fields, we are able to find several constraints among surface transport coefficients. At leading order, besides recovering the surface thermodynamics, we obtain a generalization of the Young-Laplace equation for relativistic fluid surfaces, by considering a temperature dependence in the surface tension, which is further generalized in the context of superfluids. At the next order, for uncharged fluids in 3+1 dimensions, we show that besides the 3 independent bulk transport coefficients previously known, a generic localized configuration is characterized by 3 additional surface transport coefficients, one of which may be identified with the surface modulus of rigidity. Finally, as an application, we study the effect of temperature dependence of surface tension on some explicit examples of localized fluid configurations, which are dual to certain non-trivial black hole solutions via the AdS/CFT correspondence.

  7. Strategies for reducing the impacts of surface transportation on global climate change : a synthesis of policy research and state and local mitigation strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-03-01

    Climate change is likely to have more impact on the future of surface transportation than any other issue. The challenges and implications for surface transportation and for state DOTs include: the need to support major GHG reductions, the need to me...

  8. The Association of Cryptosporidium parvum With Suspended Sediments: Implications for Transport in Surface Waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Searcy, K. E.; Packman, A. I.; Atwill, E. R.; Harter, T.

    2003-12-01

    Understanding the transport and fate of microorganisms in surface waters is of vital concern in protecting the integrity and safety of municipal water supply systems. The human pathogen Cryptosporidium parvum is a particular public health interest, as it is ubiquitous in the surface waters of the United States, it can persist for long periods in the environment, and it is difficult to disinfect in water treatment plants. Due to its small size (5 um), low specific gravity (1.05 g/cm3), and negative surface charge, C. parvum oocysts are generally considered to move through watersheds from their source to drinking water reservoirs with little attenuation. However, the transport of the oocysts in surface waters may be mediated by interactions with suspended sediments. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the extent of C. parvum oocyst attachment to several inorganic and organic sediments under varying water chemical conditions, and settling column experiments were performed to demonstrate how these associations influence the effective settling velocity of C. parvum oocysts. Results from these experiments showed that C. parvum oocysts do associate with inorganic and organic sediments and often settle at the rate of the suspended sediment. The size and surface charge of the host suspended sediment influenced the extent of oocyst attachment as oocysts preferentially associated with particles greater than 3 um, and fewer oocysts associated with particles having a highly negative surface charge. Background water chemical conditions including ionic strength, ion composition, and pH did not have a significant effect on oocyst attachment to suspended sediments.

  9. Implications of the quasi-neutrality condition for neoclassical transport in stellarators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beidler, C.D.; Maassberg, H.

    2005-01-01

    In conventional stellarator neoclassical theory, the transport coefficients are determined so as to satisfy the so-called ambipolarity constraint on the radial particle fluxes but without regard to the additional requirement that the underlying solutions of the kinetic equation also fulfill local quasi-neutrality. This neglect is consistent with the assumption that density, n and electrostatic potential, Φ, are constant on a flux surface and is justified in the literature with analytic scaling arguments which demonstrate that quasi-neutrality introduces variations of n and Φ on a flux surface which have only a modest impact on bulk-plasma transport. The consequences for impurity transport have not been considered. In this contribution, the implications which the quasi-neutrality condition has for neoclassical transport in stellarators are investigated using a version of the General Solution of the Ripple-Averaged Kinetic Equation (GSRAKE) which accounts for the variation of Φ on flux surfaces. Solutions of the kinetic equation which simultaneously fulfill the ambipolarity and the quasi-neutrality conditions are determined iteratively using standard methods for solving systems of non-linear equations, given specified density and temperature profiles for pure hydrogen plasmas. For a conventional heliotron device, it is shown that quasi-neutrality significantly reduces the radial extent of the region in which multiple solutions of the ambipolarity condition can exist. Especially in the plasma periphery, where strong density and temperature gradients are found, the magnitude of the 'ion' root is reduced significantly leading to increased particle and energy fluxes. For strongly drift-optimized stellarators, on the other hand, bulk plasma transport is much less affected. In a small number of cases, the non-linear system of equations produces additional solutions which are not possible when only ambipolarity is enforced, but such cases are rare. Finally, it is

  10. Big data's implications for transportation operations : an exploration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    The purpose of this white paper is to expand the understanding of big data for transportation operations, the value it could provide, and the implications for the : future direction of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Connected Vehicle R...

  11. Modeling Np and Pu transport with a surface complexation model and spatially variant sorption capacities: Implications for reactive transport modeling and performance assessments of nuclear waste disposal sites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glynn, P.D.

    2003-01-01

    One-dimensional (1D) geochemical transport modeling is used to demonstrate the effects of speciation and sorption reactions on the ground-water transport of Np and Pu, two redox-sensitive elements. Earlier 1D simulations (Reardon, 1981) considered the kinetically limited dissolution of calcite and its effect on ion-exchange reactions (involving 90Sr, Ca, Na, Mg and K), and documented the spatial variation of a 90Sr partition coefficient under both transient and steady-state chemical conditions. In contrast, the simulations presented here assume local equilibrium for all reactions, and consider sorption on constant potential, rather than constant charge, surfaces. Reardon's (1981) seminal findings on the spatial and temporal variability of partitioning (of 90Sr) are reexamined and found partially caused by his assumption of a kinetically limited reaction. In the present work, sorption is assumed the predominant retardation process controlling Pu and Np transport, and is simulated using a diffuse-double-layer-surface-complexation (DDLSC) model. Transport simulations consider the infiltration of Np- and Pu-contaminated waters into an initially uncontaminated environment, followed by the cleanup of the resultant contamination with uncontaminated water. Simulations are conducted using different spatial distributions of sorption capacities (with the same total potential sorption capacity, but with different variances and spatial correlation structures). Results obtained differ markedly from those that would be obtained in transport simulations using constant Kd, Langmuir or Freundlich sorption models. When possible, simulation results (breakthrough curves) are fitted to a constant K d advection-dispersion transport model and compared. Functional differences often are great enough that they prevent a meaningful fit of the simulation results with a constant K d (or even a Langmuir or Freundlich) model, even in the case of Np, a weakly sorbed radionuclide under the

  12. Hyporheic flow and transport processes: mechanisms, models, and biogeochemical implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boano, Fulvio; Harvey, Judson W.; Marion, Andrea; Packman, Aaron I.; Revelli, Roberto; Ridolfi, Luca; Anders, Wörman

    2014-01-01

    Fifty years of hyporheic zone research have shown the important role played by the hyporheic zone as an interface between groundwater and surface waters. However, it is only in the last two decades that what began as an empirical science has become a mechanistic science devoted to modeling studies of the complex fluid dynamical and biogeochemical mechanisms occurring in the hyporheic zone. These efforts have led to the picture of surface-subsurface water interactions as regulators of the form and function of fluvial ecosystems. Rather than being isolated systems, surface water bodies continuously interact with the subsurface. Exploration of hyporheic zone processes has led to a new appreciation of their wide reaching consequences for water quality and stream ecology. Modern research aims toward a unified approach, in which processes occurring in the hyporheic zone are key elements for the appreciation, management, and restoration of the whole river environment. In this unifying context, this review summarizes results from modeling studies and field observations about flow and transport processes in the hyporheic zone and describes the theories proposed in hydrology and fluid dynamics developed to quantitatively model and predict the hyporheic transport of water, heat, and dissolved and suspended compounds from sediment grain scale up to the watershed scale. The implications of these processes for stream biogeochemistry and ecology are also discussed."

  13. Health initiatives to target obesity in surface transport industries: Review and implications for action

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anjum Naweed

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Lifestyle-related chronic diseases pose a considerable burden to the individual and the wider society, with correspondingly negative effects on industry. Obesity is a particular problem for the Australasian road and rail industries where it is associated with specific cardiac and fatigue-related safety risks, and levels are higher than those found in the general population. Despite this recognition, and the introduction of National Standards, very little consensus exists regarding approaches to preventative health for surface transport workers. A review of evidence regarding effective health promotion initiatives is urgently needed to inform best practice in this cohort. This review draws together research informing the scope and effectiveness of health promotion programs, initiatives and interventions targeting overweight and obesity in safety critical surface transport domains including the truck, bus and rail industries. A number of health interventions demonstrated measurable successes, including incentivising, peer mentoring, verbal counselling, development of personalised health profiles, and offer of healthier on-site food choices – some of which also resulted in sizeable return on investment over the long term.

  14. Radon transport processes below the earth's surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilkening, M.

    1980-01-01

    Processes by which 222 Rn is transported from the soil to the earth's surface are reviewed. The mechanisms effective in transporting 222 Rn to the surface are related to the size and configuration of the spaces occupied by the soil gas which may vary from molecular interstices to large underground caverns. The near-surface transport processes are divided into two categories: (1) a microscopic process that includes molecular diffusion and viscous flow in fine capillaries and (2) macroscopic flow in fissures and channels. Underground air rich in 222 Rn can also reach the surface through cracks, fissures, and underground channels. This type of transport is shown for (1) a horizontal tunnel penetrating a fractured hillside, (2) a large underground cave, and (3) volcanic activity. Pressure differentials having various natural origins and thermal gradients are responsible for the transport in these examples. 222 Rn transport by ordinary molecular diffusion appears to be the dominant process

  15. Interannual variability of surface and bottom sediment transport on the Laptev Sea shelf during summer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Wegner

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Sediment transport dynamics were studied during ice-free conditions under different atmospheric circulation regimes on the Laptev Sea shelf (Siberian Arctic. To study the interannual variability of suspended particulate matter (SPM dynamics and their coupling with the variability in surface river water distribution on the Laptev Sea shelf, detailed oceanographic, optical (turbidity and Ocean Color satellite data, and hydrochemical (nutrients, SPM, stable oxygen isotopes process studies were carried out continuously during the summers of 2007 and 2008. Thus, for the first time SPM and nutrient variations on the Laptev Sea shelf under different atmospheric forcing and the implications for the turbidity and transparency of the water column can be presented.

    The data indicate a clear link between different surface distributions of riverine waters and the SPM transport dynamics within the entire water column. The summer of 2007 was dominated by shoreward winds and an eastward transport of riverine surface waters. The surface SPM concentration on the southeastern inner shelf was elevated, which led to decreased transmissivity and increased light absorption. Surface SPM concentrations in the central and northern Laptev Sea were comparatively low. However, the SPM transport and concentration within the bottom nepheloid layer increased considerably on the entire eastern shelf. The summer of 2008 was dominated by offshore winds and northward transport of the river plume. The surface SPM transport was enhanced and extended onto the mid-shelf, whereas the bottom SPM transport and concentration was diminished. This study suggests that the SPM concentration and transport, in both the surface and bottom nepheloid layers, are associated with the distribution of riverine surface waters which are linked to the atmospheric circulation patterns over the Laptev Sea and the adjacent Arctic Ocean during the open water season. A continuing trend toward

  16. Transportation planning implications of automated/connected vehicles on Texas highways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-04-01

    This research project was focused on the transportation planning implications of automated/connected : vehicles (AV/CVs) on Texas highways. The research assessed how these potentially transformative : technologies can be included in transportation pl...

  17. Turbulent transport across invariant canonical flux surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hollenberg, J.B.; Callen, J.D.

    1994-07-01

    Net transport due to a combination of Coulomb collisions and turbulence effects in a plasma is investigated using a fluid moment description that allows for kinetic and nonlinear effects via closure relations. The model considered allows for ''ideal'' turbulent fluctuations that distort but preserve the topology of species-dependent canonical flux surfaces ψ number-sign,s triple-bond ∫ dF · B number-sign,s triple-bond ∇ x [A + (m s /q s )u s ] in which u s is the flow velocity of the fluid species. Equations for the net transport relative to these surfaces due to ''nonideal'' dissipative processes are found for the total number of particles and total entropy enclosed by a moving canonical flux surface. The corresponding particle transport flux is calculated using a toroidal axisymmetry approximation of the ideal surfaces. The resulting Lagrangian transport flux includes classical, neoclassical-like, and anomalous contributions and shows for the first time how these various contributions should be summed to obtain the total particle transport flux

  18. The transport implications of siting policies for the disposal of low-level radioactive wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    James, I.A.

    1986-01-01

    This report has been produced to be complementary to the previously issued report ''The Transport Implications of Regional Policies for The Disposal of Intermediate Level Radioactive Wastes''. The same combinations of disposal facilities have been used so that direct comparison with intermediate waste results can be made. Low level wastes and short-lived intermediate level wastes for near-surface disposal are assumed to share a common infrastructure on the rail system and hence a methodology of separating total costs between these two waste types has been derived. Two transport modes, road and rail have been analysed. Hybrid transport, a combination of road and rail systems, has not been examined since no site is considered to produce sufficient waste to justify a dedicated rail service. Sellafield, has not been included in this examination since it is assumed to be served by its own disposal site at Drigg. (author)

  19. Impact of Emissions and Long-Range Transport on Multi-Decadal Aerosol Trends: Implications for Air Quality and Climate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Mian

    2012-01-01

    We present a global model analysis of the impact of long-range transport and anthropogenic emissions on the aerosol trends in the major pollution regions in the northern hemisphere and in the Arctic in the past three decades. We will use the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model to analyze the multi-spatial and temporal scale data, including observations from Terra, Aqua, and CALIPSO satellites and from the long-term surface monitoring stations. We will analyze the source attribution (SA) and source-receptor (SR) relationships in North America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, and the Arctic at the surface and free troposphere and establish the quantitative linkages between emissions from different source regions. We will discuss the implications for regional air quality and climate change.

  20. Surface Transportation Security Priority Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-01

    intercity buses), and pipelines, and related infrastructure (including roads and highways), that are within the territory of the United States...Modernizing the information technology infrastructure used to vet the identity of travelers and transportation workers  Using terrorist databases to...examination of persons travelling , surface transportation modes tend to operate in a much more open environment, making it difficult to screen workers

  1. School Transportation Issues, Laws and Concerns: Implications for Future Administrators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durick, Jody M.

    2010-01-01

    Nearly all building administrators are confronted with a variety of transportation issues. Challenges, concerns and questions can arise from various aspects, including student misbehaviors, transportation laws and its implications at the school level, to importance and implementation of a school bus safety program. As new and upcoming future…

  2. Aeolian sediment transport on a beach: Surface moisture, wind fetch, and mean transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, B. O.; Davidson-Arnott, R. G. D.; Hesp, P. A.; Namikas, S. L.; Ollerhead, J.; Walker, I. J.

    2009-04-01

    Temporal and spatial changes in wind speed, wind direction, and moisture content are ubiquitous across sandy coastal beaches. Often these factors interact in unknown ways to create complexity that confounds our ability to model sediment transport at any point across the beach as well as our capacity to predict sediment delivery into the adjacent foredunes. This study was designed to measure wind flow and sediment transport over a beach and foredune at Greenwich Dunes, Prince Edward Island National Park, with the express purpose of addressing these complex interactions. Detailed measurements are reported for one stormy day, October 11, 2004, during which meteorological conditions were highly variable. Wind speed ranged from 4 ms - 1 to over 20 ms - 1 , wind direction was highly oblique varying between 60° and 85° from shore perpendicular, and moisture content of the sand surface ranged from a minimum of about 3% (by mass) to complete saturation depending on precipitation, tidal excursion, and storm surge that progressively inundated the beach. The data indicate that short-term variations (i.e., minutes to hours) in sediment transport across this beach arise predominantly because of short-term changes in wind speed, as is expected, but also because of variations in wind direction, precipitation intensity, and tide level. Even slight increases in wind speed are capable of driving more intense saltation events, but this relationship is mediated by other factors on this characteristically narrow beach. As the angle of wind approach becomes more oblique, the fetch distance increases and allows greater opportunity for the saltation system to evolve toward an equilibrium transport state before reaching the foredunes. Whether the theoretically-predicted maximum rate of transport is ever achieved depends on the character of the sand surface (e.g., grain size, slope, roughness, vegetation, moisture content) and on various attributes of the wind field (e.g., average wind

  3. Oceanic Transport of Surface Meltwater from the Southern Greenland Ice Sheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Hao; Castelao, Renato M.; Rennermalm, Asa K.; Tedesco, Marco; Bracco, Annalisa; Yager, Patricia L.; Mote, Thomas L.

    2016-01-01

    The Greenland ice sheet has undergone accelerating mass losses during recent decades. Freshwater runoff from ice melt can influence fjord circulation and dynamic1 and the delivery of bioavailable micronutrients to the ocean. It can also have climate implications, because stratification in the adjacent Labrador Sea may influence deep convection and the strength of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. Yet, the fate of the meltwater in the ocean remains unclear. Here, we use a high-resolution ocean model to show that only 1-15% of the surface meltwater runoff originating from southwest Greenland is transported westwards. In contrast, up to 50-60% of the meltwater runoff originating from southeast Greenland is transported westwards into the northern Labrador Sea, leading to significant salinity and stratification anomalies far from the coast. Doubling meltwater runoff, as predicted in future climate scenarios, results in a more-than-double increase in anomalies offshore that persists further into the winter. Interannual variability in offshore export of meltwater is tightly related to variability in wind forcing. The new insight that meltwaters originating from the west and east coasts have different fates indicates that future changes in mass loss rates and surface runoff will probably impact the ocean differently, depending on their Greenland origins.

  4. Neoclassical transport coefficients for tokamaks with bean-shaped flux surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, C.S.; Kaye, S.M.

    1990-11-01

    Simple analytic representations of the neoclassical transport coefficients for indented flux surfaces are presented. It is shown that a transport coefficient for an indented flux surface can be expressed in terms of a linear combination of the previously known transport coefficients for two nonindented flux surfaces. Numerical calculations based on actual equilibria from the PBX-M tokamak indicate that, even for modestly indented flux surfaces, the ion neoclassical thermal transport can be over a factor of two smaller than in a circular plasma with the same midplane radius or with the equivalent areas. 6 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

  5. Turbulent transport in the atmospheric surface layer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tagesson, Torbern [Dept. of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund Univ., Lund (Sweden)

    2012-04-15

    In the modelling of transport and accumulation of the radioactive isotope carbon-14 (C-14) in the case of a potential release from a future repository of radioactive waste, it is important to describe the transport of the isotope in the atmosphere. This report aims to describe the turbulent transport within the lower part of the atmosphere; the inertial surface layer and the roughness sublayer. Transport in the inertial surface layer is dependent on several factors, whereof some can be neglected under certain circumstances. Under steady state conditions, fully developed turbulent conditions, in flat and horizontal homogeneous areas, it is possible to apply an eddy diffusivity approach for estimating vertical transport of C. The eddy diffusivity model assumes that there is proportionality between the vertical gradient and the transport of C. The eddy diffusivity is depending on the atmospheric turbulence, which is affected by the interaction between mean wind and friction of the ground surface and of the sensible heat flux in the atmosphere. In this report, it is described how eddy diffusivity of the inertial surface layer can be estimated from 3-d wind measurements and measurements of sensible heat fluxes. It is also described how to estimate the eddy diffusivity in the inertial surface layer from profile measurements of temperature and wind speed. Close to the canopy, wind and C profiles are influenced by effects of the surface roughness; this section of the atmosphere is called the roughness sublayer. Its height is up to {approx}3 times the height of the plant canopy. When the mean wind interacts with the canopy, turbulence is not only produced by shear stress and buoyancy, it is additionally created by wakes, which are formed behind the plants. Turbulence is higher than it would be over a flat surface, and the turbulent transport is hereby more efficient. Above the plant canopy, but still within the roughness sublayer, a function that compensates for the effect

  6. Turbulent transport in the atmospheric surface layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tagesson, Torbern

    2012-04-01

    In the modelling of transport and accumulation of the radioactive isotope carbon-14 (C-14) in the case of a potential release from a future repository of radioactive waste, it is important to describe the transport of the isotope in the atmosphere. This report aims to describe the turbulent transport within the lower part of the atmosphere; the inertial surface layer and the roughness sublayer. Transport in the inertial surface layer is dependent on several factors, whereof some can be neglected under certain circumstances. Under steady state conditions, fully developed turbulent conditions, in flat and horizontal homogeneous areas, it is possible to apply an eddy diffusivity approach for estimating vertical transport of C. The eddy diffusivity model assumes that there is proportionality between the vertical gradient and the transport of C. The eddy diffusivity is depending on the atmospheric turbulence, which is affected by the interaction between mean wind and friction of the ground surface and of the sensible heat flux in the atmosphere. In this report, it is described how eddy diffusivity of the inertial surface layer can be estimated from 3-d wind measurements and measurements of sensible heat fluxes. It is also described how to estimate the eddy diffusivity in the inertial surface layer from profile measurements of temperature and wind speed. Close to the canopy, wind and C profiles are influenced by effects of the surface roughness; this section of the atmosphere is called the roughness sublayer. Its height is up to ∼3 times the height of the plant canopy. When the mean wind interacts with the canopy, turbulence is not only produced by shear stress and buoyancy, it is additionally created by wakes, which are formed behind the plants. Turbulence is higher than it would be over a flat surface, and the turbulent transport is hereby more efficient. Above the plant canopy, but still within the roughness sublayer, a function that compensates for the effect of

  7. Surface electronic transport measurements: A micro multi-point probe approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barreto, Lucas

    2014-01-01

    This work is mostly focused on the study of electronic transport properties of two-dimensional materials, in particular graphene and topological insulators. To study these, we have improved a unique micro multi-point probe instrument used to perform transport measurements. Not only the experimental...... quantities are extracted, such as conductivity, carrier density and carrier mobility. • A method to insulate electrically epitaxial graphene grown on metals, based on a stepwise intercalation methodology, is developed and transport measurements are performed in order to test the insulation. • We show...... a direct measurement of the surface electronic transport on a bulk topological insulator. The surface state conductivity and mobility are obtained. Apart from transport properties, we also investigate the atomic structure of the Bi2Se3(111) surface via surface x-ray diraction and low-energy electron...

  8. High Friction Surface Treatments, Transportation Research Synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-03-01

    MnDOT and local transportation agencies in Minnesota are considering the use of a high friction surface treatment (HFST) as a safety strategy. HFST is used as a spot pavement surfacing treatment in locations with high friction demand (for example, cr...

  9. Transport Powder and Liquid Samples by Surface Acoustic Waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Xiaoqi; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Sherrit, Stewart; Badescu, Mircea; Louyeh, Sahar

    2009-01-01

    Sample transport is an important requirement for In-situ analysis of samples in NASA planetary exploration missions. Tests have shown that powders or liquid drops on a surface can be transported by surface acoustic waves (SAW) that are generated on the surface using interdigital transducers. The phenomena were investigated experimentally and to generate SAWs interdigital electrodes were deposited on wafers of 128 deg rotated Y-cut LiNbO?. Transporting capability of the SAW device was tested using particles of various sizes and drops of various viscosities liquids. Because of different interaction mechanisms with the SAWs, the powders and the liquid drops were observed to move in opposite directions. In the preliminary tests, a speed of 180 mm/s was achieved for powder transportation. The detailed experimental setup and results are presented in this paper. The transporting mechanism can potentially be applied to miniaturize sample analysis system or " lab-on-chip" devices.

  10. Transport properties of high-temperature superconductors: Surface vs bulk effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burlachkov, L.; Koshelev, A.E.; Vinokur, V.M.

    1996-01-01

    We investigate surface-related transport properties of high-temperature superconductors. We find the mean vortex velocity under applied transport current determined by the activation energies for vortex penetration and exit through the Bean-Livingston barrier. We determine the current distribution between the surfaces of superconductor and the field and current dependencies of the transport activation energies. For a three-dimensional superconductor the transport activation energy, U s 3D , is found to decrease with the external field, H, and transport current, J, as U s 3D ∝H -1/2 and U s 3D ∝J -1/2 , respectively. In the quasi-two-dimensional compounds, U s 2D decays logarithmically with field and current. The interplay between the surface and the bulk contributions to the transport properties, such as current-voltage characteristics, is discussed. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

  11. Activity-Dependent Regulation of Surface Glucose Transporter-3

    OpenAIRE

    Ferreira, Jainne M.; Burnett, Arthur L.; Rameau, Gerald A.

    2011-01-01

    Glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) is the main facilitative glucose transporter in neurons. Glucose provides neurons with a critical energy source for neuronal activity. However, the mechanism by which neuronal activity controls glucose influx via GLUT3 is unknown. We investigated the influence of synaptic stimulation on GLUT3 surface expression and glucose import in primary cultured cortical and hippocampal neurons. Synaptic activity increased surface expression of GLUT3 leading to an elevation o...

  12. Angular momentum transport and dynamo action in the sun - Implications of recent oscillation measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilman, P. A.; Morrow, C. A.; Deluca, E. E.

    1989-01-01

    The implications of a newly proposed picture of the sun's internal rotation (Brown et al., 1989; Morrow, 1988) for the distribution and transport of angular momentum and for the solar dynamo are considered. The new results, derived from an analysis of solar acoustic oscillations, affect understanding of how momentum is cycled in the sun and provide clues as to how and where the solar dynamo is driven. The data imply that the only significant radial gradient of angular velocity exists in a transitional region between the bottom of the convection zone, which is rotating like the solar surface, and the top of the deep interior, which is rotating rigidly at a rate intermediate between the equatorial and polar rates at the surface. Thus the radial gradient must change sign at the latitude where the angular velocity of the surface matches that of the interior. These inferences suggest that the cycle of angular momentum that produces the observed latitudinal differential rotation in the convection zone may be coupled to layers of the interior beneath the convection zone. 35 refs

  13. Mobility as a positional good : implications for transport policy and planning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Litman, T. [Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, BC (Canada)

    2007-01-17

    Social position refers to a person's social rank. Many goods have positional value because they increase the status of their consumers. Positional goods include fashionable jewellery and clothing, luxurious homes and vehicles, and extravagant entertainment. Many motorists choose vehicles with greater potential speeds and off-road abilities than actually needed because these features are considered prestigious. This paper examined how positional value affects transportation decisions and investigated the resulting economic impacts. These included impacts on social welfare and external costs. The paper also discussed implications for transport policy and planning. The paper discussed the science of happiness and included an excerpt from a newspaper article on money and happiness. The paper also included an analysis of popular television shows and Internet blogs. Transportation impacts were also examined, with reference to motor vehicle ownership, luxury vehicles, mode choice, long-distance recreation travel, planning practices, and industrial development policy. A table was also presented that summarized the categories of prestige value travel impacts. The paper also presented possible offsetting benefits and implications for planning. 40 refs., 1 tab., 11 figs.

  14. IMPLICATIONS ON THE NUMBER AND CONCENTRATION OF SUPPLIERS ON ROMANIAN TRANSPORT SERVICES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PĂUN IULIAN GABRIEL

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to capture the current situation characterizing the transport sector in Romania by degree of concentration of transport service providers. Market analysis covers road, rail and air transport. Knowing the concentration of these markets is useful when it realizes development strategy of these sectors with profound implications on the national economy. There is a decreasing degree of concentration in the road transport sector due to growing number of enterprises in this market. Air transport has similar trend the road transport, the concentration declining during the span of years analyzed. Regarding the Herfindahl-Hirschmann index in the railway sector, we find that it reveals for the year 2012 a very high degree of concentration.

  15. Sediment Transport Model for a Surface Irrigation System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damodhara R. Mailapalli

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Controlling irrigation-induced soil erosion is one of the important issues of irrigation management and surface water impairment. Irrigation models are useful in managing the irrigation and the associated ill effects on agricultural environment. In this paper, a physically based surface irrigation model was developed to predict sediment transport in irrigated furrows by integrating an irrigation hydraulic model with a quasi-steady state sediment transport model to predict sediment load in furrow irrigation. The irrigation hydraulic model simulates flow in a furrow irrigation system using the analytically solved zero-inertial overland flow equations and 1D-Green-Ampt, 2D-Fok, and Kostiakov-Lewis infiltration equations. Performance of the sediment transport model was evaluated for bare and cropped furrow fields. The results indicated that the sediment transport model can predict the initial sediment rate adequately, but the simulated sediment rate was less accurate for the later part of the irrigation event. Sensitivity analysis of the parameters of the sediment module showed that the soil erodibility coefficient was the most influential parameter for determining sediment load in furrow irrigation. The developed modeling tool can be used as a water management tool for mitigating sediment loss from the surface irrigated fields.

  16. System-of-Systems Considerations in the Notional Development of a Metropolitan Aerial Transportation System. [Implications as to the Identification of Enabling Technologies and Reference Designs for Extreme Short Haul VTOL Vehicles With Electric Propulsion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso, Juan J.; Arneson, Heather M.; Melton, John E.; Vegh, Michael; Walker, Cedric; Young, Larry A.

    2017-01-01

    There are substantial future challenges related to sustaining and improving efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly transportation options for urban regions. Over the past several decades there has been a worldwide trend towards increasing urbanization of society. Accompanying this urbanization are increasing surface transportation infrastructure costs and, despite public infrastructure investments, increasing surface transportation "gridlock." In addition to this global urbanization trend, there has been a substantial increase in concern regarding energy sustainability, fossil fuel emissions, and the potential implications of global climate change. A recently completed study investigated the feasibility of an aviation solution for future urban transportation (refs. 1, 2). Such an aerial transportation system could ideally address some of the above noted concerns related to urbanization, transportation gridlock, and fossil fuel emissions (ref. 3). A metro/regional aerial transportation system could also provide enhanced transportation flexibility to accommodate extraordinary events such as surface (rail/road) transportation network disruptions and emergency/disaster relief responses.

  17. Medical complications of intra-hospital patient transports: implications for architectural design and research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulrich, Roger S; Zhu, Xuemei

    2007-01-01

    Literature on healthcare architecture and evidence-based design has rarely considered explicitly that patient outcomes may be worsened by intra-hospital transport (IHT), which is defined as transport of patients within the hospital. The article focuses on the effects of IHTs on patient complications and outcomes, and the implications of such impacts for designing safer, better hospitals. A review of 22 scientific studies indicates that IHTs are subject to a wide range of complications, many of which occur frequently and have distinctly detrimental effects on patient stability and outcomes. The research suggests that higher patient acuity and longer transport durations are associated with more frequent and serious IHT-related complications and outcome effects. It appears no rigorous research has compared different hospital designs and layouts with respect to having possibly differential effects on transport-related complications and worsened outcomes. Nonetheless, certain design implications can be extracted from the existing research literature, including the importance of minimizing transport delays due to restricted space and congestion, and creating layouts that shorten IHT times for high-acuity patients. Limited evidence raises the possibility that elevator-dependent vertical building layouts may increase susceptibility to transport delays that worsen complications. The strong evidence indicating that IHTs trigger complications and worsen outcomes suggests a powerful justification for adopting acuity-adaptable rooms and care models that substantially reduce transports. A program of studies is outlined to address gaps in knowledge.Key WordsPatient transports, transports within hospitals, patient safety, evidence-based design, hospital design, healthcare architecture, intra-hospital transport complications, acuity-adaptable care, elevators, outcomes.

  18. Sand Transport under Highly Turbulent Airflow on a Beach Surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baas, A. C. W.; Jackson, D. W. T.; Cooper, J. A. G.; Lynch, K.; Delgado-Fernandez, I.; Beyers, J. H. M.

    2012-04-01

    The past decade has seen a growing body of research on the relation between turbulence in the wind and the resultant transport of sediment over active sand surfaces. Widespread use of sonic anemometry and high-frequency sand transport sensors and traps have facilitated recent field studies over dunes and beach surfaces, to move beyond monitoring of mean wind speed and bulk transport to more detailed measurements at much higher spatio-temporal resolutions. In this paper we present results of a field study conducted in the recirculation flow and re-attachment zone on a beach behind a foredune at Magilligan Strand, Northern Ireland. The offshore winds over the foredune at this site are associated with flow separation and reversal located over the beach surface in the lee of the dune row, often strong enough to induce sand transport toward the toe of the foredune ('against' the overall offshore flow). The re-attachment and recirculation zone are associated with strongly turbulent fluid flow and complex streamlines that do not follow the underlying topography. High frequency (25 Hz) wind and sand transport data were collected at a grid of point locations distributed over the beach surface between 35 m to 55 m distance from the 10 m high dune crest, using ultrasonic anemometers at 0.5 m height and co-located load cell traps and Safires at the bed surface. The wind data are used to investigate the role of Reynolds shear stresses and quadrant analysis techniques for identifying burst-sweep events in relation to sand transport events. This includes an assessment of the issues involved with data rotations for yaw, pitch, and roll corrections relative to complex flow streamlines, and the subsequently derived turbulence parameters based on fluctuating vector components (u', v', w'). Results illustrate how transport may exist under threshold mean velocities because of the role played by coherent flow structures, and the findings corroborate previous findings that shear velocity

  19. A pre-Paleogene unconformity surface of the Sikeshu Sag, Junggar Basin: Lithological, geophysical and geochemical implications for the transportation of hydrocarbons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyue Gao

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The unconformity surface at the bottom of the Paleogene is one of the most important migration pathways in the Sikeshu Sag of the Junggar Basin, which consists of three layers: upper coarse clastic rock, lower weathering crust and leached zone. The upper coarse clastic rock is characterized by higher density and lower SDT and gamma-ray logging parameters, while the lower weathering crust displays opposite features. The transport coefficient of the unconformity surface is controlled by its position in respect to the basal sandstone; it is higher in the ramp region but lower in the adjacent uplifted and sag areas. The content of saturated hydrocarbons increases with the decrease of the content of non-hydrocarbons and asphaltenes. The content of benzo[c] carbazole decreases as the content of benzo[a] carbazole and [alkyl carbazole]/[alkyl + benzo carbazole] increases. This suggests that the unconformity surface is an efficient medium for the transportation of hydrocarbons.

  20. Microfour-point probe for studying electronic transport through surface states

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Christian Leth; Grey, Francois; Shiraki, I.

    2000-01-01

    Microfour-point probes integrated on silicon chips have been fabricated with probe spacings in the range 4-60 mum. They provide a simple robust device for electrical transport measurements at surfaces, bridging the gap between conventional macroscopic four-point probes and scanning tunneling...... transport through surface states, which is not observed on the macroscopic scale, presumably due to scattering at atomic steps. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics....

  1. Charge-spin Transport in Surface-disordered Three-dimensional Topological Insulators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Xingyue

    As one of the most promising candidates for the building block of the novel spintronic circuit, the topological insulator (TI) has attracted world-wide interest of study. Robust topological order protected by time-reversal symmetry (TRS) makes charge transport and spin generation in TIs significantly different from traditional three-dimensional (3D) or two-dimensional (2D) electronic systems. However, to date, charge transport and spin generation in 3D TIs are still primarily modeled as single-surface phenomena, happening independently on top and bottom surfaces. In this dissertation, I will demonstrate via both experimental findings and theoretical modeling that this "single surface'' theory neither correctly describes a realistic 3D TI-based device nor reveals the amazingly distinct physical picture of spin transport dynamics in 3D TIs. Instead, I present a new viewpoint of the spin transport dynamics where the role of the insulating yet topologically non-trivial bulk of a 3D TI becomes explicit. Within this new theory, many mysterious transport and magneto-transport anomalies can be naturally explained. The 3D TI system turns out to be more similar to its low dimensional sibling--2D TI rather than some other systems sharing the Dirac dispersion, such as graphene. This work not only provides valuable fundamental physical insights on charge-spin transport in 3D TIs, but also offers important guidance to the design of 3D TI-based spintronic devices.

  2. 3D Airflow patterns over coastal foredunes: implications for aeolian sediment transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Derek W. T.; Cooper, Andrew G.; Baas, Andreas C. W.; Lynch, Kevin; Beyers, Meiring

    2010-05-01

    A fundamental criterion for the development of coastal sand dunes is usually highlighted as a significant onshore wind component of the local wind field. The presence of large sand dune systems on coasts where the predominant wind blows offshore is therefore difficult to explain and usually they are attributed to the past occurrence of onshore winds and, by implication, subsequent changes in climate. Recent studies have shown that offshore winds can be deflected or 'steered' by existing dunes so that their direction changes. This can occur to such an extent that a process known as 'flow reversal' can arise, whereby the initially offshore wind actually flows onshore at the beach. This process is important because it can cause sand to be blown from the beach and into the dunes, causing them to grow. This may be central in explaining the presence of extensive dunes on coasts where the dominant wind is offshore, but is also important in how dunes recover after periods of wave erosion during storms. Offshore winds have traditionally been excluded from sediment budget calculations for coastal dunes, but when they do transport sand onshore, this may have been an important oversight leading to significant underestimates of the volume of sand being transported by wind. This work investigates the controls on the processes and the mechanisms involved in deformation of the flow and resulting sediment transport at coastal foredunes in Northern Ireland. We use a combination of field measurement of wind and sediment transport coupled with state-of-the-art aerodynamic modelling using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and 3-D sonic anemometry. Our working hypothesis is that offshore winds contribute substantially to foredune behaviour on leeside coasts. Preliminary results show strong reverse flow eddies in the seaward side of the foredunes during offshore wind events. These secondary flow reversals have been above velocity threshold and are transport capable. Using CFD modelling

  3. Simulating Sediment Sorting of Streambed Surfaces - It's the Supply, Stupid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcock, P. R.

    2014-12-01

    The grain size of the streambed surface is an integral part of the transport system because it represents the grains immediately available for transport. If the rate and size of grains entrained from the bed surface differ from that delivered to the bed surface, the bed surface grain size will change. Although this balance is intuitively clear, its implications can surprise. The relative mobility of different sizes in a mixture change as transport rates increase. At small transport rates, smaller sizes are more mobile. As transport rate increases, the transport grain size approaches that of the bed. This presents a dilemma when using flumes to simulate surface sorting and transport. When sediment is fed into a flume, the same sediment is typically used regardless of feed rate. The transport grain size remains constant at all rates, which does not match the pattern observed in the field. This operational constraint means that sediment supply is coarser than transport capacity in feed flumes, increasingly so as transport rates diminish. This imbalance drives a coarsening of the stream bed as less mobile coarse grains concentrate on the surface as the system approaches steady-state. If sediment is recirculated in a flume, sediment supply and entrainment are perfectly matched. Surface coarsening is not imposed, but does occur via kinematic sieving. The coarsening of the transport (and supply) accommodates the rate-dependent change in mobility such that the bed surface grain size does not change with transport rate. Streambed armoring depends on both the rate and grain size of sediment supply - their implications do not seem to be fully appreciated. A coarsened bed surface does not indicate sorting of the bed surface during waning flows - it can persist with active sediment supply and transport. Neither sediment feed nor sediment recirculating flumes accurately mimic natural conditions but instead represent end members that bracket the dynamics of natural streams

  4. Dirac-Screening Stabilized Surface-State Transport in a Topological Insulator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christoph Brüne

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available We report magnetotransport studies on a gated strained HgTe device. This material is a three-dimensional topological insulator and exclusively shows surface-state transport. Remarkably, the Landau-level dispersion and the accuracy of the Hall quantization remain unchanged over a wide density range (3×10^{11}  cm^{−2}transport is surface-state dominated, where bulk transport would have been expected to coexist already. Moreover, the density dependence of the Dirac-type quantum Hall effect allows us to identify the contributions from the individual surfaces. A k·p model can describe the experiments but only when assuming a steep band bending across the regions where the topological surface states are contained. This steep potential originates from the specific screening properties of Dirac systems and causes the gate voltage to influence the position of the Dirac points rather than that of the Fermi level.

  5. Transport of oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and ivermectin in surface runoff from irrigated pasture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bair, Daniel A; Popova, Ina E; Tate, Kenneth W; Parikh, Sanjai J

    2017-09-02

    The transport of oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and ivermectin from manure was assessed via surface runoff on irrigated pasture. Surface runoff plots in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California were used to evaluate the effects of irrigation water application rates, pharmaceutical application conditions, vegetative cover, and vegetative filter strip length on the pharmaceutical discharge in surface runoff. Experiments were designed to permit the maximum potential transport of pharmaceuticals to surface runoff water, which included pre-irrigation to saturate soil, trimming grass where manure was applied, and laying a continuous manure strip perpendicular to the flow of water. However, due to high sorption of the pharmaceuticals to manure and soil, less than 0.1% of applied pharmaceuticals were detected in runoff water. Results demonstrated an increase of pharmaceutical transport in surface runoff with increased pharmaceutical concentration in manure, the concentration of pharmaceuticals in runoff water remained constant with increased irrigation flow rate, and no appreciable decrease in pharmaceutical runoff was produced with the vegetative filter strip length increased from 30.5 to 91.5 cm. Most of the applied pharmaceuticals were retained in the manure or within the upper 5 cm of soil directly beneath the manure application sites. As this study evaluated conditions for high transport potential, the data suggest that the risk for significant chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, and ivermectin transport to surface water from cattle manure on irrigated pasture is low.

  6. Electron transport chains in organohalide-respiring bacteria and bioremediation implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shanquan; Qiu, Lan; Liu, Xiaowei; Xu, Guofang; Siegert, Michael; Lu, Qihong; Juneau, Philippe; Yu, Ling; Liang, Dawei; He, Zhili; Qiu, Rongliang

    2018-04-06

    In situ remediation employing organohalide-respiring bacteria represents a promising solution for cleanup of persistent organohalide pollutants. The organohalide-respiring bacteria conserve energy by utilizing H 2 or organic compounds as electron donors and organohalides as electron acceptors. Reductive dehalogenase (RDase), a terminal reductase of the electron transport chain in organohalide-respiring bacteria, is the key enzyme that catalyzes halogen removal. Accumulating experimental evidence thus far suggests that there are distinct models for respiratory electron transfer in organohalide-respirers of different lineages, e.g., Dehalococcoides, Dehalobacter, Desulfitobacterium and Sulfurospirillum. In this review, to connect the knowledge in organohalide-respiratory electron transport chains to bioremediation applications, we first comprehensively review molecular components and their organization, together with energetics of the organohalide-respiratory electron transport chains, as well as recent elucidation of intramolecular electron shuttling and halogen elimination mechanisms of RDases. We then highlight the implications of organohalide-respiratory electron transport chains in stimulated bioremediation. In addition, major challenges and further developments toward understanding the organohalide-respiratory electron transport chains and their bioremediation applications are identified and discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Transepithelial transport and toxicity of PAMAM dendrimers: implications for oral drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadekar, S; Ghandehari, H

    2012-05-01

    This article summarizes efforts to evaluate poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers as carriers for oral drug delivery. Specifically, the effect of PAMAM generation, surface charge and surface modification on toxicity, cellular uptake and transepithelial transport is discussed. Studies on Caco-2 monolayers, as models of intestinal epithelial barrier, show that by engineering surface chemistry of PAMAM dendrimers, it is possible to minimize toxicity while maximizing transepithelial transport. It has been demonstrated that PAMAM dendrimers are transported by a combination of paracellular and transcellular routes. Depending on surface chemistry, PAMAM dendrimers can open the tight junctions of epithelial barriers. This tight junction opening is in part mediated by internalization of the dendrimers. Transcellular transport of PAMAM dendrimers is mediated by a variety of endocytic mechanisms. Attachment or complexation of cytotoxic agents to PAMAM dendrimers enhances the transport of such drugs across epithelial barriers. A remaining challenge is the design and development of linker chemistries that are stable in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the blood stream, but amenable to cleavage at the target site of action. Recent efforts have focused on the use of PAMAM dendrimers as penetration enhancers. Detailed in vivo oral bioavailability of PAMAM dendrimer-drug conjugates, as a function of physicochemical properties will further need to be assessed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Transport and transformation of surface water masses across the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Transport and transformation of surface water masses across the Mascarene Plateau during the Northeast Monsoon season. ... Mixing occurs in the central gap between intermediate water masses (Red Sea Water [RSW] and Antarctic Intermediate Water [AAIW]) as well as in the upper waters (Subtropical Surface Water ...

  9. Ozone-surface interactions: Investigations of mechanisms, kinetics, mass transport, and implications for indoor air quality

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morrison, Glenn Charles [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    1999-12-01

    In this dissertation, results are presented of laboratory investigations and mathematical modeling efforts designed to better understand the interactions of ozone with surfaces. In the laboratory, carpet and duct materials were exposed to ozone and measured ozone uptake kinetics and the ozone induced emissions of volatile organic compounds. To understand the results of the experiments, mathematical methods were developed to describe dynamic indoor aldehyde concentrations, mass transport of reactive species to smooth surfaces, the equivalent reaction probability of whole carpet due to the surface reactivity of fibers and carpet backing, and ozone aging of surfaces. Carpets, separated carpet fibers, and separated carpet backing all tended to release aldehydes when exposed to ozone. Secondary emissions were mostly n-nonanal and several other smaller aldehydes. The pattern of emissions suggested that vegetable oils may be precursors for these oxidized emissions. Several possible precursors and experiments in which linseed and tung oils were tested for their secondary emission potential were discussed. Dynamic emission rates of 2-nonenal from a residential carpet may indicate that intermediate species in the oxidation of conjugated olefins can significantly delay aldehyde emissions and act as reservoir for these compounds. The ozone induced emission rate of 2-nonenal, a very odorous compound, can result in odorous indoor concentrations for several years. Surface ozone reactivity is a key parameter in determining the flux of ozone to a surface, is parameterized by the reaction probability, which is simply the probability that an ozone molecule will be irreversibly consumed when it strikes a surface. In laboratory studies of two residential and two commercial carpets, the ozone reaction probability for carpet fibers, carpet backing and the equivalent reaction probability for whole carpet were determined. Typically reaction probability values for these materials were 10

  10. Applications of asymmetric nanotextured parylene surface using its wetting and transport properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sekeroglu, Koray

    In this thesis, basic digital fluidics devices were introduced using polymeric nanorods (nano-PPX) inspired from nature. Natural inspiration ignited this research by observing butterfly wings, water strider legs, rye grass leaves, and their asymmetric functions. Nano-PPX rods, manufactured by an oblique angle polymerization (OAP) method, are asymmetrically aligned structures that have unidirectional wetting properties. Nano-PPX demonstrates similar functions to the directional textured surfaces of animals and plants in terms of wetting, adhesion, and transport. The water pin-release mechanism on the asymmetric nano-PPX surface with adhesion function provides a great transport property. How the asymmetry causes transport is discussed in terms of hysteresis and interface contact of water droplets. In this study, the transport property of nano-PPX rods is used to guide droplets as well as transporting cargo such as microgels. With the addition of tracks on the nano-PPX rods, the surfaces were transformed into basic digital fluidics devices. The track-assisted nano-PPX has been employed to applications (i.e. sorting, mixing, and carrying cargo particles). Thus, digital fluidics devices fabricated on nano-PPX surface is a promising pathway to assemble microgels in the field of bioengineering. The characterization of the nano textured surface was completed using methods such as Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, Contact Angle Goniometry, and Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy. These methods helped to understand the physical and chemical properties of nano-PPX. Parameters such as advancing and receding contact angles, nanorod tilt angle, and critical drop volumes were utilized to investigate the anisotropic wetting properties of nano-PPX surface. This investigation explained the directional wetting behavior of the surface as well as approaching new design parameters for adjusting surface properties. The nanorod tilt angle was a key parameter

  11. Aspheric surface testing by irradiance transport equation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shomali, Ramin; Darudi, Ahmad; Nasiri, Sadollah; Asgharsharghi Bonab, Armir

    2010-10-01

    In this paper a method for aspheric surface testing is presented. The method is based on solving the Irradiance Transport Equation (ITE).The accuracy of ITE normally depends on the amount of the pick to valley of the phase distribution. This subject is investigated by a simulation procedure.

  12. The influence of surface roughness on volatile transport on the Moon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prem, P.; Goldstein, D. B.; Varghese, P. L.; Trafton, L. M.

    2018-01-01

    The Moon and other virtually airless bodies provide distinctive environments for the transport and sequestration of water and other volatiles delivered to their surfaces by various sources. In this work, we conduct Monte Carlo simulations of water vapor transport on the Moon to investigate the role of small-scale roughness (unresolved by orbital measurements) in the migration and cold-trapping of volatiles. Observations indicate that surface roughness, combined with the insulating nature of lunar regolith and the absence of significant exospheric heat flow, can cause large variations in temperature over very small scales. Surface temperature has a strong influence on the residence time of migrating water molecules on the lunar surface, which in turn affects the rate and magnitude of volatile transport to permanently shadowed craters (cold traps) near the lunar poles, as well as exospheric structure and the susceptibility of migrating molecules to photodestruction. Here, we develop a stochastic rough surface temperature model suitable for simulations of volatile transport on a global scale, and compare the results of Monte Carlo simulations of volatile transport with and without the surface roughness model. We find that including small-scale temperature variations and shadowing leads to a slight increase in cold-trapping at the lunar poles, accompanied by a slight decrease in photodestruction. Exospheric structure is altered only slightly, primarily at the dawn terminator. We also examine the sensitivity of our results to the temperature of small-scale shadows, and the energetics of water molecule desorption from the lunar regolith - two factors that remain to be definitively constrained by other methods - and find that both these factors affect the rate at which cold trap capture and photodissociation occur, as well as exospheric density and longevity.

  13. Modeling Fate and Transport of Rotavirus in Surface Flow by Integrating WEPP and a Pathogen Transport Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattarai, R.; Kalita, P. K.; Davidson, P. C.; Kuhlenschmidt, M. S.

    2012-12-01

    More than 3.5 million people die each year from a water related diseases in this world. Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related illness. Even in a developed country like the United States, there have been at least 1870 outbreaks associated with drinking water during the period of 1920 to 2002, causing 883,806 illnesses. Most of these outbreaks are resulted due to the presence of microbial pathogens in drinking water. Rotavirus infection has been recognized as the most common cause of diarrhea in young children throughout the world. Laboratory experiments conducted at the University of Illinois have demonstrated that recovery of rotavirus has been significantly affected by climatic and soil-surface conditions like slope, soil types, and ground cover. The objective of this study is to simulate the fate and transport of Rotavirus in overland and near-surface flow using a process-based model. In order to capture the dynamics of sediment-bound pathogens, the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) is coupled with the pathogen transport model. Transport of pathogens in overland flow can be simulated mathematically by including terms for the concentration of the pathogens in the liquid phase (in suspension or free-floating) and the solid phase (adsorbed to the fine solid particles like clay and silt). Advection, adsorption, and decay processes are considered. The mass balance equations are solved using numerical technique to predict spatial and temporal changes in pathogen concentrations in two phases. Outputs from WEPP simulations (flow velocity, depth, saturated conductivity and the soil particle fraction exiting in flow) are transferred as input for the pathogen transport model. Three soil types and three different surface cover conditions have been used in the experimental investigations. Results from these conditions have been used in calibrating and validating the simulation results. Bare surface conditions have produced very good agreement between

  14. Characterization of acetate transport in colorectal cancer cells and potential therapeutic implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferro, Suellen; Azevedo-Silva, João; Casal, Margarida; Côrte-Real, Manuela; Baltazar, Fatima; Preto, Ana

    2016-01-01

    Acetate, together with other short chain fatty acids has been implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention/therapy. Acetate was shown to induce apoptosis in CRC cells. The precise mechanism underlying acetate transport across CRC cells membrane, that may be implicated in its selectivity towards CRC cells, is not fully understood and was addressed here. We also assessed the effect of acetate in CRC glycolytic metabolism and explored its use in combination with the glycolytic inhibitor 3-bromopyruvate (3BP). We provide evidence that acetate enters CRC cells by the secondary active transporters MCT1 and/or MCT2 and SMCT1 as well as by facilitated diffusion via aquaporins. CRC cell exposure to acetate upregulates the expression of MCT1, MCT4 and CD147, while promoting MCT1 plasma membrane localization. We also observed that acetate increases CRC cell glycolytic phenotype and that acetate-induced apoptosis and anti-proliferative effect was potentiated by 3BP. Our data suggest that acetate selectivity towards CRC cells might be explained by the fact that aquaporins and MCTs are found overexpressed in CRC clinical cases. Our work highlights the importance that acetate transport regulation has in the use of drugs such as 3BP as a new therapeutic strategy for CRC. PMID:28874966

  15. Chemical Evidence for Vertical Transport from Magma Chambers to the Surface During Mid-Ocean Ridge Volcanic Eruptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinton, J. M.; Rubin, K. H.

    2009-12-01

    Many mid-ocean ridge eruptions show significant internal chemical heterogeneity; in general, the amount of chemical heterogeneity within eruptions scales with erupted volume. These variations reflect magmatic processes occurring in magma reservoirs prior to or possibly during eruption. For example, systematic variations in Mg# with along-axis distance in the early 90’s Aldo-Kihi (S. EPR near 17.5°S), 1996 N. Gorda, 1993 Co-Axial (Juan de Fuca Ridge), and 1991-2 and 2005-6 9°50’N EPR eruptions is unlikely to be related to fractionation during emplacement, and rather reflects variations in sub-axial magma reservoirs prior to eruption. Such variations are inconsistent with well-mixed sub-axial reservoirs and, in some cases, require relatively long-lived, systematic variations in reservoir temperatures along axis. Chemical heterogeneity within the Aldo-Kihi eruption preserves spatial variations in mantle-derived isotopic and trace element ratios with implications for the temporal and spatial scales of magma injections to the crust and along-axis mixing within shallow reservoirs. These spatial variations are difficult to reconcile with significant (> ~1 km) along-axis magma transport, as are striking correlations of chemical compositions with surface geological discontinuities or seismically imaged sub-axial magma chamber reflectors in the S. Hump (S. EPR), 9°50’N EPR, N. Gorda and 1975-1984 Krafla (N. Iceland) eruptive units. Rather, spatial correlations between surface lava compositions and sub-axial magma chamber properties or long-lived axial morphology suggest that most of the erupted magma was transported nearly vertically from the underlying reservoirs to the surface during these eruptions. In the case of the Krafla eruption, coincident deformation suggests a component of lateral melt migration at depth, despite chemical evidence for vertical transport of erupted lava from more than one chemical reservoir. In addition, along-ridge movement of earthquake

  16. Sea surface temperature and Ekman transport in the Persian Gulf

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. H.

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available   The wind drift motion of the water which is produced by the stress of the wind exerted upon the surface of the ocean is described by Ekmans theory (1905. Using the mean monthly values for the wind stress and SST, seasonal Ekman transport for the Persian Gulf was computed and contoured. The geostrophic winds have combined with the SST to estimate the effect of cooling due to Ekman transport of colder northern waters and inflow from the Oman Sea. The monthly SST mainly obtained from the 10 10 grided data of Levitus atlas and Hormuz Cruis Experiment for 1997.   Analyses show a NW to SE Ekman transport due to wind stress and significant interannual variability of SST on sea surface in the Persian Gulf. The seasonal variation of SST shows a continental pattern due to severe interaction between the land and sea. But these variations somehow moderates because of Ekman transport in Persian Gulf.

  17. A risk-informed basis for establishing non-fixed surface contamination limits for spent fuel transportation casks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rawl, R.R.; Eckerman, K.F.; Bogard, J.S.; Cook, J.R.

    2004-01-01

    The current limits for non-fixed contamination on packages used to transport radioactive materials were introduced in the 1961 edition of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) transport regulations and were based on radiation protection guidance and practices in use at that time. The limits were based on exposure scenarios leading to intakes of radionuclides by inhalation and external irradiation of the hands. These considerations are collectively referred to as the Fairbairn model. Although formulated over 40 years ago, the model remains unchanged and is still the basis of current regulatory-derived limits on package non-fixed surface contamination. There can also be doses that while not resulting directly from the contamination, are strongly influenced by and attributable to transport regulatory requirements for contamination control. For example, actions necessary to comply with the current derived limits for light-water-reactor (LWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) casks can result in significant external doses to workers. This is due to the relatively high radiation levels around the loaded casks, where workers must function during the measurement of contamination levels and while decontaminating the cask. In order to optimize the total dose received due to compliance with cask contamination levels, it is necessary to take into account all the doses that vary as a result of the regulatory limit. Limits for non-fixed surface contamination on spent fuel casks should be established by using a model that considers and optimizes the appropriate exposure scenarios both in the workplace and in the public environment. A risk-informed approach is needed to ensure optimal use of personnel and material resources for SNF-based packaging operations. This paper is a summary of a study sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory that examined the dose implications for removable surface contamination limits on spent fuel

  18. Surface history of Mercury - Implications for terrestrial planets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, B. C.; Strom, R. G.; Trask, N. J.; Gault, D. E.

    1975-01-01

    A plausible surface history of Mercury is presented which is suggested by Mariner 10 television pictures. Five periods are postulated which are delineated by successive variations in the modification of the surface by external and internal processes: accretion and differentiation, terminal heavy bombardment, formation of the Caloris basin, flooding of that basin and other areas, and light cratering accumulated on the smooth plains. Each period is described in detail; the overall history is compared with the surface histories of Venus, Mars, and the moon; and the implications of this history for earth are discussed. It is tentatively concluded that: Mercury is a differentiated planet most likely composed of a large iron core enclosed by a relatively thin silicate layer; heavy surface bombardment occurred about four billion years ago, which probably affected all the inner planets, and was followed by a period of volcanic activity; no surface modifications caused by tectonic, volcanic, or atmospheric processes took place after the volcanic period.

  19. 36 CFR 13.460 - Use of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams, and other means of surface transportation...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ..., motorboats, dog teams, and other means of surface transportation traditionally employed by local rural... of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams, and other means of surface transportation traditionally... this chapter, the use of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams, and other means of surface transportation...

  20. Reactive solute transport in streams: A surface complexation approach for trace metal sorption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Runkel, Robert L.; Kimball, Briant A.; McKnight, Diane M.; Bencala, Kenneth E.

    1999-01-01

    A model for trace metals that considers in-stream transport, metal oxide precipitation-dissolution, and pH-dependent sorption is presented. Linkage between a surface complexation submodel and the stream transport equations provides a framework for modeling sorption onto static and/or dynamic surfaces. A static surface (e.g., an iron- oxide-coated streambed) is defined as a surface with a temporally constant solid concentration. Limited contact between solutes in the water column and the static surface is considered using a pseudokinetic approach. A dynamic surface (e.g., freshly precipitated metal oxides) has a temporally variable solid concentration and is in equilibrium with the water column. Transport and deposition of solute mass sorbed to the dynamic surface is represented in the stream transport equations that include precipitate settling. The model is applied to a pH-modification experiment in an acid mine drainage stream. Dissolved copper concentrations were depressed for a 3 hour period in response to the experimentally elevated pH. After passage of the pH front, copper was desorbed, and dissolved concentrations returned to ambient levels. Copper sorption is modeled by considering sorption to aged hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) on the streambed (static surface) and freshly precipitated HFO in the water column (dynamic surface). Comparison of parameter estimates with reported values suggests that naturally formed iron oxides may be more effective in removing trace metals than synthetic oxides used in laboratory studies. The model's ability to simulate pH, metal oxide precipitation-dissolution, and pH-dependent sorption provides a means of evaluating the complex interactions between trace metal chemistry and hydrologic transport at the field scale.

  1. Ab initio transport across bismuth selenide surface barriers

    KAUST Repository

    Narayan, Awadhesh; Rungger, Ivan; Droghetti, Andrea; Sanvito, Stefano

    2014-01-01

    © 2014 American Physical Society. We investigate the effect of potential barriers in the form of step edges on the scattering properties of Bi2Se3(111) topological surface states by means of large-scale ab initio transport simulations. Our results

  2. A New Concept to Transport a Droplet on Horizontal Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Myong, Hyon Kook

    2014-01-01

    A fluid transport technique is a key issue for the development of microfluidic systems. In this paper, a new concept for transporting a droplet without external power sources is proposed and verified numerically. The proposed device is a heterogeneous surface which has both hydrophilic and hydrophobic horizontal surfaces. The numerical simulation to demonstrate the new concept is conducted by an in-house solution code (PowerCFD) which employs an unstructured cell-centered method based on a conservative pressure-based finite-volume method with interface capturing method (CICSAM) in a volume of fluid (VOF) scheme for phase interface capturing. It is found that the proposed concept for droplet transport shows superior performance for droplet transport in microfluidic systems

  3. Heat in the Barents Sea: transport, storage, and surface fluxes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. H. Smedsrud

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available A column model is set up for the Barents Sea to explore sensitivity of surface fluxes and heat storage from varying ocean heat transport. Mean monthly ocean transport and atmospheric forcing are synthesised and force the simulations. Results show that by using updated ocean transports of heat and freshwater the vertical mean hydrographic seasonal cycle can be reproduced fairly well.

    Our results indicate that the ~70 TW of heat transported to the Barents Sea by ocean currents is lost in the southern Barents Sea as latent, sensible, and long wave radiation, each contributing 23–39 TW to the total heat loss. Solar radiation adds 26 TW in the south, as there is no significant ice production.

    The northern Barents Sea receives little ocean heat transport. This leads to a mixed layer at the freezing point during winter and significant ice production. There is little net surface heat loss annually in the north. The balance is achieved by a heat loss through long wave radiation all year, removing most of the summer solar heating.

    During the last decade the Barents Sea has experienced an atmospheric warming and an increased ocean heat transport. The Barents Sea responds to such large changes by adjusting temperature and heat loss. Decreasing the ocean heat transport below 50 TW starts a transition towards Arctic conditions. The heat loss in the Barents Sea depend on the effective area for cooling, and an increased heat transport leads to a spreading of warm water further north.

  4. Report of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission : transportation for tomorrow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-11-01

    President Dwight D. Eisenhower had the foresight : to understand how a system of Interstate highways : would transform the Nation. If there was ever a : time to take a similarly daring look at a broadened : surface transportation network, it is now! ...

  5. Models of Fate and Transport of Pollutants in Surface Waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okome, Gloria Eloho

    2013-01-01

    There is the need to answer very crucial questions of "what happens to pollutants in surface waters?" This question must be answered to determine the factors controlling fate and transport of chemicals and their evolutionary state in surface waters. Monitoring and experimental methods are used in establishing the environmental states.…

  6. Methane Bubbles Transport Particles From Contaminated Sediment to a Lake Surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delwiche, K.; Hemond, H.

    2017-12-01

    Methane bubbling from aquatic sediments has long been known to transport carbon to the atmosphere, but new evidence presented here suggests that methane bubbles also transport particulate matter to a lake surface. This transport pathway is of particular importance in lakes with contaminated sediments, as bubble transport could increase human exposure to toxic metals. The Upper Mystic Lake in Arlington, MA has a documented history of methane bubbling and sediment contamination by arsenic and other heavy metals, and we have conducted laboratory and field studies demonstrating that methane bubbles are capable of transporting sediment particles over depths as great as 15 m in Upper Mystic Lake. Methane bubble traps were used in-situ to capture particles adhered to bubble interfaces, and to relate particle mass transport to bubble flux. Laboratory studies were conducted in a custom-made 15 m tall water column to quantify the relationship between water column height and the mass of particulate transport. We then couple this particle transport data with historical estimates of ebullition from Upper Mystic Lake to quantify the significance of bubble-mediated particle transport to heavy metal cycling within the lake. Results suggest that methane bubbles can represent a significant pathway for contaminated sediment to reach surface waters even in relatively deep water bodies. Given the frequent co-occurrence of contaminated sediments and high bubble flux rates, and the potential for human exposure to heavy metals, it will be critical to study the significance of this transport pathway for a range of sediment and contaminant types.

  7. A desk study of surface diffusion and mass transport in clay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cook, A.J.

    1988-09-01

    The concept of a geological barrier to radionuclide migration from theoretical radioactive waste repositories has drawn attention to the physico-chemical properties of clays, which are traditionally regarded as retarding media. This report addresses the different mechanisms of transport of radionuclides through clay and in particular focuses on the surface diffusion movement of sorbed cations. The relative contributory importance of the different transport mechanisms is governed by the pore size distributions and interconnections within the clay fabric. Surface diffusion data in the literature have been from experiments using compacted montmorillonite and biotite gneiss. A possible programme of laboratory work is outlined, based on diffusion experiments, which describes the way of measuring the effect of surface diffusion more accurately in clays, mudstones and shales. (author)

  8. Retention mechanisms and the flow wetted surface - implications for safety analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elert, M.

    1997-02-01

    The purpose of this report is to document the state-of-the-art concerning the flow wetted surface, its importance for radionuclide transport in the geosphere and review various suggestions on how to increase the present knowledge. Definitions are made of the various concepts used for the flow wetted surface as well as the various model parameters used. In the report methods proposed to assess the flow wetted surface are reviewed and discussed, tracer tests, tunnel and borehole investigations, geochemical studies, heat transport studies and theoretical modelling. Furthermore, a review is made of how the flow wetted surface has been treated in various safety analyses. Finally, an overall discussion with recommendations is presented, where it is concluded that at present no individual method for estimating the flow wetted surface can be selected that satisfies all requirements concerning giving relevant values, covering relevant distances and being practical to apply. Instead a combination of methods must be used. In the long-term research as well as in the safety assessment modelling focus should be put on assessing the ratio between flow wetted surface and water flux. The long-term research should address both the detailed flow within the fractures and the effective flow wetted surface along the flow paths. 55 refs

  9. Serotonin-induced down-regulation of cell surface serotonin transporter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Trine Nygaard; Christensen, Peter Møller; Gether, Ulrik

    2014-01-01

    The serotonin transporter (SERT) terminates serotonergic signaling and enables refilling of synaptic vesicles by mediating reuptake of serotonin (5-HT) released into the synaptic cleft. The molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling SERT activity and surface expression are not fully understood...

  10. Modeling marine surface microplastic transport to assess optimal removal locations

    OpenAIRE

    Sherman, Peter; Van Sebille, Erik

    2016-01-01

    Marine plastic pollution is an ever-increasing problem that demands immediate mitigation and reduction plans. Here, a model based on satellite-tracked buoy observations and scaled to a large data set of observations on microplastic from surface trawls was used to simulate the transport of plastics floating on the ocean surface from 2015 to 2025, with the goal to assess the optimal marine microplastic removal locations for two scenarios: removing the most surface microplastic and reducing the ...

  11. Patterned gradient surface for spontaneous droplet transportation and water collection: simulation and experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, Xianhua; Zhu, Yiying; Shi, Tielin; Tang, Zirong; Liao, Guanglan

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate spontaneous droplet transportation and water collection on wedge-shaped gradient surfaces consisting of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. Droplets on the surfaces are modeled and simulated to analyze the Gibbs free energy and free energy gradient distributions. Big half-apex angle and great wettability difference result in considerable free energy gradient, corresponding to large driving force for spontaneous droplet transportation, thus causing the droplets to move towards the open end of the wedge-shaped hydrophilic regions, where the Gibbs free energy is low. Gradient surfaces are then fabricated and tested. Filmwise condensation begins on the hydrophilic regions, forming wedge-shaped tracks for water collection. Dropwise condensation occurs on the hydrophobic regions, where the droplet size distribution and departure diameters are controlled by the width of the regions. Condensate water from both the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions are collected directionally to the open end of the wedge-shaped hydrophilic regions, agreeing with the simulations. Directional droplet transport and controllable departure diameters make the branched gradient surfaces more efficient than smooth surfaces for water collection, which proves that gradient surfaces are potential in water collection, microfluidic devices, anti-fogging and self-cleaning. (paper)

  12. An Eulerian two-phase flow model for sediment transport under realistic surface waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, T. J.; Kim, Y.; Cheng, Z.; Chauchat, J.

    2017-12-01

    Wave-driven sediment transport is of major importance in driving beach morphology. However, the complex mechanisms associated with unsteadiness, free-surface effects, and wave-breaking turbulence have not been fully understood. Particularly, most existing models for sediment transport adopt bottom boundary layer approximation that mimics the flow condition in oscillating water tunnel (U-tube). However, it is well-known that there are key differences in sediment transport when comparing to large wave flume datasets, although the number of wave flume experiments are relatively limited regardless of its importance. Thus, a numerical model which can resolve the entire water column from the bottom boundary layer to the free surface can be a powerful tool. This study reports an on-going effort to better understand and quantify sediment transport under shoaling and breaking surface waves through the creation of open-source numerical models in the OpenFOAM framework. An Eulerian two-phase flow model, SedFoam (Cheng et al., 2017, Coastal Eng.) is fully coupled with a volume-of-fluid solver, interFoam/waves2Foam (Jacobsen et al., 2011, Int. J. Num. Fluid). The fully coupled model, named SedWaveFoam, regards the air and water phases as two immiscible fluids with the interfaces evolution resolved, and the sediment particles as dispersed phase. We carried out model-data comparisons with the large wave flume sheet flow data for nonbreaking waves reported by Dohmen-Janssen and Hanes (2002, J. Geophysical Res.) and good agreements were obtained for sediment concentration and net transport rate. By further simulating a case without free-surface (mimic U-tube condition), the effects of free-surface, most notably the boundary layer streaming effect on total transport, can be quantified.

  13. The cyanobacterial bicarbonate transporter BicA: its physiological role and the implications of structural similarities with human SLC26 transporters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, G Dean; Howitt, Susan M

    2011-04-01

    The cyanobacterial Na+-dependent HCO3- transporter BicA is a member of the ubiquitous and important SulP/SLC26 family of anion transporters found in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. BicA is an important component of the cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism, an adaptation that contributes to cyanobacteria being able to achieve an estimated 25% of global primary productivity, largely in the oceans. The human SLC26 members are involved in a range of key cellular functions involving a diverse range of anion transport activities including Cl-/HCO3-, I-/HCO3-, and SO42-/HCO3- exchange; mutations in SLC26 members are known to be associated with debilitating diseases such as Pendred syndrome, chondrodysplasias, and congenital chloride diarrhoea. We have recently experimentally determined the membrane topology of BicA using the phoA-lacZ reporter system and here consider some of the extrapolated implications for topology of the human SLC26 family and the Sultr plant sulphate transporters.

  14. Implications of Lagrangian transport for coupled chemistry-climate simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stenke, A.; Dameris, M.; Grewe, V.; Garny, H.

    2008-10-01

    For the first time a purely Lagrangian transport algorithm is applied in a fully coupled chemistry-climate model (CCM). We use the Lagrangian scheme ATTILA for the transport of water vapour, cloud water and chemical trace species in the ECHAM4.L39(DLR)/CHEM (E39C) CCM. The advantage of the Lagrangian approach is that it is numerically non-diffusive and therefore maintains steeper and more realistic gradients than the operational semi-Lagrangian transport scheme. In case of radiatively active species changes in the simulated distributions feed back to model dynamics which in turn affect the modelled transport. The implications of the Lagrangian transport scheme for stratospheric model dynamics and tracer distributions in the upgraded model version E39C-ATTILA (E39C-A) are evaluated by comparison with observations and results of the E39C model with the operational semi-Lagrangian advection scheme. We find that several deficiencies in stratospheric dynamics in E39C seem to originate from a pronounced modelled wet bias and an associated cold bias in the extra-tropical lowermost stratosphere. The reduction of the simulated moisture and temperature bias in E39C-A leads to a significant advancement of stratospheric dynamics in terms of the mean state as well as annual and interannual variability. As a consequence of the favourable numerical characteristics of the Lagrangian transport scheme and the improved model dynamics, E39C-A generally shows more realistic stratospheric tracer distributions: Compared to E39C high stratospheric chlorine (Cly) concentrations extend further downward and agree now well with analyses derived from observations. Therefore E39C-A realistically covers the altitude of maximum ozone depletion in the stratosphere. The location of the ozonopause, i.e. the transition from low tropospheric to high stratospheric ozone values, is also clearly improved in E39C-A. Furthermore, the simulated temporal evolution of stratospheric Cly in the past is

  15. Long term energy and emission implications of a global shift to electricity-based public rail transportation system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaturvedi, Vaibhav; Kim, Son H.

    2015-01-01

    With high reliance on light-duty vehicles in the present, the future of global transportation system is also geared towards private modes, which has significant energy and emission implications. Public transportation has been argued as an alternative strategy for meeting the rising transportation demands of the growing world, especially the poor, in a sustainable and energy efficient way. The present study analyzes an important yet under-researched question – what are the long-term energy and emission implications of an electric rail based passenger transportation system for meeting both long and short distance passenter transportation needs? We analyze a suite of electric rail share scenarios with and without climate policy. In the reference scenario, the transportation system will evolve towards dominance of fossil based light-duty vehicles. We find that an electric rail policy is more successful than an economy wide climate policy in reducing transport sector energy demand and emissions. Economy wide emissions however can only be reduced through a broader climate policy, the cost of which can be reduced by hundreds of billions of dollars across the century when implemented in combination with the transport sector focused electric rail policy. Moreover, higher share of electric rail enhances energy security for oil importing nations and reduces vehicular congestion and road infrastructure requirement as well. -- Highlights: •Economy wide carbon price policy will have little impact on transportation emissions. •Focused energy and emission mitigation policies required for transportation sector. •Large global shift towards electric rail based public transport is one possible option. •Transport sector focused policy will have marginal impact on total global emissions. •A combined transport sector and economy wide policy can reduce costs significantly

  16. Life Sciences Implications of Lunar Surface Operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chappell, Steven P.; Norcross, Jason R.; Abercromby, Andrew F.; Gernhardt, Michael L.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to document preliminary, predicted, life sciences implications of expected operational concepts for lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA). Algorithms developed through simulation and testing in lunar analog environments were used to predict crew metabolic rates and ground reaction forces experienced during lunar EVA. Subsequently, the total metabolic energy consumption, the daily bone load stimulus, total oxygen needed, and other variables were calculated and provided to Human Research Program and Exploration Systems Mission Directorate stakeholders. To provide context to the modeling, the report includes an overview of some scenarios that have been considered. Concise descriptions of the analog testing and development of the algorithms are also provided. This document may be updated to remain current with evolving lunar or other planetary surface operations, assumptions and concepts, and to provide additional data and analyses collected during the ongoing analog research program.

  17. Implications of high density operation on SOL transport: A multimachine investigation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Carralero, D.; Müller, H.W.; Groth, M.; Komm, Michael; Adámek, Jiří; Birkenmeier, G.; Brix, M.; Janky, Filip; Háček, Pavel; Marsen, S.; Reimold, F.; Silva, C.; Stroth, U.; Wischmeier, M.; Wolfrum, E.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 463, August (2015), s. 123-127 ISSN 0022-3115. [PLASMA-SURFACE INTERACTIONS 21: International Conference on Plasma-Surface Interactions in Controlled Fusion Devices. Kanazawa, 26.05.2014-30.05.2014] Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : SOL transport * tokamak * COMPASS Subject RIV: JF - Nuclear Energetics OBOR OECD: Nuclear related engineering Impact factor: 2.199, year: 2015 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002231151400703X

  18. Surface assisted electric transport in Ag2S thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karashanova, D.; Starbov, N.

    2006-01-01

    Electric transport measurements of thickness-dependent electronic and ionic conductivity of epitaxial Ag 2 S films are used to split both kinds of conductivity into bulk and surface components. The established considerable electronic and ionic surface conductances demonstrate unambiguously the co-existance of electronic and ionic space charge regions in the vicinity of silver sulfide free surface oriented along the zone axes [1-bar 01-bar ]. The parameters of both space charge layers - surface potential, thickness of the space charge region and concentration of the surface compensating charges, are calculated. It is estimated that for intrinsic silver sulfide, the effective surface potential of (1-bar 01-bar ) Ag 2 S surface is negative, its value being about -610mV at 400K

  19. Surface charge-specific interactions between polymer nanoparticles and ABC transporters in Caco-2 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhattacharjee, Sourav, E-mail: sourav.bhattacharjee@wur.nl [Wageningen University, Laboratory of Organic Chemistry (Netherlands); Opstal, Edward J. van; Alink, Gerrit M. [Wageningen University, Division of Toxicology (Netherlands); Marcelis, Antonius T. M.; Zuilhof, Han [Wageningen University, Laboratory of Organic Chemistry (Netherlands); Rietjens, Ivonne M. C. M. [Wageningen University, Division of Toxicology (Netherlands)

    2013-06-15

    The surface charge-dependent transport of polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) across Caco-2 monolayers grown on transwell culture systems as an in vitro model for intestinal transport was tested. The transport of well-characterized, monodisperse, and fluorescent tri-block copolymer nanoparticles (TCNPs/size {approx}45 nm) and polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs/size {approx}50 nm), with different surface charges (positive and negative), was quantified. The positive PNPs showed a higher intracellular uptake and flux across the Caco-2 monolayers than the negative PNPs. Multidrug resistance/P-glycoprotein (MDR1/P-gp), a specific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, was found to play a major role in the cellular efflux of positive PNPs, whereas the multidrug resistance protein 1 took part in the efflux of negative PNPs from Caco-2 cells. The positive PNPs also caused an increased cellular uptake and apical to basolateral transport of the carcinogen PhIP across the Caco-2 monolayer. The flavonoid quercetin, which is known to interact with ABC transporters, promoted the intracellular uptake of different PNPs and interfered with the normal distribution patterns of PNPs in the transwell system. These results indicate that PNPs display surface charge-specific interactions with ABC transporters and can even affect the bioavailability of toxic food-borne compounds (like pro-carcinogens).

  20. Surface charge-specific interactions between polymer nanoparticles and ABC transporters in Caco-2 cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharjee, Sourav; van Opstal, Edward J.; Alink, Gerrit M.; Marcelis, Antonius T. M.; Zuilhof, Han; Rietjens, Ivonne M. C. M.

    2013-06-01

    The surface charge-dependent transport of polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) across Caco-2 monolayers grown on transwell culture systems as an in vitro model for intestinal transport was tested. The transport of well-characterized, monodisperse, and fluorescent tri-block copolymer nanoparticles (TCNPs/size 45 nm) and polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs/size 50 nm), with different surface charges (positive and negative), was quantified. The positive PNPs showed a higher intracellular uptake and flux across the Caco-2 monolayers than the negative PNPs. Multidrug resistance/P-glycoprotein (MDR1/P-gp), a specific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, was found to play a major role in the cellular efflux of positive PNPs, whereas the multidrug resistance protein 1 took part in the efflux of negative PNPs from Caco-2 cells. The positive PNPs also caused an increased cellular uptake and apical to basolateral transport of the carcinogen PhIP across the Caco-2 monolayer. The flavonoid quercetin, which is known to interact with ABC transporters, promoted the intracellular uptake of different PNPs and interfered with the normal distribution patterns of PNPs in the transwell system. These results indicate that PNPs display surface charge-specific interactions with ABC transporters and can even affect the bioavailability of toxic food-borne compounds (like pro-carcinogens).

  1. Surface charge-specific interactions between polymer nanoparticles and ABC transporters in Caco-2 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhattacharjee, Sourav; Opstal, Edward J. van; Alink, Gerrit M.; Marcelis, Antonius T. M.; Zuilhof, Han; Rietjens, Ivonne M. C. M.

    2013-01-01

    The surface charge-dependent transport of polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) across Caco-2 monolayers grown on transwell culture systems as an in vitro model for intestinal transport was tested. The transport of well-characterized, monodisperse, and fluorescent tri-block copolymer nanoparticles (TCNPs/size ∼45 nm) and polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs/size ∼50 nm), with different surface charges (positive and negative), was quantified. The positive PNPs showed a higher intracellular uptake and flux across the Caco-2 monolayers than the negative PNPs. Multidrug resistance/P-glycoprotein (MDR1/P-gp), a specific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, was found to play a major role in the cellular efflux of positive PNPs, whereas the multidrug resistance protein 1 took part in the efflux of negative PNPs from Caco-2 cells. The positive PNPs also caused an increased cellular uptake and apical to basolateral transport of the carcinogen PhIP across the Caco-2 monolayer. The flavonoid quercetin, which is known to interact with ABC transporters, promoted the intracellular uptake of different PNPs and interfered with the normal distribution patterns of PNPs in the transwell system. These results indicate that PNPs display surface charge-specific interactions with ABC transporters and can even affect the bioavailability of toxic food-borne compounds (like pro-carcinogens).

  2. Thermoelectric Transport by Surface States in Bi2Se3-Based Topological Insulator Thin Films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Long-Long; Xu Wen

    2015-01-01

    We develop a tractable theoretical model to investigate the thermoelectric (TE) transport properties of surface states in topological insulator thin films (TITFs) of Bi 2 Se 3 at room temperature. The hybridization between top and bottom surface states in the TITF plays a significant role. With the increasing hybridization-induced surface gap, the electrical conductivity and electron thermal conductivity decrease while the Seebeck coefficient increases. This is due to the metal-semiconductor transition induced by the surface-state hybridization. Based on these TE transport coefficients, the TE figure-of-merit ZT is evaluated. It is shown that ZT can be greatly improved by the surface-state hybridization. Our theoretical results are pertinent to the exploration of the TE transport properties of surface states in TITFs and to the potential application of Bi 2 Se 3 -based TITFs as high-performance TE materials and devices. (paper)

  3. Direct measurements of surface scattering in Si nanosheets using a microscale phonon spectrometer: implications for Casimir-limit predicted by Ziman theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hertzberg, Jared B; Aksit, Mahmut; Otelaja, Obafemi O; Stewart, Derek A; Robinson, Richard D

    2014-02-12

    Thermal transport in nanostructures is strongly affected by phonon-surface interactions, which are expected to depend on the phonon's wavelength and the surface roughness. Here we fabricate silicon nanosheets, measure their surface roughness (∼ 1 nm) using atomic force microscopy (AFM), and assess the phonon scattering rate in the sheets with a novel technique: a microscale phonon spectrometer. The spectrometer employs superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) to produce and detect controllable nonthermal distributions of phonons from ∼ 90 to ∼ 870 GHz. This technique offers spectral resolution nearly 10 times better than a thermal conductance measurement. We compare measured phonon transmission rates to rates predicted by a Monte Carlo model of phonon trajectories, assuming that these trajectories are dominated by phonon-surface interactions and using the Ziman theory to predict phonon-surface scattering rates based on surface topology. Whereas theory predicts a diffuse surface scattering probability of less than 40%, our measurements are consistent with a 100% probability. Our nanosheets therefore exhibit the so-called "Casimir limit" at a much lower frequency than expected if the phonon scattering rates follow the Ziman theory for a 1 nm surface roughness. Such a result holds implications for thermal management in nanoscale electronics and the design of nanostructured thermoelectrics.

  4. Transport mechanism of an initially spherical droplet on a combined hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Myong, Hyon Kook; Kwon, Young Hoo [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-11-15

    Fluid transport is a key issue in the development of microfluidic systems. Recently, Myong (2014) has proposed a new concept for droplet transport without external power sources, and numerically validated the results for a hypothetical 2D shape, initially having a hemicylindrical droplet shape. Myong and Kwon (2015) have also examined the transport mechanism for an actual water droplet, initially having a 3D hemispherical shape, on a horizontal hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface, based on the numerical results of the time evolution of the droplet shape, as well as the total kinetic, gravitational, pressure and surface free energies inside the droplet. In this study, a 3D numerical analysis of an initially spherical droplet is carried out to establish a new concept for droplet transport. Further, the transport mechanism of an actual water droplet is examined in detail from the viewpoint of the capillarity force imbalance through the numerical results of droplet shape and various energies inside the droplet.

  5. Time-Dependent Liquid Transport on a Biomimetic Topological Surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Cunlong; Li, Chuxin; Gao, Can; Dong, Zhichao; Wu, Lei; Jiang, Lei

    2018-05-02

    Liquid drops impacting on a solid surface is a familiar phenomenon. On rainy days, it is quite important for leaves to drain off impacting raindrops. Water can bounce off or flow down a water-repellent leaf easily, but with difficulty on a hydrophilic leaf. Here, we show an interesting phenomenon in which impacting drops on the hydrophilic pitcher rim of Nepenthes alata can spread outward to prohibit water filling the pitcher tank. We mimic the peristome surface through a designed 3D printing and replicating way and report a time-dependently switchable liquid transport based on biomimetic topological structures, where surface curvature can work synergistically with the surface microtextures to manipulate the switchable spreading performance. Motived by this strange behavior, we construct a large-scaled peristome-mimetic surface in a 3D profile, demonstrating the ability to reduce the need to mop or to squeegee drops that form during the drop impacting process on pipes or other curved surfaces in food processing, moisture transfer, heat management, etc.

  6. Quantification of chemical transport processes from the soil to surface runoff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Kun; Huang, Chi-Hua; Wang, Guang-Qian; Fu, Xu-Dong; Parker, Gary

    2013-01-01

    There is a good conceptual understanding of the processes that govern chemical transport from the soil to surface runoff, but few studies have actually quantified these processes separately. Thus, we designed a laboratory flow cell and experimental procedures to quantify the chemical transport from soil to runoff water in the following individual processes: (i) convection with a vertical hydraulic gradient, (ii) convection via surface flow or the Bernoulli effect, (iii) diffusion, and (iv) soil loss. We applied different vertical hydraulic gradients by setting the flow cell to generate different seepage or drainage conditions. Our data confirmed the general form of the convection-diffusion equation. However, we now have additional quantitative data that describe the contribution of each individual chemical loading process in different surface runoff and soil hydrological conditions. The results of this study will be useful for enhancing our understanding of different geochemical processes in the surface soil mixing zone. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  7. High-speed surface transportation corridor : a conceptual framework, final report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-10-08

    Efficient transportation is indispensable for economic growth and prosperity. In this study we propose the development of a high-speed surface corridor and compatible vehicles. We present a conceptual framework for this corridor and vehicle. This pro...

  8. Interfaces in aquatic ecosystems: Implications for transport and impact of anthropogenic compounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knulst, J.

    1996-11-01

    Mechanisms that govern transport, accumulation and toxicity of persistent pollutants at interfaces in aquatic ecosystems were the foci of this thesis. Specific attention was paid to humic substances, their occurrence, composition, and role in exchange processes across interfaces. It was concluded that: The composition of humic substances in aquatic surface microlayers is different from that of the subsurface water and terrestrial humic matter. Levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the aquatic surface microlayer reflect the DOC levels in the subsurface water. While the levels and enrichment of DOC in the microlayer generally show small variations, the levels and enrichment of particulate organic carbon (POC) vary to a great extent. Similarities exist between aquatic surface films, artificial semi-permeable and biological membranes regarding their structure and functioning. Acidification and liming of freshwater ecosystems affect DOC:POC ratio and humic composition of the surface film, thus influencing the partitioning of pollutants across aquatic interfaces. Properties of lake catchment areas extensively govern DOC:POC ratio both in the surface film and subsurface water. Increased UV-B irradiation changes the DOC:POC ratio in the surface film and thus affect transfer of matter across the interface. Transport of lipophilic, persistent organic pollutants across semi-permeable membranes is influenced by the solutes organic composition. 106 refs, 11 figs, 1 tab

  9. Surface Effect on Oil Transportation in Nanochannel: a Molecular Dynamics Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Haixia; Du, Yonggang; Xue, Qingzhong; Zhu, Lei; Li, Xiaofang; Lu, Shuangfang; Jin, Yakang

    2017-12-01

    In this work, we investigate the dynamics mechanism of oil transportation in nanochannel using molecular dynamics simulations. It is demonstrated that the interaction between oil molecules and nanochannel has a great effect on the transportation properties of oil in nanochannel. Because of different interactions between oil molecules and channel, the center of mass (COM) displacement of oil in a 6-nm channel is over 30 times larger than that in a 2-nm channel, and the diffusion coefficient of oil molecules at the center of a 6-nm channel is almost two times more than that near the channel surface. Besides, it is found that polarity of oil molecules has the effect on impeding oil transportation, because the electrostatic interaction between polar oil molecules and channel is far larger than that between nonpolar oil molecules and channel. In addition, channel component is found to play an important role in oil transportation in nanochannel, for example, the COM displacement of oil in gold channel is very few due to great interaction between oil and gold substrate. It is also found that nano-sized roughness of channel surface greatly influences the speed and flow pattern of oil. Our findings would contribute to revealing the mechanism of oil transportation in nanochannels and therefore are very important for design of oil extraction in nanochannels.

  10. Surface Chemistry of La0.99Sr0.01NbO4-d and Its Implication for Proton Conduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Cheng; Pramana, Stevin S; Ni, Na; Kilner, John; Skinner, Stephen J

    2017-09-06

    Acceptor-doped LaNbO 4 is a promising electrolyte material for proton-conducting fuel cell (PCFC) applications. As charge transfer processes govern device performance, the outermost surface of acceptor-doped LaNbO 4 will play an important role in determining the overall cell performance. However, the surface composition is poorly characterized, and the understanding of its impact on the proton exchange process is rudimentary. In this work, the surface chemistry of 1 atom % Sr-doped LaNbO 4 (La 0.99 Sr 0.01 NbO 4-d , denoted as LSNO) proton conductor is characterized using LEIS and SIMS. The implication of a surface layer on proton transport is studied using the isotopic exchange technique. It has shown that a Sr-enriched but La-deficient surface layer of about 6-7 nm thick forms after annealing the sample under static air at 1000 °C for 10 h. The onset of segregation is found to be between 600 and 800 °C, and an equilibrium surface layer forms after 10 h annealing. A phase separation mechanism, due to the low solubility of Sr in LaNbO 4 , has been proposed to explain the observed segregation behavior. The surface layer was concluded to impede the water incorporation process, leading to a reduced isotopic fraction after the D 2 16 O wet exchange process, highlighting the impact of surface chemistry on the proton exchange process.

  11. Geometrical properties of rough metallic surfaces and their implication in electromagnetic problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernandez, A.; Chicon, R.; Ortuno, M.; Abellan, J.

    1987-01-01

    We analyze the geometrical properties and their implications in the effective surface resistance and wall losses of rough metallic surfaces. The power spectrum and the autocorrelation function are calculated for a simple model that adequately represent the rough surface. The roughness parameters are obtained through average values of the roughness and its derivative. We calculate the density profile, directly related to the depth-dependent effective conductivity. The data from the profilometer are corrected to take into account the finite size of the tip. (author)

  12. Modeling and analysis of surface roughness effects on sputtering, reflection, and sputtered particle transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brooks, J.N.; Ruzic, D.N.

    1990-01-01

    The microstructure of the redeposited surface in tokamaks may affect sputtering and reflection properties and subsequent particle transport. This subject has been studied numerically using coupled models/codes for near-surface plasma particle kinetic transport (WBC code) and rough surface sputtering (fractal-TRIM). The coupled codes provide an overall Monte Carlo calculation of the sputtering cascade resulting from an initial flux of hydrogen ions. Beryllium, carbon, and tungsten surfaces are analyzed for typical high recycling, oblique magnetic field, divertor conditions. Significant variations in computed sputtering rates are found with surface roughness. Beryllium exhibits high D-T and self-sputtering coefficients for the plasma regime studied (T e = 30-75 eV). Carbon and tungsten sputtering is significantly lower. 9 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

  13. Transportation-Driven Mars Surface Operations Supporting an Evolvable Mars Campaign

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toups, Larry; Brown, Kendall; Hoffman, Stephen J.

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes the results of a study evaluating options for supporting a series of human missions to a single Mars surface destination. In this scenario the infrastructure emplaced during previous visits to this site is leveraged in following missions. The goal of this single site approach to Mars surface infrastructure is to enable "Steady State" operations by at least 4 crew for up to 500 sols at this site. These characteristics, along with the transportation system used to deliver crew and equipment to and from Mars, are collectively known as the Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC). Information in this paper is presented in the sequence in which it was accomplished. First, a logical buildup sequence of surface infrastructure was developed to achieve the desired "Steady State" operations on the Mars surface. This was based on a concept of operations that met objectives of the EMC. Second, infrastructure capabilities were identified to carry out this concept of operations. Third, systems (in the form of conceptual elements) were identified to provide these capabilities. This included top-level mass, power and volume estimates for these elements. Fourth, the results were then used in analyses to evaluate three options (18t, 27t, and 40t landed mass) of Mars Lander delivery capability to the surface. Finally, Mars arrival mass estimates were generated based upon the entry, descent, and landing requirements for inclusion in separate assessments of in-space transportation capabilities for the EMC.

  14. Surface proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin films on quartz substrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nagao, Yuki, E-mail: ynagao@jaist.ac.jp; Kubo, Takahiro

    2014-12-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin film was investigated. • The thin film structure differed greatly from the partially protonated one. • Proton transport occurs on the surface, not inside of the thin film. • This result contributes to biological transport systems such as bacteriorhodopsin. - Abstract: Thin film structure and the proton transport property of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) (P-Asp100) have been investigated. An earlier study assessed partially protonated poly(aspartic acid), highly oriented thin film structure and enhancement of the internal proton transport. In this study of P-Asp100, IR p-polarized multiple-angle incidence resolution (P-MAIR) spectra were measured to investigate the thin film structure. The obtained thin films, with thicknesses of 120–670 nm, had no oriented structure. Relative humidity dependence of the resistance, proton conductivity, and normalized resistance were examined to ascertain the proton transport property of P-Asp100 thin films. The obtained data showed that the proton transport of P-Asp100 thin films might occur on the surface, not inside of the thin film. This phenomenon might be related with the proton transport of the biological system.

  15. Surface proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin films on quartz substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagao, Yuki; Kubo, Takahiro

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin film was investigated. • The thin film structure differed greatly from the partially protonated one. • Proton transport occurs on the surface, not inside of the thin film. • This result contributes to biological transport systems such as bacteriorhodopsin. - Abstract: Thin film structure and the proton transport property of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) (P-Asp100) have been investigated. An earlier study assessed partially protonated poly(aspartic acid), highly oriented thin film structure and enhancement of the internal proton transport. In this study of P-Asp100, IR p-polarized multiple-angle incidence resolution (P-MAIR) spectra were measured to investigate the thin film structure. The obtained thin films, with thicknesses of 120–670 nm, had no oriented structure. Relative humidity dependence of the resistance, proton conductivity, and normalized resistance were examined to ascertain the proton transport property of P-Asp100 thin films. The obtained data showed that the proton transport of P-Asp100 thin films might occur on the surface, not inside of the thin film. This phenomenon might be related with the proton transport of the biological system

  16. Regulation of the Dopamine and Vesicular Monoamine Transporters: Pharmacological Targets and Implications for Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    German, Christopher L; Baladi, Michelle G; McFadden, Lisa M; Hanson, Glen R; Fleckenstein, Annette E

    2015-10-01

    Dopamine (DA) plays a well recognized role in a variety of physiologic functions such as movement, cognition, mood, and reward. Consequently, many human disorders are due, in part, to dysfunctional dopaminergic systems, including Parkinson's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and substance abuse. Drugs that modify the DA system are clinically effective in treating symptoms of these diseases or are involved in their manifestation, implicating DA in their etiology. DA signaling and distribution are primarily modulated by the DA transporter (DAT) and by vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT)-2, which transport DA into presynaptic terminals and synaptic vesicles, respectively. These transporters are regulated by complex processes such as phosphorylation, protein-protein interactions, and changes in intracellular localization. This review provides an overview of 1) the current understanding of DAT and VMAT2 neurobiology, including discussion of studies ranging from those conducted in vitro to those involving human subjects; 2) the role of these transporters in disease and how these transporters are affected by disease; and 3) and how selected drugs alter the function and expression of these transporters. Understanding the regulatory processes and the pathologic consequences of DAT and VMAT2 dysfunction underlies the evolution of therapeutic development for the treatment of DA-related disorders. Copyright © 2015 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

  17. Nonadiabaticity and single-electron transport driven by surface acoustic waves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Flensberg, Karsten; Niu, Q.; Pustilnik, M.

    1999-01-01

    Single-electron transport driven by surface acoustic waves (SAW) through a narrow constriction, formed in a two-dimensional electron gas, is studied theoretically. Due to long-range Coulomb interaction, the tunneling coupling between the electron gas and the moving minimum of the SAW...

  18. Morphing Surfaces Enable Acoustophoretic Contactless Transport of Ultrahigh-Density Matter in Air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foresti, Daniele; Sambatakakis, Giorgio; Bottan, Simone; Poulikakos, Dimos

    2013-01-01

    The controlled contactless transport of heavy drops and particles in air is of fundamental interest and has significant application potential. Acoustic forces do not rely on special material properties, but their utility in transporting heavy matter in air has been restricted by low power and poor controllability. Here we present a new concept of acoustophoresis, based on the morphing of a deformable reflector, which exploits the low reaction forces and low relaxation time of a liquid with enhanced surface tension through the use of thin overlaid membrane. An acoustically induced, mobile deformation (dimple) on the reflector surface enhances the acoustic field emitted by a line of discretized emitters and enables the countinuos motion of heavy levitated samples. With such interplay of emitters and reflecting soft-structure, a 5 mm steel sphere (0.5 grams) was contactlessly transported in air solely by acoustophoresis. PMID:24212104

  19. Effect of surface roughness scattering on the transport properties of a 2DEG

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yarar, Z.

    2004-01-01

    In this work surface roughness scattering of electrons in a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed at heterojunction interfaces is investigated for various auto-correlation functions. Gaussian, exponential and Lorentzian auto-correlation functions are used to represent surface roughness. Poisson and Schrodinger equations are solved self consistently at the hetero interface to find the energy levels, the wave functions corresponding to each level and electron concentrations at each level. Using these wave functions and the auto-correlation functions mentioned above, the scattering rates due to surface roughness are calculated. Scattering rates resulting from acoustic and optical phonons are also calculated. These rates are used to study the transport properties of the two dimensional electrons using ensemble Monte Carlo method at various temperatures. Emphasis is given to the effect of surface roughness scattering on the transport properties of the electrons

  20. Magnetic transport apparatus for the production of ultracold atomic gases in the vicinity of a dielectric surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haendel, S.; Marchant, A. L.; Wiles, T. P.; Hopkins, S. A.; Cornish, S. L.

    2012-01-01

    We present an apparatus designed for studies of atom-surface interactions using quantum degenerate gases of 85 Rb and 87 Rb in the vicinity of a room temperature dielectric surface. The surface to be investigated is a super-polished face of a glass Dove prism mounted in a glass cell under ultra-high vacuum. To maintain excellent optical access to the region surrounding the surface, magnetic transport is used to deliver ultracold atoms from a separate vacuum chamber housing the magneto-optical trap (MOT). We present a detailed description of the vacuum apparatus highlighting the novel design features; a low profile MOT chamber and the inclusion of an obstacle in the transport path. We report the characterization and optimization of the magnetic transport around the obstacle, achieving transport efficiencies of 70% with negligible heating. Finally, we demonstrate the loading of a hybrid optical-magnetic trap with 87 Rb and the creation of Bose-Einstein condensates via forced evaporative cooling close to the dielectric surface.

  1. Ab initio transport across bismuth selenide surface barriers

    KAUST Repository

    Narayan, Awadhesh

    2014-11-24

    © 2014 American Physical Society. We investigate the effect of potential barriers in the form of step edges on the scattering properties of Bi2Se3(111) topological surface states by means of large-scale ab initio transport simulations. Our results demonstrate the suppression of perfect backscattering, while all other scattering processes, which do not entail a complete spin and momentum reversal, are allowed. Furthermore, we find that the spin of the surface state develops an out-of-plane component as it traverses the barrier. Our calculations reveal the existence of quasibound states in the vicinity of the surface barriers, which appear in the form of an enhanced density of states in the energy window corresponding to the topological state. For double barriers we demonstrate the formation of quantum well states. To complement our first-principles results we construct a two-dimensional low-energy effective model and illustrate its shortcomings. Our findings are discussed in the context of a number of recent experimental works.

  2. Modeling marine surface microplastic transport to assess optimal removal locations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sherman, Peter; Van Sebille, Erik

    2016-01-01

    Marine plastic pollution is an ever-increasing problem that demands immediate mitigation and reduction plans. Here, a model based on satellite-tracked buoy observations and scaled to a large data set of observations on microplastic from surface trawls was used to simulate the transport of plastics

  3. Transport of particles by surface waves: a modification of the classical bouncer model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ragulskis, M; Sanjuan, M A F

    2008-01-01

    We consider a ball under the influence of gravity on a platform. A propagating surface wave travels on the surface of the platform, while the platform remains motionless. This is a modification of the classical bouncing ball problem and describes the transport of particles by surface waves. Phase and velocity maps cannot be expressed in an explicit form owing to implicit formulations, and no formal analytical analysis is possible. Numerical analysis shows that the transition to chaos is produced via a period doubling route, which is a common property for classical bouncers. The bouncing process can be sensitive to the initial conditions, which can build the ground for control techniques that can dramatically increase the effectiveness of particle transport in practical applications

  4. Impact of the Topological Surface State on the Thermoelectric Transport in Sb2Te3 Thin Films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinsche, Nicki F; Zastrow, Sebastian; Gooth, Johannes; Pudewill, Laurens; Zierold, Robert; Rittweger, Florian; Rauch, Tomáš; Henk, Jürgen; Nielsch, Kornelius; Mertig, Ingrid

    2015-04-28

    Ab initio electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory and tight-binding methods for the thermoelectric properties of p-type Sb2Te3 films are presented. The thickness-dependent electrical conductivity and the thermopower are computed in the diffusive limit of transport based on the Boltzmann equation. Contributions of the bulk and the surface to the transport coefficients are separated, which enables to identify a clear impact of the topological surface state on the thermoelectric properties. When the charge carrier concentration is tuned, a crossover between a surface-state-dominant and a Fuchs-Sondheimer transport regime is achieved. The calculations are corroborated by thermoelectric transport measurements on Sb2Te3 films grown by atomic layer deposition.

  5. Natural spatial and temporal variations in groundwater chemistry in fractured, sedimentary rocks: scale and implications for solute transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoven, Stephen J. van der; Kip Solomon, D.; Moline, Gerilynn R.

    2005-01-01

    Natural tracers (major ions, δ 18 O, and O 2 ) were monitored to evaluate groundwater flow and transport to a depth of 20 m below the surface in fractured sedimentary (primarily shale and limestone) rocks. Large temporal variations in these tracers were noted in the soil zone and the saprolite, and are driven primarily by individual storm events. During nonstorm periods, an upward flow brings water with high TDS, constant δ 18 O, and low dissolved O 2 to the water table. During storm events, low TDS, variable δ 18 O, and high dissolved O 2 water recharges through the unsaturated zone. These oscillating signals are rapidly transmitted along fracture pathways in the saprolite, with changes occurring on spatial scales of several meters and on a time scale of hours. The variations decreased markedly below the boundary between the saprolite and less weathered bedrock. Variations in the bedrock units occurred on time scales of days and spatial scales of at least 20 m. The oscillations of chemical conditions in the shallow groundwater are hypothesized to have significant implications for solute transport. Solutes and colloids that adsorb onto aquifer solids can be released into solution by decreases in ionic strength and pH. The decreases in ionic strength also cause thermodynamic undersaturation of the groundwater with respect to some mineral species and may result in mineral dissolution. Redox conditions are also changing and may result in mineral dissolution/precipitation. The net result of these chemical variations is episodic transport of a wide range of dissolved solutes or suspended particles, a phenomenon rarely considered in contaminant transport studies

  6. Spatiotemporal Structure of Aeolian Particle Transport on Flat Surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niiya, Hirofumi; Nishimura, Kouichi

    2017-05-01

    We conduct numerical simulations based on a model of blowing snow to reveal the long-term properties and equilibrium state of aeolian particle transport from 10-5 to 10 m above the flat surface. The numerical results are as follows. (i) Time-series data of particle transport are divided into development, relaxation, and equilibrium phases, which are formed by rapid wind response below 10 cm and gradual wind response above 10 cm. (ii) The particle transport rate at equilibrium is expressed as a power function of friction velocity, and the index of 2.35 implies that most particles are transported by saltation. (iii) The friction velocity below 100 µm remains roughly constant and lower than the fluid threshold at equilibrium. (iv) The mean particle speed above 300 µm is less than the wind speed, whereas that below 300 µm exceeds the wind speed because of descending particles. (v) The particle diameter increases with height in the saltation layer, and the relationship is expressed as a power function. Through comparisons with the previously reported random-flight model, we find a crucial problem that empirical splash functions cannot reproduce particle dynamics at a relatively high wind speed.

  7. Transport and dispersion of pollutants in surface impoundments: a finite element model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yeh, G.T.

    1980-07-01

    A surface impoundment model in finite element (SIMFE) is presented to enable the simulation of flow circulations and pollutant transport and dispersion in natural or artificial lakes, reservoirs or ponds with any number of islands. This surface impoundment model consists of two sub-models: hydrodynamic and pollutant transport models. Both submodels are simulated by the finite element method. While the hydrodynamic model is solved by the standard Galerkin finite element scheme, the pollutant transport model can be solved by any of the twelve optional finite element schemes built in the program. Theoretical approximations and the numerical algorithm of SIMFE are described. Detail instruction of the application are given and listing of FORTRAN IV source program are provided. Two sample problems are given. One is for an idealized system with a known solution to show the accuracy and partial validation of the models. The other is applied to Prairie Island for a set of hypothetical input data, typifying a class of problems to which SIMFE may be applied

  8. Transport and dispersion of pollutants in surface impoundments: a finite element model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yeh, G.T.

    1980-07-01

    A surface impoundment model in finite element (SIMFE) is presented to enable the simulation of flow circulations and pollutant transport and dispersion in natural or artificial lakes, reservoirs or ponds with any number of islands. This surface impoundment model consists of two sub-models: hydrodynamic and pollutant transport models. Both submodels are simulated by the finite element method. While the hydrodynamic model is solved by the standard Galerkin finite element scheme, the pollutant transport model can be solved by any of the twelve optional finite element schemes built in the program. Theoretical approximations and the numerical algorithm of SIMFE are described. Detail instruction of the application are given and listing of FORTRAN IV source program are provided. Two sample problems are given. One is for an idealized system with a known solution to show the accuracy and partial validation of the models. The other is applied to Prairie Island for a set of hypothetical input data, typifying a class of problems to which SIMFE may be applied.

  9. Particle and energy transport studies on TFTR and implications for helium ash in future fusion devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Synakowski, E.J.; Efthimion, P.C.; Rewoldt, G.; Stratton, B.C.; Tang, W.M.; Bell, R.E.; Grek, B.; Hulse, R.A.; Johnson, D.W.; Hill, K.W.; Mansfield, D.K.; McCune, D.; Mikkelsen, D.R.; Park, H.K.; Ramsey, A.T.; Scott, S.D.; Taylor, G.; Timberlake, J.; Zarnstorff, M.C.

    1992-01-01

    Particle and energy transport in tokamak plasmas have long been subjects of vigorous investigation. Present-day measurement techniques permit radially resolved studies of the transport of electron perturbations, low- and high-Z impurities, and energy. In addition, developments in transport theory provide tools that can be brought to bear on transport issues. Here, we examine local particle transport measurements of electrons, fully-stripped thermal helium, and helium-like iron in balanced-injection L-mode and enhanced confinement deuterium plasmas on TFTR of the same plasma current, toroidal field, and auxiliary heating power. He 2+ and Fe 24+ transport has been studied with charge exchange recombination spectroscopy, while electron transport has been studied by analyzing the perturbed electron flux following the same helium puff used for the He 2+ studies. By examining the electron and He 2+ responses following the same gas puff in the same plasmas, an unambiguous comparison of the transport of the two species has been made. The local energy transport has been examined with power balance analysis, allowing for comparisons to the local thermal fluxes. Some particle and energy transport results from the Supershot have been compared to a transport model based on a quasilinear picture of electrostatic toroidal drift-type microinstabilities. Finally, implications for future fusion reactors of the observed correlation between thermal transport and helium particle transport is discussed

  10. IMPLICATIONS OF NON-LOCALITY OF TRANSPORT IN GEOMORPHIC TRANSPORT LAWS: HILLSLOPES AND LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION MODELING

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foufoula-Georgiou, E.; Ganti, V. K.; Dietrich, W. E.

    2009-12-01

    Sediment transport on hillslopes can be thought of as a hopping process, where the sediment moves in a series of jumps. A wide range of processes shape the hillslopes which can move sediment to a large distance in the downslope direction, thus, resulting in a broad-tail in the probability density function (PDF) of hopping lengths. Here, we argue that such a broad-tailed distribution calls for a non-local computation of sediment flux, where the sediment flux is not only a function of local topographic quantities but is an integral flux which takes into account the upslope topographic “memory” of the point of interest. We encapsulate this non-local behavior into a simple fractional diffusive model that involves fractional (non-integer) derivatives. We present theoretical predictions from this nonlocal model and demonstrate a nonlinear dependence of sediment flux on local gradient, consistent with observations. Further, we demonstrate that the non-local model naturally eliminates the scale-dependence exhibited by any local (linear or nonlinear) sediment transport model. An extension to a 2-D framework, where the fractional derivative can be cast into a mixture of directional derivatives, is discussed together with the implications of introducing non-locality into existing landscape evolution models.

  11. Autonomous vehicles:challenges, opportunities, and future implications for transportation policies

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Saeed Asadi Bagloee; Madjid Tavana; Mohsen Asadi; Tracey Oliver

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the challenges and opportunities pertaining to transportation policies that may arise as a result of emerging autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies. AV technologies can decrease the trans-portation cost and increase accessibility to low-income households and persons with mobility issues. This emerg-ing technology also has far-reaching applications and implications beyond all current expectations. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the relevant literature and explores a broad spectrum of issues from safety to machine ethics. An indispensable part of a prospective AV development is communication over cars and infrastructure (connected vehicles). A major knowledge gap exists in AV technology with respect to routing behaviors. Connected-vehicle technology provides a great opportunity to imple-ment an efficient and intelligent routing system. To this end, we propose a conceptual navigation model based on a fleet of AVs that are centrally dispatched over a network seeking system optimization. This study contributes to the literature on two fronts: (i) it attempts to shed light on future opportunities as well as possible hurdles associated with AV technology;and (ii) it conceptualizes a navigation model for the AV which leads to highly efficient traffic circulations.

  12. Spatial glyphosate and AMPA redistribution on the soil surface driven by sediment transport processes – A flume experiment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bento, Célia P.M.; Commelin, Meindert C.; Baartman, Jantiene E.M.; Yang, Xiaomei; Peters, Piet; Mol, Hans G.J.; Ritsema, Coen J.; Geissen, Violette

    2018-01-01

    This study investigates the influence of small-scale sediment transport on glyphosate and AMPA redistribution on the soil surface and on their off-site transport during water erosion events. Both a smooth surface (T1) and a surface with “seeding lines on the contour” (T2) were tested in a rainfall

  13. Water Transport and Removal in PEMFC Gas Flow Channel with Various Water Droplet Locations and Channel Surface Wettability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanzhou Qin

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Water transport and removal in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC is critically important to fuel cell performance, stability, and durability. Water emerging locations on the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA surface and the channel surface wettability significantly influence the water transport and removal in PEMFC. In most simulations of water transport and removal in the PEMFC flow channel, liquid water is usually introduced at the center of the MEA surface, which is fortuitous, since water droplet can emerge randomly on the MEA surface in PEMFC. In addition, the commonly used no-slip wall boundary condition greatly confines the water sliding features on hydrophobic MEA/channel surfaces, degrading the simulation accuracy. In this study, water droplet is introduced with various locations along the channel width direction on the MEA surface, and water transport and removal is investigated numerically using an improved model incorporating the sliding flow property by using the shear wall boundary condition. It is found that the water droplet can be driven to the channel sidewall by aerodynamics when the initial water location deviates from the MEA center to a certain amount, forming the water corner flow in the flow channel. The channel surface wettability on the water transport is also studied and is shown to have a significant impact on the water corner flow in the flow channel.

  14. The effects of two counterpropagating surface acoustic wave beams on single electron acoustic charge transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Jianhong; Guo Huazhong; Song Li; Zhang Wei; Gao Jie; Lu Chuan

    2010-01-01

    We present a comprehensive study of the effects of two counterpropagating surface acoustic waves on the acoustoelectric current of single electron transport devices. A significant improvement in the accuracy of current quantization is achieved as a result of an additional surface acoustic wave beam. The experiments reveal the sinusoidally periodical modulation in the acoustoelectric current characteristic as a function of the relative phase of the two surface acoustic wave beams. Besides, by using standing surface acoustic waves, the acoustoelectric current is detected which we consider as the so-called anomalous acoustoelectric current produced by acoustic wave mechanical deformations. This kind current is contributed to one component of the acoustoelectric current in surface acoustic wave device, which could enable us to establish a more adequate description of acoustoelectric effects on single-electron acoustic charge transport.

  15. Internal transport barrier triggering by rational magnetic flux surfaces in tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joffrin, E.; Challis, C.D.; Conway, G.D.

    2003-01-01

    The formation of Internal Transport Barriers (ITBs) has been experimentally associated with the presence of rational q-surfaces in both JET and ASDEX Upgrade. The triggering mechanisms are related to the occurrence of magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities such as mode coupling or fishbone activity. These events could locally modify the poloidal velocity and increase transiently the shearing rate to values comparable to the linear growth rate of ITG modes. For JET reversed magnetic shear scenarios, ITB emergence occurs preferentially when the minimum q reaches an integer value. In this case, transport effects localised in the vicinity of zero magnetic shear and close to rational q values may also contribute to the formation of ITBs.The role of rational q surfaces on ITB triggering stresses the importance of q profile control for advanced tokamak scenario and could contribute to lower substantially the access power to these scenarios in next step facilities. (author)

  16. Internal Transport Barrier triggering by rational magnetic flux surfaces in tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joffrin, E.H.

    2002-01-01

    The formation of Internal Transport Barriers (ITBs) has been experimentally associated with the presence of rational q-surfaces in both JET and ASDEX Upgrade. The triggering mechanisms are related to the occurrence of magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities such as mode coupling or fishbone activity. These events could locally modify the poloidal velocity and increase transiently the shearing rate to values comparable to the linear growth rate of ITG modes. For reversed magnetic shear scenario, ITB emergence occurs preferentially when the minimum q reaches an integer value. In this case, transport effects localised in the vicinity of zero magnetic shear and close to rational q values may also contribute to the formation of ITBs. The role of rational q surfaces on ITB triggering stresses the importance of q profile control for advanced tokamak scenario and could contribute to lower substantially the access power to these scenarios in next step facilities. (author)

  17. Ozone Transport Aloft Drives Surface Ozone Maxima Across the Mojave Desert

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanCuren, R. A.

    2014-12-01

    A persistent layer of polluted air in the lower free troposphere over the Mojave Desert (California and Nevada) drives spring and summer surface ozone maxima as deep afternoon mixing delivers ozone and ozone precursors to surface measurement sites 200 km or more downwind of the mountains that separate the deserts from the heavily populated coastal areas of California. Pollutants in this elevated layer derive from California source regions (the Los Angeles megacity region and the intensive agricultural region of the San Joaquin Valley), and from long-range transport from Asia. Recognition of this poorly studied persistent layer explains and expands the significance of previously published reports of ozone and other pollutants observed in and over the Mojave Desert, resolves an apparent paradox in the timing of ozone peaks due to transport from the upwind basins, and provides a new perspective on the long-range downwind impacts of megacity pollution plumes.

  18. The transport characteristics of passing fast ions produced by nonlocal overlapping of drift island surfaces and magnetic island surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cao, Jinjia; Gong, Xueyu, E-mail: gongxueyu-usc@163.com; Xiang, Dong; Huang, Qianhong [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of South China, Hengyang 421001 (China); Yu, Jun [School of Mathematics and Physics, University of South China, Hengyang 421001 (China)

    2016-08-15

    The structure of the drift-island surface of passing fast ions (PFIs) is investigated in the presence of the resonant interaction with a magnetic island. Two overlapping regions of the drift-island surface and the magnetic island surface are found, one corresponding to local overlapping region and the other to non-local one. Here, the word “nonlocal” denotes that the resonances in the core plasma can have effects on the PFIs near the plasma boundary, while the “local” represents that the PFIs just near the resonant location are influenced. The nonlocal overlapping constructs a transport path along which the PFIs can become losses. There are three kinds of drift-island surfaces to join in forming the transport paths. A pitch angle region, which is called pitch angle gap, is found near the plasma boundary, where the drift-island surface cannot be formed and few PFIs are lost. The pitch-angle selective features of PFI losses are obtained by analyzing the three kinds of drift-island surfaces. The coupling between the crowd drift island surfaces and the collision can induce the prompt losses of PFIs and rapidly slowing down of PFI energy. The time of the prompt losses and the slowing down rate are calculated. Qualitatively, the theoretical results are in well agreement with the experimental observations in ASDEX Upgrade [M. García-Muñoz et al., Nucl. Fusion 47, L10 (2007)].

  19. A desk study of surface diffusion and mass transport in clay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cook, A.J.

    1989-01-01

    Research into the properties of clays as barrier materials for nuclear waste disposal has led to the realization that they have important transport properties which are relatively insignificant in most other geological materials. Sorption has always been regarded as a purely retarding mechanism, but laboratory experiments over the past decade have indicated that surface diffusion of sorbed cations is a potentially significant transport mechanism in both compacted montmorillonite, and biotite gneiss. The present desk study about these issues was part of the CEC coordinated project Mirage-Second phase, research area Natural analogues

  20. Mathematical simulation of sediment and contaminant transport in surface waters. Annual report, October 1977--September 1978

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onishi, Y.; Arnold, E.M.; Serne, R.J.; Cowan, C.E.; Thompson, F.L.; Mayer, D.W.

    1979-01-01

    Various pathways exist for exposure of humans and biota to radioactive materials released from nuclear facilities. Hydrologic transport (liquid pathway) is one element in the evaluation of the total radiation dose to man. Mathematical models supported by well-planned field data collection programs can be useful tools in assessing the hydrologic transport and ultimate fate of radionuclides. Radionuclides with high distribution coefficients or radionuclides in surface waters with high suspended sediment concentrations are, to a great extent, adsorbed by river and marine sediments. Thus, otherwise dilute contaminants are concentrated. Contaminated sediments may be deposited on the river and ocean beds creating a significant pathway to man. Contaminated bed sediment in turn may become a long-term source of pollution through desorption and resuspension. In order to assess migration and accumulation of radionuclides in surface waters, mathematical models must correctly simulate essential mechanisms of radionuclide transport. The objectives of this study were: (1) to conduct a critical review of (a) radionuclide transport models as well as sediment transport and representative water quality models in rivers, estuaries, oceans, lakes, and reservoirs, and (b) adsorption and desorption mechanisms of radionuclides with sediments in surface waters; (2) to synthesize a mathematical model capable of predicting short- and long-term transport and accumulation of radionuclides in marine environments

  1. Anisotropic surface hole-transport property of triphenylamine-derivative single crystal prepared by solution method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Umeda, Minoru, E-mail: mumeda@vos.nagaokaut.ac.jp [Nagaoka University of Technology, Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan); Katagiri, Mitsuhiko; Shironita, Sayoko [Nagaoka University of Technology, Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan); Nagayama, Norio [Nagaoka University of Technology, Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan); Ricoh Company, Ltd., Nishisawada, Numazu, Shizuoka 410-0007 (Japan)

    2016-12-01

    Highlights: • A hole transport molecule was investigated based on its electrochemical redox characteristics. • The solubility and supersolubility curves of the molecule were measured in order to prepare a large crystal. • The polarization micrograph and XRD results revealed that a single crystal was obtained. • An anisotropic surface conduction, in which the long-axis direction exceeds that of the amorphous layer, was observed. • The anisotropic surface conduction was well explained by the molecular stacked structure. - Abstract: This paper reports the anisotropic hole transport at the triphenylamine-derivative single crystal surface prepared by a solution method. Triphenylamine derivatives are commonly used in a hole-transport material for organic photoconductors of laser-beam printers, in which the materials are used as an amorphous form. For developing organic photovoltaics using the photoconductor’s technology, preparation of a single crystal seems to be a specific way by realizing the high mobility of an organic semiconductor. In this study, a single crystal of 4-(2,2-diphenylethenyl)-N,N-bis(4-methylphenyl)-benzenamine (TPA) was prepared and its anisotropic hole-transport property measured. First, the hole-transport property of the TPA was investigated based on its chemical structure and electrochemical redox characteristics. Next, a large-scale single crystal formation at a high rate was developed by employing a solution method based on its solubility and supersolubility curves. The grown TPA was found to be a single crystal based on the polarization micrograph observation and crystallographic analysis. For the TPA single crystal, an anisotropic surface conduction was found, which was well explained by its molecular stack structure. The measured current in the long-axis direction is one order of magnitude greater than that of amorphous TPA.

  2. Controlling Heat Transport and Flow Structures in Thermal Turbulence Using Ratchet Surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Hechuan; Zhu, Xiaojue; Mathai, Varghese; Verzicco, Roberto; Lohse, Detlef; Sun, Chao

    2018-01-01

    In this combined experimental and numerical study on thermally driven turbulence in a rectangular cell, the global heat transport and the coherent flow structures are controlled with an asymmetric ratchetlike roughness on the top and bottom plates. We show that, by means of symmetry breaking due to the presence of the ratchet structures on the conducting plates, the orientation of the large scale circulation roll (LSCR) can be locked to a preferred direction even when the cell is perfectly leveled out. By introducing a small tilt to the system, we show that the LSCR orientation can be tuned and controlled. The two different orientations of LSCR give two quite different heat transport efficiencies, indicating that heat transport is sensitive to the LSCR direction over the asymmetric roughness structure. Through a quantitative analysis of the dynamics of thermal plume emissions and the orientation of the LSCR over the asymmetric structure, we provide a physical explanation for these findings. The current work has important implications for passive and active flow control in engineering, biofluid dynamics, and geophysical flows.

  3. Influence of surface charge on the transport characteristics of nanowire-field effect transistors in liquid environments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nozaki, Daijiro, E-mail: daijiro.nozaki@gmail.com, E-mail: research@nano.tu-dresden.de [Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Kunstmann, Jens [Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Theoretical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Zörgiebel, Felix [Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfAED), TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Cuniberti, Gianaurelio [Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfAED), TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Dresden Center for Computational Materials Science (DCCMS), TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany)

    2015-05-18

    One dimensional nanowire field effect transistors (NW-FETs) are a promising platform for sensor applications. The transport characteristics of NW-FETs are strongly modified in liquid environment due to the charging of surface functional groups accompanied with protonation or deprotonation. In order to investigate the influence of surface charges and ionic concentrations on the transport characteristics of Schottky-barrier NW-FETs, we have combined the modified Poisson-Boltzmann theory with the Landauer-Büttiker transport formalism. For a typical device, the model is able to capture the reduction of the sensitivity of NW-FETs in ionic solutions due to the screening from counter ions as well as a local gating from surface functional groups. Our approach allows to model, to investigate, and to optimize realistic Schottky-barrier NW-FET devices in liquid environment.

  4. Connecting meteorology to surface transport in aeolian landscapes: Peering into the boundary layer with Doppler lidar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunn, A.; Jerolmack, D. J.; Edmonds, D. A.; Ewing, R. C.; Wanker, M.; David, S. R.

    2017-12-01

    Aolian sand dunes grow to 100s or 1000s of meters in wavelength by sand saltation, which also produces dust plumes that feed cloud formation and may spread around the world. The relations among sediment transport, landscape dynamics and wind are typically observed at the limiting ends of the relevant range: highly resolved and localized ground observations of turbulence and relevant fluxes; or regional and synoptic-scale meteorology and satellite imagery. Between the geostrophic winds aloft and shearing stress on the Earth's surface is the boundary layer, whose stability and structure determines how momentum is transferred and ultimately entrains sediment. Although the literature on atmospheric boundary layer flows is mature, this understanding is rarely applied to aeolian landscape dynamics. Moreover, there are few vertically and time-resolved datasets of atmospheric boundary layer flows in desert sand seas, where buoyancy effects are most pronounced. Here we employ a ground-based upward-looking doppler lidar to examine atmospheric boundary layer flow at the upwind margin of the White Sands (New Mexico) dune field, providing continuous 3D wind velocity data from the surface to 300-m aloft over 70 days of the characteristically windy spring season. Data show highly resolved daily cyles of convective instabilty due to daytime heating and stable stratification due to nightime cooling which act to enhance or depress, respectively, the surface wind stresses for a given free-stream velocity. Our data implicate convective instability in driving strong saltation and dust emission, because enhanced mixing flattens the vertical velocity profile (raising surface wind speed) while upward advection helps to deliver dust to the high atmosphere. We also find evidence for Ekman spiralling, with a magnitude that depends on atmospheric stability. This spiralling gives rise to a deflection in the direction between geostrophic and surface winds, that is significant for the

  5. Internal transport barrier triggering by rational magnetic flux surfaces in tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joffrin, E.; Challis, C.D.; Conway, G.D.

    2003-01-01

    The formation of internal transport barriers (ITBs) has been experimentally associated with the presence of rational q surfaces in both JET and ASDEX Upgrade. The triggering mechanisms are related to the occurrence of magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities such as mode coupling and fishbone activity. These events could locally modify the poloidal velocity and increase transiently the shearing rate to values comparable with the linear growth rate of ion temperature gradient modes. For JET reversed magnetic shear scenarios, ITB emergence occurs preferentially when the minimum q reaches an integral value. In this case, transport effects localized in the vicinity of zero magnetic shear and close to rational q values may be at the origin of ITB formation. The role of rational q surfaces in ITB triggering stresses the importance of q profile control for an advanced tokamak scenario and could assist in substantially lowering the access power to these scenarios in next step facilities. (author)

  6. Unusual Sediment Transportation Processes Under Low Pressure Environments and Implications For Gullies and Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raack, J.; Herny, C.; Conway, S. J.; Balme, M. R.; Carpy, S.; Patel, M.

    2017-12-01

    Recently and presently active mass wasting features such as gullies and recurring slope lineae (RSL) are common on the surface of Mars, but their origin and triggering mechanisms are under intense debate. While several active mass wasting features have been linked to sublimation of CO2ice, dry granular flows (avalanches), or a combination of both effects, others have been more closely linked to liquid water or briny outflows (e.g. for RSL). However, liquid water on the surface of Mars is unstable under present-day low pressures and surface temperatures. Nevertheless, numerical modeling and remote sensing data have shown that maximum surface temperatures can exceed the frost point of water and that liquid water could exist on the surface of actual Mars in a transient state. But to explain the observed spatial extent of RSL and recent modification of gullies, it is estimated that relatively large amounts of liquid water are necessary. It is proving challenging to generate such quantities from the atmosphere. In this contribution we explore the potential effects of boiling water (boiling occurs at martian pressures slightly above the frost point of 273 K) on sediment transport. We will present the outcomes of a series of experiments under low surface and water temperatures (between 278 and 297 K, analogous to surface temperatures observed near RSL) and low pressures (between 8 and 11 mbar). We simulate sediment transport by boiling liquid water over a sloping bed of unconsolidated sediment. Our results reveal a suite of unusual and very reactive sediment transportation processes, which are not produced under terrestrial pressures. We will discuss the impact of these unusual sediment transport processes on estimates of water budgets for active mass wasting processes.

  7. GPS based surface displacements – a proxy for discharge and sediment transport from the Greenland Ice Sheet

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasholt, Bent; Khan, Shfaqat Abbas; Mikkelsen, Andreas Bech

    2014-01-01

    winter precipitation correlated fairly well with surface depression (R2=0.69). The relationships are based on seven years of runoff and sediment transport observations from the Watson River (2007–2013), winter precipitation from Kangerlussuaq Airport and GPS observations at Kellyville. GPS recordings...... of surface subsidence and uplift from 1996–2013 are used to calculate 18 years time series of annual runoff, sediment and solute transport and 10 winter precipitation. Runoff and related transport of sediment and solutes increase over the period, while winter precipitation (land depression) tends to decrease......The elastic respond of the Earth’s surface to mass changes has been measured with Global Positioning System (GPS). Mass loss as accumulated runoff and sediment transport from a 10000 km2 segment of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) correlated very well (R2=0.83) with GPS measured uplift. Accumulated...

  8. Hydrogen isotope transport across tungsten surfaces exposed to a fusion relevant He ion fluence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldwin, M. J.; Doerner, R. P.

    2017-07-01

    Tungsten targets are exposed to controlled sequences of D2 and He, and He and D2 plasma in the Pisces-A linear plasma device, with a view to studying the outward and inward transport of D across a He implanted surface, using thermal desorption mass spectrometry. Differences in transport are interpreted from changes in peak desorption temperature and amplitude for D2 release, compared against that of control targets exposed to just D2 plasma. Desorption data are modeled with Tmap-7 to infer the nature by which He leads to the ‘reduced inventory’ effect for H isotope uptake. A dual segment (surface-30 nm, bulk) W Tmap-7 model is developed, that simulates both plasma exposure and thermal desorption. Good agreement between desorption data and model is found for D2 release from control targets provided that the implanted flux is reduced, similar to that reported by others. For He affected release, the H isotope transport properties of the surface segment are adjusted away from control target bulk values during the computation. Modeling that examines outward D transport through the He implanted layer suggests that a permeation barrier is active, but bubble induced porosity is insufficient to fully explain the barrier strength. Moderately increased diffusional migration energy in the model over the He affected region, however, gives a barrier strength consistent with experiment. The same model, applied to inward transport, predicts the reduced inventory effect, but a further reduction in the implanted D flux is necessary for precise agreement.

  9. Surface modification of PTMSP membranes by plasma treatment: Asymmetry of transport in organic solvent nanofiltration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volkov, A V; Tsarkov, S E; Gilman, A B; Khotimsky, V S; Roldughin, V I; Volkov, V V

    2015-08-01

    For the first time, the effect of asymmetry of the membrane transport was studied for organic solvents and solutes upon their nanofiltration through the plasma-modified membranes based on poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP). Plasma treatment is shown to provide a marked hydrophilization of the hydrophobic PTMSP surface (the contact angle of water decreases from 88 down to 20°) and leads to the development of a negative charge of -5.2 nC/cm(2). The XPS measurements prove the formation of the oxygen-containing groups (Si-O and C-O) due to the surface modification. The AFM images show that the small-scale surface roughness of the plasma-treated PTMSP sample is reduced but the large-scale surface heterogeneities become more pronounced. The modified membranes retain their hydrophilic surface properties even after the nanofiltration tests and 30-day storage under ambient conditions. The results of the filtration tests show that when the membrane is oriented so that its modified layer contacts the feed solution, the membrane permeability for linear alcohols (methanol-propanol) and acetone decreases nearly two times. When the modified membrane surface faces the permeate, the membrane is seen to regain its transport characteristics: the flux becomes equal to that of the unmodified PTMSP. The well-pronounced effect of the transport asymmetry is observed for the solution of the neutral dye Solvent Blue 35 in methanol, ethanol, and acetone. For example, the initial membrane shows the negative retention for the Solvent Blue 35 dye (-16%) upon its filtration from the ethanol solution whereas, for the modified PTMSP membrane, the retention increases up to 17%. Various effects contributing to the asymmetry of the membrane transport characteristics are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. The ABCG5 ABCG8 sterol transporter and phytosterols: implications for cardiometabolic disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabeva, Nadezhda S.; Liu, Jingjing; Graf, Gregory A.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose of review This review summarizes recent developments in the activity, regulation, and physiology of the ABCG5 ABCG8 (G5G8) transporter and the use of its xenobiotic substrates, phytosterols, as cholesterol lowering agents in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Recent progress has significant implications for the role of G5G8 and its substrates in complications associated with features of the metabolic syndrome. Recent findings Recent reports expand the clinical presentation of sitosterolemia to include platelet and adrenal dysfunction. The G5G8 sterol transporter is critical to hepatobiliary excretion of cholesterol under nonpathological conditions and has been linked to the cholesterol gallstone susceptibility. Finally, the cardiovascular benefits of cholesterol lowering through the use of phytosterol supplements were offset by vascular dysfunction, suggesting that alternative strategies to reduced cholesterol absorption offer greater benefit. Summary Insulin resistance elevates G5G8 and increases susceptibility to cholesterol gallstones. However, this transporter is critical for the exclusion of phytosterols from the absorptive pathways in the intestine. Challenging the limits of this protective mechanism through phytosterol supplementation diminishes the cardioprotective benefits of cholesterol lowering in mouse models of cardiovascular disease. PMID:19306529

  11. Scratching the surface of ice: Interfacial phase transitions and their kinetic implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limmer, David

    The surface structure of ice maintains a high degree of disorder down to surprisingly low temperatures. This is due to a number of underlying interfacial phase transitions that are associated with incremental changes in broken symmetry relative to the bulk crystal. In this talk I summarize recent work attempting to establish the nature and locations of these different phase transitions as well as how they depend on external conditions and nonequilibrium driving. The implications of this surface disorder is discussed in the context of simple kinetic processes that occur at these interfaces. Recent experimental work on the roughening transition is highlighted.

  12. Exploring a potential energy surface by machine learning for characterizing atomic transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanamori, Kenta; Toyoura, Kazuaki; Honda, Junya; Hattori, Kazuki; Seko, Atsuto; Karasuyama, Masayuki; Shitara, Kazuki; Shiga, Motoki; Kuwabara, Akihide; Takeuchi, Ichiro

    2018-03-01

    We propose a machine-learning method for evaluating the potential barrier governing atomic transport based on the preferential selection of dominant points for atomic transport. The proposed method generates numerous random samples of the entire potential energy surface (PES) from a probabilistic Gaussian process model of the PES, which enables defining the likelihood of the dominant points. The robustness and efficiency of the method are demonstrated on a dozen model cases for proton diffusion in oxides, in comparison with a conventional nudge elastic band method.

  13. Savanna burning and convective mixing in Southern Africa: Implications for CO emissions and transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Connors, V.S.; Cahoon, D.R. Jr.; Reichle, H.G. Jr.; Brunke, E.G.; Garstang, M.; Seiler, W.; Scheel, H.E.

    1991-01-01

    This study examines both the emission and the transport of CO from the surface to the free troposphere and the role of convection in redistributing this gas in the free troposphere over southern Africa. Upper-air soundings, the meteorological analyses from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and the multispectral imagery from the European Space Agency's Meteosat-2 satellite comprise the meteorological data base. The surface measurements of CO were measured at an atmospheric chemistry laboratory in Cape Point, South Africa. The CO in the middle troposphere was measured by the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites (MAPS) experiment flown on the space shuttle. This study focuses on the emissions and transport of CO from Africa south of the equator on 5-6 October 1984

  14. Implications of transportation policies on energy and environment in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dhakal, Shobhakar

    2003-01-01

    This paper estimates and analyzes the historical and future trends of energy demand and environmental emissions from passenger transportation of the Kathmandu Valley covering CO 2 , CO, HC, NO x , SO 2 , total suspended particles (TSP) and lead (Pb). It uses the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning System framework for constructing future scenarios up to year 2020 and analyzing their implications; these scenarios mainly deal with the traffic improvement measures, promotion of public transportation and electric vehicles. The results estimate over a four-fold increase in energy demand in 1988-2000. TSP increase of 4.5 times in this period is the major concern since high particulate concentration is already above World Health Organization guidelines. Under the non-intervention scenario, energy demand in 2020 is estimated to be 2.7 times that in the year 2000. Similarly, 2.5 times increase of TSP in 2020 from the year 2000 is estimated that would further increase the TSP concentrations. The scenario analyses suggest that increasing vehicle speed, promoting public transportation and promoting electric vehicles could reduce energy demand by 28%, 28% and 18%, respectively, while promoting a reasonably comfortable condition on overcrowded public transportation could increase energy demand by 10% from non-intervention scenario. For TSP, any future measures would not be enough unless the attention is not paid to in-use vehicle stock. A mix of all the policies mentioned above has potentials to cut down CO 2 emissions to over 60% from the non-intervention case in 2020

  15. Variation in PAH inputs and microbial community in surface sediments of Hamilton Harbour: Implications to remediation and monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slater, G.F.; Cowie, B.R.; Harper, N.; Droppo, I.G.

    2008-01-01

    Variations in concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and microbial community indicators were investigated in representative highly contaminated and less contaminated surface sediment sites of Hamilton Harbour. Inputs of PAH to the upper 3 cm of sediments up to four times the average upper sediment concentrations were observed. Associated PAH fingerprint profiles indicated that the source was consistent with the PAH source to the industrial region of the harbour. Increased PAH loadings were associated with decreased bacterial populations as indicated by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations. However, relatively minor impacts on overall community composition were indicated. Porewater methane concentrations and isotopic data indicated a difference in the occurrence of methane oxidation between the two sites. This study confirms temporally limited transport of contaminants from highly impacted regions as a vector for contaminants within the harbour and the impact on microbial carbon cycling and bed stability. - Variations in PAH inputs to harbour sediments have implications to implementation and monitoring of mitigation/remediation efforts

  16. Technology and human purpose: the problem of solids transport on the Earth's surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haff, P. K.

    2012-11-01

    Displacement of mass of limited deformability ("solids") on the Earth's surface is opposed by friction and (the analog of) form resistance - impediments relaxed by rotational motion, self-powering of mass units, and transport infrastructure. These features of solids transport first evolved in the biosphere prior to the emergence of technology, allowing slope-independent, diffusion-like motion of discrete objects as massive as several tons, as illustrated by animal foraging and movement along game trails. However, high-energy-consumption technology powered by fossil fuels required a mechanism that could support fast advective transport of solids, i.e., long-distance, high-volume, high-speed, unidirectional, slope-independent transport across the land surface of materials like coal, containerized fluids, minerals, and economic goods. Pre-technology nature was able to sustain regional- and global-scale advection only in the limited form of piggybacking on geophysical flows of water (river sediment) and air (dust). The appearance of a mechanism for sustained advection of solids independent of fluid flows and gravity appeared only upon the emergence of human purpose. Purpose enables solids advection by, in effect, simulating a continuous potential gradient, otherwise lacking, between discrete and widely separated fossil-fuel energy sources and sinks. Invoking purpose as a mechanism in solids advection is an example of the need to import anthropic principles and concepts into the language and methodology of modern Earth system dynamics. As part of the emergence of a generalized solids advection mechanism, several additional transport requirements necessary to the function of modern large-scale technological systems were also satisfied. These include spatially accurate delivery of advected payload, targetability to essentially arbitrarily located destinations (such as cities), and independence of structure of advected payload from transport mechanism. The latter property

  17. Choline transporter mutations in severe congenital myasthenic syndrome disrupt transporter localization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haicui; Salter, Claire G; Refai, Osama; Hardy, Holly; Barwick, Katy E S; Akpulat, Ugur; Kvarnung, Malin; Chioza, Barry A; Harlalka, Gaurav; Taylan, Fulya; Sejersen, Thomas; Wright, Jane; Zimmerman, Holly H; Karakaya, Mert; Stüve, Burkhardt; Weis, Joachim; Schara, Ulrike; Russell, Mark A; Abdul-Rahman, Omar A; Chilton, John; Blakely, Randy D; Baple, Emma L; Cirak, Sebahattin; Crosby, Andrew H

    2017-11-01

    The presynaptic, high-affinity choline transporter is a critical determinant of signalling by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine at both central and peripheral cholinergic synapses, including the neuromuscular junction. Here we describe an autosomal recessive presynaptic congenital myasthenic syndrome presenting with a broad clinical phenotype due to homozygous choline transporter missense mutations. The clinical phenotype ranges from the classical presentation of a congenital myasthenic syndrome in one patient (p.Pro210Leu), to severe neurodevelopmental delay with brain atrophy (p.Ser94Arg) and extend the clinical outcomes to a more severe spectrum with infantile lethality (p.Val112Glu). Cells transfected with mutant transporter construct revealed a virtually complete loss of transport activity that was paralleled by a reduction in transporter cell surface expression. Consistent with these findings, studies to determine the impact of gene mutations on the trafficking of the Caenorhabditis elegans choline transporter orthologue revealed deficits in transporter export to axons and nerve terminals. These findings contrast with our previous findings in autosomal dominant distal hereditary motor neuropathy of a dominant-negative frameshift mutation at the C-terminus of choline transporter that was associated with significantly reduced, but not completely abrogated choline transporter function. Together our findings define divergent neuropathological outcomes arising from different classes of choline transporter mutation with distinct disease processes and modes of inheritance. These findings underscore the essential role played by the choline transporter in sustaining acetylcholine neurotransmission at both central and neuromuscular synapses, with important implications for treatment and drug selection. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Investigation of silicate surface chemistry and reaction mechanisms associated with mass transport in geologic media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, A.F.; Perry, D.L.

    1982-01-01

    The concentration and rate of transport of radionuclides through geologic media can be strongly influenced by the extent of sorption on aquifer surfaces. Over time intervals relevant to such transport processes, rock and mineral surfaces cannot be considered as inert, unreactive substrates but rather as groundwater/solidphase interfaces which are commonly in a state of natural or artificially induced disequilibrium. The goal of the present research is to define experimentally the type of water/rock interactions that will influence surface chemistry and hence sorption characteristics and capacities of natural aquifers. As wide a range of silicate minerals as possible was selected for study to represent rock-forming minerals in basalt, tuff, and granite. The minerals include K-feldspar, plagioclase feldspar, olivine, hornblende, biotite, and volcanic glass

  19. Reverse Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics Demonstrate That Surface Passivation Controls Thermal Transport at Semiconductor-Solvent Interfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannah, Daniel C; Gezelter, J Daniel; Schaller, Richard D; Schatz, George C

    2015-06-23

    We examine the role played by surface structure and passivation in thermal transport at semiconductor/organic interfaces. Such interfaces dominate thermal transport in semiconductor nanomaterials owing to material dimensions much smaller than the bulk phonon mean free path. Utilizing reverse nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, we calculate the interfacial thermal conductance (G) between a hexane solvent and chemically passivated wurtzite CdSe surfaces. In particular, we examine the dependence of G on the CdSe slab thickness, the particular exposed crystal facet, and the extent of surface passivation. Our results indicate a nonmonotonic dependence of G on ligand-grafting density, with interfaces generally exhibiting higher thermal conductance for increasing surface coverage up to ∼0.08 ligands/Å(2) (75-100% of a monolayer, depending on the particular exposed facet) and decreasing for still higher coverages. By analyzing orientational ordering and solvent penetration into the ligand layer, we show that a balance of competing effects is responsible for this nonmonotonic dependence. Although the various unpassivated CdSe surfaces exhibit similar G values, the crystal structure of an exposed facet nevertheless plays an important role in determining the interfacial thermal conductance of passivated surfaces, as the density of binding sites on a surface determines the ligand-grafting densities that may ultimately be achieved. We demonstrate that surface passivation can increase G relative to a bare surface by roughly 1 order of magnitude and that, for a given extent of passivation, thermal conductance can vary by up to a factor of ∼2 between different surfaces, suggesting that appropriately tailored nanostructures may direct heat flow in an anisotropic fashion for interface-limited thermal transport.

  20. Effects of Surface and Subsurface Bed Material Composition on Gravel Transport and Flow Competence Relations—Possibilities for Prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunte, K.; Abt, S. R.; Swingle, K. W.; Cenderelli, D. A.; Gaeuman, D. A.

    2014-12-01

    Bedload transport and flow competence relations are difficult to predict in coarse-bedded steep streams where widely differing sediment supply, bed stability, and complex flow hydraulics greatly affect amounts and sizes of transported gravel particles. This study explains how properties of bed material surface and subsurface size distributions are directly related to gravel transport and may be used for prediction of gravel transport and flow competence relations. Gravel transport, flow competence, and bed material size were measured in step-pool and plane-bed streams. Power functions were fitted to gravel transport QB=aQb and flow competence Dmax=cQd relations; Q is water discharge. Frequency distributions of surface FDsurf and subsurface FDsub bed material were likewise described by power functions FDsurf=hD j and FDsub=kDm fitted over six 0.5-phi size classes within 4 to 22.4 mm. Those gravel sizes are typically mobile even in moderate floods. Study results show that steeper subsurface bed material size distributions lead to steeper gravel transport and flow competence relations, whereas larger amounts of sediment contained in those 6 size bedmaterial classes (larger h and k) flatten the relations. Similarly, steeper surface size distributions decrease the coefficients of the gravel transport and flow competence relations, whereas larger amounts of sediment within the six bed material classes increase the intercepts of gravel transport and flow competence relations. Those relations are likely causative in streams where bedload stems almost entirely from the channel bed as opposed to direct (unworked) contributions from hillslopes and tributaries. The exponent of the subsurface bed material distribution m predicted the gravel transport exponent b with r2 near 0.7 and flow competence exponent d with r2 near 0.5. The intercept of bed surface distributions h increased the intercept a of gravel transport and c of the flow competence relations with r2 near 0.6.

  1. Influence of Roughness-Induced Slip on Colloid Transport: Experimental and Modelling Insights

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmuson, J. A.; Johnson, W. P.

    2017-12-01

    surfaces with the greatest RMS roughness had the highest sensitivity to the placement of the contact surface. These findings highlight the need for accurate and representative AFM measurements and have important implications for future transport models.

  2. Morphological, Chemical Surface, and Diffusive Transport Characterizations of a Nanoporous Alumina Membrane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María I. Vázquez

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Synthesis of a nanoporous alumina membrane (NPAM by the two-step anodization method and its morphological and chemical surface characterization by analyzing Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM micrographs and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS spectra is reported. Influence of electrical and diffusive effects on the NaCl transport across the membrane nanopores is determined from salt diffusion measurements performed with a wide range of NaCl concentrations, which allows the estimation of characteristic electrochemical membrane parameters such as the NaCl diffusion coefficient and the concentration of fixed charges in the membrane, by using an appropriated model and the membrane geometrical parameters (porosity and pore length. These results indicate a reduction of ~70% in the value of the NaCl diffusion coefficient through the membrane pores with respect to solution. The transport number of ions in the membrane pores (Na+ and Cl−, respectively were determined from concentration potential measurements, and the effect of concentration-polarization at the membrane surfaces was also considered by comparing concentration potential values obtained with stirred solutions (550 rpm and without stirring. From both kinds of results, a value higher than 0.05 M NaCl for the feed solution seems to be necessary to neglect the contribution of electrical interactions in the diffusive transport.

  3. Driving forces: Motor vehicle trends and their implications for global warming, energy strategies, and transportation planning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacKenzie, J.J.; Walsh, M.P.

    1990-01-01

    Cars, trucks, and other vehicles have long been linked to smog and other urban pollution, but the part they play in the larger complex of atmospheric and energy ills that we now face is often overlooked. In Driving Forces: Motor Vehicle Trends and Their Implications for Global Warming, Energy Strategies, and Transportation Planning, James J. MacKenzie, senior associate in World Resources Institute's Program in Climate, Energy, and Pollution, and Michael P. Walsh, an international consultant on transportation and environmental issues, fill in this knowledge gap with new data and analyses. They spell out four policy shifts that can help hold the line on global warming: improve new-vehicle efficiency; make transportation more efficient; cut other greenhouse gas emissions; create the green car of the future. The report focuses especially on the US, which pioneered the automotive revolution and leads the world in oil imports and emissions

  4. Experimental research on free-surface vortices as transport mechanism in wastewater sumps

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Clemens, F.H.L.R.; Duinmeijer, S.P.A.

    2016-01-01

    Sumps of wastewater pumping station can experience problems due the formation of (solid) floating layers of fat and scum as a result of insufficient current guidelines for sump design with respect to transport of floating debris. To complimentary the guidelines, the use of free-surface vortices is

  5. A model for the biosynthesis and transport of plasma membrane-associated signaling receptors to the cell surface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sorina Claudia Popescu

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Intracellular protein transport is emerging as critical in determining the outcome of receptor-activated signal transduction pathways. In plants, relatively little is known about the nature of the molecular components and mechanisms involved in coordinating receptor synthesis and transport to the cell surface. Recent advances in this field indicate that signaling pathways and intracellular transport machinery converge and coordinate to render receptors competent for signaling at their plasma membrane activity sites. The biogenesis and transport to the cell surface of signaling receptors appears to require both general trafficking and receptor-specific factors. Several molecular determinants, residing or associated with compartments of the secretory pathway and known to influence aspects in receptor biogenesis, are discussed and integrated into a predictive cooperative model for the functional expression of signaling receptors at the plasma membrane.

  6. Surface oxygen vacancy and oxygen permeation flux limits of perovskite ion transport membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Hunt, Anton; Dimitrakopoulos, Georgios; Ghoniem, Ahmed F.

    2015-01-01

    © 2015 Elsevier B.V. The mechanisms and quantitative models for how oxygen is separated from air using ion transport membranes (ITMs) are not well understood, largely due to the experimental complexity for determining surface exchange reactions

  7. RIVER-RAD, Radionuclide Transport in Surface Waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    1 - Description of program or function: RIVER-RAD assesses the potential fate of radionuclides released to rivers. The model is simplified in nature and is intended to provide guidance in determining the potential importance of the surface water pathway, relevant transport mechanisms, and key radionuclides in estimating radiological dose to man. 2 - Method of solution: A compartmental linear transfer model is used in RIVER-RAD. The river system model in the code is divided into reaches (compartments) of equal size, each with a sediment compartment below it. The movement of radionuclides is represented by a series of transfers between the reaches, and between the water and sediment compartments of each reach. Within each reach (for both the water and sediment compartments), the radionuclides are assumed to be uniformly mixed. Upward volatilization is allowed from the water compartment, and the transfer of radionuclides between the reaches is determined by the flow rate of the river. Settling and resuspension velocities determine the transfer of absorbed radionuclides between the water and sediment compartments. Radioactive decay and decay-product buildup are incorporated into all transport calculations for all radionuclide chains specified by the user. Each nuclide may have unique input and removal rates. Volatilization and radiological decay are considered as linear rate constants in the model. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: None noted

  8. 75 FR 75532 - Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-03

    ...] Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report AGENCY: Federal Highway... participating in the Pilot Program, 23 U.S.C. 327(g) mandates semiannual audits during each of the first 2 years of State participation. This notice announces and solicits comments on the fifth audit report for the...

  9. 76 FR 5237 - Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-28

    ...] Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report AGENCY: Federal Highway... participating in the Pilot Program, 23 U.S.C. 327(g) mandates semiannual audits during each of the first 2 years of State participation. This final report presents the findings from the fifth FHWA audit of the...

  10. 77 FR 26355 - Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-03

    ...] Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report AGENCY: Federal Highway... participating in the Pilot Program, 23 U.S.C. 327(g) mandates semiannual audits during each of the first 2 years of State participation. This final report presents the findings from the sixth FHWA audit of the...

  11. Uranium and Cesium sorption to bentonite colloids in high salinity and carbonate-rich environments: Implications for radionuclide transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, E. L.; Teutsch, N.; Klein-BenDavid, O.; Weisbrod, N.

    2017-12-01

    When radionuclides are leaked into the subsurface due to engineered waste disposal container failure, the ultimate barrier to migration of radionuclides into local aquifers is sorption to the surrounding rock matrix and sediments, which often includes a bentonite backfill. The extent of this sorption is dependent on pH, ionic strength, surface area availability, radionuclide concentration, surface mineral composition, and solution chemistry. Colloidal-sized bentonite particles eroded from the backfill have been shown to facilitate the transport of radionuclides sorbed to them away from their source. Thus, sorption of radionuclides such as uranium and cesium to bentonite surfaces can be both a mobilization or retardation factor. Though numerous studies have been conducted to-date on sorption of radionuclides under low ionic strength and carbonate-poor conditions, there has been little research conducted on the behavior of radionuclides in high salinities and carbonate rich conditions typical of aquifers in the vicinity of some potential nuclear repositories. This study attempts to characterize the sorption properties of U(VI) and Cs to bentonite colloids under these conditions using controlled batch experiments. Results indicated that U(VI) undergoes little to no sorption to bentonite colloids in a high-salinity (TDS= 9000 mg/L) artificial groundwater. This lack of sorption was attributed to the formation of CaUO2(CO3)22- and Ca2UO2(CO3)3 aqueous ions which stabilize the UO22+ ions in solution. In contrast, Cs exhibited greater sorption, the extent to which was influenced greatly by the matrix water's ionic strength and the colloid concentration used. Surprisingly, when both U and Cs were together, the presence of U(VI) in solution decreased Cs sorption, possibly due to the formation of stabilizing CaUO2(CO3)22- anions. The implications of this research are that rather than undergoing colloid-facilitated transport, U(VI) is expected to migrate similarly to a

  12. Advection and diffusion in random media implications for sea surface temperature anomalies

    CERN Document Server

    Piterbarg, Leonid I

    1997-01-01

    The book presents the foundations of the theory of turbulent transport within the context of stochastic partial differential equations. It serves to establish a firm connection between rigorous and non-rigorous results concerning turbulent diffusion. Mathematically all of the issues addressed in this book are concentrated around a single linear equation: stochastic advection-diffusion (transport) equation. There is no attempt made to derive universal statistics for turbulent flow. Instead emphasis is placed on a statistical description of a passive scalar (tracer) under given velocity statistics. An application concerning transport of sea surface temperature anomalies reconciles the developed theory and a highly practical issue of modern physical oceanography by using the newly designed inversion techniques which take advantage of powerful maximum likelihood and autoregressive estimators. Audience: Graduate students and researchers in mathematics, fluid dynamics, and physical oceanography.

  13. Atomic interactions at the (100) diamond surface and the impact of surface and interface changes on the electronic transport properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deferme, Wim

    Centuries and centuries already, diamond is a material that speaks to ones imagination. Till the 18th century it was only mined in India, after it was also found in Brazil and South-Africa. But along the fascinating properties of diamond, it is also a very interesting material for industry. After the discovery at the end of the 18th century that diamond consists of carbon, it took until the 50's of the previous century before research groups from Russia, Japan and the USA were able to reproduce the growth process of diamond. In 1989 it was discovered that the surface of intrinsic, insulation diamond can be made conductive by hydrogenating the surface. It was clear that not only hydrogen at the surface but also the so called "adsorbates" were responsible for this conductivity. It was still not completely clear what was the influence of other species (like oxygen) on the mechanism of surface conductivity and therefore in this thesis the influence of oxygen on the electronic transport properties of atomically flat diamond are researched. Besides the growth of atomically flat diamond with the use of CVD (chemical vapour deposition) en the study of the grown surfaces with characterising techniques such as AFM (atomic force microscopy) and STM (scanning tunnelling microscopy), the study of the surface treatment with plasma techniques is the main topic of this thesis. The influence of oxygen on the surface conductivity is studied and with the ToF (Time-of-Flight) technique the transport properties of the freestanding diamond are examined. With a short laserflash, electrons and holes are created at the diamond/aluminium interface and due to an electric field (up to 500V) the charge carriers are translated to the back contact. In this way the influence of the surface and the changes at the aluminum contacts is studied leading to very interesting results.

  14. Estimating source-attributable health impacts of ambient fine particulate matter exposure: global premature mortality from surface transportation emissions in 2005

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chambliss, S E; Zeinali, M; Minjares, R; Silva, R; West, J J

    2014-01-01

    Exposure to ambient fine particular matter (PM 2.5 ) was responsible for 3.2 million premature deaths in 2010 and is among the top ten leading risk factors for early death. Surface transportation is a significant global source of PM 2.5 emissions and a target for new actions. The objective of this study is to estimate the global and national health burden of ambient PM 2.5 exposure attributable to surface transportation emissions. This share of health burden is called the transportation attributable fraction (TAF), and is assumed equal to the proportional decrease in modeled ambient particulate matter concentrations when surface transportation emissions are removed. National population-weighted TAFs for 190 countries are modeled for 2005 using the MOZART-4 global chemical transport model. Changes in annual average concentration of PM 2.5 at 0.5 × 0.67 degree horizontal resolution are based on a global emissions inventory and removal of all surface transportation emissions. Global population-weighted average TAF was 8.5 percent or 1.75 μg m −3 in 2005. Approximately 242 000 annual premature deaths were attributable to surface transportation emissions, dominated by China, the United States, the European Union and India. This application of TAF allows future Global Burden of Disease studies to estimate the sector-specific burden of ambient PM 2.5 exposure. Additional research is needed to capture intraurban variations in emissions and exposure, and to broaden the range of health effects considered, including the effects of other pollutants. (letter)

  15. Transport of lincomycin to surface and ground water from manure-amended cropland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuchta, Sandra L; Cessna, Allan J; Elliott, Jane A; Peru, Kerry M; Headley, John V

    2009-01-01

    Livestock manure containing antimicrobials becomes a possible source of these compounds to surface and ground waters when applied to cropland as a nutrient source. The potential for transport of the veterinary antimicrobial lincomycin to surface waters via surface runoff and to leach to ground water was assessed by monitoring manure-amended soil, simulated rainfall runoff, snowmelt runoff, and ground water over a 2-yr period in Saskatchewan, Canada, after fall application of liquid swine manure to cropland. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantify lincomycin in all matrix extracts. Initial concentrations in soil (46.3-117 mug kg(-1)) were not significantly different (p > 0.05) for manure application rates ranging from 60,000 to 95,000 L ha(-1) and had decreased to nondetectable levels by mid-summer the following year. After fall manure application, lincomycin was present in all simulated rainfall runoff (0.07-2.7 mug L(-1)) and all snowmelt runoff (0.038-3.2 mug L(-1)) samples. Concentrations in snowmelt runoff were not significantly different from those in simulated rainfall runoff the previous fall. On average, lincomycin concentrations in ephemeral wetlands dissipated by 50% after 31 d. Concentrations of lincomycin in ground water were generally <0.005 mug L(-1). This study demonstrates that the management practice of using livestock manure from confined animal feeding operations as a plant nutrient source on cropland may result in antimicrobial transport to surface and ground waters.

  16. The influence of vertical sorbed phase transport on the fate of organic chemicals in surface soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLachlan, Michael S; Czub, Gertje; Wania, Frank

    2002-11-15

    Gaseous exchange between surface soil and the atmosphere is an important process in the environmental fate of many chemicals. It was hypothesized that this process is influenced by vertical transport of chemicals sorbed to soil particles. Vertical sorbed phase transport in surface soils occurs by many processes such as bioturbation, cryoturbation, and erosion into cracks formed by soil drying. The solution of the advection/diffusion equation proposed by Jury et al. to describe organic chemical fate in a uniformly contaminated surface soil was modified to include vertical sorbed phase transport This process was modeled using a sorbed phase diffusion coefficient, the value of which was derived from soil carbon mass balances in the literature. The effective diffusivity of the chemical in a typical soil was greater in the modified model than in the model without sorbed phase transport for compounds with log K(OW) > 2 and log K(OA) > 6. Within this chemical partitioning space, the rate of volatilization from the surface soil was larger in the modified model than in the original model by up to a factor of 65. The volatilization rate was insensitive to the value of the sorbed phase diffusion coefficient throughout much of this chemical partitioning space, indicating that the surface soil layer was essentially well-mixed and that the mass transfer coefficient was determined by diffusion through the atmospheric boundary layer only. When this process was included in a non-steady-state regional multimedia chemical fate model running with a generic emissions scenario to air, the predicted soil concentrations increased by upto a factor of 25,whilethe air concentrations decreased by as much as a factor of approximately 3. Vertical sorbed phase transport in the soil thus has a major impact on predicted air and soil concentrations, the state of equilibrium, and the direction and magnitude of the chemical flux between air and soil. It is a key process influencing the environmental

  17. Surface plasmon enhanced quantum transport in a hybrid metal nanoparticle array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Lin; Nan, Yali; Xu, Shang; Zhang, Sishi; Han, Min

    2014-01-01

    Hybrid Pd–Ag nanoparticle arrays composed of randomly distributed Pd nanoparticles in dense packing and a small number of dispersed Ag nanoparticles were fabricated with controlled coverage. Photo-enhanced conductance was observed in the nanoparticle arrays. Largest enhancement, which can be higher than 20 folds, was obtained with 450 nm light illumination. This wavelength was found to correlate with the surface plasmon resonance of the Ag nanoparticles. Electron transport measurements showed there were significant Coulomb blockade in the nanoparticle arrays and the blockade could be overcome with the surface plasmon enhanced local field of Ag nanoparticles induced by light illumination. - Highlights: • We study photo-enhanced electron conductance of a hybrid Pd–Ag nanoparticle array. • The light-induced conductance enhancement is as high as 20 folds at 10 K. • The enhancement is correlate with the surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles. • Coulomb blockades is overcome with the surface plasmon enhanced local field

  18. Surface proton transport of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) thin films on quartz substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagao, Yuki; Kubo, Takahiro

    2014-12-01

    Thin film structure and the proton transport property of fully protonated poly(aspartic acid) (P-Asp100) have been investigated. An earlier study assessed partially protonated poly(aspartic acid), highly oriented thin film structure and enhancement of the internal proton transport. In this study of P-Asp100, IR p-polarized multiple-angle incidence resolution (P-MAIR) spectra were measured to investigate the thin film structure. The obtained thin films, with thicknesses of 120-670 nm, had no oriented structure. Relative humidity dependence of the resistance, proton conductivity, and normalized resistance were examined to ascertain the proton transport property of P-Asp100 thin films. The obtained data showed that the proton transport of P-Asp100 thin films might occur on the surface, not inside of the thin film. This phenomenon might be related with the proton transport of the biological system.

  19. Cerebrospinal and interstitial fluid transport via the glymphatic pathway modeled by optimal mass transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratner, Vadim; Gao, Yi; Lee, Hedok; Elkin, Rena; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene; Tannenbaum, Allen

    2017-05-15

    The glymphatic pathway is a system which facilitates continuous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) exchange and plays a key role in removing waste products from the rodent brain. Dysfunction of the glymphatic pathway may be implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. Intriguingly, the glymphatic system is most active during deep wave sleep general anesthesia. By using paramagnetic tracers administered into CSF of rodents, we previously showed the utility of MRI in characterizing a macroscopic whole brain view of glymphatic transport but we have yet to define and visualize the specific flow patterns. Here we have applied an alternative mathematical analysis approach to a dynamic time series of MRI images acquired every 4min over ∼3h in anesthetized rats, following administration of a small molecular weight paramagnetic tracer into the CSF reservoir of the cisterna magna. We use Optimal Mass Transport (OMT) to model the glymphatic flow vector field, and then analyze the flow to find the network of CSF-ISF flow channels. We use 3D visualization computational tools to visualize the OMT defined network of CSF-ISF flow channels in relation to anatomical and vascular key landmarks from the live rodent brain. The resulting OMT model of the glymphatic transport network agrees largely with the current understanding of the glymphatic transport patterns defined by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI revealing key CSF transport pathways along the ventral surface of the brain with a trajectory towards the pineal gland, cerebellum, hypothalamus and olfactory bulb. In addition, the OMT analysis also revealed some interesting previously unnoticed behaviors regarding CSF transport involving parenchymal streamlines moving from ventral reservoirs towards the surface of the brain, olfactory bulb and large central veins. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. Spin transport in dangling-bond wires on doped H-passivated Si(100)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kepenekian, Mikaël; Robles, Roberto; Lorente, Nicolás; Rurali, Riccardo

    2014-01-01

    New advances in single-atom manipulation are leading to the creation of atomic structures on H-passivated Si surfaces with functionalities important for the development of atomic and molecular based technologies. We perform total-energy and electron-transport calculations to reveal the properties and understand the features of atomic wires crafted by H removal from the surface. The presence of dopants radically change the wire properties. Our calculations show that dopants have a tendency to approach the dangling-bond wires, and in these conditions, transport is enhanced and spin selective. These results have important implications in the development of atomic-scale spintronics showing that boron, and to a lesser extent phosphorous, convert the wires in high-quality spin filters. (paper)

  1. Coupled Transport Phenomena in the Opalinus Clay: Implications for Radionuclide Transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soler, J.M.

    1999-09-01

    Coupled phenomena (thermal and chemical osmosis, hyperfiltration, coupled diffusion, thermal diffusion, thermal filtration, Dufour effect) may play an important role in fluid, solute and heat transport in clay-rich formations, such as the Opalinus Clay (OPA), which are being considered as potential hosts for radioactive waste repositories. In this study, the potential effects of coupled phenomena on radionuclide transport in the vicinity of a repository for vitrified high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel (SF) hosted by the Opalinus Clay, at times equal to or greater than the expected lifetime of the waste canisters (about 1000 years), have been addressed. Firstly, estimates of the solute fluxes associated with chemical osmosis, hyperfiltration, thermal diffusion and thermal osmosis have been calculated. Available experimental data concerning coupled transport phenomena in compacted clays, and the hydrogeological and geochemical conditions to which the Opalinus Clay is subject, have been used for these estimates. These estimates suggest that thermal osmosis is the only coupled transport mechanism that could have a strong impact on solute and fluid transport in the vicinity of the repository. Secondly, estimates of the heat fluxes associated with thermal filtration and the Dufour effect in the vicinity of the repository have been calculated. The calculated heat fluxes are absolutely negligible compared to the heat flux caused by thermal conduction. As a further step to obtain additional insight into the effects of coupled phenomena on solute transport, the solute fluxes associated with advection, chemical diffusion, thermal and chemical osmosis, hyperfiltration and thermal diffusion have been incorporated into a simple one-dimensional transport equation. The analytical solution of this equation, with appropriate parameters, shows again that thermal osmosis is the only coupled transport mechanism that could have a strong effect on repository

  2. Coupled Transport Phenomena in the Opalinus Clay: Implications for Radionuclide Transport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soler, J.M.

    1999-09-01

    Coupled phenomena (thermal and chemical osmosis, hyperfiltration, coupled diffusion, thermal diffusion, thermal filtration, Dufour effect) may play an important role in fluid, solute and heat transport in clay-rich formations, such as the Opalinus Clay (OPA), which are being considered as potential hosts for radioactive waste repositories. In this study, the potential effects of coupled phenomena on radionuclide transport in the vicinity of a repository for vitrified high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel (SF) hosted by the Opalinus Clay, at times equal to or greater than the expected lifetime of the waste canisters (about 1000 years), have been addressed. Firstly, estimates of the solute fluxes associated with chemical osmosis, hyperfiltration, thermal diffusion and thermal osmosis have been calculated. Available experimental data concerning coupled transport phenomena in compacted clays, and the hydrogeological and geochemical conditions to which the Opalinus Clay is subject, have been used for these estimates. These estimates suggest that thermal osmosis is the only coupled transport mechanism that could have a strong impact on solute and fluid transport in the vicinity of the repository. Secondly, estimates of the heat fluxes associated with thermal filtration and the Dufour effect in the vicinity of the repository have been calculated. The calculated heat fluxes are absolutely negligible compared to the heat flux caused by thermal conduction. As a further step to obtain additional insight into the effects of coupled phenomena on solute transport, the solute fluxes associated with advection, chemical diffusion, thermal and chemical osmosis, hyperfiltration and thermal diffusion have been incorporated into a simple one-dimensional transport equation. The analytical solution of this equation, with appropriate parameters, shows again that thermal osmosis is the only coupled transport mechanism that could have a strong effect on repository

  3. High-Speed Transport of Fluid Drops and Solid Particles via Surface Acoustic Waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Bao, Xiaoqi; Sherrit, Stewart; Badescu, Mircea; Lih, Shyh-shiuh

    2012-01-01

    A compact sampling tool mechanism that can operate at various temperatures, and transport and sieve particle sizes of powdered cuttings and soil grains with no moving parts, has been created using traveling surface acoustic waves (SAWs) that are emitted by an inter-digital transducer (IDT). The generated waves are driven at about 10 MHz, and it causes powder to move towards the IDT at high speed with different speeds for different sizes of particles, which enables these particles to be sieved. This design is based on the use of SAWs and their propelling effect on powder particles and fluids along the path of the waves. Generally, SAWs are elastic waves propagating in a shallow layer of about one wavelength beneath the surface of a solid substrate. To generate SAWs, a piezoelectric plate is used that is made of LiNbO3 crystal cut along the x-axis with rotation of 127.8 along the y-axis. On this plate are printed pairs of fingerlike electrodes in the form of a grating that are activated by subjecting the gap between the electrodes to electric field. This configuration of a surface wave transmitter is called IDT. The IDT that was used consists of 20 pairs of fingers with 0.4-mm spacing, a total length of 12.5 mm. The surface wave is produced by the nature of piezoelectric material to contract or expand when subjected to an electric field. Driving the IDT to generate wave at high amplitudes provides an actuation mechanism where the surface particles move elliptically, pulling powder particles on the surface toward the wavesource and pushing liquids in the opposite direction. This behavior allows the innovation to separate large particles and fluids that are mixed. Fluids are removed at speed (7.5 to 15 cm/s), enabling this innovation of acting as a bladeless wiper for raindrops. For the windshield design, the electrodes could be made transparent so that they do not disturb the driver or pilot. Multiple IDTs can be synchronized to transport water or powder over larger

  4. Inhibition of beta-amino acid transport by diamide does not involve the brush border membrane surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chesney, R.W.; Gusowski, N.; Albright, P.

    1985-01-01

    Diamide (dicarboxylic acid bis-(N,N-dimethylamide) has been shown in previous studies to block the uptake of the beta-amino acid taurine at its high affinity transport site in rat renal cortex slices. Diamide may act by increasing the efflux of taurine from the slice. Studies performed in rat slices again indicate enhanced efflux over 8-12 minutes. The time course of reduced glutathione (GSH) depletion from renal cortex is similar, indicating a potential interaction between GSH depletion and inhibition of taurine accumulation. The effect of 9 mM diamide on the Na+ -dependent accumulation of taurine (10 and 250 microM) by brush border membrane vesicles was examined, and the taurine uptake value both initially and at equilibrium was the same in the presence and absence of diamide. Isolation of the brush border surface and subsequent transport studies of taurine are not influenced by diamide. Thus, diamide inhibition of taurine uptake does not involve physiochemical alteration of the membrane surface where active amino acid transport occurs, despite the thiol-oxidizing properties of this agent. Further, these studies suggest that diamide either acts at the basolateral surface, rather than the brush border surface of rat renal cortex or requires the presence of an intact tubule, capable of metabolism, prior to its inhibitory action

  5. Importance of 3D Processes Near the Ocean's Surface for Material Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozgokmen, T. M.

    2014-12-01

    There are a number of practical problems that demand an accurate knowledge of ocean currents near the surface of the ocean. It is known that oceanic coherent features transport heat and carry out vertical exchange of biogeochemical tracers. Ocean currents can affect biological primary production, air-sea gas exchanges and global tracer budgets. Ocean currents are also important for the dispersion of substances that pose a danger to society, economy and human health. Examples of such events include algal blooms, the Fukushima nuclear plant incident in the Pacific Ocean in 2011, and repeated large oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, namely the IXTOC in 1978 and the Deepwater Horizon event in 2010. Such incidents demand accurate answers to questions such as ``where will the pollutant go?", ``how fast will it get there?" and ``how much pollutant will arrive there?", and in some instances ``where did the pollutant come from?". The answers to these questions are critical to the allocation of limited response resources, and in determining the overall impact of the events. We will summarize the efforts by the Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE). One of the primary objectives of CARTHE is to improve predictive modeling capability for flows near the air-sea interface. In particular, two large experiments, Grand Lagrangian Deployment (GLAD) and Surf-zone and Coastal Oil Pathways Experiment (SCOPE), coordinated with real-time modeling were instructive on processes influencing near-surface material transport. Findings on submesoscale flows as well as model deficiencies to capture processes relevant to transport will be discussed. Insight into future modeling and observational plans will be provided.

  6. U. K. surface passenger transport sector. Energy consumption and policy options for conservation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maltby, D; Monteath, I G; Lawler, K A

    1978-12-01

    Forecasts of U.K. energy consumption in this sector for four future scenarios based on different economic growth rates, energy prices, and energy conservation policies, show that by the year 2000, private transport will probably account for 76-94% of total energy consumption in surface passenger transport. A 33% increase in the average miles-per-gallon fuel consumption through technological improvements in private vehicles, conversion of private vehicles to diesel oil, additional fuel taxation equivalent to 25 or 50% fuel price increase, a 10% reduction in average car engine size (encouraged by taxation), and changes in public transport technology offer energy savings of about 20, 5-10, 6.3 or 12.5, 2-4, and 2%, respectively. There is considerable uncertainty about the outcome of these options.

  7. In situ investigation of the mechanisms of the transport to tissues of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed onto the root surface of Kandelia obovata seedlings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Ruilong; Zhu, Yaxian; Zhang, Yong

    2015-01-01

    A novel method for in situ determination of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed onto the root surface of Kandelia obovata seedlings was established using laser-induced time-resolved nanosecond fluorescence spectroscopy (LITRF). The linear dynamic ranges for the established method were 1.5–1240 ng/spot for phenanthrene, 1.0–1360 ng/spot for pyrene and 5.0–1220 ng/spot for benzo[a]pyrene. Then, the mechanisms of PAHs transport from the Ko root surface to tissues were investigated. The three-phase model including fast, slow and very slow fractions was superior to the single or dual-phase model to describe the PAHs transport processes. Moreover, the fast fraction of PAHs transport process was mainly due to passive movement, while the slow and very slow fractions were not. Passive movement was the main process of B[a]P adsorbed onto Ko root surface transport to tissues. In addition, the extent of the PAHs transport to Ko root tissues at different salinity were evaluated. - Highlights: • A novel method in situ determination PAHs adsorbed onto root surface was established. • The mechanisms of PAHs transport from root surface to tissues are investigated. • Passive movement is the main process of B[a]P transport from root surface to tissues. • Effects of salinity on the PAHs transport from root surface to tissues are evaluated. - Passive movement for the PAHs adsorbed onto Kandelia obovata root surface to tissues was observed by a newly established in situ LITRF method

  8. Temperature-tunable wettability on a bioinspired structured graphene surface for fog collection and unidirectional transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Yun-Yun; Liu, Yan; Jiang, Hao-Bo; Li, Shu-Yi; Kaya, Cigdem; Stegmaier, Thomas; Han, Zhi-Wu; Ren, Lu-Quan

    2018-02-22

    We designed a type of smart bioinspired wettable surface with tip-shaped patterns by combining polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and graphene (PDMS/G). The laser etched porous graphene surface can produce an obvious wettability change between 200 °C and 0 °C due to a change in aperture size and chemical components. We demonstrate that the cooperation of the geometrical structure and the controllable wettability play an important role in water gathering, and surfaces with tip-shaped wettability patterns can quickly drive tiny water droplets toward more wettable regions, so making a great contribution to the improvement of water collection efficiency. In addition, due to the effective cooperation between super hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of the special tip-shaped pattern, unidirectional water transport on the 200 °C heated PDMS/G surface can be realized. This study offers a novel insight into the design of temperature-tunable materials with interphase wettability that may enhance fog collection efficiency in engineering liquid harvesting equipment, and realize unidirectional liquid transport, which could potentially be applied to the realms of microfluidics, medical devices and condenser design.

  9. Theoretical investigation of the electronic structure and quantum transport in the graphene–C(111) diamond surface system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Selli, Daniele; Baburin, Igor; Leoni, Stefano; Seifert, Gotthard; Zhu, Zhen; Tománek, David

    2013-01-01

    We investigate the interaction of a graphene monolayer with the C(111) diamond surface using ab initio density functional theory. To accommodate the lattice mismatch between graphene and diamond, the overlayer deforms into a wavy structure that binds strongly to the diamond substrate. The detached ridges of the wavy graphene overlayer behave electronically as free-standing polyacetylene chains with delocalized π electrons, separated by regions containing only sp 3 carbon atoms covalently bonded to the (111) diamond surface. We performed quantum transport calculations for different geometries of the system to study how the buckling of the graphene layer and the associated bonding to the diamond substrate affect the transport properties. The system displays high carrier mobility along the ridges and a wide transport gap in the direction normal to the ridges. These intriguing, strongly anisotropic transport properties qualify the hybrid graphene–diamond system as a viable candidate for electronic nanodevices. (paper)

  10. A DOUBLE-RING ALGORITHM FOR MODELING SOLAR ACTIVE REGIONS: UNIFYING KINEMATIC DYNAMO MODELS AND SURFACE FLUX-TRANSPORT SIMULATIONS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munoz-Jaramillo, Andres; Martens, Petrus C. H.; Nandy, Dibyendu; Yeates, Anthony R.

    2010-01-01

    The emergence of tilted bipolar active regions (ARs) and the dispersal of their flux, mediated via processes such as diffusion, differential rotation, and meridional circulation, is believed to be responsible for the reversal of the Sun's polar field. This process (commonly known as the Babcock-Leighton mechanism) is usually modeled as a near-surface, spatially distributed α-effect in kinematic mean-field dynamo models. However, this formulation leads to a relationship between polar field strength and meridional flow speed which is opposite to that suggested by physical insight and predicted by surface flux-transport simulations. With this in mind, we present an improved double-ring algorithm for modeling the Babcock-Leighton mechanism based on AR eruption, within the framework of an axisymmetric dynamo model. Using surface flux-transport simulations, we first show that an axisymmetric formulation-which is usually invoked in kinematic dynamo models-can reasonably approximate the surface flux dynamics. Finally, we demonstrate that our treatment of the Babcock-Leighton mechanism through double-ring eruption leads to an inverse relationship between polar field strength and meridional flow speed as expected, reconciling the discrepancy between surface flux-transport simulations and kinematic dynamo models.

  11. Simulating surface oil transport during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Experiments with the BioCast system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jolliff, Jason Keith; Smith, Travis A.; Ladner, Sherwin; Arnone, Robert A.

    2014-03-01

    The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is developing nowcast/forecast software systems designed to combine satellite ocean color data streams with physical circulation models in order to produce prognostic fields of ocean surface materials. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico provided a test case for the Bio-Optical Forecasting (BioCast) system to rapidly combine the latest satellite imagery of the oil slick distribution with surface circulation fields in order to produce oil slick transport scenarios and forecasts. In one such sequence of experiments, MODIS satellite true color images were combined with high-resolution ocean circulation forecasts from the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS®) to produce 96-h oil transport simulations. These oil forecasts predicted a major oil slick landfall at Grand Isle, Louisiana, USA that was subsequently observed. A key driver of the landfall scenario was the development of a coastal buoyancy current associated with Mississippi River Delta freshwater outflow. In another series of experiments, longer-term regional circulation model results were combined with oil slick source/sink scenarios to simulate the observed containment of surface oil within the Gulf of Mexico. Both sets of experiments underscore the importance of identifying and simulating potential hydrodynamic conduits of surface oil transport. The addition of explicit sources and sinks of surface oil concentrations provides a framework for increasingly complex oil spill modeling efforts that extend beyond horizontal trajectory analysis.

  12. Modulating the Surface State of SiC to Control Carrier Transport in Graphene/SiC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Yuping; Sun, Xiaojuan; Shi, Zhiming; Jiang, Ke; Liu, Henan; Ben, Jianwei; Li, Dabing

    2018-05-28

    Silicon carbide (SiC) with epitaxial graphene (EG/SiC) shows a great potential in the applications of electronic and photoelectric devices. The performance of devices is primarily dependent on the interfacial heterojunction between graphene and SiC. Here, the band structure of the EG/SiC heterojunction is experimentally investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy. The dependence of the barrier height at the EG/SiC heterojunction to the initial surface state of SiC is revealed. Both the barrier height and band bending tendency of the heterojunction can be modulated by controlling the surface state of SiC, leading to the tuned carrier transport behavior at the EG/SiC interface. The barrier height at the EG/SiC(000-1) interface is almost ten times that of the EG/SiC(0001) interface. As a result, the amount of carrier transport at the EG/SiC(000-1) interface is about ten times that of the EG/SiC(0001) interface. These results offer insights into the carrier transport behavior at the EG/SiC heterojunction by controlling the initial surface state of SiC, and this strategy can be extended in all devices with graphene as the top layer. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Surface/Interface Carrier-Transport Modulation for Constructing Photon-Alternative Ultraviolet Detectors Based on Self-Bending-Assembled ZnO Nanowires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Zhen; Zhou, Lianqun; Tang, Yuguo; Li, Lin; Zhang, Zhiqi; Yang, Hongbo; Ma, Hanbin; Nathan, Arokia; Zhao, Dongxu

    2017-09-13

    Surface/interface charge-carrier generation, diffusion, and recombination/transport modulation are especially important in the construction of photodetectors with high efficiency in the field of nanoscience. In the paper, a kind of ultraviolet (UV) detector is designed based on ZnO nanostructures considering photon-trapping, surface plasmonic resonance (SPR), piezophototronic effects, interface carrier-trapping/transport control, and collection. Through carefully optimized surface/interface carrier-transport modulation, a designed device with detectivity as high as 1.69 × 10 16 /1.71 × 10 16 cm·Hz 1/2 /W irradiating with 380 nm photons under ultralow bias of 0.2 V is realized by alternating nanoparticle/nanowire active layers, respectively, and the designed UV photodetectors show fast and slow recovery processes of 0.27 and 4.52 ms, respectively, which well-satisfy practical needs. Further, it is observed that UV photodetection could be performed within an alternative response by varying correlated key parameters, through efficient surface/interface carrier-transport modulation, spectrally resolved photoresponse of the detector revealing controlled detection in the UV region based on the ZnO nanomaterial, photodetection allowed or limited by varying the active layers, irradiation distance from one of the electrodes, standing states, or electric field. The detailed carrier generation, diffusion, and recombination/transport processes are well illustrated to explain charge-carrier dynamics contributing to the photoresponse behavior.

  14. Directed transport by surface chemical potential gradients for enhancing analyte collection in nanoscale sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sitt, Amit; Hess, Henry

    2015-05-13

    Nanoscale detectors hold great promise for single molecule detection and the analysis of small volumes of dilute samples. However, the probability of an analyte reaching the nanosensor in a dilute solution is extremely low due to the sensor's small size. Here, we examine the use of a chemical potential gradient along a surface to accelerate analyte capture by nanoscale sensors. Utilizing a simple model for transport induced by surface binding energy gradients, we study the effect of the gradient on the efficiency of collecting nanoparticles and single and double stranded DNA. The results indicate that chemical potential gradients along a surface can lead to an acceleration of analyte capture by several orders of magnitude compared to direct collection from the solution. The improvement in collection is limited to a relatively narrow window of gradient slopes, and its extent strongly depends on the size of the gradient patch. Our model allows the optimization of gradient layouts and sheds light on the fundamental characteristics of chemical potential gradient induced transport.

  15. Triiodothyronine Acutely Stimulates Glucose Transport into L6 Muscle Cells Without Increasing Surface GLUT4, GLUT1, or GLUT3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira, Silvania Silva; Tamrakar, Akhilesh K.; Goulart-Silva, Francemilson; Serrano-Nascimento, Caroline; Klip, Amira

    2012-01-01

    Background Thyroid hormones (THs) act genomically to stimulate glucose transport by elevating glucose transporter (Slc2a) expression and glucose utilization by cells. However, nongenomic effects of THs are now emerging. Here, we assess how triiodothyronine (T3) acutely affects glucose transport and the content of GLUT4, GLUT1, and GLUT3 at the surface of muscle cells, and possible interactions between T3 and insulin action. Methods Differentiated L6 myotubes transfected with myc-tagged Slc2a4 (L6-GLUT4myc) or Slc2a1 (L6-GLUT1myc) and wild-type L6 myotubes were studied in the following conditions: control, hypothyroid (Tx), Tx plus T3, Tx plus insulin, and Tx plus insulin and T3. Results Glucose uptake and GLUT4 content at the cell surface decreased in the Tx group relative to controls. T3 treatment for 30 minutes increased glucose transport into L6-GLUT4myc cells without altering surface GLUT4 content, which increased only thereafter. The total amount of GLUT4 protein remained unchanged among the groups studied. The surface GLUT1 content of L6-GLUT1myc cells also remained unaltered after T3 treatment; however, in these cells glucose transport was not stimulated by T3. In wild-type L6 cells, although T3 treatment increased the total amount of GLUT3, it did not change the surface GLUT3 content. Moreover, within 30 minutes, T3 stimulation of glucose uptake was additive to that of insulin in L6-GLUT4myc cells. As expected, insulin elevated surface GLUT4 content and glucose uptake. However, interestingly, surface GLUT4 content remained unchanged or even dropped with T3 plus insulin. Conclusions These data reveal that T3 rapidly increases glucose uptake in L6-GLUT4myc cells, which, at least for 30 minutes, did not depend on an increment in GLUT4 at the cell surface yet potentiates insulin action. We propose that this rapid T3 effect involves activation of GLUT4 transporters at the cell surface, but cannot discount the involvement of an unknown GLUT. PMID:22663547

  16. On the implications of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission for hydrologic science and applications (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lettenmaier, D. P.

    2010-12-01

    The SWOT mission will provide surface water elevation and extent information with unprecedented accuracy and spatial resolution globally. All of the implications of thedata that SWOT will produce for the hydrologic science and applications communities are not yet apparent. The SWOT data will, however, certainly offer groundbreaking opportunities for estimation of two key terms in the land surface water budget: surface water storage (in almost all water bodies with surface area exceeding about 1 km2) and derived discharge for many of the world’s large rivers (widths greater than roughly 100-250 m). Among just a few of the science questions that the observations should allow us to address are a) what are the dynamics of floods and overbank flows in large rivers? b) what is the contribution of long-term, seasonal, and interannual storage in reservoirs, lakes, and wetlands to sea level? c) what is the magnitude of surface water storage changes at seasonal to decadal time scales and continental spatial scales relative to soil moisture and groundwater? d) what will be the implications of SWOT-based estimates of reservoir storage and storage change to the management of transboundary rivers? These quite likely are among just a few of the questions that SWOT will help elucidate. Others no doubt will arise from creative analyses of SWOT data in combination with data from other missions I conclude with a discussion of mechanisms that will help foster a community to investigate these and other questions, and the implications of a SWOT data policy.

  17. Transported biofilms and their influence on subsequent macrofouling colonization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweat, L Holly; Swain, Geoffrey W; Hunsucker, Kelli Z; Johnson, Kevin B

    2017-05-01

    Biofilm organisms such as diatoms are potential regulators of global macrofouling dispersal because they ubiquitously colonize submerged surfaces, resist antifouling efforts and frequently alter larval recruitment. Although ships continually deliver biofilms to foreign ports, it is unclear how transport shapes biofilm microbial structure and subsequent macrofouling colonization. This study demonstrates that different ship hull coatings and transport methods change diatom assemblage composition in transported coastal marine biofilms. Assemblages carried on the hull experienced significant cell losses and changes in composition through hydrodynamic stress, whereas those that underwent sheltered transport, even through freshwater, were largely unaltered. Coatings and their associated biofilms shaped distinct macrofouling communities and affected recruitment for one third of all species, while biofilms from different transport treatments had little effect on macrofouling colonization. These results demonstrate that transport conditions can shape diatom assemblages in biofilms carried by ships, but the properties of the underlying coatings are mainly responsible for subsequent macrofouling. The methods by which organisms colonize and are transferred by ships have implications for their distribution, establishment and invasion success.

  18. Spatial glyphosate and AMPA redistribution on the soil surface driven by sediment transport processes - A flume experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bento, Célia P M; Commelin, Meindert C; Baartman, Jantiene E M; Yang, Xiaomei; Peters, Piet; Mol, Hans G J; Ritsema, Coen J; Geissen, Violette

    2018-03-01

    This study investigates the influence of small-scale sediment transport on glyphosate and AMPA redistribution on the soil surface and on their off-site transport during water erosion events. Both a smooth surface (T1) and a surface with "seeding lines on the contour" (T2) were tested in a rainfall simulation experiment using soil flumes (1 × 0.5 m) with a 5% slope. A dose of 178 mg m -2 of a glyphosate-based formulation (CLINIC ® ) was applied on the upper 0.2 m of the flumes. Four 15-min rainfall events (RE) with 30-min interval in between and a total rainfall intensity of 30 mm h -1 were applied. Runoff samples were collected after each RE in a collector at the flume outlet. At the end of the four REs, soil and sediment samples were collected in the application area and in four 20 cm-segments downslope of the application area. Samples were collected according to the following visually distinguished soil surface groups: light sedimentation (LS), dark sedimentation (DS), background and aggregates. Results showed that runoff, suspended sediment and associated glyphosate and AMPA off-site transport were significantly lower in T2 than in T1. Glyphosate and AMPA off-site deposition was higher for T2 than for T1, and their contents on the soil surface decreased with increasing distance from the application area for all soil surface groups and in both treatments. The LS and DS groups presented the highest glyphosate and AMPA contents, but the background group contributed the most to the downslope off-site deposition. Glyphosate and AMPA off-target particle-bound transport was 9.4% (T1) and 17.8% (T2) of the applied amount, while water-dissolved transport was 2.8% (T1) and 0.5% (T2). Particle size and organic matter influenced the mobility of glyphosate and AMPA to off-target areas. These results indicate that the pollution risk of terrestrial and aquatic environments through runoff and deposition can be considerable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

  19. Design data sheets Near-Surface Test Facility Bottom Loading Transporter (BLT): Title 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Young, G.M.

    1979-01-01

    This document is an accumulation of all the Design Data Sheets relative to the handling equipment in the transporter for the Near-Surface Test Facility. The Data Sheets are in ascending numerical order. Each Data Sheet, regardless of the number of pages, shall stand by itself within this document

  20. Directional mass transport in an atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickenson, A; Morabit, Y; Hasan, M I; Walsh, J L

    2017-10-25

    In an atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharge the inherent physical separation between the plasma generation region and downstream point of application reduces the flux of reactive chemical species reaching the sample, potentially limiting application efficacy. This contribution explores the impact of manipulating the phase angle of the applied voltage to exert a level of control over the electrohydrodynamic forces generated by the plasma. As these forces produce a convective flow which is the primary mechanism of species transport, the technique facilitates the targeted delivery of reactive species to a downstream point without compromising the underpinning species generation mechanisms. Particle Imaging Velocimetry measurements are used to demonstrate that a phase shift between sinusoidal voltages applied to adjacent electrodes in a surface barrier discharge results in a significant deviation in the direction of the plasma induced gas flow. Using a two-dimensional numerical air plasma model, it is shown that the phase shift impacts the spatial distribution of the deposited charge on the dielectric surface between the adjacent electrodes. The modified surface charge distribution reduces the propagation length of the discharge ignited on the lagging electrode, causing an imbalance in the generated forces and consequently a variation in the direction of the resulting gas flow.

  1. Nanoscale electron transport at the surface of a topological insulator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Sebastian; Bobisch, Christian A.

    2016-04-01

    The use of three-dimensional topological insulators for disruptive technologies critically depends on the dissipationless transport of electrons at the surface, because of the suppression of backscattering at defects. However, in real devices, defects are unavoidable and scattering at angles other than 180° is allowed for such materials. Until now, this has been studied indirectly by bulk measurements and by the analysis of the local density of states in close vicinity to defect sites. Here, we directly measure the nanoscale voltage drop caused by the scattering at step edges, which occurs if a lateral current flows along a three-dimensional topological insulator. The experiments were performed using scanning tunnelling potentiometry for thin Bi2Se3 films. So far, the observed voltage drops are small because of large contributions of the bulk to the electronic transport. However, for the use of ideal topological insulating thin films in devices, these contributions would play a significant role.

  2. Adsorption of sulfide ions on cerussite surfaces and implications for flotation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, Qicheng; Wen, Shuming; Zhao, Wenjuan; Deng, Jiushuai; Xian, Yongjun

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A new discussion on the lead sulfide species is introduced. • The Na_2S concentration determines cerussite sulfidization. • The activity of lead sulfide species also determines cerussite sulfidization. • Disulfide and polysulfide in lead sulfide species affect its activity. - Abstract: The adsorption of sulfide ions on cerussite surfaces and implications for flotation were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, micro-flotation tests, and surface adsorption experiments. The XPS analysis results indicated that lead sulfide species formed on the mineral surface after treatment by Na_2S, and the increase in the Na_2S concentration was beneficial for sulfidization. In addition to the content of lead sulfide species, its activity, which was determined by the proportion of sulfide, disulfide and polysulfide, also played an important role in cerussite sulfidization. Micro-flotation tests results demonstrated that insufficient or excessive addition of Na_2S in pulp solutions has detrimental effects on flotation performance, which was attributed to the dosage of Na_2S and the activity of lead sulfide species formed on the mineral surface. Surface adsorption experiments of sulfide ions determined the residual S concentrations in pulp solutions and provided a quantitative illustration for the inhibition of cerussite flotation by excessive sulfide ions. Moreover, it also revealed that sulfide ions in the pulp solution were transformed onto the mineral surface and formed lead sulfide species. These results showed that both of lead sulfide species and its activity acted as an important role in sulfidization flotation process of cerussite.

  3. Adsorption of sulfide ions on cerussite surfaces and implications for flotation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Qicheng [State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093 (China); Faculty of Land Resource Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093 (China); Wen, Shuming, E-mail: fqckmust@126.com [State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093 (China); Faculty of Land Resource Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093 (China); Zhao, Wenjuan [Kunming Metallurgical Research Institute, Kunming 650031 (China); Deng, Jiushuai; Xian, Yongjun [State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093 (China); Faculty of Land Resource Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093 (China)

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A new discussion on the lead sulfide species is introduced. • The Na{sub 2}S concentration determines cerussite sulfidization. • The activity of lead sulfide species also determines cerussite sulfidization. • Disulfide and polysulfide in lead sulfide species affect its activity. - Abstract: The adsorption of sulfide ions on cerussite surfaces and implications for flotation were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, micro-flotation tests, and surface adsorption experiments. The XPS analysis results indicated that lead sulfide species formed on the mineral surface after treatment by Na{sub 2}S, and the increase in the Na{sub 2}S concentration was beneficial for sulfidization. In addition to the content of lead sulfide species, its activity, which was determined by the proportion of sulfide, disulfide and polysulfide, also played an important role in cerussite sulfidization. Micro-flotation tests results demonstrated that insufficient or excessive addition of Na{sub 2}S in pulp solutions has detrimental effects on flotation performance, which was attributed to the dosage of Na{sub 2}S and the activity of lead sulfide species formed on the mineral surface. Surface adsorption experiments of sulfide ions determined the residual S concentrations in pulp solutions and provided a quantitative illustration for the inhibition of cerussite flotation by excessive sulfide ions. Moreover, it also revealed that sulfide ions in the pulp solution were transformed onto the mineral surface and formed lead sulfide species. These results showed that both of lead sulfide species and its activity acted as an important role in sulfidization flotation process of cerussite.

  4. Micromechanism of oxygen transport during initial stage oxidation in Si(100) surface: A ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Yu; Liu, Yilun; Chen, Xuefeng; Zhai, Zhi; Xu, Fei; Liu, Yijun

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A competition mechanism between thermal actuation and compressive stress blocking was found for the oxygen transport. • At low temperature, a compressive stress was generated in the oxide layer which blocked oxygen transport into the deeper region. • O atoms gained larger possibility to go deeper inward as temperature increase. • The related film quality was well explained by the competition mechanism. - Abstract: The early stage oxidation in Si(100) surface has been investigated in this work by a reactive force field molecular dynamics (ReaxFF MD) simulation, manifesting that the oxygen transport acted as a dominant issue for initial oxidation process. Due to the oxidation, a compressive stress was generated in the oxide layer which blocked the oxygen transport perpendicular to the Si(100) surface and further prevented oxidation in the deeper layer. In contrast, thermal actuation was beneficial to the oxygen transport into deeper layer as temperature increases. Therefore, a competition mechanism was found for the oxygen transport during early stage oxidation in Si(100) surface. At room temperature, the oxygen transport was governed by the blocking effect of compressive stress, so a better quality oxide film with more uniform interface and more stoichiometric oxide structure was obtained. Indeed, the mechanism presented in this work is also applicable for other self-limiting oxidation (e.g. metal oxidation) and is helpful for the design of high-performance electronic devices.

  5. Micromechanism of oxygen transport during initial stage oxidation in Si(100) surface: A ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Yu, E-mail: yu.sun@xjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Institute for Computational Mechanics and Its Applications, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China); Liu, Yilun [State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Chen, Xuefeng; Zhai, Zhi [State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Xu, Fei [Institute for Computational Mechanics and Its Applications, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China); Liu, Yijun [Institute for Computational Mechanics and Its Applications, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China); Mechanical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0072 (United States)

    2017-06-01

    Highlights: • A competition mechanism between thermal actuation and compressive stress blocking was found for the oxygen transport. • At low temperature, a compressive stress was generated in the oxide layer which blocked oxygen transport into the deeper region. • O atoms gained larger possibility to go deeper inward as temperature increase. • The related film quality was well explained by the competition mechanism. - Abstract: The early stage oxidation in Si(100) surface has been investigated in this work by a reactive force field molecular dynamics (ReaxFF MD) simulation, manifesting that the oxygen transport acted as a dominant issue for initial oxidation process. Due to the oxidation, a compressive stress was generated in the oxide layer which blocked the oxygen transport perpendicular to the Si(100) surface and further prevented oxidation in the deeper layer. In contrast, thermal actuation was beneficial to the oxygen transport into deeper layer as temperature increases. Therefore, a competition mechanism was found for the oxygen transport during early stage oxidation in Si(100) surface. At room temperature, the oxygen transport was governed by the blocking effect of compressive stress, so a better quality oxide film with more uniform interface and more stoichiometric oxide structure was obtained. Indeed, the mechanism presented in this work is also applicable for other self-limiting oxidation (e.g. metal oxidation) and is helpful for the design of high-performance electronic devices.

  6. Effects of bulk charged impurities on the bulk and surface transport in three-dimensional topological insulators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skinner, B.; Chen, T.; Shklovskii, B. I., E-mail: shklovsk@physics.spa.umn.edu [University of Minnesota, Fine Theoretical Physics Institute (United States)

    2013-09-15

    In the three-dimensional topological insulator (TI), the physics of doped semiconductors exists literally side-by-side with the physics of ultrarelativistic Dirac fermions. This unusual pairing creates a novel playground for studying the interplay between disorder and electronic transport. In this mini-review, we focus on the disorder caused by the three-dimensionally distributed charged impurities that are ubiquitous in TIs, and we outline the effects it has on both the bulk and surface transport in TIs. We present self-consistent theories for Coulomb screening both in the bulk and at the surface, discuss the magnitude of the disorder potential in each case, and present results for the conductivity. In the bulk, where the band gap leads to thermally activated transport, we show how disorder leads to a smaller-than-expected activation energy that gives way to variable-range hopping at low temperatures. We confirm this enhanced conductivity with numerical simulations that also allow us to explore different degrees of impurity compensation. For the surface, where the TI has gapless Dirac modes, we present a theory of disorder and screening of deep impurities, and we calculate the corresponding zero-temperature conductivity. We also comment on the growth of the disorder potential in passing from the surface of the TI into the bulk. Finally, we discuss how the presence of a gap at the Dirac point, introduced by some source of time-reversal symmetry breaking, affects the disorder potential at the surface and the mid-gap density of states.

  7. Effects of bulk charged impurities on the bulk and surface transport in three-dimensional topological insulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skinner, B.; Chen, T.; Shklovskii, B. I.

    2013-01-01

    In the three-dimensional topological insulator (TI), the physics of doped semiconductors exists literally side-by-side with the physics of ultrarelativistic Dirac fermions. This unusual pairing creates a novel playground for studying the interplay between disorder and electronic transport. In this mini-review, we focus on the disorder caused by the three-dimensionally distributed charged impurities that are ubiquitous in TIs, and we outline the effects it has on both the bulk and surface transport in TIs. We present self-consistent theories for Coulomb screening both in the bulk and at the surface, discuss the magnitude of the disorder potential in each case, and present results for the conductivity. In the bulk, where the band gap leads to thermally activated transport, we show how disorder leads to a smaller-than-expected activation energy that gives way to variable-range hopping at low temperatures. We confirm this enhanced conductivity with numerical simulations that also allow us to explore different degrees of impurity compensation. For the surface, where the TI has gapless Dirac modes, we present a theory of disorder and screening of deep impurities, and we calculate the corresponding zero-temperature conductivity. We also comment on the growth of the disorder potential in passing from the surface of the TI into the bulk. Finally, we discuss how the presence of a gap at the Dirac point, introduced by some source of time-reversal symmetry breaking, affects the disorder potential at the surface and the mid-gap density of states

  8. Functional analysis of candidate ABC transporter proteins for sitosterol transport

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albrecht, C; Elliott, J I; Sardini, A

    2002-01-01

    implicated in lipid movement and expressed in tissues with a role in sterol synthesis and absorption, might also be involved in sitosterol transport. Transport by the multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein (P-gp; Abcb1), the multidrug resistance-associated protein (Mrp1; Abcc1), the breast cancer resistance...

  9. Diffusion transport of nanoparticles at nanochannel boundaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahadevan, T. S.; Milosevic, M.; Kojic, M.; Hussain, F.; Kojic, N.; Serda, R.; Ferrari, M.; Ziemys, A.

    2013-01-01

    The manipulation of matter at the nanoscale has unleashed a great potential for engineering biomedical drug carriers, but the transport of nanoparticles (NPs) under nanoscale confinement is still poorly understood. Using colloidal physics to describe NP interactions, we have computationally studied the passive transport of NPs using experimentally relevant conditions from bulk into a nanochannel of 60–90 nm height. NP size, channel height, and the Debye length are comparable so that changes in nanoscale dimensions may induce substantial changes in NP transport kinetics. We show that subtle changes in nanochannel dimensions may alter the energy barrier by about six orders of magnitude resulting in different NP penetration depths and diffusion mechanisms: ballistic, first-order and quasi zero-order transport regimes. The analysis of NP diffusion by continuum methods reveals that apparent diffusivity is reduced by decreasing channel size. The continuum finite element (FE) numerical method reproduced the colloidal model results only when surface interactions were accounted for. These results give a new insight into NP passive transport at the boundaries of nanoconfined domains, and have implications on the design of nanoscale fluidics and NP systems for biomedical and engineering applications.

  10. Long-term environmental and health implications of morphological change and sediment transport with respect to contaminants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sneddon, Christopher; Copplestone, David; Tyler, Andrew; Hunter, Peter; Smith, Nick

    2014-05-01

    The EPSRC-funded Adaptation and Resilience of Coastal Energy Supply (ARCoES) project encompasses four research strands, involving 14 institutions and six PhD studentships. ARCoES aims to determine the threats posed to future energy generation and the distribution network by flooding and erosion, changing patterns of coastal sedimentation, water temperature and the distribution of plants and animals in the coastal zone. Whilst this research has direct benefits for the operation of coastal power stations, ARCoES aims to have a wider stakeholder engagement through assessing how the resilience of coastal communities may be altered by five hundred years of coastal evolution. Coastal evolution will have substantial implications for the energy sector of the North West of England as former waste storage sites are eroded and remobilised within the intertidal environment. The current intertidal environmental stores of radioactivity will also experience reworking as ocean chemistry changes and saltmarsh chronologies are reworked in response to rising sea levels. There is a duel requirement to understand mass sediment movement along the North West coast of England as understanding the sediment transport dynamics is key to modelling long term coastal change and understanding how the environmental store of radioactivity will be reworked. The University of Stirling is researching the long-term environmental and health implications of remobilisation and transport of contaminated sediments around the UK coastline. Using a synergy of hyperspectral and topographic information the mobilisation of sediment bound contaminants within the coastal environment will be investigated. Potential hazards posed by contaminants are determined by a set of environmental impact test criteria which evaluate the bio-accessibility and ionising dose of contaminants. These test criteria will be used to comment on the likely environmental impact of modelled sediment transport and anticipated changes in

  11. Novel properties of the wheat aluminum tolerance organic acid transporter (TaALMT1) revealed by electrophysiological characterization in Xenopus Oocytes: functional and structural implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piñeros, Miguel A; Cançado, Geraldo M A; Kochian, Leon V

    2008-08-01

    Many plant species avoid the phytotoxic effects of aluminum (Al) by exuding dicarboxylic and tricarboxylic acids that chelate and immobilize Al(3+) at the root surface, thus preventing it from entering root cells. Several novel genes that encode membrane transporters from the ALMT and MATE families recently were cloned and implicated in mediating the organic acid transport underlying this Al tolerance response. Given our limited understanding of the functional properties of ALMTs, in this study a detailed characterization of the transport properties of TaALMT1 (formerly named ALMT1) from wheat (Triticum aestivum) expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes was conducted. The electrophysiological findings are as follows. Although the activity of TaALMT1 is highly dependent on the presence of extracellular Al(3+) (K(m1/2) of approximately 5 microm Al(3+) activity), TaALMT1 is functionally active and can mediate ion transport in the absence of extracellular Al(3+). The lack of change in the reversal potential (E(rev)) upon exposure to Al(3+) suggests that the "enhancement" of TaALMT1 malate transport by Al is not due to alteration in the transporter's selectivity properties but is solely due to increases in its anion permeability. The consistent shift in the direction of the E(rev) as the intracellular malate activity increases indicates that TaALMT1 is selective for the transport of malate over other anions. The estimated permeability ratio between malate and chloride varied between 1 and 30. However, the complex behavior of the E(rev) as the extracellular Cl(-) activity was varied indicates that this estimate can only be used as a general guide to understanding the relative affinity of TaALMT1 for malate, representing only an approximation of those expected under physiologically relevant ionic conditions. TaALMT1 can also mediate a large anion influx (i.e. outward currents). TaALMT1 is permeable not only to malate but also to other physiologically relevant anions such as Cl

  12. Electronic structure and transport on the surface of topological insulator attached to an electromagnetic superlattice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Haiyan; Chen Xiongwen; Zhou Xiaoying; Zhang Lebo; Zhou Guanghui

    2012-01-01

    We study the electronic structure and transport for Dirac electron on the surface of a three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator attached to an electromagnetic superlattice. It is found that, by means of the transfer-matrix method, the number of electronic tunneling channels for magnetic barriers in antiparallel alignment is larger than that in parallel alignment, which stems to the energy band structures. Interestingly, a remarkable semiconducting transport behavior appears in this system with a strong magnetic barrier due to low energy band nearly paralleling to the Fermi level. Consequently, there is only small incident angle transport in the higher energy region when the system is modulated mainly by the higher electric barriers. We further find that the spatial distribution of the spin polarization oscillates periodically in the incoming region, but it is almost in-plane with a fixed direction in the transmitting region. The results may provide a further understanding of the nature of 3D TI surface states, and may be useful in the design of topological insulator-based electronic devices such as collimating electron beam.

  13. Surface runoff and tile drainage transport of phosphorus in the midwestern United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Douglas R; King, Kevin W; Johnson, Laura; Francesconi, Wendy; Richards, Pete; Baker, Dave; Sharpley, Andrew N

    2015-03-01

    The midwestern United States offers some of the most productive agricultural soils in the world. Given the cool humid climate, much of the region would not be able to support agriculture without subsurface (tile) drainage because high water tables may damage crops and prevent machinery usage in fields at critical times. Although drainage is designed to remove excess soil water as quickly as possible, it can also rapidly transport agrochemicals, including phosphorus (P). This paper illustrates the potential importance of tile drainage for P transport throughout the midwestern United States. Surface runoff and tile drainage from fields in the St. Joseph River Watershed in northeastern Indiana have been monitored since 2008. Although the traditional concept of tile drainage has been that it slowly removes soil matrix flow, peak tile discharge occurred at the same time as peak surface runoff, which demonstrates a strong surface connection through macropore flow. On our research fields, 49% of soluble P and 48% of total P losses occurred via tile discharge. Edge-of-field soluble P and total P areal loads often exceeded watershed-scale areal loadings from the Maumee River, the primary source of nutrients to the western basin of Lake Erie, where algal blooms have been a pervasive problem for the last 10 yr. As farmers, researchers, and policymakers search for treatments to reduce P loading to surface waters, the present work demonstrates that treating only surface runoff may not be sufficient to reach the goal of 41% reduction in P loading for the Lake Erie Basin. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  14. Heat transport and surface heat transfer with helium in rotating channels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schnapper, C.

    1978-06-01

    Heat transport and surface heat transfer with helium in rotating radially arranged channels were experimentally studied with regard to cooling of large turbogenerators with superconducting windings. Measurements with thermosiphon and thermosiphon loops of different channel diameters were performed, and results are presented. The thermodynamic state of the helium in a rotating thermosiphon and the mass flow rate in a thermosiphon loop is characterized by formulas. Heat transport by directed convection in thermosiphon loops is found to be more efficient 12 cm internal convection in thermosiphons. Steady state is reached sooner in thermosiphon loops than in thermosiphons, when heat load suddenly changes. In a very large centrifugal field single-phase heat transfer with natural and forced convection is described by similar formulas which are also applicable 10 thermosiphons in gravitation field or to heat transfer to non-rotating helium. (orig.) [de

  15. Electronic transport at semiconductor surfaces - from point-contact transistor to micro-four-point probes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasegawa, S.; Grey, Francois

    2002-01-01

    show that this type of conduction is measurable using new types of experimental probes, such as the multi-tip scanning tunnelling microscope and the micro-four-point probe. The resulting electronic transport properties are intriguing, and suggest that semiconductor surfaces should be considered...

  16. Transport of plutonium in surface and sub-surface waters from the Arctic shelf to the North Pole via the Lomonosov Ridge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leon Vintro, L.; McMahon, C.A.; Mitchell, P.I.; Josefsson, D.; Holm, E.; Roos, P.

    2002-01-01

    New data on the levels and long-range transport of plutonium in the Arctic Ocean, recorded in the course of two expeditions to this zone in 1994 and 1996, are discussed in this paper. Specifically, approximately 100 plutonium measurements in surface and sub-surface water sampled at 58 separate stations throughout the Kara, Laptev and East Siberian Seas, as well as along latitudinal transects across the Lomonosov Ridge, are reported and interpreted in terms of the circulation pathways responsible for the transport of this element from the North Atlantic to the Arctic Shelf and into the Arctic interior. In addition, the behaviour of plutonium in its transit through the vast Arctic shelf seas to open waters under extreme environmental conditions is discussed in terms of the partitioning of plutonium between filtered (<0.45 μm) seawater and suspended particulate, and its association with colloidal matter. Finally, limited evidence of the presence of a colloidal plutonium component in Arctic waters subject to direct riverine input is adduced

  17. Impacts of transportation infrastructure on storm water and surfaces waters in Chittenden County, Vermont, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-06-01

    Transportation infrastructure is a major source of stormwater runoff that can alter hydrology and : contribute significant loading of nutrients, sediment, and other pollutants to surface waters. These : increased loads can contribute to impairment of...

  18. The Modelling Analysis of the Response of Convective Transport of Energy and Water to Multiscale Surface Heterogeneity over Tibetan Plateau

    Science.gov (United States)

    SUN, G.; Hu, Z.; Ma, Y.; Ma, W.

    2017-12-01

    The land-atmospheric interactions over a heterogeneous surface is a tricky issue for accurately understanding the energy-water exchanges between land surface and atmosphere. We investigate the vertical transport of energy and water over a heterogeneous land surface in Tibetan Plateau during the evolution of the convective boundary layer using large eddy simulation (WRF_LES). The surface heterogeneity is created according to remote sensing images from high spatial resolution LandSat ETM+ images. The PBL characteristics over a heterogeneous surface are analyzed in terms of secondary circulations under different background wind conditions based on the horizontal and vertical distribution and evolution of wind. The characteristics of vertical transport of energy and heat over a heterogeneous surface are analyzed in terms of the horizontal distribution as well as temporal evolution of sensible and latent heat fluxes at different heights under different wind conditions on basis of the simulated results from WRF_LES. The characteristics of the heat and water transported into the free atmosphere from surface are also analyzed and quantified according to the simulated results from WRF_LES. The convective transport of energy and water are analyzed according to horizontal and vertical distributions of potential temperature and vapor under different background wind conditions. With the analysis based on the WRF_LES simulation, the performance of PBL schemes of mesoscale simulation (WRF_meso) is evaluated. The comparison between horizontal distribution of vertical fluxes and domain-averaged vertical fluxes of the energy and water in the free atmosphere is used to evaluate the performance of PBL schemes of WRF_meso in the simulation of vertical exchange of energy and water. This is an important variable because only the energy and water transported into free atmosphere is able to influence the regional and even global climate. This work would will be of great significance not

  19. Charge and spin transport in edge channels of a ν=0 quantum Hall system on the surface of topological insulators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morimoto, Takahiro; Furusaki, Akira; Nagaosa, Naoto

    2015-04-10

    Three-dimensional topological insulators of finite thickness can show the quantum Hall effect (QHE) at the filling factor ν=0 under an external magnetic field if there is a finite potential difference between the top and bottom surfaces. We calculate energy spectra of surface Weyl fermions in the ν=0 QHE and find that gapped edge states with helical spin structure are formed from Weyl fermions on the side surfaces under certain conditions. These edge channels account for the nonlocal charge transport in the ν=0 QHE which is observed in a recent experiment on (Bi_{1-x}Sb_{x})_{2}Te_{3} films. The edge channels also support spin transport due to the spin-momentum locking. We propose an experimental setup to observe various spintronics functions such as spin transport and spin conversion.

  20. Role of low-order rational surfaces in transport barrier formation on the Large Helical Device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toi, K.; Tanaka, K.; Watanabe, F.

    2010-11-01

    In the Large Helical Device, edge transport barrier (ETB) was formed by H-mode transition near the low-order rational surfaces, that is, at the ι/2π=1 resonant layer (ι/2π: the rotational transform) in outward-shifted plasmas of R ax =3.9m (R ax : the magnetic axis position in the vacuum field), and the ι/2π=2 resonant layer in inward-shifted plasmas of R ax =3.6m. The ι/2π=1 and 2 resonant layers reside in the stochastic field region existing just outside the last closed magnetic surface (LCFS). In the outward-shifted plasmas, H-modes without edge localized modes (ELM-free H-modes) followed by giant ELMs were obtained, while H-modes with high frequency and low amplitude ELMs were obtained in the inward-shifted plasmas. A new type of barrier formation induced by TAE bursts was observed in the plasmas of R ax =3.6m, where the transport barrier is formed near the ι/2π=1 surface locates inside LCFS. (author)

  1. Non-genomic estrogen regulation of ion transport and airway surface liquid dynamics in cystic fibrosis bronchial epithelium.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinciane Saint-Criq

    Full Text Available Male cystic fibrosis (CF patients survive longer than females and lung exacerbations in CF females vary during the estrous cycle. Estrogen has been reported to reduce the height of the airway surface liquid (ASL in female CF bronchial epithelium. Here we investigated the effect of 17β-estradiol on the airway surface liquid height and ion transport in normal (NuLi-1 and CF (CuFi-1 bronchial epithelial monolayers. Live cell imaging using confocal microscopy revealed that airway surface liquid height was significantly higher in the non-CF cells compared to the CF cells. 17β-estradiol (0.1-10 nM reduced the airway surface liquid height in non-CF and CF cells after 30 min treatment. Treatment with the nuclear-impeded Estrogen Dendrimer Conjugate mimicked the effect of free estrogen by reducing significantly the airway surface liquid height in CF and non-CF cells. Inhibition of chloride transport or basolateral potassium recycling decreased the airway surface liquid height and 17β-estradiol had no additive effect in the presence of these ion transporter inhibitors. 17β-estradiol decreased bumetanide-sensitive transepithelial short-circuit current in non-CF cells and prevented the forskolin-induced increase in ASL height. 17β-estradiol stimulated an amiloride-sensitive transepithelial current and increased ouabain-sensitive basolateral short-circuit current in CF cells. 17β-estradiol increased PKCδ activity in CF and non-CF cells. These results demonstrate that estrogen dehydrates CF and non-CF ASL, and these responses to 17β-estradiol are non-genomic rather than involving the classical nuclear estrogen receptor pathway. 17β-estradiol acts on the airway surface liquid by inhibiting cAMP-mediated chloride secretion in non-CF cells and increasing sodium absorption via the stimulation of PKCδ, ENaC and the Na(+/K(+ATPase in CF cells.

  2. System safety engineering in the development of advanced surface transportation vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnzen, H. E.

    1971-01-01

    Applications of system safety engineering to the development of advanced surface transportation vehicles are described. As a pertinent example, the paper describes a safety engineering efforts tailored to the particular design and test requirements of the Tracked Air Cushion Research Vehicle (TACRV). The test results obtained from this unique research vehicle provide significant design data directly applicable to the development of future tracked air cushion vehicles that will carry passengers in comfort and safety at speeds up to 300 miles per hour.

  3. Entanglements in Marginal Solutions: A Means of Tuning Pre-Aggregation of Conjugated Polymers with Positive Implications for Charge Transport

    KAUST Repository

    Hu, Hanlin

    2015-06-17

    The solution-processing of conjugated polymers, just like commodity polymers, is subject to solvent and molecular weight-dependent solubility, interactions and chain entanglements within the polymer, all of which can influence the crystallization and microstructure development in semi-crystalline polymers and consequently affect charge transport and optoelectronic properties. Disentanglement of polymer chains in marginal solvents was reported to work via ultrasonication, facilitating the formation of photophysically ordered polymer aggregates. In this contribution, we explore how a wide range of technologically relevant solvents and formulations commonly used in organic electronics influence chain entanglement and the aggregation behaviour of P3HT using a combination of rheological and spectrophotometric measurements. The specific viscosity of the solution offers an excellent indication of the degree of entanglements in the solution, which is found to be related to the solubility of P3HT in a given solvent. Moreover, deliberately disentangling the solution in the presence of solvophobic driving forces, leads consistently to formation of photophysically visible aggregates which is indicative of local and perhaps long range order in the solute. We show for a broad range of solvents and molecular weights that disentanglement ultimately leads to significant ordering of the polymer in the solid state and a commensurate increase in charge transport properties. In doing so we demonstrate a remarkable ability to tune the microstructure which has important implications for transport properties. We discuss its potential implications in the context of organic photovoltaics.

  4. Entanglements in Marginal Solutions: A Means of Tuning Pre-Aggregation of Conjugated Polymers with Positive Implications for Charge Transport

    KAUST Repository

    Hu, Hanlin; Zhao, Kui; Fernandes, Nikhil J.; Boufflet, Pierre; Bannock, James Henry; Yu, Liyang; de Mello, John C; Stingelin, Natalie; Heeney, Martin; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Amassian, Aram

    2015-01-01

    The solution-processing of conjugated polymers, just like commodity polymers, is subject to solvent and molecular weight-dependent solubility, interactions and chain entanglements within the polymer, all of which can influence the crystallization and microstructure development in semi-crystalline polymers and consequently affect charge transport and optoelectronic properties. Disentanglement of polymer chains in marginal solvents was reported to work via ultrasonication, facilitating the formation of photophysically ordered polymer aggregates. In this contribution, we explore how a wide range of technologically relevant solvents and formulations commonly used in organic electronics influence chain entanglement and the aggregation behaviour of P3HT using a combination of rheological and spectrophotometric measurements. The specific viscosity of the solution offers an excellent indication of the degree of entanglements in the solution, which is found to be related to the solubility of P3HT in a given solvent. Moreover, deliberately disentangling the solution in the presence of solvophobic driving forces, leads consistently to formation of photophysically visible aggregates which is indicative of local and perhaps long range order in the solute. We show for a broad range of solvents and molecular weights that disentanglement ultimately leads to significant ordering of the polymer in the solid state and a commensurate increase in charge transport properties. In doing so we demonstrate a remarkable ability to tune the microstructure which has important implications for transport properties. We discuss its potential implications in the context of organic photovoltaics.

  5. IAEA co-ordinated research programme on the transport of low specific activity materials and surface contaminated objects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, I.L.S.

    2000-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) prepares regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material, and periodically revised editions of these are published. These regulations are adopted by individual countries across the world and by international organisations concerned with transport. Whilst it is desirable to have a stable framework of regulatory requirements, there is also a need to take account of technical advances and operational experience and revise the regulations. From time to time Co-ordinated Research Programmes (CRP) are established to investigate particular areas of the regulations that are giving concern. In 1996 the IAEA Standing Advisory Group on the Transport of Radioactive Material (SAGSTRAM) concluded that the requirements for classification, packaging and transport of low specific activity (LSA) material and surface contaminated objects (SCO) did not always have a strong radiation protection basis. Accordingly SAGSTRAM established a CRP with an overall objective to develop a dose-based approach for establishing LSA/SCO requirements. Six countries are participating in this CRP. Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom and United States. Each country is carrying out work that is outlined in agreements with the IAEA, with the work aimed at meeting the specific objective of the agreement and also contributing to achieving the overall objective of the CRP. Completion of the CRP usually involves the preparation of an IAEA TECDOC by a Consultant Services Meeting (CSM), and this TECDOC will summarise the work performed under the CRP and include any recommendations made by the CRP. Following the establishment of the CRP in 1997, the first Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) was held in December 1997. The second RCM was held in March 1999, with the final RCM planned for the end of 2000. The work being carried out by Brazil and Canada is focused upon the transport of uranium and thorium ores, and is a mixture of theoretical and

  6. A preliminary investigation of the applicability of surface complexation modeling to the understanding of transportation cask weeping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Granstaff, V.E.; Chambers, W.B.; Doughty, D.H.

    1994-01-01

    A new application for surface complexation modeling is described. These models, which describe chemical equilibria among aqueous and adsorbed species, have typically been used for predicting groundwater transport of contaminants by modeling the natural adsorbents as various metal oxides. Our experiments suggest that this type of modeling can also explain stainless steel surface contamination and decontamination mechanisms. Stainless steel transportation casks, when submerged in a spent fuel storage pool at nuclear power stations, can become contaminated with radionuclides such as 137 Cs, 134 Cs, and 60 Co. Subsequent release or desorption of these contaminants under varying environmental conditions occasionally results in the phenomenon known as open-quotes cask weeping.close quotes We have postulated that contaminants in the storage pool adsorb onto the hydrous metal oxide surface of the passivated stainless steel and are subsequently released (by conversion from a fixed to a removable form) during transportation, due to varying environmental factors, such as humidity, road salt, dirt, and acid rain. It is well known that 304 stainless steel has a chromium enriched passive surface layer; thus its adsorption behavior should be similar to that of a mixed chromium/iron oxide. To help us interpret our studies of reversible binding of dissolved metals on stainless steel surfaces, we have studied the adsorption of Co +2 on Cr 2 O 3 . The data are interpreted using electrostatic surface complexation models. The FITEQL computer program was used to obtain the model binding constants and site densities from the experimental data. The MINTEQA2 computer speciation model was used, with the fitted constants, in an attempt to validate this approach

  7. Computational simulation of biomolecules transport with multi-physics near microchannel surface for development of biomolecules-detection devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Yuma; Shimizu, Tetsuhide; Yang, Ming

    2017-01-01

    The quantitative evaluation of the biomolecules transport with multi-physics in nano/micro scale is demanded in order to optimize the design of microfluidics device for the biomolecules detection with high detection sensitivity and rapid diagnosis. This paper aimed to investigate the effectivity of the computational simulation using the numerical model of the biomolecules transport with multi-physics near a microchannel surface on the development of biomolecules-detection devices. The biomolecules transport with fluid drag force, electric double layer (EDL) force, and van der Waals force was modeled by Newtonian Equation of motion. The model validity was verified in the influence of ion strength and flow velocity on biomolecules distribution near the surface compared with experimental results of previous studies. The influence of acting forces on its distribution near the surface was investigated by the simulation. The trend of its distribution to ion strength and flow velocity was agreement with the experimental result by the combination of all acting forces. Furthermore, EDL force dominantly influenced its distribution near its surface compared with fluid drag force except for the case of high velocity and low ion strength. The knowledges from the simulation might be useful for the design of biomolecules-detection devices and the simulation can be expected to be applied on its development as the design tool for high detection sensitivity and rapid diagnosis in the future.

  8. Role of sea surface wind stress forcing on transport between Tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Q.

    Using an Indian-Pacific Ocean Circulation Model (IPOM) a simulation study on the Transports of between Tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean such as Indonesian Through flow (ITF) has been done. IPOM covered the area 25°E-70°W, 35°S-60°N. There are 31 levels in the vertical with 22 levels upper 400m in it. The horizontal resolution is 1/3° lat x 1.5° lon between 10°S and 10°N. The coastline and ocean topography of IPOM is prepared from Scripps topography data on 1x1°grid. Forcing IPOM with monthly observational wind stress in 1990-1999 the interannual variation of sea temperature has been reproduced well, not only on El Nino in the Pacific but also on Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). Therefore, the oceanic circulations in the tropical ocean are reasonable. The analyses of the oceanic circulations from the simulations suggest that the transport southward through Makassar Strait is the primary route of thermocline water masses from the North Pacific to the Indonesian sea. The transport westward through Bali-Western Australian Transect (BWAT, at 117.5E) can be thought as the final output of ITF through the archipelago to Indian Ocean. The transport westward through BWAT is in 8-12S above 150m, its core centered near surface 10S, which looks like a jet. The westward velocity is more than 50 cm/s. The transport shows significant seasonal and interannual variations. The maximum is in Jul-Oct, minimum in Jan-Mar. These results are consistent with some observation basically. The correlation analyses indict that the variations of transport westward is related with the southeasterly anomaly in the east tropical Indian ocean. The transport variation lags wind anomaly about 3 months. The correlation coefficient is more than 0.6. The transport is strong during IOD, for example in 1994 and 1997. The variations are also related with the northwesterly anomaly in the center equatorial Pacific and the easterly in the eastern equatorial Pacific. The transport is strong in most ENSO

  9. Using Contaminant Transport Modeling to Determine Historical Discharges at the Surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fogwell, T. W.

    2013-12-01

    When it is determined that a contaminated site needs to be remediated, the issue of who is going to pay for that remediation is an immediate concern. This means that there needs to be a determination of who the responsible parties are for the existing contamination. Seldom is it the case that records have been made and kept of the surface contaminant discharges. In many cases it is possible to determine the relative amount of contaminant discharge at the surface of the various responsible parties by employing a careful analysis of the history of contaminant transport through the surface, through the vadose zone, and within the saturated zone. The process begins with the development of a dynamic conceptual site model that takes into account the important features of the transport of the contaminants through the vadose zone and in the groundwater. The parameters for this model can be derived from flow data available for the site. The resulting contaminant transport model is a composite of the vadose zone transport model, together with the saturated zone (groundwater) flow model. Any calibration of the model should be carefully employed in order to avoid using information about the conclusions of the relative discharge amounts of the responsible parties in determining the calibrated parameters. Determination of the leading edge of the plume is an important first step. It is associated with the first discharges from the surface of the site. If there were several discharging parties at the same time, then it is important to establish a chemical or isotopic signature of the chemicals that were discharged. The time duration of the first discharger needs to be determined as accurately as possible in order to establish the appropriate characterization of the leading portion of the resulting plume in the groundwater. The information about the first discharger and the resulting part of the plume associated with this discharger serves as a basis for the determination of the

  10. The diffusion mechanism and convective transport in the formation of surface anomalies of RADON-222 generated at depth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereira, E.B.; Hamza, V.M.

    1982-01-01

    A preliminar study on the importance of a thermally-activated convective transport of radon is made in order to explain radon anomalies at surface generated at great depth. It is theoretically shown that convective currents should be of the order of 10 μm/s or larger to explain such anomalies. The influence of surface temperature changes on the convective transport is also discussed. Seasonal changes in temperature typical of climates such as that of southern Brazil can develop thermal inversion layers at depths up to 20 metres. The optimum period of the year for the employment of surface emanometric techniques is during the second and the third months after the winter peak when the thermal inversion barriers are less intense. (Author) [pt

  11. Pollution abatement from road transport: cross-sectoral implications, climate co-benefits and behavioural change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oxley, T.; Elshkaki, A.; Kwiatkowski, L.; Castillo, A.; Scarbrough, T.; ApSimon, H.

    2012-01-01

    With the abatement potential of end-of-pipe technologies for road transport becoming increasingly marginal, and with greater emissions reductions still needed in order to reduce pollution, alternative strategies involving behavioural change and choices between fossil fuelled or low carbon vehicles becomes more important. The environmental requirements include local air quality objectives, meeting national emissions ceilings to limit transboundary effects, and to aspire to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper we use the BRUTAL sub-model of the UK integrated Assessment Model (UKIAM) to investigate a selection of alternative strategies including downsizing of cars, switching from petrol to diesel, and the introduction of electric, bio-fuelled or hydrogen vehicles into the fleet, relative to a business-as-usual projection for 2020. Projected impacts upon air quality limit values, national emissions ceilings and CO 2 emissions are assessed in relation to local, national and international objectives. We discuss related life-cycle impacts, implications for infrastructure, and potential impacts upon emissions from other sectors in order to highlight the full potential implications of the different strategies within the context of changes resulting from other policy developments at different scales.

  12. Two-dimensional carbon crystals. Electrical transport in single- and double-layer graphene; Zweidimensionale Kohlenstoffkristalle. Elektrischer Transport in Einzel- und Doppellagen-Graphen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schmidt, Hennrik

    2012-02-03

    In his work atomically thin layers of carbon, socalled graphene, are investigated. These systems exhibit outstanding electronic properties which are analysed using magnetotransport measurements. For this purpose, different types of samples are prepared, analysed and discussed. In addition to conventional single layer and single crystal bilayer systems, folded flakes with twisted planes are examined. Since monolayer graphene is a two dimensional crystal in which every atom sits at the surface, it is very sensitive to any type of perturbation. Three different cases are investigated: Firstly, dopants are removed from the surface and the change in transport properties is monitored. Secondly, the regime of small carrier concentrations is used to observe field induced recharging of inhomogeneities. Thirdly, an atomic force microscope is used to alter the graphene itself in a defined region. The implications of this modification are again investigated using magnetotransport measurements. The influence of one layer on another one is studied in decoupled two layer samples. A folded sample with separatly contacted layers is used to show transport through the folded region. For jointly contacted layers parallel transport measurements are performed to analyse screening effects of an applied electric field and substrate influence. The interaction of the two layers is shown by a significant reduction of the Fermivelocity.

  13. Shear flow generation and transport barrier formation on rational surface current sheets in tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xiaogang; Xiao Chijie; Wang Jiaqi

    2009-01-01

    Full text: A thin current sheet with a magnetic field component in the same direction can form the electrical field perpendicularly pointing to the sheet, therefore an ExB flow with a strong shear across the current sheet. An electrical potential well is also found on the rational surface of RFP as well as the neutral sheet of the magnetotail with the E-field pointing to the rational (neutral) surface. Theoretically, a current singularity is found to be formed on the rational surface in ideal MHD. It is then very likely that the sheet current on the rational surfaces will generate the electrical potential well in its vicinity so the electrical field pointing to the sheet. It results in an ExB flow with a strong shear in the immediate neighborhood of the rational surface. It may be the cause of the transport barrier often seen near the low (m, n) rational surfaces with MHD signals. (author)

  14. U- and Th-series nuclides in settling particles: implications to sediment transport through surface waters and interior ocean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarin, M.M.

    2012-01-01

    The Bay of Bengal is a unique ocean basin receiving large quantities of fresh water and sediment supply from several rivers draining the Indian subcontinent. The annual flux of suspended sediments discharged into the Bay of Bengal is one billion tons, about one-tenth of the global sediment discharge into the ocean. The water and sediment discharge to the Bay, show significant seasonal variation, with maximum transport coinciding with the SW-monsoon (July-September). Earlier studies on the distribution of clay minerals in sediments have led to the suggestion that the sediments of the western Bengal Fan are mainly derived from the Peninsular rivers, whereas rest of the Fan sediments is influenced by the Himalayan rivers. Settling fluxes of particulate matter through the water column of the Bay of Bengal show seasonal trends resulting from monsoon enhanced sediment supply via rivers and biological processes in the water column. It is, thus, important to understand the influence of the seasonally varying particle fluxes on the solute-particle interactions and chemical scavenging processes in the surface and deep waters of the Bay of Bengal. In this context, measurements of U- and Th-series nuclides in the settling particles are most relevant. The radionuclide fluxes ( 230 Th, 228 Th and 210 Pb) in the settling particles provide insight into the role of their removal by vertical particle flux and/or lateral transport (removal at the ocean boundaries). A study carried out in the Northern Bay of Bengal documents that the authigenic flux of 230 Th, as measured in sediment trap samples from deep waters, is balanced by its production in the overhead water column. The sediment mass flux, Al and 228 Th fluxes are similar in the settling particles through shallow and deep waters, suggesting predominant removal by vertical particle flux in the North Bay of Bengal. In the Central Bay, particulate mass, Al and 228 Th fluxes are higher in the trap material from deep waters relative

  15. The effects of surface aging on nanoparticle fate and transport in natural and engineered porous media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittelman, Anjuliee M.

    Nanomaterials will be subjected to various surface transformations in the environment and within water and wastewater treatment systems. A comprehensive understanding of the fate and transport behavior of "aged" nanomaterials in both natural and engineered porous media is required in order to accurately quantify ecological and human health risks. This research sought to (1) evaluate the impact of ultraviolet (UV) light aging on nanoparticle transport in water-saturated porous media; and (2) assess the effects of influent water quality on silver nanoparticle retention and dissolution in ceramic water filters. Additionally, the value of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) data in nanoparticle fate and transport studies was evaluated by comparing deposition behavior in complementary QCM-D and sand columns experiments. Silver (nAg) and iron oxide nanoparticles exposed to UV light were up to 50% more strongly retained in porous media compared with freshly prepared suspensions due to less negative surface charge and larger aggregate sizes. UV-aged nAg were more prone to dissolution in sand columns, resulting in effluent Ag+ concentrations as high as 1.2 mg/L. In ceramic water filters, dissolution and cation exchange processes controlled silver release into treated water. The use of acidic, high salinity, or high hardness water accelerated oxidative dissolution of the silver coating and resulted in effluent silver concentrations 5-10 times above international drinking water guidelines. Results support the recommendation for a regular filter replacement or silver re-application schedule to ensure ongoing efficacy. Taken in concert, these research findings suggest that oxidative aging of nanomaterial surfaces (either through exposure to UV light or aggressive water chemistries) will alter the fate of nanomaterials in the environment and may decrease the effective lifetime of devices which utilize nanotechnology. Corresponding QCM-D and column experiments revealed that

  16. Transport of Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts in Charge Heterogeneous Porous Media: Microfluidics Experiment and Numerical Simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Y.; Meng, X.; Guo, Z.; Zhang, C.; Nguyen, T. H.; Hu, D.; Ji, J.; Yang, X.

    2017-12-01

    Colloidal attachment on charge heterogeneous grains has significant environmental implications for transport of hazardous colloids, such as pathogens, in the aquifer, where iron, manganese, and aluminium oxide minerals are the major source of surface charge heterogeneity of the aquifer grains. A patchwise surface charge model is often used to describe the surface charge heterogeneity of the grains. In the patchwise model, the colloidal attachment efficiency is linearly correlated with the fraction of the favorable patches (θ=λ(θf - θu)+θu). However, our previous microfluidic study showed that the attachment efficiency of oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum, a waterborne protozoan parasite, was not linear correlated with the fraction of the favorable patches (λ). In this study, we developed a pore scale model to simulate colloidal transport and attachment on charge heterogeneous grains. The flow field was simulated using the LBM method and colloidal transport and attachment were simulated using the Lagrange particle tracking method. The pore scale model was calibrated with experimental results of colloidal and oocyst transport in microfluidic devices and was then used to simulate oocyst transport in charge heterogeneous porous media under a variety of environmental relative conditions, i.e. the fraction of favorable patchwise, ionic strength, and pH. The results of the pore scale simulations were used to evaluate the effect of surface charge heterogeneity on upscaling of oocyst transport from pore to continuum scale and to develop an applicable correlation between colloidal attachment efficiency and the fraction of the favorable patches.

  17. Effect of nonequipotentiality of magnetic surfaces on the transport processes in a tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kovrizhnykh, L.M.; Shasharina, S.G.

    1987-01-01

    The effect of deflection of equipotential from the magnetic surfaces on the transport processes in a tokamak is considered. The values of radial and poloidal electric fields are determined self-consistently, particle and heat fluxes are calculated with regard to these fields. It is shown that in some cases the effect of the poloidal electric field on the current values is very substantial

  18. Surface Plasmon Polariton-Assisted Long-Range Exciton Transport in Monolayer Semiconductor Lateral Heterostructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Jinwei; Lin, Meng-Hsien; Chen, Yi-Tong; Estakhri, Nasim Mohammadi; Tseng, Guo-Wei; Wang, Yanrong; Chen, Hung-Ying; Chen, Chun-An; Shih, Chih-Kang; Alã¹, Andrea; Li, Xiaoqin; Lee, Yi-Hsien; Gwo, Shangjr

    Recently, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor heterostructures, i.e., atomically thin lateral heterostructures (LHSs) based on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been demonstrated. In an optically excited LHS, exciton transport is typically limited to a rather short spatial range ( 1 micron). Furthermore, additional losses may occur at the lateral interfacial regions. Here, to overcome these challenges, we experimentally implement a planar metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure by placing a monolayer of WS2/MoS2 LHS on top of an Al2O3 capped Ag single-crystalline plate. We found that the exciton transport range can be extended to tens of microns. The process of long-range exciton transport in the MOS structure is confirmed to be mediated by an exciton-surface plasmon polariton-exciton conversion mechanism, which allows a cascaded energy transfer process. Thus, the planar MOS structure provides a platform seamlessly combining 2D light-emitting materials with plasmonic planar waveguides, offering great potential for developing integrated photonic/plasmonic functionalities.

  19. The Australian methane budget: Interpreting surface and train-borne measurements using a chemistry transport model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraser, Annemarie; Chan Miller, Christopher; Palmer, Paul I.; Deutscher, Nicholas M.; Jones, Nicholas B.; Griffith, David W. T.

    2011-10-01

    We investigate the Australian methane budget from 2005-2008 using the GEOS-Chem 3D chemistry transport model, focusing on the relative contribution of emissions from different sectors and the influence of long-range transport. To evaluate the model, we use in situ surface measurements of methane, methane dry air column average (XCH4) from ground-based Fourier transform spectrometers (FTSs), and train-borne surface concentration measurements from an in situ FTS along the north-south continental transect. We use gravity anomaly data from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment to describe the spatial and temporal distribution of wetland emissions and scale it to a prior emission estimate, which better describes observed atmospheric methane variability at tropical latitudes. The clean air sites of Cape Ferguson and Cape Grim are the least affected by local emissions, while Wollongong, located in the populated southeast with regional coal mining, samples the most locally polluted air masses (2.5% of the total air mass versus Asia, accounting for ˜25% of the change in surface concentration above background. At Cape Ferguson and Cape Grim, emissions from ruminant animals are the largest source of methane above background, at approximately 20% and 30%, respectively, of the surface concentration. At Wollongong, emissions from coal mining are the largest source above background representing 60% of the surface concentration. The train data provide an effective way of observing transitions between urban, desert, and tropical landscapes.

  20. On the interplay between neoclassical tearing modes and nonlocal transport in toroidal plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, X. Q.; Xu, Y.; Hidalgo, C.; Diamond, P. H.; Liu, Yi; Pan, O.; Shi, Z. B.; Yu, D. L.

    2016-09-01

    This Letter presents the first observation on the interplay between nonlocal transport and neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) during transient nonlocal heat transport events in the HL-2A tokamak. The nonlocality is triggered by edge cooling and large-scale, inward propagating avalanches. These lead to a locally enhanced pressure gradient at the q = 3/2 (or 2/1) rational surface and hence the onset of the NTM in relatively low β plasmas (βN < 1). The NTM, in return, regulates the nonlocal transport by truncation of avalanches by local sheared toroidal flows which develop near the magnetic island. These findings have direct implications for understanding the dynamic interaction between turbulence and large-scale mode structures in fusion plasmas.

  1. Modeling marine surface microplastic transport to assess optimal removal locations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherman, Peter; van Sebille, Erik

    2016-01-01

    Marine plastic pollution is an ever-increasing problem that demands immediate mitigation and reduction plans. Here, a model based on satellite-tracked buoy observations and scaled to a large data set of observations on microplastic from surface trawls was used to simulate the transport of plastics floating on the ocean surface from 2015 to 2025, with the goal to assess the optimal marine microplastic removal locations for two scenarios: removing the most surface microplastic and reducing the impact on ecosystems, using plankton growth as a proxy. The simulations show that the optimal removal locations are primarily located off the coast of China and in the Indonesian Archipelago for both scenarios. Our estimates show that 31% of the modeled microplastic mass can be removed by 2025 using 29 plastic collectors operating at a 45% capture efficiency from these locations, compared to only 17% when the 29 plastic collectors are moored in the North Pacific garbage patch, between Hawaii and California. The overlap of ocean surface microplastics and phytoplankton growth can be reduced by 46% at our proposed locations, while sinks in the North Pacific can only reduce the overlap by 14%. These results are an indication that oceanic plastic removal might be more effective in removing a greater microplastic mass and in reducing potential harm to marine life when closer to shore than inside the plastic accumulation zones in the centers of the gyres.

  2. Modeling marine surface microplastic transport to assess optimal removal locations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sherman, Peter; Van Sebille, Erik

    2016-01-01

    Marine plastic pollution is an ever-increasing problem that demands immediate mitigation and reduction plans. Here, a model based on satellite-tracked buoy observations and scaled to a large data set of observations on microplastic from surface trawls was used to simulate the transport of plastics floating on the ocean surface from 2015 to 2025, with the goal to assess the optimal marine microplastic removal locations for two scenarios: removing the most surface microplastic and reducing the impact on ecosystems, using plankton growth as a proxy. The simulations show that the optimal removal locations are primarily located off the coast of China and in the Indonesian Archipelago for both scenarios. Our estimates show that 31% of the modeled microplastic mass can be removed by 2025 using 29 plastic collectors operating at a 45% capture efficiency from these locations, compared to only 17% when the 29 plastic collectors are moored in the North Pacific garbage patch, between Hawaii and California. The overlap of ocean surface microplastics and phytoplankton growth can be reduced by 46% at our proposed locations, while sinks in the North Pacific can only reduce the overlap by 14%. These results are an indication that oceanic plastic removal might be more effective in removing a greater microplastic mass and in reducing potential harm to marine life when closer to shore than inside the plastic accumulation zones in the centers of the gyres. (letter)

  3. Fate and transport of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid in surface waters of agricultural basins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coupe, R.H.; Kalkhoff, S.J.; Capel, P.D.; Gregoire, C.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] is a herbicide used widely throughout the world in the production of many crops and is heavily used on soybeans, corn and cotton. Glyphosate is used in almost all agricultural areas of the United States, and the agricultural use of glyphosate has increased from less than 10 000 Mg in 1992 to more than 80 000 Mg in 2007. The greatest intensity of glyphosate use is in the midwestern United States, where applications are predominantly to genetically modified corn and soybeans. In spite of the increase in usage across the United States, the characterization of the transport of glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) on a watershed scale is lacking. Results: Glyphosate and AMPA were frequently detected in the surface waters of four agricultural basins. The frequency and magnitude of detections varied across basins, and the load, as a percentage of use, ranged from 0.009 to 0.86% and could be related to three general characteristics: source strength, rainfall runoff and flow route. Conclusions: Glyphosate use in a watershed results in some occurrence in surface water; however, the watersheds most at risk for the offsite transport of glyphosate are those with high application rates, rainfall that results in overland runoff and a flow route that does not include transport through the soil. ?? 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

  4. Recent Approaches to Modeling Transport of Mercury in Surface Water and Groundwater - Case Study in Upper East Fork Poplar Creek, Oak Ridge, TN - 13349

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bostick, Kent; Daniel, Anamary; Tachiev, Georgio; Malek-Mohammadi, Siamak

    2013-01-01

    In this case study, groundwater/surface water modeling was used to determine efficacy of stabilization in place with hydrologic isolation for remediation of mercury contaminated areas in the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek (UEFPC) Watershed in Oak Ridge, TN. The modeling simulates the potential for mercury in soil to contaminate groundwater above industrial use risk standards and to contribute to surface water contamination. The modeling approach is unique in that it couples watershed hydrology with the total mercury transport and provides a tool for analysis of changes in mercury load related to daily precipitation, evaporation, and runoff from storms. The model also allows for simulation of colloidal transport of total mercury in surface water. Previous models for the watershed only simulated average yearly conditions and dissolved concentrations that are not sufficient for predicting mercury flux under variable flow conditions that control colloidal transport of mercury in the watershed. The transport of mercury from groundwater to surface water from mercury sources identified from information in the Oak Ridge Environmental Information System was simulated using a watershed scale model calibrated to match observed daily creek flow, total suspended solids and mercury fluxes. Mercury sources at the former Building 81-10 area, where mercury was previously retorted, were modeled using a telescopic refined mesh with boundary conditions extracted from the watershed model. Modeling on a watershed scale indicated that only source excavation for soils/sediment in the vicinity of UEFPC had any effect on mercury flux in surface water. The simulations showed that colloidal transport contributed 85 percent of the total mercury flux leaving the UEFPC watershed under high flow conditions. Simulation of dissolved mercury transport from liquid elemental mercury and adsorbed sources in soil at former Building 81-10 indicated that dissolved concentrations are orders of magnitude

  5. Recent Approaches to Modeling Transport of Mercury in Surface Water and Groundwater - Case Study in Upper East Fork Poplar Creek, Oak Ridge, TN - 13349

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bostick, Kent; Daniel, Anamary [Professional Project Services, Inc., Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37922 (United States); Tachiev, Georgio [Florida International University, Applied Research Center 10555 W. Flagler St., EC 2100 Miami Florida 33174 (United States); Malek-Mohammadi, Siamak [Bradley University, 413A Jobst Hall, Preoria, IL 61625 (United States)

    2013-07-01

    In this case study, groundwater/surface water modeling was used to determine efficacy of stabilization in place with hydrologic isolation for remediation of mercury contaminated areas in the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek (UEFPC) Watershed in Oak Ridge, TN. The modeling simulates the potential for mercury in soil to contaminate groundwater above industrial use risk standards and to contribute to surface water contamination. The modeling approach is unique in that it couples watershed hydrology with the total mercury transport and provides a tool for analysis of changes in mercury load related to daily precipitation, evaporation, and runoff from storms. The model also allows for simulation of colloidal transport of total mercury in surface water. Previous models for the watershed only simulated average yearly conditions and dissolved concentrations that are not sufficient for predicting mercury flux under variable flow conditions that control colloidal transport of mercury in the watershed. The transport of mercury from groundwater to surface water from mercury sources identified from information in the Oak Ridge Environmental Information System was simulated using a watershed scale model calibrated to match observed daily creek flow, total suspended solids and mercury fluxes. Mercury sources at the former Building 81-10 area, where mercury was previously retorted, were modeled using a telescopic refined mesh with boundary conditions extracted from the watershed model. Modeling on a watershed scale indicated that only source excavation for soils/sediment in the vicinity of UEFPC had any effect on mercury flux in surface water. The simulations showed that colloidal transport contributed 85 percent of the total mercury flux leaving the UEFPC watershed under high flow conditions. Simulation of dissolved mercury transport from liquid elemental mercury and adsorbed sources in soil at former Building 81-10 indicated that dissolved concentrations are orders of magnitude

  6. A model to determine the radiological implications of non-fixed radioactive contamination on the surfaces of packages and conveyances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hughes, J.S.; Warner Jones, S.M.; Lizot, M.T.; Perrin, M.L.; Thierfeld, S.; Schroedl, E.; Schwarz, G.; Rawl, R.; Munakata, M.; Hirose, M.

    2004-01-01

    The surfaces of packages and conveyances used to transport radioactive materials can sometimes become contaminated with radioactive material. This usually occurs as a result of the transfer of radioactive material from areas in which these packages and conveyances are handled. This contamination may subsequently be transferred to transport equipment, workers and to areas accessible to the public. This can represent a significant radiation safety issue that requires careful management. The current regulatory limits for non-fixed contamination on packages and conveyances have been in use for over 40 years, and are based on a simple exposure model. However, the bases on which these limits were derived have been subject to changes, as a result of successive revisions of international recommendations. In recognition of this need for a review and analysis of the current contamination limits an IAEA Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on the ''Radiological Aspects of Package and Conveyance Non-Fixed Contamination'' was initiated to review the scientific basis for the current regulatory limits for surface contamination. The CRP was also to develop guidance material for evaluating the radiological significance of surface contamination to workers and the public in light of state-of-the-art research, technical developments and current transport practices. The specific objectives of the work undertaken within this multi-national CRP were, in accordance with the terms of reference: To ensure that appropriate models exist for all package types including consideration of the aspects pertinent for assessing and revising a surface contamination model for transport. To collect - where possible - contamination, operational and dosimetric data to ensure modelling consistency. To use models for assessing the limitations and optimisation of radiation doses incurred in transport operations, and to consider preventive methods for package and conveyance contamination

  7. A dynamic isotope power system for Space Exploration Initiative surface transport systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hunt, M.E.; Harty, R.B.; Cataldo, R.

    1992-03-01

    The Dynamic Isotope Power System (DIPS) Demonstration Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy with support funding from NASA, is currently focused on the development of a standardized 2.5-kWe portable generator for multiple applications on the lunar or Martian surface. A variety of remote and mobile potential applications have been identified by NASA, including surface rovers for both short- and extended-duration missions, remote power to science packages, and backup to central base power. Recent work focused on refining the 2.5-kWe design and emphasizing the compatibility of the system with potential surface transport systems. Work included an evaluation of the design to ensure compatibility with the Martian atmosphere while imposing only a minor mass penalty on lunar operations. Additional work included a study performed to compare the DIPS with regenerative fuel cell systems for lunar mobile and remote power systems. Power requirements were reviewed and a modular system chosen for the comparison. 4 refs

  8. Low-Z impurity transport in DIII-D - observations and implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wade, M.R.; Houlberg, W.A.; Baylor, L.R.; West, W.P.; Baker, D.R.

    2001-01-01

    Impurity transport studies on DIII-D have revealed transport phenomena that are qualitatively consistent with that expected from turbulence transport theory in some cases and neoclassical transport theory in other cases. The transport model proposed here, which assumes that the total impurity transport is a linear sum of turbulence-driven transport and neoclassical transport, is shown to reproduce many of these observed features. This transport model is then applied to burn condition calculations, revealing that profile effects associated with neoclassical transport have a large effect on the maximum allowable impurity fraction in machines based on achieving neoclassical transport levels

  9. Predicting soil formation on the basis of transport-limited chemical weathering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Fang; Hunt, Allen Gerhard

    2018-01-01

    Soil production is closely related to chemical weathering. It has been shown that, under the assumption that chemical weathering is limited by solute transport, the process of soil production is predictable. However, solute transport in soil cannot be described by Gaussian transport. In this paper, we propose an approach based on percolation theory describing non-Gaussian transport of solute to predict soil formation (the net production of soil) by considering both soil production from chemical weathering and removal of soil from erosion. Our prediction shows agreement with observed soil depths in the field. Theoretical soil formation rates are also compared with published rates predicted using soil age-profile thickness (SAST) method. Our formulation can be incorporated directly into landscape evolution models on a point-to-point basis as long as such models account for surface water routing associated with overland flow. Further, our treatment can be scaled-up to address complications associated with continental-scale applications, including those from climate change, such as changes in vegetation, or surface flow organization. The ability to predict soil formation rates has implications for understanding Earth's climate system on account of the relationship to chemical weathering of silicate minerals with the associated drawdown of atmospheric carbon, but it is also important in geomorphology for understanding landscape evolution, including for example, the shapes of hillslopes, and the net transport of sediments to sedimentary basins.

  10. Ultra-low carrier concentration and surface-dominant transport in antimony-doped Bi2Se3 topological insulator nanoribbons

    KAUST Repository

    Hong, Seung Sae; Cha, Judy J.; Kong, Desheng; Cui, Yi

    2012-01-01

    A topological insulator is the state of quantum matter possessing gapless spin-locking surface states across the bulk band gap, which has created new opportunities from novel electronics to energy conversion. However, the large concentration of bulk residual carriers has been a major challenge for revealing the property of the topological surface state by electron transport measurements. Here we report the surface-state-dominant transport in antimony-doped, zinc oxide-encapsulated Bi2Se3 nanoribbons with suppressed bulk electron concentration. In the nanoribbon with sub-10-nm thickness protected by a zinc oxide layer, we position the Fermi levels of the top and bottom surfaces near the Dirac point by electrostatic gating, achieving extremely low two-dimensional carrier concentration of 2×10 11cm-2. The zinc oxide-capped, antimony-doped Bi 2Se3 nanostructures provide an attractive materials platform to study fundamental physics in topological insulators, as well as future applications. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

  11. Ultra-low carrier concentration and surface-dominant transport in antimony-doped Bi2Se3 topological insulator nanoribbons

    KAUST Repository

    Hong, Seung Sae

    2012-03-27

    A topological insulator is the state of quantum matter possessing gapless spin-locking surface states across the bulk band gap, which has created new opportunities from novel electronics to energy conversion. However, the large concentration of bulk residual carriers has been a major challenge for revealing the property of the topological surface state by electron transport measurements. Here we report the surface-state-dominant transport in antimony-doped, zinc oxide-encapsulated Bi2Se3 nanoribbons with suppressed bulk electron concentration. In the nanoribbon with sub-10-nm thickness protected by a zinc oxide layer, we position the Fermi levels of the top and bottom surfaces near the Dirac point by electrostatic gating, achieving extremely low two-dimensional carrier concentration of 2×10 11cm-2. The zinc oxide-capped, antimony-doped Bi 2Se3 nanostructures provide an attractive materials platform to study fundamental physics in topological insulators, as well as future applications. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

  12. Surface contamination of spent fuel convoys - resumption of transport in France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pertuis, V.

    2000-01-01

    In France, 1998 was marked by the transport of spent fuel from EDF plants being suspended and then resumed. From the time the first inspections were carried out by the Nuclear Installations Safety Directorate (NISD), in charge of monitoring radioactive and fissile material for civil use since June 1997, surface contamination was found in a high percentage of packages and/or wagons containing spent fuel. The different expert appraisals showed that this had no consequences for the health of the public or of workers. Aiming at the resumption of transport, EDF and Cogema presented to the safety authority a plan of action including an increase in monitoring (number of points and cross-checking by SGS Qualitest), more widespread observance of good practices resulting from analyses by EDF and conclusions of its nuclear inspectorate, and an improvement in radiological cleanliness in the area where casks were loaded. During the inspections carried out at EDF plants, the NISD verified the application of this plan. Several observations were, nevertheless, made regarding maintenance of equipment, failure to apply procedures on a corporate level and the traceability of certain operations. The measures taken to sufficiently inform the public were applied. The NISD is continuing its monitoring actions to ensure that all EDF plants adopt best practices. However, the overall clean-up of EDF plants is a long-term operation. Finally, the NISD is continuing its monitoring of the different stages of spent fuel transport as well as other types of transport of radioactive materials associated with nuclear activities. (author)

  13. Novel Properties of the Wheat Aluminum Tolerance Organic Acid Transporter (TaALMT1) Revealed by Electrophysiological Characterization in Xenopus Oocytes: Functional and Structural Implications1[OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piñeros, Miguel A.; Cançado, Geraldo M.A.; Kochian, Leon V.

    2008-01-01

    Many plant species avoid the phytotoxic effects of aluminum (Al) by exuding dicarboxylic and tricarboxylic acids that chelate and immobilize Al3+ at the root surface, thus preventing it from entering root cells. Several novel genes that encode membrane transporters from the ALMT and MATE families recently were cloned and implicated in mediating the organic acid transport underlying this Al tolerance response. Given our limited understanding of the functional properties of ALMTs, in this study a detailed characterization of the transport properties of TaALMT1 (formerly named ALMT1) from wheat (Triticum aestivum) expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes was conducted. The electrophysiological findings are as follows. Although the activity of TaALMT1 is highly dependent on the presence of extracellular Al3+ (Km1/2 of approximately 5 μm Al3+ activity), TaALMT1 is functionally active and can mediate ion transport in the absence of extracellular Al3+. The lack of change in the reversal potential (Erev) upon exposure to Al3+ suggests that the “enhancement” of TaALMT1 malate transport by Al is not due to alteration in the transporter's selectivity properties but is solely due to increases in its anion permeability. The consistent shift in the direction of the Erev as the intracellular malate activity increases indicates that TaALMT1 is selective for the transport of malate over other anions. The estimated permeability ratio between malate and chloride varied between 1 and 30. However, the complex behavior of the Erev as the extracellular Cl− activity was varied indicates that this estimate can only be used as a general guide to understanding the relative affinity of TaALMT1 for malate, representing only an approximation of those expected under physiologically relevant ionic conditions. TaALMT1 can also mediate a large anion influx (i.e. outward currents). TaALMT1 is permeable not only to malate but also to other physiologically relevant anions such as Cl−, NO3−, and

  14. Polar transport in plants mediated by membrane transporters: focus on mechanisms of polar auxin transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naramoto, Satoshi

    2017-12-01

    Directional cell-to-cell transport of functional molecules, called polar transport, enables plants to sense and respond to developmental and environmental signals. Transporters that localize to plasma membranes (PMs) in a polar manner are key components of these systems. PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin efflux carriers, which are the most studied polar-localized PM proteins, are implicated in the polar transport of auxin that in turn regulates plant development and tropic growth. In this review, the regulatory mechanisms underlying polar localization of PINs, control of auxin efflux activity, and PIN abundance at PMs are considered. Up to date information on polar-localized nutrient transporters that regulate directional nutrient movement from soil into the root vasculature is also discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Effects of magnetic drift tangential to magnetic surfaces on neoclassical transport in non-axisymmetric plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuoka, Seikichi; Satake, Shinsuke; Kanno, Ryutaro; Sugama, Hideo

    2015-01-01

    In evaluating neoclassical transport by radially local simulations, the magnetic drift tangential to a flux surface is usually ignored in order to keep the phase-space volume conservation. In this paper, effect of the tangential magnetic drift on the local neoclassical transport is investigated. To retain the effect of the tangential magnetic drift in the local treatment of neoclassical transport, a new local formulation for the drift kinetic simulation is developed. The compressibility of the phase-space volume caused by the tangential magnetic drift is regarded as a source term for the drift kinetic equation, which is solved by using a two-weight δf Monte Carlo method for non-Hamiltonian system [G. Hu and J. A. Krommes, Phys. Plasmas 1, 863 (1994)]. It is demonstrated that the effect of the drift is negligible for the neoclassical transport in tokamaks. In non-axisymmetric systems, however, the tangential magnetic drift substantially changes the dependence of the neoclassical transport on the radial electric field E r . The peaked behavior of the neoclassical radial fluxes around E r  =   0 observed in conventional local neoclassical transport simulations is removed by taking the tangential magnetic drift into account

  16. Effects of magnetic drift tangential to magnetic surfaces on neoclassical transport in non-axisymmetric plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsuoka, Seikichi, E-mail: matsuoka@rist.or.jp [Research Organization for Information Science and Technology, 6F Kimec-Center Build., 1-5-2 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047 (Japan); Satake, Shinsuke; Kanno, Ryutaro [National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi-cho, Toki 509-5292 (Japan); Department of Fusion Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 322-6 Oroshi-cho, Toki 509-5292 (Japan); Sugama, Hideo [National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi-cho, Toki 509-5292 (Japan)

    2015-07-15

    In evaluating neoclassical transport by radially local simulations, the magnetic drift tangential to a flux surface is usually ignored in order to keep the phase-space volume conservation. In this paper, effect of the tangential magnetic drift on the local neoclassical transport is investigated. To retain the effect of the tangential magnetic drift in the local treatment of neoclassical transport, a new local formulation for the drift kinetic simulation is developed. The compressibility of the phase-space volume caused by the tangential magnetic drift is regarded as a source term for the drift kinetic equation, which is solved by using a two-weight δf Monte Carlo method for non-Hamiltonian system [G. Hu and J. A. Krommes, Phys. Plasmas 1, 863 (1994)]. It is demonstrated that the effect of the drift is negligible for the neoclassical transport in tokamaks. In non-axisymmetric systems, however, the tangential magnetic drift substantially changes the dependence of the neoclassical transport on the radial electric field E{sub r}. The peaked behavior of the neoclassical radial fluxes around E{sub r }={sub  }0 observed in conventional local neoclassical transport simulations is removed by taking the tangential magnetic drift into account.

  17. Development of COLLAGE 3; Role for colloids in the transport of radionuclides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klos, Richard (Aleksandria Sciences, Sheffield (United Kingdom)); Bath, Adrian (Intellisci Ltd., Loughborough (United Kingdom))

    2010-03-15

    The issue of colloid-facilitated radionuclide transport (CFRT) was last addressed by the Swedish nuclear regulators in 2001 - 2002. SKI had commissioned the Collage code with subsequent development as Collage 2. This code was employed to investigate the potential role for colloids to have been involved in the transport of radionuclides at the Nevada Test Site and to examine the implications for CFRT in the Swedish disposal programme. It was concluded that colloids could not be ruled out as a mechanism for rapid transport and early release from the geosphere. Recently the 'bentonite erosion scenario' has become of concern. In it the generation of large quantities of bentonite colloids in fractures as a result of fresh water ingress at repository depth is possible. Potentially, these could carry radiologically significant quantities of radionuclides to an early release to the surface system. The objectives of this work are to update the knowledge of colloid-facilitated radionuclide transport through a fractured geosphere and to provide review capability within the SSM. Recent developments in CFRT (reviewed here) indicate that additional parameters needed to be added to the existing Collage 2 plus code in order to adequately represent colloid transport in fractures. This report looks at modifications to the model and discusses the implications of the implementation of the new processes. Authors conclude that the process of colloid filtration is an important mitigating mechanism. A new code - Collage 3 - is demonstrated and suggestions for further work are given

  18. Connections between transport in events and transport at landscape-structuring timescales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harman, C. J.; Lohse, K. A.; Troch, P. A.; Sivapalan, M.

    2012-12-01

    the population of runoff events and processes that generate them. The results suggest that over the long term, slope-dependent transport processes (such as rainsplash, bioturbation and trampling) seem to play an important role in these steeper hillslopes in inverting the flow of resources. Over many storm and inter-storm periods, soil organic matter is transported downslope in plumes extending at least two canopy radii downslope from below woody-shrub canopies into the inter-space. This pattern was particularly evident where microtopography and soil properties create micro-sites protected from fluvial transport. While many of the patterns observed are similar to those from more stable geomorphic surfaces, the results suggest that long-term downslope transport processes in sloping terrain can disrupt the autogenic processes that reinforce the redistribution of resources under shrubs. This result has important implications for our understanding of the relationship between ecosystem function and landscape-scale transport in these environments.

  19. Carbon dioxide emissions from passenger transport in China since 1949: Implications for developing sustainable transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loo, Becky P.Y.; Li, Linna

    2012-01-01

    This paper traces the historical evolution and spatial disparity of CO 2 emissions from passenger transport in China. The general trends of CO 2 emissions from four passenger transport modes are estimated by both the distance-based and fuel-based methods. The results suggest that CO 2 emissions from road transport represented the leading source of passenger transport CO 2 emissions in China. Moreover, they have continued to grow rapidly. Air transport was the second largest contributor since 1998. Emissions from rail and water transport have remained relatively stable with lower emission intensity. At the provincial level, great regional disparity was noticeable, especially in road transport. Moreover, the decomposition analysis shows that income growth was the principal factor leading to the growth of passenger transport CO 2 emissions in China for both the 1949–1979 and 1980–2009 periods. The second most important factor was increased transport intensity and modal shifts for the former and the latter period, respectively. The main factor contributed to emission reduction was the lower emission intensity supported by policies, although the effect was weak. In the future, more policies to encourage modal shifts toward sustainable transport modes and travel reduction should be encouraged. - Highlights: ► CO 2 emissions from passenger transport in China were estimated. ► Road transport was the largest contributor to CO 2 emission. Air transport followed. ► Factors influencing CO 2 emissions growth are analyzed by decomposition analysis. ► Income growth, higher travel intensity and modal shift were driving CO 2 emissions up. ► Policies to promote modal shifts and travel demand reduction should be encouraged.

  20. Radionuclide transport from near-surface repository for radioactive waste - The unsaturated zone approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jakimaviciute-Maseliene, V. [Vilnius University (Lithuania); Mazeika, J. [Nature Research Centre (Lithuania); Motiejunas, S. [Radioactive Waste Management Agency (Lithuania)

    2014-07-01

    About 100 000 m{sup 3} of solid conditioned Low and Intermediate Level Waste (LILW), generated during operation and decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant (INPP), are to be disposed of in a near-surface repository (NSR) - a 'hill'-type repository with reinforced concrete vaults and with engineered and natural barriers. The northeastern Lithuania and the environment of the INPP in particular were recognized as the areas most suitable for a near-surface repository (Stabatiske Site). The engineered barriers of the repository consist of concrete cells surrounded by clay-based material of low permeability with about the same isolating capacity in all directions. The clay materials must be effectively compactable so that required hydraulic conductivity is reached. The Lithuanian Triassic clay turned out to be sufficiently rich in smectites and was proposed as main candidate for sealing of the repository. When the concrete vaults are filled, the repository cover will be constructed. The surface of the mound will be planted with grass. In this study a computer code FEFLOW 5.0 was applied for simulating the transport of the most mobile radionuclides ({sup 3}H, {sup 14}C, {sup 59}Ni and {sup 94}Nb) with moisture through an unsaturated vault of the near-surface repository in Stabatiske Site. The HYDRUS-1D analysis was used to assess the radionuclide transport in the repository and to estimate initial activity concentrations of radionuclides transported from the cemented waste matrix. Radionuclide release from the vault in the unsaturated conditions after closure of the repository and consequent contaminant plume transport has been assessed taking into account site-specific natural and engineering conditions and based on a normal evolution scenario. The highest peak radionuclide activity concentrations were estimated applying the FEFLOW code. The highest value of {sup 14}C activity concentration(about 1.3x10{sup 8} Bq/m{sup 3}) at the groundwater table

  1. Fast water transport in graphene nanofluidic channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Quan; Alibakhshi, Mohammad Amin; Jiao, Shuping; Xu, Zhiping; Hempel, Marek; Kong, Jing; Park, Hyung Gyu; Duan, Chuanhua

    2018-01-01

    Superfast water transport discovered in graphitic nanoconduits, including carbon nanotubes and graphene nanochannels, implicates crucial applications in separation processes and energy conversion. Yet lack of complete understanding at the single-conduit level limits development of new carbon nanofluidic structures and devices with desired transport properties for practical applications. Here, we show that the hydraulic resistance and slippage of single graphene nanochannels can be accurately determined using capillary flow and a novel hybrid nanochannel design without estimating the capillary pressure. Our results reveal that the slip length of graphene in the graphene nanochannels is around 16 nm, albeit with a large variation from 0 to 200 nm regardless of the channel height. We corroborate this finding with molecular dynamics simulation results, which indicate that this wide distribution of the slip length is due to the surface charge of graphene as well as the interaction between graphene and its silica substrate.

  2. Automobile dependence in cities: An international comparison of urban transport and land use patterns with implications for sustainability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenworthy, J.R.; Laube, F.B.

    1996-01-01

    Cities around the world are subject to increasing levels of environmental impact from dependence on the automobile. In the highly auto-dependent cities of the US and Australia, this is manifested in problems such as urban sprawl and its destruction of prime farming land and natural landscapes, photochemical smog that can be primarily attributed to auto emissions. On top of the more local impacts of the automobile, the global dimension should not be forgotten. Perhaps the two most pressing issues in this regard are the oil problem and the greenhouse problem. A comparison of global cities over the period 1980 to 1990 reveals large differences in automobile dependence with implications for the future sustainability of cities in different countries. This study explores some of the underlying land use, transport, and economic reasons for these different transport patterns. It briefly reviews what the sustainability agenda means for transport and land use patterns in cities and suggests a suite of targets or goals for sustainability by which cities might measure their current directions and plans

  3. Transport on the surface of a topological insulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vargiamidis, V.; Vasilopoulos, P.

    2014-01-01

    We study theoretically dc and ac transport on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator when its time-reversal symmetry is broken. Starting with a Kubo formula, we derive an explicit expression for the dc Hall conductivity, valid for finite temperatures. At zero temperature this expression gives the dc half-quantum Hall conductivity, provided the Fermi level lies in the gap. Corrections when the Fermi level is outside the gap and scattering by impurities are quantified. The longitudinal conductivity is also examined. At finite frequencies, we find a modified Drude term in σ xx (ω) and logarithmic, frequency-dependent corrections in σ yx (ω). The ac Hall conductivity exhibits a robust logarithmic singularity for excitation energies equal to the gapwidth. For these energies, we also find that the power spectrum, which is pertinent to optical experiments, exhibits drastic increase. The Hall conductivity remains almost unaffected for temperatures up to approximately 300 K

  4. Taking advantage of reduced droplet-surface interaction to optimize transport of bioanalytes in digital microfluidics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freire, Sergio L S; Thorne, Nathaniel; Wutkowski, Michael; Dao, Selina

    2014-11-10

    Digital microfluidics (DMF), a technique for manipulation of droplets, is a promising alternative for the development of "lab-on-a-chip" platforms. Often, droplet motion relies on the wetting of a surface, directly associated with the application of an electric field; surface interactions, however, make motion dependent on droplet contents, limiting the breadth of applications of the technique. Some alternatives have been presented to minimize this dependence. However, they rely on the addition of extra chemical species to the droplet or its surroundings, which could potentially interact with droplet moieties. Addressing this challenge, our group recently developed Field-DW devices to allow the transport of cells and proteins in DMF, without extra additives. Here, the protocol for device fabrication and operation is provided, including the electronic interface for motion control. We also continue the studies with the devices, showing that multicellular, relatively large, model organisms can also be transported, arguably unaffected by the electric fields required for device operation.

  5. Direct Effect of Dielectric Surface Energy on Carrier Transport in Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Shujun; Tang, Qingxin; Tian, Hongkun; Zhao, Xiaoli; Tong, Yanhong; Barlow, Stephen; Marder, Seth R; Liu, Yichun

    2018-05-09

    The understanding of the characteristics of gate dielectric that leads to optimized carrier transport remains controversial, and the conventional studies applied organic semiconductor thin films, which introduces the effect of dielectric on the growth of the deposited semiconductor thin films and hence only can explore the indirect effects. Here, we introduce pregrown organic single crystals to eliminate the indirect effect (semiconductor growth) in the conventional studies and to undertake an investigation of the direct effect of dielectric on carrier transport. It is shown that the matching of the polar and dispersive components of surface energy between semiconductor and dielectric is favorable for higher mobility. This new empirical finding may show the direct relationship between dielectric and carrier transport for the optimized mobility of organic field-effect transistors and hence show a promising potential for the development of next-generation high-performance organic electronic devices.

  6. Rational surfaces, ExB sheared flows and transport interplay in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, C.; Pedrosa, M.A.; Erents, K.

    2002-01-01

    Experimental evidence of a strong interplay between magnetic topology (rational surfaces) and the generation of ExB sheared flows has been observed in the plasma edge region of stellarator (TJ-II) and tokamak (JET) devices. Both constant and varying in time ExB sheared flows are close to the critical value to trigger the transition to improved confinement regimes, but below the power threshold to trigger the formation of transport barriers. Flows driven by fluctuations are candidates to explain these experimental results. (author)

  7. Amine treatment induced perovskite nanowire network in perovskite solar cells: efficient surface passivation and carrier transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Ke; Cui, Can; Wang, Peng; Lin, Ping; Qiang, Yaping; Xu, Lingbo; Xie, Jiangsheng; Yang, Zhengrui; Zhu, Xiaodong; Yu, Xuegong; Yang, Deren

    2018-02-01

    In the fabrication of high efficiency organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs), an additional interface modifier is usually applied for enhancing the interface passivation and carrier transport. In this paper, we develop an innovative method with in-situ growth of one-dimensional perovskite nanowire (1D PNW) network triggered by Lewis amine over the perovskite films. To our knowledge, this is the first time to fabricate PSCs with shape-controlled perovskite surface morphology, which improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 14.32% to 16.66% with negligible hysteresis. The amine molecule can passivate the trap states on the polycrystalline perovskite surface to reduce trap-state density. Meanwhile, as a fast channel, the 1D PNWs would promote carrier transport from the bulk perovskite film to the electron transport layer. The PSCs with 1D PNW modification not only exhibit excellent photovoltaic performances, but also show good stability with only 4% PCE loss within 30 days in the ambient air without encapsulation. Our results strongly suggest that in-situ grown 1D PNW network provides a feasible and effective strategy for nanostructured optoelectronic devices such as PSCs to achieve superior performances.

  8. Molecular determinants of transport stimulation of EAAT2 are located at interface between the trimerization and substrate transport domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mortensen, Ole V; Liberato, José L; Coutinho-Netto, Joaquim; Dos Santos, Wagner F; Fontana, Andréia C K

    2015-04-01

    Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) regulate glutamatergic signal transmission by clearing extracellular glutamate. Dysfunction of these transporters has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurological disorders. Previous studies have shown that venom from the spider Parawixia bistriata and a purified compound (Parawixin1) stimulate EAAT2 activity and protect retinal tissue from ischemic damage. In the present study, the EAAT2 subtype specificity of this compound was explored, employing chimeric proteins between EAAT2 and EAAT3 transporter subtypes and mutants to characterize the structural region targeted by the compound. This identified a critical residue (Histidine-71 in EAAT2 and Serine-45 in EAAT3) in transmembrane domain 2 (TM2) to be important for the selectivity between EAAT2 and EAAT3 and for the activity of the venom. Using the identified residue in TM2 as a structural anchor, several neighboring amino acids within TM5 and TM8 were identified to also be important for the activity of the venom. This structural domain of the transporter lies at the interface of the rigid trimerization domain and the central substrate-binding transport domain. Our studies suggest that the mechanism of glutamate transport enhancement involves an interaction with the transporter that facilitates the movement of the transport domain. We identified a domain (purple star) in the glutamate transporter EAAT2 that is important for transport stimulation through a spider venom, and suggest a mechanism for enhanced transporter function through facilitated substrate translocation (arrow). Because the dysfunction of glutamate transporters is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, understanding the mechanisms of enhanced transport could have therapeutic implications. © 2015 International Society for Neurochemistry.

  9. Accumulation of dissolved gases at hydrophobic surfaces in water and sodium chloride solutions: Implications for coal flotation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hampton, M.A.; Nguyen, A.V. [University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld. (Australia). Division of Chemical Engineering

    2009-08-15

    Dissolved gases can preferentially accumulate at the hydrophobic solid-water interface as revealed by neutron reflectivity measurements. In this paper, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to examine accumulation of dissolved gases at a hydrophobic surface in water and sodium chloride solutions. The solvent-exchange method was used to artificially form gaseous domains accumulated at the interface suitable for AFM imaging. Smooth graphite surfaces were used as model surfaces to minimize the secondary effect of surface roughness on the imaging. The concentration of NaCl up to 1 M was found to have a negligible influence on the geometry and population of pre-existing nanobubbles, nanopancakes and nanobubble-nanopancake composites. The implications of the findings on coal flotation in saline water are discussed in terms of attraction between hydrophobic surfaces in water, bubble-particle attachment and hydrophobic coagulation between particles.

  10. Transport of Dirac fermions on the surface of strong topological insulator and graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kundu, Arijit

    2012-06-14

    In this dissertation I study electronic transport through Dirac Fermions on the surface of strong topological insulator and graphene. I start by reviewing the physics of topological insulator and graphene and the low energy effective theory for the electronic states of the surface of a 3D strong topological insulator and graphene. Using this theory the electronic structure of the surface states of strong topological insulators of geometries with large surface to bulk ratio like nanowire and thin film are obtained. Then the energy spectrum and the spin-parity structure of the eigenstates for a finite size topological insulator quantum dot of the shape of a nanotube are considered. Numerical calculations show that even at the lowest energy scales, the ''spin-surface locking'' is broken, that is, the spin direction in a topologically protected surface mode is not locked to the surface. The calculations also show the existence of ''zero-momentum'' modes, and sub-gap states localized near the ''caps'' of the dot. Both the energy spectrum and the spin texture of the eigenstates are basically reproduced from an analytical surface Dirac fermion description. The results are compared to microscopic calculations using a tight-binding model for a strong topological insulator in a finite-length nanowire geometry, which shows qualitative similarity. Then, a theoretical study of electron-phonon scattering effects in thin films made of a strong topological insulator is presented. Phonons are modeled by isotropic elastic continuum theory with stress-free boundary conditions, and the interaction with the helical surface Dirac fermions is mediated by the deformation potential. The temperature-dependent electrical resistivity ρ(T) and the quasi-particle decay rate Γ(T) observable in photo-emission are computed numerically. The low and high-temperature power laws for both quantities are obtained analytically. Detailed

  11. Energy implications of bottled water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gleick, P H; Cooley, H S

    2009-01-01

    As bottled water use continues to expand around the world, there is growing interest in the environmental, economical, and social implications of that use, including concerns about waste generation, proper use of groundwater, hydrologic effects on local surface and groundwater, economic costs, and more. A key concern is how much energy is required to produce and use bottled water. This paper estimates the energy footprint required for various phases of bottled water production, transportation, and use. We do not develop a single comprehensive life-cycle energy estimate because of differences among water sources, bottling processes, transportation costs, and other factors, but we quantify key energy inputs necessary for site-specific assessments. We also apply these inputs to three site-specific examples of the energy required from production to the point of use: local bottled water produced and used in Los Angeles, water bottled in the South Pacific and shipped by cargo ship to Los Angeles, and water bottled in France and shipped in various ways to Los Angeles. For water transported short distances, the energy requirements of bottled water are dominated by the energy used to produce the plastic bottles. Long-distance transport, however, can lead to energy costs comparable to, or even larger than, those of producing the bottle. All other energy costs-for processing, bottling, sealing, labeling, and refrigeration-are far smaller than those for the production of the bottle and transportation. These data can be used to generate specific estimates for different sources, treatments, and delivery options.

  12. Transport of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from an arctic glacier to downstream locations: implications for sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwok, Karen Y; Yamazaki, Eriko; Yamashita, Nobuyoshi; Taniyasu, Sachi; Murphy, Margaret B; Horii, Yuichi; Petrick, Gert; Kallerborn, Roland; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Murano, Kentaro; Lam, Paul K S

    2013-03-01

    Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been globally detected in various environmental matrices, yet their fate and transport to the Arctic is still unclear, especially for the European Arctic. In this study, concentrations of 17 PFAS were quantified in two ice cores (n=26), surface snow (n=9) and surface water samples (n=14) collected along a spatial gradient in Svalbard, Norway. Concentrations of selected ions (Na(+), SO4(2-), etc.) were also determined for tracing the origins and sources of PFAS. Perfluorobutanoate (PFBA), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) were the dominant compounds found in ice core samples. Taking PFOA, PFNA and perfluorooctane-sulfonate (PFOS) as examples, higher concentrations were detected in the middle layers of the ice cores representing the period of 1997-2000. Lower concentrations of C8-C12 perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) were detected in comparison with concentrations measured previously in an ice core from the Canadian Arctic, indicating that contamination levels in the European Arctic are lower. Average PFAS concentrations were found to be lower in surface snow and melted glacier water samples, while increased concentrations were observed in river water downstream near the coastal area. Perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) was detected in the downstream locations, but not in the glacier, suggesting existence of local sources of this compound. Long-range atmospheric transport of PFAS was the major deposition pathway for the glaciers, while local sources (e.g., skiing activities) were identified in the downstream locations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Transport and retention of strontium in surface-modified quartz sand with different wettability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yifei Li; Shuaihui Tian; Tianwei Qian

    2011-01-01

    Instead of radioactive 90 Sr, common strontium chloride was used to simulate the migration of radioactive strontium chloride in surface hydroxylated, silanized, and common quartz sand. The sorption and retardation characteristics of strontium (Sr 2+ ) in these surface modified quartz sands were studied by batch tests and column experiments. The equilibrium sorption data for Sr 2+ on different wettability sands were described by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and the Langmuir model has been found to provide better correlation for hydrophilic sand. The breakthrough curves (BTCs) of Sr 2+ in these media were analyzed with the equilibrium convection-dispersion equation (CDE) and a non-equilibrium two-region mobile-immobile model (TRM) using a nonlinear least square curve-fitting program CXTFIT. The TRM model showed better fit to the measured BTCs of Sr 2+ , and the parameters of the fraction of mobile water indicated that significant preferential flow effected the non-equilibrium transport of Sr 2+ . Although TRM model could not fit the Sr 2+ BTCs very well, the parameter estimated by TRM model may be more reliable than those obtained from batch experiments because the transport of Sr 2+ in these kind of sand is non-equilibrium processes. (author)

  14. Ab-initio calculations of the hydrogen-uranium system: Surface phenomena, absorption, transport and trapping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, Christopher D.; Scott Lillard, R.

    2009-01-01

    Density functional theory was applied to the initial steps of uranium hydriding: surface phenomena, absorption, bulk transport and trapping. H adsorbs exothermically to the (0 0 1) surface, yet H absorption into the bulk is endothermic, with off-center octahedral absorption having the lowest absorption energy of 0.39 eV, relative to molecular H 2 . H absorption in interstitial sites causes a local softening of the bulk modulus. Diffusion of H in unstrained α-U has a barrier of 0.6 eV. The energy of H absorption adjacent to the chemical impurities C, S, Si was lowered by an amount proportional to the size of the impurity atom, and the resulting lattice strain Si > S > C. Thus, impurities may promote hydriding by providing surfaces or prestrained zones for H uptake.

  15. Parameter optimization for surface flux transport models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitbread, T.; Yeates, A. R.; Muñoz-Jaramillo, A.; Petrie, G. J. D.

    2017-11-01

    Accurate prediction of solar activity calls for precise calibration of solar cycle models. Consequently we aim to find optimal parameters for models which describe the physical processes on the solar surface, which in turn act as proxies for what occurs in the interior and provide source terms for coronal models. We use a genetic algorithm to optimize surface flux transport models using National Solar Observatory (NSO) magnetogram data for Solar Cycle 23. This is applied to both a 1D model that inserts new magnetic flux in the form of idealized bipolar magnetic regions, and also to a 2D model that assimilates specific shapes of real active regions. The genetic algorithm searches for parameter sets (meridional flow speed and profile, supergranular diffusivity, initial magnetic field, and radial decay time) that produce the best fit between observed and simulated butterfly diagrams, weighted by a latitude-dependent error structure which reflects uncertainty in observations. Due to the easily adaptable nature of the 2D model, the optimization process is repeated for Cycles 21, 22, and 24 in order to analyse cycle-to-cycle variation of the optimal solution. We find that the ranges and optimal solutions for the various regimes are in reasonable agreement with results from the literature, both theoretical and observational. The optimal meridional flow profiles for each regime are almost entirely within observational bounds determined by magnetic feature tracking, with the 2D model being able to accommodate the mean observed profile more successfully. Differences between models appear to be important in deciding values for the diffusive and decay terms. In like fashion, differences in the behaviours of different solar cycles lead to contrasts in parameters defining the meridional flow and initial field strength.

  16. Wind-induced contaminant transport in near-surface soils with application to radon entry into buildings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riley, W.J.

    1996-05-01

    Indoor air exposures to gaseous contaminants originating in soil can cause large human health risks. To predict and control these exposures, the mechanisms that affect vapor transport in near-surface soils need to be understood. In particular, radon exposure is a concern since average indoor radon concentrations lead to much higher risks than are generally accepted for exposure to other environmental contaminants. This dissertation examines an important component of the indoor radon problem: the impacts of wind on soil-gas and radon transport and entry into buildings. The research includes experimental and modeling studies of wind's interactions with a building's superstructure and the resulting soil-gas and radon flows in the surrounding soil. In addition to exploring the effects of steady winds, a novel modeling technique is developed to examine the impacts of fluctuating winds on soil-gas and radon transport

  17. Wind-induced contaminant transport in near-surface soils with application to radon entry into buildings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Riley, William Jowett [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    1996-05-01

    Indoor air exposures to gaseous contaminants originating in soil can cause large human health risks. To predict and control these exposures, the mechanisms that affect vapor transport in near-surface soils need to be understood. In particular, radon exposure is a concern since average indoor radon concentrations lead to much higher risks than are generally accepted for exposure to other environmental contaminants. This dissertation examines an important component of the indoor radon problem: the impacts of wind on soil-gas and radon transport and entry into buildings. The research includes experimental and modeling studies of wind`s interactions with a building`s superstructure and the resulting soil-gas and radon flows in the surrounding soil. In addition to exploring the effects of steady winds, a novel modeling technique is developed to examine the impacts of fluctuating winds on soil-gas and radon transport.

  18. Short communication: expression of transporters and metabolizing enzymes in the female lower genital tract: implications for microbicide research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Tian; Hu, Minlu; Cost, Marilyn; Poloyac, Samuel; Rohan, Lisa

    2013-11-01

    Topical vaginal microbicides have been considered a promising option for preventing the male-to-female sexual transmission of HIV; however, clinical trials to date have not clearly demonstrated robust and reproducible effectiveness results. While multiple approaches may help enhance product effectiveness observed in clinical trials, increasing the drug exposure in lower genital tract tissues is a compelling option, given the difficulty in achieving sufficient drug exposure and positive correlation between tissue exposure and microbicide efficacy. Since many microbicide drug candidates are substrates of transporters and/or metabolizing enzymes, there is emerging interest in improving microbicide exposure and efficacy through local modulation of transporters and enzymes in the female lower genital tract. However, no systematic information on transporter/enzyme expression is available for ectocervical and vaginal tissues of premenopausal women, the genital sites most relevant to microbicide drug delivery. The current study utilized reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to examine the mRNA expression profile of 22 transporters and 19 metabolizing enzymes in premenopausal normal human ectocervix and vagina. Efflux and uptake transporters important for antiretroviral drugs, such as P-gp, BCRP, OCT2, and ENT1, were found to be moderately or highly expressed in the lower genital tract as compared to liver. Among the metabolizing enzymes examined, most CYP isoforms were not detected while a number of UGTs such as UGT1A1 were highly expressed. Moderate to high expression of select transporters and enzymes was also observed in mouse cervix and vagina. The implications of this information on microbicide research is also discussed, including microbicide pharmacokinetics, the utilization of the mouse model in microbicide screening, as well as the in vivo functional studies of cervicovaginal transporters and enzymes.

  19. Identification of residues in ABCG2 affecting protein trafficking and drug transport, using co-evolutionary analysis of ABCG sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haider, Ameena J; Cox, Megan H; Jones, Natalie; Goode, Alice J; Bridge, Katherine S; Wong, Kelvin; Briggs, Deborah; Kerr, Ian D

    2015-07-17

    ABCG2 is an ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter with a physiological role in urate transport in the kidney and is also implicated in multi-drug efflux from a number of organs in the body. The trafficking of the protein and the mechanism by which it recognizes and transports diverse drugs are important areas of research. In the current study, we have made a series of single amino acid mutations in ABCG2 on the basis of sequence analysis. Mutant isoforms were characterized for cell surface expression and function. One mutant (I573A) showed disrupted glycosylation and reduced trafficking kinetics. In contrast with many ABC transporter folding mutations which appear to be 'rescued' by chemical chaperones or low temperature incubation, the I573A mutation was not enriched at the cell surface by either treatment, with the majority of the protein being retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Two other mutations (P485A and M549A) showed distinct effects on transport of ABCG2 substrates reinforcing the role of TM helix 3 in drug recognition and transport and indicating the presence of intracellular coupling regions in ABCG2. © 2015 Authors.

  20. Electronic transport in bismuth selenide in the topological insulator regime

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dohun

    The 3D topological insulators (TIs) have an insulating bulk but spin-momentum coupled metallic surface states stemming from band inversion due to strong spin-orbit interaction, whose existence is guaranteed by the topology of the band structure of the insulator. While the STI surface state has been studied spectroscopically by e.g. photoemission and scanned probes, transport experiments have failed to demonstrate clear signature of the STI due to high level of bulk conduction. In this thesis, I present experimental results on the transport properties of TI material Bi2Se3 in the absence of bulk conduction (TI regime), achieved by applying novel p-type doping methods. Field effect transistors consisting of thin (thickness: 5-17 nm) Bi2Se3 are fabricated by mechanical exfoliation of single crystals, and a combination of conventional dielectric (300 nm thick SiO2) and electrochemical or chemical gating methods are used to move the Fermi energy through the surface Dirac point inside bulk band gap, revealing the ambipolar gapless nature of transport in the Bi2Se3 surface states. The minimum conductivity of the topological surface state is understood within the self-consistent theory of Dirac electrons in the presence of charged impurities. The intrinsic finite-temperature resistivity of the topological surface state due to electron-acoustic phonon scattering is measured to be 60 times larger than that of graphene largely due to the smaller Fermi and sound velocities in Bi2Se 3, which will have implications for topological electronic devices operating at room temperature. Along with semi-classical Boltzmann transport, I also discuss 2D weak anti-localization (WAL) behavior of the topological surface states. By investigating gate-tuned WAL behavior in thin (5-17 nm) TI films, I show that WAL in the TI regime is extraordinarily sensitive to the hybridization induced quantum mechanical tunneling between top and bottom topological surfaces, and interplay of phase coherence

  1. Rational surfaces, ExB sheared flows and transport interplay in fusion plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidalgo, Carlos; Pedrosa, Maria A.; Erents, Kevin

    2001-01-01

    Experimental evidence of a strong interplay between magnetic topology (rational surfaces) and the generation of ExB sheared flows has been observed in the plasma edge region of stellarator (TJ-II) and tokamak (JET) devices. Constant and varying in time ExB sheared flows are close to the critical value to trigger the transition to improved confinement regimes. The plasma conditions where this has been observed are clearly below the power threshold to trigger the formation of transport barriers. Flows driven by fluctuations are candidates to explain these experimental results. (author)

  2. 29 CFR 1926.902 - Surface transportation of explosives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... electric) shall not be transported in the same vehicle with other explosives. (e) Vehicles used for... prevent contact with containers of explosives. (h) Every motor vehicle or conveyance used for transporting... Carriers. (b) Motor vehicles or conveyances transporting explosives shall only be driven by, and be in the...

  3. Mass transfer in fuel cells. [electron microscopy of components, thermal decomposition of Teflon, water transport, and surface tension of KOH solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, R. D., Jr.

    1973-01-01

    Results of experiments on electron microscopy of fuel cell components, thermal decomposition of Teflon by thermogravimetry, surface area and pore size distribution measurements, water transport in fuel cells, and surface tension of KOH solutions are described.

  4. A field study of flow turbulence and sediment transport dynamics on a beach surface in the lee of a coastal foredune under offshore winds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baas, A. C.; Jackson, D.; Cooper, J. A.; Lynch, K.; Delgado-Fernandez, I.; Beyers, M.; Lee, Z. S.

    2010-12-01

    The past decade has seen a growing body of research on the relation between turbulence in the wind and the resultant transport of sediment over active sand surfaces. Widespread use of sonic anemometry and high-frequency sand transport sensors and traps have facilitated recent field studies over dunes and beach surfaces, to move beyond monitoring of mean wind speed and bulk transport to more detailed measurements at much higher spatio-temporal resolutions. In this paper we present results of a field study conducted in the recirculation flow and re-attachment zone on a beach behind a foredune at Magilligan Strand, Northern Ireland. The offshore winds over the foredune at this site are associated with flow separation and reversal located over the beach surface in the lee of the dune row, often strong enough to induce sand transport toward the toe of the foredune (‘against’ the overall offshore flow). The re-attachment and recirculation zone are associated with strongly turbulent fluid flow and complex streamlines that do not follow the underlying topography. High frequency (25 Hz) wind and sand transport data were collected at a grid of point locations distributed over the beach surface between 35 m to 55 m distance from the 10 m high dune crest, using ultrasonic anemometers at 0.5 m height and co-located load cell traps and Safires at the bed surface. The wind data are used to investigate the role of Reynolds shear stresses and quadrant analysis techniques for identifying burst-sweep events in relation to sand transport events. This includes an assessment of the issues involved with data rotations for yaw, pitch, and roll corrections relative to complex flow streamlines, and the subsequently derived turbulence parameters based on fluctuating vector components (u’, v’, w’). Results illustrate how transport may exist under threshold mean velocities because of the role played by coherent flow structures, and the findings corroborate previous findings that

  5. Behaviour of uranium series radionuclides in surface water (Crouzille, Limousin). Geochemical implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moulin, J.

    2008-06-01

    Understanding natural radionuclides behaviour in surface water is a required step to achieve uranium mine rehabilitation and preserve water quality. The first objective of this thesis is to determine which are the radionuclides sources in a drinking water reservoir. The second objective is to improve the knowledge about the behaviour of uranium series radionuclides, especially actinium. The investigated site is a brook (Sagnes, Limousin, France) which floods a peat bog contaminated by a former uranium mine and which empties into the Crouzille lake. It allows studying radionuclides transport in surface water and radionuclides retention through organic substance or water reservoir. Radionuclides distribution in particulate, colloidal and dissolved phases is determined thanks to ultra-filtrations. Gamma spectrometry allows measuring almost all natural radionuclides with only two counting stages. However, low activities of 235 U series radionuclides impose the use of very low background well-type Ge detectors, such as those of the Underground Laboratory of Modane (France). Firstly, this study shows that no or few radionuclides are released by the Sagnes peat bog, although its radioactivity is important. Secondly, it provides details on the behaviour of uranium series radionuclides in surface water. More specifically, it provides the first indications of actinium solubility in surface water. Actinium's behaviour is very close to uranium's even if it is a little less soluble. (author)

  6. Spin-orbit torque in 3D topological insulator-ferromagnet heterostructure: crossover between bulk and surface transport

    KAUST Repository

    Ghosh, Sumit; Manchon, Aurelien

    2017-01-01

    Current-driven spin-orbit torques are investigated in a heterostructure composed of a ferromagnet deposited on top of a three dimensional topological insulator using the linear response formalism. We develop a tight-binding model of the heterostructure adopting a minimal interfacial hybridization scheme that promotes induced magnetic exchange on the topological surface states, as well as induced Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. Therefore, our model accounts for spin Hall effect from bulk states together with inverse spin galvanic and magnetoelectric effects at the interface on equal footing. By varying the transport energy across the band structure, we uncover a crossover from surface-dominated to bulk-dominated transport regimes. We show that the spin density profile and the nature of the spin-orbit torques differ substantially in both regimes. Our results, which compare favorably with experimental observations, demonstrate that the large damping torque reported recently is more likely attributed to interfacial magnetoelectric effect, while spin Hall torque remains small even in the bulk-dominated regime.

  7. Spin-orbit torque in 3D topological insulator-ferromagnet heterostructure: crossover between bulk and surface transport

    KAUST Repository

    Ghosh, Sumit

    2017-11-29

    Current-driven spin-orbit torques are investigated in a heterostructure composed of a ferromagnet deposited on top of a three dimensional topological insulator using the linear response formalism. We develop a tight-binding model of the heterostructure adopting a minimal interfacial hybridization scheme that promotes induced magnetic exchange on the topological surface states, as well as induced Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. Therefore, our model accounts for spin Hall effect from bulk states together with inverse spin galvanic and magnetoelectric effects at the interface on equal footing. By varying the transport energy across the band structure, we uncover a crossover from surface-dominated to bulk-dominated transport regimes. We show that the spin density profile and the nature of the spin-orbit torques differ substantially in both regimes. Our results, which compare favorably with experimental observations, demonstrate that the large damping torque reported recently is more likely attributed to interfacial magnetoelectric effect, while spin Hall torque remains small even in the bulk-dominated regime.

  8. Modeling Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction and Contaminant Transport of Chlorinated Solvent Contaminated Site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yimer Ebrahim, Girma; Jonoski, Andreja; van Griensven, Ann; Dujardin, Juliette; Baetelaan, Okke; Bronders, Jan

    2010-05-01

    Chlorinated-solvent form one of the largest groups of environmental chemicals. Their use and misuse in industry have lead to a large entry of these chemicals into the environment, resulting in widespread dissemination and oftentimes environmental contamination. Chlorinated solvent contamination of groundwater resources has been widely reported. For instance, there has been much interest in the assessment of these contaminant levels and their evolutions with time in the groundwater body below the Vilvoorde-Machelen industrial area (Belgium). The long industrial history of the area has lead to complex patterns of pollution from multiple sources and the site has been polluted to the extent that individual plumes are not definable any more. Understanding of groundwater/surface water interaction is a critical component for determining the fate of contaminant both in streams and ground water due to the fact that groundwater and surface water are in continuous dynamic interaction in the hydrologic cycle. The interaction has practical consequences in the quantity and quality of water in either system in the sense that depletion and/or contamination of one of the system will eventually affect the other one. The transition zone between a stream and its adjacent aquifer referred to as the hyporheic zone plays a critical role in governing contaminant exchange and transformation during water exchange between the two water bodies. The hyporheic zone of Zenne River ( the main receptor ) is further complicated due to the fact that the river banks are artificially trained with sheet piles along its reach extending some 12 m below the surface. This study demonstrates the use of MODFLOW, a widely used modular three-dimensional block-centred finite difference, saturated flow model for simulating the flow and direction of movement of groundwater through aquifer and stream-aquifer interaction and the use of transport model RT3D, a three-dimensional multi-species reactive transport model

  9. Role of rational surfaces on fluctuations and transport in the plasma edge of the TJ-II stellarator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pedrosa, M.A.; Hidalgo, C.; Lopez-Fraguas, A.

    2000-01-01

    It has been shown that transport barriers in toroidal magnetically confined plasmas tend to be linked to regions of unique magnetic topology such as the location of a minimum in the safety factor, rational surfaces or the boundary between closed and open flux surfaces. In the absence of E x B sheared flows, fluctuations are expected to show maximum amplitude near rational surfaces, and plasma confinement might tend to deteriorate. On the other hand, if the generation of E x B sheared flows were linked to low order rational surfaces, these would be beneficial to confinement. Experimental evidence of E x B sheared flows linked to rational surfaces has been obtained in the plasma edge region of the TJ-II stellarator. (author)

  10. Sustainable Transport and Performance Indicators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gudmundsson, Henrik

    2004-01-01

    Sustainable transport has become a major policy concern in recent years. The term suggests a need to consider transport in a comprehensive perspective including the well-being of both present and future generations, and taking environmental, social and economic issues into account. Indicators...... in forecasting and tracking the performance of transport systems increasingly guide sustainable transport policy making. This review explores the implications of the sustainable transport” concept and how it can be made operational with indicators. A number of indicator systems are reviewed, and some strengths...

  11. Sustainable Transport and Performance Indicators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gudmundsson, H.

    2004-01-01

    ustainable transport has become a major policy concern in recent years. The term suggests a need to consider transport in a comprehensive perspective including the well-being of both present and future generations, and taking environmental, social and economic issues into account. Indicators...... in forecasting and tracking the performance of transport systems increasingly guide sustainable transport policy making. This review explores the implications of the "sustainable transport" concept and how it can be made operational with indicators. A number of indicator systems are reviewed, and some strengths...... and weaknesses are highlighted with regard to the support they provide for sustainable transport development....

  12. Characterization of groundwater flow for near surface disposal facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-02-01

    The main objective of this report is to provide a description of the site investigation techniques and modelling approaches that can be used to characterise the flow of subsurface water at near surface disposal facilities in relation to the various development stages of the repositories. As one of the main goals of defining groundwater flow is to establish the possible contaminant migration, certain aspects related to groundwater transport are also described. Secondary objectives are to discuss the implications of various groundwater conditions with regard to the performance of the isolation systems

  13. Minimization of gully erosion on reclaimed surface mines using the stable slope and sediment transport computer model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKenney, R.A.; Gardner, T.G.

    1992-01-01

    Disequilibrium between slope form and hydrologic and erosion processes on reclaimed surface coal mines in the humid temperate northeastern US, can result in gully erosion and sediment loads which are elevated above natural, background values. Initial sheetwash erosion is surpassed by gully erosion on reclamation sites which are not in equilibrium with post-mining hydrology. Long-term stability can be attained by designing a channel profile which is in equilibrium with the increased peak discharges found on reclaimed surface mines. The Stable Slope and Sediment transport model (SSAST) was developed to design stable longitudinal channel profiles for post-mining hydrologic and erosional processes. SSAST is an event based computer model that calculates the stable slope for a channel segment based on the post-mine hydrology and median grain size of a reclaimed surface mine. Peak discharge, which drives post-mine erosion, is calculated from a 10-year, 24-hour storm using the Soil Conservation Service curve number method. Curve number calibrated for Pennsylvania surface mines are used. Reclamation sites are represented by the rectangle of triangle which most closely fits the shape of the site while having the same drainage area and length. Sediment transport and slope stability are calculated using a modified Bagnold's equation with a correction factor for the irregular particle shapes formed during the mining process. Data from three reclaimed Pennsylvania surface mines were used to calibrate and verify SSAST. Analysis indicates that SSAST can predict longitudinal channel profiles for stable reclamation of surface mines in the humid, temperate northeastern US

  14. A conserved WW domain-like motif regulates invariant chain-dependent cell-surface transport of the NKG2D ligand ULBP2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Uhlenbrock, Franziska Katharina; van Andel, Esther; Andresen, Lars

    2015-01-01

    that the NKG2D ligand ULBP2 traffics over an invariant chain (Ii)-dependent pathway to the cell surface. This study set out to elucidate how Ii regulates ULBP2 cell-surface transport: We discovered conserved tryptophan (Trp) residues in the primary protein sequence of ULBP1-6 but not in the related MICA....../B. Substitution of Trp to alanine resulted in cell-surface inhibition of ULBP2 in different cancer cell lines. Moreover, the mutated ULBP2 constructs were retained and not degraded inside the cell, indicating a crucial role of this conserved Trp-motif in trafficking. Finally, overexpression of Ii increased...... surface expression of wt ULBP2 while Trp-mutants could not be expressed, proposing that this Trp-motif is required for an Ii-dependent cell-surface transport of ULBP2. Aberrant soluble ULBP2 is immunosuppressive. Thus, targeting a distinct protein module on the ULBP2 sequence could counteract...

  15. Utilizing various data sources for surface transportation human factors research : workshop summary report, November 6-7, 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-07-01

    The report summarizes a 2-day workshop held on November 6-7, 2013, to discuss data sources for surface transportation human factors research. The workshop was designed to assess the increasing number of different datasets and multiple ways of collect...

  16. The Pricing Evolution in the Air Transportation Industry. Implication for the Romanian Tourism Sector in the Era of Globalization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreea Marin-Pantelescu

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The globalization process involves the liberalization of the services and the air transportation industry is responsive to this reality. There is a developing tendency for global alliances and strategies in major airline companies. The globalization implies extending service networks in the whole world. Currently we are witnessing lower prices for domestic and foreign airline flights with benefits for the tourists’ business and leisure activities. The last minute offers and early booking prices provide a win-win situation, for the airline companies on one side and for the customers on the other side. The positive online reviews influence people buying decision because customers are more sensitive than ever to the services prices. Under this condition it is very interesting to see the evolution of pricing in the air transportation industry and the implication for the Romanian tourism sector.

  17. Interannual Variations of Surface Currents and Transports in the Sicily Channel Derived From Coastal Altimetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jebri, Fatma; Zakardjian, Bruno; Birol, Florence; Bouffard, Jérôme; Jullion, Loïc.; Sammari, Cherif

    2017-11-01

    A 20 year coastal altimetry data set (X-TRACK) is used, for the first time, to gain insight into the long-term interannual variations of the surface circulation in the Sicily Channel. First, a spectral along with a time/space diagram analysis are applied to the monthly means. They reveal a regionally coherent current patterns from track to track with a marked interannual variability that is unequally shared between the Atlantic Tunisian Current and Atlantic Ionian Stream inflows in the Sicily Channel and the Bifurcation Tyrrhenian Current outflow northeast of Sicily. Second, an empirical altimetry-based transport-like technique is proposed to quantify volume budgets inside the closed boxes formed by the crossing of the altimetry tracks and coastlines over the study area. A set of hydrographic measurements is used to validate the method. The inferred altimetry transports give a well-balanced mean eastward Atlantic Waters baroclinic flow of 0.4 Sv and standard deviations of 0.2 Sv on a yearly basis throughout the Sicily Channel and toward the Ionian Sea, which is fairly coherent with those found in the literature. Furthermore, the analysis allows to quantify the intrusions of Atlantic Waters over the Tunisian Shelf (0.12 ± 0.1 Sv) and highlights two main modes of variability of the main surface waters path over the Sicily Channel through the Bifurcation Atlantic Tunisian Current and Atlantic Ionian Stream systems. Some physical mechanisms are finally discussed with regards to changes in the observed currents and transports.

  18. Effect of water soluble vitamins on Zn transport of Caco-2 cells and their implications under oxidative stress conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tupe, Rashmi Santosh; Agte, Vaishali Vilas

    2010-02-01

    The role of different water soluble vitamins in Zn metabolism beyond intestinal Zn absorption is poorly explored. Using Caco-2 cells, effects of different vitamins on intestinal Zn transport and their implications under oxidative stress (OS) were investigated. Cells were apically treated with Zn (25 muM) and vitamins (Folic acid (FA), Nicotinic acid (NA), Ascorbic acid (AA), riboflavin, thiamine, pyridoxine) for 60 min. The effect of most promising vitamins on zinc transport, antioxidant enzymes (Catalase, Glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase), and intracellular OS status (ROS generation and mitochondrial transmembrane potential) were investigated. OS was generated by tert-butyl hydro peroxide and results for each vitamin were compared with respective Zn containing controls with and without OS. Without OS, Zn transport was slightly enhanced in presence of NA, while it was significantly reduced by thiamine, riboflavin, and pyridoxine. Under OS, NA significantly (P vitamins. With Zn + FA + OS, enzyme activities decreased maximally, with twofold increase in 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF-DA) (P < 0.01) and lowering of rhodamine fluorescence (P < 0.05). In Zn + AA + OS, DCF-DA fluorescence increased (P < 0.05) but with NA, cellular enzymes, and antioxidant profile were improved. Results for the first time demonstrate advantageous effects of NA and deleterious consequences of FA with no effect by AA on Zn transport, especially under OS. These observed changes in the transport of Zn seem to have an impact on OS markers.

  19. Poloidal density variation of impurities in a rotating tokamak plasma - flux surface coordinates and effect on transport coefficients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romanelli, M.

    1999-09-01

    The poloidal variation of impurity densities over magnetic surfaces brings about an enhancement of neoclassical transport coefficients, as shown by Romanelli and Ottaviani for impurities in the Pfirsch Schlueter regime and by Helander for particles in the banana-plateau regime, both in a large aspect ratio tokamak. The same effect will occur in a finite aspect ratio tokamak and therefore it is considered to be relevant for inclusion in transport codes for comparison with the experimental measurements of impurity transport. Here an expression for the impurity-density poloidal-variation generated by the fast toroidal rotation of the plasma column is presented in general coordinates. (author)

  20. Low Z impurity transport in tokamaks. [Neoclassical transport theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hawryluk, R.J.; Suckewer, S.; Hirshman, S.P.

    1978-10-01

    Low Z impurity transport in tokamaks was simulated with a one-dimensional impurity transport model including both neoclassical and anomalous transport. The neoclassical fluxes are due to collisions between the background plasma and impurity ions as well as collisions between the various ionization states. The evaluation of the neoclassical fluxes takes into account the different collisionality regimes of the background plasma and the impurity ions. A limiter scrapeoff model is used to define the boundary conditions for the impurity ions in the plasma periphery. In order to account for the spectroscopic measurements of power radiated by the lower ionization states, fluxes due to anomalous transport are included. The sensitivity of the results to uncertainties in rate coefficients and plasma parameters in the periphery are investigated. The implications of the transport model for spectroscopic evaluation of impurity concentrations, impurity fluxes, and radiated power from line emission measurements are discussed.

  1. A Modular, Reusable Latch and Decking System for Securing Payloads During Launch and Planetary Surface Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doggett, William R.; Dorsey, John T.; Jones, Thomas C.; King, Bruce D.; Mikulas, Martin M.

    2011-01-01

    Efficient handling of payloads destined for a planetary surface, such as the moon or mars, requires robust systems to secure the payloads during transport on the ground, in space and on the planetary surface. In addition, mechanisms to release the payloads need to be reliable to ensure successful transfer from one vehicle to another. An efficient payload handling strategy must also consider the devices available to support payload handling. Cranes used for overhead lifting are common to all phases of payload handling on Earth. Similarly, both recent and past studies have demonstrated that devices with comparable functionality will be needed to support lunar outpost operations. A first generation test-bed of a new high performance device that provides the capabilities of both a crane and a robotic manipulator, the Lunar Surface Manipulation System (LSMS), has been designed, built and field tested and is available for use in evaluating a system to secure payloads to transportation vehicles. A payload handling approach must address all phases of payload management including: ground transportation, launch, planetary transfer and installation in the final system. In addition, storage may be required during any phase of operations. Each of these phases requires the payload to be lifted and secured to a vehicle, transported, released and lifted in preparation for the next transportation or storage phase. A critical component of a successful payload handling approach is a latch and associated carrier system. The latch and carrier system should minimize requirements on the: payload, carrier support structure and payload handling devices as well as be able to accommodate a wide range of payload sizes. In addition, the latch should; be small and lightweight, support a method to apply preload, be reusable, integrate into a minimal set of hard-points and have manual interfaces to actuate the latch should a problem occur. A latching system which meets these requirements has been

  2. Long distance electron transport in marine sediments: Microbial and geochemical implications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Risgaard-Petersen, Nils; Larsen, Steffen; Pfeffer, Christian

    and promotes the formation of Mg-calcite and iron oxides in the oxic zone. Oxygen seems to be the major electron acceptor, and more than 40% of the oxygen consumption in sediments can be driven by long distance electron transfer from distant electron donors. The major e-donor is sulfide, which is oxidized......Anaerobic oxidation of organic matter in marine sediment is traditionally considered to be coupled to oxygen reduction via a cascade of redox processes and transport of intermittent electron donors and acceptors. Electric currents have been found to shortcut this cascade and directly couple...... oxidation of sulphide centimeters down in marine sediment to the reduction of oxygen at the very surface1 . This electric coupling of spatially separated redox half-reactions seems to be mediated by centimeter long filamentous Desulfubulbus affiliated bacteria with morphological and ultra...

  3. Best practices in road transport: An exploratory study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mar Fernández Vázquez-Noguerol

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Road transport aspects are becoming increasingly important due to their high impact on economic, environmental and social sustainability. Considering the triple bottom line approach, best practices play a fundamental role within organisations. The purpose of this paper is to analyse several sustainable initiatives in road transport adopted by companies. Design/methodology/approach: The findings were developed and evaluated based on empirical data captured through a survey of 98 professionals involved in logistics and transport activities. Additionally, key literature on transport initiatives was reviewed to supplement the framework for the implementation of best practices in road transport. Findings: The exploratory study shows the importance of each best practice and determines the level of implementation of each initiative, comparing the results among different dealers (retailers, wholesalers, carriers and manufacturers, type of transport fleet and companies’ revenues. Research limitations/implications: The sample of 98 companies was based on simple search filters and the group is not wholly representative of all sectors. Respondents were mainly managers from Spain involved in logistics and transport activities. Surveyed companies included manufacturing, retailers, wholesalers and third-party logistics providers. Practical implications: The most common best practices in road transport are identified, including initiatives related to: efficiency, reusability, safety, optimization, emissions, waste and recycling. Initiatives that influence road transport are ranked by their degree of implementation in the companies analysed.  Social implications: Implementation of some of these best practices may help lessen negative impacts of road transport on society and the environment. Originality/value: The study results indicate which practices are most frequently used and their level of implementation depending on companies’ roles in the

  4. Fate and Transport of Nutrients in Groundwater and Surface Water in an Urban Slum Catchment Kampala, Uganda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nyenje, P.

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates the generation, transport and fate of sanitation-related nutrients in groundwater and surface water in an urban slum area in sub-Saharan Africa. In excess, nutrients can cause eutrophication of downstream water bodies. The study argues that nitrogen-containing rains and

  5. Spinel-structured surface layers for facile Li ion transport and improved chemical stability of lithium manganese oxide spinel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Hae Ri [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Science Technology, Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Hyo Ree; Lee, Boeun; Cho, Byung Won [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Science Technology, Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kwan-Young [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Si Hyoung, E-mail: sho74@kist.re.kr [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Science Technology, Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-01-15

    Graphical abstract: Strategically-designed spinel-structured nano-scale surface layer, LiM{sub x}Mn{sup IV}{sub 1−x}O{sub 4}, featuring a high Li{sup +} ion conductivity and a good chemical stability was applied on Al-doped LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} spinel for the drastic improvement of the electrochemical performance at the elevated temperature as a promising cathode material for lithium rechargeable batteries. - Highlights: • Spinel-structured surface layer with a high Li-ion conductivity and a good chemical stability was prepared. • Simple wet process was developed to apply nano-scale surface layer on aluminum doped lithium manganese oxide spinel. • The properties of nano-scale surface layer were characterized by analytical tools including GITT, HR-TEM and XAS. • Materials with surface coating layer exhibit an excellent electrochemical performance at the elevated temperature. - Abstract: Li-ion conducting spinel-structured oxide layer with a manganese oxidation state close to being tetravalent was prepared on aluminum-doped lithium manganese oxide spinel for improving the electrochemical performances at the elevated temperatures. This nanoscale surface layer provides a good ionic conduction path for lithium ion transport to the core and also serves as an excellent chemical barrier for protecting the high-capacity core material from manganese dissolution into the electrolyte. In this work, a simple wet process was employed to prepare thin LiAlMnO{sub 4} and LiMg{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} layers on the surface of LiAl{sub 0.1}Mn{sub 1.9}O{sub 4}. X-ray absorption studies revealed an oxidation state close to tetravalent manganese on the surface layer of coated materials. Materials with these surface coating layers exhibited excellent capacity retentions superior to the bare material, without undermining the lithium ion transport characteristics and the high rate performances.

  6. Coupling of morphology to surface transport in ion-beam-irradiated surfaces: normal incidence and rotating targets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munoz-Garcia, Javier; Cuerno, Rodolfo; Castro, Mario

    2009-01-01

    Continuum models have proved their applicability to describe nanopatterns produced by ion-beam sputtering of amorphous or amorphizable targets at low and medium energies. Here we pursue the recently introduced 'hydrodynamic approach' in the cases of bombardment at normal incidence, or of oblique incidence onto rotating targets, known to lead to self-organized arrangements of nanodots. Our approach stresses the dynamical roles of material (defect) transport at the target surface and of local redeposition. By applying results previously derived for arbitrary angles of incidence, we derive effective evolution equations for these geometries of incidence, which are then numerically studied. Moreover, we show that within our model these equations are identical (albeit with different coefficients) in both cases, provided surface tension is isotropic in the target. We thus account for the common dynamics for both types of incidence conditions, namely formation of dots with short-range order and long-wavelength disorder, and an intermediate coarsening of dot features that improves the local order of the patterns. We provide for the first time approximate analytical predictions for the dependence of stationary dot features (amplitude and wavelength) on phenomenological parameters, that improve upon previous linear estimates. Finally, our theoretical results are discussed in terms of experimental data.

  7. Transport of surface engineered polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers across IPEC-J2 cell monolayers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pisal, Dipak S; Yellepeddi, Venkata K; Kumar, Ajay; Palakurthi, Srinath

    2008-11-01

    The aim of our study was to prepare arginine-and ornithine-conjugated Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers and study their permeability across IPEC-J2 cell monolayers, a new intestinal cell line model for drug absorption studies. Arginine and ornithine were conjugated to the amine terminals of the PAMAM(G4) dendrimers by Fmoc synthesis. The apical-to-basolateral (AB) and basolateral-to-apical (BA) apparent permeability coefficients (P(app)) for the PAMAM dendrimers increased by conjugating the dendrimers with both of these polyamines. The enhancement in permeability was dependent on the dendrimer concentration and duration of incubation. Correlation between monolayer permeability and the decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) with the PAMAM dendrimers and the polyamine-conjugated dendrimers suggests that paracellular transport is one of the mechanisms of transport across the epithelial cells. Cytotoxicity of these surface-modified dendrimers was evaluated in IPEC-J2 cells by MTT (methylthiazoletetrazolium) assay. Arginine-conjugated dendrimers were insignificantly more toxic than PAMAM dendrimer as well as ornithine-conjugated dendrimers. Though investigations on the possible involvement of other transport mechanisms are in progress, results of the present study suggest the potential of dendrimer-polyamine conjugates as the carriers for antigen/drug delivery through the oral mucosa.

  8. Teaching cases on transportation and global warming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-01

    This project developed a series of three teaching cases that explore the implications of global : warming for transportation policy in the United States. The cases are intended to be used in : graduate and undergraduate courses on transportation poli...

  9. Cell surface receptors for signal transduction and ligand transport: a design principles study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harish Shankaran

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Receptors constitute the interface of cells to their external environment. These molecules bind specific ligands involved in multiple processes, such as signal transduction and nutrient transport. Although a variety of cell surface receptors undergo endocytosis, the systems-level design principles that govern the evolution of receptor trafficking dynamics are far from fully understood. We have constructed a generalized mathematical model of receptor-ligand binding and internalization to understand how receptor internalization dynamics encodes receptor function and regulation. A given signaling or transport receptor system represents a particular implementation of this module with a specific set of kinetic parameters. Parametric analysis of the response of receptor systems to ligand inputs reveals that receptor systems can be characterized as being: i avidity-controlled where the response control depends primarily on the extracellular ligand capture efficiency, ii consumption-controlled where the ability to internalize surface-bound ligand is the primary control parameter, and iii dual-sensitivity where both the avidity and consumption parameters are important. We show that the transferrin and low-density lipoprotein receptors are avidity-controlled, the vitellogenin receptor is consumption-controlled, and the epidermal growth factor receptor is a dual-sensitivity receptor. Significantly, we show that ligand-induced endocytosis is a mechanism to enhance the accuracy of signaling receptors rather than merely serving to attenuate signaling. Our analysis reveals that the location of a receptor system in the avidity-consumption parameter space can be used to understand both its function and its regulation.

  10. The effect of proposed changes to the IAEA transport regulations on decommissioning and other low level waste transportation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shetler, A.P.; Jayawardene, N.

    1986-01-01

    Ontario Hydro has studied the proposed changes to the IAEA Transport Regulations contained in the 1985 4th draft edition. The study shows that these proposed changes will have significant strategic and economic effects on the transportation of radioactive decommissioning and other low-level wastes. Under the 1985 4th draft edition, the definition of Low Specific Activity (LSA) material is revised and a new regulation is proposed which restricts the quantity of LSA material or Surface Contaminated Object (SCO) in a single package to that which would have an unshielded dose rate of 10 mSv/h (1 rem/h) at 3 m. The objective of this paper is to highlight the implications of the proposed regulatory changes. An example of the impact of these changes is presented by considering the transportation of typical CANDU decommissioning wastes which arise through piece-by-piece removal of a reactor assembly. The potential effect of the changes is that less decommissioning waste can be shipped in a single low-level waste package. This results in the requirement for so many small, low-level waste packages that Type B shipments are strategically and economically more attractive. However, use of Type B shipments would also result in higher dose uptake and waste management costs than under the 1973 Regulations

  11. Safety during sea transport of radioactive materials. Probabilistic safety analysis of package fro sea surface fire accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuoka, Takeshi; Obara, Isonori; Akutsu, Yukio; Aritomi, Masanori

    2000-01-01

    The ships carrying irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium and high level radioactive wastes(INF materials) are designed to keep integrity of packaging based on the various safety and fireproof measures, even if the ship encounters a maritime fire accident. However, granted that the frequency is very low, realistic severe accidents should be evaluated. In this paper, probabilistic safety assessment method is applied to evaluate safety margin for severe sea fire accidents using event tree analysis. Based on our separate studies, the severest scenario was estimated as follows; an INF transport ship collides with oil tanker and induces a sea surface fire. Probability data such as ship's collision, oil leakage, ignition, escape from fire region, operations of cask cooling system and water flooding systems were also introduced from above mentioned studies. The results indicate that the probability of which packages cannot keep their integrity during the sea surface fire accident is very low and sea transport of INF materials is carried out very safely. (author)

  12. Transport mechanisms at the pulmonary mucosa: implications for drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nickel, Sabrina; Clerkin, Caoimhe G; Selo, Mohammed Ali; Ehrhardt, Carsten

    2016-01-01

    Over the past years, a significant number of papers have substantiated earlier findings proposing a role for drug transporter proteins in pulmonary drug disposition. Whilst the majority of reports present data from in vitro models, a growing number of publications advance the field by introducing sophisticated ex vivo and in vivo techniques. In a few cases, evidence from clinical studies in human volunteers is complementing the picture. In this review, recent advances in pulmonary drug transporter research are critically evaluated. Transporter expression data in tissues and cell-based in vitro models is summarized and information on transport activity assessed. Novel techniques allowing for better quantification of transporter-related effects following pulmonary delivery are also described. Different tissue and cell populations of the lung have distinct transporter expression patterns. Whether these patterns are affected by disease, gender and smoking habits requires further clarification. Transporters have been found to have an impact on drug absorption processes, at least in vitro. Recent ex vivo experiments using isolated, perfused lung models, however, suggest that mainly efflux pumps have significant effects on absorption into the pulmonary circulation. Whether these rodent-based ex vivo models predict the human situation is basis for further research.

  13. Opioid transport by ATP-binding cassette transporters at the blood-brain barrier: implications for neuropsychopharmacology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tournier, Nicolas; Declèves, Xavier; Saubaméa, Bruno; Scherrmann, Jean-Michel; Cisternino, Salvatore

    2011-01-01

    Some of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters like P-glycoprotein (P-gp; ABCB1, MDR1), BCRP (ABCG2) and MRPs (ABCCs) that are present at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) influence the brain pharmacokinetics (PK) of their substrates by restricting their uptake or enhancing their clearance from the brain into the blood, which has consequences for their CNS pharmacodynamics (PD). Opioid drugs have been invaluable tools for understanding the PK-PD relationships of these ABC-transporters. The effects of morphine, methadone and loperamide on the CNS are modulated by P-gp. This review examines the ways in which other opioid drugs and some of their active metabolites interact with ABC transporters and suggests new mechanisms that may be involved in the variability of the response of the CNS to these drugs like carrier-mediated system belonging to the solute carrier (SLC) superfamily. Exposure to opioids may also alter the expression of ABC transporters. P-gp can be overproduced during morphine treatment, suggesting that the drug has a direct or, more likely, an indirect action. Variations in cerebral neurotransmitters during exposure to opioids and the release of cytokines during pain could be new endogenous stimuli affecting transporter synthesis. This review concludes with an analysis of the pharmacotherapeutic and clinical impacts of the interactions between ABC transporters and opioids.

  14. Transport system

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drenth, K.F.

    1999-01-01

    The transport system comprises at least one road surface (2) and at least one vehicle (4) on wheels (6). The road surface (2) has a substantially bowl-shaped cross section and the vehicle (4) is designed so that the wheels (6) run directly on the road surface (2) while the road surface (2) acts as a

  15. Impact of carbonaceous materials in soil on the transport of soil-bound PAHs during rainfall-runoff events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Xiaolin; Zheng, Yi; Wu, Bin; Lin, Zhongrong; Han, Feng; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Xuejun

    2013-11-01

    Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) transported from contaminated soils by surface runoff pose significant risk for aquatic ecosystems. Based on a rainfall-runoff simulation experiment, this study investigated the impact of carbonaceous materials (CMs) in soil, identified by organic petrology analysis, on the transport of soil-bound PAHs under rainfall conditions. The hypothesis that composition of soil organic matter significantly impacts the enrichment and transport of PAHs was proved. CMs in soil, varying significantly in content, mobility and adsorption capacity, act differently on the transport of PAHs. Anthropogenic CMs like black carbon (BC) largely control the transport, as PAHs may be preferentially attached to them. Eventually, this study led to a rethink of the traditional enrichment theory. An important implication is that CMs in soil have to be explicitly considered to appropriately model the nonpoint source pollution of PAHs (possibly other hydrophobic chemicals as well) and assess its environmental risk. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Updated model for radionuclide transport in the near-surface till at Forsmark - Implementation of decay chains and sensitivity analyses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pique, Angels; Pekala, Marek; Molinero, Jorge; Duro, Lara; Trinchero, Paolo; Vries, Luis Manuel de

    2013-02-01

    The Forsmark area has been proposed for potential siting of a deep underground (geological) repository for radioactive waste in Sweden. Safety assessment of the repository requires radionuclide transport from the disposal depth to recipients at the surface to be studied quantitatively. The near-surface quaternary deposits at Forsmark are considered a pathway for potential discharge of radioactivity from the underground facility to the biosphere, thus radionuclide transport in this system has been extensively investigated over the last years. The most recent work of Pique and co-workers (reported in SKB report R-10-30) demonstrated that in case of release of radioactivity the near-surface sedimentary system at Forsmark would act as an important geochemical barrier, retarding the transport of reactive radionuclides through a combination of retention processes. In this report the conceptual model of radionuclide transport in the quaternary till at Forsmark has been updated, by considering recent revisions regarding the near-surface lithology. In addition, the impact of important conceptual assumptions made in the model has been evaluated through a series of deterministic and probabilistic (Monte Carlo) sensitivity calculations. The sensitivity study focused on the following effects: 1. Radioactive decay of 135 Cs, 59 Ni, 230 Th and 226 Ra and effects on their transport. 2. Variability in key geochemical parameters, such as the composition of the deep groundwater, availability of sorbing materials in the till, and mineral equilibria. 3. Variability in hydraulic parameters, such as the definition of hydraulic boundaries, and values of hydraulic conductivity, dispersivity and the deep groundwater inflow rate. The overarching conclusion from this study is that the current implementation of the model is robust (the model is largely insensitive to variations in the parameters within the studied ranges) and conservative (the Base Case calculations have a tendency to

  17. The Ship Tethered Aerostat Remote Sensing System (STARRS): Observations of Small-Scale Surface Lateral Transport During the LAgrangian Submesoscale ExpeRiment (LASER)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, D. F.; Novelli, G.; Guigand, C.; Özgökmen, T.; Fox-Kemper, B.; Molemaker, M. J.

    2016-02-01

    The Consortium for Advanced Research on the Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE) will carry out the LAgrangian Submesoscale ExpeRiment (LASER) to study the role of small-scale processes in the transport and dispersion of oil and passive tracers. The Ship-Tethered Aerostat Remote Sensing System (STARRS) will observe small-scale surface dispersion in the open ocean. STARRS is built around a high-lift-capacity (30 kg) helium-filled aerostat. STARRS is equipped with a high resolution digital camera. An integrated GNSS receiver and inertial navigation system permit direct geo-rectification of the imagery. Consortium for Advanced Research on the Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE) will carry out the LAgrangian Submesoscale ExpeRiment (LASER) to study the role of small-scale processes in the transport and dispersion of oil and passive tracers. The Ship-Tethered Aerostat Remote Sensing System (STARRS) was developed to produce observational estimates of small-scale surface dispersion in the open ocean. STARRS is built around a high-lift-capacity (30 kg) helium-filled aerostat. STARRS is equipped with a high resolution digital camera. An integrated GNSS receiver and inertial navigation system permit direct geo-rectification of the imagery. Thousands of drift cards deployed in the field of view of STARRS and tracked over time provide the first observational estimates of small-scale (1-500 m) surface dispersion in the open ocean. The STARRS imagery will be combined with GPS-tracked surface drifter trajectories, shipboard observations, and aerial surveys of sea surface temperature in the DeSoto Canyon. In addition to obvious applications to oil spill modelling, the STARRS observations will provide essential benchmarks for high resolution numerical modelsDrift cards deployed in the field of view of STARRS and tracked over time provide the first observational estimates of small-scale (1-100 m) surface dispersion in the open ocean. The STARRS

  18. Modeling sheet-flow sand transport under progressive surface waves

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kranenburg, Wouter

    2013-01-01

    In the near-shore zone, energetic sea waves generate sheet-flow sand transport. In present day coastal models, wave-induced sheet-flow sand transport rates are usually predicted with semi-empirical transport formulas, based on extensive research on this phenomenon in oscillatory flow tunnels.

  19. ``Phantom'' Modes in Ab Initio Tunneling Calculations: Implications for Theoretical Materials Optimization, Tunneling, and Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barabash, Sergey V.; Pramanik, Dipankar

    2015-03-01

    Development of low-leakage dielectrics for semiconductor industry, together with many other areas of academic and industrial research, increasingly rely upon ab initio tunneling and transport calculations. Complex band structure (CBS) is a powerful formalism to establish the nature of tunneling modes, providing both a deeper understanding and a guided optimization of materials, with practical applications ranging from screening candidate dielectrics for lowest ``ultimate leakage'' to identifying charge-neutrality levels and Fermi level pinning. We demonstrate that CBS is prone to a particular type of spurious ``phantom'' solution, previously deemed true but irrelevant because of a very fast decay. We demonstrate that (i) in complex materials, phantom modes may exhibit very slow decay (appearing as leading tunneling terms implying qualitative and huge quantitative errors), (ii) the phantom modes are spurious, (iii) unlike the pseudopotential ``ghost'' states, phantoms are an apparently unavoidable artifact of large numerical basis sets, (iv) a presumed increase in computational accuracy increases the number of phantoms, effectively corrupting the CBS results despite the higher accuracy achieved in resolving the true CBS modes and the real band structure, and (v) the phantom modes cannot be easily separated from the true CBS modes. We discuss implications for direct transport calculations. The strategy for dealing with the phantom states is discussed in the context of optimizing high-quality high- κ dielectric materials for decreased tunneling leakage.

  20. Transportation: Grade 8. Cluster IV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calhoun, Olivia H.

    A curriculum guide for grade 8, the document is devoted to the occupational cluster "Transportation." It is divided into five units: surface transportation, interstate transportation, air transportation, water transportation, and subterranean transportation (the Metro). Each unit is introduced by a statement of the topic, the unit's…

  1. Thermo-Compositional Evolution of a Brine Reservoir Beneath Ceres' Occator Crater and Implications for Cryovolcanism at the Surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quick, L. C.

    2017-12-01

    The Dawn spacecraft has imaged several putative cryovolcanic features on Ceres (Buczkowski et al., 2016; Ruesch et al., 2016), and several lines of evidence point to past cryovolcanic activity at Occator crater (De Sanctis et al., 2016; Krohn et al., 2016; Buczkowski et al., 2017; Nathues et al., 2017; Ruesch et al., 2017; Zolotov, 2017). Hence it is possible that cryovolcanism played a key role in delivering carbonate and/or chloride brines to Ceres' surface in the past. As any cryolavas delivered to the surface would have issued from a briny subsurface reservoir, or, cryomagma chamber, it is necessary to consider the thermal and compositional evolution of such a reservoir. The detection of a 200 km x 200 km negative Bouguer anomaly beneath Occator suggests the presence of a low-density region beneath the crater (Ermakov et al., 2017). If this region is a residual cryomagma chamber, excess pressures caused by its gradual freezing, or stresses produced by the Occator-forming impact, could have once facilitated the delivery of cryolavas to the Cerean surface. I have investigated the progressive solidification of a cryomagma chamber beneath Occator and implications for the changing compositions of cryolavas on Ceres. I will present the results of this study as well as discuss the dynamics and heat transfer associated with cryomagmatic ascent to the surface. Preliminary results suggest that a 200 km wide cryomagma chamber situated beneath Ceres' crust would take approximately 1 Gyr to completely crystallize. However, such a reservoir would be depleted in chloride and carbonate salts after only 54 Myr of cooling. If the reservoir contained NH3-bearing fluids, eruptions could proceed for another 100 Myr before increased reservoir crystallization rendered cryomagmatic fluids completely immobile. In addition, it is likely that cryomagmas delivered to Ceres' surface had viscosities < 108 Pa s, and were delivered in fractures with propagation speeds ≥ 10-5 m/s. I will

  2. Surface transportation security : TSA has taken actions to manage risk, improve coordination, and measure performance, but additional actions would enhance its efforts, April 21, 2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-21

    Terrorist attacks on surface transportation facilities in Moscow, Mumbai, London, and Madrid caused casualties and highlighted the vulnerability of such systems. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), within the Department of Homeland Secu...

  3. Contrasting the surface ocean distribution of bromoform and methyl iodide; implications for boundary layer physics, chemistry and climate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Palmer, C J, E-mail: carl.j.palmer@gmail.co [Department of Oceanography, University of Cape Town, 7701 (South Africa)

    2010-08-15

    Bromoform and methyl iodide are both methane-like hydrocarbons with a halogen atom replacing one or more of the hydrogen atoms. Both of these compounds occur naturally in the environment as a result of their production from seaweed and kelp. They are of interest to climate science as a result of their catalytic destruction of boundary layer ozone (a potent greenhouse gas) and, specifically for methyl iodide, the proposed role in the formation of new cloud condensation nuclei with implications for climate. In this paper, the currently available data on the distribution of bromoform and methyl iodide are analysed and contrasted to show that the concentrations of bromoform and methyl iodide do not correlate, that, in contrast to bromoform, the parameterization of sea surface methyl iodide concentrations demands only the sea surface temperature, and that the pelagic distribution of methyl iodide appears to follow the solar zenith angle. These three observations together suggest that, while the pelagic source of bromoform is mostly biogenic, the source of methyl iodide is photochemical. This has implications for the understanding of planetary boundary layer chemistry and potential organohalogen mediated feedbacks to climate.

  4. Contrasting the surface ocean distribution of bromoform and methyl iodide; implications for boundary layer physics, chemistry and climate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palmer, C J

    2010-01-01

    Bromoform and methyl iodide are both methane-like hydrocarbons with a halogen atom replacing one or more of the hydrogen atoms. Both of these compounds occur naturally in the environment as a result of their production from seaweed and kelp. They are of interest to climate science as a result of their catalytic destruction of boundary layer ozone (a potent greenhouse gas) and, specifically for methyl iodide, the proposed role in the formation of new cloud condensation nuclei with implications for climate. In this paper, the currently available data on the distribution of bromoform and methyl iodide are analysed and contrasted to show that the concentrations of bromoform and methyl iodide do not correlate, that, in contrast to bromoform, the parameterization of sea surface methyl iodide concentrations demands only the sea surface temperature, and that the pelagic distribution of methyl iodide appears to follow the solar zenith angle. These three observations together suggest that, while the pelagic source of bromoform is mostly biogenic, the source of methyl iodide is photochemical. This has implications for the understanding of planetary boundary layer chemistry and potential organohalogen mediated feedbacks to climate.

  5. Surface oxygen vacancy and oxygen permeation flux limits of perovskite ion transport membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Hunt, Anton

    2015-09-01

    © 2015 Elsevier B.V. The mechanisms and quantitative models for how oxygen is separated from air using ion transport membranes (ITMs) are not well understood, largely due to the experimental complexity for determining surface exchange reactions at extreme temperatures (>800°C). This is especially true when fuels are present at the permeate surface. For both inert and reactive (fuels) operations, solid-state oxygen surface vacancies (δ) are ultimately responsible for driving the oxygen flux, JO2. In the inert case, the value of δ at either surface is a function of the local PO2 and temperature, whilst the magnitude of δ dictates both the JO2 and the inherent stability of the material. In this study values of δ are presented based on experimental measurements under inert (CO2) sweep: using a permeation flux model and local PO2 measurements, collected by means of a local gas-sampling probe in our large-scale reactor, we can determine δ directly. The ITM assessed was La0.9Ca0.1FeO3-δ (LCF); the relative resistances to JO2 were quantified using the pre-defined permeation flux model and local PO2 values. Across a temperature range from 825°C to 1056°C, δ was found to vary from 0.007 to 0.029 (<1%), safely within material stability limits, whilst the permeate surface exchange resistance dominates. An inert JO2 limit was identified owing to a maximum sweep surface δ, δmaxinert. The physical presence of δmaxinert is attributed to a rate limiting step shift from desorption to associative electron transfer steps on the sweep surface as PO2 is reduced. Permeate surface exchange limitations under non-reactive conditions suggest that reactive (fuel) operation is necessary to accelerate surface chemistry for future work, to reduce flux resistance and push δpast δmaxinert in a stable manner.

  6. Transport and the environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharp, C; Jennings, T

    1976-01-01

    This book examines the impact of transport operations on the environment. Noise, air pollution, vibration, accidents, delays caused by slow-moving vehicles, road wear, visual intrusion, the severance of communities--all these social costs of transport are studied, together with policies that might reduce them. The difficulties in measuring costs and benefits and the value judgments that may guide transport policy are reviewed. Specific problems examined include the journey to work, traffic-free shopping streets, urban motor-ways, and inter-change depots for goods vehicles. The role of central and local government is considered, particular attention being given to methods of allowing for environmental benefits when planning new transport investment; the implications of EEC policy are also noted.

  7. Classical transport in field reversed mirrors: reactor implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Auerbach, S.P.; Condit, W.C.

    1980-01-01

    Assuming that the field-reversed mirror (or the closely related spheromak) turns out to be stable, the next crucial issue is transport of particles and heat. Of particular concern is the field null on axis (the X-point), which at first glance seems to allow particles to flow out unhindered. We have evaluated the classical diffusion coefficients for particles and heat in field-reversed mirrors, with particular reference to a class of Hill's vortex models. Two fairly surprising results emerge from this study. First, the diffusion-driven flow of particles and heat is finite at the X-points. This may be traced to the geometrical constraint that the current (and hence the ion-electron drag force, which causes cross-field transport) must vanish on axis. This conclusion holds for any transport model. Second, the classical diffusion coefficient D(psi), which governs both particle and heat flux, is finite on the separatrix. Indeed, in a wide class of Hill's vortex equilibria (spherical, oblate, or prolate) D(psi) is essentially independent of psi (except for the usual factor of n

  8. Facile spray-coating process for the fabrication of tunable adhesive superhydrophobic surfaces with heterogeneous chemical compositions used for selective transportation of microdroplets with different volumes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jian; Jing, Zhijiao; Zha, Fei; Yang, Yaoxia; Wang, Qingtao; Lei, Ziqiang

    2014-06-11

    In this paper, tunable adhesive superhydrophobic ZnO surfaces have been fabricated successfully by spraying ZnO nanoparticle (NP) suspensions onto desired substrates. We regulate the spray-coating process by changing the mass percentage of hydrophobic ZnO NPs (which were achieved by modifying hydrophilic ZnO NPs with stearic acid) in the hydrophobic/hydrophilic ZnO NP mixtures to control heterogeneous chemical composition of the ZnO surfaces. Thus, the water adhesion on the same superhydrophobic ZnO surface could be effectively tuned by controlling the surface chemical composition without altering the surface morphology. Compared with the conventional tunable adhesive superhydrophobic surfaces, on which there were only three different water sliding angle values: lower than 10°, 90° (the water droplet is firmly pinned on the surface at any tilted angles), and the value between the two ones, the water adhesion on the superhydrophobic ZnO surfaces has been tuned effectively, on which the sliding angle is controlled from 2 ± 1° to 9 ± 1°, 21 ± 2°, 39 ± 3°, and 90°. Accordingly, the adhesive force can be adjusted from extremely low (∼2.5 μN) to very high (∼111.6 μN). On the basis of the different adhesive forces of the tunable adhesive superhydrophobic surfaces, the selective transportation of microdroplets with different volumes was achieved, which has never been reported before. In addition, we demonstrated a proof of selective transportation of microdroplets with different volumes for application in the droplet-based microreactors via our tunable adhesive superhydrophobic surfaces for the quantitative detection of AgNO3 and NaOH. The results reported herein realize the selective transportation of microdroplets with different volumes and we believe that this method would potentially be used in many important applications, such as selective water droplet transportation, biomolecular quantitative detection and droplet-based biodetection.

  9. Surf zone entrainment, along-shore transport, and human health implications of pollution from tidal outlets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, S. B.; Kim, J. H.; Jones, B. H.; Jenkins, S. A.; Wasyl, J.; Cudaback, C.

    2005-10-01

    Field experiments and modeling studies were carried out to characterize the surf zone entrainment and along-shore transport of pollution from two tidal outlets that drain into Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, popular public beaches in southern California. The surf zone entrainment and near-shore transport of pollutants from these tidal outlets appears to be controlled by prevailing wave conditions and coastal currents, and fine-scale features of the flow field around the outlets. An analysis of data from dye experiments and fecal indicator bacteria monitoring studies reveals that the along-shore flux of surf zone water is at least 50 to 300 times larger than the cross-shore flux of surf zone water. As a result, pollutants entrained in the surf zone hug the shore, where they travel significant distances parallel to the beach before diluting to extinction. Under the assumption that all surf zone pollution at Huntington Beach originates from two tidal outlets, the Santa Ana River and Talbert Marsh outlets, models of mass and momentum transport in the surf zone approximately capture the observed tidal phasing and magnitude of certain fecal indicator bacteria groups (total coliform) but not others (Escherichia coli and enterococci), implying the existence of multiple sources of, and/or multiple transport pathways for, fecal pollution at this site. The intersection of human recreation and near-shore pollution pathways implies that, from a human health perspective, special care should be taken to reduce the discharge of harmful pollutants from land-side sources of surface water runoff, such as tidal outlets and storm drains.

  10. Formation of an internal transport barrier and magnetohydrodynamic activity in experiments with the controlled density of rational magnetic surfaces in the T-10 Tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Razumova, K. A.; Andreev, V. F.; Bel’bas, I. S.; Gorshkov, A. V.; Dnestrovskij, A. Yu.; Dyabilin, K. S.; Kislov, A. Ya.; Lysenko, S. E.; Notkin, G. E.; Timchenko, N. N.; Chudnovskiy, A. N.; Shelukhin, D. A.

    2013-01-01

    Results are presented from experiments on the formation of an internal electron transport barrier near the q = 1.5 rational surface in the T-10 tokamak. The experiments were carried out in the regime with off-axis electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating followed by a fast plasma current ramp-up. After suppressing sawtooth oscillations by off-axis ECR heating, an internal transport barrier began to form near the q = 1.5 rational surface. In the phase of the current ramp-up, the quality of the transport barrier improved; as a result, the plasma energy confinement time increased 2–2.5 times. The intentionally produced flattening of the profile of the safety factor q(r) insignificantly affected magnetohydrodynamic activity in the plasma column in spite of the theoretical possibility of formation of substantial m/n = 3/2 and 2/1 magnetic islands. Conditions are discussed under which the flattening of the profile of the safety factor q near low-order rational surfaces leads to the formation of either an internal transport barrier or the development of an island magnetic structure induced by tearing modes

  11. A conserved WW domain-like motif regulates invariant chain-dependent cell-surface transport of the NKG2D ligand ULBP2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uhlenbrock, Franziska; van Andel, Esther; Andresen, Lars; Skov, Søren

    2015-08-01

    Malignant cells expressing NKG2D ligands on their cell surface can be directly sensed and killed by NKG2D-bearing lymphocytes. To ensure this immune recognition, accumulating evidence suggests that NKG2D ligands are trafficed via alternative pathways to the cell surface. We have previously shown that the NKG2D ligand ULBP2 traffics over an invariant chain (Ii)-dependent pathway to the cell surface. This study set out to elucidate how Ii regulates ULBP2 cell-surface transport: We discovered conserved tryptophan (Trp) residues in the primary protein sequence of ULBP1-6 but not in the related MICA/B. Substitution of Trp to alanine resulted in cell-surface inhibition of ULBP2 in different cancer cell lines. Moreover, the mutated ULBP2 constructs were retained and not degraded inside the cell, indicating a crucial role of this conserved Trp-motif in trafficking. Finally, overexpression of Ii increased surface expression of wt ULBP2 while Trp-mutants could not be expressed, proposing that this Trp-motif is required for an Ii-dependent cell-surface transport of ULBP2. Aberrant soluble ULBP2 is immunosuppressive. Thus, targeting a distinct protein module on the ULBP2 sequence could counteract this abnormal expression of ULBP2. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Molecular Dynamics Simulation for Surface and Transport Properties of Fluorinated Silica Nanoparticles in Water or Decane: Application to Gas Recovery Enhancement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sepehrinia Kazem

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Determination of surface and transport properties of nanoparticles (NPs is essential for a variety of applications in enhanced oil and gas recoveries. In this paper, the impact of the surface chemistry of silica NPs on their hydro- and oleo-phobic properties as well as their transport properties are investigated in water or decane using molecular dynamics simulation. Trifluoromethyl or pentafluoroethyl groups as water and oil repellents are placed on the NPs. It is found that the density and residence time of liquid molecules around the NPs are modulated considerably with the existence of the functional groups on the NPs’ surfaces. Also, much larger density fluctuations for liquids close to the surface of the NPs are observed when the number of the groups on the NPs increases, indicating increased hydrophobicity. In addition, the diffusion coefficient of the NPs in either water or decane increases with increasing the number or length of the fluorocarbon chains, demonstrating non-Brownian behavior for the NPs. The surface chemistry imparts a considerable contribution on the diffusion coefficient of the NPs. Finally, potential of mean force calculations are undertaken. It is observed that the free energy of adsorption of the NPs on a mineral surface is more favorable than that of the aggregation of the NPs, which suggests the NPs adsorb preferably on the mineral surface.

  13. Inter-cellular transport of ran GTPase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deepak Khuperkar

    Full Text Available Ran, a member of the Ras-GTPase superfamily, has a well-established role in regulating the transport of macromolecules across the nuclear envelope (NE. Ran has also been implicated in mitosis, cell cycle progression, and NE formation. Over-expression of Ran is associated with various cancers, although the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon is unclear. Serendipitously, we found that Ran possesses the ability to move from cell-to-cell when transiently expressed in mammalian cells. Moreover, we show that the inter-cellular transport of Ran is GTP-dependent. Importantly, Ran displays a similar distribution pattern in the recipient cells as that in the donor cell and co-localizes with the Ran binding protein Nup358 (also called RanBP2. Interestingly, leptomycin B, an inhibitor of CRM1-mediated export, or siRNA mediated depletion of CRM1, significantly impaired the inter-cellular transport of Ran, suggesting a function for CRM1 in this process. These novel findings indicate a possible role for Ran beyond nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, with potential implications in inter-cellular communication and cancers.

  14. 50 CFR 36.12 - Use of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams and other means of surface transportation traditionally...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Use of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams... Subsistence Uses § 36.12 Use of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams and other means of surface transportation... provision of subchapter C of title 50 CFR the use of snowmobiles, motorboats, dog teams and other means of...

  15. Surface Water Transport for the F/H Area Seepage Basins Groundwater Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Kuo-Fu.

    1995-01-01

    The contribution of the F- and H-Area Seepage Basins (FHSBs) tritium releases to the tritium concentration in the Savannah River are presented in this report. WASP5 was used to simulate surface water transport for tritium releases from the FHSBs. The WASP5 model was qualified with the 1993 tritium measurements at US Highway 301. The tritium concentrations in Fourmile Branch and the Savannah River were calculated for tritium releases from FHSBs. The calculated tritium concentrations above normal environmental background in the Savannah River, resulting from FHSBs releases, drop from 1.25 pCi/ml (<10% of EPA Drinking Water Guide) in 1995 to 0.0056 pCi/ml in 2045

  16. The Role of Subsurface Properties on Transport of Water and Trace Gases: 1D Simulations at Selected Mars Landing Sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karatekin, O.; Gloesener, E.; Dehant, V. M. A.

    2017-12-01

    In this work, water ice stability and water vapour transport through porous martian subsurface are studied using a 1D diffusive model. The role of adsorption on water transfer in martian conditions is investigated as well as the range of parameters that have the largest effect on gas transport. In addition, adsorption kinetics is considered to examine its influence on the water vapor exchange between the subsurface and the atmosphere. As methane has been detected in the martian atmosphere, the subsurface model is then used to study methane diffusion in the CH4/CO2/H2O system from variable depths under the surface. The results of subsurface gas transport at selected locations/landing sites are shown and implications for present/future observations are discussed.

  17. Spin-orbit torque in a three-dimensional topological insulator–ferromagnet heterostructure: Crossover between bulk and surface transport

    KAUST Repository

    Ghosh, Sumit; Manchon, Aurelien

    2018-01-01

    Current-driven spin-orbit torques are investigated in a heterostructure composed of a ferromagnet deposited on top of a three-dimensional topological insulator using the linear response formalism. We develop a tight-binding model of the heterostructure adopting a minimal interfacial hybridization scheme that promotes induced magnetic exchange on the topological surface states, as well as induced Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. Therefore our model accounts for the spin Hall effect from bulk states together with inverse spin galvanic and magnetoelectric effects at the interface on equal footing. By varying the transport energy across the band structure, we uncover a crossover from surface-dominated to bulk-dominated transport regimes. We show that the spin density profile and the nature of the spin-orbit torques differ substantially in both regimes. Our results, which compare favorably with experimental observations, demonstrate that the large dampinglike torque reported recently is more likely attributed to the Berry curvature of interfacial states, while spin Hall torque remains small even in the bulk-dominated regime.

  18. Spin-orbit torque in a three-dimensional topological insulator–ferromagnet heterostructure: Crossover between bulk and surface transport

    KAUST Repository

    Ghosh, Sumit

    2018-04-02

    Current-driven spin-orbit torques are investigated in a heterostructure composed of a ferromagnet deposited on top of a three-dimensional topological insulator using the linear response formalism. We develop a tight-binding model of the heterostructure adopting a minimal interfacial hybridization scheme that promotes induced magnetic exchange on the topological surface states, as well as induced Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. Therefore our model accounts for the spin Hall effect from bulk states together with inverse spin galvanic and magnetoelectric effects at the interface on equal footing. By varying the transport energy across the band structure, we uncover a crossover from surface-dominated to bulk-dominated transport regimes. We show that the spin density profile and the nature of the spin-orbit torques differ substantially in both regimes. Our results, which compare favorably with experimental observations, demonstrate that the large dampinglike torque reported recently is more likely attributed to the Berry curvature of interfacial states, while spin Hall torque remains small even in the bulk-dominated regime.

  19. Surface-restrained growth of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays with excellent thermal transport performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ping, Linquan; Hou, Peng-Xiang; Liu, Chang; Li, Jincheng; Zhao, Yang; Zhang, Feng; Ma, Chaoqun; Tai, Kaiping; Cong, Hongtao; Cheng, Hui-Ming

    2017-06-22

    A vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) array is a promising candidate for a high-performance thermal interface material in high-power microprocessors due to its excellent thermal transport property. However, its rough and entangled free tips always cause poor interfacial contact, which results in serious contact resistance dominating the total thermal resistance. Here, we employed a thin carbon cover to restrain the disorderly growth of the free tips of a VACNT array. As a result, all the free tips are seamlessly connected by this thin carbon cover and the top surface of the array is smoothed. This unique structure guarantees the participation of all the carbon nanotubes in the array in the heat transport. Consequently the VACNT array grown on a Cu substrate shows a record low thermal resistance of 0.8 mm 2 K W -1 including the two-sided contact resistances, which is 4 times lower than the best result previously reported. Remarkably, the VACNT array can be easily peeled away from the Cu substrate and act as a thermal pad with excellent flexibility, adhesive ability and heat transport capability. As a result the CNT array with a thin carbon cover shows great potential for use as a high-performance flexible thermal interface material.

  20. Surface transport and stable trapping of particles and cells by an optical waveguide loop.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hellesø, Olav Gaute; Løvhaugen, Pål; Subramanian, Ananth Z; Wilkinson, James S; Ahluwalia, Balpreet Singh

    2012-09-21

    Waveguide trapping has emerged as a useful technique for parallel and planar transport of particles and biological cells and can be integrated with lab-on-a-chip applications. However, particles trapped on waveguides are continuously propelled forward along the surface of the waveguide. This limits the practical usability of the waveguide trapping technique with other functions (e.g. analysis, imaging) that require particles to be stationary during diagnosis. In this paper, an optical waveguide loop with an intentional gap at the centre is proposed to hold propelled particles and cells. The waveguide acts as a conveyor belt to transport and deliver the particles/cells towards the gap. At the gap, the diverging light fields hold the particles at a fixed position. The proposed waveguide design is numerically studied and experimentally implemented. The optical forces on the particle at the gap are calculated using the finite element method. Experimentally, the method is used to transport and trap micro-particles and red blood cells at the gap with varying separations. The waveguides are only 180 nm thick and thus could be integrated with other functions on the chip, e.g. microfluidics or optical detection, to make an on-chip system for single cell analysis and to study the interaction between cells.

  1. Bulk and surface electron transport in topological insulator candidate YbB{sub 6-δ}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Glushkov, Vladimir V.; Demishev, Sergey V.; Sluchanko, Nikolay E. [Prokhorov General Physics Institute of RAS, Vavilov str. 38, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Institutskii per. 9, 141700, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Bozhko, Alexey D.; Bogach, Alexey V.; Semeno, Alexey V.; Voronov, Valeriy V. [Prokhorov General Physics Institute of RAS, Vavilov str. 38, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Dukhnenko, Anatoliy V.; Filipov, Volodimir B.; Shitsevalova, Natalya Yu. [Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science NAS, Krzhyzhanovsky str. 3, 03680, Kiev (Ukraine); Kondrin, Mikhail V. [Vereshchagin Institute of High Pressure Physics of RAS, 142190, Troitsk, Moscow (Russian Federation); Kuznetsov, Alexey V.; Sannikov, Ilia I. [National Research Nuclear University ' ' MEPhI' ' , Kashirskoe Shosse 31, 115409, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2016-04-15

    We report the study of transport and magnetic properties of the YbB{sub 6-δ}single crystals grown by inductive zone melting. A strong disparity in the low temperature resistivity, Seebeck and Hall coefficients is established for the samples with the different level of boron deficiency. The effective parameters of the charge transport in YbB{sub 6-δ} are shown to depend on the concentration of intrinsic defects, which is estimated to range from 0.09% to 0.6%. The pronounced variation of Hall mobility μ{sub H} found for bulk holes is induced by the decrease of transport relaxation time from τ ∼ 7.7 fs for YbB{sub 5.994} to τ ∼ 2.2 fs for YbB{sub 5.96}. An extra contribution to conductivity from electrons with μ{sub H}∼ -1000 cm{sup 2} V{sup -1} s{sup -1} and the very low concentration n /n{sub Yb}∼ 10{sup -6} discovered below 20 K for all the single crystals under investigation is suggested to arise from the surface electron states appeared in the inversion layer due to the band bending. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  2. Identification of the endogenous key substrates of the human organic cation transporter OCT2 and their implication in function of dopaminergic neurons.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dirk Taubert

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The etiology of neurodegenerative disorders, such as the accelerated loss of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease, is unclear. Current hypotheses suggest an abnormal function of the neuronal sodium-dependent dopamine transporter DAT to contribute to cell death in the dopaminergic system, but it has not been investigated whether sodium-independent amine transporters are implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: By the use of a novel tandem-mass spectrometry-based substrate search technique, we have shown that the dopaminergic neuromodulators histidyl-proline diketopiperazine (cyclo(his-pro and salsolinol were the endogenous key substrates of the sodium-independent organic cation transporter OCT2. Quantitative real-time mRNA expression analysis revealed that OCT2 in contrast to its related transporters was preferentially expressed in the dopaminergic regions of the substantia nigra where it colocalized with DAT and tyrosine hydroxylase. By assessing cell viability with the MTT reduction assay, we found that salsolinol exhibited a selective toxicity toward OCT2-expressing cells that was prevented by cyclo(his-pro. A frequent genetic variant of OCT2 with the amino acid substitution R400C reduced the transport efficiency for the cytoprotective cyclo(his-pro and thereby increased the susceptibility to salsolinol-induced cell death. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings indicate that the OCT2-regulated interplay between cyclo(his-pro and salsolinol is crucial for nigral cell integrity and that a shift in transport efficiency may impact the risk of Parkinson's disease.

  3. Updated model for radionuclide transport in the near-surface till at Forsmark - Implementation of decay chains and sensitivity analyses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pique, Angels; Pekala, Marek; Molinero, Jorge; Duro, Lara; Trinchero, Paolo; Vries, Luis Manuel de [Amphos 21 Consulting S.L., Barcelona (Spain)

    2013-02-15

    The Forsmark area has been proposed for potential siting of a deep underground (geological) repository for radioactive waste in Sweden. Safety assessment of the repository requires radionuclide transport from the disposal depth to recipients at the surface to be studied quantitatively. The near-surface quaternary deposits at Forsmark are considered a pathway for potential discharge of radioactivity from the underground facility to the biosphere, thus radionuclide transport in this system has been extensively investigated over the last years. The most recent work of Pique and co-workers (reported in SKB report R-10-30) demonstrated that in case of release of radioactivity the near-surface sedimentary system at Forsmark would act as an important geochemical barrier, retarding the transport of reactive radionuclides through a combination of retention processes. In this report the conceptual model of radionuclide transport in the quaternary till at Forsmark has been updated, by considering recent revisions regarding the near-surface lithology. In addition, the impact of important conceptual assumptions made in the model has been evaluated through a series of deterministic and probabilistic (Monte Carlo) sensitivity calculations. The sensitivity study focused on the following effects: 1. Radioactive decay of {sup 135}Cs, {sup 59}Ni, {sup 230}Th and {sup 226}Ra and effects on their transport. 2. Variability in key geochemical parameters, such as the composition of the deep groundwater, availability of sorbing materials in the till, and mineral equilibria. 3. Variability in hydraulic parameters, such as the definition of hydraulic boundaries, and values of hydraulic conductivity, dispersivity and the deep groundwater inflow rate. The overarching conclusion from this study is that the current implementation of the model is robust (the model is largely insensitive to variations in the parameters within the studied ranges) and conservative (the Base Case calculations have a

  4. An MFS Transporter-Like ORF from MDR Acinetobacter baumannii AIIMS 7 Is Associated with Adherence and Biofilm Formation on Biotic/Abiotic Surface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Praveen K. Sahu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A major facilitator superfamily (MFS transporter-like open reading frame (ORF of 453 bp was identified in a pathogenic strain Acinetobacter baumannii AIIMS 7, and its association with adherence and biofilm formation was investigated. Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR showed differential expression in surface-attached biofilm cells than nonadherent cells. In vitro translation showed synthesis of a ∼17 kDa protein, further confirmed by cloning and heterologous expression in E. coli DH5. Up to 2.1-, 3.1-, and 4.1- fold biofilm augmentation was observed on abiotic (polystyrene and biotic (S. cerevisiae/HeLa surface, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and gfp-tagged fluorescence microscopy revealed increased adherence to abiotic (glass and biotic (S. cerevisiae surface. Extracellular DNA(eDNA was found significantly during active growth; due to probable involvement of the protein in DNA export, strong sequence homology with MFS transporter proteins, and presence of transmembrane helices. In summary, our findings show that the putative MFS transporter-like ORF (pmt is associated with adherence, biofilm formation, and probable eDNA release in A. baumannii AIIMS 7.

  5. Sediments in Arctic sea ice: Implications for entrainment, transport and release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurnberg, D.; Wollenburg, I.; Dethleff, D.; Eicken, H.; Kassens, H.; Letzig, T.; Reimnitz, E.; Thiede, Jorn

    1994-01-01

    Despite the Arctic sea ice cover's recognized sensitivity to environmental change, the role of sediment inclusions in lowering ice albedo and affecting ice ablation is poorly understood. Sea ice sediment inclusions were studied in the central Arctic Ocean during the Arctic 91 expedition and in the Laptev Sea (East Siberian Arctic Region Expedition 1992). Results from these investigations are here combined with previous studies performed in major areas of ice ablation and the southern central Arctic Ocean. This study documents the regional distribution and composition of particle-laden ice, investigates and evaluates processes by which sediment is incorporated into the ice cover, and identifies transport paths and probable depositional centers for the released sediment. In April 1992, sea ice in the Laptev Sea was relatively clean. The sediment occasionally observed was distributed diffusely over the entire ice column, forming turbid ice. Observations indicate that frazil and anchor ice formation occurring in a large coastal polynya provide a main mechanism for sediment entrainment. In the central Arctic Ocean sediments are concentrated in layers within or at the surface of ice floes due to melting and refreezing processes. The surface sediment accumulation in central Arctic multi-year sea ice exceeds by far the amounts observed in first-year ice from the Laptev Sea in April 1992. Sea ice sediments are generally fine grained, although coarse sediments and stones up to 5 cm in diameter are observed. Component analysis indicates that quartz and clay minerals are the main terrigenous sediment particles. The biogenous components, namely shells of pelecypods and benthic foraminiferal tests, point to a shallow, benthic, marine source area. Apparently, sediment inclusions were resuspended from shelf areas before and incorporated into the sea ice by suspension freezing. Clay mineralogy of ice-rafted sediments provides information on potential source areas. A smectite

  6. Implications for the management of R A materials transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devine, I.R.

    1997-01-01

    This paper attempts to describe some Exclusions and Exemptions from the current and proposed transport regulations and describes those requirements applicable to low active material. It concludes that Clearance is the dominant issue and that within the UK nuclear sector, the current (1985 as amended 1990) transport regulations have no significant impact on the management of low active materials. Nor will the proposed (1996) Regulations. (author)

  7. Study on leakage rates of high temperature water from wet-type transport casks for spent fuel. Pt. 2. Leakage rates from a scratch on O-ring surface and narrow wires adhering to O-ring surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asano, R.; Aritomi, M.; Sudi, A.; Kohketsu, Y.

    1997-01-01

    A programme for enhancement of fuel burnup has been promoted in Japan as part of the sophisticated programme for light water reactors to reduce the fuel cost and the amount of spent fuel. As part of this fuel programme, a new wet-type transport cask has been developed to transport the high burnup fuels efficiently. The purpose of this work is to clarify the margin of safety in the evaluation of the release rate of radioactive materials from the wet-type transport cask into the environment and to establish a practical evaluation method for leakage rates on leak behaviour of high temperature water from the casks. In this paper, leakage rates of water under high pressures and at high temperatures are investigated from two kinds of leak path model. One is a disc with a scratch on the surface which simulates a defect on the seal surface of the O-ring flange and the other is narrow stainless steel wires installed on the O-ring surface which simulates hair adhering to the O-ring surface. From the results, an evaluation method for the leakage rate of water under high pressure and at high temperature from a non-circular leak path and multiple leak paths is proposed. (author)

  8. Lipid dependence of ABC transporter localization and function

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klappe, Karin; Hummel, Ina; Hoekstra, Dick; Kok, Jan Willem

    2009-01-01

    Lipid rafts have been implicated in many cellular functions, including protein and lipid transport and signal transduction. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters have also been localized in these membrane domains. In this review the evidence for this specific localization will be evaluated and

  9. Equipment transporter for nuclear steam generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayes, L.R.

    1987-01-01

    A transporter is described for use in a steam generator of a nuclear power installation. The generator is essentially a heat exchanger having a vertically extended shell. Across the lower portion extends a horizontal tube sheet having an upper surface which supports a bundle of vertically extending tubes forming a limited annular space with the inside of the shell wall and the upper surface. An opening of limited dimensions through the shell wall gains manual access to the limited annular space. The transporter has means for locating and removing solid debris from the upper surface of the tube sheet in the annular space and has a means for assembly and disassembly of the transporter so that it may be manually passed through the shell opening to and from a position on the upper surface of the tube sheet in the annular space. The transporter includes: a body; at least three wheels mounted on the body for engaging the upper surface of the tube sheet; a first motor mounted on the body drivingly connected to the wheels for moving the transporter along the upper surface of the tube sheet in the annular space; a remotely operated means on the body for locating solid debris on the upper surface of the tube sheet; and means for securing and removing solid debris on the upper surface of the tube sheet located by the means for locating

  10. Alternative transport network designs and their implications for intermodal transhipment technologies

    OpenAIRE

    Woxenius, Johan

    2007-01-01

    Six principles for operation of the rail part of intermodal rail freight transport systems are described: direct link, corridor, hub-and-spoke, connected hubs, static routes, and dynamic routes. The first part is a theoretical discussion of the characteristics of the transport network designs. The theory is then applied to intermodal freight transport by analysing how each transport network design affects the need for terminal performance. The discussion includes a classification of existing ...

  11. Variability of the reflectance coefficient of skylight from the ocean surface and its implications to ocean color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilerson, Alexander; Carrizo, Carlos; Foster, Robert; Harmel, Tristan

    2018-04-16

    The value and spectral dependence of the reflectance coefficient (ρ) of skylight from wind-roughened ocean surfaces is critical for determining accurate water leaving radiance and remote sensing reflectances from shipborne, AERONET-Ocean Color and satellite observations. Using a vector radiative transfer code, spectra of the reflectance coefficient and corresponding radiances near the ocean surface and at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) are simulated for a broad range of parameters including flat and windy ocean surfaces with wind speeds up to 15 m/s, aerosol optical thicknesses of 0-1 at 440nm, wavelengths of 400-900 nm, and variable Sun and viewing zenith angles. Results revealed a profound impact of the aerosol load and type on the spectral values of ρ. Such impacts, not included yet in standard processing, may produce significant inaccuracies in the reflectance spectra retrieved from above-water radiometry and satellite observations. Implications for satellite cal/val activities as well as potential changes in measurement and data processing schemes are discussed.

  12. Modelling for Near-Surface Transport Dynamics of Hydrogen of Plasma Facing Materials by use of Cellular Automaton

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimura, K.; Terai, T.; Yamawaki, M.

    2003-01-01

    In this study, the kinetics of desorption of adsorbed hydrogen from an ideal metallic surface is modelled in Cellular Automaton (CA). The modelling is achieved by downgrading the surface to one dimension. The model consists of two parts that are surface migration and desorption. The former is attained by randomly sorting the particles at each time, the latter is realised by modelling the thermally-activated process. For the verification of this model, thermal desorption is simulated then the comparison with the chemical kinetics is carried out. Excellent agreement is observed from the result. The results show that this model is reasonable to express the recombinative desorption of two chemisorbed adatoms. Though, the application of this model is limited to the second-order reaction case. But it can be believed that the groundwork of modelling the transport dynamics of hydrogen through the surface under complex conditions is established

  13. Long-range Transport of Asian Dust Storms: A Satellite/Surface Perspective on Societal and Scientific Influence

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-01-01

    Among the many components contributing to air pollution, airborne mineral dust plays an important role due to its biogeochemical impact on the ecosystem and its radiative forcing effect on the weather/climate system. As much as one-third to half of the global dust emissions, estimated about 800 Tg, are introduced annually into Earth's atmosphere from various deserts in China. Asian dust storm outbreaks are believed to have persisted for hundreds and thousands years over the vast territory of north and northwest China, but not until recent decades that many studies reveal the compelling evidence in recognizing the importance of these eolian dust particles for forming Chinese Loess Plateau and for biogeochemical cycling in the North Pacific Ocean to as far as in the Greenland ice-sheets through long-range transport. The Asian dust and air pollution aerosols can be detected by its colored appearance on current Earth observing satellites and its evolution monitored by satellite and surface network. In this paper, we will demonstrate the capability of a new satellite algorithm, called Deep Blue, to retrieve aerosol properties, particularly but not limited to, over bright-reflecting surfaces such as urban areas and deserts. Recently, many field campaigns were designed and executed to study the compelling variability in spatial and temporal scale of both pollution-derived and naturally occurring aerosols, which often exist in high concentrations over eastern Asia and along the rim of the western Pacific. We will provide an overview of the outbreak of Asian dust storms, near source/sink and their evolution along transport pathway, from space and surface observations. The climatic effects and societal impacts of the Asian dusts will be addressed in depth. (to be presented in the International Workshop on Semi-Arid Land Surface-

  14. Vitamin A Transport Mechanism of the Multitransmembrane Cell-Surface Receptor STRA6

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riki Kawaguchi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Vitamin A has biological functions as diverse as sensing light for vision, regulating stem cell differentiation, maintaining epithelial integrity, promoting immune competency, regulating learning and memory, and acting as a key developmental morphogen. Vitamin A derivatives have also been used in treating human diseases. If vitamin A is considered a drug that everyone needs to take to survive, evolution has come up with a natural drug delivery system that combines sustained release with precise and controlled delivery to the cells or tissues that depend on it. This “drug delivery system” is mediated by plasma retinol binding protein (RBP, the principle and specific vitamin A carrier protein in the blood, and STRA6, the cell-surface receptor for RBP that mediates cellular vitamin A uptake. The mechanism by which the RBP receptor absorbs vitamin A from the blood is distinct from other known cellular uptake mechanisms. This review summarizes recent progress in elucidating the fundamental molecular mechanism mediated by the RBP receptor and multiple newly discovered catalytic activities of this receptor, and compares this transport system with retinoid transport independent of RBP/STRA6. How to target this new type of transmembrane receptor using small molecules in treating diseases is also discussed.

  15. Understanding and removing surface states limiting charge transport in TiO2 nanowire arrays for enhanced optoelectronic device performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheng, Xia; Chen, Liping; Xu, Tao; Zhu, Kai; Feng, Xinjian

    2016-03-01

    Charge transport within electrode materials plays a key role in determining the optoelectronic device performance. Aligned single-crystal TiO 2 nanowire arrays offer an ideal electron transport path and are expected to have higher electron mobility. Unfortunately, their transport is found not to be superior to that in nanoparticle films. Here we show that the low electron transport in rutile TiO 2 nanowires is mainly caused by surface traps in relatively deep energy levels, which cannot be removed by conventional approaches, such as oxygen annealing treatment. Moreover, we demonstrate an effective wet-chemistry approach to minimize these trap states, leading to over 20-fold enhancement in electron diffusion coefficient and 62% improvement in solar cell performance. On the basis of our results, the potential of TiO 2 NWs can be developed and well-utilized, which is significantly important for their practical applications.

  16. Influence of low-order rational magnetic surfaces on heat transport in TJ-II heliac ECRH plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castejon, F.; Lopez-Bruna, D.; Estrada, T.; Ascasibar, E.; Zurro, B.; Baciero, A.

    2004-01-01

    We study the effect of low-order rational surfaces on electron heat transport in plasmas confined in the TJ-II stellarator (Alejaldre et al 1990 Fusion Technol. 17 131) and heated by electron cyclotron waves. Enhancement of core electron heat confinement is observed when the rational surface is placed in the vicinity of the power deposition zone, either by performing a magnetic configuration scan or by inducing Ohmic current in a single discharge. The key to improving heat confinement seems to be a locally strong positive radial electric field, which is made possible by a synergistic effect between enhanced electron heat fluxes through radial positions around low-order rationals and pump out mechanisms in the heat deposition zone. (author)

  17. From tectonics to tractors: New insight into Earth's changing surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, I. J.

    2017-12-01

    Weathering and erosion of rock and the transport of sediment continually modify Earth's surface. The transformation and transfer of material by both natural and anthropogenic processes drives global cycles and influences the habitability of our planet. By quantitatively linking erosional and depositional landforms to the processes that form them, we better understand how Earth's surface will evolve in the future, and gain the ability to look into the past to recognize how planetary surfaces evolved when environments were drastically different than today. Many of the recent advances in our understanding of the processes that influence landscape evolution have been driven by the development and application of tools such as cosmogenic nuclides, computational models, and digital topographic data. Here I present results gleaned from applying these tools to a diverse set of landscapes, where erosion is driven by factors ranging from tectonics to tractors, to provide insight into the mechanics, chemistry, and history of Earth's changing surface. I will first examine the landslide response of hillslopes in the Himalaya to spatial gradients in tectonic forcing to assess the paradigm of threshold hillslopes. Second, I will present soil production and chemical weathering rates measured in the Southern Alps of New Zealand to determine the relationship between physical erosion and chemical weathering in one of Earth's most rapidly uplifting landscapes, and discuss the implications for proposed links between mountain uplift and global climate. Third, I will discuss results from numerical flood simulations used to explore the interplay between outburst flood hydraulics and canyon incision in the Channeled Scablands of eastern Washington, and explore the implications for reconstructing discharge in flood-carved canyons on Earth and Mars. Finally, I will present new work that couples high resolution spectral and topographic data to estimate the spatial extent of agriculturally

  18. Intercontinental Transport of Aerosols: Implication for Regional Air Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Mian; Diehl, Thomas; Ginoux, Paul

    2006-01-01

    Aerosol particles, also known as PM2.5 (particle diameter less than 2.5 microns) and PM10 (particle diameter less than 10 microns), is one of the key atmospheric components that determine ambient air quality. Current US air quality standards for PM10 (particles with diameter air pollution problems, aerosols can be transported on a hemispheric or global scale. In this study, we use the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model to quantify contributions of long-range transport vs. local/regional pollution sources and from natural vs. anthropogenic sources to PM concentrations different regions. In particular, we estimate the hemispheric impact of anthropogenic sulfate aerosols and dust from major source areas on other regions in the world. The GOCART model results are compared with satellite remote sensing and ground-based network measurements of aerosol optical depth and concentrations.

  19. Neurogenetics of slow axonal transport: from cells to animals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadananda, Aparna; Ray, Krishanu

    2012-09-01

    Slow axonal transport is a multivariate phenomenon implicated in several neurodegenerative disorders. Recent reports have unraveled the molecular basis of the transport of certain slow component proteins, such as the neurofilament subunits, tubulin, and certain soluble enzymes such as Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIa (CaM kinase IIa), etc., in tissue cultured neurons. In addition, genetic analyses also implicate microtubule-dependent motors and other housekeeping proteins in this process. However, the biological relevance of this phenomenon is not so well understood. Here, the authors have discussed the possibility of adopting neurogenetic analyses in multiple model organisms to correlate molecular level measurements of the slow transport phenomenon to animal behavior, thus facilitating the investigation of its biological efficacy.

  20. The smart/connected city and its implications for connected transportation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-10-14

    This white paper outlines the potential for the emerging connected transportation system to interface with smart/connected cities. Its aim is to lay the foundation for defining steps that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Connected Vehicl...

  1. Complementary modelling of radionuclide retention in the near-surface system at Forsmark. Development of a reactive transport model using Forsmark 1.2 data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sena, Clara; Grandia, Fidel; Arcos, David; Molinero, Jorge; Duro, Lara (Amphos XXI Consulting S.L., Barcelona (Spain))

    2008-10-15

    The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) is conducting a comprehensive geoscientific characterization of two alternative sites to allocate a deep geological repository of high level nuclear waste. The Site Characterization Program also includes the near-surface systems, which are expected to constitute the last geological barrier between the repository system and the earth's surface. The evaluation of the retention capacity of the near surface systems is, therefore, very relevant for the site characterization program. From the geological point of view, near-surface systems in the Forsmark area consist of Quaternary deposits that overlay a granitic bedrock. Glacial till is the most abundant outcropping Quaternary deposit (approx75% of surface extension) and the remainder is made up of clayey materials (glacial and post-glacial clays). These types of near-surface sediments show distinctive hydraulic and geochemical features. The main reactive mineral in the till deposits, for the time scale considered in this work, is calcium carbonate (calcite). This mineral is found along with clay minerals (e.g. illite) and Fe(III) hydroxides. In contrast, glacial and post-glacial clays are basically composed of illite with minor amounts of calcium carbonate, and containing organic matter-rich levels (gyttja) which can promote reducing conditions in the system. The assessment of the migration behaviour of selected long-lived radionuclides through the near-surface system of Forsmark was developed in an earlier work, that focused on the evaluation of the capacity of the Quaternary deposits for radionuclide retention. The work reported here is an improvement of the geochemical conceptual and numerical model already presented, based on data available in the Site Descriptive Model v 1.2 (Forsmark). Regarding the geochemical variability of the Quaternary deposits present at Forsmark and its implications on radionuclide mobility through the near-surface systems, a

  2. Magnetic-flutter-induced pedestal plasma transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Callen, J.D.; Hegna, C.C.; Cole, A.J.

    2013-01-01

    Plasma toroidal rotation can limit reconnection of externally applied resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) fields δB on rational magnetic flux surfaces. Hence it causes the induced radial perturbations δB ρ to be small there, thereby inhibiting magnetic island formation and stochasticity at the top of pedestals in high (H-mode) confinement tokamak plasmas. However, the δB ρ s induced by RMPs increase away from rational surfaces and are shown to induce significant sinusoidal radial motion (flutter) of magnetic field lines with a radial extent that varies linearly with δB ρ and inversely with distance from the rational surface because of the magnetic shear. This produces a radial electron thermal diffusivity that is (1/2)(δB ρ /B 0 ) 2 times a kinetically derived, electron-collision-induced, magnetic-shear-reduced, effective parallel electron thermal diffusivity in the absence of magnetic stochasticity. These low collisionality flutter-induced transport processes and thin magnetic island effects are shown to be highly peaked in the vicinity of rational surfaces at the top of low collisionality pedestals. However, the smaller but finite level of magnetic-flutter-induced electron heat transport midway between rational surfaces is the primary factor that determines the electron temperature difference between rational surfaces at the pedestal top. The magnetic-flutter-induced non-ambipolar electron density transport can be large enough to push the plasma toward an electron density transport root. Requiring ambipolar density transport is shown to determine the radial electric field, the plasma toroidal rotation (via radial force balance), a reduced electron thermal diffusivity and increased ambipolar density transport in the pedestal. At high collisionality the various flutter effects are less strongly peaked at rational surfaces and generally less significant. They are thus less likely to exhibit flutter-induced resonant behaviour and transition toward an

  3. Magnetic-flutter-induced pedestal plasma transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callen, J. D.; Hegna, C. C.; Cole, A. J.

    2013-11-01

    Plasma toroidal rotation can limit reconnection of externally applied resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) fields δB on rational magnetic flux surfaces. Hence it causes the induced radial perturbations δBρ to be small there, thereby inhibiting magnetic island formation and stochasticity at the top of pedestals in high (H-mode) confinement tokamak plasmas. However, the δBρs induced by RMPs increase away from rational surfaces and are shown to induce significant sinusoidal radial motion (flutter) of magnetic field lines with a radial extent that varies linearly with δBρ and inversely with distance from the rational surface because of the magnetic shear. This produces a radial electron thermal diffusivity that is (1/2)(δBρ/B0)2 times a kinetically derived, electron-collision-induced, magnetic-shear-reduced, effective parallel electron thermal diffusivity in the absence of magnetic stochasticity. These low collisionality flutter-induced transport processes and thin magnetic island effects are shown to be highly peaked in the vicinity of rational surfaces at the top of low collisionality pedestals. However, the smaller but finite level of magnetic-flutter-induced electron heat transport midway between rational surfaces is the primary factor that determines the electron temperature difference between rational surfaces at the pedestal top. The magnetic-flutter-induced non-ambipolar electron density transport can be large enough to push the plasma toward an electron density transport root. Requiring ambipolar density transport is shown to determine the radial electric field, the plasma toroidal rotation (via radial force balance), a reduced electron thermal diffusivity and increased ambipolar density transport in the pedestal. At high collisionality the various flutter effects are less strongly peaked at rational surfaces and generally less significant. They are thus less likely to exhibit flutter-induced resonant behaviour and transition toward an electron

  4. Surface Modification and Surface - Subsurface Exchange Processes on Europa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, C. B.; Molaro, J.; Hand, K. P.

    2017-12-01

    The surface of Jupiter's moon Europa is modified by exogenic processes such as sputtering, gardening, radiolysis, sulfur ion implantation, and thermal processing, as well as endogenic processes including tidal shaking, mass wasting, and the effects of subsurface tectonic and perhaps cryovolcanic activity. New materials are created or deposited on the surface (radiolysis, micrometeorite impacts, sulfur ion implantation, cryovolcanic plume deposits), modified in place (thermal segregation, sintering), transported either vertically or horizontally (sputtering, gardening, mass wasting, tectonic and cryovolcanic activity), or lost from Europa completely (sputtering, plumes, larger impacts). Some of these processes vary spatially, as visible in Europa's leading-trailing hemisphere brightness asymmetry. Endogenic geologic processes also vary spatially, depending on terrain type. The surface can be classified into general landform categories that include tectonic features (ridges, bands, cracks); disrupted "chaos-type" terrain (chaos blocks, matrix, domes, pits, spots); and impact craters (simple, complex, multi-ring). The spatial distribution of these terrain types is relatively random, with some differences in apex-antiapex cratering rates and latitudinal variation in chaos vs. tectonic features. In this work, we extrapolate surface processes and rates from the top meter of the surface in conjunction with global estimates of transport and resurfacing rates. We combine near-surface modification with an estimate of surface-subsurface (and vice versa) transport rates for various geologic terrains based on an average of proposed formation mechanisms, and a spatial distribution of each landform type over Europa's surface area. Understanding the rates and mass balance for each of these processes, as well as their spatial and temporal variability, allows us to estimate surface - subsurface exchange rates over the average surface age ( 50myr) of Europa. Quantifying the timescale

  5. Trace-metal concentrations in African dust: effects of long-distance transport and implications for human health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrison, Virginia; Lamothe, Paul; Morman, Suzette; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Gilkes, Robert; Prakongkep, Nattaporn

    2010-01-01

    The Sahara and Sahel lose billions of tons of eroded mineral soils annually to the Americas and Caribbean, Europe and Asia via atmospheric transport. African dust was collected from a dust source region (Mali, West Africa) and from downwind sites in the Caribbean [Trinidad-Tobago (TT) and U.S. Virgin Islands (VI)] and analysed for 32 trace-elements. Elemental composition of African dust samples was similar to that of average upper continental crust (UCC), with some enrichment or depletion of specific trace-elements. Pb enrichment was observed only in dust and dry deposition samples from the source region and was most likely from local use of leaded gasoline. Dust particles transported long-distances (VI and TT) exhibited increased enrichment of Mo and minor depletion of other elements relative to source region samples. This suggests that processes occurring during long-distance transport of dust produce enrichment/depletion of specific elements. Bioaccessibility of trace-metals in samples was tested in simulated human fluids (gastric and lung) and was found to be greater in downwind than source region samples, for some metals (e.g., As). The large surface to volume ratio of the dust particles (<2.5 µm) at downwind sites may be a factor.

  6. Sediment transport simulation in an armoured stream

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milhous, Robert T.; Bradley, Jeffrey B.; Loeffler, Cindy L.

    1986-01-01

    Improved methods of calculating bed material stability and transport must be developed for a gravel bed stream having an armoured surface in order to use the HEC-6 model to examine channel change. Good possibilities exist for use of a two layer model based on the Schoklitsch and the Einstein-Brown transport equations. In Einstein-Brown the D35 of the armour is used for stabilities and the D50 of the bed (sub-surface) is used for transport. Data on the armour and sub-surface size distribution needs to be obtained as part of a bed material study in a gravel bed river; a "shovel" sample is not adequate. The Meyer-Peter, Muller equation should not be applied to a gravel bed stream with an armoured surface to estimate the initiation of transport or for calculation of transport at low effective bed shear stress.

  7. BiP Negatively Affects Ricin Transport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirsten Sandvig

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The AB plant toxin ricin binds both glycoproteins and glycolipids at the cell surface via its B subunit. After binding, ricin is endocytosed and then transported retrogradely through the Golgi to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER. In the ER, the A subunit is retrotranslocated to the cytosol in a chaperone-dependent process, which is not fully explored. Recently two separate siRNA screens have demonstrated that ER chaperones have implications for ricin toxicity. ER associated degradation (ERAD involves translocation of misfolded proteins from ER to cytosol and it is conceivable that protein toxins exploit this pathway. The ER chaperone BiP is an important ER regulator and has been implicated in toxicity mediated by cholera and Shiga toxin. In this study, we have investigated the role of BiP in ricin translocation to the cytosol. We first show that overexpression of BiP inhibited ricin translocation and protected cells against the toxin. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated depletion of BiP enhanced toxin translocation resulting in increased cytotoxicity. BiP-dependent inhibition of ricin toxicity was independent of ER stress. Our findings suggest that in contrast to what was shown with the Shiga toxin, the presence of BiP does not facilitate, but rather inhibits the entry of ricin into the cytosol.

  8. Investigating the influence of long-range transport on surface O{sub 3} in Nevada, USA, using observations from multiple measurement platforms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fine, Rebekka, E-mail: rebekkafine@gmail.com [Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV (United States); Miller, Matthieu B. [Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV (United States); Yates, Emma L.; Iraci, Laura T. [Atmospheric Science Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States); Gustin, Mae Sexauer, E-mail: mgustin@cabnr.unr.edu [Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV (United States)

    2015-10-15

    The current United States (US) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for O{sub 3} (75 ppb) is expected to be revised to between 60 and 70 ppb. As the NAAQS becomes more stringent, characterizing the extent of O{sub 3} and precursors transported into the US is increasingly important. Given the high elevation, complex terrain, and location in the Intermountain West, the State of Nevada is ideally situated to intercept air transported into the US. Until recently, measurements of O{sub 3} and associated pollutants were limited to areas in and around the cities of Las Vegas and Reno. In 2011, the Nevada Rural Ozone Initiative began and through this project 13 surface monitoring sites were established. Also in 2011, the NASA Ames Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) began making routine aircraft measurements of O{sub 3} and other greenhouse gases in Nevada. The availability of aircraft and surface measurements in a relatively rural, remote setting in the Intermountain West presented a unique opportunity to investigate sources contributing to the O{sub 3} observed in Nevada. Our analyses indicate that stratosphere to troposphere transport, long-range transport of Asian pollution, and regional emissions from urban areas and wildfires influence surface observations. The complexity of sources identified here along with the fact that O{sub 3} frequently approaches the threshold being considered for a revised NAAQS indicate that interstate and international cooperation will be necessary to achieve compliance with a more stringent regulatory standard. Further, on a seasonal basis we found no significant difference between daily 1-h maximum O{sub 3} at surface sites, which ranged in elevation from 888 to 2307 m, and aircraft measurements of O{sub 3} < 2500 m which suggests that similar processes influence daytime O{sub 3} across rural Nevada and indicates that column measurements from Railroad Valley, NV are useful in understanding these processes. - Highlights:

  9. PENGEOM-A general-purpose geometry package for Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport in material systems defined by quadric surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almansa, Julio; Salvat-Pujol, Francesc; Díaz-Londoño, Gloria; Carnicer, Artur; Lallena, Antonio M.; Salvat, Francesc

    2016-02-01

    The Fortran subroutine package PENGEOM provides a complete set of tools to handle quadric geometries in Monte Carlo simulations of radiation transport. The material structure where radiation propagates is assumed to consist of homogeneous bodies limited by quadric surfaces. The PENGEOM subroutines (a subset of the PENELOPE code) track particles through the material structure, independently of the details of the physics models adopted to describe the interactions. Although these subroutines are designed for detailed simulations of photon and electron transport, where all individual interactions are simulated sequentially, they can also be used in mixed (class II) schemes for simulating the transport of high-energy charged particles, where the effect of soft interactions is described by the random-hinge method. The definition of the geometry and the details of the tracking algorithm are tailored to optimize simulation speed. The use of fuzzy quadric surfaces minimizes the impact of round-off errors. The provided software includes a Java graphical user interface for editing and debugging the geometry definition file and for visualizing the material structure. Images of the structure are generated by using the tracking subroutines and, hence, they describe the geometry actually passed to the simulation code.

  10. Surface mobilities on solid materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Binh, V.T.

    1983-01-01

    This book constitutes the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Surface Mobilities on Solid Materials held in France in 1981. The goal of the two-week meeting was to review up-to-date knowledge on surface diffusion, both theoretical and experimental, and to highlight those areas in which much more knowledge needs to be accumulated. Topics include theoretical aspects of surface diffusion (e.g., microscopic theories of D at zero coverage; statistical mechanical models and surface diffusion); surface diffusion at the atomic level (e.g., FIM studies of surface migration of single adatoms and diatomic clusters; field emission studies of surface diffusion of adsorbates); foreign adsorbate mass transport; self-diffusion mass transport (e.g., different driving forces for the matter transport along surfaces; measurements of the morphological evolution of tips); the role of surface diffusion in some fundamental and applied sciences (e.g. adatomadatom pair interactions and adlayer superstructure formation; surface mobility in chemical reactions and catalysis); and recent works on surface diffusion (e.g., preliminary results on surface self-diffusion measurements on nickel and chromium tips)

  11. Long-range atmospheric transport of persistent organic pollutants, I: description of surface-atmosphere exchange modules and implementation in EUROS.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jacobs, C.M.J.; Pul, van W.A.J.

    1996-01-01

    Concerns a description of a model for the exchange of gaseous Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) at land and sea surfaces and its application in the Eulerian air pollution transport model EUROS. Sample simulations of the net deposition of lindane over Europe are discussed. For non-emission areas

  12. Shape signature based on Ricci flow and optimal mass transportation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Wei; Su, Zengyu; Zhang, Min; Zeng, Wei; Dai, Junfei; Gu, Xianfeng

    2014-11-01

    A shape signature based on surface Ricci flow and optimal mass transportation is introduced for the purpose of surface comparison. First, the surface is conformally mapped onto plane by Ricci flow, which induces a measure on the planar domain. Second, the unique optimal mass transport map is computed that transports the new measure to the canonical measure on the plane. The map is obtained by a convex optimization process. This optimal transport map encodes all the information of the Riemannian metric on the surface. The shape signature consists of the optimal transport map, together with the mean curvature, which can fully recover the original surface. The discrete theories of surface Ricci flow and optimal mass transportation are explained thoroughly. The algorithms are given in detail. The signature is tested on human facial surfaces with different expressions accquired by structured light 3-D scanner based on phase-shifting method. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and efficacy of the method.

  13. Viability of a Reusable In-Space Transportation System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jefferies, Sharon A.; McCleskey, Carey M.; Nufer, Brian M.; Lepsch, Roger A.; Merrill, Raymond G.; North, David D.; Martin, John G.; Komar, David R.

    2015-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently developing options for an Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC) that expands human presence from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) into the solar system and to the surface of Mars. The Hybrid in-space transportation architecture is one option being investigated within the EMC. The architecture enables return of the entire in-space propulsion stage and habitat to cis-lunar space after a round trip to Mars. This concept of operations opens the door for a fully reusable Mars transportation system from cis-lunar space to a Mars parking orbit and back. This paper explores the reuse of in-space transportation systems, with a focus on the propulsion systems. It begins by examining why reusability should be pursued and defines reusability in space-flight context. A range of functions and enablers associated with preparing a system for reuse are identified and a vision for reusability is proposed that can be advanced and implemented as new capabilities are developed. Following this, past reusable spacecraft and servicing capabilities, as well as those currently in development are discussed. Using the Hybrid transportation architecture as an example, an assessment of the degree of reusability that can be incorporated into the architecture with current capabilities is provided and areas for development are identified that will enable greater levels of reuse in the future. Implications and implementation challenges specific to the architecture are also presented.

  14. Intermittent random walks: transport regimes and implications on search strategies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomez Portillo, Ignacio; Campos, Daniel; Méndez, Vicenç

    2011-01-01

    We construct a transport model for particles that alternate rests of random duration and flights with random velocities. The model provides a balance equation for the mesoscopic particle density obtained from the continuous-time random walk framework. By assuming power laws for the distributions of waiting times and flight durations (for any velocity distribution with finite moments) we have found that the model can yield all the transport regimes ranging from subdiffusion to ballistic depending on the values of the characteristic exponents of the distributions. In addition, if the exponents satisfy a simple relationship it is shown how the competition between the tails of the distributions gives rise to a diffusive transport. Finally, we explore how the details of this intermittent transport process affect the success probability in an optimal search problem where an individual searcher looks for a target distributed (heterogeneously) in space. All the results are conveniently checked with numerical simulations

  15. Bronchial mucus transport

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Schans, Cees P.

    Effective clearance of inhaled particles requires mucus production and continuous mucus transport from the lower airways to the oropharynx. Mucus production takes place mainly in the peripheral airways. Mucus transport is achieved by the action of the ciliated cells that cover the inner surface of

  16. Economic implications of oil crisis and transport sector in India

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pathak, M G

    1980-01-01

    Efforts towards fuel economy in the transport sector have heavily stressed engineering aspects of the automobile. Better roads and better traffic planning too, go a long way in conserving energy. The paper outlines the economic implementations of the hike in oil prices with reference to the transportation sector.

  17. Transport of lipoprotein lipase across endothelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saxena, U.; Klein, M.G.; Goldberg, I.J.

    1991-01-01

    Lipoprotein lipase (LPL), synthesized in muscle and fat, hydrolyzes plasma triglycerides primarily while bound to luminal endothelial cell surfaces. To obtain information about the movement of LPL from the basal to the luminal endothelial cell surface, the authors studied the transport of purified bovine milk LPL across bovine aortic endothelial cell monolayers. 125 I-labeled LPL ( 125 I-LPL) added to the basal surface of the monolayers was detected on the apical side of the cells in two compartments: (1) in the medium of the upper chamber, and (2) bound to the apical cell surface. The amount of 125 I-LPL on the cell surface, but not in the medium, reached saturation with time and LPL dose. Catalytically active LPL was transported to the apical surface but very little LPL activity appeared in the medium. Heparinase treatment of the basal cell surface and addition of dextran sulfate to the lower chamber decreased the amount of 125 I-LPL appearing on the apical surface. Similarly, the presence of increasing molar ratios of oleic acid/bovine serum albumin at the basal surface decreased the transport of active LPL across the monolayer. Thus, a saturable transport system, which requires haparan sulfate proteoglycans and is inhibited by high concentrations of free fatty acids on the basal side of the cells, appears to exist for passage of enzymatically active LPL across endothelial cells. They postulate that regulation of LPL transport to the endothelial luminal surface modulates the physiologically active pool of LPL in vivo

  18. The SIMPSONS project: An integrated Mars transportation system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaplan, Matthew; Carlson, Eric; Bradfute, Sherie; Allen, Kent; Duvergne, Francois; Hernandez, Bert; Le, David; Nguyen, Quan; Thornhill, Brett

    In response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) for an integrated transportation system network for an advanced Martian base, Frontier Transportation Systems (FTS) presents the results of the SIMPSONS project (Systems Integration for Mars Planetary Surface Operations Networks). The following topics are included: the project background, vehicle design, future work, conclusions, management status, and cost breakdown. The project focuses solely on the surface-to-surface transportation at an advanced Martian base.

  19. Continuum theory of the mixed-state and surface Joule effects in type-II superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hocquet, T.; Mathieu, P.; Simon, Y.

    1992-01-01

    A phenomenological theory of vortex motion, where the mixed state is regarded as a continuum, has been proposed by two of the authors in a short previous letter. Its outlines are recalled in this paper with further comments and arguments; in particular the basic equations and their implications are discussed at some length. This theory leads to a model of pinning, from which we argue that critical currents I c , in soft type-II samples of standard bulk homogeneity, should be governed essentially by surface defects. I c is interpreted as a physically well-defined part of the total transport current I, which is flowing over a small depth close to the surface. Thus, on the scale of an ordinary sample, this part of the transport current is superficial, the remaining part I-I c being uniformly distributed over the cross section. Coherently, an analysis of the dissipation in such samples predicts that the part VI c of the total Joule effect VI must arise as surface heat sources, while the Joule effect V(I-I c ), usually associated with the steady viscous flow of vortices, is uniformly distributed in the bulk. As a proof, we present a method, using second-sound acoustics, to detect and separate surface and volume heat sources. Experimental results give clear evidence of a surface Joule effect, and support the validity of our model of surface pinning in soft materials

  20. Systematic study of transport via surface and bulk states in Bi2Te3 topological insulator

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Castro, S.; Peres, M. L.; Chitta, V. A.; Gratens, X.; Soares, D. A. W.; Fornari, C. I.; Rappl, P. H. O.; Abramof, E.; Oliveira, N. F., Jr.

    2016-07-01

    We performed magnetoresistance measurements on Bi2Te3 thin film in the temperature range of T = 1.2-4.0 K and for magnetic fields up to 2 T. The curves exhibited anomalous behavior for temperatures below 4.0 K. Different temperature intervals revealed electrical transport through different conductive channels with clear signatures of weak antilocalization. The magnetoresistance curves were explained using the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka model and the 2D Dirac modified model. The comparison between the parameters obtained from the two models revealed the transport via topological surface states and bulk states. In addition, a superconductive like transition is observed for the lowest temperatures and we suggest that this effect can be originated from the misfit dislocations caused by strain, giving rise to a superconductive channel between the interface of the film and the substrate.

  1. Planetary Surface-Atmosphere Interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrison, J. P.; Bak, E.; Finster, K.; Gunnlaugsson, H. P.; Holstein-Rathlou, C.; Knak Jensen, S.; Nørnberg, P.

    2013-09-01

    Planetary bodies having an accessible solid surface and significant atmosphere, such as Earth, Mars, Venus, Titan, share common phenomenology. Specifically wind induced transport of surface materials, subsequent erosion, the generation and transport of solid aerosols which leads both to chemical and electrostatic interaction with the atmosphere. How these processes affect the evolution of the atmosphere and surface will be discussed in the context of general planetology and the latest laboratory studies will be presented.

  2. The influence of preformed plasma on the surface-guided lateral transport of energetic electrons in ultraintense short laser–foil interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, X H; Zheng, J; Liu, J L; Fang, Y; Sheng, Z M; Carroll, D C; Gray, R J; Brenner, C M; Coury, M; Tresca, O; Neely, D; McKenna, P; Chen, L M; Li, Y T; Zielbauer, B; Kühl, T

    2014-01-01

    The lateral transport patterns of energetic electrons in thin foil targets irradiated with relativistically intense, picosecond laser pulses with different peak-to-pedestal intensity contrast ratios are reported. For ‘low contrast’ pulses, a large current of energetic electrons is found to be transported along the target front surface, due to the formation of strong quasi-static electric and magnetic fields. This is distinctly different from the case with ‘high contrast’ pulses, where energetic electrons are spatially confined. Although this lateral transport reduces the efficiency of the laser energy coupling into ion and radiation production in the region of the laser focus, it can play an important role in directing energy transport in advanced fast ignition schemes involving hollow cone targets and also in heating the target (to generate states of warm dense matter) in regions far from the drive laser focus. (paper)

  3. Nanoengineered membranes for controlled transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doktycz, Mitchel J [Oak Ridge, TN; Simpson, Michael L [Knoxville, TN; McKnight, Timothy E [Greenback, TN; Melechko, Anatoli V [Oak Ridge, TN; Lowndes, Douglas H [Knoxville, TN; Guillorn, Michael A [Knoxville, TN; Merkulov, Vladimir I [Oak Ridge, TN

    2010-01-05

    A nanoengineered membrane for controlling material transport (e.g., molecular transport) is disclosed. The membrane includes a substrate, a cover definining a material transport channel between the substrate and the cover, and a plurality of fibers positioned in the channel and connected to an extending away from a surface of the substrate. The fibers are aligned perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and have a width of 100 nanometers or less. The diffusion limits for material transport are controlled by the separation of the fibers. In one embodiment, chemical derivitization of carbon fibers may be undertaken to further affect the diffusion limits or affect selective permeability or facilitated transport. For example, a coating can be applied to at least a portion of the fibers. In another embodiment, individually addressable carbon nanofibers can be integrated with the membrane to provide an electrical driving force for material transport.

  4. Mitigation of biofilm formation on corrugated cardboard fresh produce packaging surfaces using a novel thiazolidinedione derivative integrated in acrylic emulsion polymers

    OpenAIRE

    Michael eBrandwein; Abed eAl-Quntar; Abed eAl-Quntar; Hila eGoldberg; Gregory eMosheyev; Moshe eGoffer; Fulgencio eMarin-Iniesta; Antonio eLopez-Gomez; Doron eSteinberg

    2016-01-01

    Various surfaces associated with the storage and packing of food are known to harbor distinct bacterial pathogens. Conspicuously absent among the plethora of studies implicating food packaging materials and machinery is the study of corrugated cardboard packaging, the worldwide medium for transporting fresh produce. In this study, we observed the microbial communities of three different store-bought fruits and vegetables, along with their analogue cardboard packaging using high throughput seq...

  5. Mitigation of Biofilm Formation on Corrugated Cardboard Fresh Produce Packaging Surfaces Using a Novel Thiazolidinedione Derivative Integrated in Acrylic Emulsion Polymers

    OpenAIRE

    Brandwein, Michael; Al-Quntar, Abed; Goldberg, Hila; Mosheyev, Gregory; Goffer, Moshe; Marin-Iniesta, Fulgencio; L?pez-G?mez, Antonio; Steinberg, Doron

    2016-01-01

    Various surfaces associated with the storage and packing of food are known to harbor distinct bacterial pathogens. Conspicuously absent among the plethora of studies implicating food packaging materials and machinery is the study of corrugated cardboard packaging, the worldwide medium for transporting fresh produce. In this study, we observed the microbial communities of three different store-bought fruits and vegetables, along with their analog cardboard packaging using high throughput seque...

  6. Estimates of Lagrangian particle transport by wave groups: forward transport by Stokes drift and backward transport by the return flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Bremer, Ton S.; Taylor, Paul H.

    2014-11-01

    Although the literature has examined Stokes drift, the net Lagrangian transport by particles due to of surface gravity waves, in great detail, the motion of fluid particles transported by surface gravity wave groups has received considerably less attention. In practice nevertheless, the wave field on the open sea often has a group-like structure. The motion of particles is different, as particles at sufficient depth are transported backwards by the Eulerian return current that was first described by Longuet-Higgins & Stewart (1962) and forms an inseparable counterpart of Stokes drift for wave groups ensuring the (irrotational) mass balance holds. We use WKB theory to study the variation of the Lagrangian transport by the return current with depth distinguishing two-dimensional seas, three-dimensional seas, infinite depth and finite depth. We then provide dimensional estimates of the net horizontal Lagrangian transport by the Stokes drift on the one hand and the return flow on the other hand for realistic sea states in all four cases. Finally we propose a simple scaling relationship for the transition depth: the depth above which Lagrangian particles are transported forwards by the Stokes drift and below which such particles are transported backwards by the return current.

  7. Effect of surface transport properties on the performance of carbon plastic electrodes for flow battery applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Xihe; Souier, Tewfik; Chiesa, Matteo; Vassallo, Anthony

    2014-01-01

    Due to their high electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance, carbon nanotube (MWNT)-high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites are potential candidates to replace traditional activated carbon electrodes for the next generation of fuel-cells, super capacitors and flow batteries. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is employed to separate the surface conduction from bulk conduction in 15% HDPE-MWNT and 19% carbon black (CB)-HDPE composites for zinc-bromine flow battery electrodes. While exhibiting superior bulk conductivity, the interfacial conductivity of MWNT-filled composites is lower than that of CB-filled composites. High resolution conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) imaging and current-voltage (I-V) spectroscopy were employed to investigate the sub-surface electronic transport of the composite. Unlike the CB-composite, the fraction of conducting MWNTs near the surface is very low compared to their volume fraction. In addition, the non-linear I-V curves reveal the presence of a tunneling junction between the tip and the polymer-coated MWNTs. The tunneling resistance is as high as 1 GΩ, which strongly affects the electronic/electrochemical transfer at the interface of the electrolyte and the surface of the composite, which is evident in the voltammetric and EIS observations

  8. On interpreting studies of tracer transport by deep cumulus convection and its effects on atmospheric chemistry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. G. Lawrence

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Global chemistry-transport models (CTMs and chemistry-GCMs (CGCMs generally simulate vertical tracer transport by deep convection separately from the advective transport by the mean winds, even though a component of the mean transport, for instance in the Hadley and Walker cells, occurs in deep convective updrafts. This split treatment of vertical transport has various implications for CTM simulations. In particular, it has led to a misinterpretation of several sensitivity simulations in previous studies in which the parameterized convective transport of one or more tracers is neglected. We describe this issue in terms of simulated fluxes and fractions of these fluxes representing various physical and non-physical processes. We then show that there is a significant overlap between the convective and large-scale mean advective vertical air mass fluxes in the CTM MATCH, and discuss the implications which this has for interpreting previous and future sensitivity simulations, as well as briefly noting other related implications such as numerical diffusion.

  9. Role of molecular charge in nucleocytoplasmic transport.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Goryaynov

    Full Text Available Transport of genetic materials and proteins between the nucleus and cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells is mediated by nuclear pore complexes (NPCs. A selective barrier formed by phenylalanine-glycine (FG nucleoporins (Nups with net positive charges in the NPC allows for passive diffusion of signal-independent small molecules and transport-receptor facilitated translocation of signal-dependent cargo molecules. Recently, negative surface charge was postulated to be another essential criterion for selective passage through the NPC. However, the charge-driven mechanism in determining the transport kinetics and spatial transport route for either passive diffusion or facilitated translocation remains obscure. Here we employed high-speed single-molecule fluorescence microscopy with an unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution of 9 nm and 400 µs to uncover these mechanistic fundamentals for nuclear transport of charged substrates through native NPCs. We found that electrostatic interaction between negative surface charges on transiting molecules and the positively charged FG Nups, although enhancing their probability of binding to the NPC, never plays a dominant role in determining their nuclear transport mode or spatial transport route. A 3D reconstruction of transport routes revealed that small signal-dependent endogenous cargo protein constructs with high positive surface charges that are destined to the nucleus, rather than repelled from the NPC as suggested in previous models, passively diffused through an axial central channel of the NPC in the absence of transport receptors. Finally, we postulated a comprehensive map of interactions between transiting molecules and FG Nups during nucleocytoplasmic transport by combining the effects of molecular size, signal and surface charge.

  10. Determinants of satisfaction with campus transportation services: Implications for service quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felix Charbatzadeh

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: In a number of countries, buses are a critical element of public transportation, providing the most inclusive and sustainable mode of transportation to all forms of citizenry, including staff and students of universities. Objectives: The study examines the determinants of satisfaction with campus bus transportation. The article is primarily discursive and based on the synthesis of existing service literature supported by data obtained from a survey of 847 respondents. Method: Structural equation modelling is undertaken using AMOS 19, allowing for the examination of compound relationships between service engagement variables. Results: Results show statistically significant differences between perceived service quality and travel routes. The authors argue that managerial attention to service user experiences does not only hold the key to ongoing competitive success in campus transportation services but also that those services can be significantly enriched through greater managerial attention to the interface between risk of financial loss (which increases when the campus bus transportation service provider becomes less able to compete and service quality. Conclusion: The authors argue that if providers of campus bus transportation services are to rise to their service delivery challenges and also maintain or improve upon their market positions, they must conceptualise their services in a manner that takes into consideration the two-way interrelationship between risk of financial loss and service quality. It must also be noted that, although this study may have relevance for firm–firm scenarios, its focus is primarily on service supplier firm–customer service engagements. Keywords: Modelling; Transportation; Service

  11. Surface-to-mountaintop transport characterised by radon observations at the Jungfraujoch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Griffiths, A.D.; Chambers, S.D.; Williams, A.G.; Conen, F.; Zimmermann, L.

    2014-01-01

    Atmospheric composition measurements at Jungfraujoch are affected intermittently by boundary-layer air which is brought to the station by processes including thermally driven (anabatic) mountain winds. Using observations of radon-222, and a new objective analysis method, we quantify the land-surface influence at Jungfraujoch hour by hour and detect the presence of anabatic winds on a daily basis. During 2010-2011, anabatic winds occurred on 40% of days, but only from April to September. Anabatic wind days were associated with warmer air temperatures over a large fraction of Europe and with a shift in air-mass properties, even when comparing days with a similar mean radon concentration. Excluding days with anabatic winds, however, did not lead to a better definition of the unperturbed aerosol background than a definition based on radon alone. This implies that a radon threshold reliably excludes local influences from both anabatic and non-anabatic vertical-transport processes.

  12. Spatio-Temporal Modelling of Dust Transport over Surface Mining Areas and Neighbouring Residential Zones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva Gulikova

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Projects focusing on spatio-temporal modelling of the living environment need to manage a wide range of terrain measurements, existing spatial data, time series, results of spatial analysis and inputs/outputs from numerical simulations. Thus, GISs are often used to manage data from remote sensors, to provide advanced spatial analysis and to integrate numerical models. In order to demonstrate the integration of spatial data, time series and methods in the framework of the GIS, we present a case study focused on the modelling of dust transport over a surface coal mining area, exploring spatial data from 3D laser scanners, GPS measurements, aerial images, time series of meteorological observations, inputs/outputs form numerical models and existing geographic resources. To achieve this, digital terrain models, layers including GPS thematic mapping, and scenes with simulation of wind flows are created to visualize and interpret coal dust transport over the mine area and a neighbouring residential zone. A temporary coal storage and sorting site, located near the residential zone, is one of the dominant sources of emissions. Using numerical simulations, the possible effects of wind flows are observed over the surface, modified by natural objects and man-made obstacles. The coal dust drifts with the wind in the direction of the residential zone and is partially deposited in this area. The simultaneous display of the digital map layers together with the location of the dominant emission source, wind flows and protected areas enables a risk assessment of the dust deposition in the area of interest to be performed. In order to obtain a more accurate simulation of wind flows over the temporary storage and sorting site, 3D laser scanning and GPS thematic mapping are used to create a more detailed digital terrain model. Thus, visualization of wind flows over the area of interest combined with 3D map layers enables the exploration of the processes of coal dust

  13. Textural versus electrostatic exclusion-enrichment effects in the effective chemical transport within the cortical bone: a numerical investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemaire, T; Kaiser, J; Naili, S; Sansalone, V

    2013-11-01

    Interstitial fluid within bone tissue is known to govern the remodelling signals' expression. Bone fluid flow is generated by skeleton deformation during the daily activities. Due to the presence of charged surfaces in the bone porous matrix, the electrochemical phenomena occurring in the vicinity of mechanosensitive bone cells, the osteocytes, are key elements in the cellular communication. In this study, a multiscale model of interstitial fluid transport within bone tissues is proposed. Based on an asymptotic homogenization method, our modelling takes into account the physicochemical properties of bone tissue. Thanks to this multiphysical approach, the transport of nutrients and waste between the blood vessels and the bone cells can be quantified to better understand the mechanotransduction of bone remodelling. In particular, it is shown that the electrochemical tortuosity may have stronger implications in the mass transport within the bone than the purely morphological one. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Chemistry of Frozen NaCl and MgSO4 Brines - Implications for Surface Expression of Europa's Ocean Composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, P. V.; Hodyss, R. P.; Choukroun, M.; Vu, T. H.

    2015-12-01

    The composition of Europa's subsurface ocean is a critical determinant of its habitability, but current analysis of the ocean composition is limited to its expression on the Europan surface. While there is observational evidence indicating that ocean materials make their way to the surface, our understanding of the chemical processes that can alter this material under Europan surface conditions is limited. We present experimental data on the chemistry of mixed solutions of NaCl and MgSO4 as they are frozen to 100 K, replicating the conditions that may occur when subsurface ocean fluids are emplaced onto Europa's surface. Confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy is used to study the formation of salts during the freezing process, and the interaction of ions in the frozen brines. Our data indicate that mixed aqueous solutions of NaCl and MgSO4 form Na2SO4 and MgCl2 preferentially when frozen, rather than making NaCl and MgSO4 precipitates. The detection of epsomite (MgSO4Ÿ•7H2O) on Europa's surface may therefore imply an ocean composition relatively low in sodium, unless radiolytic chemistry converts MgCl2 to MgSO4 as suggested by Hand and Brown 2013 (ApJ 145 110). These results have important implications for the interpretation of remote sensing data of Europa's surface.

  15. The Importance of Protons in Reactive Transport Modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNeece, C. J.; Hesse, M. A.

    2014-12-01

    The importance of pH in aqueous chemistry is evident; yet, its role in reactive transport is complex. Consider a column flow experiment through silica glass beads. Take the column to be saturated and flowing with solution of a distinct pH. An instantaneous change in the influent solution pH can yield a breakthrough curve with both a rarefaction and shock component (composite wave). This behavior is unique among aqueous ions in transport and is more complex than intuition would tell. Analysis of the hyperbolic limit of this physical system can explain these first order transport phenomenon. This analysis shows that transport behavior is heavily dependent on the shape of the adsorption isotherm. Hence it is clear that accurate surface chemistry models are important in reactive transport. The proton adsorption isotherm has nonconstant concavity due to the proton's ability to partition into hydroxide. An eigenvalue analysis shows that an inflection point in the adsorption isotherm allows the development of composite waves. We use electrostatic surface complexation models to calculate realistic proton adsorption isotherms. Surface characteristics such as specific surface area, and surface site density were determined experimentally. We validate the model by comparison against silica glass bead flow through experiments. When coupled to surface complexation models, the transport equation captures the timing and behavior of breakthrough curves markedly better than with commonly used Langmuir assumptions. Furthermore, we use the adsorption isotherm to predict, a priori, the transport behavior of protons across pH composition space. Expansion of the model to multicomponent systems shows that proton adsorption can force composite waves to develop in the breakthrough curves of ions that would not otherwise exhibit such behavior. Given the abundance of reactive surfaces in nature and the nonlinearity of chemical systems, we conclude that building a greater understanding of

  16. Conflict simulation for surface transport systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keeton, S.C.; De Laquil, P. III.

    1977-07-01

    An important element in the analysis of transportation safeguards systems is the determination of the outcome of an armed attack against the system. Such information is necessary to understand relationships among the various defender tactics, weapons systems, and adversary attributes. A battle model, SABRES, which can simulate safeguards engagements is under development. This paper briefly describes the first phase of SABRES and presents some examples of its capabilities

  17. Coupled transport in field-reversed configurations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinhauer, L. C.; Berk, H. L.; TAE Team

    2018-02-01

    Coupled transport is the close interconnection between the cross-field and parallel fluxes in different regions due to topological changes in the magnetic field. This occurs because perpendicular transport is necessary for particles or energy to leave closed field-line regions, while parallel transport strongly affects evolution of open field-line regions. In most toroidal confinement systems, the periphery, namely, the portion with open magnetic surfaces, is small in thickness and volume compared to the core plasma, the portion with closed surfaces. In field-reversed configurations (FRCs), the periphery plays an outsized role in overall confinement. This effect is addressed by an FRC-relevant model of coupled particle transport that is well suited for immediate interpretation of experiments. The focus here is particle confinement rather than energy confinement since the two track together in FRCs. The interpretive tool yields both the particle transport rate χn and the end-loss time τǁ. The results indicate that particle confinement depends on both χn across magnetic surfaces throughout the plasma and τǁ along open surfaces and that they provide roughly equal transport barriers, inhibiting particle loss. The interpretation of traditional FRCs shows Bohm-like χn and inertial (free-streaming) τǁ. However, in recent advanced beam-driven FRC experiments, χn approaches the classical rate and τǁ is comparable to classic empty-loss-cone mirrors.

  18. Soil Carbon Dioxide Production and Surface Fluxes: Subsurface Physical Controls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Risk, D.; Kellman, L.; Beltrami, H.

    Soil respiration is a critical determinant of landscape carbon balance. Variations in soil temperature and moisture patterns are important physical processes controlling soil respiration which need to be better understood. Relationships between soil respi- ration and physical controls are typically addressed using only surface flux data but other methods also exist which permit more rigorous interpretation of soil respira- tion processes. Here we use a combination of subsurface CO_{2} concentrations, surface CO_{2} fluxes and detailed physical monitoring of the subsurface envi- ronment to examine physical controls on soil CO_{2} production at four climate observatories in Eastern Canada. Results indicate that subsurface CO_{2} produc- tion is more strongly correlated to the subsurface thermal environment than the surface CO_{2} flux. Soil moisture was also found to have an important influence on sub- surface CO_{2} production, particularly in relation to the soil moisture - soil profile diffusivity relationship. Non-diffusive profile CO_{2} transport appears to be im- portant at these sites, resulting in a de-coupling of summertime surface fluxes from subsurface processes and violating assumptions that surface CO_{2} emissions are the result solely of diffusion. These results have implications for the study of soil respiration across a broad range of terrestrial environments.

  19. Effects of engineered nano-titanium dioxide on pore surface properties and phosphorus adsorption of sediment: its environmental implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Zhuanxi; Wang, Zhenhong; Wei, Qunshan; Yan, Changzhou; Liu, Feng

    2011-09-15

    Understanding the environmental safety and human health implications of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is of worldwide importance. As an important ENPs, engineered nano-TiO(2) (Enano-TiO(2)) may have been substantially deposited in aquatic sediments because of its widely uses. Sediment pore surface properties would be thus significantly influenced due to the large surface area of Enano-TiO(2). In this study, Enano-TiO(2) was found to greatly impact on sediment pore surface properties. The attachment of Enano-TiO(2) particles to sediment surfaces enhanced markedly BET specific surface area and t-Plot external specific surface area, and thereby increased sediment phosphorus (P) adsorption maximum (S(max)). Contrarily, the fill of Enano-TiO(2) particles into the micropores of sediments could significantly reduce t-Plot micropore specific surface area, and cause slight decrease in sediment P binding energy (K). Clearly, P sorbed in sediment would be easily released because of the decreasing P binding energy of the sediment with elevated Enano-TiO(2). Enano-TiO(2) would thus cause aggravated endogenous pollution in water if such sediment was re-suspended on disturbance. The results obtained in this study contribute to our increasing knowledge of how to regulate physicochemical behavior of pollutants in sediments under the influences of Enano-TiO(2) and/or similar ENPs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Time-dependent transport of a localized surface plasmon through a linear array of metal nanoparticles: Precursor and normal mode contributions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Compaijen, P. J.; Malyshev, V. A.; Knoester, J.

    2018-02-01

    We theoretically investigate the time-dependent transport of a localized surface plasmon excitation through a linear array of identical and equidistantly spaced metal nanoparticles. Two different signals propagating through the array are found: one traveling with the group velocity of the surface plasmon polaritons of the system and damped exponentially, and the other running with the speed of light and decaying in a power-law fashion, as x-1 and x-2 for the transversal and longitudinal polarizations, respectively. The latter resembles the Sommerfeld-Brillouin forerunner and has not been identified in previous studies. The contribution of this signal dominates the plasmon transport at large distances. In addition, even though this signal is spread in the propagation direction and has the lateral dimension larger than the wavelength, the field profile close to the chain axis does not change with distance, indicating that this part of the signal is confined to the array.

  1. Environmental implications and applications of engineered ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    This review focus on environmental implications and applications of engineered magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (MNPs) as a single phase or a component of a hybrid nanocomposite that take advantages of their superparamagnetism and high surface area. MNPs are synthesized via co-precipitation, thermal decomposition, hydrothermal process, emulsion, and microbial process. Aggregation/sedimentation and transport of MNPs depend on surface charge of MNPs and geochemical parameters such as pH, ionic strength, and organic matter. MNPs generally have low toxicity to humans and ecosystem. MNPs are used for making excellent anode electrode materials in lithium-ion battery, for constructing biosensors, and for catalyzing a variety of chemical reactions. MNPs are used for air cleanup and carbon sequestration. MNP nanocomposites are made as antimicrobial agent for water disinfection and flocculants for water treatment. Conjugated MNPs are widely used for adsorptive/separative removal of organics, dye, oil, arsenic, Cr(VI), heavy metals, radionuclides, and rare earth elements. MNPs can degrade organic/inorganic contaminants via chemical reduction or oxidation in water, sediment, and soil. Future studies should further explore mechanisms of MNP interactions with other nanomaterials and contaminants, economic and green approaches of MNP synthesis, and field scale demonstration of MNP utilization. Submit to Journal of Hazardous Materials.

  2. Impact of carbonaceous materials in soil on the transport of soil-bound PAHs during rainfall-runoff events

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Xiaolin; Zheng, Yi; Wu, Bin; Lin, Zhongrong; Han, Feng; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Xuejun

    2013-01-01

    Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) transported from contaminated soils by surface runoff pose significant risk for aquatic ecosystems. Based on a rainfall-runoff simulation experiment, this study investigated the impact of carbonaceous materials (CMs) in soil, identified by organic petrology analysis, on the transport of soil-bound PAHs under rainfall conditions. The hypothesis that composition of soil organic matter significantly impacts the enrichment and transport of PAHs was proved. CMs in soil, varying significantly in content, mobility and adsorption capacity, act differently on the transport of PAHs. Anthropogenic CMs like black carbon (BC) largely control the transport, as PAHs may be preferentially attached to them. Eventually, this study led to a rethink of the traditional enrichment theory. An important implication is that CMs in soil have to be explicitly considered to appropriately model the nonpoint source pollution of PAHs (possibly other hydrophobic chemicals as well) and assess its environmental risk. -- Highlights: •Composition of SOM significantly impacts the enrichment and transport of PAHs. •Anthropogenic carbonaceous materials in soil largely control the transport of PAHs. •The classic enrichment theory is invalid if anthropogenic CMs are abundant in the soil. •Organic petrology analysis introduced to study the fate and transport of PAHs. -- Anthropogenic carbonaceous materials in soil, especially black carbon, largely control the transport of soil-bound PAHs during rainfall-runoff events

  3. A comparative evaluation of the increase in root canal surface area and canal transportation in curved root canals by three rotary systems: A cone-beam computed tomographic study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasanthi, Nalam NVD; Rambabu, Tanikonda; Sajjan, Girija S; Varma, K Madhu; Satish, R Kalyan; Padmaja, M

    2016-01-01

    Aim: The aim of this study was to measure the increase in root canal surface area and canal transportation after biomechanical preparation at 1, 3, and 5 mm short of the apex with three different rotary systems in both continuous rotary and reciprocating rotary motions. Materials and Methods: Sixty freshly extracted human mandibular molars with mesial root canal curvatures between 20° and 30° were included in the study. Teeth were randomly distributed into three groups (n = 20). Biomechanical preparations were done in all the mesial canals. In Group 1, instrumentation was done with ProTaper universal rotary files, Group 2, with K3XF rotary files, and Group 3, with LSX rotary files. Each group was further subdivided into subgroups A and B (n = 10) where instrumentation was done by continuous rotary and reciprocating rotary techniques, respectively. Increase in root canal surface area and canal transportation was measured using the preoperative and postoperative cone-beam computed tomography scans. Statistical Analysis: The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey pairwise multiple comparison tests. Results: Increase in root canal surface area was significantly more (P 0.05) in increase of root canal surface area and canal transportation between continuous rotary and reciprocating rotary techniques for ProTaper Universal, K3XF and LSX groups. Conclusion: LSX rotary system showed minimal increase of root canal surface area and minimal canal transportation when compared to ProTaper and K3XF rotary systems. PMID:27656062

  4. Sediment transport under breaking waves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Erik Damgaard; Hjelmager Jensen, Jacob; Mayer, Stefan

    2000-01-01

    The sediment transport in the surf zone is modelled by combining a Navier-Stokes solver, a free surface model, a turbulence model, and a sediment transport model. The flow solver is based on the finite volume technique for non-orthogonal grids. The model is capable of simulating the turbulence...... generated at the surface where the wave breaks as well as the turbulence generated near the bed due to the wave-motion and the undertow. In general, the levels of turbulent kinetic energy are found to be higher than experiments show. This results in an over prediction of the sediment transport. Nevertheless...

  5. Effects of surface roughness and electrokinetic heterogeneity on electroosmotic flow in microchannel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Masilamani, Kannan; Ganguly, Suvankar; Feichtinger, Christian; Bartuschat, Dominik; Rüde, Ulrich, E-mail: suva_112@yahoo.co.in [Department of Computer Science 10 University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Cauerstr.11 91058 Erlangen (Germany)

    2015-06-15

    In this paper, a hybrid lattice-Boltzmann and finite-difference (LB-FD) model is applied to simulate the effects of three-dimensional surface roughness and electrokinetic heterogeneity on electroosmotic flow (EOF) in a microchannel. The lattice-Boltzmann (LB) method has been employed to obtain the flow field and a finite-difference (FD) method is used to solve the Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) equation for the electrostatic potential distribution. Numerical simulation of flow through a square cross-section microchannel with designed roughness is conducted and the results are critically analysed. The effects of surface heterogeneity on the electroosmotic transport are investigated for different roughness height, width, roughness interval spacing, and roughness surface potential. Numerical simulations reveal that the presence of surface roughness changes the nature of electroosmotic transport through the microchannel. It is found that the electroosmotic velocity decreases with the increase in roughness height and the velocity profile becomes asymmetric. For the same height of the roughness elements, the EOF velocity rises with the increase in roughness width. For the heterogeneously charged rough channel, the velocity profile shows a distinct deviation from the conventional plug-like flow pattern. The simulation results also indicate locally induced flow vortices which can be utilized to enhance the flow and mixing within the microchannel. The present study has important implications towards electrokinetic flow control in the microchannel, and can provide an efficient way to design a microfluidic system of practical interest. (paper)

  6. Spatial and thickness dependence of coupling interaction of surface states and influence on transport and optical properties of few-layer Bi2Se3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhongjun; Chen, Shi; Sun, Jiuyu; Li, Xingxing; Qiu, Huaili; Yang, Jinlong

    2018-02-01

    Coupling interaction between the bottom and top surface electronic states and the influence on transport and optical properties of Bi2Se3 thin films with 1-8 quintuple layers (QLs) have been investigated by first principles calculations. Obvious spatial and thickness dependences of coupling interaction are found by analyzing hybridization of two surface states. In the thin film with a certain thickness, from the outer to inner atomic layers, the coupling interaction exhibits an increasing trend. On the other hand, as thickness increases, the coupling interaction shows a disproportionate decrease trend. Moreover, the system with 3 QLs exhibits stronger interaction than that with 2 QLs. The presence of coupling interaction would suppress destructive interference of surface states and enhance resistance in various degrees. In view of the inversely proportional relation to transport channel width, the resistance of thin films should show disproportionate thickness dependence. This prediction is qualitatively consistent with the transport measurements at low temperature. Furthermore, the optical properties also exhibit obvious thickness dependence. Especially as the thickness increases, the coupling interaction results in red and blue shifts of the multiple-peak structures in low and high energy regions of imaginary dielectric function, respectively. The red shift trend is in agreement with the recent experimental observation and the blue shift is firstly predicted by the present calculation. The present results give a concrete understanding of transport and optical properties in devices based on Bi2Se3 thin films with few QLs.

  7. Metal-silicate fractionation in the surface dust layers of accreting planetesimals: Implications for the formation of ordinary chondrites and the nature of asteroid surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shaoxiong; Akridge, Glen; Sears, Derek W. G.

    Some of the most primitive solar system materials available for study in the laboratory are the ordinary chondrites, the largest meteorite class. The size and distribution of the chondrules (silicate beads) and metal, which leads to the definition of the H, L, and LL classes, suggest sorting before or during aggregation. We suggest that meteorite parent bodies (probably asteroids) had thick dusty surfaces during their early evolution that were easily mobilized by gases evolving from their interiors. Density and size sorting would have occurred in the surface layers as the upward drag forces of the gases (mainly water) acted against the downward force of gravity. The process is analogous to the industrially important process of fluidization and sorting in pyroclastic volcanics. We calculate that gas flow velocities and gas fluxes for the regolith of an asteroid-sized object heated by the impact of accreting objects or by 26Al would have been sufficient for fluidization. It can also explain, quantitatively in some cases, the observed metal-silicate sorting of ordinary chondrites, which has long been ascribed to processes occurring in the primordial solar nebula. Formation of the chondrites in the thick dynamic regolith is consistent with the major properties of chondritic meteorites (i.e., redox state, petrologic type, cooling rate, matrix abundance). These ideas have implications for the nature of asteroid surfaces and the virtual lack of asteroids with ordinary chondrite-like surfaces.

  8. Transport and modeling of estrogenic hormones in a dairy farm effluent through undisturbed soil lysimeters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steiner, Laure D; Bidwell, Vincent J; Di, Hong J; Cameron, Keith C; Northcott, Grant L

    2010-04-01

    The presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including estrone (E1) and 17beta-estradiol (E2), in surface waters has been associated with physiological dysfunction in a number of aquatic organisms. One source of surface and groundwater contamination with E1 and E2 is the land application of animal wastes. The processes involved in the transport of these hormones in the soil, when applied with animal wastes, are still unclear. Therefore, a field-transport experiment was carried out, where a dairy farm effluent spiked with E1 and E2 was applied on large (50 cm diameter and 70 cm depth) undisturbed soil lysimeters. The concentrations of E1 and E2 in the leachate were monitored over a 3-month period, during which irrigation was applied. The experimental data suggest that E1 and E2 were transported through preferential/macropore flow pathways. The data from the experiment also show that E1 and E2 are leached earlier than the inert tracer (bromide). This observation can be explained either by the presence of antecedent concentrations in the soil or by an enhanced transport of E1 and E2 through the soil. A state-space mixing-cell model was further developed in order to describe the transport of E1 and E2 by three transport processes in parallel. The inverse modeling of the leaching data did not support the hypothesis that antecedent concentrations of estrogens could be responsible for the observed breakthrough curves but confirmed that estrogens were transported mainly via preferential/macropore flow and also via an enhanced transport. The parameter values that characterized this enhanced transport strongly suggest that this enhanced transport is mediated by colloids. For the first time, the simultaneous transport of E1 and E2 was modeled under transient conditions, taking into account the advection-dispersion, preferential/macropore flow, and colloidal-enhanced transport processes as well as E1 and E2 dissipation in the soil. These findings have major implications in

  9. Measurement of UO2 surface oxidation using grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction: Implications for nuclear forensics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tracy, Cameron L.; Chen, Chien-Hung; Park, Sulgiye; Davisson, M. Lee; Ewing, Rodney C.

    2018-04-01

    Nuclear forensics involves determination of the origin and history of interdicted nuclear materials based on the detection of signatures associated with their production and trafficking. The surface oxidation undergone by UO2 when exposed to air is a potential signature of its atmospheric exposure during handling and transport. To assess the sensitivity of this oxidation to atmospheric parameters, surface sensitive grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) measurements were performed on UO2 samples exposed to air of varying relative humidity (34%, 56%, and 95% RH) and temperature (room temperature, 50 °C, and 100 °C). Near-surface unit cell contraction was observed following exposure, indicating oxidation of the surface and accompanying reduction of the uranium cation ionic radii. The extent of unit cell contraction provides a measure of the extent of oxidation, allowing for comparison of the effects of various exposure conditions. No clear influence of relative humidity on the extent of oxidation was observed, with samples exhibiting similar degrees of unit cell contraction at all relative humidities investigated. In contrast, the thickness of the oxidized layers increased substantially with increasing temperature, such that differences on the order of 10 °C yielded readily observable crystallographic signatures of the exposure conditions.

  10. Transport near slippery interfaces

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Haase, A. Sander

    2016-01-01

    Some surfaces exhibit wall slip, meaning that a owing uid has a velocity relative to that surface. This leads to increased advection in the direct vicinity of the wall. As this directly a ects the rate of transport at larger scales, slippery surfaces have a potentially important application in

  11. Copper tolerance in Frankia sp. strain EuI1c involves surface binding and copper transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehan, Medhat; Furnholm, Teal; Finethy, Ryan H; Chu, Feixia; El-Fadly, Gomaah; Tisa, Louis S

    2014-09-01

    Several Frankia strains have been shown to be copper-tolerant. The mechanism of their copper tolerance was investigated for Frankia sp. strain EuI1c. Copper binding was shown by binding studies. Unusual globular structures were observed on the surface of the bacterium. These globular structures were composed of aggregates containing many relatively smaller "leaf-like" structures. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDAX) analysis of these structures indicated elevated copper and phosphate levels compared to the control cells. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis indicated an increase in extracellular phosphate on the cell surface of copper-stressed cells. Bioinformatics' analysis of the Frankia sp. strain EuI1c genome revealed five potential cop genes: copA, copZ, copC, copCD, and copD. Experiments with Frankia sp. strain EuI1c using qRT-PCR indicated an increase in messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of the five cop genes upon Cu(2+) stress. After 5 days of Cu(2+) stress, the copA, copZ, copC, copCD, and copD mRNA levels increased 25-, 8-, 18-, 18-, and 25-fold, respectively. The protein profile of Cu(2+)-stressed Frankia sp. strain EuI1c cells revealed the upregulation of a 36.7 kDa protein that was identified as FraEuI1c_1092 (sulfate-binding periplasmic transport protein). Homologues of this gene were only present in the genomes of the Cu(2+)-resistant Frankia strains (EuI1c, DC12, and CN3). These data indicate that copper tolerance by Frankia sp. strain EuI1c involved the binding of copper to the cell surface and transport proteins.

  12. Effects of engineered nano-titanium dioxide on pore surface properties and phosphorus adsorption of sediment: Its environmental implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Zhuanxi; Wang, Zhenhong; Wei, QunShan; Yan, Changzhou; Liu, Feng

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → The attachment of Enano-TiO 2 to surface enhanced markedly sediment BET surface area and t-Plot external surface area. → The fill of Enano-TiO 2 into the micropores reduced significantly the sediment t-Plot micropore surface area. → Enano-TiO 2 could increase sediment phosphorus (P) adsorption maximum and decrease in sediment P binding energy. → P would be easily released because of the decreasing P binding energy of the sediment with elevated Enano-TiO 2 . - Abstract: Understanding the environmental safety and human health implications of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is of worldwide importance. As an important ENPs, engineered nano-TiO 2 (Enano-TiO 2 ) may have been substantially deposited in aquatic sediments because of its widely uses. Sediment pore surface properties would be thus significantly influenced due to the large surface area of Enano-TiO 2 . In this study, Enano-TiO 2 was found to greatly impact on sediment pore surface properties. The attachment of Enano-TiO 2 particles to sediment surfaces enhanced markedly BET specific surface area and t-Plot external specific surface area, and thereby increased sediment phosphorus (P) adsorption maximum (S max ). Contrarily, the fill of Enano-TiO 2 particles into the micropores of sediments could significantly reduce t-Plot micropore specific surface area, and cause slight decrease in sediment P binding energy (K). Clearly, P sorbed in sediment would be easily released because of the decreasing P binding energy of the sediment with elevated Enano-TiO 2 . Enano-TiO 2 would thus cause aggravated endogenous pollution in water if such sediment was re-suspended on disturbance. The results obtained in this study contribute to our increasing knowledge of how to regulate physicochemical behavior of pollutants in sediments under the influences of Enano-TiO 2 and/or similar ENPs.

  13. The deterioration during transport and storage of tomato fruits by microorganisms contaminating the surface and latent infected tissue

    OpenAIRE

    河野, 又四; 寺下, 隆夫

    1988-01-01

    [Author abstract]Deterioration during transport and storage of tomato fruits is generally thought to be caused by microorganisms contaminating the surface and latent infected tissue of apparently healthy fruit. Counts of viable airborne microorganisms showed that there were more in plastic greenhouses than in open culure of tomatoes. Altemaria, Aspergillus niger, Asp. oryzae, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Trichothecium, Bacillus, Erwinia and Pseudomonas were among t...

  14. Importance of Ekman transport and gyre circulation change on seasonal variation of surface dissolved iron in the western subarctic North Pacific

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakanowatari, Takuya; Nakamura, Tomohiro; Uchimoto, Keisuke; Nishioka, Jun; Mitsudera, Humio; Wakatsuchi, Masaaki

    2017-05-01

    Iron (Fe) is an essential nutrient for marine phytoplankton and it constitutes an important element in the marine carbon cycle in the ocean. This study examined the mechanisms controlling seasonal variation of dissolved Fe (dFe) in the western subarctic North Pacific (WSNP), using an ocean general circulation model coupled with a simple biogeochemical model incorporating a dFe cycle fed by two major sources (atmospheric dust and continental shelf sediment). The model reproduced the seasonal cycle of observed concentrations of dFe and macronutrients at the surface in the Oyashio region with maxima in winter (February-March) and minima in summer (July-September), although the simulated seasonal amplitudes are a half of the observed values. Analysis of the mixed-layer dFe budget indicated that both local vertical entrainment and lateral advection are primary contributors to the wintertime increase in dFe concentration. In early winter, strengthened northwesterly winds excite southward Ekman transport and Ekman upwelling over the western subarctic gyre, transporting dFe-rich water southward. In mid to late winter, the southward western boundary current of the subarctic gyre and the outflow from the Sea of Okhotsk also bring dFe-rich water to the Oyashio region. The contribution of atmospheric dust to the dFe budget is several times smaller than these ocean transport processes in winter. These results suggest that the westerly wind-induced Ekman transport and gyre circulation systematically influence the seasonal cycle of WSNP surface dFe concentration.

  15. Linking atmospheric synoptic transport, cloud phase, surface energy fluxes, and sea-ice growth: observations of midwinter SHEBA conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, P. Ola G.; Shupe, Matthew D.; Perovich, Don; Solomon, Amy

    2017-08-01

    Observations from the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) project are used to describe a sequence of events linking midwinter long-range advection of atmospheric heat and moisture into the Arctic Basin, formation of supercooled liquid water clouds, enhancement of net surface energy fluxes through increased downwelling longwave radiation, and reduction in near-surface conductive heat flux loss due to a warming of the surface, thereby leading to a reduction in sea-ice bottom growth. The analyses provide details of two events during Jan. 1-12, 1998, one entering the Arctic through Fram Strait and the other from northeast Siberia; winter statistics extend the results. Both deep, precipitating frontal clouds and post-frontal stratocumulus clouds impact the surface radiation and energy budget. Cloud liquid water, occurring preferentially in stratocumulus clouds extending into the base of the inversion, provides the strongest impact on surface radiation and hence modulates the surface forcing, as found previously. The observations suggest a minimum water vapor threshold, likely case dependent, for producing liquid water clouds. Through responses to the radiative forcing and surface warming, this cloud liquid water also modulates the turbulent and conductive heat fluxes, and produces a thermal wave penetrating into the sea ice. About 20-33 % of the observed variations of bottom ice growth can be directly linked to variations in surface conductive heat flux, with retarded ice growth occurring several days after these moisture plumes reduce the surface conductive heat flux. This sequence of events modulate pack-ice wintertime environmental conditions and total ice growth, and has implications for the annual sea-ice evolution, especially for the current conditions of extensive thinner ice.

  16. Transportation into narrative worlds: implications for entertainment media influences on tobacco use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Melanie C; Clark, Jenna L

    2013-03-01

    A growing body of research suggests that smoking portrayals in movies influence adolescent tobacco use. However, the mechanism for this influence remains unclear. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of research on narrative transportation theory, particularly as applied to movies and smoking. We propose that this theory can provide a valuable framework for guiding research on the role of entertainment media in smoking and other addictive behaviors. We review empirical work on transportation theory and highlight the psychological mechanisms underlying transportation effects. 'Transportation into narrative worlds' refers to cognitive, emotional and imagery engagement into a narrative (including movies and entertainment media). We link this work with research on the effects of movie smoking. Research suggests that individuals who are more highly transported into narratives show greater attitude, belief and behavior change. Transportation effects work through reducing counterarguing, creating connections (identification and liking) with characters and increasing perceptions of realism and emotional involvement. We propose several future directions and research challenges for applying a transportation framework to the issue of entertainment media effects on smoking and tobacco disparities. Understanding factors contributing to transportation may provide a more nuanced view of who will be affected by movie smoking, and understanding the psychological processes underlying narrative persuasion may guide intervention efforts. Narrative transportation theory suggests that individuals' cognitive, emotional and imagery immersion in a narrative is a key mechanism of attitude, belief and behavior change. This theory provides a potentially generative and psychologically grounded framework for increasing knowledge about the boundary conditions and processes underlying the effects of entertainment media on tobacco use. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for

  17. Effect of surface states of layered double hydroxides on conductive and transport properties of nanocomposite polymer electrolytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao, C.-S.; Ye, W.-B.

    2004-01-01

    All solid-state poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) nanocomposite electrolytes were made containing nanoscale fillers of layered double hydroxides (LDHs). Two kinds of LDHs with different surface states were prepared by aqueous co-precipitation method. The LDHs were added into PEO matrix to study the structures, conductivities and ionic transport properties of nanocomposite electrolytes. The structures of LDHs were characterized by infrared spectra, thermogravimetric analysis and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. With enhanced compatibility of LDH sheets by oligo(ethylene oxide) surface modification, the PEO/OMLDH nanocomposite electrolyte exhibits an amorphous morphology and an enhancement of conductivity by three orders of magnitude as compared to pure PEO electrolyte. The lithium ion transference number T Li + of PEO/LDH nanocomposite electrolyte measured with a value of 0.42 is two times higher than the one of pure PEO electrolyte, which can be attributed to the Lewis acid-base interaction between surface states of metal hydroxides and counter anions of lithium salts

  18. Picowatt Resolution Calorimetry for Micro and Nanoscale Energy Transport Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadat, Seid H.

    dioxide deposited on a gold surface dramatically enhances NF-RHT between the coated surface and a second silica surface. Specifically, we find that the resulting heat fluxes are very similar to those between two bulk silicon dioxide surfaces when the gap size is reduced to be comparable to that of the film thickness. This interesting effect is understood on the basis of detailed computational analysis, which shows that the NF-RHT in gaps comparable to film thickness is completely dominated by the contributions from surface phonon-polaritons whose effective skin depth is comparable to the film thickness. These results are expected to hold true for various dielectric surfaces where heat transport is dominated by surface phonon-polaritons and have important implications for near-field based thermo photovoltaic devices and for near-field based thermal management.

  19. The B7-1 cytoplasmic tail enhances intracellular transport and mammalian cell surface display of chimeric proteins in the absence of a linear ER export motif.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Chieh Lin

    Full Text Available Membrane-tethered proteins (mammalian surface display are increasingly being used for novel therapeutic and biotechnology applications. Maximizing surface expression of chimeric proteins on mammalian cells is important for these applications. We show that the cytoplasmic domain from the B7-1 antigen, a commonly used element for mammalian surface display, can enhance the intracellular transport and surface display of chimeric proteins in a Sar1 and Rab1 dependent fashion. However, mutational, alanine scanning and deletion analysis demonstrate the absence of linear ER export motifs in the B7 cytoplasmic domain. Rather, efficient intracellular transport correlated with the presence of predicted secondary structure in the cytoplasmic tail. Examination of the cytoplasmic domains of 984 human and 782 mouse type I transmembrane proteins revealed that many previously identified ER export motifs are rarely found in the cytoplasmic tail of type I transmembrane proteins. Our results suggest that efficient intracellular transport of B7 chimeric proteins is associated with the structure rather than to the presence of a linear ER export motif in the cytoplasmic tail, and indicate that short (less than ~ 10-20 amino acids and unstructured cytoplasmic tails should be avoided to express high levels of chimeric proteins on mammalian cells.

  20. Studies of the viscoelastic properties of water confined between surfaces of specified chemical nature.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Houston, Jack E.; Grest, Gary Stephen; Moore, Nathan W.; Feibelman, Peter J.

    2010-09-01

    This report summarizes the work completed under the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project 10-0973 of the same title. Understanding the molecular origin of the no-slip boundary condition remains vitally important for understanding molecular transport in biological, environmental and energy-related processes, with broad technological implications. Moreover, the viscoelastic properties of fluids in nanoconfinement or near surfaces are not well-understood. We have critically reviewed progress in this area, evaluated key experimental and theoretical methods, and made unique and important discoveries addressing these and related scientific questions. Thematically, the discoveries include insight into the orientation of water molecules on metal surfaces, the premelting of ice, the nucleation of water and alcohol vapors between surface asperities and the lubricity of these molecules when confined inside nanopores, the influence of water nucleation on adhesion to salts and silicates, and the growth and superplasticity of NaCl nanowires.

  1. Wind Transport of Radionuclide- Bearing Dust, Peña Blanca, Chihuahua, Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velarde, R.; Goodell, P. C.; Gill, T. E.; Arimoto, R.

    2007-05-01

    This investigation evaluates radionuclide fractionation during wind erosion of high-grade uranium ore storage piles at Peña Blanca (50km north of Chihuahua City), Chihuahua, Mexico. The aridity of the local environment promotes dust resuspension by high winds. Although active operations ceased in 1983, the Peña Blanca mining district is one of Mexico`s most important uranium ore reserves. The study site contains piles of high grade ore, left loose on the surface, and separated by the specific deposits from which they were derived (Margaritas, Nopal I, and Puerto I). Similar locations do not exist in the United States, since uranium mining sites in the USA have been reclaimed. The Peña Blanca site serves as an analog for the Yucca Mountain project. Dust deposition is collected at Peña Blanca with BSNE sediment catchers (Fryrear, 1986) and marble dust traps (Reheis, 1999). These devices capture windblown sediment; subsequently, the sample data will help quantify potentially radioactive short term field sediment loss from the repository surface and determine sediment flux. Aerosols and surface materials will be analyzed and radioactivity levels established utilizing techniques such as gamma spectroscopy. As a result, we will be able to estimate how much radionuclide contaminated dust is being transported or attached geochemically to fine grain soils or minerals (e.g., clays or iron oxides). The high-grade uranium-bearing material is at secular equilibrium, thus the entire decay series is present. Of resulting interest is not only the aeolian transport of uranium, but also of the other daughter products. These studies will improve our understanding of geochemical cycling of radionuclides with respect to sources, transport, and deposition. The results may also have important implications for the geosciences and homeland security, and potential applications to public health. Funding for this project is provided in part via a NSF grant to Arimoto.

  2. Ferromagnetic-insulators-modulated transport properties on the surface of a topological insulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Jun-Ji; Liao Wen-Hu

    2014-01-01

    Transport properties on the surface of a topological insulator (TI) under the modulation of a two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnet/ferromagnet junction are investigated by the method of wave function matching. The single ferromagnetic barrier modulated transmission probability is expected to be a periodic function of the polarization angle and the planar rotation angle, that decreases with the strength of the magnetic proximity exchange increasing. However, the transmission probability for the double ferromagnetic insulators modulated n—n junction and n—p junction is not a periodic function of polarization angle nor planar rotation angle, owing to the combined effects of the double ferromagnetic insulators and the barrier potential. Since the energy gap between the conduction band and the valence band is narrowed and widened respectively in ranges of 0 ≤ θ < π/2 and π/2 < θ ≤ π, the transmission probability of the n—n junction first increases rapidly and then decreases slowly with the increase of the magnetic proximity exchange strength. While the transmission probability for the n—p junction demonstrates an opposite trend on the strength of the magnetic proximity exchange because the band gaps contrarily vary. The obtained results may lead to the possible realization of a magnetic/electric switch based on TIs and be useful in further understanding the surface states of TIs

  3. Transport of oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes through silica based porous media: influences of aquatic chemistry, surface chemistry, and natural organic matter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jin; Bitter, Julie L; Smith, Billy A; Fairbrother, D Howard; Ball, William P

    2013-12-17

    This paper provides results from studies of the transport of oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (O-MWCNTs) of varying surface oxygen concentrations under a range of aquatic conditions and through uniform silica glass bead media. In the presence of Na(+), the required ionic strength (IS) for maximum particle attachment efficiency (i.e., the critical deposition concentration, or CDC) increased as the surface oxygen concentration of the O-MWCNTs or pH increased, following qualitative tenets of theories based on electrostatic interactions. In the presence of Ca(2+), CDC values were lower than those with Na(+) present, but were no longer sensitive to surface oxygen content, suggesting that Ca(2+) impacts the interactions between O-MWCNTs and glass beads by mechanisms other than electrostatic alone. The presence of Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM) decreased the attachment efficiency of O-MWCNTs in the presence of either Na(+) or Ca(2+), but with more pronounced effects when Na(+) was present. Nevertheless, low concentrations of SRNOM (organic carbon) were sufficient to mobilize all O-MWCNTs studied at CaCl2 concentrations as high as 10 mM. Overall, this study reveals that NOM content, pH, and cation type show more importance than surface chemistry in affecting O-MWCNTs deposition during transport through silica-based porous media.

  4. Enhanced Colloidal Stability of CeO2 Nanoparticles by Ferrous Ions: Adsorption, Redox Reaction, and Surface Precipitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xuyang; Ray, Jessica R; Neil, Chelsea W; Li, Qingyun; Jun, Young-Shin

    2015-05-05

    Due to the toxicity of cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (NPs), a better understanding of the redox reaction-induced surface property changes of CeO2 NPs and their transport in natural and engineered aqueous systems is needed. This study investigates the impact of redox reactions with ferrous ions (Fe2+) on the colloidal stability of CeO2 NPs. We demonstrated that under anaerobic conditions, suspended CeO2 NPs in a 3 mM FeCl2 solution at pH 4.8 were much more stable against sedimentation than those in the absence of Fe2+. Redox reactions between CeO2 NPs and Fe2+ lead to the formation of 6-line ferrihydrite on the CeO2 surfaces, which enhanced the colloidal stability by increasing the zeta potential and hydrophilicity of CeO2 NPs. These redox reactions can affect the toxicity of CeO2 NPs by increasing cerium dissolution, and by creating new Fe(III) (hydr)oxide reactive surface layers. Thus, these findings have significant implications for elucidating the phase transformation and transport of redox reactive NPs in the environment.

  5. Spreading of 137 C in the Goiania urban area by resuspension and transport of surface soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rio, Monica Pires do; Amaral, Eliana

    2002-01-01

    The resuspension of surface soil was considered the mechanism responsible by the spreading of 137 Cs after the Goiania accident, which affected an urban area of about 1 km 2 . Studies on the transport of 137 Cs associated to the surface soil were performed in a house located at 57 th Street, close to the main focus of contamination, from 05/89 to 07/00. Periodically, samples of surface soil and soil profile were collected at the house yards and street dust sampling at representative locations was performed in order to know the extension of the contamination in the city. The soil profile samples have shown the low mobility of 137 Cs in deep layers of the soil, although a slight long-term decrease of the 137 Cs activity concentration in the surface soil were observed. The 137 Cs activity concentration in the street dust samples also decrease with time, suggesting a natural dilution of the contamination in those samples; higher values were only found in few locations close to the foci of primary deposition and no additional spreading of the radionuclide is expected to occur from that area. Street dust sampling is a suitable method to assess the spreading of caesium in urban environment. (author)

  6. Ab-Initio Modelling Of Surface Site Reactivity And Fluid Transport In Clay Minerals Case Study: Pyrophyllite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Churakov, S.V.

    2005-01-01

    Pyrophyllite, Al 2 [Si 4 O 10 ](OH) 2 , is the simplest structural prototype for 2:1 dioctahedral phyllosilicate. Because the net electric charge in pyrophyllite is zero, it is the best candidate for investigating the non electrostatic contribution to sorption and transport phenomena in clays. Using ab-initio simulations, we have investigated the reactivity and structure of the water-solid interface on the basal plane and edge sites of pyrophyllite. The calculations predict slightly hydrophobic behaviour of the basal plane. For the high water coverage (100), (110) and (-110), lateral facets have a lower energy than for the (010), (130) and (-130) surfaces. Analysis of the surface reactivity reveals that the =Al-OH groups are most easily protonated on the (010), (130) and (-130) facets. The =Al-O-Si= sites will be protonated on the (100), (130), (110), (-110) and (-130) surfaces. The =Al-OH 2 complexes are more easily de-protonated than the =Si-OH and =Al-OH sites. A spontaneous, reversible exchange of the protons between the solution and the edge sites has been observed in ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations at 300 K. Such near-surface proton diffusion may result in a significant contribution to the diffusion coefficients measured in neutron scattering experiments. (author)

  7. Role of transport band edge variation on delocalized charge transport in high-mobility crystalline organic semiconductors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadashchuk, Andrey; Tong, Fei; Janneck, Robby; Fishchuk, Ivan I.; Mityashin, Alexander; Pavlica, Egon; Köhler, Anna; Heremans, Paul; Rolin, Cedric; Bratina, Gvido; Genoe, Jan

    2017-09-01

    We demonstrate that the degree of charge delocalization has a strong impact on polarization energy and thereby on the position of the transport band edge in organic semiconductors. This gives rise to long-range potential fluctuations, which govern the electronic transport through delocalized states in organic crystalline layers. This concept is employed to formulate an analytic model that explains a negative field dependence coupled with a positive temperature dependence of the charge mobility observed by a lateral time-of-flight technique in a high-mobility crystalline organic layer. This has important implications for the further understanding of the charge transport via delocalized states in organic semiconductors.

  8. Arsenic transport in groundwater, surface water, and the hyporheic zone of a mine-influenced stream-aquifer system

    OpenAIRE

    Brown, Brendan

    2005-01-01

    We investigated the transport of dissolved arsenic in groundwater, surface water and the hyporheic zone in a stream-aquifer system influenced by an abandoned arsenopyrite mine. Mine tailing piles consisting of a host of arsenic-bearing minerals including arsenopyrite and scorodite remain adjacent to the stream and represent a continuous source of arsenic. Arsenic loads from the stream, springs, and groundwater were quantified at the study reach on nine dates from January to August 2005 and ...

  9. Effects of earthworms on slopewash, surface runoff, and fine-litter transport on a humid-tropical forested hillslope in eastern Puerto Rico: Chapter G in Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Matthew C.; Liu, Zhigang Liu; Zou, Xiaoming; Murphy, Sheila F.; Stallard, Robert F.

    2012-01-01

    Rainfall, slopewash (the erosion of soil particles), surface runoff, and fine-litter transport were measured in tropical wet forest on a hillslope in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, from February 1998 until April 2000. Slopewash data were collected using Gerlach troughs at eight plots, each 2 square meters in area. Earthworms were excluded by electroshocking from four randomly selected plots. The other four (control) plots were undisturbed. During the experiment, earthworm population in the electroshocked plots was reduced by 91 percent. At the end of the experiment, the electroshocked plots had 13 percent of earthworms by count and 6 percent by biomass as compared with the control plots. Rainfall during the sampling period (793 days) was 9,143 millimeters. Mean and maximum rainfall by sampling period (mean of 16 days) were 189 and 563 millimeters, respectively. Surface runoff averaged 0.6 millimeters and 1.2 millimeters by sampling period for the control and experimental plots, equal to 0.25 and 0.48 percent of mean rainfall, respectively. Disturbance of the soil environment by removal of earthworms doubled runoff and increased the transport (erosion) of soil and organic material by a factor of 4.4. When earthworms were removed, the erosion of mineral soil (soil mass left after ashing) and the transport of fine litter were increased by a factor of 5.3 and 3.4, respectively. It is assumed that increased runoff is a function of reduced soil porosity, resulting from decreased burrowing and reworking of the soil in the absence of earthworms. The background, or undisturbed, downslope transport of soil, as determined from the control plots, was 51 kilograms per hectare and the "disturbance" rate, determined from the experimental plots, was 261 kilograms per hectare. The background rate for downslope transport of fine litter was 71 kilograms per hectare and the disturbance rate was 246 kilograms per hectare. Data from this study indicate that the reduction

  10. Transport and retention of phosphorus in surface water in an urban slum area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyenje, P. M.; Meijer, L. M. G.; Foppen, J. W.; Kulabako, R.; Uhlenbrook, S.

    2013-08-01

    The transport of excessive phosphorus (P) discharged from unsewered informal settlements (slums) due to poor on-site sanitation is largely unknown. Hence, we investigated the processes governing P transport in a 28 km2 slum-dominated catchment in Kampala, Uganda. During high runoff events and a period of base flow, we collected hourly water samples (over 24 h) from a primary channel draining the catchment and from a small size tertiary channel draining one of the contributing slum areas (0.5 km2). Samples were analyzed for orthophosphate (PO4-P), particulate P (PP), total P (TP) and selected hydro-chemical parameters. Channel bed and suspended sediments were collected to determine their sorption potential, geo-available metals and dominant P forms. We found that P inputs in the catchment originated mainly from domestic wastewater as evidenced by high concentrations of Cl (36-144 mg L-1), HCO3 and other cations in the channels. Most P discharged during low flow conditions was particulate implying that much of it was retained in bed sediments. Retained P was mostly bound to Ca and Fe/Al oxides. Hence, we inferred that mineral precipitation and adsorption to Ca-minerals were the dominant P retention processes. Bed sediments were P-saturated and showed a tendency to release P to discharging waters. P released was likely due to Ca-bound P because of the strong correlation between Ca and total P in sediments (r2 = 0.9). High flows exhibited a strong flush of PP and SS implying that part of P retained was frequently flushed out of the catchment by surface erosion and resuspension of bed sediment. Our findings suggest that P accumulated in the channel bed during low flows and then was slowly released into surface water. Hence, it will likely take some time, even with improved wastewater management practices, before P loads to downstream areas can be significantly reduced.

  11. The transport performance evaluation system building of logistics enterprises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xueli Wang

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: modern logistics has a significant role in today’s society, logistics cost accounts for 35% to 50% of total logistics costs, so it’s great significance to improve the transport performance of logistics enterprises. Design/methodology/approach: the authors select the transportation performance evaluation index of logistics enterprise, with the aid of the fuzzy theory and analytic hierarchy process (AHP, adopt the combining method of quantitative and qualitative analysis, construct the transport performance evaluation system of logistics enterprises. Findings: the choice of transport performance evaluation indicator system for Logistics enterprise is in a state of "high", which indicates the indicator selection is reasonable. Research limitations/implications: the selected indicators with experts’ subjective factors can not accurately quantify. Practical implications: it has important practical significance to promote the development of modern logistics enterprises and save social cost. Originality/value: current research methods mainly include the PDCA cycle model, key performance indicators (KPI and benchmarking method, principal component analysis method, etc. The authors for the first time with the aid of fuzzy theory and analytic hierarchy process (AHP, adopt the combining method of quantitative and qualitative research on transport performance problems.

  12. Evaporation rates and surface profiles on heterogeneous surfaces with mass transfer and surface reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, M; Schmidt, L D

    1979-01-01

    Simple models incorporating surface reaction and diffusion of volatile products through a boundary layer are developed to calculate effective rates of evaporation and local surface profiles on surfaces having active and inactive regions. The coupling between surface heterogeneities with respect to a particular reaction and external mass transfer may provide a mechanism for the surface rearrangement and metal loss encountered in several catalytic systems of practical interest. Calculated transport rates for the volatilization of platinum in oxidizing environments and the rearrangement of this metal during the ammonia oxidation reaction agree well with published experimental data.

  13. Polyamines control of cation transport across plant membranes: implications for ion homeostasis and abiotic stress signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pottosin, Igor; Shabala, Sergey

    2014-01-01

    Polyamines are unique polycationic metabolites, controlling a variety of vital functions in plants, including growth and stress responses. Over the last two decades a bulk of data was accumulated providing explicit evidence that polyamines play an essential role in regulating plant membrane transport. The most straightforward example is a blockage of the two major vacuolar cation channels, namely slow (SV) and fast (FV) activating ones, by the micromolar concentrations of polyamines. This effect is direct and fully reversible, with a potency descending in a sequence Spm(4+) > Spd(3+) > Put(2+). On the contrary, effects of polyamines on the plasma membrane (PM) cation and K(+)-selective channels are hardly dependent on polyamine species, display a relatively low affinity, and are likely to be indirect. Polyamines also affect vacuolar and PM H(+) pumps and Ca(2+) pump of the PM. On the other hand, catabolization of polyamines generates H2O2 and other reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydroxyl radicals. Export of polyamines to the apoplast and their oxidation there by available amine oxidases results in the induction of a novel ion conductance and confers Ca(2+) influx across the PM. This mechanism, initially established for plant responses to pathogen attack (including a hypersensitive response), has been recently shown to mediate plant responses to a variety of abiotic stresses. In this review we summarize the effects of polyamines and their catabolites on cation transport in plants and discuss the implications of these effects for ion homeostasis, signaling, and plant adaptive responses to environment.

  14. Surface harmonics method for two-dimensional time-dependent neutron transport problems of square-lattice nuclear reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boyarinov, V. F.; Kondrushin, A. E.; Fomichenko, P. A. [National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute, Kurchatov Sq. 1, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2013-07-01

    Time-dependent equations of the Surface Harmonics Method (SHM) have been derived from the time-dependent neutron transport equation with explicit representation of delayed neutrons for solving the two-dimensional time-dependent problems. These equations have been realized in the SUHAM-TD code. The TWIGL benchmark problem has been used for verification of the SUHAM-TD code. The results of the study showed that computational costs required to achieve necessary accuracy of the solution can be an order of magnitude less than with the use of the conventional finite difference method (FDM). (authors)

  15. Impacts of urbanization on nitrogen cycling and aerosol, surface and groundwater transport in semi-arid regions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohse, K. A.; Gallo, E.; Carlson, M.; Riha, K. M.; Brooks, P. D.; McIntosh, J. C.; Sorooshian, A.; Michalski, G. M.; Meixner, T.

    2011-12-01

    Semi-arid regions are experiencing disproportionate increases in human population and land transformation worldwide, taxing limited water resources and altering nitrogen (N) biogeochemistry. How the redistribution of water and N by urbanization affects semi-arid ecosystems and downstream water quality (e.g. drinking water) is unclear. Understanding these interactions and their feedbacks will be critical for developing science-based management strategies to sustain these limited resources. This is especially true in the US where some of the fastest growing urban areas are in semi-arid ecosystems, where N and water cycles are accelerated, and intimately coupled, and where runoff from urban ecosystems is actively managed to augment a limited water supply to the growing human population. Here we synthesize several ongoing studies from the Tucson Basin in Arizona and examine how increasing urban land cover is altering rainfall-runoff relationships, groundwater recharge, water quality, and long range transport of atmospheric N. Studies across 5 catchments varying in impervious land cover showed that only the least impervious catchment responded to antecedent moisture conditions while hydrologic responses were not statistically related to antecedent rainfall conditions at more impervious sites. Regression models indicated that rainfall depth, imperviousness, and their combined effect control discharge and runoff ratios (p channel characteristics and infrastructure controlled runoff chemistry. Groundwater studies showed nonpoint source contamination of CFCs and associated nitrate in areas of rapid recharge along ephemeral channels. Aerosol measurements indicate that both long-range transport of N and N emissions from Tucson are being transported and deposited at high elevation in areas that recharge regional groundwater. Combined, our findings suggest that urbanization in semi-arid regions results in tradeoffs in the redistribution of water and N that have important

  16. Meridional Flow Observations: Implications for the current Flux Transport Models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez Hernandez, Irene; Komm, Rudolf; Kholikov, Shukur; Howe, Rachel; Hill, Frank

    2011-01-01

    Meridional circulation has become a key element in the solar dynamo flux transport models. Available helioseismic observations from several instruments, Taiwan Oscillation Network (TON), Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI), have made possible a continuous monitoring of the solar meridional flow in the subphotospheric layers for the last solar cycle, including the recent extended minimum. Here we review some of the meridional circulation observations using local helioseismology techniques and relate them to magnetic flux transport models.

  17. Imaging near-surface heterogeneities by natural migration of surface waves

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Zhaolun

    2016-09-06

    We demonstrate that near-surface heterogeneities can be imaged by natural migration of backscattered surface waves in common shot gathers. No velocity model is required because the data are migrated onto surface points with the virtual Green\\'s functions computed from the shot gathers. Migrating shot gathers recorded by 2D and 3D land surveys validates the effectiveness of detecting nearsurface heterogeneities by natural migration. The implication is that more accurate hazard maps can be created by migrating surface waves in land surveys.

  18. Soil aggregate stability and size-selective sediment transport with surface runoff as affected by organic residue amendment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Pu; Arter, Christian; Liu, Xingyu; Keller, Martin; Schulin, Rainer

    2017-12-31

    Aggregate breakdown influences the availability of soil particles for size-selective sediment transport with surface runoff during erosive rainfall events. Organic matter management is known to affect aggregate stability against breakdown, but little is known about how this translates into rainfall-induced aggregate fragmentation and sediment transport under field conditions. In this study, we performed field experiments in which artificial rainfall was applied after pre-wetting on three pairs of arable soil plots (1.5×0.75m) six weeks after incorporating a mixture of grass and wheat straw into the topsoil of one plot in each pair (OI treatment) but not on the other plot (NI treatment). Artificial rainfall was applied for approximately 2h on each pair at an intensity of 49.1mmh -1 . In both treatments, discharge and sediment concentration in the discharge were correlated and followed a similar temporal pattern after the onset of surface runoff: After a sharp increase at the beginning both approached a steady state. But the onset of runoff was more delayed on the OI plots, and the discharge and sediment concentration were in average only roughly half as high on the OI as on the NI plots. With increasing discharge the fraction of coarse sediment increased. This relationship did not differ between the two treatments. Thus, due to the lower discharge, the fraction of fine particles in the exported sediment was larger in the runoff from the OI plots than from the NI plots. The later runoff onset and lower discharge rate was related to a higher initial aggregate stability on the OI plots. Terrestrial laser scanning proved to be a very valuable method to map changes in the micro-topography of the soil surfaces. It revealed a much less profound decrease in surface roughness on the OI than on the NI plots. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Active Self-Assembled Spinners: dynamic crystals, transport and induced surface flows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snezhko, Alexey; Kokot, Gasper

    Strongly interacting colloids driven out-of-equilibrium by an external periodic forcing often develop nontrivial collective dynamics. Active magnetic colloids proved to be excellent model experimental systems to explore emergent behavior and active (out-of-equilibrium) self-assembly phenomena. Ferromagnetic micro-particles, suspended at a liquid interface and energized by a rotational homogeneous alternating magnetic field applied along the supporting interface, spontaneously form ensembles of synchronized self-assembled spinners with well-defined characteristic length. The size and the torque of an individual self-assembled spinner are controlled by the frequency of the driving magnetic field. Experiments reveal a rich collective dynamics in large ensembles of synchronized magnetic spinners that spontaneously form dynamic spinner lattices at the interface in a certain range of the excitation parameters. Non-trivial dynamics inside of the formed spinner lattices is observed. Transport of passive cargo particles and structure of the underlying self-induced surface flows is analyzed. The research was supported by the U.S. DOE, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Science and Engineering.

  20. Reductions in soil surface albedo as a function of biochar application rate: implications for global radiative forcing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verheijen, Frank G A; Bastos, Ana Catarina; Keizer, Jan Jacob; Jeffery, Simon; Van der Velde, Marijn; Penížek, Vít; Beland, Martin

    2013-01-01

    Biochar can be defined as pyrolysed (charred) biomass produced for application to soils with the aim of mitigating global climate change while improving soil functions. Sustainable biochar application to soils has been estimated to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 71–130 Pg CO 2 -C e over 100 years, indicating an important potential to mitigate climate change. However, these estimates ignored changes in soil surface reflection by the application of dark-coloured biochar. Through a laboratory experiment we show a strong tendency for soil surface albedo to decrease as a power decay function with increasing biochar application rate, depending on soil moisture content, biochar application method and land use. Surface application of biochar resulted in strong reductions in soil surface albedo even at relatively low application rates. As a first assessment of the implications for climate change mitigation of these biochar–albedo relationships, we applied a first order global energy balance model to compare negative radiative forcings (from avoided CO 2 emissions) with positive radiative forcings (from reduced soil surface albedos). For a global-scale biochar application equivalent to 120 t ha −1 , we obtained reductions in negative radiative forcings of 5 and 11% for croplands and 11 and 23% for grasslands, when incorporating biochar into the topsoil or applying it to the soil surface, respectively. For a lower global biochar application rate (equivalent to 10 t ha −1 ), these reductions amounted to 13 and 44% for croplands and 28 and 94% for grasslands. Thus, our findings revealed the importance of including changes in soil surface albedo in studies assessing the net climate change mitigation potential of biochar, and we discuss the urgent need for field studies and more detailed spatiotemporal modelling. (letter)

  1. Orf virus interferes with MHC class I surface expression by targeting vesicular transport and Golgi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rohde Jörg

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Orf virus (ORFV, a zoonotic Parapoxvirus, causes pustular skin lesions in small ruminants (goat and sheep. Intriguingly, ORFV can repeatedly infect its host, despite the induction of a specific immunity. These immune modulating and immune evading properties are still unexplained. Results Here, we describe that ORFV infection of permissive cells impairs the intracellular transport of MHC class I molecules (MHC I as a result of structural disruption and fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus. Depending on the duration of infection, we observed a pronounced co-localization of MHC I and COP-I vesicular structures as well as a reduction of MHC I surface expression of up to 50%. These subversion processes are associated with early ORFV gene expression and are accompanied by disturbed carbohydrate trimming of post-ER MHC I. The MHC I population remaining on the cell surface shows an extended half-life, an effect that might be partially controlled also by late ORFV genes. Conclusions The presented data demonstrate that ORFV down-regulates MHC I surface expression in infected cells by targeting the late vesicular export machinery and the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus, which might aid to escape cellular immune recognition.

  2. Surface potential, charging and local current transport of individual Ge quantum dots grown by molecular beam epitaxy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singha, R.K. [Department of Physics, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan 731235 (India); Manna, S.; Bar, R.; Das, S. [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302 (India); Ray, S.K., E-mail: physkr@phy.iitkgp.ernet.in [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302 (India)

    2017-06-15

    Highlights: We have elaborately explained the individual Ge QD charging phenomena and current transport, which is very important to understand the Ge/Si nano devices. This paper will give a flavor to properly understand these phenomena linked together along with the photocurrent mechanism which is related to the Ge/Si valence band offset. • Both the CAFM and KPFM techniques point out the functionality of doping nature of the underneath Si substrate on the aforementioned characteristics of Ge QDs. • Analysis of the surface potential mapping using KPFM technique yields an approximate valence band offset measurement which is required to understand the intra-valence transition of holes for the realization of long wavelength infrared photodetector. • KPFM and CAFM can be utilized to explore the charging/discharging phenomena of dots and their composition variations. • Current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of the individual Ge QD strongly depends on the individual QD size. • Energy band diagrams for diamond tip and Ge QD shows the higher barrier for electrons and lower barrier for holes allowing the easy tunneling for holes to dominate the transport. - Abstract: It is fundamentally important to understand the nanoscale electronic properties of a single quantum dot (QD) contrary to an ensemble of QDs. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) are two important tools, which could be employed to probe surface potential, charging phenomena, and current transport mechanism of individual QD. We demonstrate the aforementioned characteristics of self-assembled Ge QDs, which was grown on Si substrates by solid source molecular beam epitaxy driven by the Stranski-Krastanov method. Study reveals that each Ge QD acts as charge storage node even at zero applied bias. The shape, size and density of QDs could be well probed by CAFM and KPFM, whereas QD facets could be better resolved by the conductive tip. The CAFM investigation

  3. FOB-SH: Fragment orbital-based surface hopping for charge carrier transport in organic and biological molecules and materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spencer, J.; Gajdos, F.; Blumberger, J., E-mail: j.blumberger@ucl.ac.uk [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)

    2016-08-14

    We introduce a fragment orbital-based fewest switches surface hopping method, FOB-SH, designed to efficiently simulate charge carrier transport in strongly fluctuating condensed phase systems such as organic semiconductors and biomolecules. The charge carrier wavefunction is expanded and the electronic Hamiltonian constructed in a set of singly occupied molecular orbitals of the molecular sites that mediate the charge transfer. Diagonal elements of the electronic Hamiltonian (site energies) are obtained from a force field, whereas the off-diagonal or electronic coupling matrix elements are obtained using our recently developed analytic overlap method. We derive a general expression for the exact forces on the adiabatic ground and excited electronic state surfaces from the nuclear gradients of the charge localized electronic states. Applications to electron hole transfer in a model ethylene dimer and through a chain of ten model ethylenes validate our implementation and demonstrate its computational efficiency. On the larger system, we calculate the qualitative behaviour of charge mobility with change in temperature T for different regimes of the intermolecular electronic coupling. For small couplings, FOB-SH predicts a crossover from a thermally activated regime at low temperatures to a band-like transport regime at higher temperatures. For higher electronic couplings, the thermally activated regime disappears and the mobility decreases according to a power law. This is interpreted by a gradual loss in probability for resonance between the sites as the temperature increases. The polaron hopping model solved for the same system gives a qualitatively different result and underestimates the mobility decay at higher temperatures. Taken together, the FOB-SH methodology introduced here shows promise for a realistic investigation of charge carrier transport in complex organic, aqueous, and biological systems.

  4. FOB-SH: Fragment orbital-based surface hopping for charge carrier transport in organic and biological molecules and materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, J.; Gajdos, F.; Blumberger, J.

    2016-08-01

    We introduce a fragment orbital-based fewest switches surface hopping method, FOB-SH, designed to efficiently simulate charge carrier transport in strongly fluctuating condensed phase systems such as organic semiconductors and biomolecules. The charge carrier wavefunction is expanded and the electronic Hamiltonian constructed in a set of singly occupied molecular orbitals of the molecular sites that mediate the charge transfer. Diagonal elements of the electronic Hamiltonian (site energies) are obtained from a force field, whereas the off-diagonal or electronic coupling matrix elements are obtained using our recently developed analytic overlap method. We derive a general expression for the exact forces on the adiabatic ground and excited electronic state surfaces from the nuclear gradients of the charge localized electronic states. Applications to electron hole transfer in a model ethylene dimer and through a chain of ten model ethylenes validate our implementation and demonstrate its computational efficiency. On the larger system, we calculate the qualitative behaviour of charge mobility with change in temperature T for different regimes of the intermolecular electronic coupling. For small couplings, FOB-SH predicts a crossover from a thermally activated regime at low temperatures to a band-like transport regime at higher temperatures. For higher electronic couplings, the thermally activated regime disappears and the mobility decreases according to a power law. This is interpreted by a gradual loss in probability for resonance between the sites as the temperature increases. The polaron hopping model solved for the same system gives a qualitatively different result and underestimates the mobility decay at higher temperatures. Taken together, the FOB-SH methodology introduced here shows promise for a realistic investigation of charge carrier transport in complex organic, aqueous, and biological systems.

  5. TITAN'S TRANSPORT-DRIVEN METHANE CYCLE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitchell, Jonathan L.

    2012-01-01

    The mechanisms behind the occurrence of large cloud outbursts and precipitation on Titan have been disputed. A global- and annual-mean estimate of surface fluxes indicated only 1% of the insolation, or ∼0.04 W m –2 , is exchanged as sensible and/or latent fluxes. Since these fluxes are responsible for driving atmospheric convection, it has been argued that moist convection should be quite rare and precipitation even rarer, even if evaporation globally dominates the surface-atmosphere energy exchange. In contrast, climate simulations indicate substantial cloud formation and/or precipitation. We argue that the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiative imbalance is diagnostic of horizontal heat transport by Titan's atmosphere, and thus constrains the strength of the methane cycle. Simple calculations show the TOA radiative imbalance is ∼0.5-1 W m –2 in Titan's equatorial region, which implies 2-3 MW of latitudinal heat transport by the atmosphere. Our simulation of Titan's climate suggests this transport may occur primarily as latent heat, with net evaporation at the equator and net accumulation at higher latitudes. Thus, the methane cycle could be 10-20 times previous estimates. Opposing seasonal transport at solstices, compensation by sensible heat transport, and focusing of precipitation by large-scale dynamics could further enhance the local, instantaneous strength of Titan's methane cycle by a factor of several. A limited supply of surface liquids in regions of large surface radiative imbalance may throttle the methane cycle, and if so, we predict more frequent large storms over the lakes district during Titan's northern summer.

  6. Integro-differential transport approaches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stepanek, J.; Arkuszewski, J.; Boffi, V.; Matausek, M.V.

    1981-01-01

    This chapter summarizes the work done in Italy, Poland, Switzerland and Yugoslavia in the field of integro-differential neutron transport theory. It reflects different viewpoints in the handling of the subject. Some of the methods are based only on the solution of the integro-differential equation, others use only the integral form of the transport equation. Use of the characteristic solution closely related to the integral equation (ARKUSZEWSKI et al.,(1979)) seems to be a rather effective way to accelerate the 2 dimensional discrete ordinates (Ssub(n)) transport methods and supress one of the main disadvantages, the ray effect. The advanced ''Surface Currents'' (MAEDER (1975)) and ''Surface Flux'' (STEPANEK (1979)) methods are based on the solution of both the integro-differential and integral form of the transport equation. As long as the spatial fluxes were considered to be flat in each region only the integral form of the transport equation was considered. The solution seems to be the best method of simple handling the higher order Legendre polynomials used to approximate spatial and angular flux distribution. The coupling of the Bsub(n) integral transport equations with the related Psub(n) equations removes the greatest disadvantage of the Psub(n) theory and closes the system of the Psub(n) equations (LIGOU, STEPANEK (1974))

  7. Climate in the Absence of Ocean Heat Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rose, B. E. J.

    2015-12-01

    The energy transported by the oceans to mid- and high latitudes is small compared to the atmosphere, yet exerts an outsized influence on the climate. A key reason is the strong interaction between ocean heat transport (OHT) and sea ice extent. I quantify this by comparing a realistic control climate simulation with a slab ocean simulation in which OHT is disabled. Using the state-of-the-art CESM with a realistic present-day continental configuration, I show that the absence of OHT leads to a 23 K global cooling and massive expansion of sea ice to near 30º latitude in both hemisphere. The ice expansion is asymmetric, with greatest extent in the South Pacific and South Indian ocean basins. I discuss implications of this enormous and asymmetric climate change for atmospheric circulation, heat transport, and tropical precipitation. Parameter sensitivity studies show that the simulated climate is far more sensitive to small changes in ice surface albedo in the absence of OHT, with some perturbations sufficient to cause a runaway Snowball Earth glaciation. I conclude that the oceans are responsible for an enormous global warming by mitigating an otherwise very potent sea ice albedo feedback, but that the magnitude of this effect is still rather uncertain. I will also present some ideas on adapting the simple energy balance model to account for the enhanced sensitivity of sea ice to heating from the ocean.

  8. Influence of surface wettability on transport mechanisms governing water droplet evaporation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Zhenhai; Weibel, Justin A; Garimella, Suresh V

    2014-08-19

    Prediction and manipulation of the evaporation of small droplets is a fundamental problem with importance in a variety of microfluidic, microfabrication, and biomedical applications. A vapor-diffusion-based model has been widely employed to predict the interfacial evaporation rate; however, its scope of applicability is limited due to incorporation of a number of simplifying assumptions of the physical behavior. Two key transport mechanisms besides vapor diffusion-evaporative cooling and natural convection in the surrounding gas-are investigated here as a function of the substrate wettability using an augmented droplet evaporation model. Three regimes are distinguished by the instantaneous contact angle (CA). In Regime I (CA ≲ 60°), the flat droplet shape results in a small thermal resistance between the liquid-vapor interface and substrate, which mitigates the effect of evaporative cooling; upward gas-phase natural convection enhances evaporation. In Regime II (60 ≲ CA ≲ 90°), evaporative cooling at the interface suppresses evaporation with increasing contact angle and counterbalances the gas-phase convection enhancement. Because effects of the evaporative cooling and gas-phase convection mechanisms largely neutralize each other, the vapor-diffusion-based model can predict the overall evaporation rates in this regime. In Regime III (CA ≳ 90°), evaporative cooling suppresses the evaporation rate significantly and reverses entirely the direction of natural convection induced by vapor concentration gradients in the gas phase. Delineation of these counteracting mechanisms reconciles previous debate (founded on single-surface experiments or models that consider only a subset of the governing transport mechanisms) regarding the applicability of the classic vapor-diffusion model. The vapor diffusion-based model cannot predict the local evaporation flux along the interface for high contact angle (CA ≥ 90°) when evaporative cooling is strong and the

  9. Transport and transformation of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern from wastewater discharge through surface water to drinking water intake and treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    The ubiquitous presence of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in surface-water resources have necessitated research that better elucidates pathways of transport and transformation for these compounds from their discharged wastewater, thro...

  10. New and revised 14C dates for Hawaiian surface lava flows: Paleomagnetic and geomagnetic implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pressline, N.; Trusdell, F.A.; Gubbins, David

    2009-01-01

    Radiocarbon dates have been obtained for 30 charcoal samples corresponding to 27 surface lava flows from the Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes on the Island of Hawaii. The submitted charcoal was a mixture of fresh and archived material. Preparation and analysis was undertaken at the NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory in Glasgow, Scotland, and the associated SUERC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry facility. The resulting dates range from 390 years B.P. to 12,910 years B.P. with corresponding error bars an order of magnitude smaller than previously obtained using the gas-counting method. The new and revised 14C data set can aid hazard and risk assessment on the island. The data presented here also have implications for geomagnetic modelling, which at present is limited by large dating errors. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

  11. Calculation of transport coefficients in an axisymmetric plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shumaker, D.E.

    1977-01-01

    A method of calculating the transport coefficient in an axisymmetric toroidal plasma is presented. This method is useful in calculating the transport coefficients in a Tokamak plasma confinement device. The particle density and temperature are shown to be a constant on a magnetic flux surface. Transport equations are given for the total particle flux and total energy flux crossing a closed toroidal surface. Also transport equations are given for the toroidal magnetic flux. A computer code was written to calculate the transport coefficients for a three species plasma, electrons and two species of ions. This is useful for calculating the transport coefficients of a plasma which contains impurities. It was found that the particle and energy transport coefficients are increased by a large amount, and the transport coefficients for the toroidal magnetic field are reduced by a small amount

  12. Effects of engineered nano-titanium dioxide on pore surface properties and phosphorus adsorption of sediment: Its environmental implications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Luo, Zhuanxi [Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021 (China); Wang, Zhenhong [Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021 (China); Zhangzhou Normal University, Department of Chemistry and Environment Sciences, Zhangzhou 363000 (China); Wei, QunShan [Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021 (China); Yan, Changzhou, E-mail: czyan@iue.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021 (China); Liu, Feng [Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021 (China)

    2011-09-15

    Highlights: {yields} The attachment of Enano-TiO{sub 2} to surface enhanced markedly sediment BET surface area and t-Plot external surface area. {yields} The fill of Enano-TiO{sub 2} into the micropores reduced significantly the sediment t-Plot micropore surface area. {yields} Enano-TiO{sub 2} could increase sediment phosphorus (P) adsorption maximum and decrease in sediment P binding energy. {yields} P would be easily released because of the decreasing P binding energy of the sediment with elevated Enano-TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Understanding the environmental safety and human health implications of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is of worldwide importance. As an important ENPs, engineered nano-TiO{sub 2} (Enano-TiO{sub 2}) may have been substantially deposited in aquatic sediments because of its widely uses. Sediment pore surface properties would be thus significantly influenced due to the large surface area of Enano-TiO{sub 2}. In this study, Enano-TiO{sub 2} was found to greatly impact on sediment pore surface properties. The attachment of Enano-TiO{sub 2} particles to sediment surfaces enhanced markedly BET specific surface area and t-Plot external specific surface area, and thereby increased sediment phosphorus (P) adsorption maximum (S{sub max}). Contrarily, the fill of Enano-TiO{sub 2} particles into the micropores of sediments could significantly reduce t-Plot micropore specific surface area, and cause slight decrease in sediment P binding energy (K). Clearly, P sorbed in sediment would be easily released because of the decreasing P binding energy of the sediment with elevated Enano-TiO{sub 2}. Enano-TiO{sub 2} would thus cause aggravated endogenous pollution in water if such sediment was re-suspended on disturbance. The results obtained in this study contribute to our increasing knowledge of how to regulate physicochemical behavior of pollutants in sediments under the influences of Enano-TiO{sub 2} and/or similar ENPs.

  13. 224Ra distribution in surface and deep water of Long Island Sound: sources and horizontal transport rates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torgersen, T.; O'Donnell, J.; DeAngelo, E.; Turekian, K.K.; Turekian, V.C.; Tanaka, N.

    1997-01-01

    Measurements of surface water and deep water 224 Ra(half-life 3.64 days) distributions in Long Island Sound (LIS) were conducted in July 1991. Because the pycnocline structure of LIS had been in place for about 50 days in July (long compared to the half-life of 224 Ra) in the surface water and the deep water operate as separate systems. In the surface water, the fine-grain sediments of nearshore and saltmarsh environments provide a strong source of 224 Ra, which is horizontally mixed away from the short to central LIS. A one-dimensional model of 224 Ra distribution suggests a cross-LIS horizontal eddy dispersivity of 5-50 m 2 s -1 . In the deep water, the mid-LIS sediment flux of 224 Ra is enhanced by ∼ 2x relative to the periphery, and the horizontal eddy flux is from central LIS to the periphery. A second one-dimensional model suggests a cross-LIS horizontal eddy dispersivity below the thermocline of 5-50 m 2 -1 . 224 Ra fluxes into the deep water of the central LIS are likely enhanced by (1) inhomogeneous sediment or (2) a reduced scavenging of 224 Ra in the sediments of central LIS brought about by low oxygen conditions (hypoxia) and the loss of the MnO 2 scavenging layer in the sediments. These rates of horizontal eddy dispersivity are significantly less than the estimate of 100-650 m 2 s -1 (Riley, 1967) but are consistent with the transport necessary to explain the dynamics of oxygen depletion in summer LIS. These results demonstrate the use of 224 Ra for quantifying the parameters needed to describe estuarine mixing and transport. (Author)

  14. Surface migration in sorption processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rasmuson, A.; Neretnieks, J.

    1983-03-01

    Diffusion rates of sorbing chemical species in granites and clays are in several experiments within the KBS study, higher than can be explained by pore diffusion only. One possible additional transport mechanism is transport of of sorbed molecules/ions along the intrapore surfaces. As a first step a literature investigation on on solid surfaces has been conducted. A lot of experimental evidence of the mobility of the sorbed molecules has been gathered through the years, particulary for metal surfaces and chemical engineering systems. For clays however, there are only a few articles, and for granites none. Two types of surface migration models have been proposed in the litterature: i) Surface flow as a result of a gradient in spreading pressure. ii) Surface diffusion as a result of a gradient in concentration. The surface flow model has only been applied to gaseous systems. However, it should be equally applicable to liquid systems. The models i) and ii) are conceptually very different. However, the resulting expressions for surface flux are complicated and it will not be an easy task to distinguish between them. There seem to be three ways of discriminating between the transport mechanisms: a) Temperature dependence. b) Concentration dependence. c) Order of magnitude. (Forf)

  15. Fate of Uranium During Transport Across the Groundwater-Surface Water Interface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jaffe, Peter R. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Kaplan, Daniel I. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2017-06-30

    Discharge of contaminated groundwater to surface waters is of concern at many DOE facilities. For example, at F-Area and TNX-Area on the Savannah River Site, contaminated groundwater, including uranium, is already discharging into natural wetlands. It is at this interface where contaminants come into contact with the biosphere. These this research addressed a critical knowledge gap focusing on the geochemistry of uranium (or for that matter, any redox-active contaminant) in wetland systems. Understanding the interactions between hydrological, microbial, and chemical processes will make it possible to provide a more accurate conceptual and quantitative understanding of radionuclide fate and transport under these unique conditions. Understanding these processes will permit better long-term management and the necessary technical justification for invoking Monitored Natural Attenuation of contaminated wetland areas. Specifically, this research did provide new insights on how plant-induced alterations to the sediment biogeochemical processes affect the key uranium reducing microorganisms, the uranium reduction, its spatial distribution, the speciation of the immobilized uranium, and its long-term stability. This was achieved by conducting laboratory mesocosm wetland experiments as well as field measurements at the SRNL. Results have shown that uranium can be immobilized in wetland systems. To a degree some of the soluble U(VI) was reduced to insoluble U(IV), but the majority of the immobilized U was incorporated into iron oxyhydroxides that precipitated onto the root surfaces of wetland plants. This U was immobilized mostly as U(VI). Because it was immobilized in its oxidized form, results showed that dry spells, resulting in the lowering of the water table and the exposure of the U to oxic conditions, did not result in U remobilization.

  16. Intercomparison of the finite difference and nodal discrete ordinates and surface flux transport methods for a LWR pool-reactor benchmark problem in X-Y geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Dell, R.D.; Stepanek, J.; Wagner, M.R.

    1983-01-01

    The aim of the present work is to compare and discuss the three of the most advanced two dimensional transport methods, the finite difference and nodal discrete ordinates and surface flux method, incorporated into the transport codes TWODANT, TWOTRAN-NODAL, MULTIMEDIUM and SURCU. For intercomparison the eigenvalue and the neutron flux distribution are calculated using these codes in the LWR pool reactor benchmark problem. Additionally the results are compared with some results obtained by French collision probability transport codes MARSYAS and TRIDENT. Because the transport solution of this benchmark problem is close to its diffusion solution some results obtained by the finite element diffusion code FINELM and the finite difference diffusion code DIFF-2D are included

  17. Low Z impurity transport in tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hawryluk, R.J.; Suckewer, S.; Hirshman, S.P.

    1978-10-01

    Low Z impurity transport in tokamaks was simulated with a one-dimensional impurity transport model including both neoclassical and anomalous transport. The neoclassical fluxes are due to collisions between the background plasma and impurity ions as well as collisions between the various ionization states. The evaluation of the neoclassical fluxes takes into account the different collisionality regimes of the background plasma and the impurity ions. A limiter scrapeoff model is used to define the boundary conditions for the impurity ions in the plasma periphery. In order to account for the spectroscopic measurements of power radiated by the lower ionization states, fluxes due to anomalous transport are included. The sensitivity of the results to uncertainties in rate coefficients and plasma parameters in the periphery are investigated. The implications of the transport model for spectroscopic evaluation of impurity concentrations, impurity fluxes, and radiated power from line emission measurements are discussed

  18. Transport of ARS-labeled hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in saturated granular media is influenced by surface charge variability even in the presence of humic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Dengjun; Bradford, Scott A.; Harvey, Ronald W.; Hao, Xiuzhen; Zhou, Dongmei

    2012-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite nanoparticle (nHAP) is increasingly being used to remediate soils and water polluted by metals and radionuclides. The transport and retention of Alizarin red S (ARS)-labeled nHAP were investigated in water-saturated granular media. Experiments were carried out over a range of ionic strength (Ic, 0–50 mM NaCl) conditions in the presence of 10 mg L−1 humic acid. The transport of ARS-nHAP was found to decrease with increasing suspension Ic in part, because of enhanced aggregation and chemical heterogeneity. The retention profiles (RPs) of ARS-nHAP exhibited hyperexponential shapes (a decreasing rate of retention with increasing transport distance) for all test conditions, suggesting that some of the attachment was occurring under unfavorable conditions. Surface charge heterogeneities on the collector surfaces and especially within the ARS-nHAP population were contributing causes for the hyperexponential RPs. Consideration of the effect(s) of Ic in the presence of HA is needed to improve the efficacy of nHAP for scavenging metals and actinides in real soils and groundwater environments.

  19. Size-Selective Modes of Aeolian Transport on Earth and Mars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swann, C.; Ewing, R. C.; Sherman, D. J.; McLean, C. J.

    2016-12-01

    Aeolian sand transport is a dominant driver of surface change and dust emission on Mars. Estimates of aeolian sand transport on Earth and Mars rely on terrestrial transport models that do not differentiate between transport modes (e.g., creep vs. saltation), which limits estimates of the critical threshold for transport and the total sand flux during a transport event. A gap remains in understanding how the different modes contribute to the total sand flux. Experiments conducted at the MARtian Surface WInd Tunnel separated modes of transport for uniform and mixed grain size surfaces at Earth and Martian atmospheric pressures. Crushed walnut shells with a density of 1.0 gm/cm3 were used. Experiments resolved grain size distributions for creeping and saltating grains over 3 uniform surfaces, U1, U2, and U3, with median grain sizes of 308 µm, 721 µm, and 1294 µm, and a mixed grain size surface, M1, with median grain sizes of 519 µm. A mesh trap located 5 cm above the test bed and a surface creep trap were deployed to capture particles moving as saltation and creep. Grains that entered the creep trap at angles ≥ 75° were categorized as moving in creep mode only. Only U1 and M1 surfaces captured enough surface creep at both Earth and Mars pressure for statistically significant grain size analysis. Our experiments show that size selective transport differs between Earth and Mars conditions. The median grain size of particles moving in creep for both uniform and mixed surfaces are larger under Earth conditions. (U1Earth = 385 µm vs. U1Mars = 355 µm; M1Earth = 762 vs. M1Mars = 697 µm ). However, particles moving in saltation were larger under Mars conditions (U1Earth = 282 µm; U1Mars = 309 µm; M1Earth = 347 µm; M1Mars = 454 µm ). Similar to terrestrial experiments, the median size of surface creep is larger than the median grain size of saltation. Median sizes of U1, U2, U3 at Mars conditions for creep was 355 µm, 774 µm and 1574 µm. Saltation at Mars

  20. Soil Structure - A Neglected Component of Land-Surface Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatichi, S.; Or, D.; Walko, R. L.; Vereecken, H.; Kollet, S. J.; Young, M.; Ghezzehei, T. A.; Hengl, T.; Agam, N.; Avissar, R.

    2017-12-01

    Soil structure is largely absent in most standard sampling and measurements and in the subsequent parameterization of soil hydraulic properties deduced from soil maps and used in Earth System Models. The apparent omission propagates into the pedotransfer functions that deduce parameters of soil hydraulic properties primarily from soil textural information. Such simple parameterization is an essential ingredient in the practical application of any land surface model. Despite the critical role of soil structure (biopores formed by decaying roots, aggregates, etc.) in defining soil hydraulic functions, only a few studies have attempted to incorporate soil structure into models. They mostly looked at the effects on preferential flow and solute transport pathways at the soil profile scale; yet, the role of soil structure in mediating large-scale fluxes remains understudied. Here, we focus on rectifying this gap and demonstrating potential impacts on surface and subsurface fluxes and system wide eco-hydrologic responses. The study proposes a systematic way for correcting the soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity functions—accounting for soil-structure—with major implications for near saturated hydraulic conductivity. Modification to the basic soil hydraulic parameterization is assumed as a function of biological activity summarized by Gross Primary Production. A land-surface model with dynamic vegetation is used to carry out numerical simulations with and without the role of soil-structure for 20 locations characterized by different climates and biomes across the globe. Including soil structure affects considerably the partition between infiltration and runoff and consequently leakage at the base of the soil profile (recharge). In several locations characterized by wet climates, a few hundreds of mm per year of surface runoff become deep-recharge accounting for soil-structure. Changes in energy fluxes, total evapotranspiration and vegetation productivity

  1. Current status, research needs, and opportunities in applications of surface processing to transportation and utilities technologies. Proceedings of a December 1991 workshop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Czanderna, A.W.; Landgrebe, A.R. [eds.

    1992-09-01

    Goal of surface processing is to develop innovative methods of surface modification and characterization for optimum performance and environmental protection for cost-effective operational lifetimes of systems, materials, and components used in transportation and utilities. These proceedings document the principal discussions and conclusions reached at the workshop; they document chapters about the current status of surface characterization with focus on composition, structure, bonding, and atomic-scale topography of surfaces. Also documented are chapters on the current status of surface modification techniques: electrochemical, plasma-aided, reactive and nonreactive physical vapor deposition, sol-gel coatings, high-energy ion implantation, ion-assisted deposition, organized molecular assemblies, solar energy. Brief chapters in the appendices document basic research in surface science by NSF, Air Force, and DOE. Participants at the workshop were invited to serve on 10 working groups. Separate abstracts were prepared for the data base where appropriate.

  2. Anomalous transport in toroidal plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Punjabi, A.

    1991-01-01

    We have developed a Monte Carlo method to estimate the transport of different groups of particles for plasmas in toroidal geometries. This method can determine the important transport mechanisms driving the anomalous transport by comparing the numerical results with the experimental data. The important groups of particles whose transport can be estimated by this method include runaway electrons, thermal electrons, both passing and trapped diagnostic beam ions etc. The three basic mechanisms driving the anomalous transport are: spatial variation of magnetic field strength, spatial variation of electrostatic potential within the flux surfaces, and the loss of flux surfaces. The equation of motion are obtained from the drift hamiltonian. The equations of motion are developed in the canonical and in the non-canonical, practical co-ordinates as well. The effects of collisions are represented by appropriate stochastic changes in the constants of motion at each time-step. Here we present the results of application of this method to three cases: superathermal alphas in the rippled field of tokamaks, motion in the magnetic turbulence of takapole II, and transport in the stochastic fields of ZT40. This work is supported by DOE OFE and ORAU HBCU program

  3. Sensitivity of surface temperature to radiative forcing by contrail cirrus in a radiative-mixing model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    U. Schumann

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Earth's surface temperature sensitivity to radiative forcing (RF by contrail cirrus and the related RF efficacy relative to CO2 are investigated in a one-dimensional idealized model of the atmosphere. The model includes energy transport by shortwave (SW and longwave (LW radiation and by mixing in an otherwise fixed reference atmosphere (no other feedbacks. Mixing includes convective adjustment and turbulent diffusion, where the latter is related to the vertical component of mixing by large-scale eddies. The conceptual study shows that the surface temperature sensitivity to given contrail RF depends strongly on the timescales of energy transport by mixing and radiation. The timescales are derived for steady layered heating (ghost forcing and for a transient contrail cirrus case. The radiative timescales are shortest at the surface and shorter in the troposphere than in the mid-stratosphere. Without mixing, a large part of the energy induced into the upper troposphere by radiation due to contrails or similar disturbances gets lost to space before it can contribute to surface warming. Because of the different radiative forcing at the surface and at top of atmosphere (TOA and different radiative heating rate profiles in the troposphere, the local surface temperature sensitivity to stratosphere-adjusted RF is larger for SW than for LW contrail forcing. Without mixing, the surface energy budget is more important for surface warming than the TOA budget. Hence, surface warming by contrails is smaller than suggested by the net RF at TOA. For zero mixing, cooling by contrails cannot be excluded. This may in part explain low efficacy values for contrails found in previous global circulation model studies. Possible implications of this study are discussed. Since the results of this study are model dependent, they should be tested with a comprehensive climate model in the future.

  4. A bright intra-dune feature on Titan and its implications for sand formation and transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacKenzie, Shannon; Barnes, Jason W.; Rodriguez, Sebastien; Cornet, Thomas; Brossier, Jeremy; Soderblom, Jason M.; Le Mouélic, Stephane; Sotin, Christophe; Brown, Robert H.; Buratti, Bonnie J.; Clark, Roger Nelson; Nicholson, Philip D.; Baines, Kevin

    2017-10-01

    Organic sands cover much of Titan’s equatorial belt, gathered into longitudinal dunes about a kilometer wide and hundreds of kilometers long. At the end of the Cassini era, questions of how such a vast volume of saltable material is or was created on Titan remain unanswered. At least two possible mechanisms suggested for forming sand-sized particles involve liquids: (1) evaporite deposition and erosion and (2) flocculation of material within a lake. Transporting sand from the lakes and seas of Titan’s poles to the equatorial belt is not strongly supported by Cassini observations: the equatorial belt sits higher than the poles and no sheets or corridors of travelling sand have been identified. Thus, previous sites of equatorial surface liquids may be of interest for understanding sand formation, such as the suggested paleoseas Tui and Hotei Regio. A newly identified feature in the VIMS data sits within the Fensal dune field but is distinct from the surrounding sand. We investigate this Bright Fensal Feature (BFF) using data from Cassini VIMS and RADAR. Specifically, we find spectral similarities between the BFF and both sand and Hotei Regio. The RADAR cross sectional backscatter is similar to neighboring dark areas, perhaps sand covered interdunes. We use this evidence to constrain the BFF’s formation history and discuss how this intra-dune feature may contribute to the processes of sand transport and supply.

  5. WELFARE ASPECTS OF THE LONG DISTANCE TRANSPORTATION OF CATTLE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    EVANGELIA N. SOSSIDOU

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper sets out to examine the facts behind the trade of long distance transportation of cattle. In particular it looks at the various welfare implications during handling and transport with examples from research work on cattle. The role of the science is explained and the methodology for assessing the welfare of animals is then presented. Finally, public concerns and legal position are presented as they play an important role to promote farm animal welfare principles during transportation.

  6. Extremal surface barriers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engelhardt, Netta; Wall, Aron C.

    2014-01-01

    We present a generic condition for Lorentzian manifolds to have a barrier that limits the reach of boundary-anchored extremal surfaces of arbitrary dimension. We show that any surface with nonpositive extrinsic curvature is a barrier, in the sense that extremal surfaces cannot be continuously deformed past it. Furthermore, the outermost barrier surface has nonnegative extrinsic curvature. Under certain conditions, we show that the existence of trapped surfaces implies a barrier, and conversely. In the context of AdS/CFT, these barriers imply that it is impossible to reconstruct the entire bulk using extremal surfaces. We comment on the implications for the firewall controversy

  7. Differential transport of platinum compounds by the human organic cation transporter hOCT2 (hSLC22A2)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    H. Burger (Herman); A. Zoumaro-Djayoon (Adja); A.W.M. Boersma (Anton); J. Helleman (Jozien); P.M.J.J. Berns (Els); A.H.J. Mathijssen (Ron); W.J. Loos (Walter); E.A.C. Wiemer (Erik)

    2010-01-01

    textabstractAbstract BACKGROUND: Solute carriers (SLCs), in particular organic cation transporters (OCTs), have been implicated in the cellular uptake of platinum-containing anticancer compounds. The activity of these carriers may determine the pharmacokinetics and the severity of side effects,

  8. Use of 198 Au, with surface labelling, in the study of solid transport by bed load in large natural channels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakahira, S.

    1987-01-01

    The present study aims to present a method of measuring the bed load transport using a radioisotope technique in large natural channels. This study describes the basic principles of radioisotope application in this field, emphasizing the use of 198 Au for surface labelling of a natural sediment. Moreover, it presents the theoretical aspects, critical analysis, recommendations and comments on the methodology proposed. (author)

  9. Noble Gas Surface Flux Simulations And Atmospheric Transport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carrigan, Charles R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Sun, Yunwei [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Simpson, Matthew D. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2017-09-30

    Signatures from underground nuclear explosions or UNEs are strongly influenced by the containment regime surrounding them. The degree of gas leakage from the detonation cavity to the surface obviously affects the magnitude of surface fluxes of radioxenon that might be detected during the course of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty On-Site Inspection. In turn, the magnitude of surface fluxes will influence the downwind detectability of the radioxenon atmospheric signature from the event. Less obvious is the influence that leakage rates have on the evolution of radioxenon isotopes in the cavity or the downwind radioisotopic measurements that might be made. The objective of this letter report is to summarize our attempt to better understand how containment conditions affect both the detection and interpretation of radioxenon signatures obtained from sampling at the ground surface near an event as well as at greater distances in the atmosphere. In the discussion that follows, we make no attempt to consider other sources of radioactive noble gases such as natural backgrounds or atmospheric contamination and, for simplicity, only focus on detonation-produced radioxenon gases. Summarizing our simulations, they show that the decay of radioxenon isotopes (e.g., Xe-133, Xe-131m, Xe-133m and Xe-135) and their migration to the surface following a UNE means that the possibility of detecting these gases exists within a window of opportunity. In some cases, seeps or venting of detonation gases may allow significant quantities to reach the surface and be released into the atmosphere immediately following a UNE. In other release scenarios – the ones we consider here – hours to days may be required for gases to reach the surface at detectable levels. These release models are most likely more characteristic of “fully contained” events that lack prompt venting, but which still leak gas slowly across the surface for periods of months.

  10. Tear clearance implications for ocular surface health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Paiva, Cintia Sade; Pflugfelder, Stephen C

    2004-03-01

    Tear clearance/turnover provides a global assessment of the function of the lacrimal functional unit and of tear exchange on the ocular surface. It is an indirect measure of dry eye induced inflammation on the ocular surface. It shows better correlation with the severity of ocular irritation symptoms and corneal epithelial disease in dry eye than the Schirmer 1 test. Delayed tear clearance may prove to be the best measure for identifying patients with tear film disorders who may respond to anti-inflammatory therapy.

  11. Vitamin A transport and the transmembrane pore in the cell-surface receptor for plasma retinol binding protein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Zhong

    Full Text Available Vitamin A and its derivatives (retinoids play diverse and crucial functions from embryogenesis to adulthood and are used as therapeutic agents in human medicine for eye and skin diseases, infections and cancer. Plasma retinol binding protein (RBP is the principal and specific vitamin A carrier in the blood and binds vitamin A at 1:1 ratio. STRA6 is the high-affinity membrane receptor for RBP and mediates cellular vitamin A uptake. STRA6 null mice have severely depleted vitamin A reserves for vision and consequently have vision loss, even under vitamin A sufficient conditions. STRA6 null humans have a wide range of severe pathological phenotypes in many organs including the eye, brain, heart and lung. Known membrane transport mechanisms involve transmembrane pores that regulate the transport of the substrate (e.g., the gating of ion channels. STRA6 represents a new type of membrane receptor. How this receptor interacts with its transport substrate vitamin A and the functions of its nine transmembrane domains are still completely unknown. These questions are critical to understanding the molecular basis of STRA6's activities and its regulation. We employ acute chemical modification to introduce chemical side chains to STRA6 in a site-specific manner. We found that modifications with specific chemicals at specific positions in or near the transmembrane domains of this receptor can almost completely suppress its vitamin A transport activity. These experiments provide the first evidence for the existence of a transmembrane pore, analogous to the pore of ion channels, for this new type of cell-surface receptor.

  12. A shallow subsurface controlled release facility in Bozeman, Montana, USA, for testing near surface CO2 detection techniques and transport models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spangler, Lee H.; Dobeck, Laura M.; Repasky, Kevin S.; Nehrir, Amin R.; Humphries, Seth D.; Barr, Jamie L.; Keith, Charlie J.; Shaw, Joseph A.; Rouse, Joshua H.; Cunningham, Alfred B.; Benson, Sally M.; Oldenburg, Curtis M.; Lewicki, Jennifer L.; Wells, Arthur W.; Diehl, J. R.; Strazisar, Brian; Fessenden, Julianna; Rahn, Thom A.; Amonette, James E.; Barr, Jonathan L.; Pickles, William L.; Jacobson, James D.; Silver, Eli A.; Male, Erin J.; Rauch, Henry W.; Gullickson, Kadie; Trautz, Robert; Kharaka, Yousif; Birkholzer, Jens; Wielopolski, Lucien

    2010-03-01

    A facility has been constructed to perform controlled shallow releases of CO2 at flow rates that challenge near surface detection techniques and can be scalable to desired retention rates of large scale CO2 storage projects. Preinjection measurements were made to determine background conditions and characterize natural variability at the site. Modeling of CO2 transport and concentration in saturated soil and the vadose zone was also performed to inform decisions about CO2 release rates and sampling strategies. Four releases of CO2 were carried out over the summer field seasons of 2007 and 2008. Transport of CO2 through soil, water, plants, and air was studied using near surface detection techniques. Soil CO2 flux, soil gas concentration, total carbon in soil, water chemistry, plant health, net CO2 flux, atmospheric CO2 concentration, movement of tracers, and stable isotope ratios were among the quantities measured. Even at relatively low fluxes, most techniques were able to detect elevated levels of CO2 in the soil, atmosphere, or water. Plant stress induced by CO2 was detectable above natural seasonal variations.

  13. Fathoms Below: Propagation of Deep Water-driven Fractures and Implications for Surface Expression and Temporally-varying Activity at Europa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, C. C.; Craft, K.; Schmidt, B. E.

    2015-12-01

    The fracture and failure of Europa's icy shell are not only observable scars of variable stress and activity throughout its evolution, they also serve key as mechanisms in the interaction of surface and subsurface material, and thus crucial aspects of the study of crustal overturn and ice shell habitability. Galileo images, our best and only reasonable-resolution views of Europa until the Europa Multiple Flyby Mission arrives in the coming decades, illustrates a single snapshot in time in Europa's history from which we deduce many temporally-based hypotheses. One of those hypotheses, which we investigate here, is that sub-surface water-both in the form of Great Lake-sized perched water pockets in the near-surface and the larger global ocean below-drives the deformation, fracture, and failure of the surface. Using Galileo's snapshot in time, we use a 2D/3D hydraulic fracturing model to investigate the propagation of vertical fractures upward into the ice shell, motion of water within and between fractures, and the subsequent break-up of ice over shallow water, forming the chaos regions and other smaller surface features. We will present results from a cohesive fragmentation model to determine the time over which chaos formation occurs, and use a fracking model to determine the time interval required to allow water to escape from basal fractures in the ice shell. In determining the style, energy, and timescale of these processes, we constrain temporal variability in observable activity and topography at the surface. Finally, we compare these results to similar settings on Earth-Antarctica-where we have much higher resolution imagery and observations to better understand how sub-surface water can affect ice surface morphology, which most certainly have implications for future flyby and surface lander exploration.

  14. European Transportation Policy for better Integration. Shifting the Balance between the Modes of Transport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruhet Genç

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The increasing need for transportation and mobility of citizen gives raises the importance oftransportation policy. The development of the European transportation policy has a great significance for theEuropean Union. The common transportation policy of the European Union is reviewed and updated everynine years. The first common transportation policy of the European Commission was published in December1992. Besides the railway sector, most of the objectives listed in this policy were realized in ten years. In2001, the European Commission proffered a new transportation policy with sixty new measures. Thus, thispaper shows the importance of transportation projects -especially in the field of railways- for European Unionmember states. In accounting, cross-border sections of projects are more or less neglected, as member statestend to prioritize the development of sections of the projects, which are economically viable for themselves,thereby delaying the overall connectivity of the trans-European network. The railway modal is the hardestmodal to interoperate between the member countries. Therefore it is not a surprise that the objectives listed inthe first European transportation policy were not realized in the railway sector. There were enormousdifferences between railway systems before the European Union. Some of them still have an influence oncurrent railway infrastructure and operations today. To sum up, this research shall deal with the crucialaspects of common transportation policies as well as problems of its implications.

  15. A Review of Removable Surface Contamination on Radioactive Materials Transportation Containers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kennedy, Jr, W. E.; Watson, E. C.; Murphy, D. W.; Harrer, B. J.; Harty, R.; Aldrich, J. M.

    1981-05-01

    This report contains the results of a study sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of removable surface contamination on radioactive materials transportation containers. The purpose of the study is to provide information to the NRC during their review of existing regulations. Data was obtained from both industry and literature on three major topics: 1) radiation doses, 2) economic costs, and 3) contamination frequencies. Containers for four categories of radioactive materials are considered including radiopharmaceuticals, industrial sources, nuclear fuel cycle materials, and low-level radioactive waste. Assumptions made in this study use current information to obtain realistic yet conservative estimates of radiation dose and economic costs. Collective and individual radiation doses are presented for each container category on a per container basis. Total doses, to workers and the public, are also presented for spent fuel cask and low-level waste drum decontamination. Estimates of the additional economic costs incurred by lowering current limits by factors of 10 and 100 are presented. Current contamination levels for each category of container are estimated from the data collected. The information contained in this report is designed to be useful to the NRC in preparing their recommendations for new regulations.

  16. Transport of contaminants by Arctic sea ice and surface ocean currents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pfirman, S.

    1995-01-01

    Sea ice and ocean currents transport contaminants in the Arctic from source areas on the shelves, to biologically active regions often more than a thousand kilometers away. Coastal regions along the Siberian margin are polluted by discharges of agricultural, industrial and military wastes in river runoff, from atmospheric deposition and ocean dumping. The Kara Sea is of particular concern because of deliberate dumping of radioactive waste, as well as the large input of polluted river water. Contaminants are incorporated in ice during suspension freezing on the shelves, and by atmospheric deposition during drift. Ice releases its contaminant load through brine drainage, surface runoff of snow and meltwater, and when the floe disintegrates. The marginal ice zone, a region of intense biological activity, may also be the site of major contaminant release. Potentially contaminated ice from the Kara Sea is likely to influence the marginal ice zones of the Barents and Greenland seas. From studies conducted to date it appears that sea ice from the Kara Sea does not typically enter the Beaufort Gyre, and thus is unlikely to affect the northern Canadian and Alaskan margins

  17. Transportation asset management : organizational performance and risk review : final report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-15

    The 2012 Federal reauthorization of surface transportation programs, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st : Century (MAP-21) formally introduced performance-based decision making for investments in surface : transportation programs. This report revi...

  18. A shallow subsurface controlled release facility in Bozeman, Montana, USA, for testing near surface CO2 detection techniques and transport models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spangler, Lee H. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dobeck, Laura M. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Repasky, Kevin S. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Nehrir, Amin R. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Humphries, Seth D. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Barr, Jamie L. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Keith, Charlie J. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Shaw, Joseph A. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Rouse, Joshua H. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Cunningham, Alfred B. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering; Benson, Sally M. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States). Global Climate and Energy Project; Oldenburg, Curtis M. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Lewicki, Jennifer L. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Wells, Arthur W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Diehl, J. Rodney [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Strazisar, Brian R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Fessenden, Julianna E. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Div. of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Rahn, Thom A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Div. of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Amonette, James E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Barr, Jon L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Pickles, William L. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences; Jacobson, James D. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences; Silver, Eli A. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences; Male, Erin J. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Earth and Planetary Sciences; Rauch, Henry W. [Univ. of West Virginia, Morgantown, WV (United States). Dept. of Geology and Geography; Gullickson, Kadie S. [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Trautz, Robert [Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA (United States); Kharaka, Yousif [U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States); Birkholzer, Jens [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Div.; Wielopolski, Lucien [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

    2010-03-01

    A controlled field pilot has been developed in Bozeman, Montana, USA, to study near surface CO2 transport and detection technologies. A slotted horizontal well divided into six zones was installed in the shallow subsurface. The scale and CO2 release rates were chosen to be relevant to developing monitoring strategies for geological carbon storage. The field site was characterized before injection, and CO2 transport and concentrations in saturated soil and the vadose zone were modeled. Controlled releases of CO2 from the horizontal well were performed in the summers of 2007 and 2008, and collaborators from six national labs, three universities, and the U. S. Geological Survey investigated movement of CO2 through the soil, water, plants, and air with a wide range of near surface detection techniques. An overview of these results will be presented.

  19. Transepithelial transport of PEGylated anionic poly(amidoamine) dendrimers: implications for oral drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweet, Deborah M; Kolhatkar, Rohit B; Ray, Abhijit; Swaan, Peter; Ghandehari, Hamidreza

    2009-08-19

    The purpose of this work was to assess the impact of PEGylation on transepithelial transport of anionic poly(amidoamine) dendrimers. Cytotoxicity, uptake and transport across Caco-2 cells of PEGylated G3.5 and G4.5 PAMAM dendrimers were studied. Methoxy polyethylene glycol (750 Da) was conjugated to carboxylic acid-terminated PAMAM dendrimers at feed ratios of 1, 2 and 4 PEG per dendrimer. Compared to the control, PEGylation of anionic dendrimers did not significantly alter cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 0.1 mM. PEGylation of G3.5 dendrimers significantly decreased cellular uptake and transepithelial transport while PEGylation of G4.5 dendrimers led to a significant increase in uptake, but also a significant decrease in transport. Dendrimer PEGylation reduced the opening of tight junctions as evidenced by confocal microscopy techniques. Modulation of the tight junctional complex correlated well with changes in PEGylated dendrimer transport and suggests that anionic dendrimers are transported primarily through the paracellular route. PEGylated dendrimers show promise in oral delivery applications where increased functionality for drug conjugation and release is desired.

  20. Transport and scavenging of Pu in surface waters of the Southern Hemisphere Oceans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gastaud, J.; Povinec, P.P.; Aoyama, M.

    2011-01-01

    The distribution of 239Pu in Atlantic and Indian Ocean waters about four decades after their main injection from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests is discussed. Recent data obtained in the framework of the SHOTS (Southern Hemisphere Ocean Tracer Studies) projects are evaluated and compared...... with previous investigations. Seawater samples were collected during the round the globe BEAGLE2003 (Blue Ocean Global Expedition) along the 30°S transect in the Atlantic and the 20°S transect in the Indian Ocean. The results indicate transport of surface waters labelled with 239Pu from the western North...... Pacific via the Indonesian Seas to the South Indian Ocean and then to the South Atlantic Ocean. Along the whole BEAGLE2003 sampling route, the Atlantic Ocean has the lowest 239Pu content due to its particle scavenging on the long way from the western North Pacific. On the other hand, concentrations...

  1. Observations of Near-Surface Current Shear Help Describe Oceanic Oil and Plastic Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laxague, Nathan J. M.; Ö-zgökmen, Tamay M.; Haus, Brian K.; Novelli, Guillaume; Shcherbina, Andrey; Sutherland, Peter; Guigand, Cédric M.; Lund, Björn; Mehta, Sanchit; Alday, Matias; Molemaker, Jeroen

    2018-01-01

    Plastics and spilled oil pose a critical threat to marine life and human health. As a result of wind forcing and wave motions, theoretical and laboratory studies predict very strong velocity variation with depth over the upper few centimeters of the water column, an observational blind spot in the real ocean. Here we present the first-ever ocean measurements of the current vector profile defined to within 1 cm of the free surface. In our illustrative example, the current magnitude averaged over the upper 1 cm of the ocean is shown to be nearly four times the average over the upper 10 m, even for mild forcing. Our findings indicate that this shear will rapidly separate pieces of marine debris which vary in size or buoyancy, making consideration of these dynamics essential to an improved understanding of the pathways along which marine plastics and oil are transported.

  2. Conceptual and Numerical Modeling of Radionuclide Transport and Retention in Near-Surface Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pique, Angels; Arcos, David; Grandia, Fidel; Molinero, Jorge; Duro, Lara; Berglund, Sten

    2013-01-01

    Scenarios of barrier failure and radionuclide release to the near-surface environment are important to consider within performance and safety assessments of repositories for nuclear waste. A geological repository for spent nuclear fuel is planned at Forsmark, Sweden. Conceptual and numerical reactive transport models were developed in order to assess the retention capacity of the Quaternary till and clay deposits for selected radionuclides, in the event of an activity release from the repository. The elements considered were carbon (C), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), iodine (I), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), nickel (Ni), radium (Ra), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), technetium (Tc), thorium (Th), and uranium (U). According to the numerical predictions, the repository-derived nuclides that would be most significantly retained are Th, Ni, and Cs, mainly through sorption onto clays, followed by U, C, Sr, and Ra, trapped by sorption and/or incorporation into mineral phases

  3. Identification of a disulfide bridge important for transport function of SNAT4 neutral amino acid transporter.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rugmani Padmanabhan Iyer

    Full Text Available SNAT4 is a member of system N/A amino acid transport family that primarily expresses in liver and muscles and mediates the transport of L-alanine. However, little is known about the structure and function of the SNAT family of transporters. In this study, we showed a dose-dependent inhibition in transporter activity of SNAT4 with the treatment of reducing agents, dithiothreitol (DTT and Tris(2-carboxyethylphosphine (TCEP, indicating the possible involvement of disulfide bridge(s. Mutation of residue Cys-232, and the two highly conserved residues Cys-249 and Cys-321, compromised the transport function of SNAT4. However, this reduction was not caused by the decrease of SNAT4 on the cell surface since the cysteine-null mutant generated by replacing all five cysteines with alanine was equally capable of being expressed on the cell surface as wild-type SNAT4. Interestingly, by retaining two cysteine residues, 249 and 321, a significant level of L-alanine uptake was restored, indicating the possible formation of disulfide bond between these two conserved residues. Biotinylation crosslinking of free thiol groups with MTSEA-biotin provided direct evidence for the existence of a disulfide bridge between Cys-249 and Cys-321. Moreover, in the presence of DTT or TCEP, transport activity of the mutant retaining Cys-249 and Cys-321 was reduced in a dose-dependent manner and this reduction is gradually recovered with increased concentration of H2O2. Disruption of the disulfide bridge also decreased the transport of L-arginine, but to a lesser degree than that of L-alanine. Together, these results suggest that cysteine residues 249 and 321 form a disulfide bridge, which plays an important role in substrate transport but has no effect on trafficking of SNAT4 to the cell surface.

  4. Electromigration-induced Plasticity: Texture Correlation and Implications for Reliability Assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Budiman, A.S.; Besser, P.R.; Hau-Riege, C.S.; Marathe, A.; Joo, Y.-C.; Tamura, N.; Patel, J.R.; Nix, W.D.

    2008-05-29

    Plastic behavior has previously been observed in metallic interconnects undergoing high current density electromigration (EM) loading. In this study of Cu interconnects, using the synchrotron technique of white beam X-ray microdiffraction, we have further found preliminary evidence of a texture correlation. In lines with strong (111) textures, the extent of plastic deformation is found to be relatively large compared to that of weaker textures. We suggest that this strong (111) texture may lead to an extra path of mass transport in addition to the dominant interface diffusion in Cu EM. When this extra mass transport begins to affect the overall transport process, then the effective diffusivity, D{sub eff}, of the EM process is expected to deviate from that of interface diffusion only. This would have fundamental implications. We have some preliminary observations that this might be the case, and we report its implications for EM lifetime assessment in this manuscript.

  5. Macroscopic acoustoelectric charge transport in graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandhu, L.; Lawton, L. M.; Nash, G. R.

    2013-09-01

    We demonstrate macroscopic acoustoelectric transport in graphene, transferred onto piezoelectric lithium niobate substrates, between electrodes up to 500 μm apart. Using double finger interdigital transducers we have characterised the acoustoelectric current as a function of both surface acoustic wave intensity and frequency. The results are consistent with a relatively simple classical relaxation model, in which the acoustoelectric current is proportional to both the surface acoustic wave intensity and the attenuation of the wave caused by the charge transport.

  6. Transport-related fringe benefits: implications for moving and the journey to work

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Ommeren, J.N.; van der Vlist, A.J.; Nijkamp, P.

    2006-01-01

    Firms offer compensation not only through wages, but also offer transport-related fringe benefits such as transport benefits (company cars, travel, and parking benefits) and relocation benefits to job applicants. We argue that these benefits are not randomly offered to employees, but depend on the

  7. Locality and nonlocality in geomorphic transport laws: Implications of a particle-based model of hillslope evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, G. E.; Bradley, D. N.

    2008-12-01

    Many geomorphic transport laws assume that the transport process is local, meaning that the space and time scales of particle displacement are short relative to those of the system as a whole. This assumption allows one to express sediment flux in terms of at-a-point properties such as the local surface gradient. However, while this assumption is quite reasonable for some processes (for example, grain displacement by raindrop impact), it is questionable for others (such as landsliding). Moreover, particle displacement distance may also depend on slope angle, becoming longer as gradient increases. For example, the average motion distance during sediment ravel events on very steep slopes may approach the length of the entire hillslope. In such cases, the mass flux through a given point may depend not only on the local topography but also on topography some distance upslope, thus violating the locality assumption. Here we use a stochastic, particle- based model of hillslope evolution to gain insight into the potential for, and consequences of, nonlocality in sediment transport. The model is designed as a simple analogy for a host of different processes that displace sediment grains on hillslopes. The hillslope is represented as a two-dimensional pile of particles. These particles undergo quasi-random motion according to the following rules: (1) during each iteration, a particle and a direction are selected at random; (2) the particle hops in the direction of motion with a probability that depends on the its height relative to that of its immediate neighbor; (3) the particle continues making hops in the same direction and with the same probability dependence, until coming to rest or exiting the base of the slope. The topography and motion statistics that emerge from these rules show a range of behavior that depends on a dimensionless relief parameter. At low relief, hillslope shape is parabolic, mean displacement length is on the order of two particle widths, and the

  8. Lunar transportation system

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-07-01

    The University Space Research Association (USRA) requested the University of Minnesota Spacecraft Design Team to design a lunar transportation infrastructure. This task was a year long design effort culminating in a complete conceptual design and presentation at Johnson Space Center. The mission objective of the design group was to design a system of vehicles to bring a habitation module, cargo, and crew to the lunar surface from LEO and return either or both crew and cargo safely to LEO while emphasizing component commonality, reusability, and cost effectiveness. During the course of the design, the lunar transportation system (LTS) has taken on many forms. The final design of the system is composed of two vehicles, a lunar transfer vehicle (LTV) and a lunar excursion vehicle (LEV). The LTV serves as an efficient orbital transfer vehicle between the earth and the moon while the LEV carries crew and cargo to the lunar surface. Presented in the report are the mission analysis, systems layout, orbital mechanics, propulsion systems, structural and thermal analysis, and crew systems, avionics, and power systems for this lunar transportation concept.

  9. Engineering of dendrimer surfaces to enhance transepithelial transport and reduce cytotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jevprasesphant, Rachaneekorn; Penny, Jeffrey; Attwood, David; McKeown, Neil B; D'Emanuele, Antony

    2003-10-01

    To evaluate the cytotoxicity, permeation, and transport mechanisms of PAMAM dendrimers and surface-modified cationic PAMAM dendrimers using monolayers of the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, Caco-2. Cytotoxicity was determined using the MTT assay. The effect of dendrimers on monolayer integrity was determined from measurements of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and [14C]mannitol apparent permeability coefficient (Papp). The Papp of dendrimers through monolayers was measured in both the apical (A)-to-basolateral (B) and B --> A directions at 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C and also in the presence and absence of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and colchicine. The cytotoxicity and permeation of dendrimers increased with both concentration and generation. The cytotoxicity of cationic dendrimers (G2, G3, G4) was greater than that of anionic dendrimers (G2.5, G3.5) but was reduced by conjugation with lauroyl chloride: the least cytotoxic conjugates were those with six attached lauroyl chains. At 37 degrees C the Papp of cationic dendrimers was higher than that of anionic dendrimers and, in general, increased with the number of attached lipid chains. Cationic dendrimers decreased TEER and significantly increased the Papp of mannitol. Modified dendrimers also reduced TEER and caused a more marked increase in the Papp of mannitol. The Papp values of dendrimers and modified dendrimers were higher in the presence of EDTA, lower in the presence of colchicine, and lower at 4 degrees C than at 37 degrees C. The properties of dendrimers may be significantly modified by surface engineering. Conjugation of cationic PAMAM dendrimers with lauroyl chloride decreased their cytotoxicity and increased their permeation through Caco-2 cell monolayers. Both PAMAM dendrimers and lauroyl-PAMAM dendrimer conjugates can cross epithelial monolayers by paracellular and transcellular pathways.

  10. Protein Kinases C-Mediated Regulations of Drug Transporter Activity, Localization and Expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah Mayati

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Drug transporters are now recognized as major actors in pharmacokinetics, involved notably in drug–drug interactions and drug adverse effects. Factors that govern their activity, localization and expression are therefore important to consider. In the present review, the implications of protein kinases C (PKCs in transporter regulations are summarized and discussed. Both solute carrier (SLC and ATP-binding cassette (ABC drug transporters can be regulated by PKCs-related signaling pathways. PKCs thus target activity, membrane localization and/or expression level of major influx and efflux drug transporters, in various normal and pathological types of cells and tissues, often in a PKC isoform-specific manner. PKCs are notably implicated in membrane insertion of bile acid transporters in liver and, in this way, are thought to contribute to cholestatic or choleretic effects of endogenous compounds or drugs. The exact clinical relevance of PKCs-related regulation of drug transporters in terms of drug resistance, pharmacokinetics, drug–drug interactions and drug toxicity remains however to be precisely determined. This issue is likely important to consider in the context of the development of new drugs targeting PKCs-mediated signaling pathways, for treating notably cancers, diabetes or psychiatric disorders.

  11. Repository Waste Package Transporter Shielding Weight Optimization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    C.E. Sanders; Shiaw-Der Su

    2005-01-01

    The Yucca Mountain repository requires the use of a waste package (WP) transporter to transport a WP from a process facility on the surface to the subsurface for underground emplacement. The transporter is a part of the waste emplacement transport systems, which includes a primary locomotive at the front end and a secondary locomotive at the rear end. The overall system with a WP on board weights over 350 metric tons (MT). With the shielding mass constituting approximately one-third of the total system weight, shielding optimization for minimal weight will benefit the overall transport system with reduced axle requirements and improved maneuverability. With a high contact dose rate on the WP external surface and minimal personnel shielding afforded by the WP, the transporter provides radiation shielding to workers during waste emplacement and retrieval operations. This paper presents the design approach and optimization method used in achieving a shielding configuration with minimal weight

  12. Mechanism transition of cell-impedance-controlled lithium transport through Li1-δMn2O4 composite electrode caused by surface-modification and temperature variation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Kyu-Nam; Pyun, Su-Il

    2007-01-01

    The mechanism transition of lithium transport through a Li 1-δ Mn 2 O 4 composite electrode caused by the surface-modification and temperature variation was investigated using the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the potentiostatic current transient technique. From the analyses of the ac-impedance spectra, experimentally measured from unmodified Li 1-δ Mn 2 O 4 and surface-modified Li 1-δ Mn 2 O 4 with MgO composite electrodes, the internal cell resistance of the MgO-modified Li 1-δ Mn 2 O 4 electrode was determined to be much smaller in value than that of the unmodified electrode over the whole potential range. Moreover, from the analysis of the anodic current transients measured on the MgO-modified Li 1-δ Mn 2 O 4 electrode, it was found that the cell-impedance-controlled constraint at the electrode surface is changed to a diffusion-controlled constraint, which is characterised by a large potential step and simultaneously by a small amount of lithium transferred during lithium transport. This strongly suggests that the internal cell resistance plays a significant role in determining the cell-impedance-controlled lithium transport through the MgO-modified Li 1-δ Mn 2 O 4 electrode. Furthermore, from the temperature dependence of the internal cell resistance and diffusion resistance in the unmodified Li 1-δ Mn 2 O 4 composite electrode measured by GITT and EIS, it was concluded that which mechanism of lithium transport will be operative strongly depends on the diffusion resistance as well as on the internal cell resistance

  13. Hydrogen transport behavior of beryllium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderl, R.A.; Hankins, M.R.; Longhurst, G.R.; Pawelko, R.J. (Idaho National Engineering Lab., EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)); Macaulay-Newcombe, R.G. (Dept. of Engineering Physics, Univ. Hamilton, ON (Canada))

    1992-12-01

    Beryllium is being evaluated for use as a plasma-facing material in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). One concern in the evaluation is the retention and permeation of tritium implanted into the plasma-facing surface. We performed laboratory-scale studies to investigate mechanisms that influence hydrogen transport and retention in beryllium foil specimens of rolled powder metallurgy product and rolled ingot cast beryllium. Specimen characterization was accomplished using scanning electron microscopy. Auger electron spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) techniques. Hydrogen transport was investigated using ion-beam permeation experiments and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA). Results indicate that trapping plays a significant role in permeation, re-emission, and retention, and that surface processes at both upstream and downstream surfaces are also important. (orig.).

  14. Representation of tropical deep convection in atmospheric models – Part 2: Tracer transport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. R. Hoyle

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The tropical transport processes of 14 different models or model versions were compared, within the framework of the SCOUT-O3 (Stratospheric-Climate Links with Emphasis on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere project. The tested models range from the regional to the global scale, and include numerical weather prediction (NWP, chemical transport, and chemistry-climate models. Idealised tracers were used in order to prevent the model's chemistry schemes from influencing the results substantially, so that the effects of modelled transport could be isolated. We find large differences in the vertical transport of very short-lived tracers (with a lifetime of 6 h within the tropical troposphere. Peak convective outflow altitudes range from around 300 hPa to almost 100 hPa among the different models, and the upper tropospheric tracer mixing ratios differ by up to an order of magnitude. The timing of convective events is found to be different between the models, even among those which source their forcing data from the same NWP model (ECMWF. The differences are less pronounced for longer lived tracers, however they could have implications for modelling the halogen burden of the lowermost stratosphere through transport of species such as bromoform, or short-lived hydrocarbons into the lowermost stratosphere. The modelled tracer profiles are strongly influenced by the convective transport parameterisations, and different boundary layer mixing parameterisations also have a large impact on the modelled tracer profiles. Preferential locations for rapid transport from the surface into the upper troposphere are similar in all models, and are mostly concentrated over the western Pacific, the Maritime Continent and the Indian Ocean. In contrast, models do not indicate that upward transport is highest over western Africa.

  15. Knowledge of, beliefs about and attitudes to disability: implications ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Knowledge of, beliefs about and attitudes to disability: implications for health ... communities often only learnt about disability following the birth of a disabled child. ... to education and the availability of transport, particularly amongst caregivers ...

  16. Colloid transport in model fracture filling materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wold, S.; Garcia-Garcia, S.; Jonsson, M.

    2010-12-01

    Colloid transport in model fracture filling materials Susanna Wold*, Sandra García-García and Mats Jonsson KTH Chemical Science and Engineering Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden *Corresponding author: E-mail: wold@kth.se Phone: +46 8 790 6295 In colloid transport in water-bearing fractures, the retardation depends on interactions with the fracture surface by sorption or filtration. These mechanisms are difficult to separate. A rougher surface will give a larger area available for sorption, and also when a particle is physically hindered, it approaches the surface and enables further sorption. Sorption can be explained by electrostatics were the strongest sorption on minerals always is observed at pH below pHpzc (Filby et al., 2008). The adhesion of colloids to mineral surfaces is related to the surface roughness according to a recent study (Darbha et al., 2010). There is a large variation in the characteristics of water-bearing fractures in bedrock in terms of aperture distribution, flow velocity, surface roughness, mineral distributions, presence of fracture filling material, and biological and organic material, which is hard to implement in modeling. The aim of this work was to study the transport of negatively charged colloids in model fracture filling material in relation to flow, porosity, mineral type, colloid size, and surface charge distribution. In addition, the impact on transport of colloids of mixing model fracture filling materials with different retention and immobilization capacities, determined by batch sorption experiments, was investigated. The transport of Na-montmorillonite colloids and well-defined negatively charged latex microspheres of 50, 100, and 200 nm diameter were studied in either columns containing quartz or quartz mixed with biotite. The ionic strength in the solution was exclusively 0.001 and pH 6 or 8.5. The flow rates used were 0.002, 0.03, and 0.6 mL min-1. Sorption of the colloids on the model fracture

  17. Observations of inner shelf cross-shore surface material transport adjacent to a coastal inlet in the northern Gulf of Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roth, Mathias K.; MacMahan, Jamie; Reniers, Ad; Özgökmen, Tamay M.; Woodall, Kate; Haus, Brian

    2017-04-01

    Motivated by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Surfzone and Coastal Oil Pathways Experiment obtained Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Eulerian and GPS-drifter based Lagrangian "surface" (Mexico to describe the influence of small-scale river plumes on surface material transport pathways in the nearshore. Lagrangian paths are qualitatively similar to surface pathlines derived from non-traditional, near-surface ADCP velocities, but both differ significantly from depth-averaged subsurface pathlines. Near-surface currents are linearly correlated with wind velocities (r =0.76 in the alongshore and r =0.85 in the cross-shore) at the 95% confidence level, and are 4-7 times larger than theoretical estimates of wind and wave-driven surface flow in an un-stratified water column. Differences in near-surface flow are attributed to the presence of a buoyant river plume forced by winds from passing extratropical storms. Plume boundary fronts induce a horizontal velocity gradient where drifters deployed outside of the plume in oceanic water routinely converge, slow, and are re-directed. When the plume flows west parallel to the beach, the seaward plume boundary front acts as a coastal barrier that prevents 100% of oceanic drifters from beaching within 27 km of the inlet. As a result, small-scale, wind-driven river plumes in the northern Gulf of Mexico act as coastal barriers that prevent offshore surface pollution from washing ashore west of river inlets.

  18. Transporters for Antiretroviral Drugs in Colorectal CD4+ T Cells and Circulating α4β7 Integrin CD4+ T Cells: Implications for HIV Microbicides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukhopadhya, Indrani; Murray, Graeme I; Duncan, Linda; Yuecel, Raif; Shattock, Robin; Kelly, Charles; Iannelli, Francesco; Pozzi, Gianni; El-Omar, Emad M; Hold, Georgina L; Hijazi, Karolin

    2016-09-06

    CD4+ T lymphocytes in the colorectal mucosa are key in HIV-1 transmission and dissemination. As such they are also the primary target for antiretroviral (ARV)-based rectal microbicides for pre-exposure prophylaxis. Drug transporters expressed in mucosal CD4+ T cells determine ARV distribution across the cell membrane and, most likely, efficacy of microbicides. We describe transporters for antiretroviral drugs in colorectal mucosal CD4+ T lymphocytes and compare gene expression with circulating α4β7+CD4+ T cells, which traffic to the intestine and have been shown to be preferentially infected by HIV-1. Purified total CD4+ T cells were obtained from colorectal tissue and blood samples by magnetic separation. CD4+ T cells expressing α4β7 integrin were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy volunteers. Expressions of 15 efflux and uptake drug transporter genes were quantified using Taqman qPCR assays. Expression of efflux transporters MRP3, MRP5, and BCRP and uptake transporter CNT2 were significantly higher in colorectal CD4+ T cells compared to circulating CD4+ T cells (p = 0.01-0.03). Conversely, circulating α4β7+CD4+ T cells demonstrated significantly higher expression of OATPD compared to colorectal CD4+ T cells (p = 0.001). To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of drug transporter gene expression in colorectal CD4+ and peripheral α4β7+CD4+ T cells. The qualitative and quantitative differences in drug transporter gene expression profiles between α4β7+CD4+ T cells and total mucosal CD4+ T cells may have significant implications for the efficacy of rectally delivered ARV-microbicides. Most notably, we have identified efflux drug transporters that could be targeted by selective inhibitors or beneficial drug-drug interactions to enhance intracellular accumulation of antiretroviral drugs.

  19. 77 FR 42831 - Professional Transportation, Inc.-Asset Acquisition-CUSA ES, LLC and CUSA CSS, LLC

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [Docket No. MCF 21046] Professional Transportation, Inc.--Asset Acquisition--CUSA ES, LLC and CUSA CSS, LLC AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, Department of Transportation. ACTION: Correction to Notice of Finance Application. On June 29, 2012, notice...

  20. The influence of sediment transport rate on the development of structure in gravel bed rivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ockelford, Annie; Rice, Steve; Powell, Mark; Reid, Ian; Nguyen, Thao; Tate, Nick; Wood, Jo

    2013-04-01

    Although adjustments of surface grain size are known to be strongly influenced by sediment transport rate little work has systematically explored how different transport rates can affect the development of surface structure in gravel bed rivers. Specifically, it has been well established that the transport of mixed sized sediments leads to the development of a coarser surface or armour layer which occurs over larger areas of the gravel bed. Armour layer development is known to moderate overall sediment transport rate as well as being extremely sensitive to changes in applied shear stress. However, during this armouring process a bed is created where, smaller gain scale changes, to the bed surface are also apparent such as the development of pebble clusters and imbricate structures. Although these smaller scale changes affect the overall surface grain size distribution very little their presence has the ability to significantly increase the surface stability and hence alter overall sediment transport rates. Consequently, the interplay between the moderation of transport rate as a function of surface coarsening at a larger scale and moderation of transport rate as a function of the development of structure on the bed surface at the smaller scale is complicated and warrants further investigation. During experiments a unimodal grain size distribution (σg = 1.30, D50 = 8.8mm) was exposed to 3 different levels of constant discharge that produced sediment transport conditions ranging from marginal transport to conditions approaching full mobility of all size fractions. Sediment was re-circulated during the experiments surface grain size distribution bed load and fractional transport rates were measured at a high temporal resolution such that the time evolution of the beds could be fully described. Discussion concentrates on analysing the effects of the evolving bed condition sediment transport rate (capacity) and transported grain size (competence). The outcome of this

  1. Transport Properties in Nuclear Pasta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caplan, Matthew; Horowitz, Charles; Berry, Donald; da Silva Schneider, Andre

    2016-09-01

    At the base of the inner crust of neutron stars, where matter is near the nuclear saturation density, nuclear matter arranges itself into exotic shapes such as cylinders and slabs, called `nuclear pasta.' Lepton scattering from these structures may govern the transport properties of the inner crust; electron scattering from protons in the pasta determines the thermal and electrical conductivity, as well as the shear viscosity of the inner crust. These properties may vary in pasta structures which form at various densities, temperatures, and proton fractions. In this talk, we report on our calculations of lepton transport in nuclear pasta and the implication for neutron star observables.

  2. From the surface to the seafloor: How giant larvaceans transport microplastics into the deep sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katija, Kakani; Choy, C. Anela; Sherlock, Rob E.; Sherman, Alana D.; Robison, Bruce H.

    2017-01-01

    Plastic waste is a pervasive feature of marine environments, yet little is empirically known about the biological and physical processes that transport plastics through marine ecosystems. To address this need, we conducted in situ feeding studies of microplastic particles (10 to 600 μm in diameter) with the giant larvacean Bathochordaeus stygius. Larvaceans are abundant components of global zooplankton assemblages, regularly build mucus “houses” to filter particulate matter from the surrounding water, and later abandon these structures when clogged. By conducting in situ feeding experiments with remotely operated vehicles, we show that giant larvaceans are able to filter a range of microplastic particles from the water column, ingest, and then package microplastics into their fecal pellets. Microplastics also readily affix to their houses, which have been shown to sink quickly to the seafloor and deliver pulses of carbon to benthic ecosystems. Thus, giant larvaceans can contribute to the vertical flux of microplastics through the rapid sinking of fecal pellets and discarded houses. Larvaceans, and potentially other abundant pelagic filter feeders, may thus comprise a novel biological transport mechanism delivering microplastics from surface waters, through the water column, and to the seafloor. Our findings necessitate the development of tools and sampling methodologies to quantify concentrations and identify environmental microplastics throughout the water column. PMID:28835922

  3. Are lipid rafts involved in ABC transporter-mediated drug resistance of tumor cells?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kok, Jan Willem; Klappe, Karin; Hummel, Ina; Kroesen, Bart-Jan; Sietsma, Hannie; Meszaros, Peter

    2008-01-01

    Since their discovery, lipid rafts have been implicated in several cellular functions, including protein transport in polarized cells and signal transduction. Also in multidrug resistance lipid rafts may be important with regard to the localization of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters in these

  4. Basin-scale heterogeneity in Antarctic precipitation and its impact on surface mass variability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Fyke

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Annually averaged precipitation in the form of snow, the dominant term of the Antarctic Ice Sheet surface mass balance, displays large spatial and temporal variability. Here we present an analysis of spatial patterns of regional Antarctic precipitation variability and their impact on integrated Antarctic surface mass balance variability simulated as part of a preindustrial 1800-year global, fully coupled Community Earth System Model simulation. Correlation and composite analyses based on this output allow for a robust exploration of Antarctic precipitation variability. We identify statistically significant relationships between precipitation patterns across Antarctica that are corroborated by climate reanalyses, regional modeling and ice core records. These patterns are driven by variability in large-scale atmospheric moisture transport, which itself is characterized by decadal- to centennial-scale oscillations around the long-term mean. We suggest that this heterogeneity in Antarctic precipitation variability has a dampening effect on overall Antarctic surface mass balance variability, with implications for regulation of Antarctic-sourced sea level variability, detection of an emergent anthropogenic signal in Antarctic mass trends and identification of Antarctic mass loss accelerations.

  5. A justice-theoretic approach to the distribution of transportation benefits: Implications for transportation planning practice in the United States

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martens, C.J.C.M.; Golub, A.; Robinson, G.

    2012-01-01

    Transportation improvements inevitably lead to an uneven distribution of user benefits, in space and by network type (private and public transport). This paper makes a moral argument for what would be a fair distribution of these benefits. The argument follows Walzer’s ‘‘Spheres of Justice’’

  6. Local transport method for hybrid diffusion-transport calculations in 2-D cylindrical (R, THETA) geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Dingkang; Rahnema, Farzad; Ougouag, Abderrfi M.

    2011-01-01

    A response-based local transport method has been developed in 2-D (r, θ) geometry for coupling to any coarse-mesh (nodal) diffusion method/code. Monte Carlo method is first used to generate a (pre-computed) the response function library for each unique coarse mesh in the transport domain (e.g., the outer reflector region of the Pebble Bed Reactor). The scalar flux and net current at the diffusion/transport interface provided by the diffusion method are used as an incoming surface source to the transport domain. A deterministic iterative sweeping method together with the response function library is utilized to compute the local transport solution within all transport coarse meshes. After the partial angular currents crossing the coarse mesh surfaces are converged, albedo coefficients are computed as boundary conditions for the diffusion methods. The iteration on the albedo boundary condition (for the diffusion method via transport) and the incoming angular flux boundary condition (for the transport via diffusion) is continued until convergence is achieved. The method was tested for in a simplified 2-D (r, θ) pebble bed reactor problem consisting of an inner reflector, an annular fuel region and a controlled outer reflector. The comparisons have shown that the results of the response-function-based transport method agree very well with a direct MCNP whole core solution. The agreement in coarse mesh averaged flux was found to be excellent: relative difference of about 0.18% and a maximum difference of about 0.55%. Note that the MCNP uncertainty was less than 0.1%. (author)

  7. Testing of a "smart-pebble" for measuring particle transport statistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitsikoudis, Vasileios; Avgeris, Loukas; Valyrakis, Manousos

    2017-04-01

    This paper presents preliminary results from novel experiments aiming to assess coarse sediment transport statistics for a range of transport conditions, via the use of an innovative "smart-pebble" device. This device is a waterproof sphere, which has 7 cm diameter and is equipped with a number of sensors that provide information about the velocity, acceleration and positioning of the "smart-pebble" within the flow field. A series of specifically designed experiments are carried out to monitor the entrainment of a "smart-pebble" for fully developed, uniform, turbulent flow conditions over a hydraulically rough bed. Specifically, the bed surface is configured to three sections, each of them consisting of well packed glass beads of slightly increasing size at the downstream direction. The first section has a streamwise length of L1=150 cm and beads size of D1=15 mm, the second section has a length of L2=85 cm and beads size of D2=22 mm, and the third bed section has a length of L3=55 cm and beads size of D3=25.4 mm. Two cameras monitor the area of interest to provide additional information regarding the "smart-pebble" movement. Three-dimensional flow measurements are obtained with the aid of an acoustic Doppler velocimeter along a measurement grid to assess the flow forcing field. A wide range of flow rates near and above the threshold of entrainment is tested, while using four distinct densities for the "smart-pebble", which can affect its transport speed and total momentum. The acquired data are analyzed to derive Lagrangian transport statistics and the implications of such an important experiment for the transport of particles by rolling are discussed. The flow conditions for the initiation of motion, particle accelerations and equilibrium particle velocities (translating into transport rates), statistics of particle impact and its motion, can be extracted from the acquired data, which can be further compared to develop meaningful insights for sediment transport

  8. Understanding Non-Equilibrium Charge Transport and Rectification at Chromophore/Metal Interfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darancet, Pierre

    Understanding non-equilibrium charge and energy transport across nanoscale interfaces is central to developing an intuitive picture of fundamental processes in solar energy conversion applications. In this talk, I will discuss our theoretical studies of finite-bias transport at organic/metal interfaces. First, I will show how the finite-bias electronic structure of such systems can be quantitatively described using density functional theory in conjunction with simple models of non-local correlations and bias-induced Stark effects.. Using these methods, I will discuss the conditions of emergence of highly non-linear current-voltage characteristics in bilayers made of prototypical organic materials, and their implications in the context of hole- and electron-blocking layers in organic photovoltaic. In particular, I will show how the use of strongly-hybridized, fullerene-coated metallic surfaces as electrodes is a viable route to maximizing the diodic behavior and electrical functionality of molecular components. The submitted manuscript has been created by UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne). Argonne, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, is operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

  9. Evaluation of wastewater contaminant transport in surface waters using verified Lagrangian sampling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antweiler, Ronald C.; Writer, Jeffrey H.; Murphy, Sheila F.

    2014-01-01

    Contaminants released from wastewater treatment plants can persist in surface waters for substantial distances. Much research has gone into evaluating the fate and transport of these contaminants, but this work has often assumed constant flow from wastewater treatment plants. However, effluent discharge commonly varies widely over a 24-hour period, and this variation controls contaminant loading and can profoundly influence interpretations of environmental data. We show that methodologies relying on the normalization of downstream data to conservative elements can give spurious results, and should not be used unless it can be verified that the same parcel of water was sampled. Lagrangian sampling, which in theory samples the same water parcel as it moves downstream (the Lagrangian parcel), links hydrologic and chemical transformation processes so that the in-stream fate of wastewater contaminants can be quantitatively evaluated. However, precise Lagrangian sampling is difficult, and small deviations – such as missing the Lagrangian parcel by less than 1 h – can cause large differences in measured concentrations of all dissolved compounds at downstream sites, leading to erroneous conclusions regarding in-stream processes controlling the fate and transport of wastewater contaminants. Therefore, we have developed a method termed “verified Lagrangian” sampling, which can be used to determine if the Lagrangian parcel was actually sampled, and if it was not, a means for correcting the data to reflect the concentrations which would have been obtained had the Lagrangian parcel been sampled. To apply the method, it is necessary to have concentration data for a number of conservative constituents from the upstream, effluent, and downstream sites, along with upstream and effluent concentrations that are constant over the short-term (typically 2–4 h). These corrections can subsequently be applied to all data, including non-conservative constituents. Finally, we

  10. Evaluation of wastewater contaminant transport in surface waters using verified Lagrangian sampling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antweiler, Ronald C; Writer, Jeffrey H; Murphy, Sheila F

    2014-02-01

    Contaminants released from wastewater treatment plants can persist in surface waters for substantial distances. Much research has gone into evaluating the fate and transport of these contaminants, but this work has often assumed constant flow from wastewater treatment plants. However, effluent discharge commonly varies widely over a 24-hour period, and this variation controls contaminant loading and can profoundly influence interpretations of environmental data. We show that methodologies relying on the normalization of downstream data to conservative elements can give spurious results, and should not be used unless it can be verified that the same parcel of water was sampled. Lagrangian sampling, which in theory samples the same water parcel as it moves downstream (the Lagrangian parcel), links hydrologic and chemical transformation processes so that the in-stream fate of wastewater contaminants can be quantitatively evaluated. However, precise Lagrangian sampling is difficult, and small deviations - such as missing the Lagrangian parcel by less than 1h - can cause large differences in measured concentrations of all dissolved compounds at downstream sites, leading to erroneous conclusions regarding in-stream processes controlling the fate and transport of wastewater contaminants. Therefore, we have developed a method termed "verified Lagrangian" sampling, which can be used to determine if the Lagrangian parcel was actually sampled, and if it was not, a means for correcting the data to reflect the concentrations which would have been obtained had the Lagrangian parcel been sampled. To apply the method, it is necessary to have concentration data for a number of conservative constituents from the upstream, effluent, and downstream sites, along with upstream and effluent concentrations that are constant over the short-term (typically 2-4h). These corrections can subsequently be applied to all data, including non-conservative constituents. Finally, we show how data

  11. A Sediment Transport Model for Sewers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mark, Ole; Larsson, Johan; Larsen, Torben

    1993-01-01

    This paper describes a mathematical model for transport processes in sewers. The model consists of three sub models, a surface model for the description of the buildup and the washoff of sediment particles from the surface area, a morphological model and an advection-dispersion model. The model i...... is being developed as a part of a study being carried out at the University of Aalborg, Denmark and VBB VIAK, Sweden. The project is funded by the Swedish Water and Waste Water Works Association and the Nordic Industrial Foundation.......This paper describes a mathematical model for transport processes in sewers. The model consists of three sub models, a surface model for the description of the buildup and the washoff of sediment particles from the surface area, a morphological model and an advection-dispersion model. The model...

  12. Surface Electrical Potentials of Root Cell Plasma Membranes: Implications for Ion Interactions, Rhizotoxicity, and Uptake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Min Wang

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Many crop plants are exposed to heavy metals and other metals that may intoxicate the crop plants themselves or consumers of the plants. The rhizotoxicity of heavy metals is influenced strongly by the root cell plasma membrane (PM surface’s electrical potential (ψ0. The usually negative ψ0 is created by negatively charged constituents of the PM. Cations in the rooting medium are attracted to the PM surface and anions are repelled. Addition of ameliorating cations (e.g., Ca2+ and Mg2+ to the rooting medium reduces the effectiveness of cationic toxicants (e.g., Cu2+ and Pb2+ and increases the effectiveness of anionic toxicants (e.g., SeO42− and H2AsO4−. Root growth responses to ions are better correlated with ion activities at PM surfaces ({IZ}0 than with activities in the bulk-phase medium ({IZ}b (IZ denotes an ion with charge Z. Therefore, electrostatic effects play a role in heavy metal toxicity that may exceed the role of site-specific competition between toxicants and ameliorants. Furthermore, ψ0 controls the transport of ions across the PM by influencing both {IZ}0 and the electrical potential difference across the PM from the outer surface to the inner surface (Em,surf. Em,surf is a component of the driving force for ion fluxes across the PM and controls ion-channel voltage gating. Incorporation of {IZ}0 and Em,surf into quantitative models for root metal toxicity and uptake improves risk assessments of toxic metals in the environment. These risk assessments will improve further with future research on the application of electrostatic theory to heavy metal phytotoxicity in natural soils and aquatic environments.

  13. Anomalous transport in toroidal plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Punjabi, A.

    1989-12-01

    When the magnetic moment of particle is conserved, there are three mechanisms which cause anomalous transport. These are: variation of magnetic field strength in flux surface, variation of electrostatic potential in flux surface, and destruction of flux surface. The anomalous transport of different groups of particles resulting from each of these mechanisms is different. This fact can be exploited to determine the cause of transport operative in an experimental situation. This approach can give far more information on the transport than the standard confinement time measurements. To implement this approach, we have developed Monte Carlo codes for toroidal geometries. The equations of motion are developed in a set of non-canonical, practical Boozer co-ordinates by means of Jacobian transformations of the particle drift Hamiltonian equations of motion. Effects of collisions are included by appropriate stochastic changes in the constants of motion. Effects of the loop voltage on particle motions are also included. We plan to apply our method to study two problems: the problem of the hot electron tail observed in edge region of ZT-40, and the energy confinement time in TOKAPOLE II. For the ZT-40 problem three situations will be considered: a single mode in the core, a stochastic region that covers half the minor radius, a stochastic region that covers the entire plasma. A turbulent spectrum of perturbations based on the experimental data of TOKAPOLE II will be developed. This will be used to simulate electron transport resulting from ideal instabilities and resistive instabilities in TOKAPOLE II

  14. Sediment transport via needle ice: a new method for diffusive transport on laboratory-scale hillslopes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweeney, K. E.; Roering, J. J.; Rempel, A. W.

    2012-12-01

    Convex hilltops formed by diffusive sediment transport are a fundamental feature of soil-mantled landscapes worldwide. Additionally, the competition and interaction between hillslopes and valleys control basic topographic metrics, such as relief, drainage density, and breaks in slope-area scaling. Despite recent progress in erosive landscape experiments, no published work has explored the competition of hillslope diffusion and channel advection experimentally. Here, we present preliminary findings on the plausibility of needle ice driven frost creep as a mechanism for laboratory hillslope transport of wet sediment. In nature, needle ice is a diurnal form of ice segregation, whereby liquid water held in sediment pore space is driven upward toward a near-surface freezing front by a temperature-controlled liquid pressure gradient. As needles grow perpendicular to the surface, sediment is incorporated in the growing needle ice by temperature perturbations and associated downward shifts in the freezing front. Sediment then moves downslope due to melting or sublimation of the ice needles. We constructed a slope of saturated sediment in a freezer to constrain the temperature, grain size, and soil moisture limits on laboratory needle ice growth and sediment transport. Surficial sediment transport is measured during experimentation by tracking the movement of colored grains. Additionally, at the end of each run we measure depth-dependent sediment transport by taking slices of the experimental slope and observing the displacement of buried columns of colored grains. In agreement with past work, we find that with temperatures just below freezing, soil moisture above 35%, and silt-sized sediment, the moisture migration induced by freezing releases enough latent heat to maintain the location of the freezing front and encourage needle ice growth. Our experiments demonstrate that the amount of sediment incorporated during needle growth, i.e., the transport efficiency, can be

  15. Comparison between s - and d -electron mediated transport in a photoswitching dithienylethene molecule using ab initio transport methods

    KAUST Repository

    Odell, Anders; Delin, Anna; Johansson, Bö rje; Ulman, Kanchan; Narasimhan, Shobhana; Rungger, Ivan; Sanvito, Stefano

    2011-01-01

    The influence of the electrode's Fermi surface on the transport properties of a photoswitching molecule is investigated with state-of-the-art ab initio transport methods. We report results for the conducting properties of the two forms

  16. Air transport pilots' information priorities for surface moving maps

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-10-13

    The use of a surface map display for operations on or near the airport surface (taxi out, takeoff, final approach and landing, taxi in) is expected to enhance safety. There is a lack of research, however, detailing how the airport surface should be d...

  17. Radionuclide transport modelling for a buried near surface low level radioactive waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terzi, R.

    2004-01-01

    The disposal of radioactive waste, which is the last step of any radioactive waste management policy, has not yet been developed in Turkey. The existing legislation states only the discharge limits for the radioactive wastes to be discharged to the environment. The objective of this modelling study is to assist in safety assessment and selecting disposal site for gradually increasing non-nuclear radioactive wastes. This mathematical model has been developed for the environmental radiological assessment of near surface disposal sites for the low and intermediate level radioactive wastes. The model comprised of three main components: source term, geosphere transport and radiological assessment. Radiation dose for the babies (1 years age) and adults (≥17 years age) have been computed for the radionuclides Cesium 137 (Cs-137) and Strontium 90 (Sr-90), having the activity of 1.10 12 Becquerel(Bq), in radioactive waste through transport of radionuclide in liquid phase with the various pathways. The model consisted of first order ordinary differential equations was coded as a TCODE file in MATLAB program. The radiation dose to man for the realist case and low probability case have been calculated by using Runge-Kutta solution method in MATLAB programme for radionuclide transport from repository to soil layer and then to the ground water(saturated zone) through drinking water directly and consuming agricultural and animal products pathways in one year period. Also, the fatal cancer risk assessment has been made by taking into account the annual dose received by people. Various dose values for both radionuclides have been found which depended on distribution coefficient, retardation factor and dose conversion factors. The most important critical parameters on radiological safety assessment are the distribution coefficient in soil layer, seepage velocity in unsaturated zone and thickness of the unsaturated zone (soil zone). The highest radiation dose and average dose to

  18. Unraveling the Role of Transport, Electrocatalysis, and Surface Science in the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathode Oxygen Reduction Reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gopalan, Srikanth [Boston Univ., MA (United States)

    2017-04-06

    This final report for project FE0009656 covers the period from 10/01/2012 to 09/30/2015 and covers research accomplishments on the effects of carbon dioxide on the surface composition and structure of cathode materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), specifically La1-xSrxFeyCo1- yO3-δ (LSCF). Epitaxially deposited thin films of LSCF on various single-crystal substrates have revealed the selective segregation of strontium to the surface thereby resulting in a surface enrichment of strontium. The near surface compositional profile in the films have been measured using total x-ray fluorescence (TXRF), and show that the kinetics of strontium segregation are higher at higher partial pressures of carbon dioxide. Once the strontium segregates to the surface, it leads to the formation of precipitates of SrO which convert to SrCO3 in the presence of even modest concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This has important implications for the performance of SOFCs which is discussed in this report. These experimental observations have also been verified by Density Functional Theory calculations (DFT) which predict the conditions under which SrO and SrCO3 can occur in LSCF. Furthermore, a few cathode compositions which have received attention in the literature as alternatives to LSCF cathodes have been studied in this work and shown to be thermodynamically unstable under the operating conditions of the SOFCs.

  19. Establishing Bedding Requirements during Transport and Monitoring Skin Temperature during Cold and Mild Seasons after Transport for Finishing Pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John McGlone

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The broad aim of this study was to determine whether bedding level in the transport trailer influenced pig performance and welfare. Specifically, the objective was to define the bedding requirements of pigs during transportation in commercial settings during cold and mild weather. Animals (n = 112,078 pigs on 572 trailers used were raised in commercial finishing sites and transported in trailers to commercial processing plants. Dead on arrival (DOA, non-ambulatory (NA, and total dead and down (D&D data were collected and skin surface temperatures of the pigs were measured by infrared thermography. Data were collected during winter (Experiment 1 and fall/spring (Experiment 2. Total D&D percent showed no interaction between bedding level and outside air temperature in any experiments. Average skin surface temperature during unloading increased with outside air temperature linearly in both experiments (P < 0.01. In conclusion, over-use of bedding may be economically inefficient. Pig skin surface temperature could be a useful measure of pig welfare during or after transport.

  20. Fermi arc mediated entropy transport in topological semimetals

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormick, Timothy M.; Watzman, Sarah J.; Heremans, Joseph P.; Trivedi, Nandini

    2018-05-01

    The low-energy excitations of topological Weyl semimetals are composed of linearly dispersing Weyl fermions that act as monopoles of Berry curvature in the bulk momentum space. Furthermore, on the surface there exist topologically protected Fermi arcs at the projections of these Weyl points. We propose a pathway for entropy transport involving Fermi arcs on one surface connecting to Fermi arcs on the other surface via the bulk Weyl monopoles. We present results for the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the magnetothermal conductance of this conveyor belt channel. The circulating currents result in a net entropy transport without any net charge transport. We provide results for the Fermi arc mediated magnetothermal conductivity in the low-field semiclassical limit as well as in the high-field ultraquantum limit, where only chiral Landau levels are involved. Our work provides a proposed signature of Fermi arc mediated magnetothermal transport and sets the stage for utilizing and manipulating the topological Fermi arcs in thermal applications.